Analytical Exposition of Peters Epistles, Letter 2 · Chapter 1 · Verse 8
Verse 8. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ.
The Analysis.
HEre the Apostle begins to confirme the exhortation, which he had before made, to adde vertue to faith, and knowledge, &c. And he confirmes it by a twofold argument; 1. The first is taken from the benefit which is joyned to these vertues, whereunto he exhorte them. 2. The second from the disprofit, which followes the privation or absence of them. The first is laid downe, verse 8. the second verse 9. The benefit proposed is contained in these words, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitfull: where by a negation is meant the contrary affirmation, namely, that by these vertues they shall be quick and active, and also fruitfull; which benefits are explained by the primary efficient cause, which is the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ; and the secondary cause, which are the vertues themselves whereunto he exhorts them. And these vertues he explaines according to that way which he had intimated before in the exhortation, touching the manner, and touching the degree: touching the manner, that they be in you; touching the degree, that they abound.
The Doctrines arising herehence.
Doct. 1. There are spirituall benefits arising from vertues, whereby the faithfull are stirred up to labour for vertue.
This is gathered from the scope of this verse, and from the connexion which it hath with the former exhortation. These benefits are such, that they cannot be understood by carnall and worldly men; but the faithfull do not only understand them, but also seeke for them with great and continuall diligence. Otherwise this argument which the Apostle useth to the faithfull, would have beene altogether uneffectuall. But these benefits are such, that they make men rich, not in this world, but in the Lord, 1 Tim 6. 18. Luke 12. 21.
Vse. This may serve to reprove those earthly men, which are not moved with such arguments, but covet the gaine, profits, and pleasures of this life, and savour not those things that belong to the kingdome of God.
Doct. 2▪ It is a great benefit to the faithfull, and so they esteeme it, if they can be ready to do good works.
This is gathered from that, they make you that ye shall not be barren, that is, not idle or slothfull in the profession of religion.
Reason 1. Because it is the greatest misery for men to be reprobate unto good workes.
2. Because by this readinesse to do good, the faithfull come to obtaine their desires.
3. Because by this meanes the life spirituall is exercised and increased. For as all life is the beginning of operation, and tends unto operation, so also is it increased by operations.
4. Because the glory of God, wherein consists the chiefest good, and mans happinesse, is by this meanes advanced.
Vse 1. This may serve to reprove those foolish and slothfull Christians, that neglect their owne proper good, or rather do not understand what that is wherein it consists.
2. To exhort us, by all meanes to make our selves ready to do good, and therefore according to the minde of the Apostle in this place, to get all vertue, that we may not be barren in the knowledge of Christ.
Doct. 3. Good workes are fruits that the faithfull should continually bring forth.
This is gathered therehence, that fruitfulnesse is both required and promised in this place. It is required therein, that the Apostle intimates, that this is necessary for the faithfull, to be fruitfull. It is promised thereby, that it is made as a benefit arising from vertues. Good workes are called fruits by a metaphor, for the likenesse that they have unto the fruits of trees and plants. Now in naturall fruit many things are considered, which according to the Scripture must be applyed unto good workes. 1. That it be something agreeable to the nature of the seed from which it ariseth. 2. That it hath noe only some good in it, but also perfections; hence flowers and leaves are not wont to be called fruits, although they come from the same seed that the fruits do, and be the last two that comes forth, and hath in it that perfection, that it is the end both of the seed, and all other things that arise from the seed before the fruit. 3. It is required also, especially in those that arise from good husbandry, that there be something that is de…red and expected and will be acceptable to the husbandman and master, or owner. All these things in the Scriptures are to be applyed unto good works, 1. That they be agreeable to the word of God, which is the seed, as it is in the Parables Matth. 13. Marke 4. of the good seed: and good workes differ from …ares, as grapes differ from wildegrapes, Isay 5. 2. 2. That they have goodnesse in them. For bad workes neither are properly fruits according to Scripture, unlesse it be with an addition, evill fruits. Nor do they bring any fruit to their … Rom. 6 21. They must also have perfection in their kinde: for as the seeds which are said in the parable to arise, perhaps unto the eare, yet because they did not come to just perfection, are said to have brought forth no fruits: so also Christians, which have only the flowers and leaves of profession, and not the solid workes of godlinesse, are accounted by God unfruitfull and barren plants. 3. Our workes also must answer the expectation of God, and that care which he hath taken in manuring our soules, Isay 5. 2. Luke 13. 6, 7. & 20. 10. Although in all these things our good workes and fruits are alike, yet one thing may be observed, wherein they are unlike; namely, that whereas the profit of naturall fruits is wont to returne to the husbandman and master, the profit of these fruits redounds properly to those that beare them, Rom. 6. …2. Although hence also something redounds unto God our master, Iohn 15. 8.
Vse 1. This may serve to condemne those, that bring forth no fruit, Matthew 3. 10. Iohn 15. 2. Luke 13. 7. Much more are they to be condemned, that are like unto the cursed ground, and in steed of fruits bring forth thornes and briers, Hebr. 6. 8. Deut. 32. 32.
2. To exhort us, by all meanes to labour to bring forth good fruits, and so also that they may be answerable unto those meanes which God used towards us, to make us fruitfull, according to Gods expectation, and in that season wherein God expects them, and in that measure also which he expects, of some thirty, of some sixty, and of some an hundred fold.
Doct. 4. Without these fruits the knowledge of God is unprofitable.
For it is as it were choaked with thornes, or withered away.
Vse. This may serve to admonish us, to be so much the more carefull to bring forth fruit, that we may not heape up this sinne of barrennesse unto the other, by making the word of God void and of no effect.
Doct. 5. That we may be fruitfull, vertues must not only be in us, but also abound in us.
They are in us when we have gotten a habit of them; they abound, when we do seriously and diligently endeavour to make that habit more perfect.