AUTHOR BY JOHN BELLAMY. OF THE NEW TRANSLATION OF THE BIBLE, FROM THE ORIGINAL HEBREW. LONDON: Printed by A. J. Valpy, Tooke's Court, Chancery Lane. SOLD BY LONGMAN, HURST, REES, ORME, AND BROWN, 1819. THE ANTI-DEIST, &c. &c. T Ir is now near twenty years, since the nations of Europe were exceedingly agitated by the circulation of writings sent forth designedly to overturn revealed religion, and the arm of the civil power was exerted to put a stop to the evils which it was thought would be the natural consequence of such writings. We have however seen that this proceeding has not had the desired effect-the writers say, "If the religion of the Bible be true, we call on the professors of it to answer the objections we have from time to time laid before them." While others, who firmly believe in Divine Revelation, are of opinion, that the Holy Scriptures contain such internal, and refer to such external, evidence, as will effectually establish their Divine origin; and are of opinion, that the objections brought by deistical but nevertheless intelligent writers, to prove that the Bible is neither genuine nor authentic, should be refuted. I believe that if such objections had been effectually refuted, so as to have shown that there is no authority for them, we should not at this day have witnessed any attempts of the kind. The answers to all the objections which have from the earliest Christian ages been advanced against the genuineness and authenticity of the sacred Scriptures, will be found in the course of the New Translation of the Bible from the original Hebrew, the first and second parts of which are. now published; but as a work of such magnitude will require much time before it be completed, and as the objections, with considerable additions, are now circulating in every part of the kingdom, it was thought advisable to lay the following hasty remarks before the public, that those who may not have an opportunity of being sufficiently acquainted with the fallacy of such objections, may be prepared to refute them. It is not only in this kingdom, but in France, that the acutest writers are now busy in circulating their opinions to discredit the Bible; and which are now publishing in this country, with a design to circulate them throughout the British empire. Therefore the necessity of laying the answers to the objections before the public, will appear evident to all ranks of professing Christians. At a time when, by the efforts of the British public, the Bible is sent forth into all nations, when the true worship of God, and the blessings which are consequent on the reception of the sacred doctrines promulgated by the Messiah, are published by faithful laborers in almost every part of the habitable world; it is not surprising to see, from another description of men, publications sent forth of a direct contrary tendency, attacking the genuineness and authenticity of the Bible, and defying all ranks of professing Christians, to defend the moral characters of the sacred writers, or to prove that the circumstances, transactions, and things therein related, were true. The publications to which I particularly allude, have appeared under the titles of, THE DEIST, THE Age of REASON, and a work published by Mr. Volney, recently translated into English, which he calls, NEW RESEARCHES ON ANCIENT KINGDOMS; in which the writers have selected a number of passages from the received translation, in order to show, that "the Bible cannot be the word of God, but that it is the work of crafty and designing men.” The greater part of these objections have been advanced by deistical writers from the earliest ages of the Christian church, and in all nations have, as we see reason to believe, been resorted to from motives of vanity or interest. It is therefore my intention in these pages, to show as briefly as possible, that these writers have no authority for a single objection which they have advanced. "How The writers of the DEIST begin their enquiries by stating what they call, "The doubts of infidels," and ask, can the attributes of God be vindicated, in having performed so great a number of miracles, for a long succession of very distant ages, and so few in latter times? If they were performed for the instruction of those times, are they not equally necessary now?" ANSWER. It is not necessary for miracles to be performed, in order to vindicate the attributes of God; neither were miracles ever performed to give instruction. A miracle may force conviction, or show that it must be done by a supernatural power; but no miracle, however great, will change the heart, or convert a wicked man to a life of uprightness. This was known of old, miracles were performed before the Egyptians, but notwithstanding they continued in the sensualities of their idolatrous worship. OBJECTION. "Miracles," says the DEIST, "must have been very common in Egypt, since there was a body of people whose trade it was to work them. When Aaron's rod was turned into a serpent, Pharaoh, instead of being surprised at it, as an unusual phenomenon, sends for his magicians, who immediately perform the like with their rods." ANSWER. But it is not said that the magicians did any miracle: it is indeed said- the magicians DID So with their enchantments; not that they turned their rods into serpents, but that they operated in like manner with their deceptious burnings, that is, not really, but in appearance only, by |