2 Peter 2:5 (part 3 of 3)

And saved Noah the eight person.] Psal. 121.•. Aug. I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence commeth my helpe. De montibus, non à montibus: from the mountaines, not of the mountaines, but of the Lord which hath made heaven and earth. While the Iustice of God was decreeing confusion to the world, his mercie was contriving a safetie for his servant. And as his majestie was glorious in so weake an element for the ruine: so was his mercie, in so weake an instrument for the preservation. Here was omnipotencie in both: he speakes to the creatures; clouds make raine, and let that raine make a floud, and let that floud drowne the world. He speakes to Noah, make thee an Arke, and I will make that Arke save thee: doe thou as I bid thee, and I will doe as I promised thee.

Generally two things occurre to our consideration: the Building of the Arke, and the Preservation by it: the vessell it selfe, and the Fraught. For the former, my purpose is not to declare the matter, measure, proportion, or fashion of the Arke: but to borrow so much of the story as is pertinent and instructive to us. This summarily consists in two things; Noahs tryall, and Gods Disposall. For his tryall, God in building the Arke did exercise three vertues in him; his Patience, his Confidence, and his obedience: let us consider them.

For his patience: why did God set him about it an hundred and twenty yeares, when a small time might have finished it? This was for the tryall of his patience. Thus he led the Israelites in the deserts of Arabia fortie yeares: whereas a man may travell from Ramesis in Aegypt to any part of Canaan in forty dayes. This God did to Deut. 8.2. prove them, that he might know what was in their heart. He promised Abraham a Son in whom he should be blessed: this he performed not of thirty yeares after. He gave David the kingdome, and annointed him by Samuel: yet was he not possessed of it in many yeares; an so much that he said, Psal. 119.82. Mine eyes faile for thy word. Ioseph hath a promise that the Sun and Moone should doe him reverence; but first he must lie bound in the dungeon. This God doth to trie us, for in these exigents we shew our selves and our dispositions. Thus did he leave 2 Chron. 32.31. Hezekiah in the businesse of Babylon, to know his heart. When he had made such a probation of Abraham, in the sacrifice of his Sonne, he concluded, Gen. 22.2•. Nunc ego scio, now I know that thou fearest God. Did not God know before? Yes, he knowes the very thoughts of men: It is not for his instruction, but ours. The Lord knowes all, but thus he would have us to know our owne hearts. Ier. 17.9. The heart of man is deceitfull above all things. The worldling knowes his owne house, his owne horse, his owne garment, he knowes not his owne heart. Iob 9.2• Non novi animam meam, saith Iob: though I were perfect, yet I know not mine own soule. Ab occultis munda me Domine. Psal. 19.12. Clense thou me from my secret faults. Luk. 9.55. Ne scitis, Yee know not of what spirit you are; saith CHRIST even to his Apostles.

We know not what patience we have, what courage, what zeale, till we be put to’t. A man is that he is, when he is tempted. Some presume more than they can; so did Peter, Though I should die with thee, I will not deny thee: alas, he knew not his owne weakenesse. Others doubt of that they can, as Naaman; God be mercifull to me when I come into the house of Rimmon: here I can serve God constantly, but when I waite on my master to the Idolatrous Temple, what shall I doe then? Lord be mercifull to me in this. Goe in peace, saith the Prophet: God will strengthen thee. Every Cocke-boate can swim in a river, every sculler saile in a calme: every man of a patient temper or cheerly disposition, can hold up his head in ordinary gusts. But when a blacke storme rises, a tenth wave flowes, deepe calls unto deepe, nature yields, spirit faints, heart failes; here is the tryall, how dost thou now? Accedit tentatio, quasi [interrogatio]. Aug. When our hopes are adjourned, our expectation delaied, and instead of pleasing contents, we find bitter sorrowes; this will discover our hearts. If then faith prevaile above sense, and hope against all naturall reason and feare; our graces shall shine like orient Pearles, in true and perfect beautie. After all the prorogations of promised ease, still to stand erect and triumph: here is the assurance of faith, that hath the word for compasse, CHRIST at the helme, and the voyage is salvation.

For his confidence; many obstacles might seeme to stop him in the course of his proceeding, and to keepe him from attempting this strange edifice. 1. The great quantitie of the Arke, amounting to many thousand cubites: a worke of great labour, and no small charges. If this had beene imposed on the sluggard; what shall I spend all my dayes in building? As Florus, an idle fellow, would evenmore say, Ego nolo Caesar esse, I would not be Caesar, alwaies marching in armour: to whom Caesar replied, Et ego nolo Forulesse, I would not be Florus, alwayes drinking in a Taverne. Or on the covetous; he would have answered, It is too chargeable: shall I exhaust my estate to set up a fantasticall house? he will not doe it, to have a house in heaven. 2. The length of his labour, it was to have lasted sixe score yeares: now it is tedious to mans nature, to be alwaies doing, and never to have done. 3. The Building of it was a matter of mockerie to the world: for it signified to the rebellious destruction, to himselfe preservation.

Now that either the world could possibly be drowned, or that hee should separably be saved; this they laughed at.

Lastly, it was a thing most harsh to naturall reason. 1. It had no precedent; and to credite new and strange things, requires a new and strange faith. 2. It seemed not likely, that Gods mercie should be so wholly swallowed up of his Iustice. 3. To live in the Arke, as in a close prison, without light, without fresh aire, and comfort of libertie; among beasts of all sorts, and that he knew not how long! Reason might say, it is better to die with men, than to live with beasts: better to die a [free-] man, than to live a prisoner: better to die with company, than to live alone. That if God had purposed to save him, he could have devised meanes more direct, more easie, more safe than this: therefore his deliverance was to be doubted of. Thus indeed, he might make himselfe a derision and ridiculous story of the world, all this while: and if the wicked should alter their practise, God would alter his purpose, and so there would be no floud. If there were, yet the Arke might dash against the mountaines, and so he perish with the rest: and then he might with the same successe have saved all this labour: therefore the best course is to let all alone, and to take my venture with the world.

All these had beene strong perswasions in a naturall man: but Faith dissolves these impediments, as the Sunne doth deawes: with resolute courage it breaketh thorow all difficulties, and flies over these carnall objections with celestiall wings. As Abraham begat Isaac, so faith begets Hope: and as Isaac begat Iacob, so Hope begets obedience: he beleeves, hopes, and buildes. It is grounded on the knowledge of Gods nature; Scientia is the roote of faith. Presumption ariseth from the ignorance of Gods nature; that he is just: desperation from the ignorance of his nature; that he is mercifull. Some are of the error, that God will not be so cruell as to damne his creature, but he will not bee so kind to the wicked, as to bee unjust to himselfe.

Let this teach us to fortifie our faith: doctrines that are plausible to our naturall affections, we can formally obey: but that which is above our reason, beyond our apprehension, or against our disposition; we call that into question. The Scripture saith, that Christ is in the Sacrament really exhibited to the soule of a Christian: carnall senses deny this, reason askes with the Capernaites, Will he give us his flesh to eate? faith beleeveth this, and the soule findeth it with unspeakable comfort. God saith, that a poore good man is in better case than a rich sinner: reason and ocular experience deny it, but faith beleeves it, and feeles it. For never did the poorest child of God wish to change his estate with the wealthiest worldling upon earth. God saith, our bodies shall rise againe, how strange dissolutions, or how many alterations soever they suffer: this is a wonder to nature, an amasement to reason; but the faith of a Christian rests upon it, and the soule of a Christian shal have comfort in it.

3 For his Obedience: though Noah understood by direct revelation that he should bee saved, yet bee used the meanes, hee made an Arke. Hee might have said, GOD hath bound himselfe by covenant to preserve mee: his word is his word, and he will stand to it: let me labour or lie still, his will cannot be altered: though I bee false, hee will bee true: though I omit what belongs to me, hee will not forget what belongs to him, let mee therefore spare the paines of so much labour, cost, derision. No, Noah is of another mind: the promise of safetie, and the meanes of safetie, be to him inseparable: he dares not but beleeve that God will doe it, he dares not but use the meanes whereby he will doe it. The Pontificians thinke to flout us with our assurance of salvation: if we be sure of it, what need we then so trouble our selves about it? I answere, though we be sure of it, not only in the certaintie of faith, but, if it could be, by immediate revelation from God: yet still let us worke out our salvation with feare and trembling. If God should say to a man by his very name, Thou shalt be saved: it is no more than here was said to Noah for his temporall deliverance. Yet Noah concludes, If I make not the Arke, I am to looke for no preservation, this was Noahs Divinitie. And for those that thinke they know a shorter cut to heaven, let them take heed they be not cut short of heaven. If we be elected, no matter how we live; desperate presumption! Noah would not trust his mortall life upon those termes, and shall secure men thus venture their soules? No, God hath decreed the meanes unto the end, and hath promised the end unto the meanes: and those things which God hath joyned together, let no man put asunder.

Rebecca had Gods Oracle for Iacobs life; yet she sent him away out of Esau’s reach. It was impossible for Herode to hurt the child Iesus, yet he must flie into Aegypt. The Lord hath promised his children supply of all good things; yet they must use the meanes of impetration; by Prayer. Psal. 50.15. Call upon me in the day of trouble. Voco te, ut invoces me. Psal. 147.9. He feeds the young Ravens when they call upon him. He feeds the young Ravens, but first they call upon him, Deus non dat nifi petenti, Aug. ne det non cupienti. God withholds from them that aske not, lest he should give to them that desire not. David was confident, that by Gods power he should spring over a wall; yet not without putting his owne strength and agilitie to it. Pro quibus orandum, Aug. pro tis laborandum. Those things we pray for, we must worke for. The Carter in Isidore, when his cart was overthrowen, would needs have his god Hercules come downe from heaven, to helpe him up with it. But whilest he forbore to set his owne shoulder to it, his cart lay still. Abraham was as rich as any of our Aldermen, David as valiant as any of our Gentlemen, Salomon as wise as any of our deepest Naturians, Susanna as faire as any of our painted pieces. Yet none of them thought that their riches, valour, policie, beauty, or excellent parts could save them: but they stirred the sparkes of grace, and be stirred themselves in pious workes. And this is our meanes, if our meaning be to be saved.

Thus for Noahs triall, now for Gods disposall. And herein we must consider two things; His Direction, and Selection: he was both the Pilot of the Vessell, and the chuser of those should be in the Vessell.

For his Direction; the Vessell was great and huge; resembling a Ship, yet so unlike it, that it is called an Arke; capacious of all kinds of living creatures, with sufficient provision for them. This must float above the water, be laden with an heavie burden, without sterne to guide her, without anchor to stay her, without mast to poise her, without Master to governe her. Noah was an husband-man, a Preacher, but (without question) he had no skill to be a Sailer; the Art of Navigation being not then found out. Therefore this unweildy Vessell must in all reason, be cast upon hils and rocks, by the violence of tempests, and so split in peeces. No, but when heaven and earth seeme to conspire against it, it shall preserve him. How so? because God himselfe was the Master and steeres-man of it, his providence was with it. It was indeed too vast a bulke to be governed by humane skill: therefore, when by no mans art it could be set a float, it was lifted up by the waters, and left to be guided; Non humana prudentia, August. sed Divina providentia.

As the Lord ordained it, so he directed and disposed it: Gen. 7.16. the Lord shut him in. He himselfe shut the doore of the Arke upon Noah, and made it fast after him, that no waters might get in unto him. God was his Porter to shut him in, Keeper to preserve him, and great Master of the Vessell during that whole voyage. Such is his presence and providence over his children in all distresses. He forgets nothing that he hath made, but his speciall eye is over his Elect. As the master of a family hath an eye over meanest servant, yea, over his very cattell; but his care night and day is for his children. They are beset with no danger of water or fire, but there is one among them, Dan. 3.25. In the forme of the Sonne of God, to deliver them. When Israel was in so hard a strait, as either to be drowned in the Sea, or slaine by the sword; how miraculously did God provide an evasion? When Noah was to enter the Arke, and to have the doore shut after him, here was an hard exigent. It was so large that Camels and Elephants might enter into it; therefore shut it himselfe he could not, or at least not sufficiently close it up against the waters. Nor would any of the world doe it for him, they did not owe him so much love and service, but rather laughed at his vaine endevours. Himselfe could not, others would not, the Lord with his owne hand that it for him. Being thus closed up, he was in danger to be throwen upon the rockes, having no anchor, no sterne, no Pilot: loe, God was all these unto him.

In the deepest destitution of all earthly comforts, so powerfull is his hand, so loving his eye, to those that serve him! Elisha had an hoast of men sent against him; How should one man escape from an whole armie? 2 King. 6.17. His man cryed, the Master beleeved, the Lord protected. When men refuse to helpe Noah, the Angels are ready. When the whole world expected him to perish with themselves, then the Lord is his Pilot, and the last thing their eyes must see, is Noah safe. Ps•l. 27.1. The Lord is my light, and my salvation, whom shall I feare? David found God to be his Vice-Admirall, and to carry the light before him, in the darkest stormes and most violent waves of his trouble. There is no calamity so potent as is our Deliverer. Therefore as the Legend moralizeth of St. Christopher, that he would serve none but the greatest that was, and still as he found one more powerfull, he would change his master: till at last from man to man, and from man to the Devill, hee came from the Devill to Christ, who was the strongest of all. So if any thing in the world, yea, the whole world were more potent than God, there was some colour for demurring upon our choice. But seeing that Psal. 135.6. He only doth what he pleaseth, in heaven, earth, sea, all places: and what he will doe, all the rest must doe: and that his Majesty is not more infinite than his Mercy: that he is not so ready to strike the obstinate, as to spare the prostrate: Lord, let us love thee above all things that be, that thou mayest deliver us from all things that be hurtfull.

In that the Lord was here Master and Pilot of the Arke, wee may observe the Antiquitie and dignitie of Marriners and Saylers. For antiquitie, it is as old as Noah, older than the second World The dignity is great; for God himselfe was the first Authour and first practiser of it. First Authour, for Noah made not this Arke of his owne head, but the Lord instructed him. First Practiser; for he performed all those offices unto Noah, else it had not saved him. This is one of those few callings, which may say, God himselfe was the first deviser and exerciser of it: all Callings cannot say so. Why then doe Sea-farers forget that Master whom they succeed? There is now no vocation so abased and abused as it is, lighting into the hands of the most lewd and licentious persons. No generation of men more notoriously dissolute! How little doe they remember that God made the first Ship, that he was the first Master, the first Marriner, the first Pilot of it; that their dispositions are so utterly unlike to his! The strange things of the Sea they behold; but those monsters are rather their play-fellowes, than occasions of their feare and piety. Although their very sleepes be but so many reprievals of their dangers; and when they awake, they know not whether they shall ever sleepe againe, save in death; yet they are not mortified. There is nothing but extreme danger, or extreme hunger, can soften them. That tottering Vessell is more safe at Sea, than many of them are on Land: for that hath an Helme to guide her, but these have cast off not onely Religion, that makes them good men, but even reason that makes them men: and saving only on the Sea, they live without all Compasse. As their Ship on the water, so they on the Land; Psal. 107.27. Reele to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man.

One would thinke, that the terrours of the Ocean, the wonders of God in the deep, Vers. 26. should melt their very soule, and humble them. Where the winds domineere, and the waves roare, volvuntur ut aequora montes: where they lye, Digitis à morte remoti Quatuor aut septem: Where no mercy is to be hoped. Qui nescit orare, discat navigare: Hee that hath not learned to pray, let him learne to faile. Yes, haply they will pray and crie too, while the tempest beats, cast up their eyes, and send their prayers to the offended heavens: but is not their pietie blowne over with their misery? Yes, the GOD of their Supplications, is on Land become the object of their blasphemies: and they seldome thinke of him, but when they borrow his Name to sweare by. The LORD is our preserver by Sea and Land, there be dangers enow in every place: therefore by Sea and Land, in every place, let us humbly serve, and confidently trust in him.

Thus for Gods direction and providence over this Vessell, we come to his election of the company for it. The whole world being his, and he absolute Lord of all, made choice according to his Divine and inscrutable pleasure. In the most generall Iudgements, those that feare God, find deliverance. When Sodome must be destroyed, Lot and his family are singled out: the Angels can doe nothing till he be safe. When Ierusalem must bleed, the Mourners are sealed to redemption. When the destroying Angell rides circuite in Aegypt, the doores sprinkled with the bloud of the Lambe are past over. The deluge of wrath will one day come, what shall we doe then? Sprinkle our hearts before-hand with the sacred bloud of the Lambe; then thousands shall fall on our left hand, and ten thousands beside us, and the Lord shall provide one way or other an Arke of safety and deliverance for us.

The number preserved, consisted both of reasonable and unreasonable creatures: of unreasonable, for mans sake; of reasonable, for Gods owne sake. First, let us looke upon his election in the accessary, the irrationall living creatures.

The Lord that would have feed kept alive on the earth, to [take] into his preservation beasts both cleane and uncleane. Some were even at that time Gen. 7.2. Vncleane; for Moses wrote not this by anticipation, as respecting the time wherein he wrote, the Law having then distinguished them; but respecting the time when the Floud came. Certainly this difference was knowne to the Patriarkes by Divine revelation, and continued to their posterity by tradition: as was the use of Sacrifice, offering of Tithes, and observation of the Sabbath, before the Law. Now they were not Vncleane by their owne nature and creation, for God made all good; nor in respect of mans use only, some being more fit for food: but by Gods institution, some being more fit for sacrifice, therefore called Cleane. Of the Cleane God chose Seven; of the Vncleane but Two: he would have the former to multiply, and replenish the earth by a speedy encrease; that man might have sustenance, and himselfe sacrifice. The other, he knew, would annoy them with their multitude: and albeit he would have the kinde of hurtfull beasts preserved, even for the punishment of sinfull man, for the Ezek. 14.21. noysome beast is one of his foure great plagues: yet would he have their number abridged, that they might not grow too fast upon him. These would hurt him, the other enrich him: therefore the mercifull God provides most of them, whereof we have most use.

But why Seven? three male, three female, and the odde one for sacrifice? Not that we conclude with their Canon, that the double number is not good, because the Vncleane came in by two: and that Impar numerus est mundus, because the odde was for sacrifice. For this is false. First, because both Gen. 7.9. cleane and uncleane came in by paires and couples: how many, or how few soever, every male had his female. Secondly, they are not said to be uncleane for their Number, but for their kind. Thirdly, then Noah and his sonnes had beene uncleane, because they and their wives were into the Arke by couples. But Seven; that God, who created seven dayes in the weeke, and chose one of them for himselfe, did here preserve of Seven cleane beasts one for himselfe, for sacrifice. He gives us six for one in worldly things, in spirituall things let us give him all. Here are two things observable.

1 God is pleased that some noxious creatures should be reserved, for the correction and exercise of man. He hath use even of those fierce and cruell beasts, and glory by them. They being created for man, must live by him, though to his castigation and punishment. The Manichees object against Gods goodnesse, that he made many things pernicious, as some evill weeds and venemous serpents: and many things superfluous, August. whereof we have no use; how then were all Good? It is answered: First, God made nothing superfluous, though we know not the use thereof: as in an Artificers shop, wee being ignorant of the tooles and instruments, condemne them not, though by our medling they cut our fingers. Secondly, wee have no cause to complaine; for whether they be profitable, they doe us good: or superfluous, they doe us no hurt, if we let them alone. Thirdly, the harme of any creature ariseth from our selves; if man had not offended God, nothing should have offended him. Fourthly, they are not altogether fruitlesse, for even those things that are not fit for food, have their use for medicine. Venime it selfe well qualified, hath beene physicall to our recovery. Vsurpa utilia, fuge perniciosa, relinque superflua. August. Fiftly, even by those that are hurtfull, we are either corrected to humble us: or exercised, to trie us; or terrified to worke in us the feare of God. Therefore use the creatures commodious, beware the pernicious, forbeare those thou thinkest superfluous. In all things where our knowledge ends, let our admiration begin: though we cannot understand the creature, let us glorifie the Creator.

2 Though mans soveraigntie be abridged, yet he exerciseth still a Lordship over the creatures. Subjecisti pedibus ejus. For first, there is a naturall instinct of obedience in them, especially those that are for mans use, as oxe and horse. Though his authority extend not to the absolute command over those wilde and savage creatures, Lions and Tygers: yet the more necessary and serviceable ones stoope to his yoke. Secondly, Man sometime by his strength subdueth the fiercest beast, as Sampson the Lion, and David the Beare. And when strength faileth, his wit and policie often prevaileth. Iam. 3.7. Every kind of beasts, Birds, Serpents, sea-inhabitants, hath beene tamed of man kind. All other have beene tamed of man, Aug. himselfe is tamed of none but God. 3. Though this dominion be lost by Adam, it is restored by Christ. Iob 5.23. Thou shalt be at peace with the beasts of the field. But lastly and especially, this is done by the miraculous power of God: for besides the strange reports of Plutarch and Herodotus, concerning their Hesiod and Arion, Evalus and the Virgin, borne upon Dolphins backes, and brought safe to shore: And Ierome relates, or some one under his name; how a Christian being pursued by his heathen Master, fled into a Cave where was hid a Lionesse and her whelpes, which never harmed him: but when the Pagan came in with his other servant, she devoured them both: we know that Daniel was preserved in the Lions den, Ionah in the belly of a fish, and the Viper had no power to hurt Paul. So here, the cruellest beasts come tame unto Noah: they offer and submit themselves to their preserver renewing that obedience to the repairer of the world, which before sinne they yielded to the first storer of the world. He that shut them into the Arke when they were entred, did also shut their mouthes while they were entring. The fierce Lions fawne upon Noah and Daniel: what heart cannot the Maker of them mollifie: Let us feare him that commands all, and no created power shall be ever able to harme us. Luk. 12.7. Feare not, the very haires of your head be all numbred. Illi solliciti erant de animabus, Christ secures them de Capillis. LORD, we will feare no danger, so long as thou undertakest to be our Keeper. Now to him that keepeth us from evill, and evill from us; that keepeth heaven for us, and us for himselfe; be praise for ever.

In the next place, let us meditate further of Gods election, and the fraight of soules preserved in the Arke: Eight persons. It was a familie of foure men, Eight persons. and foure women: not men alone, nor women alone, but both, and consisting of as many women as men. The beginning of the first world, was by one man and one woman: of the second world, by foure men, and foure women; but alwaies equall. This is the fundamentall terme of all man kind, hence began the world: man was made of dust, the woman of his ribbe, the world of this woman. Woman takes her being from man, man takes his well being from woman: therefore Eve was at the first created a Wife: no sooner a woman, but presently a Wife: and the first vocation of man was Maritari, to bee an husband. Mulier propter virum; therefore the Hebrewes have a proverbe; Cui non est uxor, is non est vir. And for woman, as at first shee tooke her essence, so she takes the perfection of her essence from man.

But to reduce the manifold observations here offering themselves, unto some head; we must consider two things; the Qualitie of the persons, and the Quantitie of the number. For qualitie of the persons, they were all Male and Female, Husband and Wife: and God so disposed it for three causes; Societie, Proprietie, Paritie.

1 For societie, it had beene uncomfortable for man to have lived there alone: [Vae] soli. Gen. 2.18. It is not good that man should be alone, I will give him a helpe meete for him. Marriage is called a Yoke; too heavy for one alone to beare: therefore each had a mutuall helpe; a wife. In the participation of good, compassion of evill, in health the best delight, in sicknesse the best comfort: the sole companion to whom we may communicate our joyes, and into whose bosome we unlode our sorrowes: thus are our greefes lessened, our joyes enlarged, our hearts solaced. Eccl. 40.23. A friend and companion never meet amisse; but above both is a wife with her husband. Duo in carne una, one in body and soule, as the stocke and the graffe are but one tree. God when he made man, made but one: when woman out of him, he made two of one: when marriage, he made one of two. Two parties and but one love, two soules compacted into one body: both one in affection while they live, both one in their posterity when they die. Where is conjugall faith, an indissolvable covenant, an unalterable affection; here is a blessed match, not to be matched by all the treasures of Nature. The faire take no pleasure in the beautie of their owne face; but by the reflection of that which others derive from it. Our eyes are not set to behold our owne countenances, nor can our lippes take delight in their owne kisses, nor our armes in their owne embraces: but in the societie of a wife, by exchange, they have their use and perfection. She is mans similitude; so like him, as bone to bone, flesh to flesh, Isha to Ish: where face answereth face, as did the Cherubins, both looking to the mercie-seate: and heart answereth heart, as a glasse that returnes upon a man his own Image. Ipse coram se, himselfe before himselfe, another that is himselfe, his adopted selfe: that loves what he loves, wills what he wills; that, as she wills his love, so loves his will: there is no societie on earth that affords the like comfort.

2 The proprietie; Noah and his Wife, every man had his owne wife. Not one woman for many men, nor many women for one man: as wicked Lameth had before. This is the LORDS combination, Take thy wife: not Vxor & non uxor, to take and leave, contract and divorce, put on and off like a garment: but one woman for one man, no more, no fewer, no other. In the creation, God made them Male and Female: not both males, or both females; then had they beene unfit for generation: not male and females, nor female and males, much lesse adulterer and harlot; but two in one flesh; two, not three or fower. Every wife should be to her husband, as Eve was to Adam, the whole world of women. For this cause God gave her to man, as the center wherein his desires might rest. Lust is a runnagate, as if it had Cains curse, to be a Vagabond upon earth: it runs like a mathematicall line, ad infinitum: still covets and still remaines unsatisfied. Nor is it confined within the bounds of Wife, but of woman-kind: that which should be for physicke to cure it, encreaseth the disease. The delight is transient, the guilt everlasting: before the sense can sit downe, and say, it is pleased: the conscience riseth up, and saies, it is afflicted. Marriage is therefore ordained to qualifie desire; as fire is appeased with fewell; a medicine of the same doth mitigate: nor doth it forbid, but rectifie mans affection. But lust, because it cannot be stinted on earth, the Iustice of God confineth to hell.

3 The equalitie or paritie: that men may learne to forbeare despising of that weaker sexe, behold here as many women saved as men. Not one man more, not one woman lesse: of the eight, women make up the just halfe, yea, whereas one of the foure men was an Hypocrite, and after cursed, the Scripture speakes no such matter of any woman among them. Howsoever Poets in their Satyres, songsters in their drunken rythmes, and too many men in their unrellishing jests; spend their wits in invectives against that sexe: yet the Lord loveth them equally with men; and IESUS CHRIST shed his bloud, and by his bloud, (I am perswaded) saveth as many women as men. As she is the Mal. 2.14. Wife of thy covenant, so she is the child of Gods covenant: 1 Pet. 3.7 the daughter of Sara, so well as thou art a Sonne of Abraham. St Peter saies, they are coheires of the same grace: and St Paul, they are coheires of the same glory.

If the body of either sexe be made of the better materiall, it is the womans: Adam’s was made of dead dust, Eves of living flesh. Gen. 2.24. She came out of mans side, and God hath made her cleave to his side. By such a derivation, he fitted such an adhaesion; that she might not be a moveable, to be departed from. From taking a bone from man, who had a bone too much, he closed it up with flesh, to mollifie his nature. And this bone he added to the woman, to strengthen her that was too soft. Thus he made a sweete temper betweene them, like harmony in musicke, fit for concord. This bone was taken out of the midst of man, a ribbe, a bone of his side. Not a superior part, as the head; the wife is not made to governe: not of an inferior part, the foote; she is not a servant to be trode upon: not of an anterior part, as the breast; she is not to be preferred before the man: not of a posterior part, the backe; she is not to be set behind in contempt: but of the Side, a middle and indifferent part; ordained to be his companion and equall; they that walke side to side, are fellowes. She was fetched from under his arme, that he should defend her: not farre from his heart, that he should love her. Psal. 128.3. A vine by the sides of his [house]. Not in fastigio, vel pavimento: not on the roofe, nor on the floure: the one is too high, she is no ruler: the other too low, she is no slave: but in the sides, an equall place betweene both.

Neither must this embolden the wife to usurpe: she was taken from the left side shewing that she stands in need of both Protection and Direction from her husband. By Gods ordinance, man hath the preheminence. Subdita eris sub potestate viri, 〈◊〉 Thy very desire shall be subject to him. 2 Cor. 11.3. The husband is the Head: Gen. 3.16. therefore if a woman murther her husband, she is judged by the civill Law a Parricide; by the Statutes of the land, a Traitor. Numb. 30.13. The man had power to allow or disanull his wives vowes. The edict of Ahasuerus differs not from the law of nature. Esth. 1.20.22 That every man should beare rule in his owne house. Vbi tu Cajus, ego Caja, was some equalitie among the Gentiles: but Ego caja, ubicunque cajus; I am Mistresse, and will rule all; is posterous among Christians. Cardinall Wolsey’s stile; Ego & Rex meus, I and my King, was intolerable in the Politickes: so the wives; Ego & maritus meus, I and my husband, is insufferable in the Oeconomickes. The blessed Virgin had a more humble [carriage] towards her husband Ioseph: as Saint Augustine notes from the order of the wordes. Luk. 2.48. Thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. Not Ego & pater tuus I and thy father; but thy Father and I. The wife must give place to her Ioseph on earth that will have place with Mary in heaven.

Eight persons.] Thus much for the Qualitie of the persons, now for the quantitie of the number; Eight. Wherein wee must consider, first why so many as eight, then why so few as eight. Why so many; for the speedyer encrease of mankind. Why so few, because this was the whole number of the righteous and Beleevers.

Eight.] This was one cause why God reserved so many, that they might fructifie to the multiplication of mankind. But why were not Noah and his wife sufficient for that end? No, they were old, for Noah was sixe hundred yeares old when the floud came: and though he lived three hunred yeares after, yet we read not of any more children hee had. But the first world was begun and peopled by two and no more: why then were so many to begin the second world? I answer. 1. . God did so at the first, to shew that Act. 17.26. All mankinde came of one bloud, and that there was no originall difference betwixt man and man. Neither is this unobserved in the second beginning: for though the world was multiplied by three men, yet were they all brethren, and the sons of one man. In effect, as at first by Adam and Eve, so by Noah and his Wife, came all men in the world. 2. To begin the second world there were requisite more lines than one: because now the blessed seed was promised, and his line and kindred must be kept distinct from all other till his Incarnation. 3 . There was more cause why the world should be more speedily replenished, than at first. For the earth had some beauty and glory left it after the former curse; so that (though farre short of Paradise, yet) it was still to Adam a delightfull and pleasant habitation. But this second curse in the floud wash’d off all the remaining beautie, and made it a rude and unpolish’d desart. Nor was only the surface of it thus maimed, but the vertue almost quite perished, as land by long sugging under the waters, hath the heart of it eaten out. Therefore it is said, Gen. 9.19. that the earth was divided among the three sonnes of Noah: they lived not all together, but overspred the earth: for it required many hands and much labour to the recoverie of it. 4. Otherwise the beasts, which were then many, would have overgrowen the world, if it had not beene speedily replenished by their Lords.

For this cause were foure paires admitted into the Arke: not that Noah and his wife did there company together. Ambrose notes that they were not noted together in the going in, but in their comming out. Non commiscetur sexus in ingressu, Maeroris tempus, non laetitiae, Ambr. sed [commiscetur] in egressu. But indeed, that was a time of sorrow and abstinence: as the Hebrewes note, that Ioseph in Aegypt had not his children in the yeares of famine, but before.

Here then wee see the end of Marriage, which is Proles, Issue, to people the earth, which is the meanes to people heaven. Therefore is it called [Matrimonium]; because the married propose to themselves the titles of Father and Mother. Man is but a part of time, and therefore should not die till he hath left the world some in his roome. Cui non sunt Liberi, is reputatur quasi mortuus; in the Hebrew proverbe. Mans best art can only make dead things; there is no worke of his head or hand, whereinto he can put a life: saving onely in this; when he begets a son in his own Image, he is then said to make a living creature. Herein he doth not onely supply a place in Gods Church militant while he lives: but he also provides a souldier for the same field against he dies. Our bodies have no eternitie on this earth, but onely in respect of those fruits they produce. The Thracians used to rejoyce at the death, and to weepe at the birth, of their children: Ioh. 16.21. Gen. 5.29. But God teacheth us to rejoyce when a child is borne. Gen. 21.6. Leah bare one sonne, and called his name Reuben: a second, and called him Simeon: a third, and called him Levi: but when above expectation she bare the fourth, she purposely calls his name Iudah, and expressely protesteth, I 〈◊〉 praise the Lord.

It is the most perfect worke of all living things, to bring forth their like; to leave a seed behind, to preserve their Species, to continue their name and posterity upon earth, and to shadow out in some sort immortality it selfe, by perpetuating life from the father to the sonne, and sonnes sonne, for many generations to come. We can scarce say that man is dead, that hath left his living image behind him. A Reverend Divine compares those two trees in the hundred and twenty eighth Psalme, the Vine and Olive, to the two trees in Paradise; the Vine is the Wife, the Olive plants the Children. The one as the Tree of Knowledge of good and evill, for both these be in marriage: the other as the Tree of Life, for a man liveth in his children. Quid dulcius in humanis quàm gignere sibi similem, Aen. Sylv. quid beatius in terris quàm [natos videre] natorum? A wreath of children about the boord, like a round of Starres about the North-pole, or a Garland of Courtiers about the Throne. They are the walking-pictures, and speaking images of their parents: the wealth of the poore man, the honour of the rich. It is said of the Ostrich, Induratur in pullos tanquam non suos: Iob 39.16. Shee is hardned against her young ones, as though they were not hers: Parents unnaturall to their children, want the mercy of Sea-monsters; Lament. 4.3. who draw their brests, and give sucke to their young ones. Grant it true, that children be certaine cares, uncertaine comforts: and that the poore man calls them his Bills of expences: yet the trouble of Infants are sweet injuries to the mother; Injuries, but sweet. Deo & Parenti non redditur aequivalens. Ierome. They are Vincula, the bonds and pledges, to ratifie and confirme love betwixt man and woman. Alcibiades asked Socrates, How he could endure the scolding of his wife Xantippe: Socrates asked him, how hee could endure the cackling of his Hennes: Because, saith Alcibiades mine Hennes bring me forth chickens: but faith Socrates, my wife brings me forth children: this makes amends for all.

Eight Persons. We have heard the reason why so many as Eight were preserved: now consider, why so few. Even all Noahs Family, for Noahs sake. The righteous man procureth blessings, not onely to himselfe, but on all that belong to him . In the destruction of Sodome, Gen. 18.32. Ten had saved ten thousand. Gen 39.5. Potiphars was a Heathen, yet his house shall be blessed, because Ioseph is there. The Angels promise Lot, whomsoever he brought our, should escape for his sake. Among two hundred threescore and sixteene soules there was but one Paul; yet loe, Act. 27.24 God hath given the all that saile with thee. Zaccheus alone beleeved, yet this brought Luke 19.•. Salvation to his whole House.

I make no doubt, but Noahs Family were more orderly and religious, than the common inhabitants of the world. For he that was a Preacher to the whole earth, would not omit this duty to his owne house: and they that come into the Perfumers shop, shall (though against their wills) beare away some of the sent on their clothes. He that was carefull to provide an Arke for the preserving of their bodyes, would not neglect the provision of grace for the saving of their soules. Indeed carnall parents, to shew that they begat not their childrens soules, but their bodyes; provide usually for their bodyes, not for their soules. But as he that provides not for their temporall estate, 1 Tim. 5.8. is worse than any infidell: so he that provides not for their eternall state, is little better than a Devill. When a great portion is readied for them, diverse parents thinke they have done enough, and so they may turne them off. Indeed the world may take them thus, but the Lord will not take them thus, at their hands. Ioseph and Mary brought CHRIST to the Temple, when he was but a little one. Augustine professeth of his mother Monica, that with greater pangs of care the had laboured of him in her spirit, than in her body. Carne, ut in hanc lucem temporalem nascerer: Corde, ut in lucem aeternam renascerer. She travaild of him in her flesh, to bring him unto this light temporall: in her soule, to bring him unto the light eternall. Such mothers as Monica, will make such sonnes as Augustine. The Affricans did present their children, in their early yeares, before Serpents: if with their sight they scar’d away the serpents, they held them legitimate: if not, bastards. Too many parents trust their children with such impious society, that like Serpents sucke out their soules, without scarring their skines. Zeuxes having artfully painted a boy carrying grapes in a hand-basket, and set it abroad; the birds came and pecked at them, as if they had been true grapes. Whereat he being angry with himselfe, and his art, said; If I had drawne the boy, which was the principall of my worke, as well as the grapes, which were but a by-accident; the birds durst not have been so bold with them. Were parents as carefull to forme their childrens manners, as to fill their purses; those ravenous harpyes, the fowle spirits of the aire could not so violently seise on them. I say to every father, as Paul to Timothy; Serva depositum; looke to thy child, the pledge of Gods goodnesse; thy comfortablest Image in life and best monument after death. I commende guarding their persons, and regarding their estates: but howsoever those things succeed, let me so love my childrens bodyes on earth, that I may one day meete their soules in heaven.

Eight.] Among all these there was not one servant. What, none of Noahs [servants]? Some thinke he had none; and that the simplicity of those times required no attendance, but every man waited on himselfe.. This they collect from Gods charge to Noah; Gen. 7.•. Enter thou and all thy house into the Arke: and because not a [servant] entred, therefore conclude, that he had none in his house. But here is the wonder, that Noahs owne servants would not beleeve his preaching. They will rather sin and die with the world, than repent and be saved with their Master. Perhaps they did Noah service, and he might thinke well of them, because he could not discerne the heart: but they served not God, and were therefore lost. It is the good mans will, that all which serve him, should truly serve the Lord. Psal. 101.•.7. The faithfull shall dwell with me, and the upright shall serve mee. Hee that worketh deceit, shall not dwell in my house. It is an ill mixture in a family, when God shall have the Parlor, and Satan the Hall: when Saints pray in the Chamber, and ruffians sweare in the Celler: when Noah is calling upon GOD, and his family doing sacrifice to Bacchus. I confesse, that governors are but men; they have but two eyes, and cannot see into all places. But when their care is that God be honoured, their houses well ordered, and all Christian offices solemnely performed; though the successe answere not their endevours, in bringing their servants to heaven; yet their owne soules shall be saved in the day of Iesus Christ.

Eight.] What then became of those that built this vessell? Certainly, as Noah was no sailer to guide it, so no carpenter to build it. The Smith, the Carpenter, and many cunning workmen, were hired to frame it: nor Smith, nor Carpenter, nor any [other] workman was saved by it. Gen. 6.21. It must be exceeding labour to bring in sufficient provision, for the innumerable kinds of creatures there reserved; and not a few were imployed in this service; not one of them tasted this prouision. More hands went to this worke than Noahs: many wrought on the Arke, that found no safety by the Arke. Outward works cannot deliver us, without our faith: men may helpe to save others; and perish themselves. And as diverse hearers are like the Pinacles on the Belfrey; when men begin to ring, they begin to quake; but continue ringing, they stand as still as stones, their feare is past. So some Preachers may be like the bells, that ring others to Church, and come themselves no neerer than the steeple. Or like high Spires and Pinacles, that point upward, and poise downeward. God will shut up beleeving Noahs in that Arke, which others have built: who are like foolish porters, that have the keyes, and open the gates to let in others, and never mind going in themselves. It is happy so to build up Sion, that we may dwell in Sion: so to set others forward to heaven, that we be not behind our selves. As Theodosius said, he had rather be a true member of the Church, than Head of the Empire: it is better to be one of the Eight saved in the Arke, than one of the hundreds commended for their admirable skill in building it.

Eight.] Among these few there was one hypocrite; Ham: yet was he preserved with the rest for Noahs sake. Such is the mercy of God, that not one good man shall perish with the bad; yet one bad man shall be spared with the good. The righteous shall never be swept away for company, yet the unrighteous are often forborne for company. The ship may be in danger because Iudas is there: but Iudas shall scape because Iesus is there. O that of a perishing world but Eight should be selected, and that one of those Eight should prove a wicked man! That Ham after all this should so profanely offend! That neither the wrath of God in destroying the world should humble him: nor the mercy of God in his deliverance should better him! There is nothing to be said, but the Lord chuseth whom he will; and when the unrighteous perish, yet Thou remainest holy, O thou worship of Israel.

Eight.] Of the whole world, no more saved? a miserable spectacle! See what sinne can doe; bring many millions to Eight persons in a short time. Though Israel were as the Starres in Salomons dayes, yet brought to a Esa. •.12. Tenth. David would number them, but the Lord soone decreased them. Let us never glory in our multitudes, for if our sins provoke him, God can easily make us few enough. Though our streetes were sowne with men, and our children grew up like young plants, or grapes in unnumbred clusters: yet the Lord can melt them as snow in the sunne, mow downe the flowers, empty the Land of fathers, and leave no widowes to make lamentation for them. So that Esa. 13.12. a man shall be more precious than the gold of Ophir. But if we faile in our numbers, yet we hope for supply from our neighbours? No, let not our adherence with man, endanger our conjunction with God. He can reduce many thousands to few, as he did to Iudg. 7.4. Gideon; that the glory might be his. He that could narrow up a whole world to Eight, can bring a kingdome to two, to one, to none. If thousands runne on the course of disobedience, they shall quickly enough be diminished.

Eight.] Lastly, heare is figured out to us the paucitie of soules that shall be saved. Many are called, few chosen. The gate of blisse is narrow, and few enter into it. My flocke is a little flocke: little in respect of the number drowned in the deluge of sinne . Questionlesse, as small as it is, every one hopes well of himselfe: and if Noah had foretold this definite number to that world, all would have presumed, I am one of the Eight. When blacke and ravenous ruine spreds her dismall wings to sweepe away the wicked; few tremble: for they conceit themselves to be none of the forlorne crew. Yet what is the common religion of the world? To say the Creed is all their faith; to pay what they must needs, all their equity: to say Be filled, all their charity: to take their owne, all their mercy: to give faire words, all their bounty: to carry a formall profession, all their piety: to cry God mercy, all their penitence: and to come to Church, all their conscience: but will all this bring them 〈…〉 number of Eight? None belong to the Arke, but the members of CHRIST: none are his members, but they be in the body of his Church: none are of his body, but they live by his Spirit: none have that life, but they walke after the Spirit: none so walke, but their consciences be clensed: none are thus pure, but they have repented: none have repented, unlesse they forsake their sins: and none forsake their sins, but they must needs have amended lives.

Haply each thinkes, I am in as good case as others, I shall speed as well as my neighbours: so might the old world tell their fellowes; and they all sped alike indeed, in one common destruction. But it is not good to venture all our estate in one uncertaine bottome, to hazard our eternall being upon the exemplary practise of the multitude. Noah beleeved alone, when all the world contested against him; and Noah was saved alone, when all the world perished without him. Who would not rather affie Gods word with one singular Noah, than be incredulous with the whole world, and perish? Magna plenitudo hominum, sed magna solitudo bonorum. Sinners so swarme, that there is scarce elbow-roome for the righteous. 1 Pet. 8.18. But if the righteous shall scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and sinner appeare? The righteous are scarce, and even their salvation is scarce; and shall not sinners tremble? Matth. 7.13. Strive to enter in at the straite gate. There is a Difficultie, it is strait: but a Possibilitie, it is a gate; and a gate was made for entrance. O then let us get assurance to our consciences, that we are some of those few. Doe we groane and bleed for our errors? do we strive to rectifie our lives? doe were solutely detest our sins? doe we implore grace by our prayers? doe we consecrate to God our hearts? doe we rest upon CHRIST by our faiths? doe we follow after holinesse with our endevours, and love the Lord with all our soules? We shall then feele, what no tongue of man can expresse; the sweet testimonie of the Holy Ghost to our consciences: that we are wrap’d up in the bundle of life, sealed to the day of redemption: and how few soever escape destruction, wee are of the number that shall find salvation; through the mercies and merits of IESUS CHRIST.

The Mysterie of Noahs Arke.

THis miraculous preservation hath also a mysticall sense; and serves for the Instruction and consolation of the militant Church unto the worlds end. There is in a Text, as in a Tree; the bud, blossome, fruite: a literall, a spirituall, and a morall sense. Cant. 4.16. Awake O North-wind, and come thou South, blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out: let my beloved come into his garden, and eate his pleasant fruites. In a literall sense, Salomons Queene desires a pleasant garden to delight her husband. In a spirituall sense, the Church intreats the Holy Ghost, that wind which blowes where he pleaseth, to blow upon, and enlarge her graces, that CHRIST, her husband, may take pleasure in her. In a morall sense, she would have all her children bring forth store of fruites, good workes that they might be blessed of their father. Psal. 45.10. O daughter, forget thine owne people, and thy fathers house. Literally, it is spoken to Pharaohs daughter, to forget Aegypt wherein she was bred and borne, and to adhere to her husband Salomon. Mystically, it speakes to the Church, to forget this world, wherein she was borne an Egyptian, blacke with sins: and cleave faithfully to her beloved CHRIST, who had now with his owne bloud washed her faire, and greatly desired her beautie. So that under the title of Pharaohs daughter, heare what the Spirit speaketh to the Church. Cant. 4.9. Thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chaine of thy necke. Literally, corporall beautie is commended; chaines, jewels, ornaments allowed: spiritually, graces, the beauties of the soule; and good workes, the beautie of graces, are required. Only here is the difference betweene other Trees and the Tree of life. They first bud, then blossome, then send forth fruite: Kevel. 22.2. but the tree of life hath all these at once. Yea further, as in a tree there is the barke and the pith: so in a Text are Quaedam adjacentia, some things that lie on the upper face: and Quaedam in haerentiae, some things in the bowels of it. Thus Noahs Arke literally served for the temporall deliverance of their bodies: spiritually it taught them the eternall deliverance of their soules: mystically it presignifies to us the deliverance of both our bodies and soules from the vengeance due to our sinnes. As a Musician therefore, first tries the sound of his Instrument, before hee playes the lesson: so now having delivered the literall sound, I come to the mysticall sense.

Herein let us observe first what it taught them, next what it must teach us. It instructed them in two things.

First, it was a pledge of Gods love to their soules: for he that was so carefull to save their bodies from the floud of water, gave them certaine hope that he would save their soules from the fire of hell. The preservation of that which was mortall and inferior, was a strong argument that the other should be safe, which was immortall and farre more precious. When a house is on fire, he that redeemeth the Cabinet, will not lose the Iewell in it. Let it be granted, that God doth sometimes reprieve the wicked from temporall plagues, and binds them over to the Generall Session: yet is Davids inference good; Psal. 41.11. By this I know thou favourest me, because mine enemie doth not triumph over me: from mercie to his body, he argues grace to his soule. We cannot conclude by inversion, that whom God doth not free from temporall judgements, he will not free from eternall: none are to be judged for outward miserie. 2 King. 4.27. Let her alone, for her soule is troubled, and the Lord hath hid it from me. The cause of their troubles is hid from us. Iob 16.4. If your soule were in my soules stead, I could heape up words against you, and shake my head at you: I could, but I would not. Quod nos in malum, Deus saepe destinavit in bonum. But from a lesse benefite to a greater, is a good collection of faith. When the faithfull of Israel saw the LORDS arme in delivering them from Aegypt, they beleeved that he would bring them into Canaan. He that hath freed us from superstition, certainely meanes us to salvation.

Secondly, it was a confirmation of their faith and obedience. Without obedience in building the vessell, without faith in beleeving the promise, they saw no hope of preservation. This taught them for afterwards, what precept soever was imposed, to obey it: what promise soever was made, to trust upon it. And what could bee strange to their confidence, that had of miraculous mercie so late an experience? Some professe they beleeve the pardon of their sins; yet feare the want of bread, or sinke under some light burden of sorrow. Is any load so heavy, as the pressure of sin? O the waight of one sin is too much for the supportation of one man. Now hath CHRIST borne the talent, and can he not bare the dramme? Shall we trust him with our wounds, and not with our medicines? Hath he given us the bread of life, and can he not give us the bread of earth? Shall we say with the lusting Iewes; Psal. 78.20. Hee gave us streames from the rocke, but can he give flesh to his people? Consider, will Christ deny flesh to our bodies, that hath given his owne flesh to our soules? Hath he performed such Soveraigne pieces of gold, and will he sticke at farthing tokens? Rom. 8.32. He that spared not his owne Sonne for us, what good thing will be deny us? Doe we trust in the Lord for the remission of our sins, the resurrection of our bodies, and the everlasting salvation of our soules: and distrust him in a feaver, in a scandall, in a fit of want? Certainely if he have vouchsafed us that great mercie to make us his own; he hath given the whole army of afflictions more inviolable charge concerning us, than David gave his hoste concerning Absalom; See ye doe the young man, my Son Absalom, no harme: looke you never hurt them whom I have adopted.

Thus for them, now for our selves. This Arke hath also a symbolicall sense, a spirituall use. It was a Type and figure of Christs Church: out of which there is no hope of salvation, as out of the Arke was inevitable destruction. Examine we the resemblances.

1 All that were preserved, were within the Arke: all that shall be saved, must be of the Church. In that great deluge, when Omnia Pontus erat, deerant quo que littora ponto, there was no other possibility of escaping: in the huge pond and vast sea of this world, there is no hope of redemption but by Iesus Christ. Either we must be incorporate into Christ, or reprobate with the world. Acts 2.47. The Lord addes to the Church daily such as shall bee saved: to the Church militant, all soules that shall bee crowned in the Church triumphant. As for them that were out of the Arke, no gold could buy their preservation: no holes could hide them, no hills helpe them, no houses hold them, nothing in the world, not the world it selfe could save them. So for them that be out of Christ, no riches can bestead them, no honors secure them, no policie can deliver them, no refuges can shelter them, no friends, no favour can doe them good; but they must perish in the flood of GODS eternall vengeance. What succour had they by the mountaines, or by taking hold on the highest Cedars, whom the Arke received not? Such helpe shall men find in those worldly things wherein they have trusted, when God shall find them out of his Church. What reliefe in their honours, upon whose foreheads the sunne of promotion wantonly playes: As if that arme should never ake, that weares a silken sleeve: nay as if the highest hills were not most subject to the lightning-flashes. For the covetous, that like a spider eviscerates herselfe, spends her owne bowels in making a webbe to catch a flie; how foolish is his confidence in that, which he knowes will never faile him but when he hath most need! Alas, he cannot buy Christ with it; and therefore must expect Simon Magus doome; Thou and thy money perish together. Acts 4.12. There is no other name given to men under heaven, to bee saved by, but the name of Iesus. Nothing in nature, nothing in art, nothing in the world, no other creature, no other Name. In vaine they thinke to saile in their cockboates, or swimme with their windy bladders: every heresie is a little barke by it selfe, and while it is not troubled, it goes on with proud sailes like a Merchants ship: but vexed you shall find it a man of warre. Every factious and discontented humour is like a bladder, which the peevish refractary puts under his arme, and he will not be beholden to the Arke for passage, he can swimme to shore. Let such sullen spirits heare and feare: as a man will not admit that person to his house, who loves not his family: so they that forsake the Church, must be forsaken of Christ.

2 As God was the Pilot of the Arke, so CHRIST is the Governour of the Church. The superstitious Romanists have their severall Saints for severall services; for the Teeth, Apollonia; for Souldiers, Saint Maurice; for Sea-men, Saint Nicholas. As those grosse Idolaters in Heathen times, marshalled their gods into severall rankes; allotting Heaven for Iupiter, Hell for Pluto, and the Sea for Neptune. But the Lord is all in all to us: our Pilot on the Sea, our Captaine on the Land. Wee tender not our petitions to the no gods of the Gentiles, or ot the moe gods of the Papists: we doe not trouble the blessed Virgin for every thing, as if her Sonne Iesus were still a Babe, and not able to helpe us: but we goe to Christ for all. That same Ship in the Prophet, Ioh. 1.5. Every man calling upon his god; is a map or module of Rome: one calling on Saint Francis, another on Saint Anthony, &c. But if wee love learning, the Lord is our Gregory, the God of Wisdome: if Souldiers, hee is our Mars and Maurice, the Lord of Hoasts: if Marriners, he is our Neptune and Nicholas; that Mat. 8.27. commands the winds and seas, and they obey him. As Caesar said to the trembling Marriner; Confide nauta, Caesarem vehis: Be not afraid, thou carriest Caesar. So, O Church be comforted; He that is in thee, for thee, with thee, that guides thee, that will save thee, is the Invincible King IESUS CHRIST.

3 The matter of the Arke was not every kinde of wood, but the Pine: nor is every one admitted into the Church, but such as the Lord hath chosen: Ioh. 1.13. Which are not borne of bloud, nor will of the flesh, but of the will of God. Ex quolibet ligno non fit Mercurius: the Lord often leaves the loftie Cedar, that over-lookes the rest with an imperious top: and the sturdy Oke, him that will not stoope to his Word: the melancholy Ewe, the hollow-hearted Elderne, the intractable Thorne, the hypocriticall Ivie, that by embracing the tree, suckes out the heart of it. He chuseth the Vine for his Orchard, the Pine for his Arke: he first hewes us out of the wildernesse of Sinne, takes away the ruggednesse of our nature, and having planed us by grace, puts us into his Church, Epiph. where we fit with the rest in unanimous obedience.

4 The Arke consisted of many pieces of wood joyned together: Non ex [uno] ligno constat navis: Nor doth the Church consist of one man, or one sort of men; but Rev. 7.9. of every nation, and kindred, language and people. Many soules compacted into one body, many Christians into one communion of Saints. And all these make but one Arke, one Church. One World shewes that there is but one God: one God that there is but one Church: one Church, that there is but one Truth. Therefore is it called Columna Veritatis, and Columba unitatis: The sweetest musike consists of many well-tuned voices: Aug. if there be any jarring and contentious spirit, he is out of tune, none of the Christian consort. Let us live as we sing, and our hearts goe with our voyces; this is the Concent of the Church. God doth seldome divide his graces among divided spirits: if we will not beat one with our selves, he will not be at one with us. A shieveld threed is hardly got thorow the needles-eye. The Spirit is one, and said to speake Luk. 1.70. by the mouth of all the Prophets; not Per ora, sed Per os; as if all the Prophets had but one Mouth; to shew the singular harmony of their concord. That Spirit which came in a Dove will not come but upon a Dove. When wee delight in discord, our assemblings are dissemblings, our convocations provocations, every man vultuous, wedded to a wife that fooles him, Selfe-will: here is as little argument of a Christian congregation, as the confusion of Babel was like the harmonie of the Temple. An unsquared stone, a warping boord, a jarring spirit, must not be put into the building of Christ.

5 The Arke was pitched within and without, the better to keepe out the water. So must every Christian be joyned into the Body, with Profession and Sinceritie: sound-habited without, sound-hearted within. Nor profession, nor sincerity, are sufficient asunder; both doe well together. Iericho was pleasant of situation, but the 2 Kin. 2.19. Springs were naught: many mens profession is faire, but the fountaine, the heart is infected. Laish was a barren turfe, but the heart of the ground was good, had it beene tilled: so some have a little religion hid in their consciences, but for want of husbanding their graces, it perisheth. But God cannot abide a wanton Christian: A wanton Iew, Turke, Pagan, is bad enough; but none so intolerable as a wanton Christian, As in many things we sinne all; so in some things we may obey all: but one line makes no Geometry, nor doth one act put Christianity. Neither the timber rotten at the heart, how faire soever to the eye, nor the timber crooked and ill-favoured to the eye, how sound soever at the heart; shall be put into Christs Arke. To be good, and not to appeare: to appeare good, and not to be; is not the way to glorify God, or for him to glorify us.

6 In the Arke were diverse roomes, so in the Church are diverse places and gifts, as in heaven there be diverse mansions. Many distinct offices in a ship; the Pilot, Captaine, Boat-swaine, Marriners; concurre all in one care for the preservation of the vessell. 1 Cor. 12.28. Eph. 4.11. In the Church be Apostles, Prophets, Pastors, Teachers; yet all tend to the Edification of the body of Christ. There is nothing more endangers confusion, than for one to intrude into anothers roome: displacing the members from their proper faculties and functions. When the rude hinde will be a counsellor of State, the ignorant sectary be made a Bishop, and Iack Cade a Iustice of peace. It is no easie wisdome, rightly to distinguish our owne office: all parts have their severall functions; and Tractent fabrilia fabri. The foote must not usurpe the office of the hand, nor the hand intrude upon the office of the head. Aliud plectrum, aliud Sceptrum. So looke to others vineyards, that thou be sure to Cant. 1.6. keepe thine owne. If we be Christs faithfull souldiers, let us keepe our station, and fight it out with victorious courage. What roome in the ship soever is assigned us, let us make that good. In Gods Arithmeticke there be no cyphers, we must be something on earth, or we shall be nothing in heaven.

7 In the Arke were beasts cleane and uncleane: in the Church are sinners blended among the righteous: Mat. 13.25. The Lord did sow good seed in his field, whence then hath it tares? The divell hath no ground of his owne, but he soweth in Gods field, and upon Gods seed: so the corruption of the good, is the generation of the bad. These tares are not of Gods sowing; it is none of his fault. Gen. 1.31. All that hee made, was exceeding good. The Church militant is an heaven, but on earth; therefore not without the fire-brands of hell. Let no man leave Gods floore, because there is some chaffe, nor breake his net because there is some baggage: nor run out of his field, because there is some cockle: nor depart from his house, because there be some vessels of dishonour. God would have spared a Citie for Gen. 18.32. August. ten good ones, and shall wee refuse a Church for ten bad ones? Fugio paleam, ne hoc sim: non aream, ne nihil sim. I avoid the chaffe, lest I become chaffe: I keepe the floore, lest I become nothing. This their accusation of the Church is vaine; if men cannot prove it, they shame themselves: if they do prove it, they deny Christ: for his cleare answer was a Sinite [crescere], Let both grow together till the harvest. Either because the bad may turne good: God can make a Luther of a Monke; a St. Augustine of a Maniche. Or because the good are exercised and tried by the bad. If Arrius had not held a Trinity of substances with a Trinity of persons: and Sabellius, an Vnity of persons with an Unitie of essence; the mysteries of the Trinity had not beene so cleerely explained by those great lights of the Church. If Rome had not so violently obtruded her merits, the doctrine of justification by faith in Christ onely, might have bin lesse digsted in mens hearts. We may say here, as Aug. doth of Carthage & Rome. Magis nocuit Romanis Carthagotam citò eversa, quàm prius nocuerat tam diu adversa. If som enemies had not contested against the Church, it might have gone worse with the Church. But let them, beare the rack of their own fancies, whose schismatical torn opinions are stitched together with a skain of sisters threed, and rounded with the bobbin-lace and selvedge of reformation. Criticall quarrels argue hypocriticall hearts: and if they prevent it not by humility and unity, the Arkeholds none so uncleane as themselves.

8 The Arke was tossed of the waves, and all the stormes of the world spent their furies upon it, yet could it not be overwhelmed. When the windes, waters, weathers, had done their worst, still Noahs preservation was sure. The more the water rose against it, the more the Arke rose above it: and the higher it was raised by the floud, the safer it was from the danger of hils and rockes. In the midst of water it was saved from water, and the danger it selfe was made a defence against the danger. Thus sure of salvation is every one in Christ, nothing can crosse it. The deluge of calamities may assault us, but they shall exalt us. The more they seeke to presse us downe, the more they shall lift us up: the neerer they would sinke us to hell, the higher they shall advance us to heaven. Through all the gusts of tentations, and flouds of afflictions, wee shall be borne safe in Christs Arke. Iohn 10.28. Nothing shall pluck them out of my hand. Satan cannot, he is cast out: tyrants cannot, for if we suffer, we conquer: sinne cannot, for grace abounds above sin: sicknesse cannot, God is strongest when we are weakest. Death cannot, that serpent hath lost the sting. Indeed Non minus vita sine luctibus, quàm mare sine fluctibus. All our voyage is a tempestuous navigation: the shore from which we lanch, is our nativity: the Port whither we are bound, supernall felicity: the sea we must passe, full of raging calamity: the ship wherein we saile, full of sweet security. There will be crosse windes, but let us rest in the Arke, the Church; and trust in the Pilot, Christ: and our danger is not halfe so sure as our deliverance: we may faile of grievous afflictions upon earth, we shall not faile of glorious salvation in heaven.

9 Noahs body being entred into the Arke, seemed there a dead man: that vessell being a grave or tombe unto him, wherein he was buried. Yet was that by Gods appointment, the meanes to save him, which in all reason seemed to bury him. And if Noah will be safe, he must goe into this sepulcher, and be buried in the Arke, as the Arke in the water. So must there be in us a mortification of lusts, and buriall of our corruptions: and there is no way to everlasting life but this. The soule cannot live, while the sin doth live: one of the two must die, the corruption or the person. Thus is death the way to life; and mortification of lust, to the resurrection of blisse. He that thus dieth not, never lives: and he that is not thus buried, never riseth againe with comfort.

In how wretched an estate then are many, that scarce know what mortification meanes; unlesse it be to mortifie grace, and to bury all holinesse. The old man raignes, and the new man serves: corruption lives, and grace is dead. To mortifie goodnesse by our sins, this is common: but to mortifie our sinnes by goodnesse, this is rare. What a preposterous change is this? Christ should live in us, and we crucifie him againe: sin should be crucified in us, and that liveth. But this is a true saying; He that will live when he is dead, must die while he is alive. Proceed we then after this spirituall death, to the buriall of our sins. It was the manner of the Iewes, to bury their dead with odors: bury we sin with the Incense of our prayers against it, that it may never returne upon us. Only two things let us avoid in the buriall of our sinnes, which we observe in the buriall of our friends. 1. When we bury our friends, we doe it with mourning, to testifie our loves, that we are loth to part with them. Our sins must not be so buryed; no sorrow at their departure: no man weepes to lose an enemie, nor grieves to be rid of a Tyrant. Shall we sorrow, to lose the proper cause of our sorrow? It was good newes for Israel, that Sisera was dead in the Tenths of Iael; and Deborah sings; So perish all thine enemies, O Lord. [Sepeliuntur] cum gaudio, quae non retinentur sine periculo. Let them be buried with joy, that cannot be kept without danger. 2. When we interre the bodyes of our friends, it is done in hope that they shall rise againe: by no meanes, so bury we our sins; let there be no desire of their resurrection: wrong not the Sepulchers of the dead, let them sleepe for ever. Otherwise, like Iudas, and Demas, and such hypocrites; they bury them not in their forgotten graves, but in their owne hearts. And so Cum surgent corpora, resurgent & peccata; their sins shall rise with their bodies, and goe with them to judgement.

Lastly, the Apostle compares is to Baptisme: that which was Noahs Arke to them, the same is Baptisme to us: the Arke saved them, Baptisme saveth us. 1 Pet. 3.21. The like figure whereunto, &c. The particular Instance, or point of reference is Baptisme; the Generall is the Church. For Baptisme no otherwise saveth us, than as it is a seale of our admission into the Church, and incorporating into Christ. Therefore it is a Synechdochicall speech, the part for the whole, the doore for the house, Baptisme for the Church.

Baptisme is the doore of entrance into this Arke; therefore the sacred Font is commonly placed neere the Temple doore. As in Salomons Temple were three roomes, the Porch, the Body, and the Holy of holies; and they must passe thorow the one into the other. So in Christianitie, we cannot enter the Holiest of all, but by the Church; nor into the Church, but by the Porch of Baptisme. There must first be shipping, then sailing, last of all arriving: we must be shipped with Christ by Baptisme, saile with him the Pinnasse of the Church, or else not arrive at the coast of eternall blessednesse.

The end of Baptisme is double; Principall and lesse principall. The principall is to assure us of two things. First, the remission of our sins; Act. 2.38. Be baptised in the name of Iesus, for the remission of sinnes. And next, that wee are within Gods covenant, partakers of his grace here, and of his glory hereafter. The lesse principall consists in three things. 1. To note a distinction betweene Christians and Infidels: a cognisance or liverie to tell the world, whose servants we are; the Colours of that Generall under whom we fight. 2. To be the bond of Christian societie. Eph. 4.5. Keepe the unitie of the Spirit in the bond of peace: Why? Because there is One faith, One Baptisme. We are all baptised into one Christ; the remembrance of our Baptisme is enough to stay contention. 3. It is a profession of homage to that God, even those three persons, in whose Name we are baptised. And it is a holy memoriall of Christs baptising in the sea of his Fathers wrath for us.

Ioh. 3.5. Except a man be borne of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into heaven. As the Spirit is an inward necessary cause, so Baptismall water is an outward necessary meanes, of our regeneration. It incorporates us to Christ; Vt susceptus à Christo, Leo. & Christum suscipiens, non idem sit post lavacrum, qui fuit ante baptismum: sed corpus [regeniti], fit caro crucifixi: so that the body of the baptised, is become the flesh of him that was crucified. The day of the Infants baptising, is the day of his marriage; wherein he is made the Spouse of CHRIST by the union of the Spirit. As Christ was made our flesh Nascendo, by being borne: so we are made his flesh Renascendo, by being new borne. The Spirit being in the new birth instead of a Father, and water [in] stead of a Mother.

As there is a long Antiquitie of Sacraments, so a speciall necessitie. For Antiquity; in Paradise was a Tree of knowledge, and a Tree of life: both Sacramentall trees. For necessitie; as a man consists of two parts, one visible, the other invisible: so respondent be the meanes to draw him to heaven, the Word and Sacraments: and a Father calls the Sacrament, Verbum Visible, a visible word. Aug. We fell from God to Satan by visible things; God brings us backe from Satan to himselfe by visible things. Wherein we may see the infirmity of our natures; the Lord is faine to stay us up by many helpes: the word for our eares, the Sacraments for our eyes. If we see a house held up by props, pinnes, columnes and supporters; we say, it is certainely old, sere, and weake of it selfe.

I doe not enforce an absolute necessitie of this, as if God could not save us without it. Of it owne vertue it hath no such power to salvation; water of it selfe being readyer to drowne, than to save; especially the Infant being dipped into it. No man concludes the Innocents out of the Arke to be damned and cast into hell; so nor the Infants of Christians that die unbaptised. It pleaseth the Lord to admit Infants to baptisme, though they be not able to answere for themselves. And as it was in his Iustice to impute my sin to my child, to make it guilty: so it pleaseth his mercie to take my faith for my child, to make it holy.

Prov. 31.8. Open thy mouth for the dumbe, in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction. Still the Lord requires our speech for those speechlesse little ones; whom the bloudy Papists appoint to destruction. They cannot answere for themselves; but the Lord Iesus, when he was on earth, spake for them; and he hath sent us to pleade their cause. They have those great Dukes and Peeres of heaven for their Patrons, Mat. 18.10. The Angels: and shall we be silent.

Parents love to heare well of their childrens states in this life, much more should they enquire of their state to come. The greater their joy in them, the greater their sorrow for them; especially when they fall sicke in the field, and die at home; as the 2 King. 4.20 Shunamites sonne: but more especially if like 2 Sam. 12.18. Davids son, they die without the Sacrament. Then their ignorance and distrust puts them into a hopelesse griefe: as if they were of the stocke of Ismael, and not the seed of Israel. And even those that will not keepe their houres with God and the Church, in respect of state and outward complement; yet take on with God and man if their children misse baptisme. I would they did thinke of that womans speech to Elias; 1 King. 17.18. Art thou come to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son? that God in slaying their sonnes, brings to remembrance their sins. But that good Lord, who punisheth our neglect, shewes mercie to those little ones. They often vanish from us in a night, before we have scarce looked on their faces: but the God of compassion, who pities them in Ashur and Niniveh, will he forget the seed of Christians? We misse them in our armes, behold they are in the armes of God. They are plucked from the mothers bosome, but unto Abrahams bosome: translated from a cradle below, to a Throne of immortalitie above. How oft doth a friend among men, take a babe from the poore feeble mother, and bring it up as his own; as Pharaohs daughter did Moses! And shall not God take a child from the wombe, or waine it from the brest, to have it nursed in heaven, lest it should finde ill bringing up here?

Let this comfort parents against that unmercifull doctrine of Rome; teaching that if children dye on earth without baptisme, they must dye hereafter without mercy. That infants who cannot speake or doe ill, whose flesh is but new quickned in the wombe, or bones scarce gristled out of the wombe; should passe from the darkenesse of the wombe, to outer darkenesse for ever; this is the voice of the Deagon goared with bloud. The Lambe of God speakes better things, and gives his bloud to these little lambes. David grieved for the child sick, but desired not respite of life for circumcision: and though the child dyed on the seventh day, (which had beene terrible, if the want of a day had lost it for ever) yet hee then ceased mourning.

Iosh. 5.5. The children of Israel forbore circumcision forty yeeres, during all their journey in the wildernesse: will they pronounce damnatory sentence on all them? If not, why then on ours? Hath the state of the Gospell lesse mercy and pitty than the Law? Goes it harder with the infants under Christ, than under Moses? They had a set day for circumcision, the eight: we have none defined: hath not the Lord in this left it freer? Those infant Martyrs, to whose memory they observe a feast as to Saints; desired nor Baptisme, nor their friends for them; much lesse that baptisme of bloud; but their hearts rather bled for it: yet are they glorious in heaven. Iohn Baptist seemes not to have beene baptised himselfe, by his answer to Christ, Mat. 3.14. I have need to be baptised of thee, and commest thou to mee? Gods love is no fancie that the want of baptisme may breake off. It were heavy for the poore child to be lost for the Parents or Ministers negligence.

To say that Baptisme even the most ritually and formally administred, saveth of it selfe, is to deifie it, and to make a god of the water, with the Gentiles. But the Lord saveth, and when he pleaseth, without that Luk. 19.9. This day is salvation come to this house; he is also the sonne of Abraham, saith Christ of Zaccheus. This day, and yet that was not the day of his baptisme: he was made the son of Abraham, yet was not washed in Iordan. The Eunuch by faith, Cornelius by devotion, Lydea by obedience, received grace before baptisme. Mary Magdalen, that scowred on to sin as if seven devils drove her, with tyde, winde, and saile; found mercy before baptisme; Luk. 7.50. Thy faith hath saved thee, goe in peace: Thy faith, not thy baptisme.

True sanctification may be without the visible signe, as the visible signe may be without true sanctification. Alzim. One of their side saith, Necessity is two fold. 1. Absolute, as meate is for life. 2. Or convenient, as a horse is for a journey: Baptisme is necessary this last way. Yea, a great peale of their owne voyces doth repeale that mercilesse sentence; which like Herod, hath sent out a decree against young infants: who because they enjoy but a little of this life, must lose all the next: Indeed Mar. 16.16. Hee that beleeveth and is baptised, shall be saved: but it is added withall; Hee that beleeveth not, whether baptised or no, shall be damned.

To conclude let us make a double use of this; the one for obedience, the other for faith. The former is a direction for our obedience, that we use the appointed meanes, Baptisme. The other for our faith, that we build not our salvation upon Baptisme, but upon Gods election and grace.

1 For Obedience; Baptisme cannot be wilfully neglected without great sinne. Let us neither with the Papists make it absolutely necessary: nor with the Manichees, wholly unnecessary: nor inconvenient with the Anabaptists, because they are children and cannot professe. But seeing children have sinne they ought to be washed; and seeing they belong to God they ought to be sealed. Seeing the Lord hath commanded it, let us performe it. Seeing he hath promised the washing away of sin, by powring on of water: let us powre on water for the washing away of sinne. Otherwise. we despise not the Minister of the Signe, but the God of both Signe and Minister: and for those that refuse the Signe, it is a signe they refuse the grace: and deserve the reproofe of Ahaz, Esa. 7.13. Is it a small thing to grieve men, but you will grieve God also? This was the condemnation of the Pharisies and Lawyers: Luk. 7.30. They rejected the counsell of God against themselves, in this very point of not being baptised of Iohn. It is not onely the bare element, but the power of GOD with it, his wisdome to establish it, his constancie to maintaine it, his holinesse to sanctifie it, and his mercy to blesse it.

When Time, Place, Minister, all things concurre, let not us be wanting. They are young flowers, soone nipped by deaths cold hand. Perhaps some humane additions we dislike, yet know that this overthrowes not the ordinance of God. The foundation is sure what stubble soever be built upon it: fire shall purge that, Gods institution shall save thee. If thou maist have it pure and uncompounded, so take it: if otherwise, doe not refuse it: let no ceremony of man prejudice the ordinance of God.

And as we honour the Sacrament, so let us honour the word: for that must goe with the element, to make a Sacrament. The word hath saved some without baptisme; what men hath baptisme saved without the word? The promise of the Gospell is the writing, baptisme the seale. The certainty of the writing is from the Seale, but the validity of the Seale is from the writing. Indeed, neither writing nor Seale can save, without the Holy Ghost to apply them. In Baptisme, as in Ioh. 5.4. Cypri. Bethesda, if the Spirit move on the face of the waters, then there is healing. The serpent prevaileth against us in Sicco, in the dry ground: but in Aqua, in the water, hee loseth all his venome: satans malicious power is lost in the Sacramentall waters.

2 For faith, depend wee upon the election of GOD, which shall stand with meanes, if he afford it; without meanes, if he deny it. Among men, first the conditions are agreed upon, then the seale is annexed: so God first receiveth into covenant, and then sealeth. Men first possesse their sheepe, then marke them: first we muster up souldiers, then levy out some, and give them presse-money. The father being a good Land-lord, after the grant of a Tenement to a poore man, dies without sealing it. Yet the right dies not, seeing an honest son commeth in place, who will be a confirmation to his fathers promise, a seale to his grant. God the father hath granted a covenant of grace to the beleever and his seed, promised them an estate of life in his Son Iesus: though haply the young seed be prevented of this outward seale, Baptisme; yet the good Son Christ will performe to them his Fathers promise, and seale them up to eternall life. The claime of the proprietary is good albeit no actuall marke be set upon his goods. The marke of God is invisible; 2 Tim. 2.9. He knowes them that are his, and Ioh. 10.28. my sheepe shall never perish, nor shall any man pluck them out of my hand. Not a sheepe not the least lambe of a day old, yea, not that which is scarce eaned and brought into the world. Rev. 12.4. The Dragon stood before the woman, which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soone as it was borne: he watched upon the very birth, yet the child was caught up to God, and to his Throne. If the sin of the first Adam could bring an everlasting taint upon them, why cannot the bloud of the second Adam wipe it out for ever? The infant cannot reason, yet hath it the seed of reason: it hath a soule, though it know not so much; why then may it not have faith? Children must come to Christ: what children? Mat. 19.14. little ones, that have but little reason; yet Theirs is the kingdome of heaven. If so, then are they cleane, for Rev. 21.27. No uncleane thing shall enter that holy Citie: now what clenseth but faith? This faith then they have after a miraculous inspiration, by that blessed Iohn 3.8. Wind that bloweth, it selfe pleaseth where, and gets in no man knowes how. Draco’s lawes altogether concluded in death: death for this, death for that, nothing but the fatall noise of death. But Christ is no Dragon, he is rather a Lambe that takes away the sins of the world, a world of sins: much more will he heale these little lambes of his flocke. Heb. 12.24. The bloud of Abell crieth for vengeance, but Christ crieth with a stronger and more gracious voice; my bloud for all bloud, my body for all sin, even of mine enemies: If he were an Herod in his butcherly doome, Rachel might weepe and make lamentation for her little ones, and refuse comfort, because they are not. If the grave and hell, those Ministers of vengeance, were to devoure those unbaptised little ones; then every mother and father, sister and friend, might howle and mourne, answering one another with dolefull plaints and remediles moanings, and have no comfort, because they are not: yea which is worse, because they are, that is, they are in endlesse sorrow. But blessed be God, that hath sealed us a better covenant: praised be he, that hath given us better assurance and comfort, through the Sonne of his love IESUS CHRIST.