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was a figure of Christ by whom we offer up the sacrifices of praise to God. The jews say, Noah built it in the same place where Abel had offered, and where Abraham afterwards built an altar to offer Isaac. As the altar was a memorial of Christ who was to become incarnate, and be God and man in one person, so the sacrifices slain upon or near it, pointed out the blood and death of Christ shed on purpose to cleanse and make atonement for sin. The clean beasts and fowls offered, suggested the immaculate purity of our Lord's person, life, and oblation; and also prove that the worshippers were not left to offer what they pleased, but that the whole was of divine appointment. Noah's sacrifice, being a burntoffering, shews that it was wholly consumed by fire. And it pointed out how the fire of divine wrath would fall on Christ our sacrifice. As it was wholly reduced to ashes, it shewed the complete abolition of sin out of the sight of God by Immanuel's oblation, by which means his church and people were to be delivered from the wrath

to come,

And thus Noah began the new world with a solemn exhibition of Christ's death, and expressed his faith in it, as the sacrifice of atonement, as all-sufficient to complete eternal salvation.

Section 3. This representation and memorial of Christ's sacrifice, was highly acceptable to Jehovah the Father-"The Lord smelled a sweet

savor;" or, a savor of rest. The Chaldee translateth it, 'The Lord accepted with favor his oblation.' The apostle Paul takes notice of it, and says, "Christ also hath loved us, and given himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God, for a sweet smelling savor." Eph. v. 2.

Jehovah, the Father, reviewing the all-sufficiency of his co-equal Son, on whom he laid his help, and the infinite perfection, virtue, and efficacy of his one obedience and sacrifice, expresses his delight in Noah's sacrifice, which brought it, as it were, to remembrance, and presented it before him. It was to him a sweet savor, an odor and perfume; yea, a savor of rest and refreshment; as the Messiah's death was to be the accomplishment of it. The person, undertakings, incarnation, life, obedience, bloodshedding, sacrifice, and death of the God-man, are the very centre of all Jehovah's thoughts, decrees, designs, and purposes; and on this occasion he was pleased to unfold himself, open his heart, and give fresh evidences of it to Noah: and in the one Lord Jesus Christ, the head, foundation, and Savior of his church and people, Jehovah expresses himself thus; "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: while the earth remaineth, seed time and harvest, and cold and

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heat, and summer and winter, and day and night, shall not cease."

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Section 4. The Lord said in his heart, or unto his heart, as most heartily minding and purposing what is expressed concerning Christ, his church, the world, the seat of it, and the continuation of the earth and the creatures on it, until all his purposes were fully and finally accomplished. Thus Jehovah proclaims the everlasting virtue and prevalency of his Son's mediation and death, it being the foundation of support to his church, and to the world for the sake of his church. The incarnation and life of Christ, would contain greater value than could be conceived or expressed. His obedience, which was the obedience of God in our nature, would honor the law more than it could be dishonored by the transgressions of men. His sacrifice of himself would bring more glory to the holiness and justice of the Father, than could have been done by all creatures. Yea, the good contained in it, would for ever exceed the evil contained in sin. It would bring more glory to all the perfections of the Deity, than if sin had never entered into our nature and world.

. Therefore the Lord shews forth the honor of his name, declaring that the earth should remain, the seasons be continued, the ordinances of heaven keep their constant course, until day and night come to an end; and that man should be

continued in a time state, until Christ became incarnate, and had offered himself, and seen the travail of his soul, and been fully satisfied with seeing his seed all brought to the saving knowledge of himself, and into a state of real communion with him. Yea, the Lord adds, that the sin and sinfulness of man's heart should not frustrate this. Though he fully knew that "the imagination of his heart was evil from his youth," yet, be it so, God will continue man on earth, execute his great plan, accomplish all his purposes concerning Christ and his church; and the world, mankind, and the creatures, are kept in being entirely for this end: because the church of Christ is to be perfected by completing, age after age, the number of God's elect in effectual calling.

Thus the everlasting covenant was opened afresh. The ordinances of heaven and earth were given as pledges to the faith of Noah, and all believers, that the Lord will fulfil his word.

cease.

And Jehovah, to confirm all, binds himself by the obligation of an oath, that his church and people shall never fail, nor his promise to them "This is as the waters of Noah unto me; for as 1 have sworn that the waters of Noah shall no more go over the earth, so have I sworn that I will not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee. For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed, but my kindness shall not depart from

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thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee." Isa, liv. 9, 10.

And the covenant made with Noah concerning the continuance of the ordinances of heaven, the sun and moon, and day and night, are mentioned by Jehovah to his people in Jer. xxxi. 35, 36. to assure them of the immutability of his covenant of grace with them; which proves, that under Noah's covenant the everlasting covenant of grace was hidden and contained. Noah had also the rainbow given him as a memorial of the covenant, to remind him that the earth should no more be deluged with water. He lived after the flood three hundred years, pronounced a prophecy concerning his three sons, which has had its accomplishment in their posterity. He was born in the year of the world 1557, and died in the year of the world 2006. He lived to see Terah, the father of Abram, the tenth generation after him before his death.

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What is here set before you, may the Lord bless to your increase in the knowledge of his holy word. Amen.

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