were a declared accomplishment of his predictions*. This is surely of some consequence in the argument. And we may add, that these two books so constantly refer to all the preceding parts of Scripture, that they conclusively prove the whole to have been then extant, and received by the Jews as authentic records of divine authority. If then Ezra and Nehemiah wrote these books soon after the captivity, we may confidently infer, that the writings of Moses, and all the historical part of the Old Testament, (except Esther,) were received by the whole Jewish nation, as a divine revelation, at least five hundred years before the birth of Christ.

ESTHER.

Mr. P. says, if Madam Esther thought it any honour to offer herself as a kept mistress to Ahasuerus,' &c. Now where did he learn that she thus offered herself to be a kept mistress to the king? I apprehend that she was not put to her choice whether she would enter Ahasuerus' seraglio or not. Such insinuations too much resemble the conduct of hypoeritical priests, who say, if the people choose to be

deceived, let them be deceived.'-The book itself has this proof of authenticity, that the Jews to the present day observe the feast of Purim, in remembrance the wonderful deliverance, which God Vouchsafed them by means of Esther and Mordecai.

* Ezra i. 1.

+ P.ü. p. 37.

CHAP. III.

From Job to Solomon's Song.

JOB.

MR. P. speaks respectfully of this book*, but tries to prove it to be of Gentile extraction. It coincides, however, so entirely with the other Scriptures, in the doctrine of human depravity, of the impossibility of any man justifying himself before God, of the Redeemer that he would stand at the latter day upon the earth, of a future resurrection, and the presumption of our reasonings concerning the works and ways of God; that it accords with no other Gentile book; and it must either be explained away as a fabulous drama, or Mr. P. and his friends will not long retain their respect for it.

The word Satan, he Bible, except in Job.

says, is not mentioned in the The reader may see the accu

racy of this observation by turning to the passages referred tot! But this appears still more fully in his

P. i. p. 28. P. ii. 37, 38.

✦ 1 Chron. xxi. 1. Ps. cix. 6. Zech. iii. 1, 2.

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observation, that Pleiades, Orion, and Arcturus are Greek names; and that the Jews were so ignorant of astronomy, that they had no words answerable to them. The learned reader will know, that no such words occur in the Hebrew Bible; and the unlearned may be assured that the original word for Arcturus is Hus, that for Orion is Chesil, and that for Pleiades, Kima*.

In order to calumniate the Jews, the heathens are said to be a just and moral people, not addicted to ' cruelty and revenge.' What heathens are meant I know not: but the writers of the Greeks and Romans, and of every other nation whose histories are extant, represent mankind in a very different light. Romances about just and moral nations, not addicted to cruelty and revenge, may be found; but where shall we meet with an authentic history of such a people by an impartial well informed writer?

PSALMS.

If the Spirit of God spake by the Psalmist," and his words were upon his tonguet," and if Christ and his apostles may be credited; the Psalms, which some persons venture to call revengeful, were prophecies, and denunciations of vengeance on the enemies of the Messiah and his cause. That many of them are predictions, which have been most wonderfully accomplished, no sober man can deny‡.

*Job ix. 9. xxxviii. 31, 32.

Ps. xxii. lxix. ex.

2 Sam. xxiii. 2.

And whatever ridicule may be employed to degrade the Psalms, they are undoubtedly a collection of the most beautiful odes, and the most exalted strains of heavenly piety, that ever were published to mankind. Those ascribed to David bear internal evidence of being genuine; and it is generally understood that a considerable part of the collection was penned by other prophets and inspired persons. The absurd supposition, however, of David being the author of the hundred and thirty-seventh Psalm, gives Mr. P. an opportunity of declaiming against the imposition of the Bible, and of diverting his readers with the fancy of a man's walking in procession at his own 'funeral.' But is this the frame of mind, which becomes an inquirer after important truth?

PROVERBS.

Mr. P. allows that there is some wisdom in the Proverbs ascribed to Solomon; though he once decided, (at a time when he had no Bible,) that they were inferior to the proverbs of the Spaniards, or the maxims of Dr. Franklin*! But he supposes it to have been the fashion of that day to make proverbs, as it is now to make jest-books. If this were indeed the case, that should have been called the Age of Reason, and this the age of levity and folly: for surely wise proverbs are more reasonable, than profane, filthy, and scurrilous jests, according to the custom of modern times!

* P. i. p. 16.

Mr. P. expresses great approbation of Agur's prayer, as the only sensible, well-conceived, and well-expressed prayer in the Bible*!' I would, therefore, heartily recommend it to his constant and fervent use; with an especial attention to the clause, remove from me vanity and liest." If Agur were a Gentile, as he supposes, the Jews were not so bigoted, as to reject what they found good even among the heathen: but I imagine Mr. P. knows no more than the rest of us, who Agur and Lemuel were.

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He adds, The Jews never prayed but when they were in trouble; and never for any thing but victory, vengeance, and riches!'-All, who deem prayer their duty and privilege, will be peculiarly earnest in it during special trials, though they never wholly neglect it and nations engaged in war, if they trust in God and appeal to him, must pray for victory.— Most of the prayers of this kind, recorded in Scripture, were presented by the rulers of Israel, when assaulted by injurious and blasphemous invaders: few prayers for vengeance can be found, which are not evident predictions, or warnings to the enemies of God and scarcely any for riches, unless exemption from famine, and the blessings of plentiful harvest be so called. Solomon's prayer for wisdom, and not for riches, long life, or the life of his enemies, was not offered in trouble. Mr. P. commends the nineteenth Psalm‡, yet the latter part of it is a prayer, neither for victory, vengeance, nor riches: and no one, conversant in the Scripture, can be at a loss for instances of a similar kind. He who thus wantonly

*P. ii. p. 39. + Prov. xxx. 7, 9.

P. ii. p. 28, 29.