hem. For [7] they persevered in the religion which he taught them,
joining with it the worship of their own Gods; and by persevering in what
they had been taught, they preserved this book of their Law in the original
character of the _Hebrews_, while the two Tribes, after their return from
_Babylon_, changed the character to that of the _Chaldees_, which they had
learned at _Babylon_.

And since the _Pentateuch_ was received as the book of the Law, both by the
two Tribes and by the ten Tribes, it follows that they received it before
they became divided into two Kingdoms. For after the division, they
received not laws from one another, but continued at variance. _Judah_
could not reclaim _Israel_ from the sin of _Jeroboam_, and _Israel_ could
not bring _Judah_ to it. The _Pentateuch_ therefore was the book of the Law
in the days of _David_ and _Solomon_. The affairs of the Tabernacle and
Temple were ordered by _David_ and _Solomon_, according to the Law of this
book; and _David_ in the 78th Psalm, admonishing the people to give ear to
the Law of God, means the Law of this book. For in describing how their
forefathers kept it not, he quotes many historical things out of the books
of _Exodus_ and _Numbers_.

The race of the Kings of _Edom_, before there reigned any King over
_Israel_, is set down in the book of [8] _Genesis_; and therefore that book
was not written entirely in the form now extant, before the reign of
_Saul_. The writer set down the race of those Kings till his own time, and
therefore wrote before _David_ conquered _Edom_. The _Pentateuch_ is
composed of the Law and the history of God's people together; and the
history hath been collected from several books, such as were the history of
the Creation composed by _Moses_, _Gen_. ii. 4. the book of the generations
of _Adam_, _Gen._ v. i. and the book of the wars of the Lord, _Num._ xxi.
14. This book of wars contained what was done at the Red-sea, and in the
journeying of _Israel_ thro' the Wilderness, and therefore was begun by
_Moses_. And _Joshua_ might carry it on to the conquest of _Canaan_. For
_Joshua_ wrote some things in the book of the Law of God, _Josh._ xxiv. 26
and therefore might write his own wars in the book of wars, those being the
principal wars of God. These were publick books, and therefore not written
without the authority of _Moses_ and _Joshua_. And _Samuel_ had leisure in
the reign of _Saul_, to put them into the form of the books of _Mos