pheth moved with filial regard protected their father from their brother's mockery.

57. Noah's prophecy.-When Noah awoke to consciousness, in punishment of Ham he pronounced the doom of slavery upon Canaan and his posterity; but his two other sons he blessed.

Of Canaan he said, 'Cursed be Canaan, a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren. Gen. ix. 25.

Of Shem, 'Blessed be the Lord God of Shem; and Canaan 'shall be his servant.'-26.

Of Japheth, 'God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall 'dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his ser6 vant.'-27.

58. The fulfilment. Ham's posterity, the Egyptians, were afflicted with various plagues, and the land of Canaan eight hundred years afterwards was delivered by God into the hands of the Israelites under Joshua; and their present condition in Africa we know.

Japheth possessed all the isles, and countries westward; his descendants, the Greeks, and Romans, subdued Asia and Africa, which were originally the dwelling places of Shem, and of Canaan.

From Shem sprung the Messiah; and the worship of the true God was preserved among his posterity, the Jews.

59. Noah lived 350 years after the Deluge; and died at the age of 950, and nothing further of his history is recorded in Scripture. Noah's ARK is a type or figure of our salvation by Jesus Christ. Christ is our only Ark, the only means of our Salvation; and if we can but enter in, we shall be safe; like Noah also, Christ was a 'preacher of righteous

ness.'

60. Confusion of Tongues. NOAH left only three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, with

57. Quote the prophecy Noah uttered respecting the fortunes of his sons. What was the curse upon Canaan? 58. Shew the fulfilment; and say from which of Noah's sons came Christ? and the Jews? 59. How long did Noah live? Of what is Noah's Ark a type or figure? 60. Who

their wives; and they and their children were all of one speech.' They removed from Armenia to the land of Shinar, near the Euphrates, with the view of separating as God had designed; but instead of this, under the influence of Nimrod, the son of Cush, and grandson of Ham, they built the tower of Babel, whose top might reach to heaven,' so that they should not be scattered. It may have been also for purposes of idolatry, or that they might not be drowned again. Gen. xi.

61. But God confounded the language of those who were engaged in it: and 'scattered them abroad from 'thence upon the face of all the earth; therefore is the 'name of it called Babel. The word Babel means confusion; this 'Confusion of Tongues' happened 2234. B. C. Near Babel arose afterwards the city of Babylon.

62. Japheth, the eldest son of Noah, and his posterity, inhabited Europe, the north of Asia, Asia Minor, and America; Shem, central Asia; Ham, the youngest, Africa, and certain parts of Asia.

63. From Shem sprang Heber or Eber, whence came the name of Hebrews. From Heber came PELEG, and JOKTAN the father of Jobab, the JOB of Scripture.

64. Fifth in descent from Heber, and ninth from Shem, came Terah the father of Nahor, Haran, and Abram: they dwelt in Ur of Chaldæa the birthplace of Abram, who was born two years after the death of Noah, in 1996. B. C., HARAN died at Ur, and left one son Lot, and two daughters, Milcah, the wife of Nahor, and Sarai, the wife of Abram.

65. Call of Abram.-Ur of Chaldæa was the country whence Abram was called by God:- The

were the sons of Noah? why did they not separate ? 61. What happened at the building of the Tower of Babel ? 62. What countries were occupied by the sons of Noah? 63. Who were the descendants of Shem? 64. Who sprung from Heber? when and where was Abram born? Who were the descendants of Haran? 65. How was Abram called? when? What did God promise to Abram ?

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'Lord said unto Abram, get thee out of thy country, and 'from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land 'that I will show thee,......and in thee shall all the families 'of the earth be blessed.'-Gen. xii. 1-4. This departure happened 1291. B. C.

66. Abram, at the age of 75, departed by Divine direction into the land of Canaan, with Sarai his wife, Lot his nephew, and all their substance. From Ur they went first to Haran (Charran), where TERAH, Abram's father, died; thence towards Bethel, where God renewed His promises, adding; - unto 'thy seed will I give this land.' In his journeyings he maintained the public worship of the one true God: at length a famine compelled him to retire with his family into Egypt.

67. Abram, and Lot.-At the command of Pharaoh, the Egyptian king, they eventually returned again to Canaan, having acquired a considerable increase of their substance; but the servants of Abram, and Lot, quarrelling among themselves for the most eligible pasturage, the two patriarchs thought it best to separate. LOT journeyed to the east, and dwelt in Sodom; ABRAM remained in Canaan, and lived at Mamre near Hebron, B. C. 1920. ; when God renewed His promises.

68. Lot rescued. About 8 years after this separation, Lot and his family, with the inhabitants of Sodom, and the other cities in the plain, were carried away captive in an attack made by the confederate kings, headed by Chedorlaomer king of Elam. ABRAM, hearing of the disaster, immediately armed his servants, 318 in number, and went in pursuit; he rescued Lot, and the other captives; and regained possession of their plunder.

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66. Whither did Abram go? and by whom was he accompanied? What was Abram's relationship to Lot? 67. What happened to Abram, and Lot, on their return from Egypt? 68. What calamity befel Lot when at Sodom? and what did Abram on this occasion ?

69.

Melchizedek.-As Abram was returning, he was met by Melchizedek king of Salem (Jerusalem), the priest of the Most High God, who brought him bread and wine, and for his noble conduct pronounced a blessing upon him. ABRAM, being desirous of acknowledging Melchizedek as priest of the Lord, and paying him due honour, "gave him tithes of all," i. e. a tenth part of the spoils. Gen. xiv. 18-20.

70. Who this Melchizedek was is not known; all that Scripture tell us is, that he was king of Salem, and priest of the Most High God, and that he lived at the same time with Abram. Nothing is said of his father, or mother, or of his ancestors, or of his birth, or death.

71. Туре. St Paul declared Melchizedek to be a type or figure of Jesus Christ, our Saviour, who is a 'priest for ever according to the order of Melchizedek; and not according to the order of Aaron, whose origin, consecration, life, and death are known. Heb. v. 6; vi. 20; vii. 17-21.

72. The Affliction.-ABRAM being still childless, looked on his steward, Eliezer of Damascus, as his heir, yet God promised to Abram a numerous posterity; 'as the stars, so shall thy seed be.' Shortly after, when Abram was in a deep sleep, God, to try his faith, foretold the affliction of his posterity 400 years, and their subsequent possession of the Promised Land. Gen. xv. 5. 13, 14.

73. This affliction was partly in Canaan, and partly in Egypt, neighbouring countries, and both inhabited by the descendants of Ham. It began

69. Who met Abram on his return, and blessed him? What honour did Abram pay Melchizedek? Where is the first mention of tithes in Scripture? 70. What account

is given us of Melchizedek ? and with whom was he contemporary ? 71. How does St Paul consider him a figure of Jesus Christ? 72. What posterity was promised to Abram; and what affliction was foretold to his posterity? 73. Where was this affliction ?

with the birth of Isaac, and ended at the deliverance from Egyptian bondage. Exod. xii. 40. Gal. iii. 17.

74. Ishmael born.-Abram, still having no children, he took, according to a Chaldean custom, Hagar, the handmaid of Sarai, and had a son called Ishmael; Abram was then 86 years old, 1910. B. C. 2094. A. M. Gen. xvi.

75. Promises renewed.-A few years after, when Abram was 99 years of age, and Ishmael 13 years, God renewed His promises to Abram ; viz. : 1. That he should have a son by Sarai his wife.

2. That his offspring should be numerous as the stars, and possess the land of Canaan.

3. That in his seed should all the nations of the earth be blessed.-Gen. xvii.

76. These were fulfilled, (1) in the birth of Isaac. Gen. xxi. 2.-(2) in the possession of Canaan by the Israelites under Joshua, David, and Solomon; and in his having a numerous seed, literally, in the number of Israelites, Ishmaelites, and Edomites; but spiritually, in the believers of all nations, (Acts iii. 25. Rom. iv. 12—17).—(3) in the birth of the MESSIAH. Matt. i. 1.

77. Abram while believing in the child of promise, and that 'in him and in his seed all the families of the earth should be blessed,' looked also to the coming of the Messiah, (John viii. 56. Gal. iii. 8. 16.) ; and this faith was imputed to him for righteousness." (Rom. iv. 22.). Hence he was called the Father of the faithful,' (Gal. iii. 7.), and the 'Friend of God.'—James,

ii. 23.

78.

Circumcision.-God next instituted the rite of circumcision, as a sign of the covenant between Himself, and the seed of Abram. He commanded

74. Who was Abram's first son? of whom was he born? and how old was Abram at the birth of Ishmael? 75. What were the three principal promises which God made to Abram? and when were they renewed? 76. How was each fulfilled? 77. Did Abraham believe in Jesus Christ? What peculiar appellations did Abraham receive? 78. What sign of a covenant did God institute between Himself and Abram?