the chosen people, head of the Church on earth, and progenitor of the Messiah. His whole career, and that of his son Isaac, the child of promise, is marked by an especial appointment for planting the Church in the world.

ENOS (Despairing)—a period of 190 years. From B. c. 1757 to 1567.-In 1760 Jacob begins his pilgrimage by flying into Mesopotamia to escape the resentment of his brother. His whole life is marked with trouble. "Few and evil have the years of my life been," is his own description towards its close. But his descendants fall into still deeper trial. The concluding years of the period find them in the Egyptian captivity, the people broken, the worship suspended, the national characteristics slavery and despair.

CAINAN (possession)—a period of 170 years. From B. c. 1567 to 1397.-In 1571 Moses is born, to become the future deliverer of Israel. He rescues the people from their slavery, reestablishes the Church, and leads the nation to the conquest of Canaan; of which his successor, under the direct guidance of Heaven, puts them

in possession. The close of the period completes the triumphs of Joshua.

MAHALEEL (praising God)-a period of 165

years.

From B. c. 1397 to 1232.- In 1405 Othniel begins the line of the Judges after Joshua. During this period the fortunes of the nation are diversified. They fall into partial idolatries, and are scourged by partial punishments. But the general commonwealth is prosperous, a succession of leaders are raised by Heaven, who repel the national enemies: the great characteristic of the period is the prevalence of religion. The government is the theocracy. God is the acknowledged Sovereign of the nation. Israel is memorable among nations for its praise of God. The period closes with the usurpation of Abimelech, the beginning of an evil time,—the first violation of the theocracy.

JARED. (Descending) a period of 162 years.

From B. c. 1232 to 1070. In this year the government of the Judges is resumed, Abimelech having been slain the year before. But, the whole period is one of national decline. The Israelites are delivered, for their growing corruptions, into

the hands of the Philistines. The Israelite armies are defeated, and the Ark is taken. The theocracy ends; and the period closes with the harassed reign of Saul, of whom God says to Israel, “I gave thee a King in mine anger, and took him away in my wrath 1."

ENOCH (Dedicated), a period of 165 years.

From B.C. 1070 to 905.-In 1063 Samuel is sent to Bethlehem to anoint David, as King. Israel suddenly recovers its strength, on the cessation of idolatry; and conquers the whole of the promised land for the first time. David ascends the throne, and proposes to build the temple. In 1012 Solomon lays the foundation of the temple, and in 1004 celebrates its dedication, the glory of the Lord descending to declare its acceptance : the period extends to Jehoshaphat, who, overthrowing the Pagan altars, renews the general worship of the Lord.

METHUSELAH (Sending death), a period of 187

years.

From B.C. 905 to 718.-This period comprehends the decline and ruin of the kingdom of Israel. About 906 the miracle of Elijah's sacrifice was given as a warning to the idolatrous

1 Hosea xiii. 10.

nation and their King Ahab. In 721 the captivity of Hosea and the ten tribes by Shalmanezer began. This calamity was final.

LAMECH (Stricken), a period of 182 years. From B.C. 718 to 530.-This period comprehends the moral decline, the successive overthrow, and the Babylonish captivity of the kingdom of Judah. In 1713 the war began, by the invasion of Sennacherib, who desolated the territory. After successive invasions, Jerusalem was taken by Nebuchadnezzar, the people were borne into Assyrian bondage, and the land was given to strangers. The ruin was complete, yet not final. At the close of the period, an extraordinary deliverance

was to come.

NOAH (the Comforter), a period of 600

years. From B.C. 530 to A.D. 70.-The name of Noah was declared to be prophetic. It was given by Lamech to his son, in the knowledge, that in his time there should be given a rest to the people of God. "He shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed'. In 536 the fortunes of the captive people underwent one of the

1 Gen. v. 29.

most memorable changes in history. In that year the famous decree of Cyrus was issued, by which they were restored to their country, and empowered to rebuild their temple. The general character of this period was that of a renewal of national strength. Judæa was a bond slave no longer, her polity was restored, her temple was rebuilt, and before the close of the period, the Messiah, the ancient and prophetic hope of Israel, and mankind, was born.

to

But the exactness of the correspondence in the two series is still more remarkably exhibited in this instance. Shem, that Son of Noah, who was to be the head of the chosen line, was born a hundred years before the deluge. The name is interpreted Renown. It will be observed that the most striking portion of the corresponding six hundred years is that included within the last hundred. Judæa had been harassed by faction and war, the verge of ruin the century before. The ravages of Epiphanes and Eupator had apparently dried up the last sources of the national strength. Jerusalem had subsequently been captured by the Romans, and the nation made tributary. Yet, at the commencement of the final century of national existence, Judæa started up into a sudden dignity and splendour unequalled from the days of Solomon.

In B. c. 37, Herod was put in full possession of his kingdom; and, defeating all his rivals, and reconciling the powerful interest of Rome, began a