But it is happened unto them— The connection is, "It had been far better for them not to have done so:—but they have relapsed into their old vices; and that is agreeable to some ancient proverbs; nothing new, or unheard of, hath happened unto them." The ancients used to sum up their wisest and most useful observations in short, nervous, and expressive proverbs; which are more easily understood, and better remembered, than long, laboured discourses. The two following proverbs teach us, that a well-regulated life can proceed from nothing but constant watchfulness, through grace, over our tempers and actions, and a steady regard to the divine law. The former of these is found, Proverbs 26:11 the latter is said to have been also a common proverb among the ancients. Gataker takes these two proverbs to have a poetical turn, and to have been a distich of Iambics. Horace has a plain reference to both these proverbs, lib. 1: Ephesians 2 line 26 where he is speaking of the travels of Ulysses, and says, "If he had been conquered by the charms of Circe,
Vixisset canis immundus, vel amica luto sus.
He had lived like an impure dog, or a sow that is fond of the mire." Surely these proverbs will not be thought coarse or unpolite in the holy apostle, when some of the most elegant writers of classic antiquity have made use of, or referred to them
Inferences.—There is no church so pure, but some false members, and even false teachers, may insinuate themselves into it; yet it is our duty to watch and pray, that the churches to which we respectively belong, may be guarded against their pernicious insinuations, and especially against the destructive heresies of those who deny the Lord who bought them. As we regard the edification of the church, and the salvation of our own precious and immortal souls, let us guard against whatever may justly deserve such an imputation as this. Woe be to those teachers who are actuated with a covetous spirit, who teach things which they ought not for the sake of filthy lucre, and make merchandise of the souls of their hearers! How swiftly does their damnation approach, though they perceive not the gradations by which it advances; and with what irresistible terror will it at length overwhelm them!
That our hearts may be preserved under an awful impression of the Divine judgments, let us often meditate on those displays of them of which the scripture informs us. And let us, in particular, reflect on the fall of the apostate angels, who were precipitated from heaven, and reserved in chains of darkness to the judgment of the great day; and while we contemplate this awful dispensation, let us adore that grace and compassion which laid hold on apostate man, and provided an all-sufficient Saviour for him. Let us call to remembrance the dissolution of the old world by a deluge of water, and the tremendous destruction of the cities of the plain by fire from heaven; and let us fear Him, who can at pleasure break open the fountains of the great deep, and open the windows of heaven, and emit from these his various magazines, deluges of water, or torrents of burning sulphur, to execute his vengeance. Who can flee from his pursuing hand? or who can be secure and happy but under his almighty protection? Yet awful as the terrors of his indignation are, his eyes are upon the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry.—What a noble support and encouragement may it therefore be to the truly pious, who from day to day are vexing their righteous souls at the ungodly deeds of the wicked among whom they dwell, to reflect on the deliverance of Noah, and of Lot, from that general destruction with which they were surrounded. A more perfect and complete deliverance will be at length accomplished for all the faithful servants of God, and there will be no possibility of doubting any more his ability, or his willingness, to rescue them from every evil; for he will make the day of his vengeance on his enemies, a day of complete and everlasting salvation to his saints. And the Lord grant that we may all find mercy of the Lord in that important day.
Again. It is matter of grievous lamentation, that such wretches as those who are described in this chapter, should be any-where found in the Christian church. Let us be the less surprised, if any such spots and blemishes are discovered among us, on whom the ends of the world are come; but let the licentious character, here drawn, be noted with a just abhorrence, that if any such persons are found, they may with becoming indignation be put away. Many there are who seem to be as irrational and ravenous as brute beasts, and are far more pernicious to society than the race of savage or poisonous animals. They are indeed children of a curse, and they will inherit the curse, who thus contrive to make their lives one scene of iniquity; whose eyes, and lips, declare more wickedness in their hearts than they have power to execute. But it should be remembered, they are accountable to God, not only for all they do, but all they desire and wish to do; and they are incessantly aggravating that terrible account. These disciples of Balaam will surely receive his reward; those dark clouds will quickly, if they continue thus to obscure with their crimes the horizon in which they ought to shine as stars, be doomed to blackness of darkness for ever. May persons of such a character, how specious soever the form which they wear, be universally detected and disgraced; may none of their swelling words of vanity entice and ensnare those who appear just escaping from the delusions of error and the fetters of vice; and may none permit themselves to be seduced by promises of liberty from such mean and miserable slaves of corruption!
Finally, let us learn, by the awful conclusion of this chapter, to guard against all temptations to apostasy; may we never, after having long escaped the pollutions of the world, be entangled again, and overcome by them! Those expressive similes, taken from such loathsome and detestable animals, would not be sufficient to paint out the degree, in which we should ourselves be loathsome and odious, in the sight of that God, who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, and cannot look upon evil (Habakkuk 1:13.). May we therefore, with the righteous, hold on our way; and, taking care to preserve the cleanness of our hands and hearts, may we daily wax stronger and stronger, (Job 17:9.) and shine with an increasing lustre! for the path of the just should be as a shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. (Proverbs 4:18.)
REFLECTIONS.—1st, False teachers in the church have ever been more dangerous and destructive than all the persecutions of the enemies without. Against those the apostle warns the people.
1. He describes them. But there were false prophets also among the people of Israel of old, even as there shall or will be false teachers among you, who privily shall or will bring in damnable heresies, craftily perverting the word of God, and adulterating the doctrines of the gospel; even denying the Lord that bought them, disowning him as over all, God blessed for ever, or otherwise impugning his merit, dignity, and offices; as the others denied him who redeemed them from Egypt with his mighty hand, and by a long succession of miracles repeatedly delivered them out of the hands of their enemies, Deuteronomy 32:6 yet they both doctrinally and practically renounced and disowned him: and, as the dreadful consequence of their disobedience, these latter apostates, like the former, bring upon themselves swift destruction, which shall quickly come upon them to the uttermost. And many shall follow their pernicious ways, seduced by their cunning and ill examples; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of, and blasphemed by the enemies of the Christian name: and through covetousness shall or will they with feigned words make merchandize of you, influenced by the detestable principles of avarice, and, amidst all their specious professions, making religion their trade, and designing wholly their secular advantage.—Note; They who enter the ministry for gain, must needs be deceivers, and perish in their wickedness.
2. He foretels their destruction. Whose judgment, now of a long time suspended, yet lingereth not; and their damnation slumbereth not, but soon shall it terribly overtake them in the midst of their security and sensuality. Note; Vengeance against sinners is often slow, but always sure. Three awful instances are here produced of God's judgments.
(1.) The fallen angels. For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, though creatures of a higher rank than men; and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment at the great day: much less will he spare these obstinate offenders.
(2.) The antediluvian world. And God spared not the old world, when abandoned to wickedness; but saved Noah, the eighth person, with whom only seven more escaped in the ark, a preacher of righteousness, both of the righteousness of faith, and that moral righteousness to which he exhorted the men of his generation, calling them to repent of their iniquities: and, when they continued obstinate against his warnings, God issued forth the dread decree, opening the windows of heaven, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly, and swallowing them up in the mighty waters. If therefore he executed such vengeance upon them, let not other incorrigible sinners think at present to escape.
(3.) The destruction of Sodom. And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, he condemned them with an overthrow, raining fire and brimstone upon them; making them an example unto those that after should live ungodly, that, taking warning by their fearful punishment, they may avoid or repent of their crimes before it be too late; otherwise, the same wrath shall still seize upon the ungodly and the sinner.
3. For the encouragement of the faithful, he mentions the wonderful escape of Lot from the flames. When God destroyed the cities where he dwelt, he delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked, grieved for the dishonour brought thereby upon God, and for the ruin which must infallibly descend upon their devoted heads: for that righteous man, dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds, enduring the most painful reflections, in the view of their wickedness, and the vengeance which hung over them. The Lord knoweth, as is evident by this instance, how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and he will do it in his own good time; and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished, who, though they should escape any signal stroke of divine vengeance in this life, are reserved unto the last dreadful day, when their iniquities shall receive their just reward.
2nd, The apostle,
1. At large describes the seducing teachers, whose practices were similar to those of the vilest of those ungodly workers of former times, and who with them must perish. But chiefly them will God reserve unto judgment, that walk after the flesh, in the lust of uncleanness, like the men of Sodom; and despise government, seditious, refractory, unwilling to submit to any restraint: presumptuous are they, and self-willed; they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities, reviling both the ministers and apostles of Christ, and the civil magistrates set over them for the restraint of evildoers. Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might than every earthly potentate, yet bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord, reviling their persons and government. But these, despisers of God's ordinances, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed by men for whose use they were created, speak evil of the things that they understand not, reviling persons and things civil and religious, of whose excellence they have not the least knowledge; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption, abandoned to their wicked hearts, and left to their ruin: and shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day-time, daring and impudent in sin, not even waiting for the night to cover their shame. Spots they are, and blemishes, a reproach to the name of Christian which they presume to bear; sporting themselves with their own deceivings, while they feast with you; they live in the indulgence of their sins, while they outwardly appear to maintain communion with you; having eyes full of adultery, whose wanton looks bespeak the impurity of their hearts; and that cannot cease from sin, enslaved by their sensual appetites, and insatiate in the indulgence of them; beguiling unstable souls, as Satan beguiled Eve through his subtilty, and tempting them to comply with their corrupt desires. An heart they have, exercised with covetous practices, all their contrivances and pursuits being to amass wealth: cursed children, under the wrath of a holy God; which have spoken the right way of salvation by Jesus Christ, and are gone astray from the paths of truth and holiness, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness, and, notwithstanding his specious professions to Balak's messengers, really coveted the king of Moab's offers; but was rebuked for his iniquity in a very signal manner; the dumb ass, on which he rode, speaking with man's voice, by miraculous power, forbad the madness of the prophet, in presuming to go, after the warnings to the contrary which he had received, or to attempt the cursing of that people whom the Lord had blessed. These are wells without water, pretending to piety, but disappointing those who, like the thirsty traveller, come to them for the water of life; clouds that are carried with a tempest, that promise rain, but prove noxious vapours: to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever, going from the darkness of sin and error to the horrible and eternal darkness of hell. For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, pretending to high flights of science, and boasting their vast attainments, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, by temptations suited to the corrupt inclinations of their hearers, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error—who had experienced a real reformation and renovation of heart, but now relapse into their former abominations. While they promise them liberty, a carnal liberty to do as they list, without restraint, they themselves are the servants of corruption, the veriest slaves in nature to base and vile affections: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage; and no bondage is so dreadful as that of sin and Satan. Note; (1.) The sins of lewdness are the dreadful rocks, on which multitudes of unstable souls make shipwreck of the faith. (2.) They who have hearts set on their covetousness, are hardly turned away from their vile pursuits, though conscience, like the faithful monitor of Balaam, often startles and accuses them. (3.) None are so far escaped from the world, but they have need to watch and pray that they fall not into temptation. (4.) However speciously the snare may be laid, and whatever liberty we may promise ourselves in sin, we shall find the dire delusion to our cost, if we yield to temptation; and shall prove how fearful is the bondage of corruption.
2. He warns them, by all the dreadful consequences of apostacy, to beware of these seducers. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ—have embraced and received the gospel in its divine power and efficacy—they are again entangled therein and overcome, so as to become again slaves to their lusts and appetites, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning, and their state more guilty than when they lay before in utter darkness, ignorance, and error. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, or to have received Christ and his salvation, than, after they have known it,—have experimentally enjoyed it,—to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 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. Note; None perish with such aggravated guilt, as those who were once cleansed from their guilt and renewed in grace, and afterwards fail in their course, and relapse finally into iniquity. Woeful will be the end of apostates.