Noah Warned of the Flood.

SERMON XII.

Heb. xi. 7.

By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righ teousness which is by faith.

IT is possible to walk with God in times of the greatest corruption and depravity. We have proof of this in the example of Noah, who was just and perfect in his generation, and who walked with God when the earth was corrupt before God, and filled with violence. God gave Noah evi

dent tokens of his approbation, by warning him of the flood, and directing him to build an ark to the saving of his house. Noah believed God, and prepared an ark, whereby he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

Our text contains several interesting particulars, which we shall consider in the order they stand.

I. NOAH WAS WARNED OF THINGS NOT

SEEN AS YET.

1. The things not seen were the flood, and the destruction of all flesh. The flood was determined upon in heaven, and revealed to Noah a long time before it came to pass. "Behold I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die." When this awful warning was given, there was no appearance of a flood, either in the heavens or in the earth. Nothing was seen in the visible world to alarm the guilty sons of men; but in the invisible world, a dreadful storm was preparing to punish their bold and impious crimes. Thus, when the wicked think themselves most secure, unseen dangers are at hand; and punishments follow crimes which are not repented of, with as much steadiness and certainty as effects in nature follow their proper causes. God, indeed, is long-suffering, and waiteth to be gracious; but, when his long-suffering grace continues to be abused, he suddenly destroys his enemies. How many rise in the morning, blooming in health and strength, who are

cut down before the evening! How many undertake journies of pleasure and profit, with probable prospects of returning in peace and prosperity, who are never suffered to return to their habitations! In the midst of business and pleasure, and in the act of sinning against God, many are called to give a dreadful account of themselves. Who can tell what will happen the next hour? None but that God who "warned Noah of things not seen as yet."

2. Noah was warned, that he might warn a sinful world. God seldom punishes the guilty without giving them repeated warning. He warns by the inward voice of his Spirit, and by the ministry of his word. The old world was warned both ways. The Spirit warned them; in reference to which God said, "My Spirit shall not always strive with man." Noah, who was a preacher of righteousness, warned them both by his preaching and the building of the ark. His preaching taught them how to live; and the building of the ark taught them what to expect in case of disobedience. The time of warning was so long, that those countries which were at the greatest distance from the place where Noah preached and built the ark, might hear and humble themselves before the Lord; but we do not learn that one person, in all the earth, paid any regard

either to what was said or done by Noah. "They were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came and took them all away."

II. NOAH BELIEVED GOD, AND WAS MOVED WITH FEAR.

1. Noah believed God. There can be no piety towards God without faith in his word. Every man should believe both the promises and the threatenings of God; for both will be accomplished. Some believe in neither, and therefore remain unmoved either with hope or fear. God kindly warns them; but they disbelieve and despise the warning. What a blessing it would be if every man, like Noah, would take God at his word; then the wicked would be reclaimed from their wickedness, and the righteous would be confirmed in their righteousness.

The fear

He felt a

2. Noah was moved with fear. of Noah was filial; and as it urged him to obedience, it proved a blessing. deep reverence for the Lord God, and was alarmed for his family and the world. The judgments of God are fearful things, and cannot be viewed, even by holy men, without a solemn awe! What then should those men feel for whom judgments are prepar

ed! O that sinners may be moved with fear, while there is time to repent; lest, when the judgments of God come down, mercy may have fled for ever. Fear, when mercy has fled, can have no other tendency than that of increasing the misery of the fearful. Then, "he who fleeth from the noise of fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare. O let fear move our hearts while mercy is offered, that we may glorify God in the day of his gracious visitation!

III. NOAH PREPARED AN ARK TO THE SAVING OF HIS HOUSE,

1, Noah prepared an ark. The ark was built by the direction of God, as the only means of safety to Noah and his family. It was built large enough to contain the family of Noah, a vast number of fowls, cattle, and creeping things, and provisions for their support while they remained in the ark. "The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits." The ancient cubit was the distance from the elbow bending inward to the extremity of the middle finger, containing a foot and a half, or half a yard; so that the ark was about one hundred and fifty yards long, twenty-five broad, and fifteen yards high; and, in every respect, it was constructed up