"For the time will come when they will not endure sound
doctrine; but after their own lusts, shall heap to themselves
teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn their ears from the
truth, and shall be turned unto fables."

This doth not answer to the Romish defection. It was never the
character of that church to "heap to themselves teachers." They never
ran after those of other persuasions, who brought new doctrines. Their
errors were of the contrary kind. They rejected and persecuted every
teacher who did not derive from their _infallible head_, and teach as
he directed. But "itching ears" have misled many of those, who "are
moved away from the hope of the gospel. By turning to fables they have
made shipwreck of faith, and fallen a prey to those who lie in wait to
deceive."

St. peter wrote with equal plainness of the general defections; but
those of infidelity are the subject of his prophecies--"There shall be
false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable
heretics, _even denying the Lord that bought them_, and bring upon
themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious
ways; by reason of whom the truth shall be evil spoken of." The
heresies here intended are depicted too minutely to be mistaken. The
heresiarchs are described as immoral, vain and proud, pretending to
superior knowledge and penetration, despising law and government, and
trampling them under their feet.

Toward the close of his second epistle, the apostle remarks, that he
"wrote to stir up pure minds by way of remembrance; that they might be
mindful of the words spoken before, by the holy prophets"--that is, of
the predictions of inspired men, who had forewarned them of those
deceivers--"Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last
days, scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying where is the
promise of his coming?" And he refers them to St. Paul, who had
predicted their rise in the church--"Even as our beloved brother Paul
also, according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you: As
also in all his epistles, speaking in them _of these things_"--He adds
--"Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware,
lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from
your own stedfastness."

The short epistle of St. Jude is little other than a prophetic
description of the same apostasy and its leaders, whom he terms
"ungodly men, turning the grace of God