about him; but he seems to have been unknown by the family of that pious patriarch. His descendants, however, we soon find in the regions of Chaldea and Assyria; though, by many able and learned writers, it is thought they had no concern in the building of Babel. They feared God. They maintained among them the true religion. They were the branch from which Christ was to come. God was their God, and Christ their Redeemer; and, if they sometimes partook of the general corruption around them, and "served other gods," yet the gates of hell were never suffered to prevail against them. In the providence of God, the world, which had been in so awful a manner depopulated, was soon filled with inhabitants. Japhet had seven sons. These settled Armenia and Greece, and from them came the present inhabitants of Europe and the United States. Ham had four, whose posterity filled Babylonia and Arabia-Canaan and Egypt. Shem five. From these descended the Assyrians, Persians, Jews, Hindoos, and Chinese, and aborigines of America. These were the sons of Noah, "after their families, after their tongues, in their lands, after their nations; and by these were the nations divided in the earth after the flood.' Some will ever affirm that the Negro, the Chinese, the European and the American Indian could not have had a common origin; but the candid inquirer after truth will receive the testimony of God, and by this be satisfied that all mankind descended from the patriarch who was preserved in the ark. CHAPTER V. Early defection from the true religion. History of Idolatry. THE awful judgment of God upon the old world, did not eradicate depravity from the human heart. Even Ham, the youngest son of the patriarch Noah, one who had witnessed all the wonders of the flood, soon exhibited an unnatural and depraved spirit, and went out, like Cain, with his posterity, from the presence of the Lord, an ungodly generation. The Cushites, his immediate descendants, were probably the chief families that were concerned in the building of Babel; but neither were they brought back to the Lord by the new and fearful judgment Shinar is said to have been from the have been on the common supp At the close of the first century, a ark, his descendants, who might al million of souls, spread over that beaut ran the Euphrates. At this time the whole earth was of guage, no doubt, with which God endu been uncorrupt, uniformity of speech mig highest utility. But guided by the deprave come one of the most powerful instruments was probably one of the chief sources of the violence of the antediluvians. One mind powe song, could easily reach the hearts of a world. resolved to deprive the future enemies of his C mendous an engine. This purpose he exec them there on the plains of Shinar, com erecting a city and tower which would m powerful people. "Go to," said he found their language, that they m speech." The builders of B and scattered abroad, and the strength, unmolested by so Another thing, which b the Church, was the gre to attain. Worldly pow people. Should the wi be continued again ce secute the Church, 1 particular provinces some merciless per Church, shortene then, to three s high venerati morate the de descendants shipped the bations, the Noah and Complet Havi Shinar is said to have been from the East, and not as it must have been on the common supposition, from the West; as no mention is ever made of Noah in any account of the Western nations, though he lived 300 years after the flood; as the Hindoo and Chinese are very ancient nations; and Fohi, the reputed founder of the Chinese empire, bears strong resemblance to Noah. But it is most probable that they were not far distant from Shinar, as no motive could have led so early to a distant emigration. At the close of the first century, after Noah came out of the ark, his descendants, who might already have increased to a million of souls, spread over that beautiful country through which ran the Euphrates. At this time the whole earth was of one language; that language, no doubt, with which God endued Adam. Had men been uncorrupt, uniformity of speech might have been of the highest utility. But guided by the depraved heart, it had become one of the most powerful instruments of corruption, and was probably one of the chief sources of the abominations and violence of the antediluvians. One mind powerful in oratory or song, could easily reach the hearts of a world. God therefore resolved to deprive the future enemies of his Church of so tremendous an engine. This purpose he executed on beholding them there on the plains of Shinar, combining together and erecting a city and tower which would make them one vast and powerful people. "Go to," said he, "let us go down and confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech." The builders of Babel were thrown into confusion and scattered abroad, and the little Church was left to gather strength, unmolested by so great a weapon. Another thing, which before the flood, had nearly destroyed the Church, was the great age which the wicked were suffered to attain. Worldly power would not be the portion of God's people. Should the wicked therefore, who ordinarily inherit it, be continued again centuries upon earth, and for centuries persecute the Church, how could she live? She almost expires in particular provinces, even under the tyranny for a few years, of some merciless persecutor. God therefore, out of regard to his Church, shortened the lives of men, first to a few centuries; and then, to three score and ten years. Where to look for the Church at this period we know not; but it continued in the family of Noah, and in the line of Shem. Shem lived an hundred and fifty years after the birth of Abraham, and must have been venerated for his piety and age, by all about him; but he seems to have been unknown by the family of that pious patriarch. His descendants, however, we soon find in the regions of Chaldea and Assyria; though, by many able and learned writers, it is thought they had no concern in the building of Babel. They feared God. They maintained among them the true religion. They were the branch from which Christ was to come. God was their God, and Christ their Redeemer; and, if they sometimes partook of the general corruption around them, and "served other gods," yet the gates of hell were never suffered to prevail against them. In the providence of God, the world, which had been in so awful a manner depopulated, was soon filled with inhabitants. Japhet had seven sons. These settled Armenia and Greece, and from them came the present inhabitants of Europe and the United States. Ham had four, whose posterity filled Babylonia and Arabia-Canaan and Egypt. Shem five. From these descended the Assyrians, Persians, Jews, Hindoos, and Chinese, and aborigines of America. These were the sons of Noah, "after their families, after their tongues, in their lands, after their nations; and by these were the nations divided in the earth after the flood." Some will ever affirm that the Negro, the Chinese, the European and the American Indian could not have had a common origin; but the candid inquirer after truth will receive the testimony of God, and by this be satisfied that all mankind descended from the patriarch who was preserved in the ark. CHAPTER V. Early defection from the true religion. History of Idolatry. THE awful judgment of God upon the old world, did not eradicate depravity from the human heart. Even Ham, the youngest son of the patriarch Noah, one who had witnessed all the wonders of the flood, soon exhibited an unnatural and depraved spirit, and went out, like Cain, with his posterity, from the presence of the Lord, an ungodly generation. The Cushites, his immediate descendants, were probably the chief families that were concerned in the building of Babel; but neither were they brought back to the Lord by the new and fearful judgment |