the universal custom which prevailed among the ancients, of clothing their descriptive narrations in highly figurative language. Were it not incompatible with the design of this discourse, the credibility of the Mosaic history could easily be demonstrated by the evidences of his prophetic inspiration But this is designed to form the subject of a future lecture.

We will now leave out the question of his inspiration, and show that Moses might be qualified to furnish the brief history of the ante-deluvian world, and the intervening ages from that general catastrophe to his own times, which his writings contain, by means of oral tradition, which was the earliest and only method, (aside from revelation,) of handing down the knowledge of important events, from the creation of the world to the period of the invention of letters. In doing this, however, let it be distinctly understood, that we inflexibly maintain the inspiration of this venerable prophet of God.

The longevity of man, before the flood, certainly was most favorable to this mode of conveying truths which were deemed of the most importance to preserve: And it is not unreasonable to suppose that the first of human beings should have some knowledge of their origin, and the elevated rank which they held in the scale of being. From the chronology of the Mosaic history, it is easy to discover how these truths could be communicated from age to age, without exceeding the bounds of reasonable probability.

According to the Mosaic chronology, Methuselah lived two hundred and forty-three years with Adam, and about ninety-seven years with Shem, the son of Noah: So that all the important events which transpired before the flood had only to pass through one person, to a period long after the general deluge. Jacob, the father of the twelve tribes, which went with him into Egypt, lived with Shem fifty years: So that only three persons, Methuselah, Shem, and Jacob, were necessary to communicate this knowledge from the days of Adam down to the time when the children of Israel went to dwell in the land of Goshen ; through a period of 2238 years. Nor is it more difficult to perceive how Moses might come into possession of

these facts: For his grand-father, Amram, lived a considerable time with Joseph, the son of Jacob, and also with Moses, the author of the history in question: So that only two persons, Joseph and Amram, were necessary to communicate the same knowledge from Jacob to Moses: Making in the whole, but six persons, through whom this intelligence would have to pass, from Adam to Moses.

The general corruption, however, which soon prevailed throughout the earth, by the introduction and practice of idolatry; together with the fact, that the life of man became shortened, were causes which rendered oral tradition an unsafe medium for conveying any important information from generation to generation. Hence it became necessary to commit to writing all the important truths of history, as well as a revelation of the mind and will of God, that they might be preserved in their purity for the instruction of future ages.

In this discourse I have confined my remarks to a few particulars, as leading traits in the character of the Mosaic history, and have found them supported by the testimony of the most ancient historians among the heathen. Indeed, they have, in all ages of the world, been so well attested as to be acknowledged by all the ancient nations, who have ever been represented to the world by a respectable historian of their own.

But as modern skepticism affects to deny and abuse the Mosaic history, we now demand, what evidence has it ever produced to prove this history false? We answer, without the fear of contradiction, not a particle of evidence has it ever produced to invalidate the truth of this history, nor can any such evidence be obtained, from any of the authentic records of ancient or modern lore. The voice of history refutes their cavils and condemns their unbelief; while it yields an assent to the truth of these ancient and venerable records.

These facts show with great clearness that the Mosaic history is the only rational account of the creation, and the original state of mankind, which has ever been presented to the world.

The supposition that Moses could palm a fiction of his own upon the Jewish nation, as the authentic history of

themselves and their ancestors, is without a parallel for absurdity, in all the annals of ignorance, superstition, credulity, and fanatical madness. And I greatly marvel that a rational being can be found, to deny the authenticity of a record so clear, and so amply attested.

And I trust, that all those who are disposed to attend to the evidences which have been adduced, and which stilk remain to be set before them, will be fully confirmed in the belief of their faithfulness, as well as of their importance in the history of the human race.

LECTURE V.

ST. LUKE xvii. 27.

"They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, unul the day that Noe entered into the ark: and the flood came and destroyed them all.”

It is not so surprising that the voice of Noah's prophecy should have been disregarded by the ante-deluvian world, as that the more modern and enlightened ages should be affected with the mania of unbending infidelity. For it' cannot be made fully to appear that rain had ever fallen upon the then inhabited part of the globe. We only read, before this eventful catastrophe, that "there came up a mist and watered the face of the ground."

Those to whom this prophet and preacher of righteousness addressed the unwelcome intelligence of an approaching deluge, no doubt considered and treated his message as the idle dream of an extravagant enthusiast. And although he continued to raise his warning voice, for the space of 120 years, it does not appear to have produced any salutary effect beyond the limits of his own household. It would rather seem that his preaching, and preparation for the approaching flood, was a subject of merriment and jest, instead of sober reflection and repentance for sin. For we are plainly certified by our text, that "they did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark" and were inconscious of danger, until the flood, with resistless fury, burst upon them and swept them all

away.

The event of which we are now called to treat, stands without a parallel for its magnitude and importance, in the annals of the ancient world. We cannot contemplate without emotions of pity and regret, the ruins of splendid kingdoms and empires, the sad memorials of whose greatness

are now crumbling into decay, nor pass over the broken triumphal arch, that once extended itself over the powerful senate of Rome, without dropping the tear of sensibility, or perceiving that the hand of time has inscribed upon her prostrate pillars, her mouldering temples, her ancient grandeur, and upon all her earthly majesty, the mournful, but faithful motto "Thy glory is departed," and the sun of thy splendor is set to rise no more! But what are all the ruins and desolations of the most splendid cities or empires of the earth, when compared with the awful catastrophe which involved the ruin of a world! They sink into insignificance, and are utterly unworthy of the comparison.

As awful, magnificent, and sublime, as this tremendous overthrow of a sinful world must appear, to the serious, reflecting mind, unbelievers scoff at the very mention of the fact, and treat it as the dream of enthusiasts! It therefore devolves on me to show that the history of the deluge is not only related with the plainest simplicity by the Hebrew lawgiver, but that his narration is supported by the concurrent testimony of all the most ancient nations, whose records and traditions have been preserved and handed down to the present age.

When we reflect that Moses penned the history of the deluge about 1500 years before the birth of Christ, and delivered his writings into the hands of his countrymen, with a solemn injunction that they should be read in their public assemblies, upon every returning Sabbath; it would indeed appear to be an evidence of the most astonishing stupidity, that a whole nation should be led at once to give their unqualified assent to his narration, if it were nothing more than a mere fable, or a sublime fiction, which had its origin in the fertility of the brilliant imagination of their leader. Our reason forces us to the conclusion, that had not the story of the flood been the subject of oral tradition, the multitude would have been led to express their doubts, and to demand some further evidence of the fact: But instead of calling in question the truth of this narrative, it appears that the fact was universally acknowledged; and that they were able to trace their ancestors directly up to the very family which had