ction, and publicly
charged him with lying, on the ground that home, State and Church had
been instituted by God; that God surely would not overturn his own
establishment by a final destruction; that man had been created for
propagation and dominion upon the earth, not for the rule of water
over him to his destruction.

234. Just so the Papists press us with the one argument that Christ
will be with the Church to the end of the world (Mt 28, 20); that the
gates of hell will not prevail against it (Mt 16, 18). This they vaunt
in a loud-voiced manner, believing their destruction to be an
impossibility. Swept by the waves Peter's ship may be, they say, but
the waters cannot overwhelm it.

235. Quite similar was the security and assurance before the flood;
notwithstanding, we see that the whole earth perished. The scoffers
boasted that God's regulations are perpetual, and that God had never
completely abolished or altered his creation. But consider the outcome
and you will see that they were wrong, while Noah alone was right.

236. Unless the additional light of the Holy Spirit is vouchsafed, man
will surely be convinced by such argument; for is it not equivalent to
making God inconstant and changeable, to maintain that he will
completely destroy his creature? Yet God gives Noah the revelation
that he will make an end of flesh and earth, not in part, but of all
flesh and all the earth. Would it not be awful enough to partition the
earth into three parts and to threaten destruction to one? But to rage
against the whole earth and against all mankind seems to be in
conflict with God's government and the declaration that everything is
very good. These things are too sublime to be understood or
comprehended by human reason.

237. What is the cause of wrath so great? Surely, the fact that the
earth is filled with violence, as he here says. Astonishing reason! He
says nothing here concerning the first table; he mentions only the
second. It is, as if he said: I shall say nothing of myself that they
hate, blaspheme and persecute my Word. Among themselves how shamefully
do they live! Neither home nor State are properly administered;
everything is conducted by force, nothing by reason and law.
Therefore, I shall destroy at the same time both mankind and the
earth.

238. We see also in our age that God winks at the profanation of the
mass, a horrible abomination that fills the whole earth, and at
ungodly teachings and other offe