The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Peter — Section 184

To keep the end steadily in view requires much self-restraint; it implies a well-ordered mind, 11 life guided by the eternal law of God, not frittered away in trifleR and idle pleasures, not spent in pursuits and ambitions which do not rise above the atmosphere of earth. 'l'his self-restraint is the sobriety, the soundness of mind which the apostle here inculcates upon us; it extends over all the relations and circumstances of life; in all his desires and actions the Christian must be thoughtful, calm, composed; for he lives in the anticipation of the coming end, and his aim is the glory of God anrl the salvation of souls. (2) He must be sober unto prayer. Excess in meat or drink or other pleasures of life unnerves the mind; excess weakens the body, brings misery into families, is the cause of poverty and squalor and wretchedness, fills our wnrk~ houses, our asylums, our prisons. And it ruins the soul; the drunkard, the glut/, m, the man of pleasure, cannot pray; his vices burden bis soul and ·weigh it down to the earth, be cannot lift up his heart in prayer to God. For, indeed, prayer demands the exercise of all our highest powers; it requires concentration of thou,;ht, energy of desire, devout yearnings after God; it needs the gracious help of God the Holy Ghost, who maketh intercession in and for those who earnestly seek that sacred gift. He who lives in expectation of the end of all things, must live in prayer; for only by constant and faithful prayer can he prepare him.self for that awful day; and he cannot pray aright unless he lives a godly, righteous, and sober life. II. THE NECESSITY OF CHARITY m ITS VABIOUS MANIFESTATIONS. 1. lnforgivmess. In view of the coming judgment charity is necessary above all things; for it is they who love the brethren in Christ and for Christ who shall hear the joyful welcome, •• Come, ye blessed of my Father." They see Christ in his people, and for the love of Christ love and care for those whom Christ loved. But "he that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love;" he cannot enter into heaven, which is the home of love; there is no room there for the selfish, unloving heart. Love is necessary above all other graces; it is the exceeding great love of our Master and only Saviour Jesus ChriAt which draws the hearts of men unto the cross; and those who come to the cross, which is the school of love, must learn of him who loved them even unto death to love all the brethren ; for love is the very badge of our profession: "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." Love was the character of the Master; it must be the mark of the disciple. They must not only love one another ; but that love, St. Peter says, must be earnest, intense; for it needs the strength of great love to forgive perfectly, and they who do not forgive cannot hope for forgiveness. '!'rue charity covers sins; it "believeth all things, hopeth all things;" it puts the fairest construction on the actions of others; it considers all possible extenuations of their errors-antecedents, circumstances, temptations; it does not willingly speak of faults and shortcomings; it hides them as far as may be. And if it is necessary for the good of the sinner, or of society, to uncover sins, charity does it with gentle, loving tact, seeking to win the sinner, to save his soul, forgiving him and seeking God's forgiveness for him. He who thus covers the sins of others, who forgives in the faith of Christ and in the love of the brethren, shall be himself forgiven; his sin shall be covered through the atonement once made upon the cross. 2. -In Christian hospitality. It is not costly display and sumptuous entertainments that St. Peter recommends; these things are often sinful waste ; men spend their money in selfish ostentation instead of holy and religious works. The Lord had said to his disciples, "He that receiveth you, receiveth me;" and again, "Whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward." St. Peter re-echoes bis Master's words. Christians must show hospitalit.v to one another, and that freely, liberally; murmuring destroys the beauty of the gift. Christ hath received us into the kingdom of God; he feeds us with heavenly food, tbo Dread that came down from heaven; wo must receive our brethren, and that gladly, for his sake. 3. Jn the use of spiritual gifts. They are given to individual Christians for the benefit of the whole Church. Whatever gifts we may possess, they are but what we once received; they were entrusted to us to be usc1l in our Master's service; that service is the edification of his people. Christian9 nN stewards of these spiritual gifts; they should be good stewards, not like the unju,~ steward, who wasted his master's goods, and showed foresight and worldly prutlence only in providing for himself. '£hey should discharge their stewardship with  THE FIRST EPISTLE GENERAL OF PETER, [en. 1v. 1-10,