75WithregardtothebuildingoftheTemplebySolomon，ifitwasreallydictatebyGodwemustmaintainthesamedoctrine:namely，thatallthemeasurementswererevealedaccordingtotheopinionsandunderstandingoftheking；foraswearenotboundtobelievethatSolomonwasamathematician，wemayaffirmthathewasignorantofthetrueratiobetweenthecircumferenceandthediameterofacircle，andthat，likethegeneralityofworkmen，hethoughtthatitwasasthreetoone。76Butifitisallowabletodeclarethatwedonotunderstandthepassage，ingoodsoothIknownothingintheBiblethatwecanunderstand；fortheprocessofbuildingistherenarratedsimplyandasamerematterofhistory。77If，again，itispermittedtopretendthatthepassagehasanothermeaning，andwaswrittenasitisfromsomereasonunknowntous，thisisnolessthanacompletesubversaloftheBible；foreveryabsurdandevilinventionofhumanperversitycouldthus，withoutdetrimenttoScripturalauthority，bedefendedandfostered。78Ourconclusionisinnowiseimpious，forthoughSolomon，Isaiah，Joshua，&c。wereprophets，theywerenonethelessmen，andassuchnotexemptfromhumanshortcomings。
79AccordingtotheunderstandingofNoahitwasrevealedtohimthatGodasabouttodestroythewholehumanrace，forNoahthoughtthatbeyondthelimitsofPalestinetheworldwasnotinhabited。
80Notonlyinmattersofthiskind，butinothersmoreimportant，theabouttheDivineattributes，butheldquiteordinarynotionsaboutGod，andtothesenotionstheirrevelationswereadapted，asIwilldemonstratebyampleScripturaltestimony；fromallwhichonemayeasilyseethattheywerepraisedandcommended，notsomuchforthesublimityandeminenceoftheirintellectasfortheirpietyandfaithfulness。
81Adam，thefirstmantowhomGodwasrevealed，didnotknowthatHeisomnipotentandomniscient；forhehidhimselffromHim，andattemptedtomakeexcusesforhisfaultbeforeGod，asthoughhehadhadtodowithaman；thereforetohimalsowasGodrevealedaccordingtohisunderstanding-
thatis，asbeingunawareofhissituationorhissin，forAdamheard，orseemedtohear，theLordwalling，inthegarden，callinghimandaskinghimwherehewas；andthen，onseeinghisshamefacedness，askinghimwhetherhehadeatenoftheforbiddenfruit。82AdamevidentlyonlyknewtheDeityastheCreatorofallthings。83ToCainalsoGodwasrevealed，accordingtohisunderstanding，asignorantofhumanaffairs，norwasahigherconceptionoftheDeityrequiredforrepentanceofhissin。