A PARAPHRASE AND EXPOSITION of the Prophesie of SAINT PETER, Concerning the day of CHRISTS second Comming; Described in the third Chapter of his second EPISTLE.

AS ALSO, How the CONFLAGRATION, or De­struction of the WORLD by fire, (whereof Saint Peter speaks) and especially of the HEAVENS, is to be understood.

BY IOSEPH MEDE, B. D. late Fellow of Christs Colledge in Cambridg.

LONDON, Printed by R. Bishop, for SAMUEL MAN, dwelling at the sign of the Swan in Pauls Church-yard. 1642.

A PARAPHRASE AND EXPOSITION of the Prophesie of SAINT PETER, Concerning the day of CHRISTS second Comming, On the third Chapter of the second EPISTLE.

Verse 1, 2.

SAint Peter exhorts the believing Iews, unto whom he writes to bee mindfull of the words of the holy Prophets,(a) Esay, Daniel, and Mala­chi, concerning the comming of Christ to judgement, and the restauration then promised, it being also confirmed by the Apostles of our Lord and Saviour.

(a) IF that which St. Peter here describeth were foretold by the old Pro­phets, then must Saint Peter be so expounded, as it may be shewen in them, and agree with them.

Verse 3, 4.

For howsoever it were then be­leeved both by Iewes and Chri­stened Gentiles, yet in the last dayes should come those, who walking after their owne de­sires (or humours) should deny and deride the expectation of any such promise (b) of that day of Christ, saying, Where is the promise (c) of his com­ming? Where is the new hea­ven and new earth you talk of?

(b) This [...], or last dayes, should seem to be the time of the Chur­ches Apostasie under Anti­christ, according to that of Saint Paul, 1 Tim. 4. 1. In the later times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to spirits of errour, and doctrines of demons. For as the times of the fourth and last of Da­niels Kingdomes were the last times in generall, during which Christ was to come, and found his Church and Kingdome: So the latter times of the fourth Kingdome, being the period of a time, times, and halfe a time, where­in the wicked horne should domineere, are the latemost times of the last times, or last times in speciall.

(c) I take Promise here for res promissa, the antithesis im­plying that to be the meaning, viz. The scoffers say, Where is the promise of his comming? Neverthelesse we look for a new heaven and a new earth, according to his promise. But here is somewhat, (Reader) in the application wherein thou maist erre; but be not thou uncharitable in thy censure, nor thinke that I am. For although the crying downe and condemning the opinion of the Chiliasts, will be found to be neere upon the beginning of the times of the Antichri­stian Apostasie, (which I suppose to bee called the last times;) and that the utter burying of that opinion falls within these times: yet thou must know, first, That there is not the like reason of the first Authours of crying down a [Page 3] truth, and of those, who led by their authority, take it af­terwards, without further examination, for an errour. Secondly, To scoffe, is one thing, and barely not to be­leeve, is another. Thirdly, it is one thing to deny a pro­mise simply, and another to deny and question the manner thereof: as also, to reject a truth sincerely propounded, and when it is entangled with errours, as that of the later Chiliast may seem to have been.

Verse 4. pars altera.

The reason of this their unbe­liefe being, because they ima­gine, there hath never yet, since the creation of the world, been any example of such a destucti­on and change ensuing it, as this at the comming of Christ should be. For since the Fa­thers fell asleep (say they) even since Adam died, all things have continued as they were from the beginning of the Cre­ation. Therefore the expectati­on of any such change of the world, and the state of things therein (as is supposed) is vain and frivolous, and never to be fulfilled.

Touching the Jewes, and the impeachment of this opi­nion amongst them in the later times, I find amongst the Doctors of the Gemara, or glosse of their Talmud, (which was finished about 500. yeers after Christ) a tenet of one R. Samuels, [...] That there was to be no dif­ference between the present state of the world, and the dayes of Messiah, but in re­gard of the bondage under the kingdoms of the Gen­tiles onely; thereby oppo­sing the more ancient opi­nion and tradition of the renovation of the world. After this time there appeares to have been amongst the Jewes a sect of the followers of the opinion of this R. Samuel, which at length was greatly advanced by the authority of [Page 4] learned Maimonides, who having drunk too deep of the Philosophy of Aristotle, (wherein he was admirably skil­full) became a champion against the opinion of the worlds renovation to be in the dayes of Messiah; and that upon this ground, Quod mundus retinet & sequitur consue­tudinem suam; which saying he adscribeth to some other Rabbins of the same opinion before him, which for the sense and meaning is the selfe same with that here of the scoffers: All things (say they) continue, as they were from the beginning of the creation. Neverthelesse Aben Ezra, who li­ved not long after Maimonides, maintained still (as also o­thers did) the contrary; & there are extant certain discour­ses and tractates amongst them, purposely written of this argument, and confuting the opinion of Rambam and his followers; as one called [...] coeli novi, proving the necessity of the renovation of the world, and directed against cap. 29. lib. 2. of Maimonides his More Nebochim. Another by R. Isaak Abarbinel, [...] Opera Dei, (ou [...] of Psal. 66. 5.) wherein all the arguments brought a­gainst the renovation are confuted. And no doubt there are more of the like nature, which we know not of.

Verse 5, 6.

But those who suppose this ( [...]) that there hath never yet any such destruction or change befallen the creati­on, and thence conclude, there is nor shall such ever be; they weigh and consider not the universall deluge in the time of Noah, (when the curses laid upon the creature for mans sin [Page 5] first solemnly tooke place,) brought as a like destruction, so a like change upon the world for the degeneration of the creature; As this at the second comming of Christ shall be for the restauration and renovati­on of the same in the glorious liberty of the children of God. For the heavens were of old, and the globe of the earth, con­sisting partly ( [...]) of water, viz. that of the great deep; and partly ( [...]) amongst (d) water, to wit, the clouds and flood-gates of hea­ven hanging about it, all fra­med by the word of God: By the which waters ( [...]) the world which then was, be­ing overwhelmed with water, perished; as it is written Gen. 7. 11. seq. in the 600. yeere of Noahs life, in the second moneth, in the seventeenth day of the month were all the foun­tains of the great deep broken up, & vers. 18. and the wa­ters; & 21. and all flesh died.

(d) [...] sometimes signifies inter, amongst, or in the midst of, as if it were [...]: So Herodotus, [...], inter insulas. Howsoever we ren­der the Preposition, I sup­pose S. Peter by his [...] means the superiour water, which together with that of the sea, or great deep, concur­red to the drowning of the world, as appeares by the place of Genesis alledged.

Verse 7.

But the heavens and the earth (i. e. the world) which is now, [Page 6] by the same word are kept in stare, reserved unto fire (e) at the day of judgement and per­dition of ungodly men, accor­ding to the prophesie of Dani­el, cap. 7. who saw a fiery stream issuing and comming forth be­fore the Iudge of the world, and the body of the fourth beast burned therewith: And of Esay, cap. 66. who saith of that day, That the Lord shall come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his re­bukes with flames of fire: And that by fire and by his sword, (i. e. by his sword of fire, [...]) the Lord would plead with all flesh, and the slain of the Lord shall be many. So al­so Malachy cap. 4. That the great and terrible day shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, and all that doe wicked­ly shall be stubble, which at the comming of that day (f) shall be burnt up.

(e) From this proportion which the judgement to come by fire, hath unto that which was by water in the deluge, Irenaeus calls it Dilu­vium ignis, lib. 5. c. 29. juxta edit. Fevardentii.

(f) It may be it is of this day that the Prophet Esay al­so speaks, cap. 9. 5. where he saith, that the battell of the Messiah should not be as the battell of the warriour, with [Page 7] confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but with bur­ning and fuell of fire. For the old Prophets for the most part speak of the comming of Christ indefinitely & in generall, without that distinction of first and second com­ming, which the Gospel out of Daniel hath more clearly taught us: And so consequently they spake of the things to be at Christs comming indefinitely and all together, which we who are now more fully informed by the Reve­lation of the Gospel, of a two fold comming, must apply each of them to his proper time: those things which be­fit the state of his first comming, unto it; and such things as befit the state of his second comming, to the second; and what befits both alike, may be applyed unto both.

Verse 8.

But whereas I mentioned (saith Saint Peter) the day of judge­ment, lest ye might mistake it [Page 7] for a short day, or a day of few houres, I would not, Beloved, have you ignorant, that one day (g) with the Lord is as a thousand yeers, and a thousand yeers as one day.

(g) Thus I expound these words by way of pre-occu­pation or premunition, because they are the formall words of the Jewish Doctors, when they speak of the day of judgement, or day of Christ, as Saint Peter here doth, viz. [...] una dies Dei S. B. sicut mille anni. And though they use to quote that of the ninth Psalme, (mille anni in oculis tuis ut dies hesternus) for confirmation thereof, yet are not these words formally in the Psalme. So that Saint Peter in this passage seems rather to have had respect to that common saying of the Jewes in this argu­ment, than to the words of the Psalme; where the words (one day with the Lord is as a thousand years) are not, though the later part of the sentence (a thousand yeeres as one day) may allude thither; as the Jewes also were wont to bring it, for a confirmation of the former. 2. These words are commonly taken as an argument, why God should not be [Page 8] thought slack in his promise (which follows in the next verse: But the first Fathers took it otherwise; and besides, it proveth it not: for the question is not, whether the time be long or short in respect of God; but whether it be long or short in respect of us; otherwise not 1000. but 100000. yeers are in the eyes of God no more than one day is to us, and so it would not seem long to God, if the day of judgment should be deferred till then. 3. Let the judicious consider it, whether this passage so prone to be taken in the exposition I have given, yea and alledged to that purpose, were not some part of a motive to the ze­loticall Anti-Chiliasts (whereof Eusebius, whom we trust was none of the least) to be so willing and ready to que­stion the authority of this Epistle, as they did also at the same time of the Apocalyps. The pretence against this E­pistle was, that it wanted the testimonie of allegation by the first Fathers. But (Dies Domini sicut mille anni) quo­ted both by Iustin Martyr and Irenaeus, is not out of the ninth Psalm, as they tooke for granted, (for there are no such words, but out of the Epistle of Peter, who apply­eth it to the day of judgment, which he calleth Dies Do­mini, [...]: Consider it.

Verse 9.

And though this day be defer­red, yet is the Lord not slack concerning his promise, (as some men account slacknesse, as if he had altered his purpose, or meant never to performe it) but the cause of this delay, is his long-suffering (a) towards as of the seed of Israel, not wil­ling [Page 9] that any should perish at that day, but that the whole na­tion should come unto repen­tance, (b) which, if that day should surprize them in their unbeliefe, must inevitably pe­rish with the rest of the ene­mies of Christ.

(a) Saint Peter speaks and writes in this Epistle to his [Page 9] brethren the Jewes, as ap­peares by the first verse of this chapter.

(b) So the same Saint Peter in his first publike Sermon to his Nation in the Tem­ple, after the sending of the holy Ghost (Act. 3. 19, &c.) exhorts them to repent and be converted [...], for the wash­ing away of their sinnes, that so ( [...]) those times of refreshing and restitution of all things which God had spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets, might come, which till then were to be suspended. Object. But God could have hastened the Jewes con­version, if it had pleased him. Resp. But it stood with the oeconomy of Gods justice, when the Jewes had rejected Christ, their expiation, to grant them this grace, untill they should have fulfilled a time of pennance for all the sins of their Nation, even from the first time they were a people, untill the last de­struction of Hierusalem. For since they would none of their pardon and attonement by Christ, (with respect un­to whose comming God had so long spared them; for all their expiation by sacrifice looked unto him) God would not bate them an ace of the judgment they had merited, but would visit all the former sinnes of their Nation up­on them, from the golden Calfe, untill their crucifying, and finally rejecting of their Messiah.

Verse 10.

But as for the manner of the comming of this great day of [Page 10] the Lord, it shall be suddenly and unawares, as a thiefe in the night, in which the hea­vens (c) with a crackling noise of fire shall passe away, and the [...] (c) or host of them shall melt with fervent heat; the earth also and the workes thereof shall be burned.

(c) What these Heavens are, and why I render [...] the host of them; and how this conflagration is to be under­stood, I will shew when I have done my Paraphrase.

(c) What these Heavens are, and why I render [...] the host of them; and how this conflagration is to be under­stood, I will shew when I have done my Paraphrase.

Vers. 11, 12.

Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought we to be, in all holy conversation and godlinesse, to make our selves fire▪ proof, and such as may abide the day of re­fining? as namely becommeth those who by faith look for, and hasten the comming of the day of the Lord, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the host of them melt with servent heat. For our life and conversation ought to be sutable to our faith, and we are so to walk, as if that were alwayes present which by faith we look for.

Verse 13.

But this conflagration ended, (whatso­ever those scoffers say, who question the promise of Christs second comming wee look according to his promise Esa. 65. & 66. for a new heaven and a new earth, (that is, a new and refined state of the world) wherein righteousnesse shall dwell, according as the same Prophet saith cap. 60. 20, 21. The Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the dayes of thy mour­ning shall be ended, thy people also shall be all righte­ous, they shall inherite the land, or earth, for ever.

Vers. 14, 15, 16.

Wherefore beloved (seeing that ye look for such things at his comming) be diligent [Page 11] that ye may be found in him in peace, without spot and blameless, and account the long-suffering of God, in the delay thereof to be salvation. Even as our beloved bro­ther Paul also (one of the Apostles of our Lord, who con­firmeth these words of the holy Prophets) according to the wisdome given unto him, hath written unto you; enforcing the like exhortation unto holinesse of life, from this our faith and experience of the Lord Ie­sus his appearing to judgement, which we now make unto you: viz. Heb. 12. 14, 28, 29. As also in all his Epistles, speaking in them of these things, viz. Rom. 2. 4. coll. cum vers. 5. 6, 7. & 1 Cor. 1. 7, 8. & 3. 13. 2 Cor. 5. 9, 10, 11. in initio, & 7. 1. Phil. 1. 10. & 2. 15, 16. & cap. 3. 10. Coloss. 3. 4, 5. 1 Thess. 2. 12. & 3. 13. denique 5. 23. 2 Thess. 1. 8, 11. 1 Tim. 6. 14, 15. Tit. 2. 12, 13.

How this Conflagration of the world, whereof S. Peter speaks, and especi­ally of the Heavens, is to bee understood.

FOr resolution of this question, I must premise some things, to make the way thereto the more easie.

R. 1. That the old Hebrew language wherein the Scripture speaks, there is no one word to ex­presse the compages of the superiour and inferi­our bodies, which we call Mundus, but these two words Heaven and Earth ( [...]) joyned to­and [Page 12] put together, onely so that when Saint Peter saith (the World that then was, perished by wa­ters; but the Heavens and earth that are now, are reserved to fire:) He might as well have said ac­cording to his meaning, The Heavens and the Earth which then were, perished by waters, as the world that now is shall by fire. For the words Heaven and Earth joyned, imply no more in the one (according the Scriptures notion) than the single word Mundus or World doth in the other, being applyed to the history of the great deluge: as also, a New heaven and a New earth is the same notion with that in our expression, where we say a New World; that is to say, Nova rerum facies, no­va rerum conditio; which we otherwhile apply to very small, and even particular and domesticall changes, when we say, Here is a new World; which the Hebrew would or might expresse, Here is a new Heaven and a new Earth.

2. That it is not like that any other World, or Heaven and Earth, shall perish by fire, than such a one as heretofore perished by water: for so the antithesis importeth, viz. The World, or Hea­ven and Earth that then was, perished by water, the Heaven and Earth which now is, is reserved for a destruction by fire. Now the world which perished by water was no other than the subluna­ry world; the Heaven whereof is that which we call Ayre, but the Scripture Heaven▪ which sublu­nary heaven, together with the earth, was marred by that generall deluge; and the creatures be­longing to them both either wholly destructed, or [Page 13] marvellously corrupted from that they were be­fore: such a World therefore, and no other Hea­ven and Earth, shall undergo the second deluge of fire for restauration, which before suffered the deluge of water for corruption.

3. Observe also, for the better understanding of Saint Peters meaning, That the word [...] which we in this place are wont to turn Elements, is not like to be understood in the notion of the Greek Doctors, whose termes and notions the Scripture useth not, but otherwise divideth the World. Nay further, in this place it cannot be so understood, for that the Hebrew division of the World into Heaven and Earth is here expressed, and the [...] distinguished from them both. But when the whole world is divided into Heaven and Earth [...], by Earth is meant the Earthen globe, which Saint Peter saith is [...] [...], and so the water and earth are both inclu­ded in the sole name of Earth: In Heaven the Ayre is included. Thus three of the Physicall Elements are bestowed. The fourth is the Fire: but this is that which is to burn the [...], and so none of the [...] to bee burnt. And if any of these Elements could be exempted from this di­vision into Heaven and Earth, besides the Fire, viz. the Aire, yet could not that, nor any of them alone be [...] in Saint Peter: For [...] notes more than one. It must needs therefore bee, that [...] here meaneth something else. Let us see if we can finde out what it is. Mark then Saint Pe­ters order, [...], then [...] [Page 14] By which correspondence it should seeme that [...] should be some furniture belonging to coe­lum, as [...] are the buildings & whole furniture of creatures belonging to terra; which furniture of both, but especially that of the Heaven the Scripture calls [...] the host of them, Gen. 2. 1. The heavens and the earth were finished, [...] and all the host of them: LXX. [...]. Vulg. Ornatus eorum. Nay, seeing the whole world is nothing else but the heaven and the earth, and what is contained in them, (i. e.) exercitus eorum: and seeing heaven and earth are both here di­stinctly named, and [...] put for the host of the earth; it must needs be that [...], named as di­stinct things from all three, should note the host of heaven: And so the meaning of Saint Peter should be, when he saith [...], as if hee had said, [...], the heavens and the host thereof; or [...], as he sayes, [...], the earth and the workes therein. But how, will some man say, should [...] come to have this notion? I answer thus, The Hebrew verb [...] signifieth, in ordine militaristo, incedo, and so answers to the Greek verb [...], which is expoun­ded, [...], i. e. in ordine militari incedo, Vide Scap. ex Etymolog. Accordingly the LXX: render the Hebrew [...], i. e. in praecin­ctu sto, instructa acie sto. Now if the verbe [...] sig­nifie the same with the Greek [...], why may not the Hebrew Noune [...] (which we turne exerci­tus) be rendered [...]; the Hellenists or Greekish Jewes as in other words so here following the [Page 15] Etymology from [...], and having eye more to their owne native language, than to the use of Greece. It would be long to shew in how many words they, and the Greek Scriptures written ac­cording to their Dialect, use notions which the Greek used not; (viz.) respecting some confor­mity or other in their owne Tongue. The works of the learned in sacred Criticisme are of late full of such observations, whereby many difficul­ties and obscurities in Scripture become cleare and easie. Neverthelesse the Gentile-Greekes themselves use [...] and [...] (which come of the same verbe [...]) in the same sense we plead for, viz. for ordo militaris, Military array; why may not then the Hellenists (so the See the Syriack Act. 9 2 [...]. where [...] are turned lu­daei qui lo­quebantur Graecé. Greek Iewes are called) doe so with [...], being for the ety­mology every way as fit, seeing also they are o­therwise wont to permute significations from vi­cinity of found.

For a further confirmation of this notion of [...] I contend for, I will adde what I have met with to that purpose. Schickardus, a learned Pro­fessor of the Orientall Languages at Tabingen, in his Bekinath happerushim, pag. 44. hath discovered out of Rambans, or R. Moses ben Nachmans Pre­face in Perusche hattaroth, two passages taken out of the Chaldee copy of the Wisdome of Solomon, which that Rabbi had seene: whereby the said Schickard proveth against Saint Ierome, that the Greek is not the originall, but was translated out of Chaldee. The passages which this Ramban quoteth thence are cap. 7. 5, 6, 7. and part of the 8. [Page 16] And again, vers. 17, 18, 19, 20, 21. In the last of which quotations, because there is in the Greek [...], I greedily looked what word in the Chaldee answered here to [...], which I found to bee [...], which those who have skill know to signifie the Planets, 12. signes or con­stellations of Heaven, as being the same with the Hebrew I have since looked in th [...] Pre­face of R [...]ba [...], where I found those Chaldee passages mentio­ned, which the Rabbin translateth into He­brew, and for the Chaldee which an­swereth to [...] [...] he renders [...] [...] [...]. [...] therefore here are Stars and Planets, which I shall not need prove to bee the host of the Ethereall Heaven: yea, and per­haps too [...] and [...] are derived of the verb [...] ire, as [...] is of [...]. Now wee know the Scriptures make mention of three Heavens; first, the Ayre or sublunary Heaven: secondly, the Ethereall and starry Heaven: thirdly, the Heaven of glory, or Empyreall Heaven. Every of these Heavens have their host or army: the host of the heaven of glory, or the third, are the Angels and blessed Spirits: the host of the Ethereall heavens are the Stars and Planets: the host of the Aereall, or sublunary heaven, are either visible, as the clouds of heaven, [...], and other me­teors, as also the rest of the creatures mansioning therein, as the fowls of the heaven, [...]: or invisible, viz. the wicked Spirits and Devils, whose Prince Sathan, is called the Prince of the power of the Ayre, Eph. 2. 2. and his host [...], rulers of the world, i. e. the sublunary world; and [...], wicked spi­rits in heavenly places, viz. in the lowest or sub­lunary heavens, Ephes. 6. 12. And whether Saint Paul, Gal. 4. 8, 9. and Col. 2. 8, &c. includes not [Page 17] some of those under his [...], I cannot affirme: let the learned further consider it, when namely he speakes to Gentiles; and of Gentiles, and not Jews.

Having hitherto prepared the way, let us now come closer home to S. Peter, whose words evi­dently import, that some of these heavens, or all of them, shall suffer a conflagration at the day of Christ. Not all of them, for who ever put the Empyreall heaven into that reckoning? And for the Ethereall heaven, he that considereth the su­pereminent nature and immensity thereof, and of those innumerable bodies therein, in regard of which the whole sublunary world is but a point or center; and that it no way can be proved that ever those bodies received any curse for mans sin, or contagion by the worlds deluge, or that any ene­mies of God dwell in them to pollute them: he that considereth this will not easily be induced to beleeve that the fire of the day of judgement should burne them. It remaineth therefore that the sublunary heavens onely, with their [...] are to be the subject of this conflagration.

These heavens (saith Saint Peter) [...], i. e. solventur, and their [...] shall melt with fervent heat: It is a Metaphor taken from the refining of metalls, quae igne solvuntur ut purificentur: so that [...], is as much as Coeli igne adhibito conflagrabuntur. This to be the meaning of [...] appears, because Saint Peter himselfe interprets solvi to be liquefieri. For having in the tenth verse said [...], (i. e.) solventur, [Page 18] he in the twelfth verse repeating it sayes, [...], (i e.) liquefient; Now melting is for re­fining and purifying. Nor is the word [...] averse from this notion, the LXX. using [...] for the Hebrew [...] as in the Psalms more than once: The words of the Lord are as refined silver, LXX. [...], Psal. 12. and so elsewhere. But when the sublunary heaven shall be thus refined, even the Ethereall lights of the Starres, of the Sunne and Moone, &c. will appeare to those on earth much more glorious than now they doe, as sending their rayes through a purer Medium; so that all the world to us-ward shall be as it were re­newed.

As for [...] (or passing away) verse 10. it is an Hebraisme, signifying any change, or going of a thing from the state wherein it was, and an­swers to the verb [...], which signifieth both trans­ire and permutari, as [...] in Chaldianisme doth. And Schindler notes, that Psalme 102. the Ara­bicke for [...] mutabuntur, hath [...] transi­bunt. In the twelfth verse it is expounded by [...], but [...] I have already shewed is commuted with [...]; they therefore all three of them signifie one and the same thing; and I see no reason why wee should imagine a greater emphasis in [...] for an utter abolition in the destruction by fire, than is before implyed in [...], when he spake of the destruction by water: [...] (inquit) [...].

But what shall become of the invisible host, which I named as part of the [...] of this fublu­nary [Page 19] heaven, viz. those [...], the army of wicked and uncleane spirits: shall the fire of the last judgement touch these? I an­swere: Though the operation of the fire shall not be upon them to burne them, yet shall they also suffer by this fiery judgement, being thereby to be exiled and dejected from those high mansi­ons, and bestowed in some lower place: for so that of Iude seemeth to imply, The Angels (saith he) which kept not their first estate, but left their own (or proper) habitation, he hath reserved to (be bound with) everlasting chaines of darknesse, at the judgement of the great day. Vide Piscat. in hunc locum.

And this seemes to me to be the most literall and unforced exposition of this description of Saint Peter, of the heaven and earths conflagra­tion at the day of Christ, and so to be preferred before any other.

But if a Propheticall straine or scheme may here be admitted, there is another way of explicati­on, which yet in the conclusion will come to the same purpose the former did, although the way thereto be not the same. And certainly our Sa­viour in the Gospel describing the comming of this day, useth a Propheticall expression: The Sunne (saith he) shall be darkened, and the Moone shall not give her light, and the Starres shall fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven shall be sha­ken: For if this be taken literally, whither shall the starres fall from heaven, which are either as bigge, or many times bigger than the globe of [Page 20] the earth, where shall bee roome for them? if such a scheme there be supposed in Saint Peters description, the explication may be after this manner.

Mundus, or the World, (to omit other particu­lar exceptions) is according to the Scriptures use, either Mundus continens, or Mundus conten­tus, (give me leave to use those termes for di­stinction sake:) By Mundus continens I meane the compages and frame of the Physicall heaven and earth, wherein the rest of the creatures are contained: By Mundus contentus, the state or body of the inhabitants or Kingdomes of the earth. Now to whatsoever the notion of Mun­dus is appliable, there is also supposed to bee an heaven and earth, as being the names and parts whereby the Scriptures expresse the World. The heaven then of this Politicall world is the soveraignty or soveraigne part thereof, whose host and starres are the powers ruling in the World: In the highest place Gods and Idols; next, Kings, Princes, Peeres, Counsellours, Ma­gistrates, and other such lights shining in the Firmament. And at such a meaning and no other (it being an Orientall notion) may aime (for ought I can see) that supposed fastuous stile of Sapores King of Persia to Constantius the Emperour; Rex Regum Sapores, frater solis & lu­nae, particeps (i. e. socius) siderum, Constantio fra­tri salutem. But to goe on: Earth is the Pezan­try or vulgus hominum, together with the terre­striall creatures serving the use of man: Of [Page 21] such an Heaven, as this is, the Lord speaketh in the Prophesie of Haggai, cap. 2. vers. 6. Yet once it is a little while, and I will shake all Nations, and the desire of all Nations shall come. And againe verse 21. I will shake the heavens and the earth, and I will overthrow the throne of King­domes, and I will destroy the strength of the King­domes of the Heathen, &c. Of such an heaven and earth speaketh Ieremy, chapter 4. verse 23. I beheld the earth, and it was without forme and void, ( [...]) and the heavens, and they had no light: viz. as if the World were turned in­to the old Chaos againe Genesis chap. 1. See the rest which followeth. Of such Heavens and Earth speaketh the Lord in Esay, chapter 51. vers. 15, 16. namely, of the Heavens and Earth of the World, or state of Israel. I am (saith he) the Lord thy God, who divided the sea, (to wit, the Red sea) when the waters thereof roared; the Lord of Hosts is his name: And put my Word (i. e. my Law) in thy mouth, and covered thee in the shadow of my hand, (i. e. protected thee in thy march to Canaan) that I might plant the Hea­vens, and lay the foundation of the Earth, (i. e. make thee a state, and build the into a Politicall World) and say unto Sion, thou art my people. Of such a kinde of Heaven speakes the same Prophet, chapter 34. vers. 2, 4, 5. The indignation of the Lord is upon all Nations, and his fury upon all their Armies, &c. And all the Host of Heaven shall bee dissolved, and the Heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll, and their host shall fall downe, [Page 22] as the leafe falleth off from the Vine, and as a fal­ling figge from the figge-tree. For my sword shall be bathed in Heaven: Behold it shall come downe on Idumea, &c. See the rest, and know that this destruction of Edom is prophesied of in no lesse hyperbolicall a straine by Obadiah, and Ieremy chapter 49. from verse 7. to 22. Ezech. 35. verse 4. and 25. 12. which I note, lest any man won­dering at the hyperbole of this of Esay, should thinke it applyable onely to the day of judge­ment. And that such schemes as these were usuall to the Nations of the Orient, may ap­peare not onely by the Chymicall Phylosophy derived thence, (which makes heaven and earth and starres in every thing) but from the testimo­ny of Moses Maimonides, who (more Nebochim part. 2. cap. 29.) affirmes that the Arabians in his time in their vulgar speech, when they would expresse that a man was fallen into some great calamity or adversity, used to say, Coelum ejus su­per terram ejus cecidit: Compare Lament. 2. 1. No question these schemes were as familiar to them as our Poets straines and expressions are to us, though of another genius: Ours are borrowed from fables, stories, places; theirs more, from the frame of the world, the Sunne, Moon, Stars, and Elements, &c.

If such a notion of Coelum and Terra may have place in this place of Peter, (and why may hee not uttering a Prophesie borrow a Poeticall straine) it may easily appeare what Heaven and Earth the fire at Christs second comming shall [Page 23] burne up and consume, viz. the Heaven and the earth of the contained world, such as those which the former judgement by water over­whelmed and destroyed; the World of wicked states and men, high ones and low ones, Prin­ces and Pezants, man and beast; according to that twice repeated passage, Esay 2. 11, 17. (which the ancient Jewes interpreted of the day of judgement) The loftinesse of man shall be bow­ed downe, and the haughtinesse of men shall be made low, and the Lord alone shall bee exalted that day: And the Idols (these are part of the host ofSee the Apostasie of the la­ter times. heaven wee speake of) hee shall utterly abolish. And of such heavens and [...] as these, it mat­tereth not though we understand an absolute de­struction (viz. of so much as shall bee burned) as was in the deluge of Noah. And so likewise of the earth and workes thereof. But whereas by the universall deluge, though onely the Mun­dus contentus perished, yet notwithstanding the Mundus continens was therewith corrupted and depraved: In the destruction of fire it shall bee otherwise; for the world of wicked ones being destroyed, the Heaven and the Earth which con­tained them shall bee purged and refined, for the righteous to dwell therein. This exposition I put but in the second place, because where the proper sense of the letter may be kept, I preferre it before any other.

To conclude, if any there yet bee, whom neither of the former expositions can satisfie, but will needs have the fire and burning here spo­ken [Page 24] of, to bee that whereby the World is to bee utterly annihilated; I could answer, that the day of judgment is a thousand yeares; and this fire, though it be to bee [...], in that day, yet shall it not bee in the beginning, but end there­of, the beginning being but a destruction of the enemies of Christ, and the Kingdome of Sathan, and then a restauration: The end, a destruction of the whole creature it selfe by utter annihila­tion; and then Saint Peters words, verse 13. to bee construed after this manner; That howsoever the Heavens and the earth shall at length bee dissol­ved by fire, neverthelesse before that shall be, we look for a new Heaven and a New Earth (i. e. a new World or restauration) to precede this abolition, according to his promise, Esay 65. & 66.

But such an exposition, methinkes, would not suit so well with that which I take to bee Saint Peters chiefest scope in this passage; nor with the words of the holy Prophets hee pointeth at, which seeme to speake onely of such a fire, which should precede a restauration, and not of that which should cause an utter abolition of the World: And as concerning such an utter abo­lition of the whole frame of Heaven and Earth, after the Oeconomy of the Redemption and vi­ctory of Christ shall bee finished, it seemeth to mee a mystery which hath no bottome. How­soever, I am not perswaded this place of Saint Peter should meane any such thing. Those pas­sages, Iob 14. 12. Psalme 102. 26. and Apoc. 20. 11. may seeme to bee of more moment. [Page 25] And if any such annihilation shall bee, it stands more with reason it should bee by the immedi­ate power of God, without the instrument of any creature, than by fire; and that hee who at first brought it out of nothing without any crea­tures help, should reduce it to no­thing again without the help of any creature.

Δόξα τῷ Θεῷ ῷ̔ παντοκράτορι.

LONDON, Printed for SAMUEL MAN, and are to be sold at his Shop in Pauls Church-yard at the Signe of the Swan. 1642.

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