2. Because we have professed an abomination of that impurity which is in sin. 3. Because it is abominable unto God, and makes men abominable in his sight. _Vse_ 1. This may serve to condemne those, that take delight in this filthinesse, and think they gain credit unto themselves thereby, by gracing and setting out their speech with oathes, and labour to make their conversation pleasing, by applying themselves unto the customes and vicious and filthy courses of men. 2. To admonish us, to put before our eyes this filthinesse of sin. So shall we renew our repentance, and be confirmed in the grace of perseverance. Illustration: (‡ decoration) Chapter III. Verse 1. _This second Epistle (beloved) I now write unto you, in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:_ Verse 2. _That ye may be mindfull of the words which were spoken before by the holy Prophets, and of the commandement of us the Apostles of the Lord and Saviour._ The Analysis. THE Apostle now making haste to the end of the Epistle, 1. Repeats the scope and aime that he had in writing, in the 1 & 2 verses. 2. He doth again describe those men, of whom he writes this Epistle, that they should beware, verse 3,4. 3. He refutes their ♦blasphemies, from verse 5. to verse 11. 4. He shewes the use and fruit of his doctrine, which all the faithfull should make of it, from verse 11 to the end. In repeating the end and scope of the Epistle he sets it forth and describes it, 1. By the _genus_, that it is _a putting in remembrance_. 2. By the effect, that it _stirres up_. 3. By the object, that it was directed unto them, that had a pure minde. 4. By the means how to obtaine this effect, namely, those things which were spoken before by the Prophets, and commanded by the Apostles, verse 2. 5. By the manner how all these things might be made the more effectuall: to which purpose he useth a kinde of illustration, namely, that this putting in remembrance was iterated and repeated with an earnest vehemency. _This second Epistle I write_, and that with a fatherly kind of love, which is intimated in the title which he gives them, when he cals them _beloved_. Of the putting in remembrance we spake before, chapter 1. verse 12,13. and also of stirring up: Therefore passing over them, we come to the next. ♦ “blaspemies” replaced with “blasphemies” Doctrines arising herehence. Doctrine 1. _The minds of the faithfull should be indued with purity, and sincerity, that they may receive the divine admonitions as they ought to be received._ This is gathered from these words: _I stir up your pure minds_. Now he doth not so much commend them by this his testimony, as shew them, what thing they ought chiefly to labour for, that they may receive benefit by this writing. So _Iames 1.21._ and this first Epistle chapter 2. verse 2.