D

IBRARY

moting this important intereft, than cultivating the understanding of the poor, fowing the feeds of Religion early in their hearts, and cherishing a fpirit of virtue and industry among them. The most able philofophers and lawgivers have always confidered the education of youth, as the most certain fource of national welfare; and formerly, in fome countries, the children were removed from the care of their own parents, and brought up under a regular difcipline eftablished at the public expence..

The many wife and pious inftitutions for this purpofe, which have been planted and now flourish amongst us, bear fome refemblance to this excellent pattern, and are happily calculated not only for the

temporal relief, but for the eternal benefit of our fellow creatures: and I look, with pleasure, upon You, GENTLEMEN, who, from a real regard to the general good, ftand forth as the Governors and Trustees of these charities, and kindly fuperintend these labours of love. Be animated with that zeal which becomes your station, and be the Guardians of the fouls of the poor as well as of their bodies. It is in your powerpermit me to fay, it is your province, it is your duty to appoint proper officers and masters, and to infpect their conduct to prefcribe the methods of inftruction, and put useful books into their hands; that fo the growing generation may be formed to piety, trained to the love and practice of all focial duties, and fitted for the

different employments to which it fhall please God to call them.

Objections indeed have been raised by fome fpeculative men against thefe inftitutions; but the principle, which at any time reftrains us from fpreading useful knowledge and genuine virtue among the poor, is not lefs impolitic than irreligious. Ignorance is generally accompanied by obftinacy, and creates a fierceness of manners, and an impatience of controul, highly injurious to Government, and productive of the moft flagrant crimes; but pure Religion has a powerful tendency to civilize the mind; in proportion as it makes a progress in the hearts of men, it foftens their natural roughnefs, and transforms them into new creatures;

it infpires fentiments of mutual benevolence, and promotes the general intereft of fociety, teaching them to adorn every ftation of life with the practice of thofe virtues which are fuited to it, and making them good citizens, good fervants, good hufbands, and good fathers.

Hiftory is one of the best repofitories of useful knowledge and inftruction for both the moral and political world; but Sacred Hiftory is very different from profane, and infinitely fuperior to it. The former relates only human and temporal events; but the latter opens an intercourfe between Heaven and Earth, and reveals the Hiftory of Divine Providence. The former regards only the fate of particular nations, circum

fcribed within narrow bounds, and tranfmitted by partial writers, in an imperfect, perhaps a fabulous manner; but the latter, which is written by heavenly infpiration, and is therefore Truth itfelf, gives an account of the beginning of the World, and the original of Man, and explains the great defign and end of his creation: it alfo extends our view beyond this tranfitory world, and points out the way to another and better, that new Heaven and new Earth, wherein dwelleth Righteoufnefs.

The following pages are an abridgement of the facred Hiftory, and intended to make the way plain and eafy to it. They bring the Old and New Teftament into a narrow com