fault of those who refused to listen to the voice of mercy, and to obey the commands of God. And surely Noah would have paid a very unbecoming deference to the world, if he had fol- lowed their example rather than his own convictions, and consented to perish with them, rather than secure his own salvation. Why then should we carry our complaisance to such a criminal extent, when the everlasting salvation of our souls is at stake ? We regret that we are compelled to be singular : but we must confess, It is better to be saved with Noah and his little family, than to perish with an ungodly world : It is better to walk in the narrow and unfrequented way which leadeth unto life, than to go in the broad road which terminates in destruction.]
Dismissing then your objections, " suffer a word of exhortation" —
[To every one we would address the words of our text, " Enter thou, and all thy family, into the ark." Consider, how near the day of mercy may have come to its close ! The day of judgment may be far off, as it respects the world at large; but it may be nigh at hand as it respects ourselves. The hour of death may be much nearer to us than we imagine : and that will, in effect, be the day of judgment to us. O what shall we then do, if we be not found in the true ark ? What shall we do, if we belong not to Him " of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named," and be not numbered amongst his " little flock," on whom alone the kingdom of heaven will be conferred ? Let us only paint to ourselves the distress we should have felt, if we had seen the waters rapidly surrounding us, and the ark shut against us : yet this would be a very faint image of what we shall feel, when the vials of God's wrath shall be poured out upon us, and no hope of deliverance be afforded. Let us then " not seek merely, but strive, to enter in." Let us endeavour to bring all we can along with us. It will be a painful sight, if we be saved ourselves, to see our wife, our children, our servants, our friends perishing around us, and swallowed up in " the lake that burnetii with fire and brimstone." On the other hand, what a joy will it be to pre- sent them unto God, saying, " Here am I, and the children thou hast given me ! " Let us then exert our influence while we can ; and I pray God that our labours may be crowned with success ; and that, instead of going to heaven alone, we may all have some to be " our joy and crown of rejoicing" in that solemn day!]