proach them, than they ran with ecstasy to meet him, and with humble joy welcomed his gracious visits; but now their Maker was become a terror to them, and they a terror to each other. Their consciences painted their transgression in the blackest colors, all hope was banished, and nothing remained but horror and despair.

When, therefore, after their transgression, they heard the voice of the LORD in the garden, instead of running to meet him as before with cheerfulness and joy, they flew to the most retired part of it, in order to conceal themselves from his sight.* But the Almighty soon called them from their dark retreat; and, after a short examination, they both acknowledged their guilt. The man attempted to excuse himself by laying the blame on the woman, and pleaded her persuasions as the cause of his criminality. The woman endeavored to remove the crime from herself to the serpent; but the Almighty thought proper to make all three the objects of his distributive justice. As the serpent had been the original cause of this evil, GOD first passes sentence on him, which was, that (instead of going erect as he did before the fact) he should ever after creep on his belly, and thereupon become incapable of eating any food, except what was mingled with dust. The woman was given to understand that she had entailed upon herself sorrow from conception, pain in childbirth, and subjection to her husband. The punishment of Adam consisted in a life of perpetual toil and slavery,† in order to keep in due subjection those passions and appetites, to gratify which he had transgressed the divine command.

The awful decree being thus solemnly pronounced, as well on the author of the offence, as the offenders themselves, the Almighty, to enhance their sense of the crime, and the tokens of his resentment, expelled the guilty pair from the blissful regions of paradise, after which he placed at the east end of the garden a guard of angels, in order not only to prevent their re-entrance, but to secure the forbidden fruit from the unhallowed hands of polluted mankind.

Thus, by this original pollution, fell our first parents, who, from the happiest conlition that can be conceived, plunged themselves into a state of wretchedness, and hereby entailed misery on their descendants.

"They ate the apple, it is true;

We taste the wormwood and the gall,
And to these distant ages rue

The dire effects of Adam's fall"

CHAPTER II.

In the space of two years after the expulsion of our first parents from Paradise, the human race was increased by Eve's being delivered of two sons, the first of whom she alled Cain, and the latter Abel. As these two brothers were of different dispositions, so, when they grew up to years of maturity, they followed different employments. Abel, the younger was just in his dealings, and amiable in his temper. Firmly believing that God saw all his actions, and knew their motives, he carefully avoided offending his beneficent Maker, and, in the simplicity of a shepherd's life, took a pleasure in practising all the social virtues. On the contrary, Cain was perversely wicked, and avariciously craving. His attention was principally directed to

Milton makes Adam, on this occasion, express himself as follows:

How shall I behold the face
Henceforth of God or angel, erst with joy
And raptures oft beheld?-O! might I here
In solitude live savage, in some glade
Obscured, where highest woods (impenetrable
To star or sunlight) spread their umbrage broad,
And brown as evening; cover me, ye pines!

Ye cedars, with innumerable boughs,

Hide me, where I never may see them more!"

The words in the text are, in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread; which implies that labor alone should produce what, if he had not transgressed, nature would have spontaneously bestowed.

+ As soon as Eve was delivered of her first child, she cried out, in a transport of joy, I have gotten a man from the Lord: being persuaded that this son was the promised seed mentioned by the Almighty in the sentence he passed on the serpent: I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: it shall inuise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. In consequence of this persuasion, Eve called her first son Cain, which signifies possession or acquisition.

The word Abel, in the Hebrew language, signifies vanity, and, according to some, was given him as an intimation of the little esteem his mother had for him in comparison of her first-born.

husbandry; but with all the benefits arising from cultivation, he was perpetually dissatisfied at what the earth produced, and, from his natural vile disposition, was guilty of the first murder ever committed.

It was customary, even in the infancy of the world, to make acknowledgments to GOD by way of oblation. This being agreed on by these two brothers, Cain offered the produce of his husbandry, and such fruits as nature bestowed by the assistance of art. Abel's oblation consisted of the milk of his herds, and the firstlings of his flocks. The Almighty was pleased to prefer the latter, being the simple productions of nature, to the former, which, no doubt, he considered as the interested offerings of laborious avarice. This preference raised the resentment of Cain, whose soul was so impressed with hatred toward his brother, that he even showed it in his coun

tenance.

The Almighty, knowing the secrets of Cain's heart, condescended, in his great goodness, to expostulate with him to the following effect: "That his respect to true goodness was impartial, wherever he found it; and that, therefore, it was purely his own fault that his offering was not equally accepted: that piety was the proper disposition for a sacrificer, and that if herein he would emulate his brother, the same tokens of divine approbation should attend his oblations: that it was madness in him to harbor any revengeful thought against his brother, because, if he proceeded to put them into execution, a dreadful punishment would immediately follow."

This kind admonition from the Almighty had so little effect upon Cain, that, instead of being sensible of his fault, and endeavoring to amend, he grew more and more incensed against his brother, and at length formed the resolution of gratifying his revenge by depriving him of his existence. Accordingly, going one day to Abel, and pretending the greatest kindness and affection, he asked if he would walk with him in the fields, as the weather was remarkably fine and pleasant. Abel, little suspecting the horrid design of his brother, readily complied with his request, when the latter had no sooner got him to a convenient spot, than he fell upon him and killed him ;* after which, to prevent discovery, he dug a hole, and interred the body.

But it was not long before Cain was called to an account for this horrid deed. The all-seeing GOD, from whom no secrets can be hid, appeared before him, and demanded the reason of his brother's absence. Sensible of the enormity of his crime, Cain attempted to reply; but guilt, for a time, tied his tongue. At length, in faltering accents, he tried to evade what he did not dare positively to answer. He pretended to be surprised at not having seen his brother for some time; and likewise observed, that he was neither the guardian of Abel, nor empowered to watch his motions.

On this the Almighty charged Cain, in direct terms, with the murder of his broth er; and, after expressing to him the atrociousness of the crime, and how much it cried to heaven for vengeance, proceeded to pass sentence on him. "Now," says he, "art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand. When thou tillest the ground it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth."

The wretched criminal, struck with the severity of this denunciation, convinced of the atrocious nature of his offence, and deploring the misery of his situation, exclaimed, "My punishment is greater than I can bear." He was apprehensive of meeting with worse evils than his sentence really imported; and that he should not only feel the miseries of banishment, but likewise be subjected to the loss of his life by the hands of his fellow-creatures. But, to ease his mind in this last respect, the Almighty was pleased to declare to him, that whoever should slay him, vengeance should be taken on them seven fold. He likewise set a particular mark on him, whereby he might escape his supposed danger; for it was the divine intent to punish him by the prolongation of his life, during the remainder of which he should be loaded with infamy, and under all the horrors of a guilty conscience.

In consequence of the divine sentence, Cain left his parents and relations, and went into a strange country. He was banished from that sacred spot where the Almighty had given frequent manifestations of his glorious presence; and though by the divine decree no person was permitted to hurt him, yet the consciousness of his own guilt made him fearful of everything he saw or heard. After wandering about As warlike instruments were not at this time in use, it is generally supposed that Cain murdered Abel by knocking out his brains either with a stone or a piece of wood; but in whatever manner it was done, this we know, from the words of divine revelation, that Cain was the first murderer, and Abel the person first murdered.

a considerable time through different countries, he at length settled with his family in the land of Nod. Here he lived for a course of years, in which time his descendants being greatly increased, in order to keep them together, he built a city, and called it after the name of his son Enoch, which, in the Hebrew tongue, signifies a dedication.

From the loins of Cain, in regular succession, came Lamech, the son of Methuselah, who introduced polygamy by marrying two wives, the one named Adah, and the other Zillah. Among the children by the former of these wives he had two sons, namely, Jabal and Jubal, the first of whom made great improvements in the management of cattle, and the other invented the psaltery, and first gave melody to music. By Zillah he had Tubal-Cain, who was celebrated for his great strength, excelled in martial exercises, and first discovered the art of forging and polishing metals. Lamech had likewise a daughter called Naamah (which denotes fair and beautiful), who is supposed to have been the first person that found out the art of spinning and weaving.

Having said thus much of Cain and his posterity, we must now return to our primitive parents, Adam and Eve. The death of the righteous Abel and the banishment of Cain afflicted them to the heart; and they continued some time in the deepest lamentation. At length the Almighty was pleased to alleviate their afflic tion by a promise that they should have another son, who should be a comfort and consolation to them in their old age. Accordingly, in the proper course of time, Eve was delivered of another boy, whom they called Seth, which signifies substitute, or appointed, because God was pleased to send him instead of " Abel, whom Cain slew." At this time Adam was one hundred and thirty years old, after which he lived eight hundred years, and begat several other children, both sons and daughters.

The male posterity of Adam, in the line of Seth, was as follows:

When Seth was one hundred and five years old, he had a son named Enos, in whose days the sacred historian informs us that men began to institute stated forms and ceremonies in the worship of Almighty God. After the birth of Enos, Seth lived eight hundred and seven years, so that the whole of his life was nine hundred and twelve years.

Enos, at the age of ninety, had a son, whom he named Cainan; after which he lived eight hundred and fifteen years; in the whole nine hundred and five.

Cainan, when seventy, had a son named Mahalaleel; after which he lived eight hundred and forty years; in all nine hundred and ten.

Mahalaleel, when sixty-five, had a son named Jared; after which he lived eight hundred years; in all eight hundred and sixty-five.

Jared, when one hundred and sixty-two, had a son named Enoch;* after which he lived eight hundred years; in all nine hundred and sixty-two.

Enoch, when sixty-five, had a son named Methuselah; after which he lived three hundred years; in all three hundred and sixty-five.

Methuselah, when one hundred and eighty-seven, had a son named Lamech; after which he lived seven hundred and eighty-two years; in all nine hundred and sixtynine.

Lamech, when one hundred and eighty-two, had a son named Noah; after which he lived five hundred and ninety-five years; in all seven hundred and seventy-seven. And Noah, when five hundred years old, had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japhet; from whom the world was replenished after the general deluge.

This is the genealogy which Moses gives us of the posterity of Adam, in the line of Seth; and if we consider the prodigious length of men's lives in this age, the strength of their constitutions from a temperate life, and the advanced years in which they begat children, the number of inhabitants previous to the flood must have been very immense.

The descendants of Seth, and those of Cain, lived separate for a considerable time, the former despising the latter on account of their natural cruelty. The Sethites, who adhered to the service of God, and diligently attended to their religious duties, were styled the "Sons of God;" in distinction to which the descendants of Cain, who led profligate and impious lives, were termed the "sons and daughters of men."

*Of all the posterity of Adam, the most remarkable is Enoch, who, for his distinguished piety and vir tue, was exempted from mortality, being immediately, that is, without passing through the valley of the shadow of death, translated to the heavenly mansions.

After the death of Adam,* the Sethites retired from the plam where they had hitherto resided, to the mountains opposite paradise; and, for some time, continued to live in the fear of God, and to preserve the strictest rules of piety and virtue. In the course of time, the descendants of Cain, who were now become very numerous, spread themselves over all that part of the country which had been left by the Sethites, even to the confines of the mountains where Seth had fixed his abode; and here they continued that abandoned course of life they had followed before their removal. By this close connexion, the Sethites had frequent opportunities of seeing the daughters of Cain, who being exceeding beautiful, they were so captivated with their charms, that they entered into nuptial alliances with them; and from this intercourse were born men of a very gigantic size, who were no less remarkable for their daring wickedness, than for their bold and adventurous undertakings. Thus did the example of the wicked family of Cain prevail, and, by degrees, destroy all the remains of religious duties in the posterity of Seth. The righteous Noah used his utmost efforts to convince them of the enormity of their conduct; but all his admonitions were in vain: the bent of their thoughts had taken another turn, and their whole study and contrivance was, how to gratify their inordinate passions.

This universal depravity of mankind so offended the Almighty, that, as the sacred historian informs us, he "repented that he had made man on the earth" and, as a proper punishment for their offences, thought of destroying not only the whole of the human race (Noah and his family excepted), but also the brute creation, which he had formed for the use of ungrateful man. But before the Almighty fixed the resolution of executing his design, he thought proper to give one chance to the prin cipal objects of his resentment, which was, that if, in the space of one hundred and twenty years, they should forsake their evil ways, repent, and reform, his mercy should be at liberty to interpose and reverse their doom. This he communicated to his servant Noah, who, for his great justice and piety, had found favor in his sight; and for which his family (consisting only of eight persons) were to be exempted from the general destruction.

Notwithstanding the merciful and beneficent promises of the Almighty, yet such was the corrupt state of mankind at this time, and so lost were they to every sense of virtue, that they still prosecuted their vicious courses, and subjected themselves to the consequences of the divine displeasure. Finding, therefore, that all lenity and forbearance tended to no purpose, except to make them more bold and licentious, God at length made known to his servant Noah his awful determination of involving them, and the earth they inhabited, in one general destruction, by a flood of water. He likewise assured him that as he had, in a particular manner, testified his fidelity to his Maker, he would take care to preserve him and his family, together with such other creatures as were necessary for the restoration of their species from the general calamity. To effect this, he gave him orders to make an ark, or large vessel of gopher-wood, and, that it might be secured from the violence of the waves, to pitch it both within and without. The form and dimensions of this building are thus described by the sacred historian: "And this is the form which thou shalt make it of the length of the work shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits. A window shalt thou make to the ark,

* The sacred historian does not inform us at what exact period Adam paid the debt of nature, nor in what place his remains were deposited. The ancient Arabians tell us that he was buried at Hebron, in the cave of Machpelah, which Abraham, many ages after, bought for a burying-place for himself and family. They likewise say that when Adam found his end approaching, he called his son Seth, and the other branches of his numerous family, to whom he gave a strict charge that they should always live separate, and have no manner of intercourse with the impious family of the murderer Cain.

+ This expression must not be taken in the literal sense of the words, for God is not the son of man that he should repeat; but it is a figurative expression, and adapted to our apprehensions. The meaning, therefore, is, that as all men were corrupt, and turning a deaf ear to his preacher Noah, the Almighty was determined to destroy man whom he had created.

+ When we consider that and kuwapicoos have the same radical consonants, we are at once led to select a species of cypress as the "gopher-wood," or rather the gopher-tree in question. The wood of the cypress possesses an unrivalled fame for its durability, and its resistance to those injuries which are incident to other kinds of wood. The divine appointment had doubtless a reason founded in the nature of things, and no better reason can be found than the matchless excellence of the wood recommended. The compact and durable nature of the cypress rendered it peculiarly eligible for sacred purposes: hence we find it was employed in the construction of coflins among the Athenians, and mummy-cases among the Egyptians. The cupressus sempervirens, a straight and elegant tree of the cone-bearing family, seems therefore to have the best title to the credit of having furnished the material for the most important vessel that was ever constructed.

and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it."*

Having received these instructions' from God, Noah, in obedience to the divine command, immediately set about the arduous work, which he finished, according to God's direction, seven days before the rain began to fall, having been encouraged so to do by an assurance from his Maker, that though he meant to destroy the world in general, yet he would establish his covenant with him.

The ark being finished, the Almighty commanded Noah to take into it "every living thing of all flesh," both cattle and beasts of the field, birds and fowls of the air, and reptiles of all kinds; of the unclean only one pair each, but of the clean, seven pair. That he should likewise make a proper provision of food for the different animals; and, having placed them in their respective apartments, should then enter the ark himself, taking with him his wife, together with his sons and their wives.

In

All things being adjusted agreeably to the divine direction, Noah entered the ark, with his family, in the six hundredth year of his age; and on the seventeenth day of the second month (which was seven days after his entrance) the whole face of nature began to wear a gloomy aspect, and to appear as if the earth was to be finally dissolved, and all things return to their primitive chaos. The windows or cataracts of heaven were opened, and the earth was overspread with a dreadful inundation. vain did sinful mortals seek for protection, or endeavor to shelter themselves from the common destruction; for mountains and valleys were soon alike, and every refuge was banished their sight. For forty days and nights did the rain continue to fall, without the least intermission; when at length the ark began to float, and, in process of time, was elevated above the highest mountains. A dismal scene now presented itself! the earth, with all its beautiful variety of nature and art, was no more! nothing appeared to the sight but a watery desert, abounding with wrecks of the once lovely creation.†

The Almighty having thus avenged himself of a sinful world, and reflecting upon Noah, and the poor remains of his creatures in the ark, caused a drying north wind to arise, the flood-gates of heaven to be stopped, and the falling of the waters to cease; by which means the deluge began to abate, and the waters gradually subsiding, in process of time the earth again appeared.

The first discovery Noah made of the cessation of the flood was, from the ark

There is much difference of opinion about the form of the ark. The common figures are given under the impression that it was intended to be adapted to progressive motion; whereas no other object was sought than to construct a vessel which should float for a given time upon the water. For this purpose it was not necessary to place the ark in a sort of boat, as in the common figures; and we may be content with the simple idea which the text gives, which is that of an enormous oblong box, or wooden house, divided into three stories, and apparently with a sloping roof. The most moderate statement of its dimensions makes the ark by far the largest of vessels ever made to float upon the water. As the measurements are given, the only doubt is as to which of the cubit measures used by the Hebrews is here intended. It seems that the standard of the original cubit was the length of a man's arm from the elbow to the end of the middle finger, or about eighteen inches. This was the common cubit; but there was also a sacred cubit, which some call a hand's breadth (three inches) larger than the common one; while others make the sacred cubit twice the length of the common. The probability is that there were two cubit measures beside the common; one being of twenty-one inches, and the other of three feet. Some writers add the geometrical cubit of nine feet. Shuckford says we must take the common or shortest cubit as that for the ark; and Dr. Hales, taking this advice, obtained the following result: "It must have been of the burden of 42,413 tons. A first-rate man-of-war is between 2,200 and 2,300 tons; and, consequently, the capacity or stowage of eighteen such ships, the largest in present use, and might carry 20,000 men, with provisions for six months, besides the weight of 1,500 cannon and all military stores. It was then by much the largest ship ever built."

+ The Deluge.- From the original by Nicholas Poussin.-Several great masters have treated this subject, but none of their productions have acquired the celebrity of our engraving, by Poussin. All others have chosen but partial scenes or episodes either the beginning or the end-of this terrible infliction. Poussin alone has ventured to imbody the whole of this all-engulfing cateclysm, and show its frightful catastrophe: be alone has dared to render that tremendous sentence: "All flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man." The air is laboring with the full-swollen clouds; the rain descends in torrents; the sun, obscured, throws but a dull and feeble light; the overwhelming floods have long confounded the hills with the plains, and already reached the summits of the highest mountains. The foaming waves in the centre of the awful scene, rolling in irresistible volumes, dash against the rock the frail bark of one who had vainly leaped thereon to find a refuge, and now raises his imploring hands to inexorable Heaven. In front a family are still struggling to escape their fate; while the ark floats away in the distance. Never was execution more adapted to its subject-abounding in gloomy and terrific images, presented with appalJing truth. This chef d'euvre was the last labor of Poussin: he finished it in 1664, at the age of 70, and died in the following year.