The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Peter — Section 231

from the necessity of observing his conduct. and consciously regulating it by the counsels of inspired wisdom. III. THE MOTIVE TO WATCHFUJ,NESS. The motive which will weigh most with the Christian will be the wish and authoritative command of his Lord. How deep an impression bis frequent admonitions to spiritual vigilance produced upon his Church is apparent from the truly Christian names which were so frequently given or assumed by Christians; they took a pleasure in being called by such names as Gre~ory and Vigilantius, meaning "the Watcher." The Lord has said," I say unto all, Watch I" "Watch e.nd pray, lest ye enter into temptation!"-J. R. T. Ver. 10.-" The God of all grace." This language, so natural coming from the pen of an inspired apostle, would have been almost impossible to a religious teacher igno~ant of Christ. It is testimony to the moral revolution wrought by the Christian faith that such e. description of the almighty and eternal power should seem to us just and by no means singular. For nowhere can we meet with language more glorious in itself, more comforting to feeble, sinful, needy men. I. A SUDLIME DOCTRINE CONCERNING GoD. To some minds omnipotence or omni- science might appear the grandest attributes to be predicated of the Supreme. But to the Christian the moral attributes are the most majestic. That the Eternal is a God of grace is to him the peculiar revelation of Christianity, transcending in ex:cellence every other representation of the character of Deity. And that "all grace" should be attributed to God enhances our conception of his glory. In fact, it is the manifestation of God in Christ which makes this declaration comprehensible and real to ua. II. A DOCTRINE MOST CONSOLATORY TO MEN. There is no one of us, at any moment of his life, who does not stand in need of grace-pardoning grace, renewing grace, strengthen- ing grace, enlightening grace, consoling grace. And when our Father in heaven is thus depicted by the inspired apostle, the Christian reader cannot but recognize, in such a delightful representation, abundant ground for gratitude, abundant encourage- ment to faith, abundant stimulant to prayer; whilst he who bas offended against God's righteous laws, and who repents of bis transgressions, may find, in this representa- tion, ~round for approaching the Divine presence with the assurance of a. favourable reception and of forgiving merey.-J. R. 'l'. Vers. 1-4.-The conduct becoming the elders of the Ohurch. The work of the pastoral office is to be fulfilled also by the private members of the Church, according to their respective gifts and opportunities. So there are practical lessons here for them, as well WI for the minister. It is to them the words are addressed," Exhort ono another daily," and " Bishoping, lest any man fail of the grace of God." I. THE ELDERS OF THE CBUBOH AND TREIB WORK. Church system is in itself worth nothing·; its sole value consists in that it is a means of promoting the life of the Church and its mission to the world. But some system every Church must have ; and it becomes us, in our reverence for inspired example, and our sense of the importance of the ends for which the Church exists, to endeavour to discover and aclopt that system most in harmony with the Divine mind, as seen in the principles embodied in apostolic times. In the Acts of the Apostles and in the Epistles we find that the believers in any one place were called a "Chw-ch "-" what thou seest write in a book, and send unto the seven Churches which are in Asia." These Churches were so many separate societies, each governing itself according to Di vino instruction, without acknowledging the authority of sister Churches. Even the appeal of the Church at Antioch to the apostles and elders at Jerusalem was made of their own accord, not of nec€ssity; and they receivc,d in response, not a command, but a recommendation only. The apostles endeavoured to bind these Churches together in Christian affection; witness the greetings in different Epistles from members of one fellowship to those of others. The only unity of early Christians was that of spiritual lil'e nnd love; of external unity there is no trace. Now, in these Churches we find mention of two permanent officers-bishops ancl deacom. 'l'imothy receives instruction as to the ordination of two classes of Church servants, called respectively bishops and deacons. Who, then, are the" elder11" of whom we read? 'l'hey were tho same persons as the bishops. Paul, iu writing to Titus, says, "For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest . , . ordain elders in every city, as I ba,l  228 THE FIRS1.' EPISTLE GENERAL OF PETER. [oH. v. 1-14.