Vers. 15-7.-True Christian character. This notable passage, growing very evi- dently out of what precedes and into what follows, has a wealth of instruction. I. True Christian character OONSIBTB OF MANIFOLD ELEMENTS. Here is a chain no link of which may be omitted, a structure no stone in which may be lacking, a body no member of which may be wanting. 1. Whether the general order is to be insisted on or not, it is certain that faith is the primary essential of the whole character. It is the root out of which all grows, the foundation on which all rests. 'l'o aim at the rest first, and this afterwards, is to stand a pyramid on its apex instead of its base. Belief is great, is life-giving. 2. Each of the other elements of character demands careful, contemplation. "Virtue,"-manly vigour, making it impossible for the charge to be sustained that the devotional man is not necessarily a virtuous man. It is an element of character that will save a man from being a chameleon, catching the hue of every surrounding, or a moral mollusc with no backbone. "Knowledge,"-discemment, intel- ligence. "Thou shalt love ... with thy ... mind." "Temperance,"-all self-restraint; as Jeremy Taylor says,•• reason's girdle as well as passion's bridle."' "Patience,"-the silver '.Iida of the shield whose iron side is temperance,-endurance, meekness, continuance in well-doing. "Godliness,"-not the whole of piety, but fellowship with God, walking with God, being the "friend of God." "Brotherly kinduess,"-the duty of equals to equals-simple, constant kindness. "Charity,"-better the great king-word, the dear home-word, "love;" the sunshine on the whole landscape of character, the Shechine.h in the temple of character. 11. THE CULTIVATION of these manifold elements of character is AN URGENT Cams- TIAN oo·n. "Giving all diligcnco . . . add," etc. 1. They will not come as a mr1tter of course. 2. 'l'hey may be attained. 3. 'l'he methods of attaining them. (1) Study of models. (2) Exercise. (3) Fellowship with those that possess them, especially with the Christ.-U. R. 'f. D. PETER. THE SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF PETER.. [ou. 1. 1-21.
Vers. 8-11.-The goal of Ohi·istian characiei·. If such a character as the preceding Ycr~es described is attained, three glorious results will follow. I. SPIRITUAL VISION. Such a character leads "unto the knowledge of tho Lori\ Jesus Christ." They that do the will shall know the doctrine. For what is promised here is: 1. 11 Full kuowlcdge.n 'l'hat is the key-word of the apostle. 2. And full knowledge of the Supreme Object, the Lord Jesus Christ. Often we think if we knew more we should do better; hero the teaching is, if we did better we should know more. Obedience is the organ of spiritual vision. 11 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." A II else are "blind." If. MORAL FOOTHOLD. 11 Give the more diligence to make your callin<> and election snre." 'l'wo aspects of tho same fact--choice, and the result of chcice. "Make ~ure,"-warrant., prove. "Never stumble." Peter had stumbled. Hence the pathos of his counsel. 'l'he near-sighted stumble. The moral vision depends on moral character. Ill. SATISFACTION OF som.. This is the culmination and crown of Christian character. A life of Christian earnestness tends to, and ends in, this. "Entrance into the eternal kin;!_dom." We are encompassed completely with its order, its beauty, its safety. "Richly supplied unto you "-a word that throws us back on the earlier word of exhortation. "Richly supply" Christian graces in your character, and God will "richly supply'' Christian glories in your destiny. Your virtues must go out in a kind of festal procession, then your true glories will come to you in a kind of festal procession also.-U. R. T. Vers.12-14.-.An old man's aim. I. .AJil Alli FOB THE HIGHEST GOOD OF OTBER8. Peter is desiring that "these things" should be remembered by others for their benefit and blessing. " These things" probably comprehend not only all the exhortations and promises the letter had already contained, but the great facts in the great biography to which ever and again, with the vividness of an eye-witness, Peter had referred. II. .A.n aim fur the highest good of others AFTER HIS OWN DEATH. He would not simply be of service to those among whom he lived, whilst he was with them, but to them after he had left this world, and to the generations afterward. All must exert posthumous infiuence; the true disciple of Christ cares intensely that that posthumous infiuence shall tell for good, and for good only. III. .A.n aim PURSUED WITH ALL THE MORE INTENSITY BECAUSE OF APPROACHING DEATH. 1. Peter felt death was near. The cords and skins of "the tabernacle" were loosening and shaking. 2. He had bad a prediction from his Master about his death: "Another shall gird thee," etc. All tb..:s stimulated his eager zeal to do the most he could while he lived.-U. Il. T. Vers. 16-2L-Tlzreefold testimony to the truth of Christianity. In laying out the grounds of his own faith, and the grounds, too, on which he would have his readers build their faith, St. Peter indicates the lines of a threefold evidence. I. THE TESTIMONY OF TliE APOSTLES. 1. '!'hey were "eye-witnesses"-& rare word, describing spectators who were admitted into the highest grade of initiation into mysteries. How true of Peter and James and John, with regard to the life of our Lord J 2. They were eye-witnesses of a wondrous revelation. "His majesty;" no one event only, though chiefly the Transfiguration. 3. 'l'hey had heard a Divine voice. "The voice we ourselves heard." No hallucination: we all heard, we all saw. 4. The recollection of such vision and voice was for ever sacred. "The holy mount." We know not its name, but it was to them for ever a consecrated height. Any spot becomes "holy" to the soul that has had there a deep sense of God's presence; has been awed by his greatness, touched by his love. II. The testimony of THE EARLIER PROPHETIC worm. "The word of prophecy." Does this mean" prediction" only? We think not. 1. That can scarcely be said to be more 6ure than the testimony of" eye-witnesses." 2. 'l'he usual scriptural use of the words "prophet" and "prophecy" is wider than that. "Take my brethren, the prophets." Are uot Paul, John, Peter himself, New Testament prophets? 3. The significance of the words point to a wider weaning: "speak forth," or "speak for another." It tells of insight as much as of foresight. 4. 'l'he last verse covers the whole Scripture, not merely prediction, If the whole of Holy Scripture ho thus meatt• why is it called ml, 1.1-21.] THE SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF PETER. 85