Wherein few, that is, eight persons were saved by water.] This great point of the fewness of those that are saved in the other greater salvation, as in this, I shall not now prosecute: only,

1. If so few, then the inquiry into ourselves, whether we be of these few, should be more diligent, and followed more home than it is yet with the most of us. We are wary in our trifles, and only in this easily deceived, yea, our own deceivers in this great point. Is not this folly far beyond what you usually say of some, Penny wise and pound fool; to be wise for a moment, and fools for eternity?

2. You that are indeed seeking the way of life, be not discouraged by your fewness; it hath always been so; you see here how few of the whole world, and is it not better to be of the few in the ark, than of the multitude in the waters? Let them fret, as ordinarily they do, to see so few more diligent for heaven, as no doubt they did of Noah; and this is it that galls them, that any should have higher names, and surer hopes this way: "What! are none but such as you going to heaven, think you us all damned?" What can we say, but there is a flood of wrath wasting many who say so, and certainly all that are out of the ark shall perish in that flood.

3. This is that main truth that I would leave with you; look on Jésus Christ as the ark, of whom this was a figure; and believe it, out of him there is nothing but certain destruction, a deluge of wrath, all the world over, on those out of Christ, Oh! it is our life, our only safety, to be in him. But these things are not believed. Men think they believe them, and do not. Were it believed that we are under the sentence of eternal death in our natural state, and that there is no escape, but by removing out of ourselves unto Christ, Oh! what thronging would there be to him; whereas, now he invites and calls, and how few are persuaded to come to him. Noah believed the Lord's word of judgment against the world, believed his promise made to him, and prepared an ark. Is it not a high sign of unbelief, that there being an ark of everlasting salvation ready prepared to our hand, we will not so much as come to it? 1. Will you, who are not yet entered, be persuaded certainly that the ark-door stands open; his offers are free; do but come, and try if he will turn you away; no, he will not, Him that comes to me, I will in no ways cast out. And as there is such acceptance, and sure preservation in him, there is as sure perishing without him, trust on what you will. Be you of a giant's stature, as many of them were, to help you to climb up, as they would sure do when the flood came on, to the highest mountains, and tallest trees, yet it shall overtake you. Make your best of your worldly advantages, or good parts, or civil righteousness, all shall prove poor shifts from the flood of wrath, which rises above all those, and drowns them; only the ark of our salvation is safe. Think how gladly they would have been within the ark, when they found death without it, and now it was too late! How would many, that now despise Christ, wish to honour him one day? Men, so long as they thought to be safe on the earth would never betake them to the ark, but rather would think it a prison; and could men find salvation any where else, they would never come to Christ for it: this is, because they know him not: but yet, be it necessity, let that drive thee in; and then being in him, thou shalt find reason to love him for himself, besides the salvation thou hast in him.

2. You that have fled in to him for refuge, wrong him not so far as to question your safety. What though the floods of thy former guiltiness rise high, thine ark shall still be above them; and the higher they rise, the higher he shall rise, shall have the more glory in freely justifying and saving thee. Though thou find the remaining power of sin still within thee, yet it shall not sink thine ark; there was in this ark sin, yet they were saved from the flood. If thou dost believe, that puts thee in Christ, * John vi. 37.

and he will bring thee safe through, without splitting or sinking.

3. As thou art bound to account thyself safe in him, so to admire that love that set thee there. Noah was a holy man; but whence was both his holiness and preservation while the world perished, but because he found favour, or free grace, as the word is, in the eyes of the Lord. And no doubt he did much contemplate this, being secure within, when the cries of the rest drowning, were about him. Thus, think you seeing so few are saved in this blessed ark, wherein I am, in comparison of the multitudes that perish in the deluge; whence is this? Why was I chosen, and so many about me left? why, but because it pleased him. But all is straight here. We have neither hearts nor time for ample thoughts of this love, till we be beyond time; then shall we admire and praise without ceasing, and without wearying.

We have now considered the great and remarkable example the apostle makes use of. It is time we proceed to consider, Thirdly, The adapting or applying it to the instruction of Christians, for which it is indeed so fit and suitable, which he clears in the particular resemblance of it with the rule of christianity.

Ver. 21. The like figure whereunto, even baptism, doth also now save us, (not the putting away the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

IN which words we have, 1. The end of baptism. 2. The proper virtue or efficacy of it for that end. And, 3. A resemblance in both these to Noah's preservation in the flood.

1st. The end of baptism, to save us. This is the great common end of all the ordinances of God; that one high mark they all aim at. And the great and common mistake of them is, that they are not so understood and used. We come and sit a while, and, if we can keep awake, give the word the hearing; but, how few of us receive it as the ingrafted word that is able to save our souls? Were it thus taken, what sweetness would be found in it, which most that hear and read it are strangers to? How precious would these lines be, if we looked on them thus, saw them meeting and concentring in salvation as their end. Thus likewise the sacraments, considered indeed as seals of this inheritance, annexed to the great charter of it, seals of salvation, would be highly regarded: this would powerfully beget a fit appetite for the Lord's Supper, when we are invited to it, and would beget a due esteem of baptism; would teach you more frequent and fruitful thoughts of your own, and more pious considerations of it when you require it for your children. A natural eye looks upon bread, and wine, and water, and the outward difference of their use there, that they are set apart and differenced, as is evident by external circumstances, from their common use; but the main of the difference, where their excellency lies, it sees not, as the eye of faith above that espies salvation under them: and Oh! what a different thing are they to it, from what they are to a formal user of them. We should aspire to know the hidden rich things of God, that are wrapt up in his ordinances. We stick in the shell and superfices of them, and seek no further; that makes them unbeautiful, and unsavoury to us, and that use of them turns into an empty custom. Be more earnest with him that hath appointed them, and made this their end to save us, that he would clear up the eye of our souls, to see them thus under this relation, and see how they suit to this their end, and tend to it, and seriously seek salvation in them from his own hand, and we shall find it.

This doth save us. So that this salvation of Noah and his family from the deluge, and all outward deliverances and salvations, are but dark shadows of this. Let them not be compared, these reprivals

and prolongings of this present life, to the deliverance of the soul from death, the second death; the stretching of a moment to the concernment of eternity. How would any of you welcome a full and sure protection from common dangers, if such were to be had? That you should be ascertained of safety from sword and pestilence; that whatever others suffered about you, you and your family should be free? (And they that have escaped a near danger of this kind are too apt to rest there, as if no more were to be feared; whereas this common favour may be shewed to these that are far off from God;) and what though you be not only thus far safe, but, I say, if you were secured for the future, which none of you absolutely are? Yet, when you are put out of danger of sword and plague, still death remains, and sin and wrath may be remaining with it; and shall it not be all one to die under these in a time of public peace and welfare, as if it were now? Yea, it may be something more unhappy, by the increase of the heap of sin and wrath; guiltiness augmented by life prolonged; and will be more grievous to be pulled away from the world, in the midst of peaceable enjoyment, and to have everlasting darkness to succeed to that short sun-shine of thy day of ease. Alas! the sad succession! Happiness of a short date, and misery for ever. What availed it wicked Ham, to outlive the flood, to inherit a curse after it; to be kept undrowned in the waters, to see himself and his posterity blasted with his father's curse? Think seriously, what will be the end of all thy temporary safety and preservation, if thou share not in this salvation, and find not thyself sealed and marked for it; to flatter thyself with a dream of happiness, and walk in the light of a few sparks, that will soon die out, and then lie down in sorrow? A sad bed that the most have to go to, after they have wearied themselves all the day, all their life, in a chace of vanity!

2dly, The next thing is, the power and virtue of