TREATISE,

&c.

VOL. I.

ON THE RECORDS OF THE CREATION.

Mundum esse conspicimus, Deum esse credimus; quod autem Deus mundum fecerit, nulli tutiùs quàm ipsi Deo.

August. de Civ. Dei.

LONDON: . IBOTSON AND PALMER, PRINTERS, SAVOY STREET, STRAND.

TREATISE

ON THE

RECORDS OF THE CREATION,

AND ON THE

MORAL ATTRIBUTES

OF THE

CREATOR;

WITH

· PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO THE JEWISH HISTORY,
AND TO THE CONSISTENCY OF THE PRINCIPLE OF POPULATION

WITH THE WISDOM AND GOODNESS OF THE DEITY.

BY JOHN BIRD SUMNER, M.A.
Prebendary of Durham, &c. and late Fellow of Eton College.

LONDON:
J. HATCHARD AND SON, 187, PICCADILLY.

MDCCCXXV.

PREFACE.

SEVERAL years ago, Mr. Burnett, a Scottish gentleman, among other instances of distinguished munificence, which have rendered it impracticable to comply with his own earnest wish of keeping his name concealed, * bequeathed premiums of the sums of twelve hundred and tour hundred pounds, for two Treatises upon the following subject: “ The Evidence that there is a Being all-powerful, wise, and good, by whom every Thing exists; and particularly to ob