Noahs Flood Returning OR A SERMON Preached August the 7 th 1655. before the Right Honourable CHRISTOPHER PACK Lord Major of the Honourable Citie of London And the Right Worshipfull the Company of DRAPERS By R. Gell D. D. and Rector of the Parish of Mary Alder-Mary London 1 Thess 5.3 For when they shall say Peace and securitie then sudden destruction cometh upon them as travel upon a woman with child and they shall not escape Jude 7. Even as Sodome and Gomorrah and the Cities about them are set forth for an example LONDON Printed by J. L. and are to be sold by Giles Calvert at the Black-spread Eagle at the West end of Pauls 1655. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE CHRISTOPHER PACK Lord Major of the Honourable Citie of London My Lord AFTER Experience of Gods great Goodness and Mercy towards my Self and my Neighbours in this City in delivering us from the Imminent perill of Fire Ian. the seventeenth 1654. I was emboldened humbly to offer to Your Lordship an Expedient for the prevention of the like dangers among us And upon mine humble addresses to Your Honour I found such a favourable Reception and Your Self so sensible of what I submitted unto your serious consideration that I have often wished an opportunity to acknowledge it Now since Divine Providence hath so ordered it that I was chosen by Lot to preach before Your Honour and the Worshipfull society of Drapers and having been much importuned by many of that Worshipfull Company to print and publish my Sermon such as it was Vpon which motion weighing in my self the Argument of the Text and the prosecution of it as I conceive so needfull and seasonable for these our times Also observing your great wisedome and vigilancy over this populous Mother-City of our Nation and that you might be the more excited through Gods assistance to embrace and use all Occasions offered to prevent through the mercy of God the Judgements and miseries which are impending and ready to fall upon us and this whole nation for ought we know by reason of our loud crying and high provoking sins Against which I desire to bear witnesse and expresse to this sinfull world my zeal to be a Preacher of Righteousnesse which as the Wiseman saith in the day of wrath delivereth from death Prov. 11.4 Vpon these considerations Right Hon ble I presume to publish and dedicate the said Sermon to your Lordship being also more then confident that what is sincerely and uprightly intended will be favourably and candidely accepted by your Honour and your Worshipfull Society Which is all the Return desired and hoped for by him who is My Lord Your humbly devoted Orator to serve You and his Generation In the Lord Jesus Robert Gell. TO THE READER Courteous Reader THe Persons before whom this Sermon was preached are specified in the Front of it and the Occasion of Preaching it in the Authours Dedicatorie Application but it is intentended by the Authour for more publick good because every Bonum Utile the Maxime-holdeth quò communius eo melius Therefore to this end was resolved the Printing of it And that None might snatch an occasion to cavill the Authour he hath been most carefull as his Inch of time would permit For he was necessitated to go out of Town within two dayes after his Preaching to set down in due order what before he publickly delivered and did commit the Inspection of All to One that was willing and ready to see it done as he knew the Authours minde and therefore we hope it will come forth both for matter form and intent without just exception to any But yet if any Supercilious Criticke shall read the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and then disdainfully subscribe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I shall presume In the Authours behalf to reply thus it is easily believed even that the probability of his first Act For its Object is in plain English that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If he savour Heavenly Truth and be skill'd in Divine Logick W. P. A SERMON Preached before the Right Honourable CHRISTOPHER PACK Lord Major of the Citie of London AND Before the Right Worshipfull the Society of DRAPERS Matth. 24.37 38 39. 37 But as the dayes of Noah were so shall also the coming of the Son of man be 38 For as in the dayes that were before the flood they were eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage untill the day that Noe entered into the Ark 39 And knew not untill the flood came and took them all away So shall also the coming of the Son of man be IF this Text seem not fit for the occasion of this grave and solemn Assembly I doubt not but we shall find it ere we leave it suitable enough and proper for the time However there is the same warrant both for the Preacher and his Text The choice of both is to be referred unto the same Originall The words contain a Propheticall parallell touching the sudden and unexpected coming of Christ to judgement which is delivered 1. Succinctly and briefly verse 37. 2. More fully and largely v. 38 39. 1. Succinctly and briefly And so we have in the words these particulars 1. Noah and the Son of man are parallell 2. Noah had his dayes 3. The Son of man hath his coming or his dayes as Luke 17.26 4. The dayes of Noah and the dayes or coming of the Son of Man are paralleld I shall not spend time in these but onely explain who this Son of Man is and what his coming is For all these and other parallels will meet us in the second part of this Text. 1. The Lord Jesus very often stiles himself the Son of Man Matth. 8.20 and 9.6 and 16.20 besides many other places And the reason is given by some that thereby he might signifie his humane nature which he took upon him for mans sake Heb. 2. For what is the Son of Man but Man as David explains one by the other Psal 8.4 Or when he calls himself the Son of Man he intimates that he lives in mean repute and a contemptible estate among men Or he gave himself that name by which he would be more familiarly known and called And this is all Interpreters make of this when our Lord calls himself the Son of Man But I believe our Lord had greater reason than these why he called himself the Son of Man Nor do I doubt but he had reference unto Daniel who was most punctuall in his observation touching the Messiah and the time of his appearing in the flesh and his coming to judgement He is called Dan. 7.13 The Son of Man Object But the words there are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Sonne of Man Answer But here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not similitudinis but certitudinis as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 2.8 As a man not in similitude onely but also certainly As when St. Paul saith 1 Cor. 16.13
away And hath not the like time of humiliation and repentance been granted unto us before the overflowing scourge hath not the Angell flying in the middst of heaven preached unto them that dwell on the earth saying with a loud voice Fear God and give glory unto him for the hour of his judgment is come Revel 14.6 7. And shall we not know our time our precious time Shall we abuse it as they did or worse then they did shall it be said of us as it was of the stupid Jews Jer. 8.7 The stork in the heaven knowes her appointed times and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming but my people know not the Judgment of the Lord. Shall we not know as they knew not and shall the overflowing scourge surprize us in our like carnal security Beloved If we were well assured that the coming of the Lord were near at hand we would be awakenned out of our lethargy our drowzy security and look about us that it might not take us at unawares Now Beloved The coming of the Lord to Judgment is near even at the dores Remember I beseech ye the paralells which ye have heard Our Lord tells us that the coming of the Son of man to Judgment should be like the Lords coming in the days of Noah The like riotous eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage The like yea the same wicked men For Enoch the seventh from Adam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he prophesied to the same men Therefore the wisedome of God hath so expressed the sins of the old world as past and gone that under the same form of words is foretold the sin of this later world Gen. 6.11 12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The earth was corrupt before God and the earth was filled with violence Which words signifie as well The earth shall be corrupt and the earth shall be filled with violence And who sees not that the words are as true of this later as of the former world The same decree of the Judgment reaches as well to this later as to the former world 2 Pet. 3.7 Yea the signes preceding our Lords coming have all or most of them had their accomplishments Impostors and deceivers coming in the name of Christ have deceived many Warres for religion with their effects Persecutions of the Saints The abounding of iniquity and decay of love The preaching of the Gospel in all the world The discovery of the abomination of desolation A woe to them that preach the Gospel The darkning of the Luminaries and the old Heavens The sign of the Son of man in heaven even Christ on the Crosse with his wounds in his hands and his feet and the Angels round about him hath appeared in Frankenland in Germany about two years since in the view of thousands three hours together at midday if there be any belief to be given to the constant testimony of many witnesses Besides all these comparisons between the daies of Noah and the coming of the Son of man I shall adde one more touching the time I conceive it worth your observation That just so many years were from the first Adam to the flood of Noah 1656. and somewhat more as will be run out from the second Adam or Christ in the flesh the very next year 1656. toward the end It is true The Lord hath put the times and seasons in his own power Nor dare I to determine the set time Nor hath the Lord himself revealed it But many believe that the next year will bring with it a notable change in the world yea yea many place the end of the world in that year And find the same Chronographical number of years 1657. in these words MVnDI ConfLagratIo See Alsted in his Chronology Surely these Synchronismes and periods of time are not to be neglected And I believe there is no wise man who observes Tempora mores the times and manners of men of this present generation but he will confesse that we are ripe thorow ripe for Judgment and all things at home and abroad look fatally that way What think we of the many great fires in forreign parts and in this nation and in this Mother-city what els bode they but the beginnings of Judgment that must be managed by fire All other parts of this nation have suffered their share of the vvarres Look into the Word of God and see whether the Metropolis or mother-City be not alwaies threatned as of Moab Rabbath of the Ammonites and many the like yea Jerusalem in Judaea according to Jer. 6.6 It 's said this City is to be visited and for the reason following c. Here the fire was first kindled which hath burnt in all the neighbour nations Hither all the spoiles have bin brought Many of our next neighbour nations have bin sent into forrein Countries Are there no nations left to send us also O utinam ego in hisce falsus Chalchas essem Would God I were deceived in all these The Lord avert this overflowing scourge from us But Beloved The time of grace yet lasts Wherefore if we be wife while we have time let us do as Noah did Being moved with fear he built an Ark. And that is The fifth and last paralell There was an Ark for the preservation of Noah and his house into which Neah entred And there was and is a spiritual Ark of Regeneration for the prefervation of the spiritual Noah's house into which he leads them And what is that Ark spiritually but the Church saith St. Austin Expressely Nulli nostrûm dubium est Arcam Noë salvâ rerum gestarum side Ecclesiam fuisse figuratam This saith he some might think to be an invention of man unlesse the Apostle himself had averred as much 1 Pet. 3.20 21. The long-suffering of God waited in the dayes of Noah while the Ark was preparing wherein few that is eight souls were saved by water 1. They were saved in the Ark figuring the proportion of Christs dead body Divers of the Antients have their mystrcall understanding of the Ark One more bodily The dimensions or measures of the Ark have the same proportion with those of a mans body lying flat upon the back whose depth from the back to the brest is the tenth part of its length as 30. is to 300. and the breadth from side to side is the sixth part of the length as 50. is to 300. Which is the proportion of the Ark. 2. Another they have more spiritual The three stories in the Ark and regions in the body answer to the three degrees of Baptisme in the name of the Father Son and the holy Spirit Matth. 28. Accordingly St. Peter applyes it unto Baptisme 1 Pet. 3. In reference unto this and representation of it the bodies of the dead were wont to be washed Act. 9.37 Hebrews 10.22 2 They were saved in the Ark by water which imports the washing of Regeneration Tit. 3.5 and therefore St.
Peter presently addes The like figure hereunto even Baptisme doth now save us By which water we are to understand the word which ordinarily is joyned to Baptisme Heb. 6.2 The doctrine of Baptismes Ephes 5.26 the washing of water by the Word and therefore Philo Judeus saith that the saving of Noah and his house by water was an image and figure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Regeneration or being born again from the dead which the Apostle himself affirmes 1 Pet. 3.21 the same vvhich ye read Col. 2.12 buried with him by Baptisme c. This is called Regeneration or being born again or the second birth because it hath a former birth a first birth presupposed But that first birth is not the natural generation or birth according to nature but the nevv birth the first and nevv creation of vvhich St. James speaks Jam. 1.17 18. Of his own will he begat us that vve should be a kind of first fruits c. Of such a good vvill are the obedient children vvho are not fashioned according to their former lusts in their ignorance 1 Pet. 1.14 Such are the nevv born babes cap. 2.2 Rom. 7. Gal. 4.19 5.17 the Regeneration is yet a further degree as being of those who are conformed unto the death of Christ by dying unto sin and to his life by conformity unto his Resurrection Such Regenerated Ones are they who are born from the dead with Christ and so become children of the Resurrection But saith the poor Soul if there be no escaping of the flood no salvation but in such a spiritual Ark What shall become of me Alas mine iniquities come about me like water and the floods of ungodlinesse make me afraid Hearken what the true Noah thy Comforter saith unto thee Let not thy heart be troubled Joh. 14.1 Not troubled Here 's a distinction that 's threatned unto all the earth an overflowing scourge a consumption determined upon the whole earth And how then can I but I must be troubled there is indeed a degree of faith which may consist with fear and doubting Peter had that little faith and was afraid and doubted Matth. 14.30 31. That little saith cannot support to hinder the soul from sinking Thou believest in God the father believe also in Christ Joh. 14.1 that faith upholds the soul from sinking into despair Therefore the Ark Gen. 7.18 which is said to have gone upon the waters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to divine artifice may as well be turned the Ark shall go upon the waters whence Jesus Christ is said to be our hope 1 Tim. 1.1 And therefore till Christ comes the children are all their life time subject to bondage and fear Hebr. 2.15 This is the true Noah who redeemes us from the curse that the blessing may come upon us through Faith Gal. 3. The blessed God begets thee again to a lively hope by the Resurrection of Jesus Christs 1 Pet. 1.3 Though now for a season thou be in manifold temptations verse 5. these are as the waters of Noah Esay 54.8 But alas the waters come unto my soul Psal 69.1 The Title of the Psalme is Pro iis qui commutabuntur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for those who are converted changed renewed begotten again In behalf of these the Lord is upon many waters Psalm 29.3 yea verse 10. The Lord sits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon Noahs flood so the word is properly used and steers and guids thy Vessell to the Haven of life and peace But when the overflowing scourge overwhelmeth the world how shall I escape Thou knowest not how nor did Noah when he spared not the old world but saved Noah nor did Lot know when the Lord turned the Cities of Sodome and Gomorrah into ashes and delivered just Let. The Lord knowes though we know not How to deliver the Godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust to the day of judgement to be punished 2 Pet. 2. Beloved Let me now act the part of a Preacher of Righteousness Let us all be exhorted to enter into this Ark of Regeneration The Jews have a proverbiall speech When the Lord opens Din then let Israel betake themselves unto their houses The Lord hath now for many years opened Din even the treasury of his judgements upon us But withall he hath set the doore of the Ark even the straight gate of Mortification open unto us And the Preachers of Righteousness they exhort us dayly to enter in But as when the eight persons had preached for many years how few alas how few were perswaded to enter into the Ark We reade but of eight souls that were saved Lord saith the Disciples Are there few that shall be saved Our Lord answers Strive to enter in at the strait gate Luke 13.23.24 When Noah was entred into the Ark the flood-gates of heaven were opened It was then too late to enter the flood came and took them all away O let us now strive to enter in at the strait gate For the time will come yea come it will when many shall strive to enter in and shall not be able when once the Master of the house is risen up and hath shut to the dore c. O beloved let us seek the Lord while he may be found let us call upon him while he is near Isa 55.6 7. in the great water-floods they shall not come nigh him Psal 32.6 But we are professors of the godly party such as hear the Word receive the Sacrament we are sure of our salvation though we have our infirmities c. Beloved In Noahs time and before Cains posterity were great pretenders to Religion Enoch Cains eldest son a man dedicated unto God His grand-child Mehujael Annuntians Deum a preacher one who spake much of God Another of of his race Lamech an humble man And do we not see especially now Religion is in fashion that many who walk in the way of Cain and walk after their own lusts yet make great profession of religion They tell the spiritual Noah that they eat and drink at his table and he hath taught in their streets yet the dore will be shut even against these and they shall hear their doom I know ye not depart from me ye workers of iniquity But we are Beloved of God elected before the foundation of the world so that whatsoever our infirmities are we are sure of our salvation Our Lord will say to such in the Judgment Thou thoughtest wickedly that I was even such a One as thy self but I will reprove thee c. Psal 50. And hath not God chosen all his Elect in Christ before the foundation of the world that they should be holy and without blame before him in love Ephes 1. These men consider not that salvation is deliverance from sin Matth. 1. And can they be sure of salvation from sin while yet they willingly live in their sin Or do they think that God loves his own righteousness which is himself or them
Quit your selves like men be strong c. For whereas Revel 1.13 and 14.14 ye read of one like the Son of Man no man questions but Christ is there to be understood Our Lord therefore hence implied that he was That Son of Man who was to appear and to be born in Man according to Gal. 4.19 Of whom I travell in birth untill Christ be formed in you which is the same that he meant when he saith He that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven he is my Brother and Sister and Mother Whence He is said to be the Judge of Man because he is That Son of man who is to judge the quick and the dead Acts 17.31 John 5.27 compared with Dan. 7.13 and of this Son of Man so judgeing the Psalmist speaks Psal 96.13 2. As for the coming of That Son of Man the word here used is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies also presence and being which is more proper unto spirituall things This coming may be many wayes understood but I shall consider it here onely as in regard of Persons or particular Churches or generally in respect of all In regard of Persons so Jacob waited for him Gen. 49.18 And St. John tarried untill he came John 21.22 for he was in that day Revel 1.10 whose day Abraham rejoyced to see he saw it and was glad John 8.56 2. In regard of particular Churches as that of the Corinthians waiting for the coming of our Lord 1 Cor. 1.5 6 7. and 4.5 and 1 Thessalonians 5.23 I pray God your spirits may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ 3. In regard of all When every eye shall see him Revel 1.10 Of this last this last coming I understand our Lord here to speak And this is parallell unto the dayes of Noah In what respects we shall understand from the more full and large explication of it Wherein may be observed many parallels between the dayes before the flood and the coming of the Son of Man I shall content my self with these following 1. In the dayes before the flood they were eating and drinking marying and giving in mariage And in these dayes before the coming of the Son of Man there is the like eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage 2. They were so doing untill Noah entered into the Ark. And these will be doing the same untill the coming of the Son of Man to take them away 3. There was a flood prepared in the dayes of Noah to take those away who were eating and drinking c. And there is a like flood of Calamities a new deluge an overflowing scourge prepared in the dayes of the coming of the Son of Man to take these away 4. Those of the old world knew not untill the flood came and took them all away And these of this later world so doing will not know untill the coming of the Son of Man a like flood of calamities and judgements which shall take them all away 5. There was an Ark for the preservation of Noah and his houshold into which Noah entred And there is a Spirituall Ark of Regeneration for the preservation of the Spirituall Noah's house into which he leads them Before I speak of these particular parallels I shall desire you to observe one generall Truth viz. That what was done in the Letter and is recorded in the History of the Old Testament the same is here acted over again in the New Testament and dayes of the Spirit The former being the time of promise and threatning according to the Letter The latter being the fulfilling of what is promised and threatned according to the Spirit Which may serve as a clue to lead us into the light of many like Scriptures I shall but name some viz. first the Story of the Creation which is allegorized by the Prophets and Apostles In the Beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth The Thargum of Jerusalem turns it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in wisdome which is all one with what ye reade Psal 104.24 In wisedome hast thou made them all and 136.5 6. Which wisdom is the Son of God 1 Cor. 1.24 By whom all things were made John 1.3 Col. 1.16 And therefore he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Beginning of the Creation of God Revel 3.14 The Earth was without form and void 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 1. The Prophet hath the very same words importing mans unregenerate estate Jer 4.22 23. The Lord said Let there be light Gen. 1. And God who commanded the light to shine out of darknesse hath shined in our hearts 2. Cor. 4.6 Thus we read of the new creatures the new heavens and the new earth and the new making of them That I may plant the heavens and lay the foundation of the earth and say unto Zion Thou art my people Esay 51.16 The first Adam was a type of the second Rom. 5. And all things belonging to the first were as it were cast in a mould of the animall life figurative of the spirituall or as a picture rudely drawn with lead or a coal is a preparation for more orient and glorious colours to be laid on in the Spirituall life The more notable histories also have and are to have their spirituall fulfillngs Such were the Lords deliverances of his people from Pharaoh King of Egypt and from Og King of Bashan Exod. 14.22 Num. 21. And the Lord promises the fulfilling of the same again Psalme 68.22 And I will bring again from Bashan I will bring again from the depth of the Sea Esay 11.15 16. and 51.10 11. Zach. 10.10 11. This promise is fulfilled after a more eminent and excellent manner Mich. 7.15 According to the dayes of thy coming out of the Land of Egypt will I shew unto him marvellous things what were they the Prophet tells us from v. 19. He will turn again he will have compassion upon us he will subdue our iniquities and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the Sea That promise of Christ to be born Esay 7.14 was not accomplisht onely in the fulnesse of time Gal. 4. but also to be fulfilled afterward in the Spirit among the Gentils Revel 12. The promise that the ten tribes should return Jer. 31. is said to be fulfilled Matth. 2.18 The promise of the Spirit to be poured out Joel 2. had a fulfilling Act. 2. yet is it continually fulfilled and fulfilling so often as there are vessels to receive it Act. 2.39 And thus the Prophets and Apostles allegorize the Old Testament And all the Fathers in this very way of teaching have imitated the Prophets and Apostles And therefore I do not believe that it is dishonourable to the Children Patrizare to be followers of their Fathers herein much lesse to be followers of Christ who doth here expresly give the allegory of what was figured in the history of Noah's flood Come we now to the first of these parallels in the
dayes of Noah they were eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage and in these dayes before the coming of the Son of man they will be eating and drinking marrying and giving in mariage Those customary manners and practices of the old world are expressed to resemble the lik usages of this latter world and both aggravated by the time in the dayes of Noah and in the dayes of the coming of the Son of man Which are laid down in 2. paire of naturall actions 1. Eating and Drinking 2. Marrying and Giving in marriage Which as in nature so in Scripture they go together Unto this example of Noah's dayes Saint Luke adds the like of Lots dayes they did eat they drunk they bought they sold they planted they builded And what does our Lord blame in the first pair of the worlds actions eating and drinking 2 For they proceed from natural desires implanted in us by the God of nature and without which the person of the man cannot be naturally preserved The Lord blames not these actions but their carnal security who did eat and drink 2. Yea their immoderate and inordinate eating and drinking They were toti in his they were wholly taken up in actions of this nature And the Holy Ghost expresses it in the phrase here used signifying an imperfect time some past and some present 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were eating and drinking and the agents those who spent and were spending their time thus so a doing that they were yet about to do what they now did they made it their businesse and they went every day conscienciously about the doing of i◠The reason is Though our calling be an high and heavenly calling yet by reason of our earthly being the present seeming good drawes forcibly downward which the Wiseman hath well observed Wis 9.15 That the corruptible body presseth down the soul and the earthly tabernacle weigheth down the mind that museth on many things And whereas the man stands as Hercules is fabled in bivio with wisdome traceing on the right hand and folly on the left we read of Samlah one of Edoms posterity that he was of Masrekah Samlah is the left hand and Masrekah the drawing of vanity Gen. 36.36 Now the stream of the thoughts wills and affections can run insensibly but one way at once For we cannot serve God and Mammon God and the world God and our belly 2. They neglected the Preachers of righteousnesse Venter non habet aures And Quos perdere vult Deus dementat Observ Our Lord saith not that they were gluttons and drunkards but that they were eating and drinking Even naturall and lawfull actions may be dangerous in regard of sin which may cleave to them or dangerous temptations unto sin or in regard of some penall evill or true punishment For Esau did eat and drink and rose up and despised his birth-right and is therefore called a profane person Heb. 12. So The people sat down to eat and to drink and rose up to play Exod 32.6 and the Sichemites did eat and drink and cursed Abimelech therefore whereas Jobs Children had a custom of feasting at one anothers houses Job 1.4 their father feared lest they might curse God in their hearts and therefore he offered sacrifice in behalf of them continually or all the dayes of their feasting Matth. 22. our Lord saith not that he who was called and afterward excluded from the supper went to plow iniquity but that he went to his farm an honest though now a poor calling Nor doth he tell us that the Merchant handled the balance of deceit but onely that he went to his Merchandize a warrantable good profession Thus in the dayes of Lot Luk. 17.26 it is said They bought they sold they planted they builded Our Lord saith not that they sinned simply in so doing but he implies that some dangerous temptation usually adheres unto these such like actions as to buying and selling Many saith the Wiseman have sinned for a small matter and he that seeks for abundance and will be rich will turn his eyes away he is avidus As a nail sticks close between the joyning of the stones so doth sin stick fast between buying and selling Eccle. 27.1 2. Thus we have had the former pair of naturall actions come we now to the latter which our Saviour adds to them by reason that the former pair of naturall actions have such an influence upon the later for eating and drinking dispose the body for marrying and giving in marriage Yea excessive eating and drinking incline men to the sins of uncleannesse First surfeting and drunkennesse then chambering and wantonnesse Romans 13. Therefore saith Solomon Look not on the wine when it is red or Proverbs 23.31 Thine eyes shall behold strange women Now as they before the flood eagerly pursued the former desires so did they as violently pursue these later and so or worse do the men of the present generation For we have such marrying and giving in marriage as never was in the Christian world before these late times proclaiming that great mystery as the Apostle calls it in Ephes 5. in the market-place among the profane multitude But what special reason is there for this There is an inbred desire of perpetuating our being and name which because it cannot be obtained in ones own person the naturall desire is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to propagate it by posterity And herein is placed the naturalls mans hope of immortality Gen. 4.17 19. And as without eating and drinking the person of a man cannot by nature possibly be preserved so neither without marrying and giving in marriage can mankind be orderly continued But if the naturall desire be not in due subordination unto the spirituall that earthly marriage be not in order unto the heavenly they who marry and are given in marriage are accounted no better then the children of this world Luk 20.34 And he that married a wife and therefore said he could not come must not be admitted to the marriage Supper of the Lamb Luke 14. And therefore the Apostle tells us that mariage must be onely in the Lord 1 Cor. 7.39 But what reason is there that our Lord should name onely these two kinds of excesses eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage Had not all the world corrupted its way before the flood Gen. 6. And before the overflowing scourge our Lord foretells that iniquity should abound and all of us can witness the truth of it All manner of iniquity abounds in high in low in rich in poore universall iniquity contrary to the universall righteousness of God But the Spirit of God names onely that kind of iniquity which was then and I believe is now most rife and common among all men intemperancy incontinency luxury lasciviousness all manner of uncleanness As for the other sins I doubt not but they are common also yet it is to be observed that they are more properly and usually found among some sorts
like a flood of calamities and judgements which will take them all away Gen. 4.26 for so the words should be rendred And Saint Peter calls Noah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Pet. 2.5 And these had warned them successively from the flood that from Enoch above 1000. yeares that from Noah's first preaching 120. years and have they not known The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answers to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies not onely to know but to consider and heed what we know and therefore the LXX turn it often by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus Eccles 5.2 They consider not that they do evill Hebr. 3.10 They have not known my waies so Paul may be understood Act. 23.5 I knew not Brethren that he was the high Priest i e. he considered not Thus Saint Luke 21.31 opposeth the carnall security that should be at the coming of the Son of man with this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Take heed that your heart be not overcharged c. To know therefore is to take heed which these did not and therefore knew not And so omnis peccans est ignorans The reason why the men of that age knew not that is considered not untill the flood came and why the men of this age likewise heed not the coming of the Son of man 1. The men of the former and later world are insensible and hardned by the deceitfulnesse of sin Hebr. 3. 2. Being so hardned they sit down in the scorners chair and deride and mock those who warn them of the judgment to come impius cum pervenerit in profundum peccatorum deridet Aquin. As for those of the old world there are ancient monuments extant of their derision and mocking the holy men of God who exhorted them and were examples of repentance unto the old world Sem and Seth were in great honour among men Ecclus 49.6 whom the men of that age endeavoured by all meanes to dishonour As for Seth he opposed Cain in stead of Abel whom Cain slew he opposed the way of Cain who for his eminency of life was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and accounted a kind of God among good men saith Theodoret deificatus homo a deified man and for that reason he was opposed by the ungodly of his generation who made his name a by word to posterity and so they dealt with Sem who opposed the growing of Idolatry And therefore the wicked of that age abused him also so Plutarch tells us that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They called Typhon i. e. whatsoever is destructive and hurtful Seth or Smu inserting Sems name those two great assertors of Divine worship and adversaries of idolatry Seth the Father of Enoch the first preacher of righteousnesse and Sem the Son of Noah the eighth and last preacher of righteousnesse immediately before the flood These were the mockers in the dayes before the flood And the Apostle tells us that there shall be mockers and scoffers in these last daies the dayes before the overflowing scourge 2. Pet. 3.34 Jud. verse 18. according to the Psal 42.3 and Psalme 89.51 Who slander the footsteps of Gods Anointed and say where is the promise of his coming The Prophet Esay having foretold the overflowing scourge he forewarns the men of this generation Isaiah 28.22 Be not mockers lest your bonds be made strong 3 A third reason may therefore be from the equity of the great Judge to bring the flood upon the hardned and deriding world according to which equity he proceeds 2. Chron. 36.18 They mocked the Messengers of God and despised his words and misused his Prophets untill the wrath of the Lord arose against his people till there was no remedy therefore he brought upon them the King of the Chaldeans Whence we may observe that if the exorbitances and excesses of naturall desires eating and drinking c. such as God himself hath implanted in our natures be thus destructive and bring the flood upon the world of the ungodly how much more shall these excesses and exorbitances become destructive which the divel himself hath sowen in our nature If the good seed be thus abused as to prove degenerate which the good man sowed in the field what shall become of tares which the wicked man sowed in it such are envy and pride and coveteousnesse and wrath and false righteousnesse Yet said the perverse judgment of the foolish world every one can point at a great Eater and reeling drunkard and a poor letcher and indeed they are most infamous and shameful names But the envious person gets credit by the worst of sins being accounted zealous Carnalia peccata plus habent infamiae Spiritualia plus de natura peccati saith Greg. In the dayes before the flood they did eat and drink they married and were given in marriage and the flood came c. But in these dayes before the overflowing scourge which shall now come upon the world there are who spend their pretious time in surfeting and drunkennesse in chambering and wantonnesse in gaming in carding in dicing Cautè sine Castè which by woful experience many decaying and ruined families can witnesse They of the old world were chast and honest in comparison of many in this present lascivious generation they made use of the meanes ordained by God and Nature for the satisfaction of their naturall desires They married wives and gave in marriage But as for many of this later world they bound not their unruly appetites with the lawful use of marriage but break all bonds of God and nature and glory as if they had attained unto some notable degree of perfection in the flesh all women are to them alike they are of a new world who neither marrie nor are given in marriage but are as the Angells videl such Angells as kept not their first estate or principality such as walk according to their ungodly lusts And therefore St. Luke in the parallell place to my text Chap 17.26 relates our Lords words thus They did eat and drink they bought they sould they planted they builded there is no mention made of marrying and giving in marriage They of Sodom prefigured the men of this unclean generation and must not we expect a like judgment unto that of Sodom If not a greater when according to the Prophet they justified the old world in all the abominations which they have done Ezech. 16.51 These are most deceitful lusts and would perswade us to security in them but let no man deceive you with vain words For because of these things commeth the wrath of God Ephesians 5. Beloved in the Lord The men of the old world had a time of repentance and humiliation granted them before the flood even 120. years but the men of that age knew not their time and neglected the eighth Preacher of righteousnesse and while they were eating and drinking c. while they were yet in their carnall security they knew not and the flood came and took them all
better The righteous Lord loveth righteousnesse Psal 11.7 Little children let no man deceive you He that doth Righteousnesse is righteous even as he is righteous He that committeth sin is of the devill 1 John 3.7 If any man call his customary sins infirmities as commonly they do who walk in the way of Cain let him know that such infirmities they are as exclude those who do them out of the kingdome of God 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Gal. 5.21 Let us therefore enquire what manner of men they were who perished in the flood 2. What manner of men the most are who live in this present age before the overflowing scourge 3. What wanner of men we ought to be who may hope to escape the overflowing scourge As to the first query the answer is in the text They were eating and drinking marrying c. As for the second the men of this generation are like to those as our Saviour foretold but farre exceeding them in the same and many other sinnes such are unfaithfulnesse toward God and men for when the Son of Man cometh shall He find faith on the earth Luke 18. Abundance of iniquity want of love to God and men Matthew 24.12 But the Apostle foretells what a deluge of iniquity should flow into these later dayes even the dreggs of time 2 Tim. 3.1.5 This know that in the later dayes perilous times shall be for men shall be lovers of themselves And who sees not this Prophesie fulfilled 3. What manner of men ought we to be who may hope to escape the overflowing scourge who may with confidence and comfort expect the coming of the Son of Man Saint Paul gives Timothy great charge to keep the Commandment without spot untill the approaching of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Tim. 6.15 And Saint Peter having warned us of the day of the Lord It shall come as a thief in the night 2 Pet. 3.10.11 at the 14. verse Wherefore beloved seeing we look for such things be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace and without spot and blameless O let us not be Curvae in terras animae A crooked Generation Ventri obedientes groveling on the Earth bowed to the earth and earthly things whose belly cleaves to the ground but let us remember our Lords Exhortation Luke 21 28. minding his Disciples of his comming 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Look up and lift up your heads for your redemption draweth nigh Let us avoid all known sin Let us remove anger from our heart and evil the concupiscible from thy flesh Eccles 11. suspect and fear the danger of lawfull actions The Table may be made a snare Psalme 60.22 When our Lord was an hungred and not till then the tempter came unto him Matthew 4.2 3. Eat and drink we our loyns girt Gird your loynes of your mind be sober and hope to to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the Revelation of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.13 For he who hath this hope purifies himself as God is pure 1 John 3.3 Believe the threatnings of God as well as the promises Noah believed not onely the promises of God but the threatnings also so that being moved with fear he built an Ark. The Ninivites believed God when Jonah threatned them We that we may be able to doe the grace of God that bringeth salvation to all men hath appeared teaching us to deny ungodlyness and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world looking for the blessed hope of the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ FINIS