1 As there were false prophets
among the people of Israel,
there will likewise be
false doctors among you, who
by introducing pernicious sects,
and by renouncing the Lord,
-- --
who bought them, will bring
upon themselves swift destruction.
2 many will follow their
destructive maxims, and by
their means christianity will
be traduc'd.
3 By their artful discourses
they will make you the tools
of their avarice; but their
condemnation has been a long
time advancing, and their
ruin is far from lingring.
4 for
since God did not spare the
angels, who had sinned, but
having precipitated them to
hell, confin'd them to chains
of darkness, where they are
reserv'd for judgment:
5 since
he did not spare the old world,
having preserved only eight
persons, including Noah, that
preacher of virtue, when he
brought the deluge upon the
impious world:
6 since he condemn'd
the cities of Sodom
and Gomorrha to an entire
subversion, and reduc'd them
to ashes, to make them serve
for examples to future impiety:
7 since he deliver'd that
just man Lot, who was grieved
at the enormous practices
of the licentious;
8 for whilst
this good man was among
them, it daily pierc'd his virtuous
soul, to see and hear of
their detestable behaviour:
this consider'd,
9 I say, the
Lord will deliver those, who
fear him, from their affliction,
-- --
and reserve the wicked to
be punish'd at the day of
judgment.
10 especially those,
who prostitute themselves to
sensual infamous passions:
who despise magistrates, who
being audacious, and insolent,
intrepidly calumniate the
higher powers;
11 whereas the
angels, who are of superiour
power and dignity, don't inveigh
against one another. note
12 But as for these, they have
no more reason than brute
beasts that are naturally
made for hunting, and slaughter:
so these who calumniate
what they do not understand,
shall receive the reward of
their iniquity by perishing in
their own corruption.
13 they
place their felicity in daily
pleasure: they are a vile
scandal to religion: when
they are present at your love-feasts
they indulge their luxury:
14 their eyes are inflam'd
with adultery, and unextinguishable
vice: they insnare
the souls of the inconstant.
their minds are practis'd in
the arts of avarice: an execrable
race, who have deserted
the right way,
15 and
are gone astray to follow the
practices of Balaam of Bosor,
who loved the wages of
iniquity;
16 but he was rebuked
for his transgression: for
-- --
an ass, as dumb as it was,
spoke with an articulate voice,
and reprimanded the extravagance
of the prophet.
17 These are wells without
water; clouds agitated with
a tempest, who are consigned
to the obscurity of eternal
darkness.
18 when their language
swells with vanity, by
applying to the sensual passions
of the licentious, they
allure those who were escap'd
for a while, from such deceivers:
19 whilst they promise others
liberty, they themselves
are slaves to their corrupt
passions. for he that is vanquished,
is a slave to the conqueror.
20 As for those who have
renounc'd the pollutions of
the world, by their owning
Jesus Christ for their Lord
and saviour, if they are prevail'd
upon to be entangled
therein again, their last state
is worse than the first.
21 for it
had been better for them, not
to have made any profession
of the gospel, than after they
have embraced it, to abandon
the holy injunction, that was
delivered to them.
22 but the proverb
is exactly verified in
them, “the dog is return'd
to his own vomit: the sow
that was wash'd, is wallowing
in the mire.”
-- --
Mace [1729], THE NEW TESTAMENT IN Greek and English. Containing the ORIGINAL TEXT Corrected from the Authority of the most Authentic Manuscripts: AND A NEW VERSION Form'd agreeably to the Illustrations of the most Learned Commentators and Critics: WITH NOTES and VARIOUS READINGS, AND A Copious Alphabetical Index (Printed for J. ROBERTS [etc.], LONDON) [word count] [B11200].