guished from his own ALEIM, the ALEIM of Syria. 2 Kings v. 11. But a still further confirmation seems to be afforded by the contest between Elijah and the prophets of Baal, recorded 1 Kings xviii. The question to be decided was thus proposed by Elijah, ver. 21, "If JEHOVAH be God," the ALEIM, the true object of worship, "then follow Him; but if Baal, then follow him." And ver. 24, addressing himself to the prophets of Baal, Elijah says, "Call ye on the name of your Aleim, and I will call on the name of JEHOVAH."

This view of the fact recorded Gen. iv. 26, is no novelty it is to be found among the traditions of the Jewish Rabbis, an epitome of which, as they relate to this subject, is furnished by Ainsworth in his annotation on this passage. He adds that "the Heathen Philosophers counted the Heaven a living body," and refers to Aristotle in proof of the assertion. By this ascription of life to the Heavens, in contradistinction from the earth, I conclude the ancient philosophers meant the active character and agency of the heavenly fluid. On this subject volumes might be filled with extracts from their writings.

Thus, then, the course of impiety which took place before the flood, may shed light on a similar

† See Parkhurst on the word by, and the evidence there produced, that Baal was a name of the sun, which on account of its three conditions was sometimes called Baalim.

course taking place after it, and seems to confirm the hypothesis that the project at Baal was of an idolatrous character. This also may be traced up in the channel of tradition; for the Targum, already cited in p. 92, calls the tower which the apostates built," an house of adoration;" and speaks of an image, perhaps in imitation of the CHERUBIC figures, to the host of heaven, which was set on the top of that tower as an object of worship.

*

It is a painful but a profitable task, my dear friend, to trace the corruption of the human heart from stage to stage: to mark how the enmity of the carnal mind has, in different ages, discovered itself by rejecting the HOLY, HOLY, HOLY, JEHOVAH ALEIM of Revelation, and by setting up in his stead objects of adoration more suited to its natural inclinations. In the days of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, it became necessary for believers to distinguish themselves from apostates. Enos was born in the 105th year of Seth, and Seth was born in the 130th year of the life of Adam; so that within 250 years after the creation of man, mankind had, to a very considerable extent, forgotten God their maker, and apostatized from his worship. Nimrod was the son of Cush, and Cush of Ham, and Ham of Noah ; so that again, after the flood, not more than 130 years had elapsed, before doctrinal impiety made a fresh separation necessary between the children

* Such, though in a very mutilated form, the Minotaur of Crete appears to have been.

of God and the children of the Wicked One. It is plain that, respecting both eras, the assertion of the Apostle is verified, that men "did not like to retain God in their knowledge." Indeed, the first chapter of the epistle to the Romans affords the best commentary on those parts of the early history of the world which we have been considering. It traces down the annals of idolatry through descending stages of corruption, from the philosophic and refined system of materialism in the earlier ages to the grosser abominations of heathenism in the apostolic times, ascribing all to the enmity, ignorance, and folly of the human heart. The subject we have contemplated is not a barren field of mere criticism: it sheds light on the natunatural condition of man in all ages and on the necessity, grace, and wisdom of "the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The era of Christianity seems to have been postponed to so late a period as it was, for the purpose of producing a clear conviction as to the lengths to which the enmity of the human heart to God and Godliness would carry it, and as to its total inability to recover itself out of the snare of the devil. That this conviction was produced, appears by the complaints and confessions of many a heathen sage.*

* See the Author's Discourses on DIVINE INFLUENCE. Discourse VI.

LETTER XXVII.

THE CALL OF ABRAHAM, AND THE INSTITUTION OF CIRCUMCISION.

MY DEAR FRiend,

THE several renewals of Divine Revelation which were vouchsafed to the patriarchs, in exposition and confirmation of the covenant of redemption, run in the form of promises, or gratuitous assurances of good things to come. These promises are suspended on no conditions to be performed by the parties who are beneficially interested in them; but are described as indefeisible and certain. Indeed, it could not have been otherwise consistently with the purpose of God and the salvation of man. Thus, the promise of a son given to Abraham is spoken of by St. Paul: "Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth or addeth thereto. Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds,' as of many; but as of one, one, 'And to thy seed' which is Christ. And this I say, that the covenant which was confirmed before of

systems of heathen Idolatry, and all the corrupted forms of pseudo-Christian faith and worship, give place to the confession of the true faith, in the acknowledgment of the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the worship of the Divine Unity. Then Jew and Gentile shall unite in ascribing to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, three persons in one God, all honour and glory, for ever and ever.

That we, my dear friend, may be prepared to join in the universal chorus, is the prayer of

Your's faithfully,