ronomy, which fignifies a fecond law, because it contains a repetition of certain laws, with divers motives and exhortations to obferve them. In the Epistle to the Reader, fome general remarks are faid to be prefixed to the feveral parts of the Bible, the better to prepare him for the underftanding of them. Thofe for the Pentateuch are as follow: First, As for what we read concerning the extraordinary age of men, and the ftature and fize of their bodies, Jofephus gives fome reafon a for the vaft difference between the term of man's life before the flood, which was lengthened out to fo many hundred years, and what it was afterwards, and what we find it now reduced to: as, First, "That it pleafed God to beftow the bleffings of fo long a life, becaufe men, in the infancy of the "world, lived more in obedience to their Maker, b or were dear to God. Secondly, That their "more proper food did very much conduce to "this end. And, lastly, That Providence found it "neceffary for the ftudy and advancement of vir"tue and religion, by fo many living and expe"rienced inftructors, and for the improvement of .. 66 с fciences, and the making and perfecting of ob"fervations." To which we may add, that the world might be the fooner peopled in the beginning thereof, and likewife after the flood: But when fome ages expired, and the world became. more full of people, the common age of man was leffened to feventy or eighty years; which is manifeftly an appointment of the fame Lord who ruleth the world; for by this means the peopled world Antiq. book i. chapter 4. (Gr. 3.) near the end. Theophileis ontes. Trophas'epi taedeisteras. world is kept at a convenient stay, neither too full nor too empty: For, if the generality of men were to live now to Abraham's age, of an hundred and feventy-five years, the world would be too much over-run, (whence would enfue famines, and deftructive wars ;) or if only to twenty or thirty years, then the decays of mankind would be too faft. It hath been further obferved, that fince Adam was to have continued alive if he had not finned, God gave him fuch a temperature of constitution of body, which, if rightly ordered by him, would have continued his life; but on his rebelling and indulging his bodily appetites, that temperature became fubject to decay. However, both himfelf, and others of that age lived long, because they being not so far distant in time, their conftitution was not fo much worn as thofe were, who in afterages lived fartheft off from the first establishment of the human conftitution ". e Further, as we read of a great difference in the age, fo we do of the ftature and fize of some men, before and after the flood: As There were giants in the earth in thofe days. And There we faw the giants, the fons of Anak, and we were in our own fight as grafhoppers. And The height of Goliath was fix cubits and a span, which hath been computed to be fomewhat above eleven foot English: But those giants are spoken of as rarities and wonders of the age, not of the common ftature; and fuch inftances we have had in all ages, as of Maximinus the emperor, who was nine foot high, as were others in the reign of Auguftus ". But for the ordinary fize of mankind, in all VOL. I. proba P d Pocock's Not. Mifcel. ad Maim. Porta Mofis, chap. vi. e Gen. vi. 4. f Numb. xiii. 33. 8 1 Sam. p. 200.. h Dr Hakewill's Apol. and Derham's PhyficoTheol. book v. chap. 4. xvii. 4. probability, it was always the fame; as may appear from the monuments, and mummies, and other ancient evidences to be feen at this day; and alfo from the cells or stone coffins in the Egyptian pyramids, which do hardly exceed our common coffins *. 2. The food which God was pleased to affign mankind before the flood, feems to have been only herbs and fruits, which perhaps were then more nourishing and healthful. They did indeed keep and feed cattle", but that they might do for the fkin and wool, and for facrifices. After the flood they had a grant of living creatures to feed upon, as well as the green herb ". 3. The manner of living of the ancient Patriarchs before and after the flood, was generally not in cities or houses, but frequently in tabernacles or tents only, like our booths, which were set up for a prefent turn, and might be removed as they changed their abode. Thus before the flood, Jabal is faid to be the father of them that dwelt in tents P, and after the flood, Noah was uncovered in his tent, and Abraham removed and pitched his tent, the men and women having diftin& tents apart by themfelves ". Their flocks and herds i Derham, ibid. And therefore those betray their igno- iv. 2. tom. 11. m Gen. Num. i. $ Gene herds of cattle were very numerous; and in these confifted their wealth and fubftance t. They had also very many fervants to attend on their cattle ". Thus Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob lived among the Canaanites as ftrangers, without cities or houses, only in tents, and had pafturage for their cattle, partly by the confent of the Canaanites, who were the inhabitants ", and partly by God's ftricking a terror on the cities near which they were, that they fhould not hurt them *. Further, under this head, we may take notice of the frugality and plainnefs of the greatest perfons in thofe early times, who employed themfelves in the most vulgar honeft fervices: Thus Abraham, although esteemed a mighty prince", yet ordered Sarah his wife to make ready three measures of fine meal, to knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth, whilft himself ran unto the herd and fetched a calf tender and good 2. And He took butter and milk, and the calf which he had dreffed, and fet it before them. And Rebecca, who was to be married to Ifaac, his fon and heir, went with a pitcher upon her shoulder for water And Rachel, to whom Ifaac's fon Jacob was afterwards married, kept her father's sheep. One thing more to be remarked, concerning the ancient Patriarchs, is, that they were most of them prophets, or endued with the holy fpirit in an extrordinary chap. xlii. 12. Acts vii. 5. As alfo mentioned concerning Job, chap. i. 3. and u Gen. xxvi. 14. and chap. xiv. 14. w Gen. xiv. 13. and chap. xx. 15. y Gen. xxiii. 6. a Gen. xviii. 6, Among the dainties of the Arabians, is mentioned a leg or shoulder of a fucking lamb roasted, and covered over with butter and milk. Ockley's Hift. of the Sa racens, vol. II. p. 330. • Gen. xxiv. 15, &c. x Gen. xxxv. 5. 7.. b verfe 8. xxix. 9. d Gene manner, and had the privilege of confulting God on proper occafions, and were divinely affifted in conducting themfelves and families, as appears particularly in the affairs related of Noah, Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob . As for the bleffings, mentioned in fome of the laft cited paffages, which the Patriarchs conferred on their children, it is plain they were fupernaturally directed in fo doing; fo that the patriarchal benedictions were truly prophetical f. Hence, Ifaac declared confidently of Jacob, Tea, and he shall be bleed. However, fince God chofe the fathers of children to pronounce them bleffed in his name, their doing fo, was in fact, a method of God's grace and providence; fo that, by way of example from thence, it is very proper for parents and fpiritual guides folemnly to blefs, that is, to pray for a bleffing on their children and people, as having a special relation to God and them, and that with an expectancy of fuch bleffings being ratified and confirmed in heaven: Thus David, as a father of his family, returned to bless his houfhold, and Aaron was Separated by God to blefs in his name 1. 4. We have but little account of the government and religious exercise of mankind from the beginning of the creation to the flood, and also after the flood to the time of Moses. As to their government: In the first place, civil government appears to be a divine ordinance, not As of Noah, Gen. vi. 8, 13. and chap. ix. Of Abraham, Gen. xii. i. 2. and chap. xx. 7. (where Abraham is exprefsly called a Prophet.) Of Ifaac, Gen. xxvi. 2. and chap. xxvii. and xxviii. Of Jacob, Gen. xxviii. 10, &c. and chap. xxxv. and chap. xlviii. 19. f As may be feen particularly in Gen. xxvii, xxviii, xlviii, and xlix. 8 Gen. xxvii. 33. iChron. xxiii. 13. 2 Sam. vi. 20. |