Commentary on 2 Peter, Commentary on 2 Peter volume 1 · Chapter 2 · Verse 5 (3 of 3)
This ſhould teach all, with faith and feare to ſubmit themſelves to the power of Gods word; leſt every Sermon become one day a bill of inditement againſt …hem. There is no dallying with it; if it cannot ſave, it kills; like fire, what it may not ſoften, it will harden. This is enough to make the wicked tremble: who have gone away from ſo many feaſts with hungry ſoules; heard ſo much, and practiſed ſo little. As every good turne aggravates the unthankefull mans plague: ſo …very good inſtruction enhanceth the reprobates torment. O now let us redeeme the time, heare to learne, learne to doe, and doe to live for ever.
5 Laſtly, obſerve that ſo long as Noah preached, the world was warned. God needed not to have given them any warning of his Iudgements, they gave him no warning of their ſinnes, no reſpite. Yet, that he might approve his merciemercy even to …hoſe, upon whom he meant to glorifie his Iuſtice; he gives them long warning, that …hey might have ſpace enough of repenting. O how loth is he to ſtrike, that threa…ens ſo long before he executes! He that takes pleaſure in revenge, ſuddenly ſurpri…eth his adverſary, and apprehends the ſpeedieſt advantage: but the Lord is pleaſed they ſhould be often warned, to ſhew how willing he is to be prevented. God is ſo …acient, that if ſinners were not deſperate, they ſhould never ſmart. He doth firſt …ummon a parlee,ſDeut. 20.10. proclaime peace, hang out his white colours of pitie; before the …ed ſtreamers of bloud be ſeene. He uſeth the commination of hell, as well as the promiſe of heaven: and both equally commend his goodneſſe. The ſharpeneſſe of …he one, and ſweetneſſe of the other, working together like Oile and Wine; make men wiſe to ſalvation. Niniveh had not ſtood, if the Prophet had forborne to ſay, It ſhall not ſtand. The meſſage of their overthrow, overthrew the meſſage: the prophecie fell, and the Citie fell not, becauſe her fal was prophecied. The denuntiation of death wrought life: the ſentence of deſtruction made a nullitie in the ſentence. They …eard that their houſes ſhould fall; and they forſooke not their houſes but them…elves: and both themſelves and their houſes ſtood.
Thus let us take the warnings of death, and turne them into inſpirations of …ife. When it is threatned, we ſhall die in our ſinnes: let this make us live to righ…eouſneſſe. If the ſummons of vengeance ſhall waken us to repentance, we ſhall no …ooner change our minds, but God will change his ſentence. If a mature and reverent conſideration of thoſe fearefull judgements, plagues, death, dearth, hell, terrors of conſcience, can truly humble us: we ſhall heare an Angell ſing, Grace, merciemercy, …nd peace, favour and eternall bleſſedneſſe in heaven to us. God deales not with us, …s one did with Diogenes; who firſt broke his head, and then bad him take heed: …ut he beats his drumme, before he drawes his ſword. He does not as the Canon, firſt kill, and then make the report. But admoniſheth ustRevel. 2.5. to repent, or elſe he will come againſt us.
There is not a ſoule among us, but hath beene often warned: happy they, that can find this aſſurance in their ſoules that they have repented. Let not God continu…lly looſe his labour: would we have him doe nothing but premoniſh us? we are …ound to take hold of every caution, to make uſe of all motions and monitions: he … not bound to follow us up and downe with unregarded ſollicitings. Semel monitus …hould be Semper munitus. Asu1 King. 2.41. Salomon to Shimei, did not I forbid thee to goe o…er Kidron on paine of death? ſo God hath warned us to keepe home, confined us to …eruſalem, the Citie of obedience: if we paſſe the brooke Kedron, the limits he hath ſet us, to ſeeke our ſtragling ſervants, riches or pleaſures, as did Shimei: he may juſtly puniſh us, and anſwere all our expoſtulations; Did I not give you warning? This ſeemed to be the rich mans care in hell, for his brethren on earth; that one might bee ſent from the deadxLuk. 16.28. to give them warning. Wee have warnings every way; LORD, let ſome of thy admonitions bring us to repentance; let thy commandement worke us to amendment: that hearing what thou teacheſt, fearing what thou threatneſt, and beleeving what thou promiſeſt; wee may find thy eternall mercies.
And ſaved Noah.] Gods Iudgements are never ſo univerſall, but ſome he ſpareth. Though Iſrael be reduced to a Tenth, yet God will not looſe his Tythe. Though they be as the ſcattering grapes after the vintage, yet deſtruction ſhall lea… here and there a berry. Though he have few names in Sardi, yet he hath ſome. In every loſſe that Iob had, one ſtill eſcaped to bring him newes. Noah findes grace, whe… the world found perdition. Nec enim convenit mortuum mundo, perire cum m…do: he that was dead to the world, ſhall not die with the world: as he conſented not to their ſinne, ſo he partooke not of their puniſhment. No ſtreames of water ſhall drowne him, whom the deluge of ſin hath not overwhelmed. Now becauſe the Lord hath ſet him forth as a precedent to aftertimes: that he who will ſcape as Noah did, muſt be ſuch a one as Noah was: let us contemplate his Righteouſneſſe in theſe foure paſſages. The warrant of his practiſe, His faith in this warrant, The perfection of this faith, The iſſue, event or ſucceſſe of all.
1 The warrant or ground of his obedience, was the word of God.aHebr. 11.7. He … warned of God of things not ſeene as yet. This revelation came not by a Prophet, we find none at that time, but Noahs ſelfe: but either by the miniſterie of an Angell, o… immediately from the Lord himſelfe.bGen. 6.13. God ſaid unto Noah, The end of all fleſh i… come before me. Thus doth he ſingle out the righteous, and acquaint them with his owne counſells.cGen. 18.19. Shall I hide from Abraham the thing that I doe? The Sodomit…s lie ſucking in the aire of ſecuritie, but Abraham knew the neereneſſe of their calamitie.dAm 3.7. Surely the Lord will doe nothing, but he revealeth his ſecret to his ſervants the Prophets. Neither is this the prerogative of the Prophets only; butcPſ…. 25.14. The ſecret of the Lord is with them that feare him, and he will ſhew them his covenant. We dote on nothing more than ſecrets; all are ſicke of an Athenian humour: yet is there no ſecret which carnall deſires affect, worth the knowing. Would we participate that Secret, which no affordment of nature, no myſterie of arte, no Secretary of ſtate, to witte of Man, no cunning of Devill, can find? Let us feare God: this is the key to open thoſe ſupernall and ſupernaturall ſecrets, which ſhall fill the heart with unexpreſſible, unexhauſtible joy. Chriſt calls us more than ſervants; fIoh. 15.15.for the ſer… knoweth not what his Lord doth; even friends, becauſe he hath made knowne to us the things of his Father. God makes all his friends of his Counſell, and communicates all things conducing to their bleſſedneſſe, as one friend imparts his mind to another.
gProv. 3.32.His ſecret is with the righteous: the juſt man ſhall be ignorant of nothing that concernes his ſalvation. But in our times there are no ſuch revelations; therefore the ſtate of the Church before Chriſt, ſeemes to be better than this? No; for albeit GOD doe not now reveale particular and perſonall events: yet the aſſurance of ſalvation, the comfort of remiſſion, the very feeling of reconciliation; theſe he declares to us, which are infinitely ſweeter. Why ſhould I enquire,hIoh. 21.21. Lord wh… ſhall he doe? it is enough for me to know what ſhall become of my ſelfe. Beſides, we are requited in the complete Scriptures, we have the ſubſtance of their ſhadowes the performance of their promiſes. How ſhould this encourage us all to become Gods faithfull ſervants: for we ſerve not ſuch a Lord as is ſtrange and auſtere to us; one that will not give us a good looke, or a faire word. Yea, he is ſo far from denying us theſe favours, that he calls us to his holy counſell, makes knowen to us his ſecrets, and communicates himſelfe to us by his bleſſed Spirit.
This is a ſweet comfort, if we apply it: eſpecially conſidering the different e…tate of the wicked; whoiMatth. 13.13. ſeeing, cannot perceive; and hearing cannot underſtand: …s Zebul miſtooke armies of men for ſhadowes of mountaines.k1 Cor. 2.14. The naturall man …eceiveth not the things of the Spirit. Nature is not here the Schoole-maſter, but Grace: nor Athens the Schoole, but Ieruſalem. They arelMatth. 11.25. hid to the wiſe of the …orld, and revealed to babes. It is revealed to us, that God is our Father, the Church …ur mother, Chriſt our brother, the Holy Ghoſt our Comforter, Angels our at…endants, all other creatures our ſubjects, the whole world our Inne, and heaven …ur everlaſting home. That the joyes of the wicked doe ſcarce ever begin; and …hen they doe, their end borders on their beginning: one houre ſees them both …erry, and miſerable. But our pleaſures are eternall, millions of yeares being not … minute to everlaſtingneſſe, and this houſe of the world a meere cottage to heaven. …heſe things as God reveales, ſo we muſt ſeeke. When the Shunamite would needs …oe to the Prophet, her husband queſtioned her;m2 King. 4.23. Wherefore to day? it is neither …w Moone nor Sabbath. It ſeemes that at leaſt on thoſe dayes they conſulted the …rophets. O let not us neglect Gods clearer revealings in the Goſpell nor be …rangers to the buſineſſe of our owne ſalvation.
2 His faith is this warrant: the things that God revealed, and he beleeved, were …heſe three. Firſt, the great and juſt wrath of God againſt the ſinfull world. This …e ſincerely preached, and this they ſcornefully derided. But as the franticke …ughes, when the Phyſician weepes, and knowes his end is neere: ſo the wicked con…mne the righteous, yet to them is knowne their miſerable ſtate. 2. That GOD …ould ſave him and his familie, and this he beleeved, not only in the principall ob…ct of faith, his ſalvation by the Meſsias: but even in the inferior and particular; …is perſonall deliverance from this inundation. 3. The meanes of his preſervation; …y an Arke which himſelfe muſt make: that every ſtroke might put him in mind of …e gracious promiſe; and ſtill as that was builded, his faith might be confirmed, …mb. Ibi Deus plus eſt auxilii, ubi plus eſt periculi.
This faith wrought in him a feare;nHebr. 11.7. Being moved with feare, he prepared the Arke. …et carnall reaſon might object; What cauſe is there either to beleeve or feare? … The Iudgement was farre off, 120 yeares to come: and who would feare ſo re…ote a thing? 2. The world was full of wiſe and mighty men: they all heard of …is, not one of them feared. Shall Noah being one ſingle man, againſt all thoſe …ong examples, expoſe himſelfe to deriſion by a needleſſe feare? 3. The judge…ent was of ſuch a nature, as it had no precedent: for would any man in common …aſon thinke, that God would drowne all the world with water? That by water, … element ſo eaſily avoidable: and of ſuch a quantitie and meaſure as to over…helme the whole world.
But loe here the invincible power of faith! it is fixed on Gods word, and …ough heaven thunder, and earth ſhake, and hell roare; it will not be removed: …ight of all contradictions Noah beleeves, that he ſhall be ſaved; why he above … the reſt? even this he beleeved with feare.oPſal. 130.4. With thee, O Lord, is merciemercy, that …ou mayeſt be feared. Even the merciemercy of a father, makes a reverent ſonne. He …ight ſay with David; Lord, thou haſt ſpoken good concerning me and my houſe, …or a great while to come. What am I, and what is my houſe, p2 Sam. 7.19.that thou haſt done thus …r me? That the Lord hath led us out of ſpirituall Aegypt, firſt by a child, then by woman, ſaved us in the deluge of ſuperſtition; gives us juſt cauſe to ſay; What ar… … what are our people, that he ſhould be ſo favourable to us?
It was ſtrange enough, that God would take ſo weake an element as water, to …owne thoſe mightie Gyants. Strange enough, that he would ſave Noah by an …ke: why not take him up into heaven, as Enoch: or build him a houſe on the top … ſome promontory? By an Arke? alas, what ſafetie is here? may not the tem…ſts caſt it on the hard rockes, or daſh it upon the Gyants caſtles, and breake it in …ces? No, Noah muſt lye and ſwimme on the waters, and yet the Arke muſt ſave him from the waters. Thus ſhall he be ſafe in the ſight of dying ſinners: when they are expecting death on the tops of the mountaines, they beheld him ſecure to their greater vexation. As the paines of hell are aggravated upon the damned, by ſe… ing their once deſpiſed brethren in the joyes of heaven. When the rich that have … away from the poore in coaches, ſhall ſee the poore carried from them by Angel…. All this God delivered, Noah beleeved and feared.
Let this teach us to beleeve Gods judgements, and feare them.qPſal. 119.120 My fleſh tr… bleth for feare of thee, and I am afraid of thy judgments. God foretold of a flo… and Noah looked for it a 120 yeares after. There is no man living, but within leſſe than 120 yeares he is ſure to die, and to be in danger of a floud of wrath: for Q… les egredimur, tales praeſentamur and Dilatio proves often Dilatatio ſupplicii: the def… ring of puniſhment, is the enlarging of puniſhment. Yet who trembles at it? who ſends this holy feare to his heart, that his heart may ſend forth prayers for merciemercy? If men cry, fire, fire; we ſtirre, run, tremble: but let the fire of Gods wrath, and the fire of hell, be cryed; we move not, care not, feare not: as if this were a thing quite unconcerning us. And as the fantaſticall muſician was ſo tranſported with … owne raptures; that when the people cryed to him, that his houſe was on fire: he returned them no other anſwere, but that either they ſhould hold their peace, or cry in tune. So when Preachers forewarne men of theſe judgements, they thinke that we are quite out of tune.
There is no Iudgement comes, but Naturians will find out other cauſes for it, than God. Ill weather is from the clouds, famines from ill weather, plagues f… famines, or ill aires, or by apparant infection from other places: as if they con… ded, as that ſcoffer ſubcribed on Adrians Colledge; Deus hîc nihil fecit; God h… here nothing to doe. But cannot nature have her place, unleſſe ſhe have Gods pla… He overthrowes not naturall meanes, why ſhould naturall meanes overthrow him? Shall wee give the Souldiers honour to his ſword? Certainely, if men beleeve… God, they could not thinke, nor ſpeake, nor looke upon his workes, but with reverence.
And as our feare of God is, ſo is our faith: little feare, little faith: no feare at al… no faith at all. Iudgement may be threatned; but the ſtubborne ſouldier Mari… will not heare the lawes for the clattering of armour. The great things of the L… are drowned in ſome clamor; Satan that cunning ſilver-ſmith, raiſing an uprore mo… agreeable to mens humours; Great is Diana. The ſcriekings of Moloch, and the pitifull lamentation of burning infants, were not heard, becauſe they deaffed themſelves with the inſtruments of muſicke. After the maſſacre of many Chriſtian vertues, ſteps in conſcience, in the phraſe of Iobs meſſenger; I am alone eſcaped to … thee. We like not the meſſage, and impriſon the bringer: and if the ſubſidiary gra… of God come to ſuccour and relieve this crying and dying conſcience; men fl…y to ſtupefie their owne hearts.rEſa. 37.3. Thus the children are come to the birth, and there is … ſtrength to bring forth. Strength enough, but it is to ſtrangle the birth, not to bri… it forth. The midwives of Aegypt feared God, and preſerved the children alive but the ſtill-borne motions of Gods Spirit may often teſtifie to our faces, that w… are bloudy mid-wives. The frownes of men we feare, as duckes uſe to doppe at every ſtone throwen into the water: we feare an Ague, an enemie, a danger; yet … the Lord, who commands all theſe. Let us feare God more, and we ſhall fe… all other things leſſe: if could turne all our feare into the feare of God, we ſho… then turne all our workes unto the praiſe of God: and he will honour them, … honour him.
3 The integrity of his faith; for this he is ſaid to be Righteous; ſGen. 6.9.A juſt … and perfect in his generations. Not in reſpect of Gods Iuſtice,tRom. 3.23. For all h…ve … and come ſhort of the glory of God: And,uPſal. 130.3. If he marke iniquity, who ſhall ſtand? N… in reſpect of thatxPhil. 3.12. perfection which is appropriated to the Saints in heaven: … no mortall man hath attained. Nor yet ſo perfect, that he was without ſinne:aEccl. 7.20. F… there is not a juſt man upon the earth, that doth good, and ſinneth not. Nor for ſuper ero…ting, and going beyond his duty: in not onelyonly obeying the Legall Rules, but alſo … obſerving the Evangelicall Councels; as ſay the Rhemiſts. But either Compara…è, compared with others: therefore it is added, In his generations. Or, Inchoativè, …hich rather conſiſts in the deſire of perfection, than in the perfection of his deſires. …r, Reputativè, ſo eſteemed; becauſe he was without ſcandall to the world: But …pecially Imputativè, by way of imputation:bGon. 6.8. Hee found grace in the eyes of the …rd: and this is the perfection of faith, which cloathes the perſon with the Righ…ſneſſe of Chriſt.
There is a legall perfection, ſuch as was in Adam, is in Chriſt: none are thus …rfect.cIob 9.21. Though I were perfect, yet would I deſpiſe my ſelfe; ſaith Iob. d1 Cor. 4 4.Though know nothing by my ſelfe, yet am I not thereby juſtified, ſaith Paul. They durſt not …ſt themſelves upon Gods Iudgement. There is alſo an Evangelicall perfection, …d this is two-fold. It conſiſts partly in the apprehenſion of Chriſts righteouſ…ſſe, which is our Iuſtification: partly in the holineſſe of life, which is our Sancti…cation. The former is abſolutely perfect, for our Iuſtification admits no latitude: …e latter is not ſo, for Sanctification is perfected by degrees: and is here but parti…l, as in a childe are all the parts of a man, though it want growth, ſtature, and ma…ritie. The difference is not in the truth of being, but in the meaſure, degree, and …antity. There is Perfectio Conformitatis, to be perfect in all points; ſo are none …re below. And Perfectio Synceritatis; to be perfect in all good endevour, and in …ne good meaſure. Vltra poſſe viri non vult res ulla requiri: Man is indeed bound … keepe all the Law, (and all thoſe for whom Chriſt did not fulfill it, ſhall have it …filled on themſelves in the penalty) and that for good reaſon. A man in a rich …ate borrowes a ſumme of money; he is then able to repay it: but afterwards by … riotous living he growes unable; now ſhall his preſent and wilfully contracted …verty excuſe his non payment? Adam was of ſufficient ſtrength to keepe the Law: …he would forfet that grace and naturall ſufficiencie, ſhall his ſelfe-incurred weake…ſſe excuſe his diſobedience?
Perfection, now, conſiſts not in a juſtifiable goodneſſe of our owne: and that …e can attaine, is not in lectione, ſed in dilectione; not in great learning, but good …ing. Paul was perfect Expectatione muneris, imperfect Fatigatione certaminis. It is …d of Chryſoſtome; Nihil finivit praeter peccatum; He perfected nothing but the mor…cation of ſinne. The Inner man may be perfect, not the whole: but then here is … comfort; Quod ſit, accipitur: quod non ſit, ignoſcitur: What we have,Auguſt. is accep…: what we have not, is pardoned. Pulchrum eſt Index ſui & obliqui: That which …erfect, both juſtifies it ſelfe, and ſhames all imperfection. He that will be per…t, muſt have underſtanding, quid agendum, what to doe: Will, quomodo agendum, …w to doe it: Memory, quando agendum, when to doe it. Thus is a Chriſtian per…ct: Firſt, in purpoſe of heart, as Abraham is ſaid to offer up his ſonne Iſaac, becauſe … had a minde and reſolution to doe it. Secondly, in Inchoation;e1 King. 6.1. Salomon began …uild the houſe of the Lord; The originall is, He built; The beginning is called the …formance. Thirdly, in compariſon, weighed with the condition of others: as …v. 11 3. where Integritie is oppoſed to Perverſeneſſe: Walke before me, and be per…, ſaith the Lord. The way to be perfect, is to walke before God. It was Heze…s comfort;fEſay 38.3. I have walked before thee in truth. Looke that the inſide be not rot… this is the way to have a perfect heart.
Now becauſe Noahs faith was the thing, that wrapped up his ſoule in the favour God; the ground of all his perfection and righteouſneſſe, the vertue whereby he …d, when all the world was drowned: how precious ſhould this Iewell be to us, …hout which we can neither live in this valley of teares, nor eſcape in the day of …nes! There is no life but in the Sonne, and he that hath the Sonne hath life, and he …t hath faith, hath the Sonne. Iuſtus ex fide vivet: Faith like Eve, Mater omnium …entium, is the Mother of all that live. God himſelfe is content to divide his praiſes with Faith: whereas the can doe nothing but by him, ſhe ſhall doe any thin… with him. She can worke wonders:gHebr. 11.33. Subduing kingdomes, ſtrangling Lions, … ching violent fires, with handfuls conquering huge armies, dividing ſeas, turning … ſtreames, yea, commanding mountaines to remove, overcomming the world; … call you theſe but wonders? Such wonders can faith doe. Yea, God is plea… doe nothing for us without her, that doth all things of himſelfe. True faith is … leſſe than miraculous in the ſphere of her activity, and with the warrant of G… truth. It is no Praemunire, nor offence to Gods Crowne and Dignity, to ſay, It is … owne arme to the ſaving of men. There is a kind of omnipotencie in Faith; w… it ſhall ſay to the Sunne and Moone, Stand ſtill, and be obeyed. But as Chriſt co… doe no miracle in Capernaum, becauſe they had no faith: ſo where men want faith … muſt be a miracle, yea, beyond a miracle, if they be ſaved. I know it is eaſie to … I beleeve: there is a titular faith, but it ſhall never ſave any, untill ſaying Be fi… gives a man his dinner: or Be warmed, makes him hot. But he that can beleeve, wi… Noah, in a ſtorme of indignation, in a deluge of deſtruction, when the arrowes … vengeance flie about, and the Lord raineth coales of fire like haile-ſtones; in … ming trials, and ſtrongeſt temptations: then to beleeve, ſhall bring a glori… Crowne in the day of Ieſus Chriſt.
4 The event or ſucceſſe of all; which was Noahs building of the Arke. G… that decreed to ſave him, ordained alſo the meanes of his preſervation. Now … end of building it was double; one for the further conviction of the world, … other for the ſaving of him and his family. For the world, the Lord did not … give them time, but a faithfull and righteous Teacher. It is happie for him that … cheth others, to be himſelfe righteous. It is abſurd in him that flammers, to tre… others to ſpeake plaine. Great learning and good living, are a faire couple, a … match, it is pitie to part them. Let the mountaines of learning ſo preach, that the little hils and valleyes may receive benefit.
Noahs hand taught them, no leſſe than his tongue: his buſineſſe in building th… Arke, was a reall Sermon to the world. For this cauſe God ſet him a building … ſcore yeares before the Floud: why ſo, when hee might have done it in three … foure yeares? But becauſe the Lord would give them ſpace to repent, every ſtro… on the Arke for all that long time, being a lowd Sermon of repentance to the… h1 Cor. 6.2.Thus doe the Saints judge the world, not only by their faith, but by their fact: … examples of holy men, are bills of indictment againſt the wicked. Thus the N… vites are ſaid to Iudge the unrepentant Iewes; and the Queene of Sheba thoſe un… leeving children of Abraham. Noah being told of a miraculous thing, and bele… ving it: being commanded an unreaſonable thing, and obeying it: condemnes … them, that will not beleeve Gods ordinary promiſes, nor obey his knowne prece… Malos mores mundi ſi pietas noſtra non ſuperabit convertendo, ſuperabit convinc… Many deſpiſe thoſe that ſincerely profeſſe Chriſt: but their ſincere profeſſion … be the deſpiſers condemnation.
Haply thoſe monſtrous ſonnes of Lamech came to Noah, and asked him … he intended by that ſtrange worke; whether he meant to ſaile upon the dry … To whom he relates Gods purpoſe, and his owne: they goe laughing away at … idleneſſe, and tell one another in ſport, that too much holineſſe hath made him … that in ſtead of a Palace, he was building a priſon; and becauſe other men deligh… in Caſtles of ſtone, he (to be croſſe to the world) would have an houſe of wo… Yet cannot all this flout Noah out of his faith: ſtill he preaches, and builds, and … niſhes. And when all they, like ghaſtly wretches, lay ſprawling on the merc…le… waves, he lyes ſafe at the anchor of hope and peace. The faith of the righteous c… not be ſo much derided, as their ſucceſſe is magnified. How ſecurely doth he … out of this univerſall uprore, of heavens earth, waters, elements! He heares … powring downe of the raine above his head: the ſhriking of men, women, and c… dren, roaring and bellowing of beaſts on every ſide: the rage of the waves … him: he ſaw the miſerable ſhifts of the diſtreſſed unbeleevers. And now in the …idſt of all ſits quietly in his dry cabbin, not feeling evill. Hee knew that the …reat maſter of the world, whoſe judgements now overflowed the earth, would …eere him in theſe deepe waters: and that the ſame hand which ſhut him up, would …reſerve him.
Let me here againe commend to you the bleſſedneſſe of faith: what a ſweete …ecuritie and heavenly peace doth it worke in the ſoule, in the midſt of all the inundations of evills! This is the Adamant which nothing will break: the palme that …okes not under the waightieſt burden: the oile that ever over ſwimmes the g… …eſt quantitie of water can be powred on it: the ſheate anchor that holds when all …er …acklings breake. The day of fire ſhall be more terrible and univerſall, t… was …he day of water: this defaced earth that ſhall melt the heavens. Yet ſtil… …aith …inds an Arke, not of cumbuſtible wood, but of indiſſolvable ſtrength: it is the ope…ed ſide of Ieſus Chriſt. There, when the earth is burning under her, heaven a…ove her, the elements about her, reprobates ſcrieking beſide her, death and hell …rembling below her: ſhe ſhall find aſſurance and peace, and at laſt be metamorpho…ed into ths bleſſed viſion, and eternall fruition of ſuch joyes, to which his merciemercy …ring us, that they then maybe knowen unto us. Amen.
And ſaved Noah the eight perſon.] iPſal. 121.…. Aug.I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence …ommeth my helpe. De montibus, non à montibus: from the mountaines, not of the …ountaines, but of the Lord which hath made heaven and earth. While the Iuſtice of God was decreeing confuſion to the world, his merciemercy was contriving a ſafetie for his ſervant. And as his majeſtie was glorious in ſo weake an element for the …uine: ſo was his merciemercy, in ſo weake an inſtrument for the preſervation. Here was omnipotencie in both: he ſpeakes to the creatures; clouds make raine, and let that …aine make a floud, and let that floud drowne the world. He ſpeakes to Noah, make …hee an Arke, and I will make that Arke ſave thee: doe thou as I bid thee, and I will doe as I promiſed thee.
Generally two things occurre to our conſideration: the Building of the Arke, …nd the Preſervation by it: the veſſell it ſelfe, and the Fraught. For the former, my …urpoſe is not to declare the matter, meaſure, proportion, or faſhion of the Arke: …ut to borrow ſo much of the ſtory as is pertinent and inſtructive to us. This ſummarily conſiſts in two things; Noahs tryall, and Gods Diſpoſall. For his tryall, God …n building the Arke did exerciſe three vertues in him; his Patience, his Confidence, …nd his obedience: let us conſider them.
For his patience: why did God ſet him about it an hundred and twenty yeares, when a ſmall time might have finiſhed it? This was for the tryall of his patience. Thus he led the Iſraelites in the deſerts of Arabia fortie yeares: whereas a man may …ravell from Rameſis in Aegypt to any part of Canaan in forty dayes. This God did tokDeut. 8.…. prove them, that he might know what was in their heart. He promiſed Abraham a Son in whom he ſhould be bleſſed: this he performed not of thirty yeares after. He gave David the kingdome, and annointed him by Samuel: yet was he not poſſeſſed of it in many yeares; an ſo much that he ſaid,lPſal. 119.82. Mine eyes faile for thy word. Ioſeph hath a promiſe that the Sun and Moone ſhould doe him reverence; but firſt he muſt lie bound in the dungeon. This God doth to trie us, for in theſe exigents we ſhew our ſelves and our diſpoſitions. Thus did he leavem2 Chron. 32.31. Hezekiah in the buſineſſe of Babylon, to know his heart. When he had made ſuch a probation of Abraham, …n the ſacrifice of his Sonne, he concluded,nGen. 22.2…. Nunc ego ſcio, now I know that thou fea…eſt God. Did not God know before? Yes, he knowes the very thoughts of men: …t is not for his inſtruction, but ours. The Lord knowes all, but thus he would have …s to know our owne hearts.oIer. 17.9. The heart of man is deceitfull above all things. The worldling knowes his owne houſe, his owne horſe, his owne garment, he knowes …ot his owne heart.pIob 9.2… Non novi animam meam, ſaith Iob: though I were perfect, yet I know not mine own ſoule. Ab occultis munda me Domine. qPſal. 19.12.Clenſe thou me from my ſecret faults. rLuk. 9.55.Ne ſcitis, Yee know not of what ſpirit you are; ſaith CHRIST even to h… Apoſtles.
We know not what patience we have, what courage, what zeale, till we be p… to't. A man is that he is, when he is tempted. Some preſume more than they c…; ſo did Peter, Though I ſhould die with thee, I will not deny thee: alas, he knew not his owne weakeneſſe. Others doubt of that they can, as Naaman; God be mercifull to me when I come into the houſe of Rimmon: here I can ſerve God conſtantly, but when I waite on my maſter to the Idolatrous Temple, what ſhall I doe then? Lord … mercifull to me in this. Goe in peace, ſaith the Prophet: God will ſtrengthen thee. E… ry Cocke-boate can ſwim in a river, every ſculler ſaile in a calme: every man of a patient temper or cheerly diſpoſition, can hold up his head in ordinary guſts. But when a blacke ſtorme riſes, a tenth wave flowes, deepe calls unto deepe, nature yields, ſpi…t faints, heart failes; here is the tryall, how doſt thou now? Accedit tentatio, quaſi … terrogatio. Aug.When our hopes are adjourned, our expectation delaied, and inſtead of pleaſing contents, we find bitter ſorrowes; this will diſcover our hearts. If th… faith prevaile above ſenſe, and hope againſt all naturall reaſon and feare; our grac… ſhall ſhine like orient Pearles, in true and perfect beautie. After all the prorog… ons of promiſed eaſe, ſtill to ſtand erect and triumph: here is the aſſurance of faith, that hath the word for compaſſe, CHRIST at the helme, and the voyage is ſalvation.
For his confidence; many obſtacles might ſeeme to ſtop him in the courſe of his proceeding, and to keepe him from attempting this ſtrange edifice. 1. The great quantitie of the Arke, amounting to many thouſand cubites: a worke of great labour, and no ſmall charges. If this had beene impoſed on the ſluggard; what ſhall I ſpend all my dayes in building? As Florus, an idle fellow, would evenmore ſay, Ego nolo Caeſar eſſe, I would not be Caeſar, alwaies marching in armour: to whom Caeſar replied, Et ego nolo Foru…leſſe, I would not be Florus, alwayes drinking in a Taverne. Or on the covetous; he would have anſwered, It is too chargeable: ſhall I exhauſt my eſtate to ſet up a fantaſticall houſe? he will not doe it, to have a houſe in heaven. 2. The length of his labour, it was to have laſted ſixe ſcore yeares: now it is tedious to mans nature, to be alwaies doing, and never to have done. 3. The Building of it was a matter of mockerie to the world: for it ſignified to the rebellious deſtruction, to himſelfe preſervation.
Now that either the world could poſſibly be drowned, or that hee ſhould ſeparably be ſaved; this they laughed at.
Laſtly, it was a thing moſt harſh to naturall reaſon. 1. It had no precedent; and to credite new and ſtrange things, requires a new and ſtrange faith. 2. It ſeemed no… likely, that Gods merciemercy ſhould be ſo wholly ſwallowed up of his Iuſtice. 3. To live in the Arke, as in a cloſe priſon, without light, without freſh aire, and comf… of libertie; among beaſts of all ſorts, and that he knew not how long! Rea… might ſay, it is better to die with men, than to live with beaſts: better to die a f… man, than to live a priſoner: better to die with company, than to live alone. Th… if God had purpoſed to ſave him, he could have deviſed meanes more direct, … eaſie, more ſafe than this: therefore his deliverance was to be doubted of. Thus i… deed, he might make himſelfe a deriſion and ridiculous ſtory of the world, all this while: and if the wicked ſhould alter their practiſe, God would alter his purpoſe, and ſo there would be no floud. If there were, yet the Arke might daſh againſt the mountaines, and ſo he periſh with the reſt: and then he might with the ſame ſucc…ſſe have ſaved all this labour: therefore the beſt courſe is to let all alone, and to take my venture with the world.
All theſe had beene ſtrong perſwaſions in a naturall man: but Faith diſſolv… theſe impediments, as the Sunne doth deawes: with reſolute courage it break… thorow all difficulties, and flies over theſe carnall objections with celeſtiall wings. As Abraham begat Iſaac, ſo faith begets Hope: and as Iſaac begat Iacob, ſo Hope begets obedience: he beleeves, hopes, and buildes. It is grounded on the knowledge of Gods nature; Scientia is the roote of faith. Preſumption ariſeth from the ignorance of Gods nature; that he is juſt: deſperation from the ignorance of his nature; that he is mercifull. Some are of the error, that God will not be ſo cruell as to damne his creature, but he will not bee ſo kind to the wicked, as to bee unjuſt to himſelfe.
Let this teach us to fortifie our faith: doctrines that are plauſible to our naturall affections, we can formally obey: but that which is above our reaſon, beyond our apprehenſion, or againſt our diſpoſition; we call that into queſtion. The Scripture ſaith, that Chriſt is in the Sacrament really exhibited to the ſoule of a Chriſtian: carnall ſenſes deny this, reaſon askes with the Capernaites, Will he give us his fleſh to eate? faith beleeveth this, and the ſoule findeth it with unſpeakable comfort. God ſaith, that a poore good man is in better caſe than a rich ſinner: reaſon and ocular experience deny it, but faith beleeves it, and feeles it. For never did the pooreſt child of God wiſh to change his eſtate with the wealthieſt worldling upon earth. God ſaith, our bodies ſhall riſe againe, how ſtrange diſſolutions, or how many alterations ſoever they ſuffer: this is a wonder to nature, an amaſement to reaſon; but the faith of a Chriſtian reſts upon it, and the ſoule of a Chriſtian ſhal have comfort in it.
3 For his Obedience: though Noah underſtood by direct revelation that he ſhould bee ſaved, yet bee uſed the meanes, hee made an Arke. Hee might have ſaid, GOD hath bound himſelfe by covenant to preſerve mee: his word is his word, and he will ſtand to it: let me labour or lie ſtill, his will cannot be altered: though I bee falſe, hee will bee true: though I omit what belongs to me, hee will not forget what belongs to him, let mee therefore ſpare the paines of ſo much labour, coſt, deriſion. No, Noah is of another mind: the promiſe of ſafetie, and the meanes of ſafetie, be to him inſeparable: he dares not but beleeve that God will doe it, he dares not but uſe the meanes whereby he will doe it. The Pontificians thinke to flout us with our aſſurance of ſalvation: if we be ſure of it, what need we then ſo trouble our ſelves about it? I anſwere, though we be ſure of it, not only in the certaintie of faith, but, if it could be, by immediate revelation from God: yet ſtill let us worke out our ſalvation with feare and trembling. If God ſhould ſay to a man by his very name, Thou ſhalt be ſaved: it is no more than here was ſaid to Noah for his temporall deliverance. Yet Noah concludes, If I make not the Arke, I am to looke for no preſervation, this was Noahs Divinitie. And for thoſe that thinke they know a ſhorter cut to heaven, let them take heed they be not cut ſhort of heaven. If we be elected, no matter how we live; deſperate preſumption! Noah would not truſt his mortall life upon thoſe termes, and ſhall ſecure men thus venture their ſoules? No, God hath decreed the meanes unto the end, and hath promiſed the end unto the meanes: and thoſe things which God hath joyned together, let no man put aſunder.
Rebecca had Gods Oracle for Iacobs life; yet ſhe ſent him away out of Eſau's reach. It was impoſſible for Herode to hurt the child Ieſus, yet he muſt flie into Aegypt. The Lord hath promiſed his children ſupply of all good things; yet they muſt uſe the meanes of impetration; by Prayer.ſPſal. 50.15. Call upon me in the day of trouble. Voco te, ut invoces me. tPſal. 147.9.He fee…s the young Ravens when they call upon him. He feeds the young Ravens, but firſt they call upon him, Deus non dat nifi petenti, Aug.ne det non cupienti. God withholds from them that aske not, leſt he ſhould give to them that deſire not. David was confident, that by Gods power he ſhould ſpring over a wall; yet not without putting his owne ſtrength and agilitie to it. Pro quibus orandum, Aug.pro tis laborandum. Thoſe things we pray for, … muſt worke for. The Carter in Iſidore, when his cart was overthrowen, would needs have his god Hercules come downe from heaven, to helpe him up with it. But whileſt he forbore to …et his owne ſhoulder to it, his cart lay ſtill. Abraham was as rich as any of our Aldermen, David as valiant as any of our Gentlemen, Salomon as wiſe as any of our deepeſt Naturians, Suſanna as faire as any of our painted pieces. Yet none of the… thought that their riches, valour, policie, beauty, or excellent parts could ſave them: but they ſtirred the ſparkes of grace, and be ſtirred themſelves in pious workes. And this is our meanes, if our meaning be to be ſaved.
Thus for Noahs triall, now for Gods diſpoſall. And herein we muſt conſider two things; His Direction, and Selection: he was both the Pilot of the Veſſell, and the chuſer of thoſe ſhould be in the Veſſell.
For his Direction; the Veſſell was great and huge; reſembling a Ship, yet ſo unlike it, that it is called an Arke; capacious of all kinds of living creatures, with ſufficient proviſion for them. This muſt float above the water, be laden with an heavie burden, without ſterne to guide her, without anchor to ſtay her, without maſt to poiſe her, without Maſter to governe her. Noah was an husband-man, a Preacher, but (without queſtion) he had no skill to be a Sailer; the Art of Navigation being not then found out. Therefore this unweildy Veſſell muſt in all reaſon, be caſt upo… hils and rocks, by the violence of tempeſts, and ſo ſplit in peeces. No, but when heaven and earth ſeeme to conſpire againſt it, it ſhall preſerve him. How ſo? beca… God himſelfe was the Maſter and ſteereſ-man of it, his providence was with it. It was indeed too vaſt a bulke to be governed by humane skill: therefore, when by …o mans art it could be ſet a float, it was lifted up by the waters, and left to be guided; Non humana prudentia, Auguſt.ſed Divina providentia.
As the Lord ordained it, ſo he directed and diſpoſed it:uGen. 7.16. the Lord ſhut him i…. He himſelfe ſhut the doore of the Arke upon Noah, and made it faſt after him, that no waters might get in unto him. God was his Porter to ſhut him in, Keeper to preſer… him, and great Maſter of the Veſſell during that whole voyage. Such is his preſence and providence over his children in all diſtreſſes. He forgets nothing that he hath made, but his ſpeciall eye is over his Elect. As the maſter of a family hath an eye over meaneſt ſervant, yea, over his very cattell; but his care night and day is for …is children. They are beſet with no danger of water or fire, but there is one among them,xDan. 3.25. In the forme of the Sonne of God, to deliver them. When Iſrael was in ſo ha… a ſtrait, as either to be drowned in the Sea, or ſlaine by the ſword; how miraculouſly did God provide an evaſion? When Noah was to enter the Arke, and to have the doore ſhut after him, here was an hard exigent. It was ſo large that Camels and Elephants might enter into it; therefore ſhut it himſelfe he could not, or at leaſt not ſufficiently cloſe it up againſt the waters. Nor would any of the world doe it for him, they did not owe him ſo much love and ſervice, but rather laughed at his vaine endevours. Himſelfe could not, others would not, the Lord with his owne hand that it for him. Being thus cloſed up, he was in danger to be throwen upon the rockes, having no anchor, no ſterne, no Pilot: loe, God was all theſe unto him.
In the deepeſt deſtitution of all earthly comforts, ſo powerfull is his hand, ſo loving his eye, to thoſe that ſerve him! Eliſha had an hoaſt of men ſent againſt him; How ſhould one man eſcape from an whole armie?a2 King. 6.17. His man cryed, the Maſter beleeved, the Lord protected. When men refuſe to helpe Noah, the Angels are ready. When the whole world expected him to periſh with themſelves, then the Lord is his Pilot, and the laſt thing their eyes muſt ſee, is Noah ſafe.bPſ…l. 27.1. The Lord is … light, and my ſalvation, whom ſhall I feare? David found God to be his Vice-Ad… rall, and to carry the light before him, in the darkeſt ſtormes and moſt violent wa… of his trouble. There is no calamity ſo potent as is our Deliverer. Therefore as the Legend moralizeth of St. Chriſtopher, that he would ſerve none but the greateſt that was, and ſtill as he found one more powerfull, he would change his maſter: till a… laſt from man to man, and from man to the Devill, hee came from the Devill to Chriſt, who was the ſtrongeſt of all. So if any thing in the world, yea, the whole world were more potent than God, there was ſome colour for demurring upon o… choice. But ſeeing thatcPſal. 135.6. He only doth what he pleaſeth, in heaven, earth, ſea, all pla…: and what he will doe, all the reſt muſt doe: and that his Majeſty is not more infinite …han his Mercy: that he is not ſo ready to ſtrike the obſtinate, as to ſpare the proſtrate: Lord, let us love thee above all things that be, that thou mayeſt deliver us …rom all things that be hurtfull.
In that the Lord was here Maſter and Pilot of the Arke, wee may obſerve the Antiquitie and dignitie of Marriners and Saylers. For antiquitie, it is as old as Noah, older than the ſecond World The dignity is great; for God himſelfe was the firſt Authour and firſt practiſer of it. Firſt Authour, for Noah made not this Arke of his owne head, but the Lord inſtructed him. Firſt Practiſer; for he performed all thoſe offices unto Noah, elſe it had not ſaved him. This is one of thoſe …ew callings, which may ſay, God himſelfe was the firſt deviſer and exerciſer of …t: all Callings cannot ſay ſo. Why then doe Sea-farers forget that Maſter whom …hey ſucceed? There is now no vocation ſo abaſed and abuſed as it is, lighting into the hands of the moſt lewd and licentious perſons. No generation of men more notoriouſly diſſolute! How little doe they remember that God made the firſt Ship, that he was the firſt Maſter, the firſt Marriner, the firſt Pilot of it; that their diſpoſitions are ſo utterly unlike to his! The ſtrange things of the Sea they behold; …ut thoſe monſters are rather their play-fellowes, than occaſions of their feare and …iety. Although their very ſleepes be but ſo many reprievals of their dangers; and when they awake, they know not whether they ſhall ever ſleepe againe, ſave in death; yet they are not mortified. There is nothing but extreme danger, or extreme hunger, can ſoften them. That tottering Veſſell is more ſafe at Sea, than many of them …are on Land: for that hath an Helme to guide her, but theſe have caſt off not onelyonly Religion, that makes them good men, but even reaſon that makes them men: and ſaving only on the Sea, they live without all Compaſſe. As their Ship on the water, ſo they on the Land;dPſal. 107.27. Reele to and fro, and ſtagger like a drunken man.
One would thinke, that the terrours of the Ocean, the wonders of God in the deep, Verſ. 26.ſhould melt their very ſoule, and humble them. Where the winds domineere, and the waves roare, volvuntur ut aequora montes: where they lye, Digitis à morte remoti Qua…uor aut ſeptem: Where no mercy is to be hoped. Qui neſcit orare, diſcat navigare: Hee that hath not learned to pray, let him learne to faile. Yes, haply they will pray and crie too, while the tempeſt beats, caſt up their eyes, and ſend their prayers to the offended heavens: but is not their pietie blowne over with their miſery? Yes, the GOD of their Supplications, is on Land become the object of their blaſphemies: and they ſeldome thinke of him, but when they borrow his Name to ſweare by. The LORD is our preſerver by Sea and Land, there be dangers enow in every place: therefore by Sea and Land, in every place, let us humbly ſerve, and confidently truſt in him.
Thus for Gods direction and providence over this Veſſell, we come to his election of the company for it. The whole world being his, and he abſolute Lord of all, made choice according to his Divine and inſcrutable pleaſure. In the moſt generall Iudgements, thoſe that feare God, find deliverance. When Sodome muſt be deſtroyed, Lot and his family are ſingled out: the Angels can doe nothing till he be ſafe. When Ieruſalem muſt bleed, the Mourners are ſealed to redemption. When the deſtroying Angell rides circuite in Aegypt, the doores ſprinkled with the bloud of the Lambe are past over. The deluge of wrath will one day come, what ſhall we doe then? Sprinkle our hearts before-hand with the ſacred bloud of the Lambe; then thouſands ſhall fall on our left hand, and ten thouſands beſide us, and the Lord ſhall provide one way or other an Arke of ſafety and deliverance for us.
The number preſerved, conſiſted both of reaſonable and unreaſonable creatures: of unreaſonable, for mans ſake; of reaſonable, for Gods owne ſake. Firſt, let us looke upon his election in the acceſſary, the irrationall living creatures.
The Lord that would have feed kept alive on the earth, to …e into his preſervation beaſts both cleane and uncleane. Some were even at th…t timeeGen. 7.2. Vncleane; for Moſes wrote not this by anticipation, as reſpecting the time wherein he wrote, the Law having then diſtinguiſhed them; but reſpecting the time when the Floud c…me. Certainly this difference was knowne to the Patriarkes by Divine revelation, and continued to their poſterity by tradition: as was the uſe of Sacrifice, offering of Tithes, and obſervation of the Sabbath, before the Law. Now they were not V… cleane by their owne nature and creation, for God made all good; nor in reſpect of mans uſe only, ſome being more fit for food: but by Gods inſtitution, ſome bei…g more fit for ſacrifice, therefore called Cleane. Of the Cleane God choſe Seven; of the Vncleane but Two: he would have the former to multiply, and repleniſh the e… by a ſpeedy encreaſe; that man might have ſuſtenance, and himſelfe ſacrifice. The other, he knew, would annoy them with their multitude: and albeit he would h… the kinde of hurtfull beaſts preſerved, even for the puniſhment of ſinfull ma…, for thefEzek. 14.21. noyſome beaſt is one of his foure great plagues: yet would he have their number abridged, that they might not grow too faſt upon him. Theſe would h… him, the other enrich him: therefore the mercifull God provides moſt of them, whereof we have moſt uſe.
But why Seven? three male, three female, and the odde one for ſacrifice? Not that we conclude with their Canon, that the double number is not good, becauſe the V… cleane came in by two: and that Impar numerus eſt mundus, becauſe the odde was f…r ſacrifice. For this is falſe. Firſt, becauſe bothgGen. 7.9. cleane and uncleane came in by paires and couples: how many, or how few ſoever, every male had his female. Secondly, they are not ſaid to be uncleane for their Number, but for their kind. Thirdly, then Noah and his ſonnes had beene uncleane, becauſe they and their wives were into the Arke by couples. But Seven; that God, who created ſeven dayes in the weeke, and choſe one of them for himſelfe, did here preſerve of Seven cleane beaſts one for himſelfe, for ſacrifice. He gives us ſix for one in worldly things, in ſpirituall things let us give him all. Here are two things obſervable.
1 God is pleaſed that ſome noxious creatures ſhould be reſerved, for the correction and exerciſe of man. He hath uſe even of thoſe fierce and cruell beaſts, and glory by them. They being created for man, muſt live by him, though to his caſtigation and puniſhment. The Manichees object againſt Gods goodneſſe, that he made many things pernicious, as ſome evill weeds and venemous ſerpents: and many things ſuperfluous,Auguſt. whereof we have no uſe; how then were all Good? It is anſwered: Firſt, God made nothing ſuperfluous, though we know not the uſe thereof: as in an Artificers ſhop, wee being ignorant of the tooles and inſtruments, condemne them not, though by our medling they cut our fingers. Secondly, wee have no cauſe to complaine; for whether they be profitable, they doe us good: or ſuperfluous, they doe us no hurt, if we let them alone. Thirdly, the harme of any creature ariſeth from our ſelves; if man had not offended God, nothing ſhould have offended him. Fourthly, they are not altogether fruitleſſe, for even thoſe things that are not fit for food, have their uſe for medicine. Venime it ſelfe well qualified, hath beene phyſicall to our recovery.Vſurpa utilia, fuge pernicioſa, relinque ſuperflua. August. Fiftly, even by thoſe that are hurtfull, we are either corrected to humble us: or exerciſed, to trie us; or terrified to worke in … the feare of God. Therefore uſe the creatures commodious, beware the pernicious, forbeare thoſe thou thinkeſt ſuperfluous. In all things where our knowledge c…, let our admiration begin: though we cannot underſtand the creature, let us glorifie the Creator.
2 Though mans ſoveraigntie be abridged, yet he exerciſeth ſtill a Lordſ…ip over the creatures. Subjeciſti pedibus ejus. For firſt, there is a naturall inſtinct … obedience in them, eſpecially thoſe that are for mans uſe, as oxe and horſe. Though his authority extend not to the abſolute command over thoſe wilde and ſavage creatures, Lions and Tygers: yet the more neceſſary and ſerviceable ones ſtoope to … yoke. Secondly, Man ſometime by his ſtrength ſubdueth the fierceſt beaſt, as Sampſon the Lion, and David the Beare. And when ſtrength faileth, his wit and policie often prevaileth.hIam. 3.7. Every kind of beaſts, Birds, Serpents, ſea-inhabitants, hath …eene tamed of man kind. All other have beene tamed of man,Aug. himſelfe is tamed of …one but God. 3. Though this dominion be loſt by Adam, it is reſtored by Chriſt.iIob 5.23. Thou ſhalt be at peace with the beaſts of the field. But laſtly and eſpecially, …his is done by the miraculous power of God: for beſides the ſtrange reports of …lutarch and Herodotus, concerning their Heſiod and Arion, Evalus and the Virgin, …orne upon Dolphins backes, and brought ſafe to ſhore: And Ierome relates, or ſome …ne under his name; how a Chriſtian being purſued by his heathen Maſter, fled in…o a Cave where was hid a Lioneſſe and her whelpes, which never harmed him: …ut when the Pagan came in with his other ſervant, ſhe devoured them both: we …now that Daniel was preſerved in the Lions den, Ionah in the belly of a fiſh, and the Viper had no power to hurt Paul. So here, the cruelleſt beaſts come tame unto Noah: they offer and ſubmit themſelves to their preſerver renewing that obedience …o the repairer of the world, which before ſinne they yielded to the firſt ſtorer of …he world. He that ſhut them into the Arke when they were entred, did alſo ſhut …heir mouthes while they were entring. The fierce Lions fawne upon Noah and Da…iel: what heart cannot the Maker of them mollifie: Let us feare him that commands …ll, and no created power ſhall be ever able to harme us.kLuk. 12.7. Feare not, the very haires …f your head be all numbred. Illi ſolliciti erant de animabus, Chriſt ſecures them de Capillis. …ORD, we will feare no danger, ſo long as thou undertakeſt to be our Keeper. Now …o him that keepeth us from evill, and evill from us; that keepeth heaven for us, and …s for himſelfe; be praiſe for ever.
In the next place, let us meditate further of Gods election, and the fraight of …oules preſerved in the Arke: Eight perſons. It was a familie of foure men,Eight perſons. and foure women: not men alone, nor women alone, but both, and conſiſting of as many women as men. The beginning of the firſt world, was by one man and one woman: of the ſecond world, by foure men, and foure women; but alwaies equall. This …s the fundamentall terme of all man kind, hence began the world: man was made of …uſt, the woman of his ribbe, the world of this woman. Woman takes her being …rom man, man takes his well being from woman: therefore Eve was at the firſt …reated a Wife: no ſooner a woman, but preſently a Wife: and the firſt voca…ion of man was Maritari, to bee an husband. Mulier propter virum; there…ore the Hebrewes have a proverbe; Cui non eſt uxor, is non eſt vir. And for …oman, as at firſt ſhee tooke her eſſence, ſo ſhe takes the perfection of her eſſence …rom man.
But to reduce the manifold obſervations here offering themſelves, unto ſome …ead; we muſt conſider two things; the Qualitie of the perſons, and the Quantitie of …he number. For qualitie of the perſons, they were all Male and Female, Husband and Wife: and God ſo diſpoſed it for three cauſes; Societie, Proprietie, Paritie.
1 For ſocietie, it had beene uncomfortable for man to have lived there alone: …ae ſoli. lGen. 2.18.It is not good that man ſhould be alone, I will give him a helpe meete for him. Marriage is called a Yoke; too heavy for one alone to beare: therefore each had a …utuall helpe; a wife. In the participation of good, compaſſion of evill, in health …he beſt delight, in ſickneſſe the beſt comfort: the ſole companion to whom we may …ommunicate our joyes, and into whoſe boſome we unlode our ſorrowes: thus are …ur greefes leſſened, our joyes enlarged, our hearts ſolaced.mEccl. 40.23. A friend and compani… never meet amiſſe; but above both is a wife with her husband. Duo in carne una, one … body and ſoule, as the ſtocke and the graffe are but one tree. God when he made …an, made but one: when woman out of him, he made two of one: when marri…ge, he made one of two. Two parties and but one love, two ſoules compacted in…o one body: both one in affection while they live, both one in their poſterity when …hey die. Where is conjugall faith, an indiſſolvable covenant, an unalterable af…ection; here is a bleſſed match, not to be matched by all the treaſures of Nature. The faire take no pleaſure in the beautie of their owne face; but by the reflection of that which others derive from it. Our eyes are not ſet to behold our owne countenances, nor can our lippes take delight in their owne kiſſes, nor our armes in their owne embraces: but in the ſocietie of a wife, by exchange, they have their uſe and perfection. She is mans ſimilitude; ſo like him, as bone to bone, fleſh to fleſh, Iſ… to Iſh: where face anſwereth face, as did the Cherubins, both looking to the merciemercy-ſeate: and heart anſwereth heart, as a glaſſe that returnes upon a man his own Image. Ipſe coram ſe, himſelfe before himſelfe, another that is himſelfe, his adopted ſelfe: that loves what he loves, wills what he wills; that, as ſhe wills his love, ſo loves his will: there is no ſocietie on earth that affords the like comfort.
2 The proprietie; Noah and his Wife, every man had his owne wife. Not one woman for many men, nor many women for one man: as wicked Lameth had before. This is the LORDS combination, Take thy wife: not Vxor & non uxor, to take and leave, contract and divorce, put on and off like a garment: but one woman for one man, no more, no fewer, no other. In the creation, God made them Male and Female: not both males, or both females; then had they beene unfit for generation: not male and females, nor female and males, much leſſe adulterer and harlot; but two in one fleſh; two, not three or fower. Every wife ſhould be to her husband, as Eve was to Adam, the whole world of women. For this cauſe God gave her to man, as the center wherein his deſires might reſt. Luſt is a runnagate, as if it had Cains curſe, to be a Vagabond upon earth: it runs like a mathematicall line, ad in… tum: ſtill covets and ſtill remaines unſatisfied. Nor is it confined within the bounds of Wife, but of woman-kind: that which ſhould be for phyſicke to cure it, encreaſeth the diſeaſe. The delight is tranſient, the guilt everlaſting: before the ſenſe c… ſit downe, and ſay, it is pleaſed: the conſcience riſeth up, and ſaies, it is afflicted. Marriage is therefore ordained to qualifie deſire; as fire is appeaſed with fewell; a medicine of the ſame doth mitigate: nor doth it forbid, but rectifie mans affection. But luſt, becauſe it cannot be ſtinted on earth, the Iuſtice of God co…fineth to hell.
3 The equalitie or paritie: that men may learne to forbeare deſpiſing of that weaker ſexe, behold here as many women ſaved as men. Not one man more, not one woman leſſe: of the eight, women make up the juſt halfe, yea, whereas one of the foure men was an Hypocrite, and after curſed, the Scripture ſpeakes no ſuch matter of any woman among them. Howſoever Poets in their Satyres, ſongſters i… their drunken rythmes, and too many men in their unrelliſhing jeſts; ſpend their wits in invectives againſt that ſexe: yet the Lord loveth them equally with men; and IESUS CHRIST ſhed his bloud, and by his bloud, (I am perſwaded) ſaveth as many women as men. As ſhe is thenMal. 2.14. Wife of thy covenant, ſo ſhe is the child of Gods covenant:o1 Pet. 3.7 the daughter of Sara, ſo well as thou art a Sonne of Abraham. St Peter ſaies, they are coheires of the ſame grace: and St Paul, they are coheires of the ſame glory.
If the body of either ſexe be made of the better materiall, it is the womans: Adam's was made of dead duſt, Eves of living fleſh.pGen. 2.24. She came out of m… ſide, and God hath made her cleave to his ſide. By ſuch a derivation, he fitted ſuch … adhaeſion; that ſhe might not be a moveable, to be departed from. From taking a bone from man, who had a bone too much, he cloſed it up with fl…ſh, to mo…e his nature. And this bone he added to the woman, to ſtrengthen her that was to… ſoft. Thus he made a ſweete temper betweene them, like harmony in muſicke, … for concord. This bone was taken out of the midſt of man, a ribbe, a bone of his ſide. Not a ſuperior part, as the head; the wife is not made to governe: not of … inferior part, the foote; ſhe is not a ſervant to be trode upon: not of an anteri… part, as the breaſt; ſhe is not to be preferred before the man: not of a poſterior p…, the backe; ſhe is not to be ſet behind in contempt: but of the Side, a middle and i… different part; ordained to be his companion and equall; they that walke ſide … ſide, are fellowes. She was fetched from under his arme, that he ſhould defend …er: not farre from his heart, that he ſhould love her.qPſal. 128.3. A vine by the ſides of his …ſe. Not in faſtigio, vel pavimento: not on the roofe, nor on the floure: the one … too high, ſhe is no ruler: the other too low, ſhe is no ſlave: but in the ſides, an e…uall place betweene both.
Neither muſt this embolden the wife to uſurpe: ſhe was taken from the left ſide …hewing that ſhe ſtands in need of both Protection and Direction from her husband. …y Gods ordinance, man hath the preheminence. Subdita eris ſub poteſtate viri, … Thy very deſire ſhall be ſubject to him. ſ2 Cor. 11.3.The husband is the Head: rGen. 3.16.therefore if a wo…an murther her husband, ſhe is judged by the civill Law a Parricide; by the Sta…utes of the land, a Traitor.tNumb. 30.13. The man had power to allow or diſanull his wives …owes. The edict of Ahaſuerus differs not from the law of nature.uEſth. 1.20.22 That every man …ould beare rule in his owne houſe. Vbi tu Cajus, ego Caja, was ſome equalitie among the Gentiles: but Ego caja, ubicunque cajus; I am Miſtreſſe, and will rule all; is poſte…ous among Chriſtians. Cardinall Wolſey's ſtile; Ego & Rex meus, I and my King, …as intolerable in the Politickes: ſo the wives; Ego & maritus meus, I and my husband, … inſufferable in the Oeconomickes. The bleſſed Virgin had a more humble carri…ge towards her husband Ioſeph: as Saint Auguſtine notes from the order of the …ordes.xLuk. 2.48. Thy father and I have ſought thee ſorrowing. Not Ego & pater tuus I …nd thy father; but thy Father and I. The wife muſt give place to her Ioſeph on earth …hat will have place with Mary in heaven.
Eight perſons.] Thus much for the Qualitie of the perſons, now for the quan…itie of the number; Eight. Wherein wee muſt conſider, firſt why ſo many as …ight, then why ſo few as eight. Why ſo many; for the ſpeedyer encreaſe of mankind. Why ſo few, becauſe this was the whole number of the righteous and …eleevers.
Eight.] This was one cauſe why God reſerved ſo many, that they might fru…tifie to the multiplication of mankind. But why were not Noah and his wife ſuffi…ient for that end? No, they were old, for Noah was ſixe hundred yeares old when …he floud came: and though he lived three hunred yeares after, yet we read not of a…y more children hee had. But the firſt world was begun and peopled by two …nd no more: why then were ſo many to begin the ſecond world? I anſwer. …. God did ſo at the firſt, to ſhew thataAct. 17.26. All mankinde came of one bloud, and that there …as no originall difference betwixt man and man. Neither is this unobſerved in the …econd beginning: for though the world was multiplied by three men, yet were …hey all brethren, and the ſons of one man. In effect, as at firſt by Adam and Eve, ſo …y Noah and his Wife, came all men in the world. 2. To begin the ſecond world …here were requiſite more lines than one: becauſe now the bleſſed ſeed was promi…ed, and his line and kindred muſt be kept diſtinct from all other till his Incarnation. …. There was more cauſe why the world ſhould be more ſpeedily repleniſhed, than …t firſt. For the earth had ſome beauty and glory left it after the former curſe; ſo …hat (though farre ſhort of Paradiſe, yet) it was ſtill to Adam a delightfull and plea…ant habitation. But this ſecond curſe in the floud waſh'd off all the remaining beau…ie, and made it a rude and unpoliſh'd deſart. Nor was only the ſurface of it thus …aimed, but the vertue almoſt quite periſhed, as land by long ſugging under the waters, hath the heart of it eaten out. Therefore it is ſaid,bGen. 9.19. that the earth was di…ided among the three ſonnes of Noah: they lived not all together, but overſpred …e earth: for it required many hands and much labour to the recoverie of it. 4. Otherwiſe the beaſts, which were then many, would have overgrowen the world, … it had not beene ſpeedily repleniſhed by their Lords.
For this cauſe were foure paires admitted into the Arke: not that Noah and his …ife did there company together. Ambroſe notes that they were not noted together … the going in, but in their comming out. Non commiſcetur ſexus in ingreſſu, Maeroris tempus, non laetitiae, Ambr.ſed com…iſcetur in egreſſu. But indeed, that was a time of ſorrow and abſtinence: as the Hebrewes note, that Ioſeph in Aegypt had not his children in the yeares of famine, but before.
Here then wee ſee the end of Marriage, which is Proles, Iſſue, to people the earth, which is the meanes to people heaven. Therefore is it called Matrimo…; becauſe the married propoſe to themſelves the titles of Father and Mother. Man i… but a part of time, and therefore ſhould not die till he hath left the world ſome i… his roome. Cui non ſunt Liberi, is reputatur quaſi mortuus; in the Hebrew proverbe. Mans beſt art can only make dead things; there is no worke of his head or h…d, whereinto he can put a life: ſaving onelyonly in this; when he begets a ſon in his own Image, he is then ſaid to make a living creature. Herein he doth not onelyonly ſupply a place in Gods Church militant while he lives: but he alſo provides a ſouldier … the ſame field againſt he dies. Our bodies have no eternitie on this earth, but onelyonly in reſpect of thoſe fruits they produce. The Thracians uſed to rejoyce at the death, and to weepe at the birth, of their children:cIoh. 16.21. Gen. 5.29. But God teacheth us to rejoyce when a child is borne.dGen. 21.6. Leah bare one ſonne, and called his name Reuben: a ſecond, … called him Simeon: a third, and called him Levi: but when above expectation … bare the fourth, ſhe purpoſely calls his name Iudah, and expreſſely proteſteth, I … praiſe the Lord.
It is the moſt perfect worke of all living things, to bring forth their like; to leave a ſeed behind, to preſerve their Species, to continue their name and poſterity upon earth, and to ſhadow out in ſome ſort immortality it ſelfe, by perpetuating … from the father to the ſonne, and ſonnes ſonne, for many generations to come. We can ſcarce ſay that man is dead, that hath left his living image behind him. A Reverend Divine compares thoſe two trees in the hundred and twenty eighth Pſalme, the Vine and Olive, to the two trees in Paradiſe; the Vine is the Wife, the Olive plants the Children. The one as the Tree of Knowledge of good and evill, for both theſe be in marriage: the other as the Tree of Life, for a man liveth in his children. Quid dulcius in humanis quàm gignere ſibi ſimilem, Aen. Sylv.quid beatius in terris quàm …s v… dere natorum? A wreath of children about the boord, like a round of Starres abo… the North-pole, or a Garland of Courtiers about the Throne. They are the walking-pictures, and ſpeaking images of their parents: the wealth of the poore man, the honour of the rich. It is ſaid of the Oſtrich, Induratur in pullos tanquam non ſ…s: eIob 39.16.Shee is hardned againſt her young ones, as though they were not hers: Parents unnaturall to their children, want the mercy of Sea-monsters; fLament. 4.3.who draw their breſts, … give ſucke to their young ones. Grant it true, that children be certaine cares, uncertaine comforts: and that the poore man calls them his Bills of expences: yet the trouble of Infants are ſweet injuries to the mother; Injuries, but ſweet. Deo & Parenti non redditur aequivalens. Ierome.They are Vincula, the bonds and pledges, to ratif… and confirme love betwixt man and woman. Alcibiades asked Socrates, How … could endure the ſcolding of his wife Xantippe: Socrates asked him, how hee co… endure the cackling of his Hennes: Becauſe, ſaith Alcibiades mine Hennes bring me forth chickens: but faith Socrates, my wife brings me forth children: this … amends for all.
Eight Perſons. We have heard the reaſon why ſo many as Eight were preſerved: now conſider, why ſo few. Even all Noahs Family, for Noahs ſake. The righteous man procureth bleſſings, not onelyonly to himſelfe, but on all that belong to …. In the deſtruction of Sodome,gGen. 18.32. Ten had ſaved ten thouſand.hGen 39.5. Potiph… was … Heathen, yet his houſe ſhall be bleſſed, becauſe Ioſeph is there. The Angels pro… Lot, whomſoever he brought our, ſhould eſcape for his ſake. Among two … threeſcore and ſixteene ſoules there was but one Paul; yet loe,iAct. 27.24 God hath giv… … all that ſaile with thee. Zaccheus alone beleeved, yet this broughtkLuke 19.…. Salvation to … whole Houſe.
I make no doubt, but Noahs Family were more orderly and religious, th… … common inhabitants of the world. For he that was a Preacher to the whole … would not omit this duty to his owne houſe: and they that come into the Perfumers …hop, ſhall (though againſt their wills) beare away ſome of the ſent on their clothes. He that was carefull to provide an Arke for the preſerving of their bodyes, would …ot neglect the proviſion of grace for the ſaving of their ſoules. Indeed carnall pa…ents, to ſhew that they begat not their childrens ſoules, but their bodyes; provide …ſually for their bodyes, not for their ſoules. But as he that provides not for their …emporall eſtate,l1 Tim. 5.8. is worſe than any infidell: ſo he that provides not for their eternall …ate, is little better than a Devill. When a great portion is readied for them, diverſe …rents thinke they have done enough, and ſo they may turne them off. Indeed the …orld may take them thus, but the Lord will not take them thus, at their hands. …oſeph and Mary brought CHRIST to the Temple, when he was but a little one. Augustine profeſſeth of his mother Monica, that with greater pangs of care the …ad laboured of him in her ſpirit, than in her body. Carne, ut in hanc lucem tempo…alem naſcerer: Corde, ut in lucem aeternam renaſcerer. She travaild of him in her fleſh, …o bring him unto this light temporall: in her ſoule, to bring him unto the light …ternall. Such mothers as Monica, will make ſuch ſonnes as Auguſtine. The Affricans did preſent their children, in their early yeares, before Serpents: if with …heir ſight they ſcar'd away the ſerpents, they held them legitimate: if not, baſtards. Too many parents truſt their children with ſuch impious ſociety, that like Serpents …ucke out their ſoules, without ſcarring their skines. Zeuxes having artfully painted … boy carrying grapes in a hand-basket, and ſet it abroad; the birds came and pecked …t them, as if they had been true grapes. Whereat he being angry with himſelfe, …nd his art, ſaid; If I had drawne the boy, which was the principall of my worke, …o well as the grapes, which were but a by-accident; the birds durſt not have been …o bold with them. Were parents as carefull to forme their childrens manners, as …o fill their purſes; thoſe ravenous harpyes, the fowle ſpirits of the aire could not ſo …iolently ſeiſe on them. I ſay to every father, as Paul to Timothy; Serva depoſitum; …ooke to thy child, the pledge of Gods goodneſſe; thy comfortableſt Image in life …nd beſt monument after death. I commende guarding their perſons, and regar…ing their eſtates: but howſoever thoſe things ſucceed, let me ſo love my childrens …odyes on earth, that I may one day meete their ſoules in heaven.
Eight.] Among all theſe there was not one ſervant. What, none of Noahs ſer…ants? Some thinke he had none; and that the ſimplicity of thoſe times required …o attendance, but every man waited on himſelfe.. This they collect from Gods …harge to Noah; mGen. 7.….Enter thou and all thy houſe into the Arke: and becauſe not a ſer…ant entred, therefore conclude, that he had none in his houſe. But here is the won…er, that Noahs owne ſervants would not beleeve his preaching. They will rather …in and die with the world, than repent and be ſaved with their Maſter. Perhaps …hey did Noah ſervice, and he might thinke well of them, becauſe he could not diſ…erne the heart: but they ſerved not God, and were therefore loſt. It is the good mans will, that all which ſerve him, ſhould truly ſerve the Lord.nPſal. 101.….7. The faithfull …hall dwell with me, and the upright ſhall ſerve mee. Hee that worketh deceit, ſhall not …well in my houſe. It is an ill mixture in a family, when God ſhall have the Parlor, …nd Satan the Hall: when Saints pray in the Chamber, and ruffians ſweare …n the Celler: when Noah is calling upon GOD, and his family doing ſacrifice …o Bacchus. I confeſſe, that governors are but men; they have but two eyes, and can…ot ſee into all places. But when their care is that God be honoured, their houſes …ell ordered, and all Chriſtian offices ſolemnely performed; though the ſucceſſe …nſwere not their endevours, in bringing their ſervants to heaven; yet their owne …oules ſhall be ſaved in the day of Ieſus Chriſt.
Eight.] What then became of thoſe that built this veſſell? Certainly, as Noah was no ſailer to guide it, ſo no carpenter to build it. The Smith, the Carpenter, and …any cunning workmen, were hired to frame it: nor Smith, nor Carpenter, nor any …ther workman was ſaved by it.Gen. 6.21. It muſt be exceeding labour to bring in ſufficient proviſion, for the innumerable kinds of creatures there reſerved; and not a few were imployed in this ſervice; not one of them taſted this prouiſion. More hands went to this worke than Noahs: many wrought on the Arke, that found no ſafety by the Arke. Outward works cannot deliver us, without our faith: men may helpe to ſ…e others; and periſh themſelves. And as diverſe hearers are like the Pinacles on t… Belfrey; when men begin to ring, they begin to quake; but continue ringing, they ſtand as ſtill as ſtones, their feare is paſt. So ſome Preachers may be like the be…, that ring others to Church, and come themſelves no neerer than the ſteeple. O… like high Spires and Pinacles, that point upward, and poiſe downeward. God will ſhut up beleeving Noahs in that Arke, which others have built: who are like foo… porters, that have the keyes, and open the gates to let in others, and never mind going in themſelves. It is happy ſo to build up Sion, that we may dwell in Sion: ſo to ſet others forward to heaven, that we be not behind our ſelves. As Theodoſius ſaid, he had rather be a true member of the Church, than Head of the Empire: it is better to be one of the Eight ſaved in the Arke, than one of the hundreds commended for their admirable skill in building it.
Eight.] Among theſe few there was one hypocrite; Ham: yet was he preſerved with the reſt for Noahs ſake. Such is the mercy of God, that not one good man ſhall periſh with the bad; yet one bad man ſhall be ſpared with the good. The righteous ſhall never be ſwept away for company, yet the unrighteous are often forborne for company. The ſhip may be in danger becauſe Iudas is there: but Iudas ſhall ſcape becauſe Ieſus is there. O that of a periſhing world but Eight ſhould be ſelected, and that one of thoſe Eight ſhould prove a wicked man! That Ham after all this ſhould ſo profanely offend! That neither the wrath of God in deſtroying the world ſhould humble him: nor the mercy of God in his deliverance ſhould better him! There i… nothing to be ſaid, but the Lord chuſeth whom he will; and when the unrighteous periſh, yet Thou remaineſt holy, O thou worſhip of Iſrael.
Eight.] Of the whole world, no more ſaved? a miſerable ſpectacle! See what ſinne can doe; bring many millions to Eight perſons in a ſhort time. Though Iſrael were as the Starres in Salomons dayes, yet brought to aoEſa. ….12. Tenth. David would number them, but the Lord ſoone decreaſed them. Let us never glory in our multitudes, for if our ſins provoke him, God can eaſily make us few enough. Though our ſtreetes were ſowne with men, and our children grew up like young plants, or grapes in unnumbred cluſters: yet the Lord can melt them as ſnow in the ſunne, mow downe the flowers, empty the Land of fathers, and leave no widowes to make lamentation for them. So thatpEſa. 13.12. a man ſhall be more precious than the gold of Ophir. But if we f…le in our numbers, yet we hope for ſupply from our neighbours? No, let not our adherence with man, endanger our conjunction with God. He can reduce many thouſands to few, as he did toqIudg. 7.4. Gideon; that the glory might be his. He that could narrow up a whole world to Eight, can bring a kingdome to two, to one, to none. … thouſands runne on the courſe of diſobedience, they ſhall quickly enough … diminiſhed.
Eight.] Laſtly, heare is figured out to us the paucitie of ſoules that ſhall be ſaved. Many are called, few choſen. The gate of bliſſe is narrow, and few enter into it. My … is a little flocke: little in reſpect of the number drowned in the deluge of …. Queſtionleſſe, as ſmall as it is, every one hopes well of himſelfe: and if Noah … foretold this definite number to that world, all would have preſumed, I am … of the Eight. When blacke and ravenous ruine ſpreds her diſmall wings to ſweepe away the wicked; few tremble: for they conceit themſelves to be none of the forlorne crew. Yet what is the common religion of the world? To ſay the Creed i… all their faith; to pay what they muſt needs, all their equity: to ſay Be filled, all their charity: to take their owne, all their mercy: to give faire words, all their bounty: … carry a formall profeſſion, all their piety: to cry God mercy, all their perti…: and to come to Church, all their conſcience: but will all this bring them … number of Eight? None belong to the Arke, but the members of CHRIST: none are his members, but they be in the body of his Church: none are of his body, but they live by his Spirit: none have that life, but they walke after the Spirit: none ſo walke, but their conſciences be clenſed: none are thus pure, but they have repented: none have repented, unleſſe they forſake their ſins: and none forſake their ſins, but they muſt needs have amended lives.
Haply each thinkes, I am in as good caſe as others, I ſhall ſpeed as well as my neighbours: ſo might the old world tell their fellowes; and they all ſped alike indeed, in one common deſtruction. But it is not good to venture all our eſtate in one uncertaine bottome, to hazard our eternall being upon the exemplary practiſe of the multitude. Noah beleeved alone, when all the world conteſted againſt him; and Noah was ſaved alone, when all the world periſhed without him. Who would not rather affie Gods word with one ſingular Noah, than be incredulous with the whole world, and periſh? Magna plenitudo hominum, ſed magna ſolitudo bonorum. Sinners ſo ſwarme, that there is ſcarce elbow-roome for the righteous.r1 Pet. 8.18. But if the righteous ſhall ſcarcely be ſaved, where ſhall the ungodly and ſinner appeare? The righteous are ſcarce, and even their ſalvation is ſcarce; and ſhall not ſinners tremble?ſMatth. 7.13. Strive to enter in at the ſtraite gate. There is a Difficultie, it is ſtrait: but a Poſsibilitie, it is a gate; and a gate was made for entrance. O then let us get aſſurance to our conſciences, that we are ſome of thoſe few. Doe we groane and bleed for our errors? do we ſtrive to rectifie our lives? doe were ſolutely deteſt our ſins? doe we implore grace by our prayers? doe we conſecrate to God our hearts? doe we reſt upon CHRIST by our faiths? doe we follow after holineſſe with our endevours, and love the Lord with all our ſoules? We ſhall then feele, what no tongue of man can expreſſe; the ſweet teſtimonie of the Holy Ghoſt to our conſciences: that we are wrap'd up in the bundle of life, ſealed to the day of redemption: and how few ſoever eſcape deſtruction, wee are of the number that ſhall find ſalvation; through the mercies and merits of IESUS CHRIST.