POPULAR INTRODUCTION

то

THE STUDY OF THE

HOLY SCRIPTURES,

FOR THE USE OF

ENGLISH READERS.

· BY WILLIAM CARPENTER.

Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ.-AUGUSTINE.

ILLUSTRATED WITH MAPS AND PLATES.

LONDON:

WIGHTMAN AND CRAMP,

24, PATERNOSTER ROW.

1826.

PREFACE.

THE design of the following Work is to furnish a digest of the most valuable information on the subject of Scripture Interpretation and Antiquities, adapted to the use of that class of persons whose knowledge of language is confined to the English. The importance of an acquaintance with historical circumstances in order to a right understanding of Scripture, is now too generally admitted to require any argument in its support. Without this knowledge the Bible may certainly be read with much devotional feeling, but it cannot be read "with the spirit and with the understanding also;" and yet it is difficult to conceive of much real edification in the absence of the latter.

During the last twenty years, the Scripture has been most extensively circulated in our highlyfavoured land, and the number of its readers has been proportionably increased: but it is to be regretted that no adequate provision has been made to furnish for the class of persons above referred to, a compendium of instruction, sufficiently extensive in its range and detail to answer the principal purposes of biblical interpretation. The only work with which the author is acquainted, that in any degree answers to this description, is Mr. Horne's justly valued "Introduction to the Critical Study and Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures;" but that

publication contains, as its title sufficiently indicates, a great proportion of matter which is not available to mere English readers, while its necessarily high price places, it in very many instances, beyond their reach.

After having waited for several months, in the hope that some competent person would undertake to supply the desideratum, during which time he has more than once called the attention of the public to its importance, the author has ventured upon the task; but not without considerable reluctance. His ordinary and pressing avocations have necessarily prevented him from giving to the subject that attention which its importance and difficulty demand, while other circumstances have excluded him from many valuable sources of information. However, it is now too late to dwell upon these matters: having ventured to offer to others the result of his own enquiries, his work must stand or fall, altogether apart from a consideration of his means or opportunities of imparting information. It only remains, therefore, that some account should be given of the nature of the work, and of the authorities upon which its statements have been made.

PART I. contains Directions for reading the Holy Scriptures. In the first chapter of this Part, which treats of the moral qualifications for a profitable reading of the Scriptures, the great object proposed was, to induce a humble and devotional frame of mind in this employment, and to point out the necessity of subordinating every species of biblical knowledge to experimental and practical purposes. On this part of his labours, the author could have dwelt at considerable length, but the recollection that a great mass of materials required to be incorporated into the succeeding part, compelled him to contract his original plan.

The second chapter of this part was designed to