24.

"Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness.”

If Christ bare our sins, it must be in their natural consequence, that is death. Now His death was a privation of the Divine spirit, (why hast thou forsaken me?”) and all new life, the re-imparting thereof to those, who being dead to sin, shall thereby live unto righteousness. '

4. "But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is, in the sight of God, of great price. 12. But the face of the Lord is against them that dò evil.”, akioon." to e

Who shall continue in existence when God turneth away his face??

· iv. 5. “Who shall give account to Him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead."

In what sense shall He judge the dead the quick are those who have spiritual life, the dead are those who have it not. To such, the gospel is preached as a means of regeneration, or new life; but they are judged as men in the flesh, that is mortal; and if they live, it must be according to God in the spirit.

6. "For this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. 17. For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of "them that obey not the gospel of God? 18. And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the simmer appear? 19. Wherefore, let them that suffer according to the will of God, commit the

keeping of their souls to Him in well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator:"

The righteous scarcely are saved; then sinners are but faintly different. Shall a double infinity continue to separate them? Is God as willing to curse as to bless?

vi 8. Because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour."

The devil is called the destroyer, and here said to seek whom he may devour; neither of these expressions are justified on the notions of man's natural immortality.

Second Epistle of Peter. c. i. v. 3. "According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue. 4. 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.”

It is by the knowledge of Christ we have exceeding great and precious promises, and are to be partakers of the Divine nature; and that only when we have escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust: where will it be said that those who continue in corruption through lust, get their immortality? ii. 1. "Even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction."

By denying Christ they bring upon themselves swift destruction; rather an odd description of that which is to last through all eternity.

4. "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. 6. 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."

The cities of Sodom and Gomorrha (see Jude, p.171). 9. "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, self-willed; they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. 12. 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."

The unjust are to be reserved unto the day of judg ment to be punished-and how? As natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, they shall utterly perish in their own corruption.

17. "They are wells without water; clouds that are carried with a tempest, to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever."

Wells without water; wanting that which is essential to them, who will repair them? Clouds that do not fertilize the earth, to whom is reserved the mist of darkness for ever.

iii. 4. "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. 6.The world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished. 7. 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 perdition of ungodly men. 8. But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, (as some men count slackness) but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.'

Here St. Peter disposes of the interval between death and the day of judgment—a thousand years is as one day. He says the earth is reserved unto fire against the day of judgment, and that that is the time of perdition of ungodly men. Now, unless the day of judgment brings their final destruction, the time of their sin is rather the time of their perdition.

Can that be long suffering that, for 70 years forbearance, dooms to 70 million years of torments? yet this would be tender mercy compared to Eternal Misery.

11. "Seeing then that all these things shall be dis solved. 13. Nevertheless we, aecording to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness."

All these things shall be dissolved; the earthly house of this tabernacle shall be dissolved: those only who hope for new heavens and a new earth can continue.

16. "

-They that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction."

Wresting scripture to their own destruction, must be from their losing the salvation it offers to those who receive it in the truth.

First Epistle of John. c. i. v. 5. God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all."

The wicked being cast into outer darkness, where God cannot be, must be extinct.

ii. 9. "He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. 10. He that loveth his brother, abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. 11. But he that hateth his brother, is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes."

He that cannot tell whither he goeth, cannot be doomed to Eternal Misery, because he hath chosen it; but being in darkness he may fall into destruction. 15. "Love not the world. 17. The world passeth away, and the last thereof: but he that doeth the will of God, abideth for ever."

Only he that doeth the will of God abideth for

ever.

25. "This is the promise that He hath promised us, even eternal life."

Eternal life is of promise.

29.

Every one that doeth righteousness, is

born of Him."

The righteous only are born of God.

iii. 1. Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God. 2. Beloved, now are we the sons of God."

It is of love that we are the sons of God.

8. "The Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil."

Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil, not to render them immortal.'