in his Mind. His Affertion that the Text makes our First Parents devoid of all Reason and natural Law, and that all Things in the Paradisiacal State appear to have been ordered miraculously and fupernaturally by the immediate Interpofition of God, a will make it hard for him to account for its being a moral Fable. For by this Account, they could be no moral Agents, neither therefore could they fin: or if it be infifted upon, that notwithstanding this they still might fin, then, fince they were intirely under the Direction of God and Revelation, their Sin will be chargeable on God alone. And how fuch an Example, of Perfons either wholly incapable of finning, or finning only under divine Direction, could have any Tendency to promote Morality, I leave every one to judge.

WE fhall pass on to the next Class of Difficulties attending the historical Sense, viz. Incredibilities in the Facts.

BUT it is Time to observe, that this Author has very unfkilfully endeavoured to draw in, as a Part of the Question whether the Story be Hiftorical or Fabulous, that which is quite another diftinct Question, what is to be understood by the Serpent in the Prophecy fuppofing the Story Hiftorical. If it can be proved that the Story is Historical, and that we are to believe the Transactions related by Mofes really and truly to have happened in the Order in which he relates them, then is the Time to confider in what Light this will fet a Page 104.

the

the Prophecy, and with what View it could be given. When we have once fatisfied ourselves that there were really fuch Persons as Adam and Eve once happy in Paradise, and that an apparent and actual Serpent was inftrumental in feducing them from their Innocence and thereby from their Happiness, then We may proceed to enquire whether Mofes points out to Us any other concealed Agent behind the Serpent. For we must be agreed upon this that the whole is a Relation of real Facts, before we can ever hope to determine, whether from a View of the whole as a Relation of real Facts, the Serpent is to be esteemed the principal Tempter, or whether he was only actuated by an invifible Being who judged him fit for his Purpose. I fhall therefore, omitting the latter of thefe Enquiries as befides my present Argument, confine myself wholly to the firft. For it is faid that there is here a Prophecy. And it is undeniably true that, if Mofes defcribes Realities, there is a Prophecy. This for good Reasons has been long believed to be a Prophecy of the Meffiah. Now when it is objected to this that Mofes only relates a Fable, what Part of our Opinions are We thereby challenged to defend? Surely that alone which is oppofite to the Position of our Adverfary, that Mofes relates the Truth. If We pofsessed a Town, and the Enemy had raised a Battery against it, where would we employ our Care? Surely we should defend thofe Parts of our Fortifications that the Enemy attacked. For

though

though they aimed to difpoffefs Us of the Town, yet they attack our Works, knowing that if these can be beaten down, all within them is of Course their own, and we on the contrary defend them, knowing as well that while they are defended the Town is fecure. Thus that there is a Prophecy here, and that this Prophecy relates to the Meffiah, can only be maintained so long as we can defend the Reality of this History. And if that be given up, it then falls, not as a Part of this Propofition, that the Hiftory is real, but as a Confequence of it. For thus the whole Argument ftands.

The Account which Mofes gives of the Fall is a true Hiftorical Account,

Therefore these Words, it shall bruife thy Head, and Thou shalt bruife his Heel, contain a real Prophecy.

Then follows.

This Prophecy cannot confiftently be underftood as conveying only the unferviceable Profpect of fome fortuitous Encounters between the Race of Men and Serpents, Therefore it conveyed the general Knowledge of a Redeemer, who was to repair the Lofs human Nature fuftained by the Fall, and to gain at last a compleat Victory over that very Enemy by whom our Parents had then been overcome.

An

An Opponent may perhaps deny the Antecedent in each Propofition, I think he cannot deny the Confequence in either. But now it is plain that the Antecedent of the Second cannot be disputed upon, with any Reason, till we are agreed about the Antecedent of the First. For. 'tis idle to wrangle about what Senfe We shall give the Prophecy, when we are not yet agreed whether or no it be a Prophecy. But that it is a Prophecy is you fee the Confequence of the first Propofition, and must therefore of Neceffity stand or fall with it. Whence it is that That alone must be handled and decided e'er We proceed to the Second. If the first be overthrown, the fecond falls with it, for it is founded on a Confequence from the firft. But if the firft be found true We are then at Liberty to proceed. Our Way lies over it, if it fails Us we can go no further. But if it bears, nothing hinders Us then to advance and try the Solidity of the second.

I have been thus particular in explaining this Point, left it might be thought that a material Part in the Defence of the Argument was omitted, by paffing over without Notice the Objections which this Author has thrown out obliquely against the Senfe his Lordship with most learned Men hath given this Prophecy. The present Question is, whether the Account of the Fall be an History or a Fable, Let us therefore attend to this alone. I know he disputes against all in a Breath, but this is not for the Advantage of Truth. For it tends only to embarrass

and

and render the Matter more intricate: It entangles us as we go along, and We waste our Strength in ftruggling through the perplexed Path, without being able to make any proportionable Advances towards Truth.

LET us fee now what Incredibilities are charged upon the Facts of this Narration. The Inftances which are pronounced to be irreconcileable to the Notion of a true History are fummed up in the following Manner. The Plantation of a Paradife for the Habitation of Man; The Tree of Life, and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, in the Midft of it; the Expulfion of him out of it after his Fall; The Cherubim and flaming Sword placed as a Guard to it; God coming down to walk in it in the Cool of the Day; Adam hiding himself among the Trees from the Sight of God; The Difcourfe of the Serpent; and the Curfe pronounced upon him by God, and upon the Ground alfo itself; must all be confidered as a mere Eaftern Fable. Since the Examiner has not thought fit to give us any other Reason for the Neceffity of confidering them in this Light, than barely faying that they must be thus confidered, it might be fufficient to oppofe Affertion to Affertion, and fay that they must be confidered as Facts. However, because Dr. M's Authority would be judged fuperior, we shall take a fhort Review of the Circumstances here thrown together, and endeavour to fhew, in a more fatisfactory Manner, that this Neceffity is groundless. It cannot apa Page 136.

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