_Vse._ This may serve to exhort us, 1. To have a speciall care of our faith, if we would not be destitute of all the grace and peace of God. This is it which the Apostle saith elsewhere, _above all, take the shield of faith_, that is, above all things get faith, _Ephesians 6.16._ This is it which is often pressed, _By faith we are saved, by faith we stand, by faith we obtaine the victory_, &c. 2. To labour also for the increase of faith, if we desire the increase of grace and peace. For grace is multiplyed by the multiplying of faith, and the knowledge of God. As in a house, which is inlightned by the Sunne, the more the windowes stand open, the more it is filled with light: so also in us, the more our faith is increased, the more is grace and peace increased in us. Let that therefore be our daily prayer, which was Christs Disciples, _Lord increase our faith_. * * * * * Verse 3. _According as his Divine power hath given unto us all things that pertaine unto life and godlinesse, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and vertue._ The Analysis. The scope of the Apostle in this verse is to confirme the faith of Christians, touching the multiplying of grace and peace through the knowledge of God, which he had wished unto them in the former verse. And the argument is taken from the comparing of things alike, as that particle, _According as_, intimates unto us. The things compared are. 1. The giving of peace and grace; and 2. The consequent multiplying of them. And of these he shewes that there is the same reason, both in respect of the principall cause, and the lesse principall or instrumentall cause; so that the whole argument runs after this manner; _If God and our Lord Iesus Christ will give unto us grace and peace through the knowledge of him, then will he also multiply unto us the same gifts by the same: But the former is true: Therefore the latter._ The Assumption is contained in verse 3. And it is not barely set downe, but with an illustration, although he addes some things to confirme the reason it selfe and our faith. For in stead of _grace and peace_ the Apostle here puts things necessary unto _life and godlinesse_, and in the second place _glory and vertue_: like as by _life and glory_ he meanes the same thing, that he did before by _peace_, though in a different respect: so also by _godlinesse and vertue_ he means the same thing that he did before by _grace_. The principall cause of this gifting he explains by the power which he hath, which he cals _divine_; the instrumentall he explaines by the object thereof, namely, Christ. For he argues from a singular effect, which doth most of all pertaine to the thing it selfe, namely to our calling, _glory and vertue_. The Doctrines arising herehence. Doctrine 1. _Life and glory are contained in Christian peace._