4. They grow in both graces, both in faith and love. These two graces are inseparable companions : Col. i. 4, ' Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints.' So 1 Tim. i. 13, 'Hold fast the form of sound words whicli thou hast heard of me, in faith and love, which is in Jesus Christ.' The one con- cerneth our personal benefit and safety, the other the good of the body, that we may have a tender care of the unity, honour, and prosperity of Christ's church. We are to build up ourselves in our most holy faith, and we are also to edify others, which is done by love principally. Besides, this connection is necessar}^, because all religion is exercised by these two graces. The mysteries of religion are received and im- proved by faith, and the precepts and duties of it are acted by love: 1 Cor. xvi. 13, 14, ' Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit yourselves like men, be strong; let all things be done with charity.' And there- fore that qualification which entitleth us to the privileges of the new covenant is made to be ' faith working by love,' Gal. v. 6. The one grace without the other is not saving and sincere. Faith without love is dead, James ii. 17, and love without fiiith is but a little good-nature, or facile inclination to others, not derived from the Spirit of God, nor built on our belief of his grace in Christ ; they depend upon one another, as the effect upon the cause. Faith produceth love, as it showeth the true grounds of union, and from a sense and apprehension of God's love to us causeth us to love otliers. In short, both graces aie recommended by the same authority ; 1 John iii. 23, 'And this is his commandment, that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.' He that
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niaketli conscience of the one will make conscience of the other also. Again, the one referreth to God, the other to men ; faith for God, charity for our brethren. The one keepeth us from defection from God, the other preventeth a schism and a breach with our fellow chris- tians. AVell, then, here was the commendation of those Thessalonians, their adherence to the faith was very constant, and they lived in unity and amity with one another. There is no surer argument of sincerity juid proficiency in Christianity than this growth of faith and love. They are the fountain of all other duties; and if you would be accounted thorough and growing christians, you must excel in both these graces , for true solid godliness is rooted in fiiith, and acted by love towards God and men, which is the all of Christianity.
5. This growth and proficiency was found in all ; not only some among them were eminent for faith and love, but all. If the apostle had only said, The charity of you all abouudeth, it might seem to refer to the church, that there was no schism there ; but he saith, ' Of every one of you all towards each other.' In other epistles, the believers, to whom the apostle wrote, have all the style of ' churches,' or 'men sanctified,' &c. ; but afterwards notorious and particular miscarriages are reproved, which showeth thatthe denomination wa&a potior i parte, from the better l)art ; but here he mentions all and every one ; they were a choice sort of christians. Where shall we find their fellows ? It is our duty to be such, and it should be our care ; for here we see what the grace of G od can do if we be serious, and what an advantage it is to be in good company, and to have good examples about us, and how much living coals do enkindle one another when they lie together.
G. He saith, faith groweth, but love aboundeth. Love must not only increase, but abound to each other. A thing may be increased inten- sive or extensive ; intensively, when it is more rooted, when there is a greater fervour and vigour of faith and love ; extensively, either as to effects or objects ; as to efiects, in doing more good, as when we abound in works of mercy ; or as to objects, by doing good to more persons, not confining our love to one only, or a few, but extending it to all. This was the case of those Thessalonians ; their love was not a lank or lean love, but an abounding love, full of all good fruits ; and this not to some, but to all, even the meanest christians among them. If we would give others occasion to bless God for us, let us imitate their example. Occasions are many, objects are many, to whom we may be beneficial, therefore our charity must not be straitened, but abounding.
[1,] The internal affection uuist increase : Phil. i. 9, ' This I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more ; ' that is, both their love to God and their neighbours, especially to those who are God's. There are so many things to extinguish it, or make it grow cold, that we should always seek to increase this grace, that it may be more fer- vent and strong, and not grow cold and dead.