earnest prayers. occupy our anxious thoughts and call forth our If there be not in us a sincere desire to find all God's will in the Bible, and to live in conformity to it, it is impossible that we should ever love it. Dr. Vaughan forcibly observes,* "Much depends-I had almost said, everything depends upon the way in which you view your Bible. Regard it as a dull book, and it will be so. Regard it as a book fit only for sickness and sorrow, and you will soon make it so. It will retire before you, sad, as it were, and reproachful, yet obedient, too, into those dark and dismal chambers to which you hid it, to confine itself. And then, when you would seek it there, perchance you will not find it. When you open it, it will not speak when you call upon it, it will not answer. This is the punishment of those who in the days of health have counted God's word their enemy. But the converse is true, also. Determine, God helping you, that you will love your Bible: read it, read it again-read whole books of it at one sitting, and when next you sit down with it, read them again: if anything at first puzzles you, study it, pray over it; then lay it aside, and soon study it again. That which was dark before will oftentimes be light now. What you : Have know not now, you shall know hereafter. the book itself always about, keep it very near you ; on your desk and on your pillow. I had almost said confine yourself to it till you can love it-and you will love it: it will begin to talk to you, it will begin to answer you, it will begin to resolve your doubts, and to stimulate your curiosity: it will accommodate itself to your mood: it will be grave "Good Words," Vol. VII., p. 455. when you are grave, and it will smile when you smile till at last you shall say with the Psalmist― 'I am as glad of Thy word as one that findeth great spoils how sweet are Thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! The law of Thy mouth is dearer unto me than thousands of gold and silver!'" APPENDICES. I. THE POST-MOSAIC HISTORICAL BOOKS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT. SACRED history differs from every other species of authentic history in this: that while the latter records events and details facts, simply, the former combines them with the doctrines of Providence, and demonstrates them to be coincident with the purposes of an Eternal Mind. It is evident from a close examination of the historical books of the Old Testament, that they are collections from the authentic records of the Jewish nation, which were carefully kept by the priests or other publicly-appointed persons.* These collections, though generally made while the events were fresh in memory, and by persons who were contemporary with the periods to which they severally relate, appear to have been thrown into their present form, and to have received trifling additions, at a later period. The work of collecting and revising has been attributed to the joint labours of Jeremiah and Ezra. It is enough for us to know that the authenticity and authority of the books, in their present form, have been attested by Christ and His apostles. The post-mosaic historical writings of the Old Testament comprise twelve books from Joshua to Esther, inclusive; and contain a compendium of the Jewish history, from the death of Moses to the reformation effected by Nehemiah, after the return from Babylon, A.M. 2555—A.M. 3595. While the twelve tribes were united under one government, their history is represented under one point of view. When a separation took place, the *See Josephus against Apion, b. 1, § 6. I kingdom of Judah, from which the Messiah was to descend, was the chief object of attention with the sacred historians; they treat, however, of the events which occurred in Samaria, especially when connected with the concerns of Judah. It should be remarked, that the sacred writers generally calculate in round numbers, and also assume various eras. In Genesis, Moses reckons by the ages of the patriarchs; in Exodus, from the departure out of Egypt. Other writers, living in later times, compute from the building of the temple; from the commencement of the reigns of their several kings; from the captivities and deliverances of the people, and other important national events; or, lastly, from the reigns of foreign kings. The difficulties which occur on a superficial perusal of the historical Scriptures, chiefly originate in a want of attention to these considerations; and those persons who have not the leisure or industry to elucidate such particulars, will do well rather to collect the obvious instruction so richly spread through every page of the sacred volume, than to engage in speculations of delicate discussion. The historical books, like all other parts of Scripture, have every mark of genuine and unaffected truth. Many relations are interwoven with accounts of other nations, yet no inconsistencies have ever been detected. The following table exhibits the contemporary reigns of the respective kings of Judah and Israel, and will assist in reading the historical books :— |