to what I have said upon each Point, where I had Occafion to treat upon that Subject; and fhew what has been faid or done by the late Pretenders, from the late Heathens, or their own Heads, and compare them, for the Benefit of those who have not Time to read much.

There are many Reasons why this was not done fooner; we had these Books from the Jews, Acts vii. 38, Who received the lively Oracles to give unto us. Rom. iii. 2, Because that unto them were committed the Oracles of God. Many of the Jews low down, apoftatized, worshipped the Heavens, the Names; were carried into Captivity, loft their Language, the Knowledge of Jehovah Aleim and the Knowledge of the Powers in the Names, as all the Heathens had done by the Confufion of Tongues, in order to prepare them to receive Christianity. After the Jews returned,they rejected the Divinity of Chrift, in Hopes he should be a temporal Prince. In this State they made the first Tranflation, for a Country who were Heathen. And these apoftate Jews, upon their own Principles tranflated the Scriptures, to make them deny the Trinity. And if they had not been apoftate, they neither durft have explained the real Trinity, nor B 4 have

have exposed the Shadow, the Names or falfe ones, which the Heathens worshipped; and their Race has ever fince contrived Rules, &c. writ, and pointed to obfcure thofe Articles. Hence our Divines, who have fuppofed that the Translation was fairly and truly made, have made two Mistakes. First, fuppofe that Philofophy was not contained in the Scripture, and that it had no Relation to Religi on or Divinity; or that the Knowledge in Divinity had no Dependance upon it: And Secondly, have fuppofed that the Jewish Syftem was not the fame as the Chriftian: which have prevented all Enquiries into the Hebrew Scriptures about these two Points. Though the first was neceffary to fhew that the Powers were in the Effence, and that the Names were only mechanical and inanimate; and tho' illiterate Creatures have afferted, that Christianity was as old as the Creation, as they fuppofed in Ridicule; It was contrived before that, and in Practice it is as old as the Belief of Adam after his Fall, and the ancient Jews understood it as well as we. John viii. 56. Your Father Abraham rejoiced to fee my Day, and he faw it, and was glad. Heb. iv. 2. For unto us was the Gospel preached as well as

unto

unto them. ibid xi. 24. By Faith Mofes efteeming the Reproach of Chrift greater Riches than the Treasures in Egypt, for he had refpect unto the Recompence of the Reward, &c. 1 Pet.i. 10, 11. of which Salvation the Prophets have enquired fearching what or what manner of Time the Spirit of Chrift which was in them did fignify, when it teftified beforehand the Sufferings of Christ, and the Glory that fhould follow, &c.

Mofes, who fhewed his Commiffion and his Mafter's Power, by commanding and controuling all Nattire, for the Benefit of Pofterity recorded what had been revealed to Man, to prevent his being imposed upon by the Devil or Impoftors, and his being thereby feparated from his Support and Happiness, by believing or allowing the Eternity of, or any Properties or Powers, in Matter. And every Affertion he made was neceffary, to prove that those -mentioned, and no other Effence, Subftance, Being, or Power, had any hand in each or any Act; and that the Subftances had no other Powers in them, than fuch as are mentioned; fo Gen. i. 1. That the Aleim (those who had mutually fworn to a Covenant, if Satan feduced Man, to redeem him) created the Subftance of the Heavens (Names) and the Substance

Subftance of the Earth, in Atoms inactive, in certain Situations,&c. And left it should be difputed who thefe Aleim were, or who any of them who joined in this Act was, because that Subftance which was afterwards formed into thofe Names, were alfo afterwards by the Heathens called Aleim, and others might dream of Angels, Devils, or Creatures, when the Creation of the Names and of the Earth is recited Chap. ii. 4. and the Formation of Man out of that Part or Species of the Earth of which Man is compofed, is recited v. 7. he joins Jehovah (that which bees with all Faculties and Powers, the Effence exifting) which had all Power in itfelf, and Power of exercifing it in creating all Substances and in forming all Subftances and Creatures, and of acting by them or in them, in Oppofition or Diftinction to the Power in the created Subftance of the Names, then made a Machine, or in any Perfon or Thing, or to any Power mechanical, organical,or to any other Limitation, of Manner, Degree,Place, or Distance, with further Restrictions afterwards occafionally, that there were no other Aleim, that there was no other Jehovah, that it was one, the fame, &c. to Pfal. Ixii, 11. The Aleim hath spoken once, twice have I

heard

משל

heard this, that all W Power, (Strength) belongeth unto the Aleim, Jer. v. 14. Fehovah Aleim of Hofts. Amos iii. 13. Jehovah Aleim, the Aleim of Hofts. ibid. iv. 13. Jehovah Aleim, the Aleim of Hofts is his Name. Pfal. lxvi. 5. Come and fee the Works of the Aleim He wruleth by his Power for ever, his Eyes behold the Nations. 1 Par. xxix. 10. Bleffed be thou Jehovah Aleim-thine,OJehovah,is the Greatness, and the a Power, and the Glory, and the Victory, and the Majefty-in thine Handis Power and Might; fo Pfal. lxxi. 17, 18. fo the apocryphal Writers, Wifd. xii. 16, For thy Power is the Beginning of Righteousness, and becaufe thou art Lord of all, it maketh thee to be gracious unto all. So of one of them, Dan. vii. 14, His job Dominion is an ever-lafting Dominion; so Luke i. 33. fo John i. 3, All things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. Col. i. 16, For by him were all things created, &c. (even the chief or first-born of every Creature which was joined to him) Rev. x. 6. And fwear by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created Heaven, &c. Heb. iii. 4, But he that built all things is Theos, (the Irradiator) that which has Motion, Power, &c.