thick bed of rich earth. Now, says he, the eruption which formed the lowest of these lavas, if we may be allowed to reason from analogy, must have flowed from the mountain at least fourteen thousand years ago! Recupero tells me, he is exceedingly embarrassed by these discoveries, in writing the history of the mountain.-That Moses hangs like a dead weight upon him, and blunts all his zeal for inquiry; for that he really has not the conscience to make his mountain so young as that prophet makes the world.

"The bishop, who is strenuously orthodox-for it is an excellent see has already warned him to be upon his guard; and not to pretend to be a better natural historian than Moses; nor to presume to urge any thing that may in the smallest degree be deemed contradictory to his saered authority."

Though Mr. Brydone produces this as a sneer against revelation, bishops, and orthodoxy, yet the sequel will prove that it was good advice, and that the bishop was much better instructed than either Recupero or Brydone; and that it would have been much to their credit, had they taken his advice.

I have given, however, this argument at length, and even in the insidious dress of Mr. Brydone, whose faith in Divine Revelation appears to have been upon a par with that of Signior Recupero, both being builded nearly on the same foundation, to show from the answer, how slight the strongest arguments are, produced from insulated facts by prejudice and partiality, when brought to the test of sober, candid, philosophical investigation, aided by an increased knowledge of the phenomena of nature. "In answer to this argument," says bishop Watson, (Letters to Gibbon) "it might be urged-that the time necessary for converting lavas into fertile fields, must be very different, according to the different consistencies of the lavas, and their different situations with respect to elevation and depression, or their being exposed to winds, rains, and other circumstances; as for instance, the quantity of ashes deposited over them after they had cooled, &c. &c. just as the time in which heaps of iron slag, which resembles lava, are covered with verdure, is different at different furnaces, according to the nature of the slag and situation of the furnace: and something of this kind is deducible from the account of the canon (Recupero) himself, since the crevices in the strata are often full of rich good soil, and have pretty large trees growing upon them. But should not all this be thought sufficient to remove the objection, I will produce the canon an analogy in opposition to his analogy, and which is grounded on more certain facts.

"Etna and Vesuvius resemble each other in the causes which produce their eruptions, in the nature of their lavas, and in the time necessary to mellow them into soil fit for vegetation: or if there be any slight difference in this respect, it is probably not greater than what subsists between different lavas of the same mountain. This being admitted, which no philosopher will deny, the canon's (Recupero's) analogy will prove just nothing at all, if we can produce an instance of seven different lavas, with interjacent strata of vegetable earth, which have flowed from mount Vesuvius within the space, not of fourteen thousand, but of somewhat less than one thousand seven hundred years; for then, according to our analogy, a stratum of lava may be covered with vegetable soil in about two hundred and fifty years, instead of requiring two thousand for that purpose.

has been, in the view of every candid person, highly creditable to the sacred historian. Every appearance in nature, in the structure and composition of the surface and different strata of the earth, has borne an unequivocal and decided testimony to the truth of the book of Genesis : so that at present, there is, on this subject, scarcely any material difference of opinion among the most profound philosophers, and most accurate geologists.

On the geology and astronomy of the book of Genesis, much has been written both by the enemies and friends of revelation: but as Moses has said but very little on these subjects, and nothing in a systematic way, it is unfair to invent a system, pretendedly collected out of his words, and thus make him accountable for what he never wrote. There are systems of this kind, the preconceived fictions of their authors, for which they have sought support and credit by tortured meanings extracted from a few Hebrew roots; and then dignified them with the title of The Mosaic system of the Universe. This has afforded infidelity a handle which it has been careful to turn to its own advantage. On the first chapter of Genesis I have given a general view of the solar system, without pretending that I had found it there: I have also ventured to apply the comparatively recent doctrine of caloric to the Mosaic account of the creation of light, previous to the formation of the sun, and have supported it with such arguments as appeared to me to render it at least probable; but I have not pledged Moses to any of my explanations, being fully convinced, that it was necessarily foreign from his design to enter into philosophic details of any kind, as it was his grand object, as has been already remarked, to give a history of CREATION and PROVIDENCE in the most abridged form of which it was capable. And who, in so few words ever spoke so much? By creation I mean the production of every being, animate and inanimate, material and intellectual. And by Providence, not only the preservation and government of all beings, but also the various and extraordinary provisions made by divine justice and mercy for the comfort and final salvation of man. These subjects I have endeavoured to trace out through every chapter of this most important book, and to exhibit them in such a manner as appeared to me the best calculated to promote glory to GOD in the highest ; and upon earth PEACE, AND GOOD WILL AMONG MEN. Observations on the Jewish manner of dividing and reading the law and the prophets.

The ancient Jews divided the whole law of Moses into fifty-four sections, which they read in their synagogues, in the course of the fifty-two sabbaths in the year, joining two of the shortest twice together, that the whole might be finished in one year's space; but in their intercalated years, in which they added a month, they had fifty-four sabbaths, and then they had a section for each sabbath; and it was to meet the exigency of the intercalated years, that they divided the law into fifty-four sections at first. When Antiochus Epiphanes forbade the Jews on pain of death to read their law, they divided the prophets into the same number of sections, and read them in their synagogues in place of the law and when, under the Asmoneans, they recovered their liberty, and with it the free exercise of their religion, though the reading of the law was resumed, they continued the use of the prophetic sections, reading them conjointly with those in the law. To this first division and mode of reading the law, there is a reference, Acts xv. 21. For Moses of old time, hath, in "The eruption of Vesuvius, which destroyed Hercula- every city, them that preach him, being READ IN THE neum and Pompei, is rendered still more famous by the SYNAGOGUES EVERY SABBATH DAY. To the second divideath of Pliny, recorded by his nephew, in his letter to sion and conjoint reading of the law and the prophets, Tacitus: this event happened A. D. 79. but we are in- we also find a reference, Acts xiii. 15. And after the readformed by unquestionable authority (Remarks on the na- ing of the LAW, AND THE PROPHETS, the rulers of the ture of the soil of Naples and its vicinity, by Sir Wil- synagogue sent unto them, saying, &c. And that the liam Hamilton, Philos. Transact. vol. Ixi. p. 7.) that the prophets were read in this way, in our Lord's time, we matter which covers the ancient town of Herculaneum, have a proof, Luke iv. 16. &c. where, going into the synais not the produce of one eruption only, for there are evi-gogue to read on the sabbath day, as was his custom, dent marks that the matter of six eruptions has taken its there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet course over that which lies immediately over the town, Isaiah-and it appears that the prophetical section, for and was the cause of its destruction. These strata are that sabbath, was taken from the sixty-first chapter of his either of lava, or burnt matter with veins of good soil be- prophecies. tween them." "You perceive," says the bishop, "with what ease a little attention and increase of knowledge, may remove a great difficulty; but had we been able to say nothing in explanation of this phenomenon, we should not have acted a very rational part, in making our ignorance the foundation of our infidelity, or suffering a minute philosopher to rob us of our religion." In this, as well as in all other cases, the foundation stands sure, being deeply and legibly impressed with God's seal.

The Mosaic account of the universality of the deluge, has been tried by the most rigid tests also, and the result

Of these sections the book of Genesis contains twelve:
The FIRST, called n bereshith, begins chap. i. ver.

1. and ends chap. vi. ver.
The SECOND, called
and ends with chap. xi.
The THIRD, called
ends with chap. xviii.

8.

Noah, begins chap. vi. ver. 9.

lac leca, begins chap. xii. and vaiyira, begins chap. xviii. and chayey Sarah, begins chap.

The FOURTH, called TM
ends with chap. xxii.
The FIFTH, called
xxiii. and ends chap. xxv. ver. 18.

END OF THE NOTES ON GENESIS.

A

CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE

OF THE PRINCIPAL

TRANSACTIONS RELATED IN THE BOOK OF GENESIS,

ACCORDING TO THE COMPUTATION OF ARCHBISHOP USHER, WHICH IS CHIEFLY FOLLOWED IN THE PRECEDING NOTES;

SHOWING IN WHAT YEAR OF THE WORLD, AND WHAT YEAR BEFORE CHRIST, EACH

EVENT HAPPENED.

THE reader will observe from the chronological notes in the margin of the preceding work, that in a few instances I have departed from the Usherian computation, for which he will find my reasons in the notes.

This table I have considerably enlarged, by inserting the Edomitish kings and dukes, and a few other transactions of profane history, contemporary with the facts mentioned by Moses, by which the reader will have a synopsis, or general view, of all the transactions of the first 2400 years of the world, which stand upon any authentic records. The first year of the world, answering to the 710th year of the Julian Period, and supposed to be 4004 before the vulgar era of the birth of Christ.

Seventh day: Set apart and hallowed to be a Sab-
bath, or day of rest for ever, ii. 2, 3.
Tenth day: The first woman sins, leads her hus-
band into the transgression, is called Eve, iii.
1-20. They are both expelled from Paradise,]
iii. 22-24.

N. B. This opinion, though rendered respectable by
great names, is very doubtful, and should be re-
ceived with very great caution. I think it wholly
inadmissible; and though I insert it as the gene-
rally received opinion, yet judge it best to form no
guesses, and indulge no conjectures on such an
obscure point.

2

Cain and Abel born, iv. 1, 2.

2007

129 Abel killed by his brother Cain, iv. 8.

3875

2006

Noah dies, aged 950 years, 390 years after the flood, 1998

130 Birth of Seth, iv. 15.

3874

xi. 29.

325

Birth of Cainan, son of Enos, v. 9.

3679

395 460

of Mahalaleel, son of Cainan, v. 12.

3609

622

687

3544 338-2 3317

of Jared, son of Mahalaleel, v. 15.

of Enoch, son of Jared, v. 18.

of Methuselah, son of Enoch, v. 21.

of Lamech, son of Methuselah, v. 25.

930 Death of Adam, aged 930 years, v. 5.

987 Enoch is translated in the 365th year of his age, 3017 v. 24.

2049 Serug dies, xi. 23.

2079 Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, subdues the kings of 1925
the Pentapolis, Sodom, Gomorrah, &c. to whom
they continued in subjection for 12 years, xiv. 4.
2083 The calling of Abram out of UR of the Chaldees, 1921
where the family had been addicted to idolatry,
Josh. xxiv. 2. He comes to Haran in Mesopo-
tamia, with Lot his nephew, Sarai his wife, and
his father Terah, who dies at Haran, aged 205
years, xi. 31, 32.

Abram comes to Canaan, when 75 years of age,
Gen. xi. 4. From this period, the 430 years of
the sojourning of the Israelites, mentioned Exod.
xii. 40, 41. is generally dated.

2084 Abram goes into Egypt because of the famine, 1920
xii. 10. causes Sarai to pass for his sister. Pha-
raoh (Apophis) takes her to his house, but soon
restores her, finding her to be Abram's wife, v.
14-20.

2086 Abram and Lot, having returned to the land of Ca- 1918
naan, separate: Lot goes to Sodom, and Abram
to the valley of Mamre, near to Hebron, xiii.
The kings of the Pentapolis revolt from Chedor- 1914
laomer, xiv. 4.

2090

2448
2446 2091

2444

2353

2348

Chedorlaomer and his allies make war with the 1913
kings of the Pentapolis: Lot is taken captive;
Abram and his allies pursue Chedorlaomer, de-
feat him and the confederate kings, deliver Lot
and the other captives, and is blessed by Mel-
chisedek, king of Salem, xiv.

2093 God promises Abram a numerous posterity, xv. 1. 1911
About this time, Bela, the first king of the Edom-
ites, began to reign, xxxvi. 32.

Abram being

2094 Sarai gives her maid Hagar to Abram, xvi. 2.
Of her, Ishmael is born, xvi. 15.
then 86 years old.

1910

PREFACE

TO THE

BOOK OF EXODUS.

HE name by which this book is generally distinguished, is borrowed from the Septuagint, in which it is called THE EXODUS, the going out or departure, and by the Codex Alexandrinus, et ses turn, the departure from Egypt, because the departure of the Israelites from Egypt is the most remarkable fact mentioned in the whole book. In the Hebrew Bibles it is called D VE-ELLEH SHEMOTH, these are the names, which are the words with which it commences. It contains a history of the transactions of 145 years, beginning at the death of Joseph, where the book of Genesis ends, and coming down to the erection of the tabernacle in the wilderness, at the foot of Mount Sinai.

In this book Moses details the causes and motives of the persecution raised up against the Israelites in Egypt-the orders given by Pharaoh to destroy all the Hebrew male children, and the prevention of the execution of those orders, through the humanity and piety of the midwives appointed to deliver the Hebrew women. The marriage of Amram and Jochebed is next related-the birth of Moses-the manner in which he was exposed on the river Nile, and in which he was discovered by the daughter of Pharaoh-his being providentially put under the care of his own mother to be nursed, and educated as the son of the Egyptian princess-how, when forty years of age, he left the court, visited and defended his brethren-the danger to which he was in consequence exposed-his flight to Arabia-his contract with Jethro, priest of Midian, whose daughter Zipporah he afterward espoused. While employed in keeping the flocks of his father-in-law, God appeared to him in a burning bush, and commissioned him to go and deliver his countrymen from the oppression under which they groaned. Having given him the most positive assurances of protection, and power to work miracles, and having associated with him his brother Aaron, he sent them first to the Israelites, to declare the purpose of Jehovah, and afterward to Pharaoh, to require him in the name of the Most High, to set the Israelites at liberty. Pharaoh, far from submitting, made their yoke more grievous; and Moses, on a second interview, to convince him by whose authority he made the demand, wrought a miracle before him and his courtiers. This being in a certain way imitated by Pharaoh's magicians, he hardened his heart, and refused to let the people go, till God, by ten extraordinary plagues, convinced him of his omnipotence, and obliged him to consent to dismiss a people, over whose persons and properties he had claimed and exercised a right founded only on the most tyrannical principles. The plagues by which God afflicted the whole land of Egypt, Goshen excepted, where the Israelites dwelt, were the following:

1. He turned all the waters of Egypt into blood. 2. He caused innumerable frogs to come over the whole land. 3. He afflicted both man and heast with immense swarms of vermin. 4. Afterward with a multitude of different kinds of insects. 5. He sent a grievous pestilence among their cattle. 6. Smote both man and beast with biles. 7. Destroyed their crops with grievous storms of hail, accompanied with the most terrible thunder and lightning. 8. Desolated the whole land by innumerable swarms of locusts. 9. He spread a palpable darkness all over Egypt: And, 10. In one night, slew all the first-born, both of man and beast, through the whole of the Egyptian territories. What proved the miraculous nature of all these plagues most particularly, was, 1st. Their coming exactly according to the prediction, and at the command of Moses and Aaron. 2dly. Their extending only to the Egyptians, and leaving the land of Goshen, the Israelites, their cattle and substance, entirely untouched.

After relating all these things in detail, with their attendant circumstances, Moses describes the institution, reason, and celebration of the passover-the preparation of the Israelites for their departure-their leaving Goshen, and beginning their journey to the promised land, by the way of Rameses, Succoth, and Etham. How Pharaoh, repenting of the permission he had given them to depart, began to pursue them with an immense army of horse and foot, overtook them at their encampment at Baal-zephon, on the borders of the Red sea.-Their destruction appearing then to be inevitable, Moses further relates, that having called earnestly upon God, and stretched his rod over the waters-they became divided, and the Israelites entered into the bed of the sea, and passed over to the opposite shore! Pharaoh and his host madly pursuing in the same track, the rear of their army being fairly entered by the time the last of the Israelites had made good their landing on the opposite coast, Moses stretching his rod again over the waters, they returned to their former channel, and overwhelmed the Egyptian army, so that every soul perished!

Moses next gives a circumstantial account of the different encampments of the Israelites in the wilderness, during the space of nearly forty years-the miracles wrought in their behalf-the chief of which were the pillar of cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night, to direct and protect them in the wilderness-the bringing water out of a rock for them and their cattle-feeding them with manna from heaven, bringing innumerable flocks of quails to their camp, giving them a complete victory over the Amalekites, at the intercession of Moses, and particularly God's astonishing manifestation of himself on mount Sinai, when he delivered to Moses an epitome of his whole law, in what was called the TEN WORDS, or TEN COMMANDMENTS.

Moses proceeds to give a circumstantial detail of the different laws, statutes, and ordinances which he received from God, and particularly the giving of the Ten Commandments on mount Sinai, and the awful display of the Divine Majesty on that solemn occasion: the formation of the ARK, holy table and candlestick; the TABERNACLE, with its furniture, covering, courts, &c. the brazen altar, golden altar, brazen laver, anointing oil, perfume, sacerdotal garments, for Aaron and his sons, and the artificers employed on the work of the tabernacle, &c. He then gives an account of Israel's idolatry in the matter of the golden calf, made under the direction of Aaron; God's displeasure, and the death of the principal idolaters; the erection and consecration of the tabernacle, and its being filled and encompassed with the Divine glory, with the order and manner of their marches by direction of the miraculous pillar, with which the book concludes.

187