I. The Inscription —
Here the Apostle describes,
1 . The Writer—
[Ills own ])roper name was Simon, or Simeon, as he is called in the oiij^inal and l)y the apostle James*. The name Peter was <T;iven to liini by his Lord on two different occasions; partly, tonTark his characteristic boldness; and partly to inti- matei that on his testimony both to Jews and Gentiles the Christian C'hurcli should be estabUshed''. The office he held as a servant and an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ was the highest that could be assigned to mortal man : and the peculiar care which he took in thus designating his own name and cha- racter satisfies our minds that this epistle, no less than the former which bears his name, was written by him: for no bad man would have written it; and no good man could have been guilty of such a forgery as that of assuming the name and office of this inspired Apostle.]
2. The persons addressed —
[These were Believers throughout the world. They " had faith" in our Lord Jesus Christ, as the only Saviour of fallen man. They had "obtained" this faith, not by any efforts of their own, but, as it were, by lot, just as all the tribes of Israel obtained their portion in the Promised Land. To each the precise measure was assigned by God himself: nor was there one throughout the wliole land who was not constrained to acknowledge that he owed his portion solely to the free and
sovereign grace of God*" This faith was precisely " the
same" whether in Apostles or private Christians, and "ahke precious" to them all : for though the faith of different persons might diflfer widely in its degrees and consequent operations, it ■was " alike precious" to all, inasmuch as it was the one means
of uniting tliem to Christ, and of saving their souls alive
" Through the righteousness of God our Saviour " too was this faith obtained : for by that righteousness it was purchased for tliem ; and through the prevalence of that righteousness, as pleaded with God in their behalf, was the gift of faith imparted
to them
In this rcs])ect, then, every saint under heaven answers to the character drawn })y the Apostle, and may consider the epistle as addressed personally to his own self in particular, as much as ever it was to the Saints in the Apostle's days.]
From the Inscription we pass on to,
II. The Salutation —
" Grace
• Acts XV. 14. * John i. 42. Matt. xvi. 18. ' A«;^«t;<r«.
1168.] THE christian's GRACES. 15/
" Grace and peace" comprehend all the blessings of the Gospel —
[Sometimes, in the salutations of the Apostles, "mercy" is added ; " Grace, mercy, and peace :" hut generally it is, as here, " Grace and peace." By " Grace" I understand all that is necessary for the transformation of the soul into the Divine image ; and by " peace," all that is necessary for the comfort and encouragement of the soul in its progress heaven- ward ]
These the Apostle desired to be " multiplied" unto the Saints —
[There should be no measure of these in which we should rest ; seeing that there is no measure which may not be greatly and abundantly increased. We should therefore, even if our attainments were equal to those of the apostle Paul, " forget what is behind, and reach forth to that which is be- fore" ]
They are to be multiplied solely '* through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord" —
[It is by that knowledge alone that grace and peace are at first obtained : When we look to God as reconciled to us in Christ Jesus, then grace and peace flow down into our souls \ In like manner, it is only through an increasing acquaintance with this mystery that we grow up into Christ, and are trans- formed into his image ^ Contemplate then more and more the wonders of Redeeming Love : and be assured, that in proportion as you are enabled to comprehend them, you shall " be filled with all the fulness of GodV]