THE DIVINE INSPIRATION OF THE Holy Scriptures VINDICATED AGAINST THE OBJECTIONS CONTAINED IN THE AGE OF REASON,' by THOMAS PAINE. BY THOMAS SCOTT, Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the LONDON: PRINTED FOR L. B. SEELEY, 169, FLEET-STREET: PREFACE. As the author has entirely written over again his former work against The Age of Reason,' with every improvement, which he was capable of making; and as, while he has greatly abridged it, he has added much new matter, and several striking quotations, especially from Bp. Watson; this present may more properly be considered as a new publication on the subject, at the close of his life and labours, than merely as an abridgment. The pages, in the former work referred to in The Age of Reason,' not answering, as he supposes, to those in the later editions; and he not having any inclination to ransack that work afresh, has wholly omitted those references. Should his pamphlet fall into the hands of those, who are conversant with The Age of Reason;' they will know where to look for the passages referred to, or quoted: but he rather writes in the hope of meeting the objections, which late events have occasioned to be so generally circulated in Newspapers, and periodical pamphlets, that many thousands are brought acquainted with them, who never saw, or never may see, the book itself. And if he has shewn all the leading objections to be either frivolous, or the result of ignorance, error, misrepresentation, and calumny; and to establish the divine inspiration of the sacred scriptures, on the firmest grounds; so as, in comparatively a few instances, to preserve those who were in danger of being seduced by these pestilent delusions, he would be very thankful to the God of salvation, and count his labour richly recompensed. Aston Sandford, Dec. 23, 1819. THOMAS SCOTT. |