strength. A fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.' 29. "And Cain said unto the Lord, 'Satan tempted me because of my brother's flocks. And I was wroth also; for his offering thou didst accept and not mine; my punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the Lord, and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass that he that findeth me will slay me because of mine iniquities, for these things are not hid from the Lord.' And the Lord said unto him, 'Whosoever slayeth thee, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.' And I the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.” 30. The object of the foregoing quotations is to show to this class the way by which mankind were first made acquainted with the existence of a God; that it was by a manifestation of God to man, and that God continued, after man's transgression, to manifest himself to him and to his posterity; and, notwithstanding they were separated from his immediate presence that they could not see his face, they continued to hear his voice. 31. Adam, thus being made acquainted with God, communicated the knowledge which he had unto his posterity; and it was through this means that the thought was first suggested to their minds that there was a God, which laid the foundation for the exercise of their faith, through which they could obtain a knowledge of his character and also of his glory. 32. Not only was there a manifestation made unto Adam of the existence of a God; but Moses informs us, as before quoted, that God condescended to talk with Cain after his great transgression in slaying his brother, and that Cain knew that it was the Lord that was talking with him, so that when he was driven out from the presence of his brethren, he carried with him the knowledge of the existence of a God; and, through this means, doubtless, his posterity became acquainted with the fact that such a Being existed. 33. From this we can see that the whole human family in the early age of their existence, in all their different branches, had this knowledge disseminated among them; so that the existence of God became an object of faith in the early age of the world. And the evidences which these men had of the existence of a God, was the testimony of their fathers in the first instance. 34. The reason why we have been thus particular on this part of our subject, is that this class may see by what means it was that God became an object of faith among men after the fall; and what it was that stirred up the faith of multitudes to feel after him-to search after a knowledge of his character, perfections and attributes, until they became extensively acquainted with him, and not only commune with him and behold his glory, but be partakers of his power and stand in his presence. 35. Let this class mark particularly, that the testimony which these men had of the existence of a God, was the testimony of man; for previous to the time that any of Adam's posterity had obtained a manifestation of God to themselves, Adam, their common father, had testified unto them of the existence of God, and of his eternal power and Godhead. 36. For instance, Abel, before he received the assurance from heaven that his offerings were acceptable unto God, had received the important information of his father that such a Being did exist, who had created and who did uphold all things. Neither can there be a doubt existing on the mind of any person, that Adam was the first who did communicate the knowledge of the existence of a God to his posterity; and that the whole faith of the world, from that time down to the present, is in a certain degree dependent on the knowledge first communicated to them by their common progenitor; and it has been handed down to the day and generation in which we live, as we shall show from the face of the sacred records. 37. First, Adam was 130 years old when Seth was born. Genesis v. 3. And the days of Adam, after he had begotten Seth, were 800 years, making him 930 years old when he died. Genesis v. 4, 5. Seth was 105 when Enos was born (verse 6); Enos was 90 when Cainan was born (verse 9); Cainan was 70 when Mahalaleel was born (verse 12); Mahalaleel was 65 when Jared was born (verse 15); Jared was 162 when Enoch was born (verse 18); Enoch was 65 when Methuselah was born (verse 21); Methuselah was 187 when Lamech was born (verse 25); Lamech was 182 when Noah was born (verse 28). 38. From this account it appears that Lamech, the 9th from Adam, and the father of Noah, was 56 years old when Adam died; Methuselah, 243; Enoch, 308; Jared, 470; Mahalaleel, 535; Cainan, 605; Enos, 695; and Seth, 800. 39. So that Lamech the father of Noah, Methuselah, Enoch, Jared, Mahalaleel, Cainan, Enos, Seth, and Adam, were all living at the same time, and, beyond all controversy, were all preachers of righteous ness. 40. Moses further informs us that Seth lived after he begat Enos, 807 years, making him 912 years old at his death. Genesis v. 7, 8. And Enos lived after he begat Cainan, 815 years, making him 905 years old when he died (verses 10, 11). And Cainan lived after he begat Mahalaleel, 840 years, making him 910 years old at his death (verses 13, 14). And Mahalaleel lived after he begat Jared, 830 years, making him 895 years old when he died (verses 16, 17). And Jared lived after he begat Enoch, 800 years, making him 962 years old at his death (verses 19, 20). And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah 300 years, making him 365 years old when he was translated (verses 22, 23).* And Methuselah lived after he begat Lamech, 782 years, making him 969 years old when he died (verses 26, 27). Lamech lived after he begat Noah, 595 years, making him 777 years old when he died (verses 30, 31). 41. Agreeable to this account, Adam died in the 930th year of the world; Enoch was translated in the 987th,* Seth died in the 1042nd; Enos in the 1140th ; Cainan in the 1235th; Mahalaleel in the 1290th; Jared in the 1422nd; Lamech in the 1651st; and Methuselah in the 1656th, it being the same year in which the flood came. 42. So that Noah was 84 years old when Enos died, 176 when Cainan died, 234 when Mahalaleel died, 366 when Jared died, 595 when Lamech died, and 600 when Methuselah died. 43. We can see from this that Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah, all lived on the earth at the same time; and that Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech, were all acquainted with both Adam and Noah. 44. From the foregoing it is easily to be seen, not only how the knowledge of God came into the world, but upon what principle it was preserved; that from the time it was first communicated, it was retained in the minds of righteous men, who taught not only their own posterity but the world; so that there was no need of a new revelation to man, after Adam's creation to Noah, to give them the first idea or notion of the existence of a God; and not only of a God, but the true and living God. 45. Having traced the chronology of the world from Adam to Noah, we will now trace it from Noah to Abraham. Noah was 502 years old when Shem was born; 98 years afterwards the flood came, being the * According to the Old Testament. For Enoch's age, see Covenants and Commandments, section 107. 49. 600th year of Noah's age. And Moses informs us that Noah lived after the flood 350 years, making him 950 years old when he died. Genesis ix. 28, 29. 46. Shem was 100 years old when Arphaxad was born. Genesis xi. 10. Arphaxad was 35 when Salah was born (xi. 12); Salah was 30 when Eber was born (xi. 14); Eber was 34 when Peleg was born, in whose days the earth was divided (xi. 16); Peleg was 30 when Reu was born (xi. 18); Reu was 32 when Serug was born (xi. 20); Serug was 30 when Nahor was born (xi. 22); Nahor was 29 when Terah was born (xi. 24); Terah was 70 when Haran and Abraham were born (xi. 26). 47. There is some difficulty in the account given by Moses of Abraham's birth. Some have supposed that Abraham was not born until Terah was 130 years old. This conclusion is drawn from a variety of scriptures, which are not to our purpose at present to quote. Neither is it a matter of any consequence to us whether Abraham was born when Terah was 70 years old, or 130. But in order that there may no doubt exist upon any mind in relation to the object lying immediately before us, in presenting the present chronology we will date the birth of Abraham at the latest period, that is, when Terah was 130 years old. It appears from this account that from the flood to the birth of Abraham, was 352 years. 48. Moses informs us that Shem lived after he begat Arphaxad, 500 years (xi. 11); this added to 100 years, which was his age when Arphaxad was born, makes him 600 years old when he died. Arphaxad lived after he begat Salah, 403 years (xi. 13); this added to 35 years, which was his age when Salah was born, makes him 438 years old when he died. Salah lived after he begat Eber, 403 years (xi. 15); this added to 30 years, which was his age when Eber was born, makes him 433 years old when he died. Eber lived after he begat Peleg, 430 years (xi. 17); this added to 34 years, which was |