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glory which he had with the Father before the world was," took our nature upon him, that he might live to instruct, and die to redeem, mankind, and has ascended into heaven, there to make intercession for us; whence he will return again in power and great glory to judge the world, and to "render to every man according to his deeds: to them who, by patient continuance in well-doing, seek for glory and honour, and immortality; eternal "life but unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the “truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tribu"lation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of "the Jew first, and also of the Gentile: but glory, honour, and peace, to every man who worketh good, to the Jew first, and "also to the Gentile for there is no respect of persons with "God." When we see that the Scriptures represent this Divine Being as the centre in whom all revelations meet, the great Agent on whom all human expectations depend-When we view the scheme carried on under this Supreme Lord and King, according to the Scriptures, with an uninterrupted progress from the creation to this hour, and still evidently progressive; exhibiting the Church of Christ, and the Jewish Nation which rejects that Christ, as rendered equally subservient to this grand design of Providence; by which "the kingdoms of this world "will finally become the kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ :"+ and the triumph of grace here will prepare for the kingdom of glory hereafter. When we contemplate all this, can we avoid exclaiming with the Apostle, "O the depth of the riches both of "the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his "judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath "known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsel"lor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to “him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever.

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Amen."‡

Rom. xi. 33-36.

438

SINCE the time when this last Lecture was composed, Providence, by a series of unexpected and illustrious events, has overturned that portentous Power which threatened universal slavery and ruin, and has restored freedom and peace to the European world. Surely this happy consummation, as it must revive the intercourse and increase the union of the European States, and encourage a spirit of moderation and justice in public measures, by the illustrious example which the allied Powers exhibited in their hour of triumph-so it tends to inspire the religious observer with the cheering hope, that it will accelerate the removal of national and religious prejudices, the free communication of opinion, the diffusion of knowledge, and the final triumph of Truth. At the same time I confess that the restoration of the Inquisition in Spain, and the efforts of the Roman Pontiff to restore the Order of the Jesuits, and give new vigour to the monastic institutions of Popery, and also the difficulties which appear to impede the total abolition of the Slave Trade, throw a cloud over this otherwise bright prospect— they appear to indicate a slower advance in religious and moral improvement, and inspire a fear, that much labour, and perhaps much suffering may intervene, before genuine Christianity can overcome the impediments which retard its spread and the corruptions which resist its influence. Of this only we may be sure, that the grand scheme for the advancement of human happiness, by the extension of the Gospel, is in progress, and that in the fulness of time "the earth shall be full of the knowledge of "the Lord, as the waters cover the sea," and that thus "the kingdoms of this world "shall become the kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ."

SECTION I.

The texts which were collected by Le Clerc, as affording reason to doubt whether the Pentateuch was composed by Moses, considered;* with the answer to the objection founded on each text annexed to it-Dr Geddes's opinion on the authenticity of the Pentateuch considered-Specimens of his reasonings on this subject—An Article in the Appendix to the eighth volume of the Critical Review for September, 1806, in which Mr De Wette's work on the Old Testament is briefly considered—An humble remonstrance to the Reviewers.

No. I.

TEXT: Gen. ii. 11, 12. "The name of the first river is "Pison that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, "where there is gold. And the gold of that land is good: there "is bdellium and the onyx-stone."

OBJECTION.-These observations appear the production of some one residing in Chaldea, for Pison is that branch of the Euphrates which falls into the Persian Gulf, and passes by those countries which were formerly called Chaldea, and where now Ormus is; and it is not credib that Moses, who had but just left Egypt, should be so well acquaintes with the geography and productions of distant countries, or have beer inspired on such a subject.

ANSWER, by Le Clerc himself.-Admitting these observations to relate to Chaldea, that country might be extremely well known in Egypt at the time of Moses, by merchants trading thither. For if in the time of Jacob, companies of merchants traded from Gilead (vide Genes. xxxvii. 25.) to Egypt, with spices, &c.; why might not merchants from Chaldea trade thither, near four hundred years after, in the

* Vide Clerici Prolegomena in Vet Testam. Dissertatio 3ia de Scriptore Pentateuchi, et Witsil Miscellanea Sacra, Tom. I. Lib. I. cap. xiv. An Moses Auctor Pentateuchi.

time of Moses? And thus might not all these circumstances be easily known, to one educated in the court of Pharaoh, and “learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians."

No. II.

TEXT: Gen. x. 8-12.-" And Cush begat Nimrod; he began "to be a mighty one in the earth. He was a mighty hunter before "the Lord: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty "hunter before the Lord. And the beginning of his kingdom was "Babel and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh in the land of Shinar. "Out of that land he went forth into Assyria, and buildeth Nin"eveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah, and Resen, between "Nineveh, and Calah: the same is a great city."

OBJECTICN. First, this exactness in describing the cities of Mesopotamia and Assyria, appears to indicate an author conversant in those countries and would be more natural after the Babylonish captivity, than at a period long before the Jews had any intercourse with the Babylonians. Secondly, Ninive took its name from Ninus, the son of Belus, who lived in the time of Deborah, two hundred years after Moses.

ANSWER. The celebrity of Babylon and the other cities, affords a natural reason why Moses should particularise them, as he has in several other cases alluded to ancient facts and ancient names; and there is no accuracy of knowledge in the enumeration, which may not naturally be ascribed to him. To the second objection it is answered, there is no proof which can be depended on, that Nimrod did not build Ninive as well as the other cities, or that it took its name from Ninus ; and if it did, it would only prove that this single name was added to the words of Moses, by some later writer, to complete the enumeration of these ancient and distinguished cities. I would add, that our common translation, which reads, Out of that land went "Asshur (i. e. the Assyrian) and builded Nineveh," &c., removes the whole difficulty. This clause may have been naturally added by some writer in the flourishing state of the Assyrian empire, before or during the Babylonish captivity. And this translation is not only agreeable to the original Hebrew, but to the Septuagint, the Samaritan, the Syriac, the Arabic, and the Vulgate versions.

In truth, there being no other objection than this very feeble and futile one, made to the enumerations contained in this tenth chapter of Genesis, as inconsistent with the state of the world at the time Moses lived, forms as strong a presumptive proof as can be desired, that it was really written by him; and that he possessed the most astonishing accuracy of information as to the origin of nations, and the primeval history and spread of mankind. It is indeed most remarkable, that this chapter, short as it is, supplies the only clue which

directs our steps, in tracing the progress of nations in the very remotes*. period of antiquity; and that the authors who have followed it with the closest attention, have been most successful in avoiding the labyrinths and penetrating the recesses of the very earliest history and explaining in a rational and consistent manner the apparently wild and chimerical fictions of heathen mythology. Memorable examples of this are found in the Phaleg of Bochart, in which from this account in Genesis he traces with such wonderful accuracy and success the origin of nations: and thus decidedly confirms the Mosaic history, which declares that of the three sons of Noah was the whole earth "overspread."*

Equally remarkable is the success with which the learned Bryant, following the same mode, has analysed the various systems and fables of ancient mythology, and shown how naturally they can be explained and connected by considering them as ultimately derived from the facts and characters of the Mosaic records. I might easily multiply instances, but I forbear, and proceed with my subject.

No. III.

TEXT: Gen. xi. 28 and 31.- "Haran died in Ur of the Chal"dees: they went from Ur of the Chaldees, to the land of "Canaan."

OBJECTION. This city or country could not be so called in the time of Abraham, for the Chasdem or Chaldæans descended from Chesed, who was the nephew of Abraham by his brother Nahor, Gen. xxii. 22. In the time of Moses that region was called Padan Aram; it was the more modern writers about the time of the captivity, who called it the land of the Chaldees.

ANSWER, by Witsius.-Le Clerc, who advanced the objection, confesses it is altogether uncertain whether the Chaldæans derived their name from Chesed, and where this city was, since it was the name of two cities near the Euphrates; the extent of the land of Chaldæ is also uncertain. It is remarkable that Le Clerc, who on reflection abandoned and even refuted his own objections to the authenticity of the Pentateuch, has omitted to take any notice of this in his review of them; in all probability deeming it too trifling.

It is indeed not wonderful that Witsius should grow a little angry; after stating the answer he adds, " Hæc si vera sunt ne species quidem difficultatis superest, quid ergo movit criticum nisi prava carpendi "libido, ex qua orta est quam subjungit accusatio, scriptores sacros "parum exactos esse nominibus." If Le Clerc advanced this accusation, it was certainly a rash act; but he should be forgiven, since he as certainly repented of it.

* Gen. ix. 9.