is still doomed to experience: and they only carry back the last of those which have already happened, about five thousand years; besides which, one of these revolutions is described in terms nearly corresponding with the account given by Moses. It is also very remarkable, that the epoch, at which they fix the commencement of the reigns of the first human sovereigns of the race of the sun and moon, is nearly the same at which the ancient authors of the West have placed the origin of the Assyrian monarchy, or about four thousand years ago.

From all these particulars it is evident how little credit is to be given to the pretences which the several nations among the heathens have made to antiquity, without any ground from history, but upon uncertain calculations of astronomy, in which science they actually had but little or no skill! (Horne.)

ARK. The burthen of the ark was 42,413 tons-as large as 18 first rate men-of-war, which would carry 20,000 men, 1800 cannons, with military stores and provisions for six months! Was not Noah's Ark large enough to contain eight persons, and 250 pair of four-footed animals, reptiles and birds? (the number to which, according to Buffon, all the various distinct species may be reduced. (See Flood, Water.)

Moreover, the dimensions and proportious of the Ark, as described by Moses, are so strictly consistent with the most modern improvements in ship building, so as to render it most capacious, and best calculated to withstand the winds and the waves, that Noah must have either been a first rate ship builder, or was merely giving those instructions which his Creator had commanded him.

ARK, or the Holiest of all, in the Temple. In 1

Kings viii. 9, it is written, "there was nothing in the ARK save the two tables of Stone." In Hebrews ix. 4, it is written," which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant, overlaid round about with gold, the golden pot that had Manna, and Aaron's rod," &c. Now the word "which," or more correctly translated, “in which," refers not to the "Ark or Holiest of all," mentioned in verse iii; but to the tabernacle mentioned in verse ii.

ASCEND. The Lord says, (John iii. 13,) “ No man hath ascended up to Heaven, but he that came down from Heaven, even the son of man which is in Heaven." Similar to which, is the saying, "I have power to lay it (my life) down; and I have power to take it up again." In these passages the Lord Jesus was proclaiming the power he possessed above all the sons of men. And in reference to the first of these declarations, where he used the word "ascendeth," he evidently taught that it was by his own power, and of his own will, that he ascended into heaven: in contradistinction to Elijah's ascent, who was taken up by a whirlwind, in a chariot (like unto) of fire. 2d Kings ii. 11.

ASS. This animal, whose mouth the Lord opened (Num. xxii. 28) to rebuke the disobedient Prophet Balaam, was a fit agent for that purpose. God chooses the base, despised and foolish things of this world "to confound the wise," "that no flesh should glory in His presence." (Cor. i. 27, 28, 29.) It is presumed no one will deem the opening an ass's mouth to be a greater miracle, than opening the eyes of the blind, or unstopping the ears of the deaf! &c. The ass merely uttered the words of rebuke, as a parrot, without having the

least idea of their meaning. And who can doubt but that HE, who originally made the mouth of man, could as easily have made the rod in Balaam's hand send forth the voice, as the ass on which he rode, if God had thought proper so to do. See Colt.

ATHEIST is a term applied to one who professes, (for that there really is such a madman, is extremely doubtful) to disbelieve in the existence of an intelligent Creator. The Sacred Scriptures declare that "the fool hath said in his heart, NO GOD!" The generality of infidels of the present day, profess to be atheists, because, as deists, (that is those who say they believe in a God, but reject the Bible,) they cannot defend their infidel principles for a moment. Therefore, although the best informed infidels of the last century, such as Voltaire, Hume, &c., declared that, "no man, but a fool or a madman, could for a second deny the existence of an All-wise, All-powerful Creator, that is, be an atheist; yet the infidels of the present day, rather than abandon their principles of infidelity which they cannot maintain, prefer to be convicted of idiotism and insanity, according to the judgment of their learned brethren just referred to, and plunge into the abyss of the greatest of absurdities, viz:-atheism! Such is the determined hatred and animosity of these men to the God who made them, and to that Divine mercy, in which there is a length, a breadth, a height, a depth, which the finite mind of man cannot fathom or even comprehend.

ATHEIST'S Creed. 1. "I believe that there is no God, but that matter is God, and God is matter, and that it is no matter, whether there is any God or no!"

2. "I believe that the world was not made; that the

world made itself; and that it had no beginning; that it will last forever, world without end."

3. "I believe that man is a beast; that the soul is the body, and the body the soul; and that after death there is neither body nor soul."

4. "I believe that there is no religion; that natural religion is the only religion, and that all religion is unnatural."

5. "I believe not in revelation; I believe in tradition." 6. " Lastly, "I BELIEVE IN ALL UNBELIEF!!!"

ATONEMENT. The various sacrifices offered up to the Almighty in the infancy of mankind, were not only for the purpose of demonstrating the abhorrence of God at sin, and the certainty that sin should not go unpunished, but more particularly pointing out the great sacrifice which was to be made on Calvary's Cross, and which alone could take away sin. And however foolish to us (wise men of this day!) such things may appear, yet upon critical examination, nothing will be found to be more calculated to exhibit and to justify in the presence of the inhabitants of thousands of worlds, the attributes of the Living God-Truth, Holiness and Mercy, &c. See Ceremonies. As the Deity could give no law but that which enjoined perfect holiness, so any thing coming short of that perfect holiness, could not be accepted by Him: and as He had denounced a penalty for every transgression, so sin could not go unpunished, without forfeiting his attributes of truth and holiness. In order, therefore, to maintain all his attributes in the utmost perfection, He devised in his infinite wisdom the great Atonement, the foundation of the Gospel, by which, as the inspired writer says, "mercy and truth have met together, righteousness and peace have embraced each other."

Moreover, it is well worthy of remark, that there is nothing in which the traditions and opinions of the heathens bear stronger testimony to the doctrines of Scripture, than in the conviction which prevailed of the necessity of an ATONEMENT For sin, and of the interVENTION OF A DIVINE MEDIATOR. The universal practice of devoting piacular victims, has at one period or other of the world, equally prevailed in every quarter of the globe. It has alike been adopted by the most barbarous, and by the most savage nations. "The rude idolater of the recently discovered hemisphere, and the polished votary of polytheism, equally concur in the belief, that without shedding of blood there can be no remission of sins. Nor was the life of the brute creation always deemed sufficient to remove the taint of guilt, and to avert the wrath of heaven. The death of a nobler victim was frequently required, and the altars of paganism were bedewed with torrents of human blood." "Thus the Canaanites caused their first-born to pass through the fire, in order to appease the anger of their false deities; and one of the kings of Moab is said to have offered up his eldest son as a burnt-offering, when in danger from the superior power of the Edomites." (Horne.) Nor was the belief that the gods were rendered propitious by this peculiar mode of sacrifice confined to the nations which were more immediately contiguous to the territories of Israel. We learn from Homer, that a whole hecatomb of firstling lambs was no uncommon offering among his countrymen; and the ancient Goths having laid it down as a principle, that the effusion of the blood of animals appeased the anger of the gods, and that their justice turned aside upon the victims those strokes which were destined for men, soon proceeded to greater lengths, and adopted the horrid