If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
Ver. 23. If ye continue in the faith] All the promises are made to perseverance in grace. He that continueth to the end shall be saved. Be faithful to the death, and thou shalt have a crown of life. Matthew 24:13; Revelation 2:10. But fugitivo nulla corona; by fleeing this is no crown, if any withdraw he falleth into hell's mouth, Hebrews 10:39 .
Grounded and settled] When faith bears fruit upward, it will take root downward, and make a man as a tree by the river's side, and not as the chaff in the fan, Psalms 1:3,4, or as the boat without ballast.
Preached to every creature] That is, to every reasonable creature, Mark 16:15. Though to many we preach to no more purpose than Bede did when he preached to a heap of stones: these are unreasonable creatures, 2 Thessalonians 3:2 .