and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. To encourage christians to grow and improve in the fore-mentioned virtues and graces, our apostle here lays before us, 1. The great advantage of such a proficiency and growth, If these things be in you, and abound, that is, the fore-mentioned graces, they will both cause you and evidence you not to be barren and unfruitful in your profession of christianity and faith in Christ; the exercises of divine graces are the best evidences of our being made partakers of the divine nature. Observe, 2. The miserable estate of those whose faith is not fruitful in good works: He that lacketh these things, that is, who doth not live in the exercise of the fore-mentioned graces, is spiritually blind, and really des titute of that knowledge which he pretends to, blinded by his passions and lusts, and sensual affections, and sees not the great end and design of christianity, forgetting that in baptism he solemnly vowed all this, and that he was sacramentally washed from his old gins. 10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: As if our apostle had said, "See that in the diligent exercise of the fore-named graces, and in the daily practice of the fore-mentioned duties, you make your call ing and election, which are sure in them selves, sure to you; for so doing, you shall never fall or miscarry eternally." Here note, That it is their own calling and election which christians are called upon to make sure, not another's; we must leave their case and estate to God that searches the heart; we cannot know the hearts of others, it is well if we know our own: Make your calling and election sure. Learn, 1. A christian may be assured of bis own salvation. 2. Assurance of salvation requires all diligence. 3. That as surance of salvation deserves all diligence. 4. That the way to make our election sure, is first to make our calling sure. 11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. There are four sorts of persons spoken of in scripture: 1. Some are said to be far from the kingdom of God, afar off from God, as heathens and infidels, who know not God. 2. Others are said not to be far from the kingdom of God, Mark xii. 34. who yet will never come there. 3. Others culty, so as by fire, with much dross of are scarcely saved, saved with great diffierror in judgment, and corruption in life. 4. Others are said to have an abundant entrance administered to them into the everlasting kingdom; christians, who are daily adding to their graces, and going from strength to strength: these shoot the gulf of death in the holy triumph of their grace; they enter the harbour of heaven with a plerophory, a full sail, with a full assurance of faith and hope. Thus will the fruitful christian have both a more comfortable passage to, and also a more ample reward in, heaven. and these are the fruitful 12 Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth. 13 Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up, by putting you in remembrance: Knowing that shortly I must put off this 14 my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me. 15 Moreover, I will endeavour, that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance. Observe here, 1. The persons to whom the apostle gave the foregoing exhortation to progressiveness and proficiency in holiness they were knowing persons, yea, established persons, they were both informed and confirmed in the truth; but were they knowing, yet they wanted farther information; were they established, yet might want farther confirmation. It is a very dangerous notion some have taken up, that a christian in this life may live above ordinances, and outgrow counsels and exhortations, as if he need not hear, or pray, or the like. St. Peter thought otherwise: these were grown christians to whom he writes, yet he tells them three several times together here, in four verses, that he would not be negligent to put them in remembrance, even of those things which they knew already. Observe, 2. The exemplary diligence and industry of the apostle in his ministerial work, together with his constancy therein as long as I am in this tabernacle, that is, as long as I live in this world, I will endeavour to keep the heavenly flame of love and zeal burning very lively upon the altar of your hearts. Observe, 3. The motive or consideration provoking him to this diligence; and that is, the certainty of his approaching dissolution, I must shortly put off this tabernacle, as my Lord hath shewed me. Where note, 1. He calls his body a tabernacle, in regard of its moveableness and frailty, and in opposition to that house made without hands, eternal in the heavens. Note, 2. How familiarly our apostle speaks of death, I must put off this tabernacle: he makes no more of putting off his body by death, than a man does of putting off his clothes at night. Note, 3, The necessity of put ting off the body, I must; I may, and I must shortly: intimating, that how strong soever the affections and inclinations of souls are to the fleshly tabernacles they now live in, yet they must put them off, and that speedily. Note, 4. How the consideration of the certainty and suddenness of St. Peter's removal by death did excite and provoke him to the utmost industry and diligence in his ministerial work where he lived; the apprehensions of approaching death must quicken to utmost diligence. Lastly, That ministers must never give over pressing known truths as long as they live, that their people may have them in remembrance after their decease: I will endeavour that after my decease you may have these things always in remembrance. 16 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-witnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. 18 And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. Our apostle comes now to exhort them to constancy in the faith of the gospel, assuring them that himself and his fellow apostles had not followed artificially-devised fables, when they made known to them the coming of Christ in the flesh, and that he was truly, and in very deed, the promised Messias, for that he himself, with James and John, were with Christ upon Mount Tabor as eye-witnesses of his transfiguration, where and when he received in his human nature a communicated splendour, and God the Father from heaven, the seat of the magnificent glory, pronounced him to be his well-beloved Son, in whom he is well-pleased. Learn hence, That God the Father's testimony from heaven concerning his Son Jesus Christ, did effectually bring honour and glory unto Christ, and is a great obligation upon us to faith and obedience to him: He received from God the Father honour and glory, attesting him to be his well-beloved Son. Learn, 2. That there was as much assurance given of the certainty of Christ's being the promised Messias, and of the truth of the evangelical doctrine, as the world could reasonably desire: men can humanly be certain of nothing more than what they receive by their senses, which are the proper judges of all sensible objects; now no satisfaction of this kind was wanting to the world concerning our blessed Saviour and his miracles; the apostles attesting what they had heard, what they had seen with their eyes, and their hands had handled of the word of life, 1 John i. 1. 19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts : Observe here, That the scriptures, or written word of God, are a more sure word to us than any voice from heaven, or revelation whatsoever; not that there was any uncertainty in the Lord's voice uttered from heaven at Christ's transfiguration, but because that transient voice was heard only by three, and might be mistaken or forgotten; whereas the holy scriptures are a standing and authentic record, and a most sure ground for faith to build upon; and accordingly our apostle tells them, they should do well to attend unto the written word, that is, the scriptures of the Old Testament, as unto a light that shined in that dark time, till by considering those ancient prophecies, and comparing them with what Christ hath done and suffered, they might find the day dawning upon them, and the morning star, the Holy Spirit, arising in their hearts, so enlightening and convincing them, that no more doubts or scruples should be left in them concerning this great truth, attested by a voice from heaven, and confirmed by the writings of the prophets, namely, that Jesus is the true and promised Messias, and really the Son of God. Learn hence, That the written word of God is a surer word, more to be depended and relied upon, than any voice from heaven, though attested by the greatest and most eminent apostle, and consequently to be more heeded and regarded by us; nay, farther, the sanctifying operation of the Holy Spirit in and upon the hearts and lives of sincere and serious christians, is a more cerfain and indubitable evidence of their salvation, than if an angel should come from heaven on purpose to tell them that they should certainly come thither; for the testimony of an angel, at the highest, is but the testimony of a creature; but the testimony of the sanctifying Spirit is the testimony of God himself; it is therefore the sure word that we are to attend unto; and that revelation of God's will, being final, is, and ought to be attended to, before any pretended or real revelations whatsoever We have a more sure word of prophecy : whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, &c. 20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation, 21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man; but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. These words are understood variously. 1. Some interpret them thus: That no part of holy scripture was written by any private impulse, incitation, or motion, by no suggestion of men's own private spirits, but they gave out to us what the Holy Ghost gave in to them; nor did they prophesy according to the will of man, that is, when they would, or what they would, but they spake by the instinct and impulse of the Holy Ghost. The words show what authority the penmen of the holy scriptures had to write what they did, and why we should be so careful to take heed to what they wrote. Learn hence, That it is a very great principle, yea, one of the first principles of our faith, that the scriptures are the very word and will of God, written not by any private spirit, but dictated by the Spirit of God, and consequently are no part of them of human invention, but all of divine inspiration, for which reason great respect is due to them, and we shall do well to take heed to thera. 2. Others understand the words thus: That no prophecy of scripture is to be expounded as speaking only of those persons whom the speaker first intended and meant, according to the speaker's private thought, for the holy men of God were moved by God's Spirit to speak those words which signified more than they designed, or always meant and understood themselves; as for instance David often speaks in the psalms words true of himself and Solomon, but the Holy Ghost pointeth at Christ, who was typified by those persons; and whether David meant more than himself and Solomon, it is certain the Holy Ghost meant more; so if Josiah be meant in Isa. liii, as some would have it, it is evident that he was but typical, and that the Holy Ghost meant Christ and his sufferings ultimately; so that it is plain that the scripture prophecy receives its full sense from the Spirit, and not from the speaker; and must not be appropriated narrowly to those private men by whom, or of whom, they were proximately meant by the speaker. 3. Others understand the words after this manner, namely, that no private person must take upon him the interpretation of holy scriptures, but refer all to the church. Hence Estius infers, "That the reformed and their pastors must not interpret the scriptures, but the catholic church only." To which we reply, that as no private persons, so likewise no church, may presume to interpret scripture according to their own mind, nor make their private sense to be the sense of scripture, but to seek understanding from God, who shows the meaning of the word by the word, (comparing scripture with scripture,) and by his Spirit leads good men into the knowledge and understanding of it; "knowing this, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation; for the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but the men of God spake as they were moved by cause none should perish for want of a sufthe 'Holy Ghost." CHAP. II. Our apostle, in the latter end of the foregoing chapter, recommended the holy scriptures to us as our guide and rule, as our card and compass by which we should steer our christian course; he tells us, that the holy prophets under the Old Testament were men divinely inspired, and what they wrote was by the special direction of the Holy Ghost; he comes now to declare and foretel in this chapter, the coming in of false prophets and teachers, that would pervert the truth of doctrine, by bringing in damnable heresies; and he sets forth their manners; also they walk according to their own lusts: monstrous doctrines are usually accompanied with monstrous lusts, and strong delusions with vile affections. 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. Observe here, How the apostle foretels the coming of false teachers into the gospel church, as there had been false prophets in the Jewish church: no age of the church ever was or will be free of them; but the run of the last times is most likely to have most of these sour dregs. There shall be false teachers among you; false teachers then may find a scripture prophecy for their being in the church, but they will hardly find a scripture warrant for their being there. Observe, 2. The doctrines which they will teach: and they are damnable heresies. Where note, That Almighty God never intended a certain remedy against heresy, any more than he did against sin and vice; it is certain, that there is no certain and effectual remedy against either of them; God does what he sees best and fittest, not what we think to Note also, That infallibility itself is no effectual remedy against heresy; the apostles were certainly infallible, and yet they could neither prevent nor extinguish heresy, which never more abounded than in the apostles' times; St. Paul says, there must be heresies, 1 Cor. i. 19. St. Peter here that there shall be false teachers. says, Now, if there must be heresies and false teachers, either the church is not infallible, or infallibility is no effectual remedy against heresy. Observe, 3. That Christ is here called the Lord that bought these men who brought destruction upon themselves, Denying the Lord that bought them: be be so. ficient sacrifice for sin, Christ by his blood purchased for them pardon and life to be theirs, upon condition of believing acceptance. Observe lastly, As the seeds-men, false-teachers, and the seed they sow, damnable heresies, so the crop they shall reap, and that is, swift destruction: as damnable heresies are brought in privily, so the blasphemous heretic, the seducing heretic, the seditious heretic, brings upon himself swift destruction; sometimes temporal destruction in this world, certainly eternal, without repentance, in the next. 2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. As if the apostle had said, "Notwithstanding heretics bring such fatal destruction upon themselves, yet many that profess christianity shall be seduced by them, and follow their pernicious ways, by reason of whom the enemies of religion will speak evil of it, and the professors of it. Observe here, 1. The thriving and growth of heresies, Many shall follow their pernicious ways. Where note, The nature of error, it is pernicious and destructive; and the efficacy of error, not a few, but many, are in danger of being perverted by it. Observe, 2. The sad sequel or fruits of this, By reason of whom the way of truth is evil spoken of. Here note, 1. The title given to the christian religion; it is the way of truth, so styled from its parentage and original, the God of truth: in regard of its efficacy, it works truth in the inward parts, and because it brings those that embrace and practise it to the enjoyment of him who is the God of truth. Note, 2. The coarse usage which religion meets with from many in the world; it is blasphemed or evil spoken of by persons following se ducers, By reason of whom the way of truth is evil spoken of. It is no new or unusual thing for religion, and the sincere professors of it, to be traduced and slandered by heretical seducers and false teachers. 3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. Observe here, 1. What is the root of all heresy: it is covetousness, which the apos tle calls the root of all evil; they are covetous, worldly-minded men generally, who hope some way or other to make an advantage of their opinions, who broach errors and false doctrines. Observe, 2. The miserable condition of the seduced: they are sold by heretics like beasts, They make merchandise of you. The business of heretics is to sell their own and others' souls, as Judas did Christ, for some outward benefit. Observe, 3. The arts which heretics and seducers use to circumvent and deceive, and that is feigned words, artificially composed to seduce, drawing into error with a deceitful eloquence. Observe, 4. The dreadful punishment which attends their sin; swift destruction: Their damnation slumbereth not; their judgment lingereth not. Learn, That the righteous judgment of God brings damnation upon the wicked, and their damnation will come swiftly, very swiftly upon them. 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 right eousness, 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; Our apostle having asserted, in the foregoing verse, that the judgment of the wicked in general lingereth not, and that the damnation of seducers in particular slumbereth not, he comes here in these verses to make his assertion good by a threefold instance, namely, the angels, the old world, and the people of Sodom and Gomorrha: from whence he would have them conclude, that if God spared not these, he would not long spare false prophets and their followers. Observe, 1. The example of God's severity on the fallen angels; they sinned and kept not their first state, they fell from that state of holiness in which they were originally created; and their punishment followed, they were cast down to hell, and delivered into chains of darkness, reserved unto judgment. But are they not judged and punished already? Yes, no doubt, but the full wrath of God will not be poured out upon them till the day of judgment; if they are now as full of sin as they can be, it is certain they are not so full of misery and torment as they shall be. Learn hence, 1. That the angels, though created in an holy, yet are they not in an immutable, state. 2. The freedom of their own wills was the cause of their sin, and their sin the cause of their misery. 3. That for sin they were cast down to hell, where their misery is much, but they expect more. Observe, 2. The example of the old world, upon whose sinning God brought a flood, drowning them all except eight persons. Where note, that the greatest multitude and number of sinners does not hinder God's justice from executing judgment upon them for their sins; a whole world sinning are as easily destroyed by God as a single sinner. Observe, 3. He instances in the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrha, who were consumed by fire from heaven, and rendered by the Almighty a dreadful spectacle to all foundation of ruin in the most flourishing that should live ungodlily. Sin lays the cities and kingdoms: the strongest walls cannot keep judgments out, when sin enters in; Sodom's plenty and power could not secure her inhabitants, when sin bad once exposed them to the wrath of God. Note also, The intention, end, and design of God, in punishing some sinners; it is to make them examples unto others. 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.) Observe here, 1. As bad as Sodom was, it had a good man in it; God leaves not himself without witness; in the vilest and worst of places God has some that profess his name, and bear witness to his truth. Observe, 2. The character given of him, just Lot; the denomination was taken from the habitual frame of his heart, and the general tenor of his life. Observe, 3. How this good man laid to heart the wickedness of Sodom; he was grieved for their wicked and filthy conversation before God, more than for their unkind and cruel behaviour towards him: the spirit of a child of God |