a THE SACRED HISTORY OF THE WORLD, AS DISPLAYED IN THE CREATION AND SUBSEQUENT EVENTS TO THE DELUGE. ATTEMPTED TO BE PHILOSOPHICALLY CONSIDERED, IN A SERIES OF LETTERS TO A SON. THIRD EDITION. BY SHARON TURNER, F.S.A. & R.A.S.L. LONDON: LONGMAN, REES, ORME, BROWN, GREEN AND LONGMAN, PATERNOSTER ROW. Phil 8709.14.5 --42.129a NH3508.33 HARVARD COLLEGE LIBRARY 1875, March 22. Bequest of James Walker, J. F., Sp. p. 4. (H.U. 1814.) President of Harv. Univ. LONDON: Printed by James & Luke G. Hansard & Sons, near Lincoln's-Inn Fields. PREFACE. FORTY years ago, the Author felt the want of a Book like that, which is now offered to the Public in the following pages. At that period of his life, he wished a selected and concentrated view of such facts and reasonings on the Creation, intellectual design, and Divine economy of the World we inhabit, as would correspond with the other knowlege he was acquiring; and which at the same time should be so conceived and shaped, as to suit the modern topics and style of thought and reasoning, in which the philosophical subjects that interested him, were beginning to be presented. Finding none at that time so collected and represented, as to satisfy his young curiosity, or sufficiently adapted to meet the ideas and difficulties that were arising around him, he was obliged to make such outlines of this great subject for his own information, as occasional studies and opportunities enabled him to form. Amid these Sketches for his private use, a latent desire insensibily occurred, to attempt, at some part of his life, to supply, for the service of others who should participate in these sentiments, what he found to be necessary for his own satisfaction. Gradually this wish increased into a more determining purpose, and has, as other motives concurred, produced the resolution in his mature age, of endeavouring, for the benefit of younger minds who may reason and feel as he did, to arrange and complete those contemplations and phenomena of the existing System of Nature, which have been so advantageous to the progress of his own mind, and so largely contributory to his personal happiness. It is a great gratification to think and read on these subjects. What has given more pleasure, to those who cultivate them on right principles, than Dr. PALEY'S intelligent work on Natural Theology? The Author cannot forget the enjoyment which he received from it on its first perusal. To exhibit the Divine Mind in connexion with the production and preservation, and with the laws and agencies, of visible nature-and to lead the youthful Inquirer to perceive the clear and universal distinc tion which prevails, between the Material and the Immaterial substances in our World, both in their phenomena and in their principles, are important objects in the following LETTERS. The views which Nature thus unfolds, harmonize with those which Revelation suggests, and seem to represent the true foundation of the Sacred History of our Globe. If sufficient strength and opportunity should still accompany his remaining life, the Author desires to pursue this important subject, in that series of events and operations, which, after the renewal of mankind, became more immediately connected with their economy, condition, polities and destinies, under the present laws and state of their existence. It is among these we must act, and by their influences are principally formed; but all these are obeying a constant tho invisible sovereignty, which is continually producing, amid every counteraction, a steady but gradual progression and melioration. Few question, now, this result, tho some may differ as to the cause. The operating cause will, however, become more manifest to our judgment, if we take the Sacred History of the World into our philosophical consideration. |