taken notice of rather than this;-as the length of his life, his knowledge and wisdom, his salvation in the ark, his numerous issue, and the many kings who descended from him. But Moses thought it enough to say of Shem, that he was the father of the Hebrews, though they were then bond-slaves in Egypt, a low, despised people, and counted as the off-scouring of all things;-because they were God's people, and therefore it was an honour to Shem to be the father of them. 'Tis true honour to be related to the church of God. Jacob, who begat twelve patriarchs, was more honourable than Ishmael, who begat twelve princes. A family of saints is to be preferred before a family of nobles.

291

CHAPTER XI.

The old distinction between the sons of God and the sons of men, professors and profane, was laid upon so lasting a foundation that the waters of the flood,-which overturned most other distinctions,― could not blot out this. As it appeared when men began to multiply in the old world, so after the like multiplication in the new world, the same distinction arose. The sons of God did soon embody and constitute a church for God, and the sons of men did soon unite and fill a profane and careless world. In this chapter something is said, I. Of the dispersion of the sons of men; II. Of the pedigree of the sons of God.

A

ND the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.

2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.

3 And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar.

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.

How many have been put upon great, and troublesome, and chargeable, and sometimes very dangerous undertakings, merely by the working of a proud, ambitious, vain-glorious spirit! Many an estate has been spent, many a family ruined, many a life lost, many a soul damned for ever, by an inordinate desire of fame and reputation, and a name in the world. So strangely fond have some been of that shadow, as to prefer it before all other enjoyments whatsoever. A name purchased with the very heart's blood has been thought cheap. So great a vanity is there bound up in the hearts of men. That which was the design of these men in building this great tower, was the design of one in burning a much more stately edifice;-of him who set fire to the temple of Diana at Ephesus, with no other aim

but that he might be talked of. And both he and these Babel-builders had their end;-being represented in the records of fame as proud, ambitious fools. Philo Judæus saith that every one wrote his name upon a brick, thus calling their bricks (as the worldlings their lands, Psa. xlix. 11) by their own

names.

Lest we be scattered. How unanimous were these sons of men! how were they afraid, not only of enmity one against another, but of strangeness one to another! Thus are the children of this world wiser in their generation than the children of light. The builders of Babel can join hands and hearts in building a monument of iniquity, when the builders of Sion cannot be unanimous in rearing a church for God. Satan is not divided against Satan: yet are Christians divided against Christians. Pudet hæc opprobia nobis.

5 And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.

6 And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from

them, which they have imagined to do. The disappointment of the design of these builders was signal, and is an eminent proof of that saying of Solomon: there are many devices in a man's heart, nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand. Prov. xix. 21. The counsel of the Lord was, that the sons of men should be scattered abroad to replenish the earth; their device was, to build a tower that they might not be scattered. Let men devise what devices they will, the counsel of the Lord standeth for ever; the thoughts of his heart to all generations. Psa. xxxiii. 11.

The Lord came down to see the city and the tower. This is an expression after the manner of men, and notes only that God did know and understand their design, He cannot properly be said to come down to see; for all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do. Heb. iv. 13. God did not come as a stranger merely to see the building, but as a judge to reckon with the builders. 'Twas one of the startling challenges which the Lord made to Job out of the whirlwind, behold every one that is proud, and abase him. Job xl. 11. This is the prerogative of the Most High, and passes the skill of those that have not an arm like God, and cannot thunder with a voice like him. Job xl. 9.