CRUDEN'S COMPLETE CONCORDANCE TO THE HOLY SCRIPTURES, Or, a Dictionary and Alphabetical Index to the Bible, BY ALEXANDER CRUDEN, M.A. By which, I.-Any verse in the Bible may be readily found by looking for any material word in the verse. To which is addedII.-The Significations of the principal words, by which their true meaning in the Scriptures is shown. III.-An account of Jewish customs and cere monies, illustrative of many portions of the Sacred Record. IV-A Concordance to the Proper Names of the Bible, and their meaning in the original. V.-A Concordance to the Books called Apocry pha. One volume, quarto. To which is appended an ORIGINAL LIFE OF THE AUTHOR. ILLUSTRATED WITH AN ACCURATE PORTRAIT FROM A STEEL ENGRAVING. The only GENUINE and ENTIRE edition of the complete work of Cruden-the only one embracing those features of it which Cruden himself and the Public, for more than a hundred years, have regarded as ESSENTIAL to its completeness and inestimable value, IS THE EDITION PUBLISHED BY THE SUBSCRIBER. It is believed to be the most accurate Edition, now in existence, of the original work, as it came from the hands of the author; and is the only American edition having any fair claim to his name. In its COMPLETE form it has ever been regarded as immeasurably superior to any other work of the kind; and of all other books is inferior in value only to the Bible itself, being most appropriately styled "THE BIBLE ITS OWN INTERPRETER." A practical knowledge of the unequaled worth and usefulness of this great work, has hitherto becn confined mainly to clergymen. But every well-informed man, every Bible reader, equally needs it. No Sunday-School or other teacher of the Scriptures, or Family Library, should be without it. M. W. DODD, Publisher, New York. TESTIMONIALS, Which want of room will not allow us to give, except in part, as below, from a large number of well-known Clergymen and others of different denominations, have been placed at our disposal. It must be observed, however, that all these opinions have reference to the cOMPLETE EDITION of the work. For all who have made the comparison, know the superiority of this, not only over every other of the kind, but also its incomparable superiority to the so-called "Condensed" and "Abridged" Editions of it, where the original is deprived of its distinguishing features and excellences, to obtain a slight reduction in cost. From the REV. DAVID S. DOGGETT, D.D., Editor of Southern Methodist Quarterly Review. I regard "Cruden's Complete Concordance to the Holy Scriptures," the original work of the Author, totidem verbis, as incomparably superior to every work of the kind that has ever appeared. It has never been surpassed, and I doubt whether it ever can be. It is much to be regretted that abridged and mutilated editions have appeared from the American press; and I rejoice that you have undertaken to present to the public this invaluable production, in a form worthy of its longearned reputation. Besides the perfection and facility of its references, furnishing the very best interpretation of the Sacred Writings, it is also a Commentary and a Dictionary of the Bible, of the highest utility to every student of the Word of God. I sincerely hope, in its complete form, it will receive that patronage from a discerning public, to which its incontestable merits entitle it. DAVID S. DOGGETT. From REV. JAMES W. ALEXANDER, D.D., New York. It is a low view of such a book to consider it merely as an expedient for finding a certain verse. It is in reality a Bible-Lexicon. It displays at one glance all the acceptations of a given term; is thus a key to Scriptural phraseology, and often answers the purpose of a good commentary. As managed by Cruden, it is also an explanatory dictionary, and his definitions are, in every instance remembered by me, sound and evangelical. I should expect every clergyman, theological student, and other diligent reader of the Word of God, to supply himself with this Concordance, if it is not already on his shelves. And I cannot but think that your publication will contribute largely to the knowledge of divine truth. JAMES W. ALEXANDER. Rev. Albert Barnes. Philadelphia. Language, the same in effect, if not stronger still, in commendation of this great work, is used by Rev. Bishop E. S. Janes, D.D., New York. "Gardiner Spring, D.D., New York. "Prof. C. A. Goodrich, D.D., Yale College. "Prof. Thos. H. Skinner, D.D., Union Semi Prof. Charles Hodge. D.D., Princeton. "Thos O Summers, D.D., Book Editor Meth. Ep Ch., South. Wm. B. Sprague, D.D., Albany. "Pres. Humphrey, D.D., Amherst College. 46 Thos. De Witt. D.D.. New York. "Joel Parker. D.D.. New York. And many others. "And the king said, is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God unto him? And Žiba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, which is lame on his feet."-2 SAM. ix. 3. THE lessons of life are sometimes fearful, but always instructive to him who believes in the all pervading providence of God. Of these lessons, the chapter containing the text is very suggestive. 1. We have here a vivid illustration of the mutability of worldly greatness. About thirty-four years before the event here recorded, Saul received his appointment, as the first king of Israel, under circumstances prophetic of a splendid and prosperous reign; the events which led to his election-his majestic personal appear. ance-his sacred anointing-his receiving another spirit from God, were circumstances full of promise for the future. He had a rich kingdom-a powerful army-a numerous family-and, the manifest favor of Heaven. Who, in reading this earlier portion of his life, and seeing it open with so much light and hope, would dream, that such a rising sun would soon go down amidst clouds and storms, and his name, in after times, be used only "to point a moral"-only to warn men against the indulgence of pride and presumption. Yet, at the close of thirty-four years from this time, where is Saul, what is the condition of his family? He has forsaken the Lord, who had so signally befriended him in his early manhood; and now, tortured and maddened by an evil spirit, he has become a curse to his people, and a bitter foe to all who cross his selfish path; his heart is corroded with envy; his conscience is so burdened with guilt, and his mind is so oppressed with the gathering evils of a wasted life, that it seems to him better to die than to live; and so he cuts the thread of his own life, and goes unbidden and unprepared to the bar of God. Where is his family, about which so lately were gathered all the luxuries and the pride of life? They were scattered at first here and there, till at length only one individual of the royal race of Saul is found, and he is a pauper and a cripple! "Be not high minded," is the lesson which this fact reads to us; "Be not high minded, but fear." Worldly greatness is mutable, and destined to a speedy downfall, when it arrays itself against the government of God. The prosperity, which refuses to bow to the supremacy of Heaven; the elevation, which fills the heart with pride and the love of self-indulgence, soon make men top heavy, and unable to stand; and then cometh to pass the saying, that is written, "Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." Let the short race of Saul, in the high places of power, and its sad catastrophe teach us, that human greatness, when it comes into conflict with the plans of infinite wisdom, has no power to save itself from tumbling headlong into infamy. But, while these sad changes are going on in respect to Saul, we have another individual presented in this chapter, whose history illustrates 2. The efficiency of the favor and blessing of God in the way of well doing. This individual was David, living at first in Bethlehem, the youngest of seven sons, and, for that reason, perhaps, chosen to keep his father's sheep; and, though his occupation was humble, affording but few, if any facilities as one would think for rising in the world, yet he seemed determined to do with his might what his hands found to do. There was hope in his eye, and good courage in his heart, because he had somehow learned, with the affectionate trust of a child, to lean on the paternal care of God; for, it was about this time that he wrote the Psalm, suggested doubtless by his occupation, and beginning with, "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want; he maketh me to lie down in green pastures-he leadeth me beside the still watershe restoreth my soul." It was thus that he started in life, "seeking first the Kingdom of God, and his righteousness," and then making it his commanding object to take lessons in the line of self improvement, and to reach the highest excellence in the lit tle sphere he was called to fill. Little did he think, while practising with the sling and the stone, and waking to ecstasy the living lyre, and settling his mind in the great principles of truth and righteousness, what an influence these exercises would have on the success of his after life. The touching notes of his harp often arrested the attention of multitudes, while passing the field, where he was watching his father's flock-notes which told that his heart was in the right place; and, when at length it was known, that a skillful player on that instrument was needed to drive away the spirit of melancholy that was now troubling the mind of the king, all eyes were at once turned to "the sweet singer of Israel;" and so he came to court, where not more for his skill on the harp, than for the nobleness of his character, he won for himself universal favor, insomuch that Saul made him his armor bearer. And, when afterward he heard the impious challenge of Goliath, and saw the strong men of Israel tremble at the very sight of the giant, he thought of the lion and the bear, that he had brought down, perhaps by a stone thrown from his sling, and felt, that He who had thus delivered him from the paw of the lion and the bear, would save him likewise, by the same means, from the power of the uncircumcised Philistine. You all know the result. Thus he went onward and upward, sustained by Divine favor, receiving constant help from above, because, in a right way, he sought to help himself, till at length he reached the high places of power as the anointed king of Israel. Such an upward tendency in his life, we are sure, would not have appeared, if he had not placed himself early in the line of selfimprovement and the fear of the Lord. He could not thus have risen from the sheep-fold to a throne, if God had not been with him. His "favor is life, and his loving kindness is better than life." Now as the law of prosperity in this world is the same in every age, we gather from this portion of David's history a cogent reason, why all young men should go and do likewise. The starting point of success is being faithful in that which is least. A young man, connected with an obscure family, and living in some unfrequented part of the town, may think it of little consequence what he does, or what feelings he cherishes. Supposing it to be impossible for him to rise above his present condition, he may let his mind run to waste, and permit the passion of envy to nestle in his heart. But, let him think of David giving his mind to the work of self-improvement in the sheep pasture of Bethlehem, and remember, that more eyes are upon him than he is aware of. Let him from respect to the account he must render to God for the improvement of the one talent, with which he is entrusted, make the most of his time and opportunities; let him, like David, be faithful in that which is least, and he cannot long be hid. If he is that wise son that maketh a glad father; if he aims at the highest excellence in whatever department of labor he may be employed; if he seeks to store his mind with useful knowledge, and to show himself a man in all the relations of this and the coming life, the fact will soon begin to be whispered about, first here and then there, till, in due time, these whispers will break on his ear in the clear and impressive call of the whole community, backed by the voice of Providence, saying, "Friend, go up higher; cultivate this larger field; for to him that hath, and uses well what he hath, shall more be given." If however, he hopes to feel the efficiency of the favor and blessing of God, he must, to the acquisitions just named, add these other two, (to wit,) long patience and a well balanced mind. Some men, after doing well for a season, become fretful and impatient, and so destroy what little capital they had acquired for the cultivation of a larger field. Others, when by patient continuance in well doing, they began to reap the appropriate reward, became intoxicated by success for the want of a well regulated mind, and thus soon fell to rise no more. What every young man should specially seek for, who is desirous to make his mark in the world, is to have his mind well settled in the truth and love of God, and in the conviction of his personal accountability. Thus armed and equipped, we do not doubt that his bark will, in due time, if he faint not, feel the prosperous breath of Heaven, as it passes over the great ocean of life, bearing him not indeed to a throne, but to the nobler position of usefulness, according to the measure of his ability. We are confident, that here lay the secret of David's prosperity, and that this secret of the Lord is with all them that fear him. Let our young men, therefore, be of good courage, and trust in the Lord, and do good, and he will surely bring it to pass. 3. We have also, in this chapter, an instance of a truly magnanimous spirit, exhibited by David towards the house of Saul, his bitterest enemy. An example which we shall do well to gaze at till it finds its counterpart in our own conduct. All along before this, he had returned only good for evil, refusing on one occasion to take the life of Saul, when it was in his power, and when multitudes would have applauded him for the deed. But his magnanimity in the case before us rose far above any former precedent. For when firmly seated on the throne, and his enemies on every side subdued, he bethought himself of the house of Saul. We do not wonder that he should have been ignorant of their precise condition on account of the full occupation of his thoughts and time in other directions. For more than seven years he had been constantly and bitterly opposed by Ishbosheth, and his engagements afterwards were numerous. But now during his first freedom from these pressing cares, we hear him asking, "Is there yet any that is left of he house of Saul?" Why does he ask? Is it that he may put |