ed? And if thou dost not well, sin lieth at the door, and unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him."

This text is applicable to every man who grumbles at cross providences and they may take this question to themselves individually, "Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou do well shalt thou not be accepted? But if thou dost not well, sin lieth at the door (of conscience) and unto thee shall be his desire." But what shall we say of the glorious promise with which the verse closes ?" "Thou shalt rule over him." But what is he, man, finally to rule over? The text says sin; and yet we are not to suppose that man will gain this mighty victory in his own strength, but through the blood of the Lamb," which speaketh better things than the blood of Abel." Thus mercy is to rejoice against judgment. For we see while the sinner is condemned to feel the weight of his sin at the door of his conscience, that this is the very way to wean him from the love of sin, through the light of divine truth, shining into his understanding, so as to show man the whole nature of crime. "So he drove out the man; and he pla ced at the east of the garden of Eden, cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life." But why was it necessary in this hieroglyphic representation for the flaming sword to turn every way to keep the way of the tree of life? Is it because the tree of life extends to all men in every direction. Yes as surely as St. Paul informs us that, " In God we live, move and have our being;" And that, 'He be not far from every one of us." And as we read again," In him was life, and the life was the light of men,

that was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world." Just so certain it is, that the flaming sword that turned every way to keep the way of the tree of life, was a token not only of war being proclaimed against the powers of spiritual darkness, but also, as it was a flaming sword, this was a sign of light, as sure as light proceeds from flame, just so certainly mankind is to be enlightened in the process of spiritual

warfare, through the resistless power of the flaming sword of the spirit, turning every way under the glori ous standard of Cherubims, the blessed ensign of mer cy, whose wide expanded wings overshadow the mercy seat. Thus we may see that the unchangeable love, kindness and mercy of God were earl proclaimed at the eastern gate of the garden of Eden. At this gate presides that eastern star of Bethlehem, which keeps the way of the prince of life, in which way the wise men had to walk, led by the star, when they came to worship Emmanuel, and in this way of light, shall all men come to the tree of life, when, "Every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

CHAPTER 7.

SOME GENERAL REMARKS ON THE PATRIARCHAL HISTORY FROM ADAM DOWN TO MOSES.

GEN. 5. 1, 2." This is the book of the generations of Adam; in the day that God created man, in the like: ness of God made he him. Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created." But what cẩn

this mean? It seems that man was created at first male

and female in the Peness of God. Some future day will reveal this mystery to mankind, but I am not permitted to give my id a on this part of the subject at present; and perhaps for the best, I am persuaded the world is not enough enlightened to receive it peaceably. I would therefore, invite the gentle reader to excuse me, read for himself and ask wisdom of God. However, I would make some remarks on these words, "This is the book of the generations of Adam," Which I think must imply all the generations of mankind, i. e. if we allow all men to descend from the loins of Adam, or in other words, represented in him as descendants. For we must observe that the text speaks of man in the plural number, "generations of Adam, in the day that God created man-and blessed them (not him) and called their (not his) name Adam, in the day when they were created, and blessed them." Who did the unchangeable God bless? The text reads "the generations of Adam." Now could any change in Adam, make the blessing of the unchanging God finally of no effect on those generatons ? Judge ye for yourselves. In this instructive history a regular line of patriarchal succession seems to be recorded down to Jacob the father of the twelve tribes of Israel. And from the birth of Enos, the son of Seth

who was the son of Adam, began men to call on the name of the Lord. And from that day God always had visible praying people on earth. The best and foremost among the people of Jehovah, were called the sons of God; and we read of these sons of God meeting together; we also read of their apostacy in Noah's day, when the sons of God went in unto the daughters of men, i. e. formed connections with those who were not true worshippers of the Lord. Thus were they all corrupted, except righteous Noah and his family.

So

The succession of patriarchs appears, undividedly, to be vested with princely authority in the household of God; so that they not only acted as a father and priest among the people of their charge but also as a king to give and enforce laws in their righteous government. Through the loins of those patriarchs was the promised Messiah to descend, that is according to the flesh. that while they represented Christ, or in other words foretold his coming by their offices, the people of their charge represented the whole world under Christ the head of every man. Therefore that people were frequently called the world, an appellation borrowed from what they were, in their estate only the shadow of. In a word, the patriarchs together with the people of their charge, in figure, foretold the coming of him who is the desire of all nations, and his final success in bringing every knee to bow to the sceptre of his righteous govern ment.

Hence, we find in the history of man, from creation down to Moses, but very little said of any other people, exeept in cases where it seems essential in order to illus trate the character of that elect people of God; who were chosen as a sign among the nations of the earth for the benefit of mankind. They were not chosen on the ground of partial love any more than Christ was gi ven to the world on such ground, for as, "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son," even so, he so loves the world that he has always kept an elect people in the world for the instruction of the universal objects of his love. Therefore Jesus said to his chosen

followers" ye are the light of the world; A city set on 2 hill cannot be hid." This hill is mount Zion. Hov ever, that chosen world of people in Noah's day, dwelling near the head waters of the river Euphrates in the country since called Palestine revolted from their patriarch Noah's instruction, and were consequently destroyed by a flood of waters which inundated all that country, as the name Palestine signifies a place watered so as to be covered and to bring destruction. But Noah their patriarch found favor with God, and was spared with his family.

In those days before the deluge, and after that time there were giants in the earth. But no account is given of their pedigree, nor of where those giants dwelt during the flood, Gen. 6. 4. After the flood the patriarchal succession passed through the loins of Shem, the elder son of Noah. And it came to pass that as men began to multiply under the patriarchal government, their hearts were lifted up in pride and vain ambition: insomuch that they lusted after magnificence and desired to make a show of grandeur in the face of all the people of the earth. Gen. 11. 4. "And they said, go to let us build us a city and a tower whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth."

It appears that in consequence of their toolish ambition, anarchy ensued: for they were divided in language on the subject of building, and were seperated and scattered. No doubt warm contentions among them produced their seperation. For we learn that God confounded their language, and they could not understand each other, and so they were scattered among people serving other Gods and speaking different dialects; even the patriarchal line fled away beyond the bounds of the previous flood, and dwelt among people serving other Gods, according to the book of Joshua, 24. 2,3. "And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nachor; and they served o