The
apostle, having in the foregoing chapter exhorted them to proceed and
advance in the Christian race, now comes to remove, as much as in him lay,
what he could not but apprehend would hinder their complying with his
exhortation. He therefore gives them fair warning of false teachers, by whom
they might be in danger of being seduced. To prevent this, I. He describes
these seducers as impious in themselves, and very pernicious to others, ver.
1-3. II. He assures them of the punishment that shall be inflicted on them,
ver. 3-6. III. He tells us how contrary the method is which God takes with
those who fear him, ver. 7-9. IV. He fills up the rest of the chapter with a
further description of those seducers of whom he would have them beware.
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False
Prophets and Corrupt Leaders.
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A. D. 67.
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1 But there were false prophets also among
the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily
shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them,
and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many shall
follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be
evil spoken of. 3 And through covetousness shall they with
feigned words make merchandise of you--
I. In the end of the former chapter there is mention made of holy men of
God, who lived in the times of the Old Testament, and were used as the
amanuenses of the Holy Ghost, in writing the sacred oracles; but in the
beginning of this he tells us they had, even at that time, false prophets in
the church as well as true. In all ages of the church, and under all
dispensations, when God sends true prophets, the devil sends some to seduce
and deceive, false prophets in the Old Testament, and false Christs, false
apostles, and seducing teachers, in the New. Concerning these observe, 1.
Their business is to bring in destructive errors, even damnable heresies,
as the business of teachers sent of God is to show the way of truth, even
the true way to everlasting life. There are damnable heresies as well as
damnable practices; and false teachers are industrious to spread pernicious
errors. 2. Damnable heresies are commonly brought in privily, under the
cloak and colour of truth. Those who introduce destructive heresies deny
the Lord that bought them. They reject and refuse to hear and learn of
the great teacher sent from God, though he is the only Saviour and Redeemer
of men, who paid a price sufficient to redeem as many worlds of sinners as
there are sinners in the world. 4. Those who bring in errors destructive to
others bring swift (and therefore sure) destruction upon themselves.
Self-destroyers are soon destroyed; and those who are so hardened as to
propagate errors destructive to others shall surely and suddenly be
destroyed, and that without remedy.
II. He proceeds, in the second verse, to tell us the consequence with
respect to others; and here we may learn, 1. Corrupt leaders seldom fail of
many to follow them; though the way of error is a pernicious way, yet many
are ready to walk therein. Men drink in iniquity like water, and are pleased
to live in error. The prophets prophesy falsely, and the people love to
have it so. 2. The spreading of error will bring up an evil report on
the way of truth; that is, the way of salvation by Jesus Christ, who is the
way, the truth, and the life. The Christian religion is from the God of
truth as the author, leads to true happiness in the enjoyment of the true
God as the end, and works truth in the inward part as the means of
acceptably serving God. And yet this way of truth is traduced and blasphemed
by those who embrace and advance destructive errors. This the apostle has
foretold as what should certainly come to pass. Let us not be offended at
any thing of this in our day, but take care that we give no occasion to the
enemy to blaspheme the holy name whereby we are called, or speak evil of
that way whereby we hope to be saved.
III. Observe, in the next place, the method seducers take to draw disciples
after them: they use feigned words; they flatter, and by good words
and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple, inducing them to yield
entirely to the opinions which these seducers endeavour to propagate, and
sell and deliver themselves over to the instruction and government of these
false teacher, who make a gain of those whom they make their proselytes,
serving themselves and making some advantage of them; for all this is
through covetousness, with a desire and design to get more wealth, or
credit, or commendation, by increasing the number of their followers. The
faithful ministers of Christ, who show men the way of truth, desire the
profit and advantage of their followers, that they may be saved; but these
seducing teachers desire and design only their own temporal advantage and
worldly grandeur.
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Divine
Judgments.
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A. D. 67.
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3 Whose judgment now of a long time lingereth
not, and their damnation slumbereth not. 4 For if God spared not
the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them
into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; 5 And
spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a
preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the
ungodly; 6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into
ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an
ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;
Men are apt to think that a reprieve is the forerunner of a pardon, and that
if judgment be not speedily executed it is, or will be, certainly reversed.
But the apostle tells us that how successful and prosperous soever false
teachers may be, and that for a time, yet their judgment lingereth not.
God has determined long ago how he will deal with them. Such unbelievers,
who endeavour to turn others from the faith, are condemned already, and the
wrath of God abideth on them. The righteous Judge will speedily take
vengeance; the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall
come upon them make haste. To prove this assertion, here are several
examples of the righteous judgment of God, in taking vengeance on sinners,
proposed to our serious consideration.
I. See how God dealt with the angels who sinned. Observe, 1. No excellency
will exempt a sinner from punishment. If the angels, who excel us vastly in
strength and knowledge, violate the law of God, the sentence which that law
awards shall be executed upon them, and that without mercy or mitigation,
for God did not spare them. Hence observe, 2. By how much the more excellent
the offender, by so much the more severe the punishment. These angels, who
had the advantage of men as to the dignity of their nature, are immediately
punished. There is no sparing them for a few days, no favour at all shown
them. 3. Sin debases and degrades the persons who commit it. The angels of
heaven are cast down from the height of their excellency, and divested of
all their glory and dignity, upon their disobedience. Whoever sins against
God does a manifest hurt to himself. 4. Those who rebel against the God of
heaven shall all be sent down to hell. There is no place nor state between
the height of glory and the depth of misery in which they shall be allowed
to rest. If creatures sin in heaven, they must suffer in hell. 5. Sin is the
work of darkness, and darkness is the wages of sin. The darkness of misery
and torment follows the darkness of sin. Those who will not walk according
to the light and direction of God's law shall be deprived of the light of
God's countenance and the comforts of his presence. 6. As sin binds men over
to punishment, so misery and torment hold men under punishment. The darkness
which is their misery keeps them so that they cannot get away from their
torment. 7. The last degree of torment is not till the day of judgment. The
sinning angels, though in hell already, are yet reserved to the judgment of
the great day.
II. See how God dealt with the old world, even in much the same way that he
dealt with the angels. He spared not the old world. Here observe, 1. The
number of offenders signifies no more to procure any favour than the
quality. If the sin be universal, the punishment shall likewise extend to
all. But, 2. If there be but a few righteous, they shall be preserved. God
does not destroy the good with the bad. In wrath he remembers mercy. 3.
Those who are preachers of righteousness in an age of universal
corruption and degeneracy, holding forth the word of life in an
unblamable and exemplary conversation, shall be preserved in a time of
general destruction. 4. God can make use of those creatures as the
instruments of his vengeance in punishing sinners which he at first made and
appointed for their service and benefit. He destroyed the whole world by
water; but observe, 5. What was the procuring cause of this: it was a
world of ungodly men. Ungodliness puts men out of the divine protection,
and exposes them to utter destruction.
III. See how God dealt with Sodom and Gomorrah; though they were situated in
a country like the garden of the Lord, yet, if in such a fruitful soil they
abound in sin, God can soon turn a fruitful land into barrenness and a
well-watered country into dust and ashes. Observe, 1. No political union or
confederacy can keep off judgments from a sinful people. Sodom and the
neighbouring cities were no more secured by their regular government than
the angels by the dignity of their nature or the old world by their vast
number. 2. God can make use of contrary creatures to punish incorrigible
sinners. He destroys the old world by water, and Sodom by fire. He
who keeps fire and water from hurting his people (Isa. xliii. 2) can make
either to destroy his enemies; therefore they are never safe. 3. Most
heinous sins bring most grievous judgments. Those who were abominable in
their vices were remarkable for their plagues. Those who are sinners
exceedingly before the Lord must expect the most dreadful vengeance. 4. The
punishment of sinners in former ages is designed for the example of those
who come after. "Follow them, not only in the time of living, but in
their course and way of living." Men who live ungodly must see
what they are to expect if they go on still in a course of impiety. Let us
take warning by all the instances of God's taking vengeance, which are
recorded for our admonition, and to prevent our promising ourselves
impunity, though we go on in a course of sin.
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Divine
Judgments.
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A. D. 67.
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7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the
filthy conversation of the wicked: 8 (For that righteous man
dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul
from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) 9 The Lord
knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the
unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
When God sends destruction on the ungodly, he commands deliverance for the
righteous; and, if he rain fire and brimstone on the wicked, he will cover
the head of the just, and they shall be hid in the day of his anger. This we
have an instance of in his preserving Lot. Here observe, 1. The character
given of Lot; he is called a just man; this he was as to the
generally prevailing bent of his heart and through the main of his
conversation. God does not account men just or unjust from one single act,
but from their general course of life. And here is a just man in the midst
of a most corrupt and profligate generation universally gone off from all
good. He does not follow the multitude to do evil, but in a city of
injustice he walks uprightly. 2. The impression the sins of others made upon
this righteous man. Though the sinner takes pleasure in his wickedness, it
is a grief and vexation to the soul of the righteous. In bad company we
cannot escape either guilt or grief. Let the sins of others be a trouble to
us, otherwise it will not be possible for us to keep ourselves pure. 3. Here
is a particular mention of the duration and continuance of this good man's
grief and vexation: it was from day to day. Being accustomed to hear
and see their wickedness did not reconcile him to it, nor abate of the
horror that was occasioned by it. This is the righteous man whom God
preserved from the desolating judgment that destroyed all round about him.
From this instance we are taught to argue that God knows how to deliver his
people and punish his enemies. It is here presupposed that the righteous
must have their temptations and trials. The devil and his instruments will
thrust sore at them, that they may fall; and, if we will get to heaven, it
must be through many tribulations. It is therefore our duty to reckon upon
and prepare for them. Observe here, (1.) The Lord knows those that are
his. He has set apart him who is godly for himself; and, if there is but
one in five cities, he knows him; and where there is a greater number he
cannot be ignorant of nor overlook any one of them. (2.) The wisdom of God
is never at a loss about ways and means to deliver his people. They are
often utterly at a loss, and can see no way; he can deliver a great many.
(3.) The deliverance of the godly is the work of God, that which he concerns
himself in, both his wisdom to contrive the way and his power to work out
the deliverance out of temptation, to prevent their falling into sin
and their being ruined by their troubles. And surely, if he can deliver out
of temptation, he could keep from falling into it if he did not see such
trials to be necessary. (4.) God makes a very great difference in his
dealings with the godly and the wicked. When he saves his people from
destruction, he delivers over his enemies to deserved ruin. The unjust has
no share in the salvation God works out for the righteous. The wicked are reserved
to the day of judgment. Here we see, [1.] There is a day of judgment. God
has appointed a day wherein he will judge the world. [2.] The
preservation of impenitent sinners is only a reserving of them to the day of
the revelation of the righteous judgment of God.
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False
Teachers.
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A. D. 67.
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10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh
in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are
they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
11 Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing
accusation against them before the Lord. 12 But these, as
natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the
things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own
corruption; 13 And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as
they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are
and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they
feast with you; 14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot
cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: a heart they have exercised with
covetous practices; cursed children: 15 Which have forsaken the
right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son
of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; 16 But was
rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the
madness of the prophet. 17 These are wells without water, clouds
that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved
for ever. 18 For when they speak great swelling words of
vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much
wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.
19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of
corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in
bondage. 20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the
world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are
again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them
than the beginning. 21 For it had been better for them not to
have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it,
to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 22 But it
is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is
turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing
in the mire.
The apostle's design being to warn us of, and arm us against, seducers, he
now returns to discourse more particularly of them, and give us an account
of their character and conduct, which abundantly justifies the righteous
Judge of the world in reserving them in an especial manner for the most
severe and heavy doom, as Cain is taken under special protection that he
might be kept for uncommon vengeance. But why will God thus deal with these
false teachers? This he shows in what follows.
I. These walk after the flesh; they follow the devices and desires of
their own hearts, they give up themselves to the conduct of their own
fleshly mind, refusing to make their reason stoop to divine revelation, and
to bring every thought to the obedience of Christ; they, in their
lives, act directly contrary to God's righteous precepts, and comply with
the demands of corrupt nature. Evil opinions are often accompanied with evil
practices; and those who are for propagating error are for improving in
wickedness. They will not sit down contented in the measure of iniquity to
which they have attained, nor is it enough for them to stand up, and
maintain, and defend, what wickedness they have already committed, but they walk
after the flesh, they go on in their sinful course, and increase unto
more ungodliness and greater degrees of impurity and uncleanness too; they
also pour contempt on those whom God has set in authority over them and
requires them to honour. These therefore despise the ordinance of God,
and we need not wonder at it, for they are bold and daring, obstinate and
refractory, and will not only cherish contempt in their hearts, but with
their tongues will utter slanderous and reproachful words of those who are
set over them.
II. This he aggravates, by setting forth the very different conduct of more
excellent creatures, even the angels, of whom observe, 1. They are
greater in power and might, and that even than those who are clothed
with authority and power among the sons of men, and much more than those
false teachers who are slanderous revilers of magistrates and governors; the
good angels vastly exceed us in all natural and moral excellences, in
strength, understanding, and holiness too. 2. Good angels are accusers of
sinful creatures, either of their own kind, or ours, or both. Those who are
allowed to behold the face of God, and stand before his throne, cannot but
have a zeal for his honour, and accuse and blame those who dishonour him. 3.
Angels bring their accusations of sinful creatures before
the Lord; they do not publish their faults, and tell their crimes to
their fellow-creatures, in a way of calumny and slander; but it is before
the Lord, who is the Judge, and will be the avenger, of all impiety and
injustice. 4. Good angels mingle no bitter revilings nor base reproaches
with any of the accusations or charges they bring against the wickedest and
worst of criminals. Let us, who pray that God's will may be done on earth
as it is in heaven, imitate the angels in this particular; if we
complain of wicked men, let it be to God, and that not with rage and
reviling, but with compassion and composedness of mind, that may evidence
that we belong to him who is meek and merciful.
III. The apostle, having shown (v. 11) how unlike seducing teachers
are to the most excellent creatures, proceeds (v. 12) to show how
like they are to the most inferior: they are like the horse and mule,
which have no understanding; they are as natural brute beasts, made
to be taken and destroyed. Men, under the power of sin, are so far from
observing divine revelation that they do not exercise reason, nor act
according to the direction thereof. They walk by sight, and not by faith,
and judge of things according to their senses; as these represent things
pleasant and agreeable, so they must be approved and esteemed.
Brute-creatures follow the instinct of their sensitive appetite, and sinful
man follows the inclination of his carnal mind; these refuse to employ the
understanding and reason God has given them, and so are ignorant of what
they might and ought to know; and therefore observe, 1. Ignorance is the
cause of evil-speaking; and, 2. Destruction will be the effect of it. These
persons shall be utterly destroyed in their own corruption. Their vices not
only expose them to the wrath of God in another world, but often bring them
to misery and ruin in this life; and surely such impudent offenders, who glory
in their shame, and to whom openness in sin is an improvement of the
pleasure of sinning, most justly deserve all the plagues of this life and
the pains of the next in the greatest extremity. Therefore whatever they
meet with is the just reward of their unrighteousness. Such sinners
as sport themselves in mischief deceive themselves and disgrace all they
belong to, for by one sort of sins they prepare themselves for another;
their extravagant feastings, their intemperance in eating and drinking,
bring them to commit all manner of lewdness, so that their eyes are full
of adultery, their wanton looks show their own impure lusts and are
designed and directed to kindle the like in others; and this is what they cannot
cease from--the heart is insatiate in lusting and the eye incessant in
looking after what may gratify their unclean desires, and those who are
themselves impudent and incessant in sin are very diligent and often
successful in deceiving others and drawing others into the same excess of
riot. But here observe who those are who are in the greatest danger of being
led away into error and impiety, even the unstable. Those whose
hearts are not established with grace are easily turned into the way of sin,
or else such sensual wretches would not be able to prevail upon them, for
these are not only riotous and lascivious, but covetous also, and
these practices their hearts are exercised with; they pant after riches, and
the desire of their souls is to the wealth of this world: it is a
considerable part of their work to contrive to get wealth; in this their
hearts are exercised, and then they execute their projects; and, if men
abandon themselves to all sorts of lusts, we cannot wonder that the apostle
should call them cursed children, for they are liable to the curse of
God denounced against such ungodly and unrighteous men, and they
bring a curse upon all who hearken and adhere to them.
IV. The apostle (v. 15, 16) proves that they are cursed children,
even such covetous persons as the Lord abhors, by showing, 1. They have
forsaken the right way; and it cannot be but such self-seekers must be
out of the right way, which is a self-denying way. 2. They have gone into a
wrong way: they have erred and strayed from the way of life, and gone over
into the path which leads to death, and takes hold of hell; and this he
makes out by showing it to be the way of Balaam, the son of Bosor.
(1.) That is a way of unrighteousness into which men are led by the wages of
unrighteousness. (2.) Outward temporal good things are the wages sinners
expect and promise themselves, though they are often disappointed. (3.) The
inordinate love of the good things of this world turns men out of the way
which leads to the unspeakably better things of another life; the love of
riches and honour turned Balaam out of the way of his duty, although he knew
that the way he took displeased the Lord. (4.) Those who from the same
principle are guilty of the same practices with notorious sinners are, in
the judgment of God, the followers of such vile offenders, and therefore
must reckon upon being at last where they are: they shall have their
portion with those in another world whom they imitated in this. (5.)
Heinous and hardened sinners sometimes meet with rebukes for their iniquity.
God stops them in their way, and opens the mouth of conscience, or by some
startling providence startles and affrights them. (6.) Though some more
uncommon and extraordinary rebuke may for a little while cool men's courage,
and hinder their violent progress in the way of sin, it will not make them
forsake the way of iniquity and go over into the way of holiness. If
rebuking a sinner for his iniquity could have made a man return to his duty,
surely the rebuke of Balaam must have produced this effect; for here is a
surprising miracle wrought: the dumb ass, in whose mouth no man can
expect to meet with reproof, is enabled to speak, and that with a human
voice, and to her owner and master (who is here called a prophet, for
the Lord appeared and spoke sometimes to him, Num. xxii. 23, 24, but indeed
he was among the prophets of the Lord as Judas among the apostles of Jesus
Christ), and she exposes the madness of his conduct and opposes his
going on in this evil way, and yet all in vain. Those who will not yield to
usual methods of reproof will be but little influenced by miraculous
appearances to turn them from their sinful courses. Balaam was indeed
restrained from actually cursing the people, but he had so strong a
desire after the honours and riches that were promised him that he went as
far as he could, and did his utmost to get from under the restraint that was
upon him.
V. The apostle proceeds (v. 17) to a further description of seducing
teachers, whom he sets forth,
1. As wells, or fountains, without water. Observe, (1.)
Ministers should be as wells or fountains, where the people may find
instruction, direction, and comfort; but (2.) False teachers have nothing of
this to impart to those who consult them: the word of truth is the water of
life, which refreshes the souls that receive it; but these deceivers are set
upon spreading and promoting error, and therefore are set forth as empty,
because there is no truth in them. In vain then are all our expectations of
being fed and filled with knowledge and understanding by those who are
themselves ignorant and empty.
2. As clouds carried with a tempest. When we see a cloud we expect a
refreshing shower from it; but these are clouds which yield no rain, for
they are driven with the wind, but not of the Spirit, but the stormy wind or
tempest of their own ambition and covetousness. They espouse and spread
those opinions that will procure most applause and advantage to themselves;
and as clouds obstruct the light of the sun, and darken the air, so do these
darken counsel by words without knowledge and wherein there is no
truth; and, seeing these men are for promoting darkness in this world, it is
very just that the mist of darkness should be their portion in the next.
Utter darkness was prepared for the devil, the great deceiver, and his
angels, those instruments that he uses to turn men from the truth, and
therefore for them it is reserved, and that for ever; the fire of hell is
everlasting, and the smoke of the bottomless pit rises up for ever and ever.
And it is just with God to deal thus with them, because (1.) They allure
those they deal with, and draw them into a net, or catch them as men do
fish; and, (2.) It is with great swelling words of vanity, lofty
expressions, which have a great sound, but little sense. (3.) They work upon
the corrupt affections and carnal fleshly lusts of men,
proposing what is grateful to them. And, (4.) They seduce persons who in
reality avoided and kept at a distance from those who spread and those who
embraced hurtful and destructive errors. Observe, [1.] By application and
industry men attain a skilfulness and dexterity in promoting error. They are
as artful and as successful as the fisher, who makes angling his daily
employment. The business of these men is to draw disciples after them, and
in their methods and management there are some things worth observing, how
they suit their bait to those they desire to catch. [2.] Erroneous teachers
have a peculiar advantage to win men over to them, because they have sensual
pleasure to take them with; where as the ministers of Christ put men upon
self-denial, and the mortifying of those lusts that others gratify and
please: wonder not therefore that truth prevails no more, or that errors
spread so much. [3.] Persons who have for a while adhered to the truth, and
kept clear of errors, may by the subtlety and industry of seducers be so far
deceived as to fall into those errors they had for a while clean escaped.
"Be therefore always upon your guard, maintain a godly jealousy of
yourselves, search the scriptures, pray for the Spirit to instruct and
establish you in the truth, walk humbly with God, and watch against every
thing that may provoke him to give you up to a reprobate mind, that you may
not be taken with the fair and specious pretences of these false teachers,
who promise liberty to all who will hearken to them, not true Christian
liberty for the service of God, but a licentiousness in sin, to follow the
devices and desires of their own hearts." To prevent these men's
gaining proselytes, he tells us that, in the midst of all their talk of
liberty, they themselves are the vilest slaves, for they are the servants of
corruption; their own lusts have gotten a complete victory over them, and
they are actually in bondage to them, making provision for the flesh,
to satisfy its cravings, comply with its directions, and obey its commands.
Their minds and hearts are so far corrupted and depraved that they have
neither power nor will to refuse the task that is imposed on them. They are
conquered and captivated by their spiritual enemies, and yield their members
servants of unrighteousness: and what a shame it is to be overcome and
commanded by those who are themselves the servants of corruption, and
slaves to their own lusts! This consideration should prevent our being
led away by these seducers; and to this he adds another (v. 20): it
is not only a shame and disgrace to be seduced by those who are themselves
the slaves of sin, and led captive by the devil at his pleasure, but it is a
real detriment to those who have clean escaped from those who live in error,
for hereby their latter end is made worse than their beginning. Here we see,
First, It is an advantage to escape the pollutions of the world, to
be kept from gross and scandalous sins, though men are not thoroughly
converted and savingly changed; for hereby we are kept from grieving those
who are truly serious and emboldening those who are openly profane; whereas,
if we run with others to the same excess of riot and abandon ourselves to
the sins of the age, we afflict and dishearten those who endeavour to walk
as becomes the gospel, and strengthen the hands of those who are already
engaged in open rebellion against the Most High, as well as alienate
ourselves more from God, and harden our hearts against him. Secondly,
Some men are, for a time, kept from the pollutions of the world, by the
knowledge of Christ, who are not savingly renewed in the spirit of their
mind. A religious education has restrained many whom the grace of God has
not renewed: if we receive the light of the truth, and have a notional
knowledge of Christ in our heads, it may be of some present service to us;
but we must receive the love of the truth, and hide God's word in our heart,
or it will not sanctify and save us. Thirdly, Those who have, for a
time, escaped the pollutions of the world, are at first ensnared and
entangled by false teachers, who first perplex men with some plausible and
specious objections against the truths of the gospel; and the more ignorant
and unstable are hereby made to stagger, and brought to question the truth
of doctrines they have received, because they cannot solve all the
difficulties, nor answer all the objections, that are urged by these
seducers. Fourthly, When men are once entangled, they are easily
overcome; therefore should Christians keep close to the word of God, and
watch against those who seek to perplex and bewilder them, and that because,
if men who have once escaped are again entangled, the latter end is worse
with them than the beginning.
VI. The apostle, in the last two verses of the chapter, sets himself to
prove that a state of apostasy is worse than a state of ignorance; for it is
a condemning of the way of righteousness, after they have had some
knowledge of it, and expressed some liking to it; it carries in it a
declaring that they have found some iniquity in the way of righteousness and
some falsehood in the word of truth. Now to bring up such an evil report
upon the good way of God, and such a false charge against the way of truth,
must necessarily expose to the heaviest condemnation; the misery of such
deserters of Christ and his gospel is more unavoidable and more intolerable
than that of other offenders; for, 1. God is more highly provoked by those
who by their conduct despise the gospel, as well as disobey the law, and who
reproach and pour contempt upon God and his grace. 2. The devil more
narrowly watches and more closely confines those whom he has recovered,
after they had once gone off from him and professed to be the followers of
the Lord Jesus Christ (Matt. xii. 45); they are kept under a stronger guard,
and no wonder it should be so when they have licked up their own vomit
again, returning to the same errors and impieties that they had once cast
off and seemed to detest and loathe, and wallowing in that filthiness from
which they appeared once to be really cleansed. Well, if the scripture gives
such an account of Christianity on the one hand, and of sin on the other, as
we have here in these two verses, we certainly ought highly to approve of
the former and persevere therein, because it is a way of righteousness, and
a holy commandment, and to loathe and keep at the greatest distance from the
latter because it is set forth as most offensive and abominable.
