They believed that "God created the world; that he is eternal, omnipotent, knowing all things, and present everywhere." They admit the reality of a future state, though their theory on this point is somewhat vague and fanciful. The threefold symbol evidently shews that these idolaters had some general ideas respecting the doctrine of the Trinity; which appears indeed to have ran through all the systems of false as well as true worship in every age of the world. Suidas informs us that the name Trismegistus was given to Thoth or Hermes "because he taught the doctrine of the Trinity."

Stanhope says: "Some very learned heathens have made approaches to this doctrine, under the names of one or good, mind or cause, and soul; sometimes called the soul of the world, at other times the soul above the world. The same have been again distinguished by infinite GOODNESS, infinite WISDOM, and infinite LOVE; but these distínctions are not made to employ three different principles, but as united in one common principal or universal cause."

"The first of these was said to be derived from none; the second to be derived from the first; the third from the other two. In the production of the world, the first was the original MOVER ; the second was the ARCHITECT; the third was the GIVER OF LIFE: but still all these was affirmed to

have but one operation, and all things to be produced by the common consent of the three."*

Every Mason will fully comprehend this reasoning, because it is nearly allied to a most beautiful illustration contained in the first Lecture of Masonry.

• Boyle, Lect.

K

CHAP. VI.

CONTAINING FOUR HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-SEVEN YEARS.

VIEW OF MASONRY FROM THE UNIVERSAL DELUGE TO THE OFFERING OF ISAAC.

NOAH remained in the ark while the waters inundated the world, for the space of six months, at the expiration of which time the ark rested on Ararat, a mountain in Armenia. After remaining about three months in that situation, Noah sent out a dove, that he might ascertain whether the waters had subsided. This bird very soon returned to the ark, unable, from the prevalence of the waters, to find a place of rest. At the end of seven days he sent forth the dove a second time, which returned to the ark with an olive leaf in her mouth, as a token of peace and reconciliation with God; and the olive branch has consequently been adopted as a symbol of peace by every nation under the sun. When seven days were again expired, he sent forth the dove a third time, which returned to him no more. Hence Noah concluded that the waters were dissipated from off the face of the earth; and at the end of twelve months

and ten days from his entering the ark, he left it on the summit of the mountain, and all the creatures in it were soon dispersed over the earth.*

The first act of Noah, after his escape from the general destruction of all created flesh, was an act of gratitude and devotion to his Great Preserver. He erected an altar and offered a burnt offering of every clean beast and fowl. Here God covenanted with Noah, that he would no more destroy the world by water, and placed a rainbow in the clouds as a token, which was to remain as a perpetual memento of His most gracious promise.

A phænomenon, so remarkable and so frequently recurring amidst excessive rains, serves to impress this assurance firmly on our minds. The appearance of this bow is said to excite very extraordinary sensations upon the Jews, even to this day superstitiously imagining the sacred name of God to be visibly displayed in the rainbow, they turn from it in the utmost veneration, lest they should behold the majesty of God,

In the time of Josephus there was a city in Armenia, which he calls Aroßarngion, or the place of descent: it is called by Ptolemy, Naxuana; by Moses, Choronensis Idsheuan; and at the place itself it was called Nach-Idsheuan, which signifies the first place of descent. This city was a lasting monument of the preservation of Noah in the Ark, upon the top of that mountain, at whose foot it was built, as the first city or town after the Flood."-Bishop Tomline's Theol., pt. i. c. 1.

whom no one may see and live; and after an humble confession of their sins, they acknowledge themselves. worthy to be cut off by a similar visitation, and celebrate His clemency who spares them, while deformed by a series of accumulated transgressions.

The assurances of preservation delivered to Noah, were accompanied by an injunction to observe certain precepts, which the Jewish Rabbins say were seven. 1. Judgment; or punishment for the commission of unnatural crimes. 2. Blessings; particularly the institution of the Sabbath, and praising the name of God. 3. Against the practice of Idolatry. 4. Uncovering our own nakedness forbad. 5. Punishment for shedding the blood of our fellow creatures. 6. Against theft, fraud, and dissimulation: and the seventh forbad eating the flesh of a beast, taken from it before it be dead.*

In process of time the unnatural conduct of Ham elicited his father's curse. He denounced judgments upon his posterity; and particularly on Canaan, which were inflicted with unremitting vengeance. The curse of a father, in ancient times, was deemed an inexpiable misfortune. Heathen nations were impressed with an idea, that one principal commission of the furies was,

* Sheindler in Pentaglot.