haviour could not but effect any human heart with love and admiration. Condescension and kindness, in persons of distinction, will always have this effect upon persons of lower stations; and, if those who move in the more elevated circles would but consider how endearing they make themselves by gentle manners, it would be their chief ambition to win a praise so easily obtained. Eliezer is acknowledged as the steward of Abraham, and Rebekah attends him willingly. Let us now turn our eye towards the tents of the patriarch Isaac in Canaan. Isaac went out to meditate at even tide.' The stillness of the scene calms every perturbed idea, and reduces into subjection the wildness of fancy. All nature shews sobriety and tends to elevate the mind to the universal parent, whose 'tender mercy is over all his works.' Thanksgiving for blessings produces contrition for offences, and this brings the contemplative man to pray for grace and forgiveness. While the patriarch was exercised in religious contemplation, and probably the thoughts of the new situation he was about to enter into had some share, he lifted his eyes and beheld the camels from Mesopotamia. Rebekah, on seeing the stranger, veiled herself: no grace is so beautiful as female delicacy and reserve. She descended from the camel in a spirit of humility: and Isaac brought her into his mother's tent; and he loved her, and was comforted for his mother's death.

155 The grand-child with twelve sons increas'd departs From Canaan,

Isaac's two sons were Esau and Jacob; and

filled him with the spirit of God, to devise curious works. Exod. xxxv. 30, 31.

622 Shall yield up all their virtue, all their fame

Ignobly,

And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was evil continually. Gen. vi. 5.

642 Giants of mighty bone, and bold emprise ;

There were giants in the earth in those days; And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created, from the face of the earth; both man and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. Gen. vi. 4.7.

665 Of middle age one rising, eminent

In wise deport,

Gen. v. 22.

And Enoch walked with God. Enoch in consideration of his eminent virtues, was admitted to a near intercourse with the Almighty. St. Jude calls him a prophet, and he appears to have been the first who obtained that honourable character. In his time the world was become sadly corrupted and idolatrous; so soon did sin and infidelity spread among the sons of men. In the departure of Enoch from this world of sin and sorrow, the Almighty altered the ordinary course of things, and gave him a dismissal as honourable to himself as it was instructive to mankind. To convince them that holiness only was acceptable with him, and that he had prepared for those who love him a mansion of glory, he

caused Enoch to be taken from the earth without passing through death.

719 At length a reverend sire among them came, And of their doings great dislike declar'd,

At the birth of Noah, in the year of the world one thousand and fifty-seven, the earth was full of inhabitants, and iniquity had increased in an equal proportion with population. For a considerable time, it should seem, the children of Cain, and those of the other branches of Adam's family, kept at a distance from each other. The former were ingenious, and made discoveries of mechanical and elegant manner. But the men of this race were idolators, and devoted their skill to the corruption of morals and the dishonour of God. The goodness was soon swallowed up tbrough the prevalence of iniquity. The blandishments of vice prevailed. Gay amusements paved the way to immorality, and the neglect of devotion led to infidelity and idolatry. The patriarch had faith in God; and he knew that it was his duty to labour with zeal in the province to which he was called, leaving the event to him from whom he had received his communion. The advice of wisdom should ever be on the minds of youth. "My Son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not."

728 Then from the mountain hewing timber tall, Began to build a vessel of huge bulk;

Having declared his intention of destroying the whole race of sinners, except the family of Noah, the Almighty commanded the patriarch to build 66 an ark for the saving of his house; at the same

filled him with the spirit of God, to devise curious works. Exod. xxxv. 30, 31.

622 Shall yield up all their virtue, all their fame Ignobly,

And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was evil continually. Gen. vi. 5.

642 Giants of mighty bone, and bold emprise;

There were giants in the earth in those days; And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created, from the face of the earth; both man and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. Gen. vi. 4.7.

665 Of middle age one rising, eminent

In wise deport,

Gen. v. 22.

And Enoch walked with God. Enoch in consideration of his eminent virtues, was admitted to a near intercourse with the Almighty. St. Jude calls him a prophet, and he appears to have been the first who obtained that honourable character. In his time the world was become sadly corrupted and idolatrous; so soon did sin and infidelity spread among the sons of men. In the departure of Enoch from this world of sin and sorrow, the Almighty altered the ordinary course of things, and gave him a dismissal as honourable to himself as it was instructive to mankind. To convince them that holiness only was acceptable with him, and that he had prepared for those who love him a mansion of glory, he

caused Enoch to be taken from the earth without passing through death.

719 At length a reverend sire among them came, And of their doings great dislike declar'd,

At the birth of Noah, in the year of the world one thousand and fifty-seven, the earth was full of inhabitants, and iniquity had increased in an equal proportion with population. For a considerable time, it should seem, the children of Cain, and those of the other branches of Adam's family, kept at a distance from each other. The former were ingenious, and made discoveries of mechanical and elegant manner. But the men of this race were idolators, and devoted their skill to the corruption of morals and the dishonour of God. The goodness was soon swallowed up through the prevalence of iniquity. The blandishments of vice prevailed. Gay amusements paved the way to immorality, and the neglect of devotion led to infidelity and idolatry. The patriarch had faith in God; and he knew that it was his duty to labour with zeal in the province to which he was called, leaving the event to him from whom he had received his communion. The advice of wisdom should ever be on the minds of youth. "My Son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not."

728 Then from the mountain hewing timber tall, Began to build a vessel of huge bulk;

Having declared his intention of destroying the whole race of sinners, except the family of Noah, the Almighty commanded the patriarch to build "an ark for the saving of his house; at the same