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down the ages-things utterly unknown to the early fathers. This circumstance led Mosheim to sift the historic testimonies and to say-"I would not reject all that is clearly attested by Origen, Eusebius, Gregory Nazianzen, Paulinus, Jerome, Socrates and some more ancient writers quoted by Eusebius; but what is attested only by authors subseqent to these or unknown, I would not readily believe unless facts offer themselves to corroborate the testimony.' -Following these judicious_rules of Mosheim (says Dr. Murdock) we may believe that Peter, after preaching long in Judea and other parts of Syria, probably visited Babylon, Asia Minor, and finally Rome, where he was crucified," (Mosh. i. 57). -More recent writers than Murdock and Mosheim have scarcely improved upon either the historic facts or the wisdom of their critical judgment.

Under so much reliable light of history we may locate the writing of the first epistle at Babylon. Where the second was written the epistle itself gives no intimation, and we must be content not to know.

V. The churches addressed and their locality.

The first epistle locates the people addressed as "scattered abroad" in these five provinces-viz., "Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia." Of these Pontus lay upon the southern shore of the Black Sea, near its eastern extremity; Bithynia also upon the southern shore, but near its western end; while Cappadocia, Galatia and Asia lay south of these, stretching westward in the order here given; i. e., Pontus and Cappadocia on the east, towards Armenia and the head waters of the Euphrates; the others farther west.

-Three of these five, viz., Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, appear in the enumeration of places from which men were present at the great Pentecost as in Acts 2: 9, 10. This fact suggests that Jews and proselytes were even then scattered over those provinces; so that, returning home from those wonderfully impressive scenes, they may have carried with them the first rays of gospel light at even that early day.- -The name "Asia" as used here is by no means the great continent now known by this name, nor even all that is known in modern times as Asia Minor; but a much smaller province.

That Peter had traveled and preached in these provinces may be assumed to be probable, yet we lack original historic evidence. He had no traveling companion, such as Paul had in Luke, to aid him in his labors, and then, under in

spiration, write out his history. It is not hinted why the inspired history of apostolic missionary labors is so meager, unless it comes under the reason assigned for omitting the yet more important words and deeds of Jesus-viz., lest even the world itself might not contain the books that would have been written. -Whether Peter had or had not been personally in those remote provinces, his name had doubtless been there ever since the scenes of the great Pentecost. At the date of this epistle some of the fathers were supposably still living who heard his first great sermon under that wonderful inspiration of the Holy Ghost.

VI. In studying the objects had specially in view in the first epistle, we may fitly hold in mind the great fact, fully indicated, that those scattered brethren were at least in peril if not under the endurance of violent persecution. To strengthen their moral courage and brace their souls to patient endurance, Peter did not confine himself to the glories of the martyr's crown, and said nothing that would naturally minister to a factitious heroism for the present glory thereof. But with a far more broad and just conception of the case, he sets himself to build up their real piety solid from the bottom and on its just and most enduring foundations. He holds before them and very near to their hearts that precious Redeemer, Jesus, whose resurrection from the dead had given them a lively hope; who, his own self had borne their sins in his own body on the tree; whom, not having seen, they had loved, and in whom, though not yet seeing him, they had believed and therein rejoiced with joy unspeakable and full of glory.The entire epistle may well be studied with this guiding thread in our hand-the bearing of every great consideration presented herein upon the intrinsic energy and strength of the Christian life in their heart. Even the special duties that grow up under our various social relations-those of wives, husbands, servants, subjects under civil government—are not to be neglected but rather cultivated with the more diligence in times of extreme personal peril, that Christians under sternest trial adorn the gospel and confound their enemies. Hence the scope and bearing of this first epistle sustains a tone of moral purity, dignity and grandeur that has rarely been equaled; we may perhaps say never surpassed.

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The second epistle has some of the same qualities, particularly in chapter 1. The second chapter exposes the vile character and pernicious ways of false teachers then infest

ing those churches; while the third bears upon scoffers-setting forth their spirit, their folly and their doom. We must think of the aged, venerable Peter as writing this second epistle under a sense that his end was near and that these were his last words. His thought turned mostly on special points that seemed to him of urgent importance. Consequently we have no right in this epistle to look for those large, broad views of the whole Christian life which make his first epistle so grand and so impressive. Each fills its place admirably. We shall read them with ever-growing admiration of their wisdom and of their power, and with gratitude to the inditing Spirit that moved to this writing and to the kind Providence that has preserved them to bless all the generations of God's people to the end of time.

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THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PETER.

CHAPTER I.

The author incorporates in his address a description of the Christian; gives his readers his benediction (v. 1, 2); praises God for his great mercy in the salvation of the gospel (v. 3), and further describes it (v. 4, 5); which is ground for exceeding joy even in extremest peril (v. 6); every trial of their faith is prov ing it as fire proves and purifies gold (v. 7); Jesus, though unseen, yet loved and through faith, a fountain of unspeakable joy, the end of which shall be salvation (v. 8, 9). How the old prophets studied and loved the Coming One-as do the angels also (v. 10-12)—all which considerations should inspire to a sober, obedient, earnest, holy life (v. 13-16). Honest prayer to the infinitely pure Father should impress reverential fear (v. 17); the redeeming blood of Christ should constrain and hold men to the life of faith and hope in God (v. 18-21). As obeying the truth through the Spirit had wrought purity in their hearts and love of the brethren, so should they cherish such purity and love more and more, the word of God being not perishable but eternal in its nature and claims (v. 22-25).

1. Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

2. Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

These "strangers were better called sojourners, in a country not their own. The Greek word for "scattered" suggests that they were Jews, dispersed over these provinces-this being the usual term to describe this people in their dispersions. (So in John 7: 35 and James 1: 1. The question whether the people addressed were by nationality Jews has been discussed and disputed far more than its importance can justify. I will only say in brief that the words of this v. 1 look toward Jews; as does also the fact that Jews and proselytes came up from these prov

inces to the Pentecost of Acts 2; that the epistle assumes its readers to be familiar with Old Testament prophets and their writings (1: 10-12 and 2: 6 and 2 Eps. 1: 20, 21 and 3:2, 13); also with Old Testament history and historic characters (1 Pet. 3:6, 20 and 2 Pet. 2: 5-8, 15, 16): and that all this testimony is by no means set aside, or even materially weakened by such words as those in 1 Eps. 4: 3; 'For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles "—inasmuch as this might be said of men of Jewish no less than of Gentile birth. Doubtless these epistles are good for all Gentile readers of every age; but their internal indications suggest their original adaptation to Jews.

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For the provinces named here as their residence, see Introduction, p. 367.

In the words: "Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father," the difficulties pertain to theology rather than to interpretation. The sense of the words is very obvious so far as the province of interpretation extends. They imply that election is according to God's foreknowledge. This interprets their proper meaning. It remains for the theologian to inquire whether we can ascertain how God foreknows the free moral activities of men; how the fact that he does can be harmonized with man's freedom; also, whether he must be supposed to elect men according to his foreknowledge of what they will do without his own working in them morally, or with and under this spiritual inworking, etc. In other words, does his election hinge upon his foreknowing things as they are, or things as they are not? Things as they are means a world of free and morally responsible agents with whose freedom God never interferes but always honors and recognizes it; means a system of spiritual agencies from God working toward the salvation of men, which agencies of the Spirit, some men resist to their own ruin. The foreknowledge therefore upon which election turns is not foreknowing what men would do if there were no Holy Ghost, or what they would do if his influences were withheld; but it is rather foreknowing what men will do under the truth as impressed by the Spirit. Hence we can readily appreciate the supreme, unparalleled wisdom of the exhortation: "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who worketh in you to will and to do of his good pleasure" (Phil. 2: 12, 13).

It can scarcely be deemed in place here to discuss the theological bearings of this great problem further.

Let it be carefully noted that this election is carried into effect in and by sanctification wrought by the Spirit; and that it works toward and unto obedience-an obedient and loving heart, cleansed spiritually through sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. This last phrase has the key to its true sense in the Mosaic sacrificial system, in which blood-sprinklings were frequent, and were ceremonially cleansing. Translated into their gospel significance, they have their fulfillment; (a) In the aton