INDEX TO THE BIBLE;

In which the various Subjects which occur in the Scriptures are Alphabetically Arranged: with accurate References to all the Books of the Old and New Testaments. Designed to facilitate the Study of these invaluable Records. [Philadelphia, 1804; London, 1805.]

PREFACE.

THE work which I now present to the public is one of the most laborious that I ever undertook, but it has been far from being irksome; and I shall think my labour abundantly compensated if it be found to be useful. To myself such a work would have been exceedingly so, if I had been possessed of it in the early part of my life; and it must be so to all persons who are conversant in the Scriptures, and who wish to find any thing contained in them without any unnecessary loss of time.

A few persons there are (and with one of them I was well acquainted, and who I believe is now living) who perfectly remember every word in the Bible,* and who, if any passage in it be read to them, will tell the chapter and verse in which it is to be found; or, if the chapter and verse be named, will recite the passage. Eusebius also, I think, speaks of an excellent reader in a Christian church in his time who was blind. But the generality of those who are the best acquainted with the Scriptures, have by no means so perfect a recollection of what they read. They recollect some leading words in the passages they wish to find, or some circumstances of the subject, concerning which they wish to be farther informed, but they are at a loss where to look for it.

In the former of these cases a good Concordance is all that is wanted for, remembering some principal word in the passage, they are there directed where to find it. But a Concordance gives little or no assistance to a person who, without recollecting any words, wants to be informed concerning any particular subject, historical, prophetical, or moral. To provide such persons with the assistance they want, an Alphabetical Index is necessary: for by this means they can be directed to the particular passages, without the previous knowledge of any words in them.

The only work of this kind that I have met with, or that I have heard of, is Mr. Pilkington's Rational Concordance, or Index to the Bible, which was printed at Nottingham, in England, A. D. 1749; and, having never heard of any later edition, or indeed seen any more than this one copy, I conclude that the work is very scarce, and little known. It is, however, excellent for moral passages, but exceedingly defective with respect to history and prophecy; and it is

Thus John Biddle, as to the New Testament, both in Greek and English. Mon. Rep. (1818) XIII. 419, note *.

in every respect capable of much improvement, as all first attempts are. This I have endeavoured to give to it.

The method that I adopted was the following. Without looking into Mr. Pilkington's work, I made an Index to every thing that I thought to be most important in all the books of Scripture, in the same manner as I should have done for any other work; and having had much practice of this kind, it is probably easier to me than to most other persons. But being aware that I could not add much to what Mr. P. had done with respect to passages of a moral nature, I attended principally to those relating to history and prophecy. For though Mr. P. has not wholly omitted these subjects, what he has done in this way is so imperfect, that if any person wants to know what was foretold, and by whom, concerning the Edomites, Moabites, Egyptians, &c., &c., (which I have frequently wanted myself,) he will find no assistance from Mr. P. To such articles as these I, therefore, gave the more particular attention, though I did not wholly overlook passages relating to moral duties.

But when I began to digest the whole, including all that I approved in Mr. P.'s work, I found that he had done this part so copiously and so well, that I generally transcribed it from him, frequently, however, using different words of direction, and sometimes throwing two or three of his articles into one, as those of avarice and covetousness, and others which are almost synonymous.

Attempting to do more in this way, and thereby to simplify the work, I found that, though in general many of his leading words were nearly synonymous, and the texts under them the very same, yet that he had attended to some useful shades of difference; and therefore, as a redundancy in this case is no inconvenience to the reader, I have generally copied him in this respect also, though never without consulting the texts themselves, numerous as they are, both to satisfy myself that the reference was exact, and that the passage was proper for the purpose. Numerous, however, as these references are, they are by no means all that might have been quoted; but they are abundantly sufficient for every useful purpose, and I have but seldom added to them.

As many of Mr. P.'s words of reference are nearly synonymous, I have thought it useful, in order to save the persons who may consult this work much uncertainty and trouble, to give a list of all such words as have any striking relation to each other, either by their similarity or their opposition, that if the texts under any one of them should not answer his purpose, those under some of the others may. And this will make it unnecessary to refer from one leading word to another in the body of the work.

Under the article of Jesus, I have given the outline of his history from all the four Evangelists, referring to the corresponding passages in them all. This I have also done on some other occasions, but not always; thinking it quite sufficient in most cases to refer to any one of the Evangelists, though it is no subject of complaint to the reader to have the choice of which of the Evangelists he wishes to

turn to.

That there might be as little uncertainty as possible in the use of this Index, the references to every article of importance are double.

1

For example, under the names of the different judges of Israel, of David, and other conquerors, are references to the passages in which their conquests are recited; and the same passages are referred to under the names of the nations conquered by them. Under the name of Jesus there are references to the passages in the Evangelists which contain an account of all his miracles, and at least the principal of them are likewise mentioned under the separate heads of each, as blindness, dropsy, &c.

All works of this kind are capable of great improvement, as well as Concordances. All that I can say in favour of this is, that it is an improvement on that of Mr. P., and therefore may be used with advantage till there be a similar farther improvement upon it.

The makers of Indexes and of Dictionaries are never allowed the praise of much genius; but these works certainly require the exercise of judgment; and how many writers are there who would have been more usefully employed than they have been, if they had aimed at nothing higher!

Many, no doubt, will apply this to myself; but as all writers think favourably of their own productions, I, with others in a similar situation, appeal from them to more impartial judges. I shall think myself to have been well employed, if this publication shall be the means of gaining more attention to the Holy Scriptures.

Words of Reference that have some relation to each other, either by similarity of signification or opposition.

Admonition, Advice, Exhortation, Instruction, Edification.
Afflictions, Suffering, Danger, Persecution, Martyrdom.
Ambition, Envy.

Apostacy, Infidelity, Unbelievers, Credulity, Incredulity.

Boasting, Ostentation, Conceit, Presumption, Pride.

Candour, Forbearance, Meekness, Patience, Obstinacy, Rashness, Murmuring, Distrust.

Charity, Compassion, Generosity, Alms-giving, Humanity, Sympathy.

Consideration, Circumspection, Watchfulness, Examination, (self,) Deliberation.

Courage, Cowardice.

Covetousness, Concupiscence, Desire, (inordinate,) Anxiety, Con

tentment.

Curiosity, Inquisitiveness, Busy-bodies.

Deceit, Dissimulation, Lying, Prevarication, Treachery, Flattery, Tongue.

Decision, Stability, Zeal, Lukewarmness, Delay.

Diligence, Idleness, Frugality.

Discord, Quarrels, Railing, Reviling, Reproaches, Scolding, Slander, Strife, Whisperers, Disputing.

Duty, Moral Duties, Virtue, Obedience, Righteous, Wicked, Sin,
Vices, Disobedience.

Equity, Honesty, Exaction, Selling, Balances, Weights, Robbery,

Hatred, Implacability, Revenge, Malice, Cruelty, Anger.
Heart, Sincerity.

Joy, Rejoicing, Mirth, Laughter, Sorrow, Grief.

Repentance, Contrition, Conversion, Forgiveness, Pardon, Refor-

mation, Restitution.

Temperance, Sensuality, Gluttony.
Wrath of God, Severity.

His name changed from Abram, xvii. Adonibezek, conquered and put to