InattributingthewholecredibilityoftheOldTestamenttotheauthorityoftheNew，andinlimitingtheauthenticityoftheJewishScripturestothosepartsalonethatconcernlaw，doctrine，andprophecy，bywhichtheirchronologyandthefargreatestpartoftheirhistoryareexcluded，IwillventuretoassureyourlordshipthatIdonotassumesomuch，asisassumedineveryhypothesisthataffixesthedivinesealofinspirationtothewholecanon；thatreststhewholeproofonJewishveracity；andthatpretendstoaccountparticularlyandpositivelyforthedescentoftheseancientwritingsintheirpresentstate。
　　Anotherreason，forwhichIhaveinsistedtheratheronthedistinctionsooftenmentioned，isthis。IthinkwemayfindverygoodfoundationforitevenintheBible：andthoughthisbeapointverylittleattendedto，andmuchdisguised，itwouldnotbehardtoshow，upongreatinducementsofprobability，thatthelawandthehistorywerefarfrombeingblendedtogetherastheynowstandinthePentateuch，evenfromthetimeofMosesdowntothatofEsdras。Buttheprincipalanddecisivereasonforseparatinginsuchmannerthelegal，doctrinal，andpropheticalparts，fromthehistorical，isthenecessityofleavingsomeruletogoby：and，Iprotest，Iknowofnonethatisyetagreedupon。Icontentmyself，therefore，tofixmyopinionconcerningtheauthorityoftheOldTestamentinthismanner，andcarryitthusfaronly。Wemustdoso，orwemustenterintothatlabyrinthofdisputeandcontradiction，whereineventhemostorthodoxJewsandChristianshavewanderedsomanyages，andstillwander。Itisstrange，butitistrue；notonlytheJewsdifferfromtheChristians，butJewsandChristiansbothdifferamongthemselves，concerningalmosteverypointthatisnecessarytobecertainlyknownandagreedupon，inordertoestablishtheauthorityofbookswhichbothhavereceivedalreadyasauthenticandsacred。Sothatwhoevertakesthepainstoreadwhatlearnedmenhavewrittenonthissubject，willfindthattheyleavethematterasdoubtfulastheytookitup。WhoweretheauthorsoftheseScriptures，whentheywerepublished，howtheywerecomposedandpreserved，orrenewed，tousearemarkableexpressionofthefamousHuetinhisDemonstration；infine，howtheywerelostduringthecaptivity，andhowtheywereretrievedafterit，areallmattersofcontroversytothisday。
　　Itwouldbeeasyformetodescendintoagreaterdetail，andtoconvinceyourlordshipofwhatIhavebeensayingingeneralbyaninductionofparticulars，evenwithoutanyotherhelpthanthatofafewnoteswhichItookwhenI
　　appliedmyselftothisexamination，andwhichnowliebeforeme。Butsuchadigressionwouldcarrymetoofar：andIfearthatyouwillthinkIhavesaidalreadymorethanenoughuponthispartofmysubject。Igoon，therefore，toobservetoyourlordship，thatifthehistoryoftheOldTestamentwasasexactandauthentic，astheignoranceandimpudenceofsomerabbieshavemadethemassertthatitis；ifwecouldbelievewiththemthatMoseswroteeverysyllableinthePentateuchasitnowstands，orthatallthePsalmswerewrittenbyDavid：nay，ifwecouldbelieve，withPhiloandJosephus，thatMoseswrotetheaccountofhisowndeathandsepulchre，andmadeasortoffuneralpanegyriconhimself，aswefindtheminthelastchapterofDeuteronomy。
　　YetstillwouldIventuretoassert，thathewhoexpectstofindasystemofchronology，orathreadofhistory，orsufficientmaterialsforeither，inthebooksoftheOldTestament，expectstofindwhattheauthorsofthesebooks，whoevertheywere，neverintended。Theyareextractsofgenealogies，notgenealogies：extractsofhistories，nothistories。TheJewsthemselvesallowtheirgenealogiestobeveryimperfect，andproduceexamplesofomissionsanderrorsinthem，whichdenotesufficientlythatthesegenealogiesareextracts，whereineverygenerationinthecourseofdescentisnotmentioned。
　　Ihavereadsomewhere，perhapsintheworksofSt。Jerome，thatthisfatherjustifiestheopinionofthosewhothinkitimpossibletofixanycertainchronologyonthatoftheBible：andthisopinionwillbejustifiedstillbetter，totheunderstandingofeverymanwhoconsidershowgrosslytheJewsblunderwhenevertheymeddlewithchronology。forthisplainreason，becausetheirScripturesareimperfectinthisrespect，andbecausetheyrelyontheiroral，torectifyandsupplytheirwritten，traditions：thatis，theyrelyontraditionscompiledlongafterthecanonoftheirScriptures，butdeemedbythemofequalantiquityandauthority。Thus，forinstance，DanielandSimontheJust，accordingtothem，weremembersatthesametimeofthegreatsynagoguewhichbeganandfinishedthecanonoftheOldTestament，underthepresidencyofEsdras。ThisEsdraswastheprophetMalachi。DariusthesonofHystaspeswasArtaxerxesLongimanus；hewasAhasuerus，andhewasthesameDariuswhomAlexanderconquered。ThismayserveasasampleofJewishchronology，formedontheirScriptureswhichaffordinsufficientlights，andontheirtraditionswhichaffordfalselights，Weareindeedmorecorrect，andcomenearertothetruthintheseinstances，perhapsinsomeothers，becausewemakeuseofprofanechronologytohelpus。Butprofanechronologyisitselfsomodern，soprecarious，thatthishelpdoesnotreachtothegreatestpartofthattimetowhichsacredchronologyextends；thatwhenitbeginstohelp，itbeginstoperplexustoo；andfinally，thatevenwiththishelpweshouldnothavehadsomuchastheappearanceofacompletechronologicalsystem，andthesamemaybesaidofuniversalhistory，iflearnedmenhadnotproceededverywisely，ononeuniformmaxim，fromthefirstagesofChristianity，whenacustomofsanctifyingprofanelearning，aswellasprofanerites，whichtheJewshadimprudentlylaidaside，wastakenupbytheChristians。ThemaximImeanisthis，thatprofaneauthoritybeadmittedwithoutscrupleordoubt，wheneveritsays，orwheneveritcanbemadetosay，ifnot“totidemverbis，“yet“totidemsyllabis，“
　　or“totidemliteris，“atleast，orwheneveritcanbemadebyanyinterpretationtomean，whatconfirms，orsuppliesinaconstantmanner，theholywrit；andthatthesameauthorityberejected，whennothingofthiskindcanbedone，butthecontradictionorinconsistencyremainsirreconcilable。
　　Suchalibertyasthiswouldnotbeallowedinanyothercase；becauseitsupposestheverythingthatistobeproved。Butweseeittaken，veryproperlytobesure，infavorofsacredandinfalliblewriting，whentheyarecomparedwithothers。
　　Inordertoperceivewiththeutmostevidence，thatthescopeanddesignoftheauthororauthorsofthePentateuch，andoftheotherbooksoftheOldTestament，answeraslittlethepurposeofantiquaries，inhistory，asinchronology，itwillbesufficientbrieflytocalltomindthesumofwhattheyrelate，fromthecreationoftheworldtotheestablishmentofthePersianempire。Iftheantediluvianworldcontinuedonethousandsixhundredandfifty-sixyears，andifthevocationofAbrahamistobeplacedfourhundredandtwenty-sixyearsbelowthedeluge，thesetwentycenturiesmakealmosttwo-thirdsoftheperiodmentioned：andthewholehistoryofthemiscomprisedinelevenshortchaptersofGenesis；whichiscertainlythemostcompendiousextractthateverwasmade。Ifweexaminethecontentsofthesechapters，dowefindanythinglikeanuniversalhistory，orsomuchasanabridgmentofit？AdamandEvewerecreated，theybrokethecommandmentofGod，theyweredrivenoutofthegardenofEden，oneoftheirsonskilledhisbrother，buttheirracesoonmultipliedandpeopledtheearth，Whatgeographynowhavewe，whathistoryofthisantediluvianworld？Why，none。ThesonsofGod，itissaid，laywiththedaughtersofmen，andbegotgiants，andGoddrownedalltheinhabitantsoftheearth，exceptonefamily。Afterthiswereadthattheearthwasrepeopled；butthesechildrenofonefamilyweredividedintoseverallanguages，evenwhilsttheylivedtogether，spokethesamelanguage，andwereemployedinthesamework。Outofoneofthecountriesintowhichtheydispersedthemselves，Chaldea，GodcalledAbrahamsometimeafterwards，withmagnificentpromises，andconductedhimtoacountrycalledCanaan。Didthisauthor，mylord，intendanuniversalhistory？Certainlynot。ThetenthchapterofGenesisnamesindeedsomeofthegenerationsdescendingfromthesonsofNoah，someofthecitiesfounded，andsomeofthecountriesplantedbythem。Butwhatarebarenames，nakedofcircumstances，withoutdescriptionsofcountries，orrelationsofevents？Theyfurnishmatteronlyforguessanddispute；andeventhesimilitudeofthem，whichisoftenusedasacluetoleadustothediscoveryofhistoricaltruth，hasnotoriouslycontributedtopropagateerror，andtoincreasetheperplexityofancienttradition。Theseimperfectanddarkaccountshavenotfurnishedmatterforguessanddisputealone；butamuchworseusehasbeenmadeofthembyJewishrabbies，Christianfathers，andMahometandoctors，intheirprofaneextensionsofthispartoftheMosaichistory。Thecreationofthefirstmanisdescribedbysome，asif，Preadamites，theyhadassistedatit。Theytalkofhisbeautyasiftheyhadseenhim，ofhisgiganticsizeasiftheyhadmeasuredhim，andofhisprodigiousknowledgeasiftheyhadconversedwithhim。TheypointouttheveryspotwhereEvelaidherheadthefirsttimeheenjoyedher。
　　Theyhaveminutesofthewholeconversationbetweenthismotherofmankind，whodamnedherchildrenbeforesheborethem，andtheserpent。SomearepositivethatCainquarreledwithAbelaboutapointofdoctrine，andothersaffirmthatthedisputeroseaboutagirl。AgreatdealofsuchstuffmaybeeasilycollectedaboutEnoch，aboutNoah，andaboutthesonsofNoah；butIwaiveanyfarthermentionofsuchimpertinencesasBonzesorTalapoinswouldalmostblushtorelate。Uponthewholematter，ifwemayguessatthedesignofanauthorbythecontentsofhisbook，thedesignofMoses，oroftheauthorofthehistoryascribedtohim，inthispartofit，wastoinformthepeopleofIsraeloftheirdescentfromNoahbySem，andofNoah’sfromAdambySeth；
　　toillustratetheiroriginal；toestablishtheirclaimtothelandofCanaan，andtojustifyallthecrueltiescommittedbyJoshuaintheconquestoftheCanaanites，inwhom，saysBochart，“theprophecyofNoahwascompleted，whentheyweresubduedbytheIsraelites，whohadbeensolongslavestotheEgyptians。“
　　Allowmetomake，asIgoalong，ashortreflectionortwoonthisprophecy，andthecompletionofit，astheystandrecordedinthePentateuch，outofmanythatmightbemade。Thetermsoftheprophecythenarehotveryclear：
　　andthecursepronouncedinitcontradictsallournotionsoforderandofjustice。Oneistemptedtothink，thatthepatriarchwasstilldrunk；andthatnomaninhissensescouldholdsuchlanguage，orpasssuchasentence。
　　Certainitis，thatnowriterbutaJewcouldimputetotheeconomyofDivineProvidencetheaccomplishmentofsuchaprediction，normaketheSupremeBeingtheexecutorofsuchacurse。
　　Hamaloneoffended；Canaanwasinnocent；fortheHebrewandotherdoctorswhowouldmakethesonanaccomplicewithhisfather，affirmnotonlywithout，butagainsttheexpressauthorityofthetext。Canaanwashoweveralonecursed：
　　andhebecame，accordingtohisgrandfather’sprophecy，“aservantofservants“；thatis，thevilestandworstofslavesforItakethesewordsinsense，ifnotthemostnatural，themostfavorabletotheprophecy，andtheleastabsurdtoSem，thoughnottoJaphet，whentheIsraelitesconqueredPalestine；tooneofhisuncles，nottohisbrethren。Willitbesaid——
　　ithasbeensaid——thatwherewereadCanaanwearetounderstandHam，whosebrethrenSemandJaphetwere？Atthisrate，weshallneverknowwhatweread：
　　asthesecriticsnevercarewhattheysay。Willitbesaid——thishasbeensaidtoo——thatHamwaspunishedinhisposterity，whenCanaanwascursed，andhisdescendantswereexterminated？Butwhodoesnotseethatthecurse，andthepunishment，inthiscase，fellonCanaanandhisposterity，exclusivelyoftherestoftheposterityofHam；andwerethereforethecurseandpunishmentoftheson，notofthefather，properly？ThedescendantsofMesraim，anotherofhissons，weretheEgyptians：andtheyweresofarfrombeingservantsofservantstotheircousinstheSemites，thatthesewereservantsofservantstothem，duringmorethanfourscoreyears。WhytheposterityofCanaanwastobedeemedanaccursedrace，itiseasytoaccount；andIhavementioneditjustnow。Butitisnotsoeasytoaccount，whytheposterityoftherighteousSem，thatgreatexampleoffilialreverence，becameslavestoanotherbranchofthefamilyofHam。
　　Itwouldnotbeworthwhiletolengthenthistediousletter，bysettingdownanymoreofthecontentsofthehistoryoftheBible。Yourlordshipmaypleasetocallthesubstanceofittoyourmind，andyournativecandorandloveoftruthwillobligeyouthentoconfess，thatthesesacredbooksdonotaim，inanypartofthem，atanythinglikeuniversalchronologyandhistory。TheycontainaveryimperfectaccountoftheIsraelitesthemselves；
　　oftheirsettlementinthelandofpromise，ofwhich，bytheway，theyneverhadentire，andscarceeverpeaceablepossession；oftheirdivisions，apostasies，repentances，relapses，triumphs，anddefeats，undertheoccasionalgovernmentoftheirjudges，andunderthatoftheirkings；oftheGalileanandSamaritancaptivities，intowhichtheywerecarriedbythekingsofAssyria，andofthatwhichwasbroughtontheremnantofthispeoplewhenthekingdomofJudahwasdestroyedbythoseprinceswhogovernedtheempirefoundedontheunionofNinevehandBabylon。Thesethingsareallrelated，yourlordshipknows，inaverysummaryandconfusedmanner：andwelearnsolittleofothernationsbytheseaccounts，thatifwedidnotborrowsomelightfromthetraditionsofothernations，weshouldscarceunderstandthem。Oneparticularobservation，andbutone，Iwillmake，toshowWhatknowledgeinthehistoryofmankind，andinthecomputationoftime，maybeexpectedfromthesebooks。