_Vse._ This may serve to exhort us, to use great diligence to subdue and root out our own lusts and concupiscence. * * * * * Verse 5. _And besides this, giving all diligence, adde to your faith, vertue; and to vertue knowledge;_ Verse 6. _And to knowledge continence; and to continence, patience; and to patience, godlinesse;_ Verse 7. _And to godlinesse, brotherly kindnesse; and to brotherly kindnesse, charity._ The Analysis. Now the Apostle comes unto that which he chiefly aimed at in this Epistle: and the scope of the Epistle is shewed expresly, Chapter 3. verse 1. namely, _to stirre up the pure mindes of the faithfull, by way of remembrance_; and verse the last, more distinctly, _that they should grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ_. This same thing he proposeth in these verses, 5,6,7. and confirmes it in the rest of the Chapter, and in the two following Chapters, he vindicates it from those things which crosse this purpose, namely, the seducings of false teachers, chapter 2. and the derisions of prophane scoffers, chapter 3. Now his scope and purpose, as it is explained in these three verses, is, to exhort the faithfull, to apply themselves wholly to those duties that are answerable to the faith, which they have obtained and do professe. And those duties are set forth; 1. By the common conditions and all the properties of the vertue and duty; and 2. By the species or kindes of vertues and duties. The common conditions and properties of vertue are foure, which are usually called cardinall vertues, _Iustice, Prudence, Temperance, and Fortitude_. Justice is here signified by the name of vertue, because it doth most neerely belong to the efficacy of vertue, to be according to the rule, which is generall justice. Prudence is signified by knowledge, because prudence and Christian wisdome consists in the practicall knowledge of Gods will. Temperance is called continence, because this is generall temperance, if a man contains himselfe or abstaines from those intisements, whereby he may be withdrawne from his duty. Fortitude is meant here by patience, because this is true Christian fortitude, patiently to suffer all afflictions, and to persist in his duty notwithstanding all afflictions. These are such conditions, that they should be in every duty, which if they be, they make every duty compleat; nor can any of them be away, without hurting of the vertue and duty. The kindes of duties are two: _godlinesse_, which containes the duties of the first table; and _charity_, which belongs unto the second table: which charity is determined by a speciall manner, whilest it is called also _brotherly love_, whereby we love those, that are joyned in the same faith with us. Concerning these duties the Apostle proposeth first the common act, that we should use in them, namely adding, as he saith, _adde_;