grnoe nnd peace are to be multiplied; these verses say, to that must be added by you "all diligence." J. WE HAVE HERE AN ENUMERATION OF CERTAIN GRACES Oll' THE CHRlSTIAN I,IFE. It begins with "faith" and ends with "love," and between these are two or tbrec words which need attention. Next to "faith," "virtue" iH mentioned; but "virtue" includes the whole group of graces, whereas Peter is thinking of something distinct. The cla.ssicfl.l meanin" of the word is "manliness "-courage; so if we paraphrase it thus, we shall probably have tho right idea. So with "knowledge," which is a different word to that rendered 11 knowledge" in the eighth verse, and here refers to "practical knowledge" or "pru- dence." "Temperance" is literally "self-control," and "godly reverence" is the idea in the word "godliness." "Faith, courage, prudence, self-control, patience, godly reverence, love of the brethren, love,"-that is the list. 1. These are all subsequent to faith. Faith is supposed. The Epistle is addressed to those who "have obtained like -precious faith through the righteousness of God and our Saviour;" anr\ these excellences ,come after faith, and in the Christian have a character of their own, which nature cannot produce; and are, indeed, as much above nature as Jesus was above the sons of men. Many try to be holy without saving faith; it is a useless effort; only from faith can those spiritual graces spring whose crown is love to all. 2. Every grace needs to be supplemented by another. No grace can stand alone; the text seems to urge that. The word "add" is the same as in the eleventh verse, where it is translated "minister." Each grace needs to be ministered to by another. There is not one which, if it be a.lone, will not speedily become an evil. One grace is to wait on, to supplement, to protect, to perfect another. For instance, to faith ministers courage-courage to confess the Christ believed in; to courage ministers prudence, for if courage be not discreet, it is destructive. Beware of being men of one grace. 3. The believer is not to be contented till he has acquired all the graces. What a list this is! The leading features of a perfect character; aud Scripture gives a plain command to the Christian to acquire these. And nothing can be more assuring than this command, for God does not call us to impossibilities; and he is prepared to supply what is needed for its attainment. II. WE HAVE HERE A DEMAND FOR DILIGENCE TO POSSESS THESE GRACES. Diligence is the burden of the passage: "Giving all dili:?ence, add;" and in the tenth verse, "Give diligence." 1. Diligence implies that spiritual inc1·ease requires personal effort. _Speedy and spontaneous sanctification is what we should prefer, but that idea is not encouraged in Scripture, It is true growth is the law of life-life naturnlly increases to maturity, as Peter says, "Grow in grace;" but he also says, "Giving all diligence, add." If we cherish the idea that sanctillcalion is given immediately, as pardon is given, by one surrender of the will, as it is said, this passage ought to disabuse us; it clearly affirms that sanctification is progressive, and demands constant endeavour. 2. Diligence is encouraged by the/act that God liath given unto us all things that pertain to life and godliness. The, previous verses are, "His Divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness . . . whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises," etc. ; when the next clause reads, "And for this very cause "(as the Revised Version has it), "giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue," and so on, we see what lies behind the diligence, what spurs it on, what sustains it. Sanctification is not human work, as it is sometimes supposed to be, when the need of effort is enforced, as though, redeemed by Christ, we have to sanctify ourselves-it is of God; yet it is through ue, into our effort he will inspire his own Divine and victorious energy. 3. Diligence also involves that tlie increase of Christian graces comes from the personal culture of each. If the text wore not in Scripture, but simply part of a sermon, it would be said to be mechanical and formal. It is to be feared the prominent features of our Christian character are ;iften merely the result of natural disposition, or early training, or of circumstances beyond our control. Now, this pnssago claims that we do not leave it to accident what graces we shall have; it Jays down a list of what is required of us, and bids us give all diligence to culture each. This is a discriminating, hourly, life- long work. Ill. WE HAVE HERE STRONG REASONS FOR THE PUTTING FORTH OF THIS DILIGENOE. Three reasons urged from the eighth verse to the eleventh, aud they refer to past, present, aud future. 1, The 9races (which are the result of dili9ence) are the necessanJ means tu 28 THE SECOND EPIS'l'LE GENERAL OF PETER. [cli. 1. 1-21,
$piritual wealth. The particular meaning in the eighth verse of the word "in"-" in the knowledge "-is shown in the Revised Version, where it reads," unto the know- ledge," and thus throws great light on the expression. 'l'he graces which come from a knowledge of Christ lead to a still greater knowledge of him-that is it. All the care W.J gi,·e to the culture of Christian graces leads, not only to the wealth of possessing theru, but to the greater wealth of knowing Christ better. 2. The graces (which are tlie result of diligence) are the least that can be expectedfrom one who is purged from his old sins. "He that lacketh these things is blind, ... having forgotten that he bath been delivered from his old sins." 'l'hat takes us back to the cross. It pleads our obligation to Christ, who laid down his life that we might be holy. The assurance of pardoned sin is the strongest stimulus to piety. 3. These graces ai·e the only ground of assurance of entrance into heaven. Without them we may well doubt our election of God. Where calling and election are sure, ye shall never fall ; but how can we be sure that we are among the calh:d? Only by the fact that that to which they are called is being wrought in us. If we have a title to heaven, the spirit of heaven is already begun. -C.N.