secure the credibility and adherence of the people, it became re quisite to re-examine the sentiments, which had led to the production of such unsteadiness of life and opinions, to cast away all those notions, which may have fastened themselves as excresences, upon their general principles, and so to re-arrange and construct the whole of their doctrinal views of religion, that they might appear as a new and more compact city. Thus, the description of Cain building a city, and calling it Enoch, i. e., instruction, was intended to represent those who held the heresy of Cain, striving to render it attractive. In our own day we speak of attractive speculations as "castle building:" surely, then, we need not wonder at its being said by those, among whom figurative language was so prevalent, that the construction, or arrangement of certain doctrinal views of religion, was the building of a city. We speak, also, of building up an opinion, and of fortifying our sentiments: and, to describe the confidence of some men in the notions they entertain, it is sometimes said of them that, it is the city in which they dwell.

When, then, we see, that by Enoch, as the descendant of Cain, was denoted the origination of a new heresy, it is easy to perceive from these reasonings, facts, and illustrations, that the building of a city and calling it Enoch, -instruction, was intended to represent the construction, erection, and building, in an attractive form, of certain doctrinal notions of religious things for the reception and faith of that people. The teachers of truth are the builders of the city of God; they, by the divine assistance, erect the walls of Jerusalem and cause her to be a praise in the earth; whereas the teachers of error are the builders of the city of destruction, the architects of the synagogue of Satan.

These circumstances, together with the errors which afterwards arose from that of Enoch, and especially the extinction of all faith in spiritual things, produced by the heresy of Lamech, terminates this branch of Antediluvian History. We read no more of Cain: nothing further of his life, no record of his death is preserved. The whole narrative concerning him concludes towards the end of the fourth chapter, because, as we have seen, the things of the church were ended with his fifth descendant, Lamech.

COMPARISON OF ABEL AND SETH.

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CHAPTER XVIII.

THE BIRTH OF SETH-THE LONGEVITY OF HIS DESCENDANTS-AND THE "TRANSLATION OF ENOCH.

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"The notion of a man's living to the age of 600 or 1000 years, was Egyptian. How is this reconcilable with their precise knowledge of a solar year, and with their fixing the age of men, one with another, to the term of 28 years? This has suggested a supposition, that, by 600 or 1000 years in question, they meant the duration of a tribe or dynasty, distinguished by the name of its founder."-WEBB's Pauw., p. 275. ON the cessation of that division of the most ancient church called Cain, we are informed that, " Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: for God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew." (Gen. iv. 25.) Now, as Abel represented the principle of charity, which had been regarded, by an earlier people of the most ancient church, to be the chief thing of religion, and as Seth was appointed as seed in his place, we reach the fact at once, that Seth represented a principle of faith, out of which charity was to be developed, and consequently, that it was given by God for the adoption of another branch of the Adamic descendants: this seems evident from the circumstance of its being said of his posterity, that they began to call upon the name of the Lord; (Gen. iv. 26;) that is, to worship Him from a principle of love and charity. The state of charity which now began to be cultivated, does not appear to have been precisely of the same exalted quality as that which had prevailed with Abel, because in the communication of it, it passed through another medium. With Abel, charity entered into the affections by a more internal way, than with the posterity of Seth. With the former, it arose out of an impulsive love, which is an internal principle; but with the latter, it sprung up from an intellectual dictate, which, respectively, was an external principle. But this merciful provision for the development and security of charity, did not continue in its integrity; for we are immediately informed of successive descendants, each of which is intended to express some change, which the perceptions of truth in respect to charity was undergoing among them, until it finally perished among a people called Lamech. The people, with whom that faith which had its commencement with Seth, perished, bore the same name as those with whom ended the faith began with Cain. They were distinct races, but are called by the same names, because they repre

sented principles which brought about the like disastrous results. From these considerations, it is plain that, in the times now treated of, there were a great variety of doctrines and sects which separated from the Adamic church, each of which was distinguished by its appropriate appellation: and that, owing to the peculiar genius of the people, their sentiments and heresies must have been exceedingly subtle, fascinating, and dangerous; much more so than any which have existed in after-times, and hence it is, that the people professing them, are described to have perished in so calamitous a manner.

Now, as Seth was significant of a new faith, and consequently, represented the people to whom it was given, and by whom it was embraced, it will follow, that all those who are described to have descended from him in the genealogical series, are the appropriate names of so many distinct branches and separations from the faith so called. This circumstance at once suggests an idea, which will assist in explaining, in some measure, what is meant by the extraordinary ages of those, who are usually called the Antediluvian Patriarchs. That the ages of mankind, in those times, were not so great, as that they should have lived so many hundreds of years, and Jared and Methusael to nearly a thousand, may appear very obvious to those, who will venture out of that track of thinking on this subject, which so commonly prevails.

Antediluvian longevity is one of those subjects which has been felt to be full of difficulties, in most ages of the church, whether Jewish or Christian. Josephus abides by the letter, and cites several authors of Egyptian, Chaldean, and Phoenician history, to show "that the ancients lived a thousand years." (Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, book 1, chap. iii. 9.) They, however, prove no such thing. It is not certain that those writers allude to the ages of individual men. He does not produce their evidence, and it is highly probable that they refer, either to some poetic idea, or dynastic existence.

Christian commentators, notwithstanding considerable ingenuity has been displayed upon this inquiry, have not been able to offer any explanation of this subject. Some, indeed, with the view of reducing the duration of human life down to the standard which authentic history assures us was its common extent, have thought that lunar years are meant.* But this suggestion, though it might

*Plutarch observes, that "The Egyptians introduce an infinite number of years into their genealogies, because they reckon months for years."

OPINIONS ON LONGEVITY.

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be supposed to remove some of the embarrassments, is found to create others equally difficult. It would make the whole period, from Adam to Noah, only about one hundred and forty solar years, and many of these antediluvians must have been parents in their infancy. According to this method of calculation, Enoch would have been exactly five years old when he became the father of Methuselah. It is plain, therefore, that this view of the case does not offer the right solution. Men feel, that to believe in such extraordinary ages, is a large draft upon their credibility; but still, they try to persuade themselves into the idea. Some say, that vegetable food,* and the purity of the atmosphere, in those early times of the world, contributed to this happy result. We can easily conceive that such circumstances must have a tendency to maintain the health, and prolong the life: but then it does not always do so. Science does not teach us that a superior quality of food prolongs the life of man, more than that which results from an inferior quality, provided it be wholesome. The poor, who live hard, supposing they have enough, live as long as the rich, who fare sumptuously every day. This objection is answered by the suggestion, that the original constitution of men, in those early times, was more robust and sound. Of course, all this is mere conjecture. The Scriptures do not furnish us with such reasons for the supposed results. Some have imagined, that because God had newly formed mankind, he willed that they should be long livers, and that this circumstance is sufficient to account for such extraordinary duration of human life. (Josephus, Ant. book 1, chap. iii. 4, adopted by Dr. Dodd.) We must close the argument with those who would refer the fact in dispute to God's peculiar will, until they have produced the evidence, on which their acquaintance with that will, in this respect, is founded.

Another author, (when making this extract, omitted to transcribe his name,) says, that "They reckoned the years by the inundations of the Nile, which overflowed twice in every solar year." This latter view would reduce the antediluvian ages one half: but I have not met with any writer who has ventured to adopt this speculation. St. Austin (De Civitat. Dei, lib. xv. cap. 12,) mentions, that some ancient writers supposed the year to be divided into ten parts, and that each of these decimals was taken for one year. This, of course, would reduce these extraordinary ages to one tenth of their present amount; so that the nine hundred and sixty-nine years of Methuselem, would be ninety-six years and nine months.

* Beverovicus, a German physician, attributes the longevity of the patriarchs' lives, to their feeding upon raw flesh!- Rev. J. Hewlett, B.D.

But such long life is said to have been required for the peopling of the earth. This, however, is a mere invention. There is no scriptural statement to that effect. If such had been the intention of such longevity, how did it happen, that some were so late in beginning to be fathers? Seth was one hundred and five years old when he begat his first son, Enos; (Gen. v. 6; ii. 25;) and Methuselah was a hundred and eighty-seven, before he begat his son Lamech, (Gen. v. 25,) who is mentioned as his first descendant. Surely, if the population of the earth had been one of the purposes of this longevity, we should not read of circumstances which indicate delay.

Some have supposed, that those ancient people were peculiarly dear to God, and that this was one of the principal causes of their remarkable ages. It is true, that God loves his creatures; and it is equally true that men may be more sensible of this love in one age than another, because they may, by greater obedience to his laws, be distinguished by superior virtues: but it is not true, that God ever intended that the number of men's years should measure the extent of his love. If so, the death of infants would imply, that he did not love them; or, if so, it is so little, that when compared with that bestowed upon the aged, it is scarcely to be mentioned. We see, however, that the young and virtuous are frequently cut off in the bloom of their hopes and the prime of their usefulness; while the wicked are not unfrequently permitted to continue to an advanced age in a profligate career. It is plain, then, that those passages of the Scriptures, which promise length of days as the result of righteousness, (Psalms xxi. 4; lxi. 5, 6,) and that portion of the Decalogue, which commands us to honor our father and mother, that our days may be long in the land, (Exod. xx. 12,) are not to be taken as promises that natural life will be extended by the observance of such duties. We see persons removed, every day, notwithstanding the excellence of their piety, and the devotedness of their attachment to their parents. The length of days, that is to be the result of those virtues, will consist in the perpetuation of those spiritual states which they induce. States have the same relation to the soul of man, that days have to his body: hence, days are significant of states. Every new state, in the life of religion, is a fresh spiritual day, which is mercifully prolonged to the possessor by the beneficence of God. The land which He giveth us, is the possession of some enjoyment in His own kingdom; and the duties of filial affection are among the means by which it is to be obtained.