Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Sidor ...
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
514 TESTIMONY OF CONTEMPORARIES. [Doc. 259.
discredit the reality of such supernatural discoveries, urging,
that since the publication of the gospel, they have ceased as
useless. Yet it is most certain that after the publication
of the Law they were frequent, and, if any credit is to be
given to the best human testimonies, have been vouchsafed
to some in every age of the Christian church; and I verily
believe, with our author, that we have all of us communications
with the spiritual world, by our connections with good or
evil spirits, according to the fitness of disposition and choice
that lead to such associations respectively, and that we receive
influx from them. But few understand this, through want of
visible natural representations, though the truth of the matter
is provable from the Sacred Writings ; and as to that portion
of Scripture, on which they mistakenly lay so much stress, viz.
’If they hear not Moses and the Prophets, neither will they
be persuaded though one rose from the dead, ’ it is spoken of
such as have hardened themselves in unbelief with respect to
a future state, who therefore would bring themselves into still
greater condemnation should they have the offer of such
additional evidence as they would be sure to reject ; whereas
the same extraordinary vouchsafements to certain believers
may be considered as their privilege, and of benefit to them
selves or others ; or if dispensed to such as are weak in the
faith, may serve for their confirmation in it. But of these
matters we are seldom competent judges, as they are among
the secrets of Divine Wisdom.
25. "I forbear to enlarge on this subject here, as I have
spoken more fully of it in my Preface to the translation of
the author’s book, De Coelo et Inferno, ’Concerning Heaven
and Hell ;’ in respect to which translation I find myself called
upon, in order to rectify and obviate some mistakes, to observe
as follows: Mr. William Cookworthy,219 of Plymouth, began
and carried on a considerable part of that translation. I
translated and finished the remainder. He submitted his part
of the translation to my revisal and corrections: but I found
it needful to form his part from the original Latin into a
similarity of language with my own, and accordingly completed
it; to which I added the preface, and the whole of the notes.
I think myself obliged to mention this, that whatever degree
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
