THE CHRISTIAN'S LEGACY: WITH AN APPENDIX, CONTAINING A COMPENDIUM OF THE HOLY BIBLE: WITH ILLUSTRATIONS, &c. &c. DESIGNED FOR MAKING THE READING AND STUDY OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES BY WILLIAM JACKSON. "So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to PROVIDENCE: PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR, Corner of Brook and Sheldon Streets. 1841. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1841, by WILLIAM JACKSON, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Rhode-Island, PRESS OF BENJAMIN F. MOORE, 19 Market-street, Providence, R. I. BS 445 1J3 PREFACE. THE BIBLE, after the strictest researches of an enlightened and inquiring age, is allowed by the wise, judicious, and thinking part of mankind, who are best acquainted with it, to be the only book in the world that can make men truly wise unto salvation. Hence, in different periods, various attempts have been made to elucidate the Scriptures; sometimes by classical and critical disquisitions, or by illustrations of ancient manners and customs; at others by extensive and voluminous commentaries, which can neither be procured nor read by a very great majority of the people; but more frequently by sermons, homilies, pamphlets, and tracts. And that many of those publications possess great merit, the author of this volume is ready to admit, as it is very remote from his desire to establish the credit of his own work by depreciating the productions of others; but it would require a greater acuteness of discernment, and a more extensive knowledge of men and things, than he gives himself the credit of possessing, to decide which of those modes has been the most successful in making manifest the unsearchable riches of Christ. Our blessed Redeemer, who best knew the most profitable method of reading the SCRIPTURES, has directed us to search them for a knowledge of his character and offices: John v. 39. Every hopeful mean ought, therefore, to be used for assisting Christians to reap all the benefit from the Holy Scriptures they are calculated to afford; and any attempt, if well executed, must prove of real service to the community; and should the attempt fail, the undertaker cannot fail to enjoy the pleasurable satisfaction of knowing, that, "to do good, and to communicate," he has done what he could; while the ingenuous part of mankind will make allowances the most favorable, on account of the goodness of the action. Under the influence of this sentiment, the writer of the following pages has acted in presenting them to the public eye; while his humble design has been to establish the faith, promote the comfort, and influence the practice, of the weak and feeble of Christ's flock. |