and Peleg, included all the posterity o Abraham. In this line the Church was preserved. From the other branches of the family of Shem, are supposed to have descended the Persians, Assyrians and Chaldeans-the Syrians, Armenians, and the immensely numerous inhabitants of the East Indies, China and Japan.

Q. What design had Providence in this division.

A. A two-fold design-the replenishing of the earth with inhabitants, and the security of his church from the general corruption, which, since the flood, had greatly increased; and from idolatry in particular, which was beginning to infect even the people of God.

Q. What two great empires were founded about this time? A. The Babylonish empire, founded by Nimrod, and the Assyrian empire, founded by Ashur. Gen. x. 8, 9, 10, 11.

Obs.-Babylon, the capital of the Babylonish empire, was built by Nimrod. It became in after times the most celebrated city in the world.

Ninevah, the capital of the Assyrian empire, was built by Ashur, and exceeded all the early cities of Asia, except Babylon.

Q. Did the descendants of Noah preserve the worship of God pure, down to the days of Abraham?

A. No: they fell into the grossest idolatry, as already intimated, and even the descendants of Shem, who were professors of religion, became exceedingly corrupt.

CHAPTER IV.

Call of Abraham-Travels of Abraham and Lot -Destruction of Sodom-Sacrifice of Isaac.

Q. Upon the increase of idolatry, what method did God take to preserve his church in the world.

A. He directed Abraham, whose father was Terah, the eighth in lineal descent from Shem, to leave his country and kindred, and to go into the land of Canaan, where his posterity might remain a religious people, separate from the rest of the world.-Gen. xi. 31. xii. 1, 3.

Obs. By this calling of Abraham, a foundation was laid for upholding the church till Christ should come. A family was thus separated from the idolatrous world, destined to become a distinguished nation, which should receive the types and prophecies respecting Christ preparatory to his coming; and that by them the history of the great works of creation and providence might be preserved. To them was to be committed the scriptures; from them Christ was to be born; and by means of them the gospel was to be preached to mankind. All these objects were to be accomplished by the calling of Abraham.

Q. At what time was this call to Abrahem made?

A. In the 2183d year of the world, or 1921 years B. C.

Q. Did Abraham obey this call?

A. Yes: He removed from Ur, a city of

Chaldea, in Mesopotamia, and after stopping sometime at Haran, a city in the same country, where his father died, he came into Canaan Gen, xii. 5.

Obs.-Canaan was so called from a son of Ham, of the same name, and is enclosed by the river Jordon, the Dead Sea, Arabia Petrea, the Mediterranean, and Syria.

It was afterwards called Palestine, from the descendants of Ham, whom the Hebrews called Philistines-also the Land of Promise, from the promise of it to Abraham; sometimes the Land of Israel, because the Israelites conquered it; and sometimes the Land of Judea, from the tribe of Judah, the most considerable of the twelve. It is about 200 miles long and 80 miles in breadth.

Q. Why should God send Abraham into Cannan, when it belonged to other nations.

A. It is supposed, with much reason, that the territory belonged to Shem, and his descendants; but had been usurped by the children of Canaan. It therefore belonged to Abraham and his posterity by original title.

Q. Did Abraham continue in Canaan ?

A. Not long. A famine prevailing, he went into Egypt, where the king would have taken Sarai, Abraham's wife, as a royal concubine, had not God providentially prevented.-Gen. xii11, 20.

Q. Why was the king of Egypt called Pharaoh?

A. Pharaoh signifies one that is free from, or above the laws, and hence was a proper name for a king. It was a title of the Egyptian kings for many generations-Josephus says for 3300 y ears. LESSON. VII.

Q. Whither did Abraham go from Egypt.

A. He returned with Lot, his nephew, to

Canaan, and sometime after separated from him, Lotsettling at Sodom, and Abraham at Hebron, 20 miles south of Jerusalem.-Gen. xiii. 10, 18. Q. Did Lot live in peace in Sodom?

A. No. He was soon after taken captive by Chedorlaomer, King of Persia.-Gen. xiv. 12. Q. What did Abrahem do to save Lot?

A. With forces chiefly raised from his own family he went forth and rescued him, routing the enemy entirely.-Gen. xiv. 16.

Q. What followed this event?

A. God appeared in a remarkable vision to Abraham, renewed his covenant with him, and promised to him a son, who should inherit the blessings he enjoyed.-Gen. xv. 1, 5.

Q. Heu long was the faith of Abraham tried in respect to a son?

A. Twenty five years.-Gen. xii. 4; xxi. 5. Q. But did not Abraham have a son before the expiration of this period?

A. Yes. Ishmael was born to him by Hagar, a concubine.-Gen. xvi. 15, 16.

Obs. It was said of Ishmael, before he was born, that he would be a wild man, (Gen. xvi. 12.) and that his hand would be against every man, and that every man's hand would be against him.

This was doubtless his character; but was certainly descriptive of his posterity. The Arabs, who inhabit Arabia, and other places, are in a great mesure descended from him. They have always been, and are to this day, a race of robbers. They have chiefly lived by plundering their neighbours and travellers. They seem to be at camity with every body, and every body at enmity with them.

Nearly four thousand years have elapsed, since the above prophecy was made concerning them. Must not that be the word of God which tells us what will certainly take place thousands of years to come.

Q. What do you understand by a concubine?

A. Concubines were accounted lawful and true wives, and their offspring reputed legitimate; yet they were considered inferior to the first wife, and were subject to her.

Q. What is the meaning of the name Abram, and why was it changed to Abraham?

A. Abram denotes a high father; but Abraham the father of a great multitude, which God promised that he should become.-Gen. xvii. 5. Q. What became of Lot after his deliverance from the hands of Chedoriaomer?

A. He returned to Sodom.

LESSON VIII.

Q. What was the character of the people of Sodom and of the neighbouring cities?

A. They were devoted to wickedness and vice; on which account, God signally overthrew them.-Gen. xviii. 20, 21. xix. 25. Q. How many went out of Sodom with Lot?

A. Only his wife and two daughters-all the other inhabitants being reserved for destruction. Q. Where did Lot and his family flee to?

A. To a small city called Bela, but afterwards called Zoar, which in Hebrew signifies small.Gen. xix. 20, 23.

Q. What befel his wife?

A. Either out of a curiosity, which proceeded from unbelief, or from a wicked love to the place of her habitation, she was changed into a metallic pillar of salt-a lasting monument of God's vengeance on obstinate and unbelieving offenders.- -Gen. xix. 26.

Obs.—The tract of country occupied by the cities of the plain, is now a lake 67 miles from N. to S. and 17 in its greatest breadth.