Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

spared Noah, the eighth person: he delivered him, and seven members of his family with him: enclosed him safe in the vessel which he had built, before he suffered the rain to fall, and the fountains of the great deep to be broken up. So when destruction was hanging over Sodom and Gomorrha, the Lord knew how to deliver that just man, who, dwelling among them, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds. He sent his angel, who should lay hold upon the hand of Lot, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters-with these remarkable words: "Haste thou, escape to Zoar: for I cannot do anything till thou be come thither." 9

1

So it will be at the end of the world. The Lord will send forth his angels, and gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them that do iniquity." And then will appear the reward of faithfulness, the deliverance of the godly. As when the deluge was raging, and the waters were increasing more and more, great, we may well suppose, must have been the terror, and loud the lamentation. Noah alone would be found in a state of safety and of peace as far as concerned himself, in peace : he was in the ark: no false persuasion had diverted him from it, no temptation allured him out of it: and now, what he had prepared in faith, and entered in faith, rewarded him with the security which belongs to all who believe in God's word.

So on the judgment-day. They who have continued in their sins, deceiving their own souls, and abusing the grace of God, and they who have led

9 See Gen. xix. 16-22.

1 Matt. xiii. 41.

others into pernicious ways, through covetousness, making merchandise of their souls: these will find, too late, that their judgment lingereth not, that "the terrors of the Lord" are not vain terrors. The faithful disciple, whom no false teachers have been able to pervert, he alone will be calm and peaceful. Like Noah, "warned of God of things not seen as yet, he has prepared an ark to the saving of his house :" this ark he has entered, and in this ark he has remained: and the storm which wrecks an unrepenting world, will carry him over the face of the waters to the haven where he would be, and transport him to a kingdom "where is fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore."

LECTURE XLVII.

DISORDERLY AND CORRUPT DISTURBERS OF THE CHURCH CONDEMNED.

2 PETER ii. 10-16.

10. But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.

11. Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.

Among those who were bringing upon themselves destruction, those before spoken of as reserved unto

the day of judgment to be punished, St. Peter especially mentions some who even at that early age troubled the church of Christ. They had embraced a religion of restraint and self-denial; subduing the flesh to the spirit. But these walked after the flesh, fulfilling its desires. Whilst they so walked, all that were rulers in the church, all that had authority, must be against them. So they set themselves against authority, and despised government. Resistance strengthened their self-will. For it is with the human heart as with a stream of water. We hardly know its force till we attempt to stem it. A river may seem to flow so gently, that you scarcely perceive its current. But no sooner is a barrier raised and a restraint put upon the current, than you see its force by its resistance: it overleaps all bounds. So it is with the corrupt heart. Suffer it to follow its own way, its natural course, and all is smooth and easy. Oppose it with the restraints of the gospel, and its violence breaks forth. "Rulers are a terror to evil works." These, being evil, "were afraid of the same:" had reason to fear the censure of just authority, and so being presumptuous and self-willed, they reviled the dignities which were above them, and railed against the powers which should control them. Peter contrasts this with what we know of heavenly beings. We read of no like instance of violence in them. We read in Scripture of angels pitying men, warning men, desiring their good, and ministering to it: but we do not read of their accusing men. It is left for Satan to be the "accuser of the brethren." Whereas angels, "who

1

1 Rev. xii. 10.

have kept their first estate," who are greater in power and might, who might have more claim than weak and impotent man, to use bold language, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.

12. But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;

13. And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day-time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings whilst they feast with you;

14. Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children :

15. Which have forsaken the right way, and have gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness ;

16. But he was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet.

We hardly expect to find connected with the church of Christ, or professing to belong to it, such characters as these false teachers are here described. There was violence and presumption among the followers of him who was "meek and lowly in heart," who would not "strive," whose "voice was not heard in the streets." There were spots in the polished surface, blemishes among those who were taught to "go on unto perfection." There were those who rioted in the day-time, lost to all shame: who sported themselves with their own deceivings, disgracing the "feasts of charity," the loving meet

2 Bosor is called in Numb. xxii 5, Beor. The Hebrew, Beor, is the Chaldee, Bosor.

[ocr errors]

ings of the Christians. There were those who could not cease from sin, whilst bearing the name of him who died for sin; taught to be " pure in heart,' yet having" an evil eye;" beguiling unstable souls, whom they ought to establish and settle in the faith; exercised with covetous practices, when they ought to "have overcome the world." This seems strange. It shows that which is " within, in the heart of man." It shows the strength of natural corruption. And it was all foreseen by Him who knew of what his church would be composed. He speaks of the intruding guest, who should come in, "not having the wedding garment." He speaks of "tares" which should grow up among "the wheat," to the surprise of those who saw them. “Sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field? From whence then hath it tares? An enemy hath done this." Satan would assail the subjects of a kingdom which was raised against himself, and "deceive many :" and would injure the fair beauty of the church, against which he could not finally prevail.

It had been the same in former times. Peter looks back, and finds a like example of depravity. So does Jude. His short epistle is chiefly employed in exposing the same evil men as Peter here exposes. He paints them in the like colours, and condemns them with the same severe condemnation. Jude compares them to Corah and his company. Peter to Balaam, who loved the wages of unrighteousness. These, like him, having the world in their hearts, took the name of God in their

2

2 Numbers xvi.

« AnteriorContinuar »