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It will, indeed, be feen, that the paffages felected are, chiefly, fuch, as have been flightly regarded, by the more ELABORATE Commentators, and fuch, as, appealing inftantly to the paffions and fenfibilities, demanded a more lively and tender elucidation than is usually admitted into ordinary comments.

Upon the whole, the scriptures are, in the present performance, confidered variously-as facred fyftems, and as exquifite compofitions-as the fabrics of faith, and as pieces of fine writing; and it is the author's intention to extend the commentary, at fome future opportunity.

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In the mean time, if his obfervations induce any reader to look into the BIBLE with a more cautious, or a more favourable eye, than he hath hitherto done; or, if any elegance is here marked, which had before escaped him, the publication will not be fent abroad in vain, and the author will be most pleasingly rewarded..

CON

CONTENT S.

ESSAY I.

CHAOS and CREATION.

PASSAGE.

And the earth was without form, and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the fpirit of God moved upon the waters.

ESSAY

Page 1

II.

ORIGIN of DRESS.

PASS A GE.

And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and

were not ashamed,

ESSAY

LONGEVITY.

PASSAGE.

page 13

III.

And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred fixty

and nine years.

E S SAY IV.

ORIGIN of SHIPPING.

PASSAGE.

page 25

And God faid unto Noah, make thee an ark of gopher

wood; rooms fhalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within, and without, with pitch.

page 27

ESSAY

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He fent forth a dove from him, to fee if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground.

But the dove found no reft for the fole of her foot, and the returned unto him into the ark; for the waters were on the face of the whole earth. Then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark.

And he stayed yet other seven days, and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark.

And the dove came in to him in the evening, and lo, in

her mouth was an olive leaf pluckt off: fo Noah knew that the waters were abated.

And he stayed yet other feven days, and fent forth the dove, which returned not again to him any more. p. 29. S SAY

E

THE SEASONS.

PASSAGE.

VI.

While the earth remaineth, feed-time and harvest, and cold and heat, and fummer and winter, and day and night, fhall not cease.

ESSAY

page 35

VII.

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And God faid unto Noah, the fear of you, and the dread of you, shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air; upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea : into your hand are they delivered.

page 39

ESSAY

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And Abraham faid, wilt thou alfo deftroy the righteous with the wicked, O Lord?

Peradventure, there be fifty righteous within the city; wilt thou also destroy and not fpare the city, for the fifty righteous that are therein ? &c.

ESSAY X:

page 47

STORY OF ABRAHAM and IS A A C.

PASSAGE.

And it came to pass after these things that God did tempt

Abraham.

ESS A Y XI,

DEATH of ABRAHAM.

PAS SAGE.

page 55

Then Abraham gave up the ghoft, and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people.

page 61

ESSAY

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