CONTENTS. Or natural religion-Founded on belief in God and a future state of rewards and punishments -Inquiry into the state of natural religion prior to revelation-Gross misconceptions of men respecting the divine attributes-Intro- duction of barbarous rites in religious worship -Errors of idolatry perpetuated during the most enlightened æras of Greece and Rome- Opinions of philosophers respecting a future state, vague and speculative-Not influential peculiar to many of their dogmas-Whence derived Mysteries connected with certain parts of revelation-Their gradual developement-Analogous to that of the human faculties-Views of Providence presented in the Bible, clear in all that relates to religious and moral duty-Objections to revelation originate in the limitation of the human mind-Docility recommended-An arrogant spirit inimical to every species of improvement. LETTER II. Early corruption of the principles of natural religion Of the truths communicated by immediate revelation to the Jews-Knowledge of the Supreme Being-Of his providence and government-The relation established between religious belief and moral obligation-The brevity of the Scriptures an evidence of their authenticity-A reason assigned for the little information contained in them respecting the first ages of mankind-Incapacity of the human mind to form distinct conceptions of a state wholly removed from human experienceIllustration of the supposed analogy between mythological mythological fable and Scriptural historyThe events related in the latter clearly explained by their reference to the Messiah History of the promises made to our first parents after the fall-to Noah—to Abraham— The covenant made with Abraham predictive of the Messiah-Gracious condescension of the Almighty, in attaching to every promise of that event predictions concerning events speedily to be accomplished, and which in their accomplishment, afforded a convincing proof of the divine veracity-Of the promised land -The manifestation of Moses-Miracles ne. cessary to the establishment of his authority... 22 LETTER III. Of the harmony which appears between the ordinary and extraordinary dispensations of Providence-The works of nature considered as a revelation of the divine power and wisdomState of religious belief at the time of MosesSensible evidences of revelation necessary to afford conviction to the Jews-Their entering into the covenant the deliberate act of their own free will-The astonishing display of the divine power and majesty made to them after they had declared their determination to serve the Lord-Sublime description of the giving of the law-Solemnity with which it was accompanied The first principle of all religion confirmed-Unity of the Godhead declaredWorship of God established-His name to be reverenced-A seventh part of time to be devoted. to the remembrance of the great CreatorBeneficial consequences of the institution of the Sabbath... 45 LETTER IV. A knowledge of the Old Testament of great importance towards forming distinct views of the Christian dispensation-The truths communicated by revelation illustrative of those which had been acknowledged by reason-Weakness of human reason shewn in the universal prevalence of idolatry-Nature of the laws delivered to the Jews by Moses-Nature of the rewards and punishments announced-Difficulty of extirpating idolatrous worship-Power of |