Verse 20. For, if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world, through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are againe entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them then the beginning.
Verse 21. For it had beene better for them not to have knowne the way of righteousnesse, then after they have knowne it, to turne from the holy commandement delivered unto them.
Verse 22. But it is hapned unto them according to the true Proverbe; The Dog is turned to his own vomit againe, and the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
The Analysis.
In these verses is contained a refutation of the false teachers, of whom a description was made before. Now the sum of this refutation consists herein, that all those things were vain, which they promised to their disciples or followers. And this is in generall shewed by those comparisons which are made verse 17. Where these teachers are said to be wels as it were, without water, and clouds without raine, because they make shew of many things worthy to be desired, but they performe nothing at all. Upon occasion of these similitudes, by the way he repeats the punishment which God had prepared for them, by a continuation of the same Allegory, namely, that whereas they are wels as it were, or clouds making shew of some mist, they shall at length certainly find the mist of eternall darknesse. 2. The same vanity is illustrated by the impulsive cause that moved them to spread abroad their new opinions, which was their swelling vanity, verse 18. in the beginning, and by the effect thereof, which was their crafty seducing of Christians to give themselves over to the lusts of the flesh, at the end of the same verse. 3. The same vanity of their promises is set forth, verse 19. at the beginning, by the great dissimilitude and opposition that is betwixt them and their promises. For they promised liberty unto others, when they themselves were servants of corruption. Thence the vanity of their promises is made manifest and palpable as it were; because they promised that, whereunto they themselves were strangers, and far remote from it. 4. That which is put in the dissimilitude, namely, that they were servants of corruption, because some might make a doubt of it, the Apostle confirmes it at the end of verse 19. by the generall definition or description of a servant, or that bondage which he meant, namely, that he is another mans servant, that is overcome by him. For he that is taken by the enemy in warre, is brought in bondage to him, at least untill he hath payed the just price of his ransome. 5. The misery of this bondage is amplified in respect of those, that have made profession of faith and holinesse, by comparing things unequall, betwixt that condition, whereunto they were obnoxious before their calling, and this which they have brought upon themselves by their Apostasie, where the misery of the latter condition is made greater then the former, verse 20. and the reason of it is given, verse 21. Because the sin is greater, which is committed after and against the knowledge of the right way, then that which is done through ignorance; which inequality is also illustrated by a comparison of the like things, that is explained in proverbiall sentences, of the Dog and the Sow, verse 22.
Question. Here ariseth a Question, Whether those that were seduced by the false teachers, were before true believers?
Answer. They had that faith which we use to call temporary faith, but they were never soundly rooted in faith. This is proved out of the 14 verse, where all those that were seduced by these deceivers are called unstable soules. For if they had beene by sound faith grafted into Christ, then they should have been stable and corroborated in him also. And whereas they are said verse 18. to have cleane escaped from the wicked, this was, 1. In respect of the profession which they had made of their true conversion. 2. In respect of the assent, which we must think that they did give inwardly also unto the word, by which they were called to this conversion. 3. In respect of the change which they had made in their outward carriage. 4. In respect of some small beginning also, whereby they tended towards holinesse it selfe.
The Doctrines arising herehence.
Doctrine 1. They that go astray themselves from the right way, and cause others to go astray, whatsoever they make shew of, they have nothing else in themselves or in their errours but vanity.
This is gathered out of verse 17. and the beginning of 18. For they are said in the text to be as it were vanity it selfe, as Solomon saith of all things that are under the Sunne, in respect of happinesse they are vanity of vanities. Now they are said to be vain, 1. Because they have only a shew of some truth or good, not the thing it selfe. 2. Because they make a shew of communicating some good unto others, but they do not performe it, nor can they. For that is properly called vaine, which is void of that thing which it should have, or which is unfit for that use and end whereunto it should serve.