This altar was a type of Christ, as capacitated to bear the sin of

the world (for the altar was it, upon which the sacrifices were

burnt;) wherefore it, in mine opinion, in special respected his

Godhead, by the power of which he offered himself, that is, his

flesh. Again it is said, "The altar sanctifieth the gift" (Matt

23:19). So did the Godhead the humanity of Christ, through which

"eternal Spirit, he offered himself without spot to God" (Heb

9:14). By this altar then this blessed man preached to his family

the Godhead and eternity of Christ.

"And took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl." These

beasts and fowls were types of the flesh of the Son of God, as Paul

in the ninth and tenth chapters to the Hebrews affirms; wherefore

by this act he also preached to his family the incarnation of the

Lord Christ, how that "in the fulness of time" he should in our

flesh offer himself a sacrifice for us; for as all the ordinances

of the New Testament ministration preach to us, That Christ is

come; so all the ordinances of worship under the Old Testament

preached to them that were under it, Christ, as yet TO come.

"Of every clean beast and of every clean fowl." This was to shew,

That when Christ did come, he should not take hold of the Jew, and

exclude the Gentile; but that in his flesh he should present unto

God EVERY clean beast, and EVERY clean fowl; that is, all the

elect, both of Jew and Gentile (Acts 10:11-16).

And it was requisite that this by Noah should be preached, because

the whole world was yet in his family; from whence, at the

multiplication of men, if through their rebellion and idolatry they

lost not this doctrine, they might to all their offspring preach

the Lord Jesus.

Wherefore, the doctrine of the gospel, had the world been faithful,

might have been to this day retained amongst them that now are the

most barbarous people.[37]

Ver. 21. "And the Lord smelled a sweet savour; [a savour of rest;]

and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground

any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is

evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every

living thing, as I have done."

These words more fully shew, that this sacrifice of Noah was a

type of the offering up of the body of Jesus Christ, he being said

to be that blessed sacrifice that is as perfume in the nostrils

of God: "He gave himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to

God for a sweet-smelling savour" (Eph 5:2). Besides, this offering

of Noah was a burnt-offering to God; which burning signified, the

curse of God, which Christ was made in his death for us. Wherefore,

the burnt offerings were all along a type of him; as by reading

the epistle to the Hebrews you may see: "It is the burnt-offering,

[saith God,] because of the burning upon the altar all night unto

the morning, and the fire of the altar shall be burning in it"

(Lev 6:9). Which was a type of the fire of the law, and the guilt

of sin, that Christ, when he offered himself, should undergo for

the sins of man.

"And the Lord smelled a sweet savour." This signifies the content

and satisfaction that for the sin of the world, God should have by

the offering upon of his Son for us upon the cross: Wherefore, he

is said to be now "in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself,

not imputing their trespasses unto them" (2 Cor 5:19).

Now it is observable, That Noah was a man of faith long before

this. Hence note two things.

1. That men, even of eminent faith have yet need of a continual

remembrance of the death and sufferings of Christ; yea, and that

in the most plain and easiest manner to understand.

2. They have need also, notwithstanding they have faith before, to

present themselves before God, through Jesus Christ our Lord: For

as our persons are not accepted, but in and through him, no more

are our performances; yea, though they be spiritual services or

sacrifices; it is the blood that maketh the atonement, as well

for work as persons (Lev 17:11; Heb 9:21). As he saith in another

place, I will accept you with your sweet savour, but not without it

(1 Peter 2:5; Eze 20:41). As he also said to his church in Egypt,

"When I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall

not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt"

(Exo 12:13).

"And the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse," &c. By

heart here, we may understand two things.

1. That God was altogether unfeigned in this promise. He spake

it from his very heart: which we use to count the most sincere

expressing of our mind: According to that of the prophet, "Yea, I

will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in

this land assuredly--[in truth, in stability,] with my whole heart,

and with my whole soul" (Jer 32:41). Mark, I will rejoice to do

it, I will do it assuredly, I will do it in truth, even "with my

whole heart, and with my whole soul."

2. By his saying, "In his heart," we may understand the secrecy of

his purpose; for this doctrine, Of not cursing again, it is hid

from all but those to whom it is revealed by the Spirit of God.

For this purpose, in the heart of God, is one of the depths,

or of the deep things of God, which the spirit of a man cannot

understand. "Who hath known the mind of the Lord?" None of all the

sons of men, but those that have the Holy Ghost: Therefore Paul

applieth that to himself and fellows, as that which is peculiar

to them to know, "We have the mind of Christ" (1 Cor 2:16). It is

said, that after Christ had by his parables preached his gospel to

the world, he in private "expounded all things to his disciples"

(Mark 4:34).

Hence note, That they that will hear God speak this, they must be

near his very heart. They that are in his heart, may hear it: but

to them that are without, in parables. This secret, in revelation

of the gospel, is also expressed in other terms: as, That the

Lord spake "in mine ears" (Isa 5:9), and "it was revealed in mine

ears" (Isa 22:14). And again, "Hear now this word that I speak in

thine ears" (Jer 28:7).

"I will not again curse the ground any more." These words are also

under Moses' veil; for in them is contained the sin of the world,

and damnation thereof. He said, when he was to bring the flood,

that the "earth was corrupt," and that he would "destroy the earth"

(6:11,13); but his great meaning, was, of the sinners that dwelt

therein; as the effect of that flood declared. So he saith again,

he will not bring any more a flood to destroy the earth; and that

the bow in the cloud should be a sign of peace between him and

the earth: By all which is meant in special, the men that dwell

on the earth (Psa 114:7; Deu 32:1; Jer 6:19; 22:29); and they are

called, the Ground, and the Earth, because they came from thence.

So then, there is, as it were, the foundation of all spiritual

blessedness couched under these words, "I will not curse the

ground, I will not destroy man." And that this must needs be the

meaning thereof, consider, that this promise ariseth from the

sweet savour that he smelt before in the burnt-offering; which was

a figure of Christ, who was "made a curse for us" (Gal 3:13), to

deliver us from the curse of the law; that we might through him

obtain the blessing of forgiveness of sins; to which the curse

stands directly opposite.

"I will not again curse the ground for man's sake; for the imagination

of man's heart is evil from his youth." The imagination of man's

heart was the ground of this dreadful curse; and the effect

of this curse, was, to lay them up in chains in hell: Wherefore

Peter saith, These men are "now in prison." The curse therefore,

in its most eminent extension, reached the souls of those ungodly

ones that were swept away with the flood. But it seems a strange

argument, or reason rendered of God, why again he would not curse

the ground, if it was because of the evil imagination of man's

heart, this being the only argument that prevailed with him to send

the flood. The meaning therefore is rather this, That because of

the satisfaction that Christ hath given to God for sin, therefore

he said in his heart, he would "not again curse the ground," for

the evil imagination of man; that is, he would not do it, for

want of a sacrifice that had in it a sufficient propitiation (John

3:18,19).

Hence note, That the great cause now of man's condemnation, is not

because of his inherent pollution, but because he accepteth not,

with Noah, of the satisfaction made by Christ; for to all them that

have so accepted thereof, there is now no curse nor condemnation

(Rom 8:1), though still the imagination of their heart be evil. "If

any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the

righteous" (1 John 2:1).

"For the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth." These

words seem to insinuate the cause of these evil imaginations; and

that is, from the corruption of their youth. Now how soon their

youth was corrupted, David shows by these words, "I was shapen in

iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me" (Psa 51:5). Ezekiel

also shows, we were polluted in the day that we were born (Eze

16:1-8). Further, God to Moses strongly affirms it, in that he

commands, That for the firstborn, in whom the rest were included,

an offering should be offered, by that they were a month old (Exo

13:13; 34:20). God seems therefore, by this word, to look back to

the transgression of our first parents, by whom sin came into our

natures; and by so doing he not only intimateth, yea, promiseth

a pardon to personal miscarriages; but assureth us, That neither

them, nor yet our inward pollutions, shall destroy us, because of

the rest that he found before in Christ (Rom 5).

"Neither will I again smite any more every living thing, as I have

done." The creatures therefore also have some kind of benefit by

the death and blood of Christ; that is, so as to live, and have a

being; for infinite justice is so perfectly just, as that without

a sacrifice it could not have suffered the world to stand, after

sin was in the world, but must have destroyed, for the sake of

sin, the world which he had made.

For although it be foully absurd to say that beasts and fowls are

defiled with sin, as man; yet doubtless they received detriment

thereby. "The creature was made subject to vanity, by reason of him

who hath subjected the same," &c. That is, by Adam's sin. Which

vanity they also show by divers of their practise; as both in

their enmity to man, and one to another, with which they were not

created; this came by the sin of man. Now that man lives, yea, that

beasts live, it is because of the offering up of Christ: Wherefore

it is said in that of the Colossians, The gospel is "preached to

every creature"; in every creature under heaven; to wit, in that

they live and have a being (1:23).

"Neither will I again smite any more every living thing, as I have

done." These words, as I have done, doth not exempt the creature

from every judgment of God, but from this, or such as this; for we

know, that other judgments do befall ungodly men now; and if they

continue in final impenitence, they shall partake of far greater

judgments than to be drowned by the waters of a flood. "The wicked

is reserved unto judgment" (Job 21:30). Yea, the heavens and the

earth that now are, are "reserved unto fire,--and perdition of

ungodly men" (2 Peter 3:7).

Ver. 22. "While the earth remaineth, seed time and harvest, and

cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night, shall not

cease." "While the earth remaineth." These words may have respect

both to the words before, and to them that follow after. If they

respect the words before, then they are as limits to that large

promise, of not destroying the world again: not but that the day

will come, as I said, in which another general judgment, and that

too far more dreadful than this of water, will overflow the world,

and every living thing shall again be cut off from the face

of all the earth: as now by rain of water, then by rain of fire

and brimstone: Which day and sore judgment, God showed unto men,

when he burned Sodom and Gomorrah with "fire and brimstone from

heaven." But,

"While the earth remaineth," this shall not be. But in the end, then

indeed both it and "the works that are therein, shall [as Peter

saith] be burned up" (2 Peter 3:10). But so long as it remaineth,

that is, until it be overtaken with this second, and that too the

beginning of eternal judgment, no universal judgment shall overrun

the earth: For albeit that since that flood, the earth hath been

smitten with many a curse; yet it hath been but here and there, not

in every place at once. Famines, and earthquakes, and pestilences,

have been in divers places, but yet at the same time hath there

been seed time and harvest also (Mark 13:8; Luke 21:11).

"Seed time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter,

and day and night, shall not cease." These words were some of the

first, with that of "the bow in the cloud," that prevailed with me

to believe that the scriptures were the word of God.

For my reason tells me, they are, and have continued a true

prophecy, from the day that they were related; otherwise the world

could not have subsisted; for take away seed time and harvest,

cold and heat, &c., and an end is put to the[38] beginning of the

universe.

Besides, if these words be taken in a spiritual sense, they have also

stood true from that very day; otherwise the church had ceased to

have a being long before this: For take away seed time and harvest

from the church, with cold and heat, and day and night, and those

ordinances of heaven are taken from her, which were ordained for

her begetting and continuation. This head might with much largeness

be insisted on; but to pass it, and to come to the next chapter.

CHAPTER IX.

Ver. 1. "And God blessed Noah, and his sons, and said unto them,

Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth."

Noah having thus waded through these great temptations, and being

made also to partake of the mercy of God, in preserving and saving

him from the evil thereof, and being brought to partake of the

beginning of a new world, while the ungodly that were before the

flood were perished for their iniquity: he receiveth now from the

mouth of the Lord, before whom he walked before the flood, laws

and ordinances, as rules by which he should still govern his

life before him. But mark, Before he receiveth these rules and

commandments, he receiveth blessing from God; blessing, I say, as

that which should yet fore-fit him to do his will.

"And God blessed Noah." Blessed him with spiritual and special

grace; for without that, no man can walk, with God's acceptance

before him. He blessed him with grace suitable to the work he was

now to begin; to wit, for the replenishing and governing the new

world God had brought him to: so that Noah did not without precedent

qualifications take this work upon him. God also gave Caleb and

Joshua another spirit, and then they followed him fully. That of

David is for this remarkable, "Who am I, [said he] and what is my

people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this

sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given

thee." "O Lord our God, saith he, all this store that we have

prepared to build thee an house for thine holy name, cometh of

thine hand, and is all thine own" (1 Chron 29:10-16). So is faith,

love, strength, wisdom, sincerity, and all other good things

wherewith and by which we walk with God, worship him, and do his

will: all which is comprised in these words, "I will give them an

heart to know me, that I am the LORD: and they shall be my people,

and I will be their God; for they shall return unto me with their

whole heart" (Jer 24:7). "A new heart also will I give them" (Eze

36:25-29). And again, "I will put my fear in their hearts, that

they shall not depart from me" (Jer 32:37-40).

"And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful,

and multiply, and replenish the earth." After he had blessed him,

then he tells him what they should do; namely, "Be fruitful, and

multiply." This he spake with respect to the seed that he and his

sons should beget, therewith to people the world; which was now

the remaining part of his work, and he had three arguments to

encourage him thereto. First, He was delivered from the wicked and

sinners of the old world: 2. He was made the heir of a new world;

and 3. Was to leave it as an heritage to his children.

This therefore should teach us, who are brought into the kingdom

of Christ, that new world that hath taken its beginning in the word

of the gospel, not to be idle, but to be fruitful, and to labour

to fill the world with a spiritual seed to God: for as Noah, so

are we made heirs of this blessed kingdom; and shall also, as that

good man, leaven, when we sleep in Jesus, this spiritual seed to

possess the kingdom after us.

Ver. 2. "And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon

every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all

that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into

your hand are they delivered." These words seem to be a promise

of what shall be a consequence of their putting into practice what

was commanded in the verse before; namely, of their being fruitful,

and of their "multiplying in the earth." Hence note, That the

faithful observation of God's word, puts majesty, and dread, and

terror upon them that do it: Therefore it is said, that when the

church is "fair as the moon, and clear as the sun, she is terrible

as an army with banners" (Cant 6:4,10). The presence of godly

Samuel made the elders of Bethlehem tremble; yea, when Elisha was

sought for by the king of Syria, he durst not engage him, but with

chariots and horses, and an heavy host (2 Kings 6:13,14). Godliness

is a wonderful thing, it commandeth reverence, and the stooping

of the spirits, even of the world of ungodly ones (Acts 5:13).

"And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast."

This is true in the letter; for because there is upon man, as man,

more of the image and similitude of God, than there is upon other

creatures; therefore the beasts, and all the creatures, are made

to stoop and fall before them; yea, though in themselves they are

mighty and fierce. Every kind [or, nature] of birds, and of serpents,

and things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed by mankind

(James 3:7).

But to allegorize the word, for by the word, ungodly men are

beasts; then, as I said before, godliness puts such a majesty and

dread upon the professors of it, that their enemies are afraid of

them; yea, even then when they rage against them, and lay heavy

afflictions upon them. It is marvellous to see in what fear the

ungodly are, even of godly men, and godliness; in that they stir

up the mighty, make edicts against them; yea, and raise up armies,

and what else can be imagined, to suppress them; while the persons

thus opposed, if you consider them as to their state and capacity

in this world; they are most inconsiderable; but as a dead dog,

or a flea (1 Sam 24:14). O but they are clothed with godliness!

The image and presence of God is upon them! This makes the beasts

of this world afraid. One of you shall chase a thousand.

"Into your hands are they delivered." That is, the beasts, birds,

and fish of the sea (as David saith) to be for the service of

man. But again, This is also true in a higher nature; for taking

these beasts, &c. for men, even they are delivered into the hand

of the church, by whose doctrine, power and faith, they are smitten

with severest judgments (2 Cor 2:15,16). Laying all that reject

them even in the depth of death, and smiting them "with all plagues

as often as they will" (Rev 11:6). The world is therefore in our

hand, and disposed of by our doctrine, by our faith and prayers,

although they think far otherwise, and shall one day feel their

judgments are according.

Ver. 3. "Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even

as the green herb have I given you all things."

From these words some would insinuate, that before the flood men

lived only upon herbs, not eating flesh; as here they have authority

granted to do: but, in mine opinion, such should be mistaken, for

this reason, if there were no other: because they offered sacrifice

before; sacrifices, I say, as types and representatives to the church,

of the death and sufferings of Christ. Now, of such sacrifices the

offerers used to eat, as is clear by the lamb of the passover, and

many other offerings: so that these words seem to be but a renewing

of their former privileges, not a granting new liberty to the

world.

"Every moving thing." This must be taken with this restriction,

That is wholesome and good for food: for by the law of nature,

nothing of that is forbidden to man, though for some significations

many such creatures were forbidden us to use for a time (Deu 14).

"Even as the green herb." For which they expressly had liberty

granted them, in the first chapter of this book (v 29). And this

liberty might afresh be here repeated, from some scruple that might

arise in Noah, &c. He remembering that the world before might, for

the abuse of the creatures of God, as well as for the abuse of his

worship, be drowned with the flood; for sometimes the abuse of

that which is lawful to one, may be a snare, abuse and stumbling

to another (1 Cor 7:1; 8).

Ver. 4. "But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof

shall ye not eat."

This law seems to be ceremonial, although given long before Moses

was; as also some sacrifices and circumcision were (John 7:22).

Wherefore we must seek for the reason of this prohibition. "Whatsoever

man [saith God] there be of the house of Israel,--that eateth any

manner of blood, I will even set my face against that soul that

eateth blood, and will cut him off from among his people." Why?

"For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it

to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it

is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. Therefore I

said unto the children of Israel, No soul of you shall eat blood"

(Lev 17:10-12). Again, As here the prohibition is only concerning

blood; so in another place, the word is as well against our eating

the fat; "It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations,

throughout all your dwellings, that ye neither eat fat nor blood."

And the reason rendered, is, For "all the fat is the LORD'S" (Lev

3:16,17).

So then the meaning, the spiritual meaning, seems to be this, That

forasmuch as the blood is the life, and that which maketh the

atonement; and the fat, the glory, and the Lord's; therefore they

both were to be offered to the Lord. That is, we ought always to offer

the merit of our salvation to God, by a continual acknowledgment,

that it was through the blood of Christ; and we ought always to give

him the glory thereof, and this is the fat of all our performances

(Isa 25:6). Now this is so blessed a thing, and calleth for that

grace, that every professor hath not, every one cannot ascribe

to the blood of the Lamb, the whole of his reconciliation to God;

nor offer up the fat, the glory, which is God's, to the Lord for

so great a benefit: this is the benefit of a peculiar people, even

of "the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, [or they that are

justified, or just thereby; (For so Zadok signifies)] that kept the

charge of my sanctuary, when the children of Israel went astray

from me; they shall come near to me, to minister unto me, and

they shall stand before me to offer unto me the fat and the blood,

saith the Lord God" (Eze 44:15).

Wherefore, for men to ascribe to their own works the merit of their

salvation, or to take the glory thereof to themselves; it is as

eating the blood and the fat themselves, and they shall be cut

off from the people of God.

Ver. 5. "And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the

hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at

the hand of every man's brother, will I require the life of man."

These words are spoken to the church, which then resided in this

family: Not but that God will avenge the blood that is wrongfully

shed, though the person murdered be most carnal and irreligious.

"A man that doeth violence to the blood of any person, shall flee

to the pit; let no man stay him" (Pro 28:17).

But I say, these words respect the church in a more special and

eminent way. "Surely [saith God] your blood of your lives will I

require." Thus also David insinuates the thing: "when he maketh

the inquisition for blood, he remembereth them: [the saints and

godly in special,] he forgetteth not the cry of the humble," the

afflicted (Psa 9:12).

"At the hand of every beast will I require it." The beasts are here

also to be taken for men, to whom they are frequently likened in

scripture; and that because they have cast off human affections;

and, like savage creatures, make a prey of those that are better

than themselves. Ignorance therefore or brutishness, O thou wicked

man! will not excuse thee in the day of judgment; all the injuries

that thou doest to the people of God, shall for certain be required

of thee.

"At the hand of man will I require it." By man here, we may

understand, such as have greater placed and shew of reason wherewith

they manage their cruelty, than those that are as the natural beast:

for all persecutors are not brutish alike; some are in words as

smooth as oil; others can shew a semblance of reason of state,

why they should see "the righteous for silver, and the poor for a

pair of shoes" (Amos 2:6). These act, to carnal reason, like men,

as Saul against David, for the safety of his kingdom; but these

must give an account of their cruelty, for blood is in their hands.

"At the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man."

This word brother may reach to all the apostatized hypocrites that

forsake or betray the godly, for brother shall betray the brother

to death (Matt 10:21). Such are spoken of in Isaiah, "Your brethren

that hated you, [saith God,] and that cast you out for my name's

sake, said, Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your

joy, and they shall be ashamed" (Isa 65:5). So that let them be

as vile as the brute, or as reasonable in appearance as men, or

as near in relation as a brother; neither their ignorance, nor

their reason, nor their relation to the saints, shall secure them

from the stroke of the judgment of God. Ver. 6. "Whoso sheddeth

man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of

God made he man."

In these words we have both a threatening and a command; and the

same words carry both: "By man shall his blood be shed," there is

the threatening; "By man shall his blood be shed," there is the

command. For as they threaten, so they instruct us, that he is

worthy of the loss of his own blood, that doth wickedly shed the

blood of another (Matt 26:52; Rev 13:10). Blood for blood, equal

measure: As he also saith elsewhere, An eye for an eye, a tooth

for a tooth (Exo 21:24), wound for wound, burning for burning (Lev

24:20; Deu 19:21).

"For in the image of God made he man." This seems as the reason

of this equal law; because no man can slay his neighbour, but he

striketh at the image of God. It is counted a heinous crime for

a man to run his sword at the picture of a king, how much more to

shed the blood of the image of God? "He that mocketh, or oppresseth,

the poor reproacheth his Maker; but he that honoureth him, hath

mercy on the poor" (Pro 14:31; 17:5). And if so, how much more do

they reproach, yea, despise and abhor their Maker, that slay and

murder his image! But most of all those do prove themselves the

enemies of God, that make the holiness, the goodness, the religion

and sobriety that is found in the people of God, the object of their

wrath and hellish cruelty. Hence murder is, in the New Testament,

imputed to that man that hated holy and godly man: "He that hateth

his brother, is a murderer; and ye know that no murderer hath

eternal life abiding in him" (1 John 3:15).

Ver. 7l. "And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring forth

abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein." Thus he doubleth

the blessing and command, of multiplying and increasing the church

in the earth, for that is the delight of God, and of Christ.

Ver. 8, 9. "And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him,

saying, And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with

your seed after you."

God having thus blessed them, and given them laws and judgments

to walk by, for the further confirmation of their hope in God, he

propoundeth to them the immutability of his mind, by the establishing

of his covenant with them; for a covenant is that, which not only

concludeth the matter concerned between the persons themselves;

but it provideth remedy against after temptations, and fears, and

mistrusts, as to the faithful performance of that which is spoken

of. As Laban said to Jacob, "Now therefore [said he] come thou,

let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness

between me and thee" (Gen 31:44). Thus also the apostle insinuates;

where making mention of the promise and oath of God, he saith, this

promise and oath are both immutable, that "we might have a strong

consolation, [or always ground for great rejoicing] who have fled

for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us" (Heb 6:18).

This covenant therefore, it was for the encouragement of Noah and

his sons, that they might walk before God without fear. Yea, it

was to maintain their hope in his promise of forgiveness, though

they should find their after-performances mixed with infirmities;

for so he had told them before, namely, "That he would not again

destroy the earth for man's sake, albeit the imagination of man's

heart be evil from his youth. I will establish my covenant with

you, and with your seed after you."

Ver. 10. "And with every living creature that is with you: of the

fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you;

from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth."

These words respect the whole creation (see chapter 8); for all

the things in the world, devils only excepted, have a benefit

by this covenant of God. And hence it is, that not man only, but

"every thing that hath breath," is commanded to "praise the Lord"

(Psa 150:6): But observe it; as for the sin of man, they before

were destroyed by the flood; so now by reason of the mercy of

God to man, they are spared, and partake of mercy also. This is

intimated by these words: "Every creature that is with you; every

beast of the earth with you."

Ver. 11. "And I will establish my covenant with you, neither shall

all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither

shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth."

This is the sum of the covenant, as it respecteth the letter, and

the type, and the whole creation in general. But yet as to the

spirit and gospel of it, the Holy Ghost must needs have a further

reach, an intention of more glorious things, as may further be

shewed anon.

"And I will establish my covenant with you." For you that are men,

and especially the members of the church, have the most peculiar

share therein.

"Neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of

a flood." For because of my covenant which I establish with you,

I will spare them also, and give them the taste of my mercy and

goodness.

"Neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth."

This covenant therefore, is not of that nature as the covenant

was which was made with Adam, to wit, a covenant of works, as the

only conditions of life; for by that was the ground, for man's

sin, accursed, accursed, and accursed again. But now the Lord goeth

another way, the way of grace, and forgiveness of sins: Wherefore

now, not the curse, but the mercy of God, comes in on the back and

neck of sin, still sparing and forgiving man, the great transgressor,

and the beast, &c. and the earth, for the sake of him.

Ver. 12, 13. "And God said, This is the token of the covenant which

I make between me and you and every living creature that is with

you, for perpetual generations. I do set my bow in the cloud, and

it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and all the earth."

So then, the way to find out the covenant, what that is, it is to

see if we can find out this token of it; to wit, the BOW, of which

the rainbow is but a type. I find then by the scriptures, where

this BOW is mystically spoken of, that the Lord Jesus Christ

himself is encompassed with the bow. The first is this:

"And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness

of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the

likeness of the throne was the likeness, as the appearance of

a man above upon it. And I saw, as the colour of amber, as the

appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of

his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even

downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had

brightness round about. As the appearance of the bow that is in the

cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness

round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory

of the LORD" (Eze 1:26-28), the man, the Lord's Christ, &c.

The second scripture is this. "I was in the Spirit: and, behold a

throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. And he that sat

was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was

a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald"

(Rev 4:2,3). In these two texts there is mention of the rainbow,

that was, not to be the covenant, but the token or sign thereof.

Now then the covenant itself must needs be the man that was set

in the midst of the bow upon the throne; for so he saith by the

prophet, "I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will

hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant

of the people" (Isa 42:6). The covenant therefore is Jesus Christ

the Saviour, whom the bow in the clouds was a sign or a token of.

So then the sum of the text is this, That God, for the sake of

the Lord Jesus Christ, will not again all the days of the earth,

bring an universal judgment upon the creature, as in the days of

Noah, and of the old world he did; for Christ by the worth of his

blood and righteousness hath pacified the justice of the law for

sin. So then the whole universe standeth not upon a bottom of its

own, but by the word and power of Christ (Heb 1:2,3). "The earth

[said he] and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved: I bear

up the pillars of it" (Psa 75:3).

Quest. But how must Christ be reckoned of God, when he maketh him

the poize against all the sin of the world.

The prophet tells us thus: He shall be the covenant of the people,

or he shall be accounted the conditions and worth of the world; He

shall be the covenant, or works, or righteousness of the people;

for, He as the high-priest under the law, is set for the people

to Godward; that is, he standeth always in the presence of God,

as the complete obedience of the people. So then, so long as the

Lord Christ bears up his mediatorship, God in justice will neither

destroy the world, nor the things that are therein.

In this covenant therefore, the justice as well as the mercy of God

is displayed in its perfection, inasmuch as without the perfection

of the mediator Christ, the world could not be saved from judgment.

Ver. 14. "And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the

earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud."

By these words the Lord looks back to the flood that before had

drowned the earth; for in these clouds there was no bow, no token

of Christ, or of the mercy of God. But now, saith God, I will do

far otherwise; from henceforth when I bring a cloud, and there

be showers of rain on the earth, these clouds shall not be as the

other. But "my bow shall be therein."

The cloud then that here is spoken of, must be understood of the

judgment of God for sin, like those before, and at the overthrow of

the world; only with this difference, they were clouds, judgments

without mercy, but these judgments mixed therewith; and often the

clouds are thus to be understood. Job when he curseth his day,

saith, "Let a cloud dwell upon it" (3:5). So the judgments of God

upon Zion, are called the covering of a cloud (Lam 2:1). So in Joel

also, to the darkness of clouds, are the judgments of the church

compared (2:2); yea, that pillar that went before the children of

Israel, it being a judgment to the people of Egypt, goes under this

epithet, as a term most fit to express this judgment by, "it was

a cloud and darkness to them" (Exo 14:20).

And now to the cloud in hand, the cloud in which is the bow, the

cloud of rain, although by the mercy and grace of God it is so

great a blessing as it is, yet it sometimes becomes a judgment,

it comes for correction, as a rod to afflict the inhabitants of

the world withal (Job 37:13). Thus it was in the days of Ezra,

and very often both before and since (10:12-14).

"The bow shall be seen in the cloud." This is the mercy of God to

the world, and that by which it hath been hitherto preserved; "The

bow shall be seen in the cloud." You know I told you of the bow

before, that it was a sign or token of the covenant of God with

the world, and that the covenant itself was Christ, as given of

God unto us, with all his good conditions, merit, and worth. So

then, in that, God "set this bow in the cloud," and especially

in the clouds that he sends for judgment, he would have the world

remember, that there comes no judgment as yet on the world, but

it is mixed with, or poized by the mercy of God in Christ.

"The bow shall be seen in the cloud." This may respect God, or the

world, that is, the seeing of the bow in the cloud; if it respect

God, then it tells us he in judgment will remember mercy; if it

respect the world, then it admonisheth us not to despond, or sink

in despair under the greatest judgment of God, for the bow, the

token of his covenant, is seen in the judgments that he executeth.

When the vision of the ruin of Jerusalem was revealed to the prophet

Ezekiel, he saw that yet Christ sat under the bow (1:28).

When antichrist was to come against the saints of God, the commission

came from Christ, as he sat "under the bow" (Rev 4:3). This John

did see and relate, of which we should take special notice: for

by this token God would have us to know that these clouds, though

they come for correction, yet not to destroy the church. My bow

shall be seen in the cloud.

Ver. 15. "And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and

you, and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall

no more become a flood to destroy all flesh."

"And I will remember my covenant." Much like this is that of the

Lord to Israel, when they are under all, or any of those forty

judgments mentioned (Lev 26). If they shall confess their iniquity,

[saith he,] and the iniquity of their fathers, &c., "Then will I

remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac,

and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will

remember the land" (Lev 26:40-42). His usual way in other sayings

is, to begin with Abraham, but here he ends with him; and the reason

is, because there, as it were, the great promise of the Messiah

to that people began, "Saying, in thy seed shall all nations be

blessed."

"And I will remember my covenant which is between me and you." We

read not here of any compact or agreement between Noah and God

Almighty; wherefore such conditions and compacts could not be

the terms between him and us. What then? why that covenant that

he calls his, which is his gift to us, "I will give thee for a

covenant," this is the covenant which is between God and us: "There

is one God, and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ

Jesus." This then is the reason why all the waters, why all the

judgments of God, and why all the sins that have provoked those

judgments, cannot become a flood to destroy all flesh.

Ver. 16. "And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon

it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and

every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth."

"And the bow shall be in the cloud." this is a kind of a repetition;

for this he had told us before, saying, "I do set my bow in the

cloud," and "the bow shall be seen in the cloud": which repetition

is very needful, for it is hard for us to believe that Christ

and grace are wrapped up in the judgments of God (1 Peter 1:12).

Wherefore it had need be attested twice and thrice. "To write the

same things to you," saith Paul, "to me indeed is not grievous,

but for you it is safe"(Phil 3:1).

"And I will look upon." A familiar expression, and suited to our

capacity, and spoken to prevent a further ground of mistrust; much

like to that of God, when he was to send the plague upon Egypt:

"The blood, saith God, [of the Lamb,] shall be to you for a token

upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood I will pass

over you, and the plague shall not be upon you, to destroy you,

when I smite the land of Egypt" (Exo 12:13).

"And I will look upon it that I may remember." Not that God is

forgetful, "He is ever mindful of his covenant." But such expressions

are used to shew and persuade us that the whole heart and delight

of God is in it. "That I may remember the everlasting covenant."

This word covenant is also the sixth repetition thereof; my

covenant, the covenant, a covenant, and the everlasting covenant.

O how fain would God beat it into the heads of the world, that he

hath for men a covenant of grace.

"The everlasting covenant." Because the parties on both sides are

faithful, perfect, and true; the Father being the one, and the Son

of his love the other; for this covenant, as I said before, is

not a compact and agreement betwixt God and the world, but his

Son, as his gift to men, is set for them to Godward (Zech 9:11).

So that what conditions there are, they are perfectly found in

Christ, by whose blood the covenant is sealed and established,

and indeed becomes everlasting, hence it is called "the blood of

the everlasting covenant" (Heb 13:20). And again, the New Testament

is said to be in this blood. Besides, the promises are all in

Christ, I mean the promises of this covenant; in him they are yea,

and in him amen, to the glory of God the Father: now they being

all in him, and yea and amen no where else, the covenant itself

must needs be of pure grace and mercy, and the bow in the cloud,

not qualifications in us, [but] the proper token of this covenant.

Ver. 17. "And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant,

which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon

the earth."

Behold a repetition of all things that were essential either to the

covenant itself, or to our faith therein, the making of the covenant,

the looking on the covenant, and the token of the covenant; how

often are they mentioned, that we might be more fully convinced of

the unchangeable nature of it. As Joseph said unto Pharaoh, "For

that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice, it is because the

thing is established by God" (Gen 41:32).

"And God said unto Noah." Where God loveth, he delighteth to apply

himself to such, in a more than general way; he singleth out the

person, Noah, Abraham, and the like. "I know thee by name," saith

he to Moses, and "thou hast found grace in my sight."

"This is the token of the covenant." It still wants beating into

people's heads, where they should look for the covenant itself,

to wit, the throne which the rainbow compasseth round about; for

that is the token of the presence of the Messias, and thither

we are to look for salvation from all plagues, and from all the

judgments that are due to sin: The Lord for Christ's sake forgave

you, this is the token of the covenant.

"Of the covenant which I have established."

This word "I," as also hinted before, doth intimate that this covenant

is the covenant of grace and mercy, for a covenant of works cannot

be established; that is, settled between God and men, before

both parties have either by sureties, or performance ratified and

confirmed the same. Indeed it may be so established, as that God

will appoint no other; but to be so established, as to give us the

fruits thereof, that must be the effects of his being well pleased

with the conditions of those concerned in the making thereof. But

that is not the world, but the Son of God, and therefore it is called

his covenant, and he "as given to us of God," is so reckoned our

condition and worth (Zech 9:11).

"Which I have established." To wit, upon better promises than

duties purely commanded, or than the obedience of all the angels

in heaven. I have established it in the truth and faithfulness, in

the merit and worth of the blood of my Son, of whom the rainbow

that you see in the cloud is a token.

Ver. 18. "And the sons of Noah, that went forth of the ark, were

Shem, and Ham, and Japheth: and Ham is the father of Canaan."

By these words Moses is returned again to the history of Noah.

"And the sons of Noah that went forth of the ark." If these words,

"that went forth of the ark," bear the emphasis of this part of the

verse, then it may seem that Noah had more children than these;

but they were not accounted of; for they being ungodly, as the rest

of the world, they perished with them in their ungodliness. These

only went in, and came out of the ark with him;[39] to wit,

"Shem, and Ham, and Japheth." The names thus placed are not according

to their birth; for Japheth was the elder, Ham the younger, and

Shem the middlemost of the two.

Shem therefore takes the place, because of his eminency in godliness

(9:24); also, because from him went the line up to Christ (10:2).

For which cause also the family of the sons of Judah, though he

was but the fourth son of Israel, was reckoned before the family

of Reuben, Jacob's first born; or before the rest of the sons of

his brethren (1 Chron 2:3). Sometimes persons take their place in

genealogy, from the fore-sight of the mightiness of their offspring.

Thus was Ephraim placed before Manasseh; for "truly [said Jacob]

his younger brother shall be greater than he" (Gen 43:17-20). And

he set Ephraim before Manasseh.

Ham is the next in order; not for the sake of his birthright, or

because he was much, if anything, now for godliness; but for that

he was the next to be eminent in his offspring, for opposing and

fighting against the same.

Shem and Ham therefore the two heads, or chief, from whence sprang

good and evil men, by way of eminency. "Ham is the father of

Canaan," or of the Canaanites, the people of God's curse, whom the

sons of Shem who afterwards sprang from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,

were to cut off from the earth, for their most high abominations.

Japheth comes in, in the first place, as one that at present was

least concerned either in the mercy or displeasure of God; being

neither, in his offspring, to be devoutly religious, nor yet

incorrigibly wicked, though afterwards he was to be persuaded to

dwell in the tents of Shem.

Ver. 19. "These are the three sons of Noah; and of them was the

whole earth overspread."

Thus though Noah's beginning was small, his latter end did greatly

increase.

Ver. 20, 21. "And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted

a vineyard:--And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he

was uncovered within his tent."

This is the blot in this good man's scutcheon; and a strange blot

it is, that such an one as Noah should be thus overtaken with

evil! One would have thought that Moses should now have began

with a relation of some eminent virtues, and honourable actions

of Noah, since now he was saved from the death that overtook

the whole world, and was delivered, both he and his children, to

possess the whole earth himself. Indeed, he stepped from the earth

to the altar; as Israel of old did sing on the shore of the red

Sea: But, as they, he soon forgat; he rendered evil to God for

good.[40]

Neither is Noah alone in this matter: Lot also being delivered from

that fire from heaven that burnt up Sodom and Gomorrah, falls soon

after into lewdness with the children of his body, and begetteth

his own two daughters with child (Gen 19:30-36).

Gideon also, after he was delivered out of the hands of his enemies,

took that very gold which God had given him, as the spoil of them

that hated him, and made himself idols therewith (Judg 8:24-27).

What shall I say of David? and of Solomon also, who after he had

been twenty years at work for the service of the true God, both in

building and preparing for his worship, and in writing of Proverbs

by divine inspiration; did, after this, make temples for idols;

yea, almost for the gods of all countries? Yea, he did it when

he was old, when he should have been preparing for his grave, and

for eternity. "It came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his

wives turned away his heart after other gods:--For Solomon went

after Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Zidonians; and after Milcom,

the abomination of the Ammonites.--He did also build an high place

for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before

Jerusalem; and for Molech, the abomination of the children of

Ammon. And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt

incense and sacrificed unto their gods" (1 Kings 11:4-8).

All these sins were sins against mercies; yea, and doubtless against

covenants, and the most solemn resolutions to the contrary. For

who can imagine, but that when Noah was tossed with the flood,

and Lot within the scent and smell of the fire and brimstone that

burnt down Sodom, with his sons, and his daughters; and Gideon,

when so fiercely engaged with so great an enemy, and delivered by

so strange a hand; should in the most solemn manner both promise and

vow to God. But behold! now they in truth are delivered and saved,

they recompense all with sin. Lord, what is man! "How--abominable

and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water" (Job 15:16).

Let these things learn us to cease from man, "whose breath is in

his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of?" (Isa 2:22).

Indeed, it is a vain thing to build our faith upon the most godly

man in the world, because he is subject to err; yea, far better

than He, was so.

If Noah, and Lot, and Gideon, and David, and Solomon, who wanted

not matter from arguments, and that of the strongest kind; as

arguments that are drawn from mercy and goodness be, to engage to

holiness, and the fear of God; yet after all, did so foully fall,

as we see: let us admire grace, that any stand; let the strongest

fear, lest he fearfully fall; and let no man but Jesus Christ himself

be the absolute platform and pattern of faith and holiness. As the

prophet saith, "Let us cease from man." But to return:

"And Noah began to be an husbandman." This trade he took up for

want of better employment; or rather, in mine opinion, from some

liberty he took to himself, to be remiss in his care and work, as

a preacher. For seeing the church was now at rest, and having the

world before them, they still retaining outward sobriety, poor

Noah, good man, now might think with himself, "I need not now be

so diligent, watchful and painful in my ministry as formerly; the

church is but small, without opposition, and also well settled in

the truth; I may now take to myself a little time to tamper with

worldly things." So he makes an essay upon husbandry. "He began

to be an husbandman." Ha, Noah! it was better with thee when thou

wast better employed! Yea, it was better with thee, when a world

of ungodly men set themselves against thee! Yea, when every day

thy life was in danger to be destroyed by the giants, against whom

thou wast a preacher above a hundred years! For then thou didst

walk with God; Then thou wast better than all the world; but now

thou art in the relapse!

Hence note, That though the days of affliction, of temptation and

distress, are harsh to flesh and blood; yet they are not half so

dangerous as are the days of peace and liberty. Wherefore Moses

pre-admonished Israel, That when they had received the land of

Canaan, and had herds, and silver and gold in abundance, that then

their heart be not lifted up to forget the Lord their God. Jesurun

kicked when he was fat. O! When provender pricks[41] us, we are

apt to be as the horse or mule, that is without understanding (Deu

8:10-15).

"He planted a vineyard: and he drank of the wine, and was drunken."

Although in the course of godliness, many men have but a speculative

knowledge of things; yet it is not so in the ways of this world

and sin, the practical part of these things are lived in by all

the world. They are sinners indeed, "He drank of the wine."

"He drank of the wine, and was drunken." The Holy Ghost, when it

hath to do with sin, it loveth to give it its own name: drunkenness

must be drunkenness, murder must be murder, and adultery must bear

its own name. Nay, it is neither the goodness of the man, nor his

being in favour with God, that will cause him to lessen or mince

his sin. Noah was drunken; Lot lay with his daughters; David killed

Uriah; Peter cursed and swore in the garden, and also dissembled

at Antioch. But this is not recorded, to the intent that the name

of these godly should rot or stink: but to shew, that the best

men are nothing without grace; and, "that he that standeth, should

not be high minded, but fear." Yea, they are also recorded, for the

support of the tempted, who when they are fallen, are oft raised

up by considering the infirmities of others. "Whatsoever things

were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we

through patience, and comfort of the scriptures might have hope"

(Rom 15:4).

"And he was uncovered within his tent." That is, he lay like a

drunken man, that regarded not who saw his shame. Hence note, how

beastly a sin drunkenness is; it bereaveth a man of consideration,

and civil behaviour; it makes him as brutish and shameless as a

beast; yea, it discovereth his nakedness to all that behold.

"And he was uncovered." That is, lay naked, Behold ye now, that

a little of the fruit of the vine, lays gravity, grey hairs, and

a man that for hundreds of years was a lover of faith, holiness,

goodness, sobriety, and all righteousness; shamelessly, as the

object to the eye of the wicked, with his nakedness in his tent.

"He was uncovered within his tent." The best place of retirement

he had, but it could not hide him from the eye of the ungodly; it

is not therefore thy secret chamber, nor thy lurking in holes,

that will hide thee from the eye of the reproacher: nothing can

do this but righteousness, goodness, sobriety and faithfulness to

God; this will hide thee; these are the garments, which, if they

be on thee, will keep thee, that the shame of thy nakedness do

not appear (Rev 16:15).

Ver. 22. "And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his

father, and told his two brethren without."

Ham was the unsanctified one, the father of the children of the

curse of God. He saw the nakedness of his father, and he blazed

abroad the matter. Hence note, That the wicked and ungodly man,

is he that doth watch for the infirmities of the godly: as David

says, They watched for my halting. Indeed, they know not else how

to justify their own ungodliness; but this, instead of excusing

them of their wickedness, doth but justify the word against them;

for by this they prove themselves graceless, and men that watch

for iniquity. "Let them not say in their hears [said David] Ah!

so would we have it" (Psa 35:25). Ammon said, "Aha! against the

sanctuary when it was profaned; and against the land of Israel

when it was desolate, and against the house of Judah when it went

into captivity" (Eze 25:3). The enmity that is in the hearts of

ungodly men, will not suffer them to do otherwise; when they see

evil befall the saint, they rejoice and skip for joy (Eze 26:2;

36:2).

"He saw the nakedness of his father." Hence note, That saints can

rarely slip, but the eyes of the Canaanites will see them. This

should make us walk in the world with jealous eyes, with eyes that

look round about, not only to what we are and do, but also, how

what we do is[42] resented in the world (Gen 13:7). Abraham was

good at this, and so was Isaac and Jacob (34:30); for they tendered

more the honour and glory of God, than they minded their own

concerns.

"He saw the nakedness of his father." Who was the nearest and dearest

relation he had in the world; yet neither relation nor kin, nor

all the good that his father had done him, could keep his polluted

lips from declaring his father's follies, but out they must go;

the sin of his own defiled heart must take place of the fifth

commandment, and must rather solace itself in rejoicing in his

father's iniquity, than in covering his father's nakedness. Wicked

men regard not kindred; and no marvel, for they love not godliness.

He that loveth not God, loveth not his brother, or father: nay,

he "wrongeth his own soul" (Pro 8:36).

"And told his two brethren without." He told them, that is, mockingly,

reflecting not only upon Noah but also upon his brethren; to all

of whom himself was far inferior, both as to grace and humanity.

Ver. 23. "And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon

both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness

of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not

their father's nakedness."

Shem and Japheth did it: This is recorded for the renown of these,

as the action of Ham is for his perpetual infamy.

They "took a garment, and went backward, and covered their father,

and saw not his nakedness." Love will attempt to do that with

difficulty, that it cannot accomplish otherwise. I think it might

be from this action, that the wise man gathereth his proverb from.

"Hatred stirreth up strifes; but love covereth all sins" (Pro 10:12).

Indeed, Ham would fain have made variance between his father and

his brethren, by presenting the folly of the one, to the shame and

provocation of the other. But Shem, and his brother Japheth, they

took the course to prevent it; they covered their father's nakedness.

Ver. 24. "And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger

son had done unto him."

By these words more is implied than expressed; for this awaking of

Noah, not only informeth us of natural awaking from sleep, but of

his spiritual awaking from his sin. He awoke from his wine. As

"Ely said to Hannah, How long wilt thou be drunken? Put away thy

wine from thee" (1 Sam 1:14). By which words he exhorteth to

repentance. It is said of Nabal, That his wine went from him, as

many men's sins forsake them, because they are decayed, and want

strength and opportunity to perform them. Now this may be done,

where the heart remaineth yet unsanctified: but Noah awoke from

his wine, put it away, or, repented him of the evil of his doing.

"A just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the

wicked shall fall into mischief" (Pro 24:16). Wherefore they have

cause to say to all the Hams in the world, "Rejoice not against

me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise" (Micah 7:8); but

your fall, is a fall into mischief.

"He knew what his younger son had done unto him." Whether this was

by revelation from heaven, or through the information of Japheth

and Shem, I determine not; but so it was, that the good man had

understanding thereof: which might be requisite upon a double

account; not only that he might now be ashamed thereof; but take

notice, that he had caused the enemies of God to reproach; for

this sinks deep into a good man's heart, and afflicteth him so

much the more.

Ver. 25. "And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants

shall he be unto his brethren."

By these words one would think that Canaan, the grand-child of

Noah, was the first that discovered his nakedness; but of this I

am uncertain: I rather think that Noah, in a spirit of prophecy,

determined the destruction of Ham's posterity, from the prodigiousness

of his wicked action, and of his name, which signifieth indignation,

or heat; for names of old were ofttimes given according to the

nature and destiny of the persons concerned. "Is not he rightly

called Jacob?" (Gen 27:36). And again, "As his name is, so is he"

(1 Sam 25:25). Besides, by this act did Ham declare himself void

of the grace of God; for he that rejoiceth in iniquity, or that

maketh a mock, as being secretly pleased with or at the infirmities

of the godly, he is declared already, by the Spirit of God, to be

nothing (1 Cor 13).

"A servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren." This was

accomplished when Israel took the land of Canaan, and made the

offspring of this same Ham, even so many as escaped the edge of

the sword, to be captives and bondsmen, and tributers unto them.

Hence note, that the censures of good men are dreadful, and not

lightly to be passed over, whether they prophesy of evil or good;

because they speak in judgment, and according to the tenor of the

word of God.

Ver. 26. "And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Shem; and Canaan

shall be his servant."

Shem seems by this to be the first in that action of love to his

father: and that Japheth did help through his persuasion; for Shem

is blessed in a special manner, and Canaan is made his servant.

Hence note, That forwardness in things that are good, is a blessed

sign that the Lord is our God: Blessed be the Lord God of Shem. It

is said of Hananiah, That "he was a faithful man, and feared God

above many" (Neh 7:2). Now such men are provocations to good, as

I doubt not but Shem's was to Japheth: As Paul saith of some, "Your

zeal hath provoked very many" (2 Cor 9:2).

Ver. 27. "God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the

tents of Shem."

In the margin, it is "God shall persuade": And it looks like

a confirmation of what I said before, and is a prophecy of that

requital of love that God should one day give his posterity, for his

kindness to Noah his father. As if Noah had said, "Well, Japheth,

thou wast soon persuaded by Shem to shew kindness to me thy father,

and the Lord shall hereafter persuade thy posterity to trust in

the God of Shem."

"God shall enlarge." This may respect liberty of soul, or how great

the church of the Gentiles should be; for Japheth was the father

of the Gentiles (Gen 10:5).

If it respect the fist, then it shows that sin is as fetters and

chains that holds souls in captivity and thraldom. And hence, when

Christ doth come in the gospel, it is "to preach deliverance to

the captives,--and to set at liberty them that are bruised" (Luke

4:18).

"God shall persuade." That is, God shall enlarge him by persuasion;

for the gospel knows no other compulsion, but to force by

argumentation. Them therefore that God brings into the tents,

or churches of Christ, they by the gospel are enlarged form the

bondage and thraldom of the devil, and persuaded also to embrace

his grace to salvation.

Ver. 28. "And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty

years."

He lived therefore to see Abraham fifty and eight years old: He

lived also to see the foundation of Babel laid; nay, the top stone

thereof: and also the confusion of tongues. He lived to see of the

fruit of his loins, mighty kings and princes. But in all this time

he lived not to do one work that the Holy Ghost thought worthy to

record for the savour of his name, or the edification and benefit

of his church, save only, That he died at nine hundred and fifty

years; so great a breach did this drunkenness make upon his spirit.

Ver. 29. "So all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty

years: and he died."

CHAPTER X.

Ver. 1. "Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem,

Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood."

Having thus passed over the flood, with what Noah and his sons

did after; we now come to the second plantation of the world, to

wit, by the three sons of Noah; for by these three was the world

replenished after the flood. Shem was the father of the Jews;

Ham the father of the Canaanites; and Japheth, the father of the

Gentiles. So then, of Shem came the then present visible church;

of Ham the opposers and enemies of it; but of Japheth came those

that should be received into the church afterwards; as also

abundance of the haters of the Lord.

Ver. 2. "The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and

Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras."

Gomer, a consumer; Magog, covering, or melting; Madai, measuring,

or judging; Javan, making sad; Tubal, born, brought, or worldly;

Meshech, prolonging; Tiras, a destroyer; these are the English of

their names.

Gomer, and Magog, and Meshech, and Tubal, are the great persecutors of

the church in the latter days (Eze 38:2). They shall be persecuted

then by consumers, melters, and men of this world (Rev 20:8).

Madai, and Javan, (as some say,) were the fathers of the Medes and

Greeks. These therefore did sometimes help, and not always hinder

the church.

Ver. 3, 4. "And the sons of Gomer; Askenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah.

And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim."

Riphath, medicine, or release; Elishah, the Lamb of God; Dodanim,

beloved. Either these names were given them by way of prophecy;

implying, that of their seed should arise many Gentile churches;

or to show us, that when men, as their fathers, have left or lost

the power of godliness, yet something of the notion they may yet

retain (Isa 60:9).

Ver. 5. "By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their

lands, every one after his tongue, after their families, in their

nations."

But this must be understood to be after the building of, and

confusion at Babel; for before they had all but one tongue; and

besides, they kept all together (11:1,2).

Ver. 6. "And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and

Canaan."

Cush, black. Of Ham and Mizraim came the Ethiopians, or blackamoor

(Psa 105:23): The land of Ham was the country about Egypt; wherefore

Israel was first afflicted by them.

Ver. 7. "And the sons of Cush; Seba and Havilah, and Sabtah, and

Raamah, and Sabtechah: and the sons of Raamah; Sheba and Dedan."

Seba and Sheba, sometimes look well upon the church; but when they

did not, God gave them for her ransom (Psa 72:10; Isa 43:3).

Ver. 8. "And Cush begat Nimrod: [or the rebellious one;] he began

to be a mighty one in the earth."

The begetting of Nimrod, is accounted a thing that is over and

above, and is laid by the Holy Ghost as a blot upon Cush for ever;

for when men would vilify, they used to say, Thou art the son of

the rebellious, the son of a murderer. So again, He that begetteth

Solomon's fool, (or, wicked one) he begetteth him to his own shame

(Prov 17:21).

"Cush begat Nimrod." So then, the curse came betimes upon the sons

of Ham; for he was the father of Cush. For the curse, as it were,

begins in rebellion, and a rebellious one was Nimrod, both by name

and nature.

"He began to be a mighty one in the earth." I am apt to think he

was the first that in this new world sought after absolute monarchy.

"He began to be a mighty one in the earth," (or, among the children

of men). I suppose him to be a giant; not only in person, but

in disposition; and so, through the pride of his countenance, did

scorn that others, or any, should be his equal; nay, could not be

content, till all made obeisance to him. He therefore would needs

be the author and master of what religion he pleased; and would

also subject the rest of his brethren thereto, by what ways his

lusts thought best. Wherefore here began a fresh persecution.

THAT sin therefore which the other world was drowned for was again

revived by this cursed man, even to lord it over the sons of God,

and to enforce idolatry and superstition upon them; and hence he

is called "the mighty hunter."

Ver. 9. "He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is

said, even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD."

He was a mighty hunter. That is, a persecutor: Wherefore Saul's

persecuting of David is compared to hunting (1 Sam 26:20): and so

is the persecution of others (Lam 4:18). They hunt every man his

brother with a net (Micah 7:2): and it may well be compared thereto;

of the dog or lion that hunteth, is void of bowels and pity; and

if they can but satisfy their doggish and lionish nature, they care

neither for innocence, nor goodness, nor life of that they pursue

(1 Sam 24:11). The life, the blood, the extirpation of the contrary

party, is the end of their course of hunting (Eze 13:18,22).[43]

"He was a mighty hunter." As it is said of Jabin, "He mightily

oppressed Israel twenty years"; that is, he did it exceedingly;

he went beyond others; he was more cruel and barbarous; he was

a mighty hunter. Wherefore the children of blessed Shem, by this

monster, had sore affliction (Judg 4:2,3). Noah therefore lived

to see Nimrod, the mighty one, make havock of the children of his

bowels, to his no little grief and compunction of spirit.

"He was a mighty hunter before the LORD"; or, in the presence of

the Lord; or, in defiance to him. This shows, That the hand of

God was stretched forth against his work; as also it was against

Jeroboam's, by that man of God that from Judah went down to prophesy

against him; but he abode obdurate and hard; he regarded not the

Lord, nor the operation of his hands (1 Kings 13:1-3). As he also

saith in another place of the cursed brood of Antichrist, "When

they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded" (Joel 2:8).

Let them do things never so much against the plain text, they feel

not the wounds of conscience; but this is a sore judgment, and that

under which this hunter was; and therefore the presence and hand

of God would not break him off, nor hinder his hunting of souls.

But even before the face of the keeper of the godly, would Nimrod,

the rebel, hunt for their precious life to destroy it.

Wherefore it is said, even as Nimrod, the mighty hunter, before

the Lord. These words, as it seems, was the proverb that went of

him among the godly in after generations; for he had so left his

marks in the sides of the church, that she could not quickly forget

him. Wherefore, when at any time there arose another that showed

cruelty to the ways of God, he was presently compared to Nimrod,

that "hunted before the Lord." Nimrod therefore was rebellious

to a proverb: And as it is said of Ahab, so might it be said

of him, "There was none like" Nimrod, "which did sell himself to

work wickedness in the sight of, [or, before] the LORD" (1 Kings

21:25).[44]

Ver. 10. "And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech,

and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar."

By these words, as I suppose, are those in the chapter that followeth

expounded: Where it says, "Let us build us a city, and a tower";

for this work was chiefly the invention of Nimrod, who, with his

wicked council, contrived this work; and as one that had made

himself head of the people, he enjoined them to set to the work.

"And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel." Babel therefore was

the first great seat of oppressors after the flood; whose situation

was in the land of Shinar, in that land which is now called Babylon.

By this we may also gather, by whom our mystical Babel was builded;

to wit, by those that rebelled (as Nimrod) from the simplicity

of the gospel of Christ; for the builders, especially the chief,

have a semblance one of another. It was even such as came of the

seed of the godly, as these did of blessed Noah; who, in time,

apostatizing from the word, and desiring mastership over their

brethren; they, as lords, fomented their own conceptions, and then

enjoined the people to build. As Rehoboam forsook the counsel

of the ancients, that stood before his father Solomon; so these

have forsaken the counsel of the old men, the apostles that stood

before Jesus Christ; and hearkening to the counsel of a younger

sort of wanters of their grace and wisdom, they imagine and build

a Babel.[45]

Ver. 11, 12. "Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh,

and the city Rehoboth, and Calah, and Resen, between Nineveh, and

Calah: The same is a great city."

Nimrod having began to exalt himself; others, that were big

with desires of ostentation, did soon follow his example, making

themselves captains and heads of the people, and built them strong

holds for the supportation of their glory. But they did it, as I

said, by Nimrod's example; wherefore it is said they went "out of

that land." Just thus it was at the beginning of mystical Babel:

First the tyranny began at Babel itself, where the usurper was

seen to sit in his glory, before whose face the world did tremble.

Now other inferior persons, inferior, I say, in power, but not

in pride, having desire to be lords, as Nimrod himself, they will

also go build them cities; by which means Nimrod's invention could

not be kept at Rome, but hath spread itself in many and mighty

kingdoms.[46]

"Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh," &c.

Asshur seems to be the second son of Shem (v 22). A fit resemblance

of those persons that have come from mystical Babel, to build

their Ninevehs, and Rehoboths, and Calnehs, in all lands. Still

they have pretended religion. That they had their orders from the

apostolical see. That they were the true sons of Shem, or disciples

of Christ. But the seeing Christian should remember, that some of

the children of Shem were in Babel with rebellious Nimrod. That

instead of learning humility of their father, through the pride

and rebellion of their own vain-glorious fancies, they learned

wickedness and rebellion of cursed and prodigious Nimrod.

Hence note, that what cities, that is, churches soever have been

builded by persons that have come from Romish Babel, those builders

and cities are to be suspected for such as had their founder and

foundation from Babel itself. Wherefore let Israel say, "Asshur

shall not save us" (Hosea 14:3), for he shall not save himself

(Num 24:24); but as the star of Jacob ariseth, he shall fade and

perish for ever. So perish all the builders and building that hath

had its pattern from mystical Babel, unless a miracle of grace

prevents.

It was Asshur that carried away the ten tribes (Ezra 4:2); it is

Asshur that joineth with the enemies of the church (Psa 83:8); it

is Asshur that with others upholds the great mart of the nations

(Eze 27:23). Wherefore Asshur and all his company, must at last

go down into their pit (Eze 32:22).

So then, let Augustine the monk, come from Rome into England,

and let him build his Nineveh here; let others go also into other

countries, and build their Resens and Calahs there; these are all

but brats of Babel, and their end shall be, That they perish for

ever. John saw it, and the cities, that is, the churches of the

nations, or the national churches, fell; and great Babylon, their

inventor and founder, "came into remembrance before God, to give

unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath" (Rev

16:19).

Ver. 13, 14. "And Mizraim begat Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim,

and Naphtuhim, and Pathrusim, and Casluhim, [out of whom came

Philistim,] and Caphtorim."

Ludim, as I suppose, may be the same with Lubim that came up with

the Egyptians and Ethiopians against Israel (2 Chron 12:3; 16:8),

of whose cruelty Nahum complains; where he saith, They also helped

Nineveh against the children of God (3:9). The rest of them were

of the same disposition, especially the Philistine that came of

Casluhim; for they, both in Saul and David's days, were implacable

against the church and people of God; they were a giantish people,

and trusted in their strength, and seldom overcome but when Israel

went against them in the name of the Lord their God.

Ver. 15-18. "And Canaan begat Sidon his first born, and Heth, and

the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgasite, and the Hivite,

and the Arkite, and the Sinite, and the Arvadite, and the Zemarite,

and the Hamathite: And afterward were the families of the Canaanites

spread abroad."

These are the children of Canaan, the son of Ham, the accursed

of the Lord. These did chiefly possess the land of Canaan before

Israel went out of Egypt: they were a mighty giantish people, yet

Israel must fight with them, notwithstanding they were, in comparison

to these, but as the grasshopper.

Ver. 19. "And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon, as

thou comest to Gerar, unto Gaza; as thou goest, unto Sodom, and

Gomorrah, and Admah, and Zeboim, even unto Lasha."

They bordered therefore upon the Philistines on the one side (Gen

26:15,18,19); for Gerar and Gaza belonged to them, and they touched

upon Sodom and Gomorrah, &c. on the other (Judg 16:1,21). They

were placed therefore, by the judgment of God, between these two

wicked and sinful people, that they might, as a punishment for

their former sins, be infected with the sight and infection of

their ungodly and monstrous abominations. They that "turn aside

unto their crooked ways, the LORD shall lead them forth with the

workers of iniquity" (Psa 125:5).

Ver. 20. "These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after

their tongues, in their countries, and in their nations."

Ham had a mighty offspring; but the judgment of God was, That they

should be wicked men, idolaters, persecutors, sinners with a high

hand; such as God was resolved to number to the sword, both in

this world, and that to come; I mean, for the generality of them.

Ver. 21. "Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber,

the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were children born."

The manner of style which the Holy Ghost here useth in his preamble

to the genealogy of Shem, is worthy to be taken notice of; as that

he is called, "the father of all the children of Eber," and "the

brother of Japheth."

By his being called, "the father of all the children of Eber," we

may suppose, that from Eber to Abraham, (by whom the reckoning of

the genealogy was cut off from Eber, and entailed to the name of

Abraham,) all the children of Eber were, as it were, the disciples

of Shem, for he lived awhile after Abraham. His doctrine therefore

they might profess, though possibly with some mixture of those

inventions that came in among men afterwards; which I think were

at the greatest about Abraham's time. Besides, he shews by this,

that the other children of Shem, as Elam, Asshur, Lud and Aram,

with Uz, Hul, Gether and Mash, went away with Nimrod, and the rest

of that company, into idolatry, tyranny and other profaneness; so

that only the line from Shem to Eber, and from thence to Abraham,

&c. were the visible church in those days.

"The brother of Japheth." So he was of Ham, but because Ham was

cut off for his wickedness to his father, therefore both Shem and

Japheth did hold him in abomination, and would not own that relation

that before was between them, especially in things pertaining to

the kingdom of God, and of Christ: Wherefore the Holy Ghost also,

in reckoning up the kindred of Shem, excludeth Ham the younger

brother, and stops after he had mentioned Japheth: "The brother

of Japheth the elder."

"Unto him were children born," unto Shem also. Unto him were

children born: The Holy Ghost doth secretly here, as he did before

in the generation of Seth, insinuate a wonder. For considering the

godliness of Shem, and the ungodliness of Ham, and the multitude

of his tyrannical brood, it is a wonder that there should such a

thing as the offspring of Shem be found upon the face of the earth.

For I am apt to think that Shem, with his posterity, did testify

against the actions of Nimrod; as also against the children of

Ham, in their wickedness and rebellion against the way of God; as

may be hinted after. Wherefore he, with his seed, were in jeopardy,

among that tumultuous generation. Yet God preserved him and his

seed upon the face of the earth. For let the number and wickedness

of men be never so great in the world, there must be also a church,

by whose actions the ways of the wicked must be condemned.

Ver. 22. "The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad,

and Lud, and Aram."

These children were born unto Shem: The book of Chronicles mentions

four more, as Uz, and Hul, and Gether, Meshech, or Mash; but these

were the natural sons of Aram, Shem being only their father's

father.

Elam and Asshur, as also Lud and Aram, notwithstanding they were

the sons of Shem, struck off, as I think, with Nimrod, and left

their father, for the glory of Babel; yea, they had a province

there in the days of Daniel (8:2). Wherefore great judgments are

threatened against Elam; as, That Elam shall drink the cup of God's

fury: That their bow shall be broken: That God would bring upon

him the four winds (Jer 49:36). And, That there should be no nation

whither the captives of Elam should not come: Yet God would save

them in the latter days (v 39).

As for Lud although through the wickedness of his heart he forsook

his father Shem, and so the true religion; yet a promise is made

of his conversion, when God calls home the children of Japheth,

and persuadeth them to dwell in the tents of Shem. "I will set

a sign among them [saith God,] and I will send those that escape

of them, unto the nations to Tarshish, Pul and Lud,--to Tubal and

Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame" (Isa

66:19). Yea, thus it shall be, although they were once the soldiers

of the adversaries of the church, and bare the shield and helmet

against her (Eze 27:10). Of Asshur I have spoken before. Aram became

also an heathen, and dwelt among the mountains of the east: Out

of him came Balaam the soothsayer that Balak sent for, to curse

the children of Israel (Num 23:7).

In Arphaxad, though he was not the eldest, remained the line that

went from Abraham to David; and from him to Jesus Christ (Luke

3:36).

Ver. 23. "And the children of Aram; Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and

Mash."

Uz went also off from Shem, but yet good men came from his loins;

for Job himself was of that land (Job 1:1). Yet the wrath of God

was threatened to go forth against them, because they had a hand

in the persecution of the children of Israel, &c. (Jer 25:20; Lam

4:21).

Ver. 24, 25. "And Arphaxad begat Salah; and Salah begat Eber. And

unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in

his days was the earth divided; and his brother's name was Joktan."

This Eber was a very godly man, the next after Shem that vigorously

stood up to maintain religion. Two things are entailed upon him to

his everlasting honour: First, The children of God, even Abraham

himself, was not ashamed to own himself one of this man's disciples,

or followers; and hence he is called Abraham the Hebrew, or Ebrew

(Gen 14:13). Joseph also will have it go there: I was stolen (said

he) out of the land of the Hebrews (Gen 40:15). Nay, the Lord God

himself, to show how he honoured this man's faith and life, doth

style himself the God of his fathers, to wit, the God of the

Hebrews, the Lord God of the Hebrews (Exo 3:18; 7:16; 9:1,13).

Secondly, This was the man that kept that language with which Adam

was created, and that in which God spake to the fathers of old,

from being corrupted and confounded by the confusion of Babel;

and therefore it is for ever called his, the Hebrew tongue (John

5:2; 19:13,20), the tongue in which Christ spake from heaven to

and by Saul (Acts 21:40; 22:2; 26:14). This man therefore, was

a stiff opposer of Nimrod; neither had he a hand in the building

of Babel; for all that had, had their language confounded by that

strange judgment of God.

"And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of the one was Peleg,

[or Division,] for in his days was the earth divided; and his

brother's name was Joktan." This division, in mine opinion, was

not only that division that was made by the confusion of tongues,

but a division also that was made among men by the blessed doctrine

of God, which most eminently rested in the bosom of Shem and

Eber, neither of which had their hands in the monstrous work.[47]

Wherefore, as Eber by abstaining kept entire the holy language; so

Shem, to shew that he was clear from this sin also, is by the Holy

Ghost called, "The father of all the children of Eber." Implying,

that Eber and Shem did mightily labour to preserve a seed from

the tyranny and pollution of Nimrod and Babel; and by that means

made a division in the earth; unto whom because the rebels would

not adhere, therefore did God the Lord smite them with confusion

of tongues, and scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.

Ver. 26. "And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth,

and Jerah."

Here again he hath left the holy line, which is from Eber to

Abraham, and makes a stop upon Joktan's genealogy, and so comes

down to the building of Babel.

Ver. 27-30. "These therefore begat Joktan": He also begat "Hadoram,

and Uzal, and Diklah, and Obal, and Abimael, and Sheba; and Ophir,

and Havilah, and Johab: All these were the sons of Joktan.--And

their dwelling was from Mesha, as thou goes, unto Sephar a mount

of the east."

Ver. 31. "These are the sons of Shem, after their families, after

their tongues, in their lands, after their nations."

Moses, as I said, by this relation, respecteth, and handleth chiefly

those, or them persons, who were at first the planters of the world

after the flood; leaving the church, or a relation of that, and

its seed, to be discoursed after the building of Babel, unto the

tenth verse of the next chapter. Hence methinks one might gather,

that these above mentioned, whose genealogies are handled at

large, as the families of Japheth, of Ham, and Joktan are, were

both, in their persons and offsprings engaged (some few only

excepted, who might adhere to Noah, Shem, and Eber) in that foul

work, the building of Babel. Now that which inclineth me thus to

think, it is because immediately after their thus being reckoned

by Moses, even before he taketh up the genealogy of Shem, he

bringeth in the building thereof; the which he not only mentioneth,

but also enlargeth upon; yea, and also telleth of the cause of

the stopping of that work, before he returneth to the church, and

the line that went from Shem to Abraham.

Ver. 32. "These are the families of the sons of Noah after their

generations, in their nations: and by these were the nations divided

in the earth after the flood."

CHAPTER XI.

Ver. 1. "And the whole earth was of one language, and of one

speech."

Moses having thus briefly passed through the genealogies of

Japheth, Ham, and Joktan; in the next place he cometh to shew us

their works which they had by this time engaged to do; and that

was, to build a Babel, whose tower might reach to heaven. Now,

in order to this their work, or rather to his relation thereof,

he maketh a short fore-speech, which consisteth of two branches.

The first is, That now they had all one language or lip.[48] The

other was, That they yet had kept themselves together, either

resting or walking, as an army compact. An excellent resemblance

of the state of the church, before she imagined to build her

a Babel. For till then, however one might outstrip another in

knowledge and love; yet so far as they obtained, their language

or lip was but one. Having but one heart, and one soul, they with

one mouth did glorify God, even the Father.

"And the whole earth was of one language." By these words therefore,

we may conceive the reason why so great a judgment as that great

wickedness, Babel, should be contrived, and endeavoured to be

accomplished. The multitude was one. Not but that it is a blessed

thing for the church to be one: as Christ saith, "My beloved is

but one" (John 17:11). But here was an oneness, not only in the

church, but in her mixing with the world. The whole earth, among

which, as I suppose, is included Noah, Shem, and others; who

being overtopt by Nimrod, the mighty hunter, might company with

him until he began to build Babel. Therefore it is said in the

next verse, that they companied together from the east, to the

land of Shinar.

Hence note, That the first and primitive churches were safe and

secure, so long as they kept entire by themselves; but when once

they admitted of a mixture, great Babel, as a judgment of God, was

admitted to come into their mind.

Ver. 2. "And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that

they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there."

By these words, we gather, that the first rest of Noah, and so

the inhabiting of his posterity, was still eastward from Babylon,

towards the sun rising.

But to gospelise: They journeyed from the east: and so consequently

they turned their backs upon the rising of the sun. So did also

the primitive church, in the day when she began to decline from

her first and purest state. Indeed, so long as she kept close to

the doctrine and discipline of the gospel, according to the word

and commandment of the Lord Jesus, then she kept her face still

towards the sun rising: According to the type in Ezekiel, who saith

of the second and mystical temple, Her fore front, or face, did

stand towards the east (47:1). Also he saith, when he saw the glory

of God, how it came unto this temple, it came from the way of the

east (43:2). Their journeying therefore from the east, was, their

turning their backs upon the sun. And to us, in gospel times, it

holdeth forth such a mystery as this: That their journey was thus

recorded, to show they were now apostatized; for assuredly they

had turned their back upon the glorious Sun of Righteousness, as

upon that which shineth in the firmament of heaven.

"They found a plain in the land of Shinar." Shinar is the land of

Babylon (Dan 1:2; Zech 5:11), as those scriptures in the margin

declare.

"They found a plain." Or, place of fatness and plenty, as usually

the plains are; and are, upon that account, great content to our

flesh: This made Lot separate from Abraham, and choose to dwell with

the sinners of Sodom; why, the country was a plain, and therefore

fat and plentiful, even like the garden of the Lord, and the land

of Egypt. Here therefore they made a stop; here they dwelt and

continued together. A right resemblance of the degenerators'

course in the days of general apostacy from the true apostolical

doctrine, to the church of our Romish Babel. So long as the church

endured hardship, and affliction, she was greatly preserved from

revolts and backslidings; but after she had turned her face from

the sun, and had found the plain of Shinar; that is, the fleshly

contents that the pleasures, and profits, and honours of this world

afford; she forgetting the word and order of God, was content,

with Lot, to pitch towards Sodom; or, with the travellers in the

text, to dwell in the land of Babel.

Ver. 3. "And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick,

and burn them thoroughly [and burn them to a burning]. And they

had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar."

Now they being filled with ease and plenty, they begin to lift

up the horn, and to consult one with another what they were best

to do: Whereupon, after some time of debate, they came to this

conclusion, That they would go build a Babel.

"And they said one to another, Go to." This manner of phrase is

often used in scripture; and is some times, as also here, used to

show, That the thing intended, must come to pass, what opinion or

contradiction to the contrary soever there be. It argueth that a

judgment is made in the case, and proceedings shall be accordingly.

Thus it is also to be taken in Judges 7:3; Ecclesiastes 2:1; Isaiah

5:5; James 5:1, &c. Wherefore it shows, that these men had cast

off the fear of God, and, like Israel in the days of the prophet

Jeremiah, they resolved to follow their own imagination, let God

or his judgments speak never so loud to the contrary. And so indeed

he says of them at verse the sixth: "And this they begin to do:

[saith God] and now nothing will be restrained from them."

This is all Mr. Bunyan hath writ of this EXPOSITION, as we perceive

by the blank paper following the manuscript.[49]

FOOTNOTES:

[1]Although no mortal mind can by searching find out the Almighty to

perfection, yet Bunyan's views of the Divine Being is an approach

to perfection. It is worthy the pen of the most profound Christian

philosopher.--Ed.

[2]The more extensive our inquiries are into the wonders of

creation, the more deeply will our souls be humbled. The answer to

the inquiry, "What is man?" can then, and only then, be made in

the language of Isaiah, "Nothing--vanity--a drop of a bucket--the

small dust of the balance," 40:15.--Ed.

[3]How sad, but true, is this type of many governments, especially

of the olden times; the strong devour the weak--strong in person or

by subtilty, or by combination. Should this earth ever be blessed

with a Christian government, the governors will exclusively seek

the welfare and happiness of the governed.--Ed.

[4]This is one of those beautiful discoveries which modern geology

fully confirms. The earth is created, matured, prepared and fitted

for him, before man is created. That modern popular work, "The

Vestiges of Creation," elucidates the same fact from the phenomena

of nature: but the philosopher who wrote that curious book little

thought that these sublime truths were published more than a century

and a half ago, by an unlettered mechanic, whose sole source of

knowledge was his being deeply learned in the holy oracles. They

discover in a few words that which defies centuries of philosophic

researches of the most learned men. A wondrous book is God's

Book!--Ed.

[5]In what pointed language are these solemn warnings put. Reader,

in the sight of god, let the heart-searching inquiry of the

apostle's be yours; Lord, is it I?

[6]Bunyan beautifully illustrates this view of divine truth

in his controversy with Edward Fowler, Bishop of Gloucester. See

"The Defence of the Doctrine of Justification by Faith in Jesus

Christ."--Ed.

[7]Christian, you are specially cautioned to "beware of the

flatterer." The Pilgrim's Christian and Hopeful forgot the caution,

and "a man black of flesh but covered with a very light robe,

caught them in his net, and they were chastised sore."--Ed.

[8]Much allowance must be made for the state of female education in

Bunyan's days. Every effort was made to keep women in subordination--a

mere drudging, stocking mending help meet for man. Now we feel

that the more highly she is cultivated, the more valuable help she

becomes, and that in intellect she is on a perfect equality with

man.--Ed.

[9] "And sensed." Not now used as a verb. The meaning is, that Eve,

instead of instantly rejecting the temptation, because contrary

to God's command, she reasoned upon it, and sought counsel of her

carnal senses.--Ed.

[10]This passage would have done honour to Bishop Taylor, or any

one of our best English writers. How blessed are we, if our eyes

have been thus painfully opened to see and feel the awful state

into which sin plunges us.--Ed.

[11]How solemn are these awful facts, and how impressively does

Bunyan fix them on our hears. As Adam and Eve attempted to hide

their guilt and themselves by fig-leaves and bushes, so does man

now endeavour to screen his guilt from the omniscient eye of God

by refuges of lies, which, like the miserable fig-leaf apron, will

be burnt up by the presence of God. Oh, sinner! seek shelter in

the robe of the Redeemer's righteousness; the presence of your God

will add to its lustre, and make it shine brighter and brighter.--Ed.

[12]The remaining words of this alarming verse are very striking,

"Though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea, thence

will I command the serpent, and he shall bite them." Oh, sinner!

whither can you flee from the punishment of sin, but to the Saviour's

bosom? Leave your sins and fly to him; that almighty eternal refuge

is open night and day.--Ed.

[13]How art thou fallen, oh Adam! thus to lay the blame of thy

sin upon God,--"the woman whom thou gavest me," she tempted me.

Well does Bunyan term these defences--pitiful fumbling speeches,

faulteringly made. How would the glorified spirits of Adam and Aaron

embrace him, when he entered heaven, for such honest dealing.--Ed.

[14]A decided Christian cannot obey human laws affecting divine

worship. All such are of Antichrist; "Ye cannot obey God and

mammon." God requires an undivided allegiance.--Ed.

[15]Genevan or Puritan version.

[16]Many are the anxieties, sorrows, and pains, that females undergo,

from which man is comparatively exempt. How tenderly then ought

they to be cherished.--Ed.

[17]Most married men find this to be an exceedingly difficult

duty. There are few Eves but whose dominant passion is to rule a

husband. Perhaps the only way to govern a wife is to lead her to

think that she rules, while in fact she is ruled. One of the late

Abraham Booth's maxims to young ministers, was, If you would rule

in your church, so act as to allow them to think that they rule

you.--Ed.

[18] "By themselves." This does not mean without human company, but

"without divine aid," without the sanction and presence of God.--Ed.

[19]There is no error more universal, nor more fatal, than that which

Bunyan here, as well as in other of his treatises, so admirably

elucidates and explodes. No sooner does a poor sinner feel the

necessity of flying from the wrath to come, than Satan suggests

that some good works must be pleaded, instead of casting the soul,

burthened with sin, upon the compassion of the Lord, and pleading

for unconditional mercy. Good works must flow from, but cannot be

any cause of grace.--Ed.

[20]Adversaries to Christ and his church, although professing to

be Christians; worshipping according to "the traditions of men,"

and putting the saints into wretched prisons, and to a frightful

death. An awful state of self-delusion; how Cain-like!--Ed.

[21]If it be asked, Why take your unregenerate children, and invite

the ungodly, to the place of worship? Our answer is, THERE the Lord

is pleased to meet with sinners--convince, convert, and purify

them--giving them a good hope that their persons and services are

accepted.--Ed.

[22]How awfully is this illustrated by acts of uniformity. If it

be lawful to pass such acts, it must be requisite and a duty to

enforce them. It was this that filled Europe with tears, and the

saints with anguish, especially in Piedmont, France, and England.

Mercifully, the tyrant Antichrist's power is curtailed.--Ed.

[23]How solemn are these injunctions, and how opposed to the violent

conduct of mankind. A most appalling murder has been committed;--a

virtuous and pious young man is brutally murdered by his

only brother:--what is the divine judgment? If any man kill him,

vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold: set a mark upon

him--drive him from the abodes of man--shut him up in a cage like

a wild beast--but shed not his blood.--Ed.

[24]When Bunyan was in prison, under sentence to be hung, all his

thoughts were, not how to escape, but, how so to suffer as to

glorify God; "I thought with myself if I should make a scrabbling

shift to clamber up the ladder, yet I should either with quaking

or other symptoms of faintings, give occasion to the enemy to

reproach the way of God and his people for their timorousness.

This, therefore, lay with great trouble upon me, for, methought, I

was ashamed to die with a pale face and tottering knees for such

a cause as this."--Grace Abounding, No. 334.--Ed.

[25]Bunyan has taken the meaning of all these Scripture names from

the first table to the Genevan or Puritan version, vulgarly called

"The Breeches Bible," as invaluable translation.--Ed.

[26]Bunyan, after suffering much, and witnessing the cruel havoc

made with the church of God in his time, fell asleep in peace on the

eve of the glorious revolution;--while many of his cotemporaries

did, he did not "live to see it." He died August 31, 1688--as

James the Second fled and lost his crown on the 11th of December

following.--Ed.

[27] "And yet there is room." As in Christ, the ark of his church,

so it was in Noah's ark. The best calculations, allowing eighteen

inches to a cubit, show that the ark was capable of receiving many

more than this selection from all the animals now known, together

with their requisite provender. Dr. Hunter estimated the tonnage

at 42,413 tons measurement.--Ed.

[28]How astonishing is the fact, that man dares to introduce

his miserable inventions to deform the scriptural simplicity

of divine worship; as if HE who make all things perfect, had,

in this important institution, forgotten to direct the use of

liturgies--organs--vestments--pomps and ceremonies. When will man,

with child-like simplicity, follow gospel rules?--Ed.

[29]How mysterious are God's ways: some animals of every kind are

saved, and all the rest destroyed. So throughout every age some

animals have been treated with kindness, and others of the same

species cruelly maltreated. Can those who stumble at the doctrine

of election, account for this difference. Reason must submit with

reverence to the voice of Christ; "What I do, thou knowest not

NOW; but thou shalt know hereafter."--Ed.

[30] "Item," a new article added; a caution or warning.--Ed.

[31]Every edition, but the first, has left out Noah's sons!! from

the ark, while they all put in his sons' wives.--Ed.

[32]They perish in sight of a place of security which they cannot

reach; they perish with the bitter remorse of having despised and

rejected the means of escape, like the rich man in hell, whose

torment was grievously augmented by the sight of Lazarus, afar

off, in the bosom of Abraham.--Ed.

[33]Calmet says, "Apres que l'Arche eut fait le tour du monde

pendant l'espace de six mois."--Supplement to Dictionary. He gives

no authority for this improbable notion.--Ed.

[34] "A graceless clergy"!! So numerous as to cover the ground of

our land!! How awful a fact--taking the name of God on polluted

lips, and professing to teach what they do not comprehend. Men in

a state of rebellion against heaven, calling upon others to submit

to God's gospel. Solemn hypocrites, fearful will be your end.--Ed.

[35]This should prompt every professing Christian to self-examination--Am

I of the raven class, or that of the dove? May my heart, while

trembling at the thought that there are ravens in the church,

appeal to the heart-searching God, "Lord, is it I?"--Ed.

[36]This may have suggested an idea to Bunyan in writing the second

part of his Pilgrim. In the battle between Great Heart and Giant

Maul the sophist, after an hour's hard fighting, "they sat down

to rest them, but Mr. Great Heart betook him to prayer. When they

had rested them, and taken breath, they both fell to it again."--Ed.

[37]Instead of progressing to the meridian sunshine of Christianity,

they have retrograded to a darker gloom than the twilight of Judaism.

Still, some vestiges of knowledge remain--some idea of a future

state, and of sacrifice for sin. Christian, how blessed art thou!

How ought your light to shine among men, to the glory of your

heavenly Father!--Ed.

[38] "The beginning," the foundation; that which is essential to the

existence, as, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom."

Take away the fear of the Lord, and this heavenly wisdom ceaseth

to exist.--Ed.

[39]That absurd jumble, called "The Koran," mentions a fourth son

of Noah, named Kinan, who refused to enter the ark with his family,

preferring to trust them on the top of a mountain, where they all

perished. See the chapter entitled "Hod."--Ed.

[40]Faithful is the record of Holy Writ. No excuse is offered for

the sin of this great patriarch. Grapes eaten from the vine, or

after having been dried, are nutritious, like grain from the ear

of corn; pressed out and fermented, they lose that nutriment--acquire a

fiery force--mount to the brain--lead reason captive--and triumphs

over decency: the most enlightened man becomes the savage.--Ed.

[41]To prick--to incite--to spur--to dress oneself for show; thus it

was commonly used in Bunyan's time, but in this sense has become

obsolete.--Ed.

[42]To resent--to consider as an injury or affront--to take ill.--Ed.

[43]How dreadfully was this exemplified in the cruelties perpetrated

on the dissenters in the valleys of Piedmont, and on the English

dissenters in the reign of Mary, of Elizabeth, and of the Stuarts.--Ed.

[44] "The hunting tribes of air and earth, Respect the brethren of

their birth; The eagle pounces on the lamb; The wolf devours the

fleecy dam; Even tiger fell, and sullen bear, Their likeness and

their lineage spare. Man only mars this household plan, And turns

the fierce pursuit on man; Since Nimrod, Cush's mighty son, At

first the bloody game begun." Scott's Rokeby

[45]Great allowances might be made for Bunyan's severe language

with respect to state interference in matters of faith and worship,

because he so cruelly suffered by it in his own person. But had he

escaped persecution, the same awful reflections are just and true.

If a Christian monarchy robs, imprisons, and murders dissenters,

surely a Mohammedan state may do the same to all those who refuse

to curse Christ and bless Mahomet. Bunyan appears to consider

that the great wickedness of man which caused the flood arose from

the state interfering with faith and worship. This is certainly a

fruitful source of those dreadful crimes, hypocrisy and persecution,

but whether it was the cause of that awful event, the flood, or

of that splendid absurdity, the tower of Babel, the reader must

judge for himself.--Ed.

[46]First Rome, then the Greek and Russian church; then Henry the

VIII and the church over which that lascivious monster was the

supreme head; then the Lutheran church of Germany and Holland; and

then...How admirably true is the genealogy of Antichrist as drawn

out by Bunyan.--Ed.

[47] "That monstrous work," the attempting to build the tower of

Babel.--Ed.

[48] "Language or lip." A lip, is also used for speech. In the

figurative language, "of one lip," means that they all spoke one

language; so in Job 11:2, literally, "a man of lips," is translated

"a man full of talk."--Ed.

[49]That Bunyan intended to have continued this commentary there can

be no doubt, not only from the abrupt termination of his labours,

and the blank paper following the manuscript, but from an observation

he makes on the sabbath--the sabbath of years, the jubilee, &c.,

"of all which, more in their place, IF GOD PERMIT." See Genesis

2:3.--Ed.

***

A HOLY LIFE THE BEAUTY OF CHRISTIANITY: or, AN EXHORTATION TO

CHRISTIANS TO BE HOLY. BY JOHN BUNYAN.

Holiness becometh thine house, O Lord, for ever.'--[Psalm 93:5]

London, by B. W., for Benj. Alsop, at the Angel and Bible, in the

Poultrey. 1684.

THE EDITOR'S ADVERTISEMENT.

This is the most searching treatise that has ever fallen under

our notice. It is an invaluable guide to those sincere Christians,

who, under a sense of the infinite importance of the salvation of

an immortal soul, and of the deceitfulness of their hearts, sigh

and cry, "O Lord of hosts, that judgest righteously, that triest

the reins (most secret thoughts) and the heart.' "Try MY reins and

my heart.' for it is deceitful above all things, and desperately

wicked: who can know it? I the Lord search the heart, I try the

reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according

to the fruit of his doings.' He, in whose heart the Holy Spirit

has raised the solemn inquiry, What must I do to be saved?' flies

from his own estimate of himself, with distrust and fear, and

appeals to an infallible and unerring scrutiny. Search me, O God,

and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there

be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.'

Reader, are you desirous of having your hopes of pardon, and of

heaven, weighed in the unerring balances of the sanctuary; while

you are yet in a state of probation? Meditate and ponder over

this faithful little work. If accompanied by the Divine blessing,

it will test your faith and practice in the crucible and by the

fire of God's word. It is intended to turn your spirit inside

out--to lay bare every insidious enemy that may have crept in and

lie lurking in the walls of Mansoul. It exhibits sin in all its

hideous deformity, stript of its masquerade and disguises; so that

it appears, what it really is, the great enemy to human happiness.

It is calculated to stir up our pure minds to incessant vigilance,

lest we should wander upon tempting, but forbidden paths; and be

caught by Giant Despair, to become the object of his cruelty in

Doubting Castle.

This work was first published in 1684, in a pocket volume,

comprising nine sheets duodecimo; but became so rare, as to have

escaped the researches of Wilson, Whitefield, and other editors

of the collected works of Mr. Bunyan,--until about the year 1780,

when it was first re-published in an edition of his works, with

notes, by Mason and Ryland. The evident object of this treatise

was to aid Christian efforts, under the Divine blessing, in

stemming the torrent of iniquity, which, like an awful flood, was

overspreading this country. The moral and religious restraints,

which the government under the Commonwealth had imposed, were

dissolved by the accession of a debauched prince to the throne of

England; a prince who was bribed, to injure or destroy the best

interests of the country, by the voluptuous court of France. He

had taken refuge there from the storm; and had been defiled and

corrupted beyond ordinary conception. The king and his court were

surrounded by pimps, panders, courtesans, and flatterers. The

example of the court spread throughout the country--religion became

a jest and laughing-stock; and those who were not to be cajoled

out of their soul's eternal happiness--whose vital godliness

preserved them in the midst of such evil examples and allurements,

were persecuted with unrelenting rigour. The virtuous Lord

William Russel, and the illustrious Sydney, fell by the hands of

the executioner: John Hampden was fined forty thousand pounds.

The hand of God was stretched out. An awful pestilence carried

off nearly seventy thousand of the inhabitants of London. In the

following year, that rich and glorious city, with the cathedral--the

churches--public buildings-and warehouses, replenished with

merchandise--were reduced to ashes. The Dutch fleet sailed up the

Thames and threatened destruction to our navy, and even to the

government,--filling the court and country with terror. Still

profligacy reigned in the court and country--a fearful persecution

raged against all who refused to attend the church service. Thousands

perished in prison, and multitudes were condemned to expatriate

themselves. The timid and irresolute abandoned the faith,--desolation

spread over the church of God. At this time, at imminent risk, John

Bunyan not only fearlessly preached, but published his faithful

Advice to Sufferers;' which was immediately followed by this

important work, calling upon every one who named the name of

Christ, 'at all hazards, to depart from iniquity.' They were words

in season,' and were good,' like apples of gold in pictures of

silver.' (Prov. 25:11)

The contrast in public manners must have been painfully felt by

one, who had seen and enjoyed the general appearances, and doubtless

many real proofs of piety, which prevailed under the protectorate

of Cromwell. He was now called to witness the effects of open

and avowed wickedness among governors and nobles, by which the

fountains of iniquity were opened up, and a flood of immorality let

loose upon all classes; demoralizing the nation, and distressing

the church. It must have been difficult to form any thing like

an accurate estimate of the number of those who abandoned their

Christian profession. The immoral conduct of one bad man is more

conspicuous than the unobtrusive holiness of ninety-nine good men;

more especially, when a professor becomes profane. Thus Bunyan

argues, 'One black sheep is quickly espied among five hundred

white ones, and one mangey one will soon infect many. One also,

among the saints, that is not clean, is a blemish to the rest,

and as Solomon says, 'One sinner destroyeth much good.' p. 527. It

is more congenial to our fallen nature to notice, and be grieved

with, evil conduct, than it is to rejoice over that excellence

which may cast the observer into the shade; besides the jaundiced

fear that good works may arise from improper motives. These principles

equally applied to the state of society under the Presbyterian

government: but when the restoration to the old system took place,

so vast a change passed over society, like a pestilence, 'that sin,

through custom, became no sin. The superfluity of naughtiness,'

says Bunyan, 'is at this day become no sin with many.' p. 509.

'There are a good many professors now in England that have nothing

to distinguish them from the worst of men,' but their praying,

reading, hearing of sermons, baptism, church fellowship, and

breaking of bread. Separate them but from these, and every where

else they are as black as others, even in their whole life and

conversation.' p. 508. 'It is marvellous to me to see sin so high

amidst the swarms of professors that are found in every corner

of this land.' If the conduct of many professors were so vile, as

there can be no doubt but that it was, how gross must have been

that of the openly profane? It accounts for the wicked wit and

raillery of Hudibras, when so many professors threw off the mask

and gloried in their hypocrisy--Butler shut his eyes to the cruel

sufferings of thousands who perished in jails, the martyrs to the

sincerity of their faith and conduct. The falling away was indeed

great; and Bunyan, with all earnestness, warns his readers that,

'To depart from iniquity is to shun those examples, those beastly

examples to drunkenness--to whoredom--to swearing--to lying--to

stealing--to sabbath-breaking--to pride--to covetousness--to

deceit--to hypocrisy, that in every corner of the country present

themselves to men.' p. 517. 'O the fruits of repentance thick sown

by preachers, come up but thinly! Where are they found? Confession

of sin, shame for sin, amendment of life, restitution for cozening,

cheating, defrauding, beguiling thy neighbour,--where shall these

fruits of repentance be found? Repentance is the bitter pill,

without the sound working of which, base and sinful humour rest

unstirred, unpurged, undriven out of the soul.' p. 519.

'I would not be austere,' said Bunyan, 'but were wearing of gold,

putting on of apparel, dressing up houses, decking of children,

learning of compliments, boldness in women, lechery in men, wanton

behaviour, lascivious words, and tempting carriages, signs of

repentance; then I must say, the fruits of repentance swarm in our

land.' 'The tables of God's book are turned upside down. Love,

to their doctrine, is gone out of the country.' 'Love is gone, and

now coveting, pinching, griping, and such things, are in fashion;

now iniquity abounds instead of grace, in many that name the name

of Christ.' p. 529, 520. 'Alas! alas! there is a company of half

priests in the world; they dare not teach the people the whole

counsel of God, because they would condemn themselves, and their

manner of living in the world: where is that minister now to

be found, that dare say to his people, walk as you have me for

an example, or that dare say, what you see and hear to be in me,

do, and the God of peace shall be with you.' p. 520. Such was the

general character of the parish priests, after the black Bartholomew

Act had driven the pious and godly ministers from the parish

churches. It is almost a miracle that Bunyan escaped persecution

for his plain dealing. We cannot wonder, that under such teachers,

'Christians learned to be proud one of another, to be covetous,

to be treacherous, and false, to be cowardly in God's matters, to

be remiss and negligent in christian duties, one of another.' p.

525. A scandal was thus brought upon religion. 'Upon this I write

with a sigh; for never more than now. There is no place where the

professors of religion are, that is free from offence and scandal.

Iniquity is so entailed to religion, and baseness of life to the

naming the name of Christ, that 'All places are full of vomit and

filthiness.' 'Ah! Lord God, this is a lamentation, that a sore

disease is got into the church of God.' p. 529. It was a period

when a more awful plague raged as to morals and religion, than

that which, about the same time, had ravaged London with temporal

death--the plague of hypocrisy--of naming the name of Christ, and

still living in sin. 'Hypocrisies are of that nature, that they

spread themselves over the mind as the leprosy does over the body.

It gets in the pulpit, in conference, in closets, in communion of

saints, in faith, in love, in repentance, in zeal, in humility,

in alms, in the prison, and in all duties, and makes the whole a

loathsome stink in the nostrils of God.' p. 538 These licentious

times, in which we live, are full of iniquity.' p. 539. 'They change

one bad way for another, hopping, as the squirrel, from bough to

bough, but not willing to forsake the tree,--from drunkards to be

covetous, and from that to pride and lasciviousness--this is a grand

deceit, common, and almost a disease epidemical among professors.'

p. 532. 'The sins of our day are conspicuous and open as Sodom's

were; pride and covetousness, loathing of the gospel, and contemning

holiness, have covered the face of the nation.' p. 534. The infection

had spread into the households of professors. 'Bless me, saith a

servant, are those the religious people! Are these the servants

of God, where iniquity is made so much of, and is so highly

entertained! And now is his heart filled with prejudice against

all religion, or else he turns hypocrite like his master and

his mistress, wearing, as they, a cloak of religion to cover all

abroad, while all naked and shameful at home.' p. 536. 'He looked

for a house full of virtue, and behold nothing but spider-webs;

fair and plausible abroad, but like the sow in the mire at home.'

The immoral taint infected the young. '0! it is horrible to

behold how irreverently, how easily, and malapertly, children,

yea, professing children, at this day, carry it to their parents;

snapping and checking, curbing and rebuking of them, as if they

had received a dispensation from God to dishonour and disobey

parents.' p. 535. 'This day, a sea and deluge of iniquity has

drowned those that have a form of godliness. Now immorality shall,

with professors, be in fashion, be pleaded for, be loved and more

esteemed than holiness; even those that have a form of godliness,

hate the life and power thereof, yea, they despise them that are

good.' p. 543.

This melancholy picture of vice and profligacy was drawn by one

whose love of truth rendered him incapable of deceit or of

exaggeration. It was published at the time, and was unanswered,

because unanswerable. It was not painted from imagination by an

ascetic; but from life by an enlightened observer--not by the poor

preaching mechanic when incarcerated in a jail for his godliness;

but when his painful sufferings were past--when his Pilgrim,

produced by the folly of persecutors, had rendered him famous through

Europe--when his extraordinary pulpit talents were matured and

extensively known, so that thousands crowded to hear him preach--when

his labours were sought in London and in the country--when his

opportunities of observation had become extended far beyond most of

his fellow-ministers. The tale is as true as it is full of painful

interest. The causes of all this vice are perfectly apparent.

Whenever a government abuses its powers by interfering with divine

worship--by preferring one sect above all others; whether it be

Presbyterian, Independent, or Episcopalian--such a requiring the

things that are God's to be rendered unto Caesar, must be the

prolific source of persecution, hypocrisy, and consequent immorality

and profaneness. The impure process of immorality as checked by

the rival labours of all the sects to promote vital godliness.

Can we wonder that such a state of society was not long permitted

to exist? In three troublous years from the publication of this

book, the licentious monarch was swept away by death, not without

suspicion of violence, and his besotted popish successor fled to

die in exile. An enlightened monarch was placed upon the vacant

throne, and persecution was deprived of its tiger claws and teeth

by the act of toleration.

However interesting to the christian historian, and humbling to

human pride, the facts may be which are here disclosed; it was

not the author's intention thus to entertain his readers. No; this

invaluable tract has an object in view of far greater importance. It

is an earnest, affectionate, but pungent appeal to all professors

of every age, and nation, and sect, to the end of time. The

admonition of the text is to you, my reader, and to me; whether

we be rich or poor, ministers or ministered unto, it comes home

equally to every heart, from the mightiest potentate through

every grade of society to the poorest peasant. May the sound ever

reverberate in our ears and be engraven upon our hearts, 'Let

every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.'