* The sons of God.

(1) What is understood by them 32.

(2) The rabbins' fables about the sons of God, how to
refute them 33-34.

* What is to be held concerning the "Incubis" and
"Succubis" 34-35.

(3) How the deluge came because of the sons of God 36.

(4) To what end should the fall and punishment of the sons
of God serve us 37-38.

* Should the Romish church be called holy 37.

* How the children of God became the children of the
devil 38.

* How Noah had to spend his life among a host of
villains 39.

* The conduct of the world when God sends it righteous
servants 40.

I. THE SINS OF THE PRIMEVAL WORLD IN GENERAL THE CAUSE OF ITS
DESTRUCTION.

1. In the first five chapters Moses describes the state of the human
race in the primeval world and the wonderful glory of the holy
patriarchs who governed it. In these five chapters the chronicles as
in the first book, so to speak, the happiest period of the whole human
race and of the world before the flood. Now we shall begin what may be
termed the second book of Genesis, containing the history of the
flood. It shows the destruction of all the offspring of Cain and the
eternal preservation of the generation of the righteous; for while
everything perishes in the flood, the generation of the righteous is
saved as an eternal world.

2. It is appalling that the whole human race except eight persons is
destroyed, in view of the fact that this was truly the golden age; for
succeeding ages do not equal the old world in glory, greatness and
majesty. And if God visited with destruction his own perfect creation
and the very glory of the human race, we have just cause for fear.

3. In inflicting this punishment, God followed his own peculiar way.
Whatever is most exalted he particularly overthrows and humiliates.
Peter says in 2 Peter 2, 5: God "spared not the ancient world;" and he
would imply that it was, in comparison with succeeding ages, a
veritable paradise. Neither did he spare the sublimest creatures--the
angels--nor the kings ruling his people, nor the first-born of all
times. But the more highly they were blessed with gifts, the more
sternly he punished them when they began to misuse his gifts.

4. The Holy Spirit says in the nint