equal capacity of multiplying their posterity with him; and thus Seth's posterity were probably but a small part of the inhabitants of the world.

But after the days of Enos and Enoch, (for Enoch was translated before Enos died) the church of God greatly diminished, in proportion as multitudes of the line of Seth, born in the church of God, fell away, and joined with the wicked world, principally by means of intermarriages with them; as Gen. 6: 1, 2, 4. “And it came to pass, when men began to multiply upon the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.-There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men, which were of old men of renown." By the sons of God here are doubtless meant the children of the church. It is a denomination often given them in Scripture. They intermarried with the wicked world, and so had their hearts led away from God; and there was a great and continual defection. The church, that used to be a restraint on the wicked world, diminished exceedingly, and so wickedness prevailed. Satan, that old serpent the devil, that tempted our first parents, and set up himself as the God of this world, raged exceedingly; every imagination of the thoughts of man's heart was only evil continually, and the earth was filled with violence. It seems to have been deluged with wickedness then, as it was with water afterwards; and mankind in general were swallowed up in it. And now Satan made a most violent attempt to devour

the church of God; and had almost done it. But yet God preserved it, in the midst of all this flood of wickedness and violence, in that line of which Christ was to proceed. He would not suffer it to be destroyed, for a blessing was in it. There was a particular family, a root whence the branch of righteousness was afterwards to shoot forth. And therefore, however the branches were lopped off, and the tree seemed to be destroyed, yet God in the midst of all kept alive this root, by his wonderful redeeming power and grace, so that the gates of hell could not prevail against it.

Thus I have shown how God carried on the great work of redemption during this first period, from the fall of man till God brought the flood on the earth. And I would observe, that though the Mosaic history during that space be very short, yet it is exceedingly comprehensive and instructive. And it may also be profitable here to observe, the efficacy of that purchase of redemption which had such great effects so many ages before Christ actually appeared.

I proceed now to show how the same work was carried on from the beginning of the flood till the calling of Abraham. For though that universal deluge overthrew the world, it did not overthrow this

building of God, the work of redemption. This went on; and instead of being overthrown, continued to be built up, in order to a further preparation for the great Savior's coming into the world for the redemption of his people.

I. The flood itself was a work of God that belonged to this great design, and tended to promote it. All the mighty works of God, from the fall to the end of the world, rightly viewed, will appear as parts of this grand work, and so many steps for carrying it on; and doubtless so great a work, so remarkable and universal a catastrophe, as the deluge, cannot be excepted. Thereby God removed out of the way the enemies and obstacles that were ready to overthrow it.

Satan seems to have been in a dreadful rage just before the flood, and his rage then doubtless was, as it always has been, chiefly against the church of God to overthrow it; and he had filled the earth with violence and rage against it. He had drawn over almost all the world to be enlisted under his banner against Christ and his church. We read, that the earth was filled with violence; and doubtless that violence was chiefly against the church, in fulfillment of what was foretold, "I will put enmity between thy seed and her seed." Their enmity and violence were so great, and the enemies of the church so numerous, the whole world being against it, that it was come to the last extremity. Noah's reproofs, and his preaching of righteousness, were utterly disregarded. God's Spirit had striven with them a hundred and twenty years, but all in vain; and the church was reduced to so narrow limits, as to be confined to one family. There was no prospect of

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any thing else but of their totally swallowing up the church, and that in a very little time; and so wholly destroying that small root that had the blessing in it, or whence the Redeemer was to proceed.

And, therefore, God's destroying those enemies of the church by the flood, belongs to this design of redemption; for it was one thing that was done in fulfillment of the covenant of grace, as it was revealed to Adam: I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head." This was only a destruction of the seed of the serpent in the midst of their utmost violent rage against the seed of the woman, 'when in the utmost peril.

We scarcely read in Scripture of any destruction of nations, but one main reason given for it is, their enmity and injuries against God's church; and doubtless this was one main reason of the destruction of all nations by the flood. The giants that were in those days, in all probability got themselves renown by their great exploits against heaven, and against Christ and his church, the remaining sons of God that had not corrupted themselves.

We read, that just before the world shall be destroyed by fire, "the nations that are in the four quarters of the earth shall gather together against the church as the sand of the sea, and shall go up on the breadth of the earth, and compass the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city; and then fire shall come down from God out of heaven and devour them." Rev. 20:8, 9. And it seems there was what was very parallel to it, just before the world was destroyed by water. And therefore their destruction was a work of God that as much belonged

to the work of redemption, as the destruction of the Egyptians belonged to the redemption of the children of Israel out of Egypt, or as the destruction of Sennacherib's mighty army, which had compassed about Jerusalem to destroy it, belonged to God's redemption of that city from them.

By means of this flood, all the enemies of God's church, against whom that little handful had no strength, were swept off at once. God took their part, appeared for them against their enemies, and drowned those of whom they had been afraid, in this flood, as he drowned the enemies of Israel that pursued them in the Red Sea.

Indeed God could have taken other methods to deliver his church: he could have converted all the world instead of drowning it; and so he could have taken another method than drowning the Egyptians in the Red Sea. But that is no argument that the method he did take was not a method to show his redeeming mercy to his people.

By the deluge, the enemies of God's people were dispossessed, and the whole earth given to Noah and his family to possess in quiet; as God made room for the Israelites in Canaan, by casting out their enemies from before them. And God thus taking the possession of the enemies of the church, and giving it all to his people, was agreeable to that promise of the covenant of grace, Ps. 37: 9-11. For evil doers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. But the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace."

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