• { 
 
 / 
 
 r 
 
 t . 
 
 f 
 
 
 
tO'Urrtuir/- 
 
 *c 'j ;»rV- 
 
 1 
 
 f 
 
 I 
 
 S 
 
 < 
 
 
 .1 
 
FIFTY 
 
 liitri'ii liilijfrts. 
 
 DESIGNED BY THE MOST CELEBRATED 
 ENGLISH, GEEMAN, AND OLD MASTERS. 
 
 INTENDED CHIEFLY FOR 
 
 DISTRIBUTION AMONGST THE POOR, AND REWARDS 
 TO SUNDAY-SCHOOL CHILDREN. 
 
 SUPERINTENDED BY 
 
 THE REV. HENRY JOHN ROSE, B.D., 
 
 EBCTOB OF HOCOHTON CONQUEST, LATE FELLOW OF ST JOHN’s COLLEGE, CAMBRIP6K. 
 
 AND 
 
 THE REV. JOHN WILLIAM BURGON, M.A., 
 
 FELLOW OF ORIEL COLLEGE, OXFORD. 
 
 I'Ktilisliph bij 
 
 BERING AND REMINGTON, 
 Religions print Pepot, 
 
 137 REGENT STREET, LONDON. 
 
 Price 2 Is. 
 
 
v-TT I 'r‘^ 
 
 Vi ♦ ' 
 
 -f> 
 
 ' \,C t ^aiiUJja^rr* 
 
 
 v.vr '' ' * .viMf^nin riHnn^-rAasng c»t . ' 
 
 V'/- ^ ‘li *- T,- *■ ' ’^*>^* t'- 
 
 >■ < V . . - 
 
 ■■P'"'*' A* ■“ 
 
 Vl _ ** # </ 
 
 ■ - !/ir.^- 
 
 - - ', " ■ •'i '*i,- - ■ u- ■ 
 
 i^<€\.Ajt. .ZW)flU»' KO-l-ll «■ ■'«H 0 ' 
 
 . _.• .'V. 
 
 . vv 
 
 •‘•fe * ■ , i'V li^ 
 
 * A . •*■ ,|«n«2o «Uirn^ ,‘jK 
 
 -ipw? 
 
 ■ iiiOTaKiMa.s a**- awiaiff • 
 
 
 frJi. i- -‘ ^ fc* JUtfwh'i lT ' 
 
 _* 'i" , ^ 
 
 
 i£.’ieki 44 .j 
 
TO THE 
 
 KEVEREND GEORGE CECIL RENOUART), R.D., 
 
 RECTOR OF SWANSCOMBE, 
 
 IJVTE FELLOW OF SIDNEY-SUSSEX COLLEGE, 
 
 AND IX)Rn almoner’s professor OF ARABIC IN THE 
 UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE, 
 
 IN MEMORY OF THE FRIENDSHIP 
 OF MANY YEARS 
 THIS WORK 
 
 IS AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED 
 
 BY 
 
 THE EDITORS. 
 
:| 
 
 I 
 
 li 
 
 !" 
 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 On the completion of the present scries of Scripture 
 Prints, tlie Editors are desirous of saying a few words in 
 behalf of the entire Work. 
 
 It pretends neither to completeness nor to exactness of 
 method. No suitable representations were at hand of 
 many subjects which we desired extremely to exhibit, as 
 the good Samaritan, — the wise and foolish Virgins, — and 
 many passages in the life of our blessed Lord ; while some 
 subjects will be found twice repeated. Other representa- 
 tions again, only indirectly illustrative of the Gospels, have 
 been occasionally introduced. But it is hoped, neverthe- 
 less, that an intelligible, though a somewhat irregular 
 whole, has been obtained ; and that those who desire to 
 trace in these engravings the general course of the sacred 
 narrative, as it is exhibited in the services of the Church, 
 will not be disappointed. 
 
 The title originally given to the work, records the object 
 with which it was undertaken, as set forth in the original 
 Prosj)ectus. To supply prints for ihe Cottage has all 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 along been before our minds, and uppermost in our hearts, 
 in the formation of the present Series. We are still of 
 opinion that, protected by cheap frames, such small pic- 
 tures as these might with advantage find their way into 
 the dwellings of the poor; and that they would do more 
 for their owners than simply decorate their walls. Nor 
 do we abandon the notion that they would be useful as 
 rewards for the children of a Sunday-school. And if the 
 smallness of these Prints be urged as an objection, we can 
 but answer that we aimed at suj)planting yet smaller 
 productions than these : that magnitude (obviously) en- 
 tails expense ; and that larger prints would require larger 
 frames. 
 
 These Prints, in short, must not be judged of by a stan- 
 dard to which they did not aspire. In undertakings of 
 this nature, we arc perfectly well aware that magnitude 
 of dimension, — boldness of execution, — and brilliancy of 
 colour, — arc much to be desired ; especially if these (pia- 
 lities can be combined with excessive cheapness. Put 
 with this last advantage, so many excellencies seem to be 
 scarcely compatible. 
 
 VV’^c aimed indeed at something different ; and though 
 we are not unmindful that for the measure of success 
 which has hitherto attended the work, our thanks are 
 mainly due to the sympathy and kindness of our friends, 
 the encouragement we have received from many quarters 
 emboldens us to hope that the present experiment has not 
 
rUEFACE. 
 
 altogether failed in meeting, to a eertain extent, an ad- 
 mitted want. 
 
 It only remains to add that besides the alternative of 
 either dispensing these Prints separately, or binding them 
 up as illustrations of the Bible, a plan which was also sug- 
 gested in the original prospectus, — it has been thought 
 advisable to issue, with the concluding number, a brief 
 amount of illustrative letter-])ress, to accompany each 
 I’rint. The intention of this has been to enable any sub- 
 scriber who preferred collecting his engravings into a 
 volume, to effect his purpose in a satisfactory manner. 
 The subjects — which, in the original order of their publica- 
 tion, did not pretend to any arrangement whatever, — have 
 accordingly been distributed into five classes — correspond- 
 ing generally with the seasons of the sacred year : and it is 
 hoped that, by this method, the series will be rendered 
 instructive to young persons, as well as entertaining. — 
 The object of the accompanying remarks has been of the 
 humblest kind : not, by any means, to discuss difficulties, 
 or to elicit the less obvious teaching of the difierent sub- 
 jects ; but simply to awaken attention, and, as far as was 
 practicable within the narrow limits prescribed, to suggest 
 good thoughts. The first fifteen, and the last eight por- 
 tions of illustrative letter-press (i. — xv. and xliii. to 1.) are 
 by Mr. Rose. For the remaining twenty-seven, (xvi. — 
 xlii.) Mr. Burgon is responsible. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 And thus we take leave of an undertaking which has 
 occasioned us not a little trouble and anxiety, but on 
 which we shall look back with feelings of unraingled 
 pleasure. 
 
 II. J. R. 
 
 .1. W. B. 
 
 Houyhton- Conquest. 
 July, 1851 . 
 
CATALOGUE OF SUBJECTS ENGRAVED. 
 
 1. Advent to Christmas. 
 
 I. Christ entering Jerusalem (12.) {First Sunday 
 
 in Advent.) ..... Angelico da Fiesole. 
 
 II. The HEAVENLY STRANGER . (13.) . . . . S. Veit. 
 
 III. The preaching of S. John Baptist. (5.) {Fourth 
 
 Sunday in Advent.) ...... Overheck. 
 
 IV. Abraham entertainetu three Angels. (39.) . Raphael. 
 
 V. The Annunciation of the blessed Virgin 
 
 Mary. (9.) Raphael. 
 
 2. Christmas to Epiphany. 
 
 VI. The Annunciation. (39.) .... Carl Muller. 
 
 VII. The nativity announced to the shepherds. (40.) Fuhrich. 
 VIII. The ADORATION OF the SHEPHERDS. (1.) . . .Raphael. 
 
 IX. The presentation of Christ in the temple. (23.) Overbeck. 
 X. The wise men bringing gifts. (4.3.) . . . Fuhrich. 
 
 XI. The flight into Egypt. (6.) . . Angelico da Fiesole. 
 
 XII. Jacob going down into Egypt. (38.) .... Raphael. 
 
 XIII. The finding OF Moses. (33.) Raphael. 
 
 XIV. Christ obedient to His parents. (44.) . . . Muller. 
 
 XV. Christ BLESSING little CHILDREN. (18.) . . .Overheck. 
 
 3. Epiphany to^Leni. 
 
 XVI. The adoration of the wise men. (10.) {Epiphany.) Raphael. 
 XVII. The questioning with the Doctors. (45.) {First 
 
 Sunday after Epiphany) Overheck. 
 
' CATALOGUE OF SUBJECTS ENCBAVED. 
 
 XVIII. The marriage at Cana. 
 after Epiphany) 
 
 (24.) {Second Sunday 
 
 Overheck. 
 
 4. Lent to Trinity Sunday. 
 
 . . Overleck. 
 
 . . . Steinle. 
 
 . Steinle. 
 . Overleck. 
 Anydico da Fiesole. 
 
 XIX. Christ THE GOOD SiiEPiiERD. (14.) 
 
 XX. Repentance. (30.) 
 
 XXL The prodigal son’s return. (31.) 
 
 XXII. Christ healing the sick. (28.) : 
 
 XXIII. The raising of Lazarus. (7.) . 
 
 XXIV. The TRIUMPHAL ENTRY INTO Jerusalem. (41.) {Palm 
 
 Sunday.) . Fuhrick. 
 
 XXV. The LAST SUPPER. (30.) {Passion-week.) . . .Overleck. 
 
 XXVI. The agony in the garden. (3.) {Passion-week.) . liaphad. 
 
 XXVII. The agony of our Lord. (48.) {Passion-week.) . Hess. 
 
 XXVIII. The scourging of Christ. (49.) {Passion-week.) . Fiihrich. 
 
 XXIX. Christ bearing His cross. (4.) {Passion-week.) A. da Fiesole. 
 
 XXX. Christ crucified. (46.) {Good Friday.) . . . Overleck. 
 
 XXXI. The ENTOMBMENT OF Christ. (8.) {Passion-week^ A. da Fiesole. 
 XXXII. Joseph relating his dreams. (32.) .... liaphad. 
 
 XXXIII. Our Lord appearing to Mary Magdalene. (42.) 
 
 {Easter- Day.)' Ilees. 
 
 XXXIV. The Ascension. (50.) {Ascension-Day.) . . . Fiihrich. 
 
 XXXV. The great Shepherd of the sheep. (26.) {Second 
 
 Sunday after Easter.) 
 
 Steinle. 
 
 5. Trinity Sunday to Advent. 
 
 XXXVI. The meeting of Jacob and Rachel. (37.). 
 XXXVII. The lame man healed by S. Peter 
 
 AND S. John. (16.) 
 
 XXXVIII. S. Paul at Athens. (17.) 
 
 XXXIX. S. Matthew THE evangeust. (15.) . 
 
 XL. S. Mark the evangeust. (22.) {S. Mark's Day.) 
 XLI. S. Luke the evangelist. (19.) {S. Luke's Day.) 
 XLII. S. John the evangelist. (20.) {S. John's Day.) 
 XLIII. The good shepherd. (11.) {Third Sunday 
 
 after Trinity.) 
 
 XLIV. IIagar and Ishmael. (25. {Thirteenth Sunday 
 after Trinity.) 
 
 . Raphael. 
 
 Raphael. 
 . Raphael. 
 . Overleck. 
 . Overleck. 
 . Overleck. 
 . Overleck. 
 
 . Overleck. 
 
 . Overleck. 
 
CATALOGUE OF SUBJECTS EXOHAVED. 
 
 Dobson. 
 
 XLV. The sermon on the mount. (47.) {Fi/leenth 
 
 Sunday after Trinity.) 
 
 XLVI. The raising op the widow’s son atNain. (2.) {Six- 
 teenth Sunday after Trinity.) Overheck. 
 
 XLVII. The greatest in the kingdom op heaven. (29.) 
 
 {Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity.) . . • • Overbeck. 
 
 XLVIII. The calling op S. Matthew. C27.) {S. Matthews 
 
 Day.) Overbeck. 
 
 XLIX. The Guardian Angel. (35.) {S. Michael and all 
 
 Anyeh.) Straehuber. 
 
 L. S. John the divine. (21.) {All Saints.) . . • liaphael. 
 
i?;v« 
 
 * « 
 
 
 ri n. 
 
 
 ■ ■ ■•■■ 'll M ff ~'-' ■•■£ .' 3 =- , t-r 
 
 i-'.< , mB*, • p., :.';* '*■■ ■' 
 
 I • •%•. > c Cv.: ^ 
 
 M - f ‘ *.\ 
 
 I- 
 
 v*^>' 
 
 1/ •• ■ fc? ' itZ • . - -~ 
 
 * ^ d 
 
 f,g>, . ■= ' ->' >:gi'- - ' ? . ' .v^--'^;* , 
 
t niiiST 
 
 ■RXTKRIV'. 
 
 ihKU Al.l': 'I 
 
1. CHRIST ENTERING JERUSALEM. (12.) 
 
 S. JouN xii. 14. 
 
 {First Sunday in Advent.) 
 
 The holy season of Advent has been chosen by the Church as the 
 occasion of some of the most solemn and impressive lessons with which 
 the Christian year is graced. The commemoration of our Blessed 
 Lord’s fust coming in great humility, is converted into a means of 
 preparation for His second coming to judge the Morld. The Advent 
 Sei^ iccs of the Church have, for many centuries, directed the attention 
 of the devout Christian to the cntiy of our Lord into Jerusalem, which, 
 althougli the event itself occurred within the last week of oiu- Savioui-’s 
 ministrj’, harmonizes extremely m cU with the great instruction of this 
 season. It brings before us an Advent or coming of our Lord into 
 Jerusalem, as a kind of tj’pc of His coming to judgment. For 
 a moment. His earthly path is surrounded by splendour, and llis 
 kingdom acknowledged with the homage of man, while He comes to 
 execute a great judicial mission — the expulsion of His countrymen 
 from the Temple, which their worldliness had defiled. And from the 
 solemn scene here presented to our view, the devout mind naturally 
 travels onward to that Season, when He shall come with ten thousand 
 of His Saints, to execute judgment upon all. 
 
THK HKAVKXLY STKANTiKH. 
 
 S Vai 
 
 (j ScAMr/", So 
 
 Beholri 1 st&nd. at the door, ^^ld knock . 
 
 Rev c m. 20 
 
II. THE HEAVENLY STRANGER. (13.) 
 
 Revelation iii. 20. 
 
 {Advent.) 
 
 By the same train of thought which leads us to see in the approach 
 of our Blessed Loed to Jerusalem a type of His coming to judgment, 
 we connect with the season of Advent every solemn visitation of our 
 Saviour, whether open or secret. Now, when we gather up the 
 promises of spiritual aid left by our Loed to His followers, we cannot 
 fail to perceive that many of them declare His presence among us, 
 when we are imconscious of it. His presence is promised to all the 
 assemblies of the faithful, for “ whore two or three are gathered toge- 
 ther in My name, there am I in the midst of them.” Again, in regard 
 to every act of charity. He declares that whatsoever is given to His 
 poor for His sake is given to Himself : so that M'hea the disease, the 
 poverty, or the affliction of a Christian brother demands our sjTupathy, 
 it is our Loed Himself, who, through them, condescends to ask and to 
 use our feeble powers of help. The eye of faith beholds in the afflicted 
 brother the Heavenly Stranger, who thus tries the love of His followers, 
 though the worldly and the imbclicving heart regards Him not. 
 
 “ Behold, I stand at the door, and knock : if any man hear My voice, 
 and open the door, I will come in to him, and sup udth him, and he 
 with Me.” By which words, we are also reminded that the Holy One 
 who demands admission into all our hearts, pledges Himself to enter 
 as one who comes to a scene of festive joy ; and promises to adapt 
 Himself first to our child-like tastes, — to partake our meal : “ I will 
 sup with him.” At the same time He adds, — “ And he with Me in 
 which words it is foretold that we shall in time learn' the higher 
 delights of the heavenly banquet which He will furnish forth. Ho 
 promises to lead us on fi-om earthly to heavenly things, — from the de- 
 sire of the meat which perisheth, to the desire of that which lastcth 
 for ever. 
 

 1 
 
 j 
 
 : t. # 
 
 • » 
 
THK PHKACHINOOK S..IOHN BAPTIS T. 
 
 Qt0-beck 
 
 Onp mi^huer than 1 cometii, thelatchet of VVTiose slioes 1 am rot %rorrhy lo unloo»*- 
 
 J.akr c.ni t M' 
 
III. THE PREACHING OF S. JOHN BAPTIST. (5.) 
 
 S. Luke iii. 16 . 
 
 {Fourth Sunday in Advent.) 
 
 There is no character among the prophetic forenmners of our Lord 
 more remarkable than John the Baptist. He seems to stand between 
 the Old and the New Testament. Tlie Old Testament has been said 
 to expire with the Gospel on its lip, — in allusion to the words with 
 which the prophecies of Malachi conclude : “ Behold I will send yoii 
 Elijah the prophet before the eoming of the great and dreadful day of 
 the Lord, and he shall turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, 
 and the hearts of the children to the fathers, lest I come and smite 
 the earth \>-ith a curse.” Mai. iv. 5, 6. And in S. Liikc’s narrative, 
 the Gospel history begins with the birth of John the Baptist. Of the 
 history of John, until he is introduced (as he is represented in the 
 engraving before us) as preaching repentance, “ because the Kingdom 
 of Heaven is at hand,” (S. Matt. iii. 2,) Scripture gives us searccly any 
 information ; simply telling us that the “ child grew and waxed strong 
 in spirit, and was in the deserts imtil the day of his shewing unto 
 Israel.” (S. Luke i. 80.) In those deserts was engendered the spirit 
 by which he was said “ to go before the Lord in the spirit and power 
 of Elias.” It was there that he learned the lessons of self-denial 
 which enabled him to set at nought the luxm-ies of a eourt, and to 
 reprove the sins of Herod. 
 
 t The Church having connected the preaching of John the Baptist 
 with Advent, the propriety of placing this representation of it in the 
 Advent Scries is obvious. 
 
ABR.\HA.M FA'TERTAi;NF/rH THREE jVNGELS. 
 
 Some Jiavp ejitertauied An,‘^els luiawjtres 
 
IV. ABRAHAM ENTERTAINETH THREE 
 ANGELS. (34.) • 
 
 IIebbews xiii. 2. 
 
 {Advent.) 
 
 When ScripUirc first describes the Fall, it begins to display the 
 great remedial measure by which the heavenly love of God determines 
 to raise again the children of men to hope and life. The long line of 
 prophetic announcements of the Messiah, which ends only in the last 
 words of the Old Testament, begins 'with the promise recorded in 
 Gen. iii., that the seed of the woman should bruise the head of the 
 serpent. The \isit of the three Angels to Abraham is intimately con- 
 nected with this series of prophecies, inasmuch as they came to pro- 
 mise to Abraham a son, who should be both an ancestor and a type of 
 Him in whom “all the nations of the earth” should “be blessed.” 
 In this point of view, this event is intimately blended with the thoughts 
 which belong to Advent, and it has accordingly been placed in that 
 divnsion. 
 
 The great artist from whom this engra^'ing is taken, has chosen the 
 moment when Abraham first saw the approach of the strangers, and 
 “ ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the 
 groimd.” {Gen, xviii. 2.) It will be observed that, by a pardonable 
 licence, he has transferred to this moment the circumstances which 
 occurred at a later period of their visit, \4z., the listening of Sarah 
 behind the tent-door, as recorded in the same chapter, vcr. 10, ct seq. 
 
 We call these three mysterious visitants from the imseen world 
 Angels ; in accordance with the heading of the ehaptcr which relates 
 their visit. But the prevailing opinion of the Church has been that 
 our Blessed Lord Himself was the chief speaker. 
 

 ILiil Ihiiu th.U art liivoured. the Lord 
 
V. THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE BLESSED 
 VIRGIN MARY. (9.) 
 
 S. Luke i. 28. 
 
 {Advent.) 
 
 The Annunciation, of which two representations arc foimd in this 
 scries, presents itself to our view under two very remarkable aspects. 
 It may be considered as immediately announcing the coming of the 
 Messiah, — in which case it falls in with the instmetion of Advent : or 
 it may be ^^ewcd as more closely connected with the miraculous cir- 
 cumstances of the birth of our Sa\'iour, — when it leads our thoughts 
 more immediately to the joj-ful events of Christmas. 
 
 It is here considered under the former point of view ; and thus con- 
 templated, how wonderful is the scene which it reveals ! After a si- 
 lence of about three hundred years (broken however by the announce- 
 ments to Zacharias, and to Simeon, S. iMke i. 5 — 23 ; ii. 26) the voice 
 of prophecy again is heard, and heavenly messengers descend with 
 glad tidings on their lips. The dream of Jacob begins to be realized ; 
 the ladder, the top of which reaches to Heaven, is now set up on earth, 
 and the Angels of God ascend and descend upon it. And at the glad 
 sound of their message the language of the Psalmist rises up into our 
 hearts, when he calls upon the Heaven and the Earth, the Sea, and 
 the fulness thereof, to rejoice at the coming of the Lokd. P«. xevi. 
 11, 12, 13. 
 
TIIH ANNUXC lATlON. 
 
 Tliat Holy Tl.iiio which rIuiU h.- h.n ii cf th.-c shall hr calleil I he Son ol’ Oo<l . 
 
 ^ \ Lttkt C. ! I' 
 
VI. THE ANNUNCIATION. (39.) 
 
 S. Lure i. 35. 
 
 (Christmas.) 
 
 The Annunciation, when viewed in conneetion nnth the season of 
 Christmas, leads our thoughts nahirally to the mysterious nature of the 
 Incarnation of mu’ Blessed Lord. In the Creed of S. Athanasius, we con- 
 fess that our Loud Jesus Christ the Son of God, is God and Man ; 
 “ God, of the substance of the Father, begotten before the worlds'; and 
 Man, of the substance of His mother, bom in the world and aeeord- 
 ingly, in the Annmieiation, while the message is given to the earthly 
 parent, it is distinetly declaimed that the Son who shall be bom to her 
 “ shall be called the Son of the Highest.” (S. Luke i. 32.) Scripture 
 thus intimating the di^dne and the human element in the birth of the 
 Sartour, raises our thoughts from earth to heaven, and again brings 
 them down to earth ; perpetually reminding us that while om- Lord, as 
 mere Man, eould not atone for the sins of the w'orld, yet it was only as 
 man, that His atonement eould be available for mankind. And hence 
 in the depth of our gratitude to our Lord for His Incarnation, we 
 must never forget to adore that Godhead, which His Humanity 
 shrouded. 
 

T!1K NATIVITY ANNOl'N('Kl) TO Till-’. SHKPHl'IUDS. 
 
VII. THE NATIVITY ANNOUNCED TO THE 
 SHEPHERDS. (40.) 
 
 S. Luke ii. 8 — 14. 
 
 {Christmas.) 
 
 As in the Holy Scripture there is no image more frequent than that 
 of the Shepherd, under which God represents His oavti watchful care 
 over His people, so there is no class of men to whom higher privileges 
 are given in Scriptime than shepherds. Jacob, Moses, and David, all 
 followed this occupation, and to men of this peaceful and almost holy 
 calling, the fact of the birth of our Saviour was first revealed. 
 
 When our Blessed Lord was bom in Bethlehem, Scripture informs 
 us that “ there were in the same coimtry shepherds abiding in the 
 field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of 
 the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round 
 about them : and they were sore afr aid.” 
 
 The artist appears to have chosen the moment when this fear and 
 astonishment are begmning to subside into the feeling of devotion to- 
 wards God, and an earnest desire to listen with reverence to the com- 
 munication from on high, which the Angel is about to make. 
 
 The Angel is represented alone ; as it was not till the conclusion of 
 his message that there was with him a multitude of the Heavenly 
 host, praising God, and saying, — “ Glory to God in the highest, and 
 on earth peace, good will towards men. ” 
 
.Him 
 
> ^ 
 
THE ADORATION OF THE SHEPHERDS. 
 
 Auii thf*y lame writii haste, and I'onrui Mary, and Jo^f^ii.and the Rahe lyinjJ ui a Mari^f'i 
 
 A * fi * /O 
 
VIII. THE ADORATION OF THE SHEPHERDS. (1.) 
 
 S. Luke ii. 16. 
 
 {Christmas) 
 
 No sooner was the announcement of ovir Blessed Loed’s birth made 
 to the Shepherds, than these ‘ holy and hiunblc men of heart’ set forth 
 to bless the Lord, and to worship our Saviour. It appears from the 
 sacred narrative, that the miracidous incident which had befallen them 
 served to throw great light upon the event which had just taken place 
 in Bethlehem, and even the mother of our Lord is said to have kept 
 all these sayings, and pondered them in her heart. The ready devotion 
 of these single-hearted men, thus adoring the infant Saviour before His 
 gloiy had been manifested, may well put to shame our cold and feeble 
 recognition of His Spiritual Kingdom. In the form of a helpless babe 
 they could discern the Sa^dour of the world, and came to worship Him ; 
 but we too frequently, because He is removed from our sight, forget 
 that He sits for ever on the right hand of the Majesty on high. 
 
 In the present engra'S'ing, the figure on the extreme right appears to 
 be a representation of one of the Calabrian Pifferari, or Pipers, who 
 even now flock to Rome previous to Christmas, and parade the streets 
 by night, playing on an instnunent similar to that which the artist 
 has designed. The custom is, in some respects, similar to that of ‘ the 
 waits’ in England. 
 
THE PRESENTVrU^N OF CHRIST IN THE TEISlPLFa. 
 
 
IX. THE PRESENTATION OF CHRIST IN THE 
 TEMPLE. (23.) 
 
 S. Luke ii. 30. 
 
 (Christmas.) 
 
 Forty days after the birth of our Sa-suour, the Virgin Mary, aceord- 
 ing to the precept of the Le^■itical Law, (Lev. xii.,) went into the tem- 
 ple to make the usual offering for her purification after the birth of a 
 son. 
 
 This custom has been transferred into the Christian Church in the 
 institution of the office for Churching, or Thanksgiving of Women after 
 Childbirth. The poverty of our Blessed Lord’s earthly parent is in- 
 dicated by the offering of two turtle doves, or two young pigeons, — 
 instead of a lamb and a pigeon, which the richer classes were or- 
 dered to bring. 
 
 The blessing of aged Simeon, to wffiom it had been revealed that he 
 should not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ, (S. Luke ii. 
 26,) is a most touching incident in the infancy of oim Blesscd Lord ; 
 and it calls attention to the primary fulfilment of that remarkable 
 prophecy of Malachi iii. 1 ; “ the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly 
 come to His Temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye 
 delight in.” 
 
 This is the first recorded visit of our Saviour to the Temple, when 
 He came clothed in feeble helplessness, llis coming afterwards to 
 cleanse the Temple is recorded, also, as a type of His coming here- 
 after to judge the world. 
 
si.n;) '.-isiAv '.•in.i. 
 
X. THE WISE MEN BRINGING GIFTS. (43.) 
 
 S. Matthew ii. 2. 
 
 {Christmas.) 
 
 The offerings of the Wise Men from the East bring so >’ividly before 
 ns the glorj' of our Blessed Lord, even under the feeble form of an 
 infant, that we cannot wonder at the subject becoming a favourite re- 
 presentation among artists. Both they who offered the gifts, and the 
 gifts w'hich they offered, are very remarkable. Though linked by 
 their sacred calling more closely with the Persian Sages, the indivi- 
 duals themselves probably came from Arabia ; and may be considered 
 generally, as representatives of those spice-bearing countries which 
 bordered on Judma, whether they lay to the south or to the east. 
 Under this point of view, the application of the passage in Ps. Ixxii. 
 may be considered qmte appropriate. 
 
 The gifts themselves arc usually considered typical. The gold is 
 offered to our Saviour as a King, the frankincense as to a Priest, and 
 the mjTrh to signify that He is to become a Victim. 
 
 An old writer says of them, — “ gold, frankincense and mjTrh, all 
 which were not only enriching trcasimes, but significant emblems on 
 both parts ; I look on them as mysterious on Christ’s ; gold as to a 
 king; frankincense as to a High-Priest; and myrrh, as to embalm 
 mortality. On man’s part, the gold of faith, the incense of prayer, and 
 the myrrh of mortified affections, which the poorest man may offer.” 
 

XL THE FLIGHT INTO EGYPT. (6.) 
 
 S. Matthew ii. 13 — 15. 
 
 ( Christmas.) 
 
 It is well known to all readers of Scripture that the historj’ of the 
 children of Israel was in many respects a tj-pical histoiy. The events 
 which really bcfcl the nation, especially in the earlier part of its 
 career, were types of that which took place in the course of our Redemp- 
 tion. The people of Israel passing through the Red Sea, with the 
 Angel of the Divine Presence before them, were a type of the Cliurch 
 imder Christ its head in its passage from the world of sin and death 
 to immortality. And, in the same manner, it pleased God’s providence 
 to appoint that as the infancy of the Israelite nation was cradled in 
 Egj-pt, so the Saviour should be led into that land of darkness in 
 His infant years, and the prophecy of Hosca thus received its complete 
 fulfilment, for God indeed did “ call His Son out of Egypt.” 
 
 The flight was no doubt suddcn,"and it is probable that very few 
 preparations could have been made prc\'iously, a circumstance which 
 the artist has indicated by representing the Holy Family as taking 
 witli them literally nothing for their jom-ncy. 
 
JACOB GOING DOWN INTO HGYl’T 
 
 '( 
 
 i 
 
 i 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 i, 
 
 t 
 
 i 
 
 i 
 
 1 
 
 I 
 
XII. JACOB GOING DOWN INTO EGYPT. (38.) 
 
 Acts vii. 15. 
 
 {Christmas.) 
 
 The history of the infancy of our Blessed Lord naturally leads to 
 the consideration of Egj’pt, and of the wonderful and mysterious in- 
 fluence which that kingdom, under God’s providence, exerted on the 
 destinies of Israel. The engraving before us represents the commence- 
 ment of that sojourn of the children of Israel in Egypt, from which 
 the miraculous interposition of God, after 215 years, rescued them, 
 when their condition had become a state of intolerable bondage. The 
 nation was in its infancy at the time of Jacob’s jouimey, for it was 
 only on Jacob himself that the name Israel, by which it has ever 
 since been known, had been bestowed. 
 
 The whole history discloses the means by which the Providence of 
 God controls all subordinate agency, and attains the fulfilment of His 
 purposes, even from the perverseness of man. Here, a whole family is 
 seen setting forth on a long journey, to escape the severity of the 
 famine in their owm land, and to dwell in the country of strangers. 
 But that which enabled them to take this step with security, was the 
 prosperity of Joseph, against whose life the greater part of his brethren 
 had conspired, and whom they had actually sold as a bondman. Now 
 nothing seems further from the prospect of fulfilling the purposes of 
 God than such unbrotherly conduct ; but we see that God overruled 
 this, and by His own alchemy brought good out of c^^l. Indeed 
 Joseph himself proclaims this great tnith in the afiecting words 
 recorded in Qen. xlv. 4, 5. 
 

 -- ft 
 
 
 f . 
 
 3 ? 
 
 «.r, » . 
 
 r» V-*^. 
 
 ,fc 
 
 
 - \ 
 
 P. 
 
 ■ ' 'i 
 
 
THE FINDING OF MOSES . 
 
 WluMi liu w.i? LVisl out PliaiMoh's ilaiLoliliT look him up 
 
XTII. THE FINDING OF MOSES. (33.) 
 
 Acts vii. 21. 
 
 {Christmas.) 
 
 This beautiful representation of the preservation of Moses in his 
 infaney is placed in this portion of the Series as intimately connected 
 with that part of the sacred narrative in which the flight into Egypt 
 is related. 
 
 It was declared to the Israelites that God would “ raise them up a 
 prophet like imto Moses,” {Deut. xviii. 18 ,) and this prediction is 
 known to have been fulfilled in the person of our Lokd. Like Moses, 
 a Lawgiver and a Eider ; like him, the leader of a people and the head 
 of a great covenant, our Blessed Lord was made also to resemble 
 Moses in some of the outsvard events of his life. 
 
 As Pharaoh made cruel enactments against the infants of the 
 Israelites, and among them Moses would have been slain, had not 
 God’s Providence interposed, so Herod made a slaughter of the babes 
 of Bethlehem, and among them our Blessed Lord would have been 
 sacrificed to the fury of the tyrant, had not God delivered llis Son 
 from the hands of this cruel king. 
 
 The narrative of the preservation of Moses is extremely touching, 
 and it is represented by the painter in the engraving before us in a 
 manner which quite tells its own tale. 
 

 '7' 
 
 i^-,. 
 
 ■>i: 
 
 i-..- :■ 
 
 
 nr;* ■ j •; > ,MJ,^^'|fr : ., ® •; “■. ;’9W 
 
 L ^**>r-\k :-.m ;- •^■* 
 
 B;, ■ ^ 
 
 -.-' 6" .- 
 
 
 t» 
 
 
 
 Vn »v#i! . i V •" '* 
 
 "Jlfr '.«" > 
 
 
 h# 
 
 •f <c>tT. '■ 'IJJ 
 
 ,.??»' ■- • : A>iH5i|*vr .^j«-. _<5 
 
 C, ;,7'7w^ 
 
s.i.x'.-iHVci Sill OX ixniaHno xsimii.) 
 
XIV. CHRIST OBEDIENT TO HIS PARENTS. (41.) 
 
 S. Luke ii. 51. 
 
 (Christmas.) 
 
 All the few notices which Scripture gives of the tender years of 
 our Blessed Lord fall very naturally into that portion of the Christian 
 year, which by the celebration of Christmas is more immediately con- 
 nected with His infancy. 
 
 Irenocus very beautifully remarks that our Lord “ passed through 
 every age, and became an infant to infants, sanctifying infants ; He 
 became a child among children to sanctify those of that age, giving 
 them at the same time an example of piety, of justice, and obedience ; 
 and to young men He became a young man, to set them an example, 
 and sanctify them to the Lord.” 
 
 We find in Scripture no indication of the actual employments of 
 our Saviour’s youth ; but it seems probable that He exercised the call- 
 ing of His reputed parent, Joseph. In S. Mark’s Gospel we read, 
 “ Is not this the carpenter ?” (Mark vi. 3.) 
 
 The artist has supposed this actually to be the case ; and it appears 
 not impleasing to contemplate the beauty of that humility in our 
 Saviour’s conduct towards His parents, which reconciled Him even 
 to this homely employment, that He might thus shew His obedience 
 as a son, and thus fulfil this part of righteousness. 
 
T, 
 
 rilHlST IlLESSING LITTLE nilU)RE.\ 
 
 i 
 
 Sulfrr liif little children tn .;oiiic unto Me .iiul liiibiil tlicm not 
 
XV. CHRIST BLESSING LITTLE CHILDREN. (18.) 
 
 S. Mark x. 14. 
 
 {Christmas.) 
 
 The consideration of our Blessed Lord’s infancy naturally leads us j 
 
 to think of cvciy act of condescension which He exhibited towards 
 children. His love towards them was shewn in His demeanour, for 
 He took them up in His arms and blessed them. He placed them be- 
 fore His disciples as examples, that we might leaim to imitate their ^ 
 
 simplicity and purity. !• 
 
 But nothing more emphatically declares His good will towards them, (j 
 
 than His gracious declaration concerning their Angels. So great is the jl 
 
 dignity of their Angels, that they behold the face of their Father which | 
 
 is in Heaven ; or in other words, they are among the highest order of | 
 
 the celestial Hierarchy, for we learn from the book of Esther, that | 
 
 the ministers “ who saw the king’s face” w'ere those also which sat 
 the first in the kingdom. 
 
 ITie contemplation of such a scene as this, imperfectly as the pen- 
 cil can recal its sublime instruction, ought to wann the heart with . j 
 
 gratitude to Him who shewed such love for infants ; and might well r 
 
 lead us to desire to imitate that simplicity, which the Saviour of jj 
 
 the world did not disdain to set before us as a model. ' 
 
I 
 
JUpitAel- C Sc 
 
 They presented unto Him gifts ; ^old,aiid fraiikincense.and ^rrh. 
 
 S ihutA^ cU v// 
 
 { : 
 
 ^ I 
 
I 
 
 XVI. THE ADORATION OF THE WISE MEN. (10.) i 
 
 Jl 
 
 S. Matthew ii. 11. ' 
 
 {Epiphany.) j| 
 
 We have already had one representation of this favourite subject. ' | 
 
 Assigning tlic former therefore to its probable historical place, the ^ 
 
 present engraving serves to introduce us to the next season of the 
 sacred year. It represents the “ Epiphany^ or manifestation of Christ 
 to the Gentiles.” i 
 
 There can be no doubt that this Festival was originally kejit in 
 honour of the NatiA-ity of our Blessed Lord. But w hen the Western 
 Church, in process of time, celebrated the Nativity on the 25th of || 
 
 December, she is found to have bequeathed to the 6th of January the ^ 
 
 present glorious incident, — the Baptism of Christ, — and the Miracle ! 
 
 of the water made wine. Our own Church faithfully reflects in her 
 Epiphany services these traditions of the West; but it is to the ! 
 
 magnificent anticipations of the prophet Isaiah, whereby he pourtrays | 
 
 the glory of the Church in the abundant access of the Gentiles, that | 
 
 our attention is chiefly invited at this season : t 
 
 “ Arise, shine ; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is 
 risen upon thee. The Gentiles shall come to thy light, and Kings to ' 
 
 the brightness of thy rising.” {Isaiah lx.^1, 3.) t 
 
 " I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest j, 
 
 bo my salvation imto the ends of the earth. And Kings shall be thy 
 nursing fathers, and their Queens thy nursing mothers; they shall bow ‘ 
 
 down to thee with their face toward the eailh, and lick up the dust 
 of thy feet ; and thou shalt know' that I am the Lord.” {Isaiah xlix. / 
 
 6, 23.) « 
 
 The first fulfilment of these wondrous anticipations is described in 
 the Gospel for the day. Nor can it be any matter of surprise that, in 
 the mysterious personages here represented, the Church should have 
 thought she recognised the Kings of whom the prophet speaks. 
 
TIIK Ol'ESTIONIXr. WITH TMK DOriORS. 
 
XVII. THE QUESTIONING WITH THE DOCTORS. (45.) 
 
 S. Luke ii. 46. 
 
 (Epiphany.) 
 
 This event, whieh is narrated in the Gospel for tlie first Sunday 
 after the Epiphany, belongs to the twelfth year of our Lord’s earthly 
 life : and is the only incident of His younger years which the Holy 
 Spirit has seen fit to reveal. But it is one of unspeakable interest ; gra- 
 tifjdng, to a certain extent, that reverent curiosity which seeks to be 
 informed concerning the intellectual attainments, during infancy, of 
 Him who was very God as well as verj' Man. That He “ increased 
 in wisdom,” we know from another place. (S. Luke ii. 52.) P’rom 
 this place we learn that His “ increase” had been such, that the learned 
 doctors and expounders of the Law “ were astonished at His under- 
 standing and answers,” (S. ii. 47:) fi'om which last word, by 
 the way, it may be gathered, that the Babbies eagerly questioned 
 Him. It is written in a certain place, “ I have more understanding 
 than My teachers, for Thy testimonies are My study.” {Psalm cxix. 
 99.) 
 
 “ When S. Joseph and the Blessed Virgin Mother had for a time 
 lost their most Holy Son,” wites Bishop Taylor, — “they sought Him 
 in the villages and the highways, in the retinues of their kindred, and 
 the caravans of the Galilean pilgrims ; but there they foimd Him not. 
 At Last, almost despairing, faint and sick with travel and fear, with 
 desires and tedious expectations, they came into the Temple to pray to 
 God for conduct and success ; knoAving and believing assuredly, that if 
 they could find God, they should not long miss to find the Holy Jesus. 
 And their faith deceived them not ; for they sought God, and found 
 Him that was God and man, in the midst and circle of the doctors.” 
 Whatever favour this pious conjecture may meet with, certain it is 
 that toe also, if we would find Christ, must seek Him where He is ever 
 to be found, in llis Holy Temple. 
 
» . ■. *'A ^ I 
 
 ■ 
 
 0 
 
 
TIIK MAHHIAC.K AT CAXA . 
 
 Aitfl iIk'y Hk'Iii U)» tu liu* litim 
 
XVIII. THE MARRIAGE AT CANA. (21.) 
 
 S. John ii. 7. 
 
 (Epiphany.) 
 
 “This beginning of miracles,” says the beloved Disciple, “did Jesus 
 in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth llis glory." Hence the mira- 
 cle of the water made wine funiishes the Gospel for the second 
 Sunday after the Epiphany. It has been supposed that it was wrought 
 on the occasion of the marriage of one of the Blessed Virgin’s rela- 
 tions ; and many circumstances tend to confirm this opinion. She 
 “ teas there,” not “ was invited the w.ant of wine seems to have 
 been made known first to her : and she gives directions to the servants 
 as one who is in the house of a near relative. 
 
 But (what is much better worth our notice) by becoming a guest at 
 this marriage-feast, our Saviour teaches us that if they be but conse- 
 crated by Him, (without whom nothing is strong, nothing holy,) festive 
 meetings arc capable of becoming holy things ; so holy as to endure 
 His presence, — yea, so holy as to become the very occasions of the 
 special manifesting of Himself in power ! 
 
 The miracles and parables of our Lord have generally a prophetic or 
 typical character. Not to dwell on the Sacramental bearing of the 
 present incident, who can fail to remark how He who came to convert 
 the weak ordinances of the Law into that which indeed strengthens 
 man’s heart forever, still exerts a kindred influence over all ^things 
 here below ? Weak and ‘ unstable as water’ without His adorning and 
 beautifying presence, every relation of life, — everj’ occupation, and 
 every piu^uit of ours, — derives its strength, and its value, and its 
 sweetness from Him alone ! 
 
r 
 
 I 
 
 / 
 
 f 
 
 I 
 
 !| 
 
 > 
 
 f. 
 
 ; 
 
 T 
 
 H 
 
 V 
 
 A 
 
 I, 
 
 t 
 
 r 
 
CHRIST. Till-: C.OOO SIIKPHKRD. 
 
XIX. CHRIST THE GOOD SHEPHERD. (14.) 
 
 S. Matthew xviii. 13. 
 
 {Lent.) 
 
 This beautiful representation suggests thoughts which belong espe- 
 cially to the holy season of Lent : — namely, how “ the Shepherd and 
 Bishop of our souls” comes seeking His lost sheep. “ For thus saith 
 the Loeu God ; behold, I, even I, will both search My sheep, and seek 
 them out.” xxxiv. 1 1 .) 
 
 Most feelingly has the artist here exhibited the emblem of one who 
 having strayed far from the fold, and lost his way in this world’s wil- 
 derness, at last lies down to perish, weary and bleeding, amid the 
 thorny stings of an agonized conscience. The Good Shepherd has 
 “ gone after that which was lost, until He hath found it and we all 
 remember what follows “ when He hath found it,” “ He layeth it on 
 His shoidders, rejoicing.” (S. Luke xv. 4, 5.) 
 
 He who reveals Himself in the Gospel as “ the Good Shepherd,” 
 {S.John X. 11,) had delighted in the same image from the begimiing. 
 Nowhere more afiPectingly perhaps than in the wTitings of the prophet 
 Ezekiel, does He declare His blessed offiee, and His care for the floek 
 of His pasture : — “ I will seek that which was lost, and bring again 
 that which was driven away, and wdll bind up that which was broken, 
 and wall strengthen that which was sick.” {Ezekiel xxxiv. 16.) 
 
E' >' - 
 
 
 
 ke 
 
 . A 
 
RKPENT^TsCE. 
 
 f ^ W 
 
 % 
 
 f 
 
 " Tlwrc is joy in llic proscncc ol‘ iJic 
 
 Anoels of find over one simxr lluii rqicmrih . 
 
 S l.nke i n t' 
 
XX. REPENTANCE. (30.) 
 
 S. Luke xv. 10. 
 
 (Lent.) 
 
 If the former en^aving, which exhibited the anxious and im wearied 
 love of “ Christ, the good Shepherd,” was deemed appropriate to the 
 solemn season of Lent, the present subject is certainly of the same 
 character ; for it represents one that has erred and strayed like a lost 
 sheep, now penitent, and seeking to be restored to the favour of the 
 Almighty Father whom he has offended. 
 
 To all such, the gracious promises of God arc immistakably con- 
 veyed ; in no place of Scripture more emphatically perhaps than in 
 one with which our cars have become, if possible, too familiar, — for we 
 may, it is to be feared, actually overlook its teaching, in consequence. 
 .iVUusion is made to the words of the prophet Ezekiel, with which the 
 daily scrA-ice of the Church commences ; “ When the wicked man 
 turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth 
 that which is lawTul and right, he shall save his soul alive.” 
 
 Repentance, as it was the constant theme of the Forenmner, 
 (S. Matthew iii. 2), so is it declared to have been the great subject of 
 oiu: Lord’s preaching likewise (iv. 17) ; as well as of those whom lie 
 sent forth to preach. (S. Mark vi. 12.) The call to Repentance is 
 still weekly, daily, made by Holy Church ; but never so emphatically 
 as during the solemn season to which the present engraving has been 
 referred. 
 
TIIK PRODK’tAL S<m’S RliTinW . 
 
 m 
 
 I 
 
XXI. THE PRODIGAL SON’S RETURN. ( 31 .) 
 
 S. Luke xv. 21. 
 
 {Lent.) 
 
 Lent is the season of Repentance ; the season during which we 
 are especially invited to adopt the language of one who, in the depth 
 of his misery, c.xclaimed, “ How many hired sers-ants of my Father’s 
 have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger ! I will 
 arise and go to my Father, and will say unto him. Father, I have 
 sinned against Heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be 
 called thy son ; make me as one of thy hired servants.” {S. Luke xv. 
 17 — 19.) To this season therefore we have refen-ed the present illus- 
 tration of the parable of the Prodigal Son. 
 
 The artist has endeavoured to bring together all the chief circum- 
 stances of that most affecting history. Not only the Father, who, 
 while the Son “ was yet a great way off" saw him, and had com- 
 passion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him, (a tndy mar- 
 vellous exhibition of the Divine Love !) ; but the bringing forth of 
 the best robe and the ring also. Wliilc, in the distance, the elder 
 son, returning from the field, is seen conversing with the sen^ants 
 who have killed the fatted calf. lie is angrj% and unwilling to enter 
 and become a partaker of his Father’s joy. 
 
 The parable has an obvious reference to the history of the Jewish 
 and the Gentile Churches ; but it has also an immediate application 
 to individual penitents, and conveys the blessed assurance of God’s 
 gracious disposition towards all who truly turn to Him. 
 

 . w T ; ^ 
 
 
 > It 
 
 
 
 / 'j 
 
 M 
 
 \ 
 
 . 'f 
 
 ^■«f 
 
 
 ., Lt ; 
 
 U 
 
 5 «t 
 
 '^V 
 
 'f « . 
 
 
 ■.W 
 
 •-^Sr' 
 
 .^e- 
 
 ■- J’K, 
 
 r» / i \ 
 
 
 >* !*>*" 
 
 
 
 
 . * * 
 
 
 '/■ 
 
 # V 
 
 
 ■ j* 
 
 
 
 W" V. 
 
 ‘.i» -wv 
 
 
 ♦ ^1 
 
 
 
 
 • ^..^7 AJ 
 
 
 
 !•'. 
 
 
 «j;- 
 5 > ’ 
 
 
 r; ?ik- 
 
 . V-'* 
 
 r w'. 
 
 
 L^- 
 
 pr *i 
 
 - A’-V \ir «: 
 
 B*'' ’^.' 
 jt'V 
 
 V 
 
 •J 0 w' 4 ,'i^. T’j: 
 
 
 i " 
 
 
 ■AA 
 
 tU-* 
 
 'O 
 
 
 
 4 . 
 
 . * 
 
 ■At 
 
 i 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ‘"jnWt* 
 
 
 ■fl 
 
 i-^r 
 
 ^i^-'-¥-ye‘AT*^,i 
 
 m 
 
 •» * 
 
 
 
 
 -*«Sa 
 
 Lli' <I 
 
 •V 
 
 
 . a 
 
 ' * 1 / 
 
 
 ,*.Tf*ir‘’'* 
 
 
 -* A 
 
 
 
 tw.i' 3e;v<LW '. w ■ ■'‘•fti^^*S^-r 
 
 V k- V*, 
 
 
 
 
 vti - 
 
 
 
 
 li! , 
 
 -iit 
 
 - Vi 
 
 • 3 S ■•’ :'s 
 
 4 ;^'’ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 tjm 
 
 
 »Xr ‘i" 
 
 
 ** 
 
 
 
 
 !>^5? 
 
 - V I ■*. 
 
 
 ‘i-y 
 
 "■iai'T 
 
 I ^ *>. 
 
 Cv 
 
 .,tr-:'X 
 
 IV ■'-V: 
 
 •oJ 
 
 .^1 
 
 
 • 'a^ 
 
 
rtiit If 1).- l‘iUfiUr.1 wliicU wai (ipokvn 1)V Hfiaiaf. t>ip pi-oi'lict . f.iyiiijt , IlmiBc-lf 
 
 to.*U our nnd bare nnr . 
 
 .V Mrlt^ r m y 17 
 
XXII. CHRIST HEALING THE SICK. (28.) 
 
 S. Matthew viii. 17. 
 
 {Lent.) 
 
 This affecting representation of what appears to have been almost 
 a daily occurrence in our SaAuour’s life, may well be considered in 
 connection with the present sacred season. The artist has brought 
 together several forms of bodily sickness, whieh are but the lively 
 types of those spiritual ailments, which the same great Physician alone 
 can cure : the lame foot, and the withered hand ; the blind eye, and 
 the deaf ear ; the failing pulse, and the wasted limb. Imagination 
 finds it no difficult task to supply a story to the several groups of 
 figures thus exhibited, in diversified attitudes and with varj’ing ex- 
 pressions of countenanee. 
 
 So unexpected a fulfilment of the prophecy in Isaiah liii. 4, deserves 
 our most attentive eonsideration. It declares the depth and fulness of 
 the divine teaehing, as few quotations do. Lot the entire passage be 
 exhibited, as it occurs in S. Matthew’s Gospel : 
 
 “MTien the even was come, they brought unto Him many that were 
 possessed with devils: and He cast out the spirits wdth His word, and 
 healed all that were sick : that it might be fulfilled which was spoken 
 by Esaias the prophet, sapng. Himself took our infirmities, and bare 
 our sicknesses.” (S. Matt. viii. 16, 17.) 
 
HE CRIED WITH A LOUD VOICE, LAZARUS, COME FORTH. 
 
 AND HE THAT WAS DEAD CAME FORTH _ S JO.XI. 43,44 
 
 
XXIII. THE RAISING OF LAZARUS. (7.) 
 
 S. John xi. 43, 44. 
 
 {Lent.) 
 
 This stupendous miracle was one of the latest acts in our Lord’s 
 Ministry. The chief Priests and Pharisees thereupon conspired against 
 His life. Flying therefore with His Disciples from the scene of danger, 
 He made His abode at a city called Ephraim : and thence went up 
 to Jerusalem for the last time. This M’ill explain why the present 
 subject has been introduced in this place. 
 
 The very few occasions recorded in Scripture when the dead are 
 known to have been raised, afford a striking contrast with the many 
 similar displays of supernatural power to which later ages have pre- 
 tended. Before the coming of the Son of Man, we read of but three 
 instances, 1 Kings xvii. 22, 2 Kings iv. 35, and xiii. 21 : of two only 
 after His departure from the world, Acts ix. 40, xx. 10. Our Blessed 
 Lord Himself is likewise recorded only on three occasions to have 
 raised the dead : — 1. When He restored the daughter of Jairus, whose 
 spirit had even now departed : — 2. When He raised the widow’s son 
 at Nain, as the youth was being carried out to burial : — 3. When at 
 Bethany He bade Lazarus “ come forth,” after he had lain four days 
 in the grave. Those acts of His have been thought typical of that 
 quickening voice which awakens the soul— now, just sinking into sin, 
 — now, more deeply imperilled, — now, to all appearance, hopelessly 
 lost. 
 
 The artist has probably sacrificed pictorial beauty to ttnith in his 
 representation of Lazarus : for we read that “ he that was dead came 
 forth'' as he is here represented, — “ hound hand and foot with grave 
 clothes.” Moreover, it became necessary to “ loose him,” in order to 
 ” let him go.’ 
 
IT- ■ V ■’ ’■ 
 
 • *1 
 
 i:- Jil^’*-'^ 
 
 ^vV-v- -‘'-V 
 t -‘ uS^' >••’'*' ' < .-• '■ Vi*' 
 
 \A 
 
 
 
 .It 
 
 '^11 fiiw ‘ 
 
 ►V ' . 'VSg^ < -.-r .'. 'r iH 
 
 I -:'' •.. r s' 
 
 fe-- ^ .fc^.. ... ^ 
 
 iK f ^ ^*'' ^.^ ■' jpi/. 
 
 V '1. .^ .' . r iXIfiCyfiZia '. -_ .iS -t.^ 
 
 
 
 ^ V 
 
 i^,** ■’ ' 
 
 1-* -J ' * * *^ * .- 
 
 , 4«*i. 
 
 V ‘y- '-^ 
 
 
 ' I? *■ .-. -^v? 'Sy'^ r 
 
 
 .1 
 
 V 
 
 ’V;? 
 
 
 
 K'r - ' ' ■'^ ■: ■' , ■>■ • ,- y -ijC ■•#. 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 r?" •?» '• fi: 
 
 h r" 
 
 
 ■jj* J^. .* ■-'*i 
 
IVM'IVSaMMr O.LNM A!U,N;M 'IVII .IKMI'cLl HIM. 
 
XXIV. THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY INTO JERU- 
 SALEM. (41.) 
 
 S. Matthew xxi. 9. 
 
 {Passion-week. Palm Sunday.) 
 
 From this event, which occurred on the first day of Passion- week, 
 Palm Sunday takes its name. Our Lord, on His way from Bethany, 
 was met by an exulting multitude at the Mount of Olives. After 
 lamenting over Jerusalem, He entered His capital in lowly triumph : 
 and we learn that “ all the city was shaken.” The narrative is of the 
 very briefest description, and is confined to the tw’o first Evangelists. 
 {S. Matthew xxi. 10, 11 : S. Mark xi. 11.) 
 
 It is instructive to obseiwe how clear sometimes is the language of 
 prophecy. We behold in the present incident the fulfilment of those 
 words, “ Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation com- 
 cth.” {Isaiah Ixii. 11.) “ Rejoice grc.atly, O daughter of Zion ; shout, 
 
 O daughter of J erusalem : behold, thy King cometh unto thee : He is 
 just, and having salvation ; lowly, and riding npon an ass, and upon a 
 colt the foal of an ass.” {Zeehariah ix. 9.) 
 
 And yet, plain as was this prophecy, and literal as was its fulfilment, 
 we know that it w'as overlooked by mjTiads : — so true is it that, not 
 a clearer revelation, but a change of heart and purpose, is what we 
 need to bring us to a knowledge of the things which concern our 
 peace. 
 

 
 ’ I.- . ‘ 
 
 r ^ • •■ I /, ,^7. 
 
 
 i ■■ I' 
 
 I- 
 
 .4^ 
 
 ' •'/ «( ;‘ * 
 
 *<; 
 
 
 
 mt' vS;'- ■■»■- 
 
 “ VS«\r- .V'- '-*' 
 
 • ^ Mr* \ ^ i *- ^ '* -■■« '\iS.<-s:’ 
 
 p ' '*.' ’ ■'-^1 - ... fiL >^. ’-. ■*' 
 
 F* .. .. i>^< ,>ij u > . Vi *1 ' TtMiyLTt' *ffTr^si^; 
 
Sl'PPKll. 
 
 TiPt not .vimr heart be Ironbleil ; ye believe in(u»rl, l)elieve also in 
 
XXV. THE LAST SUPPER. (30.) 
 
 S. John xiv. 1. 
 
 {Pasiion-week.) 
 
 From the evening of Palm Sunday, we pass to the night of Thursday 
 in Passion-week, when our Lord at the close of the Paschal supper 
 instituted the Blessed Sacrament of Ilis most precious Body and 
 Blood. 
 
 The artist has chosen the moment when, the traitor having left the 
 apartment, the heavenly discourse of our Divine Lord to the eleven 
 Apostles flowed on without restraint. The traitor’s scat lying reversed 
 upon the floor suggests that hereafter “ his Bishoprick” also should 
 “another take.” The whole of the fourteenth chapter of S. John’s 
 Gospel belongs to this period of the evening. The beloved Disciple 
 himself is represented lying on the Savioiu-’s bosom. And long after, 
 when he sought to identify himself, it was by a reference to his posture 
 on the present occasion that he did so : he desired to be remembered 
 by the Church as “the disciple whom Jesus loved,” “which also 
 leaned on His breast at supper, and said. Lord, which is he that 
 betrayeth Thee ?” (S. John xxi. 20.) 
 
 It is impossible to read the discourse alluded to without being 
 struck with the distress and perplexity which evidently prevailed 
 among the holy men to whom it was addressed. They interrupt the 
 Divine Speaker four times in succession : nor could the promise of 
 “ the Comforter, who should come in His place,” nor the repeated in- 
 junction, “ Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid,” — 
 avail to calm their feiu’s, or to dispel their anxiety. 
 
THK ACiONV IN THK I'.AKDKN. 
 
 fit fJkWJe 
 
 Omy Fatlier.il' tlii.s cup may not pass away from Mo, except I drink it.l’hy will be done 
 
XXVI. THE AGONY IN THE GARDEN. (3.) 
 
 S. Matthew xxvi. 42. 
 
 {Passion-week.) 
 
 From the subdued festivuty of the upper chixmber, we aceompany 
 our Lord and His eleven Disciples on their way from Jerusalem across 
 the brook Cedron, to the moonlit garden of Gethsemane. There the 
 mysterious Agony of the Son of Man took place. To eight of the 
 Apostles He said, “Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.” Then, 
 taking with Him those three most highly favoured ones, Peter and the 
 two sons of Zebedee, “ He began to be sorrowful and very heavy. 
 Then saith He unto them. My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto 
 death: tarry ye here, and watch with Me. And He went a little 
 farther, and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, 0 My Father, if it be 
 possible, let this cup pass from Me : nevertheless, not as I will, but as 
 Thou wilt.” (S. Matthew x.xvi. 37 — 39.) Of so awful and mysterious 
 a transaction we know not how to speak as we ought. 
 
 The painter has represented the three disciples in the foreground 
 asleep, “ for their eyes were heavj’.” In the distance, Judas, with the 
 band of soldiers, is beheld advancing on his accursed errand. 
 
 A memorable expression in S. Mark’s Gospel (xiv. 40) leaves us to 
 infer the confusion and shame which the visit of the Holy Jesus 
 occasioned, when the three disciples were found asleep for the second 
 time. \Vc seem to hear S. Peter declaring to the wTiter of the 
 Gospel, “ We knew not what to answer Him !” 
 
1 
 
 THK AGONY OF Ol'R LORD. 
 
XXVII. THE AGONY OF OUR LORD. (48.) 
 
 S. Luke xxii. 43. 
 
 {Passion-week.) 
 
 We resume our remarks, — for we have a second representation 
 of this most sacred subject : and it shall be once more in the words of 
 Scripture. 
 
 We derive our quotation from the Gospel of S. Luke, who, though 
 no Apostle, is found in spirit to have been brought wonderfully near 
 his Lobd when he described His sufferings ; — “ He was ^vithdrawn 
 from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down and prayed, saying, 
 Father, if Thou be willing, remove this cup from Me ; nevertheless, 
 not My will, but Thine be done. And there appeared an angel unto 
 Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in an agony He 
 prayed more earnestly : and His sweat was as it were great drops of 
 blood falling dowm to the groimd.” {S. Luke xxii. 41 — 44.) 
 
 It is a relief to see a subject so far transcending any human power 
 of representation, conventionally treated, as in the present engraving. 
 The three Disciples are again represented in the foregroxmd, as they 
 were thrice foimd by their Lord, “ sleeping for sorrow.” 
 
 What He then said to them. He says evermore to aU of us : 
 “ Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation.” (S. Mark 
 xiv. 38.) 
 
.. .• : -ii> ' 
 
 I- •;«■ . - ,-^ 
 
 
 *•' 
 
 
 > . ' A . * 
 
'\ 
 
 I't 
 
 ''I 
 
 1 
 
1 ! 
 
XXVIII. THE SCOURGING OF CHRIST. (49.) 
 
 S. JouN xix. 1. 
 
 {Passiorirweek.) 
 
 Scourging was the usual punishment preliminary to crueifixion ; 
 and in the present instance it seems to have been openly inflicted by 
 Pilate’s soldiers. Dreading a tumult, of which he saw increasing 
 sjTnptoms on every side, the Governor had gone through the idle 
 ceremony of washing his hands before the people, in testimony of his 
 conviction of our Lord’s iimocencc : after which, with many a pang 
 of self-condtmnation, we may be sure, he surrendered Him to their 
 will for Crucifixion. The cruel pimishmcnt exhibited in the present 
 print immediately ensued. 
 
 So hideous an act of impiety may well have occupied a distinct 
 place in the prophetic anticipations of our Lord’s Passion. Speaking 
 in the person of Christ, the prophet Isaiah says, — “ I gave My back 
 to the smiters.” {Isaiah 1. 6.) And elsewhere, — “ Surely He hath 
 borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows.” . . . “ He was wounded for 
 our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities : the chastisement 
 of our peace was upon Him ; and with His stripes we are healed.” 
 {Isaiah liii. 4, 5.) 
 
 An Apostle, who witnessed the fulfilment of this marvellous predic- 
 tion, and the meekness with which it was endured, quotes the preceding 
 prophecy; and urges our Blessed Lord’s example as a pattern to 
 Christians. “ For even hereimto were ye called,” he says, “ because 
 Christ also suflered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should 
 follow in His steps.” (1 Pet. ii. 21.) 
 

itrr Ml pua 
 
 0 iif**-* Jr 
 
XXIX. CHRIST BEARING HIS CROSS. (I.) 
 
 S. John xix. 17. 
 
 ( Passion-week. ) 
 
 The incident here depicted belongs to the interval between six 
 o’clock in the morning, when, as S. John records, (xix. 14,) Pilate 
 gave sentence against the Holy Jesus, and nine when “ they crucified 
 Him.” {Mark xv. 25.) It had been tj'picaUy foreshewn by Isaac 
 ( Genesis xxii. 6), almost two thousand years before ; and, as it has 
 been thought, on the self-same spot. (Compare 2 Chron. iii. 1. and 
 Genesis xxii. 2.) 
 
 The painter has inaccurately represented the cross-bearing as taking 
 place outside the city. It was only as far as the city gate that the 
 Holy One bore the instrument of His suffering. For “ as they came 
 out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name : him they compelled 
 to bear His cross.” (S. Matthew xxvii. 32.) S. Mark designates this 
 highly favoured man more particularly, as “ the father of Ale.xander 
 and Rufus,” who, at the time when the last named Evangelist \vrote, 
 were probably two well-kno\NTi disciples. ... It will be perceived that 
 the costume of the painter’s own time has been here exhibited in the 
 singular attire of the soldiers. 
 
 The Blessed Virgin and the other women who, as we know, attended 
 our Saviour to the scene of His Crucifixion, arc represented in the 
 front of the picture. “ But Jesus turning \mto them said, Daughters of 
 Jerusalem, weep not for Me, but weep for yourselves, and for your 
 children.” (S. Luke xxiii. 28.) 
 

 Jchfi c..m 
 
XXX. CHRIST CRUCIFIED. (46.) 
 
 S. John xix. 30. 
 
 {Good Friday.) 
 
 In this print, the consummation of our Lord’s sufferings is brought 
 before us : even the “Cross and Passion” of Him whose “ Agony and 
 Bloody Sweat ” have already engaged oiu: attention. 
 
 From the hour of noon imtil three o’clock, the mysterious darkness 
 continued. The Son of Man then expired upon the Cross. “ He 
 said, It is finished : and He bowed His head, and gave up the ghost.” 
 (S. John xix. 30.) It is to this period, — the interval namely, between 
 three o’clock in the afternoon and six in the evening, — that the artist 
 refers us in the present representation. 
 
 He seems to have wished to remind us that “ there stood by the 
 Cross of Jesus His Mother, and His Mother’s Sister, Mary the wife of 
 Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.” {v. 25.) 
 
 This then is the great consiunmation to which tj'pes, emblems, laws, 
 histories, prophecies and psalms, for four thousand years had pointed ; 
 so that a bare enumeration of places w'ould far more than fill the page. 
 But how forcibly arc we reminded at certain times, that “ our safest 
 eloquence concerning Him is oiu: silence that “ it behoveth our 
 words to be wary and few for indeed who may write worthily on 
 such a theme ? 
 
"JIMVPiT I TJ j ii 
 
XXXI. THE ENTOMBMENT OF CHRIST. 
 
 (8.) 
 
 S. John six. 40. 
 
 (Passion-week.) 
 
 When the evening of Good Friday was come, Joseph of Arimathea, 
 one of the court of Sanhedrin, — but who “ had not consented to the 
 counsel and deed of them,” — besought leave of Pilate to bury the 
 body of the Holy Jesus. He was assisted in this pious task by Nico- 
 demus, another member of the same court : and the old Florentine 
 artist, (whose imagination here transports us to one of those ceme- 
 teries with which he was himself most familiar,) not Avithout reason 
 supposes that many besides of the holy company which watched by 
 the Cross, participated in the blessed privilege of the tu'o disciples. 
 
 Thus, on the seventh day, did the Author of our Redemption rest 
 “from all His work which He had made;” and thus did a memo- 
 rable prophecy of Isaiah receive unexpected fulfilment ; for “ He 
 made” — according to the coimsel of His enemies, and the design of 
 the Jews — “ His grave with the wicked the malefactors, namely, 
 with whom He was crucified. But it was the counsel of His Father, 
 and the design of Heaven, that He shoidd be “ vnth the rich in His 
 death." (Isaiah liii. 9.) 
 
 It is in the sure confidence which our SaAnoim’s waking from the 
 sleep of Death inspires, that the Christian — who as a paiiakcr of His 
 Death is confident also of partaking Ilis Resurrection likewise — ex- 
 claims with holy David, “ I Avill both lay me down in peace and 
 sleep: for Thou, Lord, only, makest me dwell in safety.” (Psalm 
 iv. 8.) 
 
JOSKPll KKhATING HIS DHKAMS. 
 
 
 < 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
XXXII. JOSEPH RELATING HIS DREAMS. (32.) 
 
 Acts vii. 9. 
 
 {Passion-week.) 
 
 To this place we refer Raphael’s representation of an affecting inci- 
 dent in ancient sacred storj\ 
 
 Joseph was an eminent type of Christ; as the beloved son of his 
 father, and as sent to enquire after the welfare of his brethren, and 
 as conspired against by them : for did not a Judah, — in both cases 
 one of twelve,— effect the sale of either for a few pieces of silver ? 
 {Genesis xxx\-ii. 26, 27.) “ Joseph,” says Bishop Pearson, “ who was 
 
 ordained to save his brethren from death, who would have slain him, 
 did represent the Son of God, who was slain by us, and yet dying 
 saved us.” 
 
 But in no respect perhaps was Joseph so remarkable a tjqic of 
 our Blessed Lord, as, first, in the depth of his hiunUiation, and sub- 
 sequently, in the height of his glory : — humiliation, when he was 
 cast into a pit, (compare xxxvii. 24 with Zechariah ix. 11,) 
 
 sold into Egypt, and put into prison : — glory, when “ Pharaoh took 
 off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph’s hand, and arrayed 
 him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck. 
 And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had ; and 
 they cried before him. Bow the knee : and he made him ruler over all 
 the land of Egypt.” {Genesis xli. 42, 43.) “ Joseph’s being taken 
 out of the dungeon,” says the writer already quoted, “ typified Christ’s 
 Resurrection ; and his being raised to the power of Eg^pt next to 
 Pharaoh, signified the session of Christ at the right hand of His 
 h'ather.” 
 
XXXIII. OUR LOUD APPEARING TO MARY 
 MAGDALENE. (12.) 
 
 S. John xx. 17. 
 
 {Easter Day.) 
 
 “ Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, He 
 appeared first to Marj' Magdalene, out of whom He cast seven devils.” 
 (S. Mark xri. 9.) 
 
 This occurred early in the morning of the first Easter Day, after the 
 visit of S. Peter and S. John to the sepiilchre. The two diseiples had 
 withdrawn after satisfying their curiosity ; one in wonder, (S. Imkc 
 xxiv. 12,) the other in faith, (S. John xx. 8.) Not so Mary Mag- 
 dalene, their informant. She remained at the sepulchre, weeping : 
 “ and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre ; 
 and seeth two angels in white, sitting, the one at the head, and the 
 other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.” 
 
 “ Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith vmto 
 Him, Rabboni ; which is to say. Master. Jesus saith imto her. 
 Touch Me not ; for I am not yet ascended to My Father.” (S. John 
 XX. 11, 12, 16, 17.) 
 
 O mysterious precept, and still more mysterious reason ! The rest, 
 may “ handle :” Thomas, may “ thrust in” his hand. Mary, may not 
 touch. And why? "■For" Christ had “not yet ascended to His 
 Father.” Surely we are hereby taught that the true believer may even 
 now touch his risen Lord ! Rather let us say that only now may 
 Christ be apprehended by the touch of Faith : that in a sense which 
 was impossible to Marj' Magdalene in the garden. He may now be 
 apprehended by oiHsclves. 
 
t 
 
 
 ' ‘ ' Mj 
 

 II 
 
TIIH .ASC'HNSION. 
 
 "ll <:mu' to i«o tvlulr lU’ h1.’.^.s.-a lU.iM lie «a: l>a,l.-<l from limn,, rm.l .•.■,rn<<l 
 
XXXIV. THE ASCENSION. (50.) 
 
 S. Luke xxiv. 51. 
 
 (Ascension Day.) 
 
 Holy Scripture is marvellously brief on occasions when reverent 
 curiosity is roused to the highest degree. Nowhere perhaps does this 
 appear more remarkably than in the historj' of the Ascension of our 
 Lord. S. John does not describe that great event at all. S. Matthew 
 docs not even allude to it. S. Mark dismisses it in a single clause of 
 a short sentence. 
 
 S. Luke describes the Ascension in two places. Our Sa\'iour, he 
 says, led His Apostles out as far as to Bethany, — that is, the Moimt of 
 Olives, — “ and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. And it 
 came to pass, while He blessed them. He was parted from them, and 
 carried up into heaven.” (S. Luke xxiv. 50, 51.) “And a cloud 
 received Him out of their sight.” (Acts i. 9.) 
 
 But pious meditation is permitted to soar above that chariot-cloud. 
 From the proper Psalms for Holy Thiursday (as Ascension-Day is 
 sometimes called) we perceive that “ God is gone up with a merry 
 noise: and the Lord with the soimd of the triunp.” (Ps. xlvii. 5.) 
 “ The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of Angels, 
 and the Lord is among them.” (Ps. Iviii. 17.) Moreover we hear the 
 voices of two choirs of Angels ; the one calling upon the everlasting 
 gates of Heaven to be lifted up : the other asking “ Who is the King 
 of Glory ?” in order to elicit the splendid answer, “ The Lord strong 
 
 and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle Even the Lord of 
 
 hosts. He is the King of glory !” (Psalm xxi^. 7 — 10.) 
 

THK GR?:AT shepherd of TltE SHEEP 
 
XXXV. THE GREAT SHEPHERD OF THE SHEEP. (26.) 
 
 1 S. Peter il 25. 
 
 (Second Sunday after Easter.) 
 
 Both the Epistle and the Gospel for the second Sunday after 
 Easter exhibit our Lord under the same blessed aspect. The former was 
 written by the Apostle whom He so emphatically commanded to feed 
 His sheep. (S. John xxi.) The second is the utterance of the Great 
 Shepherd of the sheep Himself, the very “ Shepherd and Bishop of 
 our souls.” 
 
 A shepherd’s life in England gives but a feeble notion of what is 
 implied by the same calling in the lands of the Bible. In this happy 
 country no wolf comes to worry the fold, (S. John x. 12:) still less arc 
 the sheep endangered by the attacks of the lion and the bear, (I Sam. x. 
 x^ni. 34 ;) nor do our Shepherds know the hard life of the patriarch 
 Jacob, when he kept the flocks of Laban. (Gen. xxxi. 39, 40.) 
 
 But after all deductions have been made, there yet remains a far 
 greater amount of teaching than is commonly suspected in the relation 
 which subsists between an English Shepherd and the sheep of his 
 flock. lie knows them every one. He can no more leave them by 
 night than by day. Their welfare is his crown : their calamity his af- 
 fliction. They depend on him for food. He guides them to their pas- 
 ture. The little lambs especially fill his soul with anxiety : keeping 
 him out on the cold downs with their pitiful bleatings through the 
 long hours of darkness ; and scarcely allo^ung him time to visit his 
 wife and children, or to partake of a single meal by his own blazing 
 
 hearth He who has had the oversight of a little Christian flock 
 
 upon the Downs, becomes often in his turn a learner ; and that at the 
 hands of the very peasants whom he went to teach. 
 

THK MI-:K'1’1.N0 of .lACOn AND IO\Clll-', 
 
XXXVI. THE MEETING OF JACOB AND RACHEL. (37.) 
 
 Hebrews xi. 34. 
 
 {Trinity Sunday to Advent.) 
 
 Hither may this beautiful representation of a well known passage 
 in sacred story be referred. Jacob flying to Haran, furnished only 
 with the stafl" which he carried in his hand, {Gen. xxxii. 10,) is a 
 lively figure of human helplessness. But the Birthright and the Bless- 
 ing were both his. Moreover, he was obedient, and he had faith; 
 whence it came to pass that God at last delivered him out of all his 
 affliction. 
 
 Jacob and his wives “ out of weakness were made strong.” Their 
 descendants became “ as the stars of Heaven, and as the sand that is 
 by the sea shore innumerable.” . . . The Artist, anxious rather to re- 
 mind us of the entire history, than to exhibit the actual scene de- 
 scribed in Genesis xxix. 9 — 12, has introduced Leah as well as Rachel 
 into his picture. 
 
 We have assigned this representation to the present place, regard- 
 ing it as symbolic of the history of the Israel of God, who “ out of 
 weakness are made strong” by the influence of God’s Holy Spirit. 
 
 That Pattern of perfect Goodness which is exhibited to us from 
 Advent to Trinity Sunday, is during the succeeding Sundays of the 
 Christian year recommended to our imitation ; thrice happy, if, besides 
 knowing those things, we do them likewise ! 
 
I 
 
 Till-: 1.AM1-: .MAX ui*;ai,i-:i) I'.y s. pi-: ri-:n and s. .loiix. 
 
 In llu- iwimc ol .Jch\is t'lirist ol N'.iy.iii-i'Ui 
 
 riso up ;niil wulk . 
 
 .Irf . Ill r 
 
 I 
 
XXXVII. THE LAME MAN HEALED BY S. PETER 
 AND S. JOHN. (16.) 
 
 Acts iii. 6. 
 
 {Trinity Sunday to Advent.) 
 
 The famous miracle hero represented, is one of the first incidents 
 which followed the Pentecostal effusion. We call it ‘ the lame man 
 healed by S. Peter and S. John but one who attended rather to the 
 letter than to the spirit of the sacred narrative, would ascribe the 
 mighty act to S. Peter only. The Saint himself gives to his Lord 
 and oars the praise, the power and the glory. “ His name,” he said 
 to the wondering J cws, “ through faith in His name, hath made this 
 man, strong whom ye see and know. Yea, the faith which is by Him 
 hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.” 
 (». 16.) 
 
 S. Peter and S. John were often associated together. These were the 
 Apostles whom our Saviour directed to prepare the last Passover supper. 
 Their names are associated in the course of that supper, {S. John xiii. 
 24.) These were the two who accompanied om' Lord into the palace 
 of Caiaphas. It was they who jointly hastened to the sepulchre after 
 His Resurrection. They are singularly associated in the description 
 of the last miraculous draught of fishes, and in the history of what 
 followed. We find them on the present occasion, going up “ together 
 into the Temple at the hour of prayer;” healing the lame man; prcach- 
 ing to the people; cited before the Sanhedrin; boldly defending them- 
 selves ; and together thrown into prison. Later in the Book of the 
 Acts, we find the same pair of Apostles going down to Samaria, to 
 confirm the converts whom Philip the deacon had baptized. 
 
 It seems to have been in consequence of the well-known friendship 
 of these great Saints, that S. John describes himself occasionally in his 
 Gospel as “ the other disciple,” (x%nii. 15, 16 ; xx. 2, 3, 4, 8.) Mention 
 having been already made of S. Peter, the early Church well knew 
 whom the Evangelist intended, when he made mention of the other one. 
 

 r 
 
 ^ . 
 
 
 >- ‘- .Z'^* . • .. T-» 
 
 
 V/« 
 
 
 ,v > ;'.-V;’^**’ 
 
 i .-^ii's Is 
 
 L3^-*i ^.'=i' '»- 
 
 ■V . 
 
 ^ r 
 
 rt** 
 
 
 
 Ji*;: W -W . :J[.f xsa " 
 
 *• ■ * **T' ^ *'~>‘* * - ~'' ilMMi -'C 
 
 m‘‘ ' '•*-* ‘ -*"'^ " 
 
 i'^ - ^ .t ^ 
 
 ■T»k4.V./ C J > r-?’ Jv.>' - . ^-- ' , 
 
 K • #-■■.: -VsH ■ - ^ 
 
 
 ' V'l, ■' "7**^- 
 
 ' ** T *» a ' ' 
 
 v^ . 
 
 
S TALL AT ATHEXS 
 
 
 V** mf*n ol .Atiirn."- I pfnrivi* ihni in .ill ihinj^.s \r ,iro loo superstiUous ' 
 
 ./rAr . W/Z I - 
 
XXXVIII. S. PAUL AT ATHENS. (17.) 
 
 Acts xvii. 22. 
 
 {Trinity Sunday to Advent.) 
 
 Raphael’s famous pictiu-e has made every eye familiar with the 
 subject of the present engraving. But the painter has contented him- 
 self, as usual, with a conventional treatment of the scene. Striking 
 beyond expression must have been the reality ; for the Parthenon, or 
 Temple of Minerva, rose directly before the Apostle, glowing in the 
 sunshine, and adorned with beautiful colours : while, at his feet, and 
 around him, the city extended, — statue, shrine, and temple, on every 
 side witnessing to the truth of what was that day spoken in the ears of 
 the wondering and incredulous crowd assembled on ‘ Mars’ Hill.’ 
 Bentley, in the second of his ‘ Boyle Lectures,’ has shewn in a very 
 learned and striking manner, that “ the Apostle ^vith most admirable 
 prudence and art, so accommodated his discourse, that every branch 
 and member of it is directly opposed to a known error and prejudice, 
 and some party of his hearers.” While Dr. Wordsworth, in his inter- 
 esting work on Attica, observes, that “ the remark on the skilful adap- 
 ation of S. Paul’s oration to the audience which he was addressing 
 may be applied to describe its perfect congruity with the flace in 
 which he was addressing them. Nothing could present a grander, and 
 if we may so speak, a mere picturesque and scenic illustration of his 
 subject, than the objects with which he was surrounded.” 
 
 The present subject has been referred to that period of the Chris- 
 tian year which follows Trinity Sunday, simply because it reminds us 
 of the progress of Christ’s holy Religion in the world, when the days 
 of the Son of Man had come to a close. 
 

 4C 
 
 r 
 
 r 
 
 t 
 
 
 
 : 'V. 
 
 >• 
 
 J' 
 
 
 
 *f f 
 
 •** 
 
 i 
 
7 
 
S MATTHEW, THK E: VAN GE LIST. 
 
 > . Ifa/M ZV . • M 
 
XXXIX. S. MATTHEW THE EVANGELIST. (15.) 
 
 S. Matthew ix. 9. 
 
 S. Matthew, who was also called Lc\*i, first comes before us on the 
 occasion of his caU to Apostlcship. He was sitting at the toll-house of 
 Capernaum, by the side of the sea of Galilee, where it was his office to 
 receive customer tribute. “ Jesus saith unto him, FoUow Me. And he 
 arose, and followed Him.” (ix. 9.) Hence, in his enumeration of the 
 Twelve, S. Matthew designates himself as “ the Publiean,” (x. 3 ;) and 
 gives priority to the name of S. Thomas, (“ Thomas, and Matthew the 
 Publican ;”) which order of the names, S. Mark and S. Luke are care- 
 ful to reverse. 
 
 Exeeedingly little is kno^vn concerning the author of the first Gos- 
 pel. In elose eonnection with his eall, he deseribes an entertainment 
 whieh he gave to his Divine Master in his own house : but the two 
 ineidents were separated by many months. Nothing else is reeorded 
 partieukirly of S. Matthew in Holy Seripture : but tradition has fixed 
 upon Ethiopia as the seene of his Apostolic labours. His father’s 
 name was Alpheus. 
 
 His Gospel was evidently addressed chiefly to Jewish readers, 
 whence its numerous and extraordinary — not to say most precious — 
 quotations of ancient propheey. Some of the Fathers repeat a tradi- 
 tion that it was originally written in the Hebrew language , — whieh 
 seems a highly improbable cireumstanee : but whatever favour this 
 opinion may find, it is at least quite eertain that the Greek Gospel 
 now in our hands is the work of S. Matthew himself, and of none other. 
 

 k. - ■>, 
 
 ■ ■ -*\ 
 
 ' 1- ‘ 
 
 * # 
 
 
 ^ I 
 
 
 :f'. •.,, "Ta” >1 
 
 ■ -;■, ;7->dfc 'V-<>^ I 
 
 A*^ ' • J f ‘ 't' f-:'iC^M 
 
 - ;-*vf.' v,‘-'.j:’*i* ' '1 ' '’ ■»! f h ■'• «k'- v'-'-y ai ^' Ji 
 
 £■:> 
 
 f ■• » i-»" - ■ "■ “ •■ \ 5 iT';' ■p'‘.-5 
 
 •Vj . -V t i..-..^C, ‘ t'’ ■ ■ - f i 
 
 .^T,ir,;**-l-'S?!Lr-\r V -1 
 
 J*r-^V>>,s‘V rW^VVV4^. ' 
 
 • • y ^ s 
 
 V'--’--<st -• ^■r- ■ ''' ■.'55'f ''-t^ffg 
 
 * ,j%- ■ -- - -V •- '-- 'J ■■ ■' -V - ^ ^ ■- "iTr™_3« -7^^ 
 
 ., •- -■•■• '' •- ' , ' ':te--. '. *T7<.w^ 
 
 
 
 
I 
 
XL. S. MARK THE EVANGELIST. (22.) 
 
 1 S. Peter v. 13. 
 
 Of S. Mark less is kno^vn than of any other wTiter in the New Tes- 
 tament. He is mentionecl by name probably only in the one place 
 quoted above : for he is to be carefully distinguished from “ John sur- 
 named Mark,” concerning whom so much is said in the Acts. It has 
 been also thought that he was the young man described in his own 
 Gospel, as following Christ from the garden of Gethsemane, (xiv. 51, 
 52,) but this is merely conjecture. 
 
 Ecclesiastical tradition connects S. Mark with S. Peter, and ascribes 
 the contents of his Gospel, (imder the Holy Spirit,) to the communi- 
 cations of the great Apostle, with whom he is said to have resided at 
 Rome. The internal evidence of the fact, afforded by the Gospel 
 itself, abundantly confirms this story : but the proof would occupy too 
 large a space to be inserted at any length. 
 
 It may suflSce to observe that though S. Mark’s Gospel is the brief- 
 est of all, it is more graphic, minute, and particular than any of the 
 others ; and scarcely ever is S. Peter spoken of, but something is said 
 or omitted which can in no way be so well accounted for, as by sup- 
 posing that the narrative was in some way influenced by his dictation. 
 
 S. Mark is said to have foimdcd the Church of Alexandria. 
 
S Ll.’KK. Til F. K VAN OK LI. ST 
 
 
 Luke the l>rlo>ed phvsiciaii 
 
XLI. S. LUKE THE EVANGELIST. (19.) 
 
 COLOSSIAHS iv. 14. 
 
 The author of the third Gospel, and of the Acta of the Holy Apo- 
 stles, though not himself a member of the Apostolic body, is considered 
 by the Chiu-ch to have been one of those Seventy Disciples whose send- 
 ing forth by our Blessed Loed S. Luke alone describes. The accoimt 
 of their mission (x. 1 — 7) has been accordingly selected as the Gospel 
 for his Festival. He became S. Paul’s companion in travel, and himself 
 marks the moment when they met and when they parted, by carefully 
 exchanging the third for the first person, and again returning to the 
 use of “ they.” (Acts x^•i. 10 to xvii. 1, and xx. 5, to end.) 
 
 S. Paul often mentions S. L\ike, by name, in his Epistles : but the 
 most illustrious notice of the Evangelist is found in 2 Corinth, viii. 18, 
 where he is spoken of as “ the brother, whose praise is in the Gospel 
 throughout all the Churches.” The Collect for S. Luke’s Day, besides 
 quoting this passage, alludes also to his worldly calling, which was 
 that of a physician. (Col. iv. 14.) 
 
 S. Luke’s Gospel is written in purer Greek than the others : and 
 (what is better worth oxu: notice) it contains by far the fullest account 
 of the Forerunner, and of the infancy of our Saviour Himself. The 
 inspired ^vritcr is sometimes permitted to come wonderfully near his 
 Loed ; as when he describes the mysterious hoiur of His Agony in the 
 Garden, (xxii. 41 — 46.) 
 

S JOHN THE EVANGELIST 
 
 rhis 1.' ihf r>is4 i|>li? whuh testififtti »f th> >r rhings 
 
 •r.y v: .XI7-. 
 
XLII. S. JOHN THE EVANGELIST. (20.) 
 
 S. .John xxi. 24. 
 
 “ The disciple whom Jesus loved,” for so this blessed Apostle and 
 Evangelist styles himself, is perhaps better known to us than any other 
 member of the Apostolic body. He was doubtless the other of the two 
 disciples, whom he notices in his first chapter, (v. 3.5 — 40,) as attending 
 on the teaching of S. John Baptist, and passing a M-hole day with our 
 Sa^'iour on hearing the Baptist declare Him to “ be the Lamb of God.” 
 Next, at the sea of Galilee, we read of his call to Apostleship, simxd- 
 tancously with James, his elder brother, Peter, and .Andrew : and 
 fi-om that time forward he is found reverently waiting on his Divine 
 Master, — the chosen witness of all His most stupendous acts, leaning 
 on His breast at the Last Supper, accompanying Him into the High- 
 priest’s palace, (when all beside had forsaken Him and fled,) and 
 watching beside His Cross, until long after the hmnan soul of the 
 Redeemer had been severed from His human body : after which we 
 behold the beloved Disciple conducting the Blessed Virgin to his 
 home, and becoming to her as a son. 
 
 S. John presided over the Churches of Asia Minor, and lived to a 
 great age, verging it is thought on a hundred years ; so that he sur- 
 vived all the rest of the Apostolic body. His brother, S. James, on 
 the contrary, was the first to win the crown of Martyrdom. So dif- 
 ferently did they partake of their Master’s cup ; and share His bap- 
 tism of blood ! {S. Matthew xx. 23.) 
 
r -V 
 
 Y 
 
 n 
 
 
 ’'■* ^ '. • 
 
 
 
 •* V 
 
 
 ^ -lei!; 
 
 ► t 
 
 •»vi 
 
 1 ^' 
 
 
 ■V 
 
 % • 
 
 •»w, 
 
 A- "> 
 
 ‘.y .■*n«t. ,ir.^ -■' - ' V 
 
 ‘^ i 
 
 ? : ’ * *" ^ iC ai. 
 
 r- . : ■ f . ' ■ •■'»*. 
 
 X n ' * « ■ fJ"'' '■{ j *s’ -i» *iK*-y=-. ^,v''-'^ ‘ ' 
 
 ^ ’ '' 
 
 fcc-' V ‘ ^ ^ ' •<-^^■'"*;'i!^S vi 
 
 ^ ■■.,^'“vr«^‘:?;'':?J*?^' c v..-;Ar: •'<•::/■*.. 
 
THE GOOD SHEPHERD. 
 
 C t>6 
 
 I harp fooud My sheep which was lost . 
 
 S.Lukc cXl\v 6^ 
 
 Ortrhtck. 
 
XLITI. THE GOOD SHEPHERD. (11.) 
 
 S. Lcke XV. 6. 
 
 ( Third Sunday after Trinity.) 
 
 TirE office of the minister of Christ is so frequently set forth in 
 Scripture under the image of a Sliepherd, that the Church has 
 adopted from the earliest ages, the title of ‘ the Pastoral Office’ as 
 an equivalent term, and assigned to Bishops the pastoral staff as 
 an emblem of their holy calling. To feed the flock of Christ, to lead 
 them to green pastures and to refreshing streams, to protect them 
 from the ravages of the wolf, and to seek them when they stray, these 
 are the images under which the duty of the minister of Christ is sjtii- 
 bolized in Scripture; and all these duties are to be performed under 
 the authoritj’ and in the name of Him, who is ealled Shepherd and 
 Bishop of our souls (1 Pet. ii. 25.) But among all the bright array of 
 thoughts which this symbol, familiar as it is, cannot fail to call forth, 
 there is none so touching as the remembrance of that passage in 
 which the Shepherd is represented as learing the ninety and nine 
 sheep in the fold, and setting forth to seek and save one which had 
 gone astray, and when he has foiuid it, calling together his friends 
 and neighbours to rejoice with him, because he had found his sheep 
 which was lost. In our contemplation of the great mercy of God here 
 displayed, we must not overlook two very striking lessons, which the 
 same passage conveys. Nothing c!Ui proclaim more clearly the 
 dreadful eonsequence of straj-ing from the fold, than the joy which 
 greets the return of the wanderer on the part of the Angels, who 
 know far more than men can know, the dangers which that wanderer 
 has escaped. And still further, it is sometimes overlooked, that 
 excessive joy, not excessive love, was the sentiment excited by 
 the return of the sheep that was lost. The sheep which have not 
 strayed, though they call forth no sudden joy, are the objects of 
 affection just as tender, — an affection which they return to Him, 
 whose hand has fed, and whose care has guarded them within the 
 precincts of the fold. It will be observed that in the present illustra- 
 tion this mutual affection of the Shepherd and the sheep which have 
 not strayed, has not been overlooked. 
 
XLIV. IIAGAII AND ISIIMAEL. (25.) 
 
 Galatians iv. 24. 
 
 {Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity.) 
 
 The storj’ of Ilagar is recorded in Genesis (xxi. 1 — 21) with a 
 minuteness for which we should hardly be able to account, if the rest 
 of Scripture had not supplied us with an explanation. The whole 
 history is explained sjanbolically by S. Paul, as shadowing forth the 
 two covenants — the Law and the Gospel. The events which really 
 took place are thus interpreted by the inspired Apostle : in Ilagar, 
 seated in the desolate wilderness, we arc to believe that we see a type 
 of the Law ; and in her son lying thirsty and fainting, an emblem of 
 the children of Abraham according to the flesh — the Jews, — who still 
 refuse to diink of the living waters which flow from the Rock of our 
 Salvation. Jerusalem, which now is, is in bondage, and the children 
 of the Law are faint and weary, and thirsty, until they will drink of 
 that living water which is ever near them, although they know it not. 
 
 Our space forbids us to pursue the analogy further, but it is impos- 
 sible to look upon a gi'aphic representation of the scene before us, 
 without making another, but more humble application of the story of 
 Ilagar. It reminds us how often in the depths of a desperate condi- 
 tion, the angel of the Lord is near us to administer unexpected com- 
 fort, and teaches us for ever to turn our minds to that hidden well of 
 refreslmicnt, which lie will make known to us. 
 
XLV. THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT. (47.) 
 
 S. Matthew v. 2, 3. 
 
 {Fifteenth SuncUiy after Trinity.) 
 
 The Law was delivered amid terrors by Moses from Mount Sinai, 
 and He of whom Moses was a tj-pc proclaimed also in his Sermon on 
 the Mount His law of love. The Sermon on the Moxmt, (which is 
 the same as that recorded in S. Luke vi. 20 — 29,) is distinguished by 
 many peculiarities from most of the discourses transmitted to us in the 
 Gospels. Unlike the gracious communications of our Blessed Lord 
 with His disciples in private, or His rebukes of the Pharisees, or His 
 prophetie declarations concerning Jerusalem, it was not ealled forth, 
 as far as we know, by any peculiar incident, and may therefore justly 
 be deemed a more exact pattern of the didactie discourses of our Savi- 
 our. Every verse is fragrant with love, and gentleness, and peaee, 
 and all breathes a heavenly ealnmess, which proclaims its origin to be 
 of Heaven. Although it may be usually the first portion of the moral 
 teaching of the Bible impressed upon the heart and memory of Chris- 
 tian children, yet it contains a morality so sublime, that to attain in 
 practice to its perfection, is more than sufficient to employ all the 
 energies of the most holy saint throughout the longest life. And as no 
 human heart can fully comprehend the depth of its teaching, no 
 human lips can adequately speak its praise. 
 
 The preaching of S. John the BajJtist, (already engraved in this 
 series), is not an imcommon subject of graphic representation, for 
 which it affords more facilities than the Sermon on the Mount, which 
 may be considered in some degree a kindred subject. The wild 
 scenery, the peculiar dress of the preacher, and the energetic character 
 of his addresses, may be more easily and definitely conveyed to the 
 mind through the eye, than the heavenly natxire of the Divine 
 Teacher, and the holy calmness of the Sermon on the Mount. It 
 must not therefore be deemed a disparagement to the Artist, if 
 it should appear that he has not altogether overcome the difficulty 
 of treating so divine a subject. 
 
XLVl. THE RAISING OF THE WIDOW’S SON 
 AT NAIN. (2.) 
 
 S. Luke vii 15. 
 
 (SixteeiUh Sunday after Trinity.) 
 
 A.mono the few instances in which our Lord is recorded to have 
 exerted His di^dne power in raising the dead, the historj' of the 
 Widow’s Son is perhaps the most touching in its circumstances. The 
 desolate condition of the mother, a widow, and the nature of her afflic- 
 tion, the loss of her only son, set before us in the most vivid light the 
 extent of her calamity. How wonderful, how strange must those 
 simple words ‘ Weep not' have sounded to her cars, until she saw and 
 knew the power of Him by whom they were uttered, and beheld Him 
 restore to her the treasure she had lost ! 
 
 We may not imagine, however, that these gracious words were 
 uttered for her alone. It is indeed to every mourner that om- Saviour 
 addresses them. To all whose dearest ties on earth are severed. He 
 still proclaims the same source of consolation, and the same encourage- 
 ment to dry their tears. If they will put their trust in Him, He will 
 restore to them those whom they have lost, not indeed on earth, where 
 they must separate again, but in that eternal kingdom where death 
 and sorrow are unknown ; and therefore does the Church desire the 
 mommer to lift up his head and give thanks for all that die in the 
 Lord, for “ them which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him ’ 
 (1 Thess. iv. 14.) 
 

 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 
 > 
 
 
 tr ", 
 
 i 
 
 I 
 
 e 
 
 
 
 i 
 
TH1-: CUI-'iATl-'.ST IN' 'i’llK KINGDOM OK lll-’i AVKN. 
 
 
 WtioBopvn- llicri-roiT bKhU liiimlilr limirtcir iiK this liillc cliiUi . tiu- smiiic m ihi' j^i-cnU'Si . 
 
XLVII. THE GREATEST IN THE KINGDOM OF 
 HEAVEN. (29.) 
 
 S. Matthew xviii. 4. 
 
 {Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity.) 
 
 The measure of greatness depends, for the most part, on the views 
 of liiin by whom the estimate is made. Almost every class and order 
 of men has its own standard, and they who most nearly reach that 
 standard, arc by that class or order accoxmtcd the greatest. Thus the 
 warrior, the statesman, the merchant, the philosopher, all estimate 
 greatness differently, and each of them is much swayed in his judg- 
 ment, by the thoughts most familiar to his own habits of mind. But 
 all these, forming their judgment chiefly in reference to this world, 
 bike no note of those qualities whose full development belongs only to 
 another world and to a future state of being. The considerations 
 which belong to that state of being eGdcntly introduce other elements; 
 and our Savdour, whose kingdom is not of this world, has taught us 
 the overwhelming value of those elements. All worldly standards 
 are based upon pre-eminence in some pursuit belonging to the “ uses 
 of this world but our Blessed Lord, who looks upon eternal things, 
 and warns us by His Apostle, that “ the fashion of this world passeth 
 away,” has weighed all these in His balance and found them wanting. 
 In the Bible the pahn is invariably given to humility, to guileless inno- 
 cence, to devotional love and obedience, and in the incident represented 
 in the engraving before us, our Heavenly Lord teaches us in what 
 true greatness consists. He is the greatest who feels himself to be 
 the least of all ; he is the greatest who, feeling his own help- 
 lessness, looks to a greater than himself for help, and tmsts himself, 
 with the simple obedience of a child towards its parent, mu-escrvcdly 
 to the guidance of his Heavenly Father. 
 
Ko s.Hih lUito hin\ l*’ollow Me. Aitd aros^t* anil ti»llo\M’cl Kiiii 
 
 .v' .lArv/- 
 
XLVIII. THE CALLING OF S. ]MATTIIEW. (27.) 
 
 S. .Mattiiev.' ix. 9. 
 
 (.9. Matthew's Day.) 
 
 The calling of the publican, S. Matthew, to be an Apostle, and 
 afterwards an Evangelist, is one of the practical proofs afforded by the 
 Gospel narrative that our Blessed Lord is no respecter of persons. In 
 His mercy He will receive all who are willing to put off the old man 
 with his deeds, and to put on the new man, which is renewed in 
 knowledge after the image of Him that created him. {Col. iii. 9 — 11.) 
 Exclusion from the kingdom of Heaven on account of caste or nation, 
 is not knoMTi in Scripture. In that kingdom there is neither Jew nor 
 Greek, circumcision nor uncircumcision. Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor 
 free; {Col. iii. 11;) but in every nation he that fearcth Him and 
 worketh righteousness, is accepted with Him. {Acts x. 34.) Thus the 
 ill repute, which the misdeeds and extortions of the publicans had 
 brought upon them as a class, did not preclude our Heavenly Lord 
 from choosing one of that order to be an Apostle. 
 
 S. Matthew was probably a person of some substance, as we read 
 of the ‘ great feast’ which he made to his Di\'ine Master ‘ in his own 
 house.’ {S.JLuhey. 29.) The company there assembled, were among 
 the weak things of the world, despised by man, but redeemed by the 
 Saviour of mankind ; and as many of them as accepted the gracious 
 message which He came to deliver, and the in^ntation which He ever 
 made to all alike, will have shared, each in his o^^'n measure and de- 
 gree, the blessiiig of the Apostle and Evangelist S. Matthew, 
 
f ■ 
 
 
 1 
 
 i . ^ 
 
 Arc tlvcy Tiot all 
 
 /lehrr t%V , C i V 
 
 . .<s\. 
 
 % 
 
XLIX. THE GUARDIAN ANGEL. (3.5.) 
 
 IIedrew.s i. 14. 
 
 {Festival of S. Michael and all A mfeh.) 
 
 Almost crcrj’ portion of Scriptrirc testifies the important part 
 which the holy Angels bear in the DiGnc economy. I'hcir office is 
 simply described in the remarkable words found in the 1st chapter 
 of S. Paul’s Epistle to the Hebrews, — “ Are they not all ministering 
 spirits, sent forth to minister to them that shall be heirs of salva- 
 tion ?” {Heh. i. 14.) The exact natiu-e of these exalted beings, and the 
 manner in which they fulfil their appointed duties, we arc not enabled 
 minutely to determine, but the enumeration of a few special instances 
 of the ministrations of Angels recorded in Scripture will throw much 
 light upon their office. Their name implies that they arc messengers, 
 and accordingly God’s messages to man are delivered by them, as 
 in Oen. xviii. ; 5. Matt. i. 2 ; S. Luke i. 26. The Angel Gabriel 
 (mentioned also in Dan. ix. 21) announced the future birth of our 
 Saviour to the Virgin Mary, and even the Saviour of the world did 
 not disdain to use the ministrj’ of Angels. After His temptation 
 ‘Angels came and ministered unto Him,’ {S.Matt. iv. 11 ;) and after 
 His agony, we read that ‘ there appeared an Angel unto Him, 
 strengthening Him,’ (S. Luke xxii. 43.) It was an Angel who 
 refreshed Hagar, {Gen. xvi. ;) it was an Angel who released S. Peter 
 from prison, (Acts xii. 1 — 20 ;) an Angel, who raised up Daniel and 
 comforted him, {Dan. x. 10 — 21 ;) an Angel, who shewed to S. John 
 the bride, the Lamb’s wife, {Rev. xxi. ;) an Angel, who touched 
 Isaiah’s lips with a live coal from the altar, {Isaiah \i. 6,) and sent 
 him, by God’s command, on his prophetic mission. In fact, where 
 comfort, refreshment, strength or encouragement is needed, there the 
 word of God often represents Angels to us, as the means through 
 which these blessings are bestowed. Of themselves indeed they can 
 do nothing, for like us, their sufficiency is only of God. 
 
 Besides Gabriel, we find ‘ Michael the Archangel’ (S. Jude 9) 
 named in Scripture, {Dan. x. 13, Dev. xii. 7 ;) and in the Apocrj phal 
 book of Tobit, the name of Baphacl is also found. 
 

 I*;*-' 
 
 \ -TP r ' 
 
 - '7- ^ is 
 
 i^- ^ ■'■ ■' "* Vl .. ' ■ ' #a 
 
 I*?. % c. - -T' . ; .M 
 
 - t y.’i_ j.> 1^.' >1540^71. '•'♦i,.; -a' •■;®'^- " 
 
 h||' wi4 , , ■ .' ,» ■ , .V ■■ ■ .■!•-' 
 
 W 
 
 _r 
 
 » ’* ’■ *i? _ ^ '* 
 
 ‘ ._ i _N-^ . ,). •? « •',;' >4 
 
 ■, ’^3! ■'••‘l^•^ '-^-tfi, ■ -v- '''.■•<• ' ^V^;. 
 
 L ^ ’r^- V ■■ ‘^ ■ •; '■ : >. 
 
 -. ’ 1*; ,' v« v.V;-:- / * I ^ 
 
 5^' ^.*>'.. 
 
 ?■=;(: c-<! 
 
 irjfcuv fVf. 'iJ^^'i 
 
 BP /; ■ ^ Vi»i - 
 
 .■■• .:;f 
 
 '/:- - t;" '--ti‘!5^.- -X’^ .v^ .-s.d 
 
 

S .IOHN THE HIVIXE 
 
 
 O \-Jmf'Sc 
 
 Who barf rtcord of thf mird of Ood . 
 
 Aer cj^v^ 
 
L. S. JOHN THE DIVINE. (21.) 
 
 Revelation i. 2. 
 
 (Festiixd of All Saints.) 
 
 ScKiPTTTRE ha.s given so few personal details with regard to the 
 Apostles, that every notice which it does contain is rendered doubly 
 precious. We learn from the Gospels that S. John was pre-eminently 
 bles.sed as the beloved disciple, and in the early chapters of the Acts 
 we read of his boldness at Jerusalem and his laboms there in the 
 infant Chiu-ch ; but the voice of history is comparatively silent concern- 
 ing him, until we find him, about half a century afterwards, an exile 
 sufiering banishment for the faith of Christ. He himself informs us 
 in the Book of Revelation that he ‘ was in the isle that is called Patmos 
 for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jescs Christ,’ (Eev. 
 i. 9 ;) and it is most probable that he was driven into that island by 
 the persecution of Domitian. There, those wonderful and mysterious 
 visions of the future were vouchsafed to him ; there, the messages of 
 the Spirit to the Seven Churches of Asia, CTiurches inseparably 
 connected with his own Apostolical labours, were confided to his 
 holy ear; and although he returned to Ephesus a few years pre- 
 vious to his death, yet it is probable that he did not leave Patmos 
 nntil A.D. 96, when he must have been of a very advanced age. We 
 may infer that he outlived all the Apostles, but as long as one Apostle 
 remained, and inspiration had not ceased, om Saviour’s more imme- 
 diate presence seems hardly to have departed from the earth. And 
 what sight can be deemed more touching than to contemplate the 
 aged Apostle, banished by man but visited by God, and to behold the 
 evening of his days illuminated by the last bright rays of the Sun of 
 Righteousness, his body wearing away by the infirmities and the 
 frosts of age, but his mind enlightened by divine truth, and his heart 
 warmed with divine love ! 
 
 The words of the Revelation of S. John the Divine, selected to be 
 used for the Epistle on the Festival of All Saints, seem naturally to 
 connect the last of the Apostles with the last Festival of the Christian 
 year ; and this illustration has accordingly been deemed an appropri- 
 ate conclusion of this series of cngra\*ings. 
 

f, ■ 
 
 t 
 
 GETTY RESEARCH INSTITUTE 
 
 3 3125 01499 1042