of the one true God was in a manner extinguished, and the world was generally lapsed into polytheism and idolatry."

The calculation is interesting as tending to account for those traces of the truth which, faint, and shadowy, and hideously distorted as they are, may sometimes be found amidst the darkness of heathen tradition: and it is valuable when viewed in the light in which Bishop Newton viewed it, as tending to prove how utterly unsafe a guide is oral tradition, under any circumstances. Blessed be God that He has given us his written word to be a "lamp unto our feet, and a light unto our path," (Ps. cxix. 105) and that He has made us members of a scriptural Church, which has "renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth, commending herself to every man's conscience in the sight of God.” (2 Cor. iv. 2.)

CHAPTER VI.

Q. Verse 6.-Explain what is here meant by the expression, "It repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart?"

A. We are elsewhere told that "God is not a man that he should lie, nor the son of man that he should repent;" (Numb. xxiii. 19) and again, that with Him "is no variableness, neither shadow of turning;" (James i. 17) we are not therefore permitted to imagine that God ever repents, according to the common signification of the term. But He may, nevertheless, in strict accordance with his own perfection, grieve over the imperfection of that which He made, and at first saw to be "very good." We dare not enquire too closely into that which is assuredly beyond our comprehension; but since our heavenly Father condescends to

reveal Himself to us by such descriptive phrases as may best engage our understandings and our sympathies, we may perhaps be permitted to assimilate the feeling expressed in this verse, to that of a good and kind parent, who having rejoiced over the birth of a fair son, and having ever been studious to surround him with all that could contribute to and secure his happiness for time and for eternity, has yet the bitter disappointment to see that son spurn from him all the real blessings of obedience, and seek for enjoyment only in the forbidden, and therefore unsatisfying delights of this world: thus earning "death" as the wages of sin," instead of receiving "eternal life" as "the gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Rom. vi. 23.) Surely such a parent, while he could never repent that he had bestowed so much love and care upon his reprobate child, might well feel, in anguish of spirit, that it had been better for that child "if he had not been born." (Matt. xxvi. 24.)

Q. Verses 8, 9. What is said of Noah in other parts of Scripture?

A. Ezekiel speaks of him in conjunction with Daniel and Job, as having been pre-eminently righteous amidst a sinful generation.". (Ezek. xiv. 14-20.) St. Matthew and St. Luke record our Lord's warning allusion to the days of Noah, when prophesying of the end of the world. (Matt. xxiv. 37, 38. Luke xvii. 26, 27.) St. Paul tells us that, "By faith Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith." (Heb. xi. 7.) St. Peter strikingly alludes to the days of Noah, "when once the longsuffering of God, waited while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth now save us," &c. (1 Pet. iii. 20, 21); and again referring to the same subject,

he calls Noah "a preacher of righteousness." (2 Pet. ii. 5.)

Q. In what manner was Noah "a preacher of righteness?"

A. Although we find no precept of Noah upon record, we may well believe that by precept as well as by practice he was "a preacher of righteousness." It would be difficult to imagine that while "moved with fear he prepared an ark to the saving of his house," he uttered no word of warning or of exhortation to his deluded fellow-men. But, however this may have been, he was practically a preacher of the righteousness which is by faith, when by his practical obedience he openly made known his belief in the coming judgments of God, and his anxiety to escape them by the only way appointed for him. In proof of this, we need but refer again to the words of St. Paul already quoted. "By the which" (that is, by which practical preaching) "he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith." Q. What was the warning allusion of our Lord to the days of Noah, to which you have already referred?

A. "As it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they did drink, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that the flood came and destroyed them all." (Luke xvii. 26-29.) "Therefore be ye also ready; for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of man cometh." (Matt. xxiv. 44.)

CHAPTER VII.

Q. Which of the divine attributes are exhibited the most strikingly in the Mosaic history of the flood? A. Omniscience, holiness, justice, longsuffering or

forbearance, mercy, faithfulness or truth, and omnipotence. The omniscience of God is manifest in his looking upon "every thought of man's heart." His holiness in his abhorrence of the evil which He saw there. His justice in the judgments which He denounced against it. His long-suffering or forbearance, in giving the wicked time and opportunity for repentance "while the ark was a preparing." (For Noah was one hundred and twenty years in building it, and we have already seen that during the whole of that time, he was practically, if not orally, "a preacher of righteousness.") His mercy in thus showing them "a way to escape." His faithfulness or truth in delivering the only faithful servant whom He had upon earth, and in fulfilling together both his threatenings and his promises. And his omnipotence in destroying and again restoring the world which He had made.

Q. Enumerate those Christian graces which are exhibited most strikingly in the character of Noah.

A. Faith, obedience, "patient continuance in welldoing," and cheerful submission to the will of God. In a word, Noah seems to have realized in his own character that picture of the true servant of God, which St. Paul thus sets before us: "Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings: that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world." (Phil. ii. 12-15.)

CHAPTER VIII.

Q. Verses 10-12.-Is there any indirect evidence of the observation of a seventh day to be gathered from these verses?

A. There is certainly no direct evidence upon that point to be found in this record, and we may justly fear to rest upon any indirect evidence those truths which are based upon the certain warrant and express declarations of other parts of Scripture. We may, nevertheless, be permitted to trace a most beautiful association with our own Sabbath privileges in Noah thus seeking through the dove, on the seventh day, an intimation of God's returning favour towards the earth; thus much at least we know, that we specially invited to seek on the Sabbath the blessed teaching and guidance of that heavenly dove, who openly manifested to St. John the Baptist, the presence of the Savour. (See Matt. iii. 16, 17, and John i. 32, 33.)

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Q. In which of the offices of our Church is the ark of Noah referred to as an emblem of the Church of Christ?

A. In the office for the Sacrament of Baptism; and this is fully authorized by the words of St. Peter, as already quoted in reference to chapter 6.

Q. What practical lessons are to be gained from the concluding verses of this chapter?

A. Lessons of thankfulness and trust. The first may be deduced from Noah's thank-offering upon leaving the ark; and the second, from God's gracious acceptance of that offering, and from his promise never to "smite any more every living thing as he had done;" but to continue to us, until the end of time, a gracious succession of seasons, and of the fruits of the earth.Throughout all the past generations of man, this promise has been fulfilled, and this recollection should be