NOAHCHICAL DISPENSATION of the Covenant of Grace, whereby all Men, from Noah to Abraham, were to feek Salvation, and whereby all befides the Family of Abraham were to be faved, even all the Heathen World, till they hear of Chrift,

7Q. What Promife did God make to Noah ? A. That the World fhould never be drowned again, and it pleased God to appoint the Rainbow to be a Token of it, Gen. ix. 13-15.

8Q. Was there no Rainbow before the Flood? A. It is probable that there was no Rain before the Flood, for the Earth was watered daily by a thick Mift, Gen. ii. 5, 6. and then there could be naturally no Rainbow, for it is made by the Sun-Beams fhining upon falling Rain.

9 Q. Who were Noah's three Sons?

A. Shem, Ham, and Japhet; and they were the Fathers of all Mankind after the Flood, Gen. ix. 18, 19. and x. 32.

10 Q. Who were the Offspring or Pofterity of Shem?

A. The Perfians, who came from Elam their Father; the Syrians from Aram; the Hebrews from Eber, as is fuppofed; and particularly the Jews, with other Inhabitants of Afia, Gen. x. 21.

11 Q. Who were the Pofterity of Ham? A. The Canaanites, the Philiftines, and others in Afia, and the Egyptians, with other Inhabitants of Africa, Gen. x. 6, &c.

12 Q. Who were the Pofterity of Japhet?

A. Gomer, fuppofed to be the Father of the Germans, Javan of the Greeks, Meshech of the Mufcovites, and other Families that dwelt in Europe, Gen. x. 2,

13 Q. Wherein

13 Q. Wherein did Ham the Father of the Canaanite do amifs?

6 1974

A. He faw his Father Noah naked, and made Sport with him, and he was curfed under the Name of his Son Canaan, Gen, ix. 21, 25...

Note, It is probable that Canaan joined with his Father Ham in the Mockery of his Grandfather Noah, and therefore he was curfed: And befides, this gave early Notice to the Ifraelites, that the Canaanites, whofe Land God gave them to poffefs, were a People under an ancient Curfe.

14 Q. What did Shem and Japhet do on this Occafion?

A. They covered their Father with a Garment, and concealed his Shame, and were bleffed, Gen. ix. 23, 26, 27.

15Q. Did Mankind freely divide themselves after the Flood into feveral Nations?

A No; but being all of one Language, they agreed rather to build a chief City with a Tower, that all Men might be joined in one Nation or Kingdom, Gen. xi. 4.

16 Q. How did God fcatter them abroad into different Nations?

A. By making them speak different Languages, and then they ceafed to build the Tower, which was called Babel, or Confufion, Gen. xi. 7-9.

17 Q. Did God preferve the true Religion in any of their Families?i

SA. It is fuppofed to have been chiefly preferved in the Family of Shem, for God is called the Lord God of Shèm, Gen. ix. 26..>

Note, Though the Knowledge of the true God and Religion were chiefly preferved in theFamily of Shem,

yet

yet it is evident that fome Branches of Ham's Family, and probably of Japhet's tob, preferyed it for fome hundreds of Years, for Melchifedek, a King of the Carraanites in Abraham's Time, was a Priest of the moft High God; and Abimelech, a King of the Philiftines, feared God, and had a Sense of Religion; and both these are derived from Ham.

SECT. II. Of ABRAHAM and LOT, ISHMAEL, and Is A AC.

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18 WHO was the most famous Man of Shem's Pofterity in thefe early Ages?

A. Abraham, the Son of Terah, of the Pofterity of Eber, Gen. xi. 27.

19 Q. What was the firft remarkable Thing recorded of Abraham ?

A. He left his own native Country to go wherefoever God called him, Gen. xii. 1, 4..

20 Q. Whence did Abraham come, and whither did he go?

A. He came firft from Chaldea, then from Haran; and he went to dwell among Strangers in the Land of Canaan, Gen. xi. 31.and xii. 5. Heb.xi.8,9.

21 Q. Who came with Abraham into Canaan? A. Lot his Brother's Son; and they brought with them all their Subftance and their Houfholds, Gen. xii. 5.

22 Q. Did they continue to dwell together? A. Their Cattle and Servants grew fo numerous, that they parted for fear of quarrelling, and Abraham gave Lot his Choice to go to the Eaft or the Weft, Gen. xiii, 1-9.

23 Q. Where did Lot fojourn?.

A. He chofe the Eaft, and pitched his Tent toward Sodom, because it was a well-watered and fruitful Country, ver. 10—iz.

24 Q: What

24 Q. What Calamity befel Lot here? A. He was carried away captive together with other Inhabitants of Sodom, when the King of Sodom was routed in Battle by his Enemies, Gen. xiv.

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25 Q. What did Abraham do on this Occafion? A. He armed his own Servants, three hundred and eighteen Men, who pursued the Conquerors, and routed them, and brought back Lot, and the other Captives with their Goods, Gen. xiv. 14-16.

26 Q. When Abraham returned from the Slaughter of the Kings, what Honour was done him?

A. Melchifedek, the King of Salem, and a Prieft of the moft High God, met him, and pronounced a Bleffing upon him, Gen. xiv. 18-20.

27 Q. What Civility did the King of Sodom fhew Abraham?

A. He offered him all the Goods that Abraham had recovered from the former Conquerors, but Abraham refufed to accept them, ver. 21, &c.

28 Q. What became of Sodom afterwards?

A. It was burnt by Fire and Brimftone from Heaven, together with Gomorrah, and other Cities, because of the abominable Wickedness of their Inhabitants, Gen. xix. 24.

29 Q. Was there no body to plead with God to fpare them?

A. Yes; Abraham pleaded with God to fpare Sodom, and God would have done it, had there been but ten righteous Men in all the City, Gen. xviii. 23-33.

30 Q. How did Lot escape?

A. The two Angels, which were fent to deftroy Sodom, perfuaded him to fly away with his Family firft, Gen, xix, 15.

31 Q. How

31 Q. How many of his Family escaped this Judgment?

A. Only himself and his two Daughters, for his two Sons-in-law refused to remove, Gen. xix. 14. 32 Q. What became of Lot's Wife?

A. She went with him part of the Way, but when she looked back, hankering after Sodom, the was ftruck dead immediately, perhaps with a Blaft of that Lightning which burnt Sodom, and fhe ftood like a Pillar of Salt, Gen. xix. 26.

33 Q Was Lot a religious Man?

A. Yes, and his righteous Soul was daily vexed with the wicked Converfation of the Men of So. dom, 2 Peter ii. 7, 8.

34 Q. Did he maintain his righteous Character ever afterwards?

A. He once was enticed into the Sin of Drunkenness, and then he let his two Daughters lie with him, and abuse him, Gen. xix. 30, &c.

35Q. Had Lot any Children by this finfulAction? A Yes, Moab was the Son of one Daughter, and Ben-ammi of the other; and they were afterwards the Fathers of the Moabites and Ammonites, who proved to be fore Enemies of God's People, Gen. xix. 37, 38.

36 Q. Thus ends the Hiftory of Lot and Sodom: Let us return now to Abraham: In what Part of the Country did he dwell?

A. When he removed from Lot he went toward the Weft, and travelling on toward the South West, he fojourned in the Land of Abimelech, Gen. xx. 1. 37 Q. Who was Abimelech ?

4. He was King of Gerar, in the Country of the Philiftines, Gen. xx. 2. and chap. xxi. 32. 38 Q. What did Abimelech do at Abraham's coming?

A. He