Prototypes, Example 5
THE FIFTH EXAMPLE.
OF The Old World.
WEe have propounded particular Examples unto you hitherto, as alſo the Scriptures have done. Now following them, wee muſt ſet before your eyes the Examples of an whole multitude, even of an whole World, full of men and women, that gave themſelves to worke wickedneſſe before the Lord. It is called in Scripture, the old World, 2 Pet. 2.5.and the world of ungodly. In the ſpace of a 1656. yeares the generation of mankind was growne to that height and exorbitancie of wickedneſſe, that the patience of God could no longer endure them.
Now concerning this Old World we will ſhew you three things. 1. Their ſinnes. 2. The goodneſſe of God to them notwithſtanding their ſinnes. 3. The ſevere puniſhment that fell upon them at the laſt, and ſo will make uſe of all.The ſinnes of the old world. 1. In generall.
Firſt, for their ſinnes, the Holy Ghoſt ſets them out in generall, and more particularly. In generall, the ſinne of man is ſaid to be great, Gen. 6.5.and that every imagination of the thought of his heart was evill and onelyonly evill and that continually. Secondly, it is ſaid,Verſe 11. that all fleſh had corrupted his way upon the earth. So their naughtineſſe was remarkeable in theſe two reſpects, it was exceeding hainous and grievous in that they committed great and fowle ſinnes, in great abundance with great wilfullneſſe, and gave themſelves to add ſinne to ſinne, doing nothing but plodding and contriving wickedneſſe,They all were given over to ſinning, except ſome in Noahs houſe. and then all men gave themſelves over to the ſame bad courſe; you could not finde a man that made ſcarce a ſhew of goodneſſe out of Noahs houſe. When all conſent together to ſell over themſelves to worke iniquity, and grow paſt ſhame or feare, running into moſt grievous and notorious ſinnes with greedineſſe and wilfullneſſe, this is very offenſive to Almighty God, and will certainely provoke his wrath to bring upon them ſome fearefull and heavie puniſhments.
Divers reaſons may be thought of that cauſed this exceeding great growth of ſinne in thoſe times.Why ſinne was ſo great then. 1. The long life of men, for let an unſanctified man continue long, and he will grow more and more ſinfull the longer he continues. Sinne by frequent exerciſe growes more and more violent and head-ſtrong. So living a great ſpace of time they grew above meaſure naught.
2. They had ſtrong and able bodies together with health and ability to enjoy the things of this life.
3. They had great peace in regard they all lived under a paternall governement, the agedſt in the family ſtill being acknowledged the governour of the family, and they had all one language and ſo no great cauſe of controverſie, and one religion too, it is like, ſeeing the Patriarkes lived ſo long, that they were immediately taught of God, ſave that they degenerated to prophaneneſſe and the moſt became of no religion, and ſo did not warre with the contrary little partie, unleſſe it were with jeſts, ſcoffes and contumelies. Long life, great ſtrength, great peace begat great wickedneſſe.
2. In particular.But more particularly the Lord takes notice here of their 1. Unlawfull and carnall marriages, 2. Of their violence and oppreſſion. And our Saviour telleth of their great worldlineſſe,Mat. 24.37, 38. that did ſell over themſelves to temporall dealings, and cared nothing for better things; and S. Peter tells of their obſtinacy in ſinning, and their not beleeving nor regarding,1 Pet. 3.20. they were diſobedient whileſt the long ſuffering of God waited in the daies of Noah. Mat. 24.38.Yea our Saviour telleth of their notable unbeleefe, that did not give any credit to Gods threats, nor knew of the floud till the waters came and drowned them. All Noahs preaching prevailed nor to make them take notice of the judgement that hanged over their heads.
Gods mercy to them.The mercy of God towards them appeareth, in that he gave them a large warning, a hundred and twenty yeares to repent, in which his Spirit continued to ſtrive with their wickedneſſe, God taketh to himſelfe the ſimilitude of a man, who being greatly diſpleaſed with the ill carriage of his Inferiours, is faine to ſtrive with himſelfe to keepe downe his anger, that it raiſe not up it ſelfe againſt them in exceſſe and over-ſuddenly. The ſtriving of Gods Spirit is a patient continuing to uſe the meanes of reclaiming ſinners, to ſee if it be poſſible to winne them, Gods bounty taketh paines as it were to breake mans ſinfull heart. So God reſolved to continue ſtriving but for a hundred and twenty yeares, and all that while he determined to continue this courſe of gentleneſſe, and withall hee uſed in that time the miniſtery of Noah, 2 Pet. 2.5.who was therefore called a Miniſter and Preacher of righteouſneſſe by S. Peter, that he might reduce them to ſome repentance and amendment; therefore is it ſaid,1 Pet. 3.20. The long-ſuffering of God waited in Noahs daies, and in all this ſpace they had great outward mercies. Yea there were men of great ſtature borne which prooved alſo men of great renowne for wealth, riches, honours and outward eminencies, ſo that they felt no manner of puniſhment almoſt in earthly things, but were reſerved to that great and heavie puniſhment which waited for them at laſt, even to the deluge or floud of waters.
God made all the great deepes to breake up,Their puniſhment. and the ſprings to over-flow, ſo that the waters guſhed up from the ground, and then opened the windowes of Heaven, and cauſed all the waters from above to fall downe, till at length the raine continuing for the ſpace of forty daies,The Deluge. and the waters finding ſo violent an iſſue upwards, the whole earth and all the higheſt mountaines were covered with water fifteene cubits, that is, a cubit being counted for halfe a yard, ſeven yards and an halfe high, to the cutting off of all the ſonnes and daughters of Adam, and of all the birds and beaſts that could not live in the water, ſave thoſe few that were in the Arke with Noah, who beſides his preaching by the ſigne, of building the Arke did warne them but all in vaine of the following floud.
So you have the ſumme of the ſtory of the old World in their ſinfullneſſe, and Gods forbearance for along time, and Gods ſeverity and their miſery at the laſt. Let us make due uſes now of all.The uſes of all. For the chiefe thing in ſuch ſtories as theſe is to make a good uſe, becauſe theſe are ſet forth for an Example to them that ſhall hereafter live ungodlily. For their ſoules alſo periſhed eternally as well as their bodies, for anything that can be learn'd out of Scripture to the contrary, except that we may conceive, the Lord might be mercifull to the ſoules of infants, that were not of age to make uſe of the meanes that ſhould have brought the reſt to repentance, nor did not runne to the ſame extremity of wickedneſſe, unleſſe I ſay wee may hope in charity that God would ſhew compaſſion on the ſoules of theſe, the men of yeeres periſh ſoule and body both. Now what uſes muſt wee make, 1. Of their ſinnes, 2. Of Gods patience, 3. Of Gods ſeverity. Of their ſinnes we muſt make divers uſes.
Firſt, to take notice of our owne corrupt nature that is ready to grow ſo extreamely naught. For wee alſo are the poſterity of Adam, and have the ſame corruption of nature that theſe had, and our imaginations and the forme and frame of our hearts and all our thoughts will be onelyonly evill continually, if God give us to ourſelves, and there is not one of us that would not grow unjuſt, voluptuous, worldly, violent, and moſt extreamely wicked in every kinde of wickedneſſe, as occaſion would offer it ſelfe, if the Lord did not hold us backe, either by reſtraining or ſanctifying, or both. To him let us give the praiſe of our being reſtrained or ſanctified, and let us confeſſe his goodneſſe that doth not give us over to all licentiouſneſſe, to commit all wickedneſſe with greedineſſe. An hearty praiſing of God for delivering us from notorious ſinfullneſſe, is a teſtimony of ſome grace. Mans heart is apt to turne ſuch freedome into matter of ſwelling and ſelfe-conceitedneſſe, if our leſſe badneſſe makes us more thankefull and humble not haughty and arrogant, it is a ſigne of ſome truth of goodneſſe. But innocency joyned with ſwelling, lifting up our ſelves and deſpiſing others, is no better then that of the Phariſee. This is the firſt uſe of their ſin.
The next is to teach us to take heed of ſuch wickedneſſe, that great ſinnes may not grow common, but that there may be ſome to oppoſe the reſt, ſome to mourne for the reſt, and to take care of keeping themſelves unſpotted in the world, that ſo great and publike puniſhments may be kept back. Let us every way ſtrive to cauſe that ſinnes grow not huge and univerſall, that they come not to an high degree and to commonneſſe, ſo that all joyne in them; for then likely ſome great and heavy calamity muſt inſue. With us ſinnes do grow very great, great faults are committed by many, but yet we are to praiſe God that all fleſh hath not corrupted their waies, there be ſome though but few in compariſon of the multitude, yet I ſay ſome, that ſet themſelves againſt the great and common iniquities, which may give us ſome hope, that the Lords chaſtiſements ſhall follow us onelyonly for reformation, not for utter extirpation of the Nation. Let us all uſe our beſt diligence to hinder the greatneſſe and commonneſſe of ſinne, that wee may prevent deſtroying and all-devouring blowes.
A third uſe from their ſinnes is that we be carefull to avoid theſe particular ſinnes, or to repent of them and to reforme them, if wee have committed them.
1. Take great heed of making carnall marriages with perſons ſinfull and wicked for beauties ſake, or any ſuch carnall reſpect. For if it offend God that men be lewd to take wives voide of true religion and piety becauſe of their faireneſſe, then ſurely to be ſo farre over-ruled with gaine or any other earthly conſideration, as for theſe things ſake to make matches with carnall and naughty men muſt needs offend God. Let no man doe ſo therefore, let piety I ſay piety be the match-maker, let beauty, riches, and all ſuch things come after in the ſecond or third place, and let no man for any reſpect of face, faire ſtate, &c. marrie themſelves to foule conditions, foule manners, falſe religion, wicked converſation. Surely that which ſwayes a man moſt in matrimony, ſwayes him moſt in his whole life, this being one of the maine matters that concerne him in his life. If godlineſſe and religion be not of force to command us in this thing it cannot be conceived that we have any ſound knowledge of it, and if outward things ſway us moſt here, they have the ſoveraignty and dominion of our hearts. Shew your ſelves ſpirituall in choice of yoke-fellowes, if you will enjoy the comfort of being ſo in good earneſt and in ſincerity. And if any have done otherwiſe, O let them be much humbled, it is a great fault an hazarding of ones ſelfe to deſtruction or of his children, a ſigne that one doth not rightly know neither ſinne or goodneſſe, if in this matter wickedneſſe cannot diſgrace all other things, and vertue over-ballance all other, and therefore if God have made ſuch a match very diſmall and unhappie to any one, and that they have found theſe things unable to give content, and with theſe they have beene turned aſide from the right way; let them acknowledge the juſtice of God and turne the puniſhments into a meanes of unfained repentance for the ſinne. It is juſt with God to croſſe mens falſe opinions of things, and make them meete with wretchedneſſe, where they did falſely and unwarrantably promiſe to themſelves contentment, as they doe moſt times in ſuch kinde of ill made marriages. If any good man have ſo tranſgreſſed, he is now called to repentance for it, by Gods hand croſſing, and Gods Word warning him.
Againe, beware I pray you of the next ſinne, viz. unjuſtice and violence, that is, taking away the goods of others by ſtrong hand, whether by manifeſt violence, or by violent wreſting and abuſing of law through ſtrength of wit, or purſe, or both. To take away that from another by any manner of ſtrength which is his in right that is violence. God hath often in his Word ſpoken againſt this,Violence what it is. A great ſin. for the waters of the floud have not yet waſhed it out, but it hath place in the world ſtill. Thoſe that are ſtronger then others will wrench and pull, and make a ſhift to tug all they can unto themſelves, though they have no right unto ſuch things, covetouſneſſe and greedy deſires beget oppreſſion to ſatisfie ſuch an unſatisfiable deſire; David complaines, Pſal. 55.9. that hee hath ſeene violence in the citie, and Pſal. 11.5. Him that loves violence his ſoule hateth. By violence men tread underfoot the light of nature, and bury their reaſon in paſſion and under it. It is the property of beaſts to be lead by will and paſſion, what they deſire to have if they can poſſibly get it by any device or power they will have it, rules of right they acknowledge none nor can acknowledge, becauſe they want reaſon, which is the ſole diſtinguiſher betwixt right and wrong. But man that hath reaſon which can ſet downe limits and bounds to every mans poſſeſſions and benefits, ſhould follow his reaſon and not take ſo much as his hand can reach and pull unto it ſelfe, but alone that which he findes the rules of equity to give him. He that doth otherwiſe doth infinitely treſpaſſe upon Gods Royalty over the whole world, for he doth not carrie himſelfe in this great family according to the will of him that is the ſole maker and maſter of it, and ſo lives as if himſelfe were Maſter and chiefe Lord, and not bound to any rules but thoſe of his owne will. Violence therefore is a grievous ſinne. It will bring Gods curſe, and anger, and hatred upon the committer. A violent man is odious in the world and in Heaven too, his love of himſelfe makes him i…jurious to all, and therefore alſo loathſome. Flie violence therefore either of hand or head, and take nothing but what in true right you can prove to be your owne, and if you have gotten any thing by violence, repent of it, and rid your hands of it, elſe the hand of God ſhall be heavie upon you for it, he will bring your violence upon your owne pates.
And know I beſeech you, that as there be two ſorts of violent beaſts ſo of men. You know there be Lions, and Beares, and Tigers, and great creatures that prey upon the weaker as upon the Sheepe, the Cowe, &c. and then there be little beaſts too that prey upon the leſſer, as the Weezle on the Mouſe and on Chickens, and ſuch like that be leſſer then themſelves. So there be two ſorts of violent men too, the great and wealthie man, and the poore and meaner man. The one can beare out his violence openly, and doth it in greater things. The other doth it more cloſely and in leſſer things, but both will have what equity doth not give them by one or other ſhift or wile, or act of his hand. And truly as great wickedneſſe is found in poore men this way as in the wealthier. He that is as bad as his place will ſuffer, is as wicked a man as another that in higher place is more apparantly wicked. Give the Weezle the fangs and limmes of a Lion, hee will doe as much miſchiefe as a Lion. Therefore the poore robbing the poore is compared to a ſweeping raine that leaveth no food, Prov. 28.3.and none more violent then theſe little violent ones when they can tell how to make way and beare out their violence, will not you ſee it evidently in the boldneſſe of the poorer ſort to ſteale corne at this time of the yeare. He that will pull a piece of ones ſheafe from him, if hee were a great Prince of name and power, would pull his whole living from him. Beware therefore of thoſe unjuſt waies of getting which are under your hands, and in your powers incident to your places, repent of them, ſhun them, and forbeare them for conſcience ſake, that you may not provoke Gods wrath againſt you.
Further, the men of this time were extreamely worldly as our Lord Jeſus noteth, they ſold over themſelves to the world, and cared not for Noahs preaching, nor for any thing that might concerne their ſoules, but ſold over themſelves to earthly dealing as you reade in Luke 17.26, 27. O be not many of you ſuch, are not your hearts fully poſſeſſed with all earthlineſſe. Doe not you ſet your ſelves altogether to the things of this life with the meere neglect of that which concernes a better. Surely thoſe that doe ſo are in heart Atheiſts, they doe not thoroughly beleeve that immortality of the ſoule, nor the being of another world. For were every mans heart fully perſwaded that his ſoule ſhould continue for ever in another world either in eternall weale or woe, it were not poſſible for him not to conſider of the eſtate to come as well as of the ſtate preſent, if we did as well know and beleeve that there is an Hell and Heaven, as that there is an earth and in it miſery and welfare, we could not but be as ſtudious to get the future happineſſe and eſcape the future miſery as the preſent. I pray you therefore ſtrive againſt that ſinne of the old World, viz. giving up your ſelves exceſſively to the world, and put your ſelves in minde of a world that is to come, and minde the things that are above and ſet your affections on them. If you ſo performe workes of Gods Worſhip, as that they weane you not from the world, you doe them but hypocritically, you have alone the forme and not the power of godlineſſe. Though a man uſe not violence, yet if hee be exceſſively worldly the Word of God is choaked in him, and will not bring forth the fruit of eternall life unto him.
Another ſin of the old World is,4 Diſobedient. 1 Pet. 3.20. The floud came upon them and they knew nothing. they abuſed Gods long-ſuffering and Noahs preaching, and gat no manner of knowledge of the long threatned floud, nor no care of amending their lives. This is a fearefull thing to get nothing by Gods patience or by the labours of the Miniſters whom he ſends to teach and warne us. This ſhewes that the Divell ha…h blinded their eyes, that ſinne hath hardened the heart, and that a man hath given over himſelfe to the ſervitude of ſome luſt: this is a great wrong to Gods goodneſſe and authority both, and it brings ſevere puniſhments, for in aggravating the ſinnes of men it muſt needs aggravate the puniſhment alſo. O brethren conſider of your ſelves if you be not guilty of this ſinne. How long hath God beene ſtriving to pull you out of your ſinnes. How much patience hath he ſhewed; how much teaching have you heard, and yet alas the old World got as much by Gods kindneſſe to them as you doe and you no more then they. Many of you know nothing of your miſerable eſtate. As little be you acquainted with the truths you are taught every day, as they were with the floud that came upon them, as little doth our preaching prevaile to worke you to amendment, as did the preaching of Noah with them. We may well comfort our ſelves in this, that our ſucceſſe is no worſe then Noahs, and alſo lament that it is no better. Indeed you have not had ſo many yeeres preaching as the *120.old World had, but conſider it with the proportion to your lives and you have more. Then men uſed to live ſome ſeven, eight, or nine hundred yeeres. Loe God gave them a Preacher a long time, and at length determined the very yeere of the floud, it ſhall be a hundred and twenty yeeres hence, and ſo from yeare to yeare leſſe as the yeeres went up. Yee have lived and died (many of you that be dead) under the Miniſtery. Indeed we cannot tell you the yeere of your death, or bring you tidings of a floud of water to overflow you altogether, but of a river of fire and brimſtone to overflow and overwhelme you one after one wee can tell you from God, and you feare this floud of brimſtone no more then they did that floud of water. O repent of your long impenitency and miſerable unbeleefe and wilfull ignorance of Gods threats, and other things that are continually taught you out of the Word. And now ceaſe to imitate this world of ungodly men, but apply your ſelves to flie from the wrath to come and from the vengeance that muſt overtake all wilfull ſinners. I beſeech you lay to heart the things you heare, take notice of them, beleeve them, and ſet your ſelves to amend your lives and caſt away all your ſinnes, which this old World did not but ſhould have done: be better I ſay be better then they were, and let their wickedneſſe teach you ſome goodneſſe. When will it once be that you will know and beleeve the threats of God and his promiſes? when will it once be that you will ſubmit your ſelves to thoſe that are as Noah was, Preachers of righteouſneſſe, and ſeeke to get the righteouſneſſe of faith, which Noah would not have gotten himſelfe, if it had not beene the ſame that hee preached to others? Now I pray you at laſt to exceede this generation of wicked men. And theſe uſes you muſt make of their wickedneſſe.
Now of Gods patience towards them in giving them all outward proſperity and long deferring the execution of his wrath, and ſending Noah by preaching and building the Arke to draw them to repentance; learne firſt to praiſe God for the like long-ſuffering to us, and uſing the like meanes to bring us to repentance and to life eternall. It is the ſame God that ruled the world at thoſe times who ruleth us alſo at this time, and he diſcovers the ſame vertues in his governing. O how patient is God now alſo? how great care doth he take to leade us to repentance alſo? How many outward benefits have wee? This goodneſſe of God towards them that periſh, whereby he tooke ſuch order and care for them, that they might have eſcaped perdition if they would have made uſe of his meanes is not ſufficiently heeded nor obſerved. Might not the world then have eſcaped both drowning and hell too, if they would have hearkened to Noah and beleeved him, and followed his inſtructions. Did any thing but their owne wilfullneſſe and heedleſneſſe ſhut them out of the Arke and out of Heaven, and thruſt them downe into the Deluge and into Hell? Brethren, God magnifies his mercies to the veſſells of wrath, he doth labour to bring them out of their ill eſtate, he hath not ceaſed for many yeares to intice them to repentance by his long-ſuffering. Certainely this ſhould magnifie Gods goodneſſe to us and make us to applaud him exceedingly, and acknowledge the brightneſſe of his Juſtice in their future deſtruction. O how juſt was God in the drowning of theſe men? is hee not as juſt in the damning of the ſinner now? Lord be thou praiſed for thy mercy and forthy juſtice, and let the one ſerve to cleare the other, and both to commend thee.
Againe, I pray you now the the ſecond time to make a good uſe of Gods clemencie to you. He ſent but one Noah to all the world, who yet is ſaid to condemne the world. He ſends amongſt you to every towne almoſt one to tell you of the judgement to come, and to ſtirre you up to repentance. Now be intreated to hearken and obey, and to get you to the Arke. Brethren wee doe here in Gods name offer you aſſurance of pardon of ſinne, and freedome from hell and death, if you will accept it, O let not our preaching be in vaine. Come, come into the Arke, come into Chriſt by true faith, into whom you are come by Baptiſme in reſpect of outward profeſſion. The Arke was a figure of Chriſt, and Baptiſme is as it were the Arke: O labour for the true Baptiſme with the Spirit that you may ſhunne and eſcape the Deluge of Gods eternall wrath and vengeance. Let us not preach to you in vaine as Noah did to the old world. And preſent to your ſelves the hideouſneſſe of that plague, O how did mens hearts ake within them? how did horrour take hold upon them, when they ſaw the waters rage ſo furiouſly? O now did they find that in experience which they would not beleeve by Noahs preaching! What crying, what roaring, what lamentation did fill the Cities and Villages? they did not die of a ſudden as in the overflowing of the Sea, but they died by degrees, they had time to get up upon hills and trees, and to foreſee and fore-feare their choaking by waters afore it came, and to ſee the Beaſts many periſhing before them, many looking for the ſame ruine with them. Doth not this floud pertaine to you? Doth not it pertaine to you alſo? Doe you not here ſee, 1. The Omnipotent power of God, and his abſolute and ſoveraigne command over all creatures. The Sea and Springs are his and will breake out upon us. The Cloudes and Waters above are his and will fall downe upon us to revenge his quarrell. He is Lord of Hoſts, O plant in your ſelves an holy feare of him, and ſay to your ſelves, ſhall he threaten and not performe, who hath the whole world at hand to be ſerviceable unto him. If we would repreſent the Lord before our eyes according to his fearefull greatneſſe, ſo as to make us tremble and depart from ſinne, happie were wee. Doth not Chriſt ſend us to the old World, and doth not Peter alſo minde us of this deſtruction by water. Surely the Lord is a terrible God ſtill, he is now as terrible, as he ſhewed himſelfe then in the overthrow by waters.
Againe, you muſt in this plague ſee the juſtice of God, his will to puniſh ſinners by inflicting great evill upon them, that ſo you may yet make the feare of him the more ſtedfaſt and more effectuall, for as hee is of power to cruſh the higheſt and ſtouteſt and thoſe of greaeſt power in the world, ſo he is reſolved upon this courſe, and will ſurely declare his excellency by making them ſmoake with moſt heavie calamities, that dare advance themſelves againſt his authority. See here how ſevere God is, he will not ſpare the wicked, he will not hold them innocent, though he deferre many daies, yet will the heavineſſe of the ſtroake anſwer the delay. The floud was long a comming, but being come it's furious and irreſiſtible, and wipes out all the ſonnes of men ſparing none. The Lord can finde in his heart to execute hideous evills upon ſinners. Let them if they pleaſe fancie a God wholy conſiſting of mercy, they ſhall find him ſuch as his Word deſcribeth, not as they themſelves have counterfeited, hee will recompence vengeance on his Adverſaries, hee will not pitie their cries nor groanes. Hee will not be melted with their complaints, but utterly deſtroy them according as his Word hath ſpoken.
Behold alſo the equity of Gods proceeding, hee anſwers their ſinnes with the kinde and meaſure of puniſhment. Great ſinnes and great waters. All fleſh corrupted with ſinne, and all fleſh cut off for ſinne, the earth filled with violence and now filled with waters. None tooke care to forbeare almoſt any ſinne but Noah, and none eſcapes but Noah. No multitude of ſinners can ſave them out of his hand, as all ſinned ſo all periſh. This great and heavie judgement ſhould be often in our thoughts,2 Pet. 2.5. we ſhould thinke thus, if God ſpared not the old World neither will bee ſpare us. It is S. Peters inference, and it is a great ſinne in us, that we doe not often put our ſelves in minde of theſe things to frame our ſelves to humble obedience.
If any ſay, but God hath promiſed never againe to deſtroy the world by water.
Gen. 9.11.I anſwer, true, but he hath never promiſed not to drowne ſinners, neither hath he promiſed not to puniſh them with puniſhments as fearefull as this of periſhing by waters. God hath great variety of weapons to wound his enemies; if he hath renounced the uſe of one, he hath others enough to take up for that purpoſe. And Brethren, I pray you take notice of what S. Peter tells us of, That as the world that then was did periſh being drowned in the waters,2 Pet. 3.6, 7. ſo the world that now is ſhall periſh by fire, for he telleth us, that it is by the ſame word reſerved for fire kept in ſtore againſt the time to come. Jude verſe 14.The Prophet Enoch foretold of that great day before Noah foretold of this deluge. That day is longer before it come, but it ſhall be more terrible when it comes,2 Pet. 3.10. for the heavens ſhall paſſe away with a noiſe, as the holy Apoſtle tells you. Now as the righteous Noah ſhewed a way how to eſcape that water, even repent and get into the Arke, ſo we ſhew away how to eſcape that fire, repent and turne unto the Lord, otherwiſe when he ſhall come in flames of fire, you ſhall receive the judgement of eternall deſtruction from before the preſence of his glory.
Brethren, I beſeech you ſo to ponder upon that great miſery which fell upon the old World, that you may be the better for knowing all the paſſages of ſo ſtrange a ſtory. It was the firſt remarkeable judgement. No generall calamity that we reade of did come upon the world till then. The firſt and laſt acts of juſtice will be moſt ſevere, and the laſt likely ſeverer then the firſt.
The Lord gave to the men of this old World a very long life, and very great outward benefits, and ſhewed to them exceeding great long-ſuffering, why ſo? but becauſe he would firſt, as he delighteth to do, proove men with benefits. As if he ſhould have ſaid, I will proove Adams ſonnes with the fruites of my favour. They ſhall have time enough to repent, ſome eight or nine hundred yeares, and they ſhall be allured by all proſperity, nothing but comforts ſhall come upon them for a long time, but if they will not profit by this gentleneſſe, I will ſhorten their lives by halfe, having taken away all thoſe fearefull ſinners by a floud of waters. You ſee Gods diſpleaſure againſt ſinne, O at laſt profit by it and learne to be righteous, there is no way to eſcape Gods judgements, but by following after righteouſneſſe, this courſe take, and you ſhall be ſafe. (*⁎*)