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let me not fall into the hand of MAN. 2 Sam. xxiv. 14.

When the wickednefs of Men was fo great in the earth, that GOD was determined to destroy the whole race of mankind, (the inclosed in the Ark only excepted,) His Mercy was confpicuous even in his Judgment. For the fake of the few MEN that were to be faved, it feemed expedient that the BRUTES should perish; for had they all been fpared, the difproportion of

numbers between Men and Brutes in the new world, would probably have occafioned various inconveniencies. The multitude of the favage Beafts would have been à continual terror to the new race of men, and the multitude of the

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tamer kind would have been as ftraggling fheep without a fhepherd. Born to die once, their term of life indeed was fhortened: but the manner of their death by Water, was, upon the whole, more eafy to many of them, and more expeditious than if the tame brutes had been devoured by the fierce, and the fierce had perifhed by lingering Famine. Had it been by general Fire, it would have confumed the Fishes of the Sea, as well as the Creatures of the Earth; and it would have made a greater havock in the creation, than was neceffary to accomplish the end proposed; nor would the Ark itfelf have been fpared. But as GOD was not angry with the Brutes, WATER was the merciful

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expedient to fave no less than to deftroy. The Waters prevailed, and every Living Subftance was deAtroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both Man and Cattle, and the Creeping Things, and the Fowl of the heaven; and they were deftroyed from the earth. Gen. vii. 23.

But GOD remembered NOAH, and Every LIVING THING, and all the CATTLE that was with him in the Ark. (Gen. viii. 1.). GOD REMEMBERED the BRUTES that were shut up, as well as the MEN; and made a wind to pafs over the Earth, and the Waters affwaged. And the LORD fent forth his Spirit, and renewed the face of the Earth*. He looked

* Pfa. civ. 30.

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upon the Defolation, and it seemed to have repented him, that the Brutes had perished; and that which had been the MOTIVE of Judgment, he now declares fhall never move him again to blot the innocent Brutes out of his creation, for the fins of guilty Men. Read; and adore his Love; and fee how his Mercy rejoiceth againft Judgment:-The LORD faid in his beart, I will not again curfe the Ground any more for MAN's fake, though the imagination of MAN's heart is evil from his Youth; neither will I again fmite any more EVERY LIVING THING, as I HAVE DONE. Gen. viii. 21.

Nor was it enough that the LORD faid it in his heart, but he gracioufly

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cioufly condefcends to bind himfelf by a COVENANT; by an EVERLASTING COVENANT, not confined to any family, to any nation, to any church, no nor to human kind; but a Covenant as Extenfive as it is Eternal, as Merciful as it is Magnificent, and as Sublime in the Form of it, as it is aftonishingly Beautiful in the Seal and Signature. And to convince Noah and all future Generations, that the Mercy of the Lord is over all his works; and that EVERY LIVING CREATURE, of the FowL, of the CATTLE, and of every BEAST of the Earth, is as much, in its kind, the object of his Loving-kindness as Man, yea more than finful Man 5 and that it was not in his wrath to the unfinning Brutes

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