the Letter. 'Tis agreeable to the belief of Jews and Christians to allow this. But still the Letter is to be preferved, and not to be questioned by any means. Much lefs is it to be expofed by profane Wits. For there is no inconfiftence in this. And he that would attempt to deftroy the Letter of Mofes, is fo far from ferving any wife or good End, that he undermines Religion, offends its Votaries, and gives its Enemies occafion to rejoice and triumph.

2

There are a great many paffages in the Old Teftament, that befides the firft literal meaning, have a farther reference, and fpiritual sense, which yet does by no means destroy the Letter in the opinion of those very Men who contend for this fpiritual sense, and reference. And for the paffages in these three firft Chapters in Genefis, the literal fenfe is very much confirmed from the Citations of them, which we find in the infpired Writers of the New Testament. V.g. That paffage, Gen.1.3. is cited by S. Paul, 2 Cor. 4.6. And Gen. 1. 27. is quoted by our Saviour, Matt. 19.4. Again, Gen. 2. 7. by St. Paul, 1 Cor. 15.45, 47. And Gen. 2. 24. iş cited by our Saviour, Matt.19.5. and by St. Paul, more than once, 1 Cor.6.16. Ephef.5.31. That paffage of the Serpent's beguiling of Eve, Gen.3. is cited by St. Paul, and by that Quotation the literal fenfe is confirmed, 2 Cor. 11.3. His Words are thefe: I fear left by any means, as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his fubtlety, minds fhould be corrupted from the fimpli

fo your

city that is in Chrift. And the fame Apostle referrs to this Fact related by Mofes, 1 Tim.

2. 14.

Mofes proceeds (chap. 4. and 5.) and gives an account of the Birth of Cain and Abel, and their feveral imployments, of their Oblations, of the Murder of Abel by Cain, of the Curfe denounced against him thereupon, of the Pofterity of Cain: And then of the Birth of Seth and Enos. And then follows an account of the Genealogy, Age and Death of the Patriarchs from Adam to Noah, who was the Tenth from Adam.

Then follows the Hiftory of the Deluge or Floud of Waters which drowned the World: And what ever knowledge of this Fact might be preferved by Tradition among the Inhabitants of the World, yet certain it is, that from Mofes we have not onely the most ancient, but the most exact and particular, and unexceptio nable Relation of this matter, And if we will attend to the Relation which Mofes gives, we fhall foon difcern all the figns and marks, not onely of a true and faithfull, but of an exact and unexceptionable Relation alfo. Befides, that the memory of the Facts which Mofes relates might eafily be preferved to the Time of MoSes..

Mofes relates as to this matter, (1.) The Caufe which moved God to deftroy Mankind by a Floud of Waters, Gen. 6. 5, II, 12, 13. (2.) The Warning which God gave the Old (F4)

World

World that they might repent, and prevent this Calamity, (chap: 6.3.) which was 120 years before it hapned. (3) God's fpecial care to preferve Righteous Noah and his Family, chap. 6. 8,9. as well as the feveral kinds of living Creatures. (4.) The means which he appointed for this purpofe, viz. by an Ark: And we have a very particular Account of this Ark: Of its materials of which it was made; of its form and dimenfions; of its feveral stories, even of its window and its door; And of the end and defin of it, as well as of the builder or efficient caufe. (5.) He tells the very time when this great Event hapned: The very year from the Creation may be collected from his Writings, and the very year of the Life of Noah is exprefsly related, chap. 7. 6. (6.) He tells what perfons were received into the Ark, and what number of Beafts clean and unclean. (7.) He tells the very year, the month, the day when the Deluge began; The feveral Cau-* fes that contributed to make this Deluge; and how many days precisely the Rains came from above: He tells how many Cubits the Waters rofe above the Mountains; and how many days the Waters kept above the Earth; and the Effects of the Floud as to living Creatures. (8.) He relates by what means the Waters alfwaged. (9.) In what month and day the Ark rested, and in what place it did fo! (10.) He relates when Noah opened the Window of the Ark, and of his fending out the Raven and the

Dove. (11.) He tells the month and the day when the Earth was dried. (12.) He relates the going out of Noah, &c. And, (13.) He tells of the Sacrifice of Noah, and, (14.) Of God's promise not to fend fuch another Deluge, chap. 6, 7, 8. Here are all the marks of a true and complete Hiftorian; nor can the Wit of Man make any fuch Objections as will destroy the credibility of thefe Relations.

Mofes next relates how God bleffed Noah and his Sons; forbad the eating of Bloud and Murder; Covenanted not thus to deftroy the Earth again, and appointed the Rain-bow as a fign of this Covenant: He tells alfo how Noah was over-come with Wine; of the Curfe denounced against Canaan, and of the Bleffing of Shem and Japhet, and the Death of Noah, chap. 9.

Mofes gives account of the Sons of Japheth, of Ham where he fpeaks more particularly of Nimrod) and of the Sons of Shem, chap. 10. which is a most excellent piece of Antiquity.

A Relation of the Building of Babel, and of the Children of Shem unto Abram: Abram comes with his Father to Haran; He receives the Promise of the Messias, and comes into the Land of Canaan, to Sichem; Thence he removes to Bethel, &c. and on occafion of a Famine goes with Sarai to Egypt, whom he gave out to be his Sifter: Pharaoh having taken her, reftores her to Abram, being informed that she was his Wife, chap. 1 1. and 12.

Abram

Abram returns out of Egypt to Canaan with great Wealth: His Kinfman Lot was with him, who had also much Substance. They part from each other, and Lot pitched his Tent toward Sodom. God promifeth to Abram the Land of Canaan, chap. 13.

Lot is taken Prifoner in the Battel between four Kings with five. He is refcued by Abram, who is bleffed by Melchizedek. Abram's Anfwer to the King of Sodom, chap. 14.

After this Mofes relates how Abram was encouraged by God, and affured that his Pofterity fhould inherit the Land of Canaan: The Birth of Ishmael by Hagar; the Change of 4bram's Name, the Institution of Circumcifion; the Change of Sarai's Name, and the Promise of Ifaac, and Circumcifion of Abraham and Isbmael, chap. 15, 16, 17.

Mofes goes on to relate Abraham's Hospitable entertaining of three Angels, who appeared to Him in the likeness of Men: Their Meffage is related; the Birth of Ifaac predicted, and Sarab's Amazement and Weakness mentioned. The Wickedness of Sodom and Gomorrha; and Abraham's Interceffion for Sodom. The De Atruction of thefe Places; Lot preferved; The incestuous Original of Moab and Ammon, chap. 18, 19.

Abraham fojourns at Gerar; The King thereof takes Sarah; but, being warned of God, reftores her. Ifaac is born and circumcifed; Hagar and Ishmael are difmiffed; Hagar being