On the Mosaic account of the Creation. 399 



Now it will be as easy to give a different, and I trust 

 more correct meaning to these words of St. Peter, as it 

 was to extract the true import of the inspired exclamation 

 of Lamech at the birth of Noah, that " the earth which then was 

 being overflowed with waters, perished," need not be dis- 

 believed any more than that " the earth which now is" will 

 assuredly perish by fire; but that the effect of that latter 

 destruction will be to annihilate the matter from which our 

 earth is formed, is no more necessary to be believed than 

 that it was annihilated formerly by the waters of the deluge. 

 That the destruction of the earth by water was final, we are 

 assured by God himself, in his promise, " neither shall there 

 any more be a flood to destroy the earth ;" and that its des- 

 truction by fire will be equally final we know from the same 

 source, because our mortal career and earthly probation will 

 then be ended ; and we may safely infer that the latter and 

 still future destruction of the earth will be equal (although 

 St. Peter does nowhere affirm it,) to the former destruction ; 

 that is, as all trace of the former surface and its animal and 

 vegetable productions were swept off and obliterated by the 

 waters of the deluge, so as afterwards to present a totally 

 new aspect; so the latter destruction by fire will entirely and 

 thoroughly purge and purify our mortal habitation from 

 the pollution of our sins, " and a new heaven and a new 

 earth" will appear, in the which will be established " the 

 heavenly Jerusalem." Thus as by man^s disobedience the 

 earthly paradise in which he was first placed was lost and sub- 

 sequently effaced from our earth by the first great revolution, 

 consequent on the curse of an offended God ; so in the latter 

 end, through the merits and atonement once offered for us 

 by the Son of God, will a final revolution again restore to 

 us the blessings we have so justly forfeited. 



But again, if the first earth, had totally perished at the 

 deluge, as pronounced by Mr. Penn and others, it will neces- 



