decreased continually untill the tenth moneth] The Arke rested on the mountaine of Ararat while the waters covered it; for at the first the Mount was felt, but not seene, yet the waters then were so much abated, and did day by day so abate, that, wherereas before they stood above the Mountains, Psal. 104. vers. 6. yea fifteene cubits above all high hils, Chap. 7. vers. 19, 20. within seventy three dayes space (from the first repose the Arke had upon Ararat) not onely that, but the tops of other lower hils were seene, the waters partly being sunke downe and swallowed up by the hollow places of the earth, and partly drawne up and rarified into aire: this God could have done in a moment, but he workes by degrees that we may not too suddenly passe over the acts of his power, justice, or goodnesse, but may exercise our faith in a deliberate waiting on his will without precipitation, or too much hast, Isaiah 28:16. There be some who precisely set downe the graduall abatement of the waters; and they say, that while they were above the mountaines they abated but one cubit in foure dayes, but that afterwards they asswaged more swiftly: if it were certaine how deepe the Arke descended into the waters, whether (according to the phrase of ship-men) it drew water eleven, (as some say) or thirteene cubits, (as others) we might better resolve the doubt at the first dayes decrease; for the seventeenth day of the seventh moneth was the first day of the waters abatement; for from the beginning of the flood till this seventeenth day are but one hundred fiftie one dayes; and of them for one hundred fifty dayes the waters prevailed, Chap. 7. vers. 24. whence it will follow that the Arke drew water thirteene cubits, that the waters abated two cubits in one day; for that seventeenth day it touched and rested on Mount Ararat, and when at the highest it was above it but fifteene cubits; but if it drew water but eleven cubits, it fell foure cubits the first day: these conjectures are both doubtfull, neither dangerous.