ruptible seed, so strongly emphasised, with the fervent love of the brethren. On the other hand, much strength is added to the passage if this incorruptible seed is made the first item in the continued image of babes — spiritual milk . . . grow unto salvation. This participial clause having been interrupted by a parenthesis, including a lengthy quotation, is linked on to another participial clause by a therefore, which repeats the causal relation implied in a participial clause. There is a similar use of then after the long parenthesis on page 224: forasmuch then as Christ suffered in the flesh. Page 223. For, He that would love life, etc. The relevancy of the quotation is to the whole command (to meet persecution with blessing), not to the sentence immediately preceding. Page 224. For unto this end was the gospel preached even to the dead: the dead are the spirits in prison of page 223: the position of the sentence shows that both the elements here asserted of Christ-put to death in the flesh, and ministering in the spirit to the dead are pressed into the analogy between Christ and his followers: see Syllabus. EPISTLES OF ST. PETER: No. II Syllabus A paragraph of the Syllabus usually represents a paragraph of the text. The epistle starts from the formula of greeting: Grace be multiplied to the possessors of the promises: a succession of graces, richly supplying an entrance into the eternal kingdom of Jesus Christ. - The life work of the writer is thus to stir up to remembrance of the coming of Christ - since he has been one of the eye witnesses of his majesty—and thus has a confirmation of the word of prophecy. But just as there were false prophets of old, so now there shall be false teachers moved by lasciviousness and covetousness as to their certain doom, God's dealings with the angels, with Noah's world, with Sodom and Lot, are testimonies how God can deliver the godly and keep the unrighteous under punishment unto the day of judgment. - With every horror of defilement and disorder these re-ensnare to corruption those who are escaping: dogs returning to their own vomit. This second epistle like the first is to stir up to remembrance of words received from prophets and from the Lord through apostles. Mockers will arise, casting doubts on Christ's coming because of the unbroken course of things since the creation but as the old world by water so the present world shall perish by fire with the Lord a day and a thousand years are alike: the judgment will come like a thief in the night. — Live in the light of this coming judgment, and account the longsuffering of the Lord as salvation. THE EPISTLE OF ST. JUDE Syllabus A paragraph of the Syllabus usually represents a paragraph of the text. The writer's general purpose to write quickened by the privy entering in of corrupters: his word is, contend for the faith once for all delivered to the saints. Remember the judgment of the Israelites in the wilderness, of the fallen angels, of Sodom and Gomorrah of like kind are these corrupters: fleshly and disorderly, things of horror of these Enoch prophesied destruction and the Lord Jesus Christ forewarned. For yourselves: build up yourselves in your most holy faith- and on the erring have mercy, though mercy have to mingle with hate. 290 |