16 Confess your faults one to another, And surely we may say, if the Eternal Spirit would not have us go out of the world without owning the sin which we may have committed against our brethren, and seeking their forgiveness-for this seems to be the meaning of S. James's wordsmuch less would He have us go forth to face the tremendous tribunal of GOD's judgment without humble confession of our many and manifold sins against Him, and seeking His pardon, of which we may have the assurance, if His Spirit moves us humbly and heartily with real repentance to desire it, through the ordained channel of the priesthood. It should be observed, that the doctrine of the Church as regards confession and absolution, does not rest on these words of S. James, though perhaps it might be gathered from them, but rather on such passages as S. John xx. 21-23. and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. See S. Matt. xvii. 21; xxi. 21; Acts ix. 40, and many such passages. 17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit. See 1 Kings xvii. 1; xviii. 42-45. 19 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; 20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way, shall save a soul from death, "Death," in the world to come, means separation from GOD, Who is Life and Joy, consequently it is a state of utter misery. But, O my GOD, my FATHER, my Hope, and my Trust, from that shameful punishment, from the pitiless angel, from the yawning hell, from the roaring stream of fire, and the unquenchable flame, and the undying worm, and the inconsolable cry, do Thou deliver us; Thou only SAVIOUR, in Thy pity deliver us. and shall hide a multitude of sins. A multitude of his own sins, for GOD will not leave without a special blessing the man who wins souls from Satan ;1 and a multitude of the converted man's sins also, which shall be blotted out on his repentance, but all through Him Who alone can take away sin, in Whom alone is no sin, the Lamb of GOD, the LORD JESUS. Turn Thou me, O my GOD, and so shall I be turned, then shall I teach Thy ways unto the wicked, and sinners shall be converted to Thee. 1 Dan. xii. 3. THE FIRST EPISTLE GENERAL OF S. PETER. CHAPTER I. 1 Peter, an Apostle of JESUS CHRIST, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, These "strangers" were probably Jews, who having been converted to the faith, were scattered by persecutions in these various countries. But we also whose home is in heaven, who are pilgrims on earth, may take the word to ourselves. 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: The first part of this verse we may thus understand: "Ye have been chosen to be God's children. This, which was in His foreknowledge, and which was His purpose for you from everlasting, He has now brought to pass; and the means whereby He has shown His choice of you, and made you His children, is the sanctifying grace of His HOLY SPIRIT, which He poured on you in your regeneration in your Baptism. Now ye have been washed and sanctified; but it behoves you ever to bear in mind the object which the Almighty had in thus giving you His Spirit, and making you members of His SON, which was that ye might grow up His obedient children, showing forth by your lives the praises of Him Who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light, that, so abiding in Him, ye might attain to final justification or salvation, through the sprinkling of the Blood of JESUS CHRIST, which cleanseth us from all sin." But while we consider that the HOLY SPIRIT here, by "the sprinkling of the Blood of JESUs," means final salvation, we must remember that it is only by being washed in that Blood that we are made GOD's children at first; it is only by partaking of It and of the most Sacred Body that we abide in Him now; it is only by Its precious merits we have any hope for eternity. Grace unto you, Even the grace to use well the grace which has been already bestowed upon you, the grace of final perseverance. and peace, be multiplied. Even peace with GoD, and peace with your neighbours, and peace in your own souls; yea, all peace, through Him Who is our Peace, be abundantly showered down upon you. 3 Blessed be the GOD and FATHER of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, The GOD of our SAVIOUR, in that He is Man; and His FATHER in that He is GOD the SON. which according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of JESUS CHRIST from the dead, 4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 Who are kept by the power of God "Kept:" this word implies kept in a very safe place, as in a fortress, secure from all harm; even as the wise man hath said, "The Name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous runneth into it and is safe." And again the Prophet, "Salvation will GOD appoint for walls and bulwarks.' 112 through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Faith therefore is the instrument, as it were, by which GOD keeps His children in this world, and whereby they live for Him. Faith lays hold of the power of GOD, and then GOD's power strengthens faith, and so we are preserved. By faith we resist the devil, and quench his fiery darts; by it we overcome the world;5 by it we draw near to GOD,6 yea, and see Him. But the faith which is this mighty aid to us must be living faith, animated by love and fruitful in all good works: this faith is Thy gift, O GOD, do Thou therefore in Thy love increase our faith, for "such as will not believe shall not be able to exalt themselves." But though faith is God's gift, yet it "cometh by hearing," by prayer, by meditation, by the hearty desire to "grow in grace and in the knowledge of our LORD and SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST," and by the hearty endeavour to perfect holiness in the fear of GOD. When in verse 3 the HOLY SPIRIT says that Christians have been "begotten again to a lively hope," He means, "By Adam's sin man lost all hope; by raising from the dead the last Adam, our LORD JESUS, 'Who died for our sins and rose again for our justification,' GOD gave this hope back again to all who are in CHRIST." Having no hope is a sign of being without God in the world.10 And when in verse 4 GOD says that His children's inheritance is reserved for them, He would teach them patience, and selfdenial, and diligence. Patience, for He says, "Thine inheritance is there, not here: wait thou therefore for it; it will come when the LORD JESUS is revealed." Self-denial, for He says, "Set thine affection on things above, on thy heavenly home, and not on the things on the earth. Mortify thy members here, for thy life is hid with CHRIST in GOD." And diligence, for He says, "Thine inheritance is safe; it is in heaven, in GoD's hand, whence none can pluck it yet must thou strive, that thou mayest attain to it: give all diligence, therefore, to make thy calling sure." LORD Himself is the portion of my inheritance. : 1 Prov. xviii. 10. 4 Eph. vi. 16. 5 Heb. xi. 27. 3 1 S. Pet. v. 9. 2 Isa. xxvi. 1. 6 Heb. x. 22. M The |