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of the text, 1 Kings, 6-[. If the accurate archbishop, or 

 the learned Marsham, had examined the text with unpreju- 

 diced judgment; if they had fo]h:)wed, step by step, the 

 detail of the narrative, and had collected and applied the 

 various minute circumstances of elucidation and commentary 

 which may be gleaned from the perusal, they would not 

 have been compelled to adopt, or invent, systems so unsup- 

 ported and so unauthorized, to defend a single text by the 

 disregard or neglect of several equally authentic and express. 

 And perhaps, also, had their adversaries and opponents, who 

 have been more willing to point out and to reprobate the 

 errors of these great men, than to imitate the example they 

 have afforded of a laudable anxiety for the interests of truth, 

 and for the authenticity of Scripture, been less desirous of 

 acquiring the praise of ingenuity and originality, than of es- 

 tablishing their titles to the more solid applause of accuracy 

 and candour; ihei/, also, would have perceived, that, the 

 text, within itself, affords materials to justify and to recon- 

 cile its apparent inconsistencies ; and that, new light, autho- 

 rity, and evidence, in favour of the truth and testimony of the 

 ■whole, may be struck out from the collision and analysis of 

 the parts; that the few rules aird observations we have laid 

 down are to be found in Scripture, as they are in reason; 

 and that, from a simple adherence to the principles they 

 indicate and propose, every difficult}' will be simplified, cor- 

 rected, or removed. It must be evident, that the sacred his- 

 torian. 



