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"and coming of our Lord Jefus Chrift" (namely, at his transfiguration); " but were (then) eye-witneffes of his majefty?" As if he had faid, "We told you no idle tale cunningly devised by ourselves, but a real "and certain fact, of which we were eye

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and ear-witnefles, when we gave you the "account of Chrift's transfiguration on the "mount (the greatest atteftation Jefus re"ceived whilft he was in his ftate of hu"miliation); though we, who faw and heard "this atteftation, have received a word of "prophecy, fince his being exalted to the

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right-hand of the Father, that is a fure "atteftation to the truth of his religion (as "well as a fuller declaration of it) than at "his transfiguration before us." And fo makes the 16th and 18th verfes to be an enforcement of what he had faid, of our being called " by glory and virtue," ver. 3. which makes the connection of the whole chapter clear. This feems a natural and eafy interpretation of the text; whereas the Dean's will appear greatly laboured: though he has the fingular felicity to make that which is the most laboured appear easy.

QUERY IV. Does the παρεσία το Χρις, ver. 16. ever certainly fignify Chrift's coming to take vengeance on the Jewish nation? If

there

there be two places in St. James where it poffibly may be fo understood, are there not above fifteen where it can scarce be underftood of any thing but his coming in his future glory to judgement? And may not then his transfiguration on the mount be very fairly fuppofed to be called his " power and "coming" by St. Peter, in this verfe, as it is a resemblance of the glory and power which shall attend that coming?

QUERY V. What was the " exceeding "joy," or the deliverance, which it was foretold the Chriftians should have (or which they actually had) by the deftruction of the Jewish nation, that the hopes of it being deferred, fhould prove fuch a difcouragement to those to whom St. Peter wrote, as to make them throw off the profeffion of Chriftianity, p. 16, 17. efpecially if those to whom he wrote were Jews out of Palestine; and much more if they were converted Gentiles, as it is very evident they were? See the Second Effay.

QUERY VI. Can St. Peter be fuppofed to compare a prediction of Chrift's coming to take vengeance of the Jews, and to deliver his people, from the suggestion of the Spirit, or from the word of God, the fureft evidences

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dences that can be of his fo coming, with Chrift's transfiguration on the mount, which is no evidence at all of his fo coming? Though I own his transfiguration might be alledged to remove an objection against his fo coming, taken from the meannefs of his appearance in life, and the miferable manner of his death, as the Dean puts it, p. 22, 23, 24. Or, in other words, can St. Peter be fuppofed to fay, that that which is the fulleft proof of a future event, is more fure than that which is no manner of proof at all of fuch a future event?

QUERY VII. Is it fo agreeable to feripture phrafeology, by "word of prophecy," to understand a revelation of a particular future event, as the revelation of the fcheme of the gofpel, or a feries of events that fhould follow it, made to the apostles, and by them to the world? Which in other places of of fcripture is called "the word of wifdom," and the word of knowledge," and "the "word of prophecy;" all of which feem rather to denote the difcovery of a system of knowledge, than the difcovery of a particular future event. And in this fenfe it is that the author of the epiftle to the Hebrews mentions "the word spoken by angels," Heb. ii. 2. which to be fure comprehends the ten words,

words, if it does not that fyftem of laws delivered from the xxth chapter of Exodus to the xxxiid. And in this fenfe is the word of God and of Chrift often spoken of in fcripture, as containing the whole system of thofe difcoveries which God had made to his creatures, and particularly of that which he has made by Christ.

QUERY VIII. Why muft a light fhining in a dark place fignify the glimmering "fmall light (fuppofe) of a candle feen at a "diftance in a dark night?" p. 8. or, why may it not be "a marvellous light" fhining in a place that would otherwise be dark; and yet not to be compared with that far brighter light, which fhall fhine, when we shall come to be among the faints in light; and may be ourselves fo irradiated, as to become like "ftars in the firmament, and as the fun for "ever and ever."

QUERY IX. Is there any thing in the text, that neceffarily induces us to interpret, or any phrafeology of St. Peter, or any other facred writer, that will countenance us in interpreting, "the day dawn, and the day "ftar arifing in our hearts," to be the clear light in which things prophecied of will be placed

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placed by their accomplishment? p. 29, 30. Or does not the phrafeology of fcripture rather lead us to interpret thofe phrafes of a new and clearer revelation and discovery made immediately from God?

QUERY X. Is not prophecy to be attended to after it is accomplished? which the Dean's interpretation fuppofes St. Peter to imply, it is not, p. 10.

TILL I fee thefe feveral queries answered to my fatisfaction, I own, there are so many infuperable difficulties in the way of my embracing the Dean's interpretation. Whether I have been more fortunate in that which I have given in the First Effay, I muft fubmit to the judgement of others. Thefe difficulties, which I have here of fered, will not affect my Expofition; it keeps entirely clear of them. Others perhaps may. If there are any, I am per

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fuaded the Dean will find them out. think, prophecy in this text is compared and preferred to the voice from heaven and I likewife think it is New Testament prophecy that is fpoken of, ver. 19. And confequently that that is compared and preferred to that voice, Herein I have the happiness

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