SACRED and PROPHANE HISTORY OF THE WORLD CONNECTED, From the CREATION of the WORLD By SAMUEL SHUCKFORD, M. A. VOLUME the FIRST. LONDON: Printed for R. KNAPLOCK in St. Paul's Church- Yard, and J. TONSON in the Strand. MDCCXXVIII. T HE Defign of this Undertaking is to fet before the Reader a View of the History of the World, from Adam, to the Diffolution of the Affyrian Empire, at the Death of Sardanapalus, in the Reigns of Abaz King of Judah, and Pekah King of Ifrael: At this Period, the most Learned Dean Prideaux began his Connection of the Old and New Teftament, and I would bring my Performance down to the Times where his Work begins; hoping, that if I can fat fet the Transactions of these Ages in a clear Light, my Endeavours may be of fome Service towards forming a Judgment of the Truth and Exactness of the ancient Scripture-Hiftory, by fhewing how far the old Fragments of the Heathen Writers agree with it, and how much better and more authentic the Account is, which it gives of Things, where they differ from it. What is now published, is but a small Part of my Design; but if this meets with that Acceptance, which I hope it may, the remaining Parts shall foon follow. : Chronology and Geography being neceffary Helps to Hiftory, I have taken care to be as exact as I can, in both of them And that I might give the Reader the clearest View of the Geography, I have, here and there, added a Map, where I differ in any Particulars from other Writers, or have mentioned any thing, not fo clearly delineated in the Draughts already extant. And as to the Chrono logy, logy, I have obferved, as I go along, the feveral Years in which the Particu lars I treat of, happened; and where any Doubts or Difficulties may arife, I have endeavoured to clear them, by giving my Reafons for the particular Times of fuch Transactions, as I have treated of. In the Annals, as I go along, I have chofen to make use of the Ara of the Creation of the World, that feeming to me moft easy and natural. The Tranfactions I am to treat of, are brought down from the Beginning, and it will be often very clear at what Interval or Distance they follow one another, and how long after the Creation; whereas, if I had ufed the fame Era with Dr. Prideaux, and computed by the Years before Chrift, it would have been neceffary to have afcertain'd the Reader in what Year of the World the Incarnation of Chrift happened, before he could have had a fixed and determinate Notion of my Chronology: However, when I have gone thro' |