COMMUNICATION.

Of Cain and Abel.

THE story of Cain and Abel is told in the fourth chapter of Genesis. Cain was the elder brother, and Abel the younger, and Cain killed Abel. The Egyptian story of Typhon and Osiris, and the Jewish story of Genesis of Cain and Abel, have the appearance of being the same story differently told, and that it came originally from Egypt.

In the Egyptian story, Typhon and Osiris are brothers; Typhon is the elder, and Osiris the younger, and Typhon kills Osiris. The story is an allegory on darkness and light; Typhon the elder brother is darkness, because darkness was supposed to be more ancient than light: Osiris is the good light, who rules during the summer months, and brings forth the fruits of the earth and is the favourite, as Abel is said to have been, for which Typhon hates him; and when the winter comes and cold and darkness overspread the earth, Typhon is represented as having killed Osiris out of malice, as Cain is said to have killed Abel.

The two stories are alike in their circumstances, and their event, and are probably but the same story; what corroborates this opinion, is, that the fifth chapter of Genesis, historically contradicts the reality of the story of Cain and Abel in the fourth chapter; for though the name of Seth a son of Adam, is mentioned in the fourth chapter, he is spoken of in the fifth chapter, as if he was the first born of Adam. The chapter begins thus:

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This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day "that God created man, in the likeness of God created he "him.Male and female created he them, and blessed them, and called their name Adam in the day when they were created,And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years and begat a son, in his own likeness and after his own image, and called his name Seth." The rest of the chapter goes on with the genealogy.

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Any body reading this chapter can't suppose there were any sons born before Seth. The chapter begins with what is called the creation of Adam, and calls itself the book of the generations of Adam, yet no mention is made of such persons as Cain and Abel; one thing, however, is evident on the face of these two chapters, which is, that the same person is not the writer of both; the most blundering historian could not have committed himself in such a manner.

Though I look on every thing in the first ten chapters of Genesis to be fiction, yet fiction historically told should be

consistent, whereas these two chapters are not. The Cain and Abel of Genesis, appears to be no other than the ancient Egyptian story of Typhon and Osiris, the darkness and the light, which answered very well as an allegory without being believed as a fact.

SUPPOSE

MIRACLES.

UPPOSE for instance, that a miracle-monger and a dexterous juggler both perform alike things to appearance, though the one be real, and the other delusory, while the evidence of the facts seems to be equal on both sides; who but those that are skilled in the one, or the other, can distinguish the one from the other? How many juggling tricks of Heathen and Popish priests are recorded in history for miracles; and other impositions for the wonderful works of their Gods and Saints, all for the honour and glory of religion, and sometimes to subdue men's minds to virtue: Are they capable of the same evidence as other historical facts? How easy is it for a pious soul to be induced to believe notorious frauds, that have the face of piety, and seem done to promote it; are the reports of strange things, which they are not in a condition to make a true judgment of, equal to those of other historical facts? Tho' alt historical facts recorded are not true, yet there is a vast difference between the probable and improbable. If a man tells me he came over Westminster bridge to day, it may be true, though a little objection may lie against it, because it is not quite finished, which may occasion some further questions, in order to be better satisfied of the truth of it; but if he tells me he took a running jump, at low tide, and leapt it over just by the bridge, I know it to be impossible, therefore a lie, and enquire no more about it. Is this latter story as credible as the former? no sure, though I may know the relater, and know him to be an honest man, that is not used to lye; and tho' it be attested by many others. I ought to have extraordinary evidence, to induce me to believe extraordinary things, that are supernatural, which cannot be so credible as ordinary things which are natural. In cases where there is difficulty and danger in trusting to ones own senses and judgment, there is much more in trusting to the senses and judgment of others, and confiding in their report: : therefore such reports are not as capable of the same evidence, nor as fit to be believed as other historical Facts. Since we are warned against the impositions of false

miracles, we have certainly a right to enquire what are true, and whether any? And therefore we should be most careful of trusting those that are most capable of deceiving. Not only the histories of miracles should be cautiously received, but the performer of them; for as a man possessed of uncontrollable power is not a proper person to be trusted with my property, neither is such a person proper to be the director of my judgment, who can by his power play upon my weakness, by his art impose upon my understanding, and by his tricks deceive my senses; a miracle worker has it in his power to do all these things. Men are often deceived without a wonder, but wonders are very capable of deceiving; and therefore a wonder-working man may be a powerful deceiver; he that can alter things, or the nature of them in any case, can also alter the appearances of things, by either of which the rules of truth and certainty are destroyed; because either the observer is deceived, or there is no tract left for his judgment; for what confounds the order of nature must confound man's judgment. When a point is to be proved by miracle, we give up reason to authority, and by the same means, if it can be done, it may raise any sort of deity, or establish any doctrine. Suppose but the power and possibility of deception in a miraculous operator, which I think may be reasonably supposed, and then there is not the same reason to believe a miracle, as in cases, where no possibility of such power is; for the appearances of things are more easily changed, than the reality of them? Therefore miracles are not capable of the same evidence, nor have an equal right to be believed as other historical facts, let the evidence be reputed ever so credible. Both a miracle-worker and the reporters of miracles, are of all mankind the least fit to put confidence in, and the most to be guarded against; because we ought always to be on our guard against the appearance and possibility of deception; there. fore the miracle-worker, the work, and reporter have not an equal right to be believed, nor are as credible as other common facts, by those that would neither be imposed upon, nor impose on others. Common sense teaches us, that stories probable and improbable are not on the same foundation, nor have or deserve equal credit. Besides, an easy belief upon hearsay, a surprise, incurious enquiry, the fondness of novelty, and of telling a surprising tale, loving that others should believe as we do; add to these downright fibbing for pleasure or profit, render the stories of miracles, not so credible as other historical facts. It is certain, that nothing has been more pernicious and deadly to the reason, freedom and happiness of mankind, than men's giving up their understandings to the faith of won

derful stories.

It has introduced and established spiritual

tyranny in teachers, and slavery in believers.

English writer.

INEVITABLE evils are ever best supported, it is suspence, it is hope that constitutes the food of misery; certainty is always endured because known to be past amendment, and felt to give defiance to struggling.

WHO nought believe, but what they see
We such free thinkers call;

But how can they free thinkers be,
Who never think at all?

Good heavens! why should so much be heaped on a few whom profusion cannot satisfy, while a bare competency is with-held from multitudes, whom penury cannot render discontented.

COMPLAISANCE is undoubtedly one of those qualities, which every man should carry into society, but at the same time he should know its proper bounds; for really it is pushing attention and politeness to a very great length, to sacrifice four and twenty hours together to the whims of other people.

PAINFUL are the apprehensions of deserved punishment, and excruciating the torments of remorse; with horror they haunt our retirement, with fearful anxiety they interrupt our rejoicings:-Happy he whom no racking conscience accuses; the sense of misfortune may be softened, but the consciousness of guilt and the pangs of remorse are eternal.

THE CONFERENCE.

"I am come," said his Reverence to Spintext, to borrow Good brother your pulpit to preach in to-morrow;" "For what purpose!". "Pshaw that your own reason

must teach,

"If I ask for your pulpit, my aim is to preach!"

"Excuse me," said Spineext, "I've vow'd while I live To no man on earth that permission to give,"

"Your reasons, dear Sir !". Why, in truth I have two, "One of which in all conscience, I think should serve you, "First, if you preach better than I do you see,

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My flock will in future think nothing of me;

"And if you preach worse sir, I speak without sneering, Depend on my word sir, you are not worth hearing.

CERTAINTY.

HAD you, in Copernicus's time, asked all the world, did the sun rise, did the sun set, to-day? they would one and all have answered, that is a certainty; we are fully certain of it: thus they were certain, and yet mistaken.-Witchcraft, divinations, and possessions, were for a long time universally accounted the most certain things in the world.-What numberless crowds have seen all these fine things, and have been certain of them! but at present such certainty begins to lose its credit. A mathematical demonstration is a very different certainty from these: they were only probabilities, which, on being searched into, are found errors; but mathematical certainty is immutable and eternal.-I exist, I think, I feel pain; is all this as certain as geometrical truth? Yes. And why? because these truths are proved by the same principle, that a thing cannot at the same time be and not be.-I cannot at one and the same time exist and not exist, feel and not feel.-A triangle cannot have and not have a hundred and eighty degrees, the sum of two right angles. Thus the physical certainty of my existence and my sensation, and mathematical certainty, are of a like validity, though differing in kind.-But this is by no means applicable to the certainty founded on appearances, or the unanimous relations of men. Voltaire.

PUBLIC DISCOURSES concerning the principles and character of Christian superstition, will be delivered by the Editor every Sunday evening at seven o'clock, at Shepherd's Long-Room, No. 11, George

street.

NEW-YORK:

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