h there is no necessity for recurring to miracle and revelation. For it is probable that writing was found out before the deluge; as we are sure musical instruments were, though not so necessary. But though Moses might have learned, in the common way, most of the facts which he has written, I believe, nevertheless, that he was influenced by the Holy Spirit to record these facts, rather than others, and express them in terms most proper for the purpose. Besides, the Patriarchs took care to preserve the memory of considerable events by setting up altars and pillars, and other lasting monuments. Thus, Abraham erected altars in the different places where God had appeared to him.* Jacob consecrated the stone which served him for a pillow while he had the mysterious dream of the ladder ; and the heap of stones, which was witness to his covenant with Laban, he called Galeed. Of this kind was the sepulchre of Rachel; the well called Beersheba ; and all the other wells mentioned in the history of Isaac. Sometimes they gave new names to places. The Greeks and Romans relate the same of their heroes, the oldest of whom lived near the times of the Patriarchs." Greece was full of their monuments: Eneas, to mention no others, left some in every place that he passed through in Greece, Sicily, and Italy." h Gen. iv. 21. Gen. xxviii. 18. Gen. xii. 8, xiii. 18. Gen. xxxi. 48. m Gen. xxvi. 33, "Pausan. passim. Dion. Hal. lib. 1. Virgil. Æneid. passim. The very names of the Patriarchs were besides a sort of more simple and familiar monuments. They signified some remarkable circumstance of their birth, or particular favour received from God. So they were in effect a short history. For they took care to explain the reason of these names to their children, and it was hardly possible to pronounce them without refreshing the memory with it. with it. This care for posterity, and providence for the future, was an argument of true generosity and greatness of mind The Patriarchs enjoyed perfect freedom, and their family was a little state, of which the father was, in a manner, king. For what did Abraham want of the power of sovereigns, but their vain titles and inconvenient ceremonies ? He was subject to nobody; kings concluded alliances with him: he made war and peace when he pleased. Princes sought the alliance of Isaac. Ishmael, Jacob, and Esau, were P Such for instance as ABRAM, from 28 ab, a father, andram, high; called afterwards Abraham, father of multitudes, then being inserted before; for On ham, is a contraction for 1 hamon, a multitude. PELEG, from 15 palag, he divided, for in his days, says the text. Gen. x. 2, the earth (i nipilegah) was divided. MANASSES, the son of Joseph, signifies forgetting, from nashah, he was forgetful; God hath made me forget ( and my father's house. for, said he, (Gen. xli. 51) nashshani) all my labours, 5 pharah, he was fruitful; hiphrani, God hath made EPHRAIM, fruitful, from for, said Joseph his father, me fruitful in the land of my affliction. Gen. xli. 51, 52. JOSEPH, addition, or increase, from Yasaph, he added, or increased; because, said his mother, Yoseph Jehovah, the Lord shall add to me another son. Gen. xxx. 25. q Gen. xxvi. 26—28♪ r likewise independent. We must not then suffer ourselves to be misled by names, nor think Abraham inferior to Amraphel or Abimelech, because the Scripture does not call him king as well as them. He was certainly equal to one of those four kings, whom he defeated with his domestic forces, and the assistance of his three allies. The greatest difference was, that he did not shut himself up within walls as they did, and that his whole family followed him to any place whither he had a mind to move his tents. All authentic history testifies that kingdoms were very small, even in the east, at that early period; and we find them so in other countries a great while after. CHAP. III. Their Riches and Employments. THE riches of the Patriarchs consisted chiefly in cattle. Abraham must have had a vast stock when he was obliged to part from his nephew Lot, because the land was not able to bear them together. Jacob had a great number when he came back from Mesopotamia, since the present that he made to his brother Esau was five hundred and eighty head of different sorts.* From which we may likewise learn what sort of beasts they bred, viz. goats, sheep, camels, Gen: xiv. 14, 15. s Gen. xiii. 6. * Gen. xxxii. 13-15. horned cattle, and asses. There were no horses nor swine among them. It was such plenty of cattle which made them set so great a value upon wells and cisterns, in a country where there was no river but Jordan, and rain very seldom. They had slaves too: and Abraham must have had abundance of them, since he armed three hundred and eighteen men of those that were born in his house and trained up by himself." In proportion, he must have had plenty of children, old men, women and slaves that were bought with money. When he returned from Egypt, it is said he was rich in gold and silver.* The bracelets and ear-rings, which his servant Eliezer made a present of to Rebecca from his master, weighed six ounces of gold; and the purchase of his burying-place shews that money was in use at that time. We see likewise that perfumes and costly raiment were made use of, by Esau's clothes, which Jacob wore to obtain his father's blessing. With all their riches they were very laborious, always in the field, lying under tents, shifting their abode according to the convenience of pasture, and consequently often taken up with encamping and decamping, and fre u Gen. xiv. 14. y Gen. xxiv. 22. a Gen. xxvii. 27. * Gen. xiii. 2. z Gen. xxiii. 16. But does not this rather intimate that odoriferous plants or herbs were laid up with the clothes in the chests or coffers where they were kept? A custom that prevails among the inhabitants of some countries to the present day. quently upon the march; for they could make but short days' journies with so numerous an attendance. Not but that they might have built towns as well as their countrymen; but they chose this way of living. It is without doubt the most ancient, since it is easier to set up tents than to build houses; and has always been reckoned the most perfect, as attaching men less to this world. Thus the condition of the Patriarchs is best represented, who lived here only as sojourners waiting for the promises of GOD, which were not to be accomplished till after their death. The first cities that are mentioned were built by wicked men. Cain and Nimrod were the first that erected walls and fortifications to secure themselves from the punishment due to their crimes, and to give them an opportunity of committing fresh ones with impunity. Good men lived in the open air, having nothing to make them afraid. The chief employment of the Patriarchs was the care of their cattle; their whole history shews it, and the plain account which the sons of Jacob gave of themselves to the king of Egypt. Though husbandry be very ancient, the pastoral life is the more perfect. The first, the employment of Cain, the other, that of Abel. The pastoral life has something in it more simple and noble; it is laborious, attaches one less to the world, and yet more profitable. The elder Cato preferred a stock of cattle, though © Gen. iv. 17. b Heb. xi. 9, 13. a Gen. x. 10. De Re Rustic, in Init. |