lives, and the ſtaying of their execution, and reſcued them from that preſent Deſtru&tion, which, without Chriſt's interpoſition had ſeiſed on them. as it had likewiſe on the whole viſible Creation, immediately upon the Apoſtacy of Mankind. Or, 2. This 1s ſpo- ken not only of their pretences, that they ſhould profeſs themſelves redeemed by Chriſt, but in the ſtile of the viſible Church, which fhould judge them to be ſo till they declared the contrary by their wicked ations; and it likewiſe holds true in a forenfſical and judi- cial ſtile, according to which whoſoever protefſeth himſelf to be redeemed” by Chriſt, and yet denies him in his deeds, is faid to deny the Lord that bought him ; it being alike as to the greatneſs of the Crime, whether he be really Redeemed, or profefſing himſelf to be ſo, denies his Redeemer. q Shall haſten their own Deſtruction, it may be Temporal in this World, to be ſure, Eternal in the other. It may be called ſwift, as coming upon them unawares, and when they think leaft of it, as 1 Theſſ. 5. 3.
2 And many ſhall follow their || pernicious ways 7, by reaſon of whom / the way of truth 7 ſhall be
evil ſpoken of z.
r Gr. Their Deſftrudions, 1. e. thoſe ways of Error which are at- tended with Deſtru&ion, (the Effe& being put for the Cauſe, by a Metonymy) and the ſence is, that as theſe falſe Teachers ſhall vring Deſtrution upon themſelves by their Herefies, ſo others, running with them into the ſame Errors, ſhall fall into the ſame DeſtruQien. { Or, by whim, viz. theſe Falſe Teachers, or their Followers, or both. t The Goſpel, ſo called, as being the Doqrine of ſaving Truth. It is called the Way, Ads 9. 2. and19.9. and 22. 4. the way of Salvatior, Ads 16. 17. the way of the Lord, Adts 18. 26. x Blaſphemed, whether by falſe Teachers themſelves, and their Fol- lowers, or by others taking occaſion by them, ſee Rom. 2. 24. and 1 Tim. 6. 1. Tit. 2. 5. \ :
3 And * through covetouſneſs ſhall they with fcigned words x make merchandiſe with you y,whoſe judgment 5 now of a long rime a lingreth not 6, and
their damnation c {lumbereth not 4. | :
x Deceitful Speeches, which have a ſhew of Truth toliide their Er- rors. y As of Slaves or Beaſts; it ſeems to be a Metaphor taken from Merchants that ſpeak great things of bad Wares, the better to vend them : the ſence is, with ſpecious words, and pious pretences, they ſhall deceive you, to make a gain of you. x Or, Condemnation. a Being of old determined by God, and foretold in the Scripture, and fo nearer than they themſelves 1magine. b 7. e. Goes on apace, and haſtens on them. c Or, DeſtruFton. d 7, e. Watcheth, as rea- dy fo overtake them in its time; 1t may be a Metaphor taken from a Traveller, as Prov. 6.11. or the Apoſtle alludes to Deut. 32. 35. where the like expreſſion is found ; ſee v. 1. of this Chapter.
a Ft * if God ſpared not + the Angels that finned, but caſt them down to Hell e, and delivered them in- to chains of darknels f,to be reſerved g unto judgment þ.
FETER,
*beyty bat are themſelves ſlaves to ſin: their flate who are ſeduced |
o Either, 1. God the Father, ſo called,
e Elſewhere called the Deep, Luke 8. 31. and the bottomleſs Pit, Rev. 9.1. and 11.7. and 17. 8. and 20. 1, 3. This implies a change, 1. Ot the ſtate of thoſe finning Angels, that whereas before it was the nigheſt among the Creatures, now it is the loweſt 2. Of their place, that whereas they were betore the Throne of God with the reſt of the Angels, they are now thruſt down into a lower place, agreeable to their Sin and Miſery. . What place that is we find not expretled in Scripture; and therefore we are not to be over-curious in our enquiries after it; but may reſt ſatisfied, that they are ex- cluded from the place of their Primitive Happineſs ; and are in a place, where they are afflifted with the pain both of loſs and ſence. f Either to be bound, or held with Darkneſs as with Chains; or kept in Chains under Darkneſs, as Jude 6. where Darkneſs may im- ply the miſery and horrour of their condition, and Chains, their obduration in their wickedneſs, their deſpiir of Deliverance, their expeRation of future Judgment, (Heb. 10. 27) toget"-er with the Providence and Power of God, watching over, and holding them in that condition, till final Vengeance come upon. them. It is a Metaphor taken trom Malefa&ors condemned, who are bound in Chains, and kept in the Dungeon till Execution. g So kept that they cannot eſcape. h Viz. That of the Laſt Day, the time of their tull Torment, in which the wrath of God, which they feel in a great meaſure now, will come upon them to the utmoſt.
5 And 1paggd,not the old world z, but ſaved * Noah the cighth #& perſon, a preacher / of righteouſneſs , bringing in the loud upon the world of the ungodly 7.
! The World, for Men 1n the World, viz. thoſe that lived in it before the Flood. þ Viz. together with the other Seven, his Wite, three Sons and their Wives, '1 Pet. 3. zo. Noah may be par- ticularly named, becauſe God had a ſpecial reſpe& to him, and for his ſake ſpared others. / Conſtituted to be ſo by Divine Authority
and Commiſfion. m 7.e. Not only, 1, Of the Righteouſneſs of
God, who had threatned to deſtroy the World for its wickedneſs, but, 2. Of the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt upon all them that ſhould Believe. It js not to be doubted but he preached the ſame Righte- ouſneſs whereof he himſelf was Heir, and that was the Righteouſ- neſs of Faith, Heb. 11. 7. and this he did not in Words only, but in his Affions ; in that he built the Ark for the ſaving himſelf and his Houſhold, which was a Type of the Salvation of Believers by Chriſt; and, 3. Of the Righteouſneſs of Sandification, in his cx- horting the Men that then were, to Repentance and Holinets, if poſ- fibly thereby they might prevent the approaching Deluge. n The whole multitude of wicked Men then living in the World.
6 And * turning the cities of Sodom and Gomor- * Gen. rg.
rah o into aſhes, condemned them with. an overthrow
f, T making zhem an enſample q unto thoſe that after ſhould live ungodly.
o Which being the chief of the Five, include Admah, and Zeboim, Zoar, the fifth being ſpared for Lot's ſake, Gen. 14. compared with I9. 25. þ i.e. Puniſhed them with a total Subverſion, or brought that Deſtrution upon them to which he had condemned them. q Of his Wrath and Vengeance ready to be poured out upon others
Chap. IL
* Gen.7.1, 9, 23.
24.
Jude 7. I. F Num.26.
I Os