203 



the writer, who would venture to propose it as a decisive 

 argument, and rely on it as an admitted principle ; who 

 lays down his premises in gratuitous assertion, and deduces 

 his conclusion in triumphant demonstration ? 



Qui cum prsesumpserit majorem atque minorem 

 Ex male praesumptis urgeat Ergo sequi. 



Owen. Epig. 10. 46. 



To say nothing of the soundness of that rhetoric, which 

 first proposes the strongest and most unobjectionable of all 

 arguments, by denying the authority of the only record pro- 

 duced against its principles, and then, instead of resting on 

 this substantial invalidation of the contrary testimony, or of 

 dwelling on this great ground of authority in its own favour, 

 weakens its force and dissipates its effect, by the addition of 

 other testimonies equally inconsequent and unauthenticated, 

 independent and unconnected; sources, which themselves 

 are unproved, and may be retorted against his conclusion 

 and his cause. 



But to consider the remainder of his arguments separately — 

 I. It is not in the parallel passage (11 C. 3. 2.) admitted; but 

 the conclusion that it is suppositious in the text, (1 K. 6. 1.) 

 is by no means deducible, because we know there are many 

 passages in each, that differ materially; because there are 

 many facts, circumstances, and statements in the one, not to 



be 



