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5 In vain the minister preaches, unless you receive the word “with pure affection." Then indeed both minister and people may trust that

their labour shall not be in vain.

receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. Likewise, ye younger, submit your selves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7casting

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all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seek

7 Nothing serves more to strengthen the soul in trial, than to feel that we can cast all our care upon God. 8 Be soberminded-neither depressed by adversity, nor elated by prosperity.

ing whom he may devour: whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. By Silvanus, a faithful brother unto you, as I suppose, I have written briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stand. The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth

Marcus my son.
14 Greet
ye
one another with a kiss of
charity. Peace be with you
all that are in Christ Jesus.
Amen.

14 Poverty may deprive us of earthly comforts, sickness of health, slander of our good name; but not all the world can take from us the peace of God, which passeth understanding, and which He promises shall be ours" My peace I give unto you.”

The second Epistle general of Peter.

CHAPTER I.

APRIL 22, AUGUST 21, DEC. 18.

1 SIMON Peter, a servant and
an apostle of Jesus Christ, to
them that have obtained like
precious faith with us through
our Saviour Jesus Christ :
'Grace and peace be multi-

1 St. Peter intimates our justification by faith in the meritorious death of Christ.

the righteousness of God and 2 Be wise! Acquaint thyself with God. To know Him, is life eternal.

plied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus

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3 We are called first to christian virtue. That is the path to glory.

5 Heed these plain rules for forming christian character-so mayest thou be fruitful in every good word and work. (Ver. 6.)

10 Christians are now the elect people of God-so were once the Jews. But

election is not absolute-it is evi

dently conditional" if ye do these things, ye shall never fall."

us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world. through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. 10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: for so an entrance shall be into the everlasting kingdom Christ. 12 Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth. Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance; knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me. 18 Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance. For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus

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ministered unto you abundantly of our Lord and Saviour Jesus

12 So now, when your minister seems to you urgent in repeating his monitions, bear with him patiently his anxious care is to put you in remembrance. (See Heb. xiii. 17.)

14 The soul tenants its body as a wayfaring man his tent. Death severs the silver cord which yet binds it to this earth.

15 It soothed the warmhearted Peter to think that, after his death, his writings would still speak to his people words of instruction and guidance and comfort.

Christ, but were eyewitnesses
17
of his majesty.

For he re

ceived from God the Father

17 This occurred at the glorious scene of the transfiguration-witnessed by Peter, James, and John.

honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. 19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a and the day star arise in your hearts: 20 knowing this 20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

19 At our Lord's ascension, angels foretold his future coming in glory. This prophecy remains to the end as a bright star, cheering us onward in our pilgrimage.

dark place, until the day dawn, 20 Prophecy was not the emanation of man's mind, but the declaration of the Spirit of God.

CHAPTER II.

APRIL 23, AUGUST 22, Dec. 19.

1 BUT there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damn

1 Alas! for those who deny the divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ! Who else can purchase redemption for them? They are left hopelessdestitute.

able heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; and spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly: and

3 The wicked prosper by deceit-persuading men to give their immortal souls in exchange for some worldly or carnal advantage.

delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked (for that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)

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The punishment of the wicked and the preservation of the righteous in former times, are the best assurance to Christians that the same measure of divine justice and mercy shall be always exercised-though the end be not yet.

10 These were they who despised authority and laws, as well divine as human-setting up their own unbridled will as the only rule they heeded.

12 On all occasions of civil or religious disturbance, those are most forward to stir up strife, who understand least of the measures they con

demn.

the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: 10 but chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; and shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you; having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: 15 which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; but was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet. These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live 19 Liberty, when it leads man to do in error. 19 While they prowrong, is licentiousness, and sinks mise them liberty, they theminto slavery. If you yield to sin, you selves are the servants of become the servant of sin.

15 As Balaam-the son of Beor, or Bosor-so these teachers, pretend themselves prophets of God, yet forsake the right way; and "speaking words of vanity," beguile unstable souls.

corruption for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the begin ning. "For it had been better for them not to have proportion to his advantages. 21 Every man's responsibility is in known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

CHAPTER III.

APRIL 24, AUGUST 23, Dec. 20.

. THIS second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: that ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour: 'know3 Our Lord himself had prepared ing this first, that there shall his Church for such trials.

come in the last day scoffers,

walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished but the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdi- $ Time is as nothing to the great tion of ungodly men. But, Eternal. Time itself shall be no beloved, be not ignorant of longer.

$ Surely the view even of the natural world might bend the heart to acknowledge an eternal God.

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this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night;

10 Our death will come when perhaps we least expect it. It may come suddenly. O pray, that it find thee ready!

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