Son of Segub, the Brother of Caleb But there was another fair, a Judge in Ifrael, who lived about Three or Four Hundred Years after the former, Judg. 10. 3. 'Tis true that this last Judge had Thirty Sons, who dwelt in Thirty different Cities, all known by the name of Havoth-Fair, as were also fome Cities of Gilead, from the name of the first Fair; and in all this there is nothing furprising. But the first fair could not poffibly be a Judge in Ifrael, in the time that is mentioned in the Book of Judges, unless we grant him to have been as long liv'd as the Patriarchs of the former World, which would not agree with what the Scripture fays, that all that Generation which had feen Joshua, were gathered unto their Fathers; that the Ifraelites finned, and ferved strange Nations, but that God afterwards raised them up Judges. Fofhua lived a long while being 110 Years old when he died; all they who had known him died alfo. The Ifraelites finned, and lived a long time in Bondage God raised them up Judges. Fair was not the Firit nor the Second of thofe Judges. Orboniel procured, the Ifraelites a Reft of Forty Years: They ferved Eglon Eighteen Years. Ehud killed Eglon, and procured the Iraelites a rest of Eighty Years. They were afterwards oppreffed by Fabin, but Deborah delivered them. The Children of Ifrael finned again, fo God delivered them up to the Midianites; but Gideon delivered them Gideon died; Abimeleck his Son fucceeded him. He died, and Thola judged Ifrael after him Twenty Three Years. Then fucceeded Fair the Gileadite, who judged Ifracl Twenty Two Years.

5

His Obfervation concerning the Prophet and the Seer, is in my Opinion of little or no confequence:

1 Sam. 9.9.

fequence: For to folve the Objection he infers from thence against us, we need but reply, that there was a time when this was a common Saying in Ifrael, Come and let us go to the Seer, and another time it was more ufual to call this Seer by the Name of Nabi,which is all that's true in this matter. For because I do not believe that this Author would deny but that the Prophets were called among the Ifraelites, the Seers of the Lord till Efdras's time, nay, in his very Days too, (though they were more ufually called by the name of Prophets,) fo likewife I do not deny, but that there was a time in Ifrael, when common ufe required they fhould call them Seers rather than Prophets; and this is all that can be inferred from the Place that is quoted against us in this respect.

A Method to prove the truth of the Jewish Re ligion against all the crafty Subtilties of the Incredulous.o

E had need be very much inclinable to Incredulity, to be able to find any thing in the Critical Objections of Spinofa, or in any that can be made by any Man elfe against us, capable to make us doubt but one Moment of the Founda tions of Religion. For what, becaufe we find Two or Three Parenthefes in the Books of Mofes, which

fome

fome will by no means allow that Mofes was the Author of, and which would be of no force against us, for that very reason, because they appear to be no part of his Works, does that at all hinder it to be true, that the Prophets did actually foretel the Calling of the Gentiles, with all the Circumftances of it? That Mofes and Jefus Christ illuftrate one another, and that the Foundations of Religion are fo clofely link'd with the Lights of Common Senfe, that we muft neceffarily renounce all Reafon fhould we in the leaft fufpect them?

But to keep within the bounds of the Subject I now treat of, I'demand whether it be poflible for any reasonable Man not to perceive, that the truth of the Jewish Religion confidered separately by it felf, is grounded on fuch folid Foundations as are never to be thaked by any fuch frivolous Obfervations?

In effect, though we fhould not view it on all its advantagious fides, as in refpect of its Morality, knowledge of the true God, agreement with Natural Religion, wonderful Harmony with the Gofpel, its Prophefies, Characters of Piety and Self-Denial, which appears in the Doctrin of it, and of that great and fenfible advantage it had over all other Religions, we might however eafily demonstrate its Divinity, and that in fuch a manner, as would effectually convince all Men of Sepfe and Reason to believe it.

In order thereunto, we need but diftinctly to prove these Three Capital Truths. I. That all the Effential Matters of Fact contained in the Pentateuk were either written by Mofes himself, or by his Orders. II. That fince Mofes has left them to us in writing, by confequence they cannot but be true. III. That being true, they fufficiently

prove the Divinity of the Jewish Religion, against all the efforts of Impiety.

But the First of these Three Principles is the hardest to prove; yet I will clearly prove, that if Mofes penn'd his own felf thofe Miraculons Matters of Fact we are told of in the Pentateuk, he could never have done it against the truth and the publick knowledge which every one had of them; which thing no longer admits of any difficulty, fo foon as you have examined the circumstances of thofe Matters of Fact.

I shall no lefs easily make it appear, that fuppofing all thofe Miracles were true, it will follow that God who is the Author of thofe Laws of Nature, whofe courfe was interrupted by thofe Miracles, must have neceffarily manifested himself to the Ifraelites.

So that our main and principal business at prefent will be to fhew, that the Effential Matter of the Pentateuk, I mean thofe fingular and remarkable Matters of Fact, in which the Finger of God was fo visibly feen, are no fabulous Matters of Fact, but fuch whofe Memory Mofes has preferved to us in certain and infallible Monuments. In effect, there is nothing more certain, than that we find thofe Matters of Fact in Writing: First, In the Law of Moses. Secondly, In the other Books of the Pentateuk. Thirdly, In the Writings of all the Prophets. Fourthly, In the very Hearts, and in the Remembrance of the Iraelites, who were bound continually to meditate upon them, and could not but have fome Notions of them after that Mofes had taken fuch certain Measures for that purpose. Fifthly, In the practice and publick Worship of the Jews, whofe Ceremonies were nothing else but repre

fentations

fentations of those ancient Events. And Sixthly, 'Tis fo true that all thofe Matters of Fact were fo infeparably interwoven with the wellfare of the Commonwealth of the Jews, and the Establishment thereof, that if I may fo fpeak, they still appear painted out in their prefent dejected Condition. But we fhall fee in the fequel of this work, the certainty of all those different Monuments which were the Instruments whereby the Jewish Revelation was preferved entire down to us.

CHA P.