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ciation, to chufe and practice it, without any other guide than nature and common providence; but as virtue, with all thofe more extenfive confequences, which revelation informs us of, is infinitely more eligible; we are led, by the fame principle of afsociation, to love it with more ardour, and to practice it with more conftancy; because, by the help of thofe lights, which are furnished by the extraordinary providence of Almighty God, in the revelation of his will to mankind, we fee it to be a thing in which we are more deeply interested than we could otherwife have known ourselves to be

INSTITUTES

INSTITUTES

OF

NATURAL AND REVEALED

RELIGION.

PART III.

CONTAINING

A View of the Doctrines of Revelation.

THE

INTRODUCTION.

THE

HE execution of this part of my undertaking has been attended (as all who are acquainted with the fubject will be fully fenfible) with peculiar difficulties, owing chiefly to the very different views, which even rational and learned men have entertained concerning the Doctrines of Revelation; and, therefore, it is with peculiar diffidence that I offer this part to the public.

A ftrict attention, however, to my original defign, which was the inftruction of young perfons, has enabled me to keep clear of a great deal of that embarraffment, in which I fhould otherwife have been involved; for, though it was not poffible to avoid all fubjects that have been controverted, I have, by this means, avoided many of them; and there are few of those which I could not avoid that I have difcuffed at large, having contented myself, for the most part, with relating what appeared to me to be the genuine Doctrines of Revelation, without

F 6

without intimating that there has ever been any controverfy upon the fubject.

It was alfo with a view to the inftruction of youth, that I have been fo particular in my account of what we learn from the fcriptures concerning God, and all the branches of human duty; and, especially, that I have quoted fo much from the fcriptures themselves on thofe fubjects. My intention was to appear as little as poffible in this matter myfelf, and to let the facred writers, to whofe more intimate acquaintance I wish to introduce my pupil, fpeak for themselves. There is, befides, an authority and energy in the language of the fcriptures, which is peculiar to themselves, and which cannot fail, when they are read and confidered with due attention, to make the most favourable and the ftrongest impreffions.

I have, upon more occafions than one, complained that the fcriptures are too much neglected even by chriftians, though we cannot be too well acquainted with them, and there are no books that we can read with fo much advantage. I fhall be happy if I can make this work alfo fubfervient to my defign of recommending them, and more efpecially to young perfons. This part, which contains an account of what we learn from the fcriptures, was far from being intended to supersede the ufe of them. It was rather intended to afford fome affiftance for the better understanding of them, and thereby

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