independent principles: and, availing themselves of the obscurity of their master's language, denied that this doctrine, notwithstanding the consent of antiquity, was inculcated or believed by Plato*: till by

* That Plato intended to inculcate this doctrine, is virtually proved by his introducing Timæus the Locrian as the speaker in his dialogue upon the origin and nature of the universe; when Timæus had laid down his opinion so clearly and openly, πρίν ἔρανον γένεσθαι, λόγῳ ἥστην ιδέα xai a. The fact is, that almost any thing, except a clear and consistent system, may be educed from the various and voluminous works of Plato and Aristotle. An opinion which they and the other ancient philosophers are very far from deserving, might be formed by a person who took his idea of their doctrine from summaries or abstracts. In these, one general view is given of sentiments which were originally scattered not only through various pages, but even through many different treatises: collected, they appear perspicuous, and even sublime; but in their original state are usually inconsistent and unintelligible. For instance; Dr. Gillies, in his Analysis of Aristotle's Works, arranges what he terms "a system of theology, not less satisfactory than sublime:" p. 138. But when we trace this system to its source, we find it collected in part from the fourteen books of Metaphysics, in part from the Physical Auscultations, in part from the Treatise on the Heaven: scarcely two sentences taken from the same chapter, and often one sentence composed from chapters originally detached. Not to mention, that the paraphrastic form adopted in abstracts of this

degrees the advocates of Plato, who also called themselves Christians, endeavoured to introduce a consistent system of universal philosophy, in which the errors of the learned and the folly of the vulgar were professedly corrected by the light of the Scriptures. The diffusion of philosophical truth is slow and gradual; but where the intercourse of conflicting opinions is free, those arguments which have their foundation in reason, will ultimately take the lead. It is not surprising therefore, that the majority of theistical philosophers should coincide at last in opinions consonant to those of Moses, respecting the attributes of the Deity, and the formation of the world*: but it must be remembered that these authorities can no more convey to us a just idea of the confusion before ex

kind gives a clearness to what in its literal interpretation scarcely conveys any intelligible idea.

* In the same way the absurdities of the popular faith became more generally avowed, and more boldly exposed. This is very observable in the open sarcasm of Juvenal, Seneca, and Lucian: language like theirs was not ventured before the Christian æra. See in particular Lucian's Timon.

isting, than the order of the universe can of the previous chaos.

Hume has justly observed, that "were men led into the apprehension of invisible, intelligent power, by a contemplation of the works of nature, they could never possibly entertain any conception but of one single Being, who bestowed existence and order on this vast machine, and adjusted all its parts according to one regular plan or connected system*." To this unbiassed testimony may be added that of Lord Bolingbroke; who has declared, that "the idea of an all-wise and all-powerful Being, the first cause of all things, is proportionable to human reason, and that the whole universe bears witness to his existence." This rational doctrine, as it is most justly characterized, was the doctrine of Moses, and was explicitly taught by him alone of all the ancient philosophers who attempted to give any account of the existence of the world. It is a fact which can be no otherwise explained, than by admitting the truth of the history itself, that Moses in a

* Hist. of Nat. Religion.

very early age, and in an unphilosophical country, taught and established a system which philosophers gradually approached, as the cultivation of the human mind advanced: and which appeared most agreeable to reason, when reason was most improved.

SECT. IX.

Moses neither received his Doctrine of the Creation from the Egyptians, nor from the popular Belief of the Israelites.

If it is thus morally improbable, that Mo

ses should have been the inventor of the sublime theology he established among the Hebrews, we come now to consider the second explanation that may be proposed. The Hebrews, it is said, during some centuries preceding the age of Moses, had been a settled people in a civilized nation; and Moses being "learned in all the wis"dom of the Egyptians," it is pretended that he imbibed from that fountain the opinions he promulgated concerning the creation of the world*.

ἐννοείτω

* In a sentence of Simplicius's Commentary on Aristotle (1. 8, p. 268), this is affirmed, but merely at random. Speaking of the Mosaic account, he says, wvozita (Grammaticus, against whom he is arguing) or viÒ Tís ἐστιν ἤ παράδοσις, καὶ ἀπὸ μύθων Αιγυπτίων ειλκυσμένη. See Huet. Dem. Evang. Prop. 4, c. 4.