tinuity, and progressive tendency of true religion. Whatever he did, or wherever he went, God was before his eyes; nor did he ever think of leaving off till he should have finished his course.

Ver. 10. From Noah's character the sacred writer proceeds to his descendants. He had three sons-Shem, Ham, and Japheth. These afterwards became the patriarchs of the world, between whose posterity the three great divisions of Asia, Africa, and Europe have been principally divided. Thus much, at present, for the favoured family.

Ver. 11. Here we have the charge against the old world repeated, as the ground of what should follow. If succeeding generations inquire, Wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto the work of his hands? What meaneth the heat of this great anger? Be it known that it was not for a small matter: The earth was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. Here are two words used to express the wickedness of the world, corruption and violence, both which are repeated, and dwelt upon in verses 12, 13. The former refers, I conceive, to their having debased and depraved the true religion. This was the natural consequence of the junction between the sons of God and the daughters of men. Whenever the church is become one with the world, the corruption of true religion has invariably followed: for-if wicked men have a religion, it must needs be such as to accord with their inclinations. Hence arose all the heresies of the early ages of Christianity; hence the grand Romish apostacy; and in short every corruption of the true religion, in past or present times. The latter of these terms is expressive of their conduct towards one another. The fear of God and the regard of man are closely connected; and where the one is given up, the other will soon follow. Indeed it appears to be the decree of the eternal God, that when men have cast off his fear, they shall not continue long in amity one with another. And he has only to let the laws of nature take their course, in order to effect it; for when men depart from God, the principle of union is lost, and self-love governs every thing and being LOVERS OF THEIR OWNSELVES, they will be covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, VOL. V.

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false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. Such a flood of wickedness is at any time sufficient to deluge a world with misery. If these things did not then break forth in national wars as they do with us, it was merely because the world was not as yet divided into nations: the springs of domestic and social life were poisoned; the tender ties of blood and affinity violated; and quarrels, intrigues, oppressions, robberies, and murders pervaded the abodes of man.

The late con

From the influence of corruption in producing violence, and bringing on the deluge, we may see the importance of pure religion, and those who adhere to it, to the well-being of society. They are the preserving principle, the salt of the earth; and when they are banished, or in any way become extinct, the consequences will be soon felt. While the sons of God were kept together, and continued faithful, for their sakes God would not destroy the world; but when reduced to a single family, he would, as in the case of Lot, take that away, and destroy the rest. vulsions in a neighbouring nation may, I apprehend, be easily traced to this cause all their violence originated in the corruption of the true religion. About one hundred and thirty years ago, the law which protected the reformation in that country was repealed, and almost all the religious people were either murdered or banished. The consequence was, as might have been expected, the great body of the nation, princes, priests, and people, sunk into infidelity. The protestant religion, while it continued, was the salt of the state; but when banished, and superstition had nothing left to counteract it, things soon hastened to their crisis. Popery aided by a despotic civil government, brought forth infidelity; and the child as soon as it grew up to maturity, murdered its parents. If the principal part of religious people, in this or any other country, were driven away, the rest would soon become infidels, and practical atheists; and what every order and degree of men would have to expect from the prevalence of these principles, there is no want of examples to inform them.

Ver. 12, 13. The corruption and violence which overspread the earth attracted the notice of heaven. God knows at all times

what is doing in our world; but his looking upon the earth denotes a special observance of it, as though he had instituted an inquiry into its affairs. Thus he is represented as going down to Sodom, to see whether they had done altogether according to the cry of it, which was come up unto him. Such seasons of inquiry are the days of inquisition for blood, and are so many days of judgment in minia

ture.

The inquiry being instituted, sentence is passed and Noah is informed of it. God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me behold I will destroy them with the earth. In cases where individuals only, or even a majority, are wicked, and there is yet a great number of righteous characters, God often inflicts only a partial punishment; but where a whole people are become corrupt, he has more than once made a full end of them. Witness the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha, and the seven nations of Canaan; and thus it will be with the world when the righteous shall be gathered out of it.

Ver. 14-16. As it was the design of God to make an excep. tion in favour of his faithfut servant Noah, he is directed to the use of an extraordinary mean, namely, the building of the ark; a kind of ship, which, though not in the shape of ours, as not being intended for a voyage, should float on the surface of the waters, and preserve him and his family alive in the midst of death. It is possible that this was the first floating fabric that was ever built, Its dimensions were amazing. Reckoning the cubit at only a foot and a half, which is supposed to be somewhat less than the truth, it was a hundred and fifty yards !ong, twenty-five yards wide, and fifteen yards deep; containing three stories, or, as we should call them, decks, each five yards in depth. It had a window also, it should seem, from end to end, a foot and a half deep, for light, and perhaps for air.*

Ver. 17. When Joseph was called to interpret the dream of Pharaoh, he observed concerning its being doubled, that it was because the thing was established by God, and God would shortly bring it to pass; and thus we may consider the repetition which is here

Noah's ark is said to have been equal to forty of our largest men of war!

given of the sentence: Behold I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh wherein is the breath of life from under heaven:

Ver. 18-22. But though it was the purpose of God to make an end of the world that then was, yet he did not mean that the generations of men should here be terminated. A new world shall succeed, of which his servant Noab shall be the father. Thus when Israel had offended at Horeb, The Lord said unto Moses, Let me alone that I may destroy them, and I will make of thee a great nation. Hence pairs of every living creature were to go with Noah into the ark, to provide for futurity.

The terms in which this gracious design is intimated are worthy of special notice: With thee will I establish my covenant. Observe three things in particular. (1.) The leading ideas suggested by a covenant are those of peace and good-will between the parties, and if differences have subsisted, forgiveness of the past and security for the future. Such were the friendly alliances between Abram and Abimelech, Isaac and another Abimelech, and between Jacob and Laban. God was highly displeased with the world, and would therefore destroy that generation by a flood: but when he should have done this, he would return in loving kindness and tender mercies, and would look upon the earth with a propitious eye. Nor should they be kept in fearful expectation of being so destroyed again: for he would pledge his word, no more to be wroth with them in such a way, nor to rebuke them for ever. (2.) In covenants wherein one or both of the parties had been offended, it was usua! to offer sacrifices, in which a kind of atonement was made for past offences, and a perfect recon. ciliation followed. Such were the covenants before referred to; and such as we shall see at the close of the eighth chapter, was the covenant in question. Noah offered sacrifices, and the Lord smelled a sweet savour, and promised to curse the ground no more for man's sake. (3.) In covenants which include a blessing on many, and they unworthy, it is God's ordinary method to bestow it in reward, or for the sake of ONE who was dear to him. God loves men but he also loves righteousness: hence he delights to bestow his blessings in such a way as manifests his true character. If there had been any dependance on Noah's posterity, that they would all

have walked in his steps, the covenant might have been established with them, as well as with him; but they would soon degenerate into idolatry and all manner of wickedness. If therefore he will bestow favour on them in such a way as to express his love of righteousness, it must be for their father Noah's sake, and in reward of his righteousness. To say, With THEE will I establish my covenant, was saying in effect, I will not treat with thine ungodly posterity; whatever favour I show them, it shall be for thy sake.'

It was on this principle that God made a covenant with Abram, in which he promised great blessings to his posterity. As for me, saith he, behold my covenant is with THEE, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. Hence, in a great number of instances wherein mercy was shown to the rebellious Israelites, they were reminded that it was not for their sakes, but on account of the covenant made with their father Abraham, and renewed with Isaac and Jacob. It was upon this principle also that God made a covenant with David, promising that his seed should sit upon his throne for ever. And this is expressed in much the same language as that of Noah and Abraham: My covenant shall stand fast with him.— Once have I sworn by my holiness, that I will not lie unto David. His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before him. Solomon pleaded this at the dedication of the temple. Hezekiah also derived advantage from it; and when the seed of David corrupted their way, the Lord reminded them that the favours which they enjoyed were not for their own sakes, but for his name sake, and for the covenant which he had made with David his servant.

After these remarks, I scarcely need say, that by these proceedings, God, even at this early period, was preparing the way for the redemption of his Son, by rendering the great principle on which it should proceed, familiar to mankind. A very small acquaintance with the scriptures will enable us to perceive the charming analogy between the language used in the covenants with Noah, Abram, David, &c. and that which respects the Messiah. I will give THEE for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages.—It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the