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 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 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 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 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
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 their 's 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 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 of 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 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 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 Ï„á¿· Θεῷ ῷ̔ παντοκÏάτοÏι LONDON Printed for SAMUEL MAN and are to be sold at his Shop in Pauls Church-yard at the Signe of the Swan 1642. * See the Syriack Act. 9 2â— where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are turned ludaei qui loquebantur Graecé * I have since looked in thâ— Preface of R 〈…〉 baâ— where I found those Chaldee passages mentioned which the Rabbin translateth into Hebrew and for the Chaldee which answereth to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See the Apostasie of the later times
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 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 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 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
For having in the tenth verse said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. solventur 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 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 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 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 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.