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19. quickened, with respect to the Spirit, whereby he went and 20. preached even to the spirits in prison, who were in former

times disbelieving, when the patience of God continued waiting in the days of Noah, while the ark was preparing, in which 21. a few—that is, eight-souls were saved by water, which also now the anti-type baptism-saves us, not as the removal of the filth of the flesh,' but as the profession of a good conscience 22. towards God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who is at the right hand of God, having passed into heaven, angels, and authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.

IV. 1.

Christ, then, having suffered for us in the flesh, do you even arm yourselves with this same thought-that he who hath 2. suffered in the flesh hath been made to rest from sin,'-in order to the living the remainder of the time in the flesh, not accord3. ing to the lusts of men, but according to the will of God; for the time that is past is enough for us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, having walked in impurities, in lusts, in intoxication, in revels, in carousings, and lawless idolatrous rites; 4. wherein they think it strange that you run not with them, into 5. the same mire of profligacy, speaking evil of you; these3 shall

render an account to Him who is in readiness' to judge the 6. living and the dead; for, for this purpose also was the gospel preached to the dead, that as to man they might be judged in the flesh, but as to God might live in the Spirit.

7.

6

Now the end of all things is at hand; be, therefore, prudent 8. and watchful with regard to prayers. But, above all things, have a fervent love of each other; for this love will cover a 9. multitude of faults. Be hospitable to each other without 10. grudgings; as good stewards of the manifold kindness of God,

let every one employ the gift he has received for mutual ser11. vice (if any one speak as oracles of God,' if any one minister as of the ability God has bestowed), that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, who is the glory and the power forever and ever, Amen.

12.

Beloved, be not surprised at the scorching" among you which is coming for your trial, as at some strange thing hap13. pening to you; but rejoice, inasmuch as you are partakers in the sufferings of Christ, that you may also rejoice with ex14. ultation at the revelation of his glory. If you suffer reproach in Christ's name, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of power, even the spirit of God, resteth on you; with regard

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1 Baptismus non ei rei servit, cui balnea sufficiunt.-DEYLINGIUS.

2

Cogitatione.-VULGATE. Armez-vous de cette pensée que, &c.-MONS VERSION.
ROBINSON. ös, i, ő 2, a. ß. And thei schulen give resoun to hym.-WICLIF.

• 2 Cor. x. 6. Ἔχειν ἐν ἑτοίμῳ.

"Inflict righteous judgment on.

7

James v. 8, 9.

2s veritatis. What are, indeed, divine oracles-speaking as the toμnveùs of God.

Of the ability which God has really given him, as a divinely qualified minister.
Cui est.-VULGATE.

10 Prov. xxvii. 21; lxx. 1 Cor. iii. 13, 14. Apoc. xviii. 19.

11

Avváμsws is introduced into the text by GRIESBACH, Matthaei, and LACHMANN.

to them there is reproach, but with regard to you there is 15. glory. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a 16. thief, or an evil-doer, or as an intermeddler; but if any

2

suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him 17. glorify God on this account." For it is the time of the commencement of the judgment from the house of God; and if the beginning be from us, what will be the issue with those 18. who disbelieve the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be delivered, where shall the ungodly and sinner ap19. pear? Wherefore let even those who suffer, according to the will of God, in well doing commit their souls to Him, who is a faithful Creator.

5

V. 1. To the elders among you, I who am a fellow-elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a sharer in the glory 2. that is about to be revealed, give this exhortation. Act as shepherds to the flock of God that is among you,' superintending them, not reluctantly, but willingly; not from a sordid love 3. of gain, but from a spirit of zeal; neither lording it over the 4. allotted portions, but being patterns for the flock; and when

1

the chief shepherd 10 appears, you shall receive the unfading 5. crown of glory. In like manner, you juniors, submit yourselves to the elders," and all of you being subject to each other, be girdled with humility; 12 for God opposes the haughty, but to the humble he shows favor.

6.

Humble yourselves, then, under the mighty hand of God, 7. that he may exalt you in due season: 13 casting all your anxiety on Him, for he cares for you.

8.

14

Be sober, be wakeful; your adversary the devil, like a roar9. ing lion, is going about seeking whom he may devour; Him resist, standing fast in the faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are accomplished in your brotherhood while in 10. the world. But the God of all grace who has called you to his

They will reproach, but you will be honored. This clause is of doubtful authority. GRIESBACH and LACHMANN omit it.

Alienorum appetitor.-VULGATE. Rerum ad se non pertinentium curiosus inspector.— ERASM. SCHMID.

32 Cor. iii. 10; ix. 3.

Finis judicii.-ERAS. SCHMID.

5 Kái, etiam, concessivé cum participio, idem quod si kaì et si cum verbo: ei kai táo xoire ch. iii. 14. Non debemus ex passione diffidentiam capere.-BENGEL.

6's dλns HESYCHIUS. Revera, vere SCHLEUSNER. Answering to the Heb. Caph veritatis. Neh. vii. 2. Hos. v. 10; lxx. John i. 14.

7 As much as lieth in you.-CRANMER.

MER.

The clergy.-WICLIF RHEMISTS. The parishes.-COVERDALE.

Your charges.-HAMMOND.

MATTHEWS. CRAN

9 THEOPHYLACT and ECUMENIUS consider καὶ as an αἰτιολογικὸς σύνδεσμος.

10 Prince of shepherds.-WICLIF. Prince of pastors.-RHEMISTS.

11 The Syriac version has “your elders," which shows us how its author understood

νεώτεροι.

12 Put on humility as your badge.-HAMMOND.

13 1 Tim. vi. 15. 2 Cor. vi. 2. Whether here or hereafter, certainly at a seasonable time.-STEIGER.

14 Erga diffidentes robur habet, erga fideles imbellis est.-BULLINGER.

eternal glory in Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a little, shall himself1 make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you;2 11. His is the glory and the power, forever and ever. Amen.

12.

By Silvanus, to you a faithful brother, as I judge, I have briefly written, exhorting you, and testifying to you that this is the 13. true grace of God, with regard to which do you stand. The church in Babylon, chosen as you are, saluteth you; also 14. Marcus, my son. Salute each other with a kiss of love. Peace be with you all who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.

1 Phil. i. 6.

2 The elder English versions-COVERDALE, MATTHEWS, and CRANMER-render this in the future; and the reading on which this rendering rests, that of the Vulgate, is recognized by GRIESBACH, SCHOLZ, and LACHMANN, as genuine. Digna Petro oratio: confirmat suos fratres.-BENGEL.

3 If, as is generally admitted, the verbs in the previous verse be in the future, is seems a more suitable supplement than be.

4 ETTE-LACHMANN. See the authorities in GRIESBACH and SCHOLZ,

5 Literally she, that is, either ««dnoía or dikoropá.

EXPOSITORY DISCOURSES.

DISCOURSE L

INTRODUCTORY.

THE AUTHOR-THE ADDRESS--AND THE SALUTATION.

1 PETER i. 1, 2.-Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

INTRODUCTION.

THE Holy Scriptures-the inspired record of the revealed will of God-are not occupied with a systematic view of religious and moral truth and duty, but consist of a great variety of separate treatises, some of them historical, others didactic, others prophetical, most of them written in prose, though some of them in verse, composed at irregular intervals during a period of fifteen hundred years, and generally having a peculiar reference to the circumstances of those to whom they were originally addressed. The miscellaneous and occasional character thus impressed on the sacred writings, like everything else about them, bears in it indications of their divine origin. It prevents the appearance of human art or contrivance; proves that the harmony which prevails in them could not be the result of a preconcerted plan on the part of the writers; and leads us to inquire for a reason-which can only be found in the fact that they were given by the inspiration of Him who is "the only wise God"-why writings, so plainly occasional in their origin, should, notwithstanding, be so well fitted to serve the purpose of a universal and permanent rule of religious belief and moral conduct.

A considerable part of the second volume of the inspired writings -the CHRISTIAN Scriptures-consists of letters, addressed by Apostles of Christ, some of them to individual Christians, most of them to bodies of Christians resident in particular cities or districts. These epistles form one of the most valuable portions of the Book of God. They embody in them much evidence, in a peculiarly satisfactory form, of the truth of the Gospel history, and of the divine origin of

Christianity; they contain in them the full development of the Christian doctrine, given by men on whom, according to His promise, the exalted Redeemer had conferred the Holy Spirit," to guide them into all the truth;" they give us a striking exhibition of the living spirit of Christianity, and its influence on the formation of character, both in the writers of the epistles and in those to whom they are addressed; they present us with authentic information in reference to the constitution, government, and worship of the primitive Church; and they furnish, in the most useful and impressive form, a complete code of Christian morals.

Among these apostolical letters, the First Epistle of the Apostle Peter has always held a high place in the estimation of the Church. Their opinion cannot be better expressed than in the words of the heavenly Leighton: "This excellent epistle, full of evangelical doctrine and apostolical authority, is a brief and yet very clear summary, both of the consolations and instructions needful for the encouragement and direction of a Christian in his journey to heaven; elevating his thoughts and desires to that happiness, and strengthening him against all opposition in the way, both that of corruption within, and temptation and afflictions from without. The heads of doctrine contained in it are many; but the main that are most insisted on, are these three -Faith, Obedience, and Patience-to establish them in believing, to direct them in doing, and to comfort them in suffering."

The authenticity and genuineness of the Epistle, and its apostolic origin and consequent divine inspiration, rest on the most satisfactory evidence. It is alluded to in the second epistle bearing Peter's name; the great antiquity of which is undoubted, though its canonical authority has been questioned. It is plainly referred to by the earliest Christian writers, as Clement of Rome, Ignatius, Polycarp, and Irenæus; and Eusebius ranks it among the books universally admitted to belong to the sacred canon. The doubts which have been thrown out by certain German critics, in later times, have obviously originated in the very wantonness of scepticism, and but little deserve the grave discussion and elaborate refutation they have received from sounder scholars.

Like the letters of Paul, this composition holds a middle place between the treatise or discourse and the familiar epistle. It is not, like the epistles to the Romans, Galatians, and Hebrews, principally occupied with one great doctrinal theme. It more resembles the minor Pauline epistles, with this difference, that the doctrinal and the practical statements are more commingled. There is comparatively little discussion or argument in it. It is- -as the author himself describes it (ch. v. 12)-a testimony and an exhortation.2

The natural warmth of the author's disposition gives to the style a character of energy approaching to vehemence; and there is to be found just such a familiarity with the Old Testament Scriptures,

1 Epistolam profecto dignam apostolorum principe, plenam auctoritatis ac majestatis apostolicæ, verbis parcam, sententiis differtam.-ERASMUS. Habet hæc epistola rò podpòv conveniens ingenio principis apostolorum.-GROTIUS. Mirabilis est gravitas et alacritas Petrini sermonis, suavissime retinens lectorem.-BENGEL.

2

Παρακαλῶν καὶ ἐπιμαρτυρῶν.

3

Chrysostom terms him Ο πανταχοῦ Θερμός.

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