of the world: and when we see the rules of religion copied out in the words and actions of our fellow-creatures, it renders the performance of them more practicable and more delightful to us. While the word of command stands in the law to require our obedience, the actual obedience of our fathers to those commands recorded in the history invites our imitation, and makes the work more easy. To conclude: we find not only the precepts but the sanctions of the law of God exemplifted in the narratives of scripture. How often do we read the promises of God fulfilled in the rewards of the righteous, and his threatenings executed against wilful transgressors? These things set the government of God before our eyes in a stronger light; they shew us that his words of promise and threatening are not empty sounds; and make it appear with sensible conviction that he will certainly reward, and that he will as certainly punish. The many wonderful instances of a divine providence which concerns itself in the affairs of men, and which are recorded in the word of God, have a natural tendency to awaken our fear of so great and glorious a being, and to encourage our hope and trust in him. In a word; the perfections of God, whereby he made and governs the world are set before our eyes by the scripture history in such divine colours, as give us a more awful and more amiable idea of God himself, than any words of description could have done, without such an historical account of his works of nature, grace and providence. Since then it appears that some knowledge of the history of scripture is necessary and useful to every one among us who would know and love God, and be a partaker of his favour, the next thing to be enquired is, how this knowledge may be best attained? How shall persons, whose capacity is weak, or who have little time to employ on these subjects, be led in the shortest and easiest way to a competent acquaintance with the sacred history? And how shall those who are young in years be trained up in the plainest and most alluring manner to some knowledge of these important affairs, till their growing age and further advantages shall give them a mere extensive and capacious view of all the transactions between God and men recorded in scripture? The bible itself is a very large book, and though it ought to be read, at least many parts of it, by persons of all characters and conditions, yet the reducing of the several things contained in it, to a short and narrow view by way of abridgment is so exceeding useful, that I had almost called it necessary, at least for youth, and for persons in the lower ranks of life, who have fewer conveniences and advantages of knowledge. I have made this sufficiently evident with regard to the doctrines and duties of religion in my discourse concerning the composition and use of catechisms, to which I refer my reader: And the same argument will hold good with regard to the historical part of scripture. There I have shewn particularly how needful it is to collect the great articles and rules of our religion which lie scattered up and down in the bible into a shorter scheme for the use of younger understandings; and I have given my reasons also, why the catechistical method of question and answer is preferable to all other methods of instruction; and I need not repeat the same things here, with regard to sacred history. It is proper the reader should know that at the end of the history of the Old Testament I have inserted one chapter, wherein the Jewish affairs are continued from the time of Nehemiah, where the sacred writers end, down to the time of Christ and the gospel. This is borrowed from the best ancient writings we have of these events, viz. the books of Maccabees in the Apocrypha and the history of Josephus, though I am greatly indebted also to Dr. Prideaux's historical connexion of the Old and New Testament, wherein these narratives are so happily reduced to a chronological order, and embellished and improved with many valuable hints from heathen historians. And to render the work yet more useful in these days of infidelity, I have BB added another chapter, which I call a prophetical connexion between the Old Testament and the New, wherein the most eminent prophecies relating to our blessed Lord are set down in one view, together with their accomplishment; that younger minds may see how much this Great Messiah or anointed Saviour was foretold and expected through all ages, and may have their faith of Christ built early upon a solid foundation. I have nothing more to add, but to acquaint the reader with the method I have taken in composing this work, and with the use that he should make of it. In framing this book, I have observed the following rules, viz. 1. I have proceeded, for the most part, according to the order of things, as they lie in the books of scripture; but still endeavouring to maintain some connexion throughout the whole history. Yet I cannot say I have always reduced things to that order in which they were transacted: For in several places I found that a strict observation of chronology would have intermingled too many incidents of different kinds, would have broken the scheme of things I had proposed, or interrupted the narrative of some particular event, and rendered the history much more unconnected and disagreeble to those for whom I write. 2. Though I have not been solicitous to insert every incident, and the name of every person contained in the Old Testainent, yet I have omitted scarce any name or remarkable transaction which has been referred to or cited in the New, or has any connexion with the gospel of Christ, which is the religion of christians. It was not possible to insert all the particular narratives contained in the scripture, without making another book almost as big as the bible itself: whereas my prime design was to give an abstract or short view of the sacred history for the use of persons of such age, capacities, or conditions of life, as are not able to attend to much reading, nor gain a fuller and more accurate knowledge of the transactions of God with men. 3. I have added the chapter and verse of one or more texts of scripture to every answer that required it, that the reader might be invited to search his bible, and there gain a larger and more particular acquaintance with those -historical matters which I have briefly mentioned in a line or two. If young persons by this means are allured to grow familiar with the word of God, I am persuaded the advantage they may reap thereby will richly compensate all their labours in reading this historical abridginent of scripture, and all my pains in writing it. 5. It is all divided into chapters, and some chapters into sections with a new title to each. This will in some measure, give a comprehensive view of the method and order of the whole. It is evident that the catechetical form of question and answer takes off the tiresomeness of reading from younger minds, and perpetually allures their enquiry and curiosity onward by short answers, without that weariness which arises from many long continued pages of mere narrative: And in the same manner a proper distinction of the history into chapters and sections under different titles renders the work of reading much more delightful by the frequent returning rests and pauses. 5. Since I intended it originally for persons of younger years, and the common rank of mankind, I have studied generally to use such words and forms of speech as are most plain and easy to be understood. It would not have answered my design so well, if I must have sent my reader too often to his dictionaries to enquire the meaning of hard words and latinized expressions. 6. Yet I have not so confined myself to the service of my unlearned readers, as to neglect all useful criticisms and occasional remarks to clear up difficulties, but have freely interspersed them through the whole book, so far as may inform the iniquisitive, and give some hints to the more intelligent reader for the further illustration of some passages of scripture both in the Old Testament and the New. If there should be found any mistakes in drawing up history, which might have been rectified by further consulting the writings of this the learned. I would only mention one apology for myself; and that is, a great part of it was drawn up in the country, at a distance from my usual habitation, where I had no learned writings to consult, and was confined to my bible alone. A friendly notice of any such mistakes might occasion a correction of them. Let me here speak a word or two more of the particular uses which may be made of this summary of sacred history. It may not be an improper book to lie constantly in the nursery or the parlour, to assist the instruction of children, or the conversation of grown persons. And if this and other useful books were suffered always to lie in the places appointed for servants, especially in great families, it might be an allurement to them to employ some of their leisure in a profitable manner. The placing it in any room of usual residence may entice persons often to look into it, and lead them into an easy acquaintance with the various dealings of God with men from the beginning of the world. Nor can I think it would be a vain or useless employment for persons who are not furnished with better advantages for scriptural knowledge to read it over once in a year or two, in order to keep these sacred memoirs ever fresh in their minds. Half a chapter in a week would be no heavy task, and this would finish it in one year's time. May the divine blessing attend this feeble endeavour of mine to diffuse the knowledge of divine things among mankind, and to furnish families with useful matter for conversation, whereby they may be better secured against the temptations of loose and vicious writings and vain discourse, which give an unhappy tincture to the imagination in early years, and tend to defile and destroy the soul. A SHORT VIEW OF THE WHOLE SCRIPTURE HISTORY, &c. The History of the Old Testament, · THE INTRODUCTION. THERE is no history in the world so ancient as the bible, nor is there any which gives us so early an account of things. The Old Testament begins at the creation of the world, brings us into acquaintance with Adam and Eve our first parents, informs us of their state of innocence, their sin against God, and their being driven out of paradise; it recounts the first generations of men, and their multiplied iniquities, which provoked God to destroy them by a flood. Then it treats of the character, circumstances and conduct of Noah and Abraham, and of their families after the flood, enlarging most upon the household of Jacob or Israel the grandson of Abraham, who, at the invitation of his son Joseph, went down with his family to dwell in Egypt, where they were enslaved by Pharaoh the king. The history proceeds to the deliverance of the Israelites out of Egyptian bondage by Moses and Aaron, and their being set apart to be a peculiar people to God. It rehearses the laws and statutes which were given them, together with their sins and punishments while they were in the wilderness, travelling to the land of Canaan, which God had promised them. Then there follows an account of their conquest over the land of Canaan under the conduct of Joshua; their government by judges several hundred years; and after that, there is a narrative of their four first kings, viz. Saul, David, Solomon, and Rehoboam. In his days the nation was divided into two kingdoms, which were called the kingdom of Israel and the kingdom of Judah. There are also particular records of the government of these two distinct kingdoms under a long succession of their own kings, till they were both carried into captivity by the kings of Assyria. After this, the sacred history relates the return of many of them, chiefly the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, into their own land, and their rebuilding the city of Jerusalem, and the temple of God, and the settlement of the affairs of the church and state by Ezra and Nehemiah, which is the end of the historical part of the Old Testament. During all this time there is an account of the several prophets and messengers which were sent from God on special occasions to reveal his mind and will to men: and there is also a larger and more particular narrative of the lives or transactions of some extraordinary persons, several of which are much interwoven with the series of the history: but there are others which seem to stand separate and distinct; such are the affairs relating to Job a rich man of the east, Jonah a prophet in Israel, and Esther the queen of Persia, to which I have added some account of Jeremiah and Daniel the prophets, in distinct chapters. At the end of these I have put in two chapters before the beginning of the New Testament, which contains an historical and prophetical connexion between the Old Testament and the New, of which I have given an account in the introduction to those particular chapters, as well as in the general preface. CHAPTER I.-The History of Mankind before the Flood. I. QUESTION. HOW came this world into being? ginning the great God made heaven and that are in them; Gen. i. 1. Exod. xx. 11. Answer. In the beearth, and all things 2. Q. How did God make all things? A. By his powerful word; for he commanded, and it was done; Gen. i. 3, 6, 9, &c. Heb. xi. 3. Ps. xxxiii. 9. Note, We are also informed in the New Testament that God created all things by his Son Jesus Christ; Eph. iii. 9. and that his name is the word of God; John i. 3. Rev. xix. 13. 3. Q. What time did God spend in making the world? A. God, who could have made all things at once by his perfect wisdom and almighty power, chose rather to do it by degrees, and spent six days in making the world with the creatures that are in it; Gen. i. 31. Exod. xx. 11. 4. Q. What was his work on the first day? A. He made light, and divided it from the darkness, and the evening and the morning were the first day; Gen. i. 3, 5. 5. Q. What did God make the second day? A. The air or the lower heavens, which are here called the firma.ment, and the clouds which are the waters above the firmament ; verse 6. 6. Q. What did he do on the third day? A. He separated |