the perseverance of the saints, who are kept by the power of God. 1 Pet. i. 5. Phil. i. 6. John x. 28, 29. 4. If we dot speedily close with the gospel offer, and make haste into Christ the ark, the door will be shut shortly, and it will be too late. Though now the door is open, and whoever will may enter,

though now the Spirit saith, Come,-and the bride saith, Come, Rev. xxii. 17; yet this will not last always: the tune will be altered shortly; and those that will not come now for a blessing, must depart then with a curse. Matt. xxv. 41. The door will be shut, as it was when the foolish virgins came, Perhaps the door may be shut in this life. I believe there is such a thing, Heb, xii. 17. Death will cer, tainly shut the door against all them that persist in their impenitency. There is no getting out of the grave into the ark; as the tree falls by death, so it lies through eternity. It is therefore our great concernment to come by faith to Jesus Christ, and to do it quickly.

17 And the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift up above the earth.

The more the waters increased, the higher the ark was lifted up. From this let us learn the benefit

of afflictions. The more the waters of adversity do increase, the higher are the saints lifted up from things below, to things above. The more earth is embittered to them, the nearer do they get to heaven. Sanctified afflictions, as Mr. Dod was wont to say, are spiritual promotions.

18 And the waters prevailed, and were increased greatly upon the earth; and the ark went upon the face of the waters.

19 And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered.

20 Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered.

21 And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beasts, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every 'man:

22 All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died,

That which we say of fire, is true of water; that it is a good servant, but a bad master. Indeed, nov it was God's servant, being sent and commissioned by him; but it was the world's master, and great havoc it made. Come then, let us behold the works of the Lord, what desolations he hath made in the earth. Psa. xlvi. 8. Desolations indeed; for,

1. All creatures,-all fowls, and cattle, and creeping things, died. And why so? Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? and was it right to destroy innocent creatures with guilty men? 2 Sam. xxiv. 17. No doubt God could, if he had so pleased, have made a difference; he could have sent some sweeping judgment which would have destroyed all mankind, and done the rest of the creatures no hurt. But he choose rather to destroy all together. Some of the reasons of this may be, (1.) That when man was gone, there would be no more occasion for the rest of the creatures. They were made for the use and service, for the comfort and benefit, of man. When the master of the house dies, the house is broken up, and the goods disposed of. Man was the master of this great house, and therefore when he went, all the furniture went with him. (2.) The creatures themselves groaned, desiring to be delivered from that vanity which they were subject to, by being made instruments of man's sin to the dis

honour of God, their maker. Rom. viii. 21, 22, 23. (3.) 'Twas according to the law and custom of war, that not only the rebels themselves, but all theirs, should be put to the sword. Saul sinned in sparing even the sheep and oxen, when he was sent to destroy Amalek. 1 Sam. xv. 9, 23. (4.) God destroyed the beasts with man, to evidence the greatness of his wrath. The world was very wicked; and therefore God, to show that he was very angry, did extend his wrath even to the brute creatures. Any one will say that sin must needs be a very evil thing which did provoke a gracious God to so much wrath. (5.) God's Sovereignty over the creatures doth free him from any injustice herein. Did not he make all the creatures, and therefore were they not his own, ard might he not justly do what he would with his own? And if he would, for the manifestation of his own glory, destroy them all, who shall say unto him, What doest thou?

2. Besides the brute creatures, every man, woman, and child, died. How fully peopled the world then was, we may imagine, if we consider that it had been created above sixteen hundred years; and that men, living very long, and having many children, must needs increase and multiply greatly. Observe, (1.) What posture the flood found them in. We have an account of it from the mouth of Christ

himself. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage. Luke xvii. 26, 27. They were drowned in security and sensuality; crying peace, peace; saying, tomorrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant; Isa. lvi. 12; stark deaf, and stark blind, to divine warnings. They were over head and ears in carnal delights and pleasures; eating and drinking; but not praying, or hearing, or repenting. Was it not sad that death found them in this posture? and with how little comfort would they look him in the face! (2.) We may well imagine what terror and consternation seized on them when they saw the flood come indeed. Methinks I hear their shrieks, and groans, and cries; bemoaning themselves and their own folly, now it was too late. A while ago they were laughing at Noah, and calling him a fool; but now they see that they themselves were fools, and he only wise. Perhaps some climb up the highest trees, hoping to be secure there; but to no purpose. and soon afford them a grave. upon the top of some high mountain, and there spend a few days in terror and anguish; but first or last, the flood reaches them. Nay, it may be, some clamber about the ark, and even get upon the top of it, but a dash of water sweeps them off, and buries them with their neighbours. Methinks I hear others

The waters swell, Others perhaps get