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THE

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Attempts to difparage the Holy Scriptures,
and particularly the Writings of Moles. of
those who have endeavoured to prove, that
Mofes did not write the Pentateuch. That
this is a matter of great moment. The de-
fign of the following Differtation. That Mo-.
fes did write the Pentateuch, is fhewed, and
hath been owned by a multitude of Witnesses.

The Objections of Jome late Writers against it,

with their Answers. The first Objection from

Deut. 1. 1. answered. The fecond Objection

from Gen. 36. 31. with fome Reflections on a

late Writer of a Commentary on Genefis, Print-

ed at Amsterdam. An Answer thereunto. Obj.3.

concerning Hebron and Dan. An Answer to it.

Obj. 4. from Deut. 2. 12. answered. Obj. 5.

from Gen. 12. 6. with its Anfwer. Obj. 6.

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Mofes, fhewed in the Answer to it. Obj. 16.

from Exod. 16. 36. answered. Obj. 17. from
Gen. 2, 11, 12: and chap. 10. 8. answered.
Obj. 18. from the many Repetitions in these
Books: The Reader is referred to the General
Argument to Deuteronomy, where this Ob-
jection is answered at large. Obj. 19. Tis pre-
tended that this Pentateuch is confused, and
therefore not written by Moles. An Anfwer to
that Objection. Obj. 20. from the obfcurity
of thefe Books. An Answer to this Objection.
Obj. 21. from the difference of Style in the
feveral Books of the Pentateuch. An Answer
to this Objection. Obj. 22. from Deut. 34.
'Tis pretended that Mofes cou'd not write that
Chapter. An Answer to that Objection. The
Conclufion.

A Differ-

A

Differtation

CONCERNING

The Author, or Writer,

OF THE

PENTATEUCH.

I

T hath been the business and study of fome Men, of late years, to difparage the Holy Scriptures, and all revealed Religion. What attempts have been made to that End, is fufficiently known. The Authority and Infpiration of these Sacred Oracles hath not onely been called in queftion, but profeffedly oppofed. And thofe who have been fo hardy and profane as to Libel the Scriptures, have not onely escaped without Punishment or Cenfure, but they have been cried up and famed for their Performances of this kind as great Wits, and Men of wonderfull Sagacity. Their Writings have been induftriously spread: And thofe

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those who set up for Wit, have openly avowed their disbelief of the Scriptures.

The Books of Mofes have not efcaped; They have been fo far from it, that there have been those who have given out, that the Five Books, commonly believed to be his, were never written by him. And they pretend that they neither were, nor could be, written by him. And there are three Writers of late that, in their Works, have boldly afferted this. Mr. Hobs in his Leviathan, the Author of the Book called the Præadamite, and Spinofa in his Tractatus Theologico-Politicus.

This matter is of great moment, and that wherein our Common Religion is greatly concerned. It strikes at the very root of it, and calls its Antiquity in question, and leaves the pious Reader at a great lofs. For whereas we all own that God fpake by Mofes, yet ftill (if these Men be in the right) we fhall be perfectly at a lofs for the Author of these Books, and not know whether he were a Servant of God or not. Befides, when the Authors of the New Teftament quote Mofes, and our Saviour appeals to his Writings, we fhall however be very uncertain where to find thefe Writings, if he be not allowed to be the Author of the Pentateuch, and fo will the Chriftian Religion fuffer at the fame time.

My defign in what follows, is to defend Mofes against all the attempts that the Authors above-named have made against his being the Author

Author of the following Books. This is as much as my present Argument does oblige me to. I am not obliged operofely to prove Mofes to be the Author or Writer of the Pentateuch. He is in poffeffion of that Title. It hath been allowed from the highest Antiquity, owned by all forts of Men, Jews and Chriftians, by Infidels and Pagans, by Men of all Sects and Parties, by Men that in other things have differed greatly from one another. But that I may not feem to have neglected any thing of moment in this matter, I fhall, before I proceed any farther, fhew what good reason we have to believe that Mofes was the Writer of these Books, and then I fhall confider the force of thofe Objections which have been produced against it.

For the first part of my defign, I need not fay much, both because it hath been made out by others beyond all exception, and because the thing is attended with as great Evidence as can be reasonably expected by any that are unprejudiced.

It is certain that Mofes wrote the Law, and (as will appear farther afterwards) that by the Law in the Scripture is meant the Pentateuch, Exod. 24. 4. And delivered it to the Priests the Sons of Levi, Deut. 3 1. 9. He was commanded to write, and he did it, (Exod. 17. 14. with Fofb. 1.8.) I fhall not need go over the Old Teftament, and fhew the many paffages cited by the Sacred Writers of the Books thereof,

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