whom his word comes, is, "I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the fure mercies of David." God's propofal, ftanding registered in the facred volume, is of the fame use in all ages, as his declaration was to Noah; and Noah is one of that most illustrious CLOUD OF WITNESSES whom we ought to follow. Upon the whole, though we cannot imitate God in making fovereignly gracious promises, yet his example affords an argument unto the practice of covenanting: If the Most High God deign to bind himself, by way of covenant, to us, Is it too much that we bind ourfelves, by way of covenant, to him?

THIRDLY, I fhall enquire, How this Covenant was Confirmed: And it was ratified,

1. By the Ark: The ark which Noah built as a mean of prefervation to his natural life, was also a figure of Chrift, the author of eternal falvation. The analogy is obvious, in the following inftances at least:

THE Ark was not an invention of man, but the contrivance of infinite wifdom. That generation was fo far from dreaming of any fuch thing, as either neceffary or poffible, that they derided Noah's undertaking as the effect of a strong delirium. In like manner, the falvation of finners, by Christ crucified, is fo far fuperior to human invention, that, even

after

after it is revealed, it is deemed foolishness by many fuppofed fons of science in every age. -The Ark was able to fuftain the fhock of the deluge, when all things without it, and befide it, were utterly overthrown. The Lord Jefus Chrift alone was able to fuftain the fhock of Almighty vengeance, due unto the violators of the divine law, while all who fhall be found without him must eternally perish. The fountain of the great deep from below, the cataracts of heaven from above, broke forth upon the ark, while boisterous billows rolled in upon it from every fide; but it weathered the storm, and refted fafely, with all its inhabitants, upon the deftined mountain.

The Redeemer came alfo into deep waters, where the FLOODS overflowed him: He fuftained the wrath of the Father from above, the fury of devils from below, and the rage of men on every hand; but he rode out the ftorm, and entered fafely into the haven of glory. Now he is a covert from the tempeft: Ifrael may now fay, the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our heads, had not the Lord been on our fide. "Surely, in FLOODS of great waters, they fhall not come nigh unto hun. Thou art my hiding-place; thou shalt preferve me from trouble; thou fhalt compass me about with fongs of deliverance."

-Few perfons were faved by the Ark, and few believe on Christ to the faving of the foul. Many are called, but FEW are chofen: FEW

enter

enter in at the ftrait gate, compared with those who take the broad way.The Ark was furnished, by the wifdom and goodness of God, with all things neceflary for the prefervation of those who were fhut up in it. Our Lord Jefus Chrift is alfo ftored with the abundance of grace, as he is alfo intrusted with the difpenfation of the gift of righteoufnefs, for the complete falvation of fuch as dwell in him by faith: "It pleased the Father, that in him fhould all fulnefs dwell."-" Ye are complete in him." Should any atk if Noah's faith could difcern the antitype in this. fign: Let the Apostle answer, By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not feen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the faving of his houfe: by which he CONDEMNED the world, and became an heir of the RIGHTEOUSNESS which is by faith."

2. FROM what has been faid, concerning the Ark, it is eafy to learn, That the FLOOD

* Vide HER. WITS. Oecon. Eod. Lib. iv. cap. 6. § 21. That ingenious author adds another particular, in which he thinks there is a manifeft analogy between Christ and the Ark: "Pix illa qua juncture arcæ intrinfecus et ex"trinfecus, ex precepto Dei illitæ fuerunt ad omnem aquarum ingreffum excludendum, Hebraice dicitur " que vOX EXPIATIONEM quoque et REDEMPTIONIS pretium notat. Nonne eleganter hoc modo figni"ficatum eft, foli nos expiationi et redemptioni Chrifti "debere, quod a diluvio divina vindicte immunes fu"mus?"

had a typical fignification likeways; the for-
mer being only neceffary on fuppofition of the
latter. The deluge is a fit emblem of divine
vengeance, in respect of its all-conquering
power. No creature, however ftrong of itself,
or however fécurely fituated, could prevail a-
gainst it: It fwelled far above the top of the
highest mountain. Nor can any
Nor can any finful crea-
ture ftand before an offended God: Sinning
angels, notwithstanding their numbers and
ftrength, could not refift his avenging hand,
fo much as for one moment-HE CAST THEM
DOWN TO HELL. The flood, and the burning
of Sodom, are the most striking inftances of
divine fury poured out in this world; and fury
on God's enemies is falvation to his people.

FOURTHLY, We proceed to confider the OCCASIONS of this Covenant.

THIS tranfaction obtained when God announced the deluge to Noah, and enjoined him to build the ark for the faving of his house; and not at the time when he entered into it.

This

appears by confidering the oppofition between the threatening and this covenant, as marked in the text. This covenant is the counter part of that threatening; and, confequently, given at the fame time with it. Hence, it is eafy to fix the particular æra of it: It was made juft a hundred and twenty years before the flood, in the four hundred and eightieth year of Noah's

life, about one thousand five hundred and thir ty-fix years after the creation of the world; and a thousand years after that foederal tranfaction which obtained in the days of Enos. The Occafions of this Covenant were,

1. SUCH as originated from extreme corrup tion and wickedness, which prevailed in the old world. While they indulged themselves in luxury and riot, they were ready, like modern debauchees, to compliment each other as perfons of a very GOOD HEART; but one who ob ferved the heart with the greatest accuracy, and judged of it with infinite faithfulness and certainty, declares, "That EVERY imagination of the thoughts of their heart was only evil continually." And as the legions of lufts which long brooded in the heart, at length broke forth like a mighty torrent, to deluge the world with fin; fo the righteous judge faw meet to deluge it with water and wrath. Their in-bred corrup tion burst forth,-In fenfuality and finful affociations: In the days of Noah, they did eat and drink, they married and gave in marriage, even until the day that Noah entered into the ark. The children of Enos, who were, by profeffion, the Sons of God, were unequally yoked with the daughters of men; that is, the infidel race of Cain. Gaiety and vanity were the motives of this choice; and a race of fturdy rebels against God the fruits of it. Wantonnefs and violence of every kind took the place of religion

and