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and assigned to each a particular language; and hence the city of Babylon derived its name."* Abydenus

uses similar language: "There are, who relate that the first men, born of the earth, when they grew proud of their strength and stature, supposing that they were more excellent than the gods, wickedly attempted to build a tower, where Babylon now stands. But, the work advancing towards heaven, was overthrown, upon the builders, by the gods, with the assistance of the winds; and the name Babylon was imposed upon the ruins. Till that period, men were of one language: but then, the gods sent among them a diversity of tongues. And then commenced the war between Saturn and Titan."+ Before we dismiss this part of the subject, we will only add, that "it is a false tradition of the Greeks that Babylon was built by Semiramis; and this error is refuted by Berosus, in his Chaldaics, Josephus in his first book against Appion," and others.‡ It remains, that we attempt,

3. TO ANSWER SOME INQUIRIES ARISING OUT OF

THE SUBJECT.

Was there any thing criminal in the attempt to build this city and tower, considered in itself? We feel no, hesitation in answering-No. But a thing perfectly lawful, and innocent in itself, may become criminal from the motives in which it originates, or the consequences connected with it. There were two ways in which this attempt, harmless in itself, was rendered criminal. First, the foundation of the work was laid in ambition. And what is ambition, but another name for every complicated vice which degrades humanity,

*See Joseph. de Antiq. Jud. Lib. i, cap. 4, Tom. i, Hud. edi.

† See note 4, at the end of this volume.

+ See note 5, at the end of this volume.

and fills the world with sorrow? What so soon erases human feelings, as ambition? What so hardens the heart against the voice of woe, as ambition? What violates the sanctity of truth, and disregards principles usually deemed sacred in society, with such facility, as ambition? What so completely transforms the character, as ambition? What so readily leads the bosom astray, as ambition? What peoples the grave, like ambition? How early it began to work in the world! and how unceasing and unimpaired has its influence continued! "Let us make us a name!" was the hope that deluded these first men; and many a subsequent projector, on the same vain principle, has built a Babel to his own confusion! And what heart is altogether dead to the passion? It was criminal, secondly and principally, we presume, because it had a tendency to counteract the designs of God: which designs had been explicitly communicated. The mandate of heaven is, "Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth." This required them to spread themselves abroad upon its surface. But they deliberately and avowedly adopt a contrary resolution; and "build a city and a tower, lest" they should "be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth."

Would not men, by degrees, have separated without the alteration of language? It is very probable, that ambitious projects, in which they might not all concur, would have effected a separation: but in such a case, we can scarcely imagine, that such a division would take place without bloodshed. By the interposition of heaven, they separated peaceably. Besides time would slowly have brought that to pass, which God accomplished at once; and had it been left to operations so gradual, the replenishing of the earth had

been greatly retarded. Not to say that without a dissonance of language, to a great degree the divisions of nations would have been lost; and they would, probably, have blended again together. To this hour, language is the strongest line of separation drawn between man and man; and one of the most powerful bulwarks of the distinction subsisting between different nations. Would not language of itself have changed, as the people multiplied, without the interposition of Divine power? Of this, there can be no question: but in this case, it would only be a change of dialect, and not of language. In the revolution of a few centuries, what alterations have been made in our own tongue! Roll back but three or four hundred years, and we feel ourselves incapable of reading the dialect which our forefathers spoke. Yet rude and barbarous as it appears, in it may be traced the basis of our present copious language. And, estimating the changes which time would have made, they will be found too gradual to have effected any separation. The alterations produced by years, are small, and slowly brought about: they consist, in changing a few words in the course of a century: forming a few others; and dropping, as obsolete, an inconsiderable number before in use. This effects no division in a nation; and the same progression would have brought about none in the great body of mankind. Generation after generation would have passed, while the most tring changes were forming. No motives would Have been furnished for their living apart: no necessity would have arisen, from this quarter, for their dispersion. But Deity interposed, to effect his own purpose; which was readily and completely accomplished by the confusion of language. We hasten,

II. TO DEDUCE FROM THIS FACT, SOME CONSIDERATIONS ADAPTED TO OUR INDIVIDUAL IMPROVEMENT.

The prophet, whose words, at the commencement of the Lecture, we connected with the Mosaic history, has furnished us with a thread of reflection, which cannot fail to conduct us to the right use which we ought to make of this singular narrative. He has pronounced the application of the subject. "The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwelleth in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, who shall bring me down to the ground? Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down saith the LORD!" Had he stood by and seen the project of these men, in its proud advance, and in its disastrous issue, he could not have painted their presumption, their folly, and their humiliation, in more striking language. The following remarks appear clearly deducible from these words:

A

1. MOST OF OUR ERRORS ORIGINATE IN THE "PRIDE OF OUR HEARTS;" AND THIS PRIDE WILL ALWAYS BE FOUND TO HAVE "DECEIVED" US.

It was this pride that dictated the haughty language of the king of Babylon, when, from the battlements of his palace, he looked down upon his beautiful city, and said "Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom, by the might of my power, and for the honor of my majesty?" O, how the "pride of his heart deceived" him! "While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; the kingdom is departed from thee!" The

"same hour" was he "driven from men," and his "dwelling was with the beasts of the field:" his reason was withdrawn,-"and his body was wet with the dew of heaven." Behold, he that would be thought a God, is become less than a man! Nor were the balances of power again put into his hand, till he had been brought to confess, "that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will;" and to acknowledge, in a repentant decree, that "those who walk in pride, he is able to abase."

Happy had it been for his successor, if this awful display of divine justice, had wrought in his heart, obedience. But Belshazzar learned not wisdom from his grandfather's humiliation. He exceeded his great progenitor in impiety. He stood on the pinnacle of empire, till he was giddy with gazing upon the rolling world beneath him! The forces of Cyrus surrounded the city: but, trusting in its impregnable strength, the defence of the river, and the greatness of his stores, he laughed his enemies to scorn. The feast was spread, and the revellings had commenced. Death hovered round his court, and destruction brooded over his city, while he was sunk in senseless security. And now, the voice of joy, and the noise of riot, resound through the palace. The monarch calls upon his nobles to devote the hours to gaiety; to scatter their fears to the winds; to drink defiance to the warrior advancing to their very gates; and, to fill the measure of his iniquity, to add insult to the miseries of his captives, to crown dissipation with sacrilege, he requires, last of all, the vessels of the sanctuary, that they might be profaned by their application to not merely common uses, but to the vile purposes of debauchery. It is done, The king is lost in unbounded pleasure, and intoxicat

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