Come we now to the first of these parallels: in the dayes of Noah, they were eating, and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage; and in these dayes before the coming of the Son of man; they will be eating, and drinking, marrying and giving in mariage.

Those customary manners and practices of the old world, are expressed to resemble the lik usages of this latter world, and both aggravated by the time, in the dayes of Noah, and in the dayes of the coming of the Son of man;

Which are laid down in 2. paire of naturall actions.

• 1. Eating and Drinking.
• 2. Marrying and Giving in marriage.

Which as in nature, so in Scripture they go together.

Unto this example of Noah's dayes, Saint Luke adds the like of Lots dayes, they did eat, they drunk, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded.

And what does our Lord blame in the first pair of the worlds actions, eating and drinking? 2 For they proceed from natural desires implanted in us by the God of nature, and with­out which, the person of the man cannot be naturally preserved.

The Lord blames not these actions, but their carnal security: who did eat and drink

2. Yea, their immoderate and inordinate eating and drink­ing; They were toti in his, they were wholly taken up in actions of this nature. And the Holy Ghost expresses it in the phrase here used, signifying an imperfect time, some past and some present, [...]; they were eat­ing and drinking, and the agents those who spent and were spending their time thus, so a doing that they were yet about to do what they now did; they made it their businesse, and they went every day conscienciously about the doing of i [...].

The reason is, Though our calling be an high and heavenly calling, yet by reason of our earthly being, the present seeming good drawes forcibly downward, which the Wiseman hath well observed, Wis. 9.15. That the corruptible body presseth down the soul, and the earthly tabernacle weigheth down the mind that mu­seth on many things. And whereas the man stands, as Hercules is fabled in bivio, with wisdome traceing on the right hand, and folly on the left: we read of Samlah (one of Edoms posteri­ty) that he was of Masrekah; Samlah is the left hand, and Masrekah the drawing of vanity, Gen. 36.36.

Now the stream of the thoughts, wills and affections can run insensibly but one way at once; For we cannot serve God and Mammon; God and the world, God and our bel­ly.

2. They neglected the Preachers of righteousnesse: Venter non habet aures. And Quos perdere vult Deus dementat.

Observ. Our Lord saith not, that they were gluttons and drunkards, but that they were eating and drinking. Even naturall and lawfull actions may be dangerous in regard of sin, which may cleave to them: or dangerous temptations unto sin, or in regard of some penall evill or true punishment. For Esau did eat and drink, and rose up, and despised his birth­right; and is therefore called a profane person, Heb. 12. So, The people sat down to eat, and to drink, and rose up to play, Ex­od. 32.6. and the Sichemites did eat, and drink and cursed Abimelech: therefore whereas Jobs Children had a custom of feasting at one anothers houses, Job 1.4. their father feared lest they might curse God in their hearts, and therefore he of­fered sacrifice in behalf of them continually, or all the dayes of their feasting. Matth. 22. our Lord saith not, that he who was called and afterward excluded from the supper, went to plow iniquity, but that he went to his farm; an honest though now a poor calling.

Nor doth he tell us that the Merchant handled the balance of deceit, but onely that he went to his Merchandize, a war­rantable good profession.

Thus in the dayes of Lot, Luk. 17.26. it is said, They bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; Our Lord [Page 8]saith not that they sinned simply in so doing; but he implies, that some dangerous temptation usually adheres unto these & such like actions, as to buying and selling. Many, saith the Wise­man, have sinned for a small matter, and he that seeks for abun­dance and will be rich, will turn his eyes away, he is avidus. As a nail sticks close between the joyning of the stones, so doth sin stick fast between buying and selling, Eccle. 27.1, 2. Thus we have had the former pair of naturall actions: come we now to the latter, which our Saviour adds to them by reason that the former pair of naturall actions have such an influence upon the later; for eating and drinking dispose the body for marrying and giving in marriage. Yea, excessive eat­ing and drinking incline men to the sins of uncleannesse; First surfeting and drunkennesse, then chambering and wantonnesse, Romans 13. Therefore saith Solomon, Look not on the wine when it is red; or Proverbs 23.31. Thine eyes shall behold strange women.

Now as they before the flood eagerly pursued the former desires, so did they as violently pursue these later; and so or worse do the men of the present generation. For we have such marrying and giving in marriage, as never was in the Christian world before these late times, proclaiming that great mystery, as the Apostle calls it in Ephes. 5. in the market-place among the profane multitude.

But what special reason is there for this? There is an inbred desire of perpetuating our being and name, which because it cannot be obtained in ones own person, the naturall desire is, [...], to propagate it by posterity. And herein is placed the naturalls mans hope of immortality, Gen. 4.17, 19. And as without eating and drinking the person of a man cannot by nature possibly be preserved; so neither with­out marrying and giving in marriage, can mankind be orderly continued.

But if the naturall desire be not in due subordination unto the spirituall, that earthly marriage be not in order unto the heavenly, they who marry and are given in marriage are ac­counted no better then the children of this world, Luk 20.34. And he that married a wife, and therefore said he could [Page 9]not come, must not be admitted to the marriage Supper of the Lamb, Luke 14. And therefore the Apostle tells us, that ma­riage must be onely in the Lord, 1 Cor. 7.39.

But what reason is there that our Lord should name onely these two kinds of excesses, eating and drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage. Had not all the world corrupted its way be­fore the flood? Gen. 6. And before the overflowing scourge, our Lord foretells, that iniquity should abound; and all of us can witness the truth of it.

All manner of iniquity abounds, in high, in low, in rich, in poore, universall iniquity, contrary to the universall righte­ousness of God. But the Spirit of God names onely that kind of iniquity which was then, and I believe, is now most rife and common among all men, intemperancy, incontinency, luxury, lasciviousness, all manner of uncleanness.

As for the other sins I doubt not but they are common also, yet it is to be observed, that they are more properly and usu­ally found among some sorts of men; as pride commonly follows high places, and men in authority, especially, such as never were in authority before, ‘Asperius nihil est humili cum surgit in altum.’

Covetousness, how ever it be too generall, so that Mammon is one of the great City Gods, yet it's thought to be most rife among Officers, who very often are [...] bribetakers, Mich. 7.3. Envy though it be a sin now Epi­demicall, and most what hides it self under the name of zeal, yet its usually found among men of Sciences and faculties; according to the Fable, that Envie being once missing in Hell, and sought for, it was found in Monasteries and Colledges, and so it is Academicall; I wish it were not so in our Pulpits. As Saint Paul complaind that it was of his time, some preach Christ of envie and strife; so extortion and oppression, how­ever at this day very common, yet it usually harbours among Citizens, Ier 6.6. Simony is between Micha and his Levite, the Patrone and his Clerk; Hypocrisie and the Art of seeming ex­treme rife at this day, is found among religious men. Deceit, fraud, circumvention among Merchants, Hos. 12.7.

But as for intemperancy, incontinency, looseness of life, vo­luptuousness and sensualitie, &c. These are common to all men, to the Subject as well as to the Prince, the learned as the ig­norant, the poor as the rich, the wise as the foolish; and these bring the flood upon the world of the ungodly.

2. They were so doing, untill Noah entred into the Ark: And they will be so doing, until the coming of the Son of Man.

Would ye know the ground of this? Whoredome, wine and new wine take away the heart, Hos. 4 11. For as in nature all diseases, everberate and weaken the man, whence the affection must needs continue: So in this State, sinne the disease of the soul weakens it, as Ezekiel intimates, 17.30. How weak is thine heart, since thou dost all these things, even the works of an impe­rious whorish woman.

How dangerous therefore is it to adventure upon the be­ginning of sin, since having begun, it is so hard to relinquish it. Which Solomon certainly intended, when he said, In the trans­gression of an evill man, there is a snare, Prov. 29.6. whereby he is wound in the more fast, the longer he acts his transgressi­on. The Prophet Jeremy speaks more plainly; Can the Ae­thiopian change his skin, or the Leopard his spots? Then may ye also do good, which are accustomed to do evill.

Therefore let us take Solomons advice which he gives, Prov. 17.14. In regard of strife and contention, leave it off before it be medled with: So may we say of every sin, leave it off before it be medled with. For this reason is common to all sin, which he applies unto strife: That the beginning thereof, is as when one lets out water: we soon will swell to an inundation of sin; and that brings with it a flood of vengeance which is the third parallel.

There was a flood prepared in the dayes of Noah to take all those away who were eating and drinking, marrying, and gi­ving in marriage.

And there is a like flood of Calamities, a new deluge, an overflowing scourge prepared in the dayes of the coming of the Son of Man to take the like offenders away.

The word in the text is [...], which answers to [...] a word used onely to signifie Neah's Flood Gen. 6. verse 7. Psalme 29.10. It is derived either from [...] to fall, import­ing the great fall of waters; or from [...] to confound, and so it notes that universal confusion of all things wrought by the Flood.

Such a like flood there must be, even a flood of fire, is that proper? surely it is sutable to Saint Johns expression who tells us of a burning Lake, and a Lake of fire, Revel. 19.20. and 20.10 &c. For thus the Lord in both floods, holds proportion with the sins of both worlds.

The old world was overwhelmed with voluptuousnesse and sensuality, carnall sins, sins of the Concupiscible: and the Lord overwhelmed them with a flood of waters. But the greater sins of the later world, are spiritual, as great pride, (whereof 2. Esd. 8.50. Hypocrisie, Envy, Ignorance, Bloody zeal, Wrath made holinesse, &c. Therefore the overwhelming scourge must be proportionable unto these spiritual sins, and sins of the Irascible even fire, warre and bloodshed. For be­hold the Lord will come with fire, and with his Chariots, like a whirlewind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire; For by fire and by his Sword will the Lord plead with all flesh, Esay 66.15.16.

But whence came either Flood? came it by chance? Or came it by an unavoidable fate and destiny?

Surely, Judgement followes transgression; the deluge of water supposes a deluge of sin, the overflowing scourge suppo­ses the overflowing and abundance of iniquity.

And therefore Saint Peter tells us, that the Lord brought in the flood upon the world of the ungodly, 2. Pet. 2.5. It was first an ungodly world, and then the Lord brought in the flood upon it: whence it is called in the Dutch a Sin-flood.

Again, the Lord is [...], Gen. 17.1, he hath sufficiency of that wherewith he punisheth; he hath a treasury of wrath, 1. King. 8.46. and he brings out of his treasury [...], Esay 13.6. The fire and the sword, the famine, and the Pesti­lence.

VVhence appears the vain assertion of Berosus, and Annius, that God had from the beginning determined a flood, which might be, and was foreseen in the starres and constellation of heaven. But that rule of Divines is most true; Praescientia Dei non imponit rebus necessitatem, though God foresaw both the sin and the sin-flood, yet his foresight imposed no neces­sity upon either. And therefore Calvin saith well, that the Chaldeans could not foresee the destruction which was immi­nent; because it proceeded not from the natural course of the stars, but from the secret counsel of God, to bring the flood upon the world of the ungodly.

And how did, or shall it take them away?

And how knew they not?

1. The word [...] answers to the Hebrew [...], Gen. 7.23. which we turn to destroy; but the word properly signifies to blot out, according to the analogie of waters, the flood may be said to sweep them away as filth, Proverbs 28.3. as a sweeping rain, as in the time of the overflowing scourge, the hail sweeps away the refuge of lies, and vain confidences of ungodly men, Esa. 18.17.

2. But knew they not? How was that possible? for they had eight preachers of righteousnesse, whereof Enoch was the first, who began to preach in the Name of the Lord.

Those of the old world knew not untill the flood came and took them away; And these of this later world so doing will not know, untill the coming of the Son of man, like a flood of calamities, and judgements which will take them all a­way: Gen. 4.26. for so the words should be rendred.

And Saint Peter calls Noah [...], 2. Pet. 2.5. And these had warned them successively from the flood, that from Enoch, above 1000. yeares, that from Noah's first preaching 120. years, and have they not known? The word [...] answers to [...], which signifies not onely to know, but to consider and heed what we know; and therefore the LXX. turn it often by [...], Thus Eccles. 5.2. They consider not, that they do evill, Hebr. 3.10. They have not known my waies, so Paul may be understood, Act. 23.5. [Page 13]I knew not, Brethren, that he was the high Priest, i▪ e. he considered not.

Thus Saint Luke 21.31. opposeth the carnall security, that should be at the coming of the Son of man, with this word, [...], Take heed that your heart be not overcharged, &c. To know therefore is to take heed, which these did not, and therefore knew not: And so omnis peccans est ignorans.

The reason why the men of that age knew not, that is, con­sidered not untill the flood came, and why the men of this age likewise heed not the coming of the Son of man.

1. The men of the former and later world are insensible and hardned by the deceitfulnesse of sin, Hebr. 3.

2. Being so hardned they sit down in the scorners chair and deride and mock those who warn them of the judgment to come: impius cum pervenerit in profundum peccatorum, deridet, Aquin.

As for those of the old world, there are ancient monuments extant of their derision and mocking the holy men of God who exhorted them, and were examples of repentance unto the old world. Sem and Seth were in great honour among men, Ec­clus 49.6. whom the men of that age endeavoured by all meanes to dishonour. As for Seth, he opposed Cain in stead of Abel whom Cain slew, he opposed the way of Cain who for his eminency of life was called [...] and accounted a kind of God among good men, saith Theodoret, deificatus homo, a dei­fied man; and for that reason, he was opposed by the ungodly of his generation, who made his name a by word to posterity; and so they dealt with Sem, who opposed the growing of Ido­latry. And therefore the wicked of that age abused him also; so Plutarch tells us, that [...]. They called Typhon, i. e. whatsoever is destructive and hurtful) Seth or Smu, inserting Sems name, those two great assertors of Divine worship and adversaries of idolatry; Seth the Father of Enoch the first preacher of righteousnesse, and Sem the Son of Noah the eighth and last preacher of righteousnesse imme­diately before the flood.

These were the mockers in the dayes before the flood,

And the Apostle tells us, that there shall be mockers and scoffers in these last daies, the dayes before the overflowing scourge, 2. Pet. 3.34. Jud. verse 18. according to the Psal. 42.3. and Psalme, 89.51. Who slander the footsteps of Gods Anointed, and say where is the promise of his coming?

The Prophet Esay having foretold the overflowing scourge, he forewarns the men of this generation, Isaiah 28.22. Be not mockers, lest your bonds be made strong.

3: A third reason may therefore be from the equity of the great Judge to bring the flood upon the hardned and deriding world; according to which equity, he proceeds, 2. Chron. 36.18. They mocked the Messengers of God and despised his words, and misused his Prophets, untill the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, till there was no remedy; therefore he brought upon them the King of the Chaldeans.

Whence we may observe, that if the exorbitances and ex­cesses of naturall desires, eating and drinking, &c. such as God himself hath implanted in our natures be thus destructive, and bring the flood upon the world of the ungodly; how much more shall these excesses, and exorbitances become destructive which the divel himself hath sowen in our nature. If the good seed be thus abused as to prove degenerate, which the good man sowed in the field, what shall become of tares, which the wicked man sowed in it? such are envy, and pride, and cove­teousnesse, and wrath, and false righteousnesse. Yet said the perverse judgment of the foolish world: every one can point at a great Eater, and reeling drunkard, and a poor letcher and indeed they are most infamous and shameful names; But the envious person gets credit by the worst of sins, being accounted zealous. Carnalia peccata plus habent infamiae, Spiritualia plus de natura peccati; saith Greg.

In the dayes before the flood, they did eat, and drink, they married and were given in marriage, and the flood came, &c. But in these dayes before the overflowing scourge, which shall now come upon the world: there are, who spend their pre­tious time in surfeting, and drunkennesse, in chambering and wantonnesse, in gaming, in carding, in dicing, Cautè sine Castè, which by woful experience many decaying, and ruined families can witnesse.

They of the old world were chast, and honest in comparison of many in this present lascivious generation, they made use of the meanes ordained by God, and Nature for the satisfaction of their naturall desires; They married wives and gave in marri­age.

But as for many of this later world they bound not their un­ruly appetites with the lawful use of marriage, but break all bonds of God and nature, and glory as if they had attained unto some notable degree of perfection in the flesh; all wo­men are to them alike, they are of a new world, who neither marrie nor are given in marriage, but are as the Angells, videl. such Angells as kept not their first estate or principality: such as walk according to their ungodly lusts. And therefore St. Luke in the parallell place to my text, Chap 17.26. relates our Lords words thus, They did eat and drink, they bought, they sould, they planted, they builded; there is no mention made of marry­ing and giving in marriage. They of Sodom prefigured the men of this unclean generation; and must not we expect a like judgment unto that of Sodom? If not a greater, when accord­ing to the Prophet, they justified the old world in all the abo­minations which they have done, Ezech. 16.51.

These are most deceitful lusts, and would perswade us to se­curity in them; but let no man deceive you with vain words, For because of these things commeth the wrath of God, Ephe­sians 5.

Beloved in the Lord! The men of the old world had a time of repentance and humiliation granted them, before the flood, even 120. years; but the men of that age knew not their time, and neglected the eighth Preacher of righteousnesse, and while they were eating and drinking, &c. while they were yet in their carnall security, they knew not, and the flood came, and took them all away.

And hath not the like time of humiliation and repentance been granted unto us before the overflowing scourge? hath not the Angell flying in the middst of heaven, preached unto them that dwell on the earth, saying with a loud voice; Fear God and give glory unto him: for the hour of his judgment is [Page 16]come, Revel. 14.6, 7. And shall we not know our time, our precious time?

Shall we abuse it as they did, or worse then they did? shall it be said of us, as it was of the stupid Jews, Jer. 8.7. The stork in the heaven knowes her appointed times, and the turtle and the crane, and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the Judgment of the Lord. Shall we not know as they knew not, and shall the overflowing scourge sur­prize us in our like carnal security?

Beloved! If we were well assured, that the coming of the Lord were near at hand, we would be awakenned out of our lethargy, our drowzy security, and look about us, that it might not take us at unawares.

Now Beloved! The coming of the Lord to Judgment is near, even at the dores. Remember, I beseech ye the paralells which ye have heard. Our Lord tells us, that the coming of the Son of man to Judgment, should be like the Lords coming in the days of Noah. The like riotous eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage.

The like, yea the same wicked men, For Enoch the seventh from Adam [...] he prophesied to the same men.

Therefore the wisedome of God hath so expressed the sins of the old world as past and gone, that under the same form of words is foretold the sin of this later world, Gen. 6.11, 12, [...], The earth was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. Which words signifie as well, The earth shall be corrupt and the earth shall be filled with vi­olence. And who sees not that the words are as true of this later, as of the former world? The same decree of the Judg­ment reaches as well to this later as to the former world, 2 Pet. 3.7.

Yea the signes preceding our Lords coming have all, or most of them had their accomplishments.

• Impostors and deceivers coming in the name of Christ, have de­ceived many
• Warres for religion with their effects.
• [Page 17]Persecutions of the Saints.
• The abounding of iniquity, and decay of love.
• The preaching of the Gospel in all the world.
• The discovery of the abomination of desolation.
• A woe to them that preach the Gospel.
• The darkning of the Luminaries and the old Heavens.
• The sign of the Son of man in heaven even Christ on the Crosse with his wounds in his hands and his feet, and the Angels round about him, hath appeared in Frankenland in Germany about two years since, in the view of thousands, three hours together at midday, if there be any belief to be given to the constant testimony of many witnesses.

Besides all these comparisons between the daies of Noah, and the coming of the Son of man, I shall adde one more touching the time. I conceive it worth your observation; That just so many years were from the first Adam to the flood of Noah, 1656. and somewhat more as will be run out, from the second Adam, or Christ in the flesh, the very next year, 1656. toward the end.

It is true; The Lord hath put the times and seasons in his own power, Nor dare I to determine the set time. Nor hath the Lord himself revealed it.

But many believe that the next year will bring with it a no­table change in the world, yea; yea, many place the end of the world in that year; And find the same Chronographical num­ber of years, 1657. in these words MƲnDI ConfLagra­tIo. See Alsted in his Chronology. Surely these Synchronismes and periods of time are not to be neglected. And I believe there is no wise man, who observes Tempora, & mores, the times and manners of men of this present generation, but he will con­fesse that we are ripe, thorow ripe for Judgment, and all things at home and abroad look fatally that way. What think we of the many great fires in forreign parts, and in this nation, and in this Mother-city? what els bode they, but the beginnings of Judgment, that must be managed by fire? All other parts of this nation have suffered their share of the vvarres. Look into the Word of God, and see whether the Metropolis or mother-City be not alwaies threatned; as of Moab; Rabbath of the [Page 18] Ammonites, and many the like, yea Jerusalem in Judaea, accor­ding to Jer. 6.6. It's said, this City is to be visited, and for the reason following &c.

Here the fire was first kindled which hath burnt in all the neighbour nations. Hither all the spoiles have bin brought. Many of our next neighbour nations have bin sent into forrein Countries. Are there no nations left to send us also? O uti­nam ego in hisce falsus Chalchas essem! Would God I were de­ceived in all these! The Lord avert this overflowing scourge from us! But Beloved, The time of grace yet lasts.

Wherefore if we be wife, while we have time, let us do as Noah did; Being moved with fear, he built an Ark.

And that is,

The fifth and last paralell, There was an Ark for the preser­vation of Noah and his house, into which Neah entred. And there was, and is a spiritual Ark of Regeneration for the prefer­vation of the spiritual Noah's house, into which he leads them.

And what is that Ark spiritually but the Church? saith St. Austin Expressely, Nulli nostrûm dubium est, Arcam Noë, sal­vâ rerum gestarum side, Ecclesiam fuisse figuratam. This, saith he, some might think to be an invention of man, unlesse the A­postle himself had averred as much, 1 Pet. 3.20, 21. The long­suffering of God waited in the dayes of Noah while the Ark was preparing wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

1. They were saved in the Ark, figuring the proportion of Christs dead body. Divers of the Antients have their mystr­call understanding of the Ark; One more bodily. The dimen­sions or measures of the Ark have the same proportion with those of a mans body, lying flat upon the back; whose depth from the back to the brest, is the tenth part of its length, as 30. is to 300. and the breadth from side to side is the sixth part of the length, as 50. is to 300. Which is the proportion of the Ark.

2. Another they have more spiritual. The three stories in the Ark, and regions in the body answer to the three degrees of Baptisme in the name of the Father Son and the holy Spirit, Matth. 28. Accordingly St. Peter applyes it unto Baptisme, 1 Pet. 3. In reference unto this and representation of it, the bo­dies of the dead were wont to be washed, Act. 9.37. He­brews 10.22.

2: They were saved in the Ark by water, which imports the washing of Regeneration, Tit. 3.5. and therefore St. Peter presently addes, The like figure hereunto even Baptisme doth now save us. By which water we are to understand the word which ordinarily is joyned to Baptisme, Heb. 6.2. The doctrine of Baptismes, Ephes. 5.26. the washing of water by the Word. and therefore Philo Judeus saith, that the saving of Noah and his house by water, was an image and figure [...] of Re­generation or being born again from the dead, which the Apo­stle himself affirmes, 1 Pet. 3.21. the same vvhich ye read, Col. 2.12. buried with him by Baptisme &c.

This is called Regeneration, or being born again, or the se­cond birth, because it hath a former birth, a first birth presup­posed. But that first birth is not the natural generation, or birth according to nature, but the nevv birth, the first and nevv creation of vvhich St. James speaks, Jam. 1.17, 18. Of his own will he begat us that vve should be a kind of first fruits &c. Of such a good vvill are the obedient children vvho are not fashi­oned according to their former lusts in their ignorance, 1 Pet. 1.14. Such are the nevv born babes, cap. 2.2. Rom. 7. Gal. 4.19. & 5.17. the Regeneration is yet a further degree, as being of those who are conformed unto the death of Christ by dying unto sin, and to his life by conformity unto his Resurrection. Such Regenerated Ones are they who are born from the dead with Christ, and so become children of the Resurrection.

But saith the poor Soul, if there be no escaping of the flood, no salvation but in such a spiritual Ark, What shall become of me? Alas! mine iniquities come about me like water, and the floods of ungodlinesse make me afraid. Hearken what the true Noah thy Comforter saith unto thee, Let not thy heart be troubled, Joh. 14.1. Not troubled? Here's a distinction that's threatned unto all the earth an overflowing scourge, a con­sumption determined upon the whole earth: And how then can I, but I must be troubled? there is indeed a degree of faith which may consist with fear and doubting. Peter had that lit­tle faith, and was afraid and doubted, Matth. 14.30, 31. That little saith cannot support to hinder the soul from sinking; Thou believest in God the father, believe also in Christ, Joh. 14.1. [Page 20]that faith upholds the soul from sinking into despair. There­fore the Ark, Gen. 7.18. which is said to have gone upon the wa­ters. [...] according to divine artifice may as well be tur­ned, the Ark shall go upon the waters: whence Jesus Christ is said to be our hope, 1 Tim. 1.1. And therefore till Christ comes, the children are all their life time subject to bondage and fear, Hebr. 2.15. This is the true Noah who redeemes us from the curse, that the blessing may come upon us through Faith, Gal. 3. The blessed God begets thee again to a lively hope by the Resurrection of Jesus Christs 1 Pet. 1.3. Though now for a season thou be in manifold temptations, verse 5. these are as the waters of Noah Esay 54.8. But alas, the waters come unto my soul, Psal. 69.1. The Title of the Psalme is Pro iis qui commu­tabuntur: [...], for those who are converted, changed, renewed, begotten again. In behalf of these the Lord is upon many waters, Psalm 29.3. yea, verse 10. The Lord sits [...] upon Noahs flood, (so the word is properly used) and steers and guids thy Vessell to the Haven of life and peace. But when the overflowing scourge overwhelmeth the world, how shall I escape? Thou knowest not how; nor did Noah, when he spared not the old world, but saved Noah; nor did Lot know, when the Lord turned the Cities of Sodome and Gomorrah into ashes and delivered just Let. The Lord knowes (though we know not) How to deliver the Godly out of temptations, and to re­serve the unjust to the day of judgement to be punished, 2 Pet. 2.

Beloved! Let me now act the part of a Preacher of Righte­ousness. Let us all be exhorted to enter into this Ark of Re­generation. The Jews have a proverbiall speech; When the Lord opens Din, then let Israel betake themselves unto their houses. The Lord hath now for many years opened Din, even the treasury of his judgements upon us: But withall he hath set the doore of the Ark, even the straight gate of Mortifica­tion, open unto us. And the Preachers of Righteousness, they exhort us dayly to enter in. But as when the eight persons had preached for many years, how few alas! how few were per­swaded to enter into the Ark? We reade but of eight souls that were saved. Lord, saith the Disciples, Are there few that shall be saved? Our Lord answers, Strive to enter in at the strait gate, Luke 13.23.24.

When Noah was entred into the Ark, the flood-gates of hea­ven were opened. It was then too late to enter; the flood came and took them all away. O let us now strive to enter in at the strait gate; For the time will come, yea come it will when many shall strive to enter in, and shall not be able; when once the Master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the dore &c.

O beloved! let us seek the Lord while he may be found, let us call upon him while he is near, Isa. 55.6, 7. in the great wa­ter-floods they shall not come nigh him, Psal. 32.6.

But we are professors of the godly party; such as hear the Word, receive the Sacrament; we are sure of our salvation, though we have our infirmities &c.

Beloved! In Noahs time, and before, Cains posterity were great pretenders to Religion. Enoch Cains eldest son a man dedicated unto God. His grand-child Mehujael, Annuntians Deum, a preacher, one who spake much of God. Another of of his race Lamech, an humble man. And do we not see, espe­cially now Religion is in fashion, that many who walk in the way of Cain, and walk after their own lusts, yet make great profession of religion? They tell the spiritual Noah that they eat and drink at his table, and he hath taught in their streets; yet the dore will be shut even against these, and they shall hear their doom. I know ye not, depart from me ye workers of iniquity. But we are Beloved of God; elected before the foundation of the world; so that whatsoever our infirmities are, we are sure of our salvation.

Our Lord will say to such in the Judgment; Thou thoughtest wickedly that I was even such a One as thy self, but I will reprove thee &c. Psal 50. And hath not God chosen all his Elect in Christ before the foundation of the world, that they should be holy and without blame before him in love? Ephes. 1. These men consider not that salvation is deliverance from sin, Matth. 1. And can they be sure of salvation from sin, while yet they willingly live in their sin? Or do they think, that God loves his own righteous­ness, which is himself, or them better? The righteous Lord lo­veth righteousnesse, Psal. 11.7. Little children let no man deceive you: He that doth Righteousnesse is righteous, even as he is righ­teous: He that committeth sin is of the devill, 1 John 3.7. [Page 22]If any man call his customary sins infirmities (as commonly they do who walk in the way of Cain) let him know that such infir­mities they are, as exclude those who do them, out of the king­dome of God, 1 Cor. 6.9, 10. Gal. 5.21.

Let us therefore enquire what manner of men they were, who perished in the flood.

2. What manner of men the most are, who live in this present age before the overflowing scourge.

3. What wanner of men we ought to be, who may hope to escape the overflowing scourge.

As to the first query, the answer is in the text, They were ea­ting, and drinking, marrying &c.

As for the second, the men of this generation are like to those as our Saviour foretold, but farre exceeding them in the same and many other sinnes: such are unfaithfulnesse toward God and men, for when the Son of Man cometh shall He find faith on the earth? Luke 18. Abundance of iniquity, want of love to God and men, Matthew 24.12. But the Apostle foretells what a deluge of iniquity should flow into these later dayes even the dreggs of time, 2 Tim. 3.1.5. This know that in the later dayes perilous times shall be: for men shall be lovers of them­selves. And who sees not this Prophesie fulfilled?

3. What manner of men ought we to be, who may hope to escape the overflowing scourge? who may with confidence and comfort expect the coming of the Son of Man? Saint Paul gives Timothy great charge to keep the Commandment without spot, untill the approaching of our Lord Jesus Christ, 1 Tim. 6.15. And Saint Peter having warned us of the day of the Lord, It shall come as a thief in the night, 2 Pet. 3.10.11. at the 14. verse, Wherefore beloved, seeing we look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, and with­out spot, and blameless.

O let us not be Curvae in terras animae, A crooked Genera­tion; Ventri obedientes, groveling on the Earth, bowed to the earth and earthly things, whose belly cleaves to the ground; but let us remember our Lords Exhortation, Luke 21, 28. minding his Disciples of his comming [...], Look up, and lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh.

Let us avoid all known sin; Let us remove anger from our heart, and evil, the concupiscible from thy flesh, Eccles. 11. suspect and fear the danger of lawfull actions.

The Table may be made a snare, Psalme 60.22. When our Lord was an hungred, and not till then, the tempter came unto him, Matthew 4.2, 3. Eat and drink we, our loyns girt, Gird your loynes of your mind, be sober, and hope to to the end, for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the Revelation of Jesus Christ, 1 Pet. 1.13. For he who hath this hope, purifies himself as God is pure, 1 John 3.3.

Believe the threatnings of God as well as the promises. Noah believed not onely the promises of God, but the threat­nings also; so that being moved with fear, he built an Ark. The Ninivites believed God, when Jonah threatned them.

We, that we may be able to doe, the grace of God that bringeth salvation to all men, hath appeared; teaching us to deny ungodlyness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righ­teously and godly in this present world, looking for the blessed hope of the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Sa­viour Jesus Christ.