The Progress., 1893-12-02

~ Re We HOLY. .........................i ~ 81
W Living stones ....-..- ..--..-...-...tl ~
r Strm crs and Pilgrims ......-.....u II -
J. Holy Living .......... sos. ....---..... 1T \ u
=. Growth in Grace ......... ........ = Pet u
=. The Word of Life ........- IL John l-lo
Introductory Tie first Epistle of
St Peter from which our lesson for
to-day is taken. was originally ad-
dressed To the Christian Jews dispersed
through the various provinces OF Asia
Minor. The object of it. as is evident
On It's face, was to guard them against
the dangers likely To result from the
prosecutions to which they were eE-
posed. The application to our time is
easily made
l. The Hope and the Inheritance.
verses ID. l. Peter, an apostle
He does not claim to bc prince of the
apostles. The strangers" The tenn
porary sojourners, throughout Pom
tus," etc. The five districts named
are all districts of Asia Minor.
.. Fleet" Single out. Accord
ing To the forclSnowledge Of God. "
God elects 10 eternal life all whom he
forelSnows as believing in Jesus Christ
Through sanctifcation of the Spirit.
Election is thus made efcctual "Unto
obedien G." The end or design
of election And sprinkling,"
etc The mystical sprinkling. A
reference to the daily sprinlSlings of
the Jewish temple, by which was
wrought ceremonial cleansing Grace
peace" The Greek and the Jewish
words of solution. BE multiplied.
Abundantly increased
B. blessed be-" etc. An ascriptior
of praise. "rhe God and Father OF
our Lord Jesus Christ" Who is also
our God and Father. though not in SO
eminent and exclusive a sense. "Ac-
cording to his abundant mercy And
not according TO the standard of our
deserts. Hath begotten us again.
BY a new spiritual truth. "Unto a
lively hope" A hope full of life. by
the resurrection of Jesus Christ" By
means otthat resurrection.
4. ITO an inheritance An out
ward blessedness corresponding to
the inward hope. "Incorruptible
Not subject to decay. "Undcfled. -
Not exposed to pollution. THAT
fadeth not away" Literally, anna
ranthine. Reserved in heaven for
you" And therefore perfectly safe.
;. "Who are kept" Securely guard
ed "By the power of God" Such a
keepingl Through faith A" Not
even Gods power can keep us il we
allow our faith to fail. Unto saliva
tion ready to be revealed" IL is partly
revealed already, but will be fully
disclosed in the last time.
H. The Trial and Its End, verses 6
12. a. wherein" In view OF all
, your privileges mentioned in the pre-
ceding verses. Though now for a
season." little while. III need
be-" If God so wills or allows il. "Ye
) are in heaviness Ye have suffered
; affiiction. Through manifold tempta-
tions." Such as grow out of your
present circumstances"
, 7. The thought of this whole verse
: is: If gold, which is only materia
substance, is purified and bettered by
fire, how much more will your I'm
e mortal souls be purified and bettereC
by the fire of affiiction! Praise
honor. glory" Appreciation. dis
, tinction, infinite exaltation.
g. "Whom having not seen,ye love.
e As really as il your eyes had looked
+ upon him Joy unspeakable."
e rapture too deep and holy to be ex
pressed in words.
Q. Receiving" Even in the pres
ent moment "The end of faith" Th
object of your faith. THE saryatio
s of your souls" Deliverence from sin
r. 10-l2 Three thoughts are set fort
:, in these verses: (D The Old Testamen
e prophets did not fully uDderstan
g their own prophecies. neither did the
e know just when these prophetic
would be fulfilled; (2) They diligentl
. searched after knowledge on thes
points, inquiring possibly Of one al
other for information; (3) In som
way 1t was disclosed 70 ther
that their prophecies were ministri
ton 20 others rather than to then
selv-s. "Ths spirit Of Christ" Th
Holy Spirit (Which things the angel
desire to look into" A proof of tn
great dignity Of these things.
Things TO Be Remembered. /. A
who God foresees as believers,
elects; all whom he elects he sanct
fies by his Spirit. The design Of tn
election and sanctifcation Is that the
may be o "dient to the spirit Of Chri
and be sprinkled, in a mythic'
sense, his blood. 2. The resu
rection of Christ Is the ground {
our hope. 3. How vast Is our inheri
ance! Z. We are kept by Gods pow
for our inheritance, and it Is kept f
u.s. 3. Trial makes character perfeC