PHI LOS 0 P H Y . - Classic Works of Apologetics Online

Virtue.
them required in the Chrisnah character. " Add td
your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, an.i to
knowledge temperan~e, and to temperance patience;
and to patience godliness, and to godliness brotherly
kindness, and to brotherly kindness charity."· On
the other hand, when ~:ices are enumerated, they
are put disjunctively, that is, as separately and severally
excluding :;.the sinner from heaven. " Ndther
fornicators, nor Idolaters, nor adulterers, nOT enemanate,
nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor
thieves, nor covetious, nor drunkards, nor retrilers,
nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of
heaven."t
Those texts of scripture, which seem~ to lean a contrary
way, as tl"iat "charity shall cover a multitude of
sins ;"! that "he which converteth a sinner from
the ~rror of his way shall hide a multitude of sins;" II
. call9.0t I think, for the reasons above mentioned, be
extended to sins deliberately, habitually, and obsti.
nately persisted in.
s. That
.
a state of mere unprofitableness will not
~
go linpUlll~neu.. .
This is expressly laid down by Christ in the parable
of the t;llents, which supersedes all farther reasoning
upon til~ subject. " rrhen he which 112.d re­
~eived one talent, came and said, Lord, I kllOW thee
that thou art an aUSl~re man, reaping where thou
hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not
strawed; and I VIas afraid, and hid my talent in the
earth; 10, there thou hast that is thine. His Lord
arlswered and said unto him, thou wicked and sloth.
ful servant, thou knowest (or knewest thou ?) that I
reap W'here I sowed not, and gather where I have not
strawed; thou oughtest therefore to have put my
money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I
should have received min.e own with usury. Take
therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him
• 2 Pet. i ..'1, 6) 7. t 1 Cor. vi. 9, 10.
t! ..Tame') v. 20.
"
* 1 :Pet, iv. 8.'