and of the water of feparation (Num. xix. 13, 19.) was hieroglyphic, and had a moral fignification. See Heb. ix. 13, 14. x. 22. xii. 24. 1 Pet. i. 2. And fo had the muzzled mouth of the ox. Deut. xxv. 4. compared with 1 Cor. ix. 9, 10. 1 Tim. v. 17, 18. Some may have indulged too much to imagination, and found more mysteries in the Hebrew Ritual than were really defigned; but these inftances, explained by authentic evidence, may convince us, that the whole had a rational and spiritual meaning. And as And as we are taught in the Gospel every thing relating to virtue and religion in the plainest manner, we need not give ourselves much trouble about discovering the meaning of the other Rites, which are not explained by Prophets and Apostles. Only the affair of facrifices is fo often alluded to in the New Teftament, and seems to have such respect to the facrifice of our Lord, that it demands a more particular examination. [Turn to the ScriptureDoctrine of Atonement.] СНА Р. XXIX. The SCRIPTURE-CHRONOLOGY from the EXODUS to the Founding of SOLOMON'S Temple. **HIS fpace of time was 480 years; as appears from 1 Kings vi. I. which is made out, in the best manner I have yet seen, as Cxx follows. Years be fore Chrift 1451 1426 From the Exodus to the death Note After the death of H3 Years Proofs Years be fore Chrift 1391 1383 1343 1325 times, about the year before ters. From the death of Joshua to To their deliverance by Oth 8 Years before Chrift 1285 1245 1238 and peace and liberty in one part, when there was war and slavery in another. The eaftern part, that had fhaken. off the yoke of Moab, had reft 80 years; but, in the mean while, the Philistines invaded the western parts, and were repulfed by Shamgar, Judg. iii. 31. Afterward Jabin afflicted the northern tribes, chap. iv. 2. while the eastern parts ftill remained in peace. See Bp. PATRICK on Judg. xi. 26. To the deliverance of North Ifrael from Jabin, by Deborah and Baruch. [After which that part of the land had reft 40 years. Judg. v. 31.] To the bondage of North and Eaft-Ifrael under the Midianites, for 7 years. NoteIn fome of thofe 7 years, probably, Elimelech removed into the land of Moab, by reafon of the famine, occafioned by the depredations of the Midianites, Ruth i. 1, 2. Judg. vi. 4. To their deliverance by Gideon. To Abimelech's ufurpation, 40 years, or 39 compleat. 1199 1196 To Tola, judge over North and Eaft-Ifrael. 1173 To fair, judge over North and Eaft-Ifrael. Note While fair was judge, North and Eaft-Ifrael were in bondage to the Ammonites 18 years, Judg. x: 8. At the fame time with Jair, Eli began to judge South and Weft-Ifrael 40 years, 1 Sam. iv. 18; all which time that part of Ifrael was oppreft by the Philistines, Judg. H4 Years before Chrift 1152 1147 1140 1135 1133 1130 II22 Judg. xiii. 1. In the firft who delivered North and From Jephthah to Ibzan, over About the fifth year of Elon, I Authors within the Period from the EXODUS to the Founding of SOLOMON's A Temple. **BOUT the begining of this Period books began to be written; and it hath furnished the world with the nobleft productions both in hiftory, poetry, and the instructive kind. The Book of JOB. IF Job wrote his own book; or if it was written by Elihu, one of the interlocutors, as fome gather from chap. xxxii. 10, 15, &c. where he fpeaks in the language of the writer of the Book; and if Mofes found it when he was with Jethro in Midian, and transcribed it, adding the historical parts at the begining and the end; then this Book of Job is earlier than this Period, and the oldest Book in the world. And, as it is worthy of the highest antiquity, any of thefe fuppofitions is far more probable, than theirs, who imagine it was written in a later age, about the time of the Babylonish captivity. The PENTATEUCH, THAT Mofes wrote the Pentateuch, or fivefold volume, (from UTI, quinque, and reux, volumen, liber,) containing the five books in the Bible, we have the fame reason to believe, as we have that Homer wrote the |