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faith.' Ch. xi. 7. If this be the case, then Noah's blessing is like unto Lamech's prophecy; for as Lamech foresaw that Noah should receive from God the covenant of the earth's restoration; so Noah foresaw that the greater blessing, still behind, even the covenant which restores man to himself and his Maker, should be conveyed through the posterity of Shem." Sherlock on Prophecy, p. 104.

SECTION IX.

Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

THESE were the three sons of Noah, "of whom the whole earth was overspread," and to whom the covenant was given in common with their father. Gen. ix. 8. Of these, Ham, together with his son Canaan, behaved very undutifully to his father, and thereby brought on this part of his descendants a remarkable curse, which was fulfilled when the Israelites took possession of their country.

That this curse had no relation to the salvability of the Canaanites is apparent from the terms in which it is expressed. "A servant of servants shall he be unto his

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brethren.' It predicted the course of their future history, that, amidst the various revolutions of nations, it would be the lot of the Canaanites to be the slaves and subjects of others. But, that the Canaanites, as individuals, were treated like the rest of mankind, with respect to

their moral and religious interests, is certain from what we learn of several individuals amongst them. Thus Rahab is numbered amongst those "who obtained a good report through faith." Heb. xi. 31. And we have the example of a Canaanitish woman, who is recorded to have discovered such a degree of faith in Christ as was not to be paralleled even in Israel.

When the Canaanites fell into gross idolatry and wickedness, they brought on themselves the signal chastisement of Heaven. "It was for the wickedness of this nation they were driven out.” Deut. ix. 4. But with what tenderness and long suffering they had been previously treated, may be gathered from the expression,"the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full." Gen. xv. 16.

These remarks are connected with our argument only as they tend to show, that whatever be the outward judgments of God upon sinful nations, they do not exclude individuals from the capability of salvation; and that, though the conveyance of the promise was confined to the family of Shem,

yet, that the two other sons of Noah (of whom, collectively, "the whole earth was overspread") were equally interested in the effects of the promise. The lineal descent could only be conferred on one family; but the consequences of the blessing were bestowed upon all the families of the earth."

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Corollary. Hence it follows, that Adam and Noah were treated not as individuals, but as the trustees and representatives of all their descendants.

SECTION X.

The Confusion of Language.

FOR Some time after the Flood," the whole earth was of one language and of one speech," and all mankind dwelt together, as one vast family, in the plains of Shinar. Gen. xi. 1, 2.

If, then, it had been the wish and design of Providence that all men should have kept up this intimate connexion with each other, and thereby have preserved a general uniformity in their opinions on moral and religious subjects, nothing would have tended more to ensure this result, than thus leaving them to converse with each other in one original and universal language.

But, so far was this from being the wish or design of God, that, when they had multiplied so as to form separate tribes and nations, a supernatural effect was produced, so that they might no longer " be

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