2 Peter 3:6

WE reade in common Histories, of many great Flouds that have beene in the World: none but this, did overflow the World: they were all farre short of this, both in extent and continuance. That great inundation of Nilus, under Prometheus, endured but a moneths space: That under Ogyges, in Achaia, two moneths: Another under Deucalion, in Thessalia, three moneths: They mention a fourth inundation, of the Ile Pharos, therefore called Pharonica, under the Egyptian Proteus. But none came neere this Floud, either for universalitie of place, or duration of time; covering the toppes of the highest mountaines, and lasting twelve moneths and tenne dayes. This generall Deluge, as I had just occasion, Ver. 5. I somewhat largely surveyed in the former Chapter: Where some Critickes might say, There was a Floud upon a Floud; a Floud of discourse upon the Floud of Water: my present brevitie in that argument, shall make amends. Shortly, consider with me, 1. A malefactor; The World that then was. 2. An executioner; The Water overwhelmed it. 3. The conveniencie of this execution; because the Earth consisted in the Water: it was not farre fetch’d, but readie at hand: Whereby. 4. The event of all; which was, perishing.

The malefactor, the World: which is taken either localiter, for this whole visible Engine; The World was made by him: or materialiter, Ioh. 1.10. Gal. 6.14. 1 Ioh. 5.19. for the things of the World; The World is crucified to me: or formaliter, for the vitious and miserable condition of it, the vanitie and villanie; Positus in maligno, The World lies in wickednesse: or principaliter, by a Metonimy, for the excellentest part of the World, Man. Locally, a piece of it perished; the Earth: materially, a great deale of it perished; all the riches and commodities of the Earth: principally considered, all perished, but eight persons: formally, there was nothing left. Onely Gods quarrell to the World, was for the men of the World; and his quarrell to the men of the World, was for the sinnes of those men. The World it selfe was in this, like the Sea; and Sinnes, like the Windes: the Sea would be calme and quiet, if the Windes did not trouble it: if iniquities, like stormes, had not put the course of nature into an uprore, the World had not perished. First, it was foule with wickednesse; therefore God saw it high time to wash it, with a Deluge. Secondly, Iniquitie had so sized it selfe into the Center of it, and dyed it in graine, that it must soke under the water a whole yeare. Thirdly, Sinne did cleave so fast to the sides of it, that a little water was not sufficient: but as a Cloth that is throughly polluted, must be throughly scoured, and passe through many larders; so it would not off from the world, till the world it selfe was washed to nothing. Fourthly, no part of it was free, but this contagion had universally overspred it: therefore no part must bee spared, but the water must universally overflow it. Fifthly, it was growne hot with the fever of burning lusts, the inflammations of concupiscence; therefore the flood came, not as a Iulep onely to qualifie and cure the intemperate heate; but as a vehement showre to drench the luxuriant parts. Sixthly, it was dry, all the moisture of grace, and sappe of charity, the radicall humour that maintaines the life of Religion, was quite scorched and exciccated with the drought of malice: it must bee moistned, not with gentle deawes, (they could doe no good, the malady was too desperate) but with an inundation of water. Seventhly, it was growne vnruly, transgressing all the limits and boundaries that the Maker had set it: therefore hee also pulls up the stakes of the Sea, and lets it in like a wilde beast among them. Eigthly, men were proud and haughty, and had lifted up themselves above their owne pitch and measure: therefore God opens the windowes of Heaven, and powers downe streames upon them, to lay them low enough. Ninthly, they had trusted to the World, more than to God; therefore hee now puts them to their shifts: let them trie how their god can deliver them: the waters drive them from their houses up to the mountaines, from thence to the highest trees, and still pursues them. Meate they had none, but onely drinke enough: they might swallow of that as much as they could, which was sent to swallow them. Tenthly, they had rioted upon the creatures of God, without thankes to the owner: They did eate and drinke, Luk. 17.27. not for necessity, or pleasure, but intemperance: therefore all is taken from them, but water, and of that they have too much; or the fish, which if they could take, they have not a sparke of fire wherewith to dresse. Eleaventhly, the World was secure, men had given themselves up to carelessenesse: they did eate and drinke, it may bee not to surfet and drunkennesse: They married, and gave in marriage: it may be not as some say, Propter voluptatem carnis, magis quam propagationem prolis: Christ does not mention their whoredomes, adulteries, homicides, and such actuall turpitudes; but their supine neglect and slumber: not that they were free from the other crimes; but that this was enough to destroy them. If then the worlds security in lawfull things made it so fitte for the deluge of water: how doth now the universality of unlawfull things, horrible sinnes, make it fully ready for the last fire.

The Executioner is Water: this is an excellent servant to us, so God made it; but durus magister, an ill master, so our sinnes make it. I will not instance to you the manifold benefits of water, our necessary use makes them familiar: yet is this the instrument of their confusion, which to others is an advantage of much accommodation. Nothing is so soveraigne, which being abused by sinne, may not of a blessing, become a curse. The very Manna that came downe from Heaven, may bee corrupted with faithlessenesse: as that foolish Israelite prooved, which would be sparing the charges of God, and in a covetous diffidence lay up that for his breakefast, which he should haue spent at supper. The next morning it putrified: the Manna was from above, the wormes and stinke from his distrust. Christ himselfe, the greatest blessing that ever was, as hee is the rising of sonne, so the falling of others: To beleevers, a corner stone, whereon to build their faiths: to unbeleevers a milstone, that shall grinde or quash their soules. Immortality, the greatest blessednesse of the Saints, is the greatest misery of the damned. The Instrument is Water.

1. God hath varietie of weapons to punish rebels: he destoyreth Corah and his confederates by the earth, the Egpptians by the sea, the Canaanites by the sword, Israelites by the plague, Sodomites by the fire, here the whole world with water. God hath a whole quiver of arrowes, a magasin of artillery and judgments. Three are especially named for his arrowes. First, Famine, Ezek. 5.16. Psal. 38.2. Mascul. an evill and destroying arrow. Next the Pestilence, a deadly shaft; habet sub arundine plumbum; it is headed with poison: Grandis terror mortalium: deaths chiefe Pursuivant. First, it is Sagitta volans, flies swift as an arrow: it flew such a pace through the coasts of Israel, that it slew seventy thousand in three daies. Secondly, Sagitta ambulans, a roving arrow, that can reach a marke farre off; Ezek. 6.12. Wisd. 5.12. Psal. 91.5. He that is a farre off shall die of the pestilence: no man can outrunne it. Thirdly, Ambulans in tenebris; it flies silently, without making any noise: Pavor nocturnus, a terror by night; it steales upon men suddenly, assaults them by night, and surpriseth them in their most secret chambers. This arrow when it flew, consumed our lives here and there, before us, behind us, spared none: onely to his chosen, God did dip it in the bloud of his owne Sonne, to take away the venome of it: so though it wounded their bodies, their soules it did not touch. The last arrow is inundation: the fury whereof wee have lately felt; when the earth like a pregnant mother was come to the birth, and wanted strength to bee delivered. Our faire Fields, 1. Sam. 12.17. that in the Spring sang and laughed, now mourne upon the ground that bare them: and the Husband man sighed to see his hopes untimely buried, like abortive fruit in the wombe that bred them. Her nurse did overlay her; and those clouds which brought up her children, did againe stifle them. All that foule weather in our fields abroad, proceeds from the foulenesse of our hearts within.

2. The deluge may well be compared to an Arrow: not onely because after the floud God is said to hang up his Bow, in token of his reconciliation to the world: when hee had shot his arrow, hee hung up his Bow. But as Famine is his earthy arrow, making the wounded looke like earth, pale and wanne: and Pestilence is his airie arrow, an infectious vapour, poisoning as it goes; and Warre his fiery arrow; where the brandishing of swords give fiery sparkles, Ordnance sends out fiery streames, and Cities are set on a flame, So Inundation is his watry arrow; whereby at other times he destroyes parts and pieces of the earth; at this time, all the world. First, an arrow slies no whither but to the place it is sent, the marke whereat it is shot. Here hee powres downe, not there: in this place the sea shall breake forth, while it is chained up in another. Amos 4.7. To lay immoderate raine to the charge of the starres, and eruptions of the Ocean to the weakenesse of dammes; this is but to gnaw the arrow, as the Dog bites the stone, without minding the shooter: Secondly, an arrow after the loose makes speed to the marke: as Hercules told Nessus, when he ran away with his Deianira; that though hee could not come at him, he would send after him: Vulnere, non pedibus te consequar: and hee made it good too; Fugientia terga sagittâ trajicit, hee sped an arrow through his loines. God did no sooner open the doores and chanels, but the water beginnes to overrun the earth. Thirdly, an arrow pierceth deepely, and wounds deadly; especially when it is shot à manu potentis, Psal. 127.4. Iob 6.4. from the hand of the mighty: much more à Manu Omnipotentis, from the hand of the Almighty; The Arrowes of the Almighty are within me, was the complaint of Iob. No target, no corslet, nor armour of proofe can repell them: no barricado’s can keepe out the waters, no bankes, nor fortifications resist them, no towres or Cedars overtop them, An impartiall arrow? The old were not superannuated, Infants not under yeares, it swept away all. It was Exterminum, or Demonium meridianum; as Ierome reads the Psalme: an utter rooting out. Psal. 91.6. Fourthly, an Arrow, if it be levelled with a just aime, never misseth the marke: God wanted neither aime nor marke, while he had the whole world to shoot at. Thus the Bow it selfe was the divine Iustice: the Arrow, the Waters, the instrument of that Iustice: the loosing of the Arrow from the Bow, the effusion of Clouds and Seas, the execution of that instrument: the marke it flew at, was the sinfull world: it was headed with their wickednesse, and the feathers it went withall was their sinnes. It is iniquity that the Lord lets drive at: if men had not offended him, they should never have been offended by him.

3. All Gods Iudgements may bee called his Shafts, and Hee hath a mighty quiver-full of them. The dexterity of some men in shooting hath been notable. Two were brought before Alexander, Quintil. li. 2. c. 21. famous for their activity in severall kindes. The one could cast Millet seed through the eye of an needle without missing: but the King, rather wondring at his vanity, than admiring any excellency, gave him for reward Modium Liguminis, a Bushell of the seed to hold him play, and to keepe his hand in ure. The other was an Archer, so skilfull, that he could shoot his arrow thorow a finger-ring, without failing. Wee read of seven hundred left-handed Benjamites, that could sling stones at a haires bredth and not misse: Iudg. 20.16. which is more wondrous. It is reported of Domitian, that hee could shoot an arrow betweene the fingers of a mans hand a farre off, and doe him no harme. But the hand of God is more cunning, and his Shaft flies more steddily: 2 Sam. 1.22. like Ionathans bow, whereof David sung in his funerall Elegie, that never returned empty from the blood of the slaine: Consequitur quodcunque petit. We know not with what arrow he will shoot us, Amos 4.12. therefore Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel. There is no running from God; let us never prepare our heeles to run from him, but our hearts to meet him. There is a way to meet with God, yea, and to overcome him: this is not by scowring of armours, raising forces, and fortifying Garrisons: but by humiliation, repentance, prayers, and teares. If wee will conquer heaven, it must bee by yeelding: not by standing out, but by falling downe. As the onely way to avoid him, is to run to him: so the surest meanes to escape his blowes, is by throwing our selves at his footstoole. Wee have leave to resist the divine Iudgements by our prayers, with favour and successe: as wooll meets Iron.

Indeed humble confessions, and devout pennance, cannot alwayes avert temporall Iudgements: no childe would be whipped, if he might scape for crying. Doubtlesse, David had spent those three dismall dayes in the saddest contrition, yet still Gods Angell in that short compasse of time destroyed seventy thousand. Historians have commended the Persian Bowmen for the most excellent Archers: Flor. lib. 2. cap. 8. yet in the battell betwixt Scipio and Antiochus they were wonderfully foiled. But how came it to passe? Imber superfusus Persicos arcus corruperat: a shower of raine falling in time of the conflict, so slacked their bowes, and wetted their arrowes, that they could not offend the enemie. The way for us to slacke Gods bow, and to dull his arrowes, is by showres of teares falling from our repentant eyes. And as our teares must slacken his bow, so our praiers must get out his arrowes, when they sticke in our flankes. Pliny saith, that Dictamnum pota sagittas pellit; Dittany, garden-Ginger being drunke, drives out the darts. Prayer is that true Dictamuum, that shall either prevent Gods arrowes, or keepe them from rankling in our sides. Above all, let us furnish our soules with faith: this shall not onely quench the fiery darts of Satan, but even the burning arrowes of God. Let us lay hold upon that blood, which when God sees, either hee will not smite us, or not smite us unto death. Rahabs token of safety for herselfe and her family, was a red coard tied in the window: this was the instrument of the Spies deliverance, this shall be a signe of hers. Red; this is the saving color: it is not without aptnesse and significancy, that they set the red crosse upon the doores of visited and infected houses, together with [Lord have mercy on us] for if that red crosse be throughly fixed on our hearts, the Lord will have mercy on us. The destroying Angell sees the doore cheekes of the Israelites sprinkled with red, and passes them over. The Warriours of Israel see the window of Rahab dyed with red, and they save both her and her house from the common destruction. If our soules have this tincture of the precious blood of our Saviour upon the wals or windowes, we are safe. Under this red flagge let us shrowd our selves, and the Iustice of God, in the great day of his wrath, will spare us.

The conveniencie of the execution followes: the water was not farre to fetch; either with danger, as Davids water from the Well of Bethlem, through an army of Philistims:: or with labour, as Iacobs water from a deepe Well in penetralibus terrae: but neere at hand, ready. And if it had been as farre as the Center of the earth, the Semidiameter or space from that point to the circumference, which is judged by the most expert to bee three thousand five hundred miles: or as farre as to the starry firmament; as some have fondly imagined waters above those heavens, to coole them: because the Psalmist speakes of waters above the heavens: whereas those heavens are only the airy regions: Psal. 148.4. yet God could soone have brought it, either up from the one, or downe from the other. But the proximity of the Instrument is advantagious enough to the Destroiers hand: for the earth that is to bee drowned, consists in the water that is to drowne it. Me thinkes, this is an Embleme to us of our threefold estate; either as weare mortall men, or militant Christians, or miserable sinners. It is considerable in all these respects.

1. As we are mortall men: our bodies are earth, which consist of humours, as it were in the waters: and while health continues, they have the predominance over those humours, as the earth is out of the waters: but when the humours get the mastery, then followes sickenesse and mortality. When God had made this earth of nothing, it was but a small matter to make other things of the earth; and as little to bring the earth backe againe to nothing. Nothing can bee neerer nothing than this earth, and yet how little of this earth is the greatest man? Princes are but noble peeces of earth, Polititians but subtle peeces of earth. Man thinkes he treads upon earth, that all of it is under his feet: and the braine that thinkes so, is but earth, his highest region, the flesh that covers that braine, is but earth: and even the top of that, that wherein so many Absaloms take so much pride, is but a bush growing upon that turfe of earth. How little of the world is the earth? How little of the earth is man? And yet that is all which man hath, or is. How little of a man is the heart? And yet it is all by which he is. And this heart is so hot of it selfe; that if it had not the lungs as fannes to blow winde upon it, and kindely moisture to coole it, it would soone perish with the owne heat: and yet when that moisture growes too redundant, it againe drownes the heart. It is not onely subject to forraine infections conveyed by others, and intestine poisons bred in our selves by pestilentiall sicknesses: but even to an unnaturall Fluxe or abundance of watry humors, that choke it. As moderate water makes the mill goe merrily, but too much water will not suffer it to goe at all. Our bodies in the world are but peeces of earth on the water: if the windes, and floods, and raine conspire against us, Mat. 7.27. downe we fall; as that house whose foundation was in the sand.

2. This may bee an Embleme of our militant condition: as the earth consists out of the water, and in the water: so wee consist out of sinne, and in sinne. Our beginning is like the worlds beginning: there water covered the face of the earth, and corruption overwhelmed us. The sinne of our first parents drown’d us; and we were borne soking under that corruption, as the masse of the earth under that inundation. The deepe was upon the face of the earth, Gen. 1.2. and darknesse upon the face of the deepe. Corruption was upon us, and ignorance upon corruption, and pravity upon ignorance, and Gods wrath upon all. But as after this congestion, God formed the world: so after this confusion, hee hath reformed us. There hee recovered the earth from the superinundation of waters, here he hath restored us from the dominion of wickednesse. Gen. 1.9. Let the waters under heaven be gathered unto one place, and let the dry land appeare: so to us, Let the deluge of sinnes vanish, and the constancy of grace shew it selfe: there, it was so: heere, God graunt it may be so. We are both redeemed de profundit: the earth verbo oris, we sanguine cordis. There his Dixit, his Word served the turne: here his blood was but sufficient. Out wee are lifted from the water; but not so high as if the water could never more reach us; for we still consist in the water; as out of the water; in the flesh, as out of the flesh. Our head is above sinne, as the land is above the sea: but still sinne runnes like a girdle about our loines, as the sea begins the earth. So to bee removed from the water, as never to bee touched by it, is the prerogative of the firmament, not of the earth. So to be delivered from sinne, as never more to bee defiled with it, is the priviledge of the triumphant, not of the militant soule. When God had sequestred the earth from the regiment and tyranny of water, yet being unsufferably provoked, he readmitted the water to the first kingdome. The man that presumes hee is redeemed from the power of sinne, may so offend his Redeemer by sinne, that the suppressed waves may returne to their first home, Matth. 12.45. Psal. 30.7. as the evill spirit did, with seven worse, to the house out of which he was cast. Thou hast made my mountaine strong: but avertisti faciem, thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled: the waters returne, sinnes prevaile, and he begins to know himselfe.

But God hath made us, (though earth) living, moving, rationall, holy earth: wee resist those waters that are, as Iobs wife was to him, Counsellers of evill: we fight against sinne, and not seldome are foiled: but our end shall be glorious victory. Though all enemies be not vanquished, yet the Christian Souldier shall be crowned. Yea, God hath delivered some of his Elect from sinne, by sinne: one extraordinary act of disobedience hath (through his grace of repentance) so broken their hearts, that it hath withall broke the necke of sinne in those hearts: as hee deliver’d David from Saul, by Saul: and Noah from the water, by the water: so many converts, from the power of sinne, by the remorse of sinne. The Spartans were deadly enemies to Rome; and as they were farre from wishing them any good, so it grieved them to heare of any light mischance befallen them: as that fire had burnt one of their forts, or that a part of their wals was fallen downe by casualty: because then they knew, they would build up those ruined places stronger than they were before: or if that waters had invaded and broke in upon them, they would fortifie those dammes and breaches farre beyond their former strength. Satan wisheth us all nothing but confusion; that sinne, like another deluge, might overflow the whole world, and sweepe it all to his kingdome. But when the assaults of sinne faile of destroying us, and we thereby take occasion to fortifie our Garrisons, to redouble our guard and armour; this more vexeth him, than the other gave him hope. Sinne windes about us, as the Serpent about Eve, or as the sea compasseth the earth, watching where it might conveniently get in: here it kisseth the bankes with flattering waves, there it swelleth against it with roring billowes: whether by insinuation, or shamelesse intrusion, Satan cares not so he may have entrance. Wee are fearefully set in the midst of that raging element; sinne is without us, yea, Gen. 4.7. within us: when we offer to goe abroad, sinne lies at the doore: if we open the casement, it is ready to creepe in at the window; mors per fenestras. When wee walke abroad, sinne is a slough before us: keeping home, and reflecting out eyes inward, wee finde it a puddle within us. Sinnes are not unlike the Frogges of Egypt; no bed, no boord could bee free from them: their daintiest Ladies could not keepe them out of their bosomes: neither could the Egyptians sooner open their mouths, than they were ready to creepe into their throtes. There be some places of the Land that want water, there is no man without abundance of sinnes. It is the Lord alone, that lifts up our heads above the waters; it is his grace, that keepes sinne from having a dominion over us. The Poets fained of Venus, that she was Orta Salo, suscepta Solo, patre edita Coelo; begot of Heaven, borne of the Sea, and entertained on Earth. We may invert it a little, and have a description of mans soule: It is Clausa Solo, vestita Salo, patre edita Coelo: It is housed in Earth, apparelled with Sea, but inspired from Heaven: set in the body, defiled with sinne, but made by God, and redeemed by Iesus Christ.

3. As we are miserable sinners, subject to innumerable calamities. Miseries, in the Scripture, are often called by the name of waters. Psalm. 32.6. Save me from the great waters: The flouds went over my soule. Sorrowes compasse our whole life, as the Earth is environed with the Sea. Yea, as the Sea is vaster than the Earth, so our happinesse is exceeded by our infelicitie. Few and evill have beene my dayes, sayes that Patriarch: he speakes not a word of any good dayes. Man is of few dayes, Iob 14.1. and full of troubles: so full of troubles, as if there was no roome for any comforts to crowd in. We say, that the World is made of Sea and Land; as though they were equall parts: but we know, there is more Sea in the Westerne, than in the Easterne Hemisphere. We say, that the Firmament is full of Starres; as though it were equally full: but we know, there are more Starres under the Northerne, than under the Southerne Pole. We say, the Elements of man are Miserie and Happinesse; as though he had an equall proportion of both: and that the dayes of man are vicissitudinarie; as though he had as many good dayes as ill; and as though we lived under a perpetuall Equinoctiall; Night and Day equall, good and ill fortune in the same measure. But if we put our Happinesse into one Ballance, and our Miseries into another, wee shall finde a mightie difference; this last farre out-weighing the former. We drinke Miserie, we doe but taste of Happinesse: wee mow Miserie, we doe but gleane Happinesse: we journey in Miserie, we doe but walke in Happinesse. Yea, which is more, our Miserie is positive, and dogmaticall; our Happinesse is but disputable, and problematicall. All men call Miserie by the name of Miserie; but Happinesse changeth the name, according to the man that either thinkes himselfe, or is thought by others, to have it. There is scarce any Happinesse, that hath not in it so much of false and base Money, as that the Allay is more than the Metall. And what other Touch-stone have we of our Gold, but comparison? Whether we be as happie as others, or as our selves, at other times? All our felicitie, is but like an Iland floting in the Sea: it is now in such a Point, in another to morrow, and the next day may be quite overflowne. Troubles breake in upon us from the world, as waters from the chanels: God sends downe some from above, as waters from the clouds; and still there be undique fluctus. All that will live godly in Christ, shall suffer persecution. Paul, Christs Atturney, 2 Tim. 3.12. pleades our afflictions with an Oportet: and least some should looke for a Dispensation, he backes it with an Omnis. Many are the troubles of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of all. Psalm. 34.19. Let us take a Paire of Oares, goe downe to the Water, and there see him deliver Ionas: Though the Waves require him of the Shippe, and the Fish require him of the Waves, yet the Lord requires him of the Fish. The members swimme, but the Head is above the Waters. Be of good cheare, I have overcome the world. Ioh. 16.33.

For Conclusion. When the Waters of the Deluge had done their Errand, and the World was perished, they returne. And, Gen. 9.11, as if God had repented himselfe, hee promiseth no more to destroy it with Water. His Word was enough; yet withall, hee gives a Signe; which may speake the truth of his Promises to the very eyes of men. I have set my Bow in the Cloud, and it shall be for a Token of the Covenant betwixt me and the Earth. vers. 13. Thus hee doth still in the blessed Sacraments, which are as reall Wordes to the Soule.

1. I am not of their minde, that thinke there was no Raine-bow before the Floud: we may as well say, there was no Bread or Wine before the Sacrament. But now after the Floud, God made the Bow the signe of his Covenant, as hee makes Bread and Wine the signes of the Sacrament: both of them were before, but neither of them were signes before.

2. Nor am I of theirs, that thinke there shall be no Raine-bow fortie yeares before the destruction of the World by fire: because (say they) the Aire shall be rarified and prepared, by a continuall drynesse, for that combustion. But if there be no Raine-bow, then no Raine; if no Raine, then no Fruits; if no Fruits, a grievous Famine; if generall Famine, then generall sorrow. But it shall be a merrie World when Christ comes; as in the dayes before the Floud, they were eating and drinking, Matth. 24.38. and making Marriages: little suspecting the proximitie of Iudgement. There shall be plentie of Fruits, and the Fruits of Plentie; which commonly are Pleasure and Wantonnesse.

3. Nor doe I stand upon the various Colours of it; out of which, they picke mysticall significations: Gregor. in Ezek. Ho. 8. As that the Blew and the Red, the watrie and firie Colours, should betoken the Baptisme of Christ, by Fire and Water: Or, the two great Iudgements of the World; the one past, which was by Water; the other to come, which is by Fire. These applications be rather prettie than pithie, and savour more of wit than of solid judgement.

4. Thus farre indeed we may goe, (not with Rupertus, to make it wholly mysticall) as together with the signe of a temporall benefit, to conceive a type also of Gods everlasting mercie in Christ. Revel. 4.3. There was a Raine-bow round about the Throne: as if God could looke no way upon his Church, but through the Rainebow, his blessed Covenant made with us in his owne Sonne: whereby it comes to passe, Vers. 5. that all those Lightnings, and Thunders, and terrors, proceeding out of the Throne of his Iustice, are allayed by the Raine-bow. And as after the Floud God said, I will looke upon the Bow in the Cloud, and remember my Covenant: so though our iniquities provoke him, he will looke upon the Raine-bow, his Covenant of Grace, and spare us in Iesus Christ. The Iewes, when they see the Bow, goe forth and confesse their sinnes, not daring to looke upon it with their eyes. We hate Superstition, but I would wee could mend our Devotion, and reade in that Character the mercie of our God. This he saith, I will remember: alas, he cannot forget it; but he would have us to remember him, by it.

5. In a word, that heavenly Bow is the Pledge of our safetie, which even naturally signifies the end of a Shower: all the signes, of Gods institution, are naturall and significant. I doe not yet call it altogether a naturall signe, though it agree with the thing it signifies. As the water in Baptisme washing the body, hath some resemblance of the spirituall cleansing of the soule. The Raine-bow, as it is ordinarily a signe of faire weather, or of no long Raine: (Some say, in the morning it betokeneth Showers, in the evening faire weather: Aristotle and Pliny write, That it is found wholesome to the Plants and Herbes where it lighteth; giving them a more fragrant and delicious smell:) so is it a convenient signe to portend a priviledge from inundation.

6. Lastly, if we observe all circumstances in it, they are arguments of mercie. First, it is a Bow indeed, but a Bow without an Arrow: And what can a Bow doe, without a Shaft? Secondly, it is a Bow, and full bent, but without a String: And who feares a Bow, though it be joyned with an Arrow, if it have no String? Thirdly, it is a Bow; but, besides that it hath neither String not Arrow, it is placed (as it were) the wrong way, the Bend or Arch is turned from us. Hee that shooteth Arrowes, holds the backe of the Bow from him: but of this Bow both the ends are downewards, and the backe toward Heaven: the wrong side is alwayes upwards; as if wee shot at God, and not God at us: as if wee were readie to send up Arrowes of Rebellion against him, rather than hee to send downe Arrowes of Vengeance upon us. Yet let us not be too confident: though God hath hung up that Bow, he hath divers others; he hath a Bow of Fire, as well as of Water: and we doe not reade, that he hath hung up all them. Psal. 7.12. He hath bent his Bow, and made it readie: with another Bow shall the Lord shoot at the wicked. And if hee have layd aside his Bow, yet hee hath not hung up his Arrow: He sent out his Arrowes, and scattered them: he shot forth Lightnings, Psal. 18.14. Ambros. and discomfited them: these were terrible Shafts. Arcus habet vulneris indicium, non vulneris effectum: the Bow makes a shew of hurting, but it is the Arrow that wounds. Happie are we, if we have a place in the Arke: so shall Gods Iudgements be to us like a String without a Bow, or a Bow without a String, or both without an Arrow: or, if they all concurre, yet his gracious Arme will forbeare to shoot: or, if he doe shoot, it shall be but a fatherly Shaft: the Arke shall protect us from his vengeance; and whether we live or die, we shall be safe in the Bosome of Iesus Christ.

Whereby the World that then was, being overwhelmed with Water, perished.] Thus farre Doctrinally: now to some generall observations, partly Historicall, partly Morall, altogether usefull.

1. The cause of this universall Iudgement, was universall Iniquitie: The Earth was first Inundata peccato; and then, Inundata diluvio. As a sicke man, in his burning Feaver, pants within himselfe, and by groaning testifies his pangs to others, throwes off the clothes, and tosseth from side to side in the Bed, seeking mitigation of his paines: yet whether hee does, or does not, his sicknesse remaines; and changing of places, doth not change his weakenesse, till the cause be examined, and removed. The Mariners in that fearefull Storme, Ion. 1.7. being sicke of Gods anger, as of a violent Feaver, panting with feares, and groaning with prayers, and casting over-boord their Wares, as distemper’d impatient Patients hurle off their clothes; remove from action to action, tremble, pray, unlade, strike fayles, fall to Oares; but all in vaine: the Vessell was sicke, and had taken a surfet, when shee tooke in a fugitive Prophet: all the losse of their goods cannot expiate the cause of this Tempest: there is a Morsell that lyes indigested in the stomach; throw out Ionas, and all is quiet. The World was sicke, heart-sicke; as full of pestilent humours as inhabitants, and could recover no health, till God had given her a Potion, a strong Vomite, such a Deluge, that shall spue out her offensive disease. Wee finde Atheists that say, Mal. 2.17. He that doth evill, prospers; such as our Apostle mentions: but Nature it selfe, which lyes closer to a man than the marrow to his bones, cannot but informe him, that the mother and originall of all woe, is wickednesse. Hee that is notoriously facinorous, and thinkes that in this hee pleaseth the gods; hoc ipso primum sceleratus est, because hee makes them aut fatuos, aut iniquos: said a Heathen. If his soule will not teach him, yet let him reade God in his very body. Hee hath a mouth, and with that commandeth; let him there reade the Soveraigntie of God. Hee hath eyes, and with them hee seeth; let him there reade the knowledge of God. Hee hath eares, and with them hee heareth; let him there reade how God observes and mindes all things. Hee hath feete, and with those hee walketh; let that shew him the ubiquitie of God. Hee hath hands, and with them hee worketh, and striketh, and revengeth his injuries; let him not denie God so much as God hath given him: The Lord hath a Hand too; and when he pleaseth to strike, a heavie one: Thy hand presseth me sore. Psal. 38.2. Not the hand of Egypt, or Ashur; then were it hand for hand, a Duell of some equalitie: hand to hand; here forces and stratagems might atchieve the victorie: but [Manus] tua, Thy hand. The weight of a mans blow is but weake, according to the force and pulse of his arme. As the Princes of Midian answered Gideon, when he bade his sonne trie the dint of his Sword upon them: Iudg. 8.21. Rise thou, and fall upon us; for as the man is, so is his strength. But, it is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of God: As Homer called the hands of Iupiter, χεῖρες ἄεπτοι, hands whose praise could not be sufficiently spoken: which some reade χεῖρες ἄαπτοι, hands inaccessible, unresistable for strength: all the gods in Heaven could not ward a blow of Iupiters hand. This hand never strikes, but for sinne: and where sinne is mightie, his blow is heavie.

Generall wickednesse is like a dreadfull Eclypse of the Sunne: the darknesse is seene presently, the effects follow after; not more slow, than sure. If we feele his blowes, Lam. 3.39. let us looke backe to the Propter quod, our sinnes. Man suffers for his sinnes. David may complaine of his malicious enemies; They persecute me without a cause: no man could ever challenge God of this; he is provoked every day. Woe were us, if he should strike so often as he is provoked. We are readie to wrap up our selves in the universall bundle of sinners; and neither thinke these times worse than the former, nor our fore-fathers better than our selves. To confute this opinion, God hath written new Scriptures to us, bloodie Characters in our owne flesh. Why did hee put a drawne Sword into the hand of his Angell, till it became drunke with our gore? Why did hee kill us up by thousands every weeke? Was it without a Propter quod? Shall wee call his Iustice into question, with, Why hast thou smitten us without a cause? No: he found cause too great in us, to send the Pestilence: he found no cause, but in his owne mercie, to remove it.

2. Generall sinnes will bring generall Plagues; if upon a whole World, much more upon a particular Nation. Rebellious wickednesse makes men Out-lawes, depriving them of Gods protection, and subjecting them to Tyrants, Esa. 42.24. whose very mercies are cruelties. Who gave Iacob for a spoile, and Israel to the robbers? Did not the Lord, he against whom we have sinned? God resisteth the proud; his forces are against them, directed in battell-ray: the wrong was his wrong, the enemies are his enemies, the quarrell shall be his quarrell. Pride and Ryot, in humane Policie, may bring a Kingdome to desolation; because they are contrarie to providence. But the reason in Divinitie is, because they are contrarie to repentance: and God punisheth for impenitencie, not for impuritie. Ier. 7.12. Goe to my place in Shiloh, and see what I have done unto it for the wickednesse of my people. Goe to the old World, and see what he hath done to it: his Iustice then, is his Iustice now: and if our sinnes may compare with theirs, what is our priviledge?

Wee heare no noise of Warre: the most dangerous Warre comes without a noise. The Turke hath bid himselfe welcome, where hee was sometimes as little looked for. Wee thinke our selves a mightie Nation; whose Bulwarke is the Sea, whose confederate neighbours round about are our Centinels: yet forget not Nahums question to Niniveh; Nah. 3.8. Art thou better than populous No, whose Rampart was the Sea? Wee have lived in long peace, without interruption, though the yeare Eightie eight should be blotted out of all Records of Time. And though Peace be better than Warre, as Croesus said; because in Peace, sonnes burie their fathers; but in Warre, fathers burie their sonnes. And though Warre be repugnant to the fruitfulnesse of Nature, yet it is consonant to the direction of Nature; it destroyes her numerositie, but preserves her proprietie. Yet jam patimur longa pacis mala, wee suffer the mischiefes of long Peace; and our estate is not the better, but through securitie much the worse. Pride is growne up with our glory, like the Ivie with the Oke, to the height.

For our sinnes, God hath sent a bloodie Arrow among us: (Pardon my digression; yea, you need not, the application is fit enough) If we did not perish every mothers sonne and daughter, by the Pestilence, as this old World did by the Deluge; it was not because wee were lesse wicked, but because God hath beene more mercifull. If they had betaken themselves in time to that happie ward, Repentance; and first made the Earth flow with their teares; it had not beene overflowed with waters. If wee had smitten our owne brests with the sorrow of penitentiall contrition, God had not smitten those brests with the Spots of a Visitation. He hath not yet done with us: he feeles our sinnes warme still under his Rod, and therefore findes it not time to give us over.

O let us bethinke our selves: Universall Iudgements call for universall Repentance: the Land mournes, and shall any inhabitants of the Land be merry? Some doe not feele, in their particular, the sharpe Wounds of that angry and hungry Sword: Can they be members of Christ, and not feele it through the sides of their brethren? No part of the body can be ill affected, and the whole at ease. Others afflictions must move our affections: as Queene Elizabeth to the afflicted States; Non ignara mali, miseris succurrere disco. Besides, Ezek. 9.4. who are they that mourned for the abominations of the time? Not they that committed the abominations: alas, their cheekes were dimpled with laughter. They whose crying sinnes had pierced the Heavens, and brought downe these Plagues; will not cry for themselves: therefore God requires us to cry for them. Wee must weepe with them that weepe; yea, weepe for them that will not weepe. Their excessive Pride, impudent Prophanenesse, beastly Drunkennesse, insatiate Covetousnesse, desperate Sacriledge, dreadfull Blasphemie, uncleane Luxurie, have provoked Gods wrath; and wee must mourne for them, that will not mourne for themselves. Prepare to meete thy God, O Israel. Am. 4.12. Although he be offended with the whole Land, yet there be some that he will owne for his: he is still Thy God, O Israel. If these doe not stand in the breach, we all perish.

There is a time to rejoyce, and a time to mourne: the best actions are not alwayes seasonable, much lesse the indifferent. Hee that evermore takes libertie to doe what he may, shall offend no lesse than he that sometimes takes libertie to doe what he may not. David perswades Vriah home: but what was his answere? The Arke and Israel are in Tents, 2 Sam. 11.11. my Lord Ioab and the Armie encamped in the field; and shall I goe home, to be merry with my Wife? The Arke of God is fittest to leade our Times: as that is either distressed, or prosperous, we should frame our mirth, or mourning. Is it a time for you to dwell in sieled houses, Hag. 1.4. and my House lye waste? This is the ground of Gods just quarrell. If I forget thee, Psal. 137.5. O Ierusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning: such is the heart of the Saints. As every man is a Limbe of the Communitie, so must he be affected with the estate of the universall Body; whether healthfull, or languishing. As it did aggravate Davids sinne, that while the Arke and Israel were in distresse, hee could finde time to loose the reines to wanton desires and actions: so did it magnifie the religious zeale of Vriah, that hee abandons allowed comforts, till hee see the Arke and Israel victorious. Common dangers or calamities must (like the rapt motions) carry our hearts contrary to the way of our private occasions. When God was offended, Moses and all Israel grieved, the Princes hanged, the people plagued; yet an Israelite dares bring a Whore of Midian to his Tent. Numb. 25.6. This at any time had beene abominable, at that time most execrable. Were they all weeping; and must hee even then, in the face of all, runne to uncleanenesse? Was that a time to dally with Strumpets? They both bought it deare. Shall men follow their pleasures, laugh, and sing, and be merry, while God is killing up their brethren by many thousands every weeke? 2 King. 5.26. Is this a time to receive Money, and Vineyards, and Garments? saith the Prophet to his servant. Is this a time to Drinke, and Carowse, and Feast, and Play; Ann. 1625. when so many hearts are bleeding, and all good eyes weeping? They have desperate Soules, that can rejoyce and be merry, when the God of Heaven and Earth shewes himselfe so angry.

Before the deluge there were but eight persons, yea, scarce so many, to oppose the wickednesse of a whole world: how could it but perish? If the whole nation apostate to lewdnesse, and there be none to stop the course, how should it looke to stand one houre? Gen. 19 4. In Sodome Old and young, all the people from every quarter, given over to villany: none to resist, but Lot. The whole city came out to send away Christ: Matth. 8.34. not a Gaderen is found, that either dehorted his fellowes, or opposed the motion. It is a signe of people given up to Iudgement, when no man makes head against the projects of wickednesse. Generality of assent is no warrant for any act: common error carries away many; who inquire not into the reason of ought, but the practise. The way to hell is a beaten road through the many feet that walke it: when vice groweth into fashion, singularity is a vertue. If wee had not some to strive against the streame of generall wickednesse, though this paucity prevaile not, and to weepe because they prevaile not; wee should cease to be a Church: and ceasing to be a Church, we could not long be a people.

There is great need of mourning, need of great mourning: for heavy Iudgements will not be turned away without deepe sorrowes. As a late Doctor of the Iewes seriously expostulates in a relenting letter to one of his fellow-Rabbins; what might be the cause of this so long and desperate a ruine of their Israel: and comparing their former captivities with their former sinnes; argues, that this continuing punishment must needs bee sent for some sinne so much greater than Idolatry, oppression, or Sabbath-profaning; by how much this Iudgement is more grievous than all the rest: which his feare tels him, (and he may beleeve it) can be no other but the refusall and murder of the true Messias, the Sonne of God. We have had many plagues in this land, and the hand of God hath been often heavy upon us for our sinnes: but as this great pestilence exceeds all the former pestilences, so certainely the sinne that brought it, exceeds all our former sinnes: which our feare justly tels us, and wee may beleeve it, is the contempt of the Gospell of Iesus Christ: for a greater effect could not proceed but from a greater cause. As our sinne therefore is more mighty, so our repentance must bee more hearty, or wee cannot expect the removall of this calamity. Indeed our praiers can never be so lowd as our sinnes: in it selfe, one sinne is able to drowne many prayers. But for our comfort; in Christ, one prayer shall drowne many sinnes. O then let us pray and repent, repent and pray, joyne with them both abstinence, and with them three patience, and with all, faith and obedience, and amendment of life; and the Lord our God shall deliver us.

3. The vicissitude of Gods Mercy and Iustice in their actions is observable. First, Mercy; as it doth alwayes, begins; giving them an hundred and twenty yeares warning before their drowning. Such is his speciall Mercy, to foretell us of ensuing mischiefes. Hee does not owe us so much: hee might take us unprovided. Then he strikes indeed, when he strikes and saies nothing. The anger is so much the more, as it is lesse notified. In the hewing of wood, the blow is not heard, till the edge of the axe bee seene to have strucke. When God is not heard before hee bee felt, it is a fearefull signe of displeasure. Among men, the still and silent revenges be ever most dangerous. Amos 3.7. But sure the Lord will doe nothing, but he revealeth it to his servants the Prophets. Thus he consulted Moses, and threatned ere he punished. Numb. 16.46. Take Incense quickly, and make an Atonement, for the plague is begun. Wrath is gone out from the Lord; Moses is quicke-sighted, and sees it at the first setting forth. As they which are well acquainted with men, know that by their lookes and gestures, which strangers understand but by their actions: or as finer tempers are more sensible of the changes of the weather. The faithfull are familiar with God, and can descry his Iudgements a far off. If another had seene a cloud of a hand bredth from 1 King. 18.44. Carmel, hee could not have told Ahab that hee should bee wet. Holy men out of their acquaintance with their Masters proceedings, can foresee punishments. Prov. 22.3. The wise man foreseeth the evill, and hides himselfe: but fooles run on and are punished. Wee men will not reveale our secret purposes to enemies or strangers. All the favour of the wicked is to feele the Iudgement, before they espie it. Gen. 18.14. But shall I hide from Abraham the thing that I meane to doe, saith the Lord? Yea, for Abrahams sake, it shall not bee concealed from Lot. Noah shall bee told of the deluge, to foretell the people. 2 Sam. 24.17. David saw the Angell that smote the people: common eyes saw the botch, the markes and tokens of the plague: his clearer and advanced sight hath spied the Angell, shaking his sword over Ierusalem, and hovering over Mount Sion.

Thus doth his mercy call upon sinners; Amos 4.12. Prepare to meet thy God. O admirable favour! When Gods anger is marching forth against us, that his mercy should step before to tell us; Prepare to meet your God. Before hee strikes, hee sends his Prophets to us, as Heralds with the conditions of peace, if they may be accepted. That great Generall gives ut faire quarter; yea, so unwilling is hee to spill our bloods, that our penitent yeelding shall save us: and therefore hee adviseth us to be in a readinesse to meet him. If this mercy of our God should not sometimes withhold, often forewarne, alwaies abridge his Iudgements, what roome were there for us out of hell? Mich. 7.18. But hee delighteth in mercy. His mercy being abused, gives place to his Iustice, by which the world perished. And then againe his mercy succeeds, and the waters bated: as hee dealt with us; hee heard our unworthy prayers, and the plague decreased. So soone was hee weary of punishing, that is never weary of blessing. David prostrates himselfe at the avenger, and laies his life ready for the fatall stroke of Iustice: the posture of an humbled and anguished soule. This the eye of justice tooke notice of; It is enough: stay now thine hand. How just and easie had it beene for God, to have made the shutting of that evening red with blood? But so little pleasure doth the Father of all mercies take in the death of sinners, that his goodnesse repents him of the slaughter, and cals for that sacrifice wherewith hee will be appeased. It was his owne pity that inhibited the destroyer: ere David could see the Angell, hee had restrained him; 2 Sam. 24.16. It is enough, hold thy hand.

4. At his command, the Heavens did shut up their windowes, and the Sea her chanels, and it began to bee faire weather: yet may not the Arke rest suddarnely. If we did not stay some while under Gods hand, we should not know how sweet his mercy is, and how great our thankefulnesse should bee. This was done by degrees.

1. A winde came, and the waters asswaged: Gen. 8.11 not by way of exhalation from the earth, for it was then covered with water: but as it came from an extraordinary cause, so it had an extraordinary effect. Two properties the Scripture ascribeth to the winde. First, to force the waters, as in the division of the red sea. Secondly, to purge the Aire, disperse the clouds, and dry up moisture. Prov. 25.23. The North-winde driveth away raine. Otherwise Non solent aquae ventis imminni, sed potiturbari. Theodoret.

2. Noah opens the window of the Arke, and lookes out: God doth not reveale all things to his best servants. He that told Noah sixe score yeares before, what day hee should goe into the Arke; does not foretell him when hee is entred, what day he should come out. Therefore he sends out his Intelligencers, the Raven and the Dove; which by helpe of their wings, might easily descry farther than his sight, in that vaporous Aire. The Raven of quicke sent, of grosse feed, of tough constitution. Not that hee was sent away for his intemperancy: or, that this was the Raven which afterward fed Elias: these be the ridiculous fables of the Hebrewes: but that fowle was the fittest for discovery. Yet the likeliest things doe not alwaies succeed: for neither will the Raven venture farre into that solitary world for feare of want, nor come into the Arke for hope of liberty: but went and came, to and fro, hovering about in uncertainties. Gen. 8.7. Carnall mindes are ready to flie out of the Arke of Gods Church, and to embrace this present world: and had rather chuse to feed upon the unsavory rubbish of sensuall pleasures, than to be restrained within the strict lists of Christian obedience. Then hee sends forth the Dove, a fowle both swift and simple: she like a true Citizen of the Arke, returnes with faithfull notice; first, of the continuance of the waters by her restlesnesse, and then of their abatement by her Olive leafe. None can stray out of the Arke into the world, but they must receive some aspersion; as Iosephus thinkes, shee returned with foule and dirty feet. The Dove is an Embleme of those messengers, who with innocency in their lives, bring the glad tidings of peace and salvation in their mouths.

3. Noah beleeves, and rejoyceth at the newes; yet still he waits seven daies more. It is not good to devoure the favours of God too greedily; but so to take them in, that wee may digest them. Some would have been impatient of this delay, and so hungry of the open aire, after so long a closenesse; that upon the first notice they would have voided the Arke. But wise Noah will stay seven daies ere hee open, and almost two moneths ere forsake the Arke; and not then, unlesse hee command him to depart, Gen. 8.16. that bad him enter. Siccata erat terra, quare non exit Noah? Ambros. He staies for his Nunc demittis. There is no action good without faith, no faith without a word. We are then holy and happy, when in all things we neglect the counsels of flesh and blood, and depend upon the commission of our Maker.

4. Hee builds an Altar, and offers sacrifice. Ambrose observes, that God did not particularly command this; Nè quasi avarus mercedem gratiae postularet: but certainely hee did it not without divine directions. Hee builds as soone as hee is forth; but not an house for himselfe, but an Altar to the Lord: true faith will ever teach us to preferre God to our selves. And though he desires mercy before sacrifice, yet he will have sacrifice as well as mercy. Of these few creatures that were left, God must have some: it was a priviledge to them, that they were saved from the water, to bee offer’d up unto God in fire. Happy men which finde that favour, to be reserved from the common destruction, that they may bee sacrificed to their Maker and Redeemer. Noah blessed God for the preservation of all the creatures, both cleane and uncleane; but hee offer’d onely of the cleane: our best things are not too deare for the Lord, whose both they and our selves are.

5. The great Iudgements of God have gone off with sacrifice: the plague in Davids time, by the burnt offerings in the threshing floore of Arcunah. Aaron with his Incense, Numb. 16.48. stood betweene the dead and the living, and the plague was staied. Had hee thrust himselfe in with empty hands, he had not prevailed: but his Censor was his protection. When the fire of Gods anger is kindled, our Censors must smoke with fire from the Altar. Every man must pray for the removall of vengeance: much more they whom God hath deputed to mediate for the people. Every mans mouth is his owne, Ioel 2.17. but they are the mouth of all. Let the Priests stand weeping betweene the porch and the Altar; Spare thy people O Lord, and give not thine heritage to confusion. When the world hath powred out all his contempt upon us, wee are they that must reconcile men to God, and without us they perish.

6. Lastly, this little fire of Noah, through the vertue of his faith, purgeth the world; and reacheth up to those heavens from which the waters fell, and procures a glorious Raine-bow to appeare therein for his security. Which as it is a monument of Gods Iustice, to remember us of those sinnes for which the world perished: so is it a Covenant of his Mercy made with man and beast; bound with an oath: Esay. 54.9. Gen. 8.21. I have sworne that the waters shall no more goe over the earth: and not depending upon any condition of mans obedience. The Lord smelled a savour of rest. All the sinnes of the old world were not so unsavoury to God, as this smoke was pleasant. If it had not been made, in faith, it had been a stinking sacrifice, like Cains: now there is no perfume comparable to it. It differs from all sensible savours: for there may bee safety in the most pleasant odours, but God is never wearied with the sweet savour of the prayers of his Saints.

Hee that was before annoyed with the ill savour of sinne, smels now a sweet odour of rest. Behold here a new and second rest, and there was a third following that, and there shall bee a fourth to conclude and perfect all. First, when God had done making the world, then he rested. Secondly, when hee had done destroying the world, againe he rested. Thirdly, when hee had done redeeming the world, in the grave he rested. Fourthly, when hee shall have done preserving the world, he will rest for ever. The first and the third have a resemblance, and the second with the last. God when hee had made the world, rested the seventh day. Christ when he had redeemed the world, rested that seventh day: Sabbatizavit in monumento, hee kept his Sabbath in the Sepulchre. Aug. So when hee had destroied the world with water, hee smelt a savour of rest; and that rest from that destruction was to last during the measure of time. When hee shall have dissolved it by fire, that rest shall be for ever. Even whiles wee doe not rest or cease from sinne, he doth cease from a publike revenge: so doth his infinite goodnesse, swallow up our wickednesse. The remainder of my observations on this argument is two morall allusions; how this present state of the world may bee compared with that.

1. Calamities are presented to us in the name of waters, and deepe waters, and seas of waters. But must we then looke to be drowned? Are they boundlesse, are they bottomlesse? No, that is not the dialect of Gods language: who hath provided a remedy against the deepest water, and that by water: against the Inundation of sinne, by the immersion of Baptisme: water against water; Littora littoribus contraria, fluctibus undae: and the foulenesse contracted by the torrent of naturall corruption, is washed away by the sacramentall Font of regeneration. The first creatures in the world to whom God gave life, were in the waters: Let the waters bring forth: Gen. 1.20. and the onely creatures (excepting those in the Arke) to whom God preserved life, were in the waters; the Fishes. At the first, that which had no life, brought forth that which had life; 2 Esdr. 6.48. The waters produced the Fishes at the command of God. Therefore though our afflictions be a sea, they are not irremediable: God can give us life in a Deluge of waters; and deliver us, as he did Ionas, out of the depth of the sea. Indeed our miseries are great, if wee consider onely our selves. So Gennezareth, which was but a lake, and the waters not salt, yet is called a Sea: they that dwelt there, thought a lake a Sea. The Mediterranean was called the great Sea: they that saw no other, thought a little sea the greatest. Wee that know not the afflictions of others, call our owne the heaviest: every small Current is a Torrent, every Brooke a River, every River a Sea. But that is truly a great water, which overflowes the Chanell; and that is really a great affliction, which is above our strength. But the Lord is our strength; and what inundation of sorrowes can get above those bankes? Mat. 7.25. The raine descended, the flouds came, the windes blew, and beat upon the house, and it fell not, for it was founded upon a Rocke. What a coile is here? As if Heaven, Earth, and Sea had conspired against one poore Cottage? Take them all, not severally, but with their united forces; yet this foundation stands. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Rom. 8.25. Shall tribulation, or distresse, or persecution, or famine, or nakednesse, or perill of sword? What voluminous waves be here, for number, and power, and terror? Yet they shall not separate the Arke from Christ, not a soule from the Arke, not a body from the soule, not a haire from the body. Psal. 46.3. The mountaines shake with the swelling of the Sea: secular mountaines, men strong in power: spirituall mountaines, men strong in grace; are shaked with afflictions: Concussi erunt, non excussi. Affliction is a Sea too deepe for us, What is our refuge? Gods Arke, that drawes foure Cubites above the waters, when they were fifteene Cubites above the mountaines, Psal. 33.7. God laieth up the depth in store-houses: even his corrections are of his treasure, and hee will not waste his treasure: when they have done their service to humble us, hee will call them in againe. All our water shall runne into Iordan, Iosh. 3.17. and his Israelites passed over Iordan drie-foot. All our sorrowes shall runne into the red Sea, the Sea of Christs blood: and as that red Sea did not hurt an Israelite, so this red Sea shall never drowne a Beleever. Thus putting to sea, may be a change of life, not of condition: when Saint Paul mentioned his perils, hee is briefer in reckoning up those by water, than the other by land. 2 Cor. 11.26. Hee was a day and night in the deepe, and did thrice suffer shipwracke: so much by sea. But by land, his dangers were innumerable; once stoned, thrice scourged, five times bastinado’d, often imprisoned, and almost killed. Even on land we have our risings and fals, calmes and crosse gales; forewindes but seldome. Yea sometimes, which is worse than any winde that can come, wee have no winde at all. But pleasure and security deading our course by a calme, does us more mischiefe than adversities crosse-gale. Indeed there is some difference: more perish on the Sea by stormes than by calmes: more perish on the land by calmes than by stormes: for afflictions, like tempests, make us looke to our tackling, Patience; and to our Anchor, Hope; and to our Helme, Faith; and to our Card, the Word of God; and to our Captaine, Christ: whereas security, like a calme, makes us forget both our Danger, and deliverer.

2. As troubles bee compared to waters, so are pleasures: Stolne waters are sweet. So we distinguish of our lusts; calling them, earthy riches, aiery honours, watry pleasures. Covetousnesse is a desire of earth, ambition of aire, wantonnesse of water: it is the watrish humour of the soule. To pumpe a ship, and to shrieve a voluptuous heart, would bee an alike noisome excercise. Hee throwes away all his estate upon the riot of his lust; as if a Marriner should throw all his fraught into the Sea: now a Whore and the Sea are two insatiate Devourers. The Devill is the grand Pyrate upon the Ocean of wickednesse. A Pyrate is one plague above those of nature, to make the Sea more terrible, more dangerous. He is called the Merchants Booke, wherein hee may reckon up his losses: a perpetuall Foe to noble traffique; the earthquake of the Exchange: not onely robbing men of their goods, but even of themselves, and making them slaves: a desperate Theefe, that steales though hee bee in a prison; and lookes every day, by fight or tempest, for execution. The devill is yet worse; for hee does not onely make slaves of those hee taketh, more grievous than the Turkish Gallies; and dammage them whom hee cannot take; tempting even the best Christians to foule sinnes: but labours also to sinke all to the Abysse, even the bottomelesse depth of Hell. Onely this Pyrate kills more by his Flag of Truce, cunning flatterie; than by his thundring Ordnance, and defiance of enmitie. He would be Lord of the Sea, as well as Prince of the Aire, and god of this World; and promiseth all those that sayle under his Colours, a happie Voyage. But when Bion was shewed in a Port-Citie, in the Temple of Neptune, divers Pictures of such as had in Tempests made their Vowes to Neptune, and so were saved from shipwracke: and was asked, Whether he did not now acknowledge the power of Neptune, and the gods? Yes, saith hee; these be the shadowes of them, that after their Vowes were delivered: but where are they painted, that have beene drowned after their Vowes? Worldlings may prosper for the time under this Neptune; as they write of the Witches of Lapland, That they can fell Windes to Sea-men, and buy them of the Devill: But what’s the end of the Voyage? Where is the Harbour? Alas, there is no Haven for such, but Hell. No Winde can be that mans friend, that hath no Haven: And yet it is better to have no Haven at all, than eternall destruction for a Haven. Lord, rather crosse us with stormes, yea, blesse us with crosses, than suffer us to steere such a course, to so unhappie a Point. Let our enemies be what they will, so thou be our friend and Pilot, O Iesus Christ!