December 17

2 Peter I.—1. Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:

2. Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, 3. According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises; that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 5. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; 6. And to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godliness; 7. And to godliness, brotherly-kindness; and to brotherly-kindness, charity. 8. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. 10. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall; 11. For so an entrance shall be ministered unto

you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

12. Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth. 13. Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance; 14. Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath showed me. 15. Moreover, I will endeavor that ye may be able, after my decease, to have these things always in remembrance. 16. For we have not followed cunningly-devised fables when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-witnesses of his majesty. 17. For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. 18. And this voice which came from heaven we heard when we were with him in the holy mount. 19. We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts: 20. Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 21. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man; but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

Peter was one of the three who stood with Jesus upon the Mount of Transfiguration, and worshipped the Lord with rapture, and longed there to stay. Was it not amazing, that, after such a testimony to the divinity of Jesus, he should have doubted and denied? Let this teach us that signs and wonders, privileges and glories, could not keep us in the Christian life, if faith should once lose its hold upon Christ himself. But the fact that Peter was restored, that the cross regained him whom the celestial glory had failed to keep, and that he was ready himself to go to the cross for his testimony, gives to that testimony the strongest possible attestation. It

is not vision, but faith, that saves; and ours it is to have the "like precious faith" with him who stood with Jesus on the mount. Such faith can lift us even nearer to Christ, — to a participation in his divine nature. But we must build upon that faith a manly vigor; and upon such virtue, a discriminating wisdom; and, upon this, self-government in all appetites and desires; and upon this, endurance under trials; and upon this, an earnest piety; and to this filial reverence toward God must add brotherly love, and the broadest, richest kindness toward all. May all these graces be in us, and abound!

APPROPRIATE HYMNS.]

Prayer.

[Nos. 93, 107.

Almighty God, who in times past didst speak unto the fathers by the prophets, we bless thee that the glory which the patriarchs beheld afar off, and the promise which the prophets waited for, have been revealed in Christ, and, above all, that we have in him the forgiveness of sins and the life everlasting. Oh, may we behold his glory, and receive of his fulness!

May thy gospel this day minister to our peace and comfort, our faith and hope, our instruction in righteousness, our sanctification through obedience of the truth! May it quicken souls that are dead

in trespasses and sins, and comfort and edify thy saints. May children hear the voice of Jesus their Saviour, and come unto him! While in thy house, may we have the spirit of prayer and praise, and give earnest heed to the things that we shall hear! O thou God of peace, who didst bring again the Lord Jesus from the dead! grant us peace through pardon in his blood and the hope of his resurrection.

We give thee thanks for rest in the night: grant us, this day, rest from the toils and cares of life, — rest in thee. Fulfil unto this household the mercies of thy covenant, through Jesus Christ. Amen.