How shall he save others, who could not deliver himself from a vile and disgraceful death? Because, even at the time when he laid down his life, he gave proof that he laid it down of himself, and no man took it from him: and when he rose again from the dead, he sealed the truth of his words, and has given assurance unto all men that they too shall rise and stand in the presence of God.

"And we are witnesses of these things.' We his apostles who instructed you, have taught you what" our eyes have seen, and our ears heard, and our hands handled of the word of life." You have not, therefore, followed idle tales, or vain traditions: you have a reason of the hope that is in you: and this reason be always ready to declare, with openness and confidence, but still in that spirit which suits a good and sacred cause; with meekness and fear; with humility and reverence. For the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men. "2

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And above all, having a good conscience. This would be the best reason, the most convincing argument, both to themselves and others: that whereas they had been, like the rest of mankind, lovers of this world, "serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another," now they had "put off all these," and were walking before God righteously, soberly, and godly so that none could accuse their good conversation in Christ: and " they of the contrary part might be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of them." +

22 Tim. ii. 24.

3 Tit. iii. 3.

4 Ib. ii. 8.

At all times it is needful to sanctify the Lord God in our hearts. At all times it is needful to have a reason of the hope that is in us. And at all times the best reason will be, the answer of a good conscience. If any are unhappily disposed to doubt, whether Christ Jesus be to them that believe "the wisdom of God and the power of God," the best reply is to show them the proof of that wisdom and power in converting the hearts of his disciples. There is much which may be displayed and witnessed, to testify the reality of that power:-selfdenying faith, enlivening hope, universal charity, unwearied patience :-and we may safely ask how these can be produced, except by the Spirit of God: but there is still more which cannot be openly disclosed, the inward peace which keeps the heart, the good conscience which no suspicion, no misrepresentation, no false accusation can disturb. This is that peace "which passeth all understanding," when "the Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God." 5

5 Rom. viii. 16.

LECTURE XXXIV.

SALVATION THROUGH CHRIST JESUS COMPARED TO THE DELIVERANCE OF NOAH.

1 PETER iii. 17—22.

17. For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing.

18. For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

We trace here the course of the apostle's mind. He had been stating what is true in ordinary times and cases, that honest and proper conduct would preserve them free from injury. "Who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?" But it might prove otherwise. It had proved otherwise with many of their fellow Christians. When "Saul made havoc of the church, and haling men and women cast them into prison," these certainly did not suffer for evil doing. They were followers of that which is good, and yet they suffered. Here then St. Peter suggests a reflection which belongs peculiarly to the Gospel. They had a thought to alleviate their trials, which has afforded consolation to many a Christian in his distress. He is afflicted. It is no unknown thing in the christian history. The author of his faith was afflicted: "a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief." Farther; his trials spring out of his faith: his good conversa

tion in Christ is falsely accused: his zeal for God is treated as an offence against man: he is blamed and suffers without cause. But so likewise his Lord and Saviour suffered without cause: he suffered for sins not his own, for he "was without spot of sin ;" he suffered, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God.

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Here, then, is a reason why the Christian may possess his soul in patience, and think it not strange, as if some unheard of thing had happened to him ; for, in truth, it is the nature of christian faith to suffer here for righteousness' sake, looking for a great reward in heaven." And so suffering, he is conformed to his Lord and Master, "who for the joy set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of God." There he "ever liveth," fulfilling the purpose of his death, that he might bring us to God: that he might give access to all who come to God by him. So that whilst we make mention of his death, we must at the same time remember that he rose again, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit. In his human nature, that which he had derived from Mary, when he " was made flesh," in that he died. But it was not possible that he should be holden of death. Though he was put to death in the flesh, he was quickened by the Spirit,

19. By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;

20. Which sometime were disobedient, when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water.

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The same Spirit by which Christ was quickened, whilst his human body died, was the Spirit which preached to the inhabitants of the world before the flood; those who were then disobedient, unbelieving, and were now in the prison of Hades, the place of departed souls, awaiting the resurrection of the great day. To these, says St. Peter, Christ went and preached. "He was in the world, though the world knew him not." It was his Spirit by which Noah, "the preacher of righteousness," was animated, when he called his contemporaries to repentance, and assured them of the coming deluge. The longsuffering of God, "not willing that any should perish," waited whilst the ark was preparing, and Noah, by deeds as well as words, was warning the people around him. But how few were they who hearkened to this warning, and were converted by this Spirit! Only Noah and his family entered into the ark; wherein few, that is eight souls, were saved by water. "The ark moved upon the face of the waters," and preserved those who had committed themselves to it for safety.

21. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us, (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

22. Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.

Noah was delivered by the ark which sailed over the waters. His preservation may be compared with that of the believers in Christ: for they too are 1 πορευθεις ἐκήρυξεν.