In the midst of his purpose to destroy the world, God sets a special mark of honour upon Noah. When, for aught we know, there was no other that found grace in the eyes of the Lord, then Noah did. God was not so angry with the unrighteous world but he had a kindness for righteous Noah. The way to find grace in the eyes of the Lord, is to be as Noah was, and to do as Noah did. 2 Cor. v. 9.

9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.

10 And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

We have here both the reason and evidence of that divine favour of which Noah was the only object in the great day of divine displeasure.

1. The reason why Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord was, because he was a just man, and perfect in his generation; and he was the only one that was so; there was none like him in the world. Noah was a none-such. He was just to God, and just to man. Justice is, giving to all their due; to God his due of love, and fear, and worship, and obedience; and to men their due: to superiors, subjection; to inferiors, gentleness; to equals, condescen

sion; to all, love. Where these debts are duly paid, there's a righteous man. And Noah was not only legally just, but evangelically so. He had righteousness imputed to him, righteousness implanted in him, and righteousness was practised by him. Heb. xi. 7, 9. Noah was perfect; not with the perfection of degrees; we know no such thing in this life; but with the perfection of parts; as a child may be called a perfect child, while he is but a child, He was upright; for uprightness is gospel perfection. The perfect man is opposed to the perverse and wicked. Job ix. 20, 21. He did, like Zechariah and Elizabeth, walk in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. Luke i. 6. He was in a holy, gracious state; and he walked in holy, gracious ways. Noah was perfect in his generation; in that wicked profane generation. He was good in bad times; good when nobody else was so. To be religious when religion is in fashion, how easy is it! But to be religious when religion's ways are everywhere spoken against, there's the difficulty. Noah was

like a fish,-fresh in salt waters. He chose rather to swim against the stream, though with trouble and difficulty, than to go down the stream with ease and delight. He was the man that ventured to stem the tide of profaneness, and durst appear for God when no one else appeared for him. And Noah

walked with God. He was not only just in his dealings with men, but he walked with God in the serious, conscientious use of all holy ordinances. He kept up his communion with God, his correspondence with heaven; and he did not count it solitary walking, though he had no one else to walk with him. He did like Enoch. He trod in the steps of his great-grandfather. Though Enoch was gone to heaven almost seventy years before Noah was born, yet Noah had heard of Enoch's life, which he took for his copy, and of Enoch's translation, wnich he took for his encouragement. Such was Noah,-that Noah who found grace in the eyes of the Lord; a man whom God made more account of than all the giants that were in the earth in those days, who became mighty men, and were of old men of renown; for though greatness may commend us to men, it is goodness only that commends us to God. Noah, 'tis likely, did not find grace in the eyes of men, by his holiness and piety; they would not commend him, because thereby he condemned them. But all was one for that. He was so wise as to prefer the good word of God before the good word of all his neighbours.

2. The evidence of the favour of God to Noah appears in what God said of him, and in what God said to him. He was a good man, and it appears

that God was pleased with him, in that the blessed Spirit doth here proclaim his goodness. So that wherever this book of scripture, this chapter, this verse, shall be read, there shall also this singular piety of Noah be told for a memorial of him. Matt. xxvi. 13. And I cannot but observe how frequently his name is repeated here: no less than five times in about five lines. Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a just man.

Noah walked with God.

Noah begat three sons. the very names of the saints are precious to God, and should be so to us.

Not only the persons, but

11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.

12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.

Here seems to be some intimation of idolatry, superstition, or other depravations in God's worship. The word corrupt doth frequently signify idolatrous worship. Exod. xxxii. 7. Deut. xxxii. 5. Judg. ii. 19. 2 Chron. xxvii. 2. And is it not sufficiently experienced that superstition and profaneness go toge

ther amongst people? Where piety of life is gone, purity of worship, I dare say, is going. Violence and oppression abounded. The earth was filled with violence; there was no order, no government amongst them. They were like fishes in the sea, where the greater devour the lesser. The strongest arm and the longest sword carried away all.

The wickedness of that time was universal. It was not here and there,-in a few families or towns,that these iniquities did abound, but all the world over. Sin was grown common; the disease was epidemical; and no wonder, when it is so catching. Iniquity covered the earth, as the waters cover the sea. How justly then did the deluge cover the earth, as the waters cover the sea. When sin is grown

universal, wrath is at the door. While there's a remnant of praying ones to empty the measure as it fills, judgments may be kept off a great while; but when all are filling the measure by sin, and none emptying it by repentance, it will soon be full, and overflow with wrath. When ten righteous men can not be found in five cities, no marvel if fire and brimstone be quickly sent about their ears. Gen. xviii. 32. xix. 24, 25.

Thus have we a draught of the wickedness of the old world. And may we not, as in a glass, see our own face, and the face of the present age