physical capabilities, national peculie.ritiee, according to the doctrine of thie genell• logical table they nil trace their origin to Noe.h and his sons. 2. It condemns nil those theories which derive man from eever11l pairs. Equally the heathen super- stition which assigned to each particular region its own .Autocltthones and the modern scientific dogma of vnrieties of species and distinct centres of prdpngation is here condemned. ~ven no:w ethnolog1st~, archre~logiste, nnd philologists of the highest repute lend then sanction to the sublime sentiment of the grent Mars' hill prencher that "God h1~th made of ol?-e blood all nations of men for to dwell upon all the foe~ of the earth. The anatomical strncture of the human frame, especially of the brnin and skull,_ the physiological properties and funct~ons P?Bsessed by the body, tho psycholog:ical natu_re of i:nan, and the power of mdefimte propng·ation, which are the same m all nations, with the ascertamed results of comparative grammar which ha,e alre.ady traced back all existing languages to three primitive branches tend in a po':erful degree to confi1;11 the ~octrine ~hich this table t~ac_hes. ~- It implies certam other truths on which Scnpture with equal emphasis msists such as the brotherhood of man, the universnl corruption of the race, and tho ~ecessity and unfrersa.lity of Christ's redemption. II. ATTESTS THE mnsroN of the RACE. 1. It asserts the/act of the division. It i;tates ihat in the days of Peleg the earth's population was divided. The means employed are described in the succeeding chapter. 2. It confirms the truth of this division. Had the confusion at Babel not occurred, and the subsequent dispersion not followed, this t.able could not have been written. Its existence as a literary document in the time of Moses authenticates the fact which it reports. 3, It defines the e:tieni of this division. It shows that the scattered race were to be split up into nations, families, tongues. • III. ILLUSTRATES THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE RACE. The geogrnphical distribution of the earth's population wai:-1. .Effected in an orderly manner. They were neither scattered promiscuously nor suffered to wander and settle at hazard. Divided into tribes and nations according to their tongues and dialects of speech, they were allo- cated to distinct portions of the earth's surface. 2. Specially adapted to the cltaracters and destinies of the several natwns. The operation of purely natural principles makes it impossible that tribes can permanently settle in countries that are either incapable of yidding to them a maintenance or affording an outlet to their powers. More extensive infonnation would doubtless enable the suitability of each locality in tbie t.able to the occupying people to be exhibited ; but in broad outline it is perceptible even here-Japheth, whose destiny it was to spread abroad, being established on the coasts of the Euxine, the Caspian, and the Mediterranean; Ham finding rest in the warmer climates, whose enervating influences tended largely to de-elop hie peculiar character, and ultimately to lay him open to subjection by the more vigorous rnces of the North; and Shem, whose function in the Divine economy it was to conserve religion and religious ~t~, being ~oncentrated mainly in the Tigris and Euphrates valley. 3. The result of Ihmne appointment. Moses (Deut. mii, 8) and Paul (.Acts xvii. ~6) conspire to. r~present the allocation of. territory to the different races of mankind as the handiwork of God (the special .means employed for the breaking up of th~ originally ~ite~ family o~ Noah's sons is detailed in the ensuing chapter); the import of which IB, that nations he.ve a God- assigned title to the count:i,es _which they occ~py. f· The Divinely:order~d distribu- tion of the earth's population lB capable of being disturbed by the sinful interference of man. Instances of this e.ppear in the present table, e. g. the intrusion of the Cushite into Shinar, and of the Canaanite into what originally belonged to Shern. IV. PREDICTS THE FUTURE OF THE RACE, As it were, the separntion of tl1c earth's population into races and the mo:ing of them ?ut~ard to tl~eir respective habitations was the starting of them on the Imes along whwh 1t was designed they should accom- plish their respective destinies and common work. They were meant to overspread the globe; and this was the in~tiation o~ a grea~ movcf!lent which would only terminate in the complete occupation of their God-given heritage. Lcsscm.B :-1. 'fhe equal rights of men. 2. The sinfulness of wars of aggression. 8, The hopefulness of emigration err, n 1-V.] 'fHE BOOK OF GENESIS. 163
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Ver. 8.-Nimrod. 1. His ancestral pedigree-a Cushite. 2. His e:nly occupat.ion -11 hunter of wild beasts, a pioneer of civilisation. 3. His rising ambition-he began to be n "Gibbor," or mighty one. 4. His regal authority-the beginning of his kingdom was Babel. 5. His extending empire-out of that land went he forth into Asshur. 6. His posthumous renown: "Wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod."-W. Vera. 15-19.--The Canaanites. I. DESCENDANTS OF A WICKED FATHER. II. b- IIERITons OF AN AWFUL CURSE. III. POSSESSORS OF A FAIR DO)!AJN. IV. Ui:!URPEI\B OF ANOTHER'S LAND. Lessons :-1. Wicked men and nations may greatly prosper. 2. Prosperity some- times leads to greater wickedness. 3. The greatest prosperity cannot turn aside the punishment of sin.-W. Ver. 25.-Peleg, or the division of the people. I. WHE!l IT TOOK PLACE. In the fourth generation after the Flood. II. How IT WAS EFFECTED. 1. By the Divine interposition. 2. By the confur;ion of tongues. III. FoR WHAT IT WAS DESIGNED. 1. To punish sin. 2. To separate the Church. 3. To occupy the earth. IV. BY WHAT IT WAS REMEMBERED. The naming of Eber•s son. Learn-1. To read well the signs of the times. 2. To understand well the cause of God's judgments. 3. To remember well the gift of God's mercies.-W.
Ver. 32.-Nations. I. THEIR ROOTS. Individuals. II. THEIR RISE. 1. As to time, after the Flood. 2. As to ca11Se, Divine impulse. 3. As to instrumentality, variation of speech. III. T1rnrn CHARACTERISTICS. 1. A common head. 2. A common tongue. 3. ..1 common land. IV. THEIR DESTINIES. .To overspread the earth.-W.