hat I may thereby serve my neighbor,--all of
which God must work in us; for it profits not that we should lead a
carnal life and do whatever we please. Therefore St. Peter now says:

V. 17-21. _And since ye call on the Father, who judgeth without
respect of persons, according to every man's work, pass the time of
your sojourning here in fear; and be aware that ye are not redeemed
with corruptible silver or gold, from your vain conduct in the
traditions of your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as
of an innocent and unspotted Lamb, who indeed was provided previously
before the world began, but is revealed in these last times for you,
who through Him believe on God, who raised Him from the dead, and
hath given Him dominion, that your faith and hope might be in God._

So says St. Peter: Ye have through faith hereunto attained, that ye
are the children of God, and He is your Father. And ye have obtained
an incorruptible inheritance in heaven, (as has been already said.)
Thus nothing more now remains, except that the veil be taken away,
and that be uncovered which is now concealed, for which ye are still
to wait until ye shall behold it. Though ye are now arrived at that
state in which ye may joyfully call God your Father, yet is He so
righteous that he will reward every man according to his works, and
respect not persons. Wherefore thou art not to imagine, although thou
hast that great name so that thou art called a Christian or a child
of God, that He will therefore continue thine if thou livest without
fear, and thinkest that it is enough that thou dost glory in such a
name. The world indeed judges by the person, since it does not punish
all alike, and respects those who are friendly, rich, reputable,
learned, wise, and powerful. But God regards nothing of this kind; it
is all alike to him, be the person as great as he may. Thus in Egypt
he struck the son of King Pharaoh dead, as well as the son of the
poor miller.

Therefore the Apostle would have us expect such judgment from God,
and stand in fear, so that we do not glory in our title that we are
Christian, and thereupon become negligent, as though he would for
this reason pass us over more readily than others. For in this the
Jews were formerly deceived, who boasted that they were Abraham's
seed and God's people. Scripture makes no difference in respect to
the flesh, but in respect to the spirit. It is true that Christ was
to be born of Abraham's s