doctrine should be understood, and how it is evident by many examples contained in Scrip

ture.

Now, it were wrong for any to imagine, on the ground of this awful declaration, that the righteous have cause to doubt whether or not they shall be saved at all. There is nothing of which they can justly doubt, save of their own steadfastness; for, notwithstanding this which the Apostle hath said, the righteous, provided they continue righteous, may be sure of experiencing in the end a most complete and satisfactory salvation. Were the case otherwise had St. Peter meant any thing contrary -he would not have exhorted in the verse immediately following,-" Wherefore let them "that suffer according to the will of God, com"mit their souls unto Him in well-doing, as "unto a faithful Creator." So, the meaning of his words can only be, that the righteous are ordained to be brought nigh, together with the wicked, unto destruction,-that they are suffered previously to fall into such great troubles, and difficulties, and dangers, as might well induce a despair of salvation, but for the faithful Creator whom they have to trust in,—and that, when at the last saved, they are saved by His interference, or by ways and methods of His providing. In short, the word scarcely should

be understood of the exertions, and endurance more than human, and of the superior wisdom which are put in requisition to save the righteous, not of the event itself, or the fact, that they shall be saved, which standeth sure and unalterable as the truth of God. All who will patiently hold fast by Him in well-doing, shall infallibly by some means be preserved, and find salvation, in their most perilous time of need. The text makes no doubt of this, but merely teaches that, for the most part, they shall not find it without passing through many straits, and experiencing circumstances of much apparent jeopardy.

As to the reason,-why God is wont thus to deal with the righteous, even in saving them, suffice it for the present to remember, that the most righteous have always need of tribulation to improve and perfect their faith, and make them meet for heavenly glory. As to the fact -that it is such as I have described it to be, a brief reference to some remarkable judgments already past, will help to illustrate and confirm it, with a view to the one, or more, which remain to come.

Recollect how the case was with Noah and his family, the salvation of whom in the ark is referred to, in the preceding chapter, by St. Peter. May we not, with much propriety,

regard him, when he came out thence after the flood, as a striking example of the doctrine above laid down? Many previous days and years had he laboured, in the midst probably of jests and reproaches, preparing his house of refuge; and then, in that naturally frail vessel, he had to float up and down on the mighty waters of the deluge, while the rains descended, and the winds blew, and all the waves and storms of Divine vengeance were raging around, and above, and beneath him. Surely, according to the description which we have received, that righteous Patriarch, having worked out his salvation with fear and trembling, was yet scarcely saved from destruction. (Genesis vi. vii. viii.) Recollect also the account of Lot;— how scarcely he was saved in the day of the overthrow of Sodom. When the fatal morning arose, the angels hastened Lot, saying, "Arise, "lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the

66

city. And while he lingered, they laid hold "upon his hand, and brought him forth, and "set him without the city, and said, Escape "for thy life; look not behind thee, neither

66

stay thou in all the plain, lest thou be con"sumed:" (Genesis xix. 15, &c.)—a breach of which injunction, in the single particular of looking behind, proved death to the one of his family who committed it. Moreover remem

ber the destruction of Jerusalem; or rather, since that terrible event is not recorded in Holy Scripture, call to mind our Lord's declaration, when foretelling the circumstances of it to His disciples;" Then shall be great tribulation. "And except those days should be shortened, "there should no flesh be saved: but for the "elect's sake those days shall be shortened.” (Matt. xxiv. 21, 22.)

So scarcely were the righteous saved in those former periods of vengeance. But they are represented to us by the gospel as signs of the vengeance to be revealed hereafter; shall the righteous, therefore, in that future day, be more easily saved than those of old? There is no ground for such an expectation. St. Peter, in his Second Epistle, hath forewarned us," The day of the Lord will so come as a thief in the

66

66

66

night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements "shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also, "and the works that are therein, shall be burn"ed up." (2 Peter iii. 10.)-"I saw," it hath been written by St. John," a great white "throne, and Him that sat on it, from whose "face the heaven and the earth fled away; " and there was found no place for them." (Rev. xx. 11.) Can you suppose, my brethren, that flesh and blood shall be easily saved-shall seem

to be in no great danger, amid so extensive and sudden a destruction? Will not the most righteous be rather constrained, by the mere hearing of it, to take up the parable of Balaam, and exclaim," Alas, who shall live when God doeth "this!" (Numbers xxiv. 23.)

Yet this is in fact nothing more than the introduction to what God hath determined then to do. Hear the beloved disciple in continuation;-" And I saw the dead, both small and

66

66

great, stand before God; and the books were

opened: and the dead were judged out of "those things that were written in the books, "according to their works." (Rev. xx. 12.) Where, accordingly, it is here obvious to demand, where is that righteous person, who, upon a review of his past life, will not see occasion most earnestly to deprecate such a scrutiny? Nothing better than ignorance and presumption can induce any human creature to think of standing uncondemned by virtue of his own works, before the tribunal of a holy, and an all-seeing Judge. "If thou, Lord, "shouldest be extreme to mark what is done

66

66

amiss, O Lord, who may abide it?" "Enter "not into judgment with Thy servant: for in Thy sight shall no man living be justified;"— (Psalm cxxx. 3; cxliii. 2.) these certainly ought to be the sentiments of every humble right