There is a Talmudical tradition that God ſhowed the future to Adam (Avoth d’Rab. Nathan, chap. 31): “The Holy One—bleſſed be He!—shewed unto Adam each generation, and its preachers, its guardians, its leaders, its prophets, its heroes, its ſinners, and its ſaints, ſaying, ‘In ſuch and ſuch a generation ſuch and ſuch a _King_ ſhall reign, in ſuch and ſuch a generation ſuch and ſuch a wife man ſhall teach.’” This is amplified in Midraſh Yalkut (fol. 12), where it is ſaid that God ſhowed Adam all future generations of men, with their leaders, learned and literary men, and there he obſerved that David was credited with only three hours of life, and he ſaid, “Lord and Creator of the world, is this unalterable?” “Such was my firſt intention,” was the reply. “How many years have I to live?” aſked Adam. “One thouſand.” Then Adam ſaid, “I will lend him ſome of my years.” And a document was drawn up whereby Adam tranſferred ſeventy years of his life to David. S. Baring-Gould, in his legends of _Old Teſtament Characters_, vol i. p. 77, referring to a Muſſulman legend, ſays: “Finally, when Adam reached his nine hundred and thirtieth year, the Angel of Death appeared under the form of a goat, and ran between his legs. “Adam recoiled with horror, and exclaimed, ‘God has given me one thouſand years; wherefore comeſt thou now?’ “‘What!’ exclaimed the Angel of Death, ‘haſt thou not given ſeventy years of thy life to the prophet David?’ “Adam ſtoutly denied that he had done ſo. Then the Angel of Death drew the document of tranſfer from out of his beard, and preſented it to Adam, who could no longer refuſe to go.” [C] The Feſtival of the Invention, or finding of the Croſs, is kept in the Roman and Engliſh Churches on May 3. [D] Piſcina, a fiſh-pond: _Lat_. In this inſtance it is ſuppoſed to be the Pool of Betheſda. [E] Nicodemus, chap. 14:— [Sidenote: _v._ 1.] But when the firſt man our father Adam heard theſe things, that Jeſus was baptized in Jordan, he called out to his ſon Seth, and ſaid, [Sidenote: _v._ 2.] Declare to your ſons, the patriarchs and prophets, all thoſe things which thou didſt hear from Michael the Archangel, when I ſent thee to the gates of Paradiſe to entreat God that he would anoint my head when I was ſick. [Sidenote: _v._ 3] Then Seth, coming near to the patriarchs and prophets, ſaid: I, Seth, when I was praying to God at the gates of Paradiſe, beheld the angel of the Lord, Michael, appear unto me, ſaying, I am ſent unto thee from the Lord; I am appointed to preſide over human bodies. [Sidenote: _v._ 4.] I tell thee, Seth, do not pray to God in tears, and entreat him for the oil of the tree of mercy, wherewith to anoint thy father Adam for his headach; [Sidenote: _v._ 5.] Becauſe thou canſt not by any means obtain it till the laſt day and times, namely, till five thouſand and five hundred years be paſt. [Sidenote: _v._ 6.]