what pity does a decaying soul require from us! To consume heavenward, to be plundered of grace, to lose our first love, Rev. ii. 4, to be declining from God, is a misery indeed, a soul-misery, the misery of every misery. It is better for thee that God take away all than himself from thee. David was more fearful of losing God's Spirit than his kingdom, Psal. li. 11. It is the most sorrowful alteration in the world, after the enjoyment of it, to be forsaken by it. Obs. 8. A saint allows not himself in any deficiency of grace. He desires to be perfect in every good work; to " grow up in Christ in all things," Eph. iv. 15; to be" full of goodness and knowledge," Rom. xv. 14; to be "throughly furnished to all good works," 2 Tim. iii. 17; and to have grace in all the powers of the soul, as his blood is in every vein of the body; to "perfect holiness in the fear of God," 2 Cor. vii. 1. His imperfection is a trouble to him as well as his pollution. He sees no grace in another, but he covets it; no ornament, but he admires it; no spot, but he abhors it. He ever wants as much of contentment as he does of grace: he never saith, I have as much as another has; but, I have less than I myself should have: he labours to furnish his house all over; he prizes every command, delights in every duty, sees a beauty in every way of God, and the weakness of his grace is the strength of his trouble. They who need nothing are indeed defective in every thing, Rev. iii. 17. 66 Obs. 9. A fruitless conversation is inconsistent with grace multiplied. A fruitless tree is little better than a log; there is a small difference betwixt a dead stock and a barren tree. True Christianity suffers not Christians to content themselves with bare hearing the word; or, as one calls it, with mere auricular profession. Wherever grace grows, others may see it. Men cannot discern the growing of it, or how it grew, but they can discern that it is grown when it is grown. The profiting of a saint, with Timothy's, 'appears to all," 1 Tim. iv. 15. Growing grace, like corn, will appear above ground. The thriving of a child will be known by its looks; its colour and complexion will speak it. The thriving of Daniel, and the rest, was known by the looking upon their countenances, Dan. i. 13, 15. He who thrives in holiness, will have his visage altered, his outward carriage and complexion amended; he is like a grown man, who for some time has been absent, he is so grown that he can hardly be known. The voice of a grown Christian is much altered from that which it was when he was a child; he speaks now not vainly, but profitably. Hence it is that wicked men wonder at him as at a strange sight, 1 Pet. iv. 4. Qui operatur ut operatur ne dis Obs. 10. Lastly, The increase of grace, as well as the beginnings of it, is from God. The apostle here prays even for multiplication of grace. It is grace that must make us multiply in grace: the plantation and the accretion are from the same hand. When God at first made all living creatures, he bestowed on them their crescite, a blessing, as accedamus, idem well as a being. He who makes us cedamus. Aug. good must make us better. He who de Bon. Pers. c. 7. makes us come to him, must also keep us from going from him. He who begins the good work in us, must also perform it, Phil. i. 6. God is both the "author and finisher of our faith," Heb. xii. 2. If our graces be only put into us by God, and not kept in, they will soon go out. God it is that must not only set us up, but keep us up. Grace is like a top, or a bell; if God do not continue the impressions of his strength upon us, and keep us up, as well as raise us up, we shall soon go down. The strongest child in God's family cannot go alone. He it is who enables us to take the first and every step we take toward heaven; we live in a constant dependence upon him; he is not only the term of our journey, but our way, our guide, our keeper in it. If God should give us a stock of grace, and then leave us to ourselves to trade, we should never thrive. Adam himself became a bankrupt, and so should we; but blessed be God, our happiness is held by a better tenure, even by Christ, the supplies of whose Spirit alone continue and multiply our graces. This for the second particular in the third part of the title; viz. The measure in which he desired those blessings. Now follows, 3. The persons upon whom he prays that these blessings may be in this measure bestowed; "Unto you." The apostle's desire of these blessings, and the multiplication of them, agrees to the persons for whom they are desired in two respects. (1.) In respect of their forementioned privileges, sanctification, preservation in Christ, calling. (2.) In respect of their after-mentioned dangers by seducers, who were crept in among them. (1.) In respect of their forementioned privileges, of sanctification, &c., and so the apostle desires this multiplication of grace for them. [1.] Though they were sanctified, they were not so fully sanctified, and had not been so long preserved and called, but that they still wanted a further multiplication of grace; they still stood more in need of the effects of mercy, more inward peace and love; they had not yet attained their full measure, Phil. iii. 13. [2.] To all that are sanctified, preserved, &c. Though they were many, he wishes that every one might have a child's portion; that blessings might be multiplied to the whole multitude of saints; that there might not be one barren among them; that as God had a full hand, and was rich in mercy, so that his bounty might be dispersed to them all. [3.] To them only who are sanctified. They only who had grace, were capable of having grace multiplied; to these only who had, the apostle wishes that more might be given. There is no growth where there is not a truth of grace; nor can these distinguishing blessings of mercy, love, peace, be desired at all for wicked men, upon the supposition of their resolution to continue and proceed to be such. [4.] To them, because they were sanctified, preserved, called. How suitable was it for them who had formerly received these privileges, to multiply and increase in holiness; for them to thrive who had a stock of sanctity; for them who were preserved by Christ, to be kept from hurt by sin; for them who were called, to be holy in all manner of holy conversation, as he who called them was holy! I Pet. i. 15. (2.) This desire of the multiplication of these blessings agrees to the persons to whom it is desired, in respect of their after-mentioned danger by seducers, who were crept in among them. It is observable that both Jude and Peter salute the Christians to whom they wrote with this prayer, for multiplication of these spiritual blessings; that since these Christians had more enemies, they might have more armour than others, and that their graces might be multiplied with their dangers. Obs. 1. The sanctification of none is in this life so complete, but it admits of multiplication. Mercy, peace, love, even to you (saith the apostle) be multiplied. There is no plenary perfection on this side heaven; the highest saint in this life is not come to the fulness of his measure, Eph. iv. 13. Blessed Paul thought not himself to have apprehended, Phil. iii. 13. The most perfect Christian is perfectly imperfect when he begins, imperfectly perfect when he he will do good, but because he has done so to make one grace a kind of obligation upon himself to bestow another! God herein resembling some magnificent king, who when he has set his love upon a favourite, afterward is in love with his own choice of and bounty on him, and loves him for these very favours which he has given him. "Every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit," John xv. 2. Greater things, saith Christ to Nathanael, thou shalt see, John i. 50. He who kills one lust, shall kill another; he who is conscientious in one duty, shall be enabled to another. He who has the grace of desire, shall have grace bestowed on his desire; and he who has grace to do a little, shall have grace to do more. God is never weary of giving. He has oil enough for every vessel, and still asks when he hath filled all our vessels, as that woman in the story, "Bring me yet a vessel," 2 Kings iv. 6. The meditation whereof, as it should comfort us against our spiritual deficiencies, because we know where to have more grace; so should it incite us to proceed in holiness, and never to think we have enough, or to answer, as he did, "There is not a vessel.” In the best things there is ends; when we have done all, we are unprofitable | 12. How good is God, not only to do good because servants. The fullest vessel may have more wine poured into it, without any fear of bursting; none must bid God stay his hand. They who think they have need of nothing, have truly received nothing. Till the sabbath comes, we must daily be gathering manna: he that rests in the time of labour, shall labour, though in vain, in the time of rest. A Christian is not like a top, that moves by going round, and not by going forward: not like the sun in Hezekiah's time, that stood still; but like the sun in its natural course, that goes forward to the perfect day. We must go from strength to strength, till we appear before the Lord in Zion, Psal. lxxxiv. 7. Where there is no growing, there is some decaying. While we neglect to gain, we spend upon the stock. Sin is continually making breaches in our graces, and we must be daily making them up; our garment has daily rents, and therefore it wants constant mending; the dust daily falls in our houses, and therefore they want frequent cleansing; our hearts are like to children's faces, after every washing, they soon grow foul again. Sanctification is nothing but a return to our first estate, to which we cannot attain till death. When the sting of sin is gone, the stain cleaves close, and we had need wash seven times daily to get it out. Obs. 2. God has enough grace for every one of his children. Grace is afforded and multiplied indifferently to one as well as to another; though all have not grace equally, yet all truly, and according to their particular exigences. As every good and perfect gift is from God, so (in a due proportion) upon every saint. None so hath all grace, as that every one hath not some. Christ is a Head that sends influence into every member, Eph. iv. 16. "Of his fulness we have all received," John i. 16. He is an overflowing fountain of grace, which though it may be imparted, yet is not impaired. The receiving of grace by one, does no more hinder the receiving thereof by another, than one man's seeing the sun hinders another from seeing it also. God is a rich Father, he gives, though not alike, yet sufficient portions to all his children. Our elder Brother had a double portion; he was anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows, Psal. xlv. 7, but the ointment poured upon the Head fell down upon every member. He who had holiness for Abraham, Moses, David, Peter, will not suffer the least child in his house to be totally destitute. They all drank of that Rock which flows toward us, 1 Cor. x. 4. If we had but their thirst, here is as much water still as ever there was. The people of God should neither envy one another for their fulness, nor upbraid one another with their emptiness; but admire the wisdom, and bless the bounty, of him who gives to all, though differently. The whole company of saints is like to a well-tuned instrument, the strings whereof, though not all of one note, but some higher, some lower, yet all together make a sweet harmony, nor can the loudest be without the smallest. In what grace one is defective, in that let another labour to supply. In what one abounds, let another labour to imitate and excel; but let all adore and delight in Him, whose are the scattered excellencies bestowed upon all the saints in the world. Obs. 3. Where God has begun grace, he is not weary of bestowing more. Mercy be multiplied to you sanctified ones. To him that hath shall be given, Mark iv. 25. God loves not to set up a foundation without a wall, nor walls without a roof. He perfects what concerns his people; and the work of the Lord is perfect, Deut. xxxii. 4. And he doth his whole work upon Mount Zion, Isa. x. no excess. Obs. 4. Only sanctified ones have the blessing of spiritual multiplication. As first God gave the word of creation, before he gave the word of benediction; so does he still spiritually. "Whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even what he hath," Matt. xiii. 12. If there be not essentia there cannot be incrementum; if no truth, no growth of grace. A stake that is merely thrust into the ground, having neither root nor life, grows in nothing but in rottenness: and this speaks the misery of one not in Christ and enlivened by the Spirit of regeneration; nothing does him good; he devours fat ordinances, but has a lean soul; he is by the showers of every sermon and sacrament made meeter for the axe, and fitter fuel for hell. Obs. 5. Our beginning in holiness is an engagement upon us to go on. Sanctified, preserved, called ones, must multiply grace. The beginning in the Spirit must be a caution to us, that we end not in the flesh. If saints be barren, the trees of God's orchard, where can increase be expected? A fruitless tree in the field may haply be borne with, not such a one in the garden. They who are planted in the house of God, should flourish in the courts of our God, still bring forth fruit in old age, be fat and flourishing, Psal. xcii. 13, 14. It is an unanswerable dilemma, If the ways of God were bad, why did you begin in them? if good, why did you not proceed? They who are holy must be holy still, Rev. xxii. 11. It is a great disgrace for religion to be disgraced by her children, to be forsaken by her followers. The dispraise of any by a friend, is easily believed by every one, especially by an enemy to the dispraised: when sanctified ones grow loose and remiss, sanctity is stabbed; by the reproaches of others, it is but scratched. It is excellent counsel of the apostle, that we "lose not the things which we have wrought," 2 John 8. As the vigilancy of Satan is to take from sanctified ones, so their care must be to keep what they have gotten, and to get what they want, Luke xxii. 3. Obs. 6. God affords graces suitable to all the exigences of his people; multiplied grace to those who are in multiplied difficulties and temptations. My grace," saith God to Paul," is sufficient for thee," 2 Cor. xii. 9. Whenever God gives a burden, he provides a shoulder. He never requires brick from his people, without giving them straw. He will either multiply grace, or diminish the temptation. He bids his people up and eat, if he sends them a long journey. Those saints of his whom he has employed in winter seasons, he has ever clothed with winter garments commonly the best men have lived in the worst times, and God's stars have shined brightest in the darkest ages. The faithful have been more than conquerors in conflicts, both with persecutors and seducers, Rom. viii. 37. And truly, grace multiplied is much better than temptation either assuaged or removed. WE have finished the first part of this Epistle, viz. the title. The second follows, the body and substance of the whole Epistle, wherein the apostle's scope is to incite these Christians to embrace a seasonable exhortation, to the 24th verse of the Epistle. In it there are four principal parts, two of them contained in this third verse. 1. The reasons of the apostle's sending this exhortation to these Christians, or what it was that put him upon this profitable performance, of exhorting them in these words, "Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you." 2. The exhortation itself, in these words, "And exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered to the saints." 3. Sundry weighty and unanswerable arguments, to move the Christians to follow and embrace this excellent exhortation, from the 3rd to the 17th verse. 4. Several apt and holy directions, to guide and teach these Christians how to follow and observe the exhortation, which he had backed with the former arguments, to the 24th verse. I begin with the former, The reasons which put the apostle upon sending this following exhortation: Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you;" and the reasons are these three. I. The first is drawn from the dear love which the apostle bore to them; they to whom he wrote were "beloved." II. The second is drawn from the care and diligence of the apostle for doing them good, and furthering their salvation; "When I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation:" wherein consider, 1. With what mind and disposition he endeavoured their good, or how he was affected in endeavouring it; he gave all diligence. 2. In what work he was employed for their spiritual good, or by what means he endeavoured it; by writing. 3. The weightiness and great concernment of that subject about which he wrote; "the common salvation." III. The third reason is taken from their need of having such an exhortation sent to them; "It was needful for me to write unto you." I. The first reason is taken from the love which the apostle bore to them; they were "beloved." For the explication whereof two things are briefly to be opened. What the word "beloved" imports, and what is contained in it; and, Why the apostle here bestows this title upon them, calling them "beloved.” 1. For the first, The word ayanηroi, beloved, notes two things. (1.) An amiableness and fitness for, and worthiness of, love in the thing beloved, which can and does commend itself to our love. It imports more than yaπŋμévoi, diligendi, they who are to be loved; for that word comprehends every one, even the wicked, and our enemies: but ayanŋroi, beloved, properly respects those who have something of excellency to draw out our love towards Vid. passim. them; and therefore it is in Scripture only attributed to the faithful. (2.) The word άyanηToi, beloved, denotes a very intense, dear, tender, vehement love to the thing beloved; and therefore it is in Scripture not only the title of some most dear friends, Rom. xvi. 5; viii. 9, 12; Col. i. 7; iv. 7, 14; Philem. 1, 2; 3 John 1; but of brethren, James i. 16; Eph. vi. 21; Col. iv. 9; 1 Cor. xv. 58; of children, Eph. v. 1, and sons, 1 Cor. iv. 14; 2 Tim. i. 2; nay Christ, who was the Son of God by nature, who was his only Son, that his Son in whom he was well pleased, is also called dyanηròçg, his beloved Son, Matt. iii. 17. The word dyanηròç is by Greek authors attributed to an only child: the Septuagint with this word interpret that phrase, only son, Gen. xxii. 2, "Take thy son, thine only son" they translate, Take thy son, thy beloved one. And Zech. xii. 10, "They shall mourn for him as one that mourneth for his only son," they translate, as one that mourneth for his beloved one: and others attribute this word to an only eye; as when a man hath but one eye, they call it a beloved eye. 2. For the second, Why the apostle bestoweth upon them this title of "beloved." He did it for two reasons. (1.) To show what was his duty, not only as a man, in which respect love is a debt due to all, Rom. xiii. 8; or as a Christian, it being the duty of Christians peculiarly to love Christians, John xiii. 34, the household of faith, brethren, the members of one body, &c.; but especially as an apostle and minister, 1 Cor. iv. 14, 15; 1 Thess. ii. 7, 8. What more suitable than for a father, a nurse, to love their children, a shepherd his flock? The apostles were spiritual fathers, nurses, shepherds, John xxi. 15—17. (2.) To gain their love by this affectionate compellation, "beloved;" that they by observing his love to them, might both love him, and thereby more readily embrace the following exhortation. He is very disingenuous, who if he will not provoke love from an enemy, will not repay love to a friend. Even publicans love those who love them, Matt. v. 46. The stone wall reflects heat when the scorching sun shines upon it. Love must be reciprocal; if we are to love those who are friends to our bodies, estates, names, &c., are not they to be beloved much more who are our soul friends? Nor was it more the duty of these Christians, than their benefit, to love this holy apostle. How much would their love to him forward their love to his ministry! Though the message should not be embraced for the messenger, yet it is not so easily embraced unless the messenger be beloved. That minister who is beloved, has a great advantage above another; he stands upon higher ground for doing good; and this is the main reason that the apostles so frequently call those to whom they write, beloved, 1 Cor. iv. 14; Gal. iv. 19; I Pet. iv. 12; Phil. i. 8; iv. 1; ii. 12; Rom. xii. 19; 1 Cor. x. 14; 2 Cor. xii. 19; Heb. vi. 9; James i. 16, 19; 1 John iii. 2, 21. They did not desire to insinuate themselves into the hearts of the Christians for their goods, but for their good; not to set up themselves, but Christ; they did not woo for them selves, but for the Bridegroom, they being his friends; they did not seek to advance themselves, but their message, and their Master. Obs. I. Piety is no enemy to courtesy. Christianity forbids not sweet compellations. Religion does not remove, but rectify courteous behaviour. (1.) By a flat prohibition of the act of dissimulation, and of sinful serving men's humours. (2.) By a moderation of excessiveness in our expressions which seem courteous. (3.) By preserving affection pure, from being made the instrument of profaneness and wantonness, that the pure seeds of religion may spring up in the terms of affability. Obs. 2. The work and labour of a minister should proceed from love to his people. The apostle loved them, and therefore he wrote to them. Love should be the fountain of minisferial performances. First Christ inquired of Peter's love, and then he urged Peter to labour, John xxi. 15-17. A minister who speaks with the tongue of men and angels, and hath not charity, is as sounding brass, and a tinkling cymbal; though he have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge, and hath all faith; though he bestow all his goods to feed the poor; nay, though he give his body to be burnt; and have not charity, he is nothing, I Cor. xiii. 1-3. God will not reward ministers according to what they have done, but according to what they have done in loving to do. Love is the marrow, the soul of every service. All performances without love are but ciphers without a figure; in God's account they stand for nothing; they are sacrifices without fire. Obs. 3. People should study to be fit for the love of their pastor. To encourage him to love them; to be diligibiles, such as these Christians were whom the apostle called "beloved." A painful minister should not only be put upon loving his people by conscience of this duty, but by encouragement to this duty. Ministers are often wrongfully complained of for want of love. All kind of love must not be afforded to all kind of people; a love of intimacy and complacency must only be set upon the godly among his people. If a faithful minister be not such to his offensive, unprofitable hearer as he would, it is because this man is not such to God and his own soul as he should. How unworthy a part in any is it to make a faithful minister spend that time in weeping, complaining, reproving, which he had much rather spend in sweet complacency, familiarity, and commendation! Obs. 4. The love of a minister must not be slack and remiss, but vehement and ardent. Ministers are to imitate him in love, whose love was the most earnest, who was the chief Shepherd, and had the chief care of his flock, who "purchased it with his own blood," Acts xx. 28, who was nothing but love covered over with our flesh. As he was the precedent of ministers' love, so gave he earnest and frequent precepts to ministers to testify this love, John xxi. 15. Love alone can facilitate the difficulties of a minister's calling. Many things must be borne, as the hatred, frowardness, dulness, weakness of people. There must ubera be given, though verbera be returned; the breast must give its milk, though it be struck Sometimes lawful liberties must be forborne. A minister must be like indulgent mothers, or nurses, who forbear to eat such meats as they love, for fear of hurting the child which they are breeding, or nursing. Paul was such a one, who rather than he would offend a weak brother, would eat no flesh while he lived. A minister must be lowly in doctrine and life, patient, laborious; and nothing but love can make him be so. Every thing will be diffi Ministri proferant ubera, non verbera. Bern. at. cult to him that loves not. The object of a minister's love is the soul, the heaven-born soul, the precious immortal soul. What would it profit a minister to gain the whole world, and lose his peoples' souls? The beast, the name, the body of a man must be beloved; much more his soul. The winning of souls is the wisdom of a minister. A minister should say of his ease, profit, and pleasure, as the king of Sodom to Abraham, "Give me the souls, and take the goods to thyself," Gen. xiv. 21. Obs. 5. Loving a minister's person has a great influence upon loving his doctrine. The apostle knew this when he desired that these Christians should know that he loved them. It is the folly of people not to love the word, whoever be the speaker. The message has not its commendation from the messenger, but the messenger from the message. Yet rare is it to find that Christian, who thinks well of that counsel which is given him by a counsellor who is not beloved; and therefore it is Satan's policy to asperse the minister, thereby to cause a dislike of his ministry. And great is their sin, who by their unamiable carriage often make their ministry abhorred, who either by profaneness, or unfit austerity, confute with their life what they persuade with their lip. Some offend by profaneness, preaching perhaps so holily in the pulpit, as some may almost think it pity they should ever come out of it; yet when they are out of it, showing so much levity, sloth, worldliness, looseness, as any would almost think it pity they should ever go into it. Others offend by unmeet moroseness, not considering that a minister must neither be all bait without hook, nor all hook without bait; as he must not by his flattery soothe, so neither by austerity affright his people. A minister must not be a flashing comet, but an influential star; not a storm or a tempest, but a sweetly dropping, bedewing cloud. Obs. 6. The aim of a minister in being beloved of his people, should be to benefit their souls. The apostle desires to be beloved by these Christians, that he might have the greater opportunity to further their salvation. He robs Christ who improves not the interest he has in the hearts of his people for the honour of Christ. It is not service, but sacrilege, to desire the termination of people's love in ourselves. It is better, could it be without sin, that all should hate us, than that they should love us for ourselves; for if all should hate us, we should have but what is our own; if they should love us for ourselves, we should usurp what is Christ's. A minister's design in being beloved by his people, should be but to raise up seed to his elder Brother; all his services must be but scaffolds to erect a building of glory to Christ. Ministers should labour to be good for their own benefit, and to be accounted good for the benefit of others. They should not do good to get a good name, but they should labour for a good name, that they may be the more able to do good. Obs. 7. The love of a minister to his people should procure love again from his people. The apostle in professing of love to these Christians, expected that they should love him again. Love must be the echo of love. It is often seen that they who love their people most, are beloved of them least. In a spiritual sense it is likewise true, that love descends more than it ascends. And ordinarily beggary, or at least poverty, is all the requital which is returned for the jewel of plain-dealing. People love not an eradicative, but a palliative cure of their spiritual distempers. Spiritual flatterers are commonly more respected than spiritual fathers. People and their lusts are so near together, that a godly minister cannot be an enemy to the latter, but he is esteemed such to the former. It is spiritual frenzy to rage against the physician of thy soul. A minister should requite such unkindness with the revenge of pity and prayer; and a holy resolution still to love, though he be the less beloved; endeavouring to do people good, though against their will. As Job's record, so such a minister's recompence, is on high. This for the first reason of the apostle's sending the following exhortation to these Christians; they were "beloved." Now follows, II. The careful diligence of the apostle to further their spiritual welfare; "When I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation." And in that, (1.) With what mind and disposition he endeavoured their good, or how he was affected in endeavouring to do them good; "I gave all diligence," πᾶσαν σπουδὴν ποιούμενος. In the explication whereof I shall give the force and meaning of the words, diligence, and all diligence; and gather from thence what kind of diligence, and how qualified this of the apostle here was. The apostle expresses the forwardness of his mind and disposition in furthering their good by two words, by his giving diligence-all diligence. Σπουδην, studiligentia, festinatio. Diligence, orovov. The Vulgate here dium, solicitudo, translates it, solicitudinem, solicitude, or carefulness. Beza, studium, study, or earnest intention of mind. Our new translation renders it diligence, as it does also the same word, Rom. xii. 8; 2 Cor. viii. 7; Heb. vi. 11; 2 Pet. i. 5. Sometimes again it renders it carefulness, as 2 Cor. vii. 11; and forwardness, as 2 Cor. viii. 8; and earnest care, as 2 Cor. viii. 16; and haste, as Mark vi. 25; Luke i. 39. The Greek word comprehends all these significations; for it signifies an earnest and serious bending, application, and intention of the mind about the things which we are doing; and this is study. It imports also such a serious bending of the mind, as is with a fear of the future event; and this is care, carefulness, or solicitude. It also signifies a speedy and cheerful putting a thing in execution; and this is diligence, and festination, forwardness, haste. The other word, all, nãoav, which the apostle uses to express his forward disposition to do them good, increases and enlarges the former. He gave not some part of, but all, or his whole diligence. For the apostle here, as the Scripture often elsewhere, puts all for whole, πãoɑv, for ôλǹv, as Rom. x. 18; 2 Tim. iii. 16; his whole diligence was bent this way, and other things, in comparison of this, he neglected. In this channel ran, as it were, the whole stream of his diligence. From this force and meaning of the words it may plainly be collected what kind of diligence this of the apostle here was. [1. It was a solicitous, careful diligence. He resented the danger of these Christians, and feared their spiritual loss and hurt by Satan and his instruments. The care of these faithful ones was upon him, as upon holy Paul was the care of the churches. Paul was afraid of the Galatians, of whom he travailed in birth till Christ was formed in them, Gal. iv. 19, 20. Love is ever solicitous, doth its best, and fears the worst. Titus had an earnest care for the good of the Corinthians, 2 Cor. viii. 16; and among them none was offended but Paul burned, 2 Cor. xi. 29. [2.] It was a studious and an intentive diligence. It set his head and heart working to do them good. There was an earnest and vehement application of both to this employment. Faithful ministers are laborious; they are peculiarly called labourers, and | aliquam rem they labour in the word and doctrine. Paul laboured more abundantly than they all. Timothy was to show himself a workman. All their titles, as fishers, soldiers, watchmen, labourers, &c., bestowed upon ministers, commend Jude's diligence. [3.] It was a cheerful, willing dili- Studium est anigence. This he fully discovers, both by mi vehemens ad the word diligence, and giving diligence. magna cuin voHe was not forced to this employment. luptate applicaPaul, 1 Cor. ix. 17, tells us his reward came in a way of willing doing. Jude had the constraint of love upon him; his service was not like honey pressed, but of itself dropping. His feeding the church was his meat and drink. This good work was not done with an ill will. tio. Bez. [4.] It was a speedy, ready diligence; it was with a holy haste. The seducers were already entered among these Christians; there was now no room for delays. The beginnings of this mischief were to be crushed. While ministers are lingering and doubting, Satan is devouring. They are soldiers, and victory loves to fly upon the wing of expedition. [5.] It was his whole, utmost, entire diligence. Such a diligence as Paul professes he used, when he said, "As much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel," Rom. i. 15. This work he made his business, and to it he gave himself; in comparison of this his diligence for other things was but negligence. For three years he warned every one night and day with tears, Acts xx. 31. Nay, he was glad to spend and be spent, 2 Cor. xii. 15. He was fervent in spirit, but in serving the Lord, Rom. xii. 11. Obs. 1. Greatest diligence is always to be used about the best things, about matters of greatest concernment. The custom of the world is to use substantial endeavours about circumstantial, and circumstantial endeavours about substantial employments. A holy remissness befits our care about the things of this life. A Christian should keep his sweat and industry for the things of heaven; when he uses the world, it should be as if he used it not. He should not pray or hear, as if he heard or prayed not. It is madness to make as great a fire for the roasting of an egg, as for the roasting of an ox; to follow the world with as much fervency as we do holiness; and about trifles to be employed with vast endeavours. It is impossible to be too diligent for heaven, and difficult not to be over-diligent for the earth. Obs. 2. All that ministers, even the best of them, can do, is but to be diligent, to take pains and endeavour. Paul can but plant, Apollos Nostrum est dare waters, God it is that gives the increase, operam, Dei dare 1 Cor. iii. 6. It is our part to be dili- operationem. gent, it is God that blesses that diligence. Aliud est docere, aliud flectere. One thing to preach, another to persuade. The organ-pipes make no music without breath. He that teaches the heart sits in heaven. God must have the praise in the successfulness of the ministry; his glory must not cleave to our fingers, nor must ministers be discouraged in the want of success; God never required that at their hands. He accepts of their willing mind; nor does God reward them according to people's proficiency, but their own industry. Obs. 3. Diligence in duty is the commendation of ministers. The light of knowledge without the heat of love, speaks him not excellent. A golden key that opens not, is not so praised as a wooden one that opens the door. The shining, prancing, and trappings of a steed commend him not, but his serviceableness. Ministers are not made for sight, but for service. Nothing more unsuitable than for him to live without care, who hath gotten a cure. "Pray the Lord,” saith Christ, "to send forth labourers into his harvest.” |