173
that salvation, as if it were a day, is near to us. He who has begun well ought not to flag, when he is near the goal, hut to make progress [deficere, proficere : not to recede , but proceed ]. — ?! GuTrip'iu) Salvation to be consummated at the coming of Christ, which is the goal of hope, ch. viii. 24, and the end of faith, i. Pet. i, 9. The making mention of salvation is repeated from ch. v. and viii. [Moreover from that whole discussion , this exhortation is deduced , which is the shorter , in proportion as that was the longer. — Y. g.] — n on iOT<rrso<ra,u,gi/) than at the time, when we began to believe at the first, and entered upon the path described, ch. i. — iv. ; so, mffr'svsiv, to take up faith , [to accept it, to become believers] Acts iv. 4, 32, and in many other places. [He, who has once begun well, from time to time approaches either nearer to salvation , or salvation , as it is said here , comes nearer to him. He has no need to feel great anxiety , excepting the eagerness of expectation. — Y. g.]
12. 'H the night of this dark life, irpoMo^zv, has come to its height ; the day of complete salvation has drawn nigh, — the day of Christ, the last day, Heb. x. 25, the dawn of which is this whole time, which intervenes between the first and second coming of our Lord. Paul speaks as if to persons awaking out of sleep, who do not immediately comprehend that it is bordering between night and day. He who has been long awake, knows the hour ; but he to whom it needs now at last to be said, it is no longer night, the day has drawn near, is understood to be regarded as one, who is now, and not till now, fully awake. — zpyu, the works ) which they, whilst even still lying [and not yet awake] perform : comp. Gal. v. 1 9, note ; works, which are unworthy of the name of arms. Farther, works come from internal feelings : arms are supplied from a different quarter ; during the night men are without even their clothes ; during the day, they have also arms. — orrXa, arms ) this word is repeated from ch. vi. [13, Neither yield your members as instruments of unrighteousness] : such arms as became those, who are light- armed [ready for action], as the breastplate and the helmet, 1 Thess. v. 8.
13.1 Eu<r%Yifiovug) with good clothing (Jionestly, Engl. Yers., in
1 ’ fig e v *ipie(>K, as in the day ) See that you bear yourself so now, as you would desire to be seen to be at the last day. — V. g.
174