The little Manual, now offered to the Public, has been undertaken in consequence of requests long since communicated to the Author, and frequently repeated, that he would prepare an ANALYSIS, or Abridgment of the four octavo volumes of his larger "Introduction to the Critical Study and Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures ;" as an assistant to the studies of Gentlemen, at the Universities and other Seminaries of Theological Literature, as also of those individuals who may respectively possess that work, and to whom such an auxiliary would be acceptable. At the same time, the present volume has been so arranged, as to form a Comprehensive Guide to the Study of the Bible, adapted to the use of GENERAL READERS : it will be found to contain,
I. A Summary of the Evidences of the Genuineness, Inspiration, &c. of the Holy Scriptures, refuting the most modern objections of Infidels;
II. An Outline of the Literary History and Interpretation of the Bible;
III. A Compendium of Biblical Geography and Antiquities; and
IV. Introductory Prefaces to the several Books of Scripture.
In preparing this Manual for the press, the order of the larger Introduction has generally been followed ; the Parts and Books, into which it is divided, corresponding with the volumes, and parts of volumes in that work. Those bibliographical, critical, and other details only have been omitted, which either would not admit of abridgment, or which would be uninteresting to the generality of English readers.