received a book for truth, which said they had practised them, and appealed to that practice? So that here are the third and fourth of the marks above-mentioned.

But now, let us descend to the utmost degree of supposition; viz. That these things were practised before the books of Moses were forg. cd; and that these books did only impose upon the nation, in making them believe that they had kept these observances, in memory of such and such things, as were inserted in those books.

Well, then, let us proceed upon this supposition, however groundless, And now, will not the same impossibilities occur, as in the former case? For, first, This must suppose 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 observances did express the ground and reason of their being kept; as the passover, in memory of God's passing over the children of the Israelites, in that night wherein he slew all the first born of Egypt; and so of the rest. But,

Secondly, Let us suppose, contrary both to reason and matter of fact, that the Jews did not know any reason at all why they kept these observances; yet was it possible to put it upon them, that they had kept these observances, in memory of what they had never heard of before that day, whensoever you will suppose that these books of Moses, were first forged? For example; Suppose I should now forge some roman

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tic story, of strange things, done a thousand years: ago; and in confirmation of this, should endea vor to persuade the Christian 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 Apollonius, a Barcosbas, 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 judicature; 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 Deist, whether he thinks it possible that such a cheat could pass,or such a legend be received, as the gospel of Christians?—and that they could be made believe, that they never had had any other gospel? The same reason is as to the books. of Moses; and must be as to every matter of fact, which has all the four marks before-mentioned. And these marks secure any such matter of fact, as much from being invented and imposed in any after ages, as at the time when such matters of fact were said to be done.

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

Now,suppose I should write a book, to-morrow; and say there, that these stones were set: up by Hercules, Polyphemus, or Garagantua,in

memory of such and such of their actions; and for a further confirmation of this, should say in this book, that it was written at the time when such actions were done; and by the very actors themselves, or eye-witnesses; and that this book had been received as truth, and quoted by authors of the greatest reputation, in all ages since moreover, that this book was well known in England, and enjoined by act of parfiament, to be taught our children, and that we did teach it to our children, and had been taught it ourselves, when we were children: I ask any Deist, whether he thinks this could pass upon England? and whether, if I, or any other person should insist upon it, we should not, instead of being believed, be sent to Bcdlam?

Now, let us compare this with the Stonehenge, as I may call it, or twelve great stones, set up at Gilgal; which is told in the fourth chapter of Joshua. There it is said, (verse 6) that the reason why they were set up, was, that when their children in after ages, should ask the meaning of it, it should be told them.

And the thing, in memory of which they' were set up, was such as could not possibly be imposed upon that nation, at that time when it was said to be done; it was as wonderful and miraculous as their passage thro' the Red Sea

And, withal, free from a very poor objection, which the Deists have advanced against that miracle of the Red Sea thinking to solve it by a spring-tide, with the concurrence of a strong wind, happening at the same time, which

left the sand so dry, as that the Israelites, being all foot, might pass through the oozy places and holes, which it must be supposed, the sea left behind it but, that the Egyptians being all horse and chariots, stuck in these holes, and were entangled, so as that they could not march so fast as the Israelites; and, that this was all the meaning of its being said, that God took off their (the Egygtians) chariot wheels, that they drove them heavily. So that they would make noth ing extraordinary, at least not miraculous, in all this action.

This is advanced in Le Clerc's Dissertations. upon Genesis, lately printed in Holland. And that part, with others of the like tendency, endeavoring to resolve other miracles; as that of Sodom and Gomorrah, &c. into the mere natural causes, are put into English, by the wellknown T. Brown, for the edification of the Deists in England,

But these gentlemen have forgot, that the Is raelites had great herds of many thousand cattle with them; which would be apter to stray,. and fall into those holes and oozy places in the sand, than horses, with riders who might direct them.

But such precarious and silly suppositions, are not worth the answering. If there had been no more in this passage thro' the Red Sea, than that of a spring tide, &c. it had been impossible for Moses to have made the Israelites believe that relation given of it in Exodus ;with so many particulars, which themselves saw to be true.

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

I say this, for the fake of some Christians, 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 second causes; and so to make all, as they speak, natural and easy. Wherein, if they could prevail, the natural and easy result would be, not to believe one word, in all those sacred oracles for, if things be not as they are told in any relation, that relation must be false; and if false in part, we cannot trust to it, either in whole or in part.

Here are to be excepted, mis-translations, and errors, either in the copy or press. But, where there is no room for supposing of these; as, where all copies do agree; there, we must either receive all, or reject all: I mean, in any book that pretends to be written from the mouth of God; for, in other common histories, we may believe part, and reject part, as we

see cause.

But to return. The passage of the Israelites over Jordan, in memory of which those stones at Gilgal were set up, is free from all those little carpings before-mentioned, that are made as to the passage through the Red Sea; for, notice was given to the Israelites, the day before, of this great miracle to be done, Josh. iii. 5. It was done at noon-day, before the whole nation. And