tians must not be ashamed of it, but, as the God. He ndopta the iuexaot Septuagint holv martyrs did, utter their "Christianus translation for its substantial truth, ns we ~uni'' with inward peace and th1mksgiving, now sometimes use versions which are suffi- glorifying God that he had given them cient for practical purposes, though we know grnce to bear that honoured Name and to them to be oritice.lly inaccurate. We ob- suffer for Christ. Bengel says here," Po- serve age.in the absence of marks of quota- lC'rat Petrus dicere, honori sibi ducat: scd tion, ns often in St. Peter. Bengel well honorem Deo rcsignandum esse dooet." remarks that the awful "soe.roely " (µ.olus Yer. 17.-For the time is come thatjudg- <T@(• .,.a.,) is softened by 2 Pet. i. ll. Where ment must begin at the house of God. The shall the ungodly e.nd the sinner appear I house of God is the Church (see 1 Tim. iii. The" ungodly" OJ'e the impious, sooffera, and 15; 1 Cor. iii. 16; and eh. ii. 5). The ble.sphemers; the" sinners" are men of pro- judgment must begin at the sanctuary fligate and dissolute lives. But the words (Ezck. ix. 6; see also Jer. xxv. 15-29), are (probably) included under one article in The beginning of judgment is the persecu- the Greek ; the men were the same; one tion of the Christians, as our Lord had form of evil led to the other ( comp. Pa. i 5 l taught (Matt. x:riv. 8, 9, and following see also Matt. xix. 25). verses); but that judgment is not unto con- Ver. 19.-Wherefore let them that suJf'er demnation: ""When we are judged, we are acoording to the will of God; rather, let chastened of the Lord, that we should not them also that suffer. St. Peter sums up his be condemned with the world" (1 Cor. xi. exhortation ; he returns to the thought of 32); it is the fiery trial, "which is much eh. iii. 17, " It is better, if the will of God more precious than of gold that perisheth," be so, that ye suffer for well-doing, than for the refining fire of affliction. And if it first evil-doing." In the hour of suffering, ae begin at us, what shall the end be of them well e.s in times of prosperity, we a.re in the that obey not the gospel of God t Compare hands of e. merciful and loving Father; we tile passage in Jeremiah already referred to: are to learn submission, not because the •• Behold, I begin to bring evil on the city suffering is inevitable, but because it is which is called by my Name, and should ye according to his will, and his will is our he utterly unpunished?" Compare also our sanctification and salvation. Commit the Lord's question, "If they do these things in keeping of their sonls to him in well-doing, a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?" as unto a fe.ithfnl Cree.tor ; rather, e.s in the Gerhard (quoted by Ruther) rightly re- Revised Version, commit their souls in well- marks," Ex.aggeratio est in interrogatione." doing unto a faithful Creator. The con- The question suggests answers too awful for junction "as" must be omitted, not being wordB. found in any of the best manuscripts. The , er. 18.-And if the righteo,:;.s scarcely be word rendered "Creator" (1<Tlcrn1s) occurs saved. St. PPter io quoting the Septuagint nowhere else in the Greek Testament. God Version of Prov. xi. 31. That version departs is our Creator, the Father of spirits. He gave considerably from tlrn Hebrew, which is accu- the spirit; to him it returneth. We must ratdy represeuted by the Authorized Ver- imitate our dying Lord, and, like him, sion., "Behold, the righteous shall be recom- commit our souls to the keeping of our pensed in the earth; much more the wicked heavenly Father as a deposit which may be and the sinner." Probably the word ren- left with perfect confidence in the hands of dered "recompensed," which is neutral in its e. faithful Cree.tor (see 2 Tim. i. 12). There meaning, is best understood here, not of the is an evident reference here to our Lord's good deeds of the righteous, but of the sin words upon the cross (Luke x.xiii. 46; Ps. which still cleaves to all human righteous- xxx.i. 5). St. Peter adds, "in well-doing." uess. The righteous shall be requited in Tue Christian's faith must bring forth the the earth, that is, chastised for his trana• fruits of holy living; even in the midst of gressions. So it would be now, St. Peter suffering he must "be cBreful to maintain 1,ays; judgment mUBt begin at the l.10use of good works,"
HOMILETICS. Vers. 1-6.-Exhortation to entire separation from sin. I. BY UNION WITH CHRIST, 1. 'l'hrvugh suffering. Su1ferini is the appointed discipline of the Christian soul. Gold is tried by fire, the Christian's faith by suffering. Christ himself suffered in the flesh, and while we a.re in the flesh we must also suffer. "In that he died, he died unto 8in once; " his death separated him from sin, from the eight and hearing of sin, from that mysterious contact with human sin which he endured when "he was made sin fo,- us, though he was without sin." Our suffering ought to have the like power-it ought to OH. 1v. 1-19.) 'l'HE FIRS'r EPISTLE GENERAL OF PE'l'ER. 177