AN Epic Poem, TAKEN FROM THE BOOK OF JOB, IN FOUR BOOKS. The book of JOB has been allowed, in all ages, to surpass in beauty and sublimity all other works of the kind, which partly induced the author to choose it for an effort of this nature. But his chief design was to recommend it by giving the literal translation of many passages, which have been most eminently mistaken by the translators; and thus to remove those objections which deists in all ages, since the dispersion of the Jews, have brought forward against the Scrip tures. In the notes to this work, many important things, which have not been known to the world for the last 1800 years, will be developed, and conclusive proofs given for varying the translation. BY J. BELLAMY. Subscriptions received by Mr. A. J. Valpy, Price 15s. to Subscribers-11. 1s. to Non-Subscribers. LATELY PUBLISHED. THE OPHION; Or the THEOLOGY of the SERPENT, and the TRINITY and UNITY of GOD. BY THE SAME AUTHOR. Price 4s. 6d. boards. Sold by Longman and Co. and all other Booksellers. HISTORY OF All Religions. WE are informed in the sacred Scriptures, that pure religion does not consist in a set of notions or opinions, but that it is the working of divine truth on the heart; agreeably to these words, thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and thy neighbour as thyself. But some may ask, how is it possible to love the Lord our God with all the heart, and our neighbours as ourselves, when the love of self is so closely united to our fallen nature? The Apostle has shown that it is possible for fallen nature to be restored, James 1.27. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father, is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. A Now whoever answers this description most certainly loves his neighbour as himself; for though it be possible to visit the fatherless and the widow in their affliction, without possessing the least pure religion; yet if, at the same time, such a visitor keeps himself unspotted from the world, he does unto others as he would they should do unto him. His worldly transactions are governed by a principle of uprightness; and he is in possession of every virtue, according to the declaration of the prophet, that God has required of man. Micah vi. 8. And what hath the Lord required of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God. Religion being a system of divine faith in God, and of obedience to his commands, it must be interesting to every individual to be acquainted with the origin and descent of the first dispensation, which God gave to man. All, who have hitherto attempted to 'give an account of the origin and descent of ancient reli gions, have begun only with the Egyptians. Before this period, every thing of importance respecting the primeval people seems to have been neglected, as if no information concerning them could possibly be gained. Their learning, which must have been profound; their arts, sciences, manners, customs, and usages, have been altogether unnoticed, 1 as if they had been buried in oblivion with the waters of the deluge. The reason, however, is plain. Profane historians have preserved some remains of the vestiges of antiquity; to them we are so far indebted for much information concerning the customs of the second race of men; or from the time of Mitsraim, the grandson of Ham, who settled in Egypt, which country, in the original Hebrew, is called by his name. Here they have stopped; here was the great barrier that divided the two worlds; every thing beyond this period has been wrapped in darkness and uncertainty. But had they only searched the ancient scriptures attentively, which reach beyond the hoaryheaded ages of the most remote profane antiquity; had they attended to the names of persons, places, and things, which are there introduced, the Hebrew pronunciation of which has been retained in all the European translations, instead of the true rendering, much information, at this day, would have been before the public concerning that most ancient people. That much interesting intelligence might have been communicated relative to the customs of the Antediluvians, by attending to the true meaning of words, instead of the literal rendering, will appear |