2 Peter 2

These are not pillars in the temple of God, but reeds shaken every way. The Apostle calls them damnable heresies (2 Peter 2:1). A man may go to hell as well for heresy as adultery.

2. Poena Sensus: Punishment of sense; the sinner feels the scalding vials of God's wrath: It is penetrating, abiding (John 3:36). Reserved (2 Peter 2:17). If when God's anger be kindled but a little, and a spark or two of it flies into a man's conscience here in this life, it be…

Heaven is not like Noah's Ark, that received clean and unclean. A sinner is compared to swine (2 Peter 2:22). And shall a swinish creature tread upon the golden pavement of heaven?

Question: How do the deliverances of the godly and wicked out of trouble differ? Answer: 1. The deliverances of the godly are preservations; of the wicked are reservations (2 Peter 2:9): The Lord knows how to deliver the godly, and to reserve the unjust to be punished. A sinner…

1. In Hell there will be a plurality of torments. 1. Bonds and chains (2 Peter 2:4). 2. The worm (Mark 9:44), this is the worm of conscience, and the lake of fire (Revelation 20:15) — other fire is but painted to this.

9. The serpent (as is noted of the Stellio, a kind of serpent) no sooner casts his skin but he eats it up again. In this be not like the serpent, to forsake sin and then take it up again (2 Peter 2:22). It is happened according to the proverb, the dog is returned to his own vomi…

Original sin is become connatural to us. A man by nature cannot but sin; though there were no Devil to tempt, no bad examples to imitate, yet there is such an innate principle in him, that he cannot forbear sinning (2 Peter 2:14). A peccato cessare nesciunt, who cannot cease to…

6. It is a shame to have the name of a Christian, yet want sanctity, as to have the name of a steward, yet want fidelity; the name of a virgin, yet want chastity. It exposes religion to reproach to be baptized into the name of Christ, yet unholy; to have eyes full of tears on a…

The meaning is, (1.) He will judge them assuredly; they shall not escape the hand of justice. (2.) He will punish them severely (2 Peter 2:10): The Lord knows how to reserve the unjust to the day of judgment to be punished, but chiefly them that walk in the lust of uncleanness.…

(2.) If we give over our obedience it is a loss of all that has been already done; as if one should work in silver, and then pick out all the stitches; all a man's prayers are lost, all the sabbaths he has kept are lost, he does unravel all his good works (Ezekiel 18:24), all hi…

Can that traitor be happy who is fed by his prince in prison, only to be kept alive for execution? God feeds the wicked as prisoners, they are reserved for the day of wrath (2 Peter 2:9). How should this fright men out of their natural condition, and make them restless till they…

Q. Do the Angels continue in that estate wherein they were first created? A. Not all, for a great many fell away from that happy condition who are now become devils (John 8:44; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6). Q. May the rest also fall away, and perish with the devils?

For the first, it may be asked, what is meant by the world? Saint Peter answers (2 Peter 2:5) The world of the ungodly; that is, that generation of sinful men, who lived in the days of Noah, whom also in the first Epistle, 3:20 he calls disobedient: and their more particular sin…

And from there he describes what a blessed deliverance they had by the Gospel (1 Peter 1:18, 20, 21). And when he declares the apostacy of some to their former courses, he shows it to be like the returning of a dog to his vomit, after they had escaped them that live in error, an…

It is not an unaccountable severity that they are threatened withal, but it is a just and righteous sentence denouncing punishment proportionate to their sin and crime. Judgment is taken sometimes for punishment itself (Psalms 9:16; James 2:13; 1 Peter 4:17; 2 Peter 2:3). But mo…

For as at the giving of the Law, or the establishing of the Covenant at Sinai, the people being sprinkled with the blood of the beasts that were offered in sacrifice, were sanctified, or dedicated to God in a peculiar manner: so those who by baptism, and confession of faith in t…

But this spiritual illumination gives the mind some satisfaction with delight and joy in the things that are known. By that beam whereby it shines into darkness, although it be not fully comprehended, yet it represents the way of the Gospel as a way of righteousness (2 Peter 2:2…

For the Gospel is at present so stated in the world, at least many parts of it, that great multitudes make more benefit by a pretence of it or what belongs to it, and have greater secular advancements and advantages thereby, than they could possibly by the utmost of their dilige…

The first generation of great provoking sinners, were those of the old world before the flood. To these Noah had been a preacher of righteousness (2 Peter 2:5). In his ministry did the Spirit of Christ strive with them, until God affirmed it should do so no more (Genesis 6:3), b…

(1) Some think, they have paid their debt, by their repentings, and reformings, and other good works; and hence their minds are at rest, in some measure; but there comes an after reckoning at death, when it appears that their coin is not current: and what they trust to will not…

They further taught (as Saint Augustine did) that man using ill his free will, lost both himself and it. That, as one by living is able to kill himself, but by killing himself is not able to live, nor has power to raise up himself when he has killed himself, so when sin had been…

If we love God, our hearts ache for the dishonors done to God by wicked men: To see, not only the Banks of Religion, but Civility, broken down, and a Flood of wickedness coming in; to see God's Sabbaths profaned, his Oath violated, his Name dishonored; if there be any love to Go…

2. Again, we must here bewail the sin of the world, as ignorance, schisms, hypocrisy, pride, ambition, contempt of God's word, covetousness, oppression, want of love of God and his word, etc. 2 Peter 2:7: Lot was vexed, and his righteous heart was vexed with the unclean conversa…

5. Romans 14:15. Destroy not him with your meat for whom Christ died. 2 Peter 2:1. Denying the Lord that bought them, and bringing upon themselves swift damnation. Therefore Christ died for them also which are condemned.

2. This faith is said to be once given: This will also hold concerning grace; for where 'tis once planted it cannot be totally and finally destroyed, rather 'tis continually supplied by the care and faithfulness of God: see (1 Corinthians 1:8) and (1 Thessalonians 5:24) and (Phi…

Is he not as able to save it now as formerly? Though we know not where deliverance should arise, 'the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations' (2 Peter 2:9). Direction 7. If you can fetch no comfort from any of the former arguments, then in the last place try whet…

God shall allure Japhet, the Gentiles of Europe to dwell in the tents of Shem, and Canaan the head of the cursed posterity, shall be servants to the Church beside their will, and sometimes against it by an over-ruling hand. And Christ has bought them to be his servants (2 Peter…

2. Sensuality and uncleanness of life. It is said of some, that they have their eyes full of adulteries, and that they cannot cease from sin (2 Peter 2:14). That is, their imaginations are continually working about the objects of their unclean lusts.

The law has frightened them with divine vengeance. And sometimes they proceed so far in this resolution, they seem escaped the pollution of the world; yet soon again they return to their former ways and follies (2 Peter 2:20, 21, 22). Their goodness is as the morning cloud, and…

But mens hearts are full of darkness; they see not, neither do they understand it. 2 Peter 2:12. They speak evil of the things they know not; it is true they know the things, [illegible], they know them not experimentally and really, and that deceives them. 1 Corinthians 8:2. If…

2 Again, we must here bewail the sins of the world, as ignorance, heresies, schisms, hypocrisy, pride, ambition, contempt of God's word, covetousness, oppression, want of love of God and his word, &c. 2 Peter 2:7. Lot was vexed, and his righteous heart was grieved, with the uncl…

Secondly, if by custom and engagement in evil we have no power to get out, this will be no excuse to us. In (2 Peter 2:14) they have eyes full of adultery, and they cannot cease to sin: this is the aggravation of sin, no excuse. A learned man of late has an excellent note upon t…

Genesis 6:8, 9: "Noah was a just man, blameless in his generations, and he walked continually according to God"; and also ver. 1 of ch. 7: "I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this age." Moreover, honorable mention of him is made — in a manner consistent with this te…

Yet when it has come to this point, the work of conversion to God is not always carried through to completion. For many, ensnared again by the lures of pleasures, shaking out of their breasts this whole beginning of divine work, whatever it may be, return again to the wallowing…

Whether that same philosophical theology has since recovered its place in the very schools of the reformed churches and among learned men of every kind — let others be the judges of that. I will add what the most learned Johannes Drusius says on (2 Peter 2:22), on the words "A d…

These three may further confirm it: 1. If we look in general to what the Scripture speaks of men by nature (Ephesians 2:1-3; Romans 3 and 5); they being as it is (Isaiah 57, penultimate verse), as the raging sea that casts out dirt and mire continually — it is always moving and…

6. If we look to the Scriptures' account of it, and of the propagators of it, we will find that (2 Corinthians 11:13), they are called false apostles, deceitful workers, ministers of Satan, not common sins, transforming themselves into the ministers of Christ, and no marvel, for…

Shall be cast out. There is a two-fold casting out of Satan; one for his first sin (2 Peter 2:4): God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell (Jude 6). This is a personal casting out, not spoken of here: But Satan must have two hells; for though the Gospel…

It were a poor comfort to weak ones, who sin daily, and are liars, if they should say they have no sin, that there is no better salve in heaven for their sin than such a one, as they may no less perish eternally having it than Pharaoh, Cain, Judas; it were better for them to wan…

Many after Baptism fly to Satan's camp. There are a sort of men in the visible church, who though they do not deny their Baptism, as those did (2 Peter 2:9), who have forgotten that they were purged from their old sins, yet they carry themselves as if they were in league with th…

We need not warp, nor run to our shifts; he is enough to help, to defend or reward us; he can help us without means, though there be no supply in the view of sense, or full heaps in our own keeping. God knows when we know not (2 Peter 2:9): The Lord knows how to deliver the godl…

He is able either as to wisdom or power. Wisdom (2 Peter 2:7): The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation. Many times we know not which way, but God knows, he is never at a loss.

It was the manner of Paul to abase himself, and to mourn for the sins of others (2 Corinthians 12:24), and he reproves the Corinthians that they were puffed up, and did not mourn for the incestuous person. Like was the practice of David (Psalm 119:136), of Lot (2 Peter 2:7), of…

Now these things are not proper to God otherwise than accidentally, if we may so speak: for his proper office is rather to draw men to him, and to give them assured ground of their salvation; which was very well known and seen most clearly in Christ. In regard whereof, Saint Pet…

“God has not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness,” (1 Thessalonians 4:7.) We are “redeemed with a great price,” (1 Corinthians 6:20,) “the precious blood of Christ,” (1 Peter 1:18-19,) not that we may serve “the lusts of the flesh,” (2 Peter 2:18,) or indulge in unbrid…

This warning differs from the former, in which Christ foretold that many would come in his name. For there he spoke only of impostors, who, shortly after the commencement of the Gospel, gave out that they were the Christ; but now he threatens that in all ages false teachers will…

And the Apostle Jude, speaking of some in the primitive Times, that crept in unawares among the Saints, and having a great Show of Religion, were for a While not suspected, These are Clouds (says he) without Water, carried about of Winds, Jude verses 4, and 12. And the Apostle P…

And therefore although the skill and wisdom mentioned differed not in the kind of it from that which others attained by industry; yet he received it by an immediate Afflatus or Inspiration of the Holy Ghost, as to that degree at least, which he was made Partaker of. Sect. 27 Las…

Besides, this of [[original in non-Latin script]] is the best and softest term that is given in the Scripture to unregenerate Men, with respect untoth[•]e Things of God; and there is no reason why it should be thought only to express the worst sort of them thereby. The Scripture…

Though a godly man may die in a corrupt opinion, for every error is not a badge of damnation; but errors that are fundamental, that strike at the foundation of religion, wherein men run so far as never to repent of their error — that the Scripture makes the badge of a man whose…