dvantaged us; but
since He has risen and sits at the right hand of God, and suffers
this to be proclaimed to us so that we may believe on Him, we have a
union with God, and a sure promise, whereby we shall be saved as Noah
in the ark. Thus has St. Peter given to the ark a spiritual
significance throughout, within which is not flesh and blood, but a
good conscience toward God,--and that is faith.

V. 22. _Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God;
angels, and authorities, and powers, being made subject unto Him._
This he says for the enlightening and strengthening of our faith. For
it was necessary that Christ should ascend to heaven and become Lord
over all creatures and powers universally, that He may bring us
thither, and make us conquerors. This is said for our consolation,
that we may know that all powers, whether they be in heaven or earth,
must serve and aid us, even death and the devil,--since all must
become subservient, and lie at the feet of the Lord Christ. This
closes the third chapter. The fourth follows.

CHAPTER IV.

V. 1. _Forasmuch, then, as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh,
arm yourselves likewise with the same mind; for he that hath suffered
in the flesh hath ceased from sin._

St. Peter continues still in the same strain. Just as he hitherto has
admonished us generally that we should suffer, if it be the will of
God, and has set Christ before us as an example,--so he now confirms
it more broadly, and repeats it again, saying, While Christ, who is
our captain and head, has suffered in the flesh and presented us an
example, (besides that He has ransomed us from our sins,) we also
should imitate Him, and prepare ourselves, and put on the same armor.
For in the Scriptures the life of the Lord Christ, and especially his
suffering, is presented before us in a twofold manner.

Sometimes as a gift, as St. Peter has already exhibited it in the
third chapter; and to those first, who are built up and instructed in
the faith that we are ransomed, and our sins taken away by the blood
of Christ; and so he is a gift and bestowment upon us, which none can
receive except by faith. Whereof he speaks where he says, "Christ has
once suffered for our sins." That is certainly the grand doctrine,
and the most precious one of the Gospel.

Again, Christ is set before us and offered to us as an example and
pattern for us to follow. For if we only receive Christ, through
faith, as a f