2 According to the foreknowledge of God the Father, to be his people, through sanctification of the Spirit, in order to their giving obedience to the gospel and to their being sprinkled with the blood of Jesus Christ, as a token of their being admitted into the gospel covenant: May grace and peace be multiplied to you. See Rom. i. 7. notes 3, 4.

3 Praised be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy hath begotten us, Jews and Gentiles, a second time to the hope of a new life after death, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

4 And to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and unfading, preserved in the heavens for us, (so that it is better than any earthly inheritance),

5 Who by the power of God are safely guarded against Satan and his instruments our spiritual enemies, (1 Pet. v. 8.), through faith,

revealed in the last time.

6 (Ev, 167. 67.) On account of this, be exceeding glad,' THOUGH for a little while still (since it is needful) ye are made sorry by divers trials;

7 That the trying of your faith, much more precious than of gold' which perisheth (d, 100.) though proved by fire, may be found to praise, and honour, and glory, at the revelation2 of Jesus Christ :

8 Whom not having seen' ye love; on whom, not now looking, but believing, ye greatly rejoice IN HIM with joy unspeakable and full of glory,

9 Receiving the reward of your faith, EVEN the salvation2 of YOUR souls.

10 Concerning which salvation the prophets inquired accurately, and searched diligently, who have prophesied (g) concerning the grace TO BE BESTOWED on you.'

11 Searching diligently' (u, 148.) of what PEOPLE, (», 195.) and what kind of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them2 did signify, when he testified before the sufferings (us, 148.) of Christ, and the glories following these.

till we obtain the salvation prepared to be revealed in the last time; the time of Christ's second coming.

6 On account of this great salvation firmly hoped for by you, be ye exceeding glad, though for a little while still (since it is necessary) ye are made sorry by divers afflictions sent on you as trials of your faith and hope;

7 That the trying of your faith, which is of much greater value to the world than the trying of gold which perisheth, though proved in the most perfect manner by fire, may be found to issue in praise to God, and in honour and glory to yourselves, at the revelation of Jesus Christ:

8 Whom, though ye never saw him, ye love; on whom, not now looking with your bodily eyes, but believing the accounts given of him by the eye-witnesses, ye greatly rejoice in him as your Saviour with joy unspeakable, and which will be full of glory to you at the judgment,

9 Because, like conquerors in the games, ye shall then receive (TG) the reward of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

10 Concerning the nature and manner of which salvation, the prophets themselves inquired accurately, and searched diligently, who have prophesied concerning the means by which, and the time when, the great blessings to be bestowed on you were to be procured.

11 In particular, they employed themselves in searching diligently, (us Tiva, supply λacy) of what people, and of what period of time, the Spirit of Christ who inspired them did signify, when by them he foretold the sufferings of Christ, and the glories which were to follow to him and to mankind after these sufferings.

12 In consequence of their searching, to them it was discovered, that not concerning themselves and their contemporaries, but concerning us, they foretold these things; which things have now been reported to you, as come to pass among us, by the apostles and other 3. On whom not now looking.)-Here ¿euvres hath the sense of cers by virtue of the prepositions, which goes before in this

12 To them it was revealed, that not coNCERNING themselves, but us, they ministered these things; which things have now been reported to you by them who have preached the people and at what time the means of procuring it were to be accomplished; that it was revealed to the prophets that these means were to be accomplished, not among them, but among us; and that these things were preached by the apostles as actually come to pass; -I say the above-mentioned particulars, concerning the salvation to be revealed in the last time, do not agree to the deliverance of the Christians from the destruction of Jerusalem, but are applicable only to the salvation of believers in general from eternal death, by a resurrection to an immortal life in heaven at the time of Christ's coming, when this salvation is to be revealed; and that time is called the last time, because it will be the concluding scene of God's dispensations relating to our world.

Ver. 6.-1. Be exceeding glad. So yλ is rendered by our translators, Matt. v. 12. Properly the word signifies to leap for joy. 2. Since it is needful.]-From this we learn, that the people of God are never afflicted, except when it is necessary for their improveinent in virtue, that they may become meet for the heavenly inberitance. What a consolation is this to the afflicted!

Ver. 7.-1. The proof of your faith, much more precious than of gold-In the first age the Christians were subject to persecution and death, that, their faith being put to the severest trial, mankind might have, in their tried and persevering faith, what is infinitely more profitable to them than all the gold and silver in the world; namely, such an irrefragable demonstration of the truth of the facts on which the Christian religion is built, as will bring praise and ho nour and glory to God, and to the martyrs themselves, at the last day. For what can be more honourable to God, than that the persons whom he appointed to bear witness to the resurrection of Christ, and to the other miracles by which the gospel was established, sealed their testimony with their blood? Or, what greater evidence of the truth of these miracles can the world require, than that the persons who were eye-witnesses of them lost their estates, endured extreme tortures, and parted with their lives, for bearing testimony to them? Or, what greater felicity can these magnani. mous heroes wish to receive, than that which shall be bestowed on them at the revelation of Jesus Christ, when their testimony shall be put beyond all doubt, their persecutors shall be punished, and themselves rewarded with the everlasting possession of heaven? 2. At the revelation of Jesus Christ.]-When the first couning of Christ into our world is spoken of, the verb avie is commonly used, 1 Tin. iii. 16. 1 Pet. i. 20. 1 John i. 2. iii. 8. Yet, for a reason to be mentioned 1 John ii. 28. note 2. it is applied with peculiar propriety likewise, to denote Christ's coming to raise the dead and judge the world, which here, and ver. 13. and 1 Cor. i. 7. is termed aоxx, the revelation and the revelation of his glory, 1 Pet. iv. 13; because on that occasion, appearing in his own glory as the Son of God, and in the glory of his Father as Judge, attended by an host of angels, he will reveal or shew himself the Son of God and Judge of the world, and thereby overwhelm with inexpressible confusion all infidels and wicked men, who denied him to be the Son of God, and rejected his gospel; and will punish them with everlasting de struction, 2 Thess. i. 8.

Ver. 8.-1. Whom not having seen.]-The word is literally signifies known; but it sometimes signifies seen, Matt. ii. 2. Ev, 'we have seen his star in the east.' See also ver. 9, 10.-In this sense Thucydides likewise uses the word, as Wetstein has shewed. 2. Ye love ;)-namely, on account of his amiable character, and for the great benefits he hath bestowed on you.

clause.

4. But believing.This is an allusion to our Lord's words to Thomas, John xx. 29. Because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.' 5. And full of glory.]-In support of this translation, Estius observes, that the participle en is put for the adjective. But Bengelius thinks the participle is used, in its proper signification, to denote that the joy of believers will be glorified, or rendered sta ble, by Christ at the judgment.

Ver. 9--1. Receiving the reward of your faith.]-The word TX5, rendered reward, properly signifies the end. But it is fitly translated reward, because, as Beza observes, the reward is the end for which any work is performed. See Rom. vi. 21. note.

2. The salvation of your souls.]-See ver. 5. note 2.-The salvation to be accomplished by Messiah, was thought by the Jews to be a salvation from the Roman, and every foreign yoke. But that was only a salvation of their bodies. Whereas the salvation which be lievers expect from Christ is the salvation of their souls from sin, and of their bodies from the grave. See chap. iv. 6. note 2.

Ver. 10. Concerning the grace to be bestowed on you.]-The ori ginal clause TS 815 - Mas Kağıtos, is an ellipsis of the same kind with ver. 11. T 115 Xeisov wanμ But to render the sentence com. plete, the word vs must be supplied in both. By grace, Benson understands the gospel revelation."

Ver. 11.-1. Searching diligently of what people, &c.]—From this it appears, that in many instances the prophets did not understand the meaning of their own prophecies, but studied them, as others did, with great care, in order to find it out. See Dan. vii. 28. xii. 8. This care they used more especially in examining the prophecies which they uttered concerning the Christ, being extremely solicitous to know what people were to put him to death, and what time for that event the Spirit of Christ who was in them did signify, when he testified the sufferings, &c.; and by the assistance of the Spirit, they obtained the knowledge mentioned, ver. 12.

2. The Spirit of Christ who was in them.]-Here Peter assures us, that the inspiration of the Jewish prophets was derived from Christ. It was his Spirit (see Gal. iv. 6. note) who spake in them. The same Spirit he promised to his apostles, John xvi. 7. 13. Wherefore, the prophets and apostles, being inspired by one and the same Spirit, their doctrine must be, as in fact it is, the same.

3. The glories following. The glories which followed the suf ferings of Christ were,-1. The glory of his resurrection: 2. Of his ascension into heaven, and exaltation to the government of the universe: 3. Of his sending down the Holy Ghost on his apostles and disciples, to enable them to propagate the gospel effectually: 4. Of his returning to the earth, to raise the dead, and judge the world; and, 5. Of his introducing the spiritual seed of Abraham, in a body, into the heavenly country. These were the glories of which Christ himself spake, Luke xxiv. 26.

Ver. 12-1. Concerning themselves.-Parkhurst, in his Gram. mar prefixed to his Dictionary, p. 73. observes, that in Greek the dative case is often governed by a preposition which is understood; and among the rest mentions, concerning. I have therefore supplied it in the translation of this passage, being authorized to do so by the context.

gospel to you with the Holy Ghost? sent down from heaven: into which things angels earnestly desire to look attentively.1

13 Wherefore, having the loins of your mind girded, AND watching, do ye perfectly hope for the gift (pegquerav, 12. 2.) to be brought to you () at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (See ver. 7 note 2.)

14 As obedient children, do not fashion yourselves according to the former lusts, in your ignorance;'

15 But as he who hath called you' is holy, be ye also holy in all your behaviour.

16 (AT, 123.) For it is written, be ye holy, (or, 254.) because I am holy.

17 And seeing ye call on the Father, who, without respect of persons,' judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear;

18 Knowing, that not with corruptible things, as silver and gold, ye were redeemed1 from your foolish behaviour delivered to you by your fathers;2

19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb' without blemish and without spot;

20 Foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world,' but manifested in these last times for you,

21 Who through him believe (us) in God,'

eye-witnesses who have preached the gospel to you with the power of the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven, Acts ii. 3, 4. Into which things, angels earnestly desire to look attentively.

13 Your salvation being an object of attention even to angels, preserving the faculties of your mind in a fit condition to discern its greatness, and watching so as to avoid every thing that may hinder your salvation, do ye strongly, and to the end of your lives, hope for the gift of eternal life to be bestowed on you at the revelation of Jesus

Christ

14 As becometh obedient children of God, and heirs of heaven, (ver. 4.), do not fashion your actions according to the lusts which formerly ruled you during your ignorance of God;

15 (Aλλя naтa tov) But as God, who hath called you his children, and thereby hath made you heirs of heaven, is holy, be ye also holy like him, in every thing ye say and do.

16 For it is written by Moses, Lev. xix. 2. as God's command to the Israelites his children, Be ye holy, because I am holy: I am free from sin and every kind of impurity, and I hate the workers of iniquity.

17 And seeing ye worship the Father of the universe, who, without considering whether men are Jews or Gentiles, rich or poor, kings or beggars, judgeth according to the nature of every man's doings, pass the time of your sojourning on earth in fear of that impartial judgment;

18 Especially as ye know, that not with corruptible things, as silver and gold, ye were delivered from your wicked, superstitious, sensual manner of living, which was taught you by your fathers, and from the miserable consequences of that kind of life;

19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. By dying, Christ hath obtained power to deliver sinners, both from the power and from the punishment of their sins.

20 The sacrifice of Christ was appointed of God, indeed, before the foundation of the world; but was offered in these last times of the Mosaic dispensation for you.

21 Who through his gospel believe in God, who raised him up their gods to be the patrons and practisers of all kinds of vice, the religious worship which they paid to their gods must have had a pernicious influence in corrupting their morals. Not so the worship which Christians paid to the true God, who, being perfectly free from evil, and the author as well as the possessor of moral excellence, is worthy of the imitation of his intelligent creatures. Besides, holiness is necessary to qualify us for living with God in his eternal kingdom, 2 Cor. vii. 1.

2. Who have preached the gospel to you with the Holy Ghost.]It was Paul chiefly who preached the gospel to the persons to whom this epistle was written. Of him, therefore, and of his assistants, Peter speaks in this passage; and affirms, that he, with the rest of the apostles, in preaching and writing the doctrines of the gospel, were assisted by the Holy Ghost; and that in general the first preachers confirmed their testimony concerning their Master, by working miracles, and by exercising the spiritual gifts.

3. Into which things;-namely, the sufferings of Christ, the glories following his sufferings, the nature of the salvation which he hath wrought for us by his death, the constitution of the Christian church, together with the prophecies and types in which all these things were foretold.

4. Angels desire to look attentively.-eux, literally to stoop. But stooping being the action of one who desires to look narrowly into a thing, it is properly translated look attentively. The omission of the article before yy, renders the meaning more grand. Not any particular species of angels, but all the different orders of them, desire to look into the things foretold by the prophets, and preached by the apostles. See Eph. iii. 10.-This earnest desire of the angels to conteinplate the sufferings of the Christ, was emblematically signified by the cherubim placed in the inward tabernacle with their faces turned down towards the mercy-seat, Exod. xxv. 20. To that emblem there is a plain allusion in the word magavas, to stoop. The apostle's meaning is, If our salvation, and the means by which it is accomplished, are of such importance as to merit the attention of angels, how much more do they merit our attention, who are so much interested in them?

Ver. 13. Loins of your mind girded.]-This is an allusion to the manners of the east, where, the men's garments being long and flowing, they prepared themselves for travelling, and other active employments, by tucking them up, and fastening them round their loins with a girdle, to prevent their being encumbered by them: Wherefore, the loins of the mind girded, is a bold but a most expressive metaphor to signify the faculties of the mind prepared for exerting themselves properly: Our mind must not be overcharged at any time with surfeiting and drunkenness; our affections must be placed on proper objects, and in a just degree; and our passions must all be under the government of our reason. St. Paul gives the same advice, Eph. vi. 14.; and so doth our Lord himself, Luke xii. 35.

Ver. 14. In your ignorance.)-This, I think, implies that some of the persons to whom Peter wrote had formerly been Gentiles. The commentators, however, who contend that this epistle was addressed to the Jews only, think that their state before their con. version might be called ignorance, in comparison of the greater knowledge they enjoyed under the gospel.

Ver. 15. Who hath called you is holy-Called you to his eternal glory as his children. So Peter himself explains this calling, 1 Pet. v. 10. See also chap. ii. 21. iii. 9.-As the heathens believe

Ver 17.-1. Without respect of persons.]-Here Peter repeats what he said to Cornelius, Acts x. 34. Respect of persons' is explained Rom. ii. 11. note. This can have no place with God, who hath nothing either to hope or fear from any of his creatures.

2. Pass the time of your sojourning.]-The word is properly signifies the stay which travellers make in a place, while finishing some business. The term, therefore, is applied with great propriety to the abode of the children of God in the present world, as it signifies that this earth is not their home, and that they are to remain in it only a short time. See Heb. xi. 13. note 5.

Ver. 18.-1. Not with corruptible things, as silver and gold, yo were redeemed.]-Properly speaking, to redeem means to procure life to a captive, or liberty to a slave, by paying a sum of money for them. In scripture, to redeem frequently signifies to deliver from any misfortune simply, without marking the means made use of for that purpose. See l Tim. ii. 6. note 1. In this sense the word is used in the passage before us.

2. Delivered to you by your fathers.]-The Jews derived from their fathers that implicit regard for the traditions of the elders, by which they made the law of God of none effect. In like manner, the Gentiles derived their idolatry and other vicious practices from the teaching and example of their fathers. For in general, as Whitby observes, the strongest argument for false religions, as well as for errors in the true, is, that men have received them from their fathers.

Ver. 19. As of a lamb without blemish.]-See Lev. xx. 21, 22. where the things reckoned blemishes in the animals to be sacrificed are enumerated.-Arcs means without any excrescence, as μ means without any defect. The sacrifice of himself, which Christ offered to God without spot, being here likened to the sacri. fice of the paschal lamb, and to the lambs daily offered as sin-offer. ings for the whole nation, we are thereby taught, that the shedding of Christ's blood is a real atonement for the sins of the world, Hence John Baptist called him the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.' And to shew the extent of the efficacy of his atonement, he is said to be 'a lamb slain from the foundation of the world,' Rev. xiii. 8.

Ver. 20. Foreknown indeed before, &c.]-See the illustration prefixed to Rom. v. paragraph 3. from the end.

Ver. 21. Who through him believe in God.-The Gentiles might justly be said to have believed in God through the ministry of Christ and of his apostles, because, before the gospel was preached to

who raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory, that your faith and hope might be in God.

22 WHEREFORE, having purified your souls (w, 65.) by obeying the truth through the Spirit, to unfeigned brotherly love, ye will love one another (x) from a pure heart continual ly:

23 Having been regenerated,' not of corruptible seed, but incorruptible, (dia, 113.) through the word of the living God,2 (x2,219.)

which remaineth for ever.3

24 (AKTI, 123.) For all flesh is as grass,' and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower of it falleth down:

25 But (gu) the word of the Lord remaineth for ever. (A, 103.) Now this is that word which is preached to you.

from the dead, and gave him the glory of sitting at his own right hand, as Saviour and King, that your faith in him, and hope of eternal life, might be founded in the power and veracity of God.

22 Wherefore, having purified your souls by embracing the gospel through the influence of the Spirit, (this sentiment Peter delivered in the council, Acts xv. 8, 9.), so as to have attained an unfeignea love of your Christian brethren, ye will without doubt love one an other, not from a carnal passion, but from a pure heart continually : 23 Having all been regenerated as sons to God, not of corrupti ble seed, but incorruptible, namely, through the word of the living God, which, with its offspring, doth not, like the corruptible seed with its offspring, remain only in the present world, but for ever.

24 For, as Isaiah hath said, ch. xl. 6. 8. every thing pertaining to our flesh is weak and perishing like grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower of it falleth down; so the noblest races of mankind, with all their glory, quickly decay:

25 But the word of the Lord, the incorruptible seed, with the noble nature which it conveys to its offspring, remaineth for ever. Now this word is that gospel which is preached to you by us apos

tles.

Ver. 23.-1. Having been regenerated.]—In this expression the apostle insinuated to the Jews, that they were not the children of God and heirs of immortality by their being begotten of Abraham, nor by their obeying the law of Moses, but by their being begotten of the incorruptible seed of the preached word of the living God. See ver. 25. The same thing our Lord declared to Nicodemus, when he told him, John iii. 5. Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.' See 1 John ii. 29. note 1.

2. But incorruptible, through the word of the living God:]-So the clause Six doyou Curros y should be translated. The incorruptible seed, through which believers are born again, is not bodily seed, but the word of the living God,' the doctrines of the gospel. These are called the word of God, because they were given to Christ by God; and are said to be incorruptible, because they are

never to be altered.

3. Which remaineth for ever.]-1 acknowledge that you wvros Θεου και μένοντος εις τον αιώνα may be translated 'the word of God

who liveth and remaineth for ever. But as in ver. 25. after telling us that 'the word of the Lord remaineth for ever,' the apostle adds, 'Now this is that word which is preached to you,' he plainly shews that his meaning in this verse is, not that God, but that his word remaineth for ever.-The incorruptible seed, the word of God, differeth entirely from the corruptible seed which produceth the human body. For whereas that seed, with the high birth and other distinctions which it conveys to those who are born from it, remaineth only during the present life, the incorruptible seed, together with the new and noble nature which it conveys to them who are born from it, will remain through all eternity.

Ver. 24. All flesh is as grass.]-The word zeros denotes not only grass, but all kinds of herbs; and among the rest those which have stalks and flowers. Nay, it seems to be used for shrubs, Matt. vi. 30.-This is a quotation from Isa. xl. 6-8. where the preach ing of the gospel is foretold, and recommended from the consideration that every thing which is merely human, and ainong the rest the noblest races of mankind, with all their glory and grandeur, their honour, riches, beauty, strength, and eloquence; as also the arts which men have invented, and the works they have executed, all decay as the flowers of the field. But the incorruptible seed, the gospel, called by the prophet 'the word of the Lord,' shall be preached while the world standeth; and the divine nature, which it is the instrument of conveying to believers, will remain in them to all eternity. James likewise hath illustrated the brevity and uncertainty of human life with its glory, by the same figures, chap. i. 11. See also chap. iv. 14. note.

CHAPTER II.

View and Illustration of the Directions in this Chapter.

Ir being of great importance in the first age, that the disciples of Christ, by a holy and virtuous behaviour, should confute the calumnies of their adversaries, who charged them with all manner of crimes, the apostle Peter earnestly exhorted the brethren of Pontus, from the consideration of their character and dignity as the children of God, described in the preceding chapter, to lay aside all malice, guile, hypocrisies, envyings, and calumnies, things utterly inconsistent with brotherly love, ver. 1.—And, as new-born babes, by the unadulterated milk of the word of God, to nourish the divine nature in themselves to maturity, ver. 2, 3.-that they might be fit to be built into the temple of God, as living stones, upon the foundation Christ, ver. 4.-agreeably to what Isaiah foretold, ver. 6.-And to encourage them he observed, that to all who believe, the great honour belongs of being built into the temple of God, as consistent parts thereof; whereas all who refuse to believe in Christ are not only dishonourable but miserable, ver. 7.-because they are to be broken in pieces by Christ, the stone against which they stumble, ver. 8.-Next, he told both Jews and Gentiles, that by their believing on Christ, being built up into a temple for the worship of God, all the honourable titles formerly appropriated to the Jews. as the visible church

and people of God, now belong to them, ver. 9.-so that the Gentiles in particular were much more happy, as members of the church of Christ, than ever they had been in their heathen state, ver. 10.-And seeing they were now become constituent parts of the temple of God, he earnestly exhorted them to abstain from fleshly lusts, ver. 11.-and to have their behaviour comely in the eyes of the Gentiles, who, by their holy lives, would be sensible of the falsehood of the calumnies uttered against the Christians, ver. 12.-In particular, they were in every thing innocent to obey the heathen magistrates of all denominations, because their office required them to punish the bad and reward the good, ver. 13, 14.-Thus, to shew themselves good subjects, he told them, was the most effectual method of silencing those foolish men who slandered them as seditious persons, ver. 15.-This advice, I suppose, was intended more especially for the Jewish Christians, to prevent them from joining their unbelieving brethren in the rebellion against the Romans, which was ready to break out about the time the apostle wrote his letter.-See the Illustr. prefixed to James, chap. iv.

Farther, because many who had embraced the gospel fancied that they were thereby freed from obeying the heathen laws, the apostle told them plainly, that the free

dom bestowed on them by the gospel was a spiritual, not a political freedom; and ordered them not to use that freedom as a cloak for wickedness, but to behave as the bondmen of God, who enjoined them to obey their earthly masters, ver. 16.-Next, because the Jewish zealots affirmed, that no obedience was due from the people of God to the emperor, or any other prince who was not of their religion, and who did not govern them according to the law of Moses, the apostle commanded them to pay to all men the honour which was due to them on account of their rank, or office, or personal merit; to love the brotherhood; to fear God; and to honour the emperor.

Having thus enjoined such of the Christians as were freemen to obey the heathen magistrates in all things consistent with their obedience to Christ, St. Peter proceeded to direct such of them as were slaves to obey their masters in the same manner, with all reverence, whether they were believers or unbelievers, and whether they were gentle in their manners or froward, ver. 18.assuring them, that it was an acceptable thing to God if

NEW TRANSLATION.

CHAP. II-1 Wherefore, laying aside all malice, and all guile and hypocrisies, and envyings, and all evil speakings,

2 As new-born babes' earnestly desire the unadulterated milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.3

3 (Eg, 128.) Because, indeed, ye have tasted that the Lord is good.'

4 To whom coming AS TO a living (50.) stone, rejected indeed (i) of men,' but chosen (Taga) by God,3 and precious,

5 Ye also, as living stones,' are built up a

a slave, from a principle of religion, suffered bad usage patiently, ver. 19, 20.-And that they were called to patience under unjust sufferings, from the example of Christ, who, though he was a person of such dignity and power, submitted to suffer wrongfully for our sakes, leaving us, when he returned to heaven, an example that we should follow his steps, ver. 21.-Farther, that the example of Christ in suffering injurious treatment patiently might make the deeper impression upon them, he gave them an account of his innocence, sincerity, willingness to forgive injuries, and self-government, ver. 22, 23. -and of the end for which he suffered, namely, that we, being freed from the dominion of sin, might have faith counted to us for righteousness, who have been healed by Christ's stripes, ver. 24.-Lastly, by observing that the sojourners of the dispersion had been as sheep going astray, but were now returned to the shepherd and overseer of their souls, he insinuated the obligation which lay on them to obey and imitate Christ, their shepherd and overseer, in all things, ver. 25.

COMMENTARY.

CHAP. II.-1 Seeing ye are born again through the incorrup tible seed of the word, laying aside every degree of ill-will, and every kind of guile, not excepting flattery and insincere compliments, and hypocrisies in religion, and envyings of the prosperity of others, and every kind of evil speaking,

2 As new-born children of God earnestly desire the unadulterated milk of the gospel doctrine, that ye may grow thereby to the proper stature and strength of the children of God.

3 This desire will be strong in you, because indeed ye have tasted, in the unadulterated milk of the word, that the Lord Jesus, in what he hath already done, and in what he is still to do for you, is good to you.

4 To whom coming by faith as to a living foundation-stone, rejected indeed of the Jewish builders, the chief priests and scribes, but chosen by God to be the chief corner foundation-stone of his temple, and therefore a precious stone,

5 Ye also, as living stones, are built up on him, so as to make a

Ver. 2-1. As new-born babes.]-Wolfius observes, that the Jewish doctors were wont to call new proselytes little children, and new-born babes. The apostle Peter gave the Christians of Pontus the latter appellation, perhaps, because many of them were but newly converted.

2. The unadulterated milk of the word.]-Because the offering of our bodies living sacrifices to God is called, Rom. xii. 1. yoxva. Tev, our reasonable worship,' some critics, following the Vulgate version, translate xv adorov gara in this passage, 'the unadulterated rational milk.' But as ys is often used in scripture to denote the word of God preached, the translation in our English Bible is perfectly just.-By adding the epithet adxor, una. dulterated, the apostle hath taught us that the milk of the word will not nourish the divine nature in those who use it, if it is adulterated with human mixtures.

3. That ye may grow thereby.]-In the former chapter the apostle told the Christians of Pontus, that they were born again of the incorruptible seed of the word. Here he told them, that the word is also the milk by which the new-born grow to maturity. The word, therefore, is both the principle by which the divine life is produced, and the food by which it is nourished.

Ver. 3. Tasted that the Lord is good.-Vulgate, dulcis, sweet. This is an allusion to Psalm xxxiv. 8. O taste and see that the Lord is good.' The goodness of the Lord, which the new-born taste in the milk of his word, is his goodness in promising to forgive their sins, and to raise thein from the dead, and to bestow upon then the incorruptible inheritance, and to give them in the present life every thing necessary to prepare them for enjoying that in

heritance.

Ver. 4.-1. To whom coming as to a living stone.]-Here St. Peter had in his eye Isa. xxviii. 16. where the formation of the Christian church, for the spiritual worship of God, is foretold under the image of a temple which God was to build on Messiah as the foundation-stone thereof: 'Behold I lay in Zion for a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner-stone, a sure foundation.' The apostle here terms the Lord Christ a living stone, to show that the temple of which he is the foundation is built of living men, and represents their entering into the Christian church by their coming to this living stone, to be built thereon as living stones. Withal, to show that this is his meaning, he adds, ver. 5. Ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual temple.'-The laying this precious corner-stone in Zion for a foundation, signifies that the Christian church, the new temple of God, was to begin in Jerusa lem. See ver. 6. note 2.-The apostle Paul likewise, in allusion to Isaial's prophecy, represents the Christian church, Eph. ii. 20. as

a great temple built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone thereof.' 2. Rejected indeed of men.]-By calling the Lord Christ a living stone who was rejected of men, Peter intimates that he is the person spoken of Psal. cxviii. 22. The stone which the builders refused, is become the head stone of the corner. 23. This is the doing of the Lord, and it is marvellous in our eyes.' In applying this prophecy to Christ, the apostle was authorized by Christ himself, who said to the chief priests and elders, Matt. xxi. 42. Did ye never read in the scriptures, 'the stone which the builders rejected,' &c. For by proposing this question, after he had delivered, in the hear ing of the chief priests and elders, the parable of the vineyard let out to husbandmen, who put the Lord of the vineyard's son to death, and who for that crime were destroyed by the armies of the Lord of the vineyard; also by adding, that the kingdom of God should be taken from them and given to another nation, Christ intimated, that the chief priests and elders were the builders spoken of Psal. cxviii. 22. (see the following ver. 7. note 3.): that the stone which they rejected was Messiah, God's Son: that their rejection of that stone consisted in their refusing to acknowledge Christ as the foun dation of the new temple of God foretold to be laid in Zion: and that the taking of the kingdom of God from them because they crucified Christ, meant that the Jews were no longer to be the visible church and people of God, but that another nation was to obtain that honour.

3. But chosen of God.]-Although the Jewish builders rejected Christ, the stone which God laid in Zion for the foundation of his new temple, yet he was chosen of God to be both the chief cornerstone in the foundation of God's temple, whereby the two sides of the building were united, and the top corner-stone by which the building was completed.

4. And precious.]-Isaiah termed the tried stone which God laid in Zion for a sure foundation precious, to signify its excellence and efficacy in supporting the great temple of God, the Christian church, built thereon.

Ver. 5.-1. Ye also, as living stones.-Because the Hebrews used the epithet living to denote excellence, (Ess. iv. 50.), living stones in this and the preceding verse, are by some thought to mean excellent stones. Nevertheless, as the Christian church is built upon Christ and his apostles, and consists of living men, I think the word living may be understood literally, so as to distinguish the Christian church, the spiritual temple of God, both from the temples of idols and from the temple of Jerusalem, which were built of nothing but dead materials.