254 A General Introduction are supported, are duly considered and examined, we shall per haps be inclined to imagine that the apostle rather designed his epistle for the Jewish and Gentile converts both, than for either of them distinctly and separately. Without discussing the reasons for the opinion I have adopted, I shall leave the reader to form his own judgment, after he hath perused my paraphrase and notes on those passages of this epistle on which it is founded. It is not very easy to assign the date of this epistle with exactness. The most commonly received opinion is, that it was written in the year 61, the seventh of the emperor Nero; and this seems to be a medium, between the sentiments of those who place it some years higher, and those who place it lower, which bids fairest for the truth. It is evidently the design of this epistle, "To induce the Christian converts, in various parts of the world, to maintain a conversation, not merely inoffensive to all men, but in all respects worthy of the gospel; and to support them under the severe per secutions, and fiery trials they already endured, or were likely to endure, by the noblest considerations which their religion could suggest." The first branch of this design the apostle seems to keep particularly in view from chap. i-iii. 7. And in pursuance of it, after having congratulated his brethren, who were dispersed abroad through various countries, on their happiness in being called to the glorious privileges and hopes of the gospel, which was introduced into the world in so sublime a manner by the prophets and apostles (chap. 1-12,) he exhorts them to watchfulness, to sobriety, to love, and to universal obedience, by an affecting representation of their relation to God, their redemption by Christ's invaluable blood, and the excellence and perpetuity of the Christian dispensation, and of its glorious fruits and consequences, compared with the vanity of all worldly enjoyments. (ver. 13, to the end.) Urging them, by the like considerations, to receive the word of God with meekness, to continue in the exercise of faith in Christ as the great foundation of their eternal hopes, and to maintain such a behaviour as would adorn his gospel among the unconverted Gentiles. (chap. ii. 1-12.) For the same end, he exhorts them to the exercise of a due care as to relative duties; and particularly, a subjection to civil governors, and to masters, even when their dispositions and injunctions might be harsh and severe; enforcing all by the consideration of that patience with which our Lord Jesus Christ endured his most grievous sufferings. (ver. 13, to the end.) He likewise exhorts Christian wives to submit themselves to their husbands, and to study the ornaments of their minds rather than of their persons; and husbands to treat their wives in a becoming and honourable manner, from a tender sense of those infirmities to which the sex is peculiarly liable, (chap. iii. 1-7.) In the ensuing part of the epistle, the apostle's arguments and exhortations more immediately and directly refer to those dread ful To the First epistle of Peter. ful sufferings and persecutions to which the Christian converts were exposed, or which they actually endured, from the malevolence and rage of their implacable enemies. And here, well knowing that such treatment, unmerited and unprovoked, is apt to embitter and narrow men's spirits, and inflame their resentments; in which case the religion of the meek and lowly Jesus would be greatly dishonoured, and its spread and influence in the world retarded by the indiscreet behaviour of its friends and advo cates; therefore St. Peter urges many arguments on the Christian converts, in order to engage them to an inoffensive, benevolent, and useful life, and conversation; and to a steady, courageous adherence to their religion amidst all opposition. (ver. 8-17.) And then animating them to endure their sufferings with patience and resignation, from the endearing consideration of what their Divine Saviour had suffered for them, he expatiates on his atonement, resurrection, and exaltation; on the obligation of their baptismal covenant, and on the awful solemnity of the last judgment, as powerful arguments to a life of mortification and holiness, whatever discouragement and opposition they might be called to encounter, (ver. 18-iv. 6.) And as eminent vigilance, fidelity, and courage, would be requisite for rightly improving their talents, and for discharging the duties of their respective stations in the church, at all times, but especially in times of imminent danger and persecution, he distinctly inculcates these several virtues; and by way of inference from the trials to which good men were exposed, he observes, that a tremendous, inevitable destruction will overwhelm the impenitent and unbelieving. (ver. 7-19.) And at the close, he addresses some particular cautions both to ministers and private Christians; urging on the former, humility, diligence, and watchfulness; and exhorting the latter to a stedfast and faithful discharge of their several duties, animated by this sublime consideration, that the God of all grace had called them to his eternal glory, and would, after they bad suffered awhile, make them perfect, according to the apostle's earnest prayer for them; chap. v. throughout. From this imperfect delineation of this admirable epistle, the production of another eminent apostle, it is no unnatural or improper remark, that all the principles of our holy religion, as here represented, are perfectly consistent with the analogy of faith, and with the whole tenor of the New Testament, that they are directly levelled against all manner of corrupt affections and immoral practices, as well as urged in the light of motives to all those virtues and graces, in which our conformity to God, and and the true glory of our nature consists. And (which, if it were the only circumstance that could be pleaded, would exalt our religion to an infinite superiority to the institutions of the most renowned heathen philosophers and law-givers, and in connection with its amazing progress, is a demonstration of its Divine original) Christians are here instructed to encounter outrageous vio lence 255 256 A General Introduction, &c. lence and persecution only with the hallowed weapons of patience, meekness, and charity, and to silence the cavils, and blast the machinations of their own and their Master's bitterest enemies, with the lustre of a pure and holy life, and the fervour of a generous and invincible benevolence. How amiable, how elevated, how divine, how worthy of all acceptation is the religion of Jesus-In delineating, as we have seen, the grand and essential branches of which even Peter and Paul, notwithstanding all their contention about things of inferior moment, or of a personal and private nature, are perfectly consistent and harmonious. A PARA A PARAPHRASE AND NOTES ON FIRST CATHOLIC EPISTLE OF St. PETER. SECT. I. The Apostle Peter begins his address to his brethren, who were dispersed abroad, with congratulating their happiness in being called to the glorious privileges and hopes of the gospel; and takes occasion to expatiate upon the sublime manner in which it was introduced both by the prophets and apostles. 1 Pet. I. 1—12. 1 PETER I. 1. PETER, an apostle thestrangers scatterred 1 PETER I. 1. i. of Jesus Christ, to PETER, who has the honour to be invested ECT. with the office of an Apostle of Jesus Christ, through- inscribes and addresses this epistle to the elect strangers who are scattered abroad; to those 1.1. Christians a Scattered abroad.] Lord Barrington, (Miscel. Sacr. Essay II, p. 84-88,) strenuously maintains, that St. Peter wrote only to the converted proselytes of the gate; and in favour of this opinion he urgeth their being called strangers; which he thinks is the stile peculiar to those who having renounced idolatry, and receiving the seven precepts of Noah, were yet strangers to the commonwealth of Israel. He supposes they must have been Genti es, because they are said, once not to have been a people, chap. ii. 9, 10, and to have been ignorant, verse 14, and to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, chap. iv. 3; and he also pleads, from 1 Peter 258 St. Peter inscribes his epistle to the elect strangers; SEC1. Christians whom Providence has dispersed throughout Pontus, Gathrough various countries, and whom Divine latia, Cappadocia, Asia, 1 Peter grace has taught to consider themselves, where- and Bithynia. 1. 1. ever they dwell, as strangers and sojourners on blood of Jesus Christ : earth; and particularly to those who inhabit the regions of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, and those 2 in the provinces of Asia and Bithynia. I call you 2 Elect according to [elect, because you are indeed chosen accord- the fore-knowledge of God the Father, through ing to the fore-knowledge of God the Father, who sanctification of the has projected all his schemes with the most con- Spirit unto obedience, summate wisdom, and perfect discerning of and sprinkling of the every future event. He has been pleased, ac- Grace unto you, and cording to the steady purposes of his grace, to peace be multiplied. bring you by means of the sanctification of the Spirit, by the sanctifying influence of the Holy Ghost operating upon your souls, to evangelical obedience. He has subdued all your prejudices against the gospel, and effectually engaged you to submit to it; and thus you are interested in the pardon of sin, and in all the other blessings which proceed from the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ, whereby forgiveness is obtained for us Christians as it was for the Jews under the law upon sprinkling the blood of the sacrifices; and may this, and every other instance and degree of grace, and all the peace consequent upon it, be multiplied unto you all, wherever you are, and whatever your condition and circumstances 3 in life may be. Whatever your afflictions are in this variable and troublesome world, I God and Father of our hope you never will forget, how indispensably according to his abunyou are obliged to thankfulness on account of dant mercy hath beyour Christian privileges; and to such thank- gotten us again unto a lively hope, by the refulness let me now excite you and myself: bles-surrection of Jesus sed therefore [be] the God and Father of our Lord Christ from the dead. Jesus Christ, who according to his abundant mercy hath regenerated us to a great, important and lively hope of future happiness by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead; upon whom in VIII. § 23, note c.) He pleads in support deed, 3 Blessed be the Lord JesusChrist,which |