An expositon of all St. Pauls epistles together with an explanation of those other epistles of the apostles St. James, Peter, John & Jude : wherein the sense of every chapter and verse is analytically unfolded and the text enlightened. / David Dickson ...

CHAP. III.

HEE passes on to another Admonition, concerning their bewaring of scoffers, who denyed the coming of Christ, whose blasphemy hee reproves, to vers. 11. In the second hee shews the use and fruit of his Doctrine, chief∣ly touching the coming of Christ, to the end.

Vers. 1. This second Epistle (beloved) I now write unto you, in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:

2. That yee may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy Prophets; and of the comman∣dement of us the Apostles of the Lord and Saviour:

That hee may make a way for those things that follow, hee propounds the scope of both Epistles, viz. by admo∣nitions to stir up the minds of the truly faithful to con∣stancy in Faith, and Obedience to the Doctrine of the Gospel, which they had learned out of the Scripture of the Prophets, and the teaching of the Apostles.

Vers. 3. Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last dayes scoffers, walking after their own lusts,

That they might beware of Atheists and mockers at piety, hee describes such sort of Monsters four waies. First, From the Antecedent prediction of the Holy Ghost, warning thee of the coming, and frequency of those wicked scoffers about the end of the world, as capital enemies of the Gospel, who in the times of the Gospel would make a laughing stock at all piety: Secondly, From their vici∣ous life, that they will lead a life according to their lusts.

Vers. 4. And saying, where is the promise of his com∣ing? For since the Fathers fell asleep, all things con∣tinue as they were from the beginning of the Crea∣tion.

Thirdly, From their blasphemous speeches, that they will also dare impudently to deny the Lords coming to judgement, and openly accuse Gods promises of falsitie. Fourthly, From their pertinacious defence of their blasphe∣my, that they would dare to dispute against the Lord▪ coming, as if hee would not come at all, but that the world should endure for ever: Therefore because many

ages being past, the Judge doth not as yet come, and be∣cause all things remain in our times, as they did from the beginning of the Creation, they make their carnal sense the measure of their Faith, and cast the Word of God behinde their backs.

Vers. 5. For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the Word of God the Heavens were of old, and the Earth standing out of the water, and in the water,

Hee reproves these blasphemous Dogs in five Argu∣ments.

Argum. 1. Because they scornfully reject the knowledge offered them out of Gods word, and are willingly igno∣rant, that by the word of God the world was created; for if they should acknowledge the Creation to be by the word of God, they ought also to acknowledge an end of the world, foretold in the word of God.

The Earth] Argum. 2. They are willingly ignorant of, and shut their eyes against that constant miracle of the earth rising out of the water, and consisting by the wa∣ter, by which it is made solid, so that it crumble not to dust when the whole earth by its own nature being the lowest element, should sinck and be covered and drown∣ed in the waters. In which miracle wee may perceive that nature is governed and establish'd by the will of God alone, that it may so continue, or otherwise as it shall please God.

Vers. 6. Whereby the world that then was, being over∣flowed with water, perished.

Argum. 3. That the earth contrary to nature appears out of the waters, and that all things do remain alwaies in the same state, is evident out of the history of the de∣luge, whereby the former order being changed, the world or mankind, that then was, is perished in those o∣verflowing waters: Therefore it is not incredible, but that the world passing on shall suffer the change which the word of God hath foretold.

Vers. 7. But the Heavens and the Earth which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgement, and perdition of un∣godly men.

Argum. 4. The Heavens, which now are, and the Earth which now is, are by the same word, and his ef∣ficacious will, reserved unto the fire of the last judgement, when the wicked, and especially the scoffers at the com∣ing of Christ, shall be condemned, and perish.

Vers. 8. But (Beloved) be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

Hee takes away an Objection, The wicked might say, why doth hee defer his coming? The answer is threefold. First, Although the Lord seems to defer his coming, yet his deferring ought not to be an offence to any, because this delay ought not to be estimated by our sense, but out of Gods eternity, to whom that space of time, which seems to us to be very long, is but as one day, and with whom one day and a thousand years do not differ as to the proportion of measure.

Vers. 9. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, (as some men count slackness) but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Answ. 2. This delaying doth not proceed from slack∣ness, as some Judge, but from the patience of God to∣wards us, to wit, the Elect, whereas many as yet are not converted, and whereof God will have none perish, but all (in his time) to come to repentance, which cannot be unless the coming of Christ should be deferred to a season. For if God should anticipate the time of judge∣ment, decreed by himself, some of them, which hee hath chosen to salvation from eternity, should perish.

Vers. 10. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in the which the Heavens shall pass a∣way with a great noise, and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up.

Answ. 3. And Argum. 5. Reproving scoffers from the manner of Christs coming, which is described in three things, (1.) It shall be unawares to men, as thieves use to come, at such a time when they know they are least expected▪ (2.) It shall be with the greatest change of the whole universe: (3.) With the disanulling of all things, wherein the Atheists sought their felicity in the world, for the Heavens shall pass away with a great noise, the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also, and the works therein shall be burnt up: so that all ought to be sollicitous in preparing themselves, rather than to enquire curiously about the manner or time of his coming, or to complain of his slackness.

The Second Part.

Vers. 11. Seeing then that all these things shall be dis∣solved, what manner of persons ought yee to be in all holy conversation, and godliness,

The second part of the Chapter follows, wherein hee draws this Doctrine into use by an Exhortation to follow after godliness, and to perseverance in it: The Arguments of the Exhortation are eight,

Argum. 1. By requiring a testimony from their con∣sciences: All these visible works, especially, which are in the earth, are to be dissolved: Therefore wee ought to follow after holiness.

Vers. 12. Looking for, and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the Heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat.

Argum. 2. Because so it becomes you, who expect with hope, and hasten with desire to meet the Lord at his coming, i. e. it behoves you, hoping for the coming of Christ, to labour patiently in your vocation, and to en∣deavour after holiness.

Wherein] Argum. 3. Because the coming of the Lord to judgement will be so terrible, that the Heavens being on fire, shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat.

Vers. 13. Nevertheless, wee, according to his promise, look for new Heavens, and a new Earth, wherein dwelleth Righteousness.

14. Wherefore (Beloved) seeing that yee look for such things, be diligent that yee may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

Argum. 4. Because according to the promises of God, Isa 65.17. and 66.22. wee expect new Heavens, and a new Earth, wherein the just alone shall dwell: There∣fore wee ought to endeavour after holiness, and righteous∣ness, who have this hope. Hee calls both the Heavens and the Earth the habitation of the just, because the world shall be the Possession, Palace, and Kingdome of the Elect, who shall accompany Christ wheresoever hee shall go.

Be diligent] Hee adds Argum. 5. With a repetition of his Exhortation to holiness, Being diligent, that being without spot and blameless, yee may be found of Christ in peace, i. e. being reconciled to God, and be accounted the friends of Christ, by him, when hee shall come to judgement.

Vers. 15. And account that the long-suffering of our Lord is salvation, even as our beloved Brother Paul also, according to the wisdome given unto him, hath written unto you.

Argum. 6. With preventing an Objection, yee ought to be so far from being overcome with weariness, because Christ seems to defer his coming, that on the contrary yee ought to account it a sign of salvation given to all of you, that this is not delay, but rather the forbearance of the Lord, and slowness to wrath.

Even as] Argum. 7. Paul in his Epistle written to you Hebrews, (according to the abundant measure of wis∣dome given to him) diligently exhorts you to follow after holiness and patience under the hope of Christs coming,

as in many places, so especially in the end of Chap. 10.36. verse. Therefore ought yee to follow after holiness and patience.

Vers. 16: As also in all his Epistles speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to be un∣derstood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other Scriptures, unto their own destruction.

Hee takes occasion from the mention hee made of the Epistle of Paul to the Hebrews, of commending the rest of Pauls Epistles for Canonical, and to take away the of∣fence upon the difficulty of some places in his Epistles, from this, that neither the sayings of Paul, nor any other Scriptures are wrested, unless by those that are unlearn∣ed and unstable, or perverse men, and that to the de∣struction of them that pervert them.

Vers. 17. Yee therefore (Beloved) seeing yee know these things before, beware lest yee also being led away with the errour of the wicked, fall from your own sted∣fastness.

18. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ: to him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

Argum. 8. Propounded by way of Exhortation, to shake off the idleness of the flesh. Being fore-admonished concerning the errours of false Teachers, by which they se∣duce their Disciples from the way of Truth and Holiness, yee ought so much the more, not onely to beware lest yee fall from your own stedfastness (i. e. from the Faith and Obedience of the Doctrine of Christ, wherein with a sted∣fast purpose of mind yee now stand) but also yee ought to endeavour after further progress, and growth in grace, holiness, and in the knowledge or Faith of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

To him be glory] Hee shuts up the Epistle with a fa∣mous doxology, wherein hee acknowledges Christ to be the true God; For glory is onely due to God: Also hee propounds Christ who is to be glorified, both now, whilst wee are in the warfare of the world, and also in the world to come, which hee calls the day of eternity, because that whole eternity is one day. Glory bee unto him. Amen.