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performed, and the Marks of thefe Inftruments are still visible; the Cracks in the Shell of the Earth are, many of them, ftill open; and 'tis plain to the Eye, that the Strata of the Earth were formed in the Water by a dry Fluid, which could penetrate the Pores both of Earth and Water: This our Author had ocular Proof of, before he took the Bible into his, Hand; and his Obfervations under-ground enabled him to understand the Account given by Mofes of the Deluge, who was inspired by Him, who directed these Agents to perform the Work; and that Account explained those Observations fully to him, fo that he used to say himself, He learnt his Hebrew under-ground: His chief Reading, as he fays of himself, Princ. Part. 1. p. 120. was where every Leaf is a Hemisphere, every

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"Line a Vale, and every Point a "Mountain."

Thus much for the School, in which he had his Education; which being fo different from other People's, no wonder if he faw differently; and they, who never looked where he has done, have but a flender Title to difpute the Truth of his Discoveries there: The Word of God in Hebrew, and the Works of God in the Deluge, were never fearched before for Philofophy. The Hieroglyphicks in Scripture were never looked into before for Christianity, that we know of, fince Inspiration has ceafed; and it is much wondered at, that fuch a Treasure of Knowledge should fo long lie hid in the Sacred Scriptures. It is the general Objection to thefe Writings of his; an Objection impoffible to be removed; to attempt to remove it would increase

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increase it; and the Wonder appears much greater to thofe, who are acquainted with his Discoveries, than it can do to those who make the Objection. The Bible has fo long laboured under the Difadvantage of a Prejudice of this Kind, that thofe who have not read it in the Original. itself, and examined his Comments on it, when firft advertised of the great Informations to be met with there, with regard to all Knowledge Human and Divine, reject the Thought as whimsical and chimerical. It would take up too much Time to repeat here the unhappy Steps, by which Mankind has been led out of the Way of Truth, and the Bible brought into this Difgrace: It is done in these Writings; and what is of more Confequence, the Veil is here taken off Mofes and the Prophets, and the Key of the Hieroglyphicks, and of the

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Language of Scripture; and thereby of Philofophy and Divinity, put into every Man's Hand who will take it. The affected Contempt, and pretended Neglect of these Writings (for feen them Numbers have, who do not publickly own it) now recoils back upon those who have pretended to fet them at nought as Vifions and Reveries. Many Eyes are opened, and the Truth prevails.

The private Character of our Author has had fome Reflections caft upon it privately; which have been induftriously spread by fome, who had no other Way left of depreciating his Writings, and leffening the Good they do; and who dare not publickly own fuch Slanders, any more than they dare publickly undertake a Confutation of his Writings. The Editors, who were for many Years intimately acquainted with him, do from their Hearts believe

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thofe Reflections to be groundless, having feen enough in him to be fully convinced of his being inwardly a true and ferious Chriftian; nor ever seen any thing in his Behaviour, but what was the Fruit of a well-grounded Faith, the Confequence of his great Knowledge of the Evidence of Chriftianity, and his Infight into Men ; his Knowledge, as we call it, of the World. That he never offended with his Tongue; never spoke with more Warmth than is ftrictly justifiable; that an unguarded Expreffion never dropped from his Mouth, we fay not; but this we may fay, that those who exaggerate fome trifling Things of this Kind, know they have nothing elfe to compare themselves with him in, to the leaft Advantage; and we all know it is unchriftian to dwell on the Foibles of Temper or Conftitution, had he any fuch, which are not com

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