to give an explication of these, and other particulars, that fhall be, in all refpects, fatisfactory, Burnett, Archæol, 1. 2. c. 8, 9. Jennings's Aftron, Append. 1195. The appearances of abfurdity in the account of the fall, of fuppofing a brute ferpent to speak, Eve not to be alarmed at it, and the ferpent to be sentenced to what he always did, and could not but do, to go upon his belly, arife, according to fome, only from ta king, in a literal fenfe, figurative expreffions used concerning the devil, Chandler's Serm. Gerard's Serm. vol. 1. Serm. 4. 1196. There is no abfurdity in fuppofing the deluge univerfal, on account of the vast quantity of water neceffary for overflowing the earth to fuch a depth as Mofes afferts; for, that quantity might, poffibly, be naturally brought upon it, and certainly could, by a miracle. Burnett. Whifton. Keil. Saurin. Nichols. Edwards. Ray. 1197. We are too much ignorant of the real dimenfions of Noah's ark, and, likewise, of the number of the originally distinct kinds of animals, to be able to determine that it was impoffible for it to contain the numbers faid by Mofes to have been received into it. Wells's Geog. of O. T. v. 1. Saurin, Difs. v. I., Univ. Hift. v. 1. Calmet's Dict. Wilkins's Real Char. p. 2, c. 5. 6, 7. Stillingf. Orig. Sacr. 1. 3. c. 4. § 7. 1198. It is faid to be abfurd to reprefent the rainbow as created after the deluge, and made the fign of a covenant then entered into, when it neceffarily results from the nature of light and of rain; but, either the conftitution of the antediluvian world may have been fuch as to prevent its appearance, or, it might have been, after the flood, only appropriated to a new purpofe, though it had always appeared. Burnett. Whift. Nichols. Saurin. 1199. Objections raised against incidents related in Scripture, as, Balaam's afs fpeaking, fome of Sampfon's exploits, &c. are not fufficient to render them incredible; fuch facts being profeffedly related as miraculous, and fome of them, too, being capable of interpretations, which render them lefs marvellous than they are generally thought to be. Stackhoufe. 1200. The Scripture seems to suppose the reality of magical operations, and witchcraft; but, they cannot be, on that account, proved abfurd; for, though the greatest part of what has paffed as fuch, has doubtless been the effect of a disordered imagination, or artificial contrivance, or mere fiction and impofition; yet, we cannot be certain that evil spirits have never been permitted fuch communication with mankind. 1201. There is no abfurdity in the accounts fo frequent in the New Teftament, of demoniacs, or perfons poffeffed by evil fpirits, and tormented with difeafes by by their influence; whether, with fome, we explain these paffages as fpeaking only of certain natural difeafes, in language accommodated to the notions then commonly entertained of them; or whether, as is the general opinion, we confider them as real poffeffions. 1202. The healing virtue of the pool at Bethesda, after its being moved by the angel, is miraculous, but, not abfurd or incredible. John v. 4. Macknight. Griefb. 1203. When fome of the doctrines of revelation are represented as contrary to reason, the contrariety alleged generally affects, not the expreffions of any text of Scripture concerning them, but, fome of the explications which men have given of these doctrines; and, therefore, belongs more properly to the System, than to Scripture criticifm. SECT. II., Seeming Contradictions to Morality. 1204. THOUGH it must be acknowledged by every perfon of common candour, that the Scripture contains, in general, the purest morality, yet, there are fome particular paffages, which have been reprefented as giving countenance to immorality. There are inftances of this in historical relations-in occafional commands -in ftanding precepts-in doctrines-and in prophecies. 1205. 1. The characters of fome of the faints mentioned in Scripture, are, in fome refpects, faulty; but, as their faults are, fometimes, exprefsly condemned-fometimes, merely related as facts; as their characters are often, notwithstanding these faults, excellent upon the whole; as the not concealing them shows the integrity of the writers, and tends to answer many good purposes, they give no countenance to immorality. Noah's drunkennefs. Jacob's deceiving Ifaac. Jephtha and 1206. None of the actions recorded of Jefus Chrift are, in the smallest degree, immoral, or inconfiftent with finless perfection. His fevere rebukes of the Jews, of Peter. His hurtful miracles. John ii. 4, 10. feeming disrespect to his mother—af fertion fertion that his hour was not come encouraging intemperance. Chandler, Anf. to Woolfton. John vii. 8. not going up to the feaft. John viii. 3, &c. the woman caught in adultery. The paffage, however, is doubtful. Michael. Marfh's Tranfl. Griefb. 1207. 2. God's command to Abraham to facrifice Ifaac, has been reprefented as a command to commit murder in its most horrid form, and, confequently, as inconfiftent with the holiness of God to give; but it may be vindicated, whether we confider it as only a fymbolical action, or whether, without this, we refolve it into God's fovereignty over the lives of his crea tures. Warb. Div. Leg. Tillotf. vol. 2. Serm. 2. Anfwerers to 1208. The Ifraelites borrowing from the Egyptians valuable things, which they never intended to restore, is reprefented as an act of injuftice; and the divine direction, by which they did it, as authorizing theft: but God has the property of all things, and may transfer it from one to another in what way he pleafes; if they had intended to reftore them, Pharaoh's fudden order to them to leave Egypt, might have put it out of their power; but, in fact, the words fignify, not that they borrowed, but that they asked or demanded them, and that they were given them voluntarily. Tillotf. yol. 2. Burnett's B. L. Kennic. Remarks. 1209. The extirpation of the Canaanites, which the Jews executed by divine command, is reprefented as a fhocking |