PRÉFAOS. 1379 thelearned. I would only mention one apology for tOself; and that is, a great part of it was drawn up in the country, at a distance frommy usual habitation, where I had no learned writings to consult, and was confined to my bible alone.. A friendly noticeof any such mistakes might occasion a correc- tion of them. Let me here speaka word or two more of the particular uses which may be made of this summary of sacred history. It may notbe an improper book to lie constantly in thenursery orthe par- lour, to assist the instruction of children, orthe conversationof grown persons. And ifthis and other useful books were suffered always to lie inthe places ap- pointed for servants, especially in great families, it might be an allurement to them toemploy some of their leisure in a profitable manner. The placing it inany room of usual residencemay entice personsoften to look into it and lead them into an easy acquaintance with the various dealingsof God with men tiom the beginning of the world. Nor can I think it would bea vain or useless employment for persons who arenot furnished with better advan- tages for scriptural knowledge to read it overonce ina year or two, in order to keep these sacred memoirs ever fresh in their minds. Halt a chapter in a week would be no heavy task, andthis would finish it in oneyear'stime. May the divine blessing attend this feebleendeavourof mine to diffuse the knowledge of divine things amongmankind, and to furnish families with use- ful matter for conversation, whereby they may be better secured against the temptations of loose and vicious writings and vaindiscourse, which give an unhappy tincture to the imagination in early years, and tend to defile andde. stroythe soul. o 4 n
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