be reduced to 120 years.

And such was the case,

soon after the deluge. For as soon as the sons of man (the race of Ham) began to multiply on the face of the earth, their age was reduced to an hundred and twenty years. Abraham was the last in the race of Shem, that reached 170 years; and of him it is said, "he died in a good old age, an old man and full of years." "Those days" could not allude to any period after the death of Adam, because it was not until after his death that Seth and his race retired to the holy mount. Adding therefore 120 years to the age of Adam, it would only reach to A. M. 1051; or admitting a palpable contradiction, and supposing" and also after that” to mean at that period, then, as the very latest period assigned for the sons of God coming down from the mount to the daughters of men was the 40th year of Jared, or A. M. 1331, it would fall two centuries short of the deluge. For 1331+120= 1451. It has been urged, that the 120 years are explained by St. Peter. But that verse of the Apostle's Epistle is very obscure; he records that "Jesus went and preached unto the spirits in prison, which sometimes were disobedient, when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing." This does not elucidate the subject. While the ark was preparing," being equally applicable to the

period when the prophecy was first made, as to any subsequent period. For there is no allusion to any given portion of time; "the long-suffering of God" evidently alluding to his having made known his divine will, and allowed 800 years for the repentance of mankind. If the Almighty actually appeared to give directions for the building of the ark, there was neither long-suffering nor forbearance in withholding the deluge, until it was completed. Considering the text, as given in the sixth chapter of Genesis, in it's literal sense, the destruction of mankind by the deluge was only determined on 120 years before it took place: which is denying altogether the prophecy of Enoch, who was translated 548 years prior thereto. The Hindu text is more clear. It records nearly literally, the beginning of the sixth chapter of Genesis; treats of the "giants of those days;" the giants of the third generation, with whose daughters, on their return to the splendid city, the seat of regal power, the sons of the Sun intermarried: adding, that even the great Dasaratha, (the Mahalaleel of Scripture) married a daughter of the Lunar dynasty, subsequent to which, the Deity descended in the form of Buddha (Rama) during the third age, or from A. M. 700 to A. M. 900, forbidding all intercourse with the idolaters, and foretelling

"In seven

the deluge in these prophetic words. days all creatures that continue to offend me, shall be destroyed by a deluge." Now seven days in the prophetic language, or rather cypher of the Hindus, is equal to 1680 prophetic years of 360 days. For as one day of 24 hours contains 864000 Matires (vide Table III.), so that number multiplied by seven produces 6048000; and 604800 are the number of days of 24 hours contained in seven prophetic days: For example, 604800360 = 1680; and 1680 years of 360 days are equal to 1656 Julian ones. This pro

phecy, so worded, could not be misunderstood: because the seven days commenced from the creation. Here the long-suffering and forbearance of the Almighty is strictly applicable. The race of the Sun had continued without sin for about four hundred years. They then began to apostatise and increased in wickedness for 400 years more; when they were warned of their danger, and allowed 800 years to repent in; at the expiration of which, or 1656 years from the creation, all those who continued in idolatry were to be destroyed. This prophecy was made to Satyavatar who transmitted it to his descendant, the pious prince, in whose time the prophecy was to be fulfilled. Who " being moved with faith, and

believing in things unseen," obeyed those directions which had been given to his great ancestor; prepared an ark for the preservation of his family; and, having in all things complied with the instruction of Vishnu, sat humbly waiting, constantly contemplating the divine essence, until the final audit arrived. Another remarkable parallel between the Hebrew and Hindu account is, that the former places the general apostacy in the time of Jared, who was the sixth from Adam inclusive, in the race of Seth; and the latter in the time of Rama Chandra, the sixth from Swayambhava in the race of the Sun inclusive.

This Purana was written about the same period with the book of Genesis, and the incidents most probably were collected from the same originals. It is, therefore, a fair inference that the seven days originally bore the same meaning: Faith was the primary virtue attributed both to Vaivaswat and Noah; the latter is said "to have become heir to the righteousness which is by faith." This had been inapplicable to the patriarch, if two descents of the Deity were necessary to induce his belief in the prophecy made by Enoch to his ancestor. In' this case he was as great an unbeliever as the rest of the world; and there is no apparent reason for the singular favour shewn him. The veriest sceptic of the present day would be satisfied with

such proof. The Jews required nothing more than a sign to believe in Christ: "If he be the King of Israel," said they, "let him come down from the cross, and we will believe in him." (Matt. xxvii. 42.) But the sixth and seventh chapters of Genesis are clearly defined in the New Testament; and, as explained by the Apostle Paul, correspond with the Hindu Purana. By faith, Noah being warned of God of things not seen, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house, by the which he condemned the world, and became heir to the righteousness which is by faith." He believed of things not seen ; that is, he had faith in those predictions which were not made to himself, but to his ancestor Cainan. For as Enoch was translated 58 years before the birth of Noah, he could not have been an eye-witness of the actions of that prophet; and accordingly the Apostle describes him firm in faith; while the unbelievers, who would give credit to nothing "not seen" by themselves, were destroyed when they thought themselves most secure. It is recorded that they enquired of an oracle. The answer was ambiguous: "The death of the prophet will confirm the prediction." The idolaters understood by this answer that the flood

* Hebrews xi. 7.