PREFACE

ΤΟ

THE SECOND EDITION.

ENCOURAGED by the favourable reception which had been given to the larger Edition of this Work, the Author, several years since, conceived that its utility might be still further extended by publishing it in an abridged form, for the use of those, who, by the want of time and means, might be precluded from consulting the larger Work: experience has shown that this idea was not unfounded. Another Edition is now called for, and he has availed himself of the opportunity of enriching its pages with various articles from the writings of the latest travellers, whose accounts seemed to illustrate passages of Scripture not heretofore elucidated in this Work; the

contracted limits, however, of a small volume do not afford much scope for enlargement. By way of acknowledgement he would mention LABORDE'S Travels through Arabia Petræa, and LANE'S MOdern Egyptians, as sources from which he has derived additional information, and in both of which works will be found much that is interesting to the studious reader of the Sacred Volume.

He desires now to commit the Work to the blessing of Him, whose Word it has been his endeavour to explain and illustrate, by familiar reference to the manners and customs of those people and nations whose habits of life differ materially from our own, but among whom the leading events recorded in the Sacred Volume occurred; and if, through his labours and endeavours, any shall have been enabled to peruse the Word of God with increased advantage and profit, and to understand its allusions to foreign customs with greater facility, he shall feel grateful to the Almighty Disposer of events for having put it into his heart to undertake the Work, and for making him an instrument for good to his fellow-creatures. And now, that through the infirmities of increasing years, and precarious state

of health, it has pleased God to lay him aside from the discharge of his more active ministerial duties, he feels an increased pleasure in employing in quiet retirement from the noisy scenes of life, the remaining portion of time which may be allotted to him on earth, in reviewing the labours of former years; and is happy in the feeling that those blessed truths which, during a protracted Ministry, it has been his privilege to proclaim to others, form, in a season of much infirmity and sickness, his chief, and, comparatively, his only consolation and support; having served his God and generation on earth, he desires, in humble dependence upon the Divine Grace, and a firm reliance upon the merits and atonement of the Saviour, like Simeon of old, to wait in patience the manifestation of the divine will, that whenever it shall please the Lord to call him hence, he may say, with resigned joy, "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy Word, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation." *

* While these sheets were in a state of preparation for the press, it has pleased Almighty God to remove the Author from this world of sin and sorrow to his everlasting rest, realizing the sentiments above expressed.