that doth evil." 1. Then, we see in the text, that Noah was warned of God of his danger before he prepared an ark, or fled to it. Just so is it with sinners in the matter of believing in Christ; God gives the sinner warning of the danger he is in of the wrath to come. As God gave public warning to the old world, by the ministry of Noah, of the approaching deluge; so by the word read and preached, particularly by the preaching of the law, there is warning given to all sinners of the danger they are in of perishing for ever. The voice of God in the law to sinners is, Gal. iii. 10: “Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them." Rom. fi. 8, 9: "Indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man Psal. ix. 17: “ The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.”_" The wages of sin is death." Now, these and the like warnings are carried in and brought home to the soul in particular, by the power of the eternal Spirit, before the sinner enter into the New Testament Ark; and the sinner is made to believe the truth of these threatenings, for there is a law of faith, and a particular application of these and the like threatenings, before there be a true gospel faith of the remedy. Hence, 2. You see that Noah was “moved with fear" before he prepared an ark,” or entered into it. What was he afraid of? say you. I answer, He was afraid of perishing in the deluge with the rest of the wicked world. (See the text.) Just so is the case with sinners in the matter of believing, or flying to Christ; they are moved with the fear of an angry God, against whom they have sinned. And hence it is, that the sinner, through the terror of God, and of an awakened conscience, falls a trembling, with the jailer, Acts xvi.' 30: and cries, “ What must I do to be sa wed ?"! Oh! to whom shall I fly for help, Isa. x. 3. “Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? and who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings ?" Is. xxxiii. 14. This is what is commonly called a law-work, which every one who believes has either in a greater or less degree: for “ The law is our schoolmaster to lead us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith," &c. Gal. iii. 24. 3. Noah renounced all the false confidences that the men of the old world betook themselves to for shelter against the deluge. There is no doubt, but the inhabitants of the old world, when they saw the "windows of heaven opened, and the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the waters increasing and swelling,” would fly to the highest houses or mountains, to save them from the waters of the deluge, in hopes that the waters would stay before they came up where they were, But Noah knew other things; he knew that these were but lying refuges, and that the waters would overtop the highest mountains in the world: and therefore he renounced these vain refuges, and betook himself to the ark. Just so is it in the matter of believing in Christ, the poor soul is made to see that “in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, and from the multitude of mountains," Jer. iii. 23. That “the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies,” Is. xxviï. 17. And the waters shall overflow all these hiding places, to which hypocrites, the carnal worldling, or legalist, betake themselves: and therefore it flies for refuge to Christ, that blessed hope set before it, Heb. vi. 18, in the gospel, knowing that there is no name given-whereby to be saved, but by the name of Jesus. 4. Noah believed that the ark (being God's ordinance) was sufficient to save him and his family from the deluge. So, in the matter of believing, Christ is taken up as an allsufficient Saviour, "able also to save unto the uttermost, all that come unto God by him," Heb. vii. 25; and as he is appointed and ordained of God to be a Saviour every way qua-lified for the salvation of lost sinners, and made of God “unto us, wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption," 1 Cor. i. 30. 5. God gave to the living creatures (that were to be saved alive in the ark) a certain instinct, which made them to move from all parts of the earth towards the ark, and at last to enter into it. Just so is it in the matter of believing. God gives an instinct, a supernatural instinct, to the poor sinner, that makes him restless, until he 6 win Christ, and be found in him," Phil. iïi. 8, 9. This is nothing else but that drawing power of the word and Spirit of God, by which the sinner is led to the Rock that is higher than all other refuges; John vi. 44: “No man,” says Christ, “ can come unto me, except the Father, which hath sent me, draw him;" Hos. xi. 3: “I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love." You know the bees, before a shower, by a certain instinct, fly into the hive: just so is it here. 6. Noah's faith rested (not in the boards of the ark, but) in God who had appointed him to prepare it. So, in the matter of believing, true faith terminates upon “God--in Christ, reconciling the world to himself,” 2 Cor. v. 19. The great design of God in manifesting himself in the flesh, is not that our faith should terminate upon the Man Christ Jesus, but upon God in him. You have a word to this purpose, 1 Pet. i. 21: “Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory, that 1 your faith and hope might be in God.” So that you see, the scope of the whole work of redemption (through Christ) is to bring us to trust in God, and to place our confidence in him, as a God with us. Sirs, remember that God alone is the object of faith; and if your faith terminate upon any thing inferior to God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, it is not saving faith, for it does not answer the very first command of the law, “ Thou shalt have no other gods before me,” Exod. xx. 3. 7. When Noah entered into the ark, it was with a resolution to abide there, until the waters of the deluge were abated. Just so is it here; when a sinner comes by faith to Christ for refuge, he comes with a design to abide in him, not (like Noah with his ark) for awhile, but for ever. The soul in believing cries concerning Christ, “ This is my rest for ever, here will I dwell," Psal. cxxxii. 14. It is the will of Christ that we should abide in him, 1 John ii. 28. little children, abide in him, that when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed, before him at his coming;" John xv. 4–7: “ I am the vine, ye are the branches : he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered, and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, you may ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you.” 66 And now, a VI. The sixth thing in the method was to apply this doctrine. And the only uses I make of the doctrine shall be in a word of trial and exhortation. Use first shall be in a word of trial and examination. And that which I would have you to try, is, Whether have you got into the New Testament Ark Christ, where alone a sinner can be in safety from the deluge of divine wrath. I.' remember John the Baptist says to the Scribes and Pharisees, Matth. iii. 7: "O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come ?" So say you, upon God's warning, by the word of the law, fled for refuge to Christ, and taken up your residence and abode in him ? I offer these few remarks for trial : 1. If ever you fled to the New Testament Ark, you have seen the devouring deluge of God's wrath ready to swallow you up, and you have seen yourselves upon the very brink of perishing for ever in the deep waters, so that you have been made to cry out, Oh "what shall I do to be saved ?" Acts xvi. 30. a 2. God has broken all your false props and confidences, and made you see they are nothing but lying refuges that would betray you. So was it with Paul at his conversion, what things were gain to him, these he counted loss for Christ, Philip. iii. 7; “ Ashur shall not save us,” Hos. xiv. 3. 3. You have (by the light of the word and Spirit) got such a discovery of the glory, structure, beauty, and excellency, of the New Testament Ark, as has filled you with wonder and admiration at the love, mercy, and grace of God, in providing such an Ark, such a Saviour. 2 Cor. iv. 6: “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ.” Oh, will the soul say, at the sight of the Ark Christ, " What hath God wrought?" Numb. xxiii. 23. “ This is the Lord's doing, it is wondrous in our eyes,” Psal. cxviii. 23. “ Without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness, God was manifest in the flesh!" &c. 1 Tim. iii. 16. 4. If ever you entered into the ark, you have seen a reconciled God in the Ark Christ, “ For God is in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself,” 2 Cor. v. 19. This is the very thing that induces and encourages the soul to enter into it. The poor soul, before, could see nothing but God as a devouring fire to consume it; but, looking to Christ, it sees a smiling God, saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased," Matth. xvii. 5. Ó sirs, this is the very thing that begets faith, love, hope, and confidence, God's love in giving Christ, John jii. 16: “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, might not perish, but have everlasting life.” Now, have you seen God to be love? and have you seen his love manifested in this, that he sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him? 1 John iv. 9, and has the faith of this love killed your enmity ? 5. If you have fled to the New Testament Ark, you will be so well pleased with your new lodging, and your safety therein, that your hearts will be filled with gratitude, and your tongues with the high praises of the Lord, that ever provided such an Ark, and that ever brought you into it. You will sing and say with the church, Micah vii. 18: “ Who is a God like unto thee, who pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of thine heritage;" and with David, Psal. ciii. at the beginning, “ Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name: Bless the Lord, O my soul; and forget not all his benefits :" and with Israel, when God had brought them through the Red sea, and delivered them from the hand of the Egyptians, . Exod. xv. 11: “I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously," &c. 6. If you have ever fled into the Ark, then you will be new creatures; for if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, old things will pass away, 2 Cor. v. 17. You have got new light in your understanding, a new will and affections, you will not walk according to your old lusts in the flesh, nor according to the course of the world;" no, but as the ark and they that were in it were listed up above the earth upon the waters, towards heaven, so you will not lie grovelling upon the earth, but seek things that are above, where Christ is,” Col. ii. 1. 7. You have got something of the Spirit of Christ: for “ if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his,” Rom. viii. 9. But“ he that is joined unto the Lord, is one spirit with with him," 1 Cor. vi. 17. And his Spirit will be in you as "a well of water springing up unto everlasting life,” John iv. 14. The Spirit will convince you of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment.” 8. If you have fled to the New Testament Ark, you will be concerned to get as many as possible into the Ark with you; and for this end you will be telling them of their canger while out of Christ, and of the great salvation that is tobe found in him. How active was Paul, after he came to know Christ, to recommend him to others ! Acts ix. 20, &c., compared with Gal. i. 23. Use second shall be of Exhortation to all in general. Is it so that Christ is our great New Testament Ark, to save from the deluge of divine wrath? O then, sirs, let me beseech and entreat you to consult your own safety, by flying into this blessed Ark, before the waters of the deluge sweep you away into a miserable eternity. I offer a few motives to stir you up to fly into the Ark :1. Consider, That there are innumerable multitudes of mankind that are already lost irrevocably in the deluge of God's wrath, through their not entering into the Ark. The inhabitants of the old world, to whom Noah preached, are said to be in prison. O what innumerable numbers of men and women have gone down to the sides of the pit since sin entered into the world! “ Broad is the way that leadeth unto destruction, and many there be that go in thereat," Matth. vii. 13. Now, is it not your interest to take warning from the ruin of ? 2. Consider, That you must inevitably go the same way, I I mean, perish in the deluge, except you enter into the Ark; “For there is none other name under heaven, given amongst so many |
