LECTURE XLIII.

THE NECESSITY OF HOLINESS TO SECURE SALVATION.

2 PETER i. 10-12.

10. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

11. For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Into that everlasting kingdom which our Lord and Saviour has purchased by his blood, there is no admittance to the workers of iniquity. "For without holiness shall no man see the Lord." Those alone will be admitted to dwell with him hereafter, who are here "made partakers of the divine nature, being delivered from the corruption which is in the world." Therefore the apostle exhorts his disciples to confirm and secure their election to eternal life, 1 by adding to faith those qualities which are intended

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1 In our English translation, the words might seem to admit of the interpretation, Make your election sure to yourselves and others. In our language the word sure may signify certain. But Beßacos in the original has no ambiguity; it can only mean firm

or secure.

to spring from faith: by "adding to faith virtue, and knowledge, and patience, and godliness, and brotherly kindness, and charity." So their calling and election to the kingdom of God would be like a building not only placed at first on a firm foundation, but, as it advanced farther, strengthened and secured by the compactness of its walls. And so, they should never fall. Without this, they might and would fall: though they might indulge false hopes, and deceive themselves with vain words though they might say that they were the elect of God, chosen of him from the foundation of the world. So the Jews flattered themselves that they were "Abraham's children." But they were told, that if they were Abraham's children, they would do the works of Abraham. And so those are God's chosen people, who do the works of his people. The same Spirit which has said, in the promise of the Saviour, "My sheep shall never perish; neither shall any pluck them out of my hand;" has also dictated the words of Peter, If ye do these things, ye shall never fall: ye shall never be disappointed of that which ye have been taught to expect, and are expecting the kingdom of heaven shall be yours.

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The parables in the twenty-fifth of Matthew describe to us with awful plainness what it is to fall. The servant who had received the talent from his lord, and refused to trade with it: in the end he fell. No entrance was ministered unto him into the everlasting kingdom. "Cast ye the unprofitable ser

2 John viii. 39.

vant into outer darkness, where is weeping and gnashing of teeth." 3

The foolish virgins, who had taken their lamps, and taken no oil with them: who had not given diligence to adorn their faith with the christian graces of temperance, and patience, and godliness: these too advance to the door of the kingdom, and say, "Lord, open to us." But no entrance is allowed. "Verily, I say unto you, I know you not.” This is to fall indeed: to fall without the hope of rising. "The accepted time" is past: and there is no repentance in the grave.

The same parables also represent the blessedness which is prepared for those who "walk religiously in good works," and continue "stedfast unto the end." "When the bridegroom came, they that were ready, went in with him to the marriage:" and the door was shut."5 There was no longer any temptation to turn aside; no danger remained of becoming" idle and unfruitful." And so they who had acted as good "stewards of the gift of God," who had traded with the talents entrusted to them, and made a good return these receive the gracious welcome, "Well done, good and faithful servants, enter ye into the joy of your Lord." An entrance is ministered unto them abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of their Lord and Saviour.

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What shall we say then? That so doing, we earn our own salvation? The Christian knows full well, that from first to last his salvation is of grace: "not of works, that any man should boast:" "for it is God who worketh in him both to will and to do of 3 Matt. xxv. 30. 5 Ib. 10. 6 Ib. 23. R

+ Ib. 12.

his good pleasure." But this conviction does not prevent him from giving all diligence to make his calling and election sure, by resisting whatever is contrary to the will of God, and cultivating all the fruits of righteousness. For he knows that without them, an entrance into the kingdom will not be ministered unto him. He knows that the same apostle who has taught him that "eternal life is the gift of God through Jesus Christ," did also "work out his own salvation with fear and trembling :" "kept under his body, and brought it under subjection, lest by any means, when he had preached to others, he himself should become a castaway.' Wherefore, St. Peter proceeds to say,

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12. Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.

This he felt to be needful. Though they knew the things that pertained to life and godliness, and had embraced them, the same means which first established, must still support them. The heart which has been turned from the things which it would otherwise pursue, to follow a course of christian conduct, is like a stream of water diverted from its natural channel. The tendency of the stream will always be to return to its former level: it will not keep its new direction without continual force and watching. And so with the heart. Godliness is not its natural level, its original tendency: and as an impulse is first required, that it may once take a different course, so an impulse is constantly

7 Rom. vi. 23.

81 Cor. ix. 27.

required, that it may pursue the course which it has chosen. And therefore St. Peter will not be negligent to put them in remembrance of these things, though they knew them: though they had not now fresh principles to acquire. Few and simple are the truths of the Gospel and yet they who are established in them, must be constantly learning: because, unless they are learning, they must unlearn : unless they go forward, they must "lose the things which they have wrought." It is not more certain that the stream will carry back the vessel which has been labouring against it, when the mariner has ceased to ply his oars, than it is certain that corrupt nature will carry back the soul, which is not constantly put in remembrance of the things on which its salvation rests. Satan will take a thousand shapes, and use a thousand arts, to deceive it.

In the very point, for instance, here insisted on, the need of making our election sure; he will sometimes argue, that God does not behold iniquity in his people: sometimes, that his people will be inevitably secure, and preserved from iniquity, though they be not careful for themselves. So Satan will persuade, that the heart may be off its guard, and neglect to use all diligence that those things may abound in it, which must abound in the heirs of the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour.

We are here warned against thoughts like these that building up ourselves in our most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, we may give all diligence "to keep always a conscience void of offence both towards God and towards man." 9 For 9 Jude 20; Acts xxiv. 16.