the Greeks or Romans, to atteft the genuineness of their moft eftcemed books? Where are the fubjects of Solon, Lycurgus, or Numa, who at this prefent time conform to the inftitutions, and are governed by the edicts of thefe ancient legiflators? As no fuch evidences are known to exift, vain is it to require them. To the teftimony we derive from the living defcendants of the Ifraelites, we have nothing fimilar in the world for the fupport of ancient writings, because they not only from age to age have afferted, and still continue to affert their authenticity, under fuch peculiar circumftances of oppreffion and foreign dominion; but adhere to the laws contained in the books in queftion. Their practice is a decifive proof of their belief; and this double evidence, confifting in their conviction of the genuinenefs of the books, and in the direction of their conduct by the rules thofe books contain, afcends higher and higher into antiquity, till paffing through fucceffive ages, we reach the precife times in which Mofes and the Prophets flourished. Convinced by the cleareft arguments of the authenticity of the Old Teftament, the great Newton esteemed it the proper introduction to the knowledge of profane antiquity. He found that the periods of Judaical generations and defcents, whichanfwered to the fabulous ages of Grecian history, were exactly of the fame length with thofe, which have been measured in later times, fince hiftory has been been confidered as authentic. He afcertained likewife, that the Hebrew accounts coincided with the revolutions of the heavenly bodies, and the general course of nature; and were not like the Grecian and Roman chronology, which is in many cafes founded upon improbable and arbitrary fuppofitions. Furnifhed with fuch an important clue to his difcoveries, this great aftronomer applied the principles of his favourite fcience to the elucidation of hiftory. By confidering the relation which fubfifted between the preceffion of the equinoxes and the lapfe of time, he rectified the whole system of profane chronology. Thus he diffufed light over a region of darkness, and rendered the records of the Greeks and Romans clear, confiftent, and probable, by the application of thefe principles: but fo far was he from difturbing the order of events, or contradicting the computations of time ftated in the facred Books, that their truth and accuracy were invariably confirmed by his refearches. Such are fome of the proofs which confirm the authenticity of the Old Teftament; and from a review of them we conclude, that in point of ftrength and authority thefe proofs are fuperior to a The equinoctial points are found by aftronomers to change their places, and go backward or weftward, contrary to the order of the figns of the Zodiac. This is called their preceffion. Dr. Bradley fuppofes it to be a degree in about feventy years: the calculation of Sir Ifaac Newton does not amount to fo much. Priestley's Lectures on History, p. 89, &e. thofe thofe that can be adduced to fupport any other ancient writings. III. The Subjects of the Books, and Characters of the Writers. The fubjects of the Books of the Old Teftament are truly wonderful and ftriking, and of fuch a nature as to furpafs all monuments of profane learning, equally in importance as in antiquity. And of all the parts which compofe the facred canon, none are more curious than Genefis, the first book written by Mofes; because it contains a sketch of the earliest history of mankind. It gives an account of the creation of the world and its inhabitants, the fall of our firft parents from a ftate of innocence and happinefs, and their banishment from the garden of Eden; the repeated promifes of a future restorer of the loft bleffings of mankind; the hiftory of the Patriarchs, honoured by the Revelations of Jehovah; the defcription of the general deluge; the difperfion of the progenitors of the human race over all the earth; the adoption of a particular family to perpetuate the remembrance, and establish the worship, of the true God, and their profperous fettlement in Egypt. Inftances indeed are mentioned of early depravity, and the violence of the paffions, attended with fuitable punishments; yet fociety appears under its fimpleft form in point of manners, and we dif cern cern no traces of the luxury and falfe refinement of fubfequent times. In the facred books of the Jews is recorded an account of the defcendants of Ifrael; a race of men felected from all others, and favoured with fucceffive revelations of the divine will. Inftances are given of their fidelity, perverfenefs, and difobedience; of their glory, and triumphs; their difgraces, and their fubjection to foreign powers. Here is feen the fuperintendence of a divine and efpecial Providence watching over innocence, fufpending. wrath, and taking the moft fignal vengeance upon unrepented offences. Here are developed the failings of the most virtuous perfons, and the obdurate wickedness of confirmed finners. Here are difplayed the mixed characters even of the most excellent men, the eminent examples of faith and piety, of courage and patience, in the conduct of Abraham, Lot, Job, Joseph, Mofes, David, Hezekiah, Jofiah, and Daniel. And most interesting is it to observe, that the knowledge of the one true God was communicated to this people, and preferved by them alone; that they had the moft fublime ideas of his. nature and attributes; that a magnificent temple was erected to his honour, a regular fervice was inftituted; holy ceremonies were performed; an order of priests of one particular family was confecrated; a pure worship was established by his exprefs command, and regulated by his particular laws. Thus were the Jews enlightened by a knowledge of the true object of divine worship; and thus were the U 3 purity purity and holinefs of their religious ordinances conducted at a time, when all other nations prefented a wide fcene of grofs fuperftition and mental darkness; when the rest of the human race, and even the most intelligent and polished nations of Egypt and Greece, thewed the moft abject degradation of their nature, by proftrating themselves before idols of their own workmanship; and contradicted the evidence of their fenfes and the conviction of their reason, by imputing to statues made of wood or ftone the attributes of divine power. We fee likewife a fucceffion of Prophets raised up among them, to communicate the divine will, to warn them of evils, and to announce to them bles fings to come. Thefe holy men, ever obedient to the call of heaven, rofe fuperior to all worldly con fiderations; and with a spirit of intrepidity and independence, which clearly fhewed that heaven was the fource of their reliance, they executed their facred commiffions, unawed by the threats of kings, or the refentment of the people. They foretold re, mote events in times when they appeared moft improbable ever to take place, and when no human forefight, and no calculation of chances, could guide them to the difcovery of the particular affairs, which fulfilled their predictions. Mofes, in a long and moft interefting detail of threats and promifes, foretold the exact manner in which his people were ordained to be happy or miferable, according as they followed or difobeyed the divine laws. At a fubfequent period, when Jerufalem was laid in ruins, and the Jews |