An Universal History: From the Beginning of the World, to the Empire of Charlemagne

The first epoch immediately presents to you a grand and awful spectac le; God creating the heavens and the earth by his word, and making man after his own image. With this begins Moses, the most ancient of historians, most sublime of philosophers, and wisest of legislators.

Thus he lays the foundation as well of his history, as of bis doctrine and laws. Next he shows us all men contained in one man, and his wife herself extracted from him; matrimonial union, and the society of mankind established upon- this foundation; the perfection and power of man, so far as he bears the image of God in his first estate; his dominion over animals; his innocence, together with his felicity, in paradise, the memory whereof is preserved in the golden age of the poets; the divine command given to our first parents; the malice of the tempting spirit} an’l his appearance under the form of a serpent; the fall of Adam and Eve, fatal to all their posterity; the first man justly punished in all his children, and mankind culled by God; the first promise of redemption, and the futurlB victory of men over the devil who tad undone them.