"kingdom, that he fhall write him a copy of this law in a book, "out of that which is before the priests the Levites: And it "fhall be with him, and he fhall read therein all the days of his "life: That he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all "the words of this law and these statutes to do them." Deut. xvii.

18, 19.

Here you fee that this book of the law fpeaks of itself, not only as an history or relation of what things were then done, but as the ftanding and municipal law and ftatutes of the nation of the Jews, binding the king as well as the people.

Now, in whatever age after Mofes you will fuppofe this book to have been forged, it was impoffible it could be received as truth; because it was not then to be found, either in the ark, or with the king, or any where else: For when first invented, every body muft know, that they had never heard of it before.

And therefore they could lefs believe it to be the book of their ftatutes, and the standing law of the land, which they had all along received, and by which they had been governed.

Could any man, now at this day, invent a book of ftatutes or acts of parliament for England, and make it pafs upon the nation. as thely book of ftatutes that ever they had known? As impoffibi was it for the books of Mofes (if they were invented in any age after Moses) to have been received for what they declare themselves to be, viz. The ftatutes and municipal law of the nation of the Jews: And to have perfuaded the Jews, that they had owned and acknowledged thefe books, all along from the days of Mofes, to that day in which they were firft invented; that is, that they had owned them before they had ever fo much as heard of them. Nay, more, the whole nation muft, in an inftant, forget their former laws and government, if they could receive thefe books as being their former laws. And they could not otherwife receive them, becaufe they vouched themfelves fo to be. Let me ask the Deifts but one fhort queftion: Was there ever a book of fham-laws, which were not the laws of the nation, palmed upon any people, fince the world began? If not, with what face can they fay this of the book of laws of the Jews! Why will they say that of them, which they confefs impoffible in any nation, or among any people?

But they must be yet more unreasonable. For the books of Mofes have a further demonftration of their truth than even other law-books have: For they not only contain the laws, but give an

historical account of their inftitution, and the practice of them from that time: As of the paffover in memory of the death of the first-born in Egypt*: And that the fame day, all the first-born of Ifrael both of man and beast, were, by a perpetual law, dedicated to God: And the Levites taken for all the first-born of the children of Ifrael. That Aaron's rod which budded, was kept in the ark, in memory of the rebellion, and wonderful deftruction of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram; and for the confirmation of the priesthood to the tribe of Levi. As likewife the pot of manna, in memory of their having been fed with it forty years in the wilderness. That the brazen ferpent was kept (which remained to the days of Hezekiah, 2 Kings xviii. 4.) in memory of that wonderful deliverance, by only looking upon it, from the biting of the fiery ferpents. Num. xxi. 9. The feast of Pentecost, in memory of the dreadful appearance of God upon Mount Horeb, &c.

And befides these remembrances of particular actions and occurrences, there were other folemn institutions in memory of their deliverance out of Egypt, in the general, which included all the particulars. As of the Sabbath, Deut. v. 15. Their daily facrifices, and yearly expiation; their new moons, feveral feafts and fafts. So that there were yearly, monthly, weekly, daily remembrances and recognitions of these things.

And not only fo, but the books of the fame Mofes tell us, that a particular tribe (of Levi) was appointed and confecrated by God, as his priests; by whose hands, and none other, the facrifices of the people were to be offered, and these folemn institutions to be celebrated. That it was death for any other to approach the altar. That their high priest wore a glorious mitre, and magnificent robes of God's own contrivance, with the miraculous Urim and Thummim in his breaft-plate, whence the divine refponfes were given. That at his word, the king and all the people were to go out, and to come in. That these Levites were likewife the chief judges, even in all civil causes, and that it was death to resist their fentence. Now whenever it can be fuppofed that these books of Mofes were forged in fome ages after Mofes, it is impoffible they could have been received as true, unless the forgers could have made the whole nation believe, that they had received

* Numbers viii. 17, 18..

Deut. xvii. 8 to 13. 1 Chr, xxiii. 4.

+ Numbers xxvii. 21.

thefe books from their fathers, had been inftructed in them when they were children, and had taught them to their children; moreover, that they had all been circumcifed, and did circumcife their children, in pursuance to what was commanded in these books, that they had obferved the yearly paffover, the weekly fabbath, the new moons, and all these several feasts, fafts, and ceremonies commanded in thefe books: That they had never eaten any fwines flesh, or other meats prohibited in thefe books: That they had a magnificent tabernacle, with a visible priesthood to administer in it, which was confined to the tribe of Levi; over whom was placed a glorious high-priest, cloathed with great and mighty prerogatives; whofe death only could deliver those that were fled to the cities of refuge*. And that these priests were their ordinary judges, even in civil matters: I fay, was it poffible to have perfuaded a whole nation of men,' that they had known and practised all these things, if they had not done it? or, fecondly, to have received a book for truth, which faid they had practifed them, and appealed to that practice? So that here are the third and fourth of the marks above-mentioned.

But now let us defcend to the utmost degree of fuppofition, viz. That these things were practifed, before these books of Mofeswere forged; and that thofe books did only impose upon the nation, in making them believe, that they had kept these obfervances in memory of fuch and fuch things, as were inferted in thofe books.

Well then, let us proceed upon this fuppofition, (however groundlefs) and now, will not the fame impoffibilities occur, as in the former cafe? For, firft, this muft fuppofe that the Jews kept all these observances in memory of nothing, or without knowing any thing of their original, or the reason why they kept them. Whereas these very obfervances did exprefs the ground and reafon of their being kept, as the Paffover, in memory of God's paffing over the children of the Ifraelites, in that night wherein he flew all the first-born of Egypt, and fo of the rest.

But, fecondly, let us fuppofe, contrary both to reafon and matter of fact, that the Jews did not know any reason at all why they kept thefe obfervances; yet was it poffible to put it upon them. That they had kept these observances in memory of what they had never heard of before that day, whenfoever you will

fuppofe that these books of Mofes were firft forged? For example, suppose I should now forge fome romantic story, of strange things done a thousand years ago, and in confirmation of this, fhould endeavour to perfuade the Chriftian world, that they had all along, from that day to this, kept the first day of the week in memory of such an hero, an Appollonius, a Barcofbas, or a Mahomet; and had all been baptized in his name; and swore by his name, and upon that very book, (which I had then forged, and which they never saw before) in their public judicatures; that this book was their gospel and law, which they had ever since that time, these thousand years past, universally received and owned, and none other. I would ask any Deift, whether he thinks it poffible that fuch a cheat could pass, or such a legend be received as the gofpel of Chriftians; and that they could be made believe that they never had any other gofpel? The fame reafon is as to the books of Mofes; and must be, as to every matter of fact, which has all the four marks before mentioned; and these marks fecure any fuch matter of fact as much from being invented and imposed in any after ages, as at the time when fuch matters of fact were faid to be done.

Let me give one very familiar example more in this cafe. There is the Stonehenge in Salisbury-plain, every body knows it ; and yet none knows the reason why those great stones were set there, or by whom, or in memory of what.

Now fuppofe I should write a book to-morrow, and tell there, That these stones were fet up by Hercules, Polyphemus, or Garagantua, in memory of fuch and fuch of their actions. And for a further confirmation of this, fhould fay in this book, that it was wrote at the time when fuch actions were done, and by the very actors themselves, or eye witreffes. And that this book had been received as truth, and quoted by authors of the greateft reputation in all ages fince. Moreover that this book was well known in England, and enjoined by act of parliament to be taught our children, and that we did teach it to our children, and had been taught it ourfelves when we were children. I ask any Deist, whether he thinks this could pafs upon England? And whether, if I, or any other should infift upon it, we should not, instead of being believed, be fent to Bedlam?

Now let us compare this with the Stonehenge, as I may call it, or twelve great ftones fet up at Gilgal, which is told in the fourth chapter of Joshua. There it is said, verse 6, that the reason

A

why they were fet up, was, that when their children, in after ages, fhould ask the meaning of it, it should be told them.

And the thing in memory of which they were fet up, was fuch as could not poffibly be impofed upon that nation, at that time when it was faid to be done, it was as wonderful and miraculous as their paffage through the Red Sea.

And withal, free from a very poor objection, which the Deifts have advanced against that miracle of the Red Sea: thinking to falve it by a spring-tide, with the concurrence of a strong wind, happening at the fame time; which left the fand fo dry, as that the Ifraelites being all foot, might pass through the oozy places and holes, which it must be fuppofed the fea left behind it but that the Egyptians, being all horfe and chariots, ftuck in those holes, and were entangled, fo as that they could not march so fast as the Ifraclites: and that this was all the meaning of its being faid, that God took off their (the Egyptians) chariot wheels, that they drove them heavily. So that they would make nothing extraordinary, at leaft, nothing miraculous, in all this action.

This is advanced in Le Clerc's Differtations upon Genefis, lately printed in Holland, and that part with others of the like tendency, endeavouring to refolve other miracles, as that of Sodom' and omorrah, &c. into the mere natural caufés, are put into English by the well-known T. Brown, for the edification of the Deifts in England.

But these gentlemen have forgot, that the Ifraelites had great herds of many thousand cattle with them; which would be apter to ftray, and fall into thofe holes and oozy places in the strand, than horfes with riders, who might direct them.

But fuch precarious and filly fuppofes are not worth the anfwering. If there had been no more in this paffage through the Red Sea than that of a fpring tide, &c. it had been impoffible for Mofes to have made the Ifraelites believe that relation given of it in Exodus, with fo many particulars, which themfelves faw to be

true.

And all thofe fcriptures which magnify this action, and appeal to it as a full demonftration of the miraculous power of God, must be reputed as romance or legend.

I fay this, for the fake of fome Chriftians, who think it no prejudice to the truth of the Holy Bible, but rather an advantage, as rendering it more easy to be believed, if they can solve whatever seems miraculous in it, by the power of fecond caufes : and