290 They should perform the duties of their stations. SECT. Such an influence on our whole conduct. viii. And 8 And above all charity among your above all things be careful to remember the dis- things have fervent 1 Peter tinguishing badge of your religion, having and selves: for charity IV. 8. maintaining fervent love towards one another; shall cover the multiwhich as it will be very comfortable and honour- tude of sins. able to yourselves, will be very pleasing and acceptable to God; for on the whole, as the wise man assures us, love will cover a multitude of sins; it will cause us to excuse them in others, and it will entitle us through Divine mercy to the expectation of forgiveness for numberless 9 slips and failings. Be hospitable to each other, without grudging the expence which may attend the exercise of a virtue which in present circum10 stances is so important and necessary. As 9 Use hospitality one to another without grudging. 10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the 11 If any man speak cles of God; if any every one has received the free gift of God, exercise it towards each other, as becomes those who know they are not themselves proprietors, but merely stewards, of what they possess, and manifold grace of God. who desire to approve themselves good stewards of the manifold grace of God, with which they 11 have the honour to be intrusted. If any one speak in public assemblies, discoursing on the let him speak as the oragreat topics of the gospel, [let him handle the man minister, let him subject] with seriousness and reverence, and as do it as of the ability which God giveth: becomes one who knows that sublime dispensa- that God in all things tion contains no discoveries of doctrine or duty, may be glorified but what are indeed the oracles of God. If any through Jesus Christ, one minister in any office of kindness to others, dominion for ever and and particularly in the work of a deacon, [let it ever. Amen. be] according to the utmost ability which God supplies; that God may in all things be glorified by Jesus Christ, who has called us to his service, and to the hope of enjoying him for ever; to whom, as our great Redeemer and Saviour, be glory and dominion ascribed for ever and ever. Amen. 12 to whom be praise and 12 Beloved, think it And now, my beloved brethren, let me seriously caution you, that you be not surprised at not strange concerning b Love will cover a multitude of sins.] This is agreeable to the interpretation given of the parallel text, James v. ult. For the further illustration of it, compare Ecclus. iii. 20; Psal. xviii. 25; Prov. x. 12; Dan. iv. 27. It would be monstrous to imagine, that acts of liberality, to the poor can procure the pardon of sin, while men continue in a course of impenitence and unbelief; for by this the whole gospel would be subverted. But where acts of charity to the souls and bodies of men, the the spring from an inward principle of love And rejoice in partaking of Christ's sufferings. some strange thing happened unto you: takers of Christ's suf Christ, happy are ye, 291 viii. 1 Peter the fiery trial, which is the fiery trial, at the dreadful series of furious SECT. to try you, as though and bitter persecutions which is to try you, as if some strange and unexampled thing, beyond all 13 But rejoice, in as reasonable expectation, had befallen you: But IV. 13 much as ye are par- rather rejoice in these trials, as being therein ferings; that when his partakers of the sufferings of Christ, the memory glory shall be revealed, of which should ever be dear and precious to ye may be glad also you; that when his final glory shall be revealed, with exceeding joy. ye, in the participation of it, may be even transported with joy far beyond what can now be de14 If ye be reproach- scribed, or conceived. In the mean time, 14 ed for the name of while you are in this present world, and obfor the Spirit of glory noxious to persecutions and injuries, if you are and of God, resteth up- reproached for the name of Christ, [ye are] happy, on you: on their part and ought to reckon yourselves so, because the he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glori Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you; fied. which will support you under it, and spread a lustre around you; and [though] he, in whose cause ye suffer so unjustly, is blasphemed on their part, yet on yours, he is glorified: it shews the excellence and sublime spirit of true reli gion, that it can support you under the opprobrious and cruel treatment which you endure, 15 But let none of for adhering to it and defending it. you suffer as a murder. let not any of you, who have the honour to bear an evil-doer, or as a the Christian name, by any means suffer as a busy-body in other murderer, or a thief, or a malefactor, of any er, or as a thief, or as meo's matters. But 15 other kind, or even as over-busy and assuming © The fiery trial: wors.] This is a metaphor, borrowed from chemical operations, and very emphatically expresses the nature of those trials, in the furnace of affliction, which were intended to refine their graces, and separate all the dross and allay from the pure gold. d When his glory shall be revealed.] There is no occasion with Mr. Fleming to interpret this of the glory of the Shechinah, appearing at the millenium, to excite the exceeding joy of the saints after the first resurrection. Flem. Christol. Vol. III. p. 868. It probably refers to the great and glorious day of Christ's second appearance, which is so often spoken of as the grand jubilee of Christians, though not inconsistent with great joy to be received by the spirit of every good man, immediately on its entrance into the intermediate state. e Spirit of glory and of God.] The Velesian reading is, "The spirit of honour, and of glory, and Divine power, even the VOL. X. rule spirit of God, rests upon you." But I take were. f As over-busy in the affairs of others.] Alpiniσxon, says the learned Dr. Lardner, cannot here signify merely a prying into the concerns of private families; which could not be ranked with such crimes as are here mentioned, nor expose a man to the punishment of the civil magistrate: but may signify a man that affects to inspect or direct the affairs of others; perhaps that aspires to public authority, a temper which appeared much amongst the Jews, particularly at Alexandria, and Cesarea, and which would naturally give great offence to the Romans, and 292 1 Peter 16 Yet if any man let him not be asham For judgment would begin at the house of God. SECT. rule and determine them in a manner not suitviii. ing your station in life; in consequence of which you may bring any degree of ill-will IV. 16. upon yourselves. But if it please Providence to appoint, that [any of you] should [suffer as a suffer as a Christian, Christian, let him not be ashamed, though the ed; but let him glorify punishment, like that inflicted upon his Divine God on this behalf. Master himself, should be ever so infamous; but rather let him glorify God in this respect, despising the shame, as well as resolutely enduring 17 the agony that may attend it; Because the time [is coming], and just at hand, when judgment is to begin at the house of God; for he hath determined to exercise his own people with very severe trials, giving them up for a while to the malice of their enemies; that by this means their characters may be approved, and those who are hypocrites, may be separated from those who are sincere in their christian profession; and if [it begin] first with us, what [shall be] the end of those, who are obstinately and presumptuously disobedient to the gospel of God, and who not only reject it, but persecute its professors, and en 17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 18 deavour to root it out of the world? And if 18 And if the the righteous himself be saved with difficulty", saved, where shall the how miserable must the ungodly and the sinner and make them very dangerous enemies. be? ungodly ance from the Roman invasion, in which so very few of those Christians were concerned; nor merely deliverance from any of their persecutors, because he takes it for granted, that in this sense the righteous would be saved, though with difficulty; whereas multitudes fell by persecution, even of these Christians in Bithynia, as appears by Pliny's letter. It is necessary therefore to understand it more generally, of the difficulty with which good men get to heaven, through this dangerous and ensnaring world. Compare Acts xiv. 18; xxvii. 7, 8, 16. where is signifies with difficulty; in which sense it is also used by Philo. (See Wolfi Cure Philolog, Vol. V. p. 161.)-The turn of the latter clause of the verse in the original, which I have en deavoured to preserve, is very lively; it seems as if the apostle were solicitous to lead the sinner to consider, where he should hide his head; since wherever he was, he would find God immediately appearing against him as an irresistible enemy. This h If the righteous be saved with difficulty.] he might say by way of warning to perseThe apostle seems to quote Prov. xi. 31. culors, and to encourage Christians to hope that God would vindicate their cause, and according to the Seventy, which in sense, though not exactly in words, agrees with preserve them from turning aside to crookthe Hebrew. He cannot intend delivered paths. And this the connection with the following verse favours. g Time is coming when judgment is to begin at the house of God.] As if he had said, "Do not think this a matter of unconcerning speculation. No, the time foretold by Christ (John xvi 2, &c.) is coming." I doubt not there is an allusion to that passage in Ezek. ix. 6. where it is said the slaughter to be made was to begin at the sanctuary; but this cannot be interpreted as of the Temple of Jerusalem, because it answers to beginning with us, that is, Christians, immediately after. So that Grotius' criticism upon the word T in the latter clause of this verse, as answering to, Dan. ix. 27. and to rλ in Matt. xxiv. 6. seems quite foreign to the purpose. Reflections on our partaking of Christ's sufferings. 293 ungodly and the sinner be? where shall he appear in the day of Divine SECT. appear? were, viii. vengeance, when all nature shall be, as it armed with terror by the God of nature, for his 1 Peter destruction; and when all impious transgressors IV. 13. shall be brought forth in his awful presence, that his just, though dreadful sentence of condemnation, may be executed in its rigour? 19 Wherefore let Therefore let them also, who now suffer this tem- 19 them that suffer accord- porary punishment, which according to the will of ing to the will of God, commit the keeping of God so permitting, their enemies have at present their souls to him in a power of inflicting, acknowledge the Proviwell-doing, as unto a dence of God in this mysterious event, and comfaithful Creator. mit their souls [to him] as to a faithful Creator, IMPROVEMENT. LET us continually bear in mind the approaching end of all Ver. things; and then we shall neither omit the exercises of devotion 7 nor grow supine and careless in the discharge of them. Then shall we be engaged through a sense of our need of the Divine clemency and indulgence, to exercise forbearance and candour, 8 and maintain the most fervent charity to all without distinction; and we shall then be more disposed to consider ourselves as sterwards, and as such, be concerned to behave with all good 10 fidelity, both in the use and enjoyment of our possessions, and in the exercise of those gifts and endowments with which God hath been pleased to entrust us. To this they should especially attend, who are called to speak in God's name; they should consider, that his oracles are committed to them; and though they cannot pre-11 tend, that the instructions they deliver from thence, are revealed to and impressed upon their minds by immediate inspiration, yet a reflection on the general nature of the glorious gospel, and on its important and everlasting consequences, may well dispose and form them to an humble awe and reverence in their manner of handling and dispensing it; and may remind them, that on the whole, in every ministration of the word of life, in every distribution of charity, and office of kindness, the main end to be pursued is, That God may be glorified. If, in the cause of Christ, Providence shall call us out to en- 12 294 Reflections on our partaking of Christ's sufferings. SECT. Counter the severest persecutions, and even fiery trials, let us not viii. be astonished, as if some strange thing had happened to us; let Ver. us not be discouraged, nor think ourselves hardly dealt with in such Divine appointments; remembering that in this case we 13 are only partakers in the sufferings of Christ, that we only tread in the same rough and thorny path in which he walked before us; and that in due time, if we continue faithful to him, we shall 14 also be made partakers of his glory. In the mean while, the Spirit of God and of glory will rest upon us; only let us be jealous 15 16 of his honour with a godly jealousy, and be greatly concerned, that our sins and indiscretions may not throw a blemish on a profession which derives its appellation from him. Glorious are the privi leges indeed which belong to the disciples of Christ; but they, 17 notwithstanding, draw very awful consequences after them. For judgment begins at the house of God, and even his dearest children are exercised with trials of their fidelity and patience. Let us prepare for them before they come, that when they do come we may 19 bear them honourably, committing the keeping of our souls to him, as to a faithful Creator, in well-doing. But let the wicked and the 18 ungodly meditate terror; for the vengence of God will find them out; the great day of wrath will come; and who can be able to stand? May divine grace reclaim those who are now exposed to so terrible a condemnation; lest they know by experience, what no words can describe, no thought conceive, the end of those who obey not the gospel of God. SECT. ix. 1 Peter SECT. IX, The Apostle concludes this epistle with particular cautions to ministers and private Christians; urging on the former humility, diligence, and watchfulness; and exhorting the latter to a stedfast and faithful discharge of their several duties, animated by this consideration, that the God of all grace had called them to his eternal glory, and would, after they had suffered a-while, make them perfect, according to his earnest prayer for them. 1 Pet. V. 1, to the end. 1 PETER V. 1. 1 PETER V. 1. are among you I Christ, I WOULD now in the most affectionate man- THE elders which ner address myself to those who are the elders exhort, who am also among you, or any other Christian societies into an elder, and a witness V. 1. whose hands this epistle may come; and I of the sufferings of would exhort them with the greater warmth and freedom, [as I also am] an elder with them, and an eye-witness of the sufferings of Christ, and as I also hope, through Divine grace, that I shall be |