noah's faith.
Heb. xi. 7. By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved tvith fear, prepared a7i ark to the saving of his house ; by the tvhich he condemned the world, and, be- came heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
OF all the principles which operate in the Chris- tian's mind, faith is the most distinguished. In some
2321.1 noah's faith. 3S5
respects indeed love claims a preference, because it is the very image of the Deity% and will exist when faith and hope shall be no more\ But as faith is that grace which most of all honours God, so it is that which God most delights to honour. On many occasions wherein a bright assemblage of graces shone forth, our blessed Lord overlooked all others, and commended the faiths The chapter before us recounts the exercises of faith in the most eminent saints from the beginning of the world to the days of the Apostles. We shall call your attention at present to the faith of Noah ; and,
I. Illustrate it —
The different things here spoken respecting it require us to notice — 1. Its operations — He credited the " Divine warning" —
[God had declared to him his intention to destroy the world by a deluge. And how did he receive the warning ? Did he indulge vain i-easonings about the practicability of such an event ; or pretend to be more merciful than God ? No. Though there was not the remotest appearance of such a thing, he believed it would certainly take place : and though to proud reason it feemed hard that all living creatures, old and young, men and beasts, should be involved in one undiscriminating ruin, yet he doubted not but that it should be as God had said ; and was persuaded that " the Judge of all the earth would do right."]
He was " moved with fear" on account of it —
[He had nothing to fear respecting his eternal state, because he was a perfect and upright man, and walked in holy fellowship with his God. But God was incensed by the wickedness of his creatures, insomuch that " he repented he had made them :" and he determined to pour out his fury upon them to the uttermost. Did it not then become Noah, as well as others, to fear and tremble ? Did it become him to be so absorbed in selfishness as to be unconcerned about the destruction, the sudden, and perhaps everlasting, destruction, of all the human race? Indeed a dread of the Divine judg- ments was necessary, to stir him up to use the proper means
a 1 John iv. 8. ^ i Cor. xiii. 13.
c Matt, viii. 10. and xv. 28. Mark x. 52. Luke vii. 50. VOL. XIX. c c