Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 1.djvu/100

68 ark, may yet be unchanged; and then it will appear, one time or other, what kind they are after.

IV. It is added, (and the circumstance deserves our notice,) The Lord shut him in, v. 16. As Noah continued his obedience to God, so God continued his care of Noah; and here it appeared to be a very distinguishing care; for the shutting of his door set up a partition wall between him and all the world besides. God shut the door, 1. To secure him, and keep him safe in the ark. The door must be shut very close, lest the waters should break in, and sink the ark, and very fast, lest any without should break it down. Thus God made up Noah, as he makes up his jewels, Mal. 3. 17. 2. To seclude all others, and keep them for ever out. Hitherto, the door of the ark stood open, and if any, even during the last seven days, had repented and believed, for aught I know, they might have been welcomed into the ark; but now, the door was shut, and they were cut off from all hopes of admittance: for God shutteth, and none can open.

V. There is much of our Gospel-duty and privilege to be seen in Noah's preservation in the ark. The apostle makes it a type of our baptism, that is, our christianity, 1 Pet. 3. 20, 21. Observe then, 1. It is our great duty, in obedience to the gospel-call, by a lively faith in Christ, to come into that way of salvation which God has provided for poor sinners. When Noah came into the ark, he quitted his own house and lands; so must we quit our own righteousness and our worldly possessions, whenever they come into competition with Christ. Noah must, for a while, submit to the confinements and inconveniences of the ark, in order to his preservation for a new world; so those that come into Christ to be saved by him, must deny themselves, both in sufferings and services. 2. Those that come into the ark themselves, should bring as many as they can in with them, by good instructions, by persuasions, and by a good example: What knowest thou, O man, but thou mayest thus save thy wife, (1 Cor. 7. 16.) as Noah did his. There is room enough in Christ for all comers. 3. Those that by faith come into Christ, the Ark, shall by the power of God be shut in, and kept as in a strong hold by the power of God, 1 Pet. 1. 5. God put Adam into paradise, but he did not shut him in, and so he threw himself out; but when he put Noah into the ark, he shut him in, and so when he brings a soul to Christ, he insures the salvation: it is not in our own keeping, but in the Mediator's hand. 4. The door of mercy will shortly be shut against those that now make light of it. Now, knock, and it shall be opened; but the time will come, when it shall not, Luke 13. 25.

17. And the flood was forty days upon the earth ; and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift up above the earth. 18. And the waters prevailed, and were increased greatly upon the earth; and the ark went upon the face of the waters. 19. And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered. 20. Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered.

We are here told,

1. How long the flood was increasing; forty days, v. 17. The profane world which believed not that it would come, probably, when it came, flattered themselves with hopes that it would soon abate, and never come to extremity; but still it increased, it prevailed. Note, (1.) When God judges, he will overcome. If he begin, he will make an end; his way is perfect both in judgment and mercy. (2.) The gradual approaches and advances of God's judgments, which are designed to bring sinners to repentance, are often abused to the hardening of them in their presumption.

2. To what degree they increased; they rose so high, that not only the low flat countries were deluged, but, to make sure work, and that none might escape, the tops of the highest mountains were overflowed, fifteen cubits, that is, seven yards and a half. So that in vain was salvation hoped for from hills or mountains, Jer. 3. 23. None of God's creatures are so high, but his power can overtop them; and he will make them know that wherein they deal proudly, he is above them. Perhaps the tops of the mountains were washed down by the strength of the waters, which helped much toward the prevailing of the waters above them; for it is said, Job 12. 15, He sends out the waters, and they not only overflow, but overturn, the earth. Thus the refuge of lies was swept away, and the waters overflowed the hiding-place of those sinners, (Isa. 28. 17.) and in vain they fly to them for safety. Rev. 6. 16. Now the mountains departed, and the hills were removed, and nothing stood a man in stead but the covenant of peace, Isa. 54. 10. There is no place on earth so high as to set men out of the reach of God's judgments, Jer. 49. 16. Obad. 3. 4. God's hand will find out all his enemies, Ps. 21. 8. Observe how exactly they are fathomed, (fifteen cubits,) not by Noah's plummet, but by his knowledge who weigheth the waters by measure. Job 28. 25.

3. What became of Noah's ark, when the waters thus increased; it was lift up above the earth, (v. 17. ) and went upon the face of the waters, v. 18. When all other buildings were demolished by the waters, and buried under them, the ark alone subsisted. Observe, (1.) The waters which brake down every thing else, bare up the ark. That which to unbelievers is a savour of death unto death, is to the faithful a savour of life unto life. (2.) The more the waters increased, the higher the ark was lifted up toward heaven. Thus sanctified afflictions are spiritual promotions; and as troubles abound, consolations much more abound.

21. And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man: 22. All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land died. 23. And every living substance was destroyed, which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven: and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark. 24. And the waters prevailed upon the earth an hundred and fifty days.

Here is,

I. The general destruction of all flesh by the waters of the flood. Come and see the desolations which God makes in the earth, Psal. 46. 8, and how he lays heaps upon heaps. Never did death triumph, from his first entrance unto this day, as it did then. Come, and see Death upon his pale horse, and hell following with him, Rev. 6. 7, 8.

1. All the cattle, fowl, and creeping things, died, except the few that were in the ark. Observe how this is repeated, All flesh died, v. 21. All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was on the