1 Pet. iv. 7. The end of all things is at hand : le ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.
THE office of the Gospel is, not to fill the mind with notions, but to renew the heart, and sanctify the life. It is true indeed, that the smallest con- formity to its precepts will cause us to be loaded with obloquy and derision by an ungodly world*: but it furnishes us with very sufficient motives to disregard the censures of men, and to devote our- selves unreservedly to God**. The nearness of death and judgment is of itself an irresistible argument for maintaining an indifference to earthly things, and for exerting ourselves to the uttermost to secure a happy eternity. Such is the scope of the Apostle's words; in commenting on which we shall notice,
I. The declaration—
[It is possible that St. Peter, in speaking of " the end of all things," might have some reference to the destruction of Jerusalem, which was fast approaching, and to the consequent annihilation of the Jewish polity. But it is more probable that he referred to the end of the world, which was generally represented as so near, that St. Paul was obliged to rectify the mistake which had arisen in the minds of the Thessa- lonians with respect to it^ We may hoAvever justly consider it as relating to the hour of death, which is to every man " the end of all things" here belovf. Death terminates our pro- spects, whether pleasurable, lucrative, or ambitious
It puts a period to our hopes and fears, whether relating to
this life or the next It cuts short our joys, and our
sorrows It puts an end to all the means of salvation,
so that there is no further opportunity for repentance and prayer, for hearing the word, for believing on Christ, or
indeed for any thing which may at all benefit the soul
This period is nigh " at hand " to every one of us. If our life were prolonged to the age of Methuselah, the space would be only as the twinkling of an eye in comparison of eternity"*: but it is contracted to a very narrow span; nor can we be sure that it shall continue even to the expiration of the present
day :
* ver. 4.
'' This seems to be the meaning of the verse before the text.
«'2Thess. ii. 2, 3. * 2 Pet. iii. 8.