elders should rule those
that are spiritually younger, whether they be priests or even old
men.

_Be ye all of you subject one to another, and therein manifest
humility._ Here he turns and modifies his command, directing each to
be subject one to another. But how is that consistent, that the
elders should rule, and yet all should be subject one to the other?
Are we then to overturn what has been said? Some one perhaps would
give such a gloss as this, that St. Peter spoke above of the
elders,--here he speaks of the younger. But we shall let the words
stand, granting that they are spoken generally; as Paul also says in
Rom. xii., "That each in honor prefer one another." The younger
should be subject to the old, yet in such a manner that the latter
shall not regard themselves as masters, but even should submit and
follow, where a younger is more judicious and learned; just as God in
the Old Testament often selected young men, provided they were more
wise than the old.

So Christ also teaches, in Luke xiv.: "When thou art bidden, sit not
down in the highest place, lest a more honorable than thou be bidden,
and then he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, give this
man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lower place; but
when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest place, that when
he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee: Friend, go up
higher;" and then he introduces the passage as it is found in many
places: "He who exalteth himself shall be humbled, and he that
humbleth himself shall be exalted."

Therefore should the younger be subject to the elder, and yet the
elder on the other hand should be so disposed that each one in his
heart shall hold himself as the least. Were this done we should have
delightful peace, and all would go well on earth. This, therefore,
says he, should we do, _exhibit humility_.

_For God resisteth the proud but giveth grace to the humble._ That
is, those who will not give place God casts down; and on the other
hand, he exalts those who humble themselves. It is a common
expression--would to God he lived like common folks.

V. 6. _Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God._
Since God requires that each should be subject to the other; if it is
done willingly and cheerfully, he will exalt you. But if you will not
do it willingly, you shall do it from constraint. He will cast you
down.

_That He may exalt you in his own time._ It seems, wh