Ii timothy 3 commentary

II TIMOTHY 3 COMME TARY
EDITED BY GLE PEASE
1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the
last days.
BAR ES, "This know also - The “object” of this reference to the perilous times
which were to occur, was evidently to show the necessity of using every precaution to
preserve the purity of the church, from the fact that such sad scenes were to open upon
it. The apostle had dwelt upon this subject in his First Epistle to Timothy 2 Tim. 4, but
its importance leads him to advert to it again.
In the last days - Under the gospel dispensation; some time in that period during
which the affairs of the world will be closed up; see the 1Ti_4:1 note, and Heb_1:2 note.
Perilous times shall come - Times of danger, of persecution, and of trial. On the
general meaning of this passage, and the general characteristics of those times, the
reader may consult the 2Th_2:1-12 notes, and 1Ti_4:1-3 notes. There can be no doubt
that in all these passages the apostle refers to the same events.
CLARKE, "In the last days - This often means the days of the Messiah, and is
sometimes extended in its signification to the destruction of Jerusalem, as this was
properly the last days of the Jewish state. But the phrase may mean any future time,
whether near or distant.
GILL, "This know also,.... That not only men of bad principles and practices are in
the churches now, as before described in the preceding chapter, but that in succeeding
ages there would be worse men, if possible, and the times would be still worse; this the
apostle had, and delivered by a spirit of prophecy, and informed Timothy, and others of
it, that he and they might be prepared for such events, and fortified against them:
that in the last days perilous times shall come; "or hard" and difficult times to
live in; not by reason of the outward calamities, as badness of trade, scarcity of
provisions, the ravages of the sword, &c. but by reason of the wickedness of men, and
that not of the profane world, but of professors of religion; for they are the persons
afterwards described, who will make the times they live in difficult to others, to live
soberly, righteously, and godly; the days will be evil, because of these evil men: or they
will be "troublesome" times, very afflicting and distressing to pious minds; as the places
and times, and men and customs of them were to Lot, David, Isaiah, and others: and
also "dangerous" ones to the souls of men; who will be beguiled by their fair speeches,

and specious pretences, to follow their pernicious ways, which will bring destruction
upon them; their doctrines will eat as a gangrene, and their evil communications will
corrupt good manners, before observed. And these times will be "in the last days" of the
apostolic age, and onward to the end of the world: the Jews generally understand by this
phrase, when used in the Old Testament, the days of the Messiah; and which are the last
days of the world, in comparison of the times before the law, from Adam to Moses, and
under the law, from thence to Christ; and even in the times of the apostles, at least
towards the close of them, great numbers of men rose up under the Christian name, to
whom the following characters well agree, as the Gnostics, and others; and who paved
the way for the man of sin, the Romish antichrist, whose priests and votaries are here
likewise described to the life: so that these last days may take in the general defection
and apostasy of the church of Rome, as well as those times, which followed the apostles,
and those which will usher in the second coming of Christ. The Ethiopic version renders
it, "in the latter days will come an evil, or bad year".
HE RY, 1-3, "Timothy must not think it strange if there were in the church bad
men; for the net of the gospel was to enclose both good fish and bad, Mat_13:47, Mat_
13:48. Jesus Christ had foretold (Mt. 24) that there would come seducers, and therefore
we must not be offended at it, nor think the worse of religion or the church for it. Even in
gold ore there will be dross, and a great deal of chaff among the wheat when it lies on the
floor.
I. Timothy must know that in the last days (2Ti_3:1), in gospel times, there would
come perilous times. Though gospel times were times of reformation in many respects,
let him know that even in gospel times there would be perilous times; not so much on
account of persecution from without as on account of corruptions within. These would
be difficult times, wherein it would be difficult for a man to keep a good conscience. He
does not say, “Perilous times shall come, for both Jews and Gentiles shall be combined
to root out Christianity;” but “perilous times shall come, for such as have the form of
godliness (2Ti_3:5) shall be corrupt and wicked, and do a great deal of damage to the
church.” Two traitors within the garrison may do more hurt to it than two thousand
besiegers without. Perilous times shall come, for men shall be wicked. Note, 1. Sin makes
the times perilous. When there is a general corruption of manners, and of the tempers of
men, this makes the times dangerous to live in; for it is hard to keep our integrity in the
midst of general corruption. 2. The coming of perilous times is an evidence of the truth
of scripture-predictions; if the event in this respect did not answer to the prophecy, we
might be tempted to question the divinity of the Bible. 3. We are all concerned to know
this, to believe and consider it, that we may not be surprised when we see the times
perilous: This know also.
II. Paul tells Timothy what would be the occasion of making these times perilous, or
what shall be the marks and signs whereby these times may be known, 2Ti_3:2, etc. 1.
Self-love will make the times perilous. Who is there who does not love himself? But this
is meant of an irregular sinful self-love. Men love their carnal selves better than their
spiritual selves. Men love to gratify their own lusts, and make provision for them, more
than to please God and do their duty. Instead of Christian charity, which takes care for
the good of others, they will mind themselves only, and prefer their own gratification
before the church's edification. 2. Covetousness. Observe, Self-love brings in a long train
of sins and mischiefs. When men are lovers of themselves, no good can be expected from
them, as all good may be expected from those who love God with all their hearts. When
covetousness generally prevails, when every man is for what he can get and for keeping
what he has, this makes men dangerous to one another, and obliges every man to stand

on his guard against his neighbour. 3. Pride and vain-glory. The times are perilous when
men, being proud of themselves, are boasters and blasphemers, boasters before men
whom they despise and look upon with scorn, and blasphemers of God and of his name.
When men do not fear God they will not regard man, and so vice versâ. 4. When
children are disobedient to their parents, and break through the obligations which they
lie under to them both in duty and gratitude, and frequently in interest, having their
dependence upon them and their expectation from them, they make the times perilous;
for what wickedness will those stick at who will be abusive to their own parents and
rebel against them? 5. Unthankfulness and unholiness make the times perilous, and
these two commonly go together. What is the reason that men are unholy and without
the fear of God, but that they are unthankful for the mercies of God? Ingratitude and
impiety go together; for call a man ungrateful, and you can call him by no worse name.
Unthankful, and impure, defiled with fleshly lusts, which is an instance of great
ingratitude to that God who has provided so well for the support of the body; we abuse
his gifts, if we make them the food and fuel of our lusts. 6. The times are perilous when
men will not be held by the bonds either of nature or common honesty, when they are
without natural affection, and truce-breakers, 2Ti_3:3. There is a natural affection due
to all. Wherever there is the human nature, there should be humanity towards those of
the same nature, but especially between relations. Times are perilous when children are
disobedient to their parents (2Ti_3:2) and when parents are without natural affection to
their children, 2Ti_3:3. See what a corruption of nature sin is, how it deprives men even
of that which nature has implanted in them for the support of their own kind; for the
natural affection of parents to their children is that which contributes very much to the
keeping up of mankind upon the earth. And those who will not be bound by natural
affection, no marvel that they will not be bound by the most solemn leagues and
covenants. They are truce-breakers, that make no conscience of the engagements they
have laid themselves under. 7. The times are perilous when men are false accusers one
of another, diaboloi - devils one to another, having no regard to the good name of others,
or to the religious obligations of an oath, but thinking themselves at liberty to say and do
what they please, Psa_12:4. 8. When men have no government of themselves and their
own appetites: not of their own appetites, for they are incontinent; not of their own
passions, for they are fierce; when they have no rule over their own spirits, and therefore
are like a city that is broken down, and has no walls; they are soon fired, upon the least
provocation. 9. When that which is good and ought to be honoured is generally despised
and looked upon with contempt. It is the pride of persecutors that they look with
contempt upon good people, though they are more excellent than their neighbours.
JAMISO , "2Ti_3:1-17. Coming evil days: Signs of evil already: Contrast in the
doctrine and life of Paul, which Timothy should follow in accordance with his early
training in Scripture.
also — Greek, “but.”
last days — preceding Christ’s second coming (2Pe_3:3; Jud_1:18). “The latter
times,” 1Ti_4:1, refer to a period not so remote as “the last days,” namely, the long days
of papal and Greek anti-Christianity.
perilous — literally, “difficult times,” in which it is difficult to know what is to be
done: “grievous times.”
shall come — Greek, “shall be imminent”; “shall come unexpectedly” [Bengel].

RWP,"Know this (touto ginōske). See note on 1Co_11:3; Phi_1:12.
In the last days (en eschatais hēmerais). See note on Jam_5:3 and 1Ti_4:1.
Grievous (chalepoi). Hard. See Eph_5:16.
Shall come (enstēsontai). Future middle of enistēmi (intransitive use), old verb, to
stand on or be at hand, as in 2Th_2:2.
CALVI , "1But know this By this prediction he intended still more to sharpen his
diligence; for, when matters go on to our wish, we become more careless; but
necessity urges us keenly. Paul, therefore informs him, that the Church will be
subject to terrible diseases, which will require in the pastors uncommon fidelity,
diligence, watchfulness, prudence, and unwearied constancy; as if he enjoined
Timothy to prepare for arduous and deeply anxious contests which awaited him.
And hence we learn, that, so far from giving way, or being terrified, on account of
any difficulties whatsoever, we ought, on the contrary. to arouse our hearts for
resistance.
In the last days Under “ last days,” he includes the universal condition of the
Christian Church. or does he compare his own age with ours, but, on the contrary,
informs Timothy what will be the future condition of the kingdom of Christ; for
many imagined some sort of condition that would be absolutely peaceful, and free
from any annoyance. (182) In short, he means that there will not be, even under the
gospel, such a state of perfection, that all vices shall be banished, and virtues of
every kind shall flourish; and that therefore the pastors of the Christian Church
will have quite as much to do with wicked and ungodly men as the prophets and
godly priests had in ancient times. Hence it follows, that there is no time for idleness
or for repose.
(182) “ does the holy Apostle, both here and elsewhere, speak of the ‘ days,’ when he
forewarns believers that they must prepare themselves, and make provision for
many troubles and annoyances? It is because this fancy was so common, that
matters would go much better than before; because, formerly, the prophets, when
speaking of the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ, said that everything would be
astonishingly reformed, that the world would obey God, that his majesty would be
adored by the high and the low, that every mouth would sing his praise, and every
knee would bow before him. In short, when we hear such promises, we think that we
must be in a state of angelical holiness, now that Christ has appeared. Many
concluded, in their mistaken fancy, that, since the coming of the Redeemer, nothing
but the most correct virtue and modesty would ever be seen, and that everything
would be so thoroughly regulated, that there would be no more vices in the world.”
— Fr. Ser.

BURKITT, "As if our apostle had said "O my son Timothy, be not thou
discouraged, neither let any of thy successors be dismayed, at the sects and schisms,
at the heresies and blasphemies, at the vice and impiety, which will be found in and
among persons in the last days, when certainly know, that perilous times shall come;
where, by the last days, understand all the times from Christ's first coming in the
flesh, to his second coming to judgment; in the beginning of times several sorts of
persons, yea, several sects and parties of men, arose, to whom the following
characters did belong; namely, proud, covetous, boasters, and the like.
As the judaizing teachers, who urged the necessity of circumcision, and the
observation of the ceremonial law; also the Gnostics, and followers of Simon Magus,
have these characters applied to them in those early days; and it were well if the
church of Rome, in these latter days, could clear herself of these characters, which
are found upon her, as the marks and badges of an apostate church.
Learn hence, 1. That the days we now live in are the last days, and our times the last
times.
2. That the last times are, and will be, the worst times, perilous times, full of sin and
full of trouble. Old age is the dregs of life, the world draws upon its lees, the dregs
are apparent: In the last days perilous times shall come.
PULPIT, "But know this for this know also, A.V.; grievous for perilous, A.V.
Grievous times ( καιροὶ χαλεποί ). "Grievous" is not a very good rendering.
"Perilous," though in some contexts it is a right rendering, is a little too restricted
here. "Difficult," "trying," "uneasy," or the like, is nearer the sense. They are times
when a Christian hardly knows which way to turn or what to do. He has to live
under a constant sense of hindrance and difficulty of one sort or another.
SIMEO , "SELF-LOVE REPROBATED
2Ti_3:1-2. This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men
shall be lovers of their own selves.
THERE is in the inspired writings frequent mention of what will take place “in the
last days.” But in these words very different and distant periods are referred to.
Sometimes they designate the time of the Christian dispensation [ ote: Heb_1:2.];
sometimes the day of judgment [ ote: Jam_5:3.]; and sometimes, as in our text, a
season between these, when very great and important changes will take place in the
Church of Christ [ ote: 2Pe_3:3.]. Immensely important changes have already
taken place, as in the successful efforts of Antichrist, both in the Mahomedan and
Popish powers: and still further changes we look for in their overthrow. But it is
remarkable, that every event predicted, as to take place at these distant periods,
actually commenced in the apostolic age: and St. John says, “Even now are there

many Antichrists [ ote: 1Jn_2:18.].” As for the evil spoken of in my text, the
Apostle declares, that, though predicted as to occur “in the last days,” it did exist at
that very time, to a great extent [ ote: ver. 6–9.]; and that, when it should prevail in
the way that he described, very perilous and troublesome times would have arrived.
For the elucidation of the subject before us, I will endeavour to shew,
I. What is the disposition here reprobated—
It is self-love: “Men shall be lovers of their own selves.” But we are not to imagine
that every kind and degree of self-love is sinful. On the contrary, the desire which
God has infused into the soul of every man to promote his own welfare, is proposed
by God himself as a standard, agreeably to which we are to regulate our love to our
neighbour: he calls it “a royal law,” as being established by himself; and he
declares, that, in accommodating ourselves to it and “loving our neighbour as
ourselves, we do well [ ote: Jam_2:8.].” ay, more; our blessed Lord compares with
it the love which he himself bears to his own Church and people: “ o man ever yet
hated his own flesh, but nourisheth, and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the Church
[ ote: Eph_5:29.].” Still, however, when it becomes inordinate, it is a very hateful
disposition, evil in itself, and abominable in the sight of God. Self-love is then sinful,
1. When it induces a forgetfulness of God—
[God should be acknowledged by us as the only source of all good; for “from him
proceedeth every good and perfect gift [ ote: Jam_1:17.]:” and for his glory should
every thing be done; as it is said, “Whether ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do
all to the glory of God [ ote: 1Co_10:31.].” But self-love robs him in both these
respects: it leads men to ascribe their success of every kind to their own wisdom and
power; and at the same time to seek their own gratification only in the enjoyment of
all that they possess. ow what can be more hateful, than for a man to be
“sacrificing to his own net, and burning incense to his own drag [ ote: Hab_1:16.
1Co_4:7.],” when he should be adoring God for the mercies vouchsafed unto him?
or what more abominable, than for a man to be “living to himself,” when he should
be consecrating all his powers to the service of his Creator and Redeemer [ ote:
Rom_14:7-8.]? In fact, what is this, but to idolize ourselves, and to put ourselves in
the very place of God? Covetousness and sensuality are expressly called idolatry
[ ote: Php_3:19. Col_3:5.]: yet are these but branches proceeding from the root of
inordinate self-love; which is nothing less than practical atheism, or a “banishing of
God from all our thoughts [ ote: Psa_10:4; Psa_14:1.].”]
2. When it operates to the injury of our neighbour—
[Our neighbour, in his place, has claims upon us, no less than God himself. Whoever
we be, whether of high or low degree, what are we but members of one great family;
yea, and members too of one body [ ote: 1Co_12:20.]? ow, in a body, no member
is to consult its own separate interest at the expense of others, but every one to seek
its own happiness in the welfare of the whole [ ote: 1Co_12:25-26.]. But self-love
banishes all these considerations, and sets aside every obligation arising from them.

ow, we are told, from authority, that whatever a man may possess, or whatever he
may either do or suffer in the service of the Lord, “if he have not charity” towards
his neighbour, so as to render unto him his dues, “he is no better than sounding
brass or a tinkling cymbal [ ote: 1Co_13:1.].” Whatever he may pretend, “his faith
is dead;” his love is hypocritical [ ote: Jam_2:15-17.]; his “religion is vain [ ote:
Jam_1:26.].”]
Lamentable are those times, and pitiable that society, where this disposition reigns.
Consider, I pray you,
II. The danger attendant on it—
Consider the danger,
1. To those who are under its influence—
[There is no evil which will not find a ready access to their minds; nor is there any
situation in which they will not betray their selfish propensities. Whether in civil or
social life, they will render themselves hated and despised. Towards the state, they
will be always full of murmurs and complaints. And, in their intercourse with their
families and neighbours, they will be occasions of pain to all around them. They will
be displeased with every person that stands in any respect in competition with them;
and will quarrel with every thing that militates in the least degree against their
favourite propensity. In all their transactions in business they will be straining to
gain some undue advantage, and will make the minutest differences subjects for
dispute. See what the Apostle connects with this character: “Men shall be lovers of
their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents,
unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, false-accusers,
incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded,
lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God.” It is not necessary, indeed, that all
these evil qualities should be combined in the same person: but there is in self-love a
tendency to produce them, so far as a person’s circumstances are calculated to call
them forth. or will there be found in such persons any redeeming quality, or any
thing to compensate for these evil dispositions. Their selfishness so engrosses their
minds, as to render them incapable of any noble exertion, either in a way of piety or
benevolence. The lover of self will love none else, at least not in such a degree as to
make any great sacrifice either for God or man.]
2. To the cause of Christ in the world—
[It is granted, that a man who is “a lover of his own self” may be instructed in the
truths of religion, and observant of its forms: “He may have a form of godliness; but
he will be destitute of its power:” nor is there any great hope of ever benefiting him
by the ministration of the Gospel. The word preached either sinks not into his mind
at all, or, if sown in his heart, is “choked with thorns and briers, so as to bring forth
no fruit to perfection.” or is this all the evil that accrues from his hateful
dispositions. He sets others against the Gospel; and “causes the way of truth to be

evil spoken of,” and “the very name of God to be blasphemed.” Besides, by his spirit
and conduct he stirs up corruption in all around him; and even foments in them, by
re-action, the very dispositions exercised by himself. Hence, instead of unity in the
Church, there will be dissension; and the minister will derive nothing but grief from
those over whom he ought rather to rejoice. This I apprehend to be the primary idea
in the Apostle’s mind, when he calls the times, of which he speaks, “perilous,” that
is, troublesome, grievous, and perplexing. And certainly it must go ill with any
Church where such characters abound.]
We may see, then, What is mainly to be looked to,
1. In estimating our own character—
[I would not undervalue religious sentiments: but they are of no worth, if they be
not productive of suitable dispositions and conduct. Do not then inquire, whether
you have attained a scriptural creed, and “a form of godliness;” but whether “the
truth has made you free;” free from selfish principles and selfish habits. The man
whose heart is right with God will account nothing of any value, any further than it
can be improved for the honour of God and the good of man. Even life itself is held
by him only as a victim ready to be sacrificed, whenever a proper occasion shall call
for it. See how the Apostle Paul acted: he accounted not his life dear to him: on the
contrary, if called to lay it down for his brethren, he regarded it as an occasion, not
of grief, but of joy [ ote: Php_2:17-18.]. Ah! brethren, see how much you have
acquired of that spirit; and how much you possess of “the mind that was in Christ
Jesus, who, when possessed of all the glory and felicity of heaven, emptied himself of
it all for you; and for your benefit became obedient unto death, even the death of the
cross [ ote: Php_2:5-8.].” Self has by nature wholly occupied your minds. The
proper effect of the Gospel is, to root out that hateful quality, and to fill your souls
with love both to God and man. Let this, then, serve you as a test whereby to try
your state; and assure yourselves, brethren, that a work of grace is no further
wrought within you than this great change is accomplished.]
2. In selecting our companions and friends—
[St. Paul guards you particularly on this head: “Men will be lovers of their own
selves. … from such turn away [ ote: ver. 5.].” So say I, my brethren: “From such
turn away.” You can get no good from such men; nor can you hope to do any good
to them: and your whole intercourse with them will be productive only of pain. As
Solomon says, “Make no friendship with an angry man, lest thou learn his ways,
and get a snare to thy soul [ ote: Pro_22:24-25.];” so I would say in reference to a
selfish man. He only will be a source of comfort and benefit to you, who is divested
of self, and who lives for God, and lays himself out for the good of man. That is an
honourable character, worthy to be esteemed; and an useful character, from whom
you may hope to derive much benefit; and a blessed character, with whom you may
hope to spend a happy eternity. If thou find such an one, take him to thy bosom:
and congratulate thyself, that, in this poor vain world, God has raised up to thee
such a treasure as this, that may well be dear to thee even as thine own soul.]

BI, "I. The manner of the warning.
“This know also.”
1. It is the duty of ministers to foresee and take notice of the dangers which the
churches are falling into.
2. It is the great concern of all professors and believers to have their hearts very
much fixed upon present and approaching dangers.
3. ot to be sensible of a present perilous season is that security which the scripture
so condemns; and I will leave it with you under these three things--
(1) It is that frame of heart which of all others God doth most detest and abhor.
othing is more hateful to God than a secure frame in perilous days.
(2) A secure person, in perilous seasons, is assuredly under the power of some
predominant lust, whether it appears, or not.
(3) This senseless frame is the certain presage of approaching ruin.
II. The evil itself. “Perilous times”--times of great difficulty, like those of public
plagues, when death lies at every door.
III. The manner of introduction--“Shall come.” Our great wisdom then will be to
eye the displeasure of God in perilous seasons, since there is a judicial hand of God
in them: and we see in ourselves reason enough why they should come.
IV. The time and season of it--“In the last days.” You may take it in what sense you
will: the last days, the days of the gospel; the last days towards the consummation of
all things; the last days following the days of the profession of churches; and the last
days with many of us, with respect to our lives.
1. The first thing that makes a season perilous is, when the profession of true
religion is outwardly maintained under a visible predominancy of horrible lusts and
wickedness (see 2Ti_3:2-5).
(1) Because of the infection.

(2) Because of the effects. When predominant lusts have broken all bounds of Divine
light and rule, how long do you think human rules will keep them in order?
(3) Because of the consequences--the judgments of God (2Th_2:10-11).
2. A second perilous season is, when men are prone to forsake the truth, and
seducers abound to gather them up that are so; and you will have always these
things go together. If it be asked, how we may know whether there be a proneness in
the minds of men in any season to depart from the truth? there are three ways
whereby we may judge of it.
(1) The first is that mentioned in 2Ti_4:3. When men grow weary of sound doctrine,
when it is too plain, too dull, too common, too high, too mysterious, one thing or
other that displeases them, and they would hear something new, something that may
please.
(2) When men have lost the power of truth in their conversation, and are as prone
and ready to part with the profession of it in their minds. Do you see a man
retaining the profession of the truth under a worldly conversation? He wants but
baits from temptation, or a seducer to take away his faith from him.
(3) The proneness to depart from the truth, is a perilous season, because it is the
greatest evidence of the withdrawing of the Spirit of God from His Church.
3. A third thing that makes a perilous season is, professors mixing themselves with
the world, and learning their manners. Such a season is dangerous, because the sins
of professors in it lie directly contrary to the whole design of the mediation of Christ
in this world. Christ “gave Himself for us, that He might purge us from dead works,
and purify us unto Himself a peculiar people” (Tit_2:14). “Ye are a royal nation, a
peculiar people.”
4. Another perilous season is when there is great attendance on outward duties, but
inward, spiritual decays.
5. Times of persecution are also times of peril.
Use
1. Let us all be exhorted to endeavour to get our hearts affected with the perils of the
day wherein we live.
(1) Consider the present things, and bring them to rule, and see what God’s Word
says of them.
(2) If you would be sensible of present perilous times, take heed of centring in self.
Whether you pursue riches, or honours, while you centre there, nothing can make
you Sensible of the perils of the day.

(3) Pray that God would give us grace to be sensible of the perils of the day wherein
we live. Use
2. The next thing is this, that there are two things in a perilous season--the sin of it,
and the misery of it. Labour to be sensible of the former, or you will never be
sensible of the latter. Use
3. Remember there is a special frame of spirit required in us all in such perilous
seasons as these are. And what is that? It is a mourning frame of spirit. Use
4. Keep up church watch with diligence, and by the rule. When I say rule, I mean
the life of it. Use
5. Reckon upon it, that in such times as these are, all of us will not go free. (John
Owen, D. D.)
Perilous times in the last days
1. The notification of an event as future--“Perilous times shall come.”
(1) Times wherein it will be hard for people to keep their feet, to know how to carry
themselves, to keep out of danger, and keep a good conscience.
(2) “Shall come.” They will be on men, in the course of providence, to try what metal
they are of; as darkness comes on after light, and adversity after prosperity; in their
turn.
2. The time of that event--“In the last days.” The days of the gospel are the
concluding period of time. In these last days are several particular periods; the first
of which was the last time of the Jewish state, beginning from the time of our
Saviour, to the destruction of Jerusalem; and more periods followed, and some are
yet to come; but from the time of our Saviour to the end of the world, is “the last
days.”
3. The notice to be taken of that event--“This know also”; rather, “ ow know this”;
consider it duly, and lay it to heart, that being fore warned, ye may be armed
against the “perilous times.”
I. We shall consider “the days of the gospel as the last days.” And so we may take
them up in a threefold view.
1. As the last days of the world, the latter end of time. With rela tion to them that

oath is made (Rev_10:6). The morning and forenoon of the world are over; it is
afternoon with it now, and drawing toward the evening.
2. As the days of the last dispensation of grace towards the world, with which God’s
dealing with sinners for reconciliation shall be closed (Rev_10:7). There have been
three dispensations of grace in the world: the Patriarchal dispensation in the first
days; the Mosaical dispensation in the middle days; and now the Christian
dispensation in the last days. The first two are now off the stage, and shall never
come on again; the third now is; and after it there shall never be another.
3. As the best days of the world in respect of the greatest advantages attending them.
The last works of God are always the greatest, as ye may see in the account of the
Creation (Gen_1:1-31.); so the circumstances of the world to come are greater than
those of this. The gospel-dispensation far excels the other two, in clearness,
extensiveness, and efficacy, through a larger measure of the Spirit.
II. The difficult and perilous times that come on in gospel days. We must inquire
what makes these perilous times.
1. An old controversy lying over untaken up. They that are in debt are always in
danger. The Jews were from generation to generation murderers of their prophets;
there was an old debt on the head of the generation in our Saviour’s time (Mat_
23:31); and made their time perilous, for it was like a train lying, which at last came
to blow them up (verse 35). So good Josiah’s days were perilous times, by reason of
an old controversy laid in the days of Manasseh his grandfather (2Ki_23:26). Our
times are so, by reason of the iniquity of the late times, which is like that of Baal-
peer, that brought “a plague on the congregation of the Lord” (Jos_22:17).
1. Error or corruption of principles spreading. This was foretold to happen in the
latter days (1Ti_4:1).
2. Immoralities abounding. (T. Boston, D. D.)
Evil of the last days
These (evil characters) will swarm like flies in the decay of the year. (C. H.
Spurgeon.)
Corruptions within
ot so much on the account of persecutions from without as on the account of

corruptions within. (M. Henry.)
Traitors
Two traitors within the garrison may do more hurt to it than two thousand
besiegers without. (M. Henry.)
Fidelity in evil times
The worse the times we live in are, the greater will our honour be, if we be faithful.
It was Lot’s commendation that he was good in Sodom, and Job in an heathenish
Uz. The more sin abounds, the more our grace should abound; and the more sin
appears in the world, the more should we appear against it. The Lord hath done
more for us of this last age of the world than He ever did for our forefathers, and
therefore He expects more from us than He did from them; where He bestows much
He looks for much again; where we bestow double cost, we look for a double crop. It
is a shame for us if we do not do our work better by sunlight, than others that have
had but twilight. (T. Hall, B. D.)
Sin makes the times bad
It is worth our noting that the apostle doth not place the peril and hardness of the
last times, in any external calamity or penal evils, as sword, plague, famine,
persecution; but in the prodigious sins and enormities of such as profess religion.
Sin is the evil of evils, and brings all other evils with it. Let the times be never so
miserable, and the Church lie under sad persecutions; yet if they be not sinful times,
they are not truly perilous times, but rather purging and purifying times. (T. Hall,
B. D.)
Sinners swarm even in gospel days
Vermin of this kind will then abound everywhere; weeds grow nowhere so rank as
in fat soil. (T. Hall, B. D.)
Prudence in perilous times
This spiritual prudence can hurt neither pastor nor people, but will advantage us

much. This pre-vision is the best means of prevention; in vain is the snare laid in the
sight of a bird. Observe God’s singular love unto His people, in that He warns them
of perilous times long before they come. The people of God, and specially His
ministers, His Timothies, should be so prudent as to know and observe when
perilous times are approaching, as the prudent man foresees the evil of punishment
before it comes (Pro_22:3-5). (T. Hall, B. D.)
Time aiding proficiency in sin
As it is in every art, by length of time, custom, and experience, it is improved to a
greater degree of fineness and exactness; so it is in this of sinning; time and
experience make men more cunning in ways of sin, and more subtle to defend them.
(T. Hall, B. D.)
Making the times better
We should all make the times and places we live in the better, and not the worse, for
us. (T. Hall, B. D.)
2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of
money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to
their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
BAR ES, "For men shall be lovers of their own selves - It shall be one of the
characteristics of those times that men shall be eminently selfish - evidently under the
garb of religion; 2Ti_3:5. The word here used - φίλαυτος philautos - does not elsewhere
occur in the New Testament. It means a lover of oneself, “selfish.” Such a love of self as
to lead us to secure our salvation, is proper. But this interferes with the rights and
happiness of no other persons. The selfishness which is condemned, is that regard to our
own interests which interferes with the rights and comforts of others; which makes self

the central and leading object of living; and which tramples on all that would interfere
with that. As such, it is a base, and hateful, and narrow passion; but it has been so
common in the world that no one can doubt the correctness of the prophecy of the
apostle that it would exist “in the last times.”
Covetous - Greek, Lovers of silver; i. e., of money; Luk_6:14; see the notes at 1Ti_
6:20.
Boasters - see the notes at Rom_1:30.
Proud - see the notes at Rom_1:30.
Blasphemers - see the notes at Mat_9:3.
Disobedient to parents - see the notes at Rom_1:30.
Unthankful - see Luk_6:35. The word here used occurs in the New Testament only
in these two places. Ingratitude has always been regarded as one of the worst of crimes.
It is said here that it would characterize that wicked age of which the apostle speaks, and
its prevalence would, as it always does, indicate a decline of religion. Religion makes us
grateful to every benefactor - to God, and to man.
Unholy - see the notes at 1Ti_1:9.
CLARKE, "For men shall be - The description in this and the following verses the
Papists apply to the Protestants; the Protestants in their turn apply it to the Papists;
Schoettgen to the Jews; and others to heretics in general. There have been both teachers
and people in every age of the Church, and in every age of the world, to whom these
words may be most legitimately applied. Both Catholics and Protestants have been
lovers of their own selves, etc.; but it is probable that the apostle had some particular age
in view, in which there should appear some very essential corruption of Christianity.
Lovers of their own selves - Φιλαυτοι· Selfish, studious of their own interest, and
regardless of the welfare of all mankind.
Covetous - Φιλαργυροι· Lovers of money, because of the influence which riches can
procure.
Boasters - Αλαζονες· Vain glorious: self-assuming; valuing themselves beyond all
others.
Proud - ᆙπερηφανοι· Airy, light, trifling persons; those who love to make a show -
who are all outside; from ᆓπερ, above, and φαινω, to show.
Blasphemers - Βλασφηµοι· Those who speak impiously of God and sacred things,
and injuriously of men.
Disobedient to parents - Γονευσιν απειθεις· Headstrong children, whom their
parents cannot persuade.
Unthankful - Αχαριστοι· Persons without grace, or gracefulness; who think they have
a right to the services of all men, yet feel no obligation, and consequently no gratitude.
Unholy - Ανοσιοι· Without piety; having no heart reverence for God.
GILL, "For men shall be lovers of their own selves,.... Not in a good sense, as

men may be, and as such are who love their neighbours as themselves, and do that to
others they would have done to themselves; and who take all prudent and lawful care to
preserve the life and health of their bodies, and seek in a right way the salvation of their
immortal souls: but in a bad sense, as such may be said to be, who only love themselves;
their love to God, and Christ, and to the saints, being only in pretence, not in reality; and
who do all they do in a religious way, from a principle of self-love, and to selfish and
mercenary ends; either to gain glory and applause from men, or to merit something for
themselves at the hands of God, without any view to the glory of God, the honour and
interest of Christ, and the good of others; and ascribe all they have and do to themselves,
to their industry, diligence, power, free will, worth, and merit, and not to the grace of
God: and this character may be seen in the principles and practices of the church of
Rome, in their doctrines of merit and free will, in works of supererogation &c.
"Coveteous"; lovers of silver, greedy of filthy lucre, doing nothing but for money;
everyone looking for his gain from his quarter; making merchandise of the souls of men;
and which are reckoned among the wares of Babylon, the Romish antichrist, Rev_18:13.
"No penny, no pater noster".
Boasters; of their wealth and riches, of their honour and grandeur; I sit a queen, &c.
Rev_18:7, of their numbers, of their holiness, of the infallibility of their popes, of their
having the true knowledge, and certain sense of the Scriptures, and of having all power
in heaven and in earth.
Proud; as have been the popes of Rome; exalting themselves above all that is called
God, above all princes, kings, and emperors of the earth; deposing one,
excommunicating another, treading upon their necks, obliging them to hold their
stirrups while they mounted their horses; the pride of the popes, cardinals, priests, and
the whole clergy of the church of Rome, is notorious.
Blasphemers; of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ; sitting in the temple as God, as
antichrist does, showing himself that he is God; assuming that to himself which belongs
to God only, which is to forgive sin; calling himself Christ's vicar on earth; taking upon
him to enact new laws, and to dispense with the laws of God, and Christ; and has a
mouth speaking great things, and blasphemies against God, his name, his tabernacle,
and them that dwell in heaven, 2Th_2:4.
Disobedient to parents: as many of the votaries of the antichristian church have
been; who have withdrew themselves from under the care of their parents, and their
fortunes too out of their hands, when they have been in their power; and have shut
themselves up in cloisters, monasteries, and nunneries, without the leave and consent,
or knowledge of their parents.
Unthankful: to God, for what is enjoyed by them, ascribing all to themselves, and to
their merit and good works; and to men, to the princes of the earth, by whom they were
first raised to, and supported in their dignity; as the popes of Rome were by the Roman
emperors, and whom they in return tyrannized over, and dethroned at pleasure.
Unholy; notwithstanding his holiness the pope at the head of them their holy father,
and holy mother church, and holy priests, and holy orders they talk of; yet are without
the fear of God, or any regard to him, living most unholy lives and conversations, Dan_
11:37.

HE RY, "II. Paul tells Timothy what would be the occasion of making these times
perilous, or what shall be the marks and signs whereby these times may be known, 2Ti_
3:2, etc. 1. Self-love will make the times perilous. Who is there who does not love
himself? But this is meant of an irregular sinful self-love. Men love their carnal selves
better than their spiritual selves. Men love to gratify their own lusts, and make provision
for them, more than to please God and do their duty. Instead of Christian charity, which
takes care for the good of others, they will mind themselves only, and prefer their own
gratification before the church's edification. 2. Covetousness. Observe, Self-love brings
in a long train of sins and mischiefs. When men are lovers of themselves, no good can be
expected from them, as all good may be expected from those who love God with all their
hearts. When covetousness generally prevails, when every man is for what he can get and
for keeping what he has, this makes men dangerous to one another, and obliges every
man to stand on his guard against his neighbour. 3. Pride and vain-glory. The times are
perilous when men, being proud of themselves, are boasters and blasphemers, boasters
before men whom they despise and look upon with scorn, and blasphemers of God and
of his name. When men do not fear God they will not regard man, and so vice versâ. 4.
When children are disobedient to their parents, and break through the obligations which
they lie under to them both in duty and gratitude, and frequently in interest, having their
dependence upon them and their expectation from them, they make the times perilous;
for what wickedness will those stick at who will be abusive to their own parents and
rebel against them? 5. Unthankfulness and unholiness make the times perilous, and
these two commonly go together. What is the reason that men are unholy and without
the fear of God, but that they are unthankful for the mercies of God? Ingratitude and
impiety go together; for call a man ungrateful, and you can call him by no worse name.
Unthankful, and impure, defiled with fleshly lusts, which is an instance of great
ingratitude to that God who has provided so well for the support of the body; we abuse
his gifts, if we make them the food and fuel of our lusts.
JAMISO , "men — in the professing Church. Compare the catalogue, Rom_1:29,
etc., where much the same sins are attributed to heathen men; it shall be a relapse into
virtual heathendom, with all its beast-like propensities, whence the symbol of it is “a
beast” (Rev_13:1, Rev_13:11, Rev_13:12, etc.; Rev_17:3, Rev_17:8, Rev_17:11).
covetous — Translate, “money-loving,” a distinct Greek word from that for
“covetous” (see on Col_3:5). The cognate Greek substantive (1Ti_6:10) is so translated,
“the love of money is a (Greek, not ‘the’) root of all evil.”
boasters — empty boasters [Alford]; boasting of having what they have not.
proud — overweening: literally, showing themselves above their fellows.
blasphemous — rather, “evil-speakers,” revilers.
disobedient to parents — The character of the times is even to be gathered
especially from the manners of the young [Bengel].
unthankful — The obligation to gratitude is next to that of obedience to parents.
unholy — irreligious [Alford]; inobservant of the offices of piety.
RWP, "Lovers of self (philautoi). Old compound adjective (philos, autos), here only
in N.T.
Lovers of money (philarguroi). Old compound adjective, in N.T. only here and
Luk_16:14. See note on 1Ti_6:10.

Boastful (alazones). Old word for empty pretender, in N.T. only here and Rom_
1:30.
Haughty (huperēphanoi). See also Rom_1:30 for this old word.
Railers (blasphēmoi). See note on 1Ti_1:13.
Disobedient to parents (goneusin apeitheis). See note on Rom_1:30.
Unthankful (acharistoi). Old word, in N.T. only here and Luk_6:35.
Unholy (anosioi). See note on 1Ti_1:9.
Without natural affection (astorgoi). See note on Rom_1:31.
CALVI , "2For men will be It is proper to remark, first, in what he makes the
hardship of those “” or “” times to consist; not in war, nor in famine, nor in
diseases, nor in any calamities or inconveniences to which the body is incident, but
in the wicked and depraved actions of men. And, indeed, nothing is so distressingly
painful to godly men, and to those who truly fear God, as to behold such
corruptions of morals; for, as there is nothing which they value more highly than
the glory of God, so they cannot but suffer grievous anguish when it is attacked or
despised.
Secondly, it ought to be remarked, who are the persons of whom he speaks. They
whom he briefly describes are not external enemies, who openly assail the name of
Christ, but domestics, who wish to be reckoned among the members of the Church;
for God wishes to try his Church to such an extent as to carry within her bosom
such plagues, though she abhors to entertain them. So then, if in the present day
many whom we justly abhor are mingled within us, let us learn to groan patiently
under that burden, when we are informed that this is the lot of the Christian
Church.
ext, it is wonderful that those persons, whom Paul pronounces to be guilty of so
many and so aggravated acts of wickedness, can keep up the appearance of piety, as
he also declares. But daily experience shows that we ought not to regard this as so
wonderful; for such is the amazing audacity and wickedness of hypocrites, that,
even in excusing the grossest crimes, they are excessively impudent, after having
once learned falsely to shelter themselves under the name of God. In ancient times,
how many crimes abounded in the life of the Pharisees? And yet, as if they had been
pure from every stain, they enjoyed a reputation of eminent holiness.
Even in the present day, although the lewdness of the Popish clergy is such that it
stinks in the nostrils of the whole world, still, in spite of their wickedness, they do
not cease to arrogate proudly to themselves all the rights and titles of saints.
Accordingly, when Paul says that hypocrites, though they are chargeable with the
grossest vices, nevertheless deceive under a mask of piety, this ought not to appear
strange, when we have examples before our eyes. And, indeed, the world deserves to

be deceived by those wicked scoundrels, when it either despises or cannot endure
true holiness. Besides, Paul enumerates those vices which are not visible at first
sight, and which are even the ordinary attendants of pretended holiness. Is there a
hypocrite who is not proud, who is not a lover of himself, who is not a despiser of
others, who is not fierce and cruel, who is not treacherous? But all these are
concealed from the eyes of men. (183)
To spend time in explaining every word would be superfluous; for the words do not
need exposition. Only let my readers observe that φιλαυτία self-love, which is put
first, may be regarded as the source from which flow all the vices that follow
afterwards. He who loveth himself claims a superiority in everything, despises all
others, is cruel, indulges in covetousness, treachery, anger, rebellion against parents,
neglect of what is good, and such like. As it was the design of Paul to brand false
prophets with such marks, that they might be seen and known by all; it is our duty
to open our eyes, that we may see those who are pointed out with the finger.
(183) “Mais ce sont tous vices cachez, et qui n’ pas devant les yeux des hommes.” —
“ all these are concealed vices, and do not show themselves before the eyes of men.”
BURKITT, "Here our apostle reckons up the several sins which would abound in
these last days, and make the times perilous: persons professing Christianity shall
appear inordinate self-lovers, insatiably covetous, vain-glorious, boasters, proud,
despisers of others, blasphemers of God, and Christ, and the Holy Spirit, by denying
the prescience and foreknowledge of the former, the divinity and godhead of the
latter.
Learn hence, That sins, especially great sins, seldom go single and alone, but
commonly generate and beget one another. Thus here, self-love begets covetousness,
covetousness pride, and pride blasphemy. Thus men fall from one sin to another,
and proceed from one degree of wickedness to another.
PULPIT, "Self for their own selves, A.V.; lovers of money for covetous, A.V.;
boastful for boasters, A.V.; haughty for proud, A.V.; railers for blasphemers, A.V.
Men ( οἱἄνθρωποι ); men in general, the bulk of men in the Church; for he is
speaking, not of the world at large, but of professing Christians. Lovers of self (
φίλαυτοι ); only here in the ew Testament, and not found in the LXX.; but used by
Aristotle in a striking passage (quoted by Alford), where he distinguishes those who
are φίλαυτοι in a good sense, and those who are justly blamed for being φίλαυτοι ,
i.e. selfish and greedy. The Christian character is exactly the opposite (see 1Co_
10:24; 1Co_13:5). Lovers of money ( φιλάργυροι ); elsewhere in the ew Testament
only in Luk_16:14, though not uncommon in classical Greek; φιλαργυρία is found in
1Ti_6:10. Boastful ( ἀλάζονες ); as Rom_1:30, and in classical Greek. It the
derivation of the word is ἄλη , wandering, we may compare the περιερχόµενοι of
Act_9:13, "vagabond Jews." Such vagabonds were usually boasters. Hence ἀλαζών

came to mean "a boaster." Haughty, railers. Υπερηφανία and βλασφηµία are
coupled together in Mar_7:22; and ὑπερηφάνους and ἀλάζονας in Rom_1:30. In the
ew Testament βλάσφηµος and βλασφηµία are most commonly used of evil
speaking against God and holy things; but not always (see Eph_4:31; Col_3:8; 1Ti_
6:4). Here apparently it means generally "evil speakers." Unthankful ( ἀχάριστοι );
as Luk_6:35. Found occasionally in the LXX., and common in classical Greek. The
ingratitude which they showed to their parents was a part of their general
character. We ought to take special note of this passive sin—the not being thankful
for good received from God and man. Unholy ( ἀνόσιοι ); as 1Ti_1:9 (where see
note).
BI 2-5, "Men shall be lovers of their own selves.
The nature and kinds of self-love
I. Self-love, considered in the general, abstracting from particular circumstances, is
neither a vice nor a virtue. It is nothing but the inclination of every man to his own
happiness. A passionate desire to be always pleased and well-satisfied, neither to feel
nor fear any pain or trouble, either of body or mind. It is an instinct of nature
common to all men, and not admitting of any excess or abatement. Self-love directed
to, and pursuing, what is, upon the whole, and in the last result of things, absolutely
best for us, is innocent and good; and every deviation from this is culpable, more or
less so, according to the degrees and the circumstances of it.
II. When we blindly follow the instinct of self-love, coveting everything which looks
fair, and running greedily upon it without weighing circumstances or considering
consequences; or when, to get rid of any present pain or uneasiness, we take any
method which first offers, without reflecting how dearly we may pay for it
afterwards; I say, when we do thus, then it is that our self-love beguiles us,
degenerates into a vicious, or at least, silly appetite, and comes under the name of an
overweening, excessive, and inordinate self-love. He suffers the natural instinct of
self-love to carry him too far after present satisfaction, farther than is consistent
with his more real and durable felicity. To understand the nature of this
enchantment, and how it comes to pass that those who love themselves so well, can
thus consent to ruin themselves, both bodies and souls, for ever; let us trace its
progress.
1. To begin with pride. All the happiness of life is summed up in two articles--
pleasing thoughts and pleasing sensations. ow, pride is founded in self-flattery,
and self-flattery is owing to an immoderate desire of entertaining some kind of

pleasing thoughts.
2. Another instance of inordinate, ill-conducted self-love is sensuality. This belongs
to the body more than to the mind, is of a gross taste, aiming only at pleasing
sensations. It so far agrees with pride that it makes men pursue the present
gratification at the expense of the public peace and to their own future misery and
ruin.
3. A third instance of blind and inordinate self-love is avarice or self-interestedness.
This is of larger and more diffusive influence than either of the former. So great a
part of temporal felicity is conceived to depend upon riches, that the men of this
world lie under the strongest temptations to this vine of any. If the case be such, that
treachery and fraud, guile and hypocrisy, rapine and violence, may be serviceable to
the end proposed; the blind self-lover will charge through all rather than he
defeated of his covetous designs, or bear the uneasiness of a disappointment. Thus
he comes to prefer his own private, present interest, before virtue, honour,
conscience, or humanity. He considers not what would be good for him upon the
whole and in the last result, but lives extempore, contrives only for a few days, or
years at most, looking no farther. The height of his ambition reaches not beyond
temporal felicity, and he miscalculates even in that.
III. Considerations proper to prevent or cure it. It is very evident that the self-lovers
are not greater enemies to others in intention than they are in effect to themselves.
Yet it is not less evident that they love themselves passionately all the time, and
whatever hurt they do to their own selves they certainly mean none. They run upon
it as a horse rushes into the battle, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, and as a bird
hasteth to the snare, and know not that it is for their life. It is for want of thinking in
a right way that men fall into this fatal misconduct, and nothing but serious and
sober thought can bring them out of it. I shall just suggest two or three useful
considerations, and then conclude.
1. We should endeavour to fix in our minds this great and plain truth, that there can
be no such thing as true happiness, separate from the love of God and the love of
our neighbour.
2. A second consideration, proper to be hinted, is, that man is made for eternity, and
not for this life only. o happiness can be true and solid which is not lasting as
ourselves.
3. To conclude, the way to arrive at true happiness is to take into consideration the
whole extent and compass of our being; to enlarge our views beyond our little selves
to the whole creation round us, whereof we are but a slender part; and to extend our
prospect beyond this life to distant glories. Make things future appear as if they
were now present, and things distant as if they were near and sensible. (D.
Waterland, D. D.)

Self-love
1. Self-love is vicious, when it leads us to judge too favourably of our faults.
(1) Sometimes it finds out other names for them, and by miscalling them endeavours
to take away their bad qualities.
(2) Sometimes it represents our sins as weaknesses, infirmities, the effect of natural
constitution, and deserving more pity than blame.
(3) Sometimes it excuses them upon account of the intent, pretending that some good
or other is promoted by them, and that the motive and the end sanctify the means,
or greatly lessen the faultiness of them.
(4) It leads us to set our good in opposition to our bad qualities, and to persuade
ourselves that wharfs laudable in us far outweighs what is evil.
(4) It teaches us to compare ourselves with others, and thence to draw favourable
conclusions, because we are not so bad as several whom we could name; it shows us
the general corruption that is in the world, represents it worse than it is, and then
tells us that we must not hope, and need not endeavour to be remarkably and
singularly good.
2. Our self-love is irregular, when we think too well of our righteousness, and
overvalue our good actions, and are pure in our own eyes.
3. Our self-love is blameable when we overvalue our abilities, and entertain too good
an opinion of our knowledge and capacity; and this kind of self-love is called self-
conceit. One evil which men reap from it is to be disliked and despised. The reason
why self conceit is so much disliked is that it is always attended with a mean opinion
of others. From self-conceit arise rash undertakings, hasty determinations,
stubbornness, insolence, envy, censoriousness, confidence, vanity, the love of
flattery, and sometimes irreligion, and a kind of idolatry, by which a man worships
his own abilities, and places his whole trust in them. The unreasonableness of this
con ceit appears from the imperfections of the human understanding, and the
obstacles which lie between us and wisdom.
4. Our self-love is irregular when we are proud and vain of things inferior in nature
to those before mentioned, when we value our selves upon the station and
circumstances in which not our own deserts, but favour or birth, hath placed us,
upon mere show and outside, upon these and the like advantages in which we
surpass others. This conceit is unreasonable and foolish; for these are either things
which the possessors can hardly call their own, as having done little or nothing to
acquire them, or they are of small value, or they are liable to be irrecoverably lost

by many unforeseen accidents.
5. Lastly, our self-love is vicious when we make our worldly interest, convenience,
humour, ease, or pleasure, the great end of our actions. This is selfishness, a very
disingenuous and sordid kind of self-love. It is a passion that leads a man to any
baseness which is joined to lucre, and to any method of growing rich which may be
practised with impunity. (J. Jortin, D. D.)
Self.love
I. I shall endeavour to trace out more particularly the workings of this noxious
principle, as it respects matters of religion; for it is said of these lovers of themselves,
that “they have the form of godliness, but deny the power thereof.”
1. Self-love may carry men out in desires after Christ (see Mar_1:37; Joh_6:26).
Many would partake of Christ’s benefits, who reject His government; receive glory
from Him, but give no glory to Him. If they can but go to heaven when they die, they
care not how little they have of it before; and are unconcerned about the dominion
of sin, if they can but obtain the pardon of it; so that their seeking and striving are
now over.
2. Self-love may be the sole foundation of men’s love to, and delight in, God. And
indeed it is so with all hypocrites and formalists in religion. Many mistake a
conviction of mind, that God is to be loved, for a motion of the heart towards Him;
and because they see it to be reasonable that He should be regarded by them, they
imagine that He is so. But the highest regard that a natural man can have to the
Divine Being, if traced back to its origin, or followed to its various actings, will be
found to be self-love.
3. Self-love may be the principle that first excites, and then puts fervour and
ardency into our prayers. How coldly do some put up those requests, “Hallowed be
Thy ame, Thy kingdom come”; but are much more earnest when they come to
those petitions in which their present comfort and future happiness are so much
inter ested: “Forgive us our trespasses,” and “Give us our daily bread,” “Let me die
the death of the righteous.”
4. Self-love insinuates itself into the severer acts of mortification; nay, it often runs
through and corrupts the whole course of religious duties. It is like the dead fly
which taints the whole box of precious ointment. From this principle some neglect
duties as burdensome, and only seek privileges; a reward without labours, victory
without fighting.
5. Self-love runs through all their affections, exertions, and actions, with respect to

their fellow-creatures. If they rejoice at others’ prosperity, it is because they
themselves may be benefited by it. If, on the other hand, they grieve at their
calamities, it is because they are likely to be sharers in them, or some way or other
injured by them.
II. from what has been said, you see that self-love is an insinuating principle,
appearing in various forms, even in the religious world, and under many artful
disguises, hard to be discerned, but harder still to be guarded against. To stir you up
to this, let me set before you some of the evils resulting from this easily-besetting,
and alas, too universally prevailing sin.
1. It is the root of hypocrisy. So far as self-love and self-seeking influence, we are
void of sincerity and integrity.
2. It promotes pride, envy, strife, uncharitableness, and an evil temper and conduct
towards all with whom we are conversant. A man who loves himself too well, will
never love his God or his neighbour as he ought.
3. All evil may, perhaps, be reduced to this one point: All our desires, passions,
projects, and endeavours, centred in self. This was the first sin: “Ye shall be as
gods”; and it has continued the master-sin ever since. It is the corrupt fountain,
sending forth so many impure and filthy streams. (B. Beddome, M. A.)
A sermon against self-love, etc
1. What kind of self-love is it which St. Paul does here so severely censure?
2. By what manner of influence self-love makes times and seasons become perilous.
3. What times the apostle means by the Last Days; and whence it is that self-love
operates with such successful prevalence in those days as to render them the Evil
Days.
4. What reflections are fit to be made by us, upon occasion of this argument in
relation to our age, and to ourselves, and our present affairs, in order to that which
all ought to fast and pray, and labour for the stability of our times and the peace of
Jerusalem?
I. To consider what kind of self-love St. Paul speaks against as the fountain of public
mischief; for there is a self-love which is a very natural and a very useful principle.
o man ever yet hated his own flesh; no man, without the loving of himself, does

either preserve or improve himself. If Almighty God would not have suffered men to
love themselves, He would not have moved them to their duty by their personal
benefit, and especially by so great a recompense as is that of life eternal. It would
conduce to the felicity of men, even in this world, if they truly loved themselves; for
then they would not waste their fortunes by an unaccountable profuseness, nor
destroy their bodies by the extravagances of rage, and luxury, and lust. The self-love
here condemned by St. Paul is that narrow wicked affection which either wholly or
principally confines a man to his seeming personal good on earth. An affection
which either opposeth all public good, or at least all that public good which comes in
competition with man’s private advantage. Of such lovers of themselves the apostle
gives a very ill character in the words that follow the text. He says of them, in 2Ti_
3:2, that they are covetous; their heart is like the mouth of a devouring gulf, which
sucks in all into itself with deep and unsatiable desire. He continues to mark them,
in 2Ti_3:3, as persons without natural affection, as people who have no bowels for
the miserable part of mankind; as such who rejoice at a public wreck, not
considering the loss of others, nor the dismal circumstances of it; but minding with
their whole intention the profit which they may gather up for their inhuman selves.
He adds, in the same verse, that they are despisers of those who are good. They vilify
men of a public spirit.
II. This straight and uncharitable affection is of so malignant an influence, that
where it prevails no age can be calm, no government stable, no person secure. And
that it is of such perilous consequence may be demonstrated on this manner. God,
who is good and does good, designed, that whilst man was here on earth, it should
be competently well with him in case of his obedience, though He intended not to
give him all his portion in this life. He knew that men could not subsist apart with
such conveniences as they might obtain by being knit into regular societies. He,
therefore, united them in civil and sacred bodies, that by conjoined strength they
might procure those benefits which, in a separate state, and by their single selves,
they could not come at. For, consider, how void of comfort a life of entire solitude
would have been to man; with what a life of fear would they have been crucified
who had stood perpetually by themselves on their own defence; with what a life of
labour and meanness would men have been burdened if every one of them must
have been his own only servant; if every one had been obliged to build and plant,
and till the ground, and provide food and physic and garments for himself by his
own solitary power. And how could a man serve himself in any of these necessary
offices in times of sickness, lameness, delirium, and decrepit old age? To such a
perilous and laborious life as I have been speaking of, indiscreet and vicious self-
love tends; for as far as men do mind and seek themselves alone, so far they dissolve
society and lessen its benefits, being rather in it than of it. So that the soul which
animates society, whose advantages are so considerable, is the great and generous
spirit of charity. That violates no compacts, that raises no commotions, that
interrupts no good man’s peace, that assaults no innocent man’s person, that
invades no man’s property, that grinds no poor man’s face, that envies no man, that
supplants no man, that submits its private convenience to the public necessities.

Concerning this vile affection, St. Paul taught that it would possess the men of the
last days.
III. To consider what times he means by those days, and in what sense he speaks of
self-love as the distemper of the last days, seeing it has been the disease of every age.
By the last days he means the last age of the world, the age of the Messiah, not
excluding that part of it in which he himself lived. There were several precedent
periods: that of the fathers before the flood, that of the patriarchs before the Law,
that of Moses and the prophets under the Law. But after the age of the Messiah,
time itself shall be no more. To this age all evil self-love cannot be confined, for that
dotage had a being in the world from the very beginning of it. The murder of Cain
was so early, that he sinned without example; and from his selfishness his murder
proceeded. We therefore misunderstand St. Paul, if we interpret him as speaking,
not of the increase, but of the being; of self-love; for it is not its existence, but its
abundance, which he foretells. What he wrote has been true in fact, from the times
of Demas and Diotrephes, to this very hour. Light is come into the world, a glorious
gospel which shines everywhere; and men love darkness rather than light, and shut
up themselves in their own hard and rough and private shells. Selfishness cannot be
the direct natural effect of the gospel of Christ, which, of all other dispensations,
depresseth the private under the public good. The age of the Messiah is the best of
ages in His design, and in the means of virtue which He gives the world; and if the
men of it be worse than those of other generations, the greater is the aggravation of
their guilt, whilst, under a gospel of the widest charity, they exercise the narrowest
selfishness. But, however, so it is: whether it be that wicked men, by a spirit of
contradiction, oppose charity where they are most earnestly pressed to it; or that the
devil, having but a short time, is the more passionately industrious in promoting the
interests of his kingdom; or that the further men are from the age of Divine
revelations, the less firmly they believe them. It concerns us then--
IV. To make serious reflections upon this argument, and to suffer our selves to be
touched with such deep remorse for the guilt of our partiality, that God may be
appeased, and our sins pardoned, and our lives reformed, and that perilous times
may be succeeded by many prosperous days. And--
1. Let us give glory to God, and take shame to ourselves, upon the account of that
selfish principle which hath long wrought among us, and still worketh.
2. May we not only bewail but amend this great defect in our nature, and in our civil
and Christian duty.
(1) The regaining of a public spirit is at all times worthy our care. We can do no
greater thing than to “follow God, who is concerned for all, as if they were but one
man; and for every single person, as if he were a world.” God hath disposed all

things in mutual subserviency to one another: the light, the air, the water, are made
for common good; and because they are common, they are the less, but they ought,
for that reason, to be the more esteemed. There is not an humble plant that grows to
itself, or a mean ex that treads out the corn merely for his own service; and shall
man be the only useless part of the creation? It is a most unworthy practice, upon
the account of self-interest, to multiply the moral perils of the world, whilst there
are inconveniences enough in insensible ature. It is enough that the natural
seasons are tempestuous; men’s passions should not raise more storms. It is enough
that famine can destroy so many; uncharitableness should not do it. What is it that
is worthy the daily thoughts and the nightly studies of a man of under standing, and
of an excellent spirit? Is it the supplanting of a credulous friend, or the oppressing
of an helpless neighbour? Alas! these are designs so base and low, that he who calls
himself a man should not stoop to them. But that which is worthy of a man is the
service of his God, his Church, his country; the generous exposing of himself when a
kingdom is in hazard.
(2) A public spirit, as it is worthy our care at all times, so at all times it needs it. For
it requires the utmost application of our minds, seeing self-love insinuates with great
art and subtlety into all our designs and actions. (Thomas Tenison, D. D.)
Self-love odious
Here you see how far self-love is from being proposed to our practice, when you find
it standing in the front of a black and dismal catalogue of the most odious and
abhorred qualities. That I may contribute, if possible, to the making men less
tenacious, and more communicative, I shall make it my present business to set the
two characters in an opposite light, and to show--
I. The odiousness of self-love.
II. The amiableness of a generous and public spirit. There is, indeed, a kind or
degree of self-love which is not only innocent; but necessary. The laws of nature
strongly incline every man to be solicitous for his own welfare, to guard his person
by a due precaution from hurts and accidents; to provide food and raiment, and all
things needful for his bodily sustenance, by honest industry and labour; to repair as
far as he is able, such decays as may attend his bodily constitution, by proper helps
and the best means that are afforded him; and much more to make it his grand
concern to secure the everlasting happiness of his immortal part. Such a self-love as
this goes little farther than self-preservation, without which principle implanted in
us the human species would be soon lost and extinguished, and the work of our
great Creator be defeated. But that which St. Paul speaks of with abhorrence is a

love merely selfish, that both begins and terminates in a man’s single person,
exclusive of all tender regards for any one else: this is, in the worst and most
criminal sense, taking care of one only. If we will but look into our own nature, and
reflect on the end and design of our creation, the reach and extent of our faculties,
our subordination to one another, and the insufficiency of every man as he stands
by himself alone, we shall soon be convinced, that doing good and affording each
other reciprocal assistance is that for which we were formed and fashioned, that we
are linked together by our common wants, as well as by inclination, and that
tenderness of disposition and natural sympathy that is implanted in us. That we are
born and educated, that we enjoy either necessaries or comforts, that we are
preserved from perils in our greener, or ever arrive at riper years, next under the
watchfulness and protection of Almighty God, is owing to the care of others. And
can anything be more just and reasonable than that we, too, in our turn, should give
that succour we have received, and do, not only as we willingly would, but as we
actually have been done unto? There is a certain proportion of trouble and
uneasiness, as well as of pleasure and satisfaction, that must of necessity be borne by
the race of men; insomuch that he who will not sustain some share of the former, is
unworthy to partake of any of the comforts of the latter. But here the selfling will
interpose, and say: “It is true I have occasion for the help of others, and the help of
others I have. I have occasion for the attendance of servants, and by servants I am
attended. I want to be supplied with those conveniences of life which artificers
provide in their respective occupations, and I am supplied accordingly. So long as I
am furnished with sufficient store to pay them an equivalent, I am in no danger of
being left destitute of anything that money can procure. This is the commerce I
carry on in the world; thus I approve myself a social member of the commonwealth.
But what have I to do in parting with my substance to them who can give nothing to
me in return?” And sometimes we see it does please Almighty God to make
examples of this sort: to humble such haughty and self-confiding men, by reducing
them from their towering height, and all the wantonness of prosperity, to the
extremity of want and misery. And whenever this happens to be the case, who are
then so pitifully abjected? But the universal hatred which such a person naturally
contracts will not always be suppressed, nor his former aversion to doing good
offices be covered by a charitable oblivion, nor be lost under the soft relentings and
a melting commiseration of his present sufferings. In short, since every man has an
equal right to confine all his care and endeavours to the promoting his own separate
interest, that any one man has, what must be the consequence if such a narrow way
of thinking and acting should become universal? Love and friendship terminate at
once if every man were to regard himself alone, and to extend his care no farther!
Such a situation would put an end to all intercourse and commerce; men would be
destitute of all confidence and security, and afraid to trust each other. And this may
suffice to show that odious and malignant quality of selfishness, or mere self-love.
Let us now consider--
II. The amiableness of a generous and public spirit. He who has a heart truly open
and enlarged, over and above that reasonable thoughtfulness and contrivance with

which every prudent man will be possessed, about providing for his own, and how
to proportion his expenses to his revenue, as well as how to obtain more ample
acquisitions, if fair and honourable methods of advancing his fortunes present
themselves in his way; I say, beyond this domestic care, he will have room enough in
his thoughts to let them be employed sometimes in the service of his friends, his
neighbours, and his country; which have not only his best wishes and hearty desires
for the success of their affairs, but he makes it his study to promote their welfare,
and puts himself to a voluntary trouble and expense in order to extricate them from
difficulties and free them from dangers. He has the pleasure of reflecting that a
beneficial act is done, and that although he has not been able to animate others to
promote it in the same degree with himself, he has, however, been instrumental in
causing some good to be done, and the receivers are heartily welcome both to his
pains and his contributions. This may appear but a poor satisfaction to little and
grovelling minds, who have no idea of any joy that can arise from the reflection on
anything that is not attended with present profit, and look upon everything as a
losing bargain where more is expended than received. But large and capacious souls
have far nobler sentiments; they know how to value and enjoy a loss, and find a
secret pleasure in the diminution of their fortune when honourably and worthily
employed. We are sure that God Almighty, who gives everything, and receives
nothing, is a most perfectly blest and happy being; and the nearer we resemble Him
in any of our actions, by so much we advance our own happiness. Such a friendly
promoter of the good of others may survey the objects of his love with some degree
of that satisfaction wherewith God beheld His workmanship when He had finished
the several parts of the Creation, and pronounced that they were good. And as for a
man’s name and character, who would not rather choose not to have it mentioned at
all, than not mentioned with respect? This seems to be the only end that is sought
after by those who delight in show and pomp; and yet this very end might be much
better compassed by another way than by that which they affect. For does it not give
a sweeter fragrancy to a man’s name? And does not every one speak of him with
higher expressions of honour and esteem, who has been a common benefactor, and
relieved a multitude of necessitous persons? (Andrew Snape, D. D.)
Self-love the great cause of bad times
1. To inquire what this self-love is which the apostle here speaks of, and wherein the
nature and evil of it consists.
2. To show that wherever such self-love spreads and becomes general there must
needs be perilous or bad times.
3. To use several arguments to prevent men’s being poisoned and over-run with this
dangerous and pernicious principle of self-love.

I. Let us inquire what this self-love is which the apostle here speaks of, and wherein
the nature and evil of it consists. ow all self-love when taken in an ill sense, as it is
plain this is here by the apostle, must come under one or other of these following
notions.
1. Self-love may be considered in opposition to a love of God, and a making His
glory and the interests of religion the principal and ultimate end of all our designs
and actions; to our loving Him with all our hearts, with all our souls, and with all
our minds, and our seeking first, or before all other things, His kingdom and
righteousness. And then we may be properly said to be self-lovers in this sense,
when we are so very intent upon ourselves and our own interests as not to concern
ourselves at all, or to be sure not much and chiefly about God and religion.
2. Self-love may be considered in opposition to that honest and commendable self-
love which every man oweth to himself, which is a love of our whole beings, soul as
well as bodies, and of every part of them in due measure and proportion to the
excellence and worth of them; and then it signifieth a love only of one part of
ourselves, or at least an immoderate and disproportionate love of one part above
any or all the rest. And in this sense it is to be feared most men are guilty of self-
love. And, agreeably to this notion, we find the word self used in Scripture to signify
the sensual and carnal part of man.
3. Self-love may be considered in opposition to charity or a love of our brethren; and
then it signifieth such a stinginess and narrowness of soul as will not suffer us to
have any concern, or take any care for anybody but ourselves, such a temper as is
the exact reverse of that which the apostle commendeth, which seeketh not its own,
but the things of another, and hardly ever thinks, much less acts, but for itself.
ature has implanted in us a most tender and compassionate sense and fellow-
feeling of one another’s miseries, a most ready and prevailing propension and
inclination to assist and relieve them; insomuch that pity and kindness towards our
brethren have a long time passed under the name of humanity, as properties
essential to, and not without violence to be separated from, human nature. And then
as to reason, what can possibly be more reasonable than that we who are of the
same mass, of one blood, members of each other, and children of the same Father,
should love as brethren? That we, who live in a very fluctuating and uncertain state,
and though rich to-day, may be poor to-morrow, should act so now towards others
as we shall then wish others may act towards us?
4. And then, lastly, as to religion, especially the Christian, besides that this doth
acquaint us with a new and intimate relation to each other in Christ Jesus, and
consequently a new ground and obligation to love and assist each other. ay, so
great a value do the Scriptures set upon this duty of mercy or charity to our
brethren, that wherever they give us, either in the Old or ew Testament, a short
summary of religion, this is sure to be mentioned, not only as a part, but a main and
principal part of it. ay, farther yet, it sometimes stands for the whole of religion, as
that universal name of righteousness given to it is said to be the fulfilling of the law.

5. Self-love may be considered in opposition to a love of the public and a zeal for the
common good, and then it signifieth a preferring of our own particular and private
interests to those of the whole body.
II. To show that wherever such self-love spreads and becomes general there must
needs be perilous or bad times.
1. I say, self-love will make men neglect the public and decline the service of it,
especially in times of danger, when their service is most needed. And for this reason
we always find it a very difficult task, if not impossible, to engage such men in any
public service merely upon a prospect of doing public good. They will use a
thousand little shifts and artifices to get themselves excused. ay, and which is rare
in self-lovers, who have always a good stock of self-conceit, rather than fail, they will
speak modestly and humbly of themselves, and plead incapacity and want of ability
for their excuse. But never is this so plainly to be seen as in times of public danger,
when there is most occasion for their assistance. For self-love is constantly attended
with a very great degree of self-fear, and this makes mere weather-cocks of such
people as are acted by it, continually bandying them about, hither and thither,
backwards and forwards, and never suffering them to fix any where till the storm is
over, the weather begins to clear up, and they can pretty certainly discern the
securest side.
2. That though they do pretend to serve the public, yet it is for their own private
ends, and consequently their self-love will suffer them to serve it no farther or
longer than these shall be advanced by their so doing. And this but a very poor and
uncertain service, and even worse than none at all; for their supreme end being
their own private interest, all other ends must of course crouch and become
subordinate to this.
3. Their self-love will probably turn them against the public, and instead of
preserving and securing it, make them undermine and destroy it; and if so, it is still
better they should have no concern with it, because the more concern they have with
it the greater will be their opportunity of doing mischief to it. Self-love is a very
tyrannical and domineering principle, and generally makes perfect slaves of her
subjects, and carrieth them on to all such excesses and extravagances as she shall
think fit. For, alas! self-love is the blindest, as well as the greediest, and least able to
deny itself of all loves, and will very hardly be brought to see any objections against
itself; or at least, if it must see them, it will accept of very easy answers to them, and
be a wondrous gentle casuist to itself; so, that, if there but come a good lusty
temptation in our way, it is too much to be feared that our self-love will close with it,
be it attended with never such hard terms, and that, out of eagerness for the bait,
hook and all will go down.

III. To use all the arguments we can to prevent men’s being poisoned and overrun
with this dangerous and pernicious principle. And--
1. As to ourselves, there cannot certainly be a better argument than the danger
which we were brought into by some men’s immoderate love of their private interest
in the late reign.
2. Let us consider that this principle of self-love is a very foolish principle, and
really defeats its own end. For this, I take it for granted, I may lay down as a maxim,
that every man’s private good is best secured in the public, and, consequently,
whatever weakens the public, doth really weaken every private man’s security; and,
therefore--
3. This self-love is a most base, pitiful, and mean principle, and will certainly make
us odious and contemptible in the sight both of God and man. (William Dawes, D.
D.)
Sin multitudinous
See here what a concatenation of sins there is, and how they are linked together--
self-lovers, covetous, boasters, proud, etc. Sins (especially great sins)seldom go
alone. As great men have great attendance, so great sins have many followers; and
as he that admits of a great man into the house must look to have all his ragged
regiment and blackguard to follow him, so he that admits but one great sin into his
heart must look for Gad, a troop of ugly lusts to throng in after. Sin is like a tryant,
the more you yield to it, the worse it tyrannises over you. (T. Hall, B. D.)
Self-love foolish
This is, with the silly bird, to mind nothing but the building of our own nests when
the tree is cutting down; and to take more care of our private cabin than of the ship
itself when it is sinking. (T. Hall, B. D.)
Self-love hereditary
Hereditary diseases are hardly cured. Self-love is hereditary to us; we are apt to
have high conceits of ourselves from the very birth; till grace humble and abase us,
all our crows are swans, our ignorance knowledge, our folly wisdom, our darkness
light, and all our own ways best though never so bad. (T. Hall, B. D.)

Self-love a manifold disease
This is a disease that hath many other diseases included in it, and so is more hard to
cure. Hence spring all those errors and heresies which are so rife in these last days.
(T. Hall, B. D.)
Self-love self-deceptive
As a man that is in love doth think the very blemishes in his love to be beautiful, so
those that are in love with themselves, and dote on their own opinions, think their
heresy to be verity, and their vices virtues. This will bring vexation at last; it
troubles us to be cheated by others in petty matters, but for a man to cheat himself
wilfully, and that in a matter of the highest concernment, is the trouble of troubles
to aa awakened conscience. (T. Hall, B. D.)
Self-love odious to God
The more lovely we are in our own eyes, the more loathsome in God’s; but the more
we loathe ourselves, the more God loves us (Jer_31:18; Jer_31:20). (T. Hall, B. D.)
Self-love a primary sin
This sinful self-love is set in the front, as the leader of the file, and the cause of all
those eighteen enormities which follow: ‘tis the root from whence these branches
spring, and the very fountain from whence those bitter streams do issue. (T. Hall, B.
D.)
Pious self-love communicative
There is a pious and religious self-love, considered in relation to God and the
common good; thus a man may love himself as an instrument of God’s glory, and as
a servant for the good of others, else our Saviour would never set our love to
ourselves before us as a pattern of our love to our neighbours. ow, upon these
grounds, and in relation to these ends, we may not only love ourselves, but seek
ourselves too. This love spreads and dilates itself for God and the good of others.
The more noble and excellent things, the more communicative and diffusive they are
of themselves. The sun is herein a more noble thing than a torch, and a fountain
than a ditch. Christ emptied Himself of His glory, not for His own, but for our

benefit (Php_23:6); it will make us part with our own right for peace (Gen_13:8-9;
1Co_6:7); it will make us condescend to those of the lower sort (Rom_12:16), not
seeking our own profit, but the profit of many (1Co_10:33); yea, and though they be
free, yet love will make them servants to all (1Co_9:19). On the contrary, self-love
contracts the soul, and hath an eye still at self in all its undertakings. ‘Tis the very
hedgehog of conversation, that rolls and laps itself within its own soft down, and
turns out bristles to all the world besides. (T. Hall, B. D.)
On self-conceit
Sometimes in our imagination we assume to ourselves perfections not belonging to
us, in kind or degree. Sometimes we make vain judgments on the things we possess,
prizing them beyond their true worth and merit, and consequently overvaluing
ourselves on their account. There is indeed no way wherein we do not thus impose
on ourselves, either assuming false, or misrating true advantages, so that our minds
become stuffed with fantastic imaginations, instead of wise and sober thoughts, and
we misbehave ourselves towards ourselves.
1. We are apt to conceit ourselves on presumption of our intellectual endowments or
capacities, whether natural, or acquired, especially of that which is called wisdom,
which in a manner comprehends the rest, and manages them: on this we are prone
to pride ourselves greatly, and to consider that it is presumption, hardly pardonable
to contest our dictates: yet this practice is often prohibited and blamed in Scripture.
“Be not wise in thine own eyes,” saith the wise man; and “Be not wise in your own
conceits,” saith the apostle. If we do reflect either on the common nature of men, or
on our own constitution, we cannot but find our conceits of our wisdom very
absurd; for how can we take ourselves for wise, if we observe the great blindness of
our mind, and feebleness of human reason, by many palpable arguments
discovering itself? if we mark how painful the search, and how difficult the
comprehension is of any truth; how hardly the most sagacious can descry any thing,
how the most learned everlastingly dispute, about matters seeming most familiar
and facile; how often the most wary and steady do shift their opinions; how dim the
sight is of the most perspicacious, and how shallow the conceptions of the most
profound; how narrow is the horizon of our knowledge, and how immensely the
origin of our ignorance is distended; how imperfectly and uncertainly we know
those few things to which our knowledge reacheth. If also a man particularly
reflected on himself, the same practice must needs appear very foolish; for that
every man thence may discover in himself peculiar impediments of wisdom; every
man in his condition may find things apt to pervert his judgment, and obstruct his
acquisition of true knowledge. Such conceitedness therefore is very absurd, and it is
no less hurtful; for many great inconveniences spring from it, such as gave the
prophet cause to denounce “Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes.” It hath
many ways bad influence on our souls, and on our lives; it is often our case, which
was the case of Babylon, when the prophet said of it, “Thy wisdom and thy
knowledge hath perverted thee; for thou hast said in thy heart, I am, and none else

beside me.” It is a great bar to the receiving instruction about things; for he that
taketh himself to be incomparably wise, will scorn to be taught. It renders men in
difficult cases unwilling to seek, and unapt to take advice; hence he undertaketh and
easily is deceived, and incurreth disappointment, damage in his affairs. It renders us
very rash in judging; for the first show of things, or the most slender arguments,
which offer themselves, being magnified, do sway our judgment. Hence also we
persist incorrigible in error; for what reason can be efficacious to reclaim him
whose opinion is the greater reason? It renders men peevish; also insolent in
imposing their conceits on others. Hence they become censorious of those who do
not agree with their notions.
2. Again, we are apt to prize highly and vainly our moral qualities and
performances, taking ourselves for persons of extraordinary goodness, without
defects or blemishes; which practice is both foolish and mischievous. It is very
foolish; for such is the imperfection and impurity of all men, even of the best, that
no man who strictly searches his heart can have reason to he satisfied with himself
or his doings. Every man is in some degree sinful; conceit therefore of our virtue is
very foolish; and it breeds great mischiefs. Hence springs a great carelessness of
correcting our faults, a contempt of any means conducive to our amendment, such
as good advice and wholesome reproof. It breeds arrogance even in our devotions to
God, like that of the conceited Pharisee; also a haughty contempt of others: it
disposes men to expect more than ordinary regard from others; and as it causes a
man to behave himself untowardly to them, so thence he behaves unseemingly
towards himself, of whom he becomes a flatterer, and profane idolater.
3. Self-conceit is also frequently grounded on other inferior advantages: on gifts of
nature, or of fortune; but seeing that these things are in themselves of little value,
and serving no great purpose; seeing they are not commendable, as proceeding from
chance; seeing they are not durable or certain, but easily may be severed from us,
the vanity of self-conceit founded on them is so notorious, that it need not be more
insisted on. (Isaac Barrow.)
On vain-glory
When a regard to the opinion or desire of the esteem of men is the main principle
from which their actions do proceed, or the chief end which they propound to
themselves, instead of conscience of duty, love and reverence of God, hope of the
rewards promised, a sober regard to their true good, this is vain-glory. Such was the
vain-glory of the Pharisees, who fasted, who prayed, who gave alms, who “did all
their works that they might be seen of men,” and from them obtain the reward of
estimation and applause: this is that which St. Paul forbiddeth: “Let nothing be
done out of strife or vain-glory.”
1. It is vain, because unprofitable. Is it not a foolish thing for a man to affect that
which little concerns him, and by which he is not considerably benefited? Yet such

is the opinion of men; for how do we feel the motions of their fancy?
2. It is vain, because uncertain. How easily are the judgments of men altered I how
fickle are their conceits!
3. It is vain because unsatisfactory; for how can one be satisfied with the opinion of
bad judges, who esteem a man Without good grounds, commonly for things which
deserve not regard?
4. It is vain, because fond. It is ugly and unseemly to others, who despise nothing
more than acting on this principle.
5. It is vain, because unjust. If we seek glory to ourselves, we wrong God thereby, to
whom glory is due: if there be in us any considerable endowment of body or mind, it
is from God, the author of our being, who worketh in us to will and to do according
to His good pleasure.
6. It is vain because mischievous. It corrupts our mind with a false pleasure that
chokes the purer pleasures of a good conscience, of spiritual joy and peace, bringing
God’s displeasure on us, and depriving us of the reward due to good works
performed out of a pure conscience, etc. “Verily they have their reward.” (Isaac
Barrow.)
Some general remedies of self-love
1. To reflect on ourselves seriously and impartially, considering our natural
nothingness, infirmity, unworthiness; the meanness and imperfection of our nature,
the defects and deformities of our souls, the failings and misdemeanours of our lives.
2. To consider the loveliness of other beings superior to us; comparing them with
ourselves, and observing how very far in excellency, worth, and beauty they
transcend us.
(1) If we view the qualities and examples of other men, who in worth, in wisdom, in
virtue, and piety, do far excel us; their noble endowments, what they have done and
suffered in obedience to God, their self-denial, their patience, how can we but in
comparison despise ourselves?
(2) If we consider the blessed angels and saints in glory--their purity, their humility,
their obedience--how can we think of ourselves without abhorrence?
(3) Especially if we contemplate the perfection, the purity, the majesty of God; how
must this infinitely debase us in our opinion concerning ourselves, and consequently
diminish our fond affection toward things so vile and unworthy?

Ii timothy 3 commentary

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Ii timothy 3 commentary