This stupendous event may also be regarded as typical of another period, infinitely surpassing all the rest in terror and in awe;—the coming of Christ to judge the world, to execute His final vengeance upon those who would not be reclaimed by His mercy. The face of nature will then be destroyed by another process; by a direful and universal conflagration. “By the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: but the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.” {53b} “Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, (a new state) wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of Him in peace, without spot, and blameless.” {54a} All that have ever lived shall be summoned again into existence; the righteous to be separated, and “caught up to meet the Lord in the air,” {54b} and to be conveyed into the regions of eternal blessedness; the wicked, to perish, to die, not a bodily but a spiritual death; to be consigned together to a place of banishment and wretchedness and horror and despair. The miserable unbelievers and the obstinate transgressors, in the days of Noah, shall then return to the earth from which they were swept away; not to enjoy again their revelry and licentiousness; not to be favoured with another day of grace; but to receive, with all their companions in evil, with all that have ever “followed their pernicious ways,” the full and eternal recompence of their deeds. This will indeed be a day of desolation, “of lamentation and mourning and woe,” of “weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth;” of which awful day no words, no example, no past event, nor even imagination itself, can afford an adequate representation. God Almighty grant, that we may never know its terrors; that we may profit from the warnings and experience, which are mercifully vouchsafed unto us; may embrace, with all our hearts, the covenant of salvation into which we have professedly entered; and, amidst the wreck and ruin of the world, may be delivered with an everlasting deliverance, for the sake, and through the merits, of that omnipotent Saviour, who was with Noah in the ark; who has guarded, and will continue to guard, the ark of His Church in all ages; whose mercy and truth are pledged for the final preservation of His faithful people: God Almighty grant this blessing unto us all, through the aid and operation of that “Holy Spirit, whereby we are sealed unto the day of redemption.” {55} SERMON IV. THE PRESERVATION FROM THE FLOOD. GENESIS vi. 8. _Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord_.