Therefore it is no great thing
It is no strange and wonderful thing; it may easily be given
into; no man need to make any doubt of it, or hesitate concerning
it, since the devil himself, who is an angel of darkness, is
transformed into an angel of light:
if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers
of
righteousness;
not that they really are transformed into such ministers, but
they appear and look like such; they are not really, but "as the
ministers of righteousness"; they put on the form and air of
faithful upright ministers of the word, and would be thought to
be such; they mimic Gospel preachers, who assert the doctrine of
justification by the righteousness of Christ, though they most
miserably corrupt it, and blend it with something of their own;
and which they endeavour to palliate, and cover from the sight of
men; and especially they set up themselves as such, by pretending
to be great friends to holiness and good works, which they press
with much vehemence, and oppose to the doctrines of grace, with
all their might and main; in doing which, they greatly serve
their master, whose ministers they are; and who well knows that
the doctrine of works may do much prejudice to the Gospel
interest, and churches of Christ, but will never convert nor save
one soul: a dreadful character these men have, for though they
would pass for ministers of righteousness, friends to holiness,
and men zealous of good works, they are no other than ministers
of Satan, doing his work, serving his interest, and propagating
his kingdom, which is a kingdom of darkness:
whose end shall be according to their works;
for either God will make public examples of them in this world,
or if they are not made manifest here, though they may deceive
themselves and others, they cannot deceive God; he will take off
the mask, their hypocrisy shall be detected, their evil works
will be laid open, and they will be judged according to them, and
condemned for them to everlasting punishment.
