Scripture

Abstract

In the fourth part of the manuscript de Vallone deals with Scripture, asking whether it is worthy of God to use such a means of communication, whether it bears the marks of Divine origin, and whether it was written by the authors to whom it is attributed. He then discusses the nature and character of the prophets. As he announces the outline of his scheme in his first sub-section, it is clear that he has his plan of campaign — his design to discredit the Scriptures — worked out from the start. He seems, at first sight, to show a vast amount of erudition. Actually, he depends almost entirely on Spinoza’s Tractatus Theologico-Politicus, and on Richard Simon’s Histoire Critique du Vieux Testament and Histoire Critique duNouveau Testament. His dependence can be seen, not only from the fact that almost every example or quotation which he gives can be found in these books, but also in that he follows their order in his exposition, and that, at times, he uses their exact wording. He does, occasionally, refer to both authorities, to Spinoza more than to Simon, but he very rarely acknowledges that he is using them. Considering the habits of the time, this really cannot be considered to be plagiarism. His debt to their works will be examined in more detail later, but one can say now that, while he uses both, he seems to have been affected more by Spinoza than by Simon. As far as his use of the latter is concerned, de Vallone is very open to criticism. In dealing with the New Testament he is almost entirely dependent upon the Histoire Critique, but he takes from it only illustrations that tell against the Scriptures and never those in their favour.