the act of revealing, or making a thing public that was before unknown; it is also used for the discoveries made by God to his prophets, and by them to the world; and more particularly for the books of the Old and New Testament. See Bible, Christianity, and Theology.

The principal tests of the truth of any revelation are, its being worthy of God, and consistent with his known attributes, its being agreeable to the clear dictates of unprejudiced reason, and its having a tendency to refine, purify, and exalt the mind of man to an imitation of the Deity in his moral perfections.

Mr Locke, in laying down the distinct provinces of reason and faith, observes, 1. That the same truths may be discovered by revelation which are discoverable to us by reason. 2. That no revelation can be admitted against the clear evidence of reason. 3. That there are many things of which we have but imperfect notions, or none at all; and others, of whose past, present, or future existence, by the natural use of our faculties we cannot have the least knowledge; and these, being beyond the discovery of our faculties, and above reason, when revealed, become the proper object of our faith. He then adds, that our reason is not injured or disturbed, but assisted and improved, by new discoveries of truth coming from the fountain of knowledge. Whatever God has revealed is certainly true; but whether it be a divine revelation or no, reason must judge, which can never permit the mind to reject a greater evidence to embrace what is less evident. There can be no evidence that any traditional revelation is of divine original, in the words we receive it, and the sense we understand it, so clear and so certain as that of the principles of reason; and, therefore, nothing that is contrary to the clear and self-evident dictates of reason, has a right to be urged or assented to as a matter of faith, wherein reason has nothing to do.

REVELATION of St John. See Apocalypse.