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the luft of uncleannefs, and defpife government [Or, dominion]: Prefumptuous are they, felf-willed, they are not afraid to fpeak evil of dignities: 11. Whereas f angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accufation (1) against them before the Lord.

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12. But

thefe as natural brute beafts, made to be taken and deftroyed, fpeak evil of the things that they understand not,and fhall utterly perish in their own corruption; 13. And fhall receive the reward of unrighteoufnefs, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day-time: fpots they are and blemishes, fporting themselves with their own deceivings, while they feaft with you; 14. Having eyes full of * adul tery [Gr. an adulterefs], and that cannot ceafe from fin; beguiling unstable fouls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; curfed children: 15. Which have forfaken the right way, and are gone aftray, following the way of Balaam the Son of Bofor, who loved the wages of unrighteoufnefs; 16. But was rebuked for his inquity: the dumb afs fpeaking with mans voice, forbad the madness of the prophet. 17. These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempeft, to whom the mift of darkness is referved for ever. 18.

Grace of our God into Lafcivious nefs. Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the Cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to Fornication, and going after frange Flefb, are fet forth for an Example, fuffering the Vengeance of eternal Fire. Likewife alfo thefe filthy Dreamers defile the Flesh.

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bring against him a railing Accufati on, but faid, the Lord rebuke thee.

12. Jer. 12. 3. -Pull them out like Sheep for the Slaughter, and prepare them for the Day of Slaughter. Jude ver. 1o. These fpeak evil of the things they know not but what they know natural

What they know naturally as brute roly as brute Beafts; in thofe things Beafts; in those things they corrupt they corrupt themselves. themselves. Walking after their 13. † Jude ver. 12. own Lufts. Cor. 11. 21.

e. Jude ver. 8. Thefe filthy Dreamers defile the Flefh, defpife Dominion, and fpeak evil of Dignities. Exod. 22. 28. Thou fhalt not revile the Gods [or, Judges], nor curfe the Ruler of thy People.

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† Jude, ver. 9. Yet Micha- 20 el the Archangel, when contending with the Devil, he difputed about the Body of Mofes, durft not

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15. +Jude ver. 11 Wo unto them; for they have gone in the Way of Cain, and ran greedily af ter the Error of Balaam for Reward. See Numb. 22, &c.

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17. Jude verses 12, 13. Thefe are -Clouds without Water, carried about of Winds. Wandring Stars, to whom is referved the Blackness of Darkness for ever.

(1) Some read, against themselves.

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For when they fpeak great fwelling words of vanity, hey allure through the lufts of the flesh, through much vantonnefs, thofe that were (1) clean efcaped from them vho live in error: 19. While they promile them " lierty, they themselves are the fervants of corruption: or of whom a man is overcome, of the fame is he brought n bondage. 20. For if after they have escaped the ollutions of the world, through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift, they are again enangled therein, and overcome; the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 21. For, it had been $ beter for them not to have known the way of righteousness, han after they have known it, to turn from the holy ommandment delivered unto them. 22. But it is hapened unto them according to the true proverb, The " dog s turned to his own vomit again; and, The fow that vas washed, to her wallowing in the mire.

CHA P. III.

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THIS fecond epiftle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I aftir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: 2. That ye may be mindful of the words which were fpoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apoftles of the Lord and Saviour: 3. Knowing this firft, that there fhall come n the laft days fcoffers, walking after their own lufts, 4. And faying, Where is the promise of his coming? Cc 2

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18. Jude ver 16. These are Murmurers, Complainers, walking fter their own Lufts; and their Mouth fpeaketh great Swelling

Words.

† A&ts 2.40. Save your felves From this untoward Generation. 19. Pet. 2. 16. See on Joh. 8. 36.

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3.34.

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† Rom. 6. 16. See on Joh.

20. Pt Heb. 6. 4. † Heb. 10. 26. See on Luk. 11. 26.

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† 2 Pet. 1. 4.

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2 Pet. 1. 2.

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4. dt Ifa. 5. 19. [Wo unto them] that fay, Let him make Speed, and 15 haften his Work, that we may fee it: and let the Counsel of the ho

(1) Or, for a little, or, a while, as fome read.

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for fince the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as
they were from the beginning of the creation. 5. For
this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of
God the heavens were of old, and the f earth ftanding
[Gr. confifting] out of the water, and in the water. 6.
Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed
with water, perished. 7. But the heavens and the earth
which are now, by the fame word are kept in ftore, re-
ferved unto fire against the day of judgment, and per
dition of ungodly men. 8. But, beloved, be not igno-
rant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord
as a thousand years, and a thoufand years as one day.
9. * The Lord is not flack concerning his promife, (as
fome men count flacknefs) but is long fuffering to us-
ward, not willing that any fhould perifh, but that all
fhould come to repentance. 10. But the (1) day of the Lord

ly one of Ifrael draw nigh and come,
that we may know it. † Jer. 17.
15. Behold, they fay unto me,
Where is the Word of the Lord ?
let it come now. †Ezek. 12. 22,27.
Son of Man, What is that Proverb
that ye have in the Land of Ifrael,
faying, The Days are prolonged, and
every Vifion faileth. Son of Man,
behold, they of the Houfe of Ifra- 10
el fay, The Vifion that he feeth is
for many Days to come, and he prophe-
fieth of the Times that are far off.
Mal. 2. 17. Ye have wearied the
Lord with your Words, when ye 15
fay, Every one that doth evil, is
good in the Sight of the Lord,
and he delighteth in them; or,
Where is the God of Judgment? Mar.
24. 48. If that evil Servant fhall 20
fay in his Heart, My Lord delayeth
his coming.

5. † Gen 1. 6, 9. † Pfal. 33.
6. See on Joh 1. 3.

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ft Pfal. 24. 2. He hath founded
it upon the Seas, and established it
upon the Flouds.
† Pfal. 136.
6. To him that fretched out the
Earth above the Waters: for
his mercy endureth for ever. 30

will

Col. 1. 17. He is before all things, and by him all things confift.

6. † Gen. 7. 11, 21. The 5 fame Day were all the Fountains of the great Deep broken up, and the Windows of Heaven were opened, and all Flesh died that moved upon the Earth.

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7. See on 2 Thef. 1. 8.

8. i Pfal. 9. 4. A thousand Years in thy fight are but as refter day.- Ecclefiafticus 18. 10. As a Drop of Water unto the Sea,- fo are a thousand Years unto the Days of Eternity. 9. k† Hab. 2. 3.

10.37.

Ifa. 30. 18.

See on Heb.

See on Rom.

2. 4.
m+ Ezek. 18. 32. † Ezek. 33.
11. See on 1 Tim. 2. 4.

n. Rom. 2. 4. Defpifeft thou the Riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and long-fuffering; not knowing that the Goodness of God leadeth thee to Repentance? 1 Tim. 2.4. Who will have al Men to be faved.

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(The Apofle here affures Chriftians that the Day of the Lord,

though

thief in the night; in the which the

will come as a P heavens fhall pafs away with a great noife, and the elements fhall melt with fervent heat, the earth alfo, and the works that are therein shall be burnt up. II. Seeing then that all these things fhall be manner of perfons ought ye to be in all fation and godlinefs, 12. Looking for, and the coming Or, hafting the coming of the wherein the heavens being on fire fhall and the elements fhall melt with fervent heat? 13. Nevertheless we, according to his promife,

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IO. ti Thef. 5. 2. † Rev. 3. 3. Rev. 16. 15. See on Mat 24 43.

Pt Pfal. 102. 26. † Ifa. 51. 6.
Mat, 24 35.

Rev. 20. 14. + Rev. 21. 1. See on Luk. 16.

37.

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diffolved, what holy converhafting unto day of God, be diffolved,

look for (1) new heavens

11. 1 Pet. 1. 15. See on I Thef. 4.7.

12.

16. 17.

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Ifa. 34. 4. See on Luk.

13. † Ifa. 65. 17. † 'Ifa. 66. 22. Rev. 21. I, 27. See on Rom. 8. 19.

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though it might feem long in coming, yet it would most certainly come, and that at a Time when thofe whom it most concerned, had no thought nor expectation of it. Thefe lofty and ftrong Expreffions, the paffing away of the Heavens, and the melting of the Earth, are, by good Expofitors, understood figuratively, and to denote the Deftruction of Jerufalem, and the Diffilution of the Jewish State; it being ufual among the Eaftern Nations (whofe manner of fpeaking, as has been often obferved, is imitated by the Writers of the New-Teftament) to reprefent great Events as if the whole Frame of the World were to be at once diffolved. If we understand them literally, as fome do, they refer to the last and final Judgment, when this Earth, the Air, the Sea, and all that dwell upon and belong to it, will be deftroyed by a general Conflagration, of which, the De ftru&tion of Jerufalem was but a Figure. And in this two-fold Senfe may the three following Verfes be understood.

(1) I do not understand thefe Expreffions, new Heavens and a new Earth, in a literal Senfe, as if the material Heavens were to be created anew; but in a figurative Senfe, denoting that after the Deftruction of Jerufalem and the Jewish Polity, there fhould be a new State of things; a new Church, in which there should be new Ordinances, new Sacraments, Baptifm and the Lord's-Supper, inftead of Circumcifion and the Paflover; the es fhould be caft off, and the Gentiles taken in; a new Covenant; in few Words, there fhall be fuch a moral Change in the Affairs of the Church, as will in a manner equal the new Creation of the Heaven and the Earth promised to the Jews; and Chrift fhall establish a new Kingdom, and the Enemies of God, and of his People, fhall be destroyed. In this new State, which fhall be before the general Conflagration of the Earth, Men fhall be free from all Sin and Wickednefs, and the univerfal Practice of Holiness, Peace, and Love, fhall prevail. Some refer these Words to that glorious State which good Chriftians fhall be admitted into after the general Conflagration and Judgment, where they fhall live in the most compleat Practice of all Virtue, and in the Enjoyment of the most Feitec: Happiness.

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heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. 14. Wherefore, beloved, feeing that ye look for fuch things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without fpot, and blameless: 15. And account that the long-fuffering of our Lord is falvation; even as our beloved brother Paul alfo,according to the wifdom given unto him, hath written unto you; 16.As alfo in all his epiftles, fpeaking in them of these things: in which are fome things (1) hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unftable wreft, as they do alfo the other fcriptures, unto

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livered up the Kingdom to God even the Father; when he fball have put down all Rule, and all Authority and Power. † Thef. 4. 15. 5 This we fay unto you by the Word of the Lord, that we which are a live and remain unto the Coming of the Lord, fhall not prevent them that are asleep.

c See on Heb. 5. 11.

(1) St. Peter does not say that St. Paul's Epiftles are hard to be underfood, but only that fome things in them are fo; for the Words are not, in which Epiftles, but, in or among which things, fome are hard to be understood. The Words therefore in which, do not refer to all St. Paul's Epiftles, but to thofe things which St. Peter is difcourfing of in this Chapter, particularly with refpect to the Coming of Christ, as St. Paul does in many of his Epiftles. It is manifeft from what St. Peter here fays, that all Chriftians were allowed to read the Scriptures, how elfe could the unlearned and unft able wreft them? This the Apoftle blames, but he does not blame them for Reading the Scriptures, much lefs does he forbid the Reading of them as the moft effectual Way to prevent their being wrefted. And this fhews how ill grounded that Conclufion is which the Writers in the Church of Rome draw from this Place, namely, that Lay Chriftians ought not to be allowed to read the Scriptures. The true I ference which the Confideration of the Difficulties in the holy Scriptures directs us to is, that we should read them with great Diligence and Ap plication, and not be too hafty in the Conclufions we draw from aff Places. The things neceffary to Salvation are plain and eafie. What can be more plain than the Commands, Exhortations, Promifes, and Threatnings contained in the holy Scriptures? By the Unlearned, is not meant thofe who are deftitute of that Knowledge we now comincaly account Learning; but thofe who had not learnt the fi ft Rudiments and Principles of the Chriftian Religion. Thefe they were ignorant of, net because they could not know them, but because they would not. Ther Affections were impure, and their Minds elranged from Religion and Piety. By unstable, is meant, not fettled, not confirmed in the grest Principles of Religion. Sometimes they believed them, fometimes they queftioned them, and fometimes they d sbelieved them They

Were

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