ON THE HISTORY OF GIDEON, FOR DOMESTIC AND VILLAGE CONGREGATIONS. BY A COUNTRY CURATE, M. A. "THE SWORD OF THE LORD, AND OF GIDEON.' LONGMAN LONDON: AND CO.; HAMILTON AND CO.; MDCCCXLIII. TO THE RIGHT REV. EDWARD, LORD BISHOP OF NORWICH, THIS LITTLE WORK IS WITH EVERY SENTIMENT OF RESPECT AND GRATITUDE BY PERMISSION DEDICATED BY A CURATE IN HIS LORDSHIP'S DIOCESE. PREFACE. THESE Lectures were originally composed for a Congregation, consisting principally of the humbler class of agriculturists. They are now printed with a view to more general circulation, not only amongst the same description of persons in the country, but also in towns, and especially for mechanics, and for servants in private families and accordingly aim at nothing more than conveying the great truths of religion in the simplest and most obvious form, and in the plainest and most homely language to the readers. All ornament of style or artifice of illustration being carefully avoided as tending to frustrate rather than advance their more immediate object, of enforcing the duties of life among the lowly and less educated, and setting forth the foundation upon which it is indispensable they should be built. It may appear at first somewhat singular to have selected for this end the subject of Gideon, the bold and successful assertor of the rights and religion of his enslaved countrymen; a theme apparently better calculated |