single glance. So the sense here is this, that Christ preaches no
more in person, but is present with the word and preaches to spirits,
spiritually, in the heart. Yet you are not to understand that He
preaches in this manner to all spirits.

But to what spirits has he preached? To those who aforetime were
unbelieving. This is the figure of speech which is called Synecdoche.
That is, "from a part the whole" (_ex parte totum_),--that is to say,
not to these very spirits, but to those who are like them, and are
just as unbelieving as they. Thus must we look away from this
outward, to that inward life.

That is the best rendering, as I think, of those words of St.
Peter;[6] still I will not too strenuously insist upon it. This at
least I can scarcely believe, that Christ descended to those souls
and preached to them; while the Scripture is against it, and declares
that every one, when he arrives there, must receive according as he
has believed and lived. Besides, while it is uncertain what is the
state of the dead, we cannot easily explain this passage as one that
refers to it. But this is certain, that Christ is present and
preaches in the heart, wherever a preacher of God's word speaks to
the ear. Therefore may we safely draw to this conclusion: let him to
whom a better understanding is manifest, follow the same.

[Footnote 6: The view generally taken by Protestant expositors of
this passage is, that the preaching here referred to took place in
the days of Noah, by means of himself or others who were inspired by
God to teach and warn. Their interpretation would be in effect,--"For
Christ also suffered for our 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 (of God). By which Spirit also he went
(formerly) and preached to the spirits (now) in prison; which were
disobedient, when once the long-suffering of God waited, in the days
of Noah, (120 years,) while the ark was preparing, wherein few,--that
is, eight souls,--were saved _by_ or _through_ water."]

This is the summary of the sense which I have exhibited: Christ has
ascended to heaven and preached to the spirits,--that is, to human
souls; among which human souls have been the unbelieving, as in the
times of Noah.

V. 20. It continues,--_when once the long-suffering of God waited in
the days of Noah, while the ark was preparing, wherein few, that is,
eight souls, were saved by water._ Th