a religious life, he retired to the monastery of St. Andrews, of which he was abbot. He died in 604, and reigned fourteen years. He sent Austin the monk to convert the English to Christianity. NOTE. This List of the Popes is continued down to Benedict VIII., who died in 1024.-ED. A HISTORY OF THE JEWS, FROM THE TIME OF JACOB TO THAT OF JOHN HYRCANUS, HIGHPRIEST, ONE OF THE MACCABEES. COMPILED FROM JOSEPHUS, MOSES, MILLOT, ELLWOOD, JONES, AND OTHERS. VOL. I. BY F. J. POST. ISLINGTON, 1829. NOTE. This little work, although only brought down to the time of Moses' death, is exceedingly inter esting, and contains much historical information of the patriarchs and the subsequent journeyings of the Israelites. At the end of this volume is a copious index, and also the following remarks.- ED. Upon the Religion of the Israelites, their Settlement in Palestine, &c. The family of Jacob on his arrival in Egypt, was seventeen souls, where they remained 430 years. When Israel departed from Goshen, they amounted to 600,000 men, exclusive of women and children. A cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night, guided them from danger. At Sinai, water came from the rock, and manna from heaven. The Lord graciously gave Moses many useful laws and regulations, especially the Decalogue, or ten commandments, with every accompaniment of awe and terror-thunder, lightning, and impenetrable darkness. These laws, the basis of the Jewish religion, may be comprised as follow: 1. There is but one God, and Him only we must serve. 2. Thou shalt not worship images. 3. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord in vain. 4. Thou shalt keep one day of the week holy. 5. Honour thy parents. 6. Abstain from murder. 8. Thou shalt not steal. 9. We must not bear false witness. 10. Thou must not desire any thing belonging to another. Levi was ordained to the priesthood. Aaron was the first high-priest. Israel was divided into tribes, who bore the names of the sons of Jacob from whom they were descended. Aaron was created high-priest A.м. 2514, died 2552, and was succeeded by Eleazer. Moses remaining forty days on Mount Sinai, Aaron, at the request of the people, made them an image to worship. When Moses came down, he ordered the tribe of Levi to fall upon the idolaters, and 8000 were slain. The tabernacle was set up, and the ark of the covenant was placed therein. Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu, were consumed by fire for offering incense with strange fire, soon after being made priests. At Kibroth-hattaavah, the people refusing to eat manna, were afflicted by a plague. Miriam, murmuring, was struck with leprosy, but at the prayer of Moses was healed. One was stoned for blasphemy, and another for breaking the sabbath. Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, and 250 men, were swallowed up by an earthquake for rebelling against Moses. As a punishment for their murmuring, the people wandered in the desert till those who came from Egypt were extinct. Moses, after seeing the promised land from Mount Pisgah, died A.M. 2553, aged 120 years. The Jordan, like the Red Sea, opened for the children of Israel to pass over, and, after several battles, they conquered Canaan. Joshua died at Timnath-serah, aged 110, A.M. 2578.-F. J. P. NOTE. The second volume of this work is dated 1831, and is prefaced by the following remarks:— In the annals of ancient history, the Jews have a conspicuous part, both from their being under the immediate protection of the God of Israel, as also on account of their wealth, population, and, above all, the remarkable interven tion of Providence in their behalf. At the time of the Captivity these sketches might have closed, but the author premised that some account of the succeeding rulers would be acceptable, as those historians who treat briefly often omit them. The Captivity properly belongs to Babylonian history.-F. J. P. NOTE. It does not appear that the author proceeded very far with his extended prospect, as set forth in the title-page. The account brought down to JAIR, one of the Hebrew judges, is all which has been found completed of this vast design. Of that chief magistrate of Israel's commonwealth, it is remarked, "He died, A.M. 2816, an old man, having thirty sons, that rode on thirty ass-colts."-ED. A LIST OF THE KINGS OF ISRAEL, WITH THEIR CHARACTERS. 1829. REHOBOAM, by his imprudence, causing ten of the tribes to revolt, they chose |