The deſign of this Epiſtle, 1, 2. Scoffers ſhould ariſe in the laſt time denying the coming of Chriſt to judgment and the end of the Weyld, 3, 4+ Theſe the Creation and Prejervation of the World refuies, as alſo the Flood, for as the firſt World periſhed by Water, { ſhall this by Fire, $——7. The coming of Chriſt is deferred fir the Eleet's [ake, but it ſhall come unawares, and this a Motive to the practice of true Godlineſs, 8 I2. There ſhall be a new Heaven and a new Faith, confirmed by the Teſtimony of the Apoſtle Paul, whoſe Epiſtles ſome wreſted, of whom they muſt tabe heed, and £98 in Chriſt a doxology to him, 43 —— 18.
His ſecond epiſtle g, beleved, I now write unto you, in 6/4 which 1 tir up your pure minds 7
by way ot remembrance /. | 2 This confirms what hath been ſaid, That this Epiſtle was writ by Feter, as well as the former, r Or, ſincere mind ; the ſenſe is either, 1. I ſtir up your Minds, that they may be pure, and fin- cere ; and then he doth not ſo much commend them for what fey were, as dire& and exhort them to what they ſhould be, that they might receive Benefit by what he writ, there being nothing that contributes more to the fruitful entertaining of the Word, than Sincerit', and honeſty of Heart, when men lay aſide thoſe things which are contrary tot, and might hinder its efficacy, 1, Pet.2.1,2. Or, 21v. I ſtir up your minds, tho' pure and ſincere, to continuance
-
and conſtancy in that pure Doftrine ye have received, /See ch. 1:13.
2 'That ye may be mindful of the words which | were ſpoken before by the holy prophets 7, 'and of the commandment x of us the Apoſtles of the Lord and Saviour .x. No
t The Word of Prophecy, Chap. Ii. 19. he joyns the Prophets and Apoſtles together as concurring in their Dottrine, and ſo uſeth It as an Argument to perſiwade them to Conttancy in the Faith of the Goſpel, that what the Apoſtles Preached to them, was confirm- ed by what the Prophets under the the OldsTeſtament had taught be- fore, As 26. 2a. Fpheſ. 2,20. u By this he means the whole Do- Ctrine of the Goſpel Preached by him, and the other Apoſtles. See Chap. 2. 21. and 1 7ohn 3. 23. x VVho was the Author of this Commandment, and the Principal in giving it, and from whom the Apoſtles received it, who were but Miniſters, and Inſtruments in delivering 1t to others.
3 * Knowing this firſt y, that there ſhall come in *1Tim.z.1 the laſt days s 1cofters a, walking after their own b luſts c. ;
3 Eſpecially, as being very neceſliry to be known. The Apo- ſtle having in the tormer Chapter cautioned theſe Saints againſt the more cloſe Enemies' of the Goſpel, Seducers, and falſe Teachers, here he foretels them- of more open Enemies, profane Scoffers. 7 SEE I Cor. 10, 11, and 2 Tim. 3.1, a Profane Contemners of God, and Deriders of his Truth, P/al. 1.1, and 119. 5 Jt. 28.14, 22. b Such as are natural to them. c Zude 18, Luſts of Ungodlineſs. :
4 And ſaying, * Where d is the promiſe of his e * Iſa.gas: I 2:
the creation 7. |
4 Queſtioning, or denying the great Truths of the Goſpel, there- by to encourage themſelves in walking after their own Luſts. e Viz. Chriſt mentioned, ver. 2. Poſfibly theſe Scoffers might drop the Name of Chriſt by way of Contempt, not vouchſafing to mention it, as the Fews did, Fohn 9g. 29. g. 4. VVhere is the Promiſe of his coming whom you expett ? f His coming to Judge the VVorld, 4. d. His Promiſed coming doth not appear, the Promiſe of it is not tulnlled. g VVho died in the Faith of Chriſt's coming, and had the Promiſe of it. þ 7.e. Died ; the uſual Phraſe of Scrip- ture which theſe Scoffers ſeem to ſpeak in derifion ; 9.d. itis ſo long ſince the Fathers fell afleep (as you call it) that it were more than time for them to be awakened, whereas we ſee the contrary. 7 7,e, The VVorld continues to be the ſame it was, and hath the ſame Parts it had ; we fee nothing changed, nothing aboliſhed, but ſtill Nature keeps its old Courſe. Thus they argue; That becauſe there had been no ſuch great Change, therefore there ſhould be none ; becauſe Chriſt was not yet come to Judgment, therefore he ſhould not come at all ; not conſidering the Power of God, who is as able to deftroy the VVorld, as to make it; nor the VVill of God revealed in his VVord concerning the end of it.
5 For this they willingly are ignorant of /, that by the word of God #2 the heavens were # of old o, and the earth p || * ſtanding out of the water, and || Gr. cor-
in the water g. | fofrongs F | They will not know what they ought to knovw, and if they : Pla), by "I would ſearch the Scripture, might know. m The Command of 2. 130.0- Re God, or Word of his Power, as it is called, Heb. 1. 3. See Gen. I. 6, | t 9. Pſalm 33.6. and 148. 5. n VVere created, or had a Being gt- 26 ven them, Gen. 1.6. o From the beginning of the VVorld, p The If Globe of the Earth, which comprehends likewiſe the Seas, and R1- M vers, as part of the whole. q According to our Tranflation, the | 35 ſenſe of theſe words may be plainly this, That the Earth ſtand- Rc ing partly out of the water (as all the dry Land doth, whoſe Re Surface is higher than the water) and partly in the water (as 1 thoſe parts do which are under ic) or in the midſt of the water, as being covered, and encompaſled by Seas and Rivers. But mo Expoſitors follow the marinal Reading, and render the Greek, word by conſiing ; and then the meaning may be, either, 1. That the
Earth conſiſting of Water, as the matter out of which 16 was Wy
3-1
« C0F- ge 1, 24+
126.6.
Chap. 111.
med, (Moſes calling the Chaos, which was that matter, Water, Gen.
© Ver, BC
f 2 Theſl. 1.8.
* Pl.90.4,
F Hab. 2.3. Heb. 10.
5
18, | Ezek.18.
33 4325
6 $53 ye X 33. IIs
F 1 Theff. $ 2,
_ of God Almighty, Rev. 15. 14-
ul. P E
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