_Holy_, because they were sanctified inwardly, & also set apart to this most holy work. _Men of God_ they were, because they were called by God to this office, and they did declare the will of God, and they did labour also to bring men unto God. _Vse._ This may serve to exhort us, to labour to be like unto them, according to our ability, both in holinesse, and in zeale of the Lord. Illustration: (‡ decoration) Chapter II. Verse 1. _But there were false Prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction._ Verse 2. _And many shall follow their pernicious wayes, by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evill spoken of._ Verse 3. _And through covetousnesse shall they with feined words make merchandize of you._ The Analysis. HITHERTO the Apostle propounded an exhortation, and confirmed it also in the foregoing Chapter. In the two following Chapters he strengthens it, by removing the impediments, that might make this exhortation of no effect. And the chiefe impediments are _fals teachers_ and _profane scoffers_: of these former he speaks Chapter 2. Of the latter chapter 3. The false teachers he doth first, describe: secondly, reprove: he describes them from the beginning to those words in verse 3. _whose judgement_, &c. Then he reproves them, 1. in generall in these words, _that they are damned men_; which he doth afterwards prove, 1. by the usuall course of Gods justice, from verse 4. to the 10. 2. By their deserts, whereby they bring upon themselves the revenging justice of God, from verse 10. to the end of the Chapter. In the description of the false teachers he makes, 1. A comparison of the like betwixt the false teachers and those that were false prophets among the people of Israel, partly that he might joyne together this discourse with the former, where he spake of true Prophets; and partly that he might meet with the scandall which might arise by such seducers; and partly that he might stirre up the faithfull so much the more, to beware of their seducing. In the first respect, the last words of the former Chapter, and the first of this Chapter, make such a _discreet axiom_ as this; although there were many Prophets among the People of Israel, that were holy men of God, and were moved by the Spirit of God in those things that they spake; yet among the same people also there were many false Prophets. This _discretion_ is shewed in these words: _But there were_. In the second respect these words make a _copulate axiom_ thus: Like as there were false Prophets among the People of Israel, so also shall there be false teachers among you. In the third respect there