the text, according to their moft natural sense, do import, that the evidence of prophecy is a furer evidence than that before mentioned; which was the Apostle's own teftimony of the glory of Chrift, which he had seen with his eyes; and of the voice of God declaring Chrift to be his beloved Son; of which the Apostle was an ear-witness in the mount. But as natural as this fenfe is, yet they who conclude from hence that prophecy is a better evidence of the miffion of Chrift, and the truth of the Gospel, than any other evidence, draw a conclufion which the text will not justify. For look back and fee what is the thing to be proved by this more fure word of prophecy; is it the miffion of Chrift? St. Peter says nothing of it. Is it the truth of the Gofpel? Nothing lefs. The Apostle tells us in the fixteenth verfe, that God declared Chrift, by a voice from the excellent glory, to be his beloved Son: but this is not the thing he would prove, for he brings this declaration to prove fomething else and this declaration is confidered as one of the proofs to which he compares the word of prophecy.

To clear this matter, let us confider what it is that St. Peter intended to prove; for, without knowing this, it is impoffible to judge of the comparison in the text; for in fome cafes prophecy is no proof, in others it may be our very best evidence, notwithstanding that it is a glimmering light, faintly fhining through the dark.

The fecond epiftle of St. Peter was written to fupport and maintain the hopes and expectations which he had raised in his firft; as will be evident upon a comparison of the two together. To the first epiftle

therefore we muft go, to fee the foundation and rife of the matter to which this controverted text in the fecond relates.

The Chriftians, to whom the firft epiftle was directed, were in a state of severe trial and perfecution; they were for a feafon in heaviness through manifold temptations, i. 6; they were Spoken against as evil doers, ii. 12. iii. 16. iv. 4; they fuffered for righteousness' fake, iii. 14; they were reproached for the name of Chrift, iv. 14; and were made partakers of his fufferings, ver. 13. This being the case, the Apostle adminifters fuitable advice to them: he calls upon them to arm themselves with the fame mind which was in Chrift, who fuffered for us in the flesh, iv. 1; he bids them account it their happiness that they were reproached for the name of Chrift, iv. 14; and rejoice that they were partakers of his fufferings, ver. 13. He reminds them, that this fiery trial was no ftrange or furprising event; but what had been foretold, and what they had reason to expect, iv. 12; and that the fame afflictions were accomplished in their brethren in the world, v. 9; that the time was come (foretold before) that judgment must begin at the house of God, iv. 17.

Together with these admonitions he gives them affurance of a certain deliverance near at hand. He tells them, they were kept by the power of God through faith unto falvation, ready to be revealed, i. 5; that their trial would yield honour and glory at the appearing of Jefus Chrift, ver. 7; he bids them have perfect hope and confidence in the grace, or deliverance, to be brought at the revelation of Chrift Jefus, ver 13; in the day of vifitation, ii. 12. For the

certainty of this deliverance, and falvation now ready (or prepared) to be revealed, and of the share they should have in it, he appeals to the ancient prophets, and the Spirit of Chrift in them, teftifying before-hand the fufferings of Chrift, and the glory which should follow, i. 11. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themfelves, but unto us they did minifter the things now reported unto you, ver. 12. The firft scene, the sufferings of Chrift, being over, iv. 1. his glory was ready to be revealed, which would bring them exceeding joy, iv. 13. and be to the deftruction of their perfecutors, the ungodly, and the finners,

ver. 18.

All these hopes were founded in this, that Christ himself had already received glory and power, and would return in his glory and power to fave true believers. Our truft in God is by St. Peter built upon this, that God raised him (Chrift) from the dead, and gave him glory, 1 Pet. i. 21. And it is at the revelation of this glory, that Christians are taught to expect exceeding joy, iv. 13. You fee now how much weight is laid by St. Peter in his firft epiftle upon the expectation of Chrift's coming in the power and glory of God.

It is very probable that the diftreffed Chriftians conceived at first great hopes from these affurances given them by an Apoftle of Chrift, and expected (as it is natural for men in affliction to do) that every day would bring their deliverance with it. But when one year after another paffed, and no deliverance came; when the fcoffers began to ridicule their hopes, and afked in mockery, Where is the promife of his coming? 2 Pet. iii. 3, 4. their hearts grew

fick; and their hopes deferred, instead of being any comfort or support to them, became an addition of grief, and filled them with fears and fufpicions, left they had believed in vain. Many of them, worn out with distress and perfecution, began to give way, and willingly liften to the corrupt teachers, who instructed them to keep fair with the world, and to keep their faith to themselves; by means of which wicked doctrine they were led away, and fell from their fleadfastnefs, 2 Pet. iii. 17. and, to avoid fuffering, denied the Lord that bought them, ch. ii. 1.

In this ftate of things, and at the distance of five or fix years from the writing of the firft epiftle, the Apostle fends his fecond letter; and it anfwers in every point to this account. In the first chapter the Apostle endeavours to reestablish and confirm the hopes of believers; but he does it with the air of one who had been reproached for his doctrine; We have not, fays he, followed cunningly devifed fables, when we made known to you the POWER and COMING of the Lord Jefus, chap. i. ver. 16. You fee here again the true point upon which St. Peter placed the hopes and expectations of true believers. In the fecond chapter he takes notice of the falfe teachers who brought in damnable herefies, denying the Lord that bought them; these he threatens with fwift deftruction, ver. 1. and tells them, that, however they might conceive of the promise of Chrift's speedy coming, yet they would affuredly find, that their own judgment did not linger, nor their own damnation Number, ver. 3; that it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy com

ver. 4.

mandment delivered to them, ver. 21. In the third and last chapter he confiders the scoffers, and their irreligious infult, Where is the promise of his coming? He enters into their argument, and fhews them, from what had already happened in the world, how perverfely they reasoned about future things. He concludes the whole with proper cautions to Christians, when they confider and endeavour to underftand the times and feafons of God's judgments; and guards, not only his own, but St. Paul's doctrine upon this article, the coming of Chrift, (so much was his mind bent to clear this one point,) against the perverfe ufe of the unlearned and unftable, ver. 15, 16.

You fee now what is the main, the only great point, in this fecond epiftle; it is the coming of Chrift in power and glory, to deliver the faithful, and to take vengeance of the ungodly and unbelievers, as foretold by the prophets under both teftaments. But this coming of Chrift was future and at a diftance; and depended entirely (as to any knowledge that could be had of it) upon the authority of prophecy for which reafon St. Peter refers, in his first epistle, to the ancient prophets, and to the infpired preachers of the Gospel, to justify the hopes he raised; of which falvation, or deliverance, says he, the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you, chap. i. ro; which things are now reported unto you by them that have preached the Gospel unto you, with the Holy Ghoft fent down from heaven, ver. 12. And for the fame reason in his fecond epiftle he refers again to