ancient Phoenician character, to which the Samaritans were more accustomed. This is the theory of R. Simon, Fulda, Paulus, DeWette, and Gesenius.* Rosenmueler, Pro. in Pent. § 6. referring to these two opinions, gives in his adherence to the former; alleging as a very forcible reason for this belief, that in the whole space of time which elapsed from the revolt of the ten tribes until the destruction of the Samaritan kingdom, the prophets, Israelitish as well as Jewish, always and earnestly exhorted the people to render worship to Jehovah alone, such as is enjoined in the Pentateuch; and to the observance of the whole mass of laws prescribed in it; the same remarkable care in guarding the Mosaic institutions, being exhibited by the true prophets, both of Judah and Israel; and this entire agreement, proves that there must have been a code of laws, common to both kingdoms. These considerations, we think, enable us to trace the Pentateuch to the age of Solomon, B. C. 1000—at all events, the second theory above mentioned, proposed by our adversaries, enables us to establish the fact of its existence immediately subsequent to the captivity.

*It may be well to observe, for the information of some, that no particular authority should be attached to the opinion of any German writer, in virtue of his being a Theologian, inasmuch as the wildest and most daring spirit of speculation, untrammeled by any regard to the truth or inspiration of the Scriptures, has long prevailed in the churches of Germany.

As, then, our investigations are likely to be protracted and may become tedious to some, and as the fact under discussion is on all hands admitted, we shall regard it as incontrovertible, that the Pentateuch did exist in the age of Ezra, who flourished 444 years B. C.

SECTION III.

Concerning the agency of Ezra, in reference to the Pentateuch; the authority of the books which bear his name, and the subject of the Jewish canon in general.

THE age at which we have now arrived, is celebrated in the annals of the world, and of the highest interest in the Jewish history. Cyrus, the illustrious founder of the Persian Empire had lived, and his successors had undertaken those memorable expeditions against Greece, in which was remarkably demonstrated the inefficiency of mere physical force, when opposed to the energies of freedom, and in which such moral and intellectual qualities were developed in the invaded people, as have covered them with imperishable renown. The illustrious schools of Grecian philosophy then originated. Herodotus, the father of profane history, was preparing his immortal work. The various

nations of the earth, were becoming introduced to nearer connection with each other. And the shadows which rested over a remote antiquity, were in the act of being lifted up.

To the Jews, however, this was a period of still greater moment. It was the era of their renewed political existence, of the rebuilding of their desolated capital and temple, and of the re-establishment of its imposing worship. During several successive irruptions into Judea, the king of Babylon had carried into captivity multitudes of Jews, the holy city had been captured, and the house of Jehovah destroyed by fire.

At the expiration of seventy years, the period announced by the prophet Jeremiah as the term of their captivity, an edict of Cyrus was issued authorizing their return to their own country. Successive colonies led by Zerubbabel of the royal line, by Ezra and by Nehemiah, between the years 536 and 444, B. C., amid many obstructions and delays, succeeded in rebuilding the temple and city walls. The Jewish polity, civil and religious, was under the auspices of the two leaders last mentioned, placed upon that basis substantially, on which it continued until the final dispersion of the nation. Of the general history of Ezra, we know not much, except what is furnished by the record, that "he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the Lord God had given," and by the narrative of the

reforms which he effected, and the observances which he restored among his countrymen, in conformity to the requisitions of that law.

As in the discussions respecting the genuineness of the earlier portion of the Old Testament Scriptures, much has been said in relation to the agency of this distinguished individual, in writing, compiling, or issuing a new and corrected recension of those Scriptures, it will be necessary to inquire what are the decisions upon this subject, of contemporary documents, of trustworthy national tradition, and of probable conjecture.

What documents have we then existing derived from that age? Besides the works of the prophets, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, we have the historical books of Ezra and Nehemiah, all furnishing corroboration to each other. In addition to these, the writer of "Geology and the Pentateuch" wishes to introduce two other sources of evidence; what are termed in our translation of the Bible, first and second Esdras,* but in the primitive church, third and fourth Esdras; Ezra and Nehemiah being reckoned the first and second books of that name. It is indeed only the fourth book of Esdras, which will at all serve his purpose, inasmuch, as in this alone is contained the legend, respecting the burning of the law and its miraculous restoration through the instrumentality

* Greek Orthography of Ezra.

of Ezra. We may, however, institute an inquiry into the credit due to each of these books, not as inspired, but simply as contemporary documents, bearing upon their face a presumption of truth. In this aspect of the case, it is not necessary that we should enter at all upon the subject of the Jewish canon of Scripture, either in a general view, or with reference to these books in particular; yet since our author has led the way, we shall not shrink from following him. Let us then hear his objections to the determinateness of the canon in general. There is no known criterion of the books called " apocryphal,”—every ancient ecclesiastical author, and every division of Christians, have different notions of books "canonical," and books "apocryphal." "Professor Michaelis uses the term apocryphal for authentic, as distinguished from "inspired," and merely in opposition to "canonical." "There was no enumeration of canonical books by any Christian writer, until the time of Melito, Bishop of Sardis, A. D. 170." "No canon settled by authority, until the Council of Laodicea, A. D. 468." "Council of Carthage, A. D. 397, admitted the two books of Esdras." "The Greek and Romish Church receive Esdras as canonical." These passages occur Geol. and Pent. p. 51, 52, and on p. 7, it is said the canon was settled by Church authority, at the Council of Carthage, A. D. 397, although as is seen above, it is alleged not to have been settled by ecclesiastical