I may, however, refer the reader to the work of the pious and learned Dean Prideaux, on "The Old and New Testament connected," a work which is one of the literary ornaments of the last century.

He will also find the subject more recently and exhaustively discussed by Bishop Colenso.

The following paragraphs will convey a sufficiently distinct impression of the present state of the controversy: The Pentateuch is affirmed to have been written by Moses, under the influence of divine inspiration.

Considered thus, as a record vouchsafed and dictated by the Almighty, it commands not only scientific but universal consent.
But here, in the first place, it may be demanded, Who or what is it that has put forth this great claim in its behalf?
Not the work itself.

It nowhere claims the authorship of one man, or makes the impious declaration that it is the writing of Almighty God.
Not until after the second century was there any such extravagant demand on human credulity.