I commend my Soul into the hands of God, my Creator; hoping and assuredly believing, through the only merits of Jesus Christ, my Sabiour, to be made partaker of life everlasting; and my Body to the earth, whereof that is made.'

SHAKSPEARE'S WILL.*

*It has been suggested by Mr. Furnivall, who has ventured to represent Shakspeare as an unbeliever, that this was merely a form of words usually employed in wills. But Shakspeare was too true a man to have made use of such expressions unless they had represented his real sentiments. See Appendix, p. 399 seq.

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DEDICATION

PREFACE

CONTENTS.

ADVERTISEMENT TO THIRD EDITION

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

PART I.

CHAPTER I.

Of noticeable Forms of Speech found in the English

Bible and in Shakspeare

CHAPTER II.

Of noticeable Words found in the English Bible and in

PAGE

vii

ix

xii

I

9

29

49

54

CHAPTER II.

Of Shakspeare's Religious Principles and Sentiments

derived from the Bible

SECT.

1. Of the Being and Nature of God

2. Of the Holy Angels, and of the Fallen

3. Of God's Goodness in Creation, and in the Redemption of

Man

100

117

125

132

151

167

242

13. Of Humility, Contentment, and Resignation

14. Of Holy Scripture, the Christian Ministry, and Church

16. Of Death, the Intermediate State, and Day of Judgment. 287

CHAPTER III.

Of the Poetry of Shakspeare as derived from the Bible. 310