But grow in grace, and in the knowledge, &c.— "But to help you against all declensions and revolts, let it be your earnest prayer and endeavour, in the use of all proper means, to be progressive in daily exercises and increases of every Christian grace, as also in an abiding sense of the free love and favour of God, according to the gospel; and in a clear, judicial, practical, and experimental acquaintance with the person and offices, doctrines, promises, and commandments of our divine Lord and all-sufficient Saviour Jesus Christ, and with your own personal interest in him: to whom be ascribed, as is most justly due, all adoration, worship, and honour, henceforth and for ever. May we sincerely add, in testimony of our approbation and assurance of its being so, Amen!"
Inferences.—Who is there that can be so sluggish and lethargic as not to be, in some measure, awakened and alarmed by the awful views here given, of the dissolution, as well as the creation of the world, by the word of God! Who must not even tremble, when he turns his eye back to the dreadful ruin brought on it by the universal deluge; when that element, which had been, and is, the means and instrument of life to the whole animal creation, became, at the divine signal, the means and instrument of death! Who can be unaffected, when he seriously reflects on the heavens passing away with a great noise? on the elements melting with fervent heat? on the burning up of the earth, and all things therein? Let scoffers, who walk after their own lusts, madly deride the promise of his coming; let them deliver over their taunts and insults to each other through the succession of a thousand years; were his coming at a distance still more remote, they who have any just impression on their minds of the eternity of God, or of the immortality of the human soul, would discern the important day of final retribution as immediate and present to their view. While they scoff and deride the tremendous reality, let us hear the declaration of its approach with the profoundest attention; and let our souls enter deeply into the alarming and important reflection. If indeed we look for such great things as these, what manner of persons might we to be in all holy conversation and godliness, that we may be found of him in peace, without spot or blemish? And if we desire this blessedness, (as who can fail earnestly to desire it, who has a firm and steady persuasion of its reality?) can we possibly live in tolerable composure, if we have little or no reason to conclude we shall obtain an interest and share in it? Let us be all concerned that we may grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour; by the increasing knowledge of whom every grace will be greatly revived and strengthened. On these lively and important subjects of meditation let our thoughts frequently dwell; and let us endeavour, that the sentiments which result from them, may be wrought in our hearts, and controul our lives. And as for those hard sayings, which occur, either in St. Peter or St. Paul, or any other sacred and inspired writer, let us neither wrest and torture them to our own mischief and destruction, nor be so curiously and sedulously diving into their meaning, as to neglect these and the like plain and serious admonitions, this sincere milk of the word, that we may grow thereby. May all the powers of our souls be exerted in securing their deliverance from the wrath to come, that so the patience of God, and his long-suffering towards us, may indeed prove salvation. And if that be indeed the case, the light of heaven will mightily illustrate those mysteries both of the divine Word and Providence, which our weak and defective organs of vision have not enabled us clearly to discern and unfold; while, by the comparatively fainter, though in itself glorious light of revelation, we are guided through this dark and gloomy valley.
REFLECTIONS.—1st, The apostle sets forth his design of writing both these epistles. This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance, that you may be guarded against the arts of deceivers, and that ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour, who, in perfect conformity with the inspired penmen of the old scriptures, as in other things, so particularly with regard to the coming of the Lord to judgment, have forewarned, and admonished you. Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers at revelation, and all its glorious and distinguishing doctrines; walking after their own lusts, given up to sensuality and brutish appetites; and, with daring infidelity, and defiance of the divine declarations, saying, Where is the promise of his coming, so much talked of? when is this Jesus of Nazareth to come and take vengeance on his enemies? for since the fathers fell asleep (say they), during so many hundred years, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. Thus they vainly argue; and, because judgment is not speedily executed upon the workers of iniquity, they would conclude there is nothing to be feared. For, though the scripture assures them that God hath already manifested his righteous wrath by the general destruction of an ungodly world, this they willingly and wilfully are ignorant of, that the heavens were of old created by the almighty Word, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water, rising from the abyss of waters which covered it at the first, moistened still by this element, and compacted together, and surrounded with waters above, and full of water in its bowels; whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water at the general deluge, perished, and the scoffers of that day met their righteous doom. But the heavens and the earth which are now, by the same almighty word are kept in store as treasures, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment, and perdition of ungodly men. And however scoffers of this day may despise God's warnings, yet evident marks which still remain of what he hath done by the deluge, are speaking evidences of his power to fulfil a more terrible denunciation, when his fire shall descend, and a general conflagration ensue,—a day, which will spread terror and dismay through the ungodly world, and too late convince those infidel mockers, that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
2nd, The apostle, having warned them against the scoffers, encourages the saints of God to expect their Lord's second coming.
1. He will surely come. But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. Though we measure time by succession, the past, the present, and the future appear, to the eternal God, in one comprehensive view, and as nothing compared with his eternity. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise (as some men count slackness,) too impatient for his appearing, but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any of the human race should perish, but that all should come to repentance, and be saved by grace through faith,—the only possible way of salvation. Note; (1.) The great design that God hath in view, is the salvation of all those who will yield to be saved by grace through faith. (Ephesians 2:8.) (2.) The way in which we can meet the Lord with comfort is, by being converted and turned to him now by faith: the impenitent and unbelieving must assuredly perish.
2. He will come suddenly. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, with such a terrible surprise to an ungodly world; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, when nature in convulsions shall utter her expiring groans, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, dissolved amid the universal conflagration; the earth also, and the works that are therein, shall be burnt up, and not a wreck remain of all its glorious structures.
3. What influence ought such an expectation to have upon us? Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness? How dead to the world, how loose to its enjoyments, how patient under the present momentary afflictions, how wholly engrossed with one great concern, to secure a happy part in that eternal world whither the faithful are going, looking for, and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, keeping it abidingly in view, and living in a constant preparation for that solemn hour, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Note; It is the character of a disciple of Jesus, that he is ever looking for his Lord's return, as the glorious hope which animates him for every duty, and supports him under all his trials.
3rdly, We have,
1. The Christian's expectations when this heaven and earth shall be dissolved. Nevertheless, we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness, even that blessed abode which the infinite love of God hath prepared for the faithful; where nothing shall ever enter which defileth, and where their bliss and glory will be eternal.
2. He exhorts them, in the prospect of such an inheritance,
(1.) To be faithful in their holy profession. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent in the use of every appointed means of grace, and in all holy watchfulness, that ye may be found of him in peace, possessing a sure interest in his love, without spot of sin, and blameless in his presence, through the Blood of the covenant and the efficacious influences of the Spirit of God.
(2.) Patiently to persevere, though the time should be distant. And account, that the long-suffering of our Lord is salvation, and that the reason of his delay is, that nothing may be left undone, that is consistent with all his moral perfections and with the moral agency of man, for the salvation of mankind: even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given unto him, hath written unto you; as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, of God's long-suffering, and the coming of the Lord to judgment; in which doctrines are some things hard to be understood, being of a sublime and spiritual nature, which they that are unlearned and unstable, who are not divinely taught of God, and whose principles are fluctuating and unsettled, wrest and distort from their true meaning, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. Note; The more dangerous it is to be ignorant in the scriptures, the more diligently should we search them, and pray God to enlighten our minds that we may be made wise unto salvation.
(3.) To beware of all deceivers. Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, that Christ will surely come and take vengeance of the ungodly, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, by their flatteries and seductions, fall from your own steadfastness, and depart from the purity of that gospel, which you have hitherto so nobly maintained. Note; (1.) When deluding teachers are at work, we need be deeply on our guard. (2.) They who fall into erroneous principles, grow soon unsettled in their practice, and shew the baleful influence of this poison.
(4.) To advance in the divine life. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, gaining a deeper and more experimental acquaintance with his love, a more unshaken dependance upon him, and an increase of every divine and spiritual disposition in consequence thereof.
3. He concludes with an ascription of praise to the divine Redeemer. To him be glory both now and for ever. May every creature in heaven and earth unite m ceaseless worship, praise, and adoration to the great Immanuel! Amen!
*.* The Reader is referred to the different Authors mentioned often already.