not they be fitted up, like our earth, with skies, and air, and sea, and land—with lakes and rivers, mountains and valleys. What race of beings inhabit them-whether like ourselves, or whether, untainted by sin, they retain unbroken their allegiance to their Maker, and resemble in character and purity their own bright abodes, these are thoughts which, as we look up to the heavens, not unfrequently occur to our minds. Shall we then regard with apathy and indifference the history of a great revolution in our own planet, especially since it was an event which affected so essentially our common race? This history, too, claims to be of divine authenticity. It professes to be written under the inspiration of God. It has been assailed by those who deny its divine inspiration. They allege that it contains things incredible, impossible, absurd. They call it fable, fiction, but not history. These charges, whether well or illfounded, must be examined, if you would have a belief which is intelligent, constant and unwavering. Let the history of the deluge be shown to be incredible, and our confidence in the Bible, as an inspired book, is gone. Take away a part so important, and the others fall with it.

Happily, it admits of being satisfactorily explained, and is better supported by external evidence than perhaps any other event of history. Universal tradition, heathen mythology, and the structure and contents of the earth itself, all conspire to afford the most abundant testimony in its favour. To explain this history, and to exhibit this testimony in an orderly, compact and intelligible form, has been my object in this little work, which I now commend, reader, to your attentive consideration. Though your own belief may be firmly established in the divine origin of the Scriptures, and

upon other evidence, still it may be grateful to your feelings to find arguments accumulated upon arguments, so that on whichsoever side you turn, you will find "God has not left himself without witness." It will subserve the cause of truth, that, in regard to a matter of such moment as any of the great events of sacred history, you be armed at all points-that you be clothed in panoply complete. By an attentive examination of the subject treated of in this book, you will feel your own intelligent regard for the sacred volume increased; you will be able to silence doubts and cavils; you will acquire some new views of science; and it is to be hoped that the great end of all your science and knowledge, your high moral interest, will be promoted. I have aimed at utility; the nature of the subject, if nothing else, is such as to exclude much originality. That such my aim be accomplished, is my fervent wish. Should it be realized, it will satisfy my highest expectations.

With these remarks upon the character, plan and design of the work, I commit it to the hands of such as may be disposed to give it a perusal.

THE AUTHOR.

HARTFORD, Jan, 1835.

SACRED

HISTORY OF THE DELUGE

ILLUSTRATED.

CHAPTER I.

THE introduction of sin prepared the way for a wide division in the human family, which extended more and more, as the fatal poison spread, and developed its malignant power. The line of distinction between the two great classes of men, was early drawn. The worshippers of Jehovah, undoubtedly, soon felt the mutual attractions of a kindred taste. The necessity of union against the influence of those whose object was to obliterate from the earth the knowledge of the Creator, was a most natural sentiment. Perhaps, too, they were accustomed to celebrate their religious rites, and to appear before the Lord with their offerings, around one common altar. The apprehension of danger, or the actual experience of obloquy and persecution, would inculcate still more the necessity of union. Here, then, were the elements of a religious society or church. Still, however, one thing would be wanting to complete the bond; a thing of great and mysterious power over the human mind-the influence of a distinctive and common name. This, whether it was given them directly by the voice of Jehovah, tauntingly thrown upon them by their enemies, or assumed by themselves, the very nature

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of the circumstances suggested. At the expiration of a little more than two centuries from the first creation of the human race, says the sacred record, with the brevity of its apparently traditionary character, men began to be called by the name of the LORD."* That is, most probably, they were distinguished by the appellation of People or Sons of God. What name so appropriate? What could express like this all the circumstances of their union? Denoting, as it did, their relationship to each other in the faith and worship of their common Lord, it must have had a talismanic power to bind their hearts together. Then that pillar and ground of the truth, the Church, was cemented by the consolidating efficacy of such a name.

So, under the Christian dispensation, the followers of the Saviour were at first designated by the humble name of disciples or learners. This for a time

answered every purpose; but when, after their Lord and Master had gone up to heaven, they began to be more numerous, and to spread abroad, then there was need of some appellation which should suggest at once to the mind their relationship to their ascended Redeemer, and serve to distinguish them as a class of men from all others. It was no matter whether assumed by themselves voluntarily, or given them by their enemies; it was designed in the providence of God to answer the same end; and this end it has answered most effectually. Who does not perceive the fitness of the appellation? Who does not perceive the influence which it was calculated to exert? What significance and power dwell in the name of Christian! Such a name they received. "The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch."

* Gen. iv. 26.

This differs from our common version: see Rosenmuller, Scholia in Genesin.

Let us for a moment observe an analogy founded, indeed, in nature, but one in which the warm imagination of the orientals especially delights, and we shall be prepared to understand the force and the beauty of the opening words of our history. I allude to their frequent use of a figure founded in an analogy to the natural relationship of pårent and child, even where this analogy can be but faintly traced, and not at all, without the aid of a glowing imagination. The echo which responds to the cry of the human voice, is beautifully called, in the language of Hebrew poetry, "the daughter of the voice." The simple ideas of origin and of resemblance are enough to suggest the figure.

We will take another instance. It is one furnished us by the sublime and fervid genius of the writer of the Book of Job. "Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me. Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner-stone thereof? When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?" Where wast thou, when at the laying of the corner-stone of this magnificent edifice the earth, the morning stars united in a rejoicing symphony, and the whole intelligent universe raised an exulting shout of joy at this new exercise of the creative energy of Jehovah? All the sons of Godall intelligent beings proceeding from Jehovah, and dependent on him as their common parent. From this same tendency of the eastern mind, the city