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you do no dishonour, but the contrary, to the declarations of 
the Word of God. 
Of course the theory of a limited deluge assumes that the 
then population of the globe was by no means the ten or twelve 
thousand millions, at which Burnet and others have estimated 
it ; that, on the contrary, through vice and violence, it was 
probably reduced to comparatively small proportions, and 
might be swept away by a flood extending over a restricted 
area. Certainly, so far as the testimony of Scripture goes, we 
have no reason to conclude that the antediluvian population 
was great. Men lived then to a great age, but there is no 
evidence that their families were in proportion to their years. 
Lamech, the fifth from Cain, had by his two wives only 
four children. Noah, five hundred years old before he had 
any child, had never more than the three sons who were 
saved with him in the Ark; while, in his six hundredth 
year, though his sons were married, they had no children. 
And although a few cases like these would afford a very 
inadequate induction of facts, on which to base conclusions 
regarding such an intricate problem as the population of the 
globe at the time of the Deluge, I cannot bring myself to 
entertain for a moment the extravagant estimates which some 
even in our own day have put forward. It is almost needless 
to say, that all reasonings based upon the increase of population 
in modern times, among the Anglo-Saxon and Anglo-American 
races, must be fallacious when applied to the antediluvians. 
The rate of increase in population among different nations is 
so diverse, and is affected by so many disturbing influences, 
that the conclusions of theorists upon the subject are perfectly 
valueless. It is well known that the prevalence of vice to a 
great extent will prevent any increase in population ; while a 
chronic state of lawlessness and violence will depopulate, not 
cities only, but entire tribes. Now, these two causes were in 
full operation in the antediluvian world — a circumstance which 
has been strangely overlooked by those who have directed 
their attention to this question. “ The earth / 5 we are told, 
“ was corrupt 55 ; so universally and inveterately corrupt, that 
not till the entire depraved race was destroyed, could the 
corruption be eradicated. As a consequence, too, of the pre- 
valent corruption, the historian narrates that the earth was 
“ filled with violence . 55 What would be the inevitable result 
of such corruption and violence? Would it not be a rapid 
decrease in the population, such as universal vice and anarchy 
would certainly produce in any nation at the present day? 
This is exceedingly well put by Hugh Miller : — 
