1.]

mand of God from the beginning, but as there is nothing expressly said on this subject, it can only be a matter of conjecture. But of this we may be sure, that Cain's sacrifice was not offered in a proper spirit, from the evil disposition which he manifested towards his brother. St. John says, he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, "how can he love God whom he hath not seen ?"" Read also what our Saviour says, "If thou bring thy gift to the 'altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought "against thee, leave there thy gift before the altar, and go 'thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come "and offer thy gift."

"For this is the message that ye heard from the begin"ning, that we should love one another. Not as Cain,

'who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother.

And

"wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were 'evil, and his brother's righteous.'

C

His proud heart would not suffer him to see his brother preferred before him. Be assured, that pride will generally be found to be the cause of most sinful actions. There is indeed no sin against which we ought more to strive; it lurks at the bottom of our hearts, and influences us when we are least aware of it. It is written in the Proverbs, "by pride cometh contention," and again, "Pride goeth "before destruction." • How fully were these texts exemplified in the case of Cain! His pride first rendered him jealous of his brother; he then quarrelled with him, and at length slew him.

e

d

This we may conclude was done in secret, but we know that nothing can be concealed from God, who suffered not the wicked action to go unpunished. May this sad event be a warning to us all of the danger of giving way to the least feeling of envy or unkindness towards any one, for when once we allow our tempers and passions to get the better of us, we know not what we may be led to do. It is difficult for some persons who are naturally of an irritable disposition to restrain their tempers on all occasions,

1 John, iv, 20, Matt. v. 23. c1 John: iii. 11, 12. Prov. xiii. 10. xvi. 18

6

ENOCH-NOAH.

[CH.

but they must ever remember that "with God all things

دو

a

are possible," and that they may be sure of obtaining his assistance, if they only ask for it in a proper spirit.

GEN. VI. VII.

NEARLY two thousand years had now elapsed since the creation of the world, during which period many generations had succeeded each other; yet in all that time there are but three persons, Abel, Enoch, and Noah, whose piety has been recorded. Of Enoch we know nothing, but that it is said he "walked with God, and he was not, for God took him,' that is, he was taken up to heaven without undergoing the usual penalty of death.

Walking with God, or before God, are expressions implying that he who does so, endeavours at all times to please God, and submits to His will in every thing, never forgetting that the Almighty is constantly present, sees all he does, and knows all his thoughts, and he is very careful never to offend Him. Now this, we may be sure was the case with Enoch, and blessed indeed was his reward.

66

Noah we are told, was a just man, and that he likewise "walked with God, being the most perfect man in his "generations."

And now, as it is written, men began to multiply on "the face of the earth, and the sons of God took wives of "the daughters of men."

دو

The sons of God, are generally supposed to be the posterity of Seth, who were worshippers of the true God; the children of men being the descendants of the ungodly race of Cain. Thus by intermarrying with each other, the true followers of God could be no longer kept distinct from the rest of the world, and this we may therefore imagine, to have been one great cause of that depravity, which had now increased to such a degree, that God saw fit to destroy the whole world.

"Matt. xix. 26.

દ

"God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the "earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

"And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart."

When we meet with expressions such as these, applied to the Almighty, we must ever bear in mind that in speaking of the dealings of God with mankind, such terms only can be used, as are adapted to the comprehension of mortal beings, and therefore when we read of God's repenting, it is only because there is no other word which could express what to our finite ideas, appears an alteration of mind.

"God is not a man that he should lie, neither the son of "man that he should repent; hath he said, and shall he "not do it? hath he spoken, and shall he not make it "good?

" a

Noah and his family were the only persons whom God was pleased to save from the general destruction which now ensued from the deluge. Dreadful indeed must have been the state of every one at that time, to have rendered it expedient for the whole world to be destroyed in this manner. And yet we may conclude, though we are not exactly told so in the Bible, that God enabled Noah by his spirit, to foretell the event and to warn the people of it, for in 2 Pet. ii. 5. he is called 66 a preacher of righteousness,' from which we are led to believe he preached to the world concerning the punishment that awaited them, if they did not repent, but it appears they would not listen to him, and therefore the consequences which they might have foreseen, ensued, and they were all destroyed.

وو

Now is there nothing in this chapter which we may apply to ourselves? Are we more perfect in our generation than they were in theirs? Do we listen to our preachers of righteousness, and believe that destruction will likewise come upon every one of us who heeds not all the instruction he receives, and repents not of his sins? The time will as surely come to us as it did to them; and in fact it is

a Numb. xxiii. 19.

8

NOAH.

[CH.

already come to many, for it must be the same thing to die in the midst of our sins, as to be found alive in that state when the Son of Man shall come in his glory to judge the world. We have all an ark of refuge in our Saviour. It is he alone who can save us, and believe me, he will most surely do so, if we turn to him with our whole hearts. As every one on the earth perished who was not in the ark, so is every soul lost, which refuses to seek salvation through Jesus Christ. Probably many would have been glad to have been admitted into the ark when they saw Noah and his family really in it, and themselves about to be overwhelmed by the waters of destruction; even so will it be at the end of the world; many then will be seeking at the last hour, for admittance into the Kingdom of Heaven, when they will find the door closed, and the gates of Hell alone open to receive them.

rr

Turn to Matt. xxiv. 37, 38, 39. and see what our Saviour foretells concerning the world when he shall appear at the last day" As the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days that were before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noe "entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came "and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the "Son of man be."

Let us then take care that we are not of that number, who will be found by him passing away their time in an unprofitable manner, and seeking anything rather than their eternal salvation.

GEN. VIII. IX.

"AND God remembered Noah, and every living thing." Now let us pause, and consider the blessing and comfort we may receive from this verse. Our Saviour tells us that not a sparrow is forgotten before God, and "ye are of more value than many sparrows""; may we not thence infer that

Luke, xii. 6, 7.

1.]

NOAH-REVERENCE TO PARENTS.

9

we are equally remembered before God? and that when he set his bow in the clouds as a token that there should never be another deluge, the promise was made to us as well as to Noah? He 66 says, it shall be for a token of a covenant "between me and the earth," that is, it is not only to you and your family that I make this promise, but likewise to all who shall live upon the earth, after you are departed hence.

Now we are assured that "all the promises of God in him are Yea," which means that we may be quite sure he will perform all He says; it is therefore surely impossible to read of Noah's sacrifice of thanksgiving without feeling overwhelmed with gratitude at the unbounded mercy of the Almighty towards his sinful creatures. This we are too prone to forget, though constantly reminded of this blessed Covenant or promise, by the sight of that glorious Bow in the heavens, which so frequently appears before

our eyes.

And here I would gladly close the history of Noah, without alluding to a circumstance which casts such a shade over the latter days of this righteous man, but that I am unwilling to pass it over, without impressing upon your minds the instruction you may derive, from the difference in the conduct of his two sons. Ham exposed his father's sin, and was cursed his brothers tried not even to look upon it, and one especially was blessed.

:

Children may see many things to condemn both in their parents or others which it may not become them to notice; they must ever remember that their duty is to "honor their "father and mother," and "to obey their parents in the "Lord, for this is right;" that is, they are to obey them in all things that are not contrary to the commands of God, for we are also told that "we ought to obey God rather "than man. d

دو

с

What we see amiss in the conduct of those around us, ought to lead us to think, "who maketh us to differ from "another," and that God permits our seeing such, not as

a 2 Cor. i. 20. Ex. xx. 12. Eph. vi. 1.

d Acts. v. 29. 1 Cor. iv. 7;