tions to the fathers liappened hy way of type : 1 Cor. x. 11, 'All tliese things happened unto them — -vttol — as ensamples.' Ohserve, the faith of the fathers and the obedience of the fathers was conversant about a double object : spiritual o^ood things promised to them, and in common to all believers — and then particular blessings wliich were proper to themselves, and were types of good things yet to come. So here was a temporal salvation in an ark, which was a figure of our spiritual deliverance by Christ. There is a great deal of similitude between Christ and tlie ark. The ark was the only means of salva- tion, and so is Jesus Christ : Acts iv. 12, ' Neither is there salvation in any other : for there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.' If they had builded towers, and gone up to the tops of mountains, though they were of a giant-like stature, they could not escape the flood that overwhelmed them. 8o all otlier things are but vain confidences ; though you are strict and severe in life, and ])ractise many duties, yet out of Christ they signify* nothing. So again, all without the ark perished in the waters. Many saw the ark ; but unless they entered into it, they were not safe. So, though you- hear of Christ, and are of this opinion that there is a Christ, yet unless you be in Christ it will not avail you anything ; there is salva- tion in no other, and you must be in him befoi'e you can have any benefit by him. Therefore say as the apostle, ' Oh that I miglit be found in him,' Pliil. iii. 9 ; that I may not only know Christ outwardly, but that there might be a real union between him and me. And look, as all that were gathered into the ark, so all that shall be saved shall be added and gathered to the church : Acts ii. 47, ' The Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.' Those that were out of the ark, though many of them had large possessions and a great deal of money, yet that would not avail them. So ' riches profit not in the day of wrath,' Prov. xi. 4. When God comes to take us away in judg- ment, our estates which we idolise will be our greatest burden, and sit heavy upon our consciences ; they will be a trouble and no profit to us. Again, those that were once in the ark were sure and safe, and could not miscarry. So there is a sure salvation in Christ ; once in Christ, and salvation for ever ; all the floods of calamity can never overv\dielm them, they will be your safety, and not your ruin. The flood mounted the ark higher, and made it safe from rocks. There is a notable expression of the apostle, 1 Peter iii. 20, ' They were saved by water,' the water that drowned others saved them, by hoisting up of the ark from the hills and mountains ; so all those conditions of life which to the wicked are a snare, shall be to you a blessing. When floods arise, this will be a great advantage ; afflictions and outward blessings are all faithful administrations.
Again, as Xoah was buried alive in the ark for a good while, then had a joyful deliverance; so we are 'buried with Christ in baptism,' Eom. vi. 4, mortified with affliction ; and we should live as if we were dead to the pomps of the world, and then the end will be glorious as it was to Noah. He came out and enjoyed the whole world ; so shall we when we are delivered from the prison of the body ; when our souls go forth as Xoah out of the ark, we shall reign and triumph with Christ for evermore. Oh then, get into the ark, get an interest in
VeR. 7.] SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. 205
Christ. Noah prepared the ark hhnself ; but the Lord hatli prepared an ark for us ; all thiugs are ready, there v>'ants nothing but our faith. The ark is built to our hands, and Christ is a complete saviour, fit to shelter us and save us. Oh, let us enter into this ark !
To c'o on — ' To the saving of his household.' It is meant of a temporal salvation, though thereby the spiritual salvation was typified and figured ; for indeed some of Noah's house that were saved in the ark, are represented in the scripture ' as accursed from the Lord : ' Gen. vi. 16, and vii. 1, 'Come thou and all thy house into the ark.' There was Ham in the ark, as well as Shem and Japhet ; wretched Ham, in whose line the cui'sed olispring or malignant race was con- tinued. Hence note —
Boct. Bad children of good parents are partakers of some temporal blessings for their father "s sake. Saving grace doth not descend from parents to their children, yet many temporal blessings may for their parents' sake. We read that Ishmael was blessed for Abraham's sake : Gen. xvii. 20, ' I have heard thee for Ishmael ; and behold I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and multi})ly him exceedingly ; twelve princes he shall beget, and I will make him a great nation.' Though he did not continue the blessed line, yet he had much of the outward part of the covenant ; he lived and had some common privileges, the principal' blessing was settled on Isaac. So when Solomon had warped and turned aside from God, the Lord tells him, 1 Kings xi. 11, 12, ' I will rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant, nevertheless, in thy days I will not do it for David thy father's sake, but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son.' There is mercy to one child for his father's sake, and there is judgment to the next child for his immediate parent's sake. See how various the dis- pensations of God are to children by reason of their parents ; for that is the reason given, because of his promise made to David — not for Solomon's merit. The Lord doth not speak of Solomon's building the temple, and those costly sacrifices that he ofi'ered ; no, but for David's sake. To instance in such a blessing as is parallel to the text of tem- poral deliverance, preservation, and safety : Gen. xix. 12, ' And the men said unto Lot ' — that is. the angels in men's appearance, ' Hast thou here any besides ? sons-in-law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, bring them out of this place.' God would extend mercy for Lot's sake to ail his relations ; not only to his sons and natural children, but to his sons-in-law ; nay, their relation at that time was exceeding loose, for Lot's daughters were but espoused, for they are called virgins else- where. Tea, to express the largeness of his grace, God hath saved a whole nation for their sakes, and therefore they are called ' the chariots and horsemen of Israel,' 2 Kings ii. 12. And if ten righteous persons had been found in Sodom, God would have spared all Sodom, Gen. xviii. 32, much more their kindred and their near relations.