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A. M.

B. C

CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE.

99

1140 2864 Enos dies, aged 905 years.

1235 2769

1290 2714

1422 2582

1536 2468

Cainan dies, aged 910 years.
Mahalaleel dies, aged 895 years.
Jared dies, aged 962 years.

Deluge foretold. Noah commanded to build
the ark 120 years before the flood came, and
preaches that time.

1556 2448 Japhet born, his father Noah being 500 years

1558 2446

1560 2444

1651 2353

1656 2348

old.

Shem, the second son of Noah, born.
Ham, third son of Noah, born.
Lamech, father of Noah, dies, aged 777.
Methuselah, the oldest man, dies, aged 969
years. In the same year, and in the six
hundredth year of Noah's age, the flood
comes upon the earth and destroys all living
on it excepting those with Noah in the ark.

CHAPTER XXVI.

FIRST THING DONE AFTER THE FLOOD-FLESH FIRST GIVEN FOR FOOD-FIRST OCCUPATION-FIRST DRUNKENNESS.

S

AVED from the wreck of a world, the first thing Noah

did after leaving the ark was to build an altar unto the LORD, and offer burnt offerings on it. These sacrifices, like Abel's, were with the shedding of blood; and as Abel's, they were accepted by the Lord as "a sweet savour." He said, "I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for (or though) the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every living thing as I have done." He added, "While the earth remaineth," seed-time and harvest, etc., shall not cease. Thus, immediately after the flood, an intimation was given that the earth itself was to remain for a certain time only. The rainbow was then set in the cloud as a token that all flesh should not be again destroyed by a flood.

Blessing Noah and his sons, God put the fear and dread of them on all things that moved, and delivered all creatures into their hands. He also gave them the flesh of every living thing for meat, even as before he had given the green herb for their food. He forbade the eating of blood; a law which was again given to the Church in the time of the Jews, and yet again by the apostles. God told them blood was the life of the flesh. It is a strange fact that the circulation of the blood, as the life of the flesh, was lost sight of for over three thousand years; when it was again discovered

1 Gen. viii. 21.

2 Levit. iii. 17.

3 Acts xv. 20.

FIRST DRUNKENNESS.

101

by Dr. Harvey, A. D. 1628. The fathers of the new world, as representatives of the race, were also told: "At the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man. Whoso sheddeth man's blood by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.'

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Like all the covenants of God with His people, the promises and covenants He made with Noah and his sons embraced their descendants, "Behold I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you.'

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The history that God has given us here again reminds us that all men are of one family. It says that of the three sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japhet," was the whole earth overspread."

We do not read of the gathering of any of the treasures of the old world from the ruins caused by the flood. Although the owner of a world, Noah went at once to work, and "began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard." The next act recorded of him is not so creditable: "he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent." Poor human nature! Noah, now an old man over six hundred years old, a believer, a "preacher of righteousness," exposing himself, drunk and naked. How faithful is the history God has given us! showing us not only the faith, but also the falls, and even the crimes of those whom He has made heroes and saints in his church.

The different effects on the children of God, and on the seed of the Serpent, which the knowledge of those sins causes, were shown by the children of Noah: as they have been shown by their descendants ever since. The sins of the Lord's people, and their punishment, as recorded in the Scriptures, "happened unto them for ensamples; and they are written for our admonition. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall."4 Believers are 2 Gen. ix. 9.

Gen. ix 5. See First Murder, chap. xvii.

3 Gen. ix. 19.

41 Cor. x. 11.

thus led to be humble, to watch, and to pray. Unbelievers, on the contrary, act exactly the reverse. Ham, instead of mourning at his father's fall, exposed him. Thus, the enemies of the Lord, to this day, take advantage of David's crime, and make it "an occasion to blaspheme;" as it was foretold they would do.' How many there are now building their hopes for eternity on the sins of some professing Christians around them, making them their bridge to heaven! How many expect to be saved by believing in Judas!

12 Sam. xii. 14.

CHAPTER XXVII.

FIRST GOVERNMENT-FIRST DESPOTISM-FIRST SLAVERY-FIRST SLAVEHOLDER-DIVINE INJUNCTIONS TO MASTERS, SLAVES, AND SUBJECTS-THE FOUNDATIONS OF FREEDOM.

THE

HE first government in the world was parental. This foundation of all government the Lord has not only made a necessity in our social relations, but he has recog nized it in the fourth and fifth commandments, and confirmed it, with repeated injunctions to parents and children, throughout the Bible. From it grew the patriarchal, the parent becoming the head of a tribe of descendants bearing his name. Afterward, when gathered into communities, these heads of families, or some chosen from them, became rulers, under the title of elders. This name has been a badge of honor and authority in all ages and in nearly all languages. Thus the words senior, señor, signor, seigneur, senator, expressing dignity and authority, come from the Latin word senior, or elder. So also the title alderman or eldermen. Unhappily, in many places, the title, as well as the power associated with it, has been given to men unworthy of the name, and unfitted both by age and character to rule.

The rulers and judges of the first nation, whom the Lord called His people, and to whom He gave a constitution and laws, were appointed as follows: "The Lord said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them," " and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them, and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee."1

According to the express directions of the Lord, the visi

1 Numbers xi. 16, 17.

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