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REFLECTIONS ON THE DELUGE.

WHAT a different book is the Bible, or any portion of it, when we read it in a cursory manner, and when we make it the subject of close thought and serious meditation! The peasant is as familiar with the scenery of nature as is the philosopher; but how different are their apprehensions of all around them! The former does not examine objects does not reflect and therefore his thoughts are few and superficial, and his feelings dull and dormant. But the latter explores objects-ponders them—and forms just notions, and feels admiration and delight. And we apply this to the study of Scripture.

The first eight chapters of the Bible contain the only record which we have of this world's history during more than sixteen hundred years from the creation. This simple fact, one might suppose, would induce every Christian to meditate closely and seriously on every character-every occurrence-every event. But is it not true, that most of

us are satisfied with the few ideas which we gather from the mere letter of the sacred narrative? We seem to forget, that pearls are to be found only by diving.

Two miracles are recorded during this eventful period : beyond the middle of it, the Translation of Enoch; at the close of it, the Deluge. And what is a miracle? We advance here no definition of it; let it suffice to say, that it is some occurrence, some event, in which we see the finger of God-His immediate interposition-put forth in an extraordinary manner. He who established the order of things-and who guides the vast machinery around us by fixed laws, such as no human power can change or control-comes forward, when he sees proper, and proves Himself to be the Lord of all things, by suspending laws, and by exerting a peculiar agency. Where there is a miracle, there is the power of God visibly displayed before us; and surely a miracle deserves our best consideration.

Only glance at the Translation of Enoch. It was a miracle of mercy and love. How was the piety of a faithful servant honoured and rewarded! How were the pious animated and encouraged by this striking event! How, for a season at least, were the ungodly compelled to pause in their vain and evil course! But who can describe the miracle itself! As in a moment, perhaps, an inhabitant

of earth-a creature encompassed with dust and ashes-is made meet to be an inhabitant of heaven, and to associate with glorified spirits! What a transformation, from mortal to immortal! What a translation, from a world of sin and woe, to the region of holiness and bliss! Oh, shall we not meditate often here, with unspeakable delight, and with the largest benefit, on the goodness and power of Jehovah! But we pass on to the second miracle-the Deluge. This was a miracle of a mingled character-full of judgment, and yet full of mercy. We admire the simple majesty, the unaffected sublimity, of the inspired historian in recording this stupendous event. But the event itself may be viewed in various ways. There is, we conceive, a legitimate province for our imagination. We may ask, What was the condition of the ancient world-its structure, and its external features? What, as to irrational creatures, were its inhabitants? We might, indeed, proceed in this way, and ask ourselves a thousand questions; but all of them would only serve to teach us our ignorance. To indulge our fancy is idle work; to construct theories is vain and presumptuous; we must turn to the sacred page, and be content with its information.

During sixteen centuries the original order of creation had been maintained without any interruption; and an unbelieving multitude would very naturally conceive, that

such a catastrophe as a universal Deluge was of all things a most unlikely one; they might think, disregarding God's omnipotence, that it was impossible; and knowing, as we do, the depravity which then prevailed, we are not surprised at their not attending to the warning given them by Noah.

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We can readily form an idea of the inhabitants of the ancient world. They were secular and self-indulgent; eating and drinking, buying and selling, marrying and giving in marriage. They were cruel, tyrannical, and unjust; for "the earth was filled with violence;" it was corrupt before God,"-most openly and flagrantly corrupt. What now was become of religion; and where was the Church to be found? The commendation of Noah was, that he was a “just man, and perfect in his generations;" but the melancholy fact is, that we read of no righteous person except himself. This is sufficient to show us the awful state of the world at that time in a religious and moral view.

And now we see God coming forth in a way of judgment, "bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly." We do not ask you to give us an exact physical explanation of the expressions-" All the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened." Then, we may suppose, was

the sun concealed from view by dense clouds-then did rain descend from on high in torrents-then was there some terrible convulsion in the earth beneath, by which the ocean overflowed the land-then, during forty days and forty nights, was nothing going on but the increase of the inundating waters. We may image to ourselves the awful and universal desolation, of which the whole earth, as the masters of science admit, affords incontestable proofs. We can imagine the whole globe covered with water, so deep as to be above the highest hills.

And what do we see in this but a miracle, characterized by power, by judgment, and by mercy? We certainly see here a most signal instance of Almighty power. It was not, to speak so, any calamity that befell the machinery of nature, for it was previously announced; and when it had accomplished its object, by another display of omnipotence, by another miracle, the destroying element was deposited in its proper receptacle, and the ancient order restored. In the whole matter we see the immediate hand of God; for who but He, in the compass of a year, could overwhelm the whole world with a flood, and then bid the dry land appear, and bind the ocean to its place by a perpetual decree?

And in this awful display of power we have a visible expression of God's abhorrence of impiety and sin, and of