6

the punishment of a special curse upon the land, and banishment from his father's family; at the same time, however, assuring him of the safety of his life, and thus granting him space for repentance. Cain then went out from the presence of the Lord-i. e. probably, quitted the inhabited region which was distinguished by some manifest token of the Divine presence, -and dwelt in the land of Nod (i. e. wandering), on the east of the land of Eden, where he built a city, or town, which he called after the name of his son Enoch. His descendants were distinguished by their impiety; while the race of Seth, who was given to our first parents in place of Abel, were, at first, no less remarkable for godliness and virtue.

In the line of Cain we find the names of Enoch (Heb. dedicated), Irad (Heb. low town), Mehujael (Heb. smitten by God), Methusael (Heb. man of God), and Lamech (Heb. humbled), with his sons, Jabal (Heb. stream), Jubal (Heb. music), and Tubal-Cain (Heb. blacksmith). At a very early period these Cainites settled themselves chiefly in towns, where they cultivated arts and manufactures; Jubal excelling in music, and in the making of musical instruments, especially the harp and the organ (the latter perhaps resembling Pan-pipes)—Tubal-Cain employed in the working of brass (i. e. copper) and iron-and Jabal occupied in those labours of husbandry which were adapted to meet the wants of a large population. In pursuit of his occupation, Jabal lived in tents; thus introducing that system of nomadic life which was afterwards extensively adopted in the East. From his keeping of cattle it has been inferred that animal food was used by at least this portion of the descendants of Adam,* perhaps without Divine permission. Lamech is the first person mentioned in Scripture as living in polygamy; and his family appears to have been mournfully distinguished by confusion and bloodshed.

The direct posterity of Seth consisted of Enos (Heb. man), Cainan (Heb. possession), Mahalaleel (Heb. praise of God), Jared (Heb. descent), Enoch (Heb. dedicated), Methuselah (Heb. man of the dart), and Lamech (Heb. humbled). The longevity of these patriarchs has been recorded for our observation the average age from Adam to Lamech, inclusive, was 907 years; the highest being that of Methuselah, who attained the age of 969 years, exceeding by 39 years the age of Adam. In this reckoning we omit the age of Enoch, who is

* This, however, does not necessarily follow. Flocks and herds may have been kept only for the sake of wool and milk.

The chronology of the patriarchs is as follows:-Abel died B.C. 3875, aged 127 years: Adam, B.C. 3074, aged 930: Enoch was translated B.C. 3017, aged 365: Seth died B.C. 2962, aged 912: Enos, B.C. 2864, aged 905: Cainan, B.C. 2769, aged

not said to have died, but of whom it is recorded-and recorded, surely, for the encouragement of all those who cultivate a due sense of the Divine presence, and live with God in humility, faith, and love-that 'Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him,' at the age of 365 years. (Gen. v. 24; Heb. xi. 5; Jude 14, 15.)

It is not improbable that this race of men, the Sethites, found their occupation in agricultural pursuits, perhaps more or less confined to the tillage of the ground, as distinct from the breeding of cattle. And it has been supposed that, as a whole, they were distinguished from the descendants of Cain by the honourable appellation of 'the sons of God' (Gen. vi. 2); intimating that they were, for the most part, men of personal piety, or that, at least, the public worship of God was decently and reverently maintained among them. At length, however, a general degeneracy of sentiment and manners was introduced into this section of mankind by intermarriages with the 'fair' daughters of the worldly and ungodly race of Cain; a circumstance which may well serve to enforce upon our minds that solemn exhortation, 'Be not deceived; evil communications corrupt good manners.' (1 Cor. xv. 33.)

ELEMENTARY AND GENERAL QUESTIONS.

29. Who clothed Adam and Eve? How? When?

30. What is the first recorded instance of worship, combined with offerings? 31. Who were the first children of Adam and Eve ?

32. Relate their history; and repeat Heb. xi. 4.; 1 John iii. 12.

33. How was Cain punished? Where did he settle? What was the character of his descendants?

34. Who was born after the death of Abel?

ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.

35. Describe the early history of civilisation, as it appears in Scripture.

36. What has been inferred from the fact that the skins of beasts were employed for clothing our first parents?

37. Describe the characters of Cain and Abel, in your own words.

38. Give the names of the descendants of Cain-and of Seth-from Gen. iv. v.

39. Distinguish those who bore the same name in the different lines.

40. Distinguish two of the descendants of Seth whose names are nearly similar. 41. Describe the occupations, and characters, of the Cainites and of the Sethites. 42. Name the sons of Lamech, and state their several occupations.

43. What led to the ultimate degeneracy of the Sethites? What practical truth does this contribute to teach us?

910: Mahalaleel, B.C. 2714, aged 895: Jared, B.C. 2582, aged 962: Lamech, B.C'. 2353, aged 777: Methuselah, B.C. 2349, aged 969.

CHAPTER IV.

THE DELUGE. THE POSTERITY OF NOAH.

(Gen. vi. 3-x. 32.)

THE wickedness of mankind continued to increase. Throughout several generations the Cainites appear to have made fearful progress in their impious disregard of God-in the desecration of the family relation, and therefore also in the loosening of all social bonds-and in the indulgence of gross sensuality, accompanied with habits of lawless and ferocious violence. After frequent intermarriages of members of the more pious (Sethite) race with the children of the more depraved (Cainite), the whole inhabited portion of the earth became one great scene of iniquity and vice. And at length, it has been supposed, evil men resisted and overthrew the original patriarchal government, and introduced, in its place, either a state of anarchy and disorder, or a system of arbitrary and oppressive rule. It has been thought likely that the translation of Enoch was the Divine method of delivering him from the attacks of wicked men; and some have imagined that, when he was taken from the earth, God also removed that glory, or visible manifestation of His presence, which He had hitherto vouchsafed to mankind. But these things are not stated in Scripture, nor can they be proved from the Sacred Record.*

Another man of eminent piety and integrity, distinguished by his habits of communión with God and by special tokens of Divine favour, was Noah (Heb. rest), a son of the Sethite Lamech, and grandson of Methuselah. In his days, God determined to punish the wickedness of man by the general destruction of the existing race, to be accomplished by an universal deluge. God then commanded Noah to prepare an ark for the rescue of himself and his wife, together with his three sons and their wives; who were to be accompanied by a certain number of all other living creatures-one pair of every animal accounted unclean (i.e. unfit for food or sacrifice), and seven pairs of every 'clean' animal, and of birds. The

It has also been supposed that a tradition of the removal of Enoch was preserved by the heathen world, and embodied in the fable of Astræa, or Divine Justice, who was said to have quitted the earth on account of the prevailing wickedness of men. In connection with all such speculations, it may be well to remember that Enoch was translated B.C. 3017, soon after the death of Adam, and that the date of the Deluge is B.C. 2348.

+ [Others understand seven individuals, that is, three pairs and one male for sacrifice.]

building of the ark was a work of many years; and during this time Noah gave public notice of the use for which it was designed, thus conveying to mankind a warning of the impending visitation, and giving a call to repentance. (Heb. xi. 7; 1 Pet. iii. 19, 20; 2 Pet. ii. 5.)

According to Divine directions, the ark was constructed of gopher-wood (probably a kind of cypress), and was covered within and without with pitch (i. e. asphalt or bitumen). It was 300 cubits long, 50 wide, and 30 high.*

Wicked men paid no regard to the warning conveyed by Noah; just as, even now, ungodly men neglect, and often treat with contempt, all intimations of the approaching end of the world. (See 2 Pet. iii. 3-7.) But, at the time appointed, God sent THE FLOOD which He had threatened (B. c. 2349). "The fountains of the great deep' were 'broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.' Noah had already entered the ark, with his family and with the prescribed number of living creatures, and 'the Lord shut him in;' and the waters continued to rise, until at length the whole surface of the earth, including even the highest mountains, was submerged, and every terrestrial creature outside the ark was destroyed. The waters remained at their height during 150 days; and it has been thought probable that, throughout this period, and perhaps for some time longer, the light of the sun was so completely obstructed that the watery surface of the globe was again enveloped in darkness such as prevailed over the chaos before the first day's work of creation. (See Gen. viii. 22.)

At the end of the time specified, the waters began to abate; and the ark rested upon one of the summits of Ararat, a lofty mountain which rises magnificently from an extensive plain in Armenia. It was not however until more than two months afterwards that the tops of the mountains were seen. Forty days afterwards, Noah sent forth a raven, which did not return into the ark, but went forth to and fro until the waters were dried up from off the earth (i. e. most probably, hovered about the ark, and sometimes settled on it): a week later he sent forth a dove, which returned, having found no rest for the sole of her foot: at the end of another week, he sent her forth again, when she came back bearing an olive-leaf: and again one week later he sent her out again, when she returned no more; and this gave Noah to understand that a considerable

* That is, perhaps, about 547 feet long, 91 wide, and 54 high. But these dimensions are uncertain, because we do not know precisely what was the length of the cubit by which they are computed.

portion of land was now above water. At length, after the expiration of twelve months and ten days in the whole, Noah, with his family and the living creatures, quitted the ark, and stepped forth on dry ground. (B. c. 2348.)

The patriarch immediately returned thanks to Almighty God in an act of worship to which he had doubtless been accustomed before the Flood. He 'builded an altar unto the Lord; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.' This sacrifice was graciously accepted; and the Lord promised that He would not curse the ground any more for man's sake-that the alternation of the seasons, and of day and night, should continueand that there should be no more a Flood to destroy the earth. At the same time dominion over every living creature was assigned to Noah and his posterity-the use of animal food, but without the blood, was expressly permitted-and a stringent law against murder was solemnly proclaimed. And God said, I do set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between Me and the earth;' by which some understand that the rainbow, a natural phenomenon already well known to Noah and his ancestors, was for the first time appointed to the use described; while others think it not improbable that hitherto the earth had been watered only by thick mists, so that the very appearance of the rainbow was altogether new.

Traditions, more or less plainly pointing to the Deluge, have existed in nearly all nations. They can be traced in China and India, among the Chaldæans, Persians, Egyptians, and Greeks, and among various tribes of North and South America.*

Noah lived, after the Flood, 350 years; and died (B. C. 1998) at the age of 950. After this the term of human life began to diminish. The three sons of Noah, from whom the postdiluvian race of mankind descended, were Shem (Heb. name), Ham (Heb. warm or southern), and Japheth (Heb. he will spread, or enlarge). An especial blessing was pronounced upon Shem and Japheth, with their descendants. But the posterity of Ham, in the line of Canaan, one of his sons, fell under a curse, and was sentenced to bear the yoke of servitude, in con

*A Phrygian tradition is preserved on a coin of Apamea, of the date of Septimius Severus, bearing the representation of a man and a woman in a vessel afloat, on the top of which one bird is perched, while another is flying towards the vessel with a branch in its mouth: the man and woman are also represented standing in front of the vessel, as if just landed. Mention is made of the Deluge and the ark by Berosus, according to Josephus, Contr. Apion. i. 19. Nicolaus of Damascus (ap. Joseph. Ant. i. 3, 6) refers to a tradition in Armenia as probably relating to the resting of the ark on Mount Ararat, according to the account of Moses the Jewish legislator.'