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PARAPHRASE AND NOTES

ON THE

FIRST CATHOLIC EPISTLE OF ST. PETER.

SECT. I.

The apostle Peter begins his address to his brethren, who were dispersed abroad, with congratulating their happiness in being called to the glorious privileges and hopes of the gospel; and takes occasion to expatiate upon the sublime manner in which it was introduced both by the prophets and apostles. 1 Pet. I. 1—12.

1 PETER I. 1.

PETER,

ETER, an a

1 PETER I. 1.

i.

postle of je PETER, who has the honour to be invested szer. with the office of an apostle of Jesus Christ, inscribes and addresses this epistle to the elect strangers who are scattered abroad, to those i. 1

sus Christ, to the

1 Pet.

• Scattered abroad.] Lord Barrington, strangers to the commonwealth of Israel. (Miscel. Sacr. Essay II. p. 84-88,) stren- He supposes they must have been Gentiles, uously maintains, that St. Peter wrote, because they are said, once not to have been only to the converted proselytes of the gate; a people, chap. ii. 9, 10, and to have been and in favour of this opinion he urgeth their being called strangers; which he thinks is the stile peculiar to those who having renounced idolatry, and receiving the seven precepts of Noah, were yet

ignorant, verse 14, and to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, chap. iv. 3; and he also pleads, from chap. i. 22, where they are said to have purified their souls by obeying the truth, that it is likely they were pros.

184

St. Peter inscribes his epistle to the elect strangers :

i.

1 Pet.

2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Fa

SECT. Christians whom Providence has dispersed strangers scattered through various countries, and whom Divine throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, grace has taught to consider themselves, wher- Asia, and Bithynia. i. 1 ever they dwell, as strangers and sojourners on earth; and particularly to those who inhabit the regions of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia and those 2 in the provinces of Asia and Bithynia. I call you [elect] because you are indeed chosen according to the fore knowledge of God the Father, ther, through sancwho has projected all his schemes with the most tification of the Spirit consummate wisdom, and perfect discerning of unto obedience, and every future event. He has been pleased, ac- sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: cording to the steady purposes of his grace, to Grace unto you, and bring you by means of the sanctification of the peace be multiplied. Spirit, by the sanctifying influence of the Holy Ghost operating upon your souls, to evangelical obedience. He has subdued all your prejudices against the gospel, and effectually engaged you to submit to it; and thus you are interested in the pardon of sin, and in all the other blessings which proceed from the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ, whereby forgiveness is obtained for us Christians as it was for the Jews under the law upon sprinkling the blood of the sacrifices; and may this, and every other instance and degree of grace, and all the peace consequent upon it, be multiplied unto you all, wherever you are, and whatever your condition and circum3 stances in life may be. Whatever your afflictions are in this variable and troublesome world, I hope you never will forget, how indispensably, you are obliged to thankfulness on account of

elytes of the gate, because a parallel expression is used by St. Peter concerning Cor. nelius and his friends, (Acts xv. 9. See Vol. III. § 33, note ",). whom he supposes to have been such. He likewise argues from their being addressed in these words, If ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons, judgeth according to every man's work, (chap. i. 17,) by St. Peter, who had himself addressed Cornelius in almost the same terms. (Acts x. 34, 35. See Vol. III $23, note.) He pleads in support of the same opinion, their being called Christians, (chap. iv. 16,) a title which he supposes was first given to the converted proselytes of the gate, of which the church at Antioch,

3 Blessed be the

where they were first called Christians, in his apprehension, consisted. (Acts xi. 26. See Vol. III. § 25, note f.) But all this appears to me to be utterly inconclu sive; it is in part obviated already in my notes on the Acts; and as for the force which may seem to remain in his lordship's arguments, arising from the phrases in which St. Peter addresses those to whom he writes, it is, I think, entirely annihil ated, by supposing that the epistle was written both to the converted Jews and Gentiles; of which the reader will be able to form a judgment, by observing whether my paraphrase of the several passages in question be natural and easy.

blessing God, who had regenerated them to a lively hope : 185

our Lord

i.

1 Pet.

God and Father of your Christian privileges; and to such thank. SECT. Jesus fulness let me now excite you and myself: Christ, which according to his abun- blessed therefore [be] the God and Father of our dant mercy hath be. Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his abun- i, 3 gotten us again unto dant mercy hath regenerated us to a great, ima lively hope, by the resurrection of Je. Portant and lively hope of future happiness by sus Christ from the the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead; whom indeed, and upon upon whose resurrec4 To an inherit- tion, all our hopes depend. And by whom 4 ance incorruptible, are brought to the cheerful and confident exand undefiled, and that fadeth not a way, pectation of an inheritance, incorruptible, undereserved in heaven filed, and unfading, which nothing can spoil, for you,

dead.

we

which nothing can pollute, and which is incapable of any internal decay, as well as external violence. This inheritance is reserved in the heavens for you, and for all true believers; 5 Who are kept Who, though now surrounded with many ap- 5 by the power of God parent dangers, are not left defenceless, but are through faith unto salvation, ready to guarded, as in a strong and impregnable garribe revealed in the son, by the almighty power of God, through the

last time.

continued exercise of that faith which this almighty power wrought in your hearts; and he will still maintain it unto that blessed hour, when you shall receive the complete and eternal salvation which is already prepared, and though now kept as under a veil, is to be revealed in its full radiance of glory, in the last time, the grand period, in which all the mysteries of Divine Providence shall beautifully terminate. 6 Whereinye great- This is the blessed state and condition to which 6 ly rejoice, though by the gospel you are brought, in which, and now for a season (if in the glorious hopes which it inspires, you cannot but rejoice, though now for a little while, if it be necessary, you are grieved, and distressed

Undefiled.] That is, into which noth- cluding scene of all the Divine dispensaing that polluteth can enter. The land of Canaan was said to be defiled by sin. ners; to which perhaps there may here be an allusion. Compare Rev. xxi. 27.

• Are guarded, &c.] The original word, games, is very emphatical, and properly signifies, being kept as in an impregnable garrison, secure from harm, under the observation of an all seeing eye, and protection of an almighty hand. Blackwall's Sac. Classics, Vol. I. p. 196. Compare 2 Cor. xi. 32, in the Greek

In the last time.] This plainly refers to the second appearance of Christ, called the last time, because it will be the con

tions relating to this world. For the same reason it is called the last day, John vi. 39; and xi. 24. And the design of the passage before us confirms this interpretation, since the apostle is here speaking of the full manifestation of the future happiness reserved in heaven for them. Some would connect, in the last time, with their being kept by the power of God; and understand it, as if the apostle had said, Though our lot is cast in the last time, when the temptations to apostasy are so great and powerful, we are, notwithstanding, preserved from all the dangers to which we are exposed.

186

i.

1 Pet.

Believing in him, whom, though unseen, they love :

SECT amidst various trials. You know they are need be) ye are in all under the direction of the infinite wisdom heaviness through manifold temptaof your heavenly Father, who would not sub- tions: i. 6 ject you to them, did he not see them to be subservient to your truest happiness; and they will ere long be brought to an everlasting pe7 riod. His intention in all is most kind and 7 That the trial of gracious, namely, that the little trial of your your faith being faith, which is far more precious and valuable much more precious than of gold that than that of gold which perishes and wears out perisheth, though it in time, though it be tried by fire, and pu- be tried with fire, rified to the highest degree; may be found to might be found unto praise, and honour, praise and honour and glory, in the great day of and glory at the the revelation of Jesus Christ, the Divine Au- appearing of Jesus thor and Finisher of our faith, who having endured yet sorer trials, will rejoice to applaud and reward the fidelity of his servants in his

Christ:

8 cause I say, in the revelation of Jesus Christ, 8 Whom having that glorious Redeemer, whom not having seene not seen, ye love in whom though now with your bodily eyes,nor personally conversed ye see him not, yet with him, ye nevertheless love, and in whom, believing, ye rejoice though now you see [him] not, yet assuredly be with joy unspeakable and full of glory: lieving, ye rejoice, as your almighty Saviour, Friend and Protector, with unutterable and even glorified joy, with such a joy as seems to 9 Receiving the 9 anticipate that of the Saints in glory; Receiv- end of your faith, ing with unspeakable delight, as a full equiva- even the salvation of lent of all your trials, the great end of your your souls. faith, even the complete salvation of [your] 10 Of which salvation the prophets souls; a prize of infinitely greater importance, have inquired, and than all you can be called to sacrifice for its searched diligently, 10 sake! Concerning which salvation, the prophets, who prophesied of who predicted the grace of the gospel [which the grace that should was appointed] to you, sought and diligently in- 11 Searching what, 11 quired; Searching with the deepest and most or what manner of attentive reflection, to what period, or to what time the Spirit of manner of time, the Spirit of Christ which was them did signify, in them, did refer when he testified long before when it testified be

come unto you:

Christ which was in

Not having seen.] It is very possible there might be some among them who that among these dispersed Christians, there were destitute both of this Divine princimight be some who had visited Jerusalem ple, and of that joy which he speaks of, as, whilst Christ was there, and might have dedos, wrought up even to glory. seen, or even conversed with him; but as the greater part had not, St. Peter speaks, according to the usual apostolic manner, as if they all had not. Thus he speaks of them all as loving Christ, though

* Spirit of Christ which was in them, &c.] It is well worthy our notice, that the Spirit which dictated to the prophets, is called the Spirit of Christ; which (as Mr. Fleming observes, Christo!. Vol. I. p. 185) both

not unto themselves,

187

1 Pet.

To whom the prophets, and the Holy Ghost bare witness. beforehand the suf- they came to pass, the various sufferings which SECT. ferings of Christ, were to come upon Christ, and the exalted and i. and the glory that should follow. permanent glory which was to succeed them, and render him and his kingdom so perpetually il- i. 11 lustrious, and his servants so completely hap12 Unto whom it py. To the memorable testimony of these pro- 12 I was revealed, that phets it becomes us to pay a sincere and probut unto us they did found regard, to whom such extraordinary disminister the things coveries were made, as no attentive reader can which are now re- view without conviction and astonishment; and ported unto you by them that have it was revealed to them among other things, preached the gospel that [it was] not to themselves, but to us, that unto you, with the they ministered these things; they knew that Holy Ghost sent we, when the events arose, should have a more which things the an- complete understanding of these oracles, than gels desire to look any who declared them, had. Consider then,

down from heaven;

into.

how happy you are in that dispensation under
which you now live, when those Divine mys-
teries, which were only in a more obscure man-
ner hinted at by the prophets, are most clearly
and expressly declared to you, by those who have
published the glad tidings of the gospel among you,
by the evident authority and attestation, as well
as by the assistances of the Holy Spirit, sent
down from heaven with such visible glory, and
testifying his continued residence among usby
such wonderful effects. And indeed, the doc-
trines which they preach, are things of so great
excellence and importance, as to be well worthy
the regard of angels, as well as men ; and ac-
cordingly, (as the images of the cherubim on
the mercy seat, seemed to bow down, to look
upon the tables of the law laid up in the ark,)
so those celestial spirits do, from their heaven-
ly abode, desire to bend down to [contemplate]

proves his existence before his incarnation,
and illustrates the full view he himself had
of all he was to do and suffer under the
character of our Redeemer; the particu-
lars of which therefore must have been
comprehended in the stipulations between
him and the Father. The apostle in dis-
coursing so largely concerning the prophets,
seems to have a special reference to the
converted Jews, who would enter more
thoroughly into this part of his reasoning,
than the converted Gentiles.

To whom it was revealed, &c.] I think
VOL. 6.

25

this text plainly proves, that the prophets had some general intimation, that their prophecies referred to the Messiah; but that they did not understand every clause of them in their full force, nor so well as we understand them, who are capable of comparing them with the event.

hAngels desire to bend down, &c.] Thus it is in the original, μxon @agaxutai, desire to stoop down to; in allusion, no doubt, (as Mr. Saurin, Disser. Vol II. p. 266, has beautifully illustrated it, and many others have remarked,) to the bending posture in

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