for wishing to secure it by fraudulent means, not trusting wholly in the Lord.

"That their principal object, however, was the spiritual blessing, and not the temporal, was shown by the event. For Jacob afterwards reverenced Esau as his elder brother, and insisted on Esau's accepting a present from his hand, in token of submission. (Gen. xxxiii. 3-15.) Esau also appears to have possessed himself of his father's property during Jacob's long exile."*

We meet with nothing of a remarkable character in the latter part of Isaac's life. Jacob journeyed into Mesopotamia, married, and returned with his family and property; Esau had settled in Mount Seir; when the aged patriarch died, sixteen years after the return of Jacob, and when five years older than his father Abraham was at the time of his decease, and, like him, was buried by the joint devotedness of his two sons.

HALES'S "Chronology," vol. ii. p. 133.

CHAPTER IX.

THE RELIGION OF THE POSTDILUVIAN

PATRIARCHS.

on the ReliREVELATIONS made to Noah-Influence of the Dispersion nce-Omnigion of Men-The Book of Job-Divine Omnipote science and Omnipresence-Goodness Scheme of Redemption— Jehovah Resurrection of the Dead-Faith of Abraham-The visible Soul, of the Old Testament the Son of God-Immortality of the he and future Judgment-Existence and Ministry of AngelsSatan of the Book of Job.

IN discussing the religion of this age, our means of information are so limited, that we shall endeavour to collect the best evidence on the subject from the religious authorities of this time; although at the hazard of repeating in part what has been previously said of the religion of the antediluvian period.

This course will enable us to furnish the most ample account of an important period of religious history, which has hitherto been very imperfectly investigated.

There can exist no reasonable doubt that Noah's knowledge and practice of religion precisely accorded with the faith of Adam, Abel, and Enoch: his was, in fact, the religion of the antediluvian age; and with respect to his successors, what we shall have to advance, can only be expected to differ from the account which has been given of the religion of the preceding period in two particulars: First, because we have more details and particulars supplied in the postdiluvian records, and consequently are enabled to give a picture instead of an outline; and, secondly, because special revelations were made to some individuals during this age, by which they apprehended the Divine purpose in the plan of redemption more clearly than had been previously done.

We know that special revelations were made by God to Noah, although it is not so clear that these announced any

They are given, Genesis feature in these passages "And Noah builded an

new religious doctrine, or enjoined any duty or practice not previously required. It will, however, be necessary to consider these Divine communications. viii. 20-22; ix. 1-17. The first relates to the efficacy of sacrifice. altar unto the Lord; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt-offerings on the altar. And the Lord smelled a sweet savour; and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake." (Gen. viii. 20, 21.) These words clearly imply that God was well pleased with the presentation of this sacrifice; and therefore, that it was offered in accordance with Divine appointment, and through faith in the promised Saviour. Singular as the language, "a sweet-smelling savour," appears, it affords a curious illustration of this point. Precisely similar language is used by St. Paul in reference to the offering of the Redeemer : "Christ hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour." (Eph. v. 2.) It is remarkable that the words used by the apostle in the original of this passage, are precisely those found in the Septuagint rendering of the text now under consideration.

The following words of this communication assured Noah and his family, that, to the end of time, this terrible visitation should not be repeated, but that the earth should continue in its course, and seed-time and harvest return, in regular succession, until the end.

"And God blessed Noah and his sons," and established his covenant with them in terms very nearly the same as those addressed to Adam, with the addition of those assurances which were necessary to guard against any apprehension of another flood.

There is one part of this charter of privileges worthy of special consideration: it gave man liberty to eat animal food, a privilege not included in the communication to Adam. We do not remark on this, considered as a mere temporal licence; but because there are reasons for believing that it was intended to possess a spiritual import and application.

We have already shown that, in our earliest information respecting animal sacrifice, the blood was to be sacredly devoted to God: this was now also generally required: "But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat." (Gen. ix. 4.) We have also given our reasons for believing that, from the beginning, a part of the animal slain in sacrifice was eaten by the person presenting the oblation; which, as we have endeavoured to show, was done in order to attest, by the nourishment of the body with this food, the efficacy resulting to the soul from the offering of that great Antitype of all sacrifices, the promised Saviour. It does not therefore appear unreasonable to conclude, that this enlarged provision for the sustenance of the body was intended throughout all time to illustrate the great truth, that man is to obtain immortal life through the death of the promised Redeemer.

We have no further light cast on the religious condition of the post diluvian world for many ages. A new population gradually arose up around the arkite patriarchs; they in succession passed away from the earth; their descendants, preferring another locality, journeyed to Shinar; and there the circumstances which have been detailed respecting the tower and the Dispersion, took place. There can be no doubt that these events, involving, as they did, a great sin against God, must have had a powerful influence on the religion of the period. It therefore becomes important to ascertain the character of religion as experienced by those who continued to worship God in the following ages; and also to investigate the origin and progress of idolatry in the postdiluvian world. We have already shown that, respecting the former interesting inquiry, we may expect to find valuable information in the Book of Job, which, we have no doubt, was intended to supply us with a living picture of religious life as it was seen from the Dispersion to the time of Abraham.

From this source, assisted by other occasional aids, we shall endeavour to supply a correct view of the religion of that age. In doing this we shall not confine ourselves to

the mere letter of doctrines and precepts, but consider them as operating to enlighten the mind and form the character of mankind.

The first element in religion is the knowledge of God. It will therefore greatly aid us in forming a correct judgment on this subject, if we first collect and exhibit what was known in that age concerning the Divine perfections.

It appears that the almighty power of God, and its manifestation on the earth, were fully known and believed.

Which

On this point we have the following sublime passages : "He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered? Which removeth the mountains, and they know not: which overturneth them in his anger. Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble. Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars. Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea. Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south. doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number." (Job ix. 4-10.) "Unto God would I commit my cause which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number." (Chap. v. 8, 9.) "Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any he is mighty in strength and wisdom. Behold, God exalteth by his power who teacheth like him? Behold, God is great, and we know him not. With God is terrible majesty." (Chap. xxxvi. 5, 22, 26; xxxvii. 22.) But no proof on this subject is so decisive as the frequent application of the term Shad-dah'y, "Almighty," to the Divine Being in this book.* This word occurs forty-eight times in the Hebrew Bible. Of these, thirty-one are in the Book of Job, one in the Divine address to Abraham, and one in the blessing of Isaac

*We are aware that an objection may be made to this argument, on the ground that this term, strictly taken, means "all-bountiful," or "all-sufficient." It is, however, uniformly rendered "Almighty" in the authorized versions; and, we think, with good reason; for nothing but almighty power could make Him all-sufficient and therefore all the translators to whom we have access have rendered the term "Almighty." (See PATRICK, on Gen. xvii. 1.)