I beg the Reader to notice, what a blessed relief the Holy Ghost here proposeth to Timothy, from the melancholy statement, the preceding verses had given, in the example of his faithful servant the Apostle. The single character of Paul, was enough to bear down an whole host of heretics, and to remove from Timothy's mind, all concern for the apostacy of such characters. And the same holds equally good now. For what in fact are all the heresies of the present generation, but all springing out of one and the same deadly stock, in the fall of man. They vary in their branches, in shape and form; but their bearings are all one and the same. They appear differently to our dim sighted view, in order to deceive more artfully; but they all arise from that original apostacy. The glorious Truths, on which the very being of the gospel depends, are so little regarded by the generality of Professors, that they are seldom heard; and when heard, for the most part, by the great mass of the people, disbelieved and called in question. Men shrink from insisting upon the distinguishing features of our holy faith. The people love to have their wine mingled with water. And too often in compliment to the itching ears of such men, the blessed doctrines, which are the life of the soul, are kept in the back ground.
That such is the case, is evident from the stillness and quiet, into which the bulk is fallen. Paul saith in this account of himself to Timothy, that he had fully known his doctrine, manner of life, long sufferings, persecutions, afflictions, and the like. And all these he opposeth, to the character of those who had a form, but not the power of godliness. The Apostle would have escaped these persecutions, had he temporized with such men. But because he simply preached Christ in the electing love of God the Father, the betrothing and redeeming love of God the Son, and the regenerating love of God the Spirit, what persecutions, saith the Apostle, I endured. But Reader, was it ever known, in any age of the Church, that a preacher was persecuted for complimenting mens goodness at the expence of God's truth? Did ever the Pharisee take offence at exhortations delivered to the people, while he thought, however needful to others, he wanted them not himself. All that know not the plague of their own heart, will relish no doctrines, which tend to bring upon a level, the whole Adam-race, in the present fallen state; and bitterness enough will manifest itself from all of that complexion, to the Preacher that cries down the perfection of the creature, and exalts only the Savior. So equally sure is it now, in the present day, as it was in Paul's day, that all who will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution.