thou'd give an account of this perfon, who was fo very remarkable in his Time, and of these Places that were fo famous afterwards: Nor cou'd any thing be done more properly than in that very place, where Mofes gives an account of the Families deriv'd from the Sons of Noah, which Peopl'd the feveral parts of the Earth.

3. For the Name of Niniveh, which is pretended to be later than the Times of Mofes, I need fay no more than this, That this is fuppofed onely; but I never yet (to my remembrance) faw any kind of proof of it, or any thing that looks that way. And cou'd I fee any thing like a proof, I fhou'd think my felf oblig'd to give an answer to it: But I cannot be obliged to follow mere Suppositions, and wander after the Fanfies and vain Imaginations of Scriblers.

Obj. XVIII. It is pretended by the Author of the Book call'd Pre-adamite, that the Pentateuch cannot be writ by Mofes; and that, becaufe 'tis full of Repetitions, which therefore fo wife a Man as Mofes cannot be fuppofed to be guilty of.

Ianfwer: That this looks like an Objection, and deserves to be accounted for. And because this Objection bears hardest against the Book of Deuteronomy, therefore I have very fully confider'd it in the General Argument prefix'd to that Book; and therefore I referr the Reader to that place for fatisfaction as to this matter.

Obj. XIX. 'Tis alfo faid that these Books do not report Facts in that Order in which they hapned; and that Mofes therefore is not the Author of fo confused and distorted a Work. And the Author last above-named gives one remarkable instance to this purpose from Deut. 10. 6. To which I answer,

1. That if the Objector mean no more than this, That things are not always related in that very Order in which they hapned; I do allow that this is true, and that it cannot be deny'd. This will be readily granted by Jews and by Christians, who yet do believe Mofes to be the Author of the Pentateuch. Nothing is more common among the Hebrew Doctors than this

i. e. Non eft prius ; אין מוקדם וכו' Saying

pofterius in Lege: They allow that things are not laid before us in that order in which they hapned or came to país. Jofephus, when he reckons up the number of the Books of the Old Teftament, tells us exprefsly that Mofes wrote the Pentateuch,Καὶ τότων πέντε μὲν οὶ Μωϋσέα, &c. contra Apion. 1.] He tells us elsewhere, that all things are written as Mofes left them: That they had added nothing (not even for Orna ment) which Mofes had not left. But yet he adds, new, &c. That thefe Writings were left by bim difperfed, as he had occafion to confult the Di vine Majefty. This (fays he) I think needfull to premife that none of our People might,when they read, be fcandalized on this account. [Jof Antiq.1.4. c.8.] 2. That it does not thence follow that Mofes

was

was not the Author. 'Tis ftrange that any Man who profeffeth Chriftianity fhou'd argue at this rate. Because it must be allow'd that the Evangelifts themselves do not always in their Gospels relate Facts in that Order in which they came to pass; and yet they do believe that these Gofpels were written by thofe perfons whofe Names they bear.

3. As 'tis far from being an Argument that Mofes was not the Author of these Books, fo the thing it felf is of a very trifling Confideration. For the Journey of Jethro to Mofes, whether it hapned before the giving of the Law or after, is a thing of very fmall Confideration: As long as we have the Fact related, we are well enough dealt with. And if it cou'd be prov'd, that what is related of that matter, Exod.18.did not come to pass till after the Law was given; yet will this be no Objection against Mofes; becaufe that might notwithstanding be the fitteft place to relate Jethro's Journey, Mofes being just entring upon the account of the giving the Law, and then of the particular Laws that were given, &c. Mofes does not date the Coming of Jethro; and for what appears, 'tis related in the fitteft place. For Abraham's Journey with Sarah to Gerar, we are not concern'd to know the precife time of it, nor does Mofes give it us, and we have no caufe to find fault with his placing the Relation where we find it; We are very unreasonable in this matter. The Hiftorian was beft Judge where to relate the feveral Facts he

had

had to mention. And we do not, when we ob ject this, allow him the liberty that all other Hiftorians are allow'd; viz. To make their Relations in fuch places as they judge most convenient. And it is to me a very evident proof, that those Men have very little to fay against Mofes, who will lay hold on fuch impertinent trifles as these are. These are mere Cavils, and speak a bad Temper.

4. Nor is there much of this to pretend. MiJes indeed did not write his History by way of Annals, nor his Laws in the exact method and form of Juftinian's Inftitutions. But this is no Objection against the Author of the Books, or the Books themselves. As there is not that method, fo there is not that confufion which is pretended. The Objector needed not to have faid that there are in the Pentateuch, Tam multa confufa, inordinata,extra locum & feriem pofita. For there is no great matter of this kind to be objected after all this noife. For the Instances he gives of Jethro's Journey, and Abraham's going to Gerar, they are not worth his while: For, in truth, they do not ferve his purpose; And though he inftance in the Journey of Isaac to Gerar, that will do his Caufe no good; I appeal to any indifferent Reader. The Objector fhou'd have laid these things before the Reader, and thewed how they tend to his great End. For here's nothing proyed; nor is there any thing in the Inftances above, that do in the least bear against Mofes. For, as I obferv'd above, Mofes

does

does not write Annals, nor date thofe Facts, and might therefore infert them in that place of his Book which he judged most reasonable.

5. It is true that this Author does produce one Inftance that looks like an Objection: And I do grant that the place hath a confiderable difficulty attending it, and that is what we read Deut. 10. 6. But because there are fome difficult paffages in the Pentateuch, muft not Mofes therefore be allow'd to be the Author? At this rate we may discharge all the Writers of the Old and New Teftament alfo. But as to that difficult place, it is very particularly confider'd in the following Notes on that Chapter; to which therefore I referr the Reader.

6. After all, 'tis very unfit we fhou'd prefcribe Laws and Methods that God's Holy Prophets are to use in revealing his Will to us. "Tis great fawcinefs in us to prescribe. God is wife when he does not use our methods.

Obj. XX. The fame Author objects the Obfcurity of thefe Books as an Argument that Mofes was not the Author of them. To which I answer,

1. It is not to be wonder'd that there fhou'd be fome obfcure places in the Pentateuch, allowing it to be written by Mofes; for then the Book was written above 3000 years ago, and that in the Eastern Country, and in a Language much different from the Modern: We are not acquainted with the Hiftory of that Age,the Cu

ftoms