compassion chargeth them both with sinne and senselesnesse O Jerusalem Ierusalem that killest the Prophets aâ—â— stonest them that were sent unto thee that is their sinne how often would I have gathered thy Children together as the henne doth her chickens but thou would'st not That was the senselesnesse But what was the issue even a suddeâ— destruction from God that upon her might come all the righteous bloud that was spilt from the bloud of Abeâ— unto the bloud of Zacharias So likewise in the Nineteenth of Luke When he beheld the City hee wept and gives the reason in his prayer O that thou hadst knowne in this thy day those things that belong unto thy peace That is their sinne but now are they hid from thine eyes that is their senselesnesse Hee addes the issue Therefore shall thine enemies cast a banke about thee c. But doth God enter into judgement onely with the Iew and are these onely the defects of the Iewes No The parable made in this Chapter sheweth that it reacheth unto the Gentiles also For when the Sonne of man commeth hee shall scarce find faith in the earth And because iniquity shall abound charitie shall wax cold Sinne shall be ripe even unto harvest before Christ send the Angels his reapers to cut downe this field of the world The world shall bee sinfull and as the Apostle speaketh The last dayes shall be perillous times men shall be lovers of themselves more then lovers of God Hee goeth on particularizing their sinnes against the first Table against the second shewing that the fleshly tables of their hearts shall scarce retayne any print of the hand writing of the spirit of God the world doth not grow more old in regard of naturall strength then men grow old in goodnesse and vertue or rather sin growes unto his highest floud when nature growes unto her lowest ebbe and as men are more sinfull so are they more and more senselesse resisting the Holy Ghost with uncircumcised eares and heartes the first world strove against the Spirit of God and no marvell for the prophesie of Isaiah in his eighth Chapter which is reported by Christ and the Apostles doth containe an inseparable propertie from sinne which is to make us winke with our eyes and stoppe our eares and obdurate our heartes that in seeing wee may see and not perceave and in hearing wee may heare and not understand and so the Devill doth hood-winke us and stupifie us least wee should be converted and so saved Saint Paul notes it in the third Chapter of the first Epistle to the Thessaloniâ—ns Men shall câ—y Peace peace when sudden desolation shall be at hand Or as Iob speakes spend their dayes in pleasure and in a moment goe downe quickly to hell so that King Davids compassionate admiration will prove true who having described in Psal 73. the jollity of the wicked who in the height of their prosperity do open their mouth against heaven sheweth that they are sencelesse of their slippery standing and wondring at their fault crying out Now doe they perish suddenly fearefully finally And indeed this world must answer that other world it must needs be that they which will not neither be reclaimed nor forewarned must be surprized Our Saviour Christ expresseth it in three fine similies The first is of the travell of a woman so shall the judgement day come Every wicked man hath a double travell Saint James teacheth it in his first chapter Lust conceives and bringeth forth sinne that is a pleasant travell But this wombe resteth not here for sinne will not leave till it have brought forth death that is a painfull travell but an unexpected childe when a man is not delivered of that which he conceived his issue is death when he at least expected a contented life But so doth God overtake a sinner even as Iob also resembling sinne to sweet meat in the mouth shewes that it proves the gall of Aspes in the stomacke The second simile is of a Theefe whereunto Christ resembleth the judgement day not only to expresse his unexpected coming but the event of his judgement which will rob us of all that wherein we set our wicked hearts delight you read it in the parable of the man whose ground bearing plenty he was to inlarge his barnes but he addes his wicked affection groveling upon earthly things when he encourageth his soule to eat and drinke because it had provision for many yeeres but the Oracle checkes him Thou foole this night shall they take thy soule from thee then whose shall all these things be Dives for all his soft raiment and delicate fare had nothing left him when he was summoned by death to shroud him from or refresh him in the flames of hell The third simile is of the snare of a Fowler or a Hunter which taketh the beast or the bird who catching after the pray is caught by the engine and Saint Paul tels us that in committing sinne we doe receive the sting of death The condition of Adams sinne attends the sinne of every sonne of Adam whiles eating the forbidden fruit he looked to have eyes open that he might behold himselfe as a God he found indeed how he was circumvented by the equivocation of the phrase that to be a god knowing good and evill is but a periphrasis of the devill and indeed he became unexpectedly but justly a god like unto him and so shall all his sonnes that impiously transgresse Gods lawes heare that dreadfull voyce Goe ye cursed into everlasting fire provided for the Divell and his angels You have heard the proportion of correspondency so farre as it concernes the bad now must you heare it so farre as it concernes the good for though the world were so sinfull and so sencelesse yet was there a Noah left and his family but one Noah and one family There was a Noah that found favour with God and was righâ—eous in the sight of God God never shewes onely justice but ever mingles it with some mercy Though all should justly perish yet some shall be mercifully saved â—n a whole wicked world God will have some Noah â—nd that he may fit him he will give his holy Spirit unâ—o him Noah had found no grace with God had he not â—eceived the grace of righteousnesse from God But Saint Paul expresseth in the eleventh of the Hebrewes the two â—arts of Noahs pietie which was reverence and conâ—â—dence reverence in making the Arke confidence in â—sing the Arke not onely obeying Gods word in proâ—iding the meanes to save himselfe but also using it when â—â—e time came notwithstanding others so many others â—id despise it Whereupon followed two effects that he â—as not surprised by the flood and as the Apostle saith he condemned the world You have heard that there was a Noah but marke that there was but one Noah and his family a small number to a whole world but such is the excesse of the wicked above the good so many
heaven but to them it is not given But I deâ—and have we not heard Yes verily for the sound of GODS Word is gone throughout all the earth and their words to the end of the world All the day long saith God have I stretched out mine hand unto a disobedient and â—ainsaying Nation We have two eares an outward and â—n inward We must bring the first with reverence to God and by that eare God will open the other The apâ—arent reason why we heare so little inwardly is because we heare so little outwardly Yea men are like deafe Adders that stop their eares charme the Charmer never so â—isely Hereby the peoples hearts waxe fatt and their â—ares are dull of hearing and with their eyes they wink east they should see with their eyes and heare with their â—ares and understand with their hearts and should reâ—urne that God might heale them Finally They become â—ike Idols that have eares and heare not eyes and see not as â—eremy speaketh And to conclude with our selves I night exclame with the ancient Prophets and Apostles Quis credidit Who hath beleeved our report or as the â—onne of Syrach The Pastors of our land are like as men â—hat speak to them that are in a sound sleep when he hath â—ld his tale they say what is the matter Read Zach. 7.11 Zach. 7. â—any Epicures what would this babler many proud Pharaohs who is the Lord that we should obey him but I will not complaine of them I will rather admonish with Saint Paul Wee ought diligently to take heed to the â—hings which we have heard lest at any time we run out for â—f the word spoken c. That we may then be in the number of those of whom Christ saith Blessed are your eyes â—r they see and your eares for they heare let us now and â—ver imitate Samuel and say Speake Lord for thy servant â—eareth But what shall he heare that which Moses â—id Exod. 33. Gods glory goodnesse and face Exo. 33.11 14 18 19. for that â—lace is a Commentary upon this And so from the perâ—ns let us come to the lesson The Lesson consists of two parts 1. What God is Secondly How hee dealeth with us GOD is both powerfull and also mercifull To thee ô LORD power and mercy The words are to be understood exclusively for what King David denyed to all creatures he ascribes to the Creator and so are the attributes often limitted to God only as none good but God Noah will easily acknowledge this truth If we distinctly consider of these attributes first the power and then the mercy all that I will observe concerning the power may be reduced to these two branches God is mighty of himselfe and Almighty Mighty of himselfe for power is essentiall unto God it is but by gift in the creatures therefore Gods power is absolute and independant the power of all creatures is limitted and dependant I will make it plaine by resemblances The sunne is the fountaine of light the Moone hath light but it is borrowed of the Sunne there is water in the spring and in the streame but the spring hath it of himselfe the streame borrowes it of the spring so is the juice in the branches and in the root but for this juice the branches are beholden to the root not the root to the branches Hereupon it commeth to passe that the Moone doth wexe and wane as it hath more or lesse influence from the Sunne so is the streame greater or lesser as it draweth more or lesse water from the spring and the branches fade or bud as they are moistened from the root But this difference we must take that these resemblances fit our purpose but in part for God is Agens liberrimum God can at his pleasure increase or diminish and withhold all power from his creatures but so cannot the Sunne his light the spring his water the root his juice therefore that power the creature hath yet is not the creatures but it is Gods in him all things live and move and have their being Gen. 3.6 and they are but his army Our soules are not masters of our own power when God will our eyes faile us as they did the Syrian Army 1 Kin. 13.4 our eares will faile us as they did the Aramites our hands will faile us as they did Ieroboam 1 King 13. Our feet will faile us as they did those bands that came to Christ Our tongue will faile us as Balaam blessed when he should have cursed our hearts will faile us * Deu. 28.28 Our wisdom will faile us for God taketh the wise in their own craftinesse even the Devill himselfe as in the death of Christ. Finally our consciences through feare will betray all the powers of our soule every thing militat Deo that is the ground of the speech of Ioshua The Canaanites though Giants and Inhabitants of high walled Cities they are but bread for we shall conquer them as easily as wee digest our meats hee addes the reason their shield is departed from them the Lord is with us You see then how true it is that God is mighty of himselfe and every creature of it selfe hath no might but a Tenant at will unto God for so much and so long as it pleaseth him But God as he is mighty he is of himselfe and he is Almighty nothing is impossible to God hee doth whatsoever he will both in heaven and earth who hath resisted his will But here we must note that power noteth perfection and imperfection no power but want of power and therefore wee must exclude imperfections otherwise there be many things impossible for God Imperfections are of two sorts onely miserable or blameable and blameable are the ignorance and sinfulnesse of men God cannot be deceaved nor can God sinne both are imperfect Miserable are all the punishments of sinne as sicknesse and death these are as farre from God as sin But whatsoever things are of perfection those can be done of God only in the perfections that are common to God with us we must observe a great difference between God and us for besides that hee is Almighty hee hath all his perfections of himselfe and we ours from him he hath them immutably he hath them eminently he that planted our eare can heare and he that made our eye can see But he seeth and heareth without an eye and eare of flesh he is all eye all eare he sees all heares all Enter praesenter Deus est ubique potenter His Majesty fils Heaven and Earth All things are naked before him yea there is nothing that is not sustained by him Though all imperfections be far from God yet are they not without the compasse of the providence of God he permitteth them hee ordereth them yea hee draweth his glory and his Churches good out of them The same God that could command light to shine out of darknesse can out of evill bring forth good Yea
more are there that perish then those that are saved t was so in the old world so it shall be in this to follow the parable of the Iewes and the Gentiles but a remnant of the Iewes are saved The Prophet compares it to a gleaning after a vintage or a harvest Whereas the wicked are compared unto the starres of heaven and to the sands of the Sea and to a whole harvest This is meant by the parable of Gods choosing but one tree of all the forrest one Dove of all the birds one Citie of all the world but consider that there is one though there be but one for God will save a flocke though it be but a little flocke for the elects sake he will hasten his judgement lest there should remaine no flesh to be saved The world little thinkes upon that which is a grounded truth that for the godlies sake God forbeares to come to judgement But in Rom. 4. it is set downe plainly when the soules that lay under the Altar cryed unto God saying How long Lorâ— righteous and true dost thou deferre to revenge our blood upon the world answer is given unto them that they must rest for a while till the number of their brethren was sulfilled for then shall be an end of all When Jerusalem is fully built the body of Christ hath all his members and the true Olive hath all his branches Little therefore doe the wicked consider that they bane themselves while they persecute the godly For Obadiahs house was blessed whiles it was the place of the Arke and so were the Roman Emperours whiles they cherished the Italians But as God will have a remnant so it will be but a smaâ— remnant there will be faith but scarse faith as Christ speakes and charity though it will not be quite dead it will be very cold which makes that Romish conceâ—â— very frivolous which maketh the most illustrious Church to be the true Church whereas Christ answers truely to the questioners that demanded whether there should be many saved that the gate is wide and the way broad that leadeth to destruction and many there be that finde it but the gate is straight and the way narrow that leadeth unto life and few there be that finde it The conclusion of the correspondency is that a few though but a few shall imitate Noah in his reverence and likewise in his confidence Observing the meanes prescribed by God and trusting perfectly in the promises of God Saint Peter joynes them both when he makes Baptisme an antitype of the Arke when he shewes that Baptisme hath not onely the putting away of the filth of the flesh which is the externall washing but also the interrogation of a good conscience unto God through the resurrection of Iesus Christ Christ meanes the same when he saith that this little flock shall watch the signes of his coming and also they lift up their heads with joy knowing that their salvation draweth neere The issue of their reverence and confidence is they shall be saved they shall be taken up to meet Christ and ever to be with him they shall enter into their masters joy and be made partakers of the marriage feast You have heard of the correspondency but though in the comparison there be so good a correspondency yet must we consider withall a great inequality as great an inequality of the things as there is of the persons I meane the persons of Noah and Christ as farre as the sonne of man doth exceed that man so farre shall the end of this world exceed the end of that whether you respect the destruction of the bad or the salvation of the good In regard of the destruction of the bad there shall be foure great differences The first is That world was destroyed with water this shall be destroyed with fire and who knoweth not how much more terrible fire is then water But which is the second That water wasted onely the earth and those things that lived upon the earth â—ut this shall waste both heaven and earth and whatsoever is I except Christs little flocke in either heaven or earth If the sight of the Deluge were fearefull how much more fearefull shall this combustion of the whole be when t is compared to the inundation of a part a part which Astronomy proves to be so little in comparison of the whole Adde hereunto the third that of the wicked That destruction was but partiall but this shall be totall Then there was at least a Cham a seed of the wicked that escaping might be an example to reclaime the future wicked and indeed the voice of a Nebuchadnezzar or an Antiochus experiencing and acknowledging the justice of God will in probability worke more then the voyce of Moses or Daniel or Iudas Maccabeus to reclaime the wicked God therefore at that time was pleased to trie also this meanes and preserved not onely a Sem but also a Cham. But in this last destruction God saveth not so much as one Cham not a goate left among the sheepe if there be but one that wanteth his wedding garment the master of the feast will espie him and away with him the corne will be cleane vnmowed from the Chaffe and the gold purified from all drosse Adde hereunto the last point that destruction was but temporall this finall that that was but temporall so some understand Saint Peter 1. Epist. 4. but this is undoubtedly eternall for the sentence is Goe ye cursed into everlasting fire no recall of the sentence no recoverie of the state so Noah saved to be the hope of the second world as the booke of Wisdome speaks Chap. 14. You have here the inequalitie in regard of the bad and in regard of the good there is the same inequality also that fire shall as wonderfully preserve them as it fearfully destroyes the wicked There shall be a generall renovation of heaven and earth wherein dwels righteousnesse as there was a combustion of the other heaven and earth wherein dwelt wickednesse And in this heaven and earth shall be no uncleane thing and that which is purified shall remaine so for ever even blessed for ever intirely and eternally blessed whereas the deliverance by Noah was but temporall it was but partiall it was from a death but onely of the body and that onely for a time and that to live a mortall life so that is and so must have his destruction that in that example we read that God is displeased with sinne that he powreth forth his vengeance upon sinne but how farre he is displeased how much vengeance shall be exacted we may gesse it in the former world but we cannot throughly understand that correspondency doth not amount unto an equalitie Onely for a close of all he that readeth that may well believe this because that is a pledge of this and our best course is to follow Christs counsell Luke 21. Take heed least at any time your heartes be oppressed with surfetting and drunkennes and that day come upon you unawares For as a snare shall it come upon all the inhabitants of this world Let us watch therefore and pray that we may be worthy to escape the things that then shall come and stand before the sonne of man for as it was in the dayes of Noah so shall it be at the comming of the Sonne of man Grant gracious Lord that denying all ungodlines and worldly lusts we may so reverence thy word and depend on thy promise with such a confidence that we be neither sinfull nor senselesse and so surprised with thy just wrath but may watchfully looke for and earnestly hasten unto the blessed appearing of our glorious Iudge and Saviour Jesus Christ FINIS IMPRIMATVR THOMAS BROWNE APRILL 16. 1640.