Çh.3. The Certainty ofour II. P partly in theWater; and partlyout of it, fepa- rared fromSeasand Clouds; by this Water the 'World of Men that liv'd in the days of Noah were drown'd. But by the fame Will and Word ofGod theHeavens and the Earth that are now, use kept from beingdrown'd, being ref.rv'd to another fort of Ruine, even byFire when the time is come in which God will pub- lickly judge and deftroy ungodly Men. Note ; It is Strange how any Expofitor can think that this Text fpeaketlt only of the De- flruhion of yerufalem and the Gnofticks, when 1. it is refembled to the drowning of all the World; 2. And it,fpeaketh ofthe Heavens and theEarth that arenow, which are more than yerufalem ; ;, And it referreth to the Promife to Noah to drown theWorld no more i 4 :And faith, it is retferv'd to Fire S. And that at the Day ofJudgment andPerditionof the Ungod- ly, and not of the 7eror only. 8. But (beloved) be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thoufand years, and a thottfand years as one day. 8. But you mutt not ignorantly meafure God's Time by the meafure ofus men, for one day is with the Eternal God as a thoafand years, and a thoufand years asone day. Time is foon gone with us, but to Eternity it is as nothing. 9. The Lord is not flack concern- ing his promife, (as tome men count tlacknefs) but is long-fuffering to us- ward, not willing that any Should pe- rifh, but that all Should come to re- pentante. 9. The Delay is not becaufe God is flack as to the pe,forming of his Promifes, ( as flack- nefs fignifieth forne culpable Omilfion among Men) but,it is bccaufe he is long-fuffering to us Men, not delighting in, or willing any:masas Defirudion as fuch, but that all lhould.come to Repentance. Note, a. God's Will, as totally diffindb from slkEffect s, is onlyhis Effence, and is immutable, and is not denominated his, Wiling The or That 2. But his Will, whichis but the Elea., of his Eflèntiai Will, is manifold, and doth begin and end and change: And, 3. his Will, as it is but the Relation of his Effentiat Will to there Effèdts, and an extrinfick' Denomination f-2m them, is altomanifold and mutable: And i; is in there two laft Senfes that Peter faith, that God ra not willing that any()mold perifh, bet all came to Repentance ; that is, God hcth provi- ded a fufficient Sacrifice for theirSin in Chrif; he reprieveth them from defcrved Damnation, and patiently endureth them; heoffereth Par- don and Salvation to all that will accept it, who hear his Offers he giveth all the World eter. coming to 9'udgment. Ch. 3 undeferved Mercy, and oblioeth them to re- pent in hope ofmore,anel bindeth allthe World to certain Duties as means oftheir Recovery and Salvation, and ufeth none according to the meer Terms ofthe LawofInnocency Coleyper- fellry or died His dailyMercies lead to Repen- tance and Hope: he comtnandethhis Minifters tobefeech them to be reconcil'd and fav'd : he bringethLife to their own Wills, and giveth them abundant Reamns and Motives to accept it, be. a. That he Both this de facto, no Chri- ftian can deny. 2. Therefore he is faid to will their Repentance andSalvation, T. As thefe effects . ofhisWill are call'd his Will. 2. Or as his Will is named only as related to thefe Effeâs. Thus muchwell confiderdmay end this Con- troverfie. so. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in the which the heavens Nall pafsaway with a great noife, and the elements fhall melt with fervent heat, the earth elfo and the works that are therein flail be burnt up. no. But as Men fleep, not knowing when a Thief will come in the Night, fo flail Chrift's coming fitrprize men unexpeaaed, in which the Heavens, fo far as they belong toMan andpar- take of any of the Carte for our Sins, !hall pars. away with a great and dreadful noire like a Storm, and the Elements thall be diffolyd with fervent heat, and all thisEarth, and all mens Works thereon, !hall be confunid by this Fire. Note. It is marvellous prepoffefïion that could make any learned man think, that all thefe words fignifie nothing but the deLtruerion of yerufalem. r 1. Seeing then that all thefe things (hall be diffolved, what manner ofper- fons ought ye to be in all holy con- verfation and godlinefs. Ir. Neat. The_true belief of the day of Chrift's comingto Judgment, and the Diffolu- , Lion ofall this lower World by Fire, fhould convince all Chriftians, that a holy Converfa- tion and GodlinessShould be endeavour'd with all¡orate care and diligence. And thole men that think they can be truly godly and holy over-much, do not believe ferioutly filch a Changeand Day. 1 a. Looking for and hafting unto, the coming of theday of God, where- in the heavens being on fire, flail be ditrfolved, and the elements limit melt with fervent heat. is. Looking for, and earnefily defiring the comingof this Day of God, when the lower Heavens and Earth Shall thus be diff:lyed, and the
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