words of a moft worthy member of the Church of England, well known in the learned world, as I have lately had the honour of receiving them from his own pen. I conceal his name, and therefore hope it is no violation of the laws of friendship, to infert at large a paffage from a familiar letter, which, if it warms my reader's breast as it did mine, will be not only an entertainmant, but a bleffing to many, and which is as fuitable a conclufion of this preface, as if it had been written in that view. "I am glad," fays he," that Christianity begins to be fo well un"derstood and taught by fo many men of parts and learning in all fects, the fruits of which appear in "a candour and charity unknown to all ages of the "church, except the primitive, I had almoft faid the Apoftolic age. Does not this give you a profpect, though perhaps ftill very diftant, of the completion "of the famous prophecy that speaks of the lion and "the lamb lying down together in the kingdom of the "Meffiah? Lions there have been hitherto in all "churches, but too many fierce, greedy, and blood"thirsty lions, though often difguifed like lambs: "And fome lambs there have been, fimple enough "to think it expedient for the flock, to affume the "habit and terror of lions: But I hope they now begin to undeceive themselves, and to confider "Christianity as intending to bring back the world "to that state of innocence which it enjoyed before "the fall, when, in one and the fame Paradife, (to "ufe the words of Milton), 66 -Frisking play'd All beafts of th' earth, fince wild, and of all chase In wood or wilderness, foreft or den: Sporting the lion ramp'd, and in his paw Dandled the kid.- "To attain to this happy ftate," continues this amiable writer," all Chriftians fhould unite their en "deavours, 66 "deavours, and instead of looking out for, and infifting upon, points of difference and diftinction, "feek for those only in which they do or may agree. 66 66 They may at least fow the feeds of peace and uni"ty, though they should not live to reap the fruits "of it in this world. Bleffed are the peace-makers, fays the Prince of Peace, for they fhall be called "the children of God:- An appellation infinitely "more honourable than that of pastor, bishop, archbishop, patriarch, cardinal or pope, and attended "with a recompenfe infinitely furpaffing the richest "revenues of the highest ecclefiaftical dignity." I join my hearty wishes and prayers with those of my much esteemed friend, that we may all more and more deserve this character, and may attain to its reward. NORTHAMPTON, P. DODDRIDGE. A PRAC A PRACTICAL COMMENTARY UPON THE FIRST EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST PETER. CHAP. I. ver. 1. Peter an Apoftle of Jefus Chrift, to the strangers fcattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Afia, and Bithynia. HE TH of God in the heart of man, is a tengrace der plant in a strange unkindly foil; and therefore cannot well profper and grow, without much care and pains, and that of a skilful hand, and that hath the art of cherishing it: For this end, hath God given the constant miniftry of the word to his Church, not only for the first work of converfion, but also for confirming and increafing of his grace in the hearts of his children. And though the extraordinary minifters of the gofpel, the Apoftles, had principally the former for their charge, the converting of unbelievers, Jews and Gentiles, and fo the planting of churches, to be after kept, and watered by others, as the Apostle intimates, I Cor. iii. 6. yet did they not neglect the other work of ftrengthening the grace of God begun in the new converts of thofe times, both by revifiting them, and VOL. I. exhorting C exhorting them in perfon, as they could, and by the fupply of their writing to them when absent. And the benefit of this extends (not by accident, but by the purpofe and good providence of God) to the Church of God, in all fucceeding ages. This excellent Epiftle (full of evangelical doctrine and apoftolical authority) is a brief, and yet very clear, fummary, both of the confolations and inftructions needful for the encouragement and direction of a Christian in his journey to Heaven, elevating his thoughts and defires to that happiness, and ftrengthening him against all oppofition in the way, both that of corruption within, and temptations and afflictions from without. The heads of doctrine contained in it are many, but the main that are moft infifted on are these three, faith, obedience and patience, to establish them in believing, to direct them in doing, and comfort them in fuffering. And because the first is the groundwork and fupport of the other two, this firft chapter is much on that, perfuading them of the truth of that mystery they had received and did believe, viz. their redemption and falvation by Christ Jefus; that inheritance of immortality bought by his blood for them, and the evidence and stability of their right and title to it. And then he uses this belief, this affurance of the glory to come, as the great perfuafive to the other two, both to holy obedience and to conftant patience, fince nothing can be too much, either to forego, or undergo, either to do, or to fuffer, for the attainment of that bleffed state. And as from the confideration of that object, and matter of the hope of believers, he encourages to patience, and exhorteth to holinefs in this chapter in general; fo in the following chapters, he expreffes more particularly, both the univerfal and special duties of Chriftians, both in doing and fuffering, often fetting before them to whom he wrote, the matchlefs example |