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To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not
according to this word, it is because there is no light
in them.
ISAIAH viii. 20.,

LONDON:

PRINTED BY D. JAQUES: SOLD BY JORDAN, FLEET
STREET; MATHEWS, STRAND; AND BY THE
AUTHOR, CHAPEL STREET, UPPER GROS-

VENOR PLACE.

1794.

[PRICE TWO SHILLINGS STITCHED.]

BT80

$4

ON THE

DIVINE INSPIRATION

OF THE

HOLY SCRIPTURES.

T is manifeft to all, who feriously reflect on the powers and propenfities of human nature, that we are formed capable of religion, and have an inward confciousness, that we ought to worship some superior Being, on whom our fafety and happiness depend: but, at the fame time, the state of the world, in all places. where the Bible has not been known, unanfwerably proves, that we are incapable of difcovering for ourfelves a religion, which is worthy of God, fuited to our wants, and conducive to our true intereft. The shortnefs of life alfo, and the reasonable perfuafion that men in general entertain of a future ftate, concur to fhew, that our grand concern lies in another world. Yet uncertainty and perplexity, nay palpable error and abfurdity, have ever encumbered men's reafonings and conjectures on these important fubjects-Even at Athens Jehovah was the unknown God," (Acts, c. xvii. v. 23;) and all beyond the grave was an unknown world.

The wifeft of the Pagans, therefore, confidered a revelation from the Deity to be exceedingly desirable, in order that bewildered mortals might learn the way, in which they could worship him with acceptance and be happy; and fome of them entertained hopes, that fuch an ineftimable favour would at length be vouchfafed. Indeed confufed expectations of this kind have been common in the world; as is manifest from the reception that hath been given to pretended revelations, which otherwife could not have obtained credit and currency.

Various impofitions, in this matter, have been detected by a careful inveftigation: and there is but one book in the world, which fo much as appears to be a N: I. revelation

B

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