TO HIS EXCELLENCY OLIVER WOLCOTT, Esq. Governor, AND TO HIS HONOUR JONATHAN INGERSOLL, Esq. OF THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT, This little Volume is respectfully inscribed, THE AUTHOR. PREFACE. VIEWING the Holy Scriptures as a revelation of the will of God to man, an acquaintance with their sacred contents must be infinitely important and desirable. Every attempt, therefore, to illustrate them, and to impress their invaluable truths upon the mind and memory, deserves encouragement. The Bible, it is admitted, contains some things, the meaning of which it is difficult to ascertain with precision; and many others, which are too sublime and mysterious to be comprehended by our limited faculties. Yet with those parts of the Scriptures, which are plain and easy to be understood, (and which comprise far the greater proportion,) it is apprehended that most of those who have the Bible always at hand, have but a very su perficial acquaintance. Entire Histories and Commentaries of the Bible are so voluminous, that but few (comparatively) can have access to them, or leisure to peruse them; and shorter works of the same description, must necessarily be limited in their extent and information. To this last objection, the following work is indeed justly liable; yet the author has endeavoured, as far as the limits prescribed would admit, to give a faithful and correct history of all the most important events, characters, and circumstances, recorded in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, with such occasional inferences and observations, as the subjects naturally suggested. In prosecuting the work, to obtain the necessary information, recourse has constantly been had to various approved authors, as well as to the Holy Scriptures; and although it would be presumptuous to suppose it to be free from errors, yet it is hoped they will not be found numerous, or important. Questions of religious controversy have been carefully avoided, in the hope, and with the earnest desire, that the work may be generally acceptable and useful. The catechetical form has been chosen, because, to young readers especially, it is often more agreea ble than a continued narration, and the substance more easily retained in the memory. The whole is expressed in plain and familiar language, adapte ed to the most ordinary capacities. It is hoped it may be a useful and interesting book for family instruction, and, it is thought, may be advanta geously used in Schools, CÁ CATECHISM OF THE BIBLE. CHAPTER I. Of the Creation. Question. WHAT account have we of the ereation of the world? Answer. The only account which is given us of the creation, is that which is contained in the first chapter of the first book of Moses, called Genesis. Q. How long is it now since the creation of the world? A. Five thousand eight hundred and eighteen years. Q. By whom was the world and the things therein created? A. By God. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Gen. i. 1. Q. How long was God employed in this work of creation? A. Six days. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is. Gen. i. 31. Ex. xx. 11. Q. What was created on the first day? A. Light. And God said, Let there be light, and there was light. And God divided the light from the darkness. And the evening and the morning were the first day. Gen. i. 3 and 5. |