vers may be strongly argued from these words.

I. It will be allowed, that the persons here fpoken of, finally and totally fell away; fince they are not only faid to turn from the boly commandment delivered unto them, but to be again entangled in the pollutions of the world and overcome; yea, to turn like the. dog to his vomit, and the fow to her wallowing in the mire; fo that the latter end with them is worse than the beginning. Yet,

II. Nothing is faid of them which difcovers them to have been true believers. They might have externally escaped the pollutions of the world, reformed in their outward lives and converfations, through a notional knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jefus Christ, profeffed the way of righteousness, and, for a while, vifibly walked in it, and fubmitted to the holy commandments and ordinances of Christ, and yet not have been partakers of the grace of God; nor is it evident that the apoftle here fpeaks of fuch who had obtained like precious faith with them; but of some third perfons diftinct from them. Perhaps the highest character given them is in ver. 18. which is, that they were fuch who were clean, ovlws, truly and really, as Dr. Whitby renders the word, efcaped from

C • Page 410.

C

them

them who live, thin, it err: vici le herr, obferves, is to be underfood, nor mig ment, but of deceitful

confider'd, that there are

erent readings

of this text; fome copies, net of t read dahus, within a buck, & dinat. Is the Alexandrian MS. in the Fra re and two books of Brza's; often 22; fo the Compluleyan edition, and the king of Spain's bible; agreeably the age Laz renders it Paulum, a ser in

little time. The Syrize verban rends bobp xboa, in e fro wide, ce init, mat, according to the Ethiegic verice, fru ter fons are defigned From a wiki, fenfe of the words may be collected, that there were fome few persons, whą, i fae few inftances, had almot, or with a very little, or for a little time efcaped from foch who lived in error, being carried away with divers and strange doctrines: But admitting that cvs is the true reading, and that than fignifies not error of judgment, but deceit, ful lufts; it is poffible that men may truly and really escape, not only from idolaters and falfe teachers, and fo have the form of found doctrine, whilst they deny the power of it, but also reform and withdraw from openly profane and fcandalous finners, and yet not be true believers, as it appears thete were not; fince they openly turned to, and appeared to be what they really were; as U 3

the

the dog turns to bis own vomit, and the fow to her wallowing in the mire.

NUMB. LVI. 2 Pet. iii. 9.

The Lord is not flack concerning his promise, (as jome men count flackness) but is longfering to us-ward, not willing that any jhould perift, but that all should come to repentance.

HIS fcripture appears among thofe which are faid to be very many clear and exprefs ones for the doctrine of univerfal redemption; and 'tis obfery'd, that "Thes, opposed to males, is a distributive of all, and therefore fignifies, God is not willing that any one of the whole rank of men fhould perifh". But,

I. It is not true that God is not willing that any one individual of the human race should perish; fince he has made and appointed the wicked for the day of evil, even ungodly men, who are fore-ordained to this condemnation, fuch as are vejels of wrath fitted for destruction; yea, there are iome to whom God fends frong delufions, that they may be

Rementer, in Coll Hag. Art. ii, celare, F. 354. Limborch. p. 333. - Moustyy pi/114.

p. 160, 131, 196. Curwith P. 113.

lieve a lye, that they all might be damned; and others, whofe judgment now of a long time lingreth not, and their damnation flumbereth not: Nor is it his will that all men, in this large fenfe, fhould come to repentance; fince he withholds from many both the means and grace of repentance; and though it is his will of precept, that all to whom the preaching of the gofpel is vouchfafed fhould repent; yet it is not his purpofing, determining will to bring them all to repentance; for then they would all come to repentance; for who bath refifted bis will?

II. It is very true, that rives, any, being oppofed to males, all, is a diftributive of it's but then both the any and the all, are to be limited and restrained by the us, to when God is long-fufferng, God a won will by that any more told or pain a willing that no more foud come to Jatka D Lance, that the 2 to wat ze wurd Ban. ing is avation. The ya no ojed The text, les in het wing, ar tyve, giv ward, we for our junes se cele we fu per FOTS GUL WOU we may was j ah in wou aveti al somery 44, pentance it wil spus teefona,

III. To enquire who these are. It is evi dent that they are diftinguished from the fcoffers mocking at the promise of Christ's coming, ver. 3, 4. are called beloved, ver. 1, 8, 14, 17. which is to be understood either of their being beloved by God, with an everlasting and unchangeable love, or of their being beloved as brethren by the apofile and other faints; neither of which is Lue of all mankind. Befides, the defign of the words is to establish the faints in, and comfort them with the coming of Chrift, until which, God was long-fuffering towards them, and which they were to account falvation, ver. 15. Add to this, that the apostle manifeftly defigns a company or fociety to which he belonged, and of which he was a part; and fo can mean no other than fuch who were chofen of God, redeemed from among men, and called out of darkness into marvellous light; and fuch were the perfons the apoftle writes to. Some copies read the words, di pas, for your fakes; fo the Alexandrian MS. the Syriac verfion, non, for you, or your fakes; the fame way the Ethiopic. Now thefe perfons were fuch who were elect, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through fanctification of the Spirit unto obedience, and prinkling of the blood of Jefus Chrift; and ≥ 1 Pet. j. 3.

such