SECTION. IV. Of the Occasion on which the Second Epistle of Peter was written. For this see the quotation from Lardner, sect. 2. penult paragr. See also the preface to James, sect. 4. and the Illustra tions prefixed to chapters i. and ii. of this epistle. SECTION. V. Of the Matters contained in the Second Epistle of Peter. The Spirit, who revealed to Peter, that false teachers and cor、 rupt doctrine, would greately disturb the peace and purity of the church in after times, directed him to publish these discoveries in a second epistle to the brethren of Pontus, &c. and to accompany them with the plainest and most express declarations of the chief doctrines and precepts of the gospel; and to assert the high character, the power, and the coming of Jesus the author of the gospel; that at whatever time these false teachers appeared, and this epistle was read, the faithful might discern the impiety of their tenets, by comparing them with the true doctrines of the gospel set forth in this epistle, and stedfastly resist them. In speaking of the matters contained in the second epistle of Peter, I must not omit observing, that in it, as in the first epistle, there are discoveries of some important facts and circumstances, not mentioned at all, or not mentioned so plainly, by the other inspired writers. Such as, 1. That our Lord was transfigured for the purpose of exhibiting, not only a proof of his greatness and power as the Son of God and Judge of the world, but an example of the glory in which he will come to judgment: An example also, of his power to transform our corruptible mortal bodies, at the resurrection, into the likeness of his own glorious body, as it appeared in his transfiguration.-2. That the destruction of the cities of the plain by fire, was intended to be an example of that destruction by fire from the presence of the Lord, which will be inflicted on the wicked, after the judgment. Compare Jude ver. 7.-3. That in the last age of the world, scoffers will arise, who from the stability of the present mundane system, will argue that the world hath existed as we see it, from eternity, and that it will continue for ever.-4. That after the judgment, this carth with its atmosphere shall be set on fire, and burning furiously, the elements shall be melted, and the earth with all the works of God and man thereon, shall be utterly destroyed.-That after the present heaven and earth are burnt, a new heaven and a new earth shall appear, into which, according to God's promise, the righteous shall be carried, there to live in unspeakable happiness; an event which Peter himself in his discourse to the Jews, Acts iii. 21. hath termed, the restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. From the foregoing account of the discoveries made in the second epistle of Peter, the attentive reader must be sensible, that they are more grand and interesting, than even those contained in the first epistle; and that to the foreknowledge and declaration of them, a degree of inspiration was necessary, superior to that required in the writing of the first epistle. Consequently, that the matters exhibited in the second epistle, are every way worthy of an apostle of Christ really inspired, such as this writer expressly affirms himself to have been, and of which there can be no doubt. CHAPTER I. View and Illustration of the Matters contained in this Chapter. In the latter part of the apostolical age many false teachers arose, among whom the Nicolaitans and the Simonians were the most remarkable. These, as Jude tells us, ver. 4. Perverted the grace of God to lasciviousness. They perverted the doctrine of the gospel concerning men's being justified of free grace by faith, without the works of law, so as to make it a pretence for gratifying the lusts of their flesh without restraint. And to gain credit to their impious explications of the doctrines of the gospel, these impostors denied the authority of the apostles of Christ, and arrogated to themselves an illumination and authority superior to theirs. Nay they denied the authority of Christ himself, chap. ii. 1. And having thus set themselves up as the only inspired teachers, (Jude ver. 16. 19.) they assured their disciples, that being justified by faith without works, believers are under no obligation, either to abstain from sin, or to do what is morally good; that Christ hath purchased for them a liberty to gratify all their passions and appetites; and that Christ will not judge and punish them for so doing, nor for any sin whatever. These doctrines being extremely agreeable to the corruptions of the human heart, were embraced by many, in the latter part of the first age. Wherefore to stop the mouths of those false teachers, who were now gone abroad among the churches, and to prevent the faithful from being seduced by them, and to establish them in the belief of the things which the Lord himself had taught, and which his apostles had delivered in his name, Peter wrote his second epistle, in which he brought these things to their remembrance. And first of all, in opposition to the calumnies of the false teachers, he assured the brethren to whom this epistle was directed, that Christ had gifted to his apostles, every thing necessary to qualify them for leading mankind to a godly life, and for making them partakers of the divine nature. He had bestowed on them inspiration to know the true doctrines of the gospel, and authority to declare them to the world. From this it followed, that the teachers who pretended to possess a greater illumination than the apostles, or greater authority, were impostors, ver. 3, 4. And because these seducers taught their disciples, that morality was of no use in procuring salvation, Peter by his apostolical authority, commanded all who professed the gospel, to add to their faith courage, and to courage knowledge, &c. ver. 5. 7. Declaring, that these excellent dispositions would make them fruitful in good works, ver. 8.-That if they were deficient in these things they were blind, notwithstanding their pretentions to illumination, ver. 9.-Moreover, the practice of good works the apostle recommended to them from this important consideration, that thereby, and not otherwise, they would make their calling and election firm, ver. 10.—and have an entrance into the everlasting kingdom of the Saviour, richly or honourably ministered to them, ver. 11.-These things, he told them, he would not cease to call to their remembrance while he was in life, although they knew and believed them already, ver. 12, 13. Withal being sensible that he was soon to die, he proposed, by committing his instructions to writing in this epistle, to put it in their power, after his decease, to have them always in remembrance, as his dying words, ver. 14, 15. In the mean time, to give the faithful the fullest assurance of the truth of all the things, which the apostles with one consent had delivered to the churches, and which in part, he was now going to write; more particularly, to give them a perfect assurance of Christ's being the Son of God, and of his coming to judge the world, which the infidels of that age loudly denied, St. Peter told them, that in making known the power and coming of Christ, he and his brethren apostles, had not published a fable cunningly devised by Christ, and credulously received by them. They had the clearest evidence of their Master's power and coming, set before them visibly, in the honour and glory which he received from the Father, when he was transfigured in their presence, and a voice came to him from the excellent glory, saying, This is my Son, the beloved, with whom I am well pleased. This voice, said he, we Peter, and James, and John, heard distinctly, being with him, on that occasion, upon the holy mountain, ver. 16.—18.—He added, by these proofs of our Master's greatness, of which we were beholders, we and all mankind, have the ancient prophecies concerning the resurrection of the dead and the judgment of the world, as well as our Master's prophecies concerning these events, made more firm. Wherefore, it is your duty to give heed to the prophetic word thus confirmed, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day of judgment itself dawn, and Christ the morning star of that day, arise in your hearts, by his personal appearance from heaven, ver. 19. Knowing this first, as a circumstance necessary to confirm you in the belief of the ancient prophecies, that no prophecy of scripture is of the prophet's own invention, ver. 20.— OLD TRANSLATION. ter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us, . GREEK TEXT. 1 Συμεων Πετρος, δουλος και αποςολος Ιησου Χριςου, τοις ισοτιμον ἡμιν λαχουσι πιςιν εν δικαιοσυνη του Θεου through the righteousness ήμων, και σωτηρος Ιησου Χρι of God and our Saviour 5ου Jesus Christ: 2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you thro' the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, 3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that fertain unto life and godliness, through the know. ledge of him that hath call ed us to glory and virtue. 2 Χαρις ύμιν και ειρηνη πληθυνθείη εν επιγνώσει του Θεου, και Ιησου του Κυριου ή μων. 3 Ὡς παντα ἡμιν της θειας δυναμεως αυτου τα προς ζωην και ευσέπειαν δεδωρημένης, δια της επιγνώσεως του καλεσαντος ἡμας δια δόξης και αρετης Ver. 1.-1. Precious faith. Faith is called precious, because it is more essential to men's happiness, than all the things they esteem most precious. 2. of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ. Τι Θες ήμων και Σωτηρ@ Ιησε Xgis. On what authority our translators have rendered this, of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ, I know not. Perhaps, they pointed the Greek text thus, Θε, ήμων και σωτης Ιησε Χρισε. But the propriety of the language does not admit of that punctuation.-Some understand this passage as signifying, that Jesus Christ is both our God and our Saviour. But others are of opinion that the relative our, in the first clause, though omitted in the second, is according to the idiom of scripture to be understood as repeated. Yet, as this is disputed, I have not ventured to supply it in the translation of the second clause.-Mill says one of Stephen's MSS. instead of en έμων και σωτης ( Ιησε, hath κυριε ήμων Ιησs : and that the Syriac, by wlrich be means the second Syriac version, hath of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ: and the Arabic, God and our Saviour Jesus: in which it is followed by our translators.I have only to add, that in the following verse, God is distinguished from Jesus our Lord; and that clause hath not the article prefixed to it. Ver. 2.1. The knowledge, &c. So επιγνωσις signifes, ver. 8. What an high value Peter put on the knowledge of God and of Christ may be known, not only from his account of its efficacy in producing good dispositions and |