I

SECTION IV.

AM far pretending to know

more than thofe, who may have applied themselves to the fciences, as I have done; And I am fure, there is hardly any thing can give me more pleasure, than real genuine information, being well convinced that there is nothing more difficult to come at.

It should matter little to us, whether men have acquired their knowledge in the college or the cottage; for if the phyfic be proper, all must agree, that it is of no import what country produces the ingredients, or who makes up the dofe. But to proceed, and to say a few words respecting the Scriptures, and what we can ascertain concerning them.

FIRST. That the Scriptures are not always naked

truths, as to the fenfe of the letter, but contain abundance of arcana, may be eafy proved: And

as

as we have loft the real meaning of many ancient, and doubtless, beautiful allegories, and are at this day unable to decipher the numberless hieroglyphics, or allufive and emblematical methods of expreffion used by the people of former ages, this is not to be wondered at. Therefore, let man use reafon as his criterion; and place her in the room of credulity and vain fuperftition, which hitherto feem to have been predominant.-There is not a proper name mentioned in the Old or New Teftaments, without having an internal and figurative, or typical fignification: and then, in the name of common fenfe, how can men be fo credulous as to believe feveral things as historical facts, which give reason, morality, and even probability the lie?

LET us only explain a few proper names as they ftand in the book of Genefis; and I believe from thence we may form some kind of idea, respecting the wonderful and hidden mysteries of the word.

-BERESHITH, GOD, ADAM, EVE, CAIN, ABEL.

In the height of time God created man, placed him in happiness, and provided him with a helpmeet, who conceived a poffeffion or fin, which murdered a shepherd or innocence and natural goodnefs. ENOCH LAMECH ADAM. Man dedicates. his life to poor useless things. NOAH METHUSALAH and when he is come to reft or peace, he is then fpoiled or taken away by death. ENOS SETH, in this ftate man is miferable, and begins to call upon the Lord for help. CAINAN MAHALALEEL, but, this is to be done with a pure heart, even in praising God; that is to fay, we are not to praise him with our lips only. MAHALALEEL ENOCH, after praifing God fincerely, and walking with him, we shall be tranflated to the Heavenly Kingdom. NOAH, and there for ever reft in peace.

I CANDIDLY inform my readers, that I have only deciphered the above names, by way of giving a fpecimen of a work, I foon intend to publifh. An attempt to explain The wonderful Arcana contained in Arts and Sciences. In fo fmall a work as the CRITIC PHILOSOPHER, it is impoffible to dwell

long upon any one subject. Therefore, it is not to be wondered at, if a part of fome fections may appear rather unconnected.-Scholars and gentlemen, I hope will excufe this-as to the criticism of others, I am regardless.

SECONDLY. That the chronology of ancient kingdoms, is involved in the greatest uncertainty, and all the fyftems, of facred chronology have been very various. Nor is this to be wondered at, fince our three Biblical copies of principle note, give a very different account of the first ages of the world. The Hebrew text reckons about four thoufand years from Adam to Chrift; and to the flood one thousand fix hundred and fifty-fix years: The Samaritan makes this interval fhorter, and reckons from Adam to the Flood, only one thousand three hundred and seven years; and the verfion of the Septuagint removes the creation of the world to fix thousand years before Chrift. The interval between the Creation and the Flood, according to Eufebius, is two thousand two hundred and fiftytwo years; according to Jofephus, two thousand

two hundred and fifty-fix years; and according to Julius Africanus, Petavius and others, it is reckoned at two thousand two hundred and fixty-two years.

Now, of all the attempts made to reconcile thefe differences, none are fatisfactory; nor do I think it poffible, as the Europeans, in particular, had no chronology before the Perfian empire, which began about five hundred and thirty-fix years before Christ, when Cyrus conquered Darius the Mede.

THIRDLY.-That the antiquities of the Greeks are full of fables, because their writings were in verse only, till the conqueft of Afia by Cyrus, the Perfian, about which time Pherecydes Syricus, and Cadmus Milefius introduced profe. After this time feveral of the Greek hiftorians introduced the computation by generations. The chronology of the Latins was still more uncertain; their old records being burned by the Gauls one hundred and twentyyears after the expulfion of their kings, fixty-four years before the death of Alexander the Great, and about three hundred and eighty-eight years before Chrift.

F 2