1. 2.) and by Water, from which it hath its Compa&neſs and Solt- dity, and without which it would be wholly dry, meer uſeleſs Duſt, unfit tor the Generation, and ProduQion of natural Things. If we underſtand the Words thus, the Argument lies againſt the Scof- fers; for the Earth thus conſiſts of, and by Water, yet God made uſe of the Water for the deſtroying of the World ; and fo natural Cauſes are not ſuthcient for its Preſervation, without the Power ot God ſuſtaining it in its Being ; and whenever he withdraws that Power, in ſpite of all inferior Cauſes, it muſt periſh. Or, 2ly, The words may be thus read, The Heavens were of old, and the Earth (ſup- ply from the former Clauſe) was out of the Water, and conſiſting by, or in the Water ;, and the meaning is, That the Earth did emerge, Or 4pPear out of, or above the Water, viz. when God gathered the Waters together, and made the dry Land appear; and doth conſiſt by, or among, Or in the midit of the Waters, as was before explained,
6 Whereby 7 the world / that then was, being 0- verflowed with water, periſhed.
r By which Heavens, and Water mentioned in the former Verſe, the Foundations of the great Deep being broken up, and the Win- dows of Heaven opened, Gen. 7. 11. Or, by the Word of God, as the principle Cauſe, and the Water as the inſtrumental, which, at his Command, was poured out upon the Earth, both from above and below. / The Earth, with all the Inhabitants of it, Eight Perſons excepted. This the Apoſtle alledgeth againſt the fore-men- tioned Scoffters, who ſaid, that all things continued as they were, when yet the tlood had made fo great a change in the Face of the lower Creation.
> Bur * the heavens 7, and the earth which are now, by the ſame word are kept in ſtore x, reſer- ved unto Þ fire y againſt the day of judgment -, and perdition of ungodly men 9.
t The Etherial or Starry Heaven, as well as Aerial ; for ver. 10, 12. he diſtinguiſheth the Heavens that are to periſh by Fire, trom the Elements ; and ver. 13. he oppoſeth a new Heaven, to that Heaven which is to be conſumed ; but the new Heaven 1s not meant meerly of the Aerial Heaven. And why ſhould not this be meant ot the ſame Heavens, which elſewhere in Scripture are ſaid to periſh ? Fob 14. 12. Fſal, 102. 26, All of them ſhall wax old, &c. u The lame as v2r. 5. x Are kept fate as in a Treatury, and untouched tor a time, ti1at they may be deſtroyed at laſt. y That they may be conſumed by it. The Deftruction of the World: by Fire at the laſt day, is oppoſed to the Deſtruction of it by Water in the Flood. 7 The General Judgment. @ This the Apoſtle ſpeaks with an Em- phatis, becauſe they were ungodly, againtt whom he here bends his Diſcourſe, ; IS
$ Bur, beloved, be not ignorant 6 of this one thing,
that one day 7s with the Lord c as a thouſand years d,
and a * thouſand years as one day.
b i. e. Be ſure of it : The ſame Word is here uſed, as v. 5. and fo he cautions them againſt the Ignorance of Scoffers, and to prevent if, would have them certainly know this one thing, which is extant in the Scripture, which toretels Chriſt's coming. c The Lord Je- ſus Chriſt, of whoſe coming he ſpeaks. d By a Synechdoche, a thou/and years is put for any, even the longeſt Revolution of time, and the Senſe is, That though there be great difference of time, Jong and ſhort, with us who are ſubje& to time, and are meaſured by 1t ; yet with him who is Eternal, without Succeſſion, to whom nothing is paſt, nothing future, but all things preſent ; there is no difference of time, none long, none ſhort, but a thouſand Years, nay, all the time that hath run out ſince the Creation of the World | is but as a Day; and we are not to judge of the Lord's delay 1n co- ming, by our own Senfe, but by God's Eternity. : BE:
9 * The Lord is nor ſlack e concerning his promile, as ſome men f count flackneſs, bur is + long-ſutfering to us-ward g, not || willing that any þ ſhould perith, but that all : ſhould come to repentance.
e i.e. Doth not deter the fulfilling of it beyond the appointed time, 1/z. 60. ult, f Either the Scofters here mentioned, who, becauſe of Chriſt's not yet coming, queſtioned whether he would come at all; as if God had changed his purpoſe, or would not fulfil it ; Or Believers themſelves, who, through the weaknels of their Faith, and greatneſs of their Sufferings, might grow into ſome degree of Impatience, and think Chriſt ſlow in coming to avenge their Cauſe, and give them their Reward. So much may be gathered trom Rev. 5.10, g To usBzlievers, or us Ele&t. h Any that he hath ordain- ed to Life, though not yet called. j All whom he hath elefted : he would have the whole number of them filled up, and deters the Day of judgment till it be ſo : Or, this may be meant not of God's ſecret and effetual Will, but of his r-vealed Will, whereby he calls all to Repentance promiftuouſly that hear the Goſpel preached, hath made it their Dutv, approves of it, hath preſcribed it as the way of Salva- tion, commanded them to ſeek Salvation in that way, and is ready to receive, and fave them upon their repenting. Sce I Tim. 2. 4.
10 But * the day of the Lord & will come as a thief
in the night /: in the which + the heavens 22 ſhall paſs.away 7 with a great noiſe o, and rhe elements p {hall melt with fervent hear 9, rhe earth 7 alſo and
the works / that are therein thall be burnt up.
k The Day of Judgment, is here called the Day of the Lord by way of Eminence, as the great Day, Jude 6. and the great Day and the Day of the Lord Jeſus, x Cor. 1. 8. and 5. 5. and 2 C9. 1. 14. and Phil. 1. 6, 1o. 1 As a Thief comes ſuddenly and unexpetedly, when he thinks all in the Houſe are moſt ſecure. m Viz. Thoſe that are vilible, in diſtin&tion from the Empyreal Heaven, or place of glorified Spirits. n Either wholly, fo as to ceaſe to be; or rather, as to their preſent Being and Condition, ſo as to ceale to be what they now are, and to give place to the new Heaven, Rev. 21. r. The ſame word is uſed, Matth. 24. 35, Luke 15, 17. . 9 Either fiftly