Chapter I
Reading edition
CHAPTER I.
The Prologue, i. 1–6.
Books linked by conjunction “And:” Scripture history a connected whole, 1.—So is secular history organic: “Philosophy of history.” The Pentateuch being a still closer unity, Exodus rehearses the descent into Egypt, 2.—Heredity: the family of Jacob, 3.—Death of Joseph. Influence of Egypt on the shepherd race, 4.—A healthy stock: good breeding. Goethe’s aphorism, 5.—Ourselves and our descendants, 6.
God in History, i. 7.
In Exodus, national history replaces biography, 6.—Contrasted narratives of Jacob and Moses. Spiritual progress from Genesis to Exodus, 7.—St. Paul’s view: Law prepares for Gospel, especially by our failures, 8.—This explains other phenomena: failures in various circumstances, of innocence in Eden; of an elect family; now of a race, a nation, 9.—Israel, failing with all advantages, needs a Messiah. Faith justifies, in Old Testament as in New, 10.—Scripture history reveals God in this life, in all things, 11.—True spirituality owns God in the secular: this is a gospel for our days, 12–13.
The Oppression, i. 7–22.
Early prosperity: its dangers: political supports vain, 13.—Joseph forgotten. National responsibilities: despotism, 14.—Nations and their chiefs. Our subject races, 15.—The Church and her King: imputation. Pharaoh precipitates what he fears, 16.—Egypt and her aliens: modern parallels, 17.—Tyranny is tyrannous even when cultured, 18.—Our undue estrangement from the fallen: Jesus a brother. Toil crushes the spirit, 19.—Israel idolatrous. Religious dependence, 20. —Direct interposition required. Bitter oppression, 21.—Pharaoh drops the mask. Defeated by the human heart. The midwives, 22.—Their falsehood. Morality is progressive, 23.—Culture and humanity, 24.—Religion and the child, 25.