adore the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready to show with modesty and respect to every one that asks it, what ground there is for the expectations you have:

and this they were destin'd to. but you are the chosen race, you are kings and priests, the holy nation, the peculiar people, that you might display his glory, who called you out

adhere to him as to a living stone,

for Jesus Christ himself has already suffer'd for our sins, the innocent for the guilty, to bring us to God: who, tho' he died with respect to his body, was rais'd to life by that spirit,

he himself cancel'd our sins by the crucifixion of his body, that we being set free from sin, might live in the service of virtue. it is by his bruises that you were healed:

Be temperate, be vigilant: for your adversary the Devil goes about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

Blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy has regenerated us, and given us by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the expectation of immortal life,

the holy religious women of former times were thus adorned, and were submissive to their husbands.

refer all your disquietudes to him, for you are the objects of his care.

as good economists of the different dispensations of God, communicate to one another the gifts you have receiv'd.

to sanctify them by his spirit, that by their obedience they might be sprinkled with the blood of Jesus Christ. may the divine savour make you continually prosper.

considering, that it was not by such perishable things as silver or gold, that you were releas'd from those vain rites and customs impos'd upon you by your fathers,

Let the married women be subservient to their husbands, that if they happen to disbelieve the gospel, they may be gain'd by the instructive conduct of their wives,

this will conciliate the divine favour. and this is the condition of your vocation, since Christ himself has suffer'd for us,

I address myself to you pastors, as being a pastor myself, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and as one who is to partake of the glory, that shall hereafter be made manifest;

since your regeneration is not owing to any corruptible principles, but to the unchangeable word of the immortal God.

Let your minds then be duely prepar'd, be vigilant, and constantly expect the favour you will meet with at the appearance of Jesus Christ.

but they will be call'd to account by him, who is ready to judge both the living and the dead.

since the salvation of your souls is the reward you receive for your faith.

thus baptism, which corresponds to the deluge, does now save us, not as it is a cleansing from external filth, but as it is an engagement to lead a divine life, from the belief of the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

which is without any mixture, and will make you thrive. Since you have tasted how good the Lord is,

which however rejected it is by men, is the precious stone, which God has chosen: and

you your selves are as so many living stones, you are the edifice, the spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, agreeable to God by Jesus Christ.

You husbands, do you on your part behave with prudence towards your wives: who being of a more delicate make, ought to be treated with the greater tenderness: and consider they are equally intitled to the evangelical gifts, that your prayers may not be frustrated.

PETER an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the foreigners dispers'd thro' Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, whom God the father has chosen in pursuance of his decree,

but at present have obtain'd it. I exhort you, my dear brethren, as strangers and travellers to avoid all sensual passions, as destructive to your

My dear brethren, don't be surpriz'd at your being brought as it were to the test of fire; as if some strange thing had happen'd to you.

and glorify God in the times of distress. be subject therefore, for the Lord's sake to every human establishment: whether it be to the king,

As for you that are young, be you submissive to those of a more advanc'd age: and do you all of you pay a becoming deference to one another: be cloak'd with humility, for " God opposes the proud, and shows favour to the humble."

You that have purified your souls by the holy spirit, in obeying the gospel, which obliges you to an undisguised benevolence, let your hearts be mutually affected with the most disinterested ardour;

In a word, live all of you in perfect agreement and sympathy, be full of fraternal love, compassion, and affability.

for to this end was the gospel preach'd to those, who are now dead, that after having suffer'd the loss of this frail life from men, they might enjoy an immortal life with God.

but as he, who has called you, is holy: let your whole conduct be an imitation of his holiness.

such was Sarah, who show'd her obeysance to Abraham, by stiling him her Lord: and you will be stiled her children, if you imitate her conduct, and are not to be terrified out of your virtue.

This it is that fills you with joy, notwithstanding the various tryals, which still necessarily afflict you,

submit yourselves therefore to the divine jurisdiction, that he may exalt you in due time.

it is by him that you believe in God, who has raised him from the dead, and invested him with glory, that your faith and your hope might be in God.

whom the divine power preserves through faith for that salvation, which is going to be made manifest in the latter time.

Renouncing therefore every kind of malice, and knavery, hypocrisy, envy, and detraction, as new-born infants desire that mystical milk,

but above all, let your mutual benevolence be intense, for benevolence cancels a multitude of offences.

and since you invoke him as your father, who without respect of persons judges every one according to his actions; while you are passing thro' this world, be fearful of offending him:

The consummation of all things draws nigh. be temperate, be vigilant in prayer.

for it is written, "be ye holy, because I am holy."

Since then Christ has with respect to his mortal nature died for us, arm yourselves with this reflection, that he, who is dead with respect to sensuality, has renounced sin;

leaving an example for your exact imitation, he who never offended, and from whose lips no fallacy was ever utter'd,

to exhort you to feed the flock of God, which is among you: to take care of it, voluntarily, without reluctance, not from any view to sordid gain, but out of real affection;

let a speaker deliver nothing but what is agreeable to the divine oracles: and let him that attends the poor, be active in proportion to the strength God has given him. amen.

'Twas this salvation, that employ'd the most profound enquiries of those, who predicted the dispensation that was to be in your behalf:

for now is the time when God will begin his judgments with his own church. now if he begins with us, what will the conclusion be to those who do not obey the divine gospel?

whom though you have not seen, you love: and though he is not now the object of your view, yet you believe in him, and triumph with such a laudable transport, as cannot be express'd:

let their ornament consist, not in what is external, in curling the hair, in appendages of gold, or finery of dress;

souls. Let your behaviour among the Gentiles be virtuous, that instead of inveighing against you as vicious, they may observe your honest behaviour,

he must avoid vice, practise virtue, seek peace, and persevere in the enquiry.

but may the all-gracious God, who has called us to eternal glory, perfect, confirm, fortify, and settle you, during the short interval of your sufferings.

You that are servants, be subject to your masters with all reverence: not only to such as are kind and gentle,

that your faith being put to a more advantageous proof, than that of gold, which loses by the essay, may redound to your praise and highest honour at the appearance of Jesus Christ:

those antient rebels in the time of Noah, when the divine forbearance waited, till the ark was quite finish'd, in which only eight persons were saved by means of the water.

resist him by the steadiness of your faith, considering that your brethren among the Gentiles, suffer the same persecutions as you do.

but by the precious blood of Christ, who is the lamb without spot, and without blemish:

who was destin'd before the creation of the world, tho' 'tis of late only that he has appear'd, upon your account:

as obedient children be no longer influenc'd by those passions, which were the effects of your former ignorance.

but the word of the Lord remains for ever: and that is the gospel, which has been preached to you.

to him belongs eternal glory and empire. amen.

on the contrary, rejoice at the share you have of sufferings, as well as Christ: that you may likewise triumph, when he shall appear in his glory.

and to encourage those who do well. for such is the divine pleasure, that by your good conduct you obviate the cavils of inconsiderate

always maintaining a good conscience, that instead of inveighing against you as evildoers, they may be cover'd with confusion, who traduce your virtuous behaviour as Christians.

for since it is the will of heaven you should suffer, it is better you should suffer for your virtue, than for any crimes.

as supreme; or to governors, as being deputed by him to punish those who do ill,

I formerly writ to you a short epistle, by Silvanus, I think, a faithful brother, to declare and testify to you, that the true dispensation of God is that to which you are attach'd.

salute one another with social affection. peace be with every christian among you. Amen.

by observing the religious chastity of their manners.

from a principle of conscience. what glory is there in suffering corporal punishment for real offences? but if you meet with ill usage for doing your duty, and bear it with constancy,

take care therefore not to suffer upon the account of homicide, or thievery, or for any criminal, or pragmatical practices.

if the virtuous escape with difficulty, what will become of impious transgressors?

so that for the future he does not pass the rest of this life in gratifying his sensual passions, but in conformity to the divine precepts.

As they think it strange, that you don't concur in the same profusion of luxury, they traduce you.

by which he went with guardian spirits to preach to

of God. Be respectful to all, love your brethren, fear God, and honour the king.

in the enjoyment of a state, that can never change or decay, a state reserv'd in heaven for us,

wherefore it is said in the scripture, I lay in Sion the principal stone of the angle, a choice one of great value: he that

for you were as sheep going astray, but now you are brought back to the pastor and overseer of your souls.

who being ascended into heaven, is seated at the right hand of God, where angels, dominations, and potentates have been subjected to him.

for who can hurt you, if you strive to excel in virtue.

and were answer'd, that it was not they, but we, who were concern'd in the events which they predicted, events which have been now represented to you by those, whom the holy spirit from heaven inspired to preach the gospel to you: a secret which the angels desire to penetrate into.

that when the sovereign pastor shall appear, you may carry off a glorious crown, that will never fade.

be mutually hospitable, without repining.

for human nature is like grass, and all their glory like the flower of the herb, the herb withers, the flower droops,

but whoever suffers as a christian, let him not be asham'd, but rather give thanks to God upon that account.

don't return evil for evil, nor calumny for calumny; on the contrary, bestow your benedictions, considering that your vocation obliges you thereto, as a means to obtain the divine blessing.

when the spirit of Christ inform'd the minds of the prophets of his future sufferings, and of the glorious consequences, they were solicitous to know the circumstances of the times pointed at:

trusts thereon shall not be confounded. it will prove an honour to you, who believe; but to the incredulous, the same stone, which is the chief of the angle,

but in the internal qualities of the mind, in that purity, in that mild and dispassionate temper, which is so acceptable to the divine being.

for the eyes of the Lord are upon the virtuous, and his ears attend to their prayers, but the wicked he discountenances."

" He that desires to live in prosperity, must restrain his tongue from detraction, and his lips from uttering falsehood:

but even to the morose. for it is a recommendation to the divine favour, to suffer unjust persecution

who, when he was reviled, did not revile again: when he was in his sufferings, he did not threat, but referr'd his cause to the righteous judge.

if you suffer indignities in the cause of Christ, you are happy: for the glorious spirit of God rests upon you.

the church at Babylon, who are likewise Christians, and Mark my son salute you.

and which the architects rejected, will be an occasion to the incredulous of their stumbling, and bruising themselves thereby:

for the time past of your lives may suffice, to have liv'd in conformity to the Gentile customs, in impurity, licentiousness, sottishness, in dissolute festivals, and the criminal rites of idolaters.

However, if you suffer in the cause of virtue, it is your happiness: and instead of being over-awed by their threats, and struck with concern,

men. You are free, don't let your liberty serve as a pretext for vice: but act as the servants

of darkness into his marvellous light: you, who formerly were not a people, but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy,

not to domineer over the laity, but to be examples for their imitation;

let those then, whom God calls to sufferings, by virtue recommend their souls to him, as to a creator, who will make good his promise.