Human nature in its fourfold state ... In several practical discourses

The scope and design of these words is, to clear God's justice, in bringing the flood on the old world. There are two particular causes of it taken notice of in the preceding verses. (1.) Mixed marriages, ver. 2. The sons of God, the posterity of Seth and Enos, professors of the true religion, married with the daughters of men, the profane, cursed race of Cain. They did not carry the matter before the Lord, that he might choose for them, Psal. xlviii. 14. But without any respect to the will of God, they chose; not according to the rules of their faith, but of their fancy: they saw that they were fair• ⟨p. 32⟩and their marriage with them, occasioned their divorce from God. This was one of the causes of the deluge, which swept away the old world. Would to God all professors in our day, could plead not guilty: but tho' that sin brought on the deluge, yet the deluge hath not swept away that sin; which, as of old, so in our day, may justly be looked upon, as one of the causes of the decay of religion. It was an ordinary thing among the Pagans, to change their gods, as they changed their condition into a married lot: and many sad instances the Christian world affords of the same, as if people were of Pharaoh's opinion, That religion is only for those that have no other care upon their heads, Exod. v. 17. (2.) Great oppression, ver. 4. There was giants in the earth in those days, men of great stature, great strength, and monstrous wickedness, filling the earth with violence, ver. 11. But neither their strength nor treasures of wickedness, could profit them in the day of wrath. Yet the gain of oppression still carries many over the terror of this dreadful example. Thus much for the connection, and what particular crimes that generation was guilty of. But every person that was swept away with the flood could not be guilty of these things, and shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? Therefore, in my text, there is a general indictment drawn up against them all, The wickedness of man was great in the earth, &c. And this is well instructed, for God saw it. Two things are laid to their charge here.

The scope and design of these words is, to clear God's justice, in bringing the flood on the old world. There are two particular causes of it taken notice of in the preceeding verses. (1.) Mixt marriages, ver. 2. The sons of God, the posterity of Seth and Enos, professors of the true religion, married with the daughters of men, the profane, cursed race of Cain. They did not carry the matter before the Lord, that he might chuse for them,