posed to be the mountains of Taurus, in Armenia; though others take them for the Caucasian mountains, between the Black and the Caspian seas.

5 And the waters decreased continually until the tenth month: in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, were the tops of the mountains seen.

6 And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made.

It was two months and a half after the ark rested, before the the tops of the mountains were seen. The ark would draw deep in the water, and so rest upon the mountains before the water was off. This was for the trial and exercise of Noah's faith, and it ended with comfort to him.

Though God shut the door upon Noah, yet he left him a window for his benefit and comfort; and he made use of it accordingly. We do not find that he opened the window until now, and perhaps he had now direction from God to do it.

7 And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth.

8 Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground;

9 But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark.

10 And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark ;

11 And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf pluckt off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth.

12 And he stayed yet other seven days; and sent forth the dove; which returned not again unto him any more,

Noah sent forth a raven and a dove so see how things went abroad; for he himself was shut up, as it were, in a dungeon, and could see nothing. Perhaps the raven might return unto the ark, though

'tis likely she did not come into it again; for there is but one mention of the sending of her forth. Being a bird of prey, she took up with the food which she found, the carcases which were floating upon the waters. But though the raven did not come back to Noah, yet that very circumstance was an evident token that the waters were abated. That would not, however, serve Noah. He was undone to know more, that he might be better satisfied of God's care of him, which now perhaps he begun to question. He therefore sent out a dove. It is observed of a dove, that when she flies abroad, she will be sure to return to her own nest at night, how far distant soever. The first time she found no rest for the sole of her foot; for though the tops of the mountains appeared, yet they were muddy and dirty, and she did not like to rest there; and therefore came back to the ark, bringing no comfortable tidings to Noah. The second time she brought him an olive leaf, the nature of which is to remain green and fresh even under water. The olive branch perhaps became an emblem of peace and good tidings from this passage. This raven may remind us of a wicked man, who finds in the world that which satisfies him. What he meets with there serves him very well. But the gracious soul, like this dove, finds no rest any where but in the ark,-but in Christ. The

waters of affliction and the mud of corruption which he meets with in the world, drive him to that only source of comfort. Return unto thy rest, O my soul: Heb. unto thy Noah. Psa. cxvi. 7. Christ

only is rest to a gracious soul.

13 And it came to pass in the six hundreth and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth: and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and, behold, the face of the ground was dry.

The evidences that Noah had hitherto had were but uncertain. He had a mind to see with his own eyes; and, in order thereto, removed the covering of the ark: not the whole covering, but so much of it as would enable him to have a prospect of the face of the earth. Now the prospect he had was a most comfortable prospect; for, behold, the face of the ground was dry. What a welcome sight was this to Noah, who had not seen a spot of dry ground for almost a year! How glad he was of it, and how thankful for it, those may best imagine who have known, by experience, what such a change means. How often do we see the dry land about us, and are

not sensible of the comfort of it, nor thankful for it, as we should be. Mercies continued do not affect us so much as mercies restored. The most common mercies are usually the most slighted mercies. The drying of the earth is again and again mentioned as an instance of the power of God; even the same power that did at first make it dry land. Gen. i. 9. And certainly it was no less than almighty power that could do it. What cannot this God do? Is the soul overwhelmed with corruptions and temptations; or with doubts and fears; with dejections and despondencies? He can by the warm beams of his grace remove those corruptions, dispel those doubts, and and restore comfort to the soul. If a church or state be subjected to confusion and disorder, how easily can he create peace. Isa. lvii. 19. How easily can he turn the storm into a calm.

14 And in the second month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, was the earth dried.

15 And God spake unto Noah, saying,

16 Go forth of the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons' wives with thee.

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