HOMILIES BY VAIUOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 1-8.-The wod.: of sin, The moral chaos out of which the new order is about to be evolved. ·we find these features in the corrupt state depicted. I. ILL-ASSORTED MARRIAGES. The sons of God--i. e. the seed of the righteous such men as the patriarchs described in eh. v., men who walked with God, and wer; his prophets-foll away from their allegiance to the Divine order, and went after the daughters of the Cainites. The self-will and mere carnal affections are denoted by the expression ".ill whom they chose." . II. VIOLENCE ANJl MILITARY AMllITION. The giants were the "nephiliip," those who assaulted and fell upon their neighbours. The increase of such men is. dis- tinctly traced to the corrupt alliances. III. TEE WITHDRAWAL by judgment of THE DIVINF. SPIRIT from man, by which ma~- be meant not only the individual degeneracy which we see exemplified.in such a case as Cain, driven out from the presence of the Lord, given up to. a reprobate mmd, and afterwards in Pharaoh; but the withdrawal of prophecy and such special spiritual communications as had been given by such men as Enoch. IV. TnE SHORTENING OF HUM.AN LIFE. Since the higher moral influence of Christianity has been felt in society during the last three centuries, it is calculated that the average length of human life has been increased twofold. The anthro- pomorphism of these verses is in peifect accordance with the tone of the whole Book of GenesiJl, and IB not in the least a perversion of truth. It is rather a reve- lation of truth, as anticipating the great central fact of revelation, God manifest in tl,e flesh. But why is God said to have determined to destroy the face of the earth, tl,e animal creation with the sinful man? Because the life of man involved that of the creatures round him. "The earth is filled with violence." ' To a large extent the beasts, creeping things, and fowls of the air participate in the disorder of the human race, being rendered unnaturally savage and degenerate in their condition by man's disorderly ways. Moreover, any destruction which should sweep away a whole race of men must involve the lower creation. The defeat of a king is the defeat of his subjects. In all this corruption and misery there is yet, by the grace of God, one oasis of spiritual life, the family of Noah. _He £o~nd grace not becau~e l,e earned it, but because he kept what had been given him, both through his ancestors and by the work of the Spirit in his own heart.-R. Yere. 1-5.-T/ie demoralisatwn of tile race. This was due to- I. TEE LONG LIVES OF THE ANTEDILUVIANS. Long life, if helpful to the good, is nrnch more injurious to the wicked. Giants in health and life are often giants in wiekedneBs. II. THE UNHOLY AJ,LIANCES OF THE SETHITES AND CAINITES. Nothing BO demoral- ising a.s marriage with .an evil woman. Its bad effects are commonly transmitted to, and intensified in, posterity. III. THE DEP.RAVITY INDUCED DY TllF. FALL, which was universal in its extent, and gradually deepening in its intensity. Lessons :-1. The inherent evil of our natures: 2. The curse clinging to un- godliness. 3. The true function of worldly sorrows and of frequent and early deutL.-W. It. OR. Vl. 1-8.] TlIE BOOK OF GENESIS. 107
Ver. 3.-Probation, appobation, and reprobati011,. "And the Lord said, My spirit shall not nlways etrivo with man," &c. The life of man, whether longer or shorter, is a time during which the Spirit of God strives with him. It is at once in judgment and in mercy that the strife 1s not prolonged; for where there is continued opposition to the will of God there is continual laying up of judgrnent against the day of wrath. The nllottcd time of man upon the earth IS sufficient for the required probation, clearly manifesting the direction of the will, the decided choice of the heart. Here ie- I. THE GREAT MORAL FACT OF MAN'S CONDITION IN HIS FLESHLY STATE. The striving of God's Spirit with him. 1. In the order of the worl<l and of human life. 2. In the revelation of truth and positive appeals of the Divine word. 3. In the constant nearness and influence of spiritual society. 4. In the working of conscience and the moral instincts generally. II. THE DIVINE APPOINTMENT OF SPIRITUAL PRIVILEGE at once a righteous limitation and a gracious concentration. That which is unlimited is apt to be undervalued. Not always shall the Spirit strive. 1. Individually this is testified. A heart which knows not the day of its visitation becomes hardened. 2. In the history of spiritual work in comm1tnities. Times of refreshing generally followed by withdrawments of power. The limit of life itself is before us all. Not always can we hear the voice and see the open door. Ill. THE NATURAL AND THE SPIRITUAL ARE INTIMATELY RELATED TO ONE ANOTHER I~ THE LIFE OF MAN. He who decreed the length of days to his creature did also strive with the evil of hie fallen nature that he might cnst it out. The hundred nn<I twenty years are seldom reached; but is it not because the evil is so obstinately retained ? Those whose spirit is most in fellowship with the Spirit of God are least weighed down with the burden of the flesh, are strongest to resist the wearing, wast- ing influence of the world. IV. THE STRIVIN0 OF Goo's SPIRIT WITH us MAY CEASE. What follows? To fall on the stone is to be broken, to be under it is to be crushed. The alternative i~ before every human life--to be dealt with as with God or against him. "Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker I" The progressive revelations of the Bible point to the winding up of all earthly history. Not always strife. Be ye reconciled to God.-R.
Ver. 3.-The striving of tlie Spirit implies- I. THE DOCTRINE OF HUMAN DEPRAVITY. II. THE anANTING OF Goo's SPIRIT TO OUR FALLEN WORLD. HI.· That God's Spirit is OPPOSED BY MAN. IV. That the effort of God's Spirit for man's salv..tion, even though not successful, COMES TO AN END. V. That the striving of God's Spirit comes to an end not because God's willingness to nelp comei to an end, but because HUMAN NATURE SINKS BEYOND 'l'IIE POSSIBILITY OF IIELP. VI. That it bf!ongs to God as Sovereign to FIX THE DAY OF aRACE. Learn-I. The richness of Divine mercy. 2. The possibility of falling away beyond the hope of repentance. 3. The £net that our day of grnce is limited. 4. The ce_rtaintr that, however short, the day of grace which we enjoy is available :for salvahon.-W. R.
§ 4. THE GRNERATIONS OF No.rn (en. Vl. 9-I:<C. 29).