An excellent discourse proving the divine original and authority of the five books of Moses written originally in French by Monsieur Du Bois de la Cour, and approved by six doctors of the Sorbon ; to which is added a second part, or an examination of a considerable part of Pere Simon's critical history of the Old Testament ... by W.L. Filleau de la Chaise, Jean, 1631-1688. 1682 Approx. 277 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 106 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2007-10 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A70111 Wing F904 ESTC R28418 10590506 ocm 10590506 45306 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A70111) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 45306) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 1383:27 or 1590:30) An excellent discourse proving the divine original and authority of the five books of Moses written originally in French by Monsieur Du Bois de la Cour, and approved by six doctors of the Sorbon ; to which is added a second part, or an examination of a considerable part of Pere Simon's critical history of the Old Testament ... by W.L. Filleau de la Chaise, Jean, 1631-1688. Lorimer, William, d. 1721. [42], 168 p. Printed for Tho. Parkhurst, London : 1682. Second part has special t.p. Item at Reel 1590:30 identified as Wing D2407 (number cancelled). Reproduction of original in the Edinburgh University Library and the British Library. 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Bible. -- O.T. -- Pentateuch -- Evidences, authority, etc. Bible -- Evidences, authority, etc. 2006-12 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2006-12 Aptara Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2007-01 Pip Willcox Sampled and proofread 2007-01 Pip Willcox Text and markup reviewed and edited 2007-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion An Excellent DISCOURSE Proving the Divine Original , and Authority OF The Five BOOKS OF MOSES . Written Originally in French by Monsieur Du Bois de la Cour , and Approved by six Doctors of the Sorbon . To Which is added a SECOND PART , OR AN EXAMINATION Of a considerable part of PERE SIMON 's Critical History of the Old Testament , wherein all his Objections , With the Weightiest of Spinosa's , against Moses's being the Author of the first Five Books of the Bible , are Answered , and some difficult places of Holy Scripture are Explained . By W. L. London , Printed for Tho. Parkhurst , at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers Chappel . 1682. A PREFACE , Opening the true Nature and Reasons of a Saving-Faith . § . 1. THere is no Man that ever heard the Gospel , and hath such a care of his everlasting State , as beseemeth a reasonable Creature , but must needs perceive of how great weight it is , to be well assured of the truth of those supernatural Revelations delivered to us in the Sacred Scriptures . Much may be known by the well studied Book of Nature : But not enough to quiet the mind of Man , by assured hopes of future Happiness , and the way thereto : And therefore almost all the Heathen and Infidel World , have their Augures or Prophets on whom they depend , as Conscious of the necessity of more than common natural Light : Besides that , it requireth greater helps and longer studies , to understand the Book of Nature , than the generallity of Mankind can use : whereas God by his word hath made all necessary truth so plain , that Children in a short time , may grow wiser than the Philosophers . § . 2. No wonder then if it be the great work of the Prince of Darkness , the Enemy of God and Man , to deprive the World of the benefit of the Sacred Sacriptures ; which he doth , First , By keeping most of the Earth from knowing it , for want of Teachers , mostly kept out by the Persecution of Tyrants and Idolatrous Priests . Secondly , By keeping those that hear it from believing it . Thirdly , By keeping those that believe it from the right understanding of it . Fourthly , By keeping those that partly understand it , from a serious considering what they understand . Fifthly , By keeping Men from a willing obedience to what they know and think of . § . 3. Among professed Christians it is the want of a sound Belief , which is the great cause of all Ungodliness and Misery . And no wonder : For it is an high and excellent work to live on the joyful belief and hope of an unseen everlasting Life . And in this dark State , believing must conquer many difficulties , which slothful Men will rather yield to , than duely strive to overcome . § . 4. First , We have contracted so inordinate a Love to this kind of life in Flesh , that corrupt Nature is loth to think of any other , because it would not part with this . And when Men are convinced only of a necessity of looking forward beyond the Grave , this changeth not their love ; but still an unwilling backward heart receiveth the notices of the Life to come , but as unpleasant Physick , which nothing but meer necessity will get down : And how ill a Receiver an unwilling mind is , experience telleth all the World. Yea so backward and senseless is depraved Nature , that even this necessity is seldom seriously considered , till the Sentence of Death awaken the Soul ; and are Men then fit to begin so hard a study , as must shew them the certainty of the Gospel , and the Life to come ; and to get Faith when they must use it . § . 5. Secondly , And ( I write it as necessitated , and with Lamentation , ) it is not all Mens Lot to have Teachers that shew them the right way , even of founding their Belief , and discerning the certainty of the Gospel , and the Immortality of Souls . If I should tell you how many Parishes that have Weekly Sermons , in which Faith , and Christianity , and Heaven , are mentioned , have Teachers that cannot confute an Infidel or Sadducee , or teach Men clearly how to be sure , that their Faith and Hope are not meer Errour , and that cannot tell which way well to prove the truth of their profest Religion , some would be offended at it , that are not offended at their own sad defect , who are ignorant of so needful a part of the Catechisme , which every Christian should be taught . § . 6. Sad numerous instances are too clear a clear a proof . First , It is become so great a controversie , whether Faith have any Evidence or not , and whether we can certainly prove the Gospel to be true , or rather must merit the more by believing it without proof , that the Papists are together by the Ears about it ; and those Protestants that handle it , differ among themselves . But the most keep their peace by not daring to decide it . And how can those Teachers shew the people the ascertaining Evidence and Proof , who hold that there is none to be shewn . The objects of Faith are not evident to Sense , ( not seen , not tasted , &c. ) but the truth of the Revelation hath ascertaining proof : And nothing is provable but by intelligible Evidence , Secondly , The whole Papal Church almost holds , That the method of believing the Gospel , is to believe it on the Authority of the Church's proposal , or affirmation . As if Men must believe that Christ hath a Church , and that it is thus Authorized , before they believe that he is the Christ , and hath Authority himself , or any Law that gives Authority . A multitude of impossibles are here supposed , before Man can be a true believer , ( which I have fully manifested elsewhere . ) Thirdly , Some that see how unable the vulgar and unlearned are , to manage a matter of such weight and difficulty , and fearing least a tryal of their Faith against hard objections , should but overturn it , perswade the weak only to believe , and not to doubt , but not to ask , why ? nor to search for Reasons for their Faith ; least disputing the case , and hearing objections which they cannot answer , should make them Infidels , or crack their Brains . Fourthly , Some tell them that it is only the inward witness of the Spirit in themselves that can assure them that the Scriptures are the word of God. Not telling them well what that Testimony is , nor how those that yet hear it not shall be convinced of unbelief . Fifthly , Some by overdoing , tell us that the Scripture so shineth , propria luce , and conteineth its own evidence of Divinity so clearly , that a Man that doth but read it , though he found it by the high-way , and never before heard of it , may there see sufficient evidence that it is all of God. Sixthly , Some by greater overdoing , distinguish not the Essentials of Religion , from the Integrals or Accidents , nor the words from the matter , nor the Law and Gospel from the subordinate parts of the Bible , in point of evidence and necessity . and so would tempt Men to think , that if any sentence in our Bibles , translation or original be mistaken , we can have no certainty of the truth of any of the rest . Seventhly , And these by overdoing would perswade us that every word in the Bible is as much Divine as the Decalogue , or Lords Prayer , and hath nothing in it of humane imperfection in stile or order ; but is all such , as God himself would have written , if he had made no use of Man. Eighthly , And some are so afraid of Popery , and the name of ( Tradition and the Testimony of the Church , ) that they disable their own Faith by rejecting the necessary use of Tradition , and the Churches Testimony , not being able justly to distinguish . Ninthly , And too many distinguish not Historical Evidence from the Churches pretended Authoritative determination . Tenthly , And some cannot tell what Historical Evidence is also Physical , and what maketh it so , as differing from Moral uncertain Testimony . And if Teachers of the Foundation have all these gross defects and more , is it any wonder if unstudied Lay-men are here puzled in the dark . § . 7. I am not now to write a Treatise to tell Men the true method of Preaching Faith : I have done that elsewhere , especially in [ The Reasons of Christian Religion , ] [ The unreasonableness of Infidelity , ] [ The Life of Faith , ] and a small Book called [ The certainty of Christianity without Popery . ] But I shall here give the unfurnished Reader a few necessary Distinctions and Conclusions . § . 8. Conclusion I. Divine Faith is a sort of knowledg with Trust to the credit of God revealing , and therefore must have evidence , 1. That it is the word of God that is proposed . 2. And that God doth not lie or deceive us . Conclus . II. It is the matter signified which is the prime necessary object of our Faith : and the words only as the vehicle or signs of the matter . Conclus . III. No one particular word in the Bible , or the World is of absolute necessity to be known ; but another may serve that hath the same signification . If any word were absolutely necessary to be known , if it be English , none could be saved but English-men : if Greek or Hebrew , none could be saved but Grecians or Hebricians , &c. Conclus . IV. The Gospel is not those same words that Christ spake , but a Translation of them . It s supposed that he spake in the Language then used by the Jews , which was a mixture of Chaldee and Syriack ; but the Gospel is written in Greek , so that our Original thereof is but a Divine Translation of Christs words . Conclus . V. Christ promised and gave his Spirit to his Apostles and Evangelists , to bring all things that he had taught them to their remembrance , and to lead them into all truth , and teach them what to say , so far as to perform their Commission , To Disciple the Nations , Baptizing them in the name of the Father , Son , and Holy Ghost , Teaching them to observe all things that he had Commanded them . And thus far they were infallible . Conclus . VI. The words therefore of the several writers are so far Divine , as to be the true and certain signifiers or expressions of so much of Christs Life and Doctrine , as he saw needful for the use of Man , to the end of the World to be made known . Conclus . VII . But all the Gospel writers recite not the same matter just in the same words , nor in the same Order , nor in the same Stile : And as all humane Language savoureth of humane imperfection , and the faculties of Men are not all of one degree of strength , and custome varyeth wise Mens Stile ; so the Apostles were but Men , and the very Words , Stile and Order of their writing had the effects of sinless humane imperfection , and were not such as that God himself could not have done it better : But it s all of God , as suited to its proper use . Conclus . VIII . The Gospel was God's word Preached by them , before they wrote it : Eight Years before St. Matthew wrote , and about Sixty Seven , or Sixty Eight Years before St. John wrote the Gospel : And it is not to be imagined , that in their Preaching they spake just all the same words which they wrote , and no more . Conclus . IX . All the Miracles that were then wrought , were first to confirm the Gospel as Preached before the Books were written . Conclus . X. But God knowing that the Apostles must die , and the Gospel must be infallibly delivered to the end of the World , inspired them to write , not only the Essentials , but all that was necessary for the World to know in all Generations , and leave it as the Sacred Record of his redeeming Work , his Doctrine , and his universal Law , written infallibly by the Spirit of Jesus which he sent as his Agent for that work ; so that the same Miracles which confirmed their words , are now equally a Seal of the Divine Authority of their writings . Conclus . XI . All the words in the Gospel are not Essential to Christianity , nor of equal necessity to be explicitely known , the Doctrine of Baptism and the Lords Supper , with the Decalogue and Lords Prayer , contain all the Essentials of Christianity truly understood ; which Doctrine of Baptism the Church ever expounded in a few plain Articles called the Creed : And they always took those Sacraments and that Creed , with the Lords Prayer and the Decalogue expounded by Christ , as the summaries of our Belief , Desires and Practice , to be the Gospel and Christian Religion ; The Ministry and Church Order instituted by the Spirit of Christ , being an Integral part : and these they diferenced from the Subsidiary and Ornamental parts of Scripture , in point of Necessity and Evidence . And they that believed these were saved , whether it was before the rest was written , or if they never heard or understood the rest . Conclus . XII . And before Christ , the Law of Moses must be greatly distinguished from the other Historical Books and Prophesies . As the Law of this Land by which all men hold their Lands and Lives , and must be governed , greatly differ from daily verbal Mandates , or written Commissions which the King may give to particular Persons ; so the Covenant of Grace , and the Law of Moses much differ from the particular Messages of Prophets , and the words of Priests about that Law , or the deeds of men . Universal and Common Laws are of Universal and Common Obligation , and therefore all must be certain of their Authority : But the Obedience and Salvation of the Land or World , was not laid on , e. g. the Prophets Message to Saul , to Jeroboam , to Hezekiah , &c. Therefore , in these Cases , the People are left sometimes to see whether Predictions come to pass , and its harder for them to know who is a true Prophet , the necessity being lesser . Conclus . XIII . It is therefore greatly to be noted , that , 1. The Law of Nature needed no Miracles to Confirm it , being legible in the Nature of Man and of all about him . 2. The Law of Moses which that Nation was to be ruled by , had so full evidence of Divine Authority , that it was scarce possible for the Jews of that Age to doubt of it : The ten Plagues of Egypt , the opening of the Red Sea , and the Raining of Quails , and the forty years feeding them with Manna , the Flaming Mount , the terrible Sight and Voices , the Glory of God and the Cloud before the Tabernacle , the swallowing up of Thousands by the opened Earth , with other such signs , must needs convince the Nations of Gods Revelation : And the Passeover , and many other means , were from the first , appointed to be a practical Tradition of it , uninterrupted . But the Priests that were but to obey and teach this Law needed no new Miracles , the Law being once so fully sealed . 3. And so when Christ came with a new and more perfect Revelation to settle the Law of Grace in the last Edition , he sealed it by multitudes of uncontrouled Miracles , and his own Resurrection , and the miraculous effusion of the Holy Ghost , by which the Apostles , who were infallibly to Record his Law and Promises , sealed their Word with the like wonderful works that Christ had done . But the Law and Promise being thus Sealed and Delivered , the Bishops , or Ministers , who are but to keep and teach it , need not new Miracles for their Work. If as some Usurpers pretend , Christ had made Bishops in Councils Universal Legislators to make new parts of Divine Religion for the World , God would have given them also the seal of such undoubted Miracles . Conclus . XIV . I have oft said four evidences concur infallibly to prove the Gospel true : And all are called , The Witness of the Spirit as one . 1. The Antecedent Prophesies . 2. The Miracles , and Resurrection , and Ascension of Christ , and the numerous Miracles of the Apostles and first Churches . 3. The propria Lux , or inherent impressions of God on the Gospel and all the Scriptures , which greatly differenceth it from all other Books and Doctrines . 4. The sanctifying efficacy of the Gospel on all true Believers in all Nations and Ages of the Earth ; which maketh them a holy , peculiar , heavenly , just and sober sort of Persons , quite differing from all other men , which is certainly the work of God by the Gospel , and by this his Spirit is a continuing Witness that God doth own it . Conclus . XV. The Order of Believing as to the Matter , is to believe the first sealed Gospel . First , even the Essence of Christianity as past doubt . And if there be a doubt whether the Spirit and Miracles sealed every by-word , style or order , that must not make us doubt of the Gospel which is surely sealed . Conclus . XVI . It is undeniable that there are multitudes of different Readings in the Old Testament and the New , in the Copies in the Original Tongues : It is uncertain to us , of many , which of them is the right : It is certain that when there was no Printing , but it was the Scriveners Trade to write out Books , many slips and differences would be among them . How far imperfection of memory or style might shew it self in the first writers in any by-words , may be doubted without doubting of the Gospel or Word of God : It is treachery to tell men that they can be no surer of the Gospel , than of the various Readings or Skill of the Writers , Printers or Translators . But it is certain that no corruption hath altered any necessary point . Conclus . XVII . The Order of believing as to the Evidence , is first to see the proof of the Matters of Fact by Historical Evidence : and in that to see the certainty of the Doctrine , which also sheweth its own credibility : And this is a short and sure proof of our Religion : 1. We may be as sure that the main History is true , as that any History in the World is true , 2. And if the History be true , the Doctrine must needs be true . Conclus . XVIII . And this History hath more than a moral uncertain Evidence : For the understanding of which it must be noted , that mans Soul hath two sort of Acts ; , some free and mutable , and some necessary by nature and immutable . All moral acts are free , and changeable : the Belief that is grounded on them hath but a moral certainty , which is strictly no proper certainty : All men are lyars : All belief grounded on mans mere honesty , ( though it were a general Council that pretends a judging Authority ) is uncertain . Though some good mens words give us so great a probability , as that one may venture his life on it . But the Love of a mans self , and of felicity , and an unwillingness to be miserable , &c. are acts Naturally necessary . Therefore the beleif which is well founded on these , hath a Physical Infallible certainty . Of this sort is our beleif that there is such a City as Rome , Venice , Paris , that there were such men as K. H. 7. 8. K. James , &c. that the Statutes of the Land are not Counterfeits ; For 1. Men that love themselves , of cross interests , capable of knowing , have all agreed of the Truth of these , and so do to this day . Argu. 1. Where the Cause is ofnatural necessity , the Effect is of natural certainty : But the cause that the willing and unwilling of contrary Interests , have all knowingly agreed to the things forenamed , must needs be of natural necessity : Ergo , the said Agreement is of natural certainty . Argu. 2. There can be no effect without an adequat Cause . But for all knowing Men of contrary Interests and Wills to agree that there is such a place as Rome , &c. that there was such a man as King James , that the Statutes are not counterfeit , &c. if these were false , is an effect that hath no Cause in Nature : Ergo , it is naturally impossible . E. G. For our Statutes ; It was easily knowable in the Age that they were made in , whether they were counterfeit : For men hold their Lands and Lives by them , and plead them daily at the Tribunals for cross Interests against each other : Therefore natural necessary Causes would make some discover it , were they false . And if any had then discovered it , the same Causes would propagate the Discovery . That this is the Case about the History of the Scripture , and that Jesus Christ Lived , Taught , wrought Miracles , Dyed , Rose , Ascended , sent down the Holy Spirit , that the Apostles by untaught Languagues and Miracles planted the Gospel , and Christ gave the same Spirit by the imposition of their hands on their ordinary hearers that believed , that they appealed to their own working Miracles and their Childrens , to their accusers , Gal. 3. 1. 3. 5. Mat. 12 , &c. this I have largely proved elsewhere . In all this you may see that to lay the Faith of Christians on a pretended judging Power of the Church , Pope , or Councils , and then first to enquire which is the Church that hath this Power , is a cheat of ambitious men to catch the Ignorant . The most universal agrement including Hereticks , and Enemies , and men of contrary Wills and Interests is the best Historical Evidence of Fact : And the certainty of the History with the quality of the Doctrine it self , and its effects , is a certain proof that the Doctrine is of God. And the particular Books aud Words must have their own Historical proof , where there is some difference . Conclus . XIX . Objective certainty , must still be distinguished from Mental , Active , Subjective certainty . 1. Every thing true is infallibly true , so far as whoever believeth it to be true is not deceived . 2. Every thing true hath not ascertaining evidence , but some things have . 3. Every thing that hath ascertaining evidence is not certainly known or believed by millions : A multitude of inward and outward hinderances keep men from discerning such evidence as ascertaineth others , and might ascertain them . Prepared Souls have great advantage , by capacity , willingness , diligence , &c. And experienced Christians on whom the Gospel hath made a sanctifying change , have the witness in themselves , which proveth it to be of God. And this witness of the Spirit is a great and constant Seal on all that are sound believers : but in a different degree . Yet the unsanctified and unbelievers that are not negligently or maliciously blind , may much discern the excellent effects of the Gospel on others though they feel it not in themselves . Conclus . XX. The Order of Believing as to the Acts , is usually this . Men usually ( though not always ) begin with a Belief of men , and perhaps fallible men , which giveth them but a probability that the Gospel is Gods word ; And from thence they pass to a Belief of it as Gods word , which is partly Divine ( that is , for Gods Veracity and Authority ) but not effectuall , but is only the work of a common Grace , not sanctifying and saving . And thence they come to a saving Divine Faith , but in a weak degree , which is to grow stronger till it come to full assurance . Conclus . XXI . For the understanding of all this , it is very needful that the true nature and formal cause of Divine Faith , be better and more distinctly opened than usually it is Faith , in its ratio formalis must not be confounded with necessary previous Knowledge . All this Syllogism goeth before it . ( Whatsoever God saith is true : This God saith , Ergo , this is true , ) Or ( All the word of God is trne . The Gospel or sacred Scripture is the word of God : Ergo , it is true ) Major , Minor , and conclusion are all but a Knowledge antecedent to Faith in its formal Act , ( though I and others formerly have called the conclusion , Faith , ) Yea further , ( whatever is evident truth , is to be believed and trusted : The Gospel is evident truth , therefore it is to be believed or trusted ) This is yet but Faith's antecedent : pisteuo , credo fido , all signifie to trust : And trust is the formal Act of Faith : But this trust is in all the three faculties of the Soul. 1. The understanding having first discerned the credibility , giveth over doubting ( in that degree ) and resteth in or trusteth the discerned truth . 2. The Will doth with complacency trust to and rest in the said truth discerned , ( with the goodness also discerned as sure and true . ) 3. The e●ecutive imperate Power doth practically trust , perform , and venture , commanded by the Will. So that truly , Divine Faith is an intellectual , willing , executive , or practical trust . I have oft explained it by such similitudes as these There is but one Physitian that can heal a sick man : His Enemies defame him as a deceiver . He saith believe or trust me and I will freely cure thee : He that truly trusteth him now , doth it Intellectually , Consentingly , and Practically , and takes his Medicines ; A Forreign Prince tells a poor man or a Prisoner , I will give thee a Lordship in the East-Indies if thou wilt trust me ; some say he is a deceiver : Others say , the Ship , or Pilot , or Seas are dangerous : He that so far trusteth him now , as to forsake his poor Country , and goe to Sea , and venture his all upon the trust , shall have what is promised . Conclus . XXII . Here therefore to confute the Errours of a multitude of Doctors , and to quiet most Souls not otherwise to be justly quieted , it is necessary to know these things . 1. That the formal Act of Faith may be Divine and Saving , when the foresaid antecedent knowledge or assent , may have some mistakes and insufficient media . 2. That Faith may be saving , which reacheth not to a strong subjective certainty , nor excludeth always all doubting , even of the truth of the Gospel and the Life to come . 3. Yea , that no ones Faith is absolutely perfect . 1. Most Persons begin with a humane belief of their Parents , and the common estimation of the Country ; that Christ is the true Messiah , and the Scripture is Gods certain word : This is not a certain Proof : But if Children or unlearned Persons do by such uncertain Arguments believe the Scripture to be Gods word , and then tast a Divine goodness in the matter , which maketh them most willingly believe it ; These Persons may by so weak a preparation , Practically trust God , and the Gospel , as so far perceived to be his word , even with a saving Faith. An Armenian Greek , Abassine , &c. believeth fide humana the Gospel to be true , because their several Teachers tell them so : And they perceive a goodness in it : These on this fallible ground first taking it for the word of God , knowing that God is true , may yet savingly trust it as the word of God , and that trust is a Divine Faith , though the antecedent means was humane ; ( besides the savour of Truth and goodness in the Word it self . ) 2. How few in the world have true Faith , if none be true that reacheth not to full undoubting subjective certainty . Certainty may be had : Ascertaining truth and Evidence there is : But it is not every unlearned person that discerneth it A man may trust his life in the hand of a Physitian , though he be not undoubtingly certain he can cure him : He may trust Life and Estate in a Vessel which he is not undoubtingly certain will bring him safe to Land. Though an unlearned man is not so well acquainted with History as to know with what Evidence the Gospel hath been brought down to our Age , nor so good a Logician as to bring an Argument for Christianity and the Scriptur , which is not faulty ; Yet , if he take it to be the word of God , and though he cannot say [ I am undoubtingly certain of it ] yet can say [ I am undoubtingly certain there is nothing which is to be trusted in equality with it : This or nothing must be my hope : therefore , on this I will venture or lay my life and soul and all my hope , and will obey Christ , and forsake all that stands against him ; For this hope I will live , and in this hope I will die . ] This will prove a saving Faith. 3. Yea , it is certain that there is nothing absolutely perfect in this World : And therefore no ones faith or certainty is perfect : even they that feel no actual doubting , have yet but an Imperfect Faith ; else they would have more perfect obedience , patience and joy ; The best have need to pray , Lord increase our faith ; and Lord I believe , help thou my unbeleif . The weakness of all our graces and duty comes from the weakness of our faith . And it is not the best Logick which is ever accompanied with the strongest Trust ; Though Reason be an excellent and necessary ingredient , some trust in Christ with victorious confidence , who cannot dispute best for their Faith. Conclus . XXIII . Though Peace and holy Joy be a most desirable effect of Faith , and by which the strength of it may be much tryed , yet it is not this , but Practical consent to the Covenant of Grace , or Christs terms of Salvation , in which its saving sincerity consisteth . Conclus . XXIV . By all this it appeareth how ambiguously the Question de Resolutione fidei is too oft disputed : And how fallaciously a mans faith is said to be unsound , if his reasons be some unsound , and none cogent to prove an undoubted absolute certainty that the Scripture is Gods word ; and that Faith is not so resolved into the antecedent reasonings as necessarily to be unsound if some of them are so . That God cannot lie is known by Nature . That the Gospel is his word , is known by its proper notifying evidence ( forenamed ) , where many things concur . That therefore the Gospel is true , is known as a rational Conclusion . But these are by believers apprehanded oft with imperfection , faultyness and disorder . But Practical Trust in God , in Christ , in the Gospel Promise , is Constituted by its formal object which is Gods Fidelity or Veracity , grounded in his Perfection , and in the apprehended Truth of his promises . And this effectual faith is saving . I have Prefaced this much that the Reader may the easilyer understand and profit by the two following Treatises , one written and the other translated by Mr. William Lorimer , my greatly valued Friend , well known by me to be a man of Learning and Judgment and exemplary faithfulness to God and Conscience , and of a prudent and peaceable Conversation with men : If the Reader bring not a disposition of enmity against the Truth . or gross neglect of it , but a mind that hath necessary manly preparation , and a receptive willingness and resolution for an impartial diligent search , I doubt not but in these two Discourses he will find enough , though not to remove every difficulty in the Bible , yet to save his Faith from all such assaults , as would overthrow it , and make it uneffectual to his Salvation . And verily a man that hath well digested the matter of such Controversies , will find that Pomponatius , Vaninus , Hobbes , Spinosa , &c : were Ignorant men , that knew not their own Ignorance , nor what they wrote against , and that Simon saith little but what Commentators have often Answered ; and though he and others truly prove the doubtfulness of some Readings , and som● Translations , which may be of man , he saith nothing to shake a well-grounded belief of Moses Law , the Gospel of Christ , and any thing necessary to Holiness or Salvation . Richard Baxter . April 7. 1682. ERRATA . Preface , pag. 6. lin . 2. read ( have ) In the Epistle to the Reader , page 4. lin . 11. read ( will ) page 7. lin . 11. read ( adiaphorous ) page 16. lin . 7. read ( where ) l. 18. r. ( be ) l. 20. r. ( servant ) l. 22. r. ( and ) First part p. 17. l. 1. 1. ( uncertain , in so much ) ibid. l. 16. r. ( parity ) p. 28. l. 8. r. ( suppositions ) p. 35. l. 7. r. ( retro-active ) p. 43. l. 7. r. ( command ) ibid. l. 13. r. ( punishment ) p. 47. l. 2. for ( Table ) r. ( Fable ) p. 56. l. 14. r. ( proofs of Religion ) Second part , p. 67. l. 5 , 6. r. ( Authoribus ) p. 80. l. 13. r. ( preserved ) p. 84. l. 24. r. ( floating ) p. 87. l. 7. r. ( afford ) p. 91. l. 7. r. ( sixth ) p. 96. l. 23. r. ( your ) p. 97. l. 10. r. ( named ) p. 104. l. 19. r. ( for ) p. 109. l. 16. r. ( unto ) p. 110. l. 4. r. ( may ) p. 132. l. 16. r. ( hundred ) p. 135. l. 8. r. ( sense ) p. 144. l. 7. & 19. r. ( Be eber haijarden ) p. 150. l. 2. r. ( land ) p. 151. l. 15. r. ( mount ) p. 164. l. 7. r. ( say ) The Epistle to the READER . Christian Reader , IF thou weighest things in the Ballance of right Reason , thou can'st not but see , That Moses being the first Man by whose Ministry Almighty God thought fit to give a Body of Laws unto a whole Nation , and to as many of the World besides , as should join in communion with that Nation ; it was necessary God should enable him to make it evidently appear unto all rational Men , that he was sent and authorized by God to give Laws unto that Nation : and if thou read'st the Books of Moses , and what thou wilt find in the following Discourse concerning him and them , thou can'st not but likewise see , that the infinitely Wise and Powerful God did in effect enable him evidently and certainly to prove his Mission and Commission to be from Heaven . For through God's extraordinary assistance he gave the highest demonstrations of his being Authorized from above , that can in reason be desired of any that speaks or writes unto Men in the name of God ; his works and writings hear the manifest signatures of God's Wisdom , Power and Goodness ; his works were such as could never have been done without the assistance of an invisible Power , far above any thing that falls under the perceptions of Sense ; and it is most evident to Reason , That that invisible Power could be no other , than the infinitely powerful , wise and good God , who made , preserves and governs the World , and all things therein . For it could not possibly be any Evil Spirit . First , Because Moses in his contest with the Magicians of Aegypt , did at the very first Encounter , far out-do them , and the Evil Spirit by whose assistance they wrought their wonders , as evidently appears by Aaron's Rods swallowing up their Rods , ( Exod. 7. 12. ) and by their not being able to remove the Frogs again from off the Land of Aegypt : and therefore Pharaoh was forced to call for Moses and Aaron , and desire them to intreat the Lord to take away the Frogs from him and his people ( Exod. 8. ●●8 . ) and at last he forced them to confess ●●●t they were overcome ; for when they ●●●ld not turn the Dust of Aegypt into Lice , 〈◊〉 Moses and Aaron had done , they then ●●●ved out , and said unto Pharaoh , [ This is the finger of God , Exod. 8. 18 , 19. ] they ●onfessed that it was the power of God which ●nabled Moses and Aaron to turn the Dust into Lice , and which hindered them from doing the like . Secondly , It could not possibly be any Evil Spirit , because Moses's Miracles were wrought for the highest , best and excellentest ends , to wit , for the glory of God , and for the good of his People ; they were wrought to convince both Pharaoh and Israel , That the Lord God of Abraham , Isaac and Jacob , who made , and governs the World , is the only true God , who is above all to be Feared and Reverenced , Adored and Worshipped , Loved and Obeyed , Pleased and Glorified ; and that Moses was his Authorized Messenger to be believed and obeyed for his sake , in all that he said , and commanded in his name : They were wrought also , both to cause Pharaoh to let go the Israelites , and likewise to make the Israelites willing to leave Aegypt , and to go with Moses , and take possession of the Land of Canaan , which the Lord God had long before promised unto their Fathers , Abraham , Isaac and Jacob. a Thirdly , It could not possibly be any Evil Spirit , because Moses's Miracles were wrought to the prejudice of the Devil's interest in the World , and for the destroying of the Devil's Kingdom , by rooting out Idolatry from among God's People , and driving Idolaters out of Canaan ; and for the setting up of the Kingdom of God visibly upon Earth . b Fourthly , It could not possibly be any Evil Spirit , because the Evil Spirit is the great Enemy of Mankind , and of all humane Society rightly constituted ; whereas Moses's Miracles were wrought for the confirmation of a Doctrine , which is manifestly for the good of Mankind , of individual Men , and of all Societies of Men , Deut. 4. 6 , 8. This wile clearly appear unto any rational Man that shall duly consider these following Laws of Moses , Concerning Mens Loving their Neighbours as themselves , and not Coveting any thing belonging to them . c Concerning the City's of Refuge appointed for such Persons , as should happen to kill a Man unwittingly . d Concerning the Redemption of Lands . e Concerning Goodness , Lenity and Equity to Servants . f Mercifulness to the Poor . g Kindness to Straugers . h Justice and Equity to the Widows and Fatherless . i Reverence and Obedience to Superiors . k And concerning the Duties of Superiors towards their Inferiors and Subjects . l But not to insist upon these and many other excellent Laws of Moses , which are manifestly for the good of Mankind , and both evidence themselves to have been given unto Moses and Israel by an infinitely good God ; and also Moses's Miracles wrought in confirmation of them , to have been from the same cause ; there is one thing which I cannot but touch upon , to wit , That whereas other Law-givers have set up , some a Monarchy , some an Aristocracy , and others a Democracy , Moses was the first that Established a visible Theocracy over the Israelites , under which form of Government , all things were to be managed by the counsel and direction of the infinitely wise God ; the People of Israel , as a Kindom of Priests , and a Holy Nation , were to refer all their matters unto God , and to ask advice and direction of him by VRIM and THVMMIM , in reference to Peace and War , and all things of any considerable importance , or difficulty , ( Exod. 19. 5 , 6. & 20. 24 , the latter part , Exod. 28. 30. Deut. 10. 14 , 15 , 16 , 17. & 12. 11 , 12 , Levit. 26. 11 , 12. &c. ) These things put together ( if no more could be said ) seem abundantly sufficient to prove that Moses was Authorized by God to give Laws unto the Israelites ; for no Man could have wrought such Miracles so circumstantiated , except God had been with him : and such is the weakness of Man's Vnderstanding , that he could never of his own head have invented such a Law , and such a way of Government . And if Moses's Miracles and Law could not possibly be of any Evil Spirit , nor of Man , they must needs have been of a Good Spirit , and that Good Spirit could be no other but God : for though God used the Ministry of Good and Holy Angels in giving forth the Law , yet they could not possibly be the Authors of it ; and if any of them had ever pretended unto that Honour , he would by so doing have degenerated into a proud , arrogant and lying Devil . God himself then was the alone Author of Moses his Law , and the Holy Angels with Moses , were but Instruments and Ministers , by whom God gave it unto Israel ; and indeed there is nothing in it , but what well becomes God to be the Author of ; there is nothing in it that doth any way contradict the perfections of his Nature , or destroy the natural notions of Truth and Falshood , Good and Evil which he hath implanted in the mind of Man : nay many of Moses's Laws are evidently agreeable unto , and Representative of the transcendent excellencies of the Divine , and perfective of the humane Nature : and even those of them which are of a most adiapheros indifferent nature in themselves , and derive all their morality from the will and pleasure of God , did certainly by Gods appointment and blessing very much promote the happiness of his People , ( Deut. 10. 12 , 13. & 11. 12 , to 16. Levit. 26. 3 , to 13. Deut. 32. 16 , 17. ) As to what some Atheists Object from Exod. 12. 35 , 36. That Moses taught the Israelites to cheat the Aegyptians of their Jewels , under pretence of borrowing them , and that God himself is brought in as countenancing the Cheat ; which seems to be plainly contrary , both to the perfections of God , and right Reason of Man. I Answer , It is false that is Objected , for there was really no borrowing and lending in the case , but asking and receiving , and carrying away what God had inclined the hearts of the Aegyptians freely to give : and so there could be no cheat under pretence of borrowing . This Answer is grounded upon the true import of the Hebrew Word ( Shaal ) which signifies ( to ask , ) and accordingly the place Objected is rendred by Munster , and the Tigurin ; in English thus , [ The Children of Israel asked of the Aegyptians , Jewels , — and the Lord gave the People favor in the sight of the Aegyptians , so that they gave them such thiugs as they asked , and they carryed them away from the Aegyptians ; ] the Aegyptians apprehended themselves to be all dead Men , if the Israelites stayed in Aegypt any longer , and therefore were willing to give them any thing they bad , on condition that they would be presently gone , Vers . 33. And thus things were ordered by the wise Providence of God , that the Children of Israel might be rewarded for the great Service they had done unto the Aegyptians . Moreover , It is very observable that some of Moses's Laws were such , that it is impossible to conceive that any Men in their Wits , would either have given such Laws unto others , or have themselves received and submitted to them ; unless they had been sure that God was the Author of them , and that he would take care to prevent the great inconveniences that might arise from the observance of them . I Instance in Two , First , The Law for the Seventh Year Sabbath , ( Exod. 23. 10 , 11 , & Levit. 25. 4 , 5. ) The Command not to Plow nor Sow every Seventh Year , was of such consequence , and might have produced so ill effects , that Moses would never have attempted to bring the Israelites under such a Law , nor would they have been such fools as to have received it , and submitted to it , unless he and they had been both sure , that God had Authorized him to give them that Law , and that God had undertaken to secure them from the great inconvenience that might arise from their Observance of it ; for if they had not been sure that God had by promise engaged his Providence to Bless them with extraordinary great abundance of Cornes on the Sixth Year , they could not but foresee that there would have been a Scarcity and Famine on the Seventh Year , especially when the Year of Jubile , which was every Fiftieth Year , succeeded the Seventh Year Sabbath ; for in that case the Law forbade them either to Plow or Sow for Two whole Years together , ( Levit. 25. 8 , to 12. ) upon which they could not but foresee that a Famine would certainly follow , unless God had undertaken by an extraordinary Providence to prevent it . Therefore Moses must have been sure of this , otherwise he would never have attempted the giving them such a Law ; and he must have made the People sure of it also , otherwise he could not but foresee that they would never have been so simple as to receive and submit unto such a Law , as would expose them to the danger of a Famine every Seventh Year , and in the revolution of Fifty Years , would unavoidably bring a Famine upon them . We read in the 25th of Leviticus where this Law is Recorded , That God foreseeing the People would certainly move this Objection against it , he prevented them , and both moved and answered the Objection himself , Vers . 20 , 21. [ If ye shall say , What shall we eat the Seventh Year ? behold , we shall not Sow , nor gather in our Increase . Then I will command my Blessing upon you in the Sixth Year , and it shall bring forth Fruit for Three Years , &c. ] Here they had God's word of Promise , Sealed with the Broad-Seal of Heaven , Moses's Miracnlous Works for the ground of their assurance , that God's extraordinary Providence would secure them from Famine . And it was upon this so well grounded assurance , that they received and submitted to that Law. And God never failed them in this , but always fnlfilled with his hand what he had spoken with his mouth ; so that they were never forced to travel into other Countries to buy Corn for the supply of their necessities , in those Sabbatical Years . The other Law I instance in , is , that which obliged all the Males of Israel Thrice a Year to appear before the Lord , at the place where the Ark of God should be , ( Exod. 23. 17. & 34. 23. Deut. 16. 16. ) this Law was given and written by Moses for the Generations to come , and he could not but foresee that the People would be ready to Object against it , That if after they were possessed of the Land of Canaan , all their Males should Thrice every Year leave their several Houses and Countries , and meet at one place , as at Jerusalem , or at any other place where the Ark of God should happen to be ; their Land would be in danger of being frequently invaded , spoiled and wasted by the malitious and covetous Heathens that lived round about them , and that therefore it was most unreasonable to desire them to be Governed by such a Law : This Objection , I say , Moses could not but foresee , and therefore if he had not been certain that it was God's will and pleasure that he should give them such a Law , he would never have done it of his own head ; and likewise if they had not been certain that Moses was really Authorized and Commissioned by God to give them such a Law , they would never have received it , and submitted unto the observance of it , to the visible hazarding the loss of all that they had in the World. This God considered to be rational , and therefore for their security he gave them his promise by Moses , and by Moses's Miracles confirmed his Promise , That no Man should DESIRE their Land , when they went up to appear before the Lord their God , Thrice in the Year , ( Exod. 34. 24 , ) as if God had said , Be not afraid least the Heathen break in upon you , and Burn your Cities , and lay waste your Countrie , whilst all your Males are from home , attending npon me at the place of my Publick Worship , for when you are about my Work , I will not only be with you abroad , but with your Wives and Children likewise at home ; and I will take such care of you and yours , and so secure all your Concerns , that your envious and Covetous Neighbours and Enemies shall not so much as desire your Land , much less shall they be able to lay it waste and desolate with Fire and Sword , as you may be apt to fear . It was by this promise , and the Miracles wrought by Moses , that both Moses and the People were assured that this Law was of God , and that God's special Providence would protect his People , and secure all their concerns , when they were doing the will of God according to this Law ; and without this assurance if Moses had gone about to impose upon them in a matter of such dangerous consequence , they would certainly have refused to obey him . By these Two Instances it manifestly appears , that Moses both knew in himself , and evidently proved unto Israel , that he was Commissioned by God to give Laws unto them : for if it had been otherwise , he would neither have attempted to give them such Laws , nor would they have ever received them and submitted to them . To draw to an end ; Let it be considered that Moses Miracles tended all to the Glory of God the Author of Nature , and to the advanccment of his Kingdom in the World , as he is the Author of Grace ; and his Writings give us most high , glorious and excellent , and also most lovely and desirable Idea's and Notions of God and his Perfections . Witness God's name , [ I AM THAT I AM , and I AM , Exod. 3. 14. ] which signifies that he is the first and most perfect Beeing , that gives Beeing to all other things , and consequently implies his eternal and necessary Existence from everlasting and to everlasting . And his name , [ THE LORD , THE LORD GOD MERCIFUL and GRACIOUS , &c. Exod. 34. 6 , 7. ] witness also that description of him , Exod. 15. 11. [ WHO is like unto thee , O LORD , — GLORIOUS IN HOLINESS FEARFUL IN PRAISES , DOING WONDERS , ] and that other description of him , ( Deut. 32. 3 , 4. I will publish the name of the Lord : ascribe ye greatness unto our God , &c. ) And what is written of him in Deut. 4. 35 , to 40. & 10. 14 , to 19. These most sublime and excellent Notions of God and his Perfections , with which Moses's Writings do furnish us , are proper and fit to raise in us a most high esteem and reverence of God , to make us admire and adore him , to take us off from the inordinate love of our selves , and of all other Creatures , as mean and vile , as shadows and nothing ; and to draw out our hearts and affections wholly unto him , to make us love him , and from a principle of Love , careful to please him , and fearful to offend him , ( Deut. 6. 4 , 5 , 13 , 14 , 15. & 10. 12 , to 21. ) in fine , to make us hope in him , expect all needful good things from him , and above all things desire to be united unto him , as the most glorious , excellent and blessed Beeing , ( which was , and is , and is to come , of whom , through whom , and to whom , are all things , ) that we may be most happy in union with him , and in the enjoyment of his Love and Favor for evermore . I might here speak of that account which Moses gives of the Creation of the World , and especially of Mankind ; of the Disobedience and Apostacy of Mankind , and of the Miseries that came upon the World by reason thereof : And of the restoring of Man to the favor of God again by the Mediation of the Messias , who was promised and Prophesied of , first under the name and notion of the Seed of the Woman , that was to bruise the Serpents Head , ( Gen. 3. 15. ) then of the Seed of Abraham by Isaac , in which Seed all the Nations of the Earth were to be Blesied , ( Gen. 22. 18. & 26. 4. ) and afterwards , of the Seed of Jacob by Judah , and stiled SHILOH , unto whom the gathering of the People was to be , ( Gen. 28. 14. compared with Gen. 49. 10. & Numb . 24. 16 , 17 , 19. ) and lastly , under the name and notion of a Prophet like nnto Moses , and who by consequence was to be a Lawgiver and Mediator , ( Deut. 18. 18 , 19. ) I might shew the Reader that Moses's Writings set forth God as placable and reconcileahle , ( Gen. 3. 15. & 4. 7. ) as pleased and reconciled ( Gen. 4. 4. & 8. 20 , 21. ) and as pleased and reconciled by Faith , ( Gen. 15. 6. ) I might demonstrate , that the account which Moses gives of these things , is highly agreeable to right reason and experience , and that it is most comfortable and satisfactory to the mind of Man : But all this cannot he done in the compass of a short Epistle . The Reader may expect that I should at least say something in behalf of the Two following Discourses ; but if he do , he will be disappointed : for having said enough in commendation of the First Disconrse in the beginning of the Second , I will say no more of either , but leave both to speak for themselves . Only I must advertise the Reader , That the Translation varies from the Original in some Two or Three things , and this is the reason of the variation ; I found that there were several palpable mistakes in the French Discourse , and I am resolved through God's Grace to follow no Man in known mistakes : therefore I mended them . As where the Author says , That the broad Plates for covering the Altar , made of the Censers of Corah and his Company , were Plates of Gold ; I say , as the truth is , that they were Plates of Brass , ( Numb . 16. 39. ) And again , where the Author says , That Moses Condemned Thirty or Forty Thousand Men , and commanded them all to be presently Executed : I say , that he did so by several Thousands , which is true , for the number of the Slain was about Three Thousand , ( Exod. 32. 28. ) but our Learned Author was certainly mistaken , for his reckoning neither agrees exactly with the Vulgar Translation , nor yet with the Hebrew Verity . Christian Reader , I will detain thee no longer from the perusal of the Discourses themselves , and that the use of them may he blessed to thee for thy Souls good , is and shall be the earnest desire of Thy Seavant in all things , wherein he may Serve our Lord Christ , and his Church , W. L. A DISCOURSE On the Proofs of the BOOKS of MOSES . 1. THE Christian Religion doth freely acknowledge that the wit of Man cannot reach the the height of the Mysteries which it teacheth , and that the humane understanding is too narrow and limited to discover the grounds of them in the Eternal springs of Truth , where they would appear to us as clear , as first and self evident Principles , if our sight could reach so far . Nevertheless , it pretends not that we should believe them absolutely without proof , and by a blind Instinct : and God hath not given Man Reason and Understanding , to render so great a present , not onely useless , but also hurtful to him , by propounding unto him such objects of Faith only , against which his Reasoning faculty should be in a continual mutiny and contradictory opposition . That is the case of those Sects which are founded only upon Wild Fancies , Groundless Conceits and Phanatical Visions ; and which are Established upon , and Upheld by , no other Principle than such an extravagant abuse of Reason , as that was by which they were first hatcht : Whereas the Christian Religion is such , that how impenetrable soever be the depth of its mysteries , yet none can doubt of their truth , but by such another kind of extravagancy . 2. For the business is not to examine the possibility of those mysteries , nor to cure the wit of Man , as touching all the difficulties which it finds to submit unto them , men would be unreasonable to desire to comprehend them , since they cannot comprehend themselves , and yet doubt not of their own Existence . It is sufficient that it may be demonstrated to them that all those so unconceivable Truths are linked , not only with other Truths which they know , but also with such Truths as of all others are most proportionat to their understanding , and whereof they may be assured by the most evident and certain means . 3. If men have a certain knowledg of any thing , it is of matters of Fact ; of all things which they know , there is not any , wherein it is more difficult to impose upon them , and concerning which there is less occasion of dispute ; and so when it shall be clearly shewed them that the Christian Religion is inseperably linked with matters of Fact , whereof the Truth cannot be questioned by men of common honesty and integrity , they must either submit unto the belief of all its Doctrines , or else they must renounce sincerity and reason . 4. For instance , if there was such a Man as Moses , and if he was the Author of the Books commonly attributed unto him , then the Jewish Religion is true : if the Jewish Religion be true , then Jesus Christ is the Messias ; and if Jesus Christ be the Messias , then all that he said and taught is to be believed , and consequently the Trinity , the Incarnation , and all the other mysterious Doctrines of the Christian Religion are to be believed . 5. It is by this Divine concatenation of Truths , that God leads Men unto the true Faith , and that they are enabled to show that there is nothing more rational , than their submission unto the most incomprehensible mysteries ; so far are they from deserving to be charged with weakness and imprudence on that account ; and since the great Body of Christian Religion is composed of a very great number of different Parts which all tend to the same end , and hath had a Being about six thousand years ; it cannot be but that it must consist of very many particular Truths all linked together as in one chain , and that every Age must have given new proofs thereof : and consequently that wheresoever a Man begins , to what point soever he applies himself , he will always meet with such an abundance of light , that it will be impossible for him to resist and stand out against it . 6. But we are so much the more obliged diligently to apply our selves unto an accurat search for finding out of these Proofs , by how much it hath not pleased God that they should consist in such gross and palpable Principles , as might be discovered at first glance , and might be seen equally by all men ; they are rather an heap of circumstances , which all men do not put together , or do not look upon them the same way ; but which are nevertheless sensibly evident unto the meanest capacities , when their eyes are once opened ; and do produce ( when they are gathered up and put together ) a certainty if not more full , at least more intimate and more natural , than that which we have of speculative and abstractive demonstrations , because the ways and means of attaining unto the assurance of those matters of Fact are more proportionable and sutable unto the humane understanding , and there is no man but will find the Principles of them in himself . 7. It is for this end , to give a Specimen how those matters of Fact are to be considered , whose certainty necessarily inferreth the certainty of our Religion , that we shall choose to discourse of the particular matters of Fact in Moses his History , and of the Truth of his Books , which are the Foundation of the Jewish Religion , as the Jewish is the Foundation of the Christian Religion according to Saint Paul. 8. I think there is no need that I should first prove , before I proceed any further , That if really there hath been a Man affirming that he was sent from God , and who ( not desiring to be believed upon his bare word , or for some Actions not much above those which we know to be within the compass of humane power ) hath for proof of his mission , wrought that astonishing multitude of Miracles which we find Recorded in the Pentateuch , hath evidently shewed that he had power of life and death , hath commanded the Elements , and made the whole frame of Nature to bow at his word and obey his orders , I say , there is no need that I should prove he ought to be believed , for I doubt not but that upon supposition that there hath been such a Man who hath really done such things to prove his mission from God , all Men in the World will grant that this person deserves to be believed in all that he hath written of that God , in whose name he hath wrought all those Miracles , and that the Religion which he hath instituted ought to be received as true and Divine . 9. The most obstinate Spirits of Men are as it were overwhelmed with the weight of those Miracles , and find no other means to satisfie their byass to unbelief , than to seek to find out some frivolous reasons on which to ground their doubts of the truth of those Miracles , and of the Book that contains them . 10. But if they have any remainder of honesty & sincerity , I defie them to go far , or continue long in those doubts ; for they will find their doubts so born down and vanquished by the abundance of proofs which accompany this History , that they will be forced either to acknowledg it to be true , or else to fall in with the senseless stupidity of those persons who for fear of being powerfully perswaded to believe the things which Religion teacheth them , resolvedly choose never to think on them at all . 11. For by what suppositions will they pretend to shake the certainty of what is written in those Books , and dispose their minde to believe that there was never any such thing ? Let them give as much liberty as they will unto their Fancy , and let it furnish them with all the Chymerical suppositions that possibly it can , yet they shall never be able to conclude any thing from thence , which hath the least shadow of probability , and which a Man of the least solid Judgment would not be ashamed to propound . 12. Will they say , there was never such a Man as Moses , and that whatever hath been said of him , are fables invented for delight ? But let them consider that the Jews and Christians are not the onely persons who have been known to speak and write of this Moses , since we find there are even prophane Historians who make mention of him , yet if they deny what is written of him in the Penteatuch , and affirm all those things to be Fables , then let them also deny all the Histories in the World , and affirm them all to be fables ; since there is none of them of whose Truth we could be sure , if it were allowed ( as any way rational ) to doubt whether there was ever a Man called Moses , who brought the Jews out of Aegypt after a long captivity ; for all the Reasons by which Men judge of the Truth of other Histories , are equally to be found in that of Moses . For example , no Man doubts but that Alexander and Cyrus have been , because many Authors have written of them , and it never came into any Mans mind deliberatly to doubt thereof : and it is evident that neither hath any Man upon serious thoughts ever doubted whether Moses hath been ; this hath been constantly believed by a very numerous people , and by all who have known , and have conversed both with him and them ; and was never contradicted by any Body whosoever . But moreover there is this difference , that the Books of Moses have singular and peculiar proofs of their certain truth , which are not to be met with in any other ; for there was never any Book preserved with so much care and affection , as that Book which containeth his History , and yet never had any men more sensible and strong Reasons , taken from their own Interest , to disprove the truth of a Book , if they could have done it with any colour of probability , than the Jews have had to disprove the truth of the Books of Moses ; since by so doing , they should have at once freed themselves from the most uneasie Law that ever was , from a Law ( I say ) that was most rigorous and grievous , most dreadful and burdensome to the observers of it : in so much that there appeareth no motive , that could perswade them to submit unto , and endure the whole burden of it , but a firm perswasion of its infallible Truth and divine Authority . 13. Unbelief then not being able to keep its ground upon this first Chymerical supposition , it must pass unto , and fix upon some other ; and the Infidel must say , for example , that it is true , there was a man called Moses , and this man was the head of a great Nation , which he brought out of Aegypt , but withall , that he was a great Impostor , who deceived that people by false Miracles , and forged all the prodigious things which he mentions in his Books , to the end he might the better bring them under Subjection to the Law he had devised , and by that Law to himself , in making them to esteem it as come from Heaven , and to consider himself as the Interpreter of God's Will , in whose name he spake , and as having God's Power in his own hands , to punish those that should resist him . 14. The greatest efforts and endeavors of humane Wit to disprove the truth of Moses his Books , may be reduced to such imaginations as these , and yet nothing less rational could be invented ; for if men would in this matter make use but of proofs taken from meer sense , how difficult is it to reconcile the Wisdom and Vertue which clearly appear in this Moses , with so black an Imposture ! how difficult is it to comprehend , that this man in an Age so remote , so dark and so rude , and without any help from the Inventions of those that had gone before , could have been able to contrive of his own head , not only a Law , from which all other Laws have been obliged to borrow something or other , but moreover , that he could have been able to have framed the Idea or Notion of a God , and that an Idea so great and so worthy , that excepting those who have trodden in his steps , there were never any who have had an Idea of God , but what was infinitely below it , whereas all other humane Inventions grow up to perfection successively , and by degrees ! in fine , how strange a thing would it be , that this first born of all Impostors should have hit so right in a matter so far elevated above the thoughts of men , and should have known so well what should be due to a God , and what a God should be ; that really Men are sensibly convinced that he must be such a God , if he be at all , and that honest hearts should be grievously troubled at it , if such a God were not . 15. But to pass from this , unto such things as bear a greater proportion unto all sorts of Capacities ; let us see whether it be possible , that all the Miracles mentioned in those Books , should be but so many Fables invented by Moses ; if this be possible , then either he must have hoped to make the Jews believe him , or at least , he must have hoped to perswade them to Authorize them by their consent , without believing them , and to conspire with him to conceal the knowledg of this Cheat from posterity , for undoubtedly , none will say that he invented them upon design to pass for an Impostor , without expecting any advantage thereby ; and withal it must be supposed , either that the Jews believed them to be true , though they were false ; or that allowing them to be false , they all with one consent agreed in a design , to make them pass for true , to their Posterity . 16. But what can be imagined more groundless and undefensible than all this ? could Moses promise himself , that he should be able to perswade the Jews to believe the turning of Rivers into Blood , the thick palpable Darkness which covered all Aegypt , for the space of Three Days , the Israelites only being free from it ; the Death of all the first Born of the Aegyptians in one Night , whilest the Jews in the mean time felt not the least hurt ; the division of the Red-Sea , which opened , and on each side stood up in an heap , like two Walls , to make way for the passage of the Israelites , and then fell down again , and returned to its ordinary course , to swallow up , and Drown the Army of the Aegyptians ; with all the rest of those Miracles which visibly succeeded one another , before that people went out of the Land of Aegypt ? could he hope that none of the Jews would doubt of the truth of all these things ( if they were false ) nor have at least the curiosity to enquire concerning them , of the Aegyptians , who in all probability were not combined in the Plot with him ? 17. Moreover , could he believe that he should be able easily to perswade them , to give credit unto what he writes , of the Forty Years which they spent in the Wilderness , which is no less than another Series of Miracles ? that he should be able to make them believe ( though there was no such thing ) that he had drawn out of a Rock , Water enough to quench the Thirst of Five or Six Hundred Thousand Men : that before their eyes the Earth had swallowed up quick , Corah , Dathan and Abiram , after he had advertised the people , that they should die of a strange and extraordinary kind of Death ; that they themselves had lived for the space of Forty Years , only upon Food sent down from Heaven ; and last of all , that he should be able to make them believe that great and dreadful sight of Mount Sinai , while it appeared all in a Flame , with such a noise of Lightning and Thunder , that the people who stood by , and heard and saw all that passed , desired to treat and converse no more , but by Ambassadors with that God , whose glorious presence they thought they could not bear and live ? 18. If Moses had been so senseless and mad , as to flatter himself with this hope , how unable would he have been even for that very reason alone , to succeed , and bring to pass any great design ! and instead of carrying matters so far , and bringing them to that Issue as he did , such a mad head would not have failed to imbroil and confound all its own projects ; where is there an example in all Histories , of any cheat of this nature ? these are not the ways and methods which Deceivers take ; they do not lay open their Lies to so great a light , and they are too wary to chuse Judges so hard to be deceived , as the Eyes and Ears of Six Hundred Thousand Men , and a whole Nation of Enemies ; they feign some obscure blind Mitacle , whereof there have been but few Witnesses , and cause the Fame of it to be spread abroad by their Partisans ; above all they avoid with great care , the provoking of humane Nature to rise up in contradictory opposition to them , which they would surely do , if they should boldly take folks to witness of such things , as wherein they should have so great cause to fear to be belied : and there is nothing which they shun so much , as the giving occasion unto Mens minds , to think often upon their Falshoods , and the inducing them to make frequent reflections upon their Lies ; they account themselves happy , that they were once suffered to scape without being punished for their cheating Tricks ; and they cannot possibly so far root out of their natures all sense of Fear and Shame , as to dare set gross Impostures continually before the eyes of a whole Nation , taking them to witness , and exciting them by such an unsufferable boldness to enquire into , and consider of them , with the greater care and wariness . 19. Let Moses be tryed by these Rules , to see whether he observes any of these precautions , and takes any of these measures , which Nature and Interest would teach the most desperate , yea , and even the most Foolish inconsiderate Impostors . He speaks upon every occasion , both of the Plagues of Aegypt , and of the Miracles in the Wilderness , and that with a confidence sufficient to provoke the most unsensible , if their Reason could have suggested to them any colourable pretence for the contradicting of him ; he reports to them things gross and palpable , which could not be unknown to them . God hath given you ( saith he ) Manna , which was meat unknown to your Fathers ; your Cloaths were not worn out , no nor your Shoes , for the space of Forty Years : which of all the Israelites could be ignorant of the Truth of this matter of fact ? he joins to all this , sharp reproofs , Imprecations against their past unbeleif , and displeasing Predictions of their disorderly Behaviour for the future : in fine , he omits nothing that might have exasperated their Spirits and moved them to give him the lye , if the things which he ascribed to himself , had been false or uncertain In so much , that though they be never so true , yet it is a kind of Miracle , that in all the Rebellions and Murmurings they were guilty of , there was not found so much as one of them that ever accused him of Imposture . 20. It is certain then , that Moses could not have a design to deceive the Jews , and it is as certain , that it was impossible for him to have really deceived them , and let not men pretend to make these proofs pass for probable conjectures , and meer likelihoods only ; for they are demonstrations in matters of Fact , since they cannot be rejected by any man , without his being obliged by purity of Reason , to hold that all matters of Fact , mentioned in any History whatsoever , are doubtful and uncertain . 21. For the ground of all humane certainty , is this , that Men are not fools , and that there are certain Rules in Nature , which they always follow in their Actings , unless they be mad , the contrary could no sooner be supposed , but it would immediately follow , that there can be nothing firm and certain . Let it be once granted , that men may feign for sport , or arguments sake , That in the time of Caesar and Pompey , all Men were struck with a Disease , which caused them to take the illusions of their Fancy , for real Truths ; upon this supposition , there will remain nothing certain in all the Revolutions , reported to have fallen out in those times ; and the Battels of Pharsalia and Actium may be reckoned amongst the imaginations of Phanaticks . Thus when matters are brought to this pass , That for to believe that such a thing is not , it must be supposed ( I do not say that a whole Nation , but ) that a very great number of Men are all really Mad , there is an end of humane certainty , in matters of Fact , there is no more place for it , no not with respect to things present : Since it is no less supposable , that the Men of this Age , yea , and that we our selves are Mad , than that Men of former Ages were all Mad , and so not only all things past , shall be to us as if they had never been , but also we shall not know what to believe , even in those things which daily fall under our Senses , and we shall be no less in the dark , as touching things past and present , than we are as touching things to come . 22. But now it is past all doubt that the supposition that Moses deceived the Jews , is properly of this kind ; for not to speak of the folly he must have been guilty of , if he had taken such a way for attaining unto that end ; it is clear that it is to make all this people pass for so many Frantick Fools , to say , They really believed that themselves passed through the Sea on dry ground , although it was not true ; that they saw a Mountain all in fire , although they did not see it ; that they lived upon Manna , whilst they fed only upon ordinary Food ; that their Cloaths did not wear out , although they were often forced to change them ; that they saw Moses with a stroke of his Rod , fetch out of a Rock , a Spring of Water , sufficient to quench the Thirst of Six Hundred Thousand Men , although they saw no such thing ; to say that they believed all this , though it were all false , is to say that they were all Mad. 23. Doubtless it would be very difficult to invent either secret ways or Engines , whereby such effects as these could be produced or imitated ; and if there were any man that could do so , he would be sure to have followers enough , as well as Moses , and he might make Men believe , almost any thing he pleased . And yet it must be granted , that the Jews really believed that they saw all those great wonders , and that they believed thus , even without the least scruple or doubt remaining in their minds ; else they would not have submitted so blindly to this Man's Law , nor suffered him to domineer over them with so much Authority , as that he alone should be able , without Guards and Arms , to condemn several Thousands of Men to Death , and to cause them all to be presently Executed , Exod. 32. 26 , 27 , 28. 24. Some persons have endeavored ( not indeed to do the like , for no man was ever so Mad as to attempt it , but ) to imagine several ways how Moses might have deluded the Jews , and yet they have not done any thing to purpose . They pretend , for example , That to make them pass through the Red-Sea , he took his opportunity of the Ebbing of the Sea , and made them believe it had divided on purpose ; and that when it Flowed again , he perswaded them , it had closed again , and returned to its ordinary course , that it might swallow up the Aegyptians . They pretend also that the Water he fetched out of the Rock , was nothing else but an hidden Spring which he found out by means of a Wild Ass , which some Body followed by his order , as it went thither to drink . This is so pitiful , that it deserves no Answer , only let it be considered , how a thing so common as the Ebbing and Flowing of the Sea could have been unknown , not only to the Israelites , who had lived above Two Hundred Years in Aegypt , but likewise to the Natives of that Countrey , who rushed into it so inconsiderately ; and how could that Spring have been so little , as to lie hid from so many people , that were like to die for Thirst , and yet be at the same time abundantly sufficient to quench their Thirst , and the Thirst of all their Camels and other Beasts ; and finally , by what Inchantment could Moses so dexterously blind the Eyes of all this people , as to make them believe , that all of a sudden , a stroke of his Rod had produced that Spring , which cannot be conceived to have been less than a prodigious Torrent . 25. But it is to little purpose , for any Man to endeavor to give the World an account how some of those Miracles might have been wrought , without the immediate power of God , so long as it must be confessed , that no such account can be given of them all . Men must either yield the cause , or else make the System entire , and solve all the Phaenomena : for if there remain never so few , in which the Israelites could not be deceived , that is sufficient to convince us , and oblige us to believe all the rest ; and to look upon Moses as the Minister of God , who would reveal himself to Men : since the Laws of Nature once Violated , suffice to teach us , and make us see , that there is something above Nature ; and never Man before Jesus Christ , appeared so visibly to have been entrusted with the power of that Lord of Nature , as this Man that we speak of . 26. It may be some will rather chuse to say , That in truth it is impossible , that Moses should have deceived the Jews , but , That it may very well be , that they themselves have helped on the Cheat , and that they may have looked upon that heap of Miracles ( as fabulous as they were ) as a thing that might make them to be admired by other Nations . But in truth there is nothing but the desire of devising to ones felf some ground of doubting , what ever it be , that could produce such a Phantastical supposition ; for of all the suppositions that Infidelity could suggest , this certainly is the most undefensible . We shall show by and by , that this people could not have contributed their help to this Imposture , by supposing , that presently , or some time after Moses his Death , and the Law being already established amongst them , some new Upstart devised such a strange way to make them considerable and famous in the World : and by proving , that their Love to their Nation would have been so far from inducing them to consent to it , as that it will appear that that alone would have been an invincible obstacle thereunto ; which is no less true , with respect to Moses , than it is with respect to any other . But there is yet infinitely less probability , that the first Jews would consent to any such thing ; for who could imagine that they would have plotted with Moses to bring themselves in Subjection to a Law , which they believed to be the meer product of his invention , and that for the same Law ( of which they had such an opinion ) they would have suffered themselves to be used so rigorously , as that a meer omission in Ceremonies should be punished with Death , and that without murmuring or repining at it ? what more can be done or suffered , on the account of things that are most seriously managed and believed , and that are found to be established time out of mind ? besides , that it would be a rare sight indeed , to see Five or Six Hundred Thousand Men all agreed , to report a known Falshood , and that none of them all , nor of their Posterity , should ever contradict it , and give the rest the Lie. 27. For there was not one of those Miracles , whereof every particular person of that numerous people , all encamped together , could not but have known the Falsity ( if they had been false : ) and , which yet he was to Authorize , as having seen it with his own Eyes , or as having been done in his own , or his Fathers time ; what a work then had this been for Moses , to make sure of so many persons , and especially amongst a people so difficult to be Governed ? and how comes it to pass , that among so many , there should not be either some conceited Fellow , or some sober understanding man , that set himself to oppose such a design ? whosoever should have undertaken to do so , he must be very ignorant of the Nature of Man , who cannot see that such an one would quickly have had as many followers as Moses ; or at least , that he would have been desirous to acquaint Posterity with this Imposture , and that he would have easily accomplished his desire or purpose to do so . 28. Besides , what could be a more proper and likely means to render the Jews ridiculous among all Nations ; so far was it from being a fit means to make them be admired , and how blind must they have been , not to have seen this ? for instance , what would the Aegyptians have said concerning all those Plagues , which Moses says he brought upon them , concerning that Death of all their First-born , and that Drowning of Pharaohs Army in the Sea ? and how came all those other Nations ( whom they braged to have conquered in so extraordinary a manner ) to be so enchanted , as to let so many fabulous Stories pass in the World without contradiction , unless they were also in the Plot against themselves , and were as real Enemies to , and haters of , their own Fame and Glory in the World , as it is imagined and supposed , that the Israelites were ridiculously in Love with theirs . 29. Men may invent Fables , I confess , yet they do not carry them to that excess when they would have them to be believed , and above all , they are very careful to place the first rise of them in far distant times , and to vail them with the obscurity and darkness of many remote Ages . But as men never design to Pass for knaves or fools , so they never invent such fabulous stories as may be gainsaid and proved false by living Witnesses , yea by whole and much concerned Nations ; as for instance , it had been a pretty project in the Moors , when they were returned into Africa , after they had been driven out of Spain , if they had undertaken to make the World believe , that they came out of it voluntarily by Miracles like to Moses his Miracles , and that after the Mediterranian Sea had opened it self to make way for their passage , they saw it close again to drown an Army of ( I know not how ) many Thousands of Men that pursued them , and yet the design , we speak of , had been no less extravagant in the Jews : for we must not represent unto our selves those so remote times , although gross or rude , as so dark as they may seem to be , in those times Men heard from one another ; they had the same Interests , and the same Passions that we have : they saw what they saw , and felt what was to be felt as well as we do . 30. These two hypotheses then must be absolutely abandoned , neither was Moses an Impostor that deceived the Jews ; neither were the Jews in confederacy with him to carry on the Plot. There remains nothing to be objected , but that Moses was not the Author of the Book that bears his Name , or at least , that it is but since his death , that all those Miracles which it contains , have been added to it . This is unbeliefs last Refuge ; but Reason will not suffer a Man that hath the least measure of common sense to take up with it . 31. Although we had nothing else to certifie us that these are really the Books of Moses , and that we have them such as they were penned by him , but this that they bear his Name , as they themselves witness , that they have been always attributed unto him , and that it came into no mans mind until now , to affirm the contrary ; this should be enough , and because of this , we could not reasonably doubt of their being his , since we have no other assurance that any Books written in former Ages at any considerable distance , are the Books of those Authors whose they are said to be . 32. And let none say that there are Books which , after they had passed for a time under the Name of certain Authors , have at last been found to be supposi●icious ; for without entring upon the Examination of that matter , I say that it is absolutely Impossible that this could happen to a Book of the greatest importance , to which the certainty of the Authors Name is Essential , and whereof in all Ages , Men have had so much cause , and so great an Interest to examine the Origination and Truth , for as Truth is of such a Nature , that all things ( except falshood ) agree with it , all things concur to Establish it , and there is neither care nor labour , that can find out any thing which is able to overthrow it ; so on the contrary , it is impossible , but falshood will at last be found out , if we endeavour it : because it cannot be , but there will be an infinite number of things that are contrary unto it ; and how great soever be the foresight and cunning of Impostors , it is not possible , though the humane understanding were not so limited as it is , to foresee all inconveniencies , or to suit and accommodate every thing to the preventing of them , when they are foreseen ; for in fine , though there were for that purpose certain effects , whereof men were Masters , and had the disposal , It is cettain that there is also an infinite number of things , which they have no power at all to dispose of ; to be able to prevent all things that might discover their forgery , they must be in a condition to dispose of things present and to come , to change the order of all things , and in a word to command the Nature , the wits and wills of men at their pleasure . 33. But besides this , we have yet incomparably more and stronger proofs of the Books of Moses , than there are of any other Books . Other Books are in few peoples hands , and there are not many who think themselves concerned in them ; those that are concerned in them , do but seldom mind them , or their Interest in them , and even that Interest can be but comparatively of small importance . But the Books we speak of , are of a much different nature ; they have always been in the hands of a whole great Nation ; they have been the object of their continual meditation : and since they were the foundation of their Religion , and that a Religion which abhors lying and deceiving , how could they have suffered themselves to be imposed upon in the matter of the Authors name , and the Book it self to be corrupted by the addition of so many Fables ? or could it be done without their knowledg ; yea , and who durst be so bold as ever to attempt it ? 34. Let men take a full view of that prodigious Series of Miracles wrought in Aegypt , and in the Wilderness , and then judge impartially , whether these are things that could be inserted into a Book , and yet that Book be made to pass for the Original . This is the most that could be done to some inconsiderable Book which should fall into the hands but of a few persons , and with some particular Miracle pretended to have been wrought before a few witnesses ; and moreover , we see that such things do not spread far , nor last long ; they are scarcely sooner forged , but they begin to be questioned , in so much that in time they come to be regarded by none , but the simple people , who believe by the Faith of the next intruder , and do not so much as think of getting clear and certain notions of the least thing in the World. But there is nothing upon Earth clear , if this be not , that such things could not happen to such a Book , as we have described this to be . I might as well say that it would be no hard matter to insert now into the New Testament an History as long , and as considerable , as that of Moses his Miracles in Aegypt and the Wilderness : and how ridiculous soever this supposition appeareth to be , I know not whither it was not yet more difficult to insert such fabulous stories into the Books of Moses ; since the Jews had at least as high an esteem for their Sacred Books of the Law , as we have for ours of the Gospel , and there were none among them whose most near and natural Interest it was not to know what they contained , had it been only that they might learn how to save themselves from that death which they were to suffer without reprieve , upon failure of the performance of some duties prescribed by their Law. 35. But that which invincibly proves the falshood of this supposition , is this , That there are in a manner two Histories of Moses : the one written in the Book that bears his name , the other as it were Engraven on the Ceremonies and Laws observed by the Jews , the practice whereof is a living Witness in behalf of the Book which Instituted them , and even in behalf of the most wonderful things which it contains ; for the greatest part of those most astonishing Miracles were represented by the Ceremonies , and by the other things which belonged to the Worship of the Jewish Religion ; the Pot of Manna kept in the Ark , was a standing Monument of the Miraculous Food , wherewith God fed that People in the Wilderness ; Aarons Rod that Budded , was a Monument of the way , how God confirmed unto him the Office of High-Priesthood ; and the Tables of the Covenant , were a Memorial of that which is Recorded in Exodus , concerning the establishment of the Law ; the Sacrifice of the Paschal Lamb , the Ceremony of Unleavened-Bread , the assigning of the Tribe of Levy unto the Ministry of the Temple , did represent the destroying Angels passing over the Houses of the Israelites , the Death of the First-born of the Aegyptians , and the deliverance of those of the Israeletes . The brazen Plates which were fastned to , and covered the Altar , were a memorial of the Death of those audacious Levites , who willfully contended with Aarons Race for the Priesthood ; in fine , the Ark , the Tabernacle , all the different Ministries of the Priests and Levites , all the Ceremonies of the Sacrifices and Purifications , all the Laws , the Assignation of the Country beyond Jordan to the two Tribes of Reuben and Gad , and to the half Tribe of Manasse ; the Cities of Refuge for such as should happen to slay a Man unwittingly , all these things , I say , which it would be as Ridiculous to deny , as to pretend that there never was any Jew in the World , have a necessary respect unto , and connexion with the Books of Moses , and Invincibly prove that they could not have been written since his time . 36. For otherwise , either all that we have been now discoursing of , must also have been Established since Moses , and after the Publishing of the Books ascribed unto him ; or else having been Established by Moses by word of Mouth , and without any Book , some other body must have written those Books , and accommodated them to the Ceremonies and Laws which were already in use , adding thereunto those Miracles , the more to engage the People unto the observance of that Law. But all this is so far void of all probability , that there was never any till now , that durst in earnest assert it . 37. How could it be said , for example , that the Pentateuch was written and published long after the Death of Moses , and that it caused the Establishment of the Law and Worship of the Jewish Religion which it contains ? Then it must be said also , that the Ark and Tabernacle , which are the Foundations of that Religion , were not made till long after Moses , and till that Book had been published ; but this is a thing absolutely impossible ; for all the Jews firmly believed that their Ark and Tabernacle were made by Moses , as that Book relates , and it is not conceivable why or on what account they could have taken up such an opinion , if they had made them both themselves , after they had seen and recived that Book , which is now supposed not to have appeared in the World , till a long time after Moses ; it would be doubtless one of the prettiest things in the World , and the most unparallel'd , either that this Book having been compiled all at once , and beforehand with that prodigious number of Ceremonies and Laws , as already in use , they should afterwards have been Instituted and setled ; or that being compiled by degrees , and according as all those things were Instituted and Established , it should always have had ( as they say ) a retractive effect or influence , and have wrought backwards , so as to cause each of those Institutions to be Ascribed unto Moses . 38. Likewise , how could this People , who at their first Imbracing of this Law , must at least have known that it was not true that it had been in use amongst them ever since Moses his time , and that there had been a continued Succession of Priests ever since Aaron ; how , I say , could this People have been able to perswade themselves Universally to believe , that what was prescribed by that Book had always been practised amongst them ; and that the Priests whom it Ordained had received their Ministry from Aaron by an uninterrupted Succession . And finally , how upon the same principle could all the other Tribes and Families have suffered the Tribe of Levy , and Race of Aaron to appropriate unto themselves all the priviledges belonging to the Priesthood , and to the Office of the High Priest ? 39. There is no less absurdity in the other Supposition , to wit , that the Law having been given by Moses by word of Mouth , was preserved for a time among the Jews by means of Tradition only , and that afterwards those who committed it to writing added thereunto all those Miracles . For besides that , even this would be a kind of Miracle , and a thing very hard to conceive , that that People should have received a Law so strict and severe as that was , from a Man who had done nothing extraordinary , for proving that he had it from God ; how could it be , that Moses , who doubtless had the use of writing , should have omitted a thing so necessary , and not have committed to writing a Law that contained so many Observations , so many Ceremonies , and so many Rules , that it was necessary to have it always before ones Eyes , for fear of failing in some or other point of duty prescribed by it . 40. And indeed we learn also from the Book it self , that Moses did not sail to commit it to writing . Moses ( as it is said , Deut. 31. 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13. ) wrote this Law , and delivered it unto the Priests the Sons of Levy , — and unto all the Elders of Israel , and commanded that it should be read before all Israel , in their hearing , at the end of every Seventh Year , in the Feast of Tabernacles . And it is also said in ( I do not know how ) many places of that Book , That God commanded Moses to write that which he revealed to him upon the Mount ; if the Jews then had received that Law from him only by word of Mouth , how could they have ever received a Book which should have contained a Lie so gross & evident ? and which should have carried in it an express order from God , which their Law-giver had not obeyed . 41. That very Order , to read the Law every Seventh Year , at the Feast of Tabernacles , as having been given by Moses , doth further clearly show , that it could not have been changed nor corrupted : for it would have been impossible for such corruptions not to have been discovered , or that being discovered , they should have been suffered by a People devoted to that Law , and whose devout Subjection to it was grounded upon their believing it to be of God , and written by Moses ; besides , that those Miracles being most visible to the Eye , scattered throughout the Books , repeated in divers places of them , and linked with the principal transactions therein Recorded , there had been a necessity of making a new Book to take them in , and not meerly to alter , for that purpose , an old Book which had been already received . 42. The Infidel then must yet once more return to that pretended vain-glorious humor of the Jewish Nation , and maintain , that the Jews could easily suffer this falsification : and that they were even glad that all those Miracles were added to their Law , and that their Chronicles , were filled with them . 43. This might have some probability , if the Question were only about a matter of Civil or Political concernment ; as for example , The Romans could have been content , that one should have told them , that they were the Off-spring of Aeneas , and it may be the French would be well enough pleased , that one should derive their Original from the Trojans ; these are things which please some Mens Fancies , and may pass without contradiction , it being no Bodies interest to oppose them : and they do not interfer with other things that have been established , and stedfastly believed , time out of mind , and that are looked upon as the only considerable . But as touching the Jews , a People so devoted to their Religion , so faithful Observers of the least Traditions , and to whom lying was so severely forbidden , this supposition is altogether without any appearance of truth . 44. For I cannot believe , that the Infidels boldness to deny any thing that makes against them , dare adventure so far , as to dispute all the Evidence we have of the Jews Zeal for their Religion ; since even yet to this day , they have so great a veneration for that Law , that though they have been dispersed above these Sixteen Hundred Years , and see no accomplishment of what was promised to them , notwithstanding they observe it still as far as they can , with the same strictness , as they did at first , and wait continually for the fulfilling of those promises ; how improbable is it then , that they should have suffered that which they looked upon as God's own word , to be mixed and blended with such a fearful multitude of Lies , rendering themselves thereby unworthy of Divine Protection , and liable to be convicted of Imposture by the Neighbouring Nations ? would not this have been a venturing to lose all , for to gain nothing ? 45. This might suffice to convince all understanding and sober Men ; but if some would yet insist upon the Jews love for their Nation , and pretend that the desire of being admired , might have induced them to permit and promote this Imposture ; let us see whether it be not quite contrary , and whether there be the least probability , that they believed they could advance their own Reputation by the things contained in that Book , which seem so shameful to the Nation in general ; and though all had been for the publick good , let us see whether it be credible , that particular Persons , and whole Families , would have willingly Sacrificed themselves , and their Interests unto it : especially considering , that nothing did constrain them ; and that having nothing to do but to invent , it was in their choice to take what way they pleased , and to secure the Interests of all , without provoking so many people to discover their Frauds . 46. Had they only mentioned such things as might have contributed to their Honour , as those great Miracles , which are an Evidence of Gods most special Protection , it had been abundantly sufficient for their design , without inventing some things , which it was so many Peoples Interest to oppose , and other things which do expose that Nation to so great contempt . 47. For instance , what is there more miserably base , than the Fears and Murmurings of this People , occasioned by the bitter Waters of Marah , by the want of Food , and by the Thirst they suffered in Rephidim ? they are hardly sooner come out of Aegypt , but they forget all those great things , which they would make the World believe , that their God had there done for them ? they think they are forsaken and betrayed ; and complain , that they are treacherously brought out of a Countrey , where they lived at ease , ( though they were Captives and Slaves in it ) to destroy them in the Wilderness : they Question the Power and Protection of that God , who had so eminently appeared for them ; and are ready to Rebel against that very Man , who they believed , was chosen by God to deliver them ; now is not this the shamefullest and greatest weakness imaginable ? is not this the highest Ingratitude , both to their God , and to Moses their Guide and Captain ? what could their cruellest Enemies have invented more dishonourable to them ? and who could imagine , that to make themselves renowned all the World over , and to cause Men to believe , they were the beloved People of God , it should ever have entered into their thoughts , to paint out and represent themselves so light and unconstant , so unfaithful and so absured , that during the space of Forty Years , wherein they Fed ( as themselves say ) upon meat sent down from Heaven , there passed hardly a Day on which they were not heard to cry like little Children , and to wish with Tears , they were yet Slaves in Aegypt , that they might fill their Bellies with Onions and Leeks . 48. The whole Five Books of Moses must be almost copied out , to recount all the Unfaithfulnesses , and all the Faults of this People , for therein is hardly any other thing to be seen ; one would think they had been resolved to make their Wickedness keep even pace , with the Grace and Favors of their God ; almost upon all occasions they Rebelled against their Leader ; and were scarce delivered from one Judgment , when they brought upon themselves another : nothing could hinder this ungovernable People from falling continually into the same Crimes ; not the example of the Three Thousand Men , whom the Sons of Levy slew by the commond of Moses , to punish them for their Idolatry ; nor the Fire and Plague from the Lord , which in Two Days time destroyed near Fifteen Thousand Men for their Sedition ; nor the dreadful Judgment of the Fiery-Serpents ; nor the Tremendous Punishment inflicted upon them for their mixing with the Daughters of the Midianites , on which account Moses caused to hang up all the Heads of them against the Sun , and Twenty Four Thousand of the People died by the Plague ? 49. But to say all in one word , what can be imagined more strange , and more disgraceful , to their Memory , than that general Apostacy which happened , when Moses was upon Mount Sinai , and when those Mad People forced Aaron to make them a Golden-Calf , and to offer Sacrifice unto it , as if it had been unto their God ? Let all the circumstances of this Action be well weighed , and it will undoubtedly appear ; that a People which have declared themselves capable of falling into such a Crime , have by so doing , Convicted themselves of all Vices at once , and chiefly of Sottishness and Extravagancy . They tell us that they were brought out of an Enemies Countrey , by the greatest and most unconceivable wonders that can be imagined ; insomuch , that there is hardly a moment of time mentioned in all their History , in which the Almighty Arm of their God doth not visibly appear ; this their God Pardons them all their Murmurings , and all their Unfaithfulnesses , and instead of Punishing their Distrust , he Provides for them Meat and Drink , in places where there had never been any before , and satisfies even the lowest and grossest of their desires . 50. Nevertheless , in the time when they knew that their Deliverer and Guide is on the Mount with that same God , to receive his Orders about the Government of them , a panick and a ridiculous Fear seases upon them : they cannot patiently bear Moses his so long absence , and without knowing well wherefore , they demand of Aaron , a visible God to go before them : they force him to make a Golden-Calf , which they set up upon an Altar ; they call it the God which brought them out of Aegypt , and give to this pretty Deity , made of Ear-rings , the same Honors , and the same Thanksgivings , which they owed , and had before so often given unto the true God , Creator of Heaven and Earth , who had chosen them out of all Mankind for his special Favorites . 51. Truly , they must have lost the use of their Reason , who can think that this People have suffered this Narrative of the Golden-Calf to be added to their History , and that they have done it to make themselves to be admired and esteemed by other Nations ; could they imagine that their Glory and Renown was imperfect without this , to make up the defects of it ; and is it not on the contrary a disgrace , which can never be rubbed off , and for which , their Posterity will blame them for ever ? And is it not rather , one of the greatest Miracles in the World , that this Action of theirs could ever come to our knowledg , and that the whole Jewish Nation have not done their utmost , utterly to abolish the Memory of it ? so far must we suppose the Jews to have been from inventing it against themselves , or from suffering to be added unto so many things , which would have made them deservedly enough to be admired and esteemed , an Historical Narrative , which covers them with perpetual Ignominy . 52. So we see , that Josephus , who was far more tender of the interess of his Nation , hath chosen rather to expose himself unto the reproach of having violated the Laws of History , by suppressing this publick Crime committed by the Jews in the Wilderness , than to expose them to the contempt and scorn of the World , by reciting it . 53. Moreover , how could be added to this History , the Rebellion of Corah , which is a thing so injurious to all his Posterity ? was their not cause to fear , least some one or other of his Family should have discovered the Falshood of it , to wash off the stain of it from themselves ? why must Corahs Family bear that Mark of Infamy , rather than any other ? did they cast Lots for it ? was it a thing so necessary , that they could not dispense with it ? and is it not manifest , that if it had been a Fiction , the whole Race in one Body , and with one consent , would have opposed it , and desired the Authors of that Table , to look out for some other Embellishment to their History . 54. But if the last words of Moses be considered , where he Denounces against them so many Curses , Threatens them with so many Calamities , and after he had upbraided them with all their Unfaithfulness , further Declares , That they would do the same things anew , and for the Punishment thereof , should fall into remediless Misery and Distress ; that they should be run down by their Enemies , and reduced to the utmost Extremity , even to the eating of their own Children ; that their Cities should be destroyed , their Wives and Daughters should be Ravished , their Sacrifices should be Abolished , and finally , that they should be led Captives , and dispersed through all the Earth , to be despised and abhorred by other Nations : if all this , I say , be considered , I know not what a Man he must be , who imagins that this People could have Conspired with any Man , be who he will , that should have so grievously displeased them . 55. But it is above all to be observed , that these are not the Discourses only of a Man , that would frighten his followers , and bare Threatnings of Miseries which were to befall the Jews , only in case they should grosly transgress their Law ; for if they seem conditional in some places , they are in others , positive and absolute Prophesies , foretelling that they should really transgress their Law , as they have grosly done , and that all those Miseries should light upon them , as in effect it is come to pass ; how improbable then is it , that the Jews should have been so simple , or rather so senseless , as to suffer Prophesies of that Nature , to be added to their History ; and that for the advancement of the Glory of their Nation , they should have consented to a thing which could never but turn to their shame and disgrace ? for could not they clearly see , that if those Prophesies were found to be false , their Religion would be accounted an Imposture , and they would inevitably lose the Reputation , which they might otherwise have acquired , by all the rest of the wonderful Events mentioned in their History ? or that if they chanced to fall really into those Miseries foretold , they would be accounted the worst of Men : and instead of comfort , could expect nothing but blame , from all the World , for having fallen into those Calamities which they were warned of , and for having fallen into them for no other cause , but for breaking the Law and Covenant of their God , whereby they drew down his Wrath and Indignation upon themselves , and their Posterity . 56. Thus then it appears , that when Men have given the greatest liberty to their Fancy , it can produce nothing but Chymerical and groundless Suppositions . Moses did not deceive the Jews , he could have no such design , and though he had had such a design , yet it was impossible for him to have compassed it by the ways and measures he took : neither did the Jews combine with him to deceive their Posterity , and all the other Nations of the World : nor was it any new Upstart , who to make them believe what he pleased , made use of such things as he found established and practised amongst them , either by Tradition , or by Writing : and it was as impossible , that the Jews should have Conspired in this Imposture with any other , as it was , that they should have done it with Moses . 57. Here you have some small part of what may be said on this great Subject ; for it is not to be thought , that the proofs which the Pentateuch affords of its truth , can be fully drawn forth : the more we meditate on it , the more Evidence we still find of its Divine Original , for it is an inexhaustible Spring of Light ; and without being at the pains to unfold and set them forth , if we read the Book it self , we cannot but feel , or sensibly perceive , that the Language it speaketh , is not the Language of Men , nor the product of their Wit : That nothing is further removed from the Methods , not only of Impostors and Deceivers , but also of the Prudent and Wise Men of the World ; That it is of a most peculiar character , and altogether different from that of Men acting by their own Spirit : and that therein are not to be seen , either the common passions , or the ordinary interests of Men , or the drifts of prudence and forecast , which may easily be seen in other Books that are of humane composure : and in fine , it may be sensibly perceived that it is impossible for any to put off the Man so far , as were necessary for the production of such a work , wherein so little of Man appears . 58. Nevertheless this Book is in being , we have it in our hands , and it was not made by chance : It hath been , and yet is the greatest and most considerable object that ever was in the World , during the space of above Two Thousand Years , the most singular and famous People in the World , have been so devoted to it , and enamoured of it , that they have never suffered it to be out of their sight : from this People it is come into the hands of Christians , that is to say , it is spread abroad through the whole Universe ; and after Sixteen Hundred Years , these Two sort of People , irreconcileable Enemies to one another , do yet look upon it with the same Veneration , dispute the one against the other for the true meaning of it , and both of them find in it , the original Title of that Right which they pretend to have unto the Heavenly Inheritance , in which both of them believe , that the rest of Mankind have no part or portion . 59. Who then dare be bold to say , that it is free for him to stand Neuter , and not to concern himself in a matter of this Importance , nay , who that rightly considers it , can hinder himself from being concerned ? who is there that can let this Book pass as it is , not caring to know whether it be true or false , as if it were a thing , whereof the truth were unsearchable and indifferent ? or who shall dare desperately to run-counter unto such abundance of truth and light , as that Sacred Book holds forth , and without other help , than that of his own Fancy , and wretched Reason , to Determine , from the bottom of that dark Dungeon , where Nature hath confined him , that there is no Being in the whole Universe , able to work so many Miracles , and that they are but so many Fable and Visions ? 60. But the reason why some persons are not moved and affected with these proofs , which are so sensible unto others , is because their Interest and their Passions have so much command of them , that they see other things but by halves . This is the true Spring of all the Doubts that are moved against Religion , because there is really nothing so contrary to their lusts , as the manner of Life which it prescribes ; and so it is no ways difficult , to conceive that Mens Lusts should oppose a thing which doth directly fight against them , and can never be established but by their Extirpation and Ruine . 61. And indeed this may well be so , on the account of the contrariety that is between Religion , and Mens Lusts , since we see the like even in natural things ; and if sometimes the meer imagination of a thing , which Men do not at all like , ( though it be impossible the thing should ever come to pass ) makes them Act , as if they really doubted it would come to pass , even when they cannot really doubt ; how much more may the necessary forsaking of all that is dear and near to Men in the World , be apt to blind them , and to make them doubt of Religion , unto the belief of which , the Heart and Will must contribute no less than the Reason and Understanding . 62. To give an instance , there is a well known Person of great Wit , and of great Judgment , but so much afraid of Death , that being one Day asked , if he would not lay his Life , that there is such a City as Rome ? thought the gain were small to be got by the wager , he freely answered , That he would not ; now certainly such a doubt as that there may not be such a City as Rome , never came into his thoughts before , and if the proposal had been made to him upon any other terms , than the laying down of this Life , it had not been possible for him to have made the least hesitation at the matter : but as soon as the Idea of Death presented it self to his mind , it wholy took up his thoughts ; all the Evidences he had to prove it impossible , for Rome not to be , vanished and came to nothing : and if there did not arise in his mind a formal doubt , that all which hath been said for the existence of Rome may be false , at least there came something into his head , or rather into his heart , which made him Act , as if he had indeed doubted of Romes existence . 63. I know very well , no Man will confess , that addictedness to Pleasures , or love of Life , can thus far blind him ; and that every one pretends his doubts , are very sincere , and that the aversion he hath from believing the things of Religion , proceeds only from his Reason and Understanding ; neither is it good to press Men upon this point , since we cannot make them to see that in their our own hearts , which they see not there of themselves : for the motions of the Heart or Will , are not like the motions of the Head or Undestanding . These of the Head arise , either by degrees , and a Series of ratiocinations , or else by a certain quick and clear light , which makes us take up our Resolutions , and fall to Action ; and it is not possible that this should be unknown to us , and that we should not feel it . But now as for that which we do by the Byass of the Heart , it is far otherwise ; for there it is certain Springs hidden in us , and Born with us , which prompt us to this or that , without proceeding in a discursive way of Reasoning , and almost without our knowledg ; and hence it comes to pass , that except we reflect frequently and attentively upon the motions of the Heart , and timely accustom our selves so to do , it is almost impossible not to be deceived in Judging of them ; for the Heart ( if one may so say ) doth so mix it self with the Reason , or rather doth so much master it , that it becomes the principle of all the Actions , yet so as it is scarcely perceived to have any influence upon them . 64. But let such doubting Persons , at least acknowledg , that they do not do all that is in their power to get a clear Resolution of their Doubts : which must needs be from some defect in the Will ; they will easily grant this , if they have the least measure of sincerity , since they cannot deny , but that the whole Life-time of Man should be employed in the search of so important a truth , as that of Religion is , whereas they have scarcely thought upon it a few Minutes , and of all things in the World , it may be , the truth of Religion is that , on which they have made least reflection . 65. When Men are brought unto 〈◊〉 sincere willingness , to apply themselves unto the serious consideration of the proofs Religion , it will not be difficult , yet further to set forth unto them , the Evidences of it , taking the way which we have here chalked out ; for besides the proofs taken from matters of Fact , whereof we have given an Essay or Specimen , in this Discourse , there is yet a very great number of proofs that depend upon sensible perception , and which appear to us in great abundance when we read the Scriptures with attention ; and it is even these last sort that deserve chiefly to be minded , because they have this advantage , that in perswading us to believe the truth , they move us also to love it , without which all is unprofitable . It is true , there are but few Persons duely qualified with the dispositions necessary to their being feelingly moved and affected by them , that is to say , with a certain Spiritual Gust of Truth , and an uprightness of Heart , which are rarely to be met with ; But we must at least endeavor to help others unto these dispositions , and to awaken and stir up in them that Spiritual sense , which shall be revived in them sooner or latter , if ever they believe in a saving manner . The End of the First Part. THE SECOND PART ; Containing An EXAMINATION Of a considerable part of Pere Simon 's Critical History of the OLD TESTAMENT . WHEREIN All his Arguments , with the weightiest of Spinosa's against Moses's being the Author of the first Five Books of the Bible , are fully and clearly answered , and several difficult places of Holy Scripture are explained , By W. L. Sed quemadmodum apud eos , qui semel providentiam probè receperunt , non minuitur aut perit fides providentiae ob ea quae non comprehenduntur ; ita neque scripturae divinitati per eam totam diffusae quidquam detrahitur ex eo , quòd ad singulas dictiones imbecillitas nostra non possit adesse arcano splendori doctrinae qui in tenui & contemptâ locutione delitescit . Orig. Philoc. cap. 1. pag. 5. Edit . Cantabrig . 1658. London , Printed for Tho. Parkhurst , 1682. The Second Part. WHat is contained in these following Sheets , was first intended for a Preface unto the foregoing Discourse , Translated out of French into English , but when I had finished it , I found it would be too long a Preface unto such a short Discourse ; and therefore upon Second thoughts , I concluded it would be better to subjoin● it thereunto by way of Appendix , or Second Part. Who was the Author of the Discourse , I do not certainly know ; but it is probable , that Monsieur du Bois de la Cour , who wrote the Discourse on Paschal his Thoughts , or Meditations on Religion , &c. was likewise the Author of this Discourse ; for they are frequently bound together , and were both Published , the one in 1671 , and the other in 1672 , with the approbation of the same Doctors of the Sorbon , excepting one whose name is not subscribed with the other Six , unto the approbation of this Discourse . But who ever be the Author , he is a Man of Parts , and has done worthily in this Discourse , in which he hath shewed his high Veneration of the Holy Scriptures , and hath irrefragably proved the truth of the most Signal and Miraculous matters of Fact , contained in the Books of Moses , and by that means he hath proved the Divine Original and Authority of all the Laws and Ordinances given by Moses unto the Israelites , and Recorded in his Books : So that the Translation of it cannot but be of good use unto English Readers , for confirming them in the Faith , and strengthening them against Tentations , unto Infidelity in these Backsliding Times . The Discourse is so well Penned by the Author , that it needs no Recommendation from any ; it s own great Excellency and Usefulness will abundantly suffice to commend it unto any ingenious Man , that shall be at the pains of spending half an Hour in Reading of it . It would therefore have been altogether needless for me to have added unto it what follows here in this Second Part , if there had not been lately Published in English , a Book of P. Simon 's , Intituled , A Critical History of the Old Testament ; where , Book 1. Chap. 5. Pag. 36. in the Contents of that Chapter he hath these very Words , Moses cannot be the Author of the Books which are attributed to him . I had no sooner Read this in the contents of the Chapter , but I was desirous to know what Arguments he used to prove such an uncouth Assertion , as had seldom been heard of from any before , but such as Hobs in his Leviathan , Pereyre in his Systema Praeadamiticum , and Spinosa in his Tractatus Theologico-politicus , all Atheists or Infidels . And thereupon having Read and Examined all he says to prove his Assertion , I thought it would be necessary , together with the Precedent Discourse , to Publish a few short Animadversions on what he has written in his Critical History , against the Pentateuchs being written by Moses . And that what I have to say , may be the better understood , and the more convincing and satisfactory unto the Reader , I shall proceed in this Method , First , I shall shew what is the Truth to be believed , and what is the Belief of the Christian Church . Secondly , What is the opinion of P. Simon , and wherein he agrees with , or differs from the common Faith of the Church in this matter . Thirdly , Answer his Arguments , whereby he endeavors to prove his Opinion , That Moses could not be the Author of the Books which are attributed to him . Now for the First , The Truth to be believed , is ( 1. ) That the whole Scripture of the Old Testament , and consequently the Pentateuch , or first Five Books of the Bible , were written by Divine Inspiration , and that God is the primary Author thereof ; this is proved from Luke 16. 29 , 31. They have Moses and the Prophets , let them hear them , &c. And Luke 24. 25 , 27 , 44 , 45 , 46. And from 2 Tim. 3. 16. where it is expresly said , That all Scripture , or the whole Scripture , is given by Inspiration of God. And 2 Pet. 1. 20 , 21. where it is expresly affirmed , that the first thing to be known concerning the Scriptures , is this , That no Prophecy of the Scripture , is of any private Interpretation ( that is , of any Man 's own Inventing : ) for the Prophecy came not in old time by the will of Man : but Holy Men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost . The same Truth is clearly proved , from Psalm . 147. 19. compared with Rom. 3. 2. & 9. 4. ( 2. ) That this being first known and believed , and so the Divine Authority of the Holy Scriptures secured , it matters not very much , whether we ever certainly know the names of all the Holy Men whom God used as his Instruments , in writing the several Books of Sacred Scripture ; for there are some Books of Scripture that bear the names of no Man , as Author of them under God , and yet they are as much of Divine Authority , as those Books that have the name of some Prophet , or Apostle , expressed in their Title ; and the names which Books of Scripture bear , do not always import , that the Man whose name the Book bears , was the Writer of the Book , but that the Book was written of , and concerning him , and his Acts. Thus the Book of Joshua is so called , because it was written of , and concerning Joshua ; though it is probable , it was not written by him , but by some other Holy Man of God after his Death ; see for this Bishop Richardsons Observations on the Old Testament , pag. 45. the like may be said of some other Books of Holy Scripture . That then which concerns us most , is to know , whether God be the Author of the several Books in the Canon of Scripture ; and if we be once sure of this , we need not trouble our selves much about the knowing of the names of the several Men by whom it pleased the Lord God to consign them to Writing . Gregory the Great , in his Preface to his Exposition on Job , has this Remarkable saying , [ Si Magni cujusdam viri susceptis Epistolis , &c. If having received the Letters of some great Man , we should read the Words , and enquire by what Pen they had been written , truly it would be ridiculous if we should endeavor not to know the Author of the Letters , nor to understand the sense , but to find out by what Pen the several words of them had been written : since then we know the thing , and that the Holy Spirit is the Author of it , what else do we in enquiring after the Writer , but in reading the Letters , stand asking by what Pen they were written . ] Yet ( 3. ) when a Book of Holy Scripture bears the name of its Author , and an Universal Historical Tradition assures us that such a Man was indeed the Author of it , we are bound to believe it , and cannot rationally disbelieve it , without a demonstration to the contrary . Thus we know the Books of Plato , Aristotle , and Cicero , to have been written by those Authors ; and this is so clear and certain a truth , ( Vt de istorum librorum Authoritatibus dubitare dementis sit , utque ridendus sit non refellendus qui de iis questionem movet ) , That none but a Madman will doubt of the Authors of those Books , and he is to be laughed at , and not confuted , who moves a Question concerning them ; as holy August . writes , contra Fanstum Manich. lib. 32. cap. 21. And as he says , That he knew the writeings of the New Testament to be the writings of the Apostles , by the same means that the Manichees knew the writeings of Manes , to be the writings of Manes ; so I say , That by what means we here in England know the late Critical History of the Old Testament , to be the writing of Pere Simon a Priest of the Oratory ; by the like means we know the Pentateuch to be the writing of Moses ; and we ought not to disbelieve it , having the Universal Testimony of Jews , Christians , Mahumetans , and many Heathens , to ground our Faith upon ; unless it be first clearly demonstrated to us , that it implies a contradiction , that Moses should have written it ; which I know , that neither Pere Simon , nor any Man else can do . And the reasonableness of what I have now said will yet further appear , if it be considered that our Lord Christ himself gives Testimony unto the writings of Moses in general , ( John 5. 46 , 47. Moses wrote of me , But if ye beleive not his writeings , how shall ye beleive my words ? ) and both he and his Apostles frequently appeal unto them , and quote passages out of them . This is the truth to be believed , and this is actually believed by the Christian Church . Yet it is no matter of Faith , that there are no various Lections in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament , nay it is a matter evident to Sense , that there are various Lections ; it is no matter of Faith , that through the length and injury of time , and Negligence of Transcribers and Printers , there are no mistakes at all in the Originals of Holy Scripture ; on the contrary , we acknowledg that there may possibly be some mistakes , even in the Pentateuch , through the length and injury of time , and the negligence of Transcribers and Printers , but those mistakes we believe , do not at all hinder the Holy Scriptures from being a perfect Rule of Faith and Life , in all things necessary , to the Glorifying of God , and Saving of our Souls . Nor lastly , is it matter of Faith , That Moses wrote every Word and Sentence , Chapter and Verse , of the Pentateuch , with his own hand . It is sufficient that we believe he wrote it himself , or by other persons , whose help he used in the writing of it ; and when it was written , he revised it and approved it , and in this he was assisted by the Holy Spirit , inspiring , guiding and directing him . And if there be any thing in the Pentateuch , besides the mistakes of Transcribers and Printers , that was written after Moses's time , it was added upon good Reasons by Joshua or Ezra , and the great Assembly , who were Men of a Prophetical Spirit , and inspired by God , in what they did of that nature . Now in the Second place let us see , what is the opinion of Pere Simon , and wherein he agrees with , or differs from the common Faith of the Church , in this matter . And First , He agrees with us in these following particulars , ( 1. ) That the whole Scripture of the Old Testament , and consequently the Pentateuch , was of Divine Inspiration , and that God was the primary Author thereof ; this is demonstratively proved from his own express words ; in his Preface , pag. 4. [ But besides , that this Principle ( of a Divine of Paris , That the whole Scripture is not equally Divine and Canonical ) is dangerous , it is directly opposite to the Doctrine of the New Testament , which acknowledges every thing throughout the whole Scripture for Prophetical , and to have been inspired ; wherefore I thought I ought to lay down some Principles , whereby we might ascribe every thing in the whole Scriptures to Prophets or Persons inspired by God , even to the alterations themselves , those only excepted , which had happened through length of time , or negligence of Transcribers . ] And Book 1. Chap. 1. Pag. 3. [ I have divided this work into Three Books , the First of which , Treats at large of the Authors of the Bible , which I have called Prophets , with Josephus ( contra App. ) and most of the Fathers , because they were in effect directed by the Spirit of God , and that St. Peter calls the whole Scripture Prophecies . During the Hebrew Common-wealth , there were from time to time among them , these sorts of Persons inspired by God , were it to write Divine and Prophetick Books , as the same Josephus has remarked , or as Eusebius says , to distinguish betwixt those that were truly Prophetick , and others that were not . ] And Pag. 4. [ They ( the publick Writers ) had the liberty in collecting the Acts which were in their Registeries , to add , diminish and change , according as they thought fit , and the Books ( as Eusebius says ) which were declared Sacred , were reviewed by Persons inspired by God , who Judged whether they were truly Prophetick or Divine . ] And Pag. 21. [ I know it is expresly forbidden in Deuteronomy , either to add or diminish any thing from the Word of God. But we may Answer with the Author of the Book , Intituled , Cozri , that this prohibition relates only to private Persons , and not to those whom God had expresly commanded to interpret his Will ; God promised to the Prophets , and to the Judges of the Sanhedrim , who succeeded Moses , the same Grace , and the same Spirit of Prophecy , as those had who lived in his time , and therefore they have held the same Power , not only of Interpreting the Law , but also of making new Ordinances , which were afterwards writ and placed in the Registeries of the Republick . ] And Pag. 22. [ The Church has not the Right of making Books Canonical and Divine , as the Prophets had in the Old Testament , but only to declare them Canonical . ] In fine , Book 1. Chap. 1. Pag. 1. [ None can doubt , but that the truths contained in the Holy Scripture are infallible , and of Divine Authority ; since they proceed immediately from God , who in this has only made use of the Ministery of Men to be his Interpreters . So there is no Person , either Jew or Christian , who does not acknowledg that the Scripture being the pure Word of God , is at the same time , the first principle and foundation of Religion . ] Here is clear and full proof from his own express words , of his agreement with us in the first particular before mentioned . Secondly , He agrees with us in this , That though Men having been the Depositories of these Sacred Books , as well as of all others , and in their first Originals having been lost , it was in some sort impossible , but that there must needs happen some changes , as well by reason of the length of time , as the carelesness of Transcribers ; as it is impossible , it may be , to find one English Bible in all England , without some Letter , Sillable , or Word Misprinted , yet God by his special Providence hath taken such care of the Sacred Scripture , as that it is preserved to this Day , perfect , intire and uncorrupt , in all things relating to Faith and Manners , and necessary to be believed or practised , in order to Salvation . This is proved also from his own words , pag. 7. [ The Fathers were perswaded , that these Errors that were crept into the Bible by the means of these Transcribers , had no relation to Faith or good Manners , or carried any weight to the framing of the Judgment which we ought to make of the Scriptures in general . This does not hinder us , but that we should acknowledg the Divine Providence , in the preservation of this Book , which has past through so many hands , and so many Ages ; a great many of these Errors of Transcribers , relate to the Chronology and Genealogies in the Books of the Old Testament : but we may say with S. Augustin , that these difficulties are in the number of those of which we may speak freely , and we may be ignorant of , Salva fide qua Christiani sumus . This same Providence has likewise not permitted the Jews malitiously to corrupt the Holy Scriptures , as many Fathers seem to reproach them . Origen , S. Jerome , and S. Augustin , have done them more Justice ; and those who at this day reproach the Jews with the same thing , have not throughly examined the matter . ] And pag. 9. [ This Author ( Mariana ) shews very plainly , that the intention of the Council of Trent in declaring the Vulgar Translation Authentick , was not to exempt it from all sorts of Faults , but only from Errors which might introduce a change , either in Faith or Manners ; which he confirms by several Authorities , and principally by the Testimonies of Andrew de Vega , and Jacob Lanis , at that time superior of the Order of Jesuits , who assisted at that Council . ] Thirdly , He agrees with us in this , That being sure that God is the primary Author of the several Books of Scripture , it is no great matter whether we certainly know or not , the names of the Men by whom God was pleased to commit them to writing ; this is proved from his own words ; in his Preface , pag. 2. [ Having Established in the Hebrew Common-wealth the Prophets or Publick Writers , who took care of collecting faithfully the Acts of what past of most importance in the State , we need not too curiously inquire , as usually Men do , who were the Authors of each particular Book of the Bible , because it is certain that they were all writ by Prophets , &c. ] And in Book 1. Chap. 1. Pag. 3. [ We ought not to search with too much curiosity , who have been the particular Authors of every Book of the Bible ; it sufficeth , according to the Maxime of Gregory the Great ( praefat in lib. Job ) that these Books were written by Prophets . Quis haec scripserit , valde supervacue quaeritur , cum tamen Author libri , Spiritus Sanctus fideliter credatur . ] Fourthly , yet farther , He agrees with us so far as to hold , That in a true and good sense Moses may be the Author of the whole Peutateuch . This is clearly proved from his own express words ; in Book 1. Chap. 1. Pag. 3. [ If these Publick Writers were in the Hebrew Common-wealth from the time of Moses , as is extreamly probable , it will be very easie to satisfie all difficulties that may be brought to shew , that the Pentateuch was not wholy written by Moses , which is ordinarily proved by the manner of its writing , which seems to insinuate , that some other than Moses collected the Acts , and put them down in writing : supposing these Publick Writers , to them we may attribute what relates to the Historical part of these Books , and to Moses all that which belongs to the Laws and Ordinances , and it is this which the Scripture calls the Law of Moses : thus one may say in this sense , that the whole Pentateuch is truly Moses's , because those who made the collection , lived in his time , and did not do it but by his Order . ] And Pag. 20. [ According to this principle , we ought to expound that passage , where it is said ( that Moses wrote what God commanded him ; ) for there is nothing more ordinary in the Scripture , than to ascribe unto one person what he Orders another to do , chiefly when the thing is done in his name . ] Thus we see wherein Pere Simon agrees with us in the common belief of all Christians . He agrees with us so far , as to acknowledg not only that the whole Scripture of the Old Testament is of Divine Inspiration , and that it is uncorrupt in all things that relate to Faith and Life , and are necessary to be believed or done , in order to Salvation : but also , that the whole Pentateuch is truly Moses's , because if it was not all written by himself immediately , yet it was written by others in his time , and in his name , and by his order ; and then sure what was so written , was reviewed and approved by himself . If P. Simon were sincere in all this , and did not deny it again by his self-contradiction , we needed not much to oppose him in this matter ; for we are under no necessary obligation to believe , that Moses wrote down with his own hand all the occurrences of every Day , during the whole space of the Churches being in the Wilderness ; he might possibly appoint some other person or persons of known Integrity , to do that for him , and in his name : and being so done , and then reviewed and approved by himself , it was all one , as if he had done it with his own hand . But notwithstanding this agreement , we shall find that there remains yet a difference between P. Simon , and other Christians , as to this matter ; and that is it we are next to take into consideration . And First , He differs from the whole Church of God , and from himself too , by self-contradiction , in this , That he thinks Moses may have written the Pentateuch by an humane and fallible Spirit . I prove this by consequence , from his own words , Pag. 40. [ It is true ( says he ) that the best Authors sometimes fall into little mistakes , so likewise do we not pretend to draw from thence an infallible consequence to prove that Moses could not be the Author of the Pentateuch , in the Order that it is . ] Here he manifestly supposes , that Moses in writing the Pentateuch might fall into little mistakes , and so he might be the Author of it , notwithstanding the disorder that is in it ; and is not this to suppose , that Moses might write it by an humane and fallible Spirit ? for none I think will say , that a Man writing by Divine Inspiration , can fall into any mistakes , little or great ; I am sure not into such disorderly mistakes , as he pretends to find in the History of the Creation of Man. Secondly , He differs from the whole Christian Church , in affirming , that for so much of the Historical part of the Pentateuch as Moses wrote , or might write , he copied it out of other ancient Books , or else committed to writing what he had learned from , Oral Tradition . This difference is the same upon the matter with the former , and I prove it also from his own express words , Book 1. Chap. 3. Pag. 27. [ A Book of the Wars of the Lord , of which mention is made in the Numbers ( Numb . 21. 14. ) is an evident proof , that the Stories which are related in the Five Books of Moses , have likewise been taken out of several collections which have been lost . ] And Pag. 54. most clearly , [ We may likewise apply ( says he ) to the Book of Genesis , what we have already said touching the manner of the inregistering the publick Acts in the time of Moses ; this Book contains the Creation of the World , and many things which happened many Ages before him : and in all Genesis there is no observation of Gods dictating to Moses what is there related , it is not likewise said , that he writ it by the Spirit of Prophecy : but all these Histories and Genealogies are simply related , as if Moses had taken them from some Authentick Books , or else had had a constant Tradition . ] And in the same place , [ Moses without doubt has had other Records ( than the fabulous Books of Adam , Seth , Sem , Abraham , &c. ) were they writ , or were they preserve viva voce down to him , in the Families which God had chosen to be faithful to him in the Worship of true Religion . ] Doth not this look too like unto what I mentioned before , that Moses might write the Book of Genesis by an humane fallible Spirit ? which is contrary unto Gal. 3. 8. & 4. 21 , 22 , 30. Rom. 4. 17. 23 , 24. 1 Cor. 15. 45. James 2. 23. for these Scriptures do plainly assert the Divine Original and Authority of the Book of Genesis . Thirdly , He differs from the generality of Jews and Christians , in that he not only says , there may be some few things in the Books of Moses , as we now have them , which were not written by Moses ; but he positively and peremptorily affirms , that there are de facto , a great many things now in the Books of Moses , which could not be written by Moses . This is proved from his own words , Pag. 4 , 5. [ The publick Writers which were in his time , and writ out the ancient Acts , have spoke of Moses in the Third Person , and have used several other such like expressions , which could not be Moses's : but they for all that have never the less Authority ; because they can be ascribed only to persons , which Moses had commanded to put into writing the most important Actions of his time . ] And Chap. 2. Pag. 19. [ We shall distinguish in the Five Books of the Law , what has been writ by Moses , from what has been writ by these Prophets or publick Writers . We may attribute to Moses the Commandments and Ordinances which he gave to the People , and allow these same publick Writers to be the Authors of the greatest part of the History . Moses in quality of Legislator , writ all which relates to the Statutes , and left to the Scribes or Prophets the care of collecting the Acts of the most material Transactions which past , that they might be preserved to Posterity . ] And Pag. 20. [ But if we consider with never so little attention , the whole Body of the Pentateuch , we may observe this diversity of Writers which I speak of , which will more appear in the sequel of this Discourse , where I evidently make the falsity of the reasons appear , which the Jews use to prove , that Moses is the Author of the whole Law. ] And as was observed in the beginning , in Pag. 36. Contents of Chap. 5. [ Moses cannot be the Author of the Books which are attributed to him . ] Thus I have given a faithful account of the Judgment of P. Simon , and shewed wherein he both agrees with , and differs from the common Faith of Gods Church . And since he hath the generality of Jews and Christians , yea Christ himself and his Apostles against him , he had need of very clear and strong irrefragable Arguments to support his singular opinion , to wit , that ( in his sense ) Moses could not be the Author of the Books which are attributed to him . And now we come in the Third place to consider the grounds of his Opinion , and to answer the Arguments by which he endeavors to prove it . His Arguments may be reduced to Three Heads ; First , He argues from the Repetitions that are in the Pentateuch . Secondly , From the Transpositions that are in it . Thirdly , From several passages in it , where there are such expressions , as seem to intimate , that Moses could not be the Author of them . I begin with the First , His Argument from Repetitions , [ There are ( says he , Pag. 37. ) many Repetitions of the same thing in the Pentateuch , which are apparently not Moses's , but rather theirs who have made a collection of the Holy Scriptures , and have joined together several Readings or Explanations of the same words , not thinking it convenient to leave out of their Copies what might illustrate the Text. ] And then he gives Instances of these Repetitions . But before I come to examine his Instances in particular , I answer to all in general . Since P. Simon acknowledges that those who made the collection of the Holy Scriptures were Men of a Prophetical Spirit , and Divinely Inspired , as Moses was , what greater absurdity is there in Moses his being the Author of these Repetitions , than in any other Prophets their being the Authors of them ? Was not God as free to repeat the same thing over and over again for illustrating the Text , by the Ministry of one Prophet , as by the Ministry of another ? P. Simon seems to be better acquainted with the Rules of Grammar , than with the Rules of Reasoning ; now I come to his particular Instances . First , He begins with Gen. 7. v. 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 24. & v. 21 , 22 , 23. and first finds fault with its being said Five times over in Five Verses , That the Waters prevailed . But I Answer , If his Self-conceit had not blinded him , he might have seen that there was good reason for , and great Grace in this Repetition ; for as the Waters of the Flood prevailed gradually , and still rose higher and higher , so it was fit that the words should be adapted to the thing . First , The Waters increased so far on the Earth , that they bore up the Ark , and set it a floating : and this is expressed as we have it in Verse 17. Secondly , The Waters increased to that degree , that they set the Ark a going or moving progressively from one place to another , and this is expressed , as in Verse 18. Thirdly , The Waters increased so exceedingly , that the highest Mountains in the World were covered with them , and this is sutably expressed , Verse 19. Fourthly , The Waters increased yet so wonderfully upwards , above the highest Mountains , that they were Fifteen Cubits under Water , and this is expressed , as in Verse 20. And then Fifthly , and Lastly , Since the space of time , in which the Waters prevailed upon the Earth , was One Hundred and Fifty Days , this is appositly expressed , as in Verse 24 , and last of the Chapter . What now doth this Man deserve , who quarrels with the Spirit of God for these repeated expressions which carry such a Grace in them , being so well fitted to the nature of the thing spoken of ? Next , he finds fault with the Repetitions in Vers . 21 , 22 , 23. I Answer , Here indeed is a Repetition of the same thing , but it is in somewhat different words , and who knows but it might be to assure us of the Truth of the thing , which God foresaw some Men would not believe , to wit , That the Flood was so Universal , as to destroy utterly every Living thing from off the Face of the whole Earth , except Noah and them that were with him in the Ark ; and whatever be said of that , yet it cannot be denyed , but it is free for God to express his mind as he pleases , if there be nothing in the expressions but what is true , as certainly there is not in this place . And it may be , that in expressing himself thus , he condescended to accomodate himself to the genius of the Hebrew Tongue , and to speak with his People in their own way of speaking . P. Simon himself , confesses that there are some Repetitions which have their Grace in the Books of Moses , as well as in the Poems of Homer . [ And ( says he , Pag. 40. ) it may be , that good part of these Repetitions belong to the genius of the Hebrew Tongue , which is a very plain Language , and repeats often the same thing by different terms , which appears in almost all the Books of Scripture , and which we find even in the Ordinances of our Kings , and in the Stile of the Chancery of Rome , as well as in the Stile of our Courts for Civil Affairs , where several words are placed after one another , which signifie but the same thing . ] Thus he . And this Answer may serve to his other Instances , from Exod. 31. 14 , 15 , 16. and Exod. 32. 15. But why Exod. 16. 33. compared with Verse 36. & Levit. 6. 9. should be objected , I can see no colour of reason . Is it possible , that ever a reasonable Man should think that these passages can afford so much as a probable Argument , that Moses cannot be the Author of the Books attributed to him ! And if Pere Simon did not think that they could do him any Service in this matter , why did he alledg them ? And moreover , why any Man should find fault with the expressions there used , I do not understand , unless it be a fault for Almighty God so clearly and fully to express his mind , as that his People cannot but understand his meaning ; might not P. Simon have been affraid , least God should say to him as it is written , Matth. 20. 15. Is thine Eye Evil , because I am Good ? Lastly , Under this head of Repetitions is alledged , Levit. 3. 3. and here he finds fault with these expressions , ( The Fat that covereth the Inwards , and all the Fat that is upon the Inwards , ) pretending that there is no difference between these two , ( the Fat that covereth the Inwards ) and ( all the Fat that is upon the Inwards ) but this critical Objection ariseth from his own inadvertency , for if he had weighed and considered the words , he would have seen a manifest difference between these two , ( the Fat that covereth the Inwards ) and ( all the Fat that is upon the Inwards ) and would have perceived that the words are very significant ; and give us plainly to understand , that not only some of the Fat , but all the Fat on the Inwards of the Sacrifice must be taken away , not only the outward covering of Fat that is upon the Inwards , but every bit and crum of Fat that adheres most closely to the Inwards : here is an inadequat distinction between these two , ( the Fat , &c. ) and ( all the Fat , &c. ) as there is an inadequat distinction between the part and the whole , the thing included , and the thing including . I proceed to his Second Head of Arguments . Secondly , He Argues from the Disorder and Transpositions that are in the Pentateuch . To which I Answer in general , That no solid Argument can be drawn from this pretended Disorder , to prove that Moses could not be the Author of the Pentateuch ; for if any other Man , writeing by Divine Inspiration might be the Author of such passages as are pretended to be out of their proper places , there can no reason be given why Moses might not as well be the Author of them ; surely it was as free for the Spirit of God to transpose things by the Pen of Moses , as by the Pen of any other Man. But as we have shewed , P. Simon confesses that the whole Pentateuch , ( except any little mistakes of Transcribers that may be in it ) was written by Men Divinely Inspired . Secondly , I Answer , That in all such passages God may be supposed to have accommodated himself to the genius of the Hebrew Tongue , and to have condescended to write unto his People in their own usual way of writing ; if it be true that P. Simon says , Pag. 40 , 41. in these words following , [ It seems to me that the Jews themselves did not much regard writing in Method , as it would be easie to prove by the Stile of the Epistles of Paul : and Haron a Caraite Jew , who has made literal Commentaries on the whole Pentateuch , observes often this confusion of Order , which he calls Haphuck , and says , That it is usual enough in Scripture to begin with one thing , then to pass unto another , and afterwards to resume again the first . ] If this be true , no reason can be given , why God might not make choice of writeing to them by the Pen of Moses in this very way and method , which was usual amongst them , there being nothing of Falshood in it . So much in general . Now let us come to a particular Examination of the several Instances he gives of this pretended disorder ; and First , He begins with the History of the Creation , and finds fault with its Order , [ As that after the Man and Woman were Created , Gen. 1. 27. The Woman is supposed not to be made , and in the following Chapter , the manner how she was taken from Adams side is described ; nevertheless in the same Chapter it was before forbidden him , as he was her Husband , whom she accompanied in the Garden , to eat the Fruit of a certain Tree . ] This is his first Argument , in which there are several Falshoods shuffled in , as if it were to make the History of the Creation seem ridiculous . But if any Man will impartially , and in the fear of God , consider the words of Moses in the Two first Chapters of Genesis , he will find no such disorder or falshood in them at all . For in the First Chapter , Man is generally considered according to the common nature of both Sexes , and there it is affirmed , That on the first Day after the other works of God were finished , God Created Man , Male and Female , in his own Image . This is common to Adam and Eve , the Male and the Female , that they were both Man , of the same specifical humane Nature , and that they were both Created by God in his own Image , on the Sixth Day after the other Works of God were finished . But in the Second Chapter , Man is considered more particularly and distinctly , according to the proper differences of Sex ; and the way is described , how the Individuals of humane Nature were Created , each in their own Sex ; and ( 1. ) The Spirit of God by Moses declares how Man was Created in the Male-Sex , and that he was put into the Garden before Planted , and that he was appointed to dress and keep it , and allowed to eat of the Fruit of it , excepting the Fruit of one Tree only , which God forbad him to eat of , under pain of Death . ( 2. ) The Spirit of God by Moses relates how Man was Created in the Female-Sex , out of a Rib of a Male-Sex , and then that the Female being thus of the Male , was Married unto him , and made one Flesh with him for his help and comfort . In all this appears no Disorder nor Transposition , nor is there the least shadow of Falshood or Contradiction . But P. Simon Objects , First , That after Man and Woman were Created , as it is written , Chap. 1. 27. the Woman is supposed not to be made , Chap. 2. I Answer , He might have said as well that the Man is supposed not to be made in Chap. 2. But the truth is , neither the Woman nor the Man are supposed to be yet unmade , after they were really made ; nor doth the Second Chapter at all contradict the First : for what the First and Second Chapters say of the Creation of Mankind , relate to the same thing , and to the same time ; with this difference , that what the First Chapter relates of Man's Creation , is expressed in a few general Words , which equally concern both Sexes : Whereas the Second Chapter gives a full and particular account of the manner how , and of the order of time in which each Sex were Created . But he Objects farther , That before the Woman was made , it vvas forbidden the Man as he vvas her Husband , vvhom she accompanied in the Garden to eat the Fruit of a certain Tree . I Ansvver , This is notoriously False , I appeal to common Sense , vvhether there be any such thing in the Text of Moses , as that Adam vvas the Husband of Eve , and that she accompanied him in the Garden before she vvas made of his Rib. Adam indeed vvas forbidden to eat the Fruit of a certain Tree , before Eve vvas Created ; this is plain in the Text of Moses : but that he vvas then the Husband of Eve , or considered as her Husband before she had a Being , there is not one Syllable of this in the Text , nor any thing from vvhence it can ever be proved . When Adam received that positive Command , he neither vvas her Husband , nor considered as such , nor did she then accompany him in the Garden ; but he rally vvas the common Root of all Mankind , of vvhom the several individuals vvere to spring ; he vvas moreover ( I believe ) the federal principal and head of all his Posterity , ( excepting the Messias ) and as such he was considered in receiving that Law , which the Lord God revealed unto Eve also after she was Created , though it be not expressed in the Text : for she had it revealed unto her one way or other , otherwise she had not actually sinned in transgressing it , and we have her own confession related by the Sacred Historian , that God had revealed it unto her , Chap. 3. 3. But whether God revealed it unto her immediately , or by the mediation of her Husband , we find not in the Text , and therefore we cannot certainly say , whether of the Two ways it was revealed unto her : but we are sure that one of them it was , and that is enough . Here P. Simon has discovered himself , and by this instance we may Judge what Spirit he is of ; an honest Heathen would have abhorred to have been guilty of such a gross Falsification , that he might the better expose the Author of the History of the Creation , whoever he was . Sure I am , that Longinus did not take the Author of that History to have been a Fool , when having occasion to mention the History of the Creation , he wrote thus of Moses whom he believed to be the Author of it , [ He that gave Laws unto the Jews , was a Man of no ordinary parts , for he hath both conceived and spoken worthily and becomingly of the power of God. In the very beginning of his Laws , writing thus , ( God said , but what ? ) Let there be Light , and it was . Let the Earth be , and it was . ] Such an high opinion of the Sacred Historian had Longinus , as is to be seen in his Book De Sublimi dicendi genere , extant in several Languages unto this Day . Secondly , P. Simon Instances in Gen. 21. 3 , 4 , 5. and says , [ That to understand the Books of Moses , one must often join many Verses together , by beginning with the last and coming up to the first . ] That is in plain English , we must read them backwards , or we cannot understand them . Thus , Vers . 5. And Abraham was One Hundred Years old when his Son Isaac was born unto him . Vers . 4. And Abraham Circumcised his Son Isaac , being Eight Days old , as God had commanded him . Vers . 3. And Abraham called the name of his Son that was born unto him , whom Sarah bare to him , Isaac . And then he gives his Reason , why these Three Verses should be read backwards , in these numerical words , [ This Order , methinks , the Historian ought to have kept ; for the Jews do not name their Children , till after their Circumcision . ] This is his Second Argument , under the head of Transpositions , to prove that Moses could not be the Author of the Pentateuch . And is it not a goodly one ? Sure P. Simon must have very mean thoughts of the Learned Men of this Age , to believe that he can perswade them by such ridiculous Reasoning as this , to be of his opinion , that Moses could not be the Author of the Pentateuch . But it is no wonder that he have mean thoughts of the Men of this Age , when he takes upon him to teach the Sacred Historian , ( whom himself acknowledges to have been a Prophet ) how he ought to have written . [ This Order , methinks , the Historian ought to have kept , ] says P. Simon . And your reason , good Father , why the Historian ought to have kept the Order that you fancy to be best . Why that we have in the very next words , [ For the Jews do not name their Children till after their Circumcision . ] Now Reader , I pray thee consider what a senseless Reason this is . The Author of the Book of Genesis ought to have written in that Order , as P. Simon would have it , and we ought to read the Three Verses aforesaid , backwards , because the Jews in this Age do not name their Children till after their Circumcision . But can P. Simon prove , that in Abrahams time , Children were not named till after their Circumcision ? might they not be numbred at their Circumcision , yea , or before their Circumcision , in Abrahams time ? God left it free unto Abraham and his Posterity , to name their Children at vvhat time they pleased , before , at , or after their Circumcision ; and no Man living can prove , that in Abrahams time , People vvere bound to name their Children after their Circumcision , or that they generally used so to do ; such Arguments as this of P. Simons deserves no Ansvver , but to be hissed at ; and his Immodesty , in saying , That the Sacred Historian ought to have kept the Order he speaks of , is to be lamented by all that desire to fear God. Thirdly , He Objects , Gen. 31. 46. [ This Verse ( says he ) is methinks likewise out of its Order , as well as all the Discourse which treats of the Covenant between Jacob and Laban , because they did not eat till the Alliance was made . Answer , Here is an Argument little better than the former , only it is more modestly proposed . They did not eat till the Alliance was made ; ergo all the Discourse which treats of the Covenant between Jacob and Laban , is out of its order . Any Man that attentively reads the Text of Moses , would conclude the quite contrary , that seeing they did not eat till the Alliance was made , therefore all the Discouse that treats of the Covenant , &c. is in its Order , because it is all set down before the offering of Sacrifice or killing of Beasts , and eating of Bread , mentioned , Vers . 54. As for Vers . 46. there is nothing affirmed in it , but what is most true . It is most true , that Jacob's Brethren gathered Stones , it is most true , that they made an heap , and it is as true , that they did eat there upon the heap . But says P. Simon , They did not eat till the Alliance was made . I Answer , Nor does the Historian say in Vers . 46. that they did eat before the Covenant was made ; there he only says , That they did eat upon the heap , but does not say when ; and a little after , in Vers . 54. he tells us when it was they eat upon the heap , to wit , after the Covenant was made . So that here is nothing to cavil at , and find fault with , only the same thing is twice expressed in somewhat different words . First , The matter of Fact is related in general , without telling what was meant by it , ( Vers . 46. They took stones and made an heap : and they did eat there upon the heap . ) Secondly , The meaning of the heap of stones , and of their eating upon the heap , is cleared up , and the time mentioned when they eat upon the heap ; there it is shewed , that the heap of stones was by agreement between Jacob and Laban , ordained to be a Witness or Token of the Covenant between them Two , and their eating upon the heap is clearly implyed , to have been a federal Feast , signifying and sealing up a lasting Friendship between the Parties Covenanted ; and last of all , it is expresly declared when this Feast upon the heap of stones , was , to wit , after the Covenant between Jacob and Laban was made and confirmed by the Oaths of both Parties , Vers . 53 , 54. To conclude this Answer , Let it be considered , that Vers . 46 , speaks only of the place where they eat , without mentioning the time when . But Vers . 54 , speaks only of the time when they eat , without mentioning the place where , that is , without mentioning that it was upon the heap of stones ; and now why Moses , yea , why Gods Holy Spirit might not be the Author of both these 46 and 54 Verses , and of all that comes between them , it is above my capacity to understand . I dare challenge any Man to bring an Argument from this place to prove that Moses could not be the Author of the Pentateuch , an Argument I say , that any Man of Judgment would not be ashamed . of . Fourthly , He Objects , Gen. 35. 28 , 29. The Death of Isaac there related , seems to be out of its place , ( says P. Simon ) because Isaac died not at that time , and that Joseph was sold Twelve Years before the Death of Isaac : yet nevertheless the History of Joseph begins but at the 37th . Chapter of the same Book . I Answer , The Death of Isaac hath that place in the History which the wisdome of God thought fit to assign unto it , and that we should account to be its place , which Gods Wisdome by his Prophet hath put it in . But says P. Simon , Isaac died not at that time . I Answer , There is no other time of his Death mentioned there , but that after he was One Hundred and Eighty Years Old , he Died and was Buried : which is most true ; but it is not at all said by the Sacred Historian , that Isaac Died at that time , when his Son Jacob came unto him , unto Mamre : for that had been false ; and I desire this may be taken notice of . But says P. Simon , Joseph was Sold Twelve Years before the Death of Isaac , and yet the History of Joseph begins but at the 37th . Chapter of the same Book . I Answer , This is indeed true , for Isaac was Sixty Years Old when Jacob was Born , Gen. 25. 26. And Jacob was One Hundred and Thirty Years Old when he stood before Pharaoh , Gen. 47. 9. Now 60 and 130. make One Hundred and Ninety , which is but Ten Years more than the Years of the Age of Isaac , who Died when he was One Hundred and Eighty Years Old , that is Ten Years before Jacob stood before Pharaoh ; so that Isaac must have Died about the time of Joseph's advancement in Aegypt . , as appears from Gen. 41. 53 , 54. compared with Gen. 45. 6. where we see that Seven Years of Plenty , and Two Years of Famine , had passed from the time of Joseph's advancement , until the time of Jacob's coming into Aegypt . Isaac then Living One Hundred and Eighty Years , could not Die till about the time of Joseph's advancement , either the Year of his advancement , or the Year before his advancement ; and if it was the Year before his Advancement , that Isaac Died , then it was about Twelve Years after Joseph was Sold , that Isaac Died : for Joseph was Seventeen Years Old when he was Sold , Gen. 37. 2. and Thirty Years Old when he was advanced in Aegypt , Gen. 41. 46. and consequently he was not advanced till the Thirteenth Year after he had been Sold ; so that Isaac Dying the Year before his advancement , he must have Died Twelve Years after he was Sold. But what is all this to the purpose ? this doth not prove , that the Relation of the Death of Isaac is out of its place : for as I have said , that is its place which the Wisdome of God thought fit to assign unto it , and there we find it in the end of the 35th . Chapter . But says P. Simon , The History of the Selling of Joseph begins but at the 37th . Chapter of Genesis , and yet Joseph was Sold Twelve Years before the Death of Isaac ; ergo the Death of Isaac should be related after the Selling of Joseph , but it is related before , and so is out of its place . I Answer , By denying the consequence ; it follows indeed , that therefore the Death of Isaac was really after the Selling of Joseph ; and there is nothing contrary to this in Gen. 35. 28 , 29. but it doth not at all follow , that the relation of the Death of Isaac must be placed in the History , after the relation of the Selling of Joseph ; for God was free to place it where he pleased , and he thought fit to place it before the relation of the Selling of Joseph in the end of the 35th . Chapter ; And there was this good reason for it , because the Sacred Historian was there to finish the History of the Life of Isaac , and to speak no more of it afterwards . And having no more to say of him , but that ( Isaac being One Hundred and Eighty Years Old , Died and was Buried by his Sons Esau and Jacob , ) the Sacred Historian wisely Judged it better to place it where it is , than in the middle of the History of Joseph . Fifthly , He Objects , Gen. 38. 1. And it came to pass at that time , that Judah went down from his Brethren , &c. [ There is no Body ( says P. Simon , ) in reading these words , but would at first believe that they were joined with those that go before them , and that the time is related in which this Action passed . Nevertheless , it is not so , and the most Learned Interpreters of the Scripture agree , that it happened at another time . ] I Answer , Here is indeed something that looks like an Argument , and at first sight there seems to be a great difficulty in it , not so much because it seems to be out of its proper place , for that is easily Answered , as before , that whatsoever is in the place assigned unto it by the Wisdome of God , is in its own place ; but because the thing here related is said to have come to pass ( at that time , ) which at first sight seems plainly to refer unto the Selling of Joseph : but it is not true that Judah was but newly Married to the Daughter of Shuah , when Joseph was Sold into Aegypt ; for between the time of the Sale of Joseph , and the time of Judahs going into Aegypt with his Father Jacob , were but Twenty Two , or Twenty Three Years , as evidently appears from hence , that Joseph was Sold at the Age of Seventeen Years , and all his Fathers House went down to him into Aegypt , when he was Forty , or Thirty Nine Years Old. But it is not possible , that within the compass of Twenty Two , or Twenty Three Years , Judah should be Married unto the Daughter of Shuah , and beget on her Three Sons , Er , Onan and Shelah ; and that after the Death of Er and Onan , and after the youngest of them Shelah , was Marriagable , Judah should commit Incest with his Daughter in Law Tamar , the Widow of Er , and on her beget Pharez and Zerah ; and then Pharez should be Married and beget Two Sons , Hezron and Hamul , ( Gen. 38. throughout , and Gen. 46. 12. ) I say it is not possible in the ordinary course of Nature , that all this could be done within the space of Twenty Three Years . Therefore I conclude that the words [ at that time ] in Vers . 1 of Chap. 38 of Genesis , cannot refer unto what goes immediately before , to wit , the Sale of Joseph into Aegypt . Some Answer , First , That the words [ It came to pass at that time ] do not refer unto what goes immediately before them , but that they mediately refer unto the time when Jacob came first into Canaan , after he had left Laban his Father in Law in Mesopotamia ; they do not know certainly where to fix the time referred unto , but suppose it to have been about the time of Jacob's dwelling at Succoth , or at Shalem , ( Gen. 33. 17 , 18. ) Secondly , Others Answer , That the words [ at that time , ] or according to the Hebrew , Baeth Hahi , [ in that time ] do not at all refer unto any thing that went before , either mediately or immediately , but that they are a manner of Speech common to Jewish and other Writers , such as ( diebus illis , ) which signifies a large compass of time , within which a thing came to pass , without determining the Year : as if the meaning were no more , but that in such an Age , such a thing came to pass . But Thirdly , That which satisfies me most , and in which I acquiesce , is this , That this difficulty is only in Translations , but not at all in the Original ; and therefore I humbly offer it unto the consideration of the Godly and Learned , whether it be not expedient in this place to take some of the other significations of the Hebrew Particle ( Vau ) ( according to the prudent Advice of that excellent Person , the Honourable Mr. Boyle , in his Considerations touching the stile of the Scriptures , Pag. 64 , 65. ) and thus to translate the passage under consideration , [ Vaihi Baeth Hahi , Vaijered Jehudah , &c. — Vaijar Sham , &c. that is , And it came to pass at that time , When Judah went down from his Brethren , and turned in , &c. that Judah saw there a Daughter , &c. ] here I render the ( Vau ) in Vaijerd , ( When , ) and I do it , First , Because the Particle ( Vau ) admits of this signification , and accordingly is sometimes rendered in our own Translation ; as for instance , Exod. 18. 1. Vaijishma Jithro , &c. when Jethro heard , &c. Secondly , Because the subject matter doth require this signification of ( Vau ) in Vaijered , for the better clearing up of the sense . Thirdly , Because our own Translatours recede from the primary signification of ( Vau ) in Vaijered , and render it ( that , ) why then may not we recede from the primary signification , which is ( And , ) and render it ( When , ) since it is most evident , that to render it ( When ) will sute better with the subject matter , or thing spoken of , then to render it ( That . ) For if we render the ( Vau ) in Vajered , ( When , ) and the ( Vau ) in Vajar , Vers . 2. ( That , ) with this little variation of the sense of one Hebrew Syllable , the insuperable difficulty that seemed to be in this place of Scripture , is evanished and come to nothing : for the words [ at that time ] clearly refer unto Judah his going down from his Brethren , and turning in to the Adullamite Hira ; then and at that time it was , that he saw the Daughter of Shuah , and took her to Wife : but in what Year this came to pass is not revealed , and therefore we are not concerned to know it . P. Simon might have made a better use of his Critical Faculty , in thus clearing up the difficulty which seemed to be in this place of Scripture , than in cavilling at and finding fault with the Holy Scripture it self , as he frequently doth : but that seems to have been none of his design , but rather to lessen the esteem of the Sacred Writings in the minds of Christians . Sixthly , He Objects , Exod. 18. and says , The History of Jethro related in the beginning of that Chapter , seems not to be placed in the time wherein it was , forasmuch as Jethro seems not to have come till the Second Year after the finishing of the Tabernacle , as may be proved out of Duteronomy . I Answer , First , That in stead of solid Reasoning , ( which a thing of this nature requires , ) here is nothing but guessing and conjecturing , and one conjecture may be very well Answered with another opposite conjecture ; he says it may be proved out of Deuteronomy , that Jethro came not nnto Moses till the Second Year after the finishing of the Tabernacle ; and I say again , that his possible proof , may possibly be Answered ; and when he has actually proved it , which he hath not yet attempted to do , he shall be actually Answered ; that is , his proof of it , shall be refuted , if it be false , or yielded unto and acknowledged , if it appear to be true ; and I am sure this is very fair , and in reason no more can be required . I confess it is written , Numb . 11. 16 , 17. that the Lord said unto Moses , Gather unto me Seventy men of the Elders of Israel , whom thou knowest to be the Elders of the People , and Officers over them ; and bring them unto the Tabernacle of the Congregation , that they moy stand there with thee . And I will come down , &c. Now this must have been after the Building of the Tabernacle . But it is not yet proved , that God gave this Commandment unto Moses at the same time that Jethro his Father in Law gave him the Councel , Recorded in Exod. 18. 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23. Nay the Judges that Moses appointed over Israel , according to the advice of Jethro , Exod. 18. 24 , 25 , 26. seem to have been many more than Seventy ; and it is not improbable , that the Seventy Elders and Officers , mentioned Numb . 11. 16. were afterwards chosen out of those many Judges formerly by Jethro's advice set over Israel , and presented unto the Lord at the Tabernacle of the Congregation , there to receive from the Lord the Spirit of Government , to fit them for the due Execution of the Office they were called unto . But foreseeing what may be said for a transposition here , I Answer , Secondly , That suppose it were granted unto P. Simon , That Jethro did not come unto Moes , till the Second , Year after the finishing of the Tabernacle ; what then ? will it follow that therefore Moses could not be the Author of the Pentateuch ? I deny that consequence ; take that relation of Jethro's coming unto Moses , which way you will , and suppose it to be before the giving of the Law , or after the making of the Tabernacle , as you please ; yet it is still true , there is not the least shadow of falshood in it : for Moses neither says that it was before , nor that it was after the Building of the Tabernacle ; all that he writes of the time wherein it was , is , that when Jethro heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel , &c. then he came unto Moses , &c. Exod. 18. 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5. But as for the Year in which Jethro heard of all that God had done for his People : Moses is silent , and makes no mention of it . That whole narration then being true , without any mixture of falshood , why might not Moses be the Author of it , where it is , as well as any other Prophet could be ? But is it not in that place of the Book of Exodus , where P. Simon would have had it to have been ? I Answer , Moses might have good reason not to place it there , but just where it is . He had other things to write of in the following Chapters of Exodus ; all which things were to be linked together , and not to be separated by the interposition of the narrative of that visit which his Father in Law gave him in the Wilderness . As Scaliger says , and P. Simon himself out of him , Quo ordine quid referatur , modo constet veritas , aut nihili aut parum interest , it signifies nothing , or very little , in what Order things be related , provided that we find them to be truly related . Seventhly , He Objects , Gen. 46. and says he , [ Where the Children of Israel are numbered , who went into Aegypt with him , these are counted among them , Joseph , Manasseh , and Ephraim , who could not go with him into Aegypt , because they were there before him ; and as that place mentions the Children of Israel , and his Childrens Children , who came with him into Aegypt , it is probable , for brevity's sake , these Two things have been joined together , as if they had all been Jacob's Children . ] I Answer , This Objection comes from P. Simons heedlesness and inadvertency in reading the Holy Scripture , but hath no ground in the Text of Moses . For as Joseph , Manasseh and Ephraim , could not go with Jacob into Aegypt , because they were there before him : so for certain they are not there said to have gone with him into Aegypt ; on the contrary it is clearly enough said , that they did not go with him into Aegypt ; for First , It is said , Vers . 20. And unto Joseph in the Land of Aegypt were Born Manasseh and Ephraim . And again , Vers . 27. And the Sons of Joseph which were Born him in Aegypt , [ were ] Two Souls . where it is manifestly implyed , that Joseph and his Two Sons were not then to go into Aegypt , but that they were there already . Secondly , To make the thing yet clearer , it is expresly said , Vers . 26. That all the Souls that came with Jacob into Aegypt , which came out of his Loins , were Threescore and Six ; here Jacob himself is not reckoned as one of those Sixty Six , because he could not go with himself into Aegypt , nor could he come out of his own Loins : Joseph also and his Two Sons are not reckoned as any of the Sixty Six , because though they came out of Jacob's Loins , yet they could not go with him into Aegypt , since they were already in Aegypt before him . But it may be Objected , That Vers . 27. it is expresly said , All the Souls of the House of Jacob , which came into Aegypt , were Threescore and Ten. In which number , Joseph and his Two Sons must be included . I Answer , True , they are included in the number Seventy , though they were not included in the Number Sixty Six ; yea , and Jacob himself is included in the number Seventy , and these Four , Jacob , Joseph , Manasseh , Ephraim , being added to Sixty Six , make up the number of Seventy Souls , all which came into Aegypt ; the 66 came into Aegypt with Jacob , and Jacob came with them , for if all the Souls of the House of Jacob came , then Jacob himself came , being head of his own House ; Joseph also he came into Aegypt before , when he was sold to the Ishmaelites ; and his Two Sons they came into Aegypt in the Loins of their Father Joseph , even as Levi paid Tithes unto Melchizedeck in the Loins of his Father Abraham , ( Heb. 7. 9. ) Thus all the 70 Souls came into Aegypt ; but the Text of Moses doth not at all say , that all the 70 came into Aegypt at the same time and in the same way and manner . Eighthly , He Objects , Gen. 35. 26. where Benjamin is counted amongst the Children that Jacob had in Mesopotamia , and nevertheless Benjamin was not Born there , but in the Land of Canaan . I Answer , I do not understand by what Rules of Reasoning , P. Simon puts this passage amongst the disorderly Transpositions which he pretends to be in the Pentateuch ; for surely , this seems rather to be a contradiction , it being said in the same Chapter , Vers . 16 , 17 , 18. that Benjamin was Born at Ephrath . And yet here is no real , but only a seeming contradiction ; for to make a real contradiction , it must have been said , [ Benjamin was Born at Ephrath , ) All these are the Sons of Jacob , which were Born to him in Padan-Aram , but now it is not said , ( all these are the Sons of Jacob which were Born to him in Padam-aram , ) but only , ( These are the Sons of Jacob , which were Born to him in Padan-Aram ) and this is most true , without including Benjamin in the number of Jacob's Sons Born to him in Padan-Aram ; for the other Eleven were Born in Padan-Aram : and there was no need here to except Benjamin by name , because it was so clearly said , but a little before in the same Chapter , That Benjamin was Born at Ephrath in the Land of Canaan , that no Reader could mistake so grosly , as to think he was Born with the rest of Jacob's Children in Padan-Aram , or Mesopotamia ; I pray mark the expression , it is not said , in v. 26. All these are , &c. but , These are , &c. P. Simon pretends that there are Transpositions , not only in the History , but likewise in the Laws of Moses , and therefore , Ninthly , and Lastly , He Objects , Exod. 22. 1 , 3 , 4. where ( says he ) to make a reasonable construction , what is said of the Thief in the Third Verse , must be joined with the First , because there is a Transposition ; and then one ought to join the Fourth Verse with the First : and moreover the words of the Fourth Verse , [ if the Theft be certainly found in his hand alive , ] ought only to relate to the Ox and Sheep , which this Verse makes mention of , and not to the Ass , although that is spoke of in the same place with the Two other Animals . I Answer , All this is gratis dictum , without one word of proof . The words of the Law may be reasonably enough construed , and well enough understood , without the help of Pere Simons imaginary Transposition . In the First Verse , the Lord God determins in what proportion a Thief should make restitution for an Ox or a Sheep , in case he have killed or sold them . In Vers . 2. The Lord God declares , that if the Thief be found in the Act of breaking up , and be killed ; the killing of him shall not be accounted Murther , nor shall the killers Blood be shed for him , provided it were in the Night , and before Sun-Rising . But in the Third Verse , the Lord declares , That the killing of a Thief in the Day time after Sun-Rising , should be accounted Murther , and that the Blood of the slayer should be shed for the Blood of the slain Thief : and that for this reason given in the same Third Verse , because he should not have been killed for the Theft , but compelled to make full Restitution , if he was able , but if he was not able , he should be sold for his Theft . And in Vers . 4. the Lord shews in what proportion he should be obliged to make Restitution , in case the Theft were found alive in his hand ; not in a Five-fold , nor Four-fold , but in a double proportion , for Ox , or Ass , or Sheep ; and thus all is clear enough in the Order wherein the Wisdom of God has placed things , and there is no need to have recourse unto a Transposition ; as to what he Objects , concerning the Ass in the Fourth Verse , that though it be joined with the Ox and Sheep , yet what is said of the Theft , its being found alive in the hand of the Thief , and of his making double Restitution in that Case , ought not to relate unto the Ass , but only to the Ox and Sheep . I Answer , This is a bold Assertion , without any proof at all ; and there is reason to conclude the contrary , that because the Ass is joined with the Ox and Sheep , therefore what here relates to the Ox and Sheep , ought also to be referred unto the Ass ; the Ass was a very useful Creature in those Eastern Countries , and that may be the reason why it is joined with the Ox , both here , and elsewhere , as in the Tenth Commandment . I know not what use P. Simon may have for this Ass , but it seems by what he writes , that he would play the Thief , and steal it out of this Fourth Verse of Exod. 22. which if he should do , he would be guilty , not only of Theft , but of Sacrilege , for this Ass stands upon Holy Ground . Thus I have Answered all his Arguments that fall under the Second Head of Disorderly Transpositions . I pass to the Third and last head of Arguments , taken from several passages of the Pentateuch , where he pretends there are such expressions as seem to intimate , that Moses could not be the Author of them . First , He Objects , Numb . 21. 14. A Book ( says he ) of the Wars of the Lord , of which mention is made , Numb . 21. 14. is an evident proof , that the Histories which are related in the Five Books of Moses , have been taken out of several Collections which have been lost . I Answer , It is denyed , that the citing of the Book of the Wars of the Lord , in Numb . 21. 14. is an evident proof , or indeed any proof at all of any such thing . For First , It is not so evident that it was a Book at all , some think it was but a Song ; the Hebrew word ( Sepher ) does not always signifie a Book ; but Secondly , Granting that it was a Book , and not meerly a Triumphal Song , it is not evident that it was a Book then already written , it might be a Book to be afterwards written , which Moses foreseeing by the Spirit of Prophecy , refers unto ; this agrees with the Original words in the Text , which are [ Al-ken Jeamar , ] wherefore it shall be said in the Book of the Wars of the Lord , &c. yet Thirdly , Granting it to have been a Book already written , Moses his once citing a Testimony out of it , doth no more prove that he collected his History out of such Books , then Paul's citing a Testimony out of Heathen Poets , ( Acts 17. 28. & Tit. 1. 12. ) doth prove that he Transcribed his Sermons and Epistles out of the writings of Heathen Poets . Secondly , He Objects , That the names of Hebron and Dan , which are in the Pentateuch , were not in beeing in the time of Moses . Answer , It is said , but not proved , that the names of Hebron and Dan were not in beeing in Moses his time ; we will speak of each of them by it self , and First , For Hebron , We find it frequently in the Pentateuch , as in Gen. 13. 18. & 23. 2 , 19. & 35. 27. & 37. 14. & Num. 13. 22. It was a City in the Land of Canaan , it is probable it might be first called Mamre , ( Gen. 13. 18. ) and afterwards Arba , or Kirjatharba , and Hebron . When this City began first to be called Hebron is uncertain ; but it seems to have been called by that name long before Moses : for it is said , Gen. 37. 14. that Jacob sent his Son Joseph out of the Vale of Hebron , and Numb . 13. 22. we read that the Spies which Moses sent to search out the Land of Canaan , ascended by the South , and came unto Hebron , where the Children of Anak dwelt : and that Hebron was built Seven Years before Zoan in Aegypt . Here Hebron is spoken of as a City very ancient , and that was ordinarily called by that name . Afterwards Joshua gave it unto Caleb the Son of Jephunneh for an Inheritance ; and he drove the Anakims out of it , and took possession of it ; as we read in Josh . 14. 13 , 14. & 15. 13 , 14. But it is no where said , that Caleb changed the name of it and first called it Hebron . I confess it is written , that the name of Hebron before , was Kirjatharba , Josh . 14. 15. & Jud. 1. 10. but the meaning of those words , is , that it was called Kirjath-arba before Caleb drove out the Anakims , and took possession of it ; but this doth not prove that it was not also called Hebron before , and in the time of Moses . It is was certainly called Kirjath-arba by the Canaanites , before Caleb took it from them ; but at the same time it might be called Hebron by the Israelites . I thus clearly show that it might be so ; it was a City scituate on the side of a Hill , as appears from Josh . 14. 12 , 13 , 14. Caleb said unto Joshua give me this Mountain , Joshua granted him his Request , and gave him Hebron . To me it seems probable , that the Hill was first called Hebron , and so it was Kirjatharba upon Hebron ; for certain , the Countrey under the Hill was called the Valley of Hebron , and as is already observed , it was so called in Jacob's time , Gen. 37. 14. It may be the Hill was first called Hebron from Ephron the Hittite , of whom Abraham bought the Cave of Machphelah for a Burying-place , ( Gen. 23. 16 , 17 , 18 , 19. ) ; this Cave seems to have been in the Hill , and the Field to have been at the foot of the Hill , before the Mouth of the Cave ; now by an easie change of letters of a like sound , it is come to be called Hebron , by the Posterity of Abraham , because their Father Abraham bought it of Ephron ; or which comes to the same thing , Abraham's Posterity called it Hebron from ( Habar , ) because Abraham and his Posterity did as it were enter into civil Society with the Hittites , when he bought of Ephron that part of the Hill , with the Field and Trees at the Foot of it , for himself and his Posterity . It was almost natural for Abraham's Posterity to call it Hebron on these accounts , that so the very name of it might be a lasting memorial of their right to it ; but the Anakims who afterwards took possession of it without right , when the Israelites were in Aegypt , did not like that it should be called at all by that name of Hebron , and therefore called it Kirjath-arba only , from Arba the Father of Anak , ( Josh . 15. 13. ) If any should now say , that this only shews how the Hill with the Cave and Field which Abraham bought for a Burying-place , came to be called Hebron ; but this is nothing to the City , which was distinct from the Hill , Cave and Field . I Answer , First , The City it self was Built on the side of the Hill. Secondly , It is probable , that in process of time , the City was so far enlarged as to take in Abraham's Field , with the Cave and that part of the Hill in which the Cave was ; and this might give occasion unto the Israelites to call the City it self by the name of Hebron . From all which it appears probable , that it was called Hebron by the Israelites , at the same time that it was called Kirjath-arba by the Canaanites ; and that it was called by that name among the People of God in the time of Moses : but after the Canaanites were driven out , and Caleb was possessed of it , it lost the name Kirjath-arba , and retained only the name Hebron . But against this it is Objected out of Jerome , that this City had its name from Hebron the Son of Caleb , of whom we read in 1 Chron. 2. 42. 43. I Answer , First , Masius in his Commentary on Joshua , Pag. 247. on the 15th . Verse of the 14th . Chapter , declares , that he did not see any strength in this Argument to prove that Kirjath-arba was not called Hebron in the time of Moses , or that it was first so called from Hebron the Son of Caleb ; but the truth is , Masius himself seems to have been very much mistaken in Judging of the sense of these words [ the Father of Hebron , ] in 1 Chron. 2. 42. for he seems plainly to take Hebron there for the City , and that ( Father of Hebron ) signifies Governor , or Lord of Hebron ; whereas it is evident , that Hebron there is a Man's name : for in the next Verse , this Hebron is said to have had Four Sons ; we must acknowledg then , that one of the Posterity of Caleb was called Hebron . But then Secondly , I Answer , that it is not clear , that this Caleb the Father of Hebron , was the same Man with the Caleb that first took Kirjath-arba from the Anakims ; for Caleb that first took Kirjath-arba from the Anakims , was the Son of Jephunneh , Josh . 14. 6. & 1 Chron. 4. 15. But it is expresly written of Caleb , said to be the Father of Hebron , that he was the Son of Hezron , 1 Chron. 2. 9 , 18 , 19 , 42. but Hezron went into Aegypt with Jacob , Gen. 46. 12. therefore his Son Caleb must have lived long before Moses , and could not be the same with Caleb the Son of Jephunneh , who was but Forty Years Old when Moses sent him to espy out the Land of Canaan , Josh . 14. 7. Yet Thirdly , Granting that Caleb the Son of Jephunneh , and Caleb the Son of Hezron , were one and the same Man , and that he is called the Son of Hezron only in a large sense , because he was of the Posterity of Hezron ; as Masius , Pag. 243. thinks that Hezron was but his Grandfather , or Great Grandfather , &c. I say , this being granted , it will not follow that Kirjath-arba was first called Hebron , from Hebron the Son of Caleb : on the contrary , Hebron the Son of Caleb might take his name from the City Hebron , the Inheritance of his Father ; the like seems to have happened unto Gilead the Son of Machir , 1 Chron. 2. 21. he seems to have received his name from Mount Gilead , the place of his Fathers Inheritance , Deut. 3. 15. for certain it is , that he did not first give it its name , because Jacob had done that long before , as appears from Gen. 31. 47 , 48 , 54. Masius has one Objection which I must Answer , Kirjath-arba ( says he ) is an old name of that City , therefore Hebron is a new name . I Answer , This is but a weak conjecture , for it might have two old names , one amongst the Canaanites , and the other amongst the Israelites ; as it seems Bethel had , of which Bethel it is said , Judg. 1. 23. the name of it before was Luz ; and yet it is probable , that the Israelites called that City by the name of Bethel , long before the House of Joseph took it from the Canaanites . Some part of the Countrey very near it was most certainly called Bethel from Jacob's time , and it is not unlikely , that the City it self from that time forwards began to be called , sometimes Bethel by Jacob's Posterity ; even Jacob himself seems to make Luz to be all one with Bethel , because Bethel strictly so called was near Luz : Gen. 48. 3. says Jacob , God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the Land of Canaan , and Blessed me ; but in Chap. 35. Vers . 1 , 3. the same City is called Bethel , and was so called at that time , both by God speaking unto Jacob and by Jacob speaking unto his Family ; says God unto him , arise , go up to Bethel and dwell there : and says he to his Family , let us arise and go up to Bethel ; which they did , and so came to Luz , that is , Bethel , Vers . 6. And Jacob there in Luz Built an Altar , and called the place of the Altar [ El-Bethel , Vers . 7. ] From all which it seems very evident , that the same City was in Jacob's time called by two names , Bethel and Luz ; its publick name by which the Canaanites called it , and by which it was generally known to the World , was Luz ; but its private name by which God and his People called it , was Bethel ; the like may be said , without any absurdity at all , of Kirjath-arba , and Hebron . Secondly , For the name Dan , as to what he Objects , that it was not in Beeing in the time of Moses , and yet it is found in the Pentateuch , Gen. 14. 14. & Deut. 34. 1. I Answer , First , It is freely confessed , that the City Leshem or Laish , was not called by the name of Dan in the time of Moses . It was a long time after Moses before the Danites took Laish , and changed its name from Laish to Dan , after the name of Dan their Father , as appears from Josh . 19. 47. & Jud. 18. 29. But that therefore there was no other place called by the name of Dan in the time of Moses , I deny the consequence ; the Brook or Valley of Eshcol , was first called Eshcol in the time of Moses , because of the Cluster of Grapes which the Children of Israel cut down from thence , when the Spies searched out the Land , Numb . 13. 24. And yet in Abraham's time , Mamre the Amorite had a Brother whose name was Eshcol , Gen. 14. 13. just so , though Laish was not called Dan till after Moses , yet some other place might be called Dan , in the time both of Abraham and Moses . Jerome , Swidas and Philostorgius , were of opinion , that a Spring-head of Jordan was called Dan , and the Hebrew Doctors think that the River Jordan was so called , because it springs out of Dan ; and if we may believe the Learned Hofman , in his Lexicon universale , Pag. 526. there was another Dan yet distinct from Laish-Dan ; and it was an Hill in the Tribe of Ephraim , on the Rode from Samaria to Sichem ; if there were then several Dans , it may probably be supposed , that even in Abraham's time , there might be some place called by the name of Dan , if not the Hill Dan , on the Rode from Samaria to Sichem , at least the Fountain Dan springing out of Mount Libanus . I Answer , Secondly , Moses in the Spirit of Prophecy might call Laish Dan by an Historical Prolepsis , as foreseeing that it would lose the name of Laish , and be called and known only by the name of Dan , in after Ages . He might be moved to do this , that his writings might then be the better understood by the People , when the name of Laish should be forgotten by the Vulgar , and that City should only be known by the name of Dan. I Answer , Thirdly , Suppose we should grant with the Learned Masius , that some Prophet after Moses did substitute the word Dan in the place of Laish , ( and the same may be said of Hebron ) for to help the People the better to understand and remember those passages of Holy Scripture where it occurs , it will not follow from hence , that Moses cannot be the Author of the Pentateuch ; as we say one Swallow doth not make the Spring , so one or two little alterations of a word , and that by the same Holy Spirit of Truth by which Moses wrote ; doth not hinder Moses from being justly accounted the Author of the Pentateuch ; the changing of a word or two by God's Spirit for the benefit of God's People in after Ages , is no sufficient reason to change the name of the Book , and to denominate it anew from the person by whom it pleased God to make such a change . But though I write thus , yet I shall not easily grant that de facto , there has been such an alteration made in the names before mentioned until it be first clearly and certainly proved , which no Man that I know hath yet done : I am sure P. Simon hath not done it . Thirdly , He Objects , Gen. 36. 31. It is probable , ( says P. Simon , ) that Moses could not have writ these words ; [ And these are the Kings that Reigned in the Land of Edom , before there Reigned any King over the Children of Israel , ] this manner of speaking supposes the Establishment of Kings amongst the Hebrews . Answer , ( 1. ) This manner of speaking only supposes that Kingly Government was to be Established amongst the Children of Israel ; according to the express promise of God unto Jacob at Bethel , Gen. 35. 11 , 12. and this Moses knew very well by the Spirit of Prophecy , as appears from Deut. 17. 14 , 15 , 18 , 19 , 20. ) and therefore he might well suppose it as a thing that should certainly come to pass : but it not being yet come to pass , Moses here declares that Esau was before hand with Jacob as to this matter , for whilst Jacob's Posterity was in Servitude , under a Rod of Iron in Aegypt , Esau his Posterity flourished under a Kingly Government in the Land of Edom. Answer , ( 2. ) This may signifie no more , but that the Persons there mentioned , did Reign Kings in the Land of Edom , before the time of Moses , that the Children of Israel were first formed into an Holy Kingdom and Common-wealth , according to Exod. 19. 5 , 6. ) and Moses was set over them as their Head and King under God ; according to Deut. 33. 5. where it is said , that Moses was King in Jeshurun . Thus it is evident , that there is no weight at all in this Objection . Fourthly , He Objects out of R. Moses Cotsi , Exod. 12. 40. where Moses says , That the Sojourning of the Children of Israel in Aegypt was Four Hundred Years , and yet it is certain , that Kohath Son of Levi , who was one of them that went into Aegypt , lived but One Hudred Thirty Three Years , that Amram lived only One Hundred Thirty Seven Years , and that Moses was but Eighty Years Old when God spake to him , which make in all but Three Hundred and Fifty . Answer , This Objection contains a great Falshood , in affirming , that Moses says the Sojourning of the Children of Israel in Aegypt was Four Hundred Years ; there is no such saying in the Text of Moses ; the Text says not , that the Children of Israel Sojourned Four Hundred Years in Aegypt , but that the Children of Israel who Sojourned or dwelt in Aegypt , their Sojourning was Four Hundred and Thirty Years ; here it is not said how many of the Four Hundred and Thirty Years were past in Aegypt . Indeed ( there being some ambiguity in the Hebrew words of the Text , ) if it were not well known that they Sojourned in other places , both in their own Persons , and in their Progenitors , Abraham , Isaac , and Jacob , ( as Levi in Abraham paid Tithes to Melchizedec , Heb. 7. 9. ) it might be thought perhaps , that they Sojourned the whole Four Hundred and Thirty Years in Aegypt ; but it is a thing notorious to all , that they Sojourned in the Land of Canaan , and elsewhere , before they went into Aegypt : and therefore it is very unreasonable to think , that the whole Four Hundred and Thirty Years Sojourning were past in Aegypt ; what Pere Simon intended by this Objection , I do not well understand ; for if this were a good Argument , to prove that Moses could not be the Author of the Pentateuch , it would equally prove , that no Prophet could be the Author of it , ( which yet is contrary to his own Judgment , if he believe what he writes , ) for as Moses could not , so no other Prophet could be the Author of any Falshood . I shall say no more to this Objection , because the Reverend and Learned Dean of Pauls , has Answered it at large , in his excellent Letter to a Deist , unto which I refer the Reader . Fifthly , He Objects , Gen. 46. 27. where it is said , That all the Souls of the House of Jacob who went into Aegypt , were Seventy , and nevertheless in counting the number there related , they are found to be but Sixty Nine . Answer , This difficulty ( if it deserve that name ) has been cleared already , where it was shewed , that Jacob himself did make the Seventieth . Let any Man count them , and setting aside Jacobs Sons Wives , and Er and Onan who died in the Land of Canaan , he will find that the Sum Total , taking in Jacob as head of his own House , is just Seventy . Sixthly , He Objects , Numb . 3. 39. Where are reckoned Twenty Two Thousand , but if we join all the numbers together , there remain Three Hundred above the account . I Answer , By distinguishing upon the words of the 39th . Verse , thus , All the Males of the Levites that were numbered , and were to be Devoted unto the Lord , in exchange for the First-born of the other Tribes , were Twenty Two Thousand , and no more , I grant it , as being the genuine sense of the words of Moses . All the Males of the Levites that were numbered , and were partly already Holy and Devoted , and partly to be Devoted unto the Lord , were Twenty Two Thousand , and no more , I deny it as not being the genuine sense of the words of Moses . I ground my distinction upon this , That all the Males of the Levites , of what sort soever , were numbered from a Month Old and upwards ; now amongst them all , of necessity there must be a certain number that were First-born Males , and all such First-born Levites as had been Born from the time of Israels coming out of Aegypt , unto the time of that reckoning , were already Sanctified unto the Lord in a peculiar manner , and were his own , Devoted unto him : as appears from Exod. 13. 2 , 13. and from the 13th Verse of this same Third Chapter of Numbers . These First-born Levites then could not be substituted in the stead of the First-born of the other Tribes , and so become Holy and Devoted unto the Lord in a peculiar manner ; for as First-born they were already the Lords , they were Holy and Devoted unto God ; they therefore must have been excepted and left out of the number of Levites that were to be exchanged for the First-born of the other Tribes , and so to be appropriated unto God and his Service in a peculiar manner : But we plainly see that Three Hundred Levites are left out , therefore it was on this account that they were the Lords already , as they were First-born . The rest that were not thus the Lords already , were fit matter to be Sanctified , and Devoted to God and his Service , instead of the First-born of the other Tribes , and the number of them all were Twenty Two Thousand , and no more . There are Two things very observable in this Chapter , ( 1. ) That it is expressly said of these Twenty Two Thousand Levites , that they shall be the Lords instead of the First-born amongst the Children of Israel , Vers . 45. therefore surely the First-born of the Levites cannot be included in that number of Twenty Two Thousand , since they were the Lords already , as well as the First-born of the other Tribes , and so could not be given unto the Lord in exchange for them . ( 2. ) It is observable , that this number of Twenty Two Thousand Levites is compared with the number of the First-born of the other Tribes , and the number of the First-born of the other Tribes being found to contain Two Hundred Seventy Three , more than the number of the Levites that were to be exchanged for them , it is expressly ordered by God , that this Two Hundred Seventy Three of the First-born of the other Tribes , should be redeemed with Money , at Five Shekles apiece by the Poll , Vers . 46 , 47. Which is a demonstration , that the Three Hundred Levites left out of the number of Levites which were to be exchanged for the First-born of the other Tribes , were purposely left out in the casting up of the Sum Total , as not being fit matter to be given unto the Lord in exchange , because they were the Lords already , as they were First-born ; if it had not been really thus , they would not have been purposely left out , but would have been certainly included in the Sum Total , as they were in the particular Sums ; that so there might have been enow ( and more than enow ) of Levites to be given in exchange for the First-born of the other Tribes , and that there might be no need of giving Five Shekels a piece for the redeeming of any of them . But now if any ask , why then were these Three Hundred First-born Levites numbered at all , why were they put into the particular Sums of the Males of the several Families , as appears from Vers . 22 , 28 , 34. and yet left out of the general Sum of the Males of the whole Tribe , as appears Vers . 39 ? Answer , They were numbered , because God would have it a known truth upon Record , that there were at that time so many Males of the whole Tribe of Levi , and no more ; they were put into the particular Sums , because the particular Sums were to contain all the Males of the several Families , whether they were First-born or not : but they were left out of the general Sum , because it was to ballance the general Sum of the First-born of the other Tribes , and so no First-born Levites were to be taken into it . Secondly , I Answer , That it becomes not us to call God to an account , and to ask why he doth such a thing , when we know certainly that he hath done it ; he giveth not account of any of his matters , Job 33. 13. Even an Heathen King , when his Understanding returned unto him , had so much Reason and Religion as to confess unto God's praise , That he doth according to his Will , &c. — and none can say unto him , what doest thou ? Dan. 4. 35. This is as true of God's way of Writeing his Word , as it is of his way of Governing the World : But notwithstanding of some things that may be secret , and to us unaccountable in both , yet we are sure in general , that God doth all things well and wisely in the one , and the other . Seventhly , He Objects , Exod. 16. 35. where it is said , That the Children of Israel did eat Manna Forty Years , until they came unto the Borders of the Land of Canaan . It is pretended that Moses could not write this Verse , because he died before the Children of Israel left off eating of Manna , which was not before they came to Gilgal in the Plains of Jericho beyond Jordan , as appears from Josh . 5. 10 , 11 , 12. Answer , I deny the consequence of this Argument , that because the Children of Israel continued to eat Manna after the death of Moses , therefore Moses could not write this Verse ; any strength that this Argument may seem to have , depends upon a false supposition , that Moses was no Prophet , and knew no more than other ordinary Men , or that he did not write by the Spirit of Prophecy ; for if Moses was a great Prophet ( as certalnly he was , Numb . 12. 6 , 7 , 8. & Deut. 34. 10. ) and if he knew more than other ordinary Men , ( as certainly he did , Dent. 31. from Vers . 1 , to 8 , and from Vers . 27 , inclusively unto Vers . 30. ) then he might easily know by the Spirit of Prophecy , how long the Children of Israel should eat Manna , and when and where the Manna should cease ; and it is most certain , that long before his death the Lord God revealed unto him , That the Children of Israel should wander , or feed ( as it is rendered on the Margine of our Bible ) in the Wilderness Forty Years ; as is evident from Numb . 14. 26 , 33. 34 , 35. and he knew well enough without having it immediately revealed to him , that they had nothing else but Manna to live upon in the Wilderness ; yet God might tell him that they should not be starved , but the Manna should be continued to them and their Children , till their Children were entered within the Borders of the Land of Canaan , and sufficiently provided for in an ordinary way without Manna . Now Moses believing this , and knowing infallibly that it would be so as the Lord had spoken ; he might write of it before his death , in the same manner as he would have done in case he had lived to see it all fulfilled ; he might write of it in the Preterit Tense , because the whole Forty Years were almost expired before his death , and they had already eaten Manna for many Years ; and as for the short time that remained in which they were to have the Manna continued to them ; he was so sure of it , that the Manna should be continued to them , and that they should eat of it till they passed over Jordan , and entered into Canaan ; that he needed not to alter the Tense , but might very well express it altogether in one and the same Preterit Tense , for the use of that , and succeeding Generations , to whom it would certainly be a thing past . After all the vain attempts made hitherto by P. Simon , to prove that Moses could not be the Author of the Pentateuch , at last out come the Arguments that Spinosa had formerly borrowed ( as he says ) from Aben Ezra , to prove his position , that Moses could not be the Author of the Books attributed to him . Eighthly , Then P. Simon Objects , Deut. 1. 1. And to put some colour upon the business . and to make the Objection seem to have some weight in it , he thus renders the First Verse of Deut. ] These be the words which Moses spake unto all Israel beyond Jordan in the Wilderness , ] and then he Argues that the Book of Deuteronomy could not be written by Moses , because he never went over Jordan . but lived and died on this side Jordan in the Wilderness ; he that wrote thus must have been in the Land of Canaan , which therefore could not be Moses but some Body after his death , that wrote thus of him , that he spoke such words unto all Israel beyond Jordan . Answer , It seems strange to me , that P. Simon who is such a Learned Hebrician , was not ashamed of this Argument , whereof the whole strength lies on the signification of the Hebrew word [ Beeber ; ] indeed if Beeber signifie only ( Trans , ) beyond , then the Argument is good , but if ( Beebers ) signifie also [ ( Cis , ) on this side , ] as it is rendered in our English Bibles , then the Argument is stark nought ; we must therefore for clearing of this matter , inquire what ( Beeber ) signifies ; And First , I grant that ( Beeber ) doth some times signifie ( trans , beyond , ) I grant also that the Vulgar Latine , the Seventy , and that Edition of Munsters Translation which I have , render it [ beyond ; ] but that is no proof that ( Beeber ) signifies always ( beyond , ) and that it should be so rendered in this place ; for P. Simon himself finds fault with all these Three Translations , and acknowledges that they may be mended in several places : why then may not this be one of the places that ought to be mended in these Translations ? For Secondly , It is not to be granted , because it is false , that ( Beeber ) always signifies ( beyond . ) I demonstrate as clearly as any thing of this nature can be demonstrated , that ( Beeber ) signifies also [ Cis , ) on this side , ] and that in some places it must do so , and cannot do otherwise ; as for instance , in Josh . 1. 14 , 15. where the same words ( Beeber , Haijarden , ) are twice repeated , and of necessity must be Translated ( on this side Jordan ) and cannot be otherwise Translated . For whosoever he was that wrote the Book of Joshua , and when or wheresoever it was written , yet still this is true , That before any of the Israelites had passed over Jordan , here Joshua is brought in , making a Speech to the Reubenites , Gadites , and half Tribe of Manasseh , in which Speech he tells them , That Moses had given them their possession ( Beeber , Haijarden , ) on this side Jordan ; here ( Beeber ) must of necessity be rendered ( on this side , ) and so Masius renders it ; for it would have been notoriously false for Joshua in that place , and at that time , to have said , that Moses had given them their Inheritance beyond Jordan ; it being evident to common sense that their Inheritance lay on that side Jordan , on which Joshua was then speaking to them . And in 1 Sam. 14. 4. ( Mehaeber Mizze ) i. e. Eber with the same prefixes twice repeated in one Verse , signifies both ( on the one side , ) and ( on the other side . ) In fine , Moses speaking of himself in the first Person , uses the same expression ( Beeber Haijarden , ) which must be rendered ( on this side Jordan , ) Deut. 3. 8. otherwise it will be false ; for Moses was in the Wilderness when he uttered these words , and he spoke them of the Kingdoms of Og and Sihon , which in respect of Moses , did then certainly lie on this side Jordan , and not beyond Jordan ; by all this it appears , that P. Simon 's Argument is grounded on a false bottom , that ( Beeber ) always signifies ( beyond ) which is notoriously untrue . In our own English Translation it is here rightly rendered ( on this side Jordan . ) Ninthly , He Objects the last Chapter of Deuteronomy , as that which could not be written by Moses , because it gives an account of his Death and Burial , and of some things that were done after his Death ; and to those that say Moses wrote that Chapter by the Spirit of Prophecy , P. Simon Answers , that we ought not to believe them . Answer , First , No Man who believes that Moses was a Prophet , and the greatest Prophet that was before Christ , can disbelieve the possibility of Moses his writing that Chapter ; and if it be said that it is not probable he should do it ; I Answer , Undoubtedly Moses did as improbable things as that : he foretold things at a greater distance of time , than was his own Death and Burial , and the Israelites Mourning for him Thirty Days in the Plains of Moah . But Secondly , I do not affirm that Moses wrote that Chapter , at least the Eight last Verses of it : but suppose he did not write it , yet I deny that it follows from thence that he was not the Author of the Pentateuch ; for it may very vvell be said that that Chapter is really no part of the Pentateuch , or Five books of Moses , but an Appendix to it , vvritten by some other hand , as by Joshua , or some other Holy Man of God after the Death of Moses . Tenthly , He Objects , Deut. 31. 22 , 24. as if these Verses , and other parts of Deuteronomy , could not be vvritten by Moses , because Moses is there spoken of in the Third Person . Ansvver , What a pitiful Argument is this ! is it not usual even with Prophane Authors to speak of themselves in the Third Person ? and doth not P. Simon himself acknowledg this in Pag. 20. of his Book , [ Caesar ( says he ) speaks of himself in the Third Person , in his Commentaries ; Josephus does the same thing in his History of the Wars of the Jews against the Romans : and moreover he writes his own Elogy , ] with what Conscience then did P. Simon produce this passage , to prove that Moses could not be the Author of the Pentateuch : surely any unprejudiced Man would think that this passage might be more pertinently alledged , to prove that Moses was the Author , at least of the Book of Denteronomy . Eleventhly , He Objects Gen. 12. 6. upon which he says , [ If Moses was the Author of the Pentateuch , after the manner as it is at present , would he have used this way of speaking , ( The Canaanite was then in the Land , ) it is known that the Canaanites continued the possession of this Countrey here spoken of , all the time of Moses , so that this could not be writ , but after they had been driven out . ] Answer , And why might not Moses use that way of speaking , ( the Canaanite was then in the Land , ) is there any falshood in it ? is it not a certain truth , That the Canaanites were possessors of the Land of Canaan , when Abraham came first , to Sojourn in it ? But says P. Simon , It is known that the Canaanites continued the possession of that Land , all the time of Moses . True ; it is so , understanding it of the Land beyond Jordan ; but what then ? why then says P. Simon , This could not be writ but after they had been driven out . I deny that consequence , for I know that all the Criticks in the World cannot prove it . This passage under consideration might very well be written by Moses , though it was well known that the Canaanites continued possessors of the Land of Canaan beyond Jordan , all the time of Moses . Moses did not write this passage to tell the People that the Canaanites were possessors of Canaan beyond Jordan , all his time , which none of them could be Ignorant of ; but he wrote it to make the common Ignorant People know , that the Canaanites had been possessors of that Land even in the time of Abraham , and that their Father Abraham was but a stranger in it , and had not at his first coming so much as a foot of Ground in it that he could call his own , ( Acts 7. 5. ) and that it was of those Canaanites that he afterwards bought the Burying-place at Hebron , or Kirjatharba . Now this was a truth , though most certain , yet not so evident , but that many of the common People might possibly be Ignorant of it ; and therefore Moses writing this History for the benefit of the common People , he might put in this passage once and again , that they might take special notice of it , and thereby know with what People it was that Abraham lived after he had left his own Countrey , and Fathers House , even with the Ancestors of those Canaanites whom they were now to destroy and drive out of that Land ; and likewise that they might thereby be moved to admire the Faithfulness and Goodness of God towards them , in that he was then putting them in actual possession of that good Land , which though promised unto Abraham and his Seed , yet was never before actually possessed by him or them , but was now to be given them according to promise . I find Aben Ezra Answering this Objection another way ; he says , It may be that the Canaanites took that Laud from some other People that were possessors of it before them . And R. Salomon positively affirms , That that Land fell to the share and Portion of Shem , when Noah divided the whole World amongst his Sons ; and he proves it by this , That Melchizedeck ( whom the Jews believe to be Shem ) was King of Salem ; but he thinks that the Canaanites took it violently away from Shem's Posterity , and therefore God promised to Abraham that he would give it to him and his Seed , because they were of the Posterity of Sem , to whom it did originally belong ; if this were true and could be proved , it might be thought that Moses his words here , had reference unto the Canaanites being then in peaceable possession of the Land of Canaan , after they had driven out another People that was there before them . But I leave it to the Jews to Answer thus ; I adhere to the Answer given above ; to which I add , that the Canaanites were actually driven out of the Two Kingdoms of Sihon and Og , which lay on the East-side of Jordan , before the death of Moses ; and shortly after his death they were to be likewise driven out of those Kingdoms which lay on the West-side of Jordan ; therefore Moses might very well say , That the Canaanites were then in the Land , as intimating thereby , that now they were partly turned out , and partly as it were , a turning out of the Land , and in a short time it might be truly said of them , The Canaanite is not now in the Land : By all which , it plainly enough appears , that there is no weight in this Objection of P. Simons . Twelfthly , He Objects Gen. 22. 14. and says , [ It is not likely that Moses was the Author of this proverbial way of speaking , ( in the Monnt of the Lord it shall be seen ) since he who has added this to the Text , tells us that it was an usual Proverb in his time ; besides that this Mount seems to be one of the Mounts of the Countrey of Morea , and the name of Morea was not given it till a long time after . ] Answer , First , What though Moses was not the Author of this proverbial way of speaking ? Abraham or Isaac might be the first Authors of the Proverb , and it might be continued amongst God's People from Abraham or Isaac down to Moses's time ; and Moses writing the History of those times as he was guided by the Spirit of God , amongst other memorable things , he relates this matter of Fact , that that proverbial speech had been perpetuated in the Church of God , and was used by the Godly in his time ; so that whoever was the first Author of the proverbial speech , ( In the Mount of the Lord it shall be seen , or in the Mount the Lord shall be seen , i. e. in due time and place God will help and provide for his faithful obedient Servants , and they shall see it : God will shew himself to be a present help unto his People that trust him , in their greatest straits and difficulties , ) I say whoever was the first Author of this proverbial Speech , nothing hinders but Moses might be , and was under God , the Author of the Historical Relation of it . Answer , Secondly , But how does P. Simon prove that Moses was not the Author of it ? why ( says P. Simon , ) because he vvho has added this to the Text , tells us it vvas an usual Proverb in his time . Ansvver , A rare vvay of proving that Moses could not vvrite it , because another has vvritten it since Moses , and added it to his Text. But good Father , this is begging not proving . It is the thing in question , vvhether another than Moses vvrote it , and added it to his Text ; and hovv novv do you prove that another vvrote it and added it to Moses's Text ? for that is to be proved and not taken for granted . And it vvill not prove it , to say that he vvho vvrote it , tells us , that it vvas an usual Proverb in his time . For suppose Moses himself had both been the first Author of it , and also the vvriter of it , in this place of Genesis , he might tell us that it vvas an usual Proverb in his time ; he might have been the Author of it at the Red-Sea , vvhen he said unto the People , ( Exod. 14. 13. ) Fear ye not , stand still and see the Salvation of the Lord , which he will shew you to Day ; he might then have put the People in mind of vvhat God had done of Old for their Father Abraham vvhen he vvas going to Sacrifice his Son on the Mount , vvhich the Lord had told him of ; and from thence he might take occasion to say [ In the Mount of the Lord it shall be seen , or in the Mount the Lord shall be seen , i. e. your extremity this Day , shall be Gods opportunity , to shevv himself to be your present and povverful Helper and Deliverer ; ] from vvhich Day forvvard it might have been remembered , and so have passed into a Proverb among the People , and Tvventy or Thirty Years after , Moses might vvrite it vvith his ovvn hand . What incongruity vvould there be in all this , suppose it had been thus , That Moses had been the first Author , and likewise the Historical Relator of the same proverbial Speech ? for my part I can discern none at all ; but this I have said , only to shew P. Simons pitiful lame way of reasoning ; for I adhere to what I have written before , that whoever was the first Author of the Proverb , whether it was Abraham or Isaac , &c. yet Moses might be , and was the Historical Relator of it . But P. Simon Objects further , That this Mount seems to be one of the Mounts of the Countrey of Morea , and the name of Morea was not given it till a long time after . I Answer , Granting what P. Simon says , That the Mount on which Abraham was to have offered his Son , may seem to have been one of the Mounts of the Countrey of Morea , and that the name of Morea was not given it till a long time after ; I deny that it can be proved from thence , that Moses was not the Author of the Pentateuch , and of this passage in it ; for the name of Morea might be given unto that Countrey first by the All-knowing God , when he commanded Abraham to go into it , and offer his Son upon one of its Mountains , ( Gen. 22. 2. ) and then a long time after , the Inhabitants of it by common consent might give it the very same name of Morea , and might be moved so to do , by hearing and believing a credible report , That God himself speaking with Abraham , had a long time before given their Countrey the name of Moriah ; after which time it might be commonly known in those parts of the World by the name of Moriah ; whereas before it might have been known under that name , only by Abraham , Isaac , and some Devout People of Abraham's Posterity ; by this I only intend to shew the inconsequence of P. Simon 's Argument ; he is still so unhappy in his reasoning , that though the premisses be granted him , yet the conclusion will not follow . But now if by these words , [ the name of Morea was not given it till a long time after , ] P. Simon means , That that Countrey was not called Moriah , till a long time after Moses . I Answer , That he but begs the Question , and what he affirms without Proof , I utterly deny , and give this good Reason for my denyal of it ; because the Text says expresly , ( Gen. 22. 2. ) That God commanded Abraham to take his only Son Isaac , and go into the Land of Moriah , and offer him there for a Burnt-offering , &c. From which words it seems very evident , that if that Land was not called by the name of Moriah before , yet then at least it began to be called by that name among the Hebrews ; for we see that God called it by that name , and the signification of the name agreeing so admirably well with what followed thereupon ; it is not likely that ever it was wholly forgotten amongst the Posterity of Abraham . If any should say , that it may seem the name Moriah was given to that Land rather after , than before , the Lord had manifested himself to Abraham on the Mount. I Answer , First , That can never be proved ; why might not the Lord God give it that name before-hand , which should signifie what he was there to do on the behalf of Abraham ? The Text says , That God bid Abraham get him into the Land of Moriah , and their offer , &c. I Answer , Secondly , Granting that it was given to that Land after the Lord had manifested himself to Abraham on the Mount , yet it does not follow that therefore it must be after Moses also , and in Solomon's time when the Temple was Built upon Mount Moriah , 2 Chron. 3. 1. Certainly it might have that name long before Moses , and yet not have it till after Abraham had done offering the Ram instead of his Son ; for as Abraham immediately after called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh , the Lord will provide ; with respect to the Answer which he had given his Son , Vers . 8. My Son , God will provide himself a Lamb for a Burnt-Offering : So he might at the same time call that part of the Countrey the Land of Moriah , or the Land of Vision , as the Vulgar Interpreter , and Symmachus render it , because there he had seen God in a most signal manner , there God had given him a sensible and most convincing demonstration of his special Providence , and of his peculiar discriminating Grace and Love to him and his Seed . Thirteenthly , and Lastly , P. Simon Objects , Deut. 3. 11. and thereupon says , [ If we diligently read what is writ concerning the Bed of Og King of Bashan , we shall find that those who have collected these Books , have added some words , to illustrate the words of the Text , by conforming them to the practice and custome of their own times . ] Answer , I have diligently read what is there written concerning the Bed-stead of Og King of Bashan , both in the Original , and in several Translations , and yet I do not find by what I read there , either that any Body besides Moses collected those Books , or that he who collected them , hath added some words to illustrate the words of the Text , by conforming them to the practice and custome of his own time . I suppose P. Simon would have us believe , that the last words , [ Beammath Ish , ] ( after the Cubit of a Man ) have been added to the Text after the time of Moses : but he must first prove that there was no such distinction of Cubits known in the World , in the time of Moses , and so that Moses could not write these words , which express one Member of the distinction ; methinks it is very easily conceivable that Moses himself might be moved to add this explication of his own words , if we consider that there might be diverse sorts of Cubits than in use , of which some might be longer than others , now if it had been only said , that Nine Cubits was the length , and Four Cubits the breadth of the Giants Bed-stead , the Reader would not have known what Cubits he meant , and consequently would have still remained ignorant of the exact measure of the Bed-stead , therefore Moses to take away all ambiguity , adds for explication of his own words , that it was the Cubit of a Man , i. e. the common ordinary Cubit , which was then so well known amongst the Israelites that there remained no more ground of doubting of what measure the Giants Bed-stead was ; and if any were so incredulous as not to believe Moses relation of the length and breadth of the Giant Bed-stead , they might go themselves to Rabbath , and there see it and measure it by the Cubit of a Man. But some may say , How came King Og's Bed-stead to be at that time in Rabbath amongst the Ammonites ? I Answer , it might come to be there any of these Three ways , ( 1. ) In time of War , the Ammonites might have plundered the Countrey of Og King of Bashan , and might have carried his Iron Bed-stead with other spoil into their own Countrey ; or ( 2. ) King Og being to fight with Moses and the Israelites at Edrei , and fearing the event of the Battel , as he had good reason , might send his own Iron Bead-stead with many other necessary things to Rabbath to be secured for him amongst the Ammonites , whither he might intend to flee , in case he should be vanquished in the Battel at Edrei , and be able to make his escape ; or ( 3. ) the Israelites having Conquered the whole Kingdom of Bashan , and utterly destroyed all the Inhabitants , King Og and all his Subjects , taken all his Cities , to the number of Sixty , and possessed themselves of all that belonged to him , or his People ; if this Bed-stead was in the whole Kingdom at that time , it must of necessity fall into the hands of the Israelites : and Israel being at Peace with the Ammonites , they might come and Trade with the Israelites , and especially at such a time they might come to buy part of the Spoil , and amongst other things their curiosity might prompt them to buy the Iron Bed-stead of the Giant Og , and to carry it into their own Countrey , which in former times had been a Land of Giants , as appears from Deut. 2. 19 , 20 , 21. and no doubt they might have ancient Monuments of those Giants , whom they called Zamzummims , remaining amongst them , and those that wanted might be desirous to have by them some such Monuments of Giants to show , as well as their Neighbours ; and this might be done before Moses either spoke or wrote the words of that Verse Objected by P. Simon . Thus you see that any of these Three ways , the Iron Bed-stead of Og might come to be in Rabbath of the Children of Ammon , when Moses wrote the Book of Deuteronomy . There are yet Two Objections against Moses his being the Author of the Pentateuch , which I remember I have read in Spinosa , his Tractatus Theologico Politicus , and because I would omit nothing of any Moment , that the Adversaries have written against the Truth which the Church of God believes , and I defend , I shall here set them down , and Answer them , as I have done with P. Simon 's . Fourteenthly , Then , Spinosa Objects , Deut. 2. 12. where it is said , That the Children of Esau destroyed the Horims , and dwelt in their stead , as Israel did unto the Land of his Possession which the Lord gave unto them ; now he pretends that this could not be written by Moses , because Israel did not destroy the Canaanites , and take possession of Canaan till after his Death . I Answer , At this rate of arguing , a Man might prove , that our Lord Christ when he instituted the Sacrament of the Eucharist , did not speak these words , [ This is my Blood which is shed for many , — This is my Body which is given , or broken for you , ] because his Blood was not shed , nor his Body broken , till the Day after ; and yet it is most certain that he did speak those words when he instituted the Holy Sacrament , the Night before his Death . But then you will ask , why did our Lord speak so , why did he say , This is my Blood which is shed , this is my Body which is broken , when neither was the one shed , nor the other broken ? I Answer , He did so , because it was an ordinary way of speaking amongst the Jews , to express themselves in the Preterit or Present Tense , when they were talking or writing of a thing that was shortly and certainly to come to pass ; and therefore the Vulgar Interpeter attending more to the sense , than to the bare words of our Lord , renders them , Hic est sanguis meus qui pro multis effundetur , hoc est corpus meum quod pro vobis tradetur ; this is my Blood which shall be shed , and my Body which shall be given ; after the same manner may we understand the words of Moses , [ as Israel did , i. e. as Israel shall shortly and certainly do to the Land of his Possession ; ] besides there was this good reason why Moses should use the Preterit Tense , because the thing he was writing of , was partly past already , Israel had already destroyed the Inhabitants of Two Kingdoms , and taken actual possession of the Land ; and it was partly to be within a short time , Israel was shortly to do so by all the other Inhabitants of the Land of his possession , which God had given him ; Moses then having reason to write as he did , Spinosa had no reason to cavil at the manner of his expression . Fifteenthly , He Objects , Deut. 3. 14. and from these words , [ Jair called them after his own name , Bashan-havoth-jair , unto this Day , ] infers that this must have been written long after Moses . Answer , Some think that these words , [ VNTO THIS DAY , ] have been after Moses put in the Margin , and in process of time have crept into the Text , or else that Ezdras hath inserted them into the Text. But there is no necessity of Answering thus ; for First , Moses wrote the Book of Deuteronomy some Months after Jair had taken the Countrey of Argob , and called it after his own name , ( Bashan-havoth-jair , ) therefore Moses himself might very well say , that the Countrey of Argob was called after the name of Jair unto this Day , that is from the time of Jair his taking of it , and calling it Bashan-havoth-jair , unto the Day of Moses writing that part of the Book of Deuteronomy ; for there was nothing but truth in his so saying . Secondly , Moses wrote the Book of Deuteronomy not only for the present Generation , but also for the Generations to come , according to that of the Psalmist , Psal . 102. 18. This shall be written for the Generations to come ; and consequently knew that these words , ( unto this Day , ) would be further verified in after Ages : Therefore he might purposely use these words , ( unto this Day , ) as intending thereby to signifie unto the Israelites in their several Generations , that the Countrey of Argob was called after the name of Jair , ( Bashan-havoth-jair , ) from Jairs first taking of it , unto their time ; there being then no falsity nor absurdity in the words , ( unto this Day , ) as here used , Moses himself might very well be the Author of them : nay they are so significant with respect to future Generations , as I have shewed , that Moses his Wisdom appears in choosing to express himself in such words as were actually true , when he first spoke and wrote them , and yet were to be further verified in all succeeding Generations , so long as the Hebrew-Commonwealth stood ; so much for Answer unto Spinosa his Two Objections . I have now gone through all that P. Simon hath written to prove that Moses could not be the Author of the Pentateuch , I have examined all his Arguments , and Answered every one of them ; there is not one good Argument amongst them all , not one that can prove his position , That Moses cannot be the Author of the Books attributed to him ; and verily many of them are ( I think ) such pitiful trifling things , that a reasonable Man and Christian should be ashamed of them . The reason why I meddle with no more of his Critical History , than what concerns the Pentateuch , is , First , Because this was defigned to accompany the precedent Discourse , concerning the proofs of the Books of Moses ; and therefore I thought fit to deal with P. Simon only upon that point , wherein he seemed to contradict what the Author of the excellent Discourse affirms and proves : that so his Objections being all Answered , that Discourse may remain firm and unshaken , and in its full strength , and that Infidels may not pretend that P. Simon has confuted it ; which is so far from being true , that the vain succesless attempt of so great a Man ( as P. Simon is accounted , ) to prove that Moses could not be the Author of the Pentateuch ; is an Argument that the thing is not practicable , it cannot be done : for if it could , P. Simon is counted as able , and to me seems to have been as willing to have done it , as any other Man. Secondly , Because if the Divine Truth and Authority of Moses and his Law , and of Christ and his Gospel , be well secured , our Christian Religion is secured in its main strength and fundamental grounds , against Atheists and Infidels . As for the rest of P. Simon 's Book , I doubt not but some Men of greater Abilities for such a work , than I , will in due time thoroughly examine it , and separate the Chaff from the Wheat , allowing him his due praise where he hath done well ; and chastising him where he hath done evil ; you may guess by this , that it will not be so difficult to do it , as some may apprehend . In the mean time , if his vain Cavils at several expressions here and there in the Holy Scriptures , should be a tentation unto any to think meanly of the Scriptures themselves ; I desire such , if they can , to read some part of Origens Philocalia , Chap. 1. Pag. 4 , & 5. in Spencers Edition at Cambridge , 1658. and to consider that , as Origen says , Every one of the Works of God , do not equally , but some more and some less , declare and shew forth the Glory of God in his Beeing and Providence ; after the same manner all the parts of God's written Word , do not equally , but some more clearly , and some more obscurely , evidence themselves to be of God. And as there are some dark occurrences in Providence that tempt weak and sinful Men to doubt of God's Beeing and Providence , just so there are some dark and difficult passages in Holy Scripture , that tempt Men to doubt of the Divine Verity and Authority of of the Scriptures ; and yet as none but Fools , ( Psal . 14. 1. ) will disbelieve the Beeing and Providence of God , because there are some things in his Nature and Providence which they cannot comprehend ; so no Wise Man will disbelieve the Holy Scriptures , because there are here and there some passages in them which he cannot understand ; Lo they have rejected the word of the Lord , and what Wisdom is in them ? says the Prophet Jeremiah , ( Jer. 8. 9. ) Indeed there can be no true Wisdom in them who reject the Word of the Lord ; for his Word believed and practised , is our Wisdom and our Understanding , and makes us a wise and understanding People , ( Deut. 4. 5 , 6 , ) . The Testimony of the Lord is sure , making Wise the Simple , ( Psal . 19. 7. ) If ever then we would be truly Wise , let us against all Tentations to the contrary , esteem highly of , and adhere stedfastly unto the Holy Scriptures of Truth ; for it is they that are able to make us wise unto Salvation , through Faith which is in Christ Jesus , ( 2 Tim. 3. 15. ) If what I have here written do contribute any thing towards the helping of Christian Readers to keep up in their Souls a due esteem of , and reverend regard unto the Holy Scriptures , and towards the strengthning of them against Tentations to unbelief , I have obtained my end ; and desire them to let me have the help and benefit of their Prayers , but let him have all the Praise , who is the Father of Lights , and the God of all Grace , unto whom be Glory in the Church by Christ Jesus , throughout all Ages , World without End , Amen . FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A70111-e2790 a Exod. 5. 1 , 2 , 3. & 7. 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5. & 3. 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18. & 4. from 1 , to 9. & 6. from 1 , to 8. Deut. 4. 9 , to 24. b Exod. 20. 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , &c. ibid. v. 20 , 22 , 23. & 23. 13. Deut. 4. 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10. & 7. 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6. & 12. 29 , 30 , 31 , 32. & 18. 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14. Deut. 4. 32 , to 41. Exod. 20. 24 , latter part of the Verse . Deut. 4. 7. c Exod. 20. 17. Lev. 19. 17 , 18. d Exod. 21. 13. Deut. 19. e Levit. 25. 23 , &c. f Exod. 21. 1 , 2 , &c. Deut. 15. 12 , to 19. & 24. 14 , 15. g Deut. 15. 6 , to 12. Exod. 22 , 25 , 26 , 27. h Exod. 22. 21. Levit. 19. 33. 34. i Exod. 22. 22 , 23 , 24. k Exod. 20. 12. & 22. 28. Deut. 17. 11. l Deut. 1. 16 , 17. & 17. 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20. & 25. 1.