Verse 3. _Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us againe unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead._ Verse 4. _To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you._ Verse 5. _Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time._ The Analysis. Because the Apostles scope in the generall and former part of this Epistle, was to commend unto the faithfull that true grace of God wherein they stood, therefore he doth first describe that grace, verses 3,4,5. 2. By the effect of it, to wit, _joy_, and _rejoycing_, which redounds unto all the faithfull from the partaking of this grace, from the 6 verse to the 10. 3. He doth illustrate it and confirme it by that testimony, which the Prophets gave unto this grace, verse 10,11,12. 4. From thence he drawes an exhortation to holinesse answerable to this grace, from the 13 verse to the end of the first chapter. The meanes of which holinesse he shewes to be the religious receiving of the word of God, verse 1,2,3. of the second chapter. The chiefe object of which word he shewes to be Christ, from the 4 verse to the 13. where is the generall end of this institution. The description, verse 3,4,5. of the state of this grace is placed in regeneration or effectuall calling, in these words: _hath begotten us againe_: which regeneration is described, 1. by the principall efficient cause thereof, which is set down to be, _God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ_. 2. By the impulsive cause thereof, the _mercy of God_, which is described by the quantity of it, _abundant_. 3. By the immediate effect thereof, _a lively hope_: the singular cause whereof is shewed to be _the resurrection of Christ from the dead_. 4. By the remote and last effect thereof, which is laid hold on also, and in some sort possessed by that hope, that is, _salvation and life everlasting_, verse 4. Betwixt which effect and its cause he affirmes that there is a very certaine connexion, when he saith, that _that inheritance is reserved in heaven for all the regenerate_; and he gives a most certaine reason of his connexion, verse 5. which he shewes to consists in three things. 1. In the power of God, whereby the regenerate are kept unto salvation. 2. In their faith, whereby they adhere to this power of God. 3. In the eternall degree of God, whereby he hath both provided this salvation for all the regenerate, and appointed a certaine time, wherein to bestow it upon them.