^Ih — lt 
 
) 
 
THE 
 
 HISTORY 
 
 OF OUR 
 
 BLESSED LORD AND SAVIOUR 
 
 JESUS CHRIST : 
 
 WITH 
 
 The Lives of the Holy Apostles, and their Successors 
 for three hundred years after the crucifixion. 
 
 BY THOMPSON AND PRICE. 
 
' THE 
 
 HISTORY 
 
 OF OUR 
 
 BLESSED LORD AND SAVIOUR 
 
 JESUS CHRIST: 
 
 WITH THE 
 
 LIVES OF THE HOLY APOSTLES, 
 
 AND THEIR SUCCESSORS FOR THREE HUNDRED YEARI 
 AFTER THE CRUCIFIXION. 
 
 / 
 
 BV E3ENEZER'THOMPSON, D. D. AND WILLIAM C. PRICE, L. L« D» 
 
 IN TWO VOLUMES. 
 VOL. II. 
 
 PUBLISHED BY 
 THE REV. WILLIAM PRYCE, MARKET-STREET, 
 
 WILMINGTON. 
 
 Bamaland Nilet, PrinUrt>,. „1%0S» 
 
THE COMPLETE 
 
 HISTORY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 LIFE AND DEATH 
 
 OF OUR 
 
 BLESSED SAVIOUR ; 
 
 WITH THE 
 
 LIVES, TRANSACTIONS, AND SUFFERINGS OF 
 HIS HOLY APOSTLES. 
 
 CHAP. XXXI. 
 
 Upon the conclusion of the feast of dedication^ Jesus 
 returns into Galilee^ followed by a great concourse 
 of people. Jesus declares divorce to be unlawful ; 
 and mentions why it %\) as permitted by Moses. His 
 explanation of what he had said. Our Sai^iour re- 
 ceives^ and blesses little infants. He replies to a 
 young man, who enquired the way to eternal life. 
 Riches an obstruction in the pursuit of happiness. 
 Jesus promises to reward his apostles. A simili- 
 tude of a man hiring people to labor i?i his "cine- 
 yard. Lazarus of Bethany is seized with a 'vio- 
 lent illnesSy and Jesus informed of that event. 
 He informs his disciples that Lazarus is dead. 
 Jesus repairs to Bethany, where he is met by Mar- 
 tha, Mary, and a number of the Jews. Our Sa- 
 viour weeps. The resurrection of Lazarus. A 
 consultation in the Sanhedrim. The prophetical 
 
6 THE HISTORY OV 
 
 opbiion of Caiaphas the high priest. The Sanhe- 
 drim resohe to put Jesus to death ; in consequence 
 of 'which^ he retires towards the ivilderness of Je- 
 richo. 
 
 i HE feast of dedication being concluded, our bles- 
 sed Saviour departed from Jerusalem, and repaired 
 into Galilee, where, however, he remained but a short 
 time, on account of the country being still under the 
 government of Herod. Our Lord directed his course 
 towards the confines of Judea, passing through that 
 part of the country, situated near the banks of the 
 river Jordan ; and in the beginning of the fourth year 
 of his ministf}', he took up his residence at the place 
 where John first baptized penitents. 
 
 While he remained at this place, vast numbers of 
 people resorted to Jesus, who continued to instruct 
 the people in the laws of the kingdom of heaven, 
 and to relieve all the sick that were presented to him. 
 Several of the inhabitants of that part of the country 
 where Jesus now resided, had seen John perform the 
 the ceremony of baptism, and heard his discourses ; 
 and thcv acknowledged, that many of his predictions 
 concerning Jesus had been fulfilled. 
 
 Several of the Pharisees knowing that Jesus had 
 declared himself an enemy to divorce, which was at 
 that time very frequent among the Jews, and being 
 desirous of extorting from him some reply that they 
 could use as the means of inflaming the enmity of the 
 people against him, they proposed to him the following 
 question ; Is it lawful for men to repudiate their wives 
 on slight occasions ? Hereupon our Lord said, they 
 were not ignorant that God created one of each sex, 
 and transmitted to their posterity a law purporting, 
 that, as the two persons were formed out of one sub- 
 
OUl? BLESSED SAVIOU«. 7 
 
 Stance, husband and wife ought to live together in a 
 state of the strictest union : theretbre, those v.honi 
 God had so nearly allied, could not be separated with- 
 out a violation of the original law. He also said, 
 that they were guilty of sin, who declared that it w as 
 lawful for a man to be divorced from his wife. 
 
 The Pharisees now observed, that it was, according 
 to Moses, lawful for a man to part from his wife, provid- 
 e^l he gave her a certilicateof the divorce. Hereupon 
 our Lord said, that though, on account of their insatia- 
 ble lusts, and the hardness of their hearts, Moses had 
 permitted them to put away their wives ; yet arbitrary 
 and unlimitted divorces, were contrary to the original 
 institution of God ; as they were not permitted in the 
 state of innocence, so he positively prohibited them 
 under the gospel dispensation. '^ The Pharisees also 
 ** came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, 
 " Is it lawful for a man to put a^vay his wife for every 
 ** cause ? And he answered and said unto them. Have 
 *' ye not read, that he which made them at the begin- 
 *' ning, made them male and female ? And said. For 
 " this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and 
 *^ shall cleave to his wife, and they twain shall be one 
 " flesh. Wherefore they are no more twain, but one 
 *' flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, 
 " let no man put asunder. They say unto him. Why 
 " did Moses then command to give a writing of di- 
 *' vorcement, and to put her away ? He saith unto 
 " them, Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, 
 " suffered you to put away your wives : but from the 
 " beginning it was not so. And I say unto you, Who- 
 " soever shall put away his wife, except it be for for- 
 " nication, and shall marry another, committeth adul 
 " tery : and whoso marrieth her which is put away, 
 " doth commit adultery." Matt. xix. 3, &c. 
 
 Though our Saviour had twice before made a pub- 
 
S THE HISTORY OF 
 
 lie declaration of his sentiments on the subject of di- 
 vorcements, yet they were surprised at their master's 
 decision. They remained silent, however, because 
 the Pharisees were present ; but upon die return of 
 Jesus to his place of habitation, they requested that he 
 would inform them of the reasons on which he had 
 founded his determination. "• And in the house, his 
 *^ disciples asked him aj2:ain of the same matter ; 
 " and he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away 
 " his wife, and many another, committeth adultery a- 
 " gainst her. And if a woman shall put away her hus- 
 " band and be married to another, she committeth 
 " adultery." Mark. x. 10, &c. 
 
 The apostles, who had been educated in the princi- 
 ples of Judaism, observed to Jesus, that from the de- 
 cision he had pronounced, they * conceived a state of 
 celibacy to be more eligible than that of marriage. 
 Upon this, our Lord reminded them, that without the 
 especial assistance of the Almighty, it was not in the 
 power of every man to preserve his chastity in a single 
 state ; and that marriage was therefore necessary, it 
 being the most effectual means of restraining inor- 
 dinate desire. He added, that men whose passions 
 were so temperate as to permit them to preserve 
 their chastity in a state of celibacy, were, at their own 
 discretion, either to contract matrimony, or remain 
 single. 
 
 Divorcements were common among the Jews ; and 
 they were found greatly to promote family dissenti- 
 ons, and to be an impediment to the proper education 
 of children ; and therefore, our Saviour's prohibition 
 tended to promote the welfare of society. 
 
 * From this inference, the prohibition appears to extend to polygamy, 
 since tliey might have had a remedy in marrying more than one wo- 
 man. 
 
OUR BLKSSED SAVIOUll. 9 
 
 The innumerable cures that Jesus had performed 
 in divers places, inspired the people with an opinion, 
 that he had the power of preventing, as well as of re- 
 moving bodily aiRictions ; and therefore they brought 
 their children to him, requesting that he would lay 
 his hands on, and bless them. The apostles, con- 
 ceiving that the people were giving their Master un- 
 necessary trouble, rebuked, and ordered them to de- 
 part : but Christ repeated to them an admonition, to 
 which they had not paid due attention. Do not pre- 
 vent, said our Lord, these little children from being 
 brought to me : and I am now to recal to your re- 
 collection, that those men only, who in their disposi- 
 tions resemble the innocence and simplicity of these 
 babes, shall be permitted to enjoy the blessings of the 
 kingdom of heaven. '^ And they brought young 
 " children to him, that lie should touch them ; and 
 " his disciples rebuked those that brought them. — 
 " But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, 
 " and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come 
 *' unto me, and forbid them not ; for of such is the 
 " kingdom of God. Verily, I say unto you, Who- 
 " soever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a 
 *' little child, he shall not enter therein. And he took 
 '*■ them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and 
 "blessed them." Mark x. 13, &c. 
 
 Our Saviour now proceeded by the way of Jericho 
 towards Jerusalem, On his journey he was accosted 
 by a young man who was of a noble family, and one 
 of the members of the Sanhedrim, and who kneeling 
 before him, applied to him the epithet of good Mas- 
 ter, and enquired of him, what means he should pur- 
 sue to obtain eternal life. Though this young man, 
 in the levity of his disposition, pretended to venerate 
 our blessed Redeemer, his motive was merely to ri- 
 dicule him : but his design could not escape the pe- 
 netration of Jesus, notwithstanding his artful and hy- 
 
 VOL. II. B 
 
10 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 pocritical address ; and therefore, previous to answer- 
 ing his question, he reproved his vanity and inso- 
 lence. He asked, why he had called him good Mas- 
 ter, saying, there was only one good, and that was 
 God. " And when he was gone forth into the way, 
 " there came one running and kneeled to him, and 
 *' asked him, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit 
 " eternal life ? And Jesus said unto him. Why cal- 
 *' lest thou me good ? there is none good but one, that 
 *' is God." Luke xviii. 8, 9. 
 
 By the above words, our Lord implied, that the 
 man had given him an appellation which was not ap- 
 plied to the most celebrated of the rabbles ; asking, 
 whether he imagined he partook of the divine na- 
 ture, and instructing him that he ought to believe 
 the Father dwelt in him, if he supposed the title he 
 had given him to be properly applied. 
 
 To confirm this interpretation, it is necessary to ob- 
 serve, that in preaching to the Jews, our Saviour assert- 
 ed, that he was a prophet appointed by the Almighty, 
 and that he had afforded them the most incontestible 
 evidence of the divinity of his commission, in the 
 miracles he had wrought by the power delegated to 
 him by his heavenly Father, whence it was evident 
 that God and he were one. " That ye may know and 
 *' believe, that the Father is in me, and I him." — 
 John X. 38. In consequence of this declaration, the 
 Jews had pronounced him guilty of blasphemy. — 
 Therefore it was with much propriety that the Son of 
 God asked the man, why he called him good Master, 
 unless he believed him to be a teacher sent from God. 
 You cannot, said Jesus, acknowledge me as a pro- 
 phet appointed by the Almighty, unless you judge 
 of me from my works, by which I have proved that 
 I partake with the Almighty in the title of good. 
 
OUK BLESSED SAVIOUR. 11 
 
 But with his usual condescension, our Lord answer- 
 ed the question proposed by the young man, inform- 
 ing him, that as the means of attaining to a state of 
 everlasting happiness, he must strictly conform to all 
 the precepts of the moral law. " If thou wilt enter 
 " into life, keep the commandments. He saith unto 
 " him, Which ; Jesus said. Thou shalt do no mur- 
 " der ; thou shalt not commit adultery ; thou shalt 
 '* not steal ; thou shalt not bear false witness : ho- 
 *' nor thy father and thy mother ; and thou shalt 
 "" love thy neighbor as thyself. The young man saith 
 " unto him, All these things have I kept from my 
 " youth up : what lack I yet ? Jesus said unto him, 
 " If thou wilt be perfect, go, and sell that thou hast, 
 *' and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure 
 " in heaven: and come and follow me." Matt. xix. 
 17, &c. 
 
 It is probable, that this young man had complied 
 with the above commandments, in the imperfect man- 
 ner prescribed by the doctors and interpreters of the 
 law. But he was by no means a person who entertain- 
 ed a due veneration towards the Almighty, however 
 plausible the character he had supported. He was 
 possessed of great wealth, which he rendered subser- 
 vient to the gratification of his sensual appetites. So 
 attached was he to these indulgences, that he express- 
 ed much concern, when our blessed Redeemer re- 
 commended him to apply his riches to charitable pur- 
 poses, as one means of rendering himself worthy to 
 be employed in the honorable office of proclaiming 
 the happy tidings of salvation to the children of wick- 
 ed men. *' But when the young man had heard that 
 " saying, he went away sorrowful ; for he had great 
 " possessions." Matt. xix. 22. 
 
 Our Lord improved this instance of the pernicious 
 influence of riches, by cautioning his disciples against 
 
12 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 employing their attention upon acquisitions which 
 li.id so dangerous a tendency. •' Verily, I say unto you, 
 '■' that a rich man shall hardlv enter into the kinsidom 
 *' of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier 
 ** for a '^- camel to go through the eye of a needle, 
 " than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of 
 " God. When his disciples heard it, they were ex- 
 " ceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved ? 
 '^ But Jesus beheld them, and &aid unto them, With 
 " men this is impossible, but with God all things 
 " are possible." Matt. xix. 23, &c. Riches are a 
 temptation to the indulgence of sensuality, and are in 
 no respect necessary to procure an admission into the 
 regions of bliss. Men who are not assisted by the 
 grace of God, cannot possibly enjoy the rewards of 
 the kingdom of heaven : but by the influence of the 
 divine grace, which the Almighty never withholds 
 from those who seriously endeavor to obtain it, they 
 may be qualified to enjoy the blessing? of eternity. 
 
 What Jesus had said, was by no means satisfacto- 
 ry to his disciples ; who redected, that men were na- 
 turally desirous of acquiring wealth, and had long flat- 
 tered themselves in the expectation of the honors and 
 enioluments that would be conferred upon them, when 
 their Master's kingdom should be fully established. 
 Peter appears to have been particularly disappointed ; 
 for he observed to Jesus, that he and the rest of the 
 apostles had actually complied with the injunctions 
 which the young man had rejected ; they had de- 
 serted their families and friends, and relinquished all 
 their temporal possessions and pursuits, in order that 
 they might the more effectually promulgate the prin- 
 ciples of his gospel ; therefore, in the name of him- 
 self and his brethren, he requested to be informed of 
 what rewards they were to expect for their perfect obe- 
 
 * Some read cable-rope, wiiich certainlv corresponds better with 
 the idea of passinjr throvl2,h tlic eve of a needle. 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUK. 13^ 
 
 bedience to his commands. In reply to Peter's ques- 
 tion, our Lord said, that immediately after his resur- 
 rection, they should be advanced to the honor ofjudg- 
 ing the twelve tribes of Israel ; intimating by these 
 words, that they should govern the Christian church, 
 which they were already authorised to establish in 
 the different quarters of the globe. " Then answcr- 
 " ed Peter, and said unto him, Behold, we have for- 
 *' saken all, and followed thee : what shall we have 
 ** therefore ? And Jesus said unto them. Verily, I 
 '* say unto you, that ye which have followed me in 
 " the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit on 
 " the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve 
 " thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." Matt, 
 xix. 27, 28, 29. 
 
 Having thus replied to Peter, our blessed Saviour 
 mentioned the rewards which his other disciples should 
 experience, both in this life, and in futurity. Those 
 who have abandoned their relations, friends, and all 
 the enjoyments of this world, in order to conform to 
 my laws, shall be amply recompensed for their obe- 
 dience : divine providence shall supply them with 
 every thing necessary to their eternal happiness ; and, 
 notwithstanding the mortifications they should endure 
 in this life, they should after death be transported to 
 the regions of uninterrupted and perpetual bliss. — 
 " And every one that hath forsaken houses, or bre- 
 " thren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or 
 " children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive 
 " an hundred-fold, and shall inherit everlasting life. 
 " But many that are first shall be last, and the last 
 '* shall be first." Matt. xix. 29, 30. To animate 
 his followers to increase their faith, and continue to 
 employ themselves in good works, and at the same 
 time to intimate to them, that although the gospel 
 was first preached to the Jews, the blessings of hea- 
 ven should not be confined to those people alone, but 
 
14 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 be extended to the Gentiles ; who, although they 
 received the gospel dispensation at a later period, 
 should, in process of time, greatly exceed the Jews 
 in righteousness, our Saviour delivered the following 
 parable. 
 
 A * housholder went early in the morning to the 
 market-place, where laborers were accustomed to 
 wait, in expectation of being called into employment, 
 to hire people to cultivate his vineyard ; and having 
 engaged several men to work for him nt the rate of 
 one penny per day, he sent them into his vineyard. 
 About the third hour, he again went to the market- 
 place, and seeing other men waiting there for em- 
 ployment, ordered them also to go into his vineyard ; 
 but without making any conditions, and only saying, 
 that he would pay them what they should deserve. 
 About the sixth and the ninth hour, he engaged other 
 laborers in the same manner. About the eleventh hour 
 he went to the market-place a fourth time, and asked 
 some men, why they remained idle ? They said, that 
 though the day was expired within a single hour, they 
 had not been so fortunate as to procure any employ- 
 ment. Hereupon, he ordered these men also into the 
 vineyard, saying, that he would satisfy them for the 
 work they should perform. *' So when even was come, 
 *' the lord of the vine3'ard saith unto his steward, Call 
 
 * A narrative bearing an evident resemblance to this similitude, is 
 conl:iined in tlie Jerusalem Talmud ; and indeed, many of our Savi- 
 our's parables are to be found in the different Jewish books ; and there- 
 fore it has be:n conjectured, that the Jews made use of them in imita- 
 tion of Christ. But, when it is considered, that the Jews bore an im- 
 placable enmity to Christ, and that Christ took almost the whole of 
 the Lord's prayer from the Jewish prayers, and also, that he frequently 
 introduced Jewish proverbs into his discourses, the more reasonable 
 conclusion muse be, that he spoke a parable that was before known 
 among the Jews, and that the\ afterwards received it into their wri- 
 iings ; and so of the other Jewisli parables that are to be ibund in the 
 New 'i'estament. 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUH. 15 
 
 *' the laborers, and give them their hire, beginning from 
 *' the last unto the first. And when they came that were 
 " hired about the eleventh hour, they received every 
 " man a penny. But when the first came, they sup- 
 " posed that they should have received more ; and 
 *' they likewise received every man a penny. And 
 *' when they had received it, they murmured against 
 " the good man of the house, saying, These last have 
 *' wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them 
 '' equal unto us, which have borne the burden and 
 *' heat of the day. But he answered one of them, and 
 *' said. Friend, I do thee no wrong : didst not thoa 
 "■ agree with me for a penny ? Take that thine is, 
 " and go thy way : I will give unto this last even as 
 *' unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will 
 *^ with mine own ? Is thine eye evil, because 1 am 
 '* good ? So the last shall be first, and the first last; for 
 '* many be called, but few chosen." Matt. xx. 8, 
 &c. 
 
 The interpretation of the above parable, will not 
 be attended with any considerable difficulty. By the 
 vineyard, is represented the dispensation of the gospel. 
 The laborers whom the housholder hired in the morn- 
 ing, are descriptive of the Jevv's, who were the early 
 members of the true church, and enjoined to yield 
 obedience to the laws of Moses. The laborers en- 
 gaged about the third, sixtli, and ninth hours, repre- 
 sent the Gentiles, who were at different periods con- 
 verted by the interposition of the divine Providence. 
 The invitation given about the eleventh hour, implies 
 those persons who receive the dispensation of the Gos- 
 pel in llic decline of life. By the law of Moses, very 
 severe restrictions were imposed upon the Jews ; and 
 therefore, it was strongly represented by the simili- 
 tude of the laborers, sustaining the fatigue and heat 
 of the whole day. l^ut as the reclaimed Gentiles 
 conformed only to some particular precepts of the 
 
16 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 law, they were described under the characters of the 
 men who were engaged at the third, sixth, and ninth 
 hours. The heathens, who observed no other law 
 than that of nature, and imagined that piety, temper- 
 ance, charity, and works of justice, were the only 
 duties required of them, were typified by those men 
 who were employed only one hour. 
 
 Upon the close of the day, the laborers were paid 
 their wages, without distinction as to the time they 
 had been respectively employed ; and thus are shewn 
 the glorious advantages and privileges, that are to be 
 derived from the gospel of Christ. The Jews, who 
 had complied with the ceremonials of the Mosaic in- 
 stitutions, complained, when they diacovered that the 
 Gentiles were to enjoy equal privileges with them- 
 selves, although they had not conformed to the cere- 
 monial worship. 
 
 By the above parable our Saviour implied, that those 
 people who in distant ages should conform to the prin- 
 ciples of his gospel, should be equally rewarded with 
 those who were originally employed by him to es- 
 tablish the christian church. 
 
 Having delivered the above discourses, our blessed 
 Redeemer received a message from Martha and Mary, 
 at whose house, in the town of Bethany, Jesus had 
 formerly resided, purporting that their brother Laza- 
 rus was sick. They did not request that he would 
 hasten to his relief, for since he had cured so great a 
 number of strangers, they deemed it sufficient to in- 
 timate to him their distress ; being persuaded, that 
 he would not refuse assistance to their brother Laza- 
 rus, for whom our Lord entertained a particular es- 
 teem. 
 
 Upon receiving intelligence of the indisposition of 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 17" 
 
 Lazarus, our Lord said, " This sickness is not unto 
 *' death ;" adding, that it would prove the means of 
 rendering the power of God more conspicuous ; for 
 in the restoration of Lazarus, he should speedily per- 
 form an astonishing miracle. After this, Jesus re- 
 mained two days in that part of the country beyond 
 the Jordan where he was preaching the gospel, when 
 he was informed that Lazarus was sick. The reason 
 of thib delay was, that, by the space of time which 
 was to elapse between the decease of Lazarus and 
 his resurrection, no room should be afforded for sus- 
 picion of a fraud ; and that he should plainly mani- 
 fest his own Almighty power in recalling him to life, 
 after it should be publicly known that he was dead, 
 and that his remains were deposited in the sepulchre. 
 It is true, that the sisters of Lazarus were exceed- 
 ingly dibtressed, because Jesus did not hasten to the 
 lelicf of their brother; but they were amply com- 
 pensated, when he was restored to them from the 
 dreary mansions of the grave, by the divine power of 
 our blessed Redeemer. 
 
 Upon the expiration of two days, after receiving 
 the message from Martha and Mary, our Lord inform- 
 ed his disciples, that he intended to return into Judea : 
 but his followers -endeavored to divert him from this 
 purpose ; reminding him of the imminent danger to 
 which he would unavoidably expose his life, by again 
 going among those people who had industriously 
 sought occasions of stoning him to death, and of perpe- 
 trating other acts of violence against his sacred person. 
 " When he heard therefore that he was sic^, he abode 
 '* two days still in the same place where he was. 
 " Then after that, saith he to his disciples. Let us go 
 " into Judea again. His disciples say unto him, Mas- 
 *' ter, the Jews of late sought to stone thee ; and go- 
 " est thou thither again ? Jesus answered. Are there 
 '* not twelve hours in a day ? If any man walk in the 
 
 VOL. II. c 
 
18 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 " day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of 
 *' this world. But if a man walk in the night, he 
 *' stumbleth, because there is no light in him." John 
 xi. 6, &c. As during the day, a man may travel with- 
 out danger of falling, because he enjoys the benefit 
 of the light of the sun ; so during the period in which 
 my heavenly Father has determined to protect me 
 from the insidious artifices and violent outrages of the 
 Jews, I can have no reason to harbor apprehensions 
 concerning m.y personal safety : but as the traveller is 
 in danger whan he pursues his journey, surrounded 
 by the darkness of the night ; so not till the time when 
 the Almighty, in his infinite wisdom, shall judge it 
 proper to withdraw his protection from me, and when 
 the powers of wickedness shall be without restraint, 
 will it be necessary for me to dread the machinations 
 of my enemies. 
 
 Having in the above manner recommended them to 
 suppress their groundless apprehensions, and repre- 
 sented to them the necessity of strengthening their 
 faith, our blessed Saviour said to them, " Our friend 
 " Lazarus sleepeth : but I go, that I may awake him 
 ** out of sleep." Interpreting what Jesus had said ac- 
 cording to the literal sense, they replied that if he slept, 
 in all probability the malignity of his distemper had 
 subsided, and therefore it might be expected, that he 
 would speedily recover his usual health. At the same 
 time they discovered their apprehensions for their 
 Master's safety, by saying, that it would be unneces- 
 sary for him to go intoJudea merely to awaken Lazarus 
 from his sleep ; and intimating, that he would be per- 
 fectly safe by remaining in his present situation ; 
 whereas he would expose himself to great danger, by 
 venturing among the people who had shewn such 
 repeated proofs of their implacable enmity towards 
 him. 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 19 
 
 Perceiving that his apostles had mistaken his mean- 
 ing, Jesus informed them, in explicit terms, that La- 
 zarus was dead ; saying, that he rejoiced that he was 
 not at Bethany at the time of his indisposition, be- 
 cause, upon the solicitation of his sisters, he should 
 have restored him to health : but now he had an op- 
 portunity of giving confirmation to their faith in him 
 as the Messiah, by convincing them that he deriv- 
 ed his authority immediately from heaven, by making 
 them the witnesses of his power of bestowing ani- 
 mation upon the body of the deceased. " Then 
 " said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do 
 *•• well. Howbtit, Jesus spake of his death : but 
 " they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest 
 " in sleep. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, La- 
 *' zarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes, 
 " that I was not there (to the intent that ye may be- 
 " lieve) nevertheless, let us go unto him." John xi. 
 12, Sec. 
 
 Our Lord having resolved to return into Judea, 
 Thomas, imagining that destruction would be the ine- 
 vitable consequence of his undertaking this journey, 
 and being unwilling to desert his Master in a time 
 of danger, proposed that he and the other apostles 
 should accompany him into Judea, and share what- 
 ever dangers he might be exposed to from the malice 
 of the barbarous Jews. *' Then said Thomas, which 
 '* is called Didymus, unto his fellow disciples, Let 
 " us also go, that we may die with him." John xi. 
 16. 
 
 As our Lord pursued his journey towards Betha- 
 ny, he was met by some of the inhabitants of that 
 town, who informed him that Lazarus had been 
 buried four days. The fate of Lazarus had proved 
 exceedingly distressing to Martha and Mary ; and 
 many of the Jews had come from Jerusalem, in order 
 
20 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 to condole with them on occasion of the arrief ihev 
 experienced, in consequence of the decease of their 
 beloved brother. 
 
 Previous to our Lord's arrival at Bethany, the 
 news of his approach was conveyed to that village ; 
 and Martha hastened to meet him, leaving her sister, 
 who was of a more contemplative and melancholy dis 
 position, mourning in the house. 
 
 Upon meeting Jesus, in an extacy of sorrow, Mar- 
 tha said, that if he had hastened to Bethany when he 
 received intelligence of her brother's indisposition, his 
 death woidd have been prevented ; for she was con- 
 scious that the Almighty would not deny any request 
 he should make. Martha undoubtedly entertained 
 an exalted idea of the power of our blessed Redeem, 
 er : but yet she did * not imagine that he was able 
 to exert that power on all occasions, but that by ap- 
 pealing to heaven in behalf of sick persons, the Al- 
 mighty invested him v/ith power to effect their reco- 
 very. It may reasonably be presumed, that she was 
 not ignorant of the miracle he had performed, in giv- 
 ing life to the deceased daughter of Jairus, and the 
 son of the widou' of Nain : but as her brother had 
 been buried three days, she probably was doubtful, 
 whether Jesus had power to effect his recovery, and 
 that therefore she did not supplicate him to restore 
 Lazarus to life. 
 
 But to increase the imperfect faith of Martha, Jesus 
 informed her, that his heavenly Father had invested 
 him with power to give life to those who had faith in 
 him. As these words did not specifically express any 
 
 * According to Grotiiis and man}' other writers, the faith of Mar- 
 tha was weak ; and they arc of opinion, that though she believed ChristJ 
 ■was prevalent witii God, she did not 5'ipposc that the fullness of the 
 divine power resided in liim. 
 
OUR BI.ESSED SAVIOUR. 21 
 
 period of time, she understood them in the indefinite 
 sense, imagining- that they were meant only to afford 
 her consolation in her distress, and that they alhided 
 to the time of the general resurrection. Martha there- 
 fore said, that she had a firm rtliance on that import- 
 ant article of the Christian faiih, which expressed, 
 that the dead should rise from the dreary mansions 
 of the grave, on that great and tremendous day, when 
 the judgment of the world would be pronounced from 
 the throne of the Almighty. Hereupon the blessed 
 Jesus informed her, that he was tiie author of the re- 
 surrection, and had received power from God to effect 
 the immediate resurrection of all who believed in the 
 dispensations of his gospel. To this Martha replied, 
 that she was firmly persuaded he was the true Messi- 
 ah, whose appearance had been so long predicted by 
 the prophets ; and that no miracle was too great for 
 him to perform, since in him resided the fulness of 
 divine power. 
 
 Martha now appears to have conceived hopes of the 
 immediate recovery of Lazarus ; and departing from 
 Jesus, she hastened by his command into the village, 
 in order to summon Mary to be a witness of the as- 
 tonishing miracle that was to be speedily performed. 
 *' Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lien in 
 *' the grave four days already. Now Bethany was 
 " nigli unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off. — 
 '* And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, 
 *' to comfort them concerning their brother. Then 
 " Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was com- 
 '' ing, went and met him : but Mary sat still in the 
 *' house. Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if 
 ** thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. 
 '* But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt 
 *' ask of God, God will give it thee. Jesus said unto- 
 " her. Thy Brother shall rise again. Martha saith 
 ** unto him, i know that he shall rise again in the 
 
22 THE HISTORY OP 
 
 *' resurrection at the last day. Jesus said unto her, 
 *' I am the resurrection and the life : he that believ- 
 " eth in me though he were dead, yet shall he live : 
 " and whosoever iiveth and believeth in me, shall 
 " never die. Believest thou this ? She saithunto him, 
 " Yea, Lord : I believe that thou art the Christ, the 
 *' Son of God, which should come into the world. 
 *' And when she had so said, she went away, and cal- 
 *' led Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master 
 ^' is come, and calleth for thee." John xi. 17, &c. 
 
 Mary was no sooner apprized of the approach of 
 Jesus, than she hastened to meet him. The Jews who 
 had come from Jerusalem to condole with the afflict- 
 ed sisters, imagining that she was going to pour forth 
 her sorrows over the grave of her deceased brother, 
 followed her into the presence of our blessed Redeem- 
 er, who still remained in the field where he had been 
 accosted by Martha. Thus were the Jews conducted 
 to the grave of Lazarus, and made witnesses to his 
 miraculous resurrection. 
 
 Prostrating herself before Christ, in an agony of 
 grief, she exclaimed. " Lord, if thou hadst been here, 
 *■' my brother had not died." Martha stood weeping 
 by the side of Jesus, and with a heart dissolved in grief, 
 the^pious Mary lay at his feet; while the surrounding 
 Jews joined the mournful scene, by mingling their 
 friendly tears with those of the afflicted sisters, in tes- 
 timony of their esteem for the departed Lazarus, and 
 of the justice of the lamentations of Martha and Ma- 
 ry for the loss of so truly amiable and deserving a bro- 
 ther. The compassionate Jesus could not behold 
 this melancholy scene, without yielding to the tender- 
 cst sensations of pity, and generously * participating 
 in the common distress. 
 
 * Hence we may learn, that those afi'ections of the mind which are 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 23 
 
 This pathetic occurrence is related by the Evange- 
 list, in a stile of the most expressive simplicity and 
 peculiar tenderness. Mary being informed by her 
 sister, that Jesus was in the neighborhood of Betha- 
 ny, " as'soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, 
 " and came unto him. Now Jesus was not yet come 
 *' into the town, but was at that place where Martha 
 " met him. The Jews then which were with her in 
 " the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary 
 *•• that she rose up hastily, and went out, followed 
 •* her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there. 
 *' Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and 
 *' saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, 
 " Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not 
 *' died. When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, 
 *' and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he 
 " groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, and said, 
 *' Where have ye laid him ? They say unto him. Lord, 
 " come and see. Jesus wept. Then said the Jews, 
 " Behold, how he loved him ! And some of them 
 *' said. Could not this man, which opened the eyes 
 " of the blind, have caused that even this man should 
 " not have died ? Jesus therefore again groaning in 
 "• himself, cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a 
 " stone lay upon it. Jesus said, take ye away the 
 '' stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, 
 *•' said unto him. Lord, by this time he stinketh : for 
 " he hath been dead four days. Jesus saith unto her, 
 " Said I not unto thee, that if thou wouldest believe, 
 *' thou shouldest see the glory of God ? Then they 
 " took away the stone from the place where the dead 
 '' was laid. And Jesus lift up his eyes, and said, Fa- 
 " ther I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And 
 *' I knew that thou hearest me always : but because 
 " of the people which stand by, I said it, that they 
 
 called the weaknesses of humanity, are not to be condemned as sinful, 
 provided they do not impel usto actions repugnant to virtue and reason. 
 
24 '■ THE HISTORY 01« 
 
 " may believe that thou hast sent me. And when he 
 *' had thus spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Laza- 
 ** rus, come forth. And he that was dead, came 
 ** forth, bound hand and foot with grave-clothes : and 
 ** his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith 
 *' unto them, Loose him, and let him go." John xi. 
 29, &c. 
 
 The grief expressed by the tender and compassion- 
 ate Jesus was a convincing proof to the Jews, that he 
 had entertained a strong affection for Lazarus ; but 
 some of them interpreted this circumstance to his dis- 
 advantage, urging, that had he possessed sufficient 
 power, he would have cured him of the distemper 
 which terminated in his death ; and recalling to their 
 recollection the miraculous cure of the blind man at 
 the feast of tabernacles, which they considered as a 
 more extraordinary matter than restoring to health 
 a man laboring under a disease, which however vio- 
 lent, had in many instances yeilded to the power of 
 medicine, and in others, had been subdued by the 
 mere efforts of nature. 
 
 Martha observed to Jesus, that the body of the de- 
 funct must be in a state of putrefaction, as it had been 
 four days in the grave. Thus she plainly indicated, 
 that she imagined Jesus had not power to effect the re- 
 surrection of her brother; but he reproved her want 
 of faith, by repeating what he had said to her in the 
 field concerning the unlimited power of the Almighty. 
 Martha being convinced that our Lord was appointed 
 to execute the will of the heavenly Father, Christ pro- 
 ceeded to effect the wonderful resurrection of Laza- 
 rus ; who rose from the grave in a state of the most 
 perfect health and vigor. Some among the crowd 
 of astonished spectators might probably have sus- 
 pected that Lazarus had been buried alive, and that 
 the vital principle had not departed from his body, 
 
OUR BLESSED SAAaOUR. 25 
 
 had not they been fully convinced, by the appearance 
 of, and stench emitted from the gravecloiheb, and 
 many other circumstances, that the body iiad been ac- 
 tually in a state of putrefaction. When he had per- 
 formed this stupendous miracle, our blessed Saviour 
 manifested no instance cither of triumph or exulta- 
 tion ; but consistently wiih his conduct on every 
 other occasion, proved himself to be a perfect exam- 
 ple of humility and self-denial. 
 
 In the resurrection of Lazarus, is exhibited a strik- 
 ing emblem, and a glorious earnest of a future state ; 
 and this astonishing event cannot fail to impress upon 
 our minds an idea of that solemn day, when the scat- 
 tered particles of our bodies shall be co'lected, and our 
 souls be exalted into a glorious immortality, through 
 the beneficent interposition of the Son of God. 
 
 We shall here introduce a concise account of the 
 town of Bethany, wherein the above miracle was 
 wrought. Departing from Jerusalem through St. Ste- 
 phen's gate, and crossing the valley of Jehoshaphat, 
 and part of mount Olivet, in about half an hour you 
 arrive at Bethany. Upon entering this place, is 
 seen a ruinated building, called the castle of Lazarus, 
 and supposed to have been the place of his residence. 
 At the foot of a gentle declivity, and at a small distance 
 from the castle, is shewn the sepulchre out of which 
 he was raised to a second mortality. The descent 
 into the sepulchre is by twenty-five steep steps, which 
 lead to a small square apartment, from whence you 
 creep down, to the depth of about a yard and a half, 
 into a smaller room, where the body, of Lazarus is 
 said to have been deposited. The Turks hold this 
 place in high veneration, and make use of it as an 
 oratory, not allowing it to be seen by any Christians, 
 till they have paid asmall caphar for their admission. 
 
 VOL. II. D 
 
26 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 At about the distance of a bow-shot from the se- 
 pulchre, you are shewn a place, which is said to have 
 been the habitation of Mary Magdalen ; and then de- 
 scending a steep hill, you arrive at the fountain of the 
 apostles ; so called, because, according to tradition, 
 it was the place where those holy men were accus- 
 tomed to refresh themselves in their frequent journies 
 between Jerusalem and Jericho. This is very proba- 
 ble, and perhaps what is done by most of the persons 
 who travel that way ; the fountain being close to the 
 side of the road, and extremely inviting to the thirsty 
 passenger. 
 
 The resurrection of Lazarus was so extraordinary 
 an instance of the divine power of Christ, that it pre- 
 vailed over the prejudices of a great number of the 
 Jews, who acknowledged him to be the Messiah. This 
 wonderful event, which occured in theneighborhood 
 of Jerusalem, and in the midst of a great multitude 
 of people, could not long remain concealed from the 
 knowledge of the chief priests and elders, who were 
 exceedingly alarmed, lest the great and increasing 
 reputation of Jesus should impair their authority, and 
 diminish their influence over the people. 
 
 The members of the Sanhedrim being assem- 
 bled, it was asserted in that grand council, that 
 the intention of Jesus was to establish a new mode 
 of religious worship, the principles of which were 
 inimical to the Jewish laws, and threatened to sub- 
 vert the Jewish constitution both in church and state. 
 It was argued, that the miracles of Jesus would in- 
 duce the lower classes of the people to acknowledge 
 him for the Messiah, and support his pretensions to 
 that character by force of arms ; and that the insur- 
 rections thus excited, would afford the Romans a pre- 
 text for sending an army into Judea, to destroy the 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUK. 27 
 
 c'iKy and temple, and put the whole Jewish nation to 
 the sword. *' But some of them went their ways to 
 " the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had 
 *' done. Then gathered the chief priests and the Pha- 
 " risees a council, and saidj What do we? for this 
 " man doeth mrany miracles. If we let him thus alone, 
 " all men will believe on him ; and the Romans shall 
 " ccme and take away both our place and nation." 
 John xi. 46, 47, 48. 
 
 Various expedients were proposed in the Sanhe- 
 drim, for securing the Jewish constitution from that 
 danger, by which it was supposed to be threatened by 
 the preaching and miracles of Christ ; and at length 
 a resolution passed, purporting, that it was expedient 
 to put him to death : but this vote did not receive the 
 unanimous sanction of the council, it being resolute- 
 ly opposed by Nicodemus, Joseph of Armathea, 
 and some other zealous disciples of our blessed Re- 
 deemer. 
 
 Caiaphas, who was at this time high-priest of the 
 Jewish nation, having attended to the debates concern- 
 ing our Saviour, arose, and informed the assembly, 
 that those persons were but little acquainted with, or 
 concerned for the interest of their country, who op- 
 posed the condemnation of Jesus, because no act of 
 criminality had been proved, or even advanced against 
 him ; for the nature of government, and the princi- 
 pies of human policy, frequently rendered particular 
 acts of injustice necessary, in order that the safety of 
 the state might be secured ; and therefore he advised, 
 that Jesus might be condemned to die, in order to 
 avert the destruction which threatened the whole Jew- 
 ish nation. Thus, by the divine impulse did the 
 high-priest predict to the rulers of Jerusalem, that 
 Christ was to be offered up as an expiatory victim for 
 the sins of mankind. " And one of them, named 
 
28 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 *^ Caiaj^has, being the high-priest that same year, said 
 *' unto them, Ye know nothing at all : nor consider 
 " that it is expedient for us, that one man should die 
 " for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. 
 " And this spake he not of himself: but, being high- 
 ** priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should 
 " die for that nation ; and not for that nation only, 
 *' but that also he should gather together in * one, the 
 " children of God that were scattered abroad." — 
 John xi. 49, &c. 
 
 The Sanhedrim having resolved to sacrifice the life 
 of Jesus, he declined publicly appearing in the fre- 
 <juented parts of Judea ; but he returned to the small 
 city of Ephraim, situated on the confines of the wil- 
 derness of Jericho, where he resided with his apostles 
 till the following passover. 
 
 We shall conclude this chapter with some observa- 
 tions on the miracle of the resurrection of Lazarus. 
 From what is above related, it is not to be inferred, 
 that our blessed Saviour " wept, and groaned in spi- 
 " rit," on account of the death of the man whom he 
 was about to restore to life ; for his expressions of 
 sorrow proceeded from a sympathetic tenderness of 
 disposition, which impelled him to participate in the 
 deep affliction of those who deplored the loss of La- 
 zarus. The Jews who attended on this occasion, 
 mistook the cause of the grief of our tender and com- 
 passionate Redeemer ; for by their saying, '^ Behold, 
 " how he loved him," it is evident that they supposed 
 he lamented his death. But this will be allowed a 
 very natural expression, when it is considered, that 
 they entirely mistook the cause of his sorrow, and 
 were entirely ignorant of his intention to restore La- 
 zarus to life. 
 
 * In one community. 
 
OUU BLESSED SAVIOUR. 29 
 
 Some of the Jews asked, why Jesus, who had gi- 
 ven sight to a man bornjblind, could not have rescued 
 Lazarus from the power of death. Hereupon, Jesus 
 groaned a second time ; and this like the former ex- 
 pression of sorrow, was not on account of the deceas- 
 ed, but on the contrary, a proof that he lamented the 
 obstinate incredulity of the living. By the connection 
 which the word " therefore" bears to the preceding 
 part of the text, it appears that the second groaning 
 of Jesus, was occasioned by the malicious applica- 
 tion which some of the Jews gave to the miracle he 
 had wrought in favor of the man who had been born 
 blind ; for they insinuated, that it was not probable 
 he should have so wonderfully relieved a stranger, 
 since he had not power to preserve the life of his be- 
 loved friend Lazarus. 
 
 By his own example, our Lord has instructed us 
 in the virtue of sympathizing in the distresses of 
 our fellow-creatures ; and this is agreeable to the 
 precept of the apostle, who commands us to " weep 
 " with them that weep." The ancient heretics pro- 
 pagated an opinion, that Christ did not appear in the 
 real flesh, with which he appeared to be clothed, 
 and that he was no more than the apparition of a 
 man. But this pernicious idea, so derogatory from 
 the merit of his sacrifice for the sins of mankind, 
 must immediately vanish, when we reflect, that it is 
 recorded by the evangelist, that *' Jesus wept;" and 
 thereby afforded an incontestible demonstration, that 
 he had assumed the nature of humanity, together 
 with all the innocent passions thereunto annexed. 
 That the reality of the resurrection of Lazarus was 
 not disputed in the life-time of our Saviour is certain, 
 for no suspicion of fraud in this case was among the 
 accusations advanced against him before Pilate. 
 
 Lazarus was still living, when Matthew, Mark, and 
 
30 THE HISTOKY OF 
 
 Luke, wrote their gosples, and therefore they did 
 not mention the miracle. The Jews had endeavored 
 to execute vengeance upon Lazarus, because he had 
 been the instrument whereby our Saviour had exhi- 
 bited a most wonderful instance of the divinity of his 
 commission : but their malace was disappointed. Had 
 the evangelist above-mentioned introduced the mira- 
 cle of his resurrection in their gospels, the Jews would, 
 in all probability, have been provoked to revive their 
 rage against Lazarus with more implacable fury. But 
 when the gospel of St. John was written, Lazarus had 
 a second time departed from these regions of mor- 
 tality ; and therefore, this evangelist had no motive to 
 induce him to suppress the narrative of his won- 
 derful resurrection ; and that the facts were faith- 
 fully communicated to him, may be reasonably pre- 
 sumed ; for when he wrote, there were many persons 
 still livinar who had been witnesses to the divine 
 power which our blessed Redeemer displayed in re- 
 animating the body of the deceased Lazarus. 
 
OUH BLESSED SAVIOUR. 31 
 
 CHAP. XXXII. 
 
 upon the approach oj the passo'uer^ our blessed Sa'oiour 
 departs from the desert fiear Jericho, and repairs 
 to Jerusalem. During his journey^ he predicts to 
 his apostles the circumstances of his condemnation^ 
 deaths crucifixion^ and resurrection. He instructs 
 bis apostles^ as to the manner i?i nvhich they shall 
 regulate their conduct. Jesus cures txvo blind beg- 
 gars^ and holds a conversation with Zaccheus the 
 publican. The parable of the talents. In conse- 
 quence of a proclamation issued by the Sanhedrim, 
 the Jews endeavor to apprehend Jesus. He repairs 
 to Bethany^ where his feet are anointed by the pious 
 Mary. He replies to an objection advanced by Ju- 
 das. Our blessed Saviour rides towards Jerusalem 
 upon an asSy amidst the acclamations of an im- 
 mense concourse of people. The conduct of Jesus 
 excites the rage of the Pharisees. The advice of 
 the Pharisees to the Sanhedrim. The lamenta- 
 tions of our blessed Saviour over the city of Jerusa- 
 lem. Jesus enters Jerusalem^ and a second time 
 expels the traders from the temple. Persons af- 
 flicted with various diseases are brought to Jesus^ 
 in order to be restored to health. The priests inter- 
 rogate, him and he answers their questions. The 
 curiosity of some Greeks to behold Jesus. His dis* 
 course to the multitude on the subject of the curio- 
 sity of the Greeks* The voice of the Almighty heard 
 from the heavens. Jesus answers to the enquiries 
 of the multitude, concerning the voice of the Al- 
 mighty. He discourses to them on the subject of 
 his approaching dissolution. Jesus secludes hitn- 
 self from the society of men. Some words of the 
 
32 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 prophet Isaiah applied to the Jeivs. Hanging ad' 
 monished the Jews to repose faith in him^ our 
 blessed Sa'viour returns to the town of Bethany. 
 
 U PON the approach of the passover, our blsssed 
 Saviour quitted his retirement in the neighborhood 
 of Jericho, being followed by his apostles, who were 
 exceedingly concerned on account of their Master 
 having undertaken a journey, which they imagined 
 would terminate in his death. During his passage 
 to Jerusalem, our Lord, addressing himself to his 
 apostles, said that he was going to the city of Jeru- 
 salem, where all the events predicted by the prophets 
 concerning him would be fulfilled ; for he should be 
 betrayed into the power of the Sanhedrim, who would 
 condemn him to suffer death ; adding, that, as the 
 Romans had deprived the Jewish nation of the privi- 
 lege of pronouncing sentence upon persons accused 
 of capital offences, he should be condemned to suffer 
 death by a Roman governor ; but that before his de- 
 cease he should be ignomeniously spit upon, and 
 scourged : he further informed his disciples, that he 
 should suffer a painful death upon a cross ; and that 
 three days after his crucifixion, he should rise from 
 the dead, and ascend to the throne of his heavenlv 
 Father. "Then he took unto him the twelve, and 
 *' said unto them. Behold we go up to Jerusalem ; 
 " and all things that are written by the prophets 
 " concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished* 
 "■ For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and 
 ** shall be spitefully entreated, and spitted on : and 
 ** they shall scourge him, and put him to death : and 
 '' the third day he shall rise again." Luke xviii. 31, 
 &c. 
 
 Though the prediction of the above events so ma- 
 nifestly corresponded with the ancient prophecies, the 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 33 
 
 apostles were unable to comprehend the meaning 
 thereof. The sons of Zcbedce imagined, that, by- 
 saying he should rise from the dead, Jesus meant to 
 intimate to tliem, that he should establish a temporal 
 sovereignty ; and therefore they became ambitious of 
 partaking of the honors and emoluments, which they 
 expected would be distributed among his followers. 
 Upon the road towards Jerusalem, they prevailed upon 
 their mother to prostrate herself before our blessed 
 Redeemer, and humbly to supplicate that he wouldex- 
 alt her sons to the dignity of sitting on each side of his 
 throne ; and thus she solicited, that he would bestow 
 upon them the most dignified offices under the tem- 
 poral government which he was about to erect. Ad- 
 dressing himself to the petitioner and her sons, our 
 Lord informed them, that they were entirely ignorant 
 as to the nature of the rewards which he had promis- 
 ed to bestow upon those who strictly adhered to the 
 principles of his gospel. " Then came to him the 
 " mother of Zebedee's children with their sons, wor- 
 " shipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him. 
 " And he said unto her. What wilt thou ? She saith 
 " unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, 
 " the one on the rio-ht hand, and the other on the 
 '* left, in thy kingdom. But Jesus answered, and 
 "" said. Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to 
 *' drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be 
 " baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with ? 
 *' They say unto him, We are able. And he saith 
 *' unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and 
 *' be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized 
 *' with : but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, 
 *' is not mine to give : but it shall be given to them 
 " for whom it is prepared of my Father.'' Matt. xx. 
 20. Thus our Lord informed them, that they did not 
 comprehend the nature of the rewards which he w as 
 to bestov/ upon his disciples ; and that they would 
 
 VOL. II. E 
 
34 THE HISTORY OV 
 
 partake of the troubles and afflictions which he was 
 to encounter. 
 
 The ambition of the sons of Zebedee greatly dis- 
 pleased the other apostles, who deemed themselves 
 equally worthy of the distinction which their two bre- 
 thren had solicited. To restore friendship and har- 
 mony among his disciples, our Lord informed them, 
 that the exaltation of those of his followers who should 
 distinguish themselves by their superior virtue, should 
 not consist in the pomp and splendor of a temporal 
 empire, or in the exercise of despotic authority over 
 the people ; adding, that in this world, rank and pre- 
 cedence, were indications of merit, but that Christian 
 greatness consisted in humility and righteousness. — 
 ** And when the ten heard it, they were moved with 
 " indignation against the two brethren. But Jesus 
 *' called them unto him, and said. Ye know that the 
 " princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over 
 " them, and they that are great, exercise authority 
 "• upon them. But it shall not be so among vou : but 
 " whosoever will be great among you, let him be your 
 *' minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, 
 '* let him be your servant : even as the Son of man came 
 ** not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to 
 ** give his life a ransom for many." Matt, xx, 24, &c. 
 
 Our blessed Saviour now departed from Jericho, 
 attended by a vast concourse of people. The son of 
 Tiniaeus, called Bartiniccus in the Hebrew language, 
 and another blind beggar, were laying on ihe side of 
 the road ; and upon hearing a great number of voices, 
 thpy enquired the reason of such a multitude of peo- 
 ple being assembled. They were informed, that Je- 
 sus of Nazareth approached ; and they immediately 
 exclaimed, O Jesus, the son of David, compassionate 
 our miseries, and afford us relief! Being unwilling 
 that the progress of our Saviour's journey should be 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 35 
 
 interrupted, his followers reprimanded the blind men, 
 and ordered them to be silent. But they reiterated 
 their complaints, and with additional vehemence sup- 
 plicated our Lord to bestow upon them the blessing 
 of sight, by the influence of the divine power which 
 resided in him. Jesus ordered the men to be con- 
 ducted to him ; and when they approached, he touch- 
 ed their eyes, and commanded them to depart, assur- 
 ing them, that they should be restored to sight, as a 
 reward for their faith in him. Our blessed Redeemer 
 had no sooner pronounced these words, than they re- 
 covered the faculty of seeing. This miracle being 
 performed, they glorified the name of the Almighty, 
 through whose goodness so inestimable a blessing 
 had been conferred upon them. " And as they de- 
 
 * parted from Jericho, a great multitude followed 
 ' him. And behold two blind men sitting by the 
 ' way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, 
 
 * cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou 
 ' son of David. And the multi-iude rebuked them, 
 ' because they should hold their peace : but they 
 ' cried the more, saying. Have mercy on us, O Lord, 
 ' thou son of David. And Jesus stood still, and cal- 
 ' led them, and said, What will ye that I should 
 ' do unto you ? They say unto him, Lord, that our 
 ' eyes may be opened. So Jesus had compassion 
 ' on them, and touched their eyes ; and immediately 
 ' their eyes received sight, and they followed him.'* 
 
 Matt. XX. 29, &c. 
 
 Having performed the above miracle, our Saviour 
 continued his journey. Zaccheus, the chief of the 
 publicans inhabiting the city of Jericho and its adja- 
 cencies, had heard the fame of Jesus greatly extolled, 
 and was extremely desirous of beholding a person 
 of so distinguished a character; and he several times 
 endeavored lo gratify his curiosity, but was as often 
 disappointed, he being a man of low stature, and 
 
36 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 our Saviour being surrounded by an immense con- 
 course of people. However, he hastened forward, 
 and climbed into sycamore-tree, standing on the side 
 of the road through which our Saviour was to pass. 
 Perceiving Zaccheus on the tree, our Lord command- 
 ed him to descend ; informing him at the same time, 
 that he meant to retire with him to the place of his 
 habitation. Zaccheus came out of the tree, and ex- 
 pressed the utmost joy at the condescension of Jesus, 
 whom he conducted to his house, and there enter- 
 tained him, behaving towards him with every in- 
 stance of kindness and respect. " And Jesus en- 
 " tered and passed through Jericho. And behold, 
 *' there was a man named Zaccheus, which was the 
 *' chief among the publicans, and he was rich. And 
 " he sought to see Jesus, who he was, and could 
 *^ not for the press, because he was little of stature, 
 " And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycamore- 
 '* tree, to see him ; for he was to pass that way. And 
 " when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and saw 
 " him, and said unto him, Zaccheus, make haste, and 
 *' come down, for to-day I must abide at thy house. 
 *' And he made haste, and came down, and received 
 *' him joyfully." Luke xix. 1, &c. 
 
 The circumstance of our Saviour's condescending 
 to be entertained by a publican, proved exceedingly 
 disagreeable to the multitude ; and therefore they re- 
 proached him, for having acted in a manner which they 
 conceived to be inconsistent with the dignity annexed 
 to the character of a prophet. Zaccheus seems to 
 have overheard the reflections which were discharged 
 against Christ ; and therefore, that he might rescue 
 his character from the indignity which was annexed 
 to that of the publicans in general, he thus addressed 
 himself to Jesus in the hearing of the multitude. — 
 *' Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the 
 " poor : and if I have taken any thing from any man 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. SJ 
 
 " by false accusation, I restore him * four-fold." — 
 Luke xix. 8. 
 
 Our saviour now informed Zaccheus, that the time 
 of his salvation was arrived, and that all the persons 
 of his family would experience the like blessing, if 
 they adapted his generous example ; for he had prov- 
 ed himself worthy to be considered as a son of Abra- 
 ham, the father of the faithful, by acting in so com- 
 mendable a manner, although he was not f lineally 
 descended from that patriarch ; and our Lord added, 
 that he had come to the house of Zaccheus, in pur- 
 suance of the commission he had received from his 
 heavenly Father, that he might reclaim mankind from 
 their inicjuities, and instruct them in the ways of salva- 
 tion. " And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation 
 " come to this house, forasmuch as he also is a son 
 *' of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek 
 " and to save that which was lost." Luke xix. 9, 
 10. 
 
 The multitude imagining, that upon his arrival at 
 Jerusalem, the ancient seat of their kings, Christ 
 
 * This was doing more than was enjoined by the law. When any 
 property purloined or fraudulently obtained, was voluntarily restored, 
 the transgressor was to add a fifth part to the sum. Numb. v. 7. The 
 property being found in his possession, after he had persevered to con- 
 caal It, he was to give double the amount to the injured party. Exod. 
 xxii. 4. When an ox or a sheep was killed, or sold after it was stolen, 
 the aggressor was to pay five oxen for one ox, and four sheep for one 
 sheep. Exod. xxii. i. Hence then it appears, that Zaccheus restored 
 for money or goods what the law required only for living creatures ; 
 thereby conforming to the precepts of the law, in their most extensive 
 meaning. 
 
 t Some writers suppose, our Saviour meant that he was the son of 
 Abraham, not only in faith, but also by birth. For, say they, " The 
 " Pharisees do not murmur against Christ, that he eats with one uncir- 
 " cumcised, but that he eats with a sinner." It is true indeed, that 
 many of the publicans were Jews by birth : and it is probable, that Zac- 
 cheus was one of these. 
 
58 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 would publicly avow himself as the Messiah, and as- 
 sume the government of the Jewish nation j he deli- 
 vered the following parable, which will appear to have 
 been most admirably calculated for correcting their 
 erroneous opinion. 
 
 A certain prince made preparations for a journey 
 into a distant country, in order to pay homage to a 
 powerful potentate, who was to invest him with the 
 full powers of sovereignty ; after which, he was to 
 return. Previous to his departure, he called ten of 
 his servants, and divided ten talents equally among 
 them, commanding them to employ the money in the 
 most advantasreous manner durins: his absence. — 
 While he was upon his journey, some of the citizens 
 appointed deputies to exhibit accusations against him, 
 and to petition, that he might not be intrusted with 
 the powers of the government. However, he suc- 
 ceeded in his application, in despite of the opposition 
 of his enemies ; and upon his return, he commanded 
 his ten servants to inform him what advantage they 
 had made of the money. The first servant that ap- 
 peared, delivered him ten talents, being the produce 
 of the single talent that he had received. Fully satis- 
 fied of this man's strict integrity, the king bore pub- 
 lic testimony to his irreproachable conduct ; and far- 
 ther to reward him, restored to him the ten talents he 
 had gained, and appointed him governor over ten ci- 
 ties. Another of the servants produced five pieces ; 
 and therefore the king commended him, and promoted 
 him to the government of five cities. " And ano- 
 " ther came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, 
 " which have kept up in a napkin ; for 1 feared thee, 
 " because thou art an austere man : thou takest up 
 *' what thou laidest not down, and reapest that thou 
 " didst not sow. And he saith unto him. Out of thy 
 ** own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked scr- 
 " vant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, 
 
OUK BLESSED SAVIOUR. 39 
 
 *' taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I 
 " did not sow. Wherefore then gavest not thou my 
 '* money into the bank, that at my coming I might 
 ** have required my own with usury ? And he said 
 " unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, 
 ** and give it to him ihat hath ten pounds. And they 
 " said unto him. Lord, he hath ten pounds. For I 
 " say unto you, that unto every one which hath shall 
 " be given ; and from him that hath not, even that 
 " he hath shall be taken away from him." Luke xix. 
 20, &c. 
 
 In the above parable are delineated the characters 
 of three several classes of men ; the true disciples of 
 Jesus, the hypocrites, and the openly profane. The 
 manner in which the men were treated by their sove- 
 reign, is descriptive of the final judgment that will be 
 pronounced on the awful day of resurrection. The 
 true disciples of Christ shall be rewarded with the 
 blessings of immortality ; the hypocrites shall be di. 
 vested of the advantages of which they had long boast- 
 ed, and be consigned to perpetual pain and infamy ; 
 and the avowed enemies of Jesus, shall be punished 
 with a degree of severity proportioned to the enor- 
 mity of their crimes. 
 
 Though the above inter[)retat?on contains the ge- 
 neral sense of the parable, it must be added, that it 
 had a particular allu^ion to the time when it was deli- 
 vered ; and was intended to instruct his disciples, that 
 though they might expect the king-dom of the Mes- 
 siah would be speedily erected, and the blessings 
 thereof to be conferred upon them, yet those events 
 would not transpire till after the decease of the mas- 
 ter ; and that before they could partake of the bles- 
 sings which were to be enjoyed under the sovereign- 
 ty of the Messiah, they must perform a long and pain- 
 ful course of service. It was further iatimated, that 
 
40 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 after his resurrection and attainment to the posses- 
 sion of his kingdom, he should return from his seat 
 of majesty, in order strictly to account with his ser- 
 vants, and distribute rewards among those who had 
 improved the treasure committed to their custody, 
 and execute exemplary vengeance upon those who had 
 transgressed his commands, or omitted their utmost 
 endeavors to promote the establishment of his sove- 
 reignty. 
 
 This parable seems to have been founded upon 
 the custom of the kings of Judea going to Rome, in 
 order to be invested with the powers of sovereignty 
 by Ccesar. This was done by Herod the Great, and 
 Archelaus his son. The case of Archelaus bears 
 some similitude to the circumstances mentioned in 
 the parable. After his departure for Rome, the Jews 
 transmitted complaints to Csesar, expressing their 
 aversion towards Archelaus, and petitioning that he 
 might not enjoy the powers of government, although 
 he had been nominated to succeed to the throne by 
 the will of his father. Notwithstanding this opposi- 
 tion, Archelaus ascended the throne, and maintained 
 an arbritrary and tyrannical government for the space 
 often years ; when, in consequence of a second com- 
 plaint from his subjects, he was banished to Vienna. 
 
 Upon the approach of the passover, vast numbers 
 of the Jews repaired to Jerusalem, in order to purify 
 themselves, preparatory to the celebration of the feast. 
 These people being assembled in the city, earnest en- 
 quiries were made after Jesus, whom they suspected 
 would not venture to attend the feast, since the Sanhe- 
 drim had published a proclamation, enjoining the peo- 
 pie to employ their utmost endeavors to discover the 
 retreat of Jesus, and to give information thereof, in 
 order that he might be apprehended. 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 41 
 
 Departing from the house of Zaccheus the publican, 
 our blessed Saviour pursued his journey towiirds Je- 
 rusalem ; and six days before the conimcnccmcnt of 
 the passover, he arrived at Bethany, and repaired to 
 the house of Lazarus, whom he had restored to life. 
 A supper being provided for the entertainment of our 
 Saviour, Lazarus sat with him at table, and Martha 
 discharged the office of an attendant. During the 
 repast, Marv anointed the feet of our Saviour with a 
 costly ointment made of the genuine spikenard, and 
 wiped them with the hair of her head. 
 
 Hereupon Judas Iscariot exclaimed against what he 
 called an unnecessary profusion ; saying, that Iiad 
 the ointment been sold, it would have produced up- 
 wards of three hundred denarii, equal to between nine 
 and ten pounds of English money, which sum might 
 have alleviated the distresses of many indigentfamilies. 
 It was not, however, because he had any real desire 
 to relieve the misfortunes of the poor, that he spake 
 this in their favor : but he was intrusted with the 
 care of the common purse, wherein the benevolences 
 of charitable persons were deposited ; and he was 
 accustomed to embezzle part of the money, and ap- 
 ply it to his private use. 
 
 Upon this, our blessed Saviour desired that the pi- 
 ous offices of Mary might not be interrupted ; for her 
 observance of this ceremony was to solemnize his 
 approaching death ; adding, that it was customary for 
 the friends and relations of deceased persons to em- 
 balm their bodies with spices and perfumes, and that 
 they would have sufficient opportunities of manifest- 
 ing their charity towards the poor : but this was the 
 last opportunity that would be afforded her of ex- 
 pressing her regard towards him, since he should in a 
 short time depart from amongst the sons of men. — 
 " Then Jesus, six days before the passover came to 
 
 VOL. II. F 
 
42 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 *' Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, 
 *' whom he raised from the dead. There they made 
 ** him a supper, and Martha served : but Lazarus was 
 *' one of them that sat at table with him. Then took 
 ** Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard very costly, 
 *' and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet 
 ** with her hair ; and the house was filled with the 
 " odour of the ointment. Then said one of his dis- 
 " ciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should 
 *' betray him, Why was not this ointment sold for 
 " three hundred pence, and given to the poor. This 
 " he said, not that he cared for the poor ; because he 
 " was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put 
 " therein- Then said Jesus, Let her alone : against 
 " the day of my burying hath she kept this. For the 
 '* poor always ye have with you : but me ye have not 
 ** always." John xii. 1, &c. 
 
 We have already related, that our Saviour was in- 
 vited to the house of a Pharisee, named Simon, when 
 a woman of an abandoned character anointed his feet, 
 according to the testimony of St. Luke : but it is evi- 
 dent, that this is not the same fact which is mention- 
 ed by St. John, and which happened in the fourth 
 year of our Saviour's ministry : and, besides the dif- 
 ference of time, there are other points in which the 
 narratives materially vary. 
 
 There is another relation of the same kind in Mat- 
 thew and Mark, who agree in the circumstances, and 
 say, the event happened at Bethany in the house of 
 Simon the leper. Many writers have strongly con- 
 tended, that this is the same story mentioned by St. 
 John, because Bethany was the place where Mary and 
 her sisier Martha resided ; and John has not express- 
 ly said, that the feast was at Martha's habitation. — 
 This evangelist, however says, that Martha waited 
 upon the guests, which she would scarcely have done 
 
OUtt BLESSED SAVIOUR. 43 
 
 at the house of Simon : and they also contend, that 
 many of the circumstances correspond with those re- 
 corded by St. Matthew and St. Mark. Grotius goes 
 so far as to insist, that the three narratives are found- 
 ed upon a single fact, notwithstanding- there is so ma- 
 terial a disagreement between the particulars menti- 
 oned by St. Luke, and those recorded by the other 
 evangelists. 
 
 Matthew, Mark, and Luke, agree in saying, that 
 at a feast, a woman came with an alabaster box of 
 ointment, and poured it on Jesus : but it does not 
 then necessarily follow, either that Jesus was at but 
 one feast, or that he was acquainted with but one Si- 
 mon. The contrary of both, indeed, apj^ears from 
 the gospels. The Simon in Matthew and Mark is 
 called a leper, and the Simon mentioned by Luke, 
 is said to have been a Pharisee. Anointing with oil, 
 was a ceremony commonly practised at entertain- 
 ments ; and therefore it is not extraordinary that it 
 should be repeated to Jesus, who was held in high 
 veneration, and consequently treated with every pos- 
 sible mark of respect. 
 
 Luke differs from the other evangelists ; informing 
 us, that the woman washed the feet of Christ with 
 her tears, before she anointed them with the oint- 
 ment ; which circumstance the others would scarcely 
 have omitted in relating the same fact. He also dif- 
 fers very remarkably from John, in saying, the wo- 
 man was of a lewd character ; which can by no means 
 be applicable to Mary, the sister of Lazarus, whom 
 Jesus applauded, for having *' chosen that good part 
 " which should never be taken from her." We have 
 no reason to imagine, that the woman mentioned by 
 Matthew and Mark, was of an abandoned and licen- 
 tious course of life, for nothing of that kind is inti- 
 mated by either of them. Thus then it appears, that 
 
44 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 these are three distinct histories ; for though they 
 correspond in many particulars, they differ very es- 
 sentially in oihers, and therefore cannot reasonably 
 be supposed to relate merely one fact. 
 
 Upon this subject, we shall only add a remark upon 
 the reply of Jesus to the objection advanced by Judas 
 Iscariot, when he observed Mary anointing the feet 
 of Christ. From what our Lord said upon this oc- 
 casion, it appears, that the obligation of giving alms, 
 does not oppose our free expences in doing honor to 
 good men. Thus Mary bestowed her box of oint- 
 ment ; and Joseph of Arimathea, and Nicodemus>, 
 purchased spices for the interment of our blessed Sa- 
 viour. 
 
 Bethany being not more than two miles distant from 
 Jerusalem the news of Christ's arrival was speedily 
 conveyed to that celebrated capital ; and great num- 
 bers of the people came from thence, as well as from 
 the adjacent parts of the country, in order to behold 
 our Lord, and likewise Lazarus, whom he had so mi- 
 raculously restored to life. Great numbers of the 
 people believed in the resurrection of Lazarus, and 
 consequently in the divinity of Christ : but the news 
 of their conversion so highly exasperated the mem- 
 bers of the Sanhedrim, that they formed a resolution 
 in the council, of exerting every possible eifort for 
 sacrificing the lives both of our Saviour and Laza- 
 rus. 
 
 Though our Saviour knew the barbarous designs 
 which the rulers of Jerusalem had projected against 
 him, he steadily maintained his purpose of *' fulfilling 
 " all righteousness :" and therefore, so far was he 
 from endeavoring to elude the malice of his enemies, 
 that he resolved to proceed towards the capital of Ju- 
 dea in the most public manner. 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 45 
 
 Havins^ reposed himself at Bethany during the sab- 
 bath, on the tbllovvini^ day Jesus pursued his journey 
 towards Jerusalem, pussint^ over that part of the Mount 
 of Olives, which belonged to Bethany and Bethpage. 
 From Bethpage our Lord dispatched two of his dis- 
 ciples into the * opposite village, where he informed 
 them they would find an ass tied with its colt, which 
 latter had not yet been backed ; and he commanded 
 them to bring to him both the ass and the foal. If 
 any person should enquire as to the cause of their pro- 
 ceeding, he told them, that they should say their mas- 
 ter had occasion for the beasts, and they would re- 
 ceive no further opposition. Our Saviour determin- 
 ed to ride to Jerusalem upon an ass, agreeable to the 
 prophecy of Zechariah. " Rejoice greatly, O daugh- 
 " ter of Zion ; shout> O daughter of Jerusalem. — . 
 *' Behold, thy king cometh unto thee ; he is just, 
 " and having salvation ; lowly, and riding upon an 
 " ass, and upon a colt, the foal of an ass." Zech. 
 ix. 9. 
 
 In obedience to the command of Jesus, his disciples 
 went to the village, and observed an ass and a colt 
 tied near a building, situated in a place- where two 
 roads met. While they were untying the creatures, 
 the owner demanded of them, the reason why they 
 interferred with his property ; but upon their answer- 
 ing as Jesus had commanded, he freely permitted 
 them to drive the beasts away for the use of their Mas- 
 ter, to whom he was known. Upon the return of the 
 disciples, the usual trappings were put upon the f colt, 
 
 * According to Bocbart, a small village two miles from the mount 
 towards the south. 
 
 t St. Matthew says, they "put on them their clothes:" but St. 
 Luke mentions the colt in particular ; and it is not very probable, that 
 in so short a journey he should ride upon both. In St. iVlutthew'stext, 
 thei, it seems necessary to admit the figure called Enallair^e Numen. 
 
46 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 and mounting the beast, Christ proceeded towards 
 Jerusalem. 
 
 In the mean time a great concourse of the people 
 who had repaired to Jerusalem for the purpose of 
 celebrating the passover, received notice of the ap- 
 proach of Jesus by the way of the Mount of Olives : 
 at which place they proceeded to meet him, carry- 
 ing branches of palm trees in their hands thereby de- 
 monstrating their joy, according to the custom of 
 the country. 
 
 At the foot of Mount Olivet, the multitude joined 
 in magnifying the name of the Almighty, and in con- 
 gratulating Jesus ; exclaiming, All hail to the glorious 
 Messiah, the descendant of David, who comes to Je- 
 rusalem by the especial appointment of God ! Hail 
 to the king of Israel ! In demonstration of their un- 
 bounded joy upon occasion of beholding the great 
 Redeemer of Israel, the populace * strewed the road 
 with small branches of trees, and spread their garments 
 upon the ground over which he was to pass. " And it 
 '* came to pass, when he was come nigh to Bethpage 
 " and Bethany, at the mount called the Mount of 
 " Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying. Go ye 
 *' into the village over against you ; in the which at 
 *' your entering, you shall find a colt tied, whereon yet 
 *' never man sat; loose him and bring him hither. And 
 ** if any man ask you. Why do ye loose him ? Thus 
 " shall ye say unto him. Because the Lord hath need of 
 
 So the ark is said to rest on the mountains of Ararat, instead of upon 
 oneofthem. Gen. viii. 4. And we read of the cities, instead of the 
 city, in which Lot dwelt. Gen. xix. 29. 
 
 * To spread the roads with branches of trees, flowers, and garments, 
 when emperors, kings, and other distinguished personages were travel- 
 ling, was a ceremony in common use in ancient days. Of this we have 
 instances in Herodotus, Plutarch, and other writers. 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUK. 47 
 
 * him. And they that were sent, wenttheii* way, and 
 ' foiinfl even as he had said unto them. And as they 
 ' were loosing the colt, the owners therefore said unto 
 ' them, Why loose ye the colt ? And they said, The 
 ' Lor'! hath ncccl of him. And they brought him to 
 ' Jcsub ; and they cast their garments upon the colt 
 ' and they set Jesus thereon. And as he went, they 
 
 * spread their clothes in the way. And when he was 
 ' come nigh, even now at the descent of the Mount 
 ' of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples 
 ' began to rejoice, and praise God with a loud voice, 
 ' for all the mighty works that they had seen ; saying, 
 ' Blessed be the king that cometh in the name of the 
 ' Lord, Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.*' 
 
 Luke xix. 29, &,c. 
 
 Notwithstanding the great affronts and injuries 
 which our blessed Saviour had repeatedly experienc- 
 ed from the people of Jerusalem, upon his approach- 
 ing that city, he would not refrain from expressing a 
 most benevoicnt concern and divine tenderness on oc- 
 casion of those dreadful calamities, which he foresaw 
 would shortly be inflicted upon the people as a pun- 
 ishment for their obstinate infidelity. 
 
 While our blessed Saviour was indulging these 
 compassionate reflections, some of the Pharisees de- 
 sired Jesus to suppress the acclamations of the po- 
 pulace, since the praises and honors they bestowed 
 upon him were considered by the magistrates of the 
 city as instances of impiety, and as proofs of a rest- 
 less and discontented spirit, tending to foment an in- 
 surrection. Hereupon our Saviour said, that if the 
 multitude were silenced, the very * stones would 
 
 ♦ This proverbial expression was here introduced, to signify, that if 
 the disciples of Christ should be silent, the kingdom of the Messiah 
 would be prochimed by more extraordinary means ; even by the Gen- 
 
48 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 complain, " And some of the Pharisees from among 
 *' the multitude, said unto him, Master, rebuke thy 
 " disciples. And he answered and said unto them, 
 " I tell you, that if these should hold their peace, the 
 ** stones would immediately cry out. And when he 
 " was come near, he beheld the ciiy, and wept over 
 ** it, saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least 
 *' in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy 
 " peace ! but now they are hid from thine eyes. For 
 " the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies 
 *' shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee 
 ** round, and keep thee in on every side, and shall 
 " lay thee even with the ground, and thy children 
 *' within thee ; and they shall not leave in thee one 
 " stone upon another : because thou knewest not 
 " the time of thy visitation." Luke xix. 39, &c. 
 
 Our blessed Saviour entered Jerusalem, attended 
 by so immense a concourse of people, that the whole 
 city was thrown into a state of confusion " And 
 '* when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was 
 *' moved, saying, Who is this ? And the multitude 
 " said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Gali- 
 ** lee." Matt. xxi. 10, 11. 
 
 Jesus proceeded immediately to the temple, amidst 
 the acclamations of the applauding multitude ; and 
 alighting from the ass, he entered the sacred build- 
 ing, and took a survey thereof : but as night was 
 now approaching, he remained only a short time in 
 the city, but returned with his apostles to Bethany, 
 to the great disappointment of the people, who had 
 flattered themselves, that he would immediately as- 
 sume the reins of government. " And Jesus enter- 
 '' ed into Jerusalem, and into the temple ; and when 
 
 tiles, wlio were considered by the Jews as tiie most ignorant and con- 
 temptible race of men. 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 49 
 
 " he had looked round about upon all thhigs, and 
 *• now the even-tide was come, he went out unto 
 "Bethany with the twelve." Mark xi. 11. 
 
 Early on tlie following morning, Jesus, accompani- 
 ed by his apostles, returned from the town of Batha- 
 ny to the capital of Jedea. Going to the temple, our 
 Lord found the outer court of that holy edifice crowd- 
 ed w ith traders, who had brought thither doves and 
 beasts for sacrifice, which they exposed to sale. The 
 meek and righteous Jesus being displeased to see a 
 place consecrated to the worship of God, thus profan- 
 ed, he drove the irreligious and venal tribe out of 
 the temple, overturning the seats of those who sold 
 doves, as well as the tables of the money-changers. 
 '•'■ And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast 
 *' out all them that bought and sold in the temple, and 
 " overthrew the tables of the money-changers, and 
 " the seats of them that sold doves ; and said unto 
 *' them, Is it not written, My house shall be called a 
 " house of prayer i but ye have made it a den of 
 '^ thieves." Matt. xxi. 13. 
 
 Thus did our Saviour a second time expel the pro- 
 fane traders from the place peculiarly consecrated 
 to the worship of God. But had he not acted under 
 the immediate influence of the divine Spirit, it would 
 not have been possible for him to have driven the 
 mercenary traders from the temple of God. With- 
 out authority from the Roman emperor, without en- 
 couragement or countenance from the rulers of Jeru- 
 salem, without arms to defend himself, or terrify the 
 fierce and ungovernable multitude, this mighty re- 
 former rescued the house of God from a state of abo- 
 minable profanation, and at the same time afforded 
 a signal instance of his divine power ; and this great 
 work was effected, without being productive either 
 of tumult or opposition. 
 
 VOL. ir. c 
 
50 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 After the expulsion of the sacrilegious traders, the 
 people brought into the temple a great number of 
 persons who were blind, lame, and diseased, and 
 presented them to Jesus, who removed the afflictions 
 of these miserable objects. These miraculous cures 
 had such an effect upon the multitude, that they 
 proclaimed our Lord to be the Messiah, who was 
 to prove the great deliverer of Israel. " And the 
 *' blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and 
 *^ he healed them. And when the chief priests and 
 *' scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, ai|d 
 *' the children crying in the temple, and saying, Ho- 
 " sanna to the son of David ; they were sore displeas' 
 " edj and said unto him, Hearest thou what these 
 " say ? And Jesus saith unto them, yea. Have ye 
 " not read, out of the mouth of babes and sucklings, 
 " thou hast perfected praise ?" Matt. xxi. 14, 15, 16. 
 By this question, which our blessed Saviour quoted 
 from the eighth Psalm, he intimated, that the least 
 considerable of the works of the Almighty, had 
 been rendered instrumental in glorifying his holy 
 name, on account of his unbounded love towards the 
 sons of sinful men. 
 
 Notwithstanding the cruel and sacrilegious designs 
 which the Sanhedrim had projected against our bles- 
 sed Redeemer, he continued daily to repair to the 
 temple, and there to instruct the people, who resort- 
 ed to him in great numbers. After the fatigues of 
 the day, he was accustomed to retire to Bethany, 
 where, on account of the benevolent miracle he had 
 performed in re:i.toring Lazarus to life, he was held 
 in high veneration. 
 
 Some Greek proselytes, who, though uncircumcis- 
 ed, were, notwithstanding, worshippers of the true 
 God, came to Jerusalem, in order to celebrate the 
 pa^gsovcr. Having heard of the preaching and sur- 
 
OUtt BLESSED SAVIOUR. 51 
 
 prising miracles of our Saviour, they were exceed- 
 ingly desirous of beholding a person, whose extraor- 
 dinary sanctity and benevolent actions, had acquired 
 him so eminent a degree of celebrity ; and iherciore 
 they requested, that Philip and Bethsaida, would in- 
 troduce them to his presence. But Philip being 
 ignorant, whether his master would be willing to 
 receive the Greeks, he communicated to Andrew the 
 request they had made ; and these disciples agreed 
 to inform Jesus of the honor which the Greeks had 
 solicited. 
 
 Being informed of the request the Greeks had 
 made, our Lord informed his disciples, that he would 
 willingly admit them into his presence ; and at the 
 same time intimated, that the time was approaching, 
 when the conversion of the Geniiles would be effect- 
 ed ; saying, however, that those who acknowledged 
 him as the Messiah, and yet expected that he would 
 affect the pomp and splendor of a temporal monarch, 
 would be disappointed. The period approaches, said 
 our blessed Redeemer, when he who now appears to 
 you as one of the common race of mortals, will be ex- 
 alted to the highest pinnacle of glory, and be mani- 
 fested not to the Jews alone, but also to the Gentiles. 
 But this, he said, could not happen till after his de- 
 cease ; illustrating the necessity there was for his dy- 
 ing, by delivering the similitude of a grain of corn, 
 which, if not sown in the earth, remains unfruitful ; 
 but which, if buried in the ground, yields a vast in- 
 crease of fruit. It was absolutely necessary, that he 
 should die and be buried, before his ascension to the 
 glorious throne of his heavenly Father ; and his dis- 
 ciples must also expect to be maliciously and cruelly 
 persecuted on his account ; but if they persevered re- 
 solutely in supporting his cause, firmly resolving to 
 forfeit their lives, rather than violate their obedience, 
 he would amply reward their constancy and fortitude, 
 
52 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 by bestowing upon iheni the blessings of immortality. 
 " And there came certain Greeks among them, that 
 *' came up to worship at the feast. The same came 
 " therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Ga- 
 " lilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see 
 "Jesus, Pliilip Cometh and telleth Andrew; and 
 *' again, Andrew and Philip tell Jesus. And Jesus 
 " answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the 
 " Son of man should be glorified. Verily, verily, I 
 " say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the 
 " ground and die, it abideth alone : but if it die, it 
 " bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life 
 *' shall lose it ; and he that hateth his life in this world, 
 " shall keep it unto life eternal," John xii. 20, &c. 
 
 Our Saviour further said, that whoever wished to 
 be numbered among his faithful disciples, must adopt 
 the example which his conduct exhibited to them, for 
 the purpose of teaching them the means of securing 
 their eternal salvation ; and such faithful servants, 
 after this transitory life, should reside with him in the 
 regions of perpetual bliss. To convince his disciples, 
 that the conditions he imposed upon them were not 
 more severe than those to which he was himself sub- 
 jected, he acknowledged that he was greatly afflicted, 
 upon considering the calamities which he was shortly 
 to endure. And he now addressed himself to his hea- 
 venly Father, praying that he would afford a demon- 
 stration of the divinity of his mission.. " If any man 
 *' serve me, let him follow me ; and where I am, there 
 " shall also my servant be. If any man serve me, 
 *' him will my Father honor. Now is my soul troub- 
 " led ; and what shall I say ? Father, save me from 
 " this hour : but for this cause came I unto this 
 *^ hour. Father, glorify thy name." John xii. 26, 
 27, 28. 
 
 Our blessed Saviour had no sooner pronounced the 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 53 
 
 above words, than tlie voice of the Almighty was 
 heard from the heavens. The people were fully sa- 
 tisfied, that the voice was preternatural ; for though 
 it resembled thunder in loudness, it was so articulate, 
 as to be clearly understood by the astonished multi- 
 tude. " Then came there a voice from heaven, say- 
 *' ing, I have both glorified it, and I will glorify it 
 " again. The people therefore that stood by, and 
 " heard it, said, that it thundered : others saidyan 
 "angel spake to him." John xii. 28, 29. Jn the 
 above manner did the Almighty signify, that his hd- 
 Jy name had been alreaely glorified by the miracles 
 Jesus had wrought, and that it should be again glo- 
 rified by further manifestations of his divine pow- 
 er. 
 
 Our blessed Saviour now informed the multitude, 
 that the voice they had heard was not pronounced on 
 his account, but to confirm them in their faith of the 
 divinity of his mission. ''■ This voice came not be- 
 *' cause of me, but for your sakes,'' John xii. 30. — 
 It was meant to confirm what I have predicted to 
 to you concerning my sufferings, death, resurrection, 
 and the conversion of the Gentiles to the precepts 
 of my gospel. Further to enforce this doctrine, Je- 
 sus said, that the time was approaching, when the 
 power of Satan, under whose dominion the people 
 were enslaved, would be destroyed, and when ex- 
 emplary justice would be executed upon idolatrous 
 and all other wicked persons, and the light of the 
 gospel be spread throughout the universe ; adding, 
 that he himself should be exalted upon the throne of 
 his heavenly Father. " Now is the judgment of this 
 " world : now shall the prince of this world be cast 
 " out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will 
 *' draw all men unto me. This he said, signifying 
 •* what death he should die." John xii. 31, 32,' 33. 
 
54 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 Some of the auditors of our blessed Saviour ima- 
 gined, that the words of Jesus were contradictory to 
 what they by the scriptures were taught to believe 
 concerning the Messiah, who, according to the sa- 
 cred writings, was never to die ; and yet, said they, 
 you who have assumed that sacred character, now 
 predict your own death. Since his prophecy of his 
 approaching death, and what was written concerning 
 him in the law, appeared to them to be irreconcilea- 
 ble ; they asked, whether he was really the iMessiah, 
 or whether that appellation belonged to a person who 
 was not yet made known to them. " The people an- 
 *' swered him, We have heard out of the law, that 
 *' Christ abideth forever: and how sayest thou, the 
 " Son of man must be lifted up ? Who is the Son of 
 " man ? Then Jesus said unto them, yet a little while 
 " is the light with you : walk while ye have the light, 
 " lest darkness come upon you ; for he that walketh 
 " in darkness, knoweth not whether he goeth. While 
 ** ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be 
 *Vthe children of light." John xii. 34, 35,36. Thus 
 oiir blessed Saviour intimated, that the time would 
 soon arrive, when they would be deprived of the be- 
 nefit of his preaching and miracles ; and therefore 
 it behoved them to adhere to the precepts of his gos- 
 pel, as the infallible means of qualifying themselves 
 to enjoy the blessings of the kingdom of heaven ; 
 adding, that if they acted in contradiction to his pre- 
 cepts, they vvould be afflicted with a spiritual blind- 
 ness and rendered incapable of enjoying that state of 
 perpetual felicity, which had been promised to all 
 those who conformed to his doctrines. 
 
 Our blessed Redeemer now retired from the temple, 
 and for a short time secluded himself from society, 
 that his devotions might not be interrupted. He de- 
 parted from Jerusalem, and in all probability, retreat- 
 ed, as before, to the town of Bcthanv. Notwiih- 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUK. 5b 
 
 Standing the many incontcstible proofs that Jesus had 
 aftbrdecl of his being the Son of God, and the messen- 
 ger appointed by his heavenly Father to effect the 
 salvation of mankind, great numbers of the Jews 
 still considered him as an impostor ; and therefore, 
 what Isaiah had said of the people of his time, 
 may be applied to those who lived in the days of 
 Christ. "■ They have not known, nor understood ; 
 *' for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see ; 
 " and hardened their hearts, that they cannot un- 
 '' derstand." Isa. xliv. 18. Thus the prophet sig- 
 nified, that many of the Jews would be of such con- 
 tumacious and obdurate dispositions, that what was 
 calculated for enlightening their vmderstandings, 
 would have an effect immediately contrary. 
 
 It is here necessary to introduce some explication 
 of the above prophecy of Isaiah, which St. John ap- 
 plied to the Jews. The words of the evangelist are 
 these. *' But though he had done so many miracles 
 *' before them, yet they believed not on him : that 
 *' the saying of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfill- 
 *' ed which he spoke. Lord who hath believed our 
 *' report ? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord 
 " been revealed ? Therefore they could not believe, 
 '* because that Isaiah had said again, He hath blinded 
 " their eyes, and hardened their hearts, that they 
 *' should not see with their eyes, nor understand with 
 *' their hearts, and be converted, and I should heal 
 " them." John xii. 37, &c. Though in our trans- 
 lation we read, He hath blinded their eyes, and har- 
 dened theii;- hearts ; the meaning of the writer was, 
 that throiigli obstinacy and wickedness they were 
 wholly irreclaimable. The personal is substituted 
 for the impersonal, and the active for the passive ; so 
 that by reversing the structure of the phraseology, 
 the reading would run thus ; " Their eyes are blinded, 
 " and their hearts are hardened." The Greek inter- 
 
56 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 preters of Isaiah, and the Chaldee paraphrast, corres- 
 pond in giving the foliovving version : ** Their eyes 
 *' are shut and darkened, lest they should see." And 
 that this is the true import of the prophet's words 
 is indisputably certain ; for it was not by the will of the 
 Almio:htv, but throuirhthe influence of their own evil 
 dispositions, that they were afflicted with spiritual 
 blindness. Though God is omniscient, his know- 
 ledge of past, present, and future events, has no such 
 influence upon the will of man, as to incite or neces- 
 sitate him to improper actions. If the v. ill of wicked 
 men was not free from every restraint, but such as is 
 imposed upon them by the dominion of Satan, our 
 blessed and benevolent Saviour would not have so 
 passionately exhorted the Jews to embrace his gos- 
 pel. Our Lord sajs, '■' God sent not his Son into 
 *•' the w^orld to condemn the world, but that the world 
 '' through him might be saved. These things I say 
 *•■ unto you, that you might be ^aved. Hov\ often 
 *' would I have gathered you, and yc would not. Ye 
 " will not come to me, that ye might have life." 
 
 Although the generality of the Jews refused to ac- 
 knowledge Christ as the iVIessiah, who they sapposed 
 would establish the seat of his government in Jerusa- 
 lem, and reign over all the kingdoms of the earth, 
 yet many of them became converts to his gospel ; and 
 among these were some of the members of the San- 
 hedrim. But though these people acknowledged 
 Christ to be the Son of God, they pusillanimously 
 concealed their faith, lest they should render them- 
 selves odious to the other members of the council ; 
 for th^^y were more ambitious of power and popula- 
 rity among the multitude, than desirous of acquiring 
 the approbation of the Almighty; whose displeasure 
 they were willing to incur, rather than expose them- 
 selves to the hazard of being expelled the synagogue. 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. ^7 
 
 Upon the return of our Saviour to the temple, in 
 order to encourage the faith of those who believed him 
 to be the Messiah, he exhorted them to a rigid ad- 
 herence to the principles of his gospel. He who be- 
 comes a convert to my doctrines, doeg not repose faith 
 in my preaching, so much as he acknowledges the 
 power and goodness of God, vvlio by the miracles 
 which he has enabled me to perform, has plainly de- 
 monstrated, that my commission is derived immedi- 
 ately from him ; and that what I execute upon earth, 
 is perfectly consistent with his divine pleasure. — 
 Whoever properly reflects on the great works I have 
 wrought, must be convinced, that I act by virtue of 
 the divine authority ; without which, it would not 
 have been possilile for me to perform the great mira- 
 cles of which you have been witnesses. I am come 
 into the world for the great purpose of enlightening it 
 by my gospel, and to dispel those clouds of ignorance 
 and superstition, in which the minds of mankind are 
 involved. 
 
 But the period is approaching, when I shall inflict 
 exemplary justice upon the incredulity of those who 
 ])crsevere in rejecting the offers which I make them 
 for securing their eternal salvation. My design is 
 not to condemn and punish, but to save mankind, by- 
 reclaiming them from their abominable iniquities.— 
 Those, however, who disregard my admonitions, 
 shall, on the great day of judgment, be fatally con- 
 vinced of the heinous sin of their incorrigible ob- 
 stinacy, in disregarding those lenient measures which 
 I pursue, in order to direct them into the paths of 
 eternal life and salvation. A due observation of the 
 commands of the Almighty, will infallibly entitle you 
 to participate with me in the blessings of immorta- 
 lity : and in thus proposing to you the means of ob- 
 taining everlasting life, I act agreeably to the bene- 
 volent will of my heavenly Father. *' Nevertheless, 
 
 VOL. II. H 
 
58 
 
 THE HISTORY Oi 
 
 ' among the chief rulers also many believed on him : 
 ' but because of the Pharisees they did not confess 
 ' him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue : 
 
 * for they loved the praise of man more than the 
 
 * praise of God. Jesus cried and said, He that be- 
 
 * lieveih on me, believeth not on me, but on him 
 
 * that sent me. I am come a light into the world, 
 ' that whosoever believeth on me should not abide 
 
 * in darkness. And if any man hear my words, 
 ^ and believe not, I judge him not ; for I come not 
 ' to judge the world, but to save the world. He 
 
 * that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, 
 ' hath one that judgcth him : the word that I have 
 ' spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. 
 ' For I have not spoken of myself, but the Father 
 ' which sent me; he gave me a commandment what 
 ' I should say, and what I should speak. And I know 
 'that his commandment is life everlasting : what- 
 ' soever I speak therefore, even as the Father said 
 'unto me, so I speak." John xii. 42, &c. Having 
 
 delivered the above discourses, our blessed Saviour 
 returned from Jerusalem to Bethany, accompanied by 
 his twelve apostles. 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 59 
 
 CHAP. XXXIII. 
 
 In his way from Bethany to Jerusalem^ Jesus curses a 
 Jig tree^ which immediately withers. The rulers of 
 Jerusalem conspire to effect the destruction of Christ. 
 The power of faith ^ and the necessity offorgivJiess. 
 The rulers of the Jews question Jesus as to the au- 
 thority by which he had expelled the traders from the 
 temple, and assumed the privilege of publicly dis- 
 coursing to the people ; and he retorts upon^ and con- 
 futes them. Our Saviour delivers the parables of 
 the father and two sons, and of the vineyard that 
 was hired by husbandmen. Parable of the wed- 
 ding supper , and of the man who was found without 
 a wedding garment. The Pharisee'^ concert mea- 
 sures for exposing Jesus to the enmity of the popu- 
 lace, and send different people to examine him ; but 
 he exposes the futility of their discourses. The 
 Sadducecs propose a question to Jesus concerjiing a 
 woman who had seven husbands ; whereupon our 
 Lord finds occasion of addressing them on the sub- 
 ject of a future state. Our Saviour beco?nes the 
 object of popular admiration. In reply to a ques- 
 tion proposed by a lawyer, Jesus explains, which is 
 the most important precept amongst the legal insti" 
 tutions ; and he commends another of the same pro- 
 fession, in consequence of his having made a perti- 
 nent remark. Jesus questions the Pharisees con-^ 
 cerning some words of David, afid they are unable 
 to offer any reply. Different sects among the Jews. 
 
 J\T the dawn of the following morning, our Savi- 
 our, accompanied by his twelve apostles, departed 
 from Bethany, and repaired again towards the capi- 
 tal of Judea. On the road, our Saviour perceived a 
 
60 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 fig-tree, which from the abundance of its foliage, 
 promised to afford fruit ; and being hungry, he ap- 
 proached the tree, expecting to find figs to satisfy 
 his appetite. But perceiving that the tree was bar- 
 ren, he thence took occasion to represent the de- 
 plorable state of the obstinate Jews, who were inca- 
 pable of producing the fruits of virtue ; and there- 
 fore, pointing to the tree, he pronounced upon it the 
 curse of barrenness, and it immediately withered. 
 " Now in the morning as he returned into the city 
 " he hungered. And when he saw a fig-tree in the 
 " way, he came unto it, and found nothing thereon 
 ^^ but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit 
 " grow on thee henceforward for ever. And present- 
 " ly the fig-tree withered away. And when the dis- 
 *' ciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is 
 " the fig-tree withered away ? Jesus answered and 
 *' said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have 
 *^ faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this 
 *' which is done to the fig-tree, but also if ye shall 
 " say unto this mountain. Be thou removed, and be 
 *' thou cast into the sea, it shall be done." Matt. xxi. 
 18, &c. 
 
 This action was entirely emblematical, and intend- 
 ed to perfigure the speedy destruction of the Jewish 
 nation, in consequence of their unfruitfulness in re- 
 ligion and virtue, notwithstanding the advantages 
 they enjoyed in the circumstance of our Saviour 
 preaching to them the ways of salvation. 
 
 After relating, nearly in the same words of St. Mat- 
 thew, that our Lord found no fruit on the tree, St. 
 Mark adds, " For the time of figs was not yet." It 
 plainly appears then, that this was a species of fig-tree, 
 which had leaves of sufficient growth, to induce the 
 expectation that it was not destitute of fruit ; it is also 
 evident, that this was a particular kind of tree, be- 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 6l 
 
 cause it is distinguished by havini^ leaves when other 
 fig-trees had none, or only such as were small and 
 tender ; and that the former species abounded in 
 the neighborhoods of Bcthpage, Bethany, and the 
 Mount of Olives, we are assured upon indisputable 
 authority. 
 
 Jesus approached the tree in expectation of find- 
 ing fruit, a short time, probably four days, previous 
 to the passover, or the time of his crucifixion ; and 
 this appears, from the strict connection of the sub- 
 sequent discourses and actions of our blessed Re- 
 deemer, as recorded in the gospels of St. Matthew 
 and St. Mark. The passover is well known to have 
 been in the month of Nisan, or about the end of 
 our March, or the beginning of April. 
 
 The tenderness of the branches, and the putting 
 forth of the leaves of the ordinary fig-tree, are cir- 
 cumstances appealed toby our Saviour himself; and 
 that soon after his pronouncing the curse of barrenness 
 upon the tree in question, as natural indications of 
 the approach of summer. It would therefore be ab- 
 surd to supose, that Jesus could expect to gather the 
 common kind of figs at a season five months before 
 their time of arriving at perfection. 
 
 It is clearly proved from the Talmudist cited by 
 the learned Lightfoot, that the ordinary figs of Judea 
 did not arrive to perfection till five months after the 
 middle of Nisan ; and the same Jewish writers, ex- 
 clusive of the common sort, describe various differ- 
 ent species of figs ; and they particularly mention 
 one kind of tree, which bore leaves through all the 
 seasons of the year, and was seldom destitute of 
 fruit; and this tree was called Benoth-Shuac. Ac- 
 cording to these writers, the Benoth-Shuac produc- 
 ed figs every year; which, however did not come 
 
62 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 to perfection till the third year ; and it bore figs 
 of three difterent sorts at one time ; the fruit of the 
 present year, and of the two years preceding. — 
 Other trees, they inform us, produced ripe fruii in 
 two years ; and therefore a part of it, must have hung 
 upon them during the winter. The tree, on which 
 our Saviour expected to find fruit, must have been 
 one of the two sorts above-mentioned, w^hich bore 
 ripe fruit through all the seasons. 
 
 Pliny and Theophrdstus aver, that there are a sort 
 of fig-trees in Syria and Greece, having leaves conti- 
 nually upon them and bearing at once, both old fruit 
 and young. And the emperor Julian asserts, that 
 there is a kind of fig-tree at Damascus in Syria, which 
 bears both old and young fruit at the same time ; and 
 this famous apostate adds, that the uninterrupted suc- 
 cession of fruit on the same tree, mentioned in Ho- 
 mer's description of the garden of Alcinous, was ve- 
 rified in a fig-tree at Damascus. 
 
 Baumgarten assures us, that in December 1507, he 
 found flowers and ripe fruits, growing on the same 
 trees in the neighborhood of Jericho ; and in January, 
 abundance of ripe fruit at Baroot in Syria. And 
 Tournefort says, that some sorts of figs grow in the 
 Archipelago in winter, spring, and summer : but that 
 the garden or ordinary figs, are not ripe till the latter 
 end of August, or the beginning of September. 
 
 Our Lord, as we had before observed, had all the 
 innocent infirmities of human nature : and though it 
 was *' his meat and drink to do the will of his Fa- 
 *' ther," yet his exhausted spirits were, of necessity, 
 to be repaired by food. It is true, that he might have 
 appeased his appetite, by the same miraculous means 
 which he had repeatedly exerted for supplying the 
 necessities of the multitude ; but where human means 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 63 
 
 could be had recourse to, it was his custom to reserve 
 h.^ miraculous powers for occasions of high import- 
 ance. 
 
 The members of the Sanhedrim having listened to 
 the discourses of Jesus, they became exceedmgly 
 alarmed, lest he should obtain such an ascendency 
 over the multitude, as would render it dangerous for 
 tliem to oppose him ; and therefore they assembled, 
 in order to concert measures for effecting his destruc- 
 tion. Knowing the malignant and barbarous designs 
 which the rulers of Jerusalem had projected, our Lord 
 constantly retired from the city in the evening, lest 
 under favor of the darkness of night, he should be 
 privately attacked by his enemies. 
 
 The day after Jesus had pronounced the curse of 
 barrenness upon the fig-tree, as he was passing as usual 
 towards Jerusalem, in order to instruct the people in 
 the temple, the apostles observed, that the fig-tree was 
 dried up : and Peter requested his Master to remark 
 the circumstance. Hereupon Jesus said. That their 
 was no cause for their expressing surprize, that the 
 tree had decayed at his command, since, provided they 
 reposed a steady fuith in the power and goodness of 
 God, they would be able to effect more extraordinary 
 miracles ; for if they ordered Mount Olivet to remove 
 into the sea, it would start from its foundations and 
 obey their command ; for the Almighty had gracious- 
 ly promised to comply with the petitions of those 
 who strictly conformed to his divine pleasure. But 
 our blessed Saviour recalled to their recollection, that 
 if they hoped to obtain a remission of their sins from 
 his heavenly Father, they must forgive those from 
 whom they had sustained injuries ; for without per- 
 forming this just condition on their part, it would be 
 fruitless to hope for pardon of their trespasses against 
 the Almighty. *' And in the morning, as they passed 
 
64 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 *' by, tliey saw the fig-tree dried up from the roots. 
 *' And Peter calling to remembrance, saith unto him, 
 " Master, behold the tree which thou cure-edst is wi- 
 ** thered away. And Jesus answering, saiih unto them, 
 *' Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, that 
 ** whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou 
 " removed, and be thou cast into the sea, and shall 
 *' not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those 
 ** things which he saith shall come to pass, he shall 
 *' have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto 
 ** you, what things soever ye desire when ye pray, 
 *' believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. 
 ** And when ye stand, praying, forgive, if ye have 
 " ought against any ; that your Father also which is 
 " in heaven, may forgive you your trespasses. But 
 *' if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which 
 " is in heaven forgive you your trespasses." Mark 
 xi. 20, &c. 
 
 But to return to what occured on the preceding day. 
 After he had cursed the fig tree, Jesus proceeded to 
 the temple, and there walked with his disciples, and 
 instructed them in the nature and principles of his 
 gospel. A deputation from the supreme council of the 
 Jewish nation now came to him, and enquired by what 
 authority he had presumed to expel the traders from 
 the temple, and publicly to instruct the people ; and 
 whether he made pretensions to the character of a 
 prophet, a priest, or a king ; observing, that persons 
 of no other descriptions were qualified to introduce 
 alterations either in the constitution of the church or 
 state ; and if he claimed either of the above-mention- 
 ed characters, they demanded from whom he derived 
 his commission. Instead of replying to the Phari- 
 sees, Jesus said he had a question to propose to them, 
 and if they would resolve him, he would candidly 
 answer to the demands they had made. He then de- 
 sired they would communicate to him their opinion 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUU. 65" 
 
 concerning John the Baptist, both with respect to his 
 preaching, and baptizing proselytes ; and to declare, 
 whether they supposed him to have acted in virtue 
 of his own authority, or in consequence of a com- 
 mission delegated to him by the Almighty ? *' And 
 '* they came again to Jerusalem ; and as he was walk- 
 *' ing in the temple, there came to him the chief 
 " priests, and the scribes, and the elders, and say un- 
 *' to him, By what authority doest thou these things ? 
 *' and who gave thee this authority to do these things ? 
 " And Jesus answered and said unto them, I will also 
 *' ask you one question, and answer me, and I will tell 
 " you by what authority I do these things. The bap- 
 '' tismof John, was it from heaven, or of men ? An« 
 " swer me." Mark xi. 27, &c. 
 
 The Pharisees were utterly disconcerted by the 
 above question ; for if they declared John to have 
 acted by the divine authority, they must, as a neces- 
 sary consequence, have admitted the divinity of Jesus, 
 whom the Baptist had publicly proclaimed to be the 
 Messiah ; and on the contrary, if they denied the di- 
 vine authority of John, they were apprehensive of in- 
 curring the displeasure of the multitude, who would 
 probably stone them to death, smce they almost u;<i- 
 versally esteemed the Baptist to have been a prophet. 
 These considerations induced them to decline offering 
 any reply to the question proposed by Jesus, to whom 
 they acknowledged, that they were incapable of de- 
 ciding, as to the authority b\ which John had preach- 
 ed, and performed the ceremony of baptism. Our 
 S.iviour now said, that since they had not pretended 
 that it was unlawful for John to baptize penitents, 
 although they were ignorant by what authority he 
 had acted, and since i' has not been pretended fhat 
 the conduct of the Baptist had d-j^erved reproach, 
 there remained no ntrcessitv jor him to stratify their 
 curiosity, by explaining to them by what authority 
 
 VOL. II. .1 
 
66 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 he performed those things in the temple, which had 
 proved ofiensive to the Sanhedrim. " And they rea- 
 " soned v\ ith themselves, saying, If we shall say from 
 " heaven ; he will say, Why then did ye not believe 
 " him ? But if he shall say. Of men, they feared the 
 " people, for all men counted John that he was a pro- 
 '' phet indeed. And they answered and said unto 
 ^' Jesus, We cannot tell. And Jesus answering, saith 
 " unto them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I 
 "■ do these thmgs." Mark xi. 31, 32, 33. 
 
 The deputation from the Sanhedrim having avow- 
 ed their ignorance as to whence John derived his au- 
 thority for practising the ceremony of baptism, our 
 blessed Saviour severely rebuked them, conveying his 
 reproof in the parable of the father and his two sons. 
 '^ A certain man had two sons ; and he came to the 
 *' first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vine- 
 "yard." Matt. xxi. 28. But this undutiful youth 
 abruptly said to his father, " I will not." Reflecting, 
 however, on the impropriety of his conduct, he deter- 
 mined to make some atonement for his disobedience 
 to his indulgent parent, by complying with his com- 
 mand ; and he therefore went to work in the vine- 
 yard. 
 
 The ungrateful behaviour of one son, induced the 
 father to impose the same command upon the other; 
 and this youth, with an alFectation of ready obedi- 
 ence, said, " Sir, I go." But notwithstanding his 
 pretended willingness to obey the commands of his 
 lather, he v^ent not into the vineyard. The conduct 
 of the second son, our Lord represented as bearing a 
 similitude to that of the Pharisees ; who attributed to 
 the Almighty the most honorable appellations, and 
 professed the most earnest solicitude for his service 
 in their devotional exercises ; but at the same time 
 obstinately refused to engage in any part of that work 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. Gf 
 
 which he had enjomecl them to perform. The cha- 
 racter of the other son, said Jesus, is descriptive of 
 the disposition of the publicans and harlots. They 
 promised not to execute the will of the Almighty ; 
 but upon seriously revolving in their minds the ingra- 
 titude and disobedience of their conduct, and the gra- 
 cious offers of mercy which were made to them, they 
 reformed their lives, and embraced the Christian gos- 
 pel, whereby they have made atonement for their for- 
 mer delinquencies, and have intitled themselves to 
 enjoy the rewards of a blessed immortality. " Whe- 
 ** ther of them twain did the will of his father ? They 
 '^ say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto him, 
 '^ Verily I say unto you, that the publicans and har- 
 " lots go into the kingdom of heaven before you. — 
 ** For John came unto you in the way of righ'eous- 
 " ness, and ye believed him not : but the publicans 
 *' and the harlots believed him. And ye, when ye 
 " had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might 
 " believe him." Matt. xxi. 31, 32. 
 
 Having reproved the Pharisees for rejecting the 
 preaching of John the Baptist, our blessed Saviour 
 proceeded to represent the sinfulness of the Jewish 
 nation, in disregarding the predictions of all the pro- 
 phets that had been sent to them by the Almighty, as 
 well as the admonitions of the Son of the Most High ; 
 apprizing them, at the same time, of the dreadful 
 punishments that would inevitably be inflicted upon 
 them, if they persevered in their obstinac3^ '' There 
 *' was a certain housholder which planted a vineyard, 
 *' and hedged it round about, and digged a wine press 
 " in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husband- 
 " men, and vvent into a far country. And when 'he 
 " time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to 
 *' the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits 
 " of it. And the husbandmen took his servants, and 
 " beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. 
 
68 
 
 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 " Again, he sent other servants, more than the first ; 
 " and they did unto them likewise. But last of all, 
 *^ he sent unto them his son, saying, They will rever- 
 " ence my son. But when the husbandmen saw the 
 *' son, they said among themselves. This is the heir, 
 " come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inhe- 
 " ritance. And they caught him, and cast him out 
 *' of the vineyard, and slew him. When the lord 
 " therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do 
 '' unto those husbandmen .-* They say unto him, He 
 *' will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will 
 *' let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which 
 " shall render him the fruits in their seasons. Jesus 
 " saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scrip- 
 " tures, The stone which the builders rejected, the 
 " same is become the head of the corner : this is the 
 " Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes ? 
 " Therefore I say unto you. The kingdom of God 
 " shall be taken from you, and given to a nation 
 " bringing forth the fruits thereof. And whosoever 
 *' shall fall on this stone, shall be broken : but on 
 " whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to pow- 
 " der." Matt. xxi. 33, &c. 
 
 In the sacred scriptures, the church is frequently 
 compared to a vineyard : but, for the fuller convic- 
 tion of the Jews, the above parable was founded upon 
 a part of the fifth chapter of Isaiah. " The vineyard 
 *' of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the 
 *' men of Judah his pleasant plant : and he looked for 
 " judgment, but behold oppression ; for righteous- 
 ** ness, but behold a cry." The reader will perceive, 
 that our blessed Saviour continued the prophet's me- 
 taphor. He informed them, that the Almighty sent 
 the prophets to exhort the Jews to pursue the paths of 
 religion and virtue : but, enraged against the messen- 
 gers of God, on account of the freedom with which 
 they had reproved the iniquities of the people, they 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 69 
 
 cruelly persecuted, and even put them to death, with 
 the most unrelenting fury. 
 
 Notwithstanding their impious barbarity which was 
 exercised upon these holy men, the Almighty with- 
 held his divine wrath; and in his unbounded love to 
 the children of sinful men, sent other prophets to ex- 
 hort them to reclamation : but these experienced a 
 fate similar to that of their predecessors. 
 
 But notwithstanding the base ingratitude of man- 
 kind, God sent his only Son upon earth, invested with 
 a commission lo labor with unceasing anxiety to pro- 
 mote the salvation of mankind : but notwithstanding 
 he proved his divine authority by the incontestible 
 evidence of the various miracles he performed, they 
 obstinately persevered in refusing to acknowledge him 
 as the Messiah, and thereby aggravated their former 
 guilt. In consequence of their having rejected the of- 
 fers of mercy made to them by the prophets, and af- 
 terwards by the Messiah, he said the Almighty would 
 deprive the Jews of the kingdom of heaven, and be- 
 stow it upon another people, who would render them- 
 selves worthy to enjoy the blessings thereof; and 
 they who had rejected the corner-stone, by which was 
 represented the true religion, should be consigned to 
 everlasting punishment. By this parable, is repre- 
 sented the favor of God towards the Jewish nation, 
 who had been put into possession of the vineyard he 
 had himself planted. The husbandmen to whom the 
 vineyard was let, were descriptive of the priests and 
 Levites, who were remarkable for their irreverent 
 treatment of the prophets ; and it was intimated, that 
 this deportment of the husbandmen, particularly to- 
 wards the Son of God, would render the Jews obnox- 
 ious to the divine vengeance. 
 
 The Pharisees were sensible, that the above admi- 
 
70 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 rable discourses of Jesus, and the denunciations of 
 punishment they contained, were purposely directed 
 towards them : and they deliberated amon^ them- 
 selves, upon the means of tukini^ him into custody, 
 in order to conduct him before the Sanhedrim for ex- 
 amination : but they dared not carry the iniquitous 
 plan they had suggested into execution, apprehend- 
 ing, that if they presumed to offer any violence to 
 the person of our blessed Redeemer, they should there- 
 by create an insurrection arnan^ the populace who 
 esteemed him to be a prophet. 
 
 Our Saviournow delivered another parable, where- 
 in he represented the slight and inconsiderable man- 
 ner in which his gospel had impressed the minds of 
 the Jewish nation ; and, on the contrary, the cheerful 
 and v/arm reception it had experienced from the Gen- 
 tiles. The gracious and benevolent intention of the 
 Almighty, in imparting the gospel to mankind, our 
 blessed Saviour illustrated, by re})resenting to his au- 
 ditors the conduct of a sovereign, who, in honor of 
 his son, invited a great number of guests to a superb 
 entertainment. " And Jesus answered, and spake 
 " unto them by parables, and said. The kingdom of 
 ** heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a 
 " marriage-feast for his son. And he sent forth his 
 " servants to call them th.it were bidden to the wed- 
 " ding: and they would not come. Again he sent 
 ** forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are 
 *' bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner ; my 
 " oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are 
 *' ready, come unto the marriage. But they made light 
 *' of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, ano- 
 ** ther to merchandize. And the remnant took his 
 *' servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew 
 *' them. But vvhcn the king heard thereof, he was 
 *' wroth : and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed 
 *' those murderers, and burned up their city. Then 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 71' 
 
 *' saitb he tp his servants, The wedding is ready, 
 " but they which were bidden were not wortliy. Go 
 " ye theretbrt; unto the highways, and as many 
 " as ye shall lind, bid them to the marriage. So 
 " the servants went out into the highways, and ga- 
 'f thered together all as many as they found, both 
 " bad and good : and the wedding was furnished 
 '' with guests. And when the king came in to see 
 *' the guestSj he saw there was a man whicli had 
 *' not on a wedding garment : and he saith unto him, 
 " Friend, how earnest thou in hither, not having a 
 "wedding-garment? and he was sjieechless. Then 
 ** said the king to the servants. Bind him hand and 
 " foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer 
 " darkness; there shall be wcepmg and gnashing of 
 *' teeth. For many are called, but i'cw are chosen." 
 Matt. xxii. 1, &c. 
 
 In the above manner did our Saviour intimate, that 
 the Jews had been first admonished to pursue a life 
 of righteousness by John the Baptist, and afterwards 
 by himself; but they obstinately rejected the offers 
 of mercy and eternal salvation made to them, both by 
 the Messiah and his forerunner. After the death and 
 resurrection of the Messiah, the apostles would be 
 sent abroad to proclaim the establishment of the gos- 
 pel covenant- : but these messengers would prove as 
 unsuccessful as the former. By this part of the para- 
 ble, was predicted the destruction of the Jews by the 
 Roman army, which was made the instrument of ex- 
 ecuting vengeance upon those rebellious people. The 
 concluding part of this similitude shews, that the 
 conditions of salvation proposed to, but disregarded 
 by the Jews, would be gladly accepted by the Gen- 
 tiles ; and that those who refused to embrace the gos- 
 pel of Christ, represented by the wedding-garment, 
 would be consigned to everlasting punishment. Hence 
 then it appears, that in this parable, the king signi- 
 
72 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 fics God the Father ; that the king's son was meant to 
 represent our blessed Saviour Jesus Christ ; and the 
 servants who were employed to invite the guests to 
 the entertainment, were John the Baptist, the twelve 
 apostles, and the seventy disciples. 
 
 Enraged by the severity of our Saviour's reproofs, 
 the Pharisees and their adherents, now determined 
 to exert their utmost endeavors for effecting the de- 
 struction of our blessed- Redeemer : but on account of 
 the great popularity he had acquired by his preach- 
 ing and miracles, they judged it prudent to observe 
 great caution in the prosecution of their iniquitous 
 project. 
 
 The Pharisees united themselves in a conspiracy 
 with the Sadducees or Herodians ; and that the en- 
 mity of these people towards Jesus, was now arriv- 
 ed to the highest degree, is apparent ; since, with 
 a view to execute their barbaroas design against the 
 Son of God, they suspended that rancorous animosity 
 which had so long subsisted between the two sects. 
 They suborned some persons, a part of whom were 
 attached to the Pharisees, and others to the Saddu- 
 cees, to engage in conversation with Jesus, and en- 
 deavor to surprise him into some expression, the 
 meaning of which they might pervert into the founda- 
 tion of a criminal charge before the Roman govern- 
 or. 
 
 Under the pretext of entertaining a rigid venera- 
 tion for the divine laws, the conspirators repaired to 
 Jesus, and, with an affectation of righteousness and 
 sanctity, declared that they considered him as a zea- 
 lous advocate in the cause of truth, and a person who 
 was in every respect qualified to decide on a * con- 
 
 * A native of Galilee, named Judas, had industriously propagated a 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. J3 
 
 troverted point, respecting which, they were in great 
 doubt. They then requested, that he would declare 
 his opinion on the following question, which had long 
 been the subject of furious controversy. Is it law- 
 ful for the people of Israel to pay tribute to Caesar, 
 he being a foreign prince, since it is enacted by the 
 law, that the Jews shall not elect a king to reign over 
 them, who is not a native of Judea ? 
 
 They imagined, that if he should pronounce the 
 payment of tribute to a foreign potentate, to be con- 
 sistent with the law, he would thereby inflame the en- 
 mity of the people, who would accuse him of being a 
 flatterer of men in power, a traitor to the liberties of 
 his country, and one who taught doctrines destruc- 
 tive of the known privileges of the chosen people of 
 God : and if he should pronounce the payment of 
 tribute to be contrary to the law, they meant to accuse 
 him before the deputy from the Roman empire, who, 
 they hoped, would consider him as the fomenter of 
 rebellion, and therefore put him to death. 
 
 Jesus informed them, that notwithstanding their ar- 
 tifice and dissimulation, he was apprized of their ma- 
 lignant intentions : but, though they meant to ensnare 
 him, and not to learn whether they should violate the 
 law in complying with a tax imposed upon the public, 
 he would condescend to answer their question. At 
 his request they shewed him a piece of the tribute 
 money ; upon which, he said to them, that since the 
 coin bore the image and the name of Cassar, they ac- 
 knowledged his authority by making use of it : ad- 
 ding, that while they discharged their duty to the ci- 
 
 notion, that the payment of taxes to a foreign power, was an absolute 
 infringement of the 111 \v : and this doctrine was so agreeable to the merce- 
 nary dispositions of the Jews, that it obtained great numbers of strenu- 
 ous puvtizans, particularly among the lower classes of the people. 
 VOL. II. K 
 
74 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 vil magistrate, they should constantly remember what 
 was due to the Almighty ; and that since they bore 
 the image of the great and omnipotent King of heaven 
 and earth, it behoved them to pay him the tribute of 
 praise and adoration, and to serve him with fidtlity, 
 and to the utmost extent of their power. " Then 
 *' went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they 
 *' might entangle him in talk. And they sent out 
 *' unto him their dibciples, with the Herodians, say- 
 " ing, Master, we know that thou art true, and teach- 
 " est the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for 
 " any man ; for thou rcgardest not the person of men. 
 *' Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou ? Is it law- 
 " ful to give tribute unto Cassar, or not? But Jesus 
 *' perceived their wickedness, and said. Why tempt 
 *' ye me, ye hypocrites ? Shew me the tribute-money. 
 '* And they brought unto him a penny. And he saith 
 " unto them, Whose is this image and superscrip- 
 ** tion ? They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith 
 " he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar, the 
 *' things which are Caesar's ; and unto God, the things 
 " that are God's. When they had heard these words, 
 " they marvelled, and left him, and went their way." 
 Matt. xxii. 15, 8^c. 
 
 The Pharisees and their adherents, under the pre- 
 text of a regard to religion, were accustomed to pro- 
 mote, and defend rebellious practices. But to ingra- 
 tiate the favor of the reigning powers, the Herodians 
 readily complied with whatever injunctions were im- 
 posed upon them, however contradictory such com- 
 mands might be to the divine laws. Our Saviour 
 therefore adapted his reply to both sects ; exhorting 
 them to yield due obedience to the Almighty, and 
 conform to the institutions of the civil government. 
 
 Though our Lord had so effectually defeated the J 
 crafty designs of the Pharisees and Sadducees, he ^ 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 7-3 
 
 was presently afterwards attacked by a party of the 
 latter sect, who denied the doctrine of the immortality 
 of the soul and the resurrection of the body ; and 
 these people proposed to him the question which they 
 had frequently put to the Pharisees, with a view of 
 disconcerting them. " Then came to him certain of 
 '' the Sadducees, which deny that there is any resur- 
 '* rection ; and they asked him, saying, Master, Mo- 
 '* ses wrote unto us, that if any man's brother die 
 '* having a wife, and he die without children, that his 
 '* brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto 
 ** his brother. There were therefore seven brethren ; 
 " and the first took a wife, and died without chil- 
 '* dren. And the second took her to wife, and he 
 " died childless. And the third took her : and in 
 " like manner the seven also : and they left no chil- 
 " dren, and died. Therefore in the resurrection, 
 '* whose wife of them is she .'' for seven had her to 
 *' wife. And Jesus answering, said unto them. The 
 '* children of this world marry, and are given in mar- 
 " riage. But they which shall be accounted worthy 
 " to obtain that world, and the resurrection of the 
 " dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage ; 
 ^' neither can they die any more ; for they are equal 
 '' unto the angels ; and are the children of God, be- 
 " ing the children of the resurrection. Now that the 
 " dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, 
 *' when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and 
 ** the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. For he 
 '^ is not a God of the dead, but of the living ; for all 
 " live unto him." Luke xx. 27, &.c. 
 
 The Sadducees, who believed that the soul was a 
 refined material substance, contended that, if there 
 was to be a state of futurity, it must resemble that 
 of this world ; they therefore argued, in contradic- 
 tion to those who believed in the resurrection of the 
 body, and the immortality of the soul, that, as the soul 
 
76 THE HISTORY 01" 
 
 in a future state must be material and mortal, the ex- 
 istence of the human race could not be preserved, 
 without those intercourses between the sexes which 
 were authorised by marriage. Hence then they con- 
 ceived it to be a necessary consequence of the doc- 
 trine of the resurrection and a future state, that the 
 wife of every man should be restored to him. 
 
 But our Saviour clearly confuted the arguments of 
 his adversaries, by informing them, that the Almigh- 
 ty had created spirit as well as matter ; and he observ- 
 ed, that the nature of that life which was to be ob- 
 tained in a future state, would render marriage alto- 
 gether superfluous ; for as man would partake of the 
 spiritual and immortal nature of angels, the necessity 
 of propagating and continuing the species, would of 
 necessity be superceded. 
 
 Having exposed the folly and incredulity of the Sad- 
 ducees, our blessed Saviour proceeded to prove their 
 total ignorance of the true meaning of the scriptures ; 
 and particularly of the writings of Moses, from whence 
 they had deduced their objection. He observed, that 
 Moses had called the Almighty the God of Abraham, 
 the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, long after 
 the decease of those venerable patriarchs ; therefore 
 it was evident, that their relation to the Almighty still 
 subsisted ; and that they were not to be annihilated 
 by death, but to continue the faithful servants of the 
 most High. The circumstance of the Almighty pro- 
 claiming to Moses from the flaming bush, " I am the 
 ** God of thy Father, the God of Abraham, the God 
 " of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." And our bles- 
 sed Saviour's illustration of that passage, proved so 
 palpable a refutation of the pretensions of the Saddu- 
 cees, that the people could not refrain from express- 
 ing their admiration on account of the victory he 
 had obtained over that impious sect. 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 7i 
 
 The superlative wisdom of our Saviour extorted 
 commendation even from the most obstinate of the 
 Pharisees : but though his controversy with the He- 
 rodians, had terminated so highly to his honor, one of 
 the lawyers, influenced by the same insidious mo- 
 tives which had operated upon the assailants, whom 
 he had so lately defeated, requested him to declare, 
 which was the most important precept of the law. 
 The reason of his proposing this question to our Sa- 
 viour, was to prove, whether he had as perfect an ac- 
 quaintance with the sacred laws, and was as conver. 
 sant in, and as acutely observant upon, the contro- 
 versies that had been maintained upon different parts 
 thereof, as he had, on various occasions proved him- 
 self qualified to dedJce convincing and irrefragable 
 arguments from the inspired writers. 
 
 That the question proposed by the lawyer may be 
 the more clearly understood, it is necessary to remark, 
 that some of the most learned of the rabbies insisted, 
 that the chief precept was the law of sacrifices ; some 
 contended in favor of the law of circumcision ; and 
 others were as strenuous advocates for the law of 
 meats and washings. But our Lord replied, that the 
 chief commandment was that which informed them, 
 that there was only one God, whom they were to wor- 
 ship with all the affections of their soul. *' And one 
 *' of the scribes came, and having heard them reason- 
 " ing together, and perceiving that he had answered 
 *' them well, asked him. Which is the first command- 
 *' ment of all ? And Jesus answered him. The first 
 ** of all the commandments is, hear, O Israel, the Lord 
 *' our God is one Lord ; and thou shalt love the Lord 
 '' thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, 
 " and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. 
 '' Tills is the first commandment. Mark xii. 28, 
 29, 30. 
 
78 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 Our blessed Saviour having thus replied to the law- 
 yer's question, he added, that the second command- 
 ment was that which enjoined us to love our neighbors. 
 It is true, that this had no relation to the question pro- 
 posed by the lawyer ; yet our blessed Saviour was 
 "graciously pleased to inform him, which was the se- 
 cond commandment ; probably, because the people 
 of his sect did not acknowledge the importance of 
 loving their neighbors or because they were remark- 
 ably deficient in the practice of that duty. " And the 
 " second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy 
 *' neighbor as thyself: there is none other command- 
 ** ment greater than these. And the scribe said unto 
 " him. Well, Master, thou hast said the truth ; for 
 *' there is one God, and there Is none other but he : 
 " and to love him with all the heart, and with all the 
 " understanding, and with all the soul, and with all 
 " the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is 
 " more than all whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices. 
 *' And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, 
 " he said unto him, Thou art not far from the king- 
 '* dom of God. And no man after that durst ask 
 *' him any question," Mark xii. 31, &c. 
 
 In the course of our blessed Saviour's ministry, the 
 Pharisees had proposed to him many intricate questi- 
 ons, with a design of proving whether he possessed 
 the prophetical gift : and in his turn, our blessed Re- 
 deemer now judged proper to prove the extent of their 
 knowledge in the sacred scriptures. He therefore en- 
 quired of them, from whom they supposed the Messi- 
 ah to be descended ; and they replied, that he was un- 
 questionably of the family of David. Since you as- 
 sert, said he, that Christ is the son of David, you 
 ought to advance some argument in support of your 
 opinion, and render what you have said consistent 
 with what David implies, when he distinguishes Christ 
 by the appellation of Lord. " While the Pharisees 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 79 
 
 *' were gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying, 
 *' What think ye of Christ ? Whose son is he ? They 
 " say unto him, The son of David. He saith unto 
 *'. them. How then doth David in spirit call him Lord ; 
 ** saying, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on 
 ** my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy foot- 
 " stool ? If David then call him Lord, how is he his 
 " son." Matt. xxii. 41, &c. 
 
 The Jews did not imagine that the Messiah would 
 be endowed with any more extraordinary perfections, 
 than such as human nature was capable of attaining ; 
 for thc.Ui^h they distinguished him by the title of the 
 Son of God, they did not conceive that he was to 
 enjoy the fulness of divine power -, and therefore, they 
 acknowledged themselves unable to answer the ques- 
 tions proposed to them by our blessed Redeemer. 
 
 Had not their obstinacy been w^holly incorrigible, 
 the latter question must have convinced them of their 
 error ; for if, as they imagined, the Messiah was to 
 be only a secular prince, he could not have been cal- 
 led Lord, by those pious men who died previous to 
 his birth ; nor can it be supposed, that so mighty a 
 sovereign as David, would have applied to him that 
 honorable appellation. Since then he is the king, 
 not only of the ordinary classes of deceased men, but 
 of the monarchs from whom he was descended, his 
 kingdom necessarily comprehends the inhabitants of 
 all countries and periods of time. He was to remain 
 at the right hand of God, till his enemies were sub- 
 dued : and therefore those who persist in their ini- 
 quities, and refuse to yield a due obedience to the di- 
 vine will of our blessed Saviour, shall, like the re- 
 bellious subjects of temporal sovereigns, be condemn- 
 ed to punishments proportioned to the enormity of 
 their crimes. 
 
80 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 The consummate wisdom displayed by Jesus in his 
 controversies with the Pharisees and Sadducees, con- 
 vinced the Jews, that, with respect to the extent of 
 his knowledge, the strength and brilliancy of his ima- 
 gination, his strong powers of argument, and the per- 
 suasive force of his eloquence, he had an infinite su- 
 periority to the most renowned of tiieir rabbies. On 
 a variety of occasions, he had so clearly confuted the 
 objections advanced against his gospel, and so evi- 
 dently proved them to be absurd, frivolous, and vain, 
 that his most inveterate enemies were compelled to 
 acknowledge the astonishing profundity of his wis- 
 dom : and from this time, they declined all attempts 
 to embroil him in difficulties, by means of intricate 
 and insidious questions. 
 
 As we have hitherto had frequent occasion to speak 
 of the Pharisees and Sadducees, who alone are men- 
 tioned by the evangelists, we shall conclude this chap- 
 ter, with an account of those, and the other principal 
 sects among the ancient Jews. And to execute this 
 purpose, we shall have recourse to the works of the 
 learned * Josephus, who is justly esteemed the most 
 accurate and authentic of the Jewish historians. 
 
 " Among the Jews are three sects of religion : Es- 
 '* senes, Pharisees, and Sadducees; of which, the first 
 *' are most distinguished for their moral and religious 
 " conduct. The Essenes are the most friendly among 
 " each other of any people existing. They are ene- 
 *' mies equally to pleasure and to vice, and deem con- 
 *' tinence, and the subjection of their passions as the 
 *' first of virtues. They have no exalted idea of mar- 
 *' riage ; but are fond of the children of other peo- 
 •' pie, whom they take when young, and educate 
 
 * Vide Josephus, translated by Thompson and Price, Vol. II. p. 
 286, &c. 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 81 
 
 *' them as their own. Their objections to marriage 
 *' do not lead them to wish the extinction of mankind ; 
 " but they think the women frail, and doubt their fide- 
 " lity to any single man. 
 
 " They despise abundance of wealth ; and one prin- 
 " cipal cement of their society, is the enjoyment of 
 " their possessions in common, so that none of them 
 " shall experience the extremity of riches or poverty : 
 " but the whole society, like brothers, share in the 
 " common bounties of Providence. 
 
 *' They cannot bear that oil should touch their bo- 
 " dies ; and if such a thing happens by accident, are 
 " uneasy till they get rid of it. They affect great 
 " simplicity in their apparel, not regarding how coarse 
 " it is, so it be clean and white. 
 
 " From the best men of their society they choose 
 ** stewards, to whom they commit the receipt and ma- 
 " nagement of their revenues, leaving it to them to 
 " distribute to the brotherhood, according to their 
 " several necessities. 
 
 " They do not reside in any fixed habitations, but 
 " wander about in different cities, where they are al- 
 '' ways ready to accommodate such of their party as 
 " may happen to come there, though they have been 
 " perfect strangers till such accidental meeting. 
 
 " When they travel, they carry nothing with them 
 " but arms for their protection. There are always 
 " some of the fraternity in every city to accommodate 
 " their friends ; so that they are in no want of lodg- 
 *' ings, provisions, clothes, or the other necessaries 
 " of life. Their dress is not unlike that worn by 
 *' children when under the care of their preceptor. 
 
 VOL. J I. L 
 
82 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 *' They neither change either their clothes or shoes 
 " till they are ragged, or worn out. They neither 
 " buy nor sell one with another, but cheerfully supply 
 *' each other with such things as are wanted ; and 
 " this not in the way of exchange ; for the laws compel 
 " the one to give, and leave the other at liberty to 
 *' accept. 
 
 " They are the most conscientious men existing. 
 " They will not speak, a word of common business 
 '* before the rising of the sun ; but, at that time, use 
 " traditional forms of prayer, in which they ask of God 
 " that the sun may shine on them. These devotions 
 " ended, they engage in their various occupations till 
 '* eleven in the forenoon, when they again assemble, 
 " with linen clothes thrown over them, and wash 
 " themselves from head to foot with cold water; which 
 ** being done, they retreat to their cells, where no 
 *■' person of any other profession is permitted to come 
 ** near them. Thence they proceed into a refecto- 
 *' ry, which they deem almost as holy as the temple. 
 " Here ihey remain some time without speaking, 
 '' when the baker brings each man his loaf, and the 
 " cook a plate, or mess of soup to every one, and sets 
 " it before them. The priest then says grace, before 
 " which no one must presume to touch his food. — 
 *' After dinner, solemn thanks are returned, and then 
 *' they strip off their habits, which they deem some- 
 *' what sacred, and proceed to their common em- 
 *' ployment till evening. When they go to supper, 
 *' they sit at one table, and if they have any visitors 
 ** they sit with them. 
 
 " No noise or disturbance is heard in these houses. 
 ** They speak alternately ; and their gravity makes 
 ** them greatly admired by strangers. These are the 
 ** consequences of their sober life, and moderation in 
 *' eating and drinking. The advice of their superi- 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 83 
 
 *' ors is necessary to every act they do, except those 
 " of charity, in which they are left to their own dis- 
 " cretion, every man being at liberty to assist the 
 " virtuous in distress. Yet they are not permitted to 
 " give any thing to their relations, without consent of 
 *^ their governors. 
 
 " They have great command of their passions ; are 
 '' men of firm faith, fond of peace, and deem their 
 " word as sacred as an oath : in fact, they consider 
 *' the taking an oath as worse than perjury ; and have 
 " no opinion of a man, who cannot be credited with- 
 *' out calling God to witness what he says. They 
 " are great admirers of ancient wisdom, as far as it 
 *' relates to the good of soul or body, particularly re- 
 " specting remedies for diseases ; and the virtues of 
 *' plants, minerals, metals, and stones. 
 
 " If a person is disposed to enter into their society, 
 " they do not hastily admit him, but keep him on trial 
 " for a year. Those thus on probation receive each 
 " a pick-ax, a girdle, and a white garment. After a 
 " man has given some proof of his continence and 
 '* virtue, his diet is changed, and he is allowed the 
 " use of the purifying waters : but he must be two 
 " years on probation, before he is admitted to the ta- 
 " ble in the refectory. After this, he is admitted into 
 ** the society ; but not deemed an established mem- 
 •* ber of it, till he has bound himself to the following 
 " conditions. 
 
 *' He must first solemnly profess to love and wor- 
 " ship God ; to do justice to all men ; not to injure any 
 *^ one, even if commanded to do it ; to abhor all wick- 
 *' cd men; to associate witli the friends of justice 
 ** and equity ; to keep faith with all men, but espe- 
 " cially with princes, who are the appointed servants 
 "' of God. He must declare, that, if he should be 
 
84 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 " promoted above his companions, he will not abuse 
 *' his power to the injury of those beneath him, nor 
 '* by elegance of dress distinguish himself from his 
 " inferiors : but that he will love the truth, and de- 
 ** vote himself to keep it, and punish those who speak 
 " falsely. He must bind himself to keep his hands 
 " free from theft and false dealing, and his soul un- 
 " polluted with desire of unlawful gain : not to con- 
 *' ceal the mysteries of religion from his brethren of 
 ** the profession, nor develope them to the profane, 
 " even to save his life. With regard to his doctrine, 
 *' he must promulgate only what he has been taught ; 
 *' endeavor to preserve the doctrine he professes, 
 " the books written concerning it, and the names of 
 *'' those from whom he received it. These professi- 
 ** ons and protestations are used as a test to new mem- 
 " bers, to bind them strictly to their duty. 
 
 " When any person is detected in a notorious 
 " wickedness, he is turned out of the society ; and 
 " these generally make an unfortunate exit. I'he 
 '^ man who is reprobated by these solemn vows, is 
 '^ not permitted to receive a single mouthful of bread 
 " from the hands of a stranger, even though his life 
 " depended on it ; so that they are driven to graze 
 *' like beasts, till the flesh perishes from their bones* 
 ** The society have sometimes received them again, 
 " when they have been in this utter extremity, and 
 " at the point of death : conceiving that the punish- 
 " ment they had undergone, was a kind of atone- 
 *' ment for the crime. 
 
 *' They are singularly strict in the administration 
 " of justice : nothing is determined on without bc- 
 " ing carried by a hundred voices ; and there is no 
 " revoking the judgment when it is once past. 
 
 " Second to the authority of God they deem that 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 83 
 
 " of their law-givers, to speak ill of, or blaspheme 
 "whom is punished with death. They pay the ut- 
 " most respect to their elders, and to the majority of 
 " the people ; deeming it reasonable to obey the 
 '* former, and attend to the opinion of the latter. — 
 *' When ten of them meet in council, no one is per- 
 " mitted to speak if the other nine oppose him. Spit- 
 " ting towards the midst of the company, or on the 
 " right hand, they deem an act of immorality. 
 
 '* No Jews are so strict observers of the sabbath as 
 " these people. On the preceding evening, they eat 
 *' a meal to suffice for the sabbath, that they may not 
 " kindle a fire on that day, on which they dare not re- 
 " move a pot or dish from one place to another, or even 
 " relieve themselves by a natural evacuation. When, 
 '* on other days, they have these necessary calls, they 
 *' dig a hole near a foot deep with a pick ax, and hav- 
 *' ing disburthened themselves, fill the hole again, su- 
 " perstitiously careful that such an object may not pol- 
 " lute the beams of the sun. Thus they attempt a 
 " solemn purification, after a common relief of nature. 
 
 " The persons professing this way of life, are in 
 " four divisions, agreeable to the respective obliga- 
 '* tions they have taken ; and the younger are deemed 
 *' so much inferior to the elder, that if they happen to 
 " touch each other, they are compelled to purify, as 
 " if they had touched a stranger. They live to an ad- 
 " vanced age ; many of them to more than a hundred 
 *' years ; which may be attributed to the purity of their 
 *' food, and the simplicity of their manners. 
 
 '^ They are fearless of danger, and despise torment 
 *' to such a degree, that they deem an honorable death 
 " preferable to life. For proof of this, it is only ne- 
 '* ccssary to refer to the war between the Jews and 
 " Romans. On many occasions the Jews sustained 
 
86 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 " excessive torments ; such as burning alive, breaking 
 *' of bones, and pains of every kind, raihcr than speak 
 *' disrespectfully of their law-giver, or eat a mouthful 
 " of prohibited food. This they did despising idle 
 *^ supplications, and dejections of mind ; but with 
 *' serene and cheerful countenances amidst all their 
 *' pains, triumphing over their tormentors, and 
 " yielding their lives with a resolution that evidenc- 
 *' ed their hope of a glorious future existence. 
 
 *' The Essenes believe that the body is mortal ; and 
 " that the soul, being no more substantial than the 
 *' most subtil air, is incorruptible and immortal ; but 
 *' that it is enclosed in the body, as in prison, by a 
 *' sort of natural inclination or attraction : and that 
 " when it shall be separated from these bodily ties, as 
 " relieved from a long slavery, it will ascend to the 
 ** regions of eternal bliss. These sentiments are not 
 *' dissimilar to those of the Greeks, who imagine a 
 " place beyond the ocean, where neither rain, snow, 
 " or extreme heat prevails, but that it is refreshed by 
 " gentle gales. This they deem the seat of the happy 
 *' souls : but with regard to the wicked, they hold 
 *' them sentenced to regions of violent tempests, se- 
 " vere frosts, and eternal pains. Nor is the Grecian 
 ** story of the Fortunate Islands unlike this : these 
 " are deemed places appropriated to the reception of 
 " the spirits called heroes, and demi-gods. The 
 " Greeks have likewise their hell, described as an in- 
 *' fernal pit, provided with plagues and punishments 
 ** for such as Sysiphus, Tantalus, Ixion, and Tityus. 
 *' They deem the soul immortal, from its love of vir- 
 '* tue and hatred of vice : since the hope of future re- 
 " wards, makes virtuous men still better in this world: 
 " it likewise checks impiety, from the reflection, that 
 '*■ though men may escape the stroke of justice in this 
 *' life, yet the divine retribution will not fail to meet 
 ** and punish them eternally in a future. Similar to 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 8/ 
 
 " all this is the opinion of the Esscnes on the soul ; 
 ** and it rarely happens, that any one who has em- 
 " braced these sentiments, is ever induced to change 
 " his opinion. 
 
 " Among the Essenes, are some who pretend to 
 " predict future events ; grounding their predictions 
 " on the prophecies in the sacred writings, arid prepar- 
 " ing themselves by purification for the business : 
 " and it generally happens that their predictions are 
 " fulfilled. 
 
 " There is another sect of Essenes who agree with 
 " the former with regard to laws, manners and food, 
 *' but not in that of marriage ; for they say, that those 
 *' who oppose this institution, are declared enemies of 
 *' mankind, as they would prevent the propagation of 
 " the human race : urging, that if every one held this 
 *' sentiment, the world uould soon be at an end. — 
 " These latter, however, are cautious ; for they sub- 
 " ject the women to a probation of three years ; and 
 " if, at the end of that period, they are in health pro- 
 " per for child-bearing, they are then deemed qualifi- 
 '* ed for marriage. Among these, the women are co- 
 " vered when they wash, in the same manner as the 
 *' men. 
 
 *' The Pharisees are the most eminent doctors of 
 ** the law, and men of the greatest learning in all the 
 " rites and ceremonies of the Jews. The principal ar- 
 '* tide in their creed is, that ' Every thing is effected 
 ** by God and fate ;' yet that it is much in our own 
 " power to determine, whether he will do well or ill ; 
 '* only fate sometimes interposes in particular instan- 
 ** ces. They acknowledge the immortality of the soul, 
 " and believe that the souls of good men are transmi- 
 " grated into other bodies ; but that the souls of the 
 " wicked are sent into a state of eternal misery. 
 
88 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 " On the contrary, the Sadducees absolutely deny 
 ** the doctrine of fate. They say that * God is inca- 
 *'pable. of doing evil, but leaves men at liberty to act 
 "as they please ; and that they have their choice of 
 " good and evil.' With regard to future rewards and 
 " punishments, they have no idea of them. The 
 ** Pharisees are a sociable people, and live in harmo- 
 " n}'' with each other ; but the Sadducees are perpe- 
 *' tually disagreeing among themselves, and are re- 
 " markably severe in their conduct towards stran- 
 " gers." 
 
 But in another part of his work, our learned author 
 mentions another sect in religion, introduced among 
 the Jews after the establishment of the Essenes, the 
 Pharisees, and the Sadducees. 
 
 " At * this period (about the year of the world 
 '^ 3973) Csesar sent as a governor into Syria, Cyre- 
 " nius, a man distinguished by the eminence of his 
 *' character, a senator of Rome,and one who had arrived 
 *' to the dignity of a consul, after having gone through 
 " all the offices of honor which lead to that eminent 
 " station. He was attended by Coponius, the master 
 " of horse, who went with him in the character of go- 
 " vernor of Judea : but as Judea was at this time an- 
 " nexed to Syria, Cyrenius was charged with the bu- 
 " siness of taxing the people, and likewise directed 
 *' to seize on the money and efl'ects that had belonged 
 " to Archelaus. 
 
 " For some time, at first, the Jews were extremely 
 *' uneasy at this mode of taxation ; but they were at 
 *' length induced to submit to it and comply, without 
 *t giving any farther trouble ; partly by the advice, 
 ** and partly by the authority of Joazar, the high- 
 
 * See the Jewish historian lastquotcd, Vol. II. Cap. i, 2. 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUll. 89 
 
 '* priest, and son of Boethus. About this time, one 
 " Judas, a Gaulanite, of the city of Gamala, btgaa to 
 " distinguish himself. This man combined with a 
 " Pharisee, named Sadducus, to entice the people to 
 " revolt. They urged, that taxes were only badges 
 " of slavery ; and that it would become the dignity 
 " of the whole people, to unite in an assertion of their 
 " liberty : they said, that one fortunate and well-tim- 
 " ed stroke, would render them independent for ever ; 
 " and would contribute no less to the security of their 
 " possessions, than the advancement of their repu- 
 " tion. 
 
 " There were but few arguments necessary to induce 
 *' the multitude to acts of violence ; nor is it in the 
 *' power of language to describe the havock that was 
 *' made in the country, by these outrageous depreda- 
 " tors : friends and enemies were equally robbed and 
 " murdered without distinction ; massacres and as- 
 " sassinations were dreadfully frequent ; and all this 
 ** was done under the pretence of promoting the com- 
 " mon good ; of advancing liberty, and securing pro- 
 " perty ; but the fact is, that malice and private inte- 
 *' rests were the leading motives. While the people 
 *' were thus mutually seeking the destruction of each 
 " other by all the severities of an intestine war, they 
 " were likewise engaged in a foreign war, and had to 
 " struggle with all the aggravated calamities of a se- 
 " vere famine : yet, for a considerable time, nothing 
 ** could put a period to the course of destruction in 
 " which they were engaged, till at length a fire seiz- 
 " ed the temple, and burnt it to the ground. 
 
 " Such was the unhappy consequence of seeking 
 ** after new laws and customs, and endeavoring to de- 
 ** stroy those established. Judas and Sadducus were 
 " the authors of this confusion, who, from a particu- 
 *' larity of disposition, were inclined to add a fourth 
 
 VOL. II. M 
 
90 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 " sect to the three former : and the idea of ninovation 
 " so charmed the multitude, that a great party join- 
 " ed them ; which not only occasioned the present 
 " disturbances, but laid the foundation of much fu- 
 *' ture calamity : in this place, therefore, it will be 
 " proper to treat of those mischievous principles and 
 " opinions, from which such fatal consequences have 
 *' arisen. 
 
 " Judas Galilseus was the founder of the fourth sect 
 '* of religion, which did not differ in any great degree 
 *' from that of the Pharisees ; principally, indeed, 
 " in their holding the maxim of uncontroulable liber- 
 *' ty. They asserted, that there was no other Lord 
 '* or superior than God ; and rather than call any man 
 *^ by the name of Master^ they would expose ihem- 
 *' selves and their nearest relations, to any degree of 
 " punishment, though ever so severe. But this fact 
 *' is so well attested, and has been confirmed by such 
 '' repeated observation and experience, that it is un- 
 ** necessary to urge any thing in proof of it ; besides, 
 '* no language can convey a tolerably adequate de- 
 " scription of the fortitude which these people evinced 
 " in their contempt of pain. 
 
 " The animosities were greatly inflamed by the ty- 
 *' ranical cruelties of Gessius Fiorus, at that time go- 
 " vernor of Judea ; the consequence of which, was, 
 " that the people at length absolutely revolted from 
 " the Romans." 
 
 The Essenes, or Essenians, though not mentioned 
 by the evangelists, were a numerous and powerful 
 sect among the Jews. All attempts to trace their 
 origin have proved ineffectual, and even the etymolo- 
 gy of their name is still to be ascertained. It is, how- 
 ever certain, that they were settled in Judea in the 
 days of Jonathan, the brother of Judas Maccabeus, 
 
Oan BLESSED SAVIOUR. 91 
 
 about one hundred and fifty years previous to the 
 birth of our Suviour. 
 
 'I'hc Essenes were accustomed to interpret the 
 scriptures in an allei^orical manner ; and in this they 
 appear to have excelled all their Jewish contempora- 
 ries. They entertained the highest veneration for the 
 five books of Moses ; and they reverenced that knv- 
 c^iver as the chief of all the inspired writers. So rigid 
 were these people in their principles, that they con- 
 signed to instant death, all persons who presumed to 
 speak with the slightest disrespect, either of Moses 
 or his writings. They studied the writings of Moses 
 more particularly than the other parts of the scriptures, 
 and appear to have deduced their religious system 
 principally from the Pentateuch. 
 
 So extreme was the austerity of many of the Es- 
 senes, that they continued in their cells during the 
 whole week, without even indulging themselves so 
 far as to look once out of the windows of their lonely 
 habitations ; their intervals of repose being very short, 
 and their time being engrossed in reading and writing 
 comments upon the sacred books. 
 
 The [)eriod when the sect of Pharisees was founded, 
 is wholly uncertain. They pretended, that the cele- 
 brated Hillel was the first of their order. Some have 
 imagined that Hillel lived during the pontificate of 
 Jonathan, mentioned above : but others, more rea- 
 sonably conjecture him to have been contemporary 
 with the famous Someas, who lived about the time of 
 Herod, long before whose days the sect of Pharisees 
 were in great repute. 
 
 In the preceding pages, they are represented as vio- 
 lent and implacable enemies to our blessed Saviour, 
 who incurred their enmity, in consequence of the se- 
 
92 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 verity with which he reproved their injiistifiable pre- 
 ference of pretended and fallacious traditions, to the 
 written word of God. 
 
 Among other principles which exposed the Phari- 
 sees to the deserved reproaches of Jesus, were their 
 supererogatory attachment to the ceremonial law : 
 their frequent washings and fastings ; their public and 
 ostentatious distribution of charity ; their aifected so- 
 lemnity of deportment, and the studied mortification 
 expressed in their countenances ; their erecting and 
 repairing the tombs of the prophets ; whereby they 
 intimated, that they were of greater sanctity than their 
 ancestors, who had cruelly massacred those holy men, 
 and whose conduct, however, they impiously approv- 
 ed ; their superstitious observation of the sabbath- 
 day, to the exclusion of works of charity ; their ut- 
 ter destitution of mercy, justice, and humility; and 
 their deceitful pretentions to the virtues of kindness, 
 charity, and benevolence, even at the time when they 
 were sacrilegiously projecting measures for sacrificing 
 the life of our blessed Redeemer. 
 
 Such was the rapacity and cruelty of the Pharisees, 
 that they made no scruple of seizing the property of 
 helpless widows and orphans. They not only com- 
 mitted the most heinous acts of injustice, oppression, 
 and barbarity themselves, but encouraged their disci- 
 ples in the perpetration of similar crimes ; and these 
 enormities were committed, under the specious ap- 
 pearance of sanctity and religion. It was, therefore, 
 with peculiar propriety, that Christ compared them to 
 whited sepulchres, beautiful without, but containing 
 only rottenness and corruption. 
 
 The sect of Saddncees is said to have been founded 
 by one Saddoc, a disciple of Antigonus of Socho.— 
 These people industriously sought occasions of ridi- 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 93 
 
 culing the dootrine of the resurrection, and of oppos- 
 ing their tenets to those of the Pharisees, with whom 
 they lived in a state of continual enmity and conten- 
 tion. They were extremely severe in their decisions, 
 when they presided in the capacity of judges ; and 
 they rejected the pretended oral traditions, which were 
 so highly respected by the Pharisees ; regulating their 
 conduct by no other rules than scriptural texts, and 
 preferring the books of Moses to all the other inspir- 
 ed writings. The Sadducees were not a very nu- 
 merous society, but they were, in general, men of 
 rank and opulence. When persons attached to the 
 principles entertained by the Sadducees, were elected 
 into public employments, they were under the neces- 
 sity of disguising their own sentiments, and of openly- 
 professing the opinions of the Pharisees ; for other- 
 wise, the people would not permit them to hold their 
 stations. 
 
94 THE HISTORY Or 
 
 CHAP. XXXIV. 
 
 Our Saviour recommends bis disciples to attend to the 
 doctrines of the Pharisees^ but carefully to avoid 
 an imitation of their manners. He exhorts them 
 to suppress ambitious desires. He severely re- 
 proaches the Pharis^ees^ accusing them of perfidy ^ 
 partiality ^ cruelty ^ and other heinous crimes. Our 
 Saviour applauds the liberality of a widow. Jesus 
 predicts the destruction of the temple of Jerusalem^ 
 and the sufferings to be inflicted upon his apostles ; 
 and at the same time^ exhorts those holy men not to 
 dread the utmost malice of their enemies. Jesus 
 says^ that the persecutions of tiJeir enemies voill oc- 
 casion many of his disciples to desert his cause ; but 
 that the faithful servants of God will be amply re- 
 warded. Predictions relating to the destruction of 
 the city of Jerusalem ; and the misery of the Jew- 
 ish nation described. Jesus cautions his disciples 
 against imposters. Other predictions of the dread- 
 ful calamities to be inflicted upon the Jews. Simi- 
 litude of a flg-tree. Jesus declares the truth of his 
 predictions^ and exhorts the people to constant 
 watchfulness. The suddenness of the judgments to 
 be passed upon mankind. Watchfulness and dili- 
 gence recommended in a similitude. Parable of the 
 ten virgins. The rewards and punishments to be 
 distributed in the great day of judgment. 
 
 vJUR blessed Saviour having, as we have related 
 in the preceding chapter, eluded the artful stratagems 
 of his enemies, he proceeded to admonish his disci- 
 ples, and the rest of his auditors, not to adopt the 
 pernicious examples of the Scribes and Pharisees. 
 He advised them to listen to the doctrines preach- 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. f)5 
 
 ed by those people, whose abominable practices, he 
 said, were so entirely inconsibtent with the eXiCellency 
 of their professions. While they teach the doctrines 
 contained in the laws of Moses, carefully attend to 
 what they recommend to your observation : but be- 
 ware of their stratagems and artifices, lest you be 
 seduced into the paths of wickedness. Although 
 they pretend to interpret the law with exact fidelity, 
 they impose upon other people a rigid compliance 
 with those ceremonials which they themselves entire- 
 ly neglect : but those who act from motives of vir- 
 tue and integrity, practise those duties which they 
 represent to others, as the essential means of obtain- 
 ing happiness, both in this life and in futurity ; there- 
 by encouraging men to worthy pursuits, by the com- 
 bined recommendation of precept and example. 
 
 But, said Jesus, the hypocricy, pride, and arro- 
 gance of the Pharisees are intolerable; for if they 
 occasionally act in a manner that redounds to the ho- 
 nor of God, or the advantage of their fellow-crea- 
 tures, the merit of their conduct is vitiated, by the 
 motive from whence it proceeds. Their works of 
 charity, are no more than an ostentatious display of 
 a virtue which they do not in reality possess ; they are 
 immoderately ambitious of popular applause, but 
 are wholly neglectful of the great and important duty 
 of regulating their conduct, agreeably to the divine 
 pleasure of Almighty God. To render themselves 
 conspicuous, they wear larger * phylacteries than the 
 
 * The word phylactery is derived from the Greek, and signifies a 
 preservative, or charm, against diseases, or other misfortunes. They 
 were worn by the ancient Heathens, and are so still by the inhabitants of 
 the eastern parts of the globe. But the phylacteries of the Jews, were 
 small boxes or rollsof jiarchment, in wliich were written certain words 
 of the law ; and these they wore, cither upon the forehead, or upon the 
 wrist of the left arm. They supposed the use of phylacteries to be com- 
 manded. " And it shall be for a token upon thine hand, and for front- 
 " lets between thine eyes, for by strength of hand, the Lord brought us 
 " forth out of Egypt." Exod. xiii. i6. 
 
96 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 generality of the people, and broader edgings of scar- 
 let to their apparel ; thereby endeavoring to impose 
 themselves upon the world, as men of extraordinary 
 sanctity. They are earnestly solicitous to obtain the 
 most distinguished seats in the synagogues and other 
 public assemblies, and of being saluted with the title 
 of rabbi, or master. " Then spake Jesus to the mul- 
 *' titude and to his disciples, saying, The Scribes 
 " and Pharisees sit in Moses' seat ; all therefore 
 ,*' whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe 
 ** and do : but do not ye after their works ; for they 
 *' say, and do not. For they bind heavy burdens 
 " grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoul- 
 " ders : but they themselves, will not move them 
 ** with one of their fingers. But all their works they 
 " do for to be seen of men. They make broad their 
 " phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their gar- 
 " ments, and love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and 
 *' the chief seats in the synagogues, and greetings 
 " in the markets, and to be called of men, f rabbi, 
 «' rabbi." Matt, xxiii. 1, &c. 
 
 Bint you who are my disciples, must prove your 
 humility, by declining to be addressed by the titles 
 of rabbi and master ; for the title of master is pecu- 
 liarly due to the Messiah, who will bestow the bles- 
 sings of immortality upon all his servants who faith- 
 fully discharge their duty towards him. Neither are 
 you to call any man your father, thereby implying 
 that you are disposed to yield him implicit obedience ; 
 for it is the great Father of heaven and earth to whom 
 you are to dedicate all your services, and offer up 
 your praises and adorations. i 
 
 ")• The word rabbi sicrnifies great ; and it was applied to those men 
 who had rendered themselves conspicuous by the extent of their learn- 
 ing. It is not therefore strange, that the haughtjr and supercilious Pha- 
 risees, should be fond of a title which so highly complimented their 
 understanding, and served to increase their consequence and authority 
 among their disciples. 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. Vi 
 
 It was not, however, the intention of the divine 
 Teacher, to intimate, that it was sinful to address men 
 by those titles which they acquired from their re- 
 spective stations in life : but he meant to reprove the 
 muhitude, for ascribing to the teachers of the law, 
 those honors which were due only to the Almighty. 
 To teach them the duty of humility, and to dispose 
 them to offices of friendship and kindness towards 
 each other, he said, that by assuming what did not 
 properly belong to them, they would incur the displea- 
 sure of the Almighty, and render themselves objects 
 of the contempt and hatred of their fellow-creatures : 
 but, on the contrary, if they strictly obeyed the com- 
 mands of God, and performed offices of friendship and 
 love to their brethren, they could not fail of obtaining 
 the blessings of heaven. " But be not ye called 
 " rabbi ; for one is your master, even Christ, and all 
 " ye are brethren. And call no man your father upon 
 *^ earth ; for one is your Father, which is in heaven. 
 " Neither be ye called masters ; for one is your mas-> 
 *' ter, even Christ. And whosoever shall exalt him- 
 " self, shall be abased ; and he that shall humble 
 *' himself, shall be exalted." Matt, xxiii. 8, &c. 
 
 The Scribes and Pharisees were greatly incensed 
 by the above discourses : but they dared not attempt 
 carrying their barbarous designs against him into ex- 
 ecution, in the presence of the great concourse of 
 people by whom he was surrounded ; for his preach- 
 ing had so deeply impressed the minds of the people, 
 that they held him in the highest veneration, and 
 would most certainly have opposed, and severely re- 
 sented any violence offered to his sacred person. 
 
 Not in consequence of the personal injuries and 
 insults he had received from the Scribes and Phari- 
 sees, but on account of their abominable and irre- 
 claimable iniquities, our blessed Saviour solemnly 
 
 VOL. II. N 
 
98 THE HISTOllY OF 
 
 denounced against them the most dreadful woes. 
 They were professedly public teachers of religion ; 
 and therefore it was their duty, not only to recom- 
 mend the practice of righteousness in their public 
 discourses, but also by the example of their live«. 
 But under the appearance of the most austere sancti- 
 ty, they gave uncontrolled liberty to their malicious, 
 lewdj cruel, and rapacious dispositions. Instead of 
 reforming their lives, their attention seemed to be 
 directed to the business of corrupting the principles 
 of their fellow-creatures, and seducing them to the 
 practice of every species of the most abominable ini- 
 quity ; and therefore they were deserving the utmost 
 severity of our blessed Saviour's reproof, and of those 
 punishments which he foretold would be inflicted 
 upon them. "But woe unto you. Scribes and Pha- 
 *' risees, hypocrites ; for ye shut up the kingdom of 
 ** heaven against men : for ye neither go in yourselves, 
 *' neither suffer ye them that are entering, to go in. 
 " Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites ; 
 " for ye devour widow's houses, and for a pretence 
 " make long prayers ; therefore ye shall receive great 
 " er damnation. Woe unto you, Scribes and Pha- 
 ** risees, hypocrites ; for ye compass sea and land 
 *' to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye 
 *' make him two-fold more the child of hell than 
 *' yourselves. Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which 
 " say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is 
 " nothing : but w^iosoevcr shall swear by the gold 
 " of the temple, he is a debtor. Ye fools, and blind : 
 *' for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that 
 " sanctifieth the gold ? And whosoever shall swear by 
 " the altar, it is nothing ; but whosoever sweareth 
 <' by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. Ye 
 ** fools, and blind : for whether is greater, the gift, 
 *' orthe altar that sanctifieth the gift ? Whoso there- 
 *' fore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and 
 ** by all things thereon. And whoso shall swear by 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 99 
 
 *' the temple, svvearetli by it, and by him that dwel- 
 *' leth therein. And he that shall swear by heaven, 
 " sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that 
 " sitteth thereon." Matt, xxiii. 13, &c. 
 
 In the above manner did our Saviour inform the 
 Scribes and Pharisees, that the punishments to be in- 
 flicted upon them would be dreadfully severe because 
 they had falsely interpreted the ancient prophecies 
 concerning the Messiah, and obstructed the way to the 
 kingdom of heaven, by concealing from their disciples 
 the knowledge of the true religion. Under the pre- 
 tence of a zealous desire to promote the interest * of 
 widows and orphans, you cruelly defraud them of 
 their property. Though you pursue every means in 
 your power to convert the Gentiles to the Jewish re- 
 ligion, your motive is not to increase their wisdom or 
 virtue, but to obtain possession of their wealth ; and 
 instead of being reformed, they are rendered f more 
 wicked by the pernicious influence of your advice. 
 You absurdly pretend, that if a man swears by the 
 temple only, his oath is not obligatory ; but that he 
 binds himself under an indispensible obligation, if he 
 swears by the gold of the temple. You also say, that 
 men do not perjure themselves when they act contra- 
 
 * These people pretended to a more intimate acquaintance of the law 
 tlian others ; and the women were greatly subject to their power, because 
 they believed them to be the peculiar favorites of the Almiglitv. Thej'' 
 obtained so great an ascendancy over Alexandra, queen of thc.levvs,that 
 they directed the reins of government at their own discretion. Widows 
 and orphans, liaving no protectors, became an easy prey to this rapa- 
 cious sect. 
 
 + The Jews were accustomed to complain, that the proselytes to their 
 religion were the " scabs of their church ;" and prevented the appear- 
 ance of the Messiah, as they were ignorant of the law, and objects of the 
 divine displeiwure. Justin Martyr represents the proselytes as more in- 
 veterate enemies to the Christian religion than the native Jews, and as 
 the instruments of the wicked Pharisees in opposing the establishment 
 of the gospel of Christ. 
 
100 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 ry to what they have sworn by the altar only, and not 
 by the offerings placed thereon. But he informed, 
 that the altar is nmore sacred than the gifts which are 
 consecrated and rendered holy by it. Whoever swears 
 by the altar, swears also by whatever is placed there- 
 on, and consequently by the Ahnighty, to whose ho- 
 nor the altar is consecrated ; so he that swears by the 
 temple, at the same time adjures the majesty of the 
 divine Being who resides therein ; he who swears by 
 heaven, swears by the throne of God ; and whoever 
 swears by any part of the creation, makes an appeal 
 to the great Father of the universe. 
 
 Our blessed Saviour also severely reprehended the 
 Scribes and Pharisees, for their superstitious observ- 
 ance of the most minute precepts of the ceremonial 
 law, while they were wholly regardless of the supreme 
 duties of religion and virtue ; and also censured them 
 for having repaired the sepulchres of the prophets, 
 predicting that the time was approaching, when they 
 would commit barbarities equal to those perpetrated 
 by their ancestors. " Woe unto you, Scribes and 
 *' Pharisees, hypocrites ; for ye pay tithe of mint, and 
 " anise, and cummin, and have omitted the weightier 
 '' matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith : 
 *' these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the 
 " other undone. Ye blind guides, which strain at a 
 '^ gnat and swallow a camel. Woe unto you, Scribes 
 *' and Pharisees, hypocrites; for ye make clean the 
 *' the outside of the cup, and of the platter, but within 
 *' they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind 
 " Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup 
 *' and platter, that the outside of them may be clean 
 *' also. Woe unto you. Scribes and Pharisees, hypo- 
 *'crites; for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, 
 " which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are 
 *' wiihin full of dead men's bones, and of all unclean- 
 '* ness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 101 
 
 " unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and 
 " iniquity. Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, 
 '' hypocrites ; because }e build the tombs of the pro- 
 " phets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous. 
 " And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, 
 " we would not have been partakers with them in the 
 *' blood of the prophets. Wherefore ye be witnesses 
 *' unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them 
 *' which killed the prophets. Fill ye up then the 
 " measure of your fathers." Matt, xxiii. 23, &c. 
 
 Great punishments are reserved for you, who with 
 scrupulous exactness pay tithe of herbs, and ri- 
 gidlv observe other minute ordinances of the law, but 
 utterly neglect the practice of justice, mercy, faith, 
 righteousness, and the other most important duties of 
 virtue and religion. You should first observe those 
 precepts which enjoin the observance of the more im- 
 portant duties, and then direct your attention to obli- 
 gations of inferior consequence. Ye hypocrites, ye 
 shall most assuredly experience those punishments 
 which are due to your iniquities ; for though you 
 make a parade of religion and probity, your hearts 
 are corrupted by the most detestable vices. As men 
 cleanse the insides of their cups and other vessels, it 
 behoves you to purify your hearts from their vicious 
 propensities ; after which, you may, without impro- 
 ])riety, assume the external appearance of virtue. — 
 Great shall be your punishment, ye sinful hypocrites ; 
 for you resemble those sepulchres, which are beauti- 
 fully ornamented without, but contain only rottenness 
 and corruption. You repair tlie monuments of the 
 prophets, who were barbarously massacred by your 
 sacrilegious ancestors ; and manifest your approba- 
 tion of their cruelties, by your anxiety to perpetuate 
 the memory thereof ; although you pretend, that, had 
 you lived in the days when those murders were per- 
 petrated, you would have opposed the unprovoked and 
 
102 THE HISTOUY OF 
 
 bloody deeds of your progenitors. But the time is 
 approaching, when you will cotnmit cruelties equal to 
 those of your ancestors, and rival them in the perpe- 
 tration of the most abominable deeds of wickedness. 
 
 Having thus reproached them for their complicated 
 wickedness, and predicted the terrible punishments 
 that would be inflicted upon them, the blessed and 
 benevolent Jesus was deeply impressed by the sensa- 
 tions of tenderness and compassion, and pathetically 
 lamented the destruction that awaited the miserable 
 inhabitants of the city of Jerusalem, who, having em- 
 brued their hands in the blood of the propliets, and 
 committed innumerable other crimes of unexampled 
 magnitude, were shortly to become the objects of di- 
 vine vengeance. *^ Ye serpents, ye generation of vi- 
 ** pers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell ? 
 " Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets and 
 *' wise men, and scribes ; and some of them ye shall 
 " kill and crucify, and some of them shall ye scourge 
 " in your synagogues, and persecute them from city 
 '* to city ; that upon you may come all the righteous 
 *' blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righ- 
 " teous Abel, unto the blood ofZacharias, son of Ba- 
 " rachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the 
 *' altar. Verily I say unto you, all these things shall 
 *■' come upon this generation. O Jerusalem, Jerusa- 
 " lem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them 
 ** which are sent unto thee, how often would I have 
 " gathered thy children together even as a hen gather- 
 ** eth her chickens under her wings, and ye would 
 " not ? Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. 
 ** For J say unto you. Ye shall not see me henceforth, 
 " till ye shall say. Blessed is he that cometh in the 
 '* name of the Lord." Matt, xxiii. 33, &c. 
 
 Ye wicked generation, you must not hope to escape 
 those dreadful and eternal punishments, which, by the 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 103 
 
 ministry of John the baptist, the Almighty has de- 
 nounced against those who transgress his commands : 
 for you have in no respect endeavored to avert the ef- 
 fects of his just indignation. Prophets and men skil- 
 led in the interpretation of the law, will be appointed 
 to instruct you in the ways of salvation : but * some 
 of them you will put to death, and scourge others in 
 your public assemblies ; and those who endeavor to 
 escape your fury, you will persecute and pursue from 
 city to city, with the most violent and implacable en- 
 mity. So far from complying with the repeated ad- 
 monitions of the messengers of God, and being de- 
 terred from the practice of sin, by the many exam- 
 ples of just severity against offenders, you will prove 
 your approbation of the crimes of your ancestors, 
 by surpassing them in the shocking barbarity of 
 your conduct : for by one act of cruelty, you will ren- 
 der yourselves more eminently guilty, than were your 
 progenitors, after the many murders committed by 
 them, from the slaughter of Abel the son of Adam, 
 to that of I Zacharias the son of Barachias, who was 
 slain between the temple and the altar. Do not ima- 
 gine that the punishments I have denounced, will be 
 postponed for a long series of years : but know, that 
 the Almighty will most assuredly inflict them upon the 
 present degenerate race of men. O ye wicked inha- 
 bitants of Jerusalem, how earnestly have I endeavored 
 to defend you from the power of Satan : but you re- 
 
 * This wasveriried,in the treatment which the apostles and first dis- 
 ciples experienced from the Jews. They stoned Stephen to death ; they 
 put .lames, the brother of John to death, by the sword ; they scourged 
 Peter and the apostles, and persecuted Paul and Barnabas from city to 
 city. 
 
 t Some insist that this Zacharias was the father of John the Baptist : 
 buttliisisas strongly denied bv others, tie seems to have been put to 
 death about the time when our Saviour delivered the above discourses ; 
 and if so, from the days of Abel to those of Zacharias, are included 
 all the ajjes of the ancient church. 
 
104 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 jected my oiFers of protection. Such has been your ^ 
 ingratitude and wickedness, that \ our country shall 
 be laid in a state of utter desolation : and I predict to 
 you, that after my death and ascension into heaven, '■ 
 you will anxiously, but in vain, wish for my inter- 
 ference, to avert the impending vengeance of an of- 
 fended God. 
 
 Thus did our blessed Saviour expose the hypocrisy 
 of the Scribes and Pharisees ; he reproached them 
 with severity, because their crimes were of unexam- 
 pled magnitude : and hence we may learn the neces- 
 sity of regulating our lives by the dictates of righte- 
 ousness and morality, and that all our endeavors to 
 conceal our crimes, by assuming the outward appear- 
 ance of sanctity, will prove ineffectual. 
 
 The freedom with which the great Preacher of Isra- 
 el reproved the Scribes and Pharisees, excited the as- 
 tonishment of the people, who had ever been accus- 
 tomed to consider their teachers as the most righteous 
 among the sons of men. The very people, indeed, to 
 vi'hom our Lord particularly directed his reproaches 
 and threats of vengeance, by the conviction of their 
 own consciences, were convinced of the justice of 
 every accusation alledged against them : but, howe- 
 ver malignant and cruel the designs they had conceiv- 
 ed against Jesus they dared not attempt carrying them 
 into execution in the presence of the multitude, who, 
 they were persuaded, were disposed to resent any vi- 
 olence that might be offered to the person of Jesus. 
 
 The blessed Jesus, the great infallible teacher of 
 righteousness, repaired with his disciples to the court | 
 of the woman, called the treasury, on account of seve- ' 
 ral chests being affixed to the pillars of the portico 
 surrounding the court for the reception of the gifts 
 presented by those who came to worship in the tem- 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 105 
 
 pie. Among other persons, who gave money for the 
 use of the sacred building, was a poor widow, who 
 put into the chest two small pieces of coin, worth to- 
 gether about an English farthing. Upon this, Jesus 
 observed to his disciples, that the poor widow had 
 more liberally contributed towards the temple, than 
 any of the other subscribers ; for those who were pos- 
 sessed of abundance, could feel no inconvenience in 
 consequence of their donations ; but, from motives 
 of righteousness, she had cheerfully given her whole 
 stock of money. *' And Jesus sat over against the 
 ** treasury, and beheld how the people cast money 
 " into the treasury : and many that were rich cast in 
 " much. And there came a certain poor widow, and 
 " she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. — 
 " And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto 
 *' them. Verily I say unto you, that this poor widow 
 " hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into 
 " the treasury. For all they did cast in of their abund- 
 " ance : but she of her want did cast in all that she 
 *' had, even all her living," Mark xii. 41, &c. 
 
 Although the offering made by this poor woman 
 was in itself very inconsiderable, yet, comparatively 
 with the state of her finances, it was great ; for she 
 had given all she was possessed of, though she might, 
 Avithout any breach of piety, have reserved it to her- 
 self, since she had occasion for it, for the purpose of 
 procuring her the means of subsistence. To animate 
 his disciples to the practice of charity, and to prove 
 to them that it was the disposition of the mind, and 
 not the magnificence of the offering that was most 
 acceptable to God, our blessed Saviour applauded the 
 conduct of the poor widow ; because, in proportion 
 to her circumstances, she had contributed more libe- 
 rally than those, who, from the abundance of their 
 wealth, had made more splendid offerings. Hence 
 we are to learn, that those persons, whose situation in 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
106 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 life will not permit them to perform acts of great mu- 
 nificence, will render themselves acceptable to God, 
 by discharging their du-y to their fellow creatures ac- 
 cording to the extent of their ability. The rich may 
 collect an admirable lesson from this passi-ge. It is 
 not sumcient that they esceed the poor in the value of 
 their charitable donations ; for it is their dutj- to con- 
 tribute towards the relief of the indigent, in propor- 
 tion to their respective incomes ; and they will be pru- 
 dent, if they consider, that a little given, where only 
 a little is reser\ed, constitutes a more noble offering, 
 and evinces a more humane and benevolent disposi- 
 tion, than larger sums given by those who are in pos- 
 session of plentiful estates. 
 
 Departing from the temple, our blessed Saviour di- 
 rected his course towards the Mount of Olives ; and 
 on the way, his disciples obser\'ed, that at the conclu- 
 sion of his pathetic lamentation over the miserably de- 
 voted city of Jerusalem, he had declared, that the tem- 
 ple should not be again honored with his presence, 
 till the Jews should e:: claim, ** Blessed is he that com- 
 '* eth in the name of the Lord." This declaration 
 had greath' alarmed them ; and therefore they request- 
 ed, that he would observe the magnificence and beau- 
 ty of the holy edifice ; intimating at the same time, 
 that they conceived it to be extraordinarj', he should 
 resolve to leave so glorious a fabric, celebrated in eve- 
 ry quarter of the globe, in a state of desolation ; and 
 that they should deem themselves supremely fortu- 
 nate, when he, as the great Messiah, and the descend- 
 ant and successor of David, should take possession 
 of the temple, and establish his throne in the city of 
 Jerusalem. But our Lord informed them, that the 
 period W2s approaching, when the magnificent struc- 
 ture would be entirely levelled with the earth. *' And 
 ** Jesus went out, and departed from the temple ; and 
 ** h:s disciples came to him, for to shew him the build- 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUU. 107 
 
 *' ing of the temple. And Jesus said unto them, See 
 '' yc not all these things ? Verily I say unto you, 
 '" There shall not be left here one stone upon another, 
 " that shall not be thrown down." Matt. xxiv. 1, 2. 
 
 Though the disciples of Jesus understood that the 
 temple uas to be destroyed, they did not imagine 
 that the practice of otTering up sacrifices was to be 
 abolished, and a new religion established, which 
 would render the temple unnecessary. But they sup- 
 posed that this buildmg was to be destroyed, in order 
 that a more magnificent and capaoioas structure might 
 be erected on the same spot, after a plan more agree- 
 able to the grandeur of the ideas they had formed of the 
 approaching kingdom of the Messiah. As they pro- 
 ceeded on their journey, the disciples meditated with 
 pleasure on the glorious events which they imagined 
 would take place, when their Master should assume 
 the reins of government, and render all the inhabi- 
 tants of the earth subject to his dominion. 
 
 Upon his arrival at the Mount of Olives, our Savi- 
 our seated himself upon an eminence, which com- 
 manded a prospect of the temple. His disciples now 
 requested, that he would inform them, when the tem- 
 ple would be demolished, and w hat would be the signs 
 preceding his appearance to reward the righteous, and 
 punish the wicked, and of the end of the world. " And 
 " as he sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples 
 *' came to him privately, saying, Tell us, when 
 '' shall these things be ; and wh.it shall be the sign of 
 "thy coming, and of the end of the world." Matt, 
 xxiv. o. 
 
 It appears, that the disciples were desirous of learn- 
 ing what tokens would precede the establishment of 
 that extensive and splendid empire, over which they 
 imagined, the Messiah was to exercise the powers of a 
 
108 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 temporal sovereignty. Therefore they connected the 
 idea of the deslruciion of the temple, with that of 
 their Master'sappcarance to judge mankind : but they 
 entertained no notion, that he had referred to a refor- 
 mation in the mode of religious worship. 
 
 By ^' the end of the world," or, as the words should 
 have been translated, '* the end of the ages," they 
 meant the period of political government, then exe- 
 cuted by Heathen procurations ; and considered, that 
 by abolishing the constitution then subsisting, their 
 Master ^^ould produce a most desirable event. 
 
 That the matter was thus understood by the disci- 
 ples, will be sufficiently clear, if we consider, that they 
 were greatly delighted with the idea of the expected 
 alteration ; for, if by " the end of the world,'' they 
 had meant the final destruction of all sublunary things, 
 they could not, in the disposition of mind they were 
 then in, but have been impressed with melancholy 
 ideas. 
 
 But to relieve them from their mistake, our blessed 
 Saviour informed his disciples, that he had come upon 
 earth, not to govern a secular kingdom, but to lead 
 mankind into ihe ways of salvation, and to punish 
 the perfidy and rebellion of the Jews, by destroying 
 both their temple and nation. *' And Jesus answered 
 " and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive 
 " you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I 
 " am. Christ: and shall deceive many. And ye shall 
 *' hear of wars, and rumors of wars : see that ye be 
 "^ not troubled : for all these things must come to pass, 
 *' but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against 
 *' nation, ajid kingdom against kingdom : and there 
 ** shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes 
 *' in divers place. All these are the beginning of 
 " sorrows," Matt. xxiv. 4, &c. Though the disci- 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 10.9 
 
 pies were to be witnesses of the ascension of their 
 Master into heaven, yet it was probable that they 
 might expect he would again appear upon earth : and 
 therefore he admonished them lo guard against being 
 deceived by impostors, who would arrogate to them- 
 selves the character of the Messiah. Intestine dis- 
 cords, he informed them, would prevail in Palestine, 
 betvveen the Jews, the Gentiles, and the neighboring 
 princes ; and famine, and pestilence, would succeed 
 the horrors of war and rebellion ; adding, that amidst 
 all these calamities, it would behove them to preserve 
 their fortitude, and steadily to persevere in their faith. 
 But however deplorable these events, they would be 
 only the preludes to more dreadful misfortunes, which 
 would be inflicted upon the Jews, as the just punish- 
 ments due to their abominable iniquities. 
 
 Our Saviour now proceeded to apprize his disciples 
 of the persecutions they were to encounter, and to 
 predict the further calamities in which the perfidious 
 Jews would be involved. *' Then shall they deliver 
 " you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you : and ye 
 *' shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. — 
 *' And then shall many be offended, and shall be- 
 *' tray one another, and shall hate one another. — 
 " And many false prophets shall rise, and shall de- 
 " ceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, 
 ** the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall 
 *' endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. — 
 " And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in. 
 " all the world, for a witness unto all nations, and then 
 " shall the end come. When je therefore shall see 
 "■ the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Dani- 
 " el the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso read- 
 *' cth, let him understand.) Then let them which be 
 *' in Judea, flee into the mountains. Let him which is 
 " on the house-top, not come down to take any tiling 
 ** out of his house : Neither let him which is in the 
 
110 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 " field, return back to take his clothes. And u^oe unto 
 " them that are with child, and to them that give suck 
 *' in those days. But pray ye that your flight be not 
 '* in the winter, neither on the sabbath-day : for then 
 " shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the 
 *' beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever 
 " shall be. And except those days should be shor- 
 ** tened, there should no flesh be savcci : but for the 
 " elect's sake those days shall be shortened." Matt, 
 xxiv. 9, &;c. 
 
 In the above manner did Jesus intimate, that the un- 
 believing Jews and apostate Christians, would be guil- 
 ty of the most abominable crimes ; and that the vio- 
 lent contentions among them, and their perfidy and 
 wickedness, w^ould interrupt the propagation of the 
 gospel. But those who steadily maintained their 
 faith, should not be condemned to the terrible de- 
 struction in which the rebellious Jews were to be in- 
 volved. When the city of Jerusalem should be in- 
 vested by the Pagan armies, bearing upon their stand- 
 dards the images of idols, the *' abomination of deso- 
 lation," mentioned by the prophet Daniel, then would 
 be verified the predictions relating to the city and the 
 temple, and the abolition of the custom of offering up 
 sacrifices; and there would be a final period to the 
 political institutions of the Jewish nation. In those 
 days of vengeance, when the awful judgment of hea- 
 ven would be inflicted upon the impenitent and unbe- 
 lieving Jews, pregnant women, and those having chil- 
 dren at their breasts, would be particularly unhappy, 
 on account of their incapacity of flying from the im- 
 pending ruin. He represented, that it behoved them 
 to pray that their flight might not be in winter, or 
 on the sabbath-day ; that their progress might not be 
 interrupted by the rugged state of the roads, and the 
 rigor of the season ; and that they might not be com- 
 pelled to seek shelter from the fury of the soldiers. 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. Ill 
 
 by prosecuting their journey on a day, when they 
 deemed it unianful to travel. Though the desolation 
 and horrors that would prevail at the time of the de- 
 struction of Jerusalem, would greatly surpass the 
 most dreadful calamities that had been known from 
 the creation of the world ; yet the elect of God, or 
 such as had embraced the doctrines of the Christian 
 gospel, would be protected from the common mise- 
 ries which would be experienced by those who re- 
 jected the offers of salvation. 
 
 That the prophecies of our Saviour, concerning the 
 dreadful calamities the Jewish nation was to experi- 
 ence, were verified in their fullest extent, is confirm- 
 ed by the testimony of Josephus, who was present at 
 the siege of Jerusalem by the Roman army, under the 
 command of Titus. 
 
 " The * extreme severity of the famine had almost 
 " depopulated the city ; and the miseries consequent 
 *' on this calamity, are beyond all number or recital. 
 *' If it was but suspected that there was any conceal- 
 •' ed food in a family, this circumstance was sufficient 
 *' to dissolve the tcnderest ties, and create a general 
 *' insurrection among the parties. Those who abso- 
 *' lutely perished of mere hunger were not credited^ 
 " even at the hour of death, when they declared that 
 " they had no food ; for no sooner had the breath 
 ** left their bodies, than immediate search was made 
 *' about their persons on the supposition that they 
 " had concealed some bread. When the survivors 
 ** found not what they searched for, they ranged the 
 '* streets like mad dogs, reeling like drunkards through 
 " weakness, repeatedly prying into every corner of 
 " every house ; seizing whatever they could find, 
 *' even such articles as u canine appetite would have 
 
 * See Josephus, translated by Thompson and Price, Vol. II. p. 5 14. 
 
112 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 *' refused. The skins of beasts, leather girdles,*^ and 
 " shoes were eaten ; and even a handful of old hay 
 " bore the price of four atticks. But wherefore 
 *' should I trouble myself with a description of this 
 *' dreadful calamity, in the mention of these inani- 
 ** mate substances, when I have before me a preg- 
 " nant instance of a circumstance never equalled 
 *' among the Greeks and Barbarians ; a story of so 
 *' horrid a nature, that it shocks humanity but to think 
 ** of it. I should be willing to omit this unfortunate 
 " narrative, lest future times should censure me for 
 *' relating a falshood : but I have so many testimonies 
 *' of its veracity, that if I should seek to suppress it 
 *' through partiality to the deceased, I should be de- 
 " ficient in my duty to my country.'* 
 
 He then proceeds to relate, that Mary, the daugh- 
 ter of a man named Eleazer, inhibiting the village 
 of Vetezcbra, situated beyond the river Jordan, after 
 being despoiled of all her property by the Roman 
 soldiery, endeavored by the most acrimonious re- 
 proaches to provoke them to put her to death : but 
 failing in this, and being driven to a state of despe- 
 ration by extreme hunger, she formed a resolution 
 more horrid than it is possible for the powers of lan- 
 guage to describe. After tenderly embracing the 
 infant that was sucking at her breast, she exclaimed, 
 ** In what terms shall I address thee, most unhap- 
 *^ py infant, who art born during the raging of such 
 *' horrid judgments as rebellion, famine, and war ! 
 " To which of these shall I reserve thee ? It is pos- 
 " sible the Romans will grant thee thy life, but not 
 <* thy liberty ; famine will prevent slavery : but our 
 ** present tyrants will be worse foes than the other 
 •' two. What, in thy present situation, canst thou 
 *' do better than to supply a meal to ihy starving mo- 
 " ther, and terrify the party with the horror of the 
 *' deed .*' Thus shalt thou complete the history of 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 113 
 
 " the Jews, with the only attrocious act that is 
 '* yet wanting to render their misery perfect." Af- 
 ter this apostrophe, she slew the infant ; and hav- 
 ing boiled it, satisfied her appetite with one half of 
 her child, and covering up the other part, placed it 
 where she usually kept her food. " This circum- 
 " stance, continues our author, soon came to the 
 " knowledge of the faction ; some of whom went to 
 *' the house of the woman, and threatened her with 
 *' immediate death, if she did not produce what pro- 
 " visions she had in the house. Hereupon she fetch- 
 *' ed out that part of the child which still remained 
 ** undevoured, and told them, that was all the food 
 *' she possessed. This sight had such an effect on 
 " the spectators, that they at first appeared terrified 
 *' with horror, then trembled at the idea of what had 
 " passed, and were shocked at the consequences that 
 " were to be dreaded from it." On this the woman 
 addressed them as follows : " Be assured that this 
 '* is my son, and that I have dressed this dish, the 
 " half of which I have eaten myself, and request that 
 *' you will eat the remainder. I flatter myself that 
 " you will not pretend to more delicacy than a wo- 
 •' man, or more compassion than a mother. But if 
 ** you refuse the oblation through scruples of consci- 
 " ence, you are welcome to leave the food where you 
 " have found it ; only remember that I have eaten a 
 " part of it already. She had no sooner ended speak- 
 " ing,. than they departed with evident signs of ter- 
 " ror, leaving, though against their inclinations, 
 " the remainder of the child with the unfortunate mo- 
 «' ther." 
 
 The learned author, from w'hom we have extracted 
 the above melancholy narrative, * speaks of the de- 
 struction of the temple, and the miseries that prevail- 
 
 * Vol. II. p. 5ai, 522. 
 VOL. II. P 
 
114 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 ed among the Jews, in a manner which fully confirms 
 the prophecy of our blessed Saviour, concerning the 
 unexampled severity with which those people were 
 to be punished. 
 
 " During the time that the temple was in flames, 
 the soldiers seized every person they could find ; and 
 having first plundered, they slew them, without pay- 
 ing the least attention to age, sex, or quality. The 
 slaughter on this occasion was immense : the old, the 
 young ; those of the priesthood, and those of the lai- 
 ty ; persons of all ranks and ail degrees ; w hether they 
 resisted or submitted ; whether they sued for quarter 
 or otherwise, were all involved in the general calami- 
 ty of the war. 
 
 '* As the fire continued to increase, the noise of the 
 flames was heard, intermixed with the groans of per- 
 sons in the agonies of death : and to those at a dis- 
 tance, the wdiole city appeared to be on fire, owing to 
 the extent of the conflagration, and the depth of the 
 hill. The confusion and disorder occasioned by this 
 event, were so great, that it is not in the power of lan- 
 guage to describe them. The Roman legions made 
 the most horrid outcries : the rebels, when they found 
 thenibelves at the mercy of the fire and sw^ord, scream- 
 ed in the most dreadful manner ; while the unhappy 
 wretches enclosed between the enemy and the fire, la- 
 mented their situation in the most pitiable complaints. 
 Those on the mountain, and those in the city, seemed 
 mutually to return the groans of each other. Those 
 who were already on the point of expiring through fa- 
 mine, acquired fresh spirits to deplore their misfor- 
 tunes, when they saw the dreadful effects of the raging 
 flames. The complaints and lamentations from the 
 city were repeatedly echoed from the adjacent moun- 
 tains and places beyond Jordan : but the calamity ex- 
 ceeded in reality, all that could be expressed by the 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 115 
 
 bewailings of the sufferers. The flames of fire ^\'ere 
 so violent and impetuous, that the mountain on which 
 the temple stood, resembled one larpje body of liie, 
 even from its foundation. The blood of the suffer- 
 ers flowed in proportion to the raging of the flames ; 
 for the number of those who were slain, exceeded 
 that of their executioners. Dead bodies strewed the 
 ground on every side, and the Roman soldiers tramp- 
 led on the bodies of the slain in pursuit of their sur- 
 vivors. At length, however, a body of the insurgents 
 repelled the Romans, and having forced a passage 
 into the outward temple, effected their escape into the 
 city ; while the outward porch was gained by the re- 
 mainder of their number. 
 
 " Many of the priests who had engaged in this con- 
 test with the Romans, made use of the spits belong- 
 ing to the temple, instead of darts ; and, in the place 
 of stones, they threw their seats, which had lead in 
 them ; but at length, finding that the efforts of all 
 their resolution were fruitless, and that fire pursued 
 wherever they attempted to fly, they took refuge for 
 some time under a thick wall that was not less than 
 eight cubits in breadth. Among the principal per- 
 sons who exerted themselves on this occasion, were 
 Meirus, the son of Belgas, and Joseph, the son of 
 Dalaeus, who might have preserved their own lives, 
 if they would have taken part with the Romans ; but 
 they rather chose to adhere to their associates, and 
 plunging themselves into the fire, were buried in the 
 conflagration that destroyed the temple. 
 
 *' The Romans now finding that the temple was 
 reduced to ashes, were less anxious as to the preser- 
 vation of any other particular buildings; wherefore 
 they set fire to most of the gates and galleries at the 
 same time ; sparing only one on the cast side, and 
 another on the south : but, in a short time afterwards, 
 
116 THE HISTOKY OF 
 
 these iindersvent the fate of the former. They like- 
 wise burnt the treasury and the wardrobe, containing 
 an immense treasure in jewels, and money, and rich 
 habits to a very large amount : for, in fact, the Jews 
 had made this place a repository of every thing that 
 they deemed most valuable. 
 
 " There was yet standing one gallery on the out- 
 side of the temple, to which had resorted an immense 
 number of women and. children, with a variety of 
 persons who had fled from the multitude ; the whole 
 number amounting to almost six thousand. The sol- 
 diers, enraged to the utmost degree of fury, set this 
 place on fire, before Titus had an opportunity of giv- 
 ing any directions concerning it ; and they continu- 
 ed theiro perations against it with such vehemence, 
 that not a single person escaped with life, numbers 
 throwing themselves precipitately from the ruins, and 
 all the rest being consumed by the flames." 
 
 We shall now relate what our blessed Redeemer 
 further said to his disciples. He admonished them 
 to be cautious, lest they should be deceived by im- 
 postors ; saying, that many persons would falsely pre- 
 tend to be prophets, and arrogating to themselves the 
 character of the Messiah, would endeavor to support 
 their claim to that character, by performing miracles 
 sufficient to mislead, not only the obstinate and con- 
 tumacious Jews, but even many of those people who* 
 believed in his gospel. This prediction, Josephus in- 
 forms us, was verified dining the siege of Jerusalem, 
 when many persons assumed the character of the 
 Messiah, and pretended that they had power to re- 
 deem the Jewish nation from its calamitous and de- 
 plorable situation. *' Then if any man shall say unto 
 ** you, Lo, here is Christ, or there : believe it not. 
 *' For there shall rise false Christs, and false prophets, 
 '' and shall shew great signs and wonders, insomuch 
 
OUll BI.ESSEU SAVIOUR. 117 
 
 *' that (if it were possible) they shall deceive the very 
 *' elect. Behold, 1 have told you before. Wherefore, 
 ** if they shall say unto you, behold, he is in the de- 
 " sart, go not forth : behold, he is in the secret cham- 
 " bers, believe it not." Malt. xxiv. 23, &c. 
 
 Our blessed Redeemer now informed the people, 
 that no man could foresee when he should come to 
 execute vengeance upon sinners ; for his appearance 
 would be unexpecled, and swift and destructive as the 
 lightning's flash. But the words of our Lord impli 
 cd, that he was not personally to appear in order to 
 execute judgment on the contumacious Jews, but that 
 the Roman armies should spread desolation and hor- 
 ror throughout Judea, and be sensible of no more 
 compassion for the sufferings of the Jews, than is felt 
 by a voracious eagle after having seized its prey. — 
 Wherever the tumultuous Jews shall assemble, vainly- 
 expecting that the Messiah will become their leader in 
 war, and enable them to rescue themselves from the 
 power of their oppressors, thither shall they be pursu- 
 ed and put to death by the Romans. " As the lightning 
 " cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the 
 " west ; so shall the coming of the Son of man, be. For 
 *' wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be 
 *' gathered together." Matt. xxiv. 27, 28. 
 
 Having particularized the tokens which were to 
 precede the destruction of Jerusalem, he described 
 that dreadful catastrophe itself, with ail that gran- 
 deur of imagery, and pomp of diction, which the an- 
 cient prophets were accustomed to use when they 
 predicted the ruin of kingdoms or cities. " Imme- 
 " diateiy after the tribulation of those days shall the 
 " sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her 
 " light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the 
 " powers of the elements shall be shaken." Matt, 
 xliv. 29. *' And there shall be signs in the suii> and 
 
«idk prrffasitT ; lie sta aadi Ac 
 
 L^^szeL ^, :S6u 
 
1» 
 
120 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 " house had known in what watch the thief would 
 *' come, he would have watched, and would not have 
 ** suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be 
 ** ye also ready : for in such an hour as ye think not, 
 " the Son of man cometh. Who then is a faithful 
 *' and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler 
 " over his houshold, to give them meat in due season ? 
 *' Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he 
 " cometh, shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, 
 *' that he shall make him ruler over all his goods. — 
 *' But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, 
 " My lord delayeth his coming, and shall begin to 
 *' smite his fellow-servants, and to eat and drink with 
 " the drunken : the lord of that servant shall come 
 " in a day when he lookcth not for him, and in an 
 *Miour that he is not aware of ; and shall cut him 
 " asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hy- 
 *' pocrites : there shall be weeping and gnashing of 
 '^ teeth." Matt. xxiv. 42, &c. 
 
 In the above manner, did our blessed Redeemer ex- 
 hort his auditors to the continual practice of righte- 
 ousness, and explain to them the necessity of perse- 
 vering in a course of piety and religion. You who 
 are the ministers of my gospel, are particularly en- 
 joined to a punctual discharge of the trust reposed in 
 you, who are the stewards appointed to hold posses- 
 sion of the houshold of the church ; and it will be- 
 hove you constantly to remember, that your example 
 will have a considerable influence upon the rest of 
 mankind. It is your duty to render yourselves per- 
 fectly conversant in the great truths of the gospel dis- 
 pensation, and to qualify yourselves to apply them in 
 such a manner, as will niost effectually operate towards 
 the benefit of mankind. 
 
 It is also necessary that you should inform your- 
 selves of the characters and dispositions of those who 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 121 
 
 are employed under you, that you may administer 
 to them whatever their necessities may require ; and 
 if, at my appearance to judge mankind, I find you 
 thus employed, be assured that I will bestow upon 
 you the rewards of my heavenly kingdom, even as an 
 earthly master bestows favor and recompence upon 
 such servants as have distinguished themselves by 
 their fidelity, and their zeal for promoting his advant- 
 age. But those on the contrary, who betray the 
 trust reposed in them, and neglect to exert their ut- 
 most endeavors for eft'ecting the salvation of their fel- 
 low-creatures, shall severely lament their disobedi- 
 ence ; for when they conceive themselves to be in a 
 state of the most perfect security, I will make them 
 the objects of exemplary justice, and inflict punish- 
 ments upon them proportioned to their respective 
 crimes. 
 
 To illustrate the doctrine he had advanced, the di- 
 vine Preacher of Israel delivered the following para- 
 bles. The * men who wish to obtain the blessings 
 of heaven, shall proves to resemble the ten virgins who 
 were invited to a nuptial entertainment. 
 
 These virgins were to go forth to meet the bride- 
 groom, and, after accompanying him home, to par- 
 take of the banquet provided on occasion of his mar- 
 riage. They assembled at the appointed time, each 
 being provided with a lamp and some oil. But five 
 
 * A strong resemblance of this parable is to be found in the .Iev> ish 
 records; and in one of the books of those people, we have the follow- 
 ing expressions : " Our wise men of blessed memors say, llepent 
 •' whilst thou hast strength to do it ; whilst the lamp burns, and thv oil 
 •♦ is not extinguished ; for if the lamp he gone out, tiie oil will j)rolK thee 
 •' nothing." Most of the fathers are of opinion, that this parable was 
 meant to shew the incfficacy of late repentance. I'he advice of the 
 son of Sirach deserves j)articular attention, " Humble thyself before 
 " thoubecst sick, and in the time of sins, shew repentance, and defer 
 " not till death to be justified." 
 
 VOL. II. (^ 
 
122 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 of them had taken the precaution to provide them- 
 selves with a portion of oil, exclusive of what they 
 had put into their lamps. The other five brought 
 their lamps already burning, but had not oil to pre- 
 serve the flame, in case the bridegroom should not 
 repair to ihem so early as they had been taught to ex- 
 pect. The bridegroom not coming at the appointed 
 time, the virgins composed themselves to sleep. 
 
 About the third watch, they were awakened by 
 messengers, dispatched to apprize them of the bride- 
 groom's approach. They now hastily arose, and 
 trimmed their lamps : and the improvident young 
 women, perceiving that their oil was exhausted, re- 
 quested a supply from their companions. They re- 
 plied, that it was not convenient to comply with their 
 n 'iuest, lest they should have occasion for oil for the 
 supply of their own lamps: but they advised their 
 associates to hasten to the nearest place where oil was 
 sold, and purchase a sufficient supply. They follow- 
 ed this advice : but during their absence, the bride- 
 groom arrived. The five virgins whose lamps con- 
 tinued burning, joined the train, and proceeded to 
 the banqueting-room : but when the other five came, 
 they were denied admitiance. They earnestly solicit- 
 ed, thatuhe bridegroom would permit them to par- 
 take of the entertainment : but he resolutely adher- 
 ed to his resolution, of net allowing them to attend 
 the celebration of his marriage. 
 
 So also shall I behave toward those, who, notwith- 
 standnig ihe benefits proposed to their acceptance, 
 shall continue under the dominion of sin; and there, 
 fore 1 admonish you to be careful, lest you should 
 transgress the precepts of my gospel, your strict ob- 
 servance of whicli will most assuredly secure eternal 
 salvation. " Then shall the kingdom of heaven be 
 *' likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps. 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 123 
 
 '' and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five 
 " of them were wise, and five were foolish. They 
 *' that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil 
 " wich ihem : but the wise took oil in their vessels 
 *' with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, 
 •' they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight 
 •' there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom 
 " Cometh, go ye out to meet him. Then all those 
 " virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the 
 " foolish said unto the wise, Give us ofyour oil, for 
 " our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, 
 *' saying, Not so ; lest there be not enough for us 
 " and you : but go ye rather to them that sell, and 
 " buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, 
 *' the bridegroom came, and they that were ready, 
 ^" went in with him to the marriage, and the. door 
 '• was shut. Afterwards came also the other virgins, 
 '' saying. Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answer* 
 " ed and said. Verily I say unto you, I know you 
 " not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day 
 " nor the hour, wherein the Son of man cometh."- — 
 Matt. XXV. 1, he. 
 
 In order to explain the meaning of the above pa- 
 rable, it is necessary to observe, that it alludes to the 
 ceremonies observed at the marriages among the 
 Jews. It was usual for the bridegroom to conduct 
 his wife home in the evening ; and his female friends 
 and acquaintances were accustomed to wait with 
 lamps, till ihey were informed of the approach of the 
 new married couple, when they proceeded to meet 
 and congratulate them on occasion of their marriage, 
 and to accompany them home, each carrying a burn- 
 ing lamp. 
 
 To ten such virgins, our blessed Saviour compared 
 all those persons to whom the gosi)el was preached ; 
 ten being the usual number of virgms appointed to 
 
124 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 attend the bride and bridegroom. To these vir- 
 gins, may be compared all the true professors of 
 the Christian gospel ; and the lamps which were 
 carried by the virgins are discriptive of faith in 
 Christ, who is the celestial Bridegroom, and to meet 
 whom ali true disciples go forth, in order to solicit 
 that they may be admitted into the blessed regions of 
 immortality. 
 
 The weakness of some, is represented by the vir- 
 gins who did not provide oil for the supply of their 
 lamps : so those Christians who only make a profes- 
 sion of faith in the gospel, and neglect to furnish them- 
 selves with the oil of divine grace, the fruit of which 
 is holiness, must not expect to obtain the favor of the 
 heavenly Bridegroom. But, on the contrary, the 
 wise, conscious that faith without holiness must prove 
 ineffectual, are careful to acquire a necessary portion 
 of divine grace, and ever disposed to perform works of 
 love and charity. 
 
 While waiting for the appearance of the bridegroom, 
 the ten virgins are said to have slept : whereby it is 
 intimated, that both the sincere and hypocritical pro- 
 fessors of the Christian religion, lie down together in 
 the common sleep of death ; and whde the iMessiah 
 delays his appearaace, mankind slumber together in 
 the mansions of the grave. 
 
 The Jews have a tradition, that the Messiah will 
 come to judge mankind at midnight; but however 
 this may be, certain it is that his appearance will be 
 sudden, alarming and awful ; his tremendous v(jice 
 will be heard in the remotest quarters of the globe, 
 and will penetrate into the very bowels of the earth, 
 and the utmost depths of the oceaii. *' Behold the 
 " Bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him." 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 125 
 
 As the improvident virgins were refused admittance 
 to the marriage banquet, so will the enemies of Christ, 
 and those who do not conform to the precepts of his 
 gospel, be rejected by him on the great and awful day 
 of judgment. Therefore he kindly exhorts us to 
 watch, that we may be in a constant state of prepara- 
 tion to appear before the grand and solemn tribunal of 
 Almighty justice. Let us not disregard this benevo- 
 lent invitation, but by a steady perseverance in the du- 
 ties of righteousness and virtue, be ever prepared to 
 accompany the great author of our salvation, to the 
 banquet of happiness prepared for his true disciples 
 in the blessed regions of the heavenly Canaan. 
 
 More clearly to explain the true nature of, and the 
 inestimable advantages to be derived from, Christian 
 watchfulness, our blessed Saviour delivered another 
 parable, which, like the former, is calculated to ex- 
 cite us to a punctual discharge of our religious du- 
 ties. 
 
 A man who had occasion to undertake a long jour- 
 ney distributed a sum of money among his servants, 
 giving five talents to one, two to another, and one ta- 
 lent to a third, and commanding them to employ these 
 sums to the best advantage during his absence ; and 
 upon tht'ir promising to comply with his directions, 
 he departed. 
 
 The servant who had received the five talents, im- 
 mediately employed them in traffic, and his success 
 was equal to his industry and application ; for before 
 his master's return, he doubled the original sum. — 
 The man who had received the two talents, pursued 
 a similar conduct, and with equal success. But the 
 third servant, being fearful of engaging in traffic, lest 
 his master's property should be consumed, dug a hole 
 
126 THE HISTORY OV 
 
 in the earth, and therein deposited the talent he had 
 received. 
 
 After a considerable time had ehipscd, the master 
 returned, and ordered the three servants to relate in 
 what manner they had discharged tlie trust reposed in 
 them. He hi^^hly extolled the prudence and industry 
 of the two servants who had doubled the money they 
 had received, and promised to bestow upon them such 
 rewards as were due to their merits. But the third 
 servant returned to his niiister the talent with which 
 he had been intrusted, alledging, in excuse for not 
 having improved the money, that being conscious of 
 the covetousness of his disposition, he had neglected 
 to employ the mbney in commerce, from an apprehen- 
 sion that his undertaking might prove unsuccessful, 
 and that payment of the money he was intrusted with, 
 would be rigorous!}^ exacted. Hereupon his master 
 severely reproached hirn for his indolence ; and in- 
 formed him, that although he believed him to be of 
 an austere and rapacious disposition, he should have 
 put the money out to use, that some advantage might 
 have been obtained by the accumulation of interest. 
 He then ordered the talent he had returned, to be gi- 
 ven to the servant who had gained five talents by traf- 
 fic, and that the iudoient man misriit be dismissed his 
 presence, to spend the night in a solitary place near 
 the hou^e, there to lament his indiscretion ; and at 
 the same time, he gave the ether two men permission 
 to sit at table with him in the banquetting-room, 
 which was illuminated with lamps and torchics. 
 
 " For the kinsdom of heaven is as a man travelling: 
 *' into a far country, who called his own servants, 
 ** and delivered unto them his goods : and unto one 
 " he gave five talents, to another two, and to another 
 *' one, to every man according to his several abiiiry, 
 " and straightway took his journey. Then he that 
 
OUn BLESSED SAVIOUU. 1^27 
 
 had received the five talents, went and traded with 
 the same, and made them other five talents. And 
 likewise he that had reeeived two, he also gained 
 other two. But he that had received one, went and 
 dif^ged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. Af- 
 ter a long^ time, the lord of those servants cometh, 
 and reckoneth with them. And so he that had re- 
 ceived five talenls, came and brought other five 
 talents, saying, Lord, thou delivcredst unto me 
 five talents : behold, I have gained besides theni 
 five talents rnorc. His lord said unto him, Well 
 done, thou good and faithful servant ; thou hast 
 ' been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ru- 
 ' ler over many things ; enter thou into the joy of 
 ' thy lord. He also that received two talents, came 
 ' and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two 
 ' talents : behold, I have gained two other talents be- 
 ' sides them. His lord said unto him. Well done, 
 ' good and faithful servant ; thou hast been faithful 
 ' over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many 
 ' things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Then 
 ' he which had received the one talent, came and 
 
 * said. Lord, I knew thee, that thou art an hard man, 
 ' reaping where thou hast not sov»n, and gatherinp* 
 ' where thou hast not strawcd : and i was afraid, and 
 ' went and hid thy talent in the earth : lo, there thou 
 ' hast that is thine. His lord answered, and said 
 ' unto him. Thou wicked and slothful servant, thoa 
 ' knewest that I reap where I sovv'ed not, and gather 
 ' where I have not strawcd : thou oughtest thcicfore 
 ' to have put my money to the exchangers, and then 
 
 * at my coming I should have received mine own with 
 ' usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and 
 ' give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unio 
 ' every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have 
 'abundance: but from him that hath not shall be 
 ' taken away, even that wb.iclj he hath. And cast ye 
 ' the unprofitable servant into outer darkness : there 
 
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 R a^fnadMi^ MM kMT sdom at 
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 esfcanRe : Imm saacr i( is cer-. 
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 at caosMK SJUOP ef mqpij g j qo; lor S?5 
 
 
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 tocxest «■ 
 
 jxe viae eads fiar Ǥadk 
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130 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 grace as will enable them to subdue their intempt- 
 rate passions and corrupt inclinations. 
 
 The powers we possess are gifts deposited with us 
 by God, to whom we are accountable for their proper 
 application ; and if we pervert them to improper pur- 
 poses, we must not hope to escape the divine displea- 
 sure. The capacities which we have derived from 
 the favor and affection of God, arc doubtless improve- 
 able, for they would otherwise be neither of value 
 nor use ; and indeed, the Almighty has solemnly en- 
 joined us to effect this improvement ; for he has de- 
 nounced the severest vengeance against those who 
 neglect this important duty. 
 
 Without proper cultivation, the finest natural abi- 
 lities will fail of having their proper effect ; and the 
 most extensive knowledge cannot be preserved, un- 
 less they are frequently called forth into use and exer- 
 cise ; and the same observation is applicable to moral 
 accomplishments , which, if they are suffered to remain 
 inactive, will gradually lose their vigor, and be, at 
 length, wholly obliterated. To habituate ourselves 
 to a virtuous coarse of life, considerable attention 
 and care will be found necessary ; but to persevere in 
 that course, with that degree of spirit and vigor 
 which we are commanded to maintain, will require ad- 
 ditional exertions of fortitude as well as piety. Un- 
 less we co-operate with the impulses of divine grace, 
 the impressions they have made upon the heart of 
 man, will gradually decay, and in process of time be 
 wholly expunged. *' The Spirit of God will not al- 
 " ways strive With a man." 
 
 The Alrnighty intrusts to our care and manage- 
 ment, a charge equalto the service which he expects 
 us to render him : biit if we are indolent, and neglect 
 to employ the gifts he has bestowed upon us towards 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 131 
 
 effecting the purposes for which they were designed, 
 he will recall the bounties he has bestowed. *' Take 
 " from him the talent, and give it to him that hath 
 *' ten talents." Let us therefore industriously make 
 advantage of the trust reposed in us ; for the time will 
 arrive, when we shall be called strictly to account for 
 our conduct ; and if we have neglected to improve the 
 gifts of the Almighty, he will deprive us of what he 
 has bestowed. What this improvement implies, and 
 how we may discharge this duty, are matters claim- 
 ing our most serious concern. To improve the gifts 
 of God, is certainly to employ them in such a man- 
 ner, as will most effectually tend to the advancement 
 of his honor and glory. 
 
 In the creation of man, the design of the Almighty 
 was, that he should magnify the divine honor and 
 glory ; and he has been graciously pleased to bestow 
 upon us such powers, and to grant us such assistance 
 of divine grace, as are adapted to the full accomplish- 
 ment of this important end. By learning, we may 
 cultivate our understanding ; and by studious enqui- 
 ry, extend our knowledge through all the subjects of 
 human investigation : but if our design in these pur- 
 suits be only to gratify curiosity, indulge vanity or 
 ambition, or to promote our temporal advantage, we 
 shall not be serving God, but, on the contrary, be 
 acting either as is most agreeable to our own incli- 
 nations, or most likely to promote our private inte- 
 rests. 
 
 We may increase our portion of God's outward 
 gifts, but, if we only apply them to the enlargement 
 of our own conveniences, we neglect to make that 
 improvement which our Master expects. We may 
 exult in the acquisition of knowledge and wealth, 
 considering them as inexhaustible sources of private 
 satisfaction : but it behoves us constantly to remcm- 
 
132 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 ber, that when we are called to a reckoning with the 
 Almighty, these advantages will be included in our 
 account, and they will in no respect operate to our be- 
 nefit, unless we have employed them in the multipli- 
 cation of our virtues, or rendered them instrumental 
 in promoting the cause of religion and the eternal sal- 
 vation of our fellow-creatures. 
 
 From what has been said above, wc may reasonably 
 infer, that in a future state, there will be different de- 
 grees of happiness and glory ; and that they will be 
 proportioned to the fidelity with which we have dis- 
 charged our religious duties to God, and our moral 
 obligations to men. 
 
 Dreadful will be the situation of that man, who has 
 improvidently squandered away the stock intrusted to 
 his care, or suffered the gifts bestowed upon him to 
 perish for want of use ; or by perverting them to the 
 purposes of vice, has provoked the Almighty to recall 
 his benefactions. By what means shall the prodigal, 
 who has extravagantly dissipated his wealth, appease 
 the wrath of his provoked Judge ? by reflecting on the 
 awful scene that will ensue, when he appears before 
 the solemn tribunal of the Almighty, he will have 
 sufficient cause for alarm and terror ; but he must 
 not suffer these to overwhelm him with despair, since 
 by an immediate and sincere reformation, he will make 
 atonement for his past indiscretions, and extinguish 
 that wrath which has been kindled against him. 
 
 He who has forfeited the most excellent endow- 
 ments, may have them restored to him in their utmost 
 perfection, by the benevolent power by whom they 
 were originally bestowed. Those who have observ- 
 ed the most rigid circumspection in the discharge of 
 their religions duties, will not be so free from the con- 
 taminations of vice, as to require no allowance to be 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 133 
 
 made for their failings : but on the great day of judg- 
 ment, they are to rely on the benevolence of the all- 
 merciful Judge, and not on the supposition of their 
 own desert, for the enjoyment of the blessings of the 
 kingdom of heaven. 
 
 The blessed Jesus now delivered a third parable, 
 wherein he described his coming to judge mankind. 
 Wnen he, whom you now consider as one of the or- 
 dinary race of mortals, shall come from heaven, sur- 
 rounded by the glorious heavenly host of angels, he 
 shall seat himself upon the grand tribunal of almigh- 
 ty and eternal justice. Then the whole human race 
 shall be rescued from the dominion of death, and be 
 summoned to appear before the tremendous judgment- 
 seat of God. They shall then be divided into two 
 parts, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the 
 goats : the sheep, or the good men, shall stand on his 
 * right hand, and the goats, or wicked people, on the 
 left. The King of men and angels, addressing him- 
 self to those on his right hand, shall say, Approach, 
 
 you, who are appointed by my heavenly Father to 
 receive the rewards of his everlasting kingdom, which 
 were f prepared for you from the creation of the world. 
 When I was hungry, you srapplied me with food; when 
 
 1 thirsted, you gave me drink ; when I appeared 
 among you as a stranger, you courteously entertained 
 me ; when I was diffident of clothing, you furnished 
 me with apparel ; when afflicted with sickness, you 
 afforded me relief ; when under confinement, you vi- 
 sited me, kindly condoling with me on account of my 
 
 * This seems to allu le to a custom among the Jews in capital caus- 
 es, when they who w^re to receive absolution, were placed on the 
 ric^ht hand of the Sanhedrim, and those who were to receive sentence 
 of condemnation on tiie left. 
 
 t The Jews are of opinion, that the Almighty prepared Paradise for 
 the reception of the righteous, even previous to the formation of the 
 earth. 
 
134 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 misfortunes, and offering me every assistance in your 
 power. 
 
 The righteous men will then ask when these events 
 happened, and say, that they are not conscious of his 
 having been in a situation to require their assistance, 
 or that he had received any services from them. — 
 Hereupon the King will reply, that he considers all 
 the offices of charity which they have performed in 
 behalf of their distressed brethren, as instances of 
 their affection towards hiin, and as proofs of their 
 obedience to the precepts of his gospel. Then turn- 
 ing to those on the left hand, he will pronounce up- 
 on them that dreadful and irrevocable sentence which 
 their obstinate perseverance in the most abominable 
 iniquities has provoked. Depart from me, ye chil- 
 dren of abomination ; for you are consigned to the 
 place of everlasting torments, * prepared for the devils 
 and wicked men. When I was hungry, you refused me 
 meat, and drink when 1 was thirsty ; when I appeared 
 as a stranger, you would afford me no entertainment ; 
 nor when sick and in prison, would you grant me re- 
 lief. The wicked will then deny the justice of these 
 accusations, and alledge, that they neither refused to 
 afford him relief, nor even knew him to be in circum- 
 stances of distress. But the Judge will answer, that 
 he accounts their refusal to afford relief to his disci- 
 ples, as an heinous offence committed against him- 
 self. Therefore they shall be condemned to suffer 
 perpetual torments, while the others shall enjoy a 
 state of uninterrupted felicity. 
 
 * The Fathers are of opinion, that where Christ speaks of the punish- 
 ments, he is not to be understood in the same manner us when he 
 speaks of the blessings, lest it should be suj)posed, that God had de- 
 sii^neu the punishment of men before they had sinned. God is the au- 
 thor and procurer of man's happiness ; but man 0!>ly is the author of 
 his own misery. 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 135 
 
 In the Old Testament, good men are frequently 
 compared to sheep, on account of their usefulness 
 and innocence, as are wicked men to goats on ac- 
 count of their inordinate lusts. However, the alle- 
 gory is pursued no further ; but he proceeds to ex- 
 hort mankind to a life of righteousness, in a stile of 
 beautiful simplicity ; for notwithstanding the solem- 
 nity and grandeur of the subjects on which the great 
 Preacher of Israel addresses the multitude, his mean- 
 ing is clearly obvious. " When the Son of man 
 " shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels 
 *' with him, then shall he set upon the throne of his 
 " glory. And before him shall be gathered all na- 
 *' tions ; and he shall separate them one from ano- 
 *' ther, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the 
 *' goats : and he shall set the sheep on his right 
 " hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the 
 " King say unto them on his right hand. Come, ye 
 ** blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom pre- 
 *' pared for you from the foundation of the world, 
 " For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat : I 
 *' was thirsty, and ye gave me drink : I was a stran- 
 *' ger, and ye took me in : naked, and ye clothed 
 *' me : I was sick, and jq visited me : I was in pri- 
 *' son, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righ- 
 " teous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee 
 "an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave 
 " thee drink ? When saw we thee a stranger, and 
 " took thee in ? or naked, and clothed thee ? Or 
 ^' when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came 
 *' unio thee ? And the King shall answer, and say 
 " unio them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as 
 '"• ye have done it unto one of the least of these 
 " my brethren, ye have done it unto mc. Then 
 *' shall he say also unto them on the left hand, De- 
 " part from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, pre- 
 " ])arc(l for the devil and his angels. For I \\ as an 
 " hungered, and ye gave me no meat : I was thirs- 
 
136 THE HISTOKY OF 
 
 '* ty, and ye gave me no drink : I was a stranger, 
 " and ye took me not in : naked, and ye clothed me 
 " not : sick and in prison, and visited me not— — 
 *' Then shall they also answer him, saying. Lord, 
 *^ when saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or a 
 ** stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did 
 *' not minister unto thee .'' Then shall he answer 
 " them, saying, Verily I say unto you, in as much 
 " as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did 
 *' it not to me. And these shall go away into ever- 
 " lasting punishment "; but the righteous into life 
 "eternal," Matt. xxv. 31, &c. 
 
 From the above parable we learn, that we shall be 
 condemned to everlasting torments, or be rewarded 
 with the glorious and ineffable blessings of the king- 
 dom of heaven, according to our conduct during our 
 state of terrestrial probation. A more effectual me- 
 thod could not possibly have been suggested, for con- 
 veying an idea of the warmth and force of the divine 
 benevolence to the sons of sinful men, or to incite a 
 stronger disposition to charitable offices, than that of 
 the Son of God, surrounded by the whole celestial 
 host, proclaiming from his seat of judgment, in the 
 presence of the whole human race, that all good offi- 
 ces towards their fellow-creatures, he would reward 
 as liberally as if they had been performed in behalf of 
 himself. During his residence upon earth, under the 
 appearance of humanity, our blessed Redeemer suf- 
 fered innumerable injuries and mortifications. Righ- 
 teous men laboring under persecution and distresses, 
 he considers as his brethren ; he loves them with the 
 utmost tenderness, and interests himself in their wel- 
 fare ; he grieves when they are afflicted, and rejoices 
 upon the return of their happiness. 
 
 It is probable, that the reason why the grand en- 
 quiry in the above parable should refer only to the 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUU. 137 
 
 performance of duties is, that the generality of man- 
 kind consider the neglect of moral obligations as a 
 matter of but small importance, although they scru- 
 pulously avoid the commission of those actions which 
 come under the description of absolute crimes. — 
 Hence then, while they keep themselves free from the 
 latter, they are with little difficulty, able to silence the 
 upbraidings of conscience on the score of the former. 
 This being one of the most fatally pernicious errors 
 both in religion and morality, our blessed Redeemer 
 judged it prudent to pronounce a most solemn cau- 
 tion against persevering in so dangerous a mode of 
 conduct. 
 
 On another occasion, the great Judge himself de- 
 clared the duties of piety to be of superior importance 
 to those of charity ; and therefore it is necessary to 
 observe, that charity and religion cannot exist sepa- 
 rately from, and independently of each other ; for pie- 
 ty, of which faith is the origin, must ever be productive 
 of charity ; and a desire to perform offices of kindness, 
 friendship, and charity, must necessarily include a 
 disposition to righteousness. It is indisputably cer- 
 tain, that a very intimate connection subsists be- 
 tween righteousness and charity ; for our love of God, 
 results from our admiration of his unbounded bene- 
 volence, and other perfections. 
 
 In the parable above recited, the enquiry is perhaps 
 represented as turning upon the duties of charity, 
 because in this there are fewer opportunities for self- 
 deception than in other branches of goodness. By 
 an ostentatious display of extraordinary zeal, and a 
 specious conformity to the external ceremonials of 
 religion, hypocritical professors of holiness may ob- 
 tain the reputation of possessing those virtues to 
 which their hearts are absolute strangers ; they may 
 assume the appearance of sanctity, although they arc 
 
 VOL. II. s 
 
138 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 incapable of discharging the important obligations of 
 charity ; they may obtain the credit of being righte- 
 ouSj although they are covetous, unjust, rapacious, 
 proud and cruel : but none can assume the appear- 
 ance of charity, unless they supply the hungry with 
 food, the naked with apparel, or in some other man- 
 ner contribute to relieve the necessities of their dis- 
 tressed brethren. 
 
 In particular instances, however, works of charity- 
 may proceed from other principles than those of pie- 
 ty and benevolence ; they may be performed from 
 motives of pride, vanity, or ostentation, or from inte- 
 rested views : but though the affectation of these vir- 
 tues may raise a transitory reputation, the fallacity 
 must, in the very nature of things, be speedily de- 
 tected. The man whose heart is warmed by a genu- 
 ine, permament, and extensive principle of charity, 
 we may reasonably conclude to have an ardent affec- 
 tion for God. 
 
 From what is said above, it follows, as a natural 
 consequence, that all pretences to goodness, without a 
 principle of grace implanted in the heart, will not 
 operate towards our eternal salvation. He who enter- 
 tains a due veneration for holiness, justice and truth 
 in men, cannot fail to admire, reverence, and love God, 
 who possesses those qualities in an infinitely supe- 
 rior degree : and he who is disposed to express gra- 
 titude towards his fellow-creatures, on account of be- 
 nefactions received from them, cannot but be more 
 strongly inclined to acknowledge the wonderful good- 
 ness of God, to whose bounty alone he is indebted 
 for all the blessings he enjoys. But if we do not re- 
 turn thankfulness for the benefits conferred upon us by 
 God, and are deficient in the practice of our religious 
 duties, we must expect to feel the punishments due 
 to such abominable ingratitude. Hence then it ap-. 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 139 
 
 pears, that true righteousness can never exist where 
 morality is wanting; ; and that the man who affects to 
 comply with the moral obligations, and is yet destitute 
 of holiness and sanctity, must expose himself to the 
 displeasure both of God and man ; for he can be no 
 other than a wicked impostor. 
 
 Our blessed Saviour has told us, that the fire of hell 
 was prepared for the devil and his angels, but not pur- 
 posely for wicked men : but he expressly declares, 
 that the kingdom of heaven was prepared for the re- 
 ception of the righteous. Hence it appears, that our 
 Lord meant to teach us that the original design of 
 heaven was to render mankind happy ; for a state of 
 consummate felicity was formed for the human race, 
 at the time of their creation : but the fire of hell was 
 prepared for the devil and his angels immediately af- 
 ter their fall. And as wicked men unite themselves 
 with the devils in their sin and rebellion against the 
 Majesty of heaven, they are consigned to share in 
 the punishments prepared for the apostate spirits. 
 
 In addition to the evidence already adduced to prove 
 that Christ was possessed of a divine power, we shall 
 here enumerate some further circumstances. Our 
 blessed Saviour foretold, among many other prophe- 
 cies which were afterwards fully accomplished, that he 
 should suffer at Jerusalem ; that he should there be 
 betrayed into the power of the Sanhedrim, who would 
 condemn him to a painful and ignominious death, and 
 deliver him to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourg- 
 ed : that Judas was the person who would betray 
 him ; that he should be forsaken by the other disci- 
 ples ; that Peter, in particular, would deny him three 
 times ; that he should die upon a cross, and rise on the 
 third day : he also predicted the manner of St. Peter's 
 death ; that St. John would live to be a witness of the 
 destruction of Jerusalem ; that after his decease, the 
 
140 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 apostles would be cruelly persecuted, together with 
 the mission of the Holy Ghost to comfort and enlight- 
 en them, and to enable them successfully to preach 
 the gospel. 
 
 The time when the city of Jerusalem was destroy- 
 ed, the circumstances attending the demolition of the 
 temple, the terrible judgments inflicted upon the Jew- 
 ish nation, and their final dispersion, were events 
 which occurred precisely according to the prophecies 
 of our blessed Saviour ; and this is attested by Jose- 
 phus, who was a witness to many of the facts. 
 
 With respect to the time, our Lord said, that the ge- 
 neration of men then living should not pass away, till 
 the prophecies he then spoke to them should be fully 
 accomplished ; thereby informing his auditors, that 
 some of those to whom he then addressed himself, 
 would be still living at the time of the destruction of 
 the city and temple of Jerusalem ; and after his resur- 
 rection, he says, that St. John should live to see those 
 terrible judgments, all of which were executed pre- 
 cisely as had been foretold, within forty years after 
 being denounced. 
 
 He also denoted this time by the signs that should 
 then appear, particularly by the coming of false Christs 
 and false prophets. False Christs were such as as- 
 sumed the name of the Messiah, and pretended to be 
 endued with the power and authority, which the Jews 
 expected would be exerted by the Deliverer of Israel. 
 One of these impostors was Dositheus, who affirmed 
 that he was the Christ foretold by Moses, and of whom 
 Origen testifies, that '* he did prodigious things ;'* 
 and Simon Magus, who averred, that he appeared 
 among the Jews as the Son of God, is said by the sa- 
 cred historian, to have *^ bewitched the Samaritans 
 *' with his sorceries, that they all believed on him." 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. Ill 
 
 False prophets were such as promised or foretold 
 events that were not to liappen. Of these, Josephus 
 speaks in the following manner. 
 
 " * During the time that Cuspius Fadus held the 
 " government of Judea, a pretended prophet, named 
 *' Theudas, persuaded a great numljer of people to 
 " take their most valuable effects, and follow him to 
 " Jordan ; promising, that by a single word, he would 
 " cause the waters to divide, and afford them a dry 
 " passage to the opposite shore. He was followed 
 " by a great multitude ; but they had sufficient rea- 
 " son to repent their folly ; for Fadus sent against 
 *' them a troop of cavalry, by whom many were slain, 
 *' and others made prisoners. The soldiers return- 
 " ed to Jerusalem ; and the head of the impostor 
 " was exposed as a public spectacle. 
 
 *' The people sustained great mischiefs from the 
 *' impositions of pretended magicians and other im- 
 *' posters, who seduced the populace to follow them 
 " into solitudes and deserts, under pretence of shew- 
 '* ing them miracles : but they had cause severely to 
 *' regret their credulity and folly ; for Felix caused 
 *' a great number of them to be taken into custody, 
 *' and put to death. A man came from Egypt at 
 " this time, and pretending to possess the gift of 
 *' prophecy, invited the people of Jerusalem to fol- 
 *' low him to the summit of mount Olivet, situated 
 *' at about the distance of five furlongs from Jerusa- 
 *• lem ; promising, that upon his pronouncing cer- 
 '* tain words, they should see the walls fall to the 
 '* earth, affording them a free passage into the city. 
 " When Felix received intelligence of what the im- 
 *' postor had proposed, he ordered his troops un- 
 
 * See Josephus, translated by the authors of this work. Vol. If. p. 
 97» 104. 572> J73- 
 
142 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 •' der arms, and, with a numerous body of horse 
 *' and foot, he presently attacked the multitude by 
 *^ surprise, putting four hundred to death, and mak- 
 *' ing prisoners of two hundred ; but, notvvithstand- 
 " ing the most vigilant search was made, the Egyp- 
 " tian impostor escaped. 
 
 *' The whole country of Cyrene now felt the ill 
 ** effects of the singular insolence of the Sicarii, of 
 '* which the following is a striking instance. An 
 *' enthusiastic weaver,- named Jonathan, a man of 
 " equal wickedness and cunning, made his escape 
 " into that country. This man enticed great num- 
 *' bers of weak and credulous people to follow him 
 " into the woods and deserts, pretending that he 
 *' would shew them visions and wonderful prodi- 
 " gies ; and many of the vulgar gave credit to the 
 " imposition : but several of the most eminent Jews 
 " of Cyrene hearing of the affair, traced it to its 
 " source, and having learnt what rout the deluded 
 " people had taken, and the real state of the case, 
 " they sent immediate intelligence thereof to Catul- 
 *' lus, governor of the Pentapolitan Lybia. Hereup- 
 " on the governor dispatched a body of cavalry and 
 *' infantry, who intercepted them, and, as they were 
 *' unarmed, made an easy conquest of them. Most 
 " of them were taken prisoners, and conveyed to Ca- 
 " tullus ; but considerable numbers were killed on 
 " the spot. 
 
 *' However, Jonathan, the seducer of these un- 
 *' happy people, effected his escape. Diligent search 
 " being made after him for a considerable time, he 
 " was at length apprehended, and sent prisoner to 
 " Catullus : but he found a method of ingratiating 
 " himself with the governor, and while he diverted 
 *' the storm from falling on his own head, furnished 
 '* the other with a pretence to direct it another way. 
 
OUK BLESSED SAVIOUR. 143 
 
 " This was to charge the richest Jews of the place 
 *' with being the contrivers and promoters of the plot. 
 *• Catulkis was charmed with this scheme, however 
 '* ill founded, and reflected on it till he had in a man- 
 ^' ner declared war against the Jews in his own mind. 
 " What aggravated the wickedness of this avaricious 
 " governor was, that he not only pretended to believe 
 " the calumny, against the convictions of reason and 
 '* common sense, but likewise excited the Sicarii to 
 " join their endeavors for effecting the ruin of the 
 *' innocent people. There was one Alexander, a 
 " Jew, to whom Catullus had long been a determined 
 '* enemy ; and having instructed false witnessdPto 
 " accuse this man, and his wife Berenice, they were 
 ** put to death. These were the first sufferers by 
 " this scheme of iniquity : but soon afterwards no 
 *• less than three thousand persons shared a simi- 
 *' lar fate, at onetime, through the base arts of per- 
 "jury; all their crime being, that they were men 
 " of character and fortune. Catullus left their es- 
 *' tates as a forfeit to the empire, which he thought 
 *' would secure, if not justify him, in appropriating 
 ** their ready money to his own use. 
 
 *' Catullus, being now apprehensive that the capital 
 *' Jews in other parts might detect and reveal the vile 
 *' plot of which he had been guilty, instructed Jona- 
 " than, and some other prisoners, to exhibit articles 
 " of complaint against such of the Jews of Rome and 
 " Alexandria, as were most distinguished for their 
 " unblemished reputation. Among the persons thus 
 " accused, was Joseph, the writer of this history. 
 " Catullus now repaired to Rome, taking with him, 
 " in chains, Jonathan and the rest of his prisoners. 
 " He entertained no doubt but that all enquiry was at 
 " an end, and that every thing he had asserted would 
 " obtain full credit : but the event of the affair prov- 
 " ed that his contrivance had not succeeded as he 
 
144 THE HISTOKY OF 
 
 ** could have wished : for Vespasian, entertaining 
 *' great suspicion, enquired diligently into the cir- 
 *' cumstances of the case, in which he was assisted by 
 *' Titus, who advised him to declare the innocence of 
 ** Joseph and the other persons accused. This was 
 *' accordingly done, and they were set at liberty, 
 ** while orders v\^ere given that Jonathan should be 
 ** whipped, and then burnt alive ; and this sentence 
 '* was executed in its utmost rigor." 
 
 Other signs also predicted by our Saviour, were 
 famines, earthquakes, pestilences, tumults, fearful 
 si^ts, and great signs from heaven : and all these 
 prophecies were punctually accomplished. Accord- 
 ing to Eusebius, the whole Roman empire, but par- 
 ticularly Palestine, was dreadfully oppressed by fa- 
 mine, to which, vast numbers of people fell sacrifices. 
 Grotius mentions several earthquakes during the 
 reigns of Claudius and Nero, at Crete, Smyrna, Mi- 
 letus, Chios, Samos, Laodicea, Hierapolis, and Co- 
 loss, all which places were inhabited by the Jews. 
 Josephus says, that in his time, dreadful thunderings 
 and lightnings, and vast convulsions of the earth, 
 portended evil to the Jewish nation ; and he adds, that 
 a sn^ord hung over the city, or a comet pointed down 
 upon it for the space of a year ; which, he says, 
 plainly indicated, that the Jewish nation would be put 
 to the sword ; and that at the ninth hour of the night, 
 during the feast of unleavened bread, a light shone 
 upon the temple equal to that of noon-day ; that the 
 principal gate of the temple, which could scarcely be 
 turned upon its hinges by the united strength of 
 twenty men, and which was secured with iron bolts 
 and bars, w'as seen to open without the assistance of 
 any human force ; that before the decline of the sun, 
 armies in battle array were seen in the clouds ; and 
 that at the feast of Pentecost, when the priests went 
 into the temple, in order to discharge the duties of 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 145 
 
 their office, tliey heard an uncommon noise, and af- 
 terwards a voice pronounce, " Let us depart." 
 
 Tacitus, the famous Roman historian, thus enume- 
 rates the signs which preceded the destruction of Je- 
 rusalem. Armies seemed to meet in the clouds, 
 weapons were there seen glittering, the temple seem- 
 ed to be in a flame, with fire issuing from the clouds, 
 and a divine voice was heard, signifying that the De- 
 ity was quitting the place. 
 
 Thus it appears from indisputable testimony, that 
 the predictions of our Saviour concerning the signs 
 that would precede the desolation that awaited the 
 Jewish nation, were fully accomplished ; and pursu- 
 ing his discourse on this subject, Josephus * writes 
 in the following manner. " But the most extraordi- 
 " nary story of the whole still remains unrelated. — 
 ** About four years before the commencement of the 
 *' war, and while the city appeared to be in the most 
 " perfect peace and unbounded plenty, there came to 
 " the feast of tabernacles, which is annually cele- 
 ^' brated to the honor of God, a simple countryman, 
 " named Jesus, who was the son of Ananus, and who, 
 "■ without any previous intimation, exclaimed in the 
 *' following manner : ^ A voice from the east ; a voice 
 ' from the west ; a voice from the four quarters of the 
 
 * world ; a voice to Jerusalem, and a voice to the 
 
 * temple ; a voice to men and women newly married, 
 ' and a voice to the nation at large.' '^ In this man- 
 *^ ner did he continue his exclamations night and day, 
 " and in various places through all the streets in the 
 '' city. Some persons of eminence in the government 
 '^ were so offended at the freedom of the ill-omened 
 " exclamation, that they directed that the man should 
 
 * See Josephus, translated by Tliompcon and Price, Vol. II. p. 
 524, 525. 
 
 VOL. II. T 
 
146 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 " be apprehended and whipped severely. He bore 
 *' his sufferings, not only without complaint of the 
 *' injustice of them, but without saying a word in his 
 '* defence : but his punishment was no sooner ended, 
 " than he proceeded as before, ^\ ilh his denouncing 
 " exclamations. By this time the magistrates were 
 *' suspicious (and indeed not without reason) that 
 ** what he had said, proceeded from the divine im- 
 '* pulse of a superior power that influenced his words. 
 '* Hereupon he was sent to Albinus, the governor of 
 *^ Judea, who directed that he should be w hipped with 
 *' such severity, that his bones appeared ; yet even in 
 "this situation, he neither wept nor supplicated; 
 *' but in a voice of mourning, he repeated, after each 
 *' stroke,'' ' Woe, woe, to Jerusalem.' " On this 
 ** extraordinary conduct, Albinus was induced to in- 
 '' terrogate him w ith res])ect to his character, and the 
 *' places of his birth and residence, and what could 
 *' induce him to proceed as he had done : but he re- 
 *' plied not to an)' of these questions ; whereupon 
 *' Albinus found himself under the necessity of dis- 
 *' missing him, as a man out of his senses. From 
 *' this period, to the commencement of the war, it 
 " was not known that Jesus visited or spoke to any 
 '' of the citizens ; nor was he heard to say any other 
 *• words, than that melancholy sentence;" 'Woe, 
 * woe to Jerusalem!' " Those who daily punished 
 *' him, received no ill-language from him ; nor did 
 *' those who fed him, receive his thanks: but his gene- 
 " ral speech to every one, was an ominous prediction. 
 ** It was remarked, that on public festivals, he was 
 *' more vociferous than on other occasions : and in 
 *' the manner above-mentioned, he continued to pro- 
 " ceed for the space of seven years and five months ; 
 *' nor did his voice or strength appear to fail him, till 
 " his predictions were verified by the siege of Jerusa- 
 " lem. When this event had taken place, he went, 
 *' for the last time, on the wall, and exclaimed, in a 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUK. 147 
 
 " more powerful voice than usual,'' * Woe, woe to 
 * this city, this temple, and this people;' "and he 
 " concluded his lamentation by saying," ' Woe, woe 
 ' be to myself.' " He had no sooner spoken these 
 " words, than he was destroyed by a stone thrown 
 " from an engine. 
 
 " From what has been above recited, continues our 
 " author, it will be evident to mankind in general, that 
 " our destruction arises from our misconduct ; and 
 " that Providence, by the gift of our reasonable fa- 
 " culties, as well as by the aids of prediction and re- 
 " velation, has contributed in an abundant degree, to 
 *' the general good, and lasting advantage of all its 
 '* creatures. Our ruin is certainly to be attributed to 
 " ourselves, w^hcn we refuse to take warning, after 
 ** being premonished of future events.** 
 
 Thus have we the positive evidence of a rigid ad- 
 vocate for the principles of Judaism, that he was him- 
 self an actual witness to the full accomplishment of 
 several of the predictions of our blessed Redeemer ; 
 of whom, with that candor and regard to truth, which 
 contribute infinitely more than the finest literary ac- 
 quirements, to render the character of an historian 
 truly respectable, he speaks in the following terms*". 
 *' About this period, there arose to notice one Jesus, 
 " a man of consummate wusdom, if indeed he may 
 ** BE DEEMED A MAN. He was eminently celebr.ited 
 *' for his power of working miracles ; and those who 
 *' were curious, and desirous to learn the truth., flock- 
 " ed to him in abundance. He was followed by im- 
 " mense numbers of people, both Jews and Gentiles. 
 " This was that Christ whom the princes and great 
 *' men of our nation accused. He was delivered up 
 " to the cross by Pontius Pilate ; notwithstanding 
 
 * Joscphus, translated by Thompson and Price, Vol. II. p. 9. 
 
148 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 *' which, those who originally adhered to him, never 
 ** forsook him. On the third day after his crucifix- 
 " ion^ he was seen alive^ agreeable to the prediction 
 " of se'ucral prophets. He wrought a great number 
 " of marvellous acts : and there remain even to this 
 " day, a sect of people who bear the name of Chris. 
 " tians, and who acknowledge this Christ for their 
 " head." 
 
 The destruction of Jerusalem, and its attendant cir- 
 cumstances, are thus described by our Saviour. — 
 " Thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and 
 '* compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side. 
 *' And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy 
 " children within thee : and they shall not leave with- 
 ** in thee one stone upon another." Luke xix. 43, 44. 
 ** Then shall be great tribulation, such as was not 
 *' since the beginning of the world, no, nor ever shall 
 ''be." Matt. xxiv. 21. These prophecies were ful- 
 filled by Titus, who encompassed the city with new 
 fortifications, which were erected by his troops in the 
 space of three days. *' Titus directed ^ his officers 
 " immediately to begin the erection of the wall, and 
 " let the whole army take a share in the business, as- 
 ** signing to each party its proper station. These 
 " orders were no sooner issued, than every soldier 
 " was animated with a uish to exceed his fellows in 
 " this w^ork. The ground was measured out, the Ic- 
 *' gions Vv'ere divided, and every man was emulous who 
 " should most effectually distinguish himself. The 
 " common soldiers copied the example of the serje- 
 " ants ; the Serjeants that of the captains ; the cap- 
 *' tains that of the tribunes ; and the tribunes that 
 *' of their superior officers ; the whole being under 
 " the direction of Titus, whose zeal for the dispatch 
 " of this business was such, that he was continually 
 
 * See the work last quoted. Vol. II. p. 488, 489. 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 149 
 
 " takiiij^ his rounds to superintend the whole pro- 
 *' ceeding. 
 
 *' This wall commenced at a place called the Camp 
 ' of the Assyrians, where Titus himself held his 
 ' head-quarters. Hence it was continued to the low- 
 ' cr Ccenopolis ; carried forward by the way of Ce- 
 
 * dron to Mount Olivet, which was inclosed to the 
 ^ south as far as the rock Peristereon ; and this inclo- 
 ' sure comprehended an adjacent hill, which com- 
 ' mands the vale of Siloah. From this place it in- 
 ' clined somewhat to the west, and was carried on to 
 ' the valley of the Fountain. Its next direction was 
 ' to the sepulchre of Ananus, the high-priest ; after 
 
 * this, it inclosed the mountain on which Pompey 
 ' had heretofore encamped. It then turned to the 
 
 * north, and was extended to the village named Ere- 
 ' binthonicus. It included the sepulchre of Herod 
 ' on the east-side ; and soon afterwards was joined 
 
 * to that part of the wall, where the building origi- 
 ' nally commenced. 
 
 " Nine and thirty furlongs was the whole extent of 
 '^ this wall ; and thirteen forts were erected on the 
 *' outside of it, ten furlongs being the compass of 
 " each fort. It is somewhat extraordinary, but not 
 " less so than true, that this amazing work was com- 
 " plcted in three days, though an equal number of 
 *' months might have been supposed a reasonable time 
 " for it. As soon as it was finished, garrisons w^ere 
 " placed in all the forts, who did duty under arms 
 " every night. On each night likewise, Titus went 
 " the first round in person ; Tiberius Alexander the 
 " second ; and the officers who commanded the legi- 
 ** ons the third. Some persons were constantly on 
 " guard in the forts during the whole night ; but some 
 '* of the soldiers were allowed to rest alternately, 
 *' with others who were appointed to watch. 
 
150 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 ** The above mentioned inclosure of the Jews within 
 " the town, reduced them to the last degree of despair ; 
 " for by this time the famine had increased to such a 
 " height, that whole families fell a sacrifice to its rage. 
 " The dead bodies of women and children were seen 
 *' in every house ; the old men were found dead in all 
 " the narrow lanes of the city, while the younger men, 
 " who were yet able to walk, appeared like ghosts pa- 
 " rading the streets. It became impossible to commit 
 " the bodies of the dead to the ground. Many of the 
 *' living were unable to perform this charitable office ; 
 ** while others were unwilling to undertake it, partly 
 " discouraged by the numbers of the deceased, and 
 ** partly by the reflection, that themselves would not 
 *' survive any considerable time. Numbers of them 
 ** expired, even while they were burying their fel- 
 "• low-citizens ; and some, prompted by despair, 
 " sought their own graves. 
 
 " Yet miserably distressful as the present situation 
 *' of these wretched people was, not a single com- 
 " plaint or lamentation was heard ; for the pangs of 
 ** excessive hunger, absorbed every other passion. 
 ** Those who last expired, beheld those who had 
 ** gone before them with unweeping eyes, and looks 
 *' marked with the near approach of death. The 
 " most profound silence reigned through every 
 *' part of the city ; and during the course of the 
 *' night, heaps of dead bodies were frequently pil- 
 " ed on each other. 
 
 " Yet a more melancholy part of the story (if more 
 *' melancholy can be) still remains untold. This arose 
 " from the brutal insolence of a number of thieves, 
 " who broke into the houses, that at this time ap. 
 *'"peared only like charnel-houses, and having strip. 
 " ped the bodies of the dead, they derided their si- 
 " tuation : exclusive of which, they ran their swords 
 
OUR KLESSED SAVIOUR. 151 
 
 *' into the bodies of those who lay expiring. When 
 *' any despairing wretch called for some friendly hand 
 *' to dispatch him by a sword, that he might no lon- 
 " ger endure the miseries of famine, this earnest 
 " request w.is constantly refused with the most un- 
 " feeling barbarity. When any of the unfortunate 
 '* reached \ht moment of death, they turned their fa- 
 *' ces to the temple, and thus closed their eyes ; 
 *' lamenting at the same time, that the vile incen- 
 " diaries who had profaned the holy place, should 
 *' be yet left among the living. When the offensive 
 " smells arising from the corruption of the dead bo- 
 " dies, became insupportable, an order was given 
 *' that all of them should be buried at the public ex- 
 *' pence : the abandoned incendiaries threw them 
 " from the walls into the vallies ; a sight that occasi- 
 " oned so much horror to Titus, that while he was 
 " going his rounds, and found the ditches infested 
 '* with dead bodies, and pestilential vapors arising 
 " from them, he extended his hands towards heaven, 
 *' and made a solemn appeal to God, that these mis- 
 " fortunes arose not from any orders he had given. 
 '' At the period, of which I am writing, this was 
 " the unfortunate situation of the city. 
 
 ** The insurgents were now so pent up within the 
 *' walls, that they found it impossible for any of them 
 " to quit the place. In the mean time, they endur- 
 " ed all the pangs of famine, aggravated by the tor- 
 ^' tures of despair ; while on the contrary, the Ro- 
 " mans lived at their case, and passed their time ve- 
 " ry agreeably, being supplied with the necessaries 
 " of life from Syria and the adjacent provinces. En- 
 '* couraged by their better fortune, many of the Ro- 
 *' mans advanced to the walls, and made an osten- 
 " tatious display of their possessions, with a view 
 " to reflect on the necessities of those who were in 
 " circumstances of distress. All this appeared to 
 
152 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 *' have no effect on the unfeeling minds of the se-* 
 " dicious multitude : whereupon, Titus, in mere 
 *' compassion to the residue of an unhappy people, 
 *' determined on the immediate erection of new works, 
 " and resolved that no time should be lost in their 
 *' completion. One considerable difficulty, indeed, 
 " now occurred, which was the providing proper 
 *' materials for carrying these works into execution ; 
 " for all the wood in the neighborhood of the city 
 *' had been cut down, for the erection of the former 
 "works: wherefore they were under the necessity 
 " of fetching all the timber for this second supply, 
 *' from a place at the distance of ninety furlongs : 
 ** and herewith four ramparts, of greater magnitude 
 *' than the former, were erected at the fortress of An- 
 *^ tonia. Titus carried on this business with great 
 *•■ assiduity ; and the besieged being now at his mer- 
 *' cy, he plainly hinted to them, that he knew their si- 
 " tuation. Still, however, they shewed no concern 
 " for what had happened : they seemed to have no 
 *' regard for themselves, or each other. Those who 
 ** were decaying with sickness, they confined in pri- 
 *' sons, and tore the dead to pieces as dogs would have 
 " done." 
 
 The Jewish historian further * informs us, that 
 immediately after the conquest of the city of Jerusa- 
 lem It was entirely levelled with the ground ; and that 
 during the war, *' No f less than ninety-seven thou- 
 '* sand persons were made prisoners ; and the num- 
 " ber of those who lost their lives during its progress, 
 ** was eleven hundred thousand. Of these far the 
 *' greater part were Jews though not born in Judea." 
 To account for this amazing resort of people to the city 
 of Jerusalem it is necessary to observe, that they had 
 
 * Vol.11, p. 538. t Vol.11, p. 557- 
 
OUll BLESSED SAVIOUR. 153 
 
 assembled from all parts of the country, in order to 
 celebrate the passover. 
 
 Our blessed Saviour predicted the destruction of 
 the temple in the foUovvinj^ manner. " Verily I say 
 "" unto you, There shall not be left here one stone up- 
 ♦' on another, that shall not be thrown down." Matt. 
 xxiv. 2. And in addition to what we learn from 
 Josephus, Maimonides, another Jewish writer, says, 
 Turnus Rufus dug up the very ground on which the 
 temple stood with plough-shares. This was a remark- 
 able completion of the following prophecy. " There- 
 " fore shall Zion for your sakes be ploughed as a field, 
 *' and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the moun- 
 " tain of the house as the high places of the forest." 
 Mic. iii. 12. It is also remarkable, that the confla- 
 gration of the temple happened on the same day of 
 the same month, on which it had been before burnt 
 by the Babylonians. 
 
 The general judgments that were to befal the Jew- 
 ish nation, are thus mentioned by our Saviour. ** For 
 *' these be the days of vengeance, that all things which 
 " are written may be fulfilled. But woe unto them 
 '* that are with child, and to them that give suck in 
 " those days : for there shall be great distress in the 
 " land, and wrath upon this people. And they shall 
 " fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away 
 *' captive into all nations : and Jerusalem shall be 
 '' trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the 
 "■ Gentiles be fulfilled." Luke xxi. 22, 23, 24. — 
 According to these predictions, they were cut off in 
 war, to the number of upwards of two hundred thou- 
 sand, in divers sieges and battles, and in different 
 towns, and various parts of the country, exclusive of 
 the dreadful carnage at the final destruction of Jeru- 
 
 VOL. II. u 
 
154 THE HISTORY Ol- 
 
 salem. After mentioning the conquest of Jcrusa- 
 lenn, Josephus says|, '' There is scarcely a habita- 
 *' olc part of the globe, in which some of the Jewish 
 " people are not dispersed ;" and from the same wri- 
 ter we learn *, that '* Those who appeared to be in 
 ** full health, and fit for service, were imprisoned in 
 ** the temple, in that quarter heretofore destined to 
 *' the use of the women. Fronto, one of the freed- 
 *• men and friends of Titus, was deputed to enquire 
 *' into the cases of the prisoners, and to treat them ac- 
 ** cording to their deserts. The abandoned, the sedi- 
 *' tious, and those who mutually charged each other 
 *' uith crimes, were put to death without mercy : but 
 *' Titus rc!>erved the young and healthy, particularly 
 *' those of a comely appearance, to grace his triumph 
 " on his entrance into Rome. All those who remain- 
 *' ed after this selection, and were above seventeen 
 " years of age, were sent in chains into Egypt, to be 
 *' employed as slaves ; and those v,ho were under se- 
 *' venteen, sent into the various provinces of the cm- 
 '* pire, to be engaged as gladiators in the several the- 
 " atres. In the interim, no less than eleven thousand 
 *' of the prisoners who were under the care of Fron- 
 *' to, were starved to death ; partly owing to their 
 *' own obstinacy in the refusal of provisions, and part- 
 ** ly to the severity of their overseers, who neglected 
 *' to supply them in a proper manner : but one great 
 ** cause which aggravated this calamity, was the want 
 *' of sufficient provisions for such an immense nom- 
 ** ber," From this period, the Jews have been a dis- 
 persed and scattered people throughout all the nations 
 of the earth, having neither country, nor government 
 of their own. 
 
 That the predictions of our blessed Saviour, when 
 accomplished, were intended by him, to be proofs of 
 
 * Vol. il. p. 543. * Vol. II. p. 536. 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 155 
 
 his being the real Messiah, we may collect from his 
 own words. Havin* informed his disciples that he 
 should be betrayed by Judas, our Saviour soon after 
 adtls, *' Now 1 tell you before it come, that when it is 
 ** come to pass, ye may believe that I am He." And 
 after the predictions of his death, resur.eriion, and 
 ascension, he says, " And now I have told you before 
 '* it come to pass, that when it is come to pass, ye 
 *' might believe." John xiv. 29. Thus our Lord 
 intimated, that by being witnesses to the accomplish- 
 ment of his prophecies, they might be convinced of 
 the truth of his gospel, and of the necessity of repos- 
 ing faith on him ; and to the same purpose, are the 
 words subjoined to our Lord's account of the perse- 
 cutions that his disciples were to encounter after his 
 decease. " These things I have told you, that when 
 *' the time shall come, ye may remember that 1 told 
 ** you of them." John xxi. 4. 
 
 " He that endures to the end, says our blessed Sa- 
 " viour, shall be saved." Agreeably to this, Eusc- 
 bius informs us, thatf '* before the commencement of 
 *' the war, all the (iiithful of the church of Jerusalem 
 " were warned by a divine revelation to abandon that 
 •* city, and to retire to a place called Pella, situated 
 ** beyond the river Jordan." 
 
 The '* abomination of desolation," quoted by our 
 blessed Saviour from the prophet Daniel, was meant 
 to signify the Roman army ; which might very pro- 
 perly be stiled an abomination to the Jews, since 
 among the ensigns of the Roman soldiery were the 
 images of Casar, and of the eagle ; and this army 
 might be termed a desolation, because it was to lay 
 the temple, the city, and the whole counuy deso- 
 late. 
 
 t Euscb. liist. Ecclcf. 1. iii. c. $, 
 
156 THE HISTOUY OF 
 
 '' There shall then, says Jesus, be great tribula- 
 " tion, such as never was known from the beginning 
 "of the world." In confirmation of this, Josephus, 
 and many other Jewish writers, assure us, that the 
 calamities to which the Jews were reduced, were more 
 grievous than those sustained by any other people 
 from the time of the creation. 
 
 " Immediately after the tribulation of those days, 
 '•^ the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not 
 *' give her light." Nothing of this kind has lite- 
 rally occurred ; and therefore the expression is to 
 be received figuratively, being intended to signify, 
 agreeably to divers instances in the Old Testament, 
 an utter desolation of cities and countries. In this 
 hmguagc, the prophet Isaiah mentions the destruc- 
 tion of Babylon. " Behold, the day of the Lord 
 *' Cometh, cruel both with wrath, and fierce anger, to 
 " lay the land desolate ; and he shall destroy the 
 *' sinners thereof out of it. For the stars of heaven, 
 " and the constellations thereof shall not give their 
 *' light : the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, 
 *' and the moon shall not cause her light to shine." 
 Isa. xiii. 9, 10. The indignation of the Almighty 
 against the Idumeans, the destruction of Sennache- 
 rib and his people, and the ruin of Egypt, are expres- 
 sed in the following dreadful words. " Come near, 
 " y€ nations to hear, and hearken yc people : let the 
 " earth hear, and all that is therein, the world, and 
 *' all things that come forth of it. For the indignation 
 *' of the Lord is upon all nations, and his fury upon 
 " all their armies : he hath utterly destroyed them, 
 *' he hath delivered them to the slaughter. Their 
 *' slain also shall be cast out, and their stink shall 
 *' come up out of their carcases, and the mountains 
 *' shall be melted with their blood. And all the 
 " host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens 
 " shall be rolled together as a scroll : and all their 
 
OUK BLESSED SAVIOUR. 157 
 
 " host shall fall clown as the leaf falleth off from the 
 
 *' vine, and as a falling fig from the fig-tree. For my 
 
 " sword shall be bathed in heaven : behold, it shall 
 
 ** come down upon Idiimea, and upon the people of 
 
 ** my curse to judgment. The sword of the Lord is 
 
 «' filled with blood, it is made fat with fatness, and 
 
 ** with the blood of lambs and goats, with the fat of 
 
 " the kidnies of rams : for the Lord hath a sacrifice 
 
 *' in Bozra, and a great slaughter in the land of Idu- 
 
 ** mea. And the unicorns shall come down with 
 
 " them, and the bullocks with the bulls, and their 
 
 " land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust 
 
 " made fat with fatness. For it is the day of the 
 
 *' Lord's vengeance, and the year of recompences for 
 
 " the controversy of Zion. And the streams thereof 
 
 *' shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into 
 
 *' brimstone, and the land thereof shall become burn- 
 
 *' ing pitch. It shall not be quenched night nor 
 
 *' day, the smoke thereof shall go up forever: from 
 
 *' generation to generation it shall lie waste, none 
 
 '* shall pass through it for ever and for ever. But 
 
 " the cormorant and the bittern shall possess it, the 
 
 " owl also and the raven shall dwell in it, and he 
 
 *^ shall stretch out upon it the line of confusion, and 
 
 " the stones of emptiness. They shall call the nobles 
 
 " thereof to the kingdom, but none shall be there, 
 
 " and all her princes shall be nothing. And thorns 
 
 " shall come up in her palaces, nettles and brambles 
 
 *' in the fortresses thereof, and it shall be an habila- 
 
 ** tion of dragons, and a court for owls. The wild 
 
 " beasts of the desert shall also meet with the wild 
 
 *' beasts of the island, and the satyr shall cry to his 
 
 " fellow, the screech-owl also shall rest there, and find 
 
 " for herself a place of rest. There shall the great 
 
 •' owl make her nest, and lay and hatch, and gather 
 
 " under her shadow : there shall the vultures also be 
 
 " gathered, every one with her mate. Seek ye out 
 
 '* of the book of the Lord, and read ; no one of these 
 
158 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 " shall fail, none shall want her mate : for my mouth 
 *' it hath commanded, and his spirit it hath gathered 
 " them. And he hath cast the lot for them, and his 
 *' hand hath divided it unto them by line : they shall 
 " possess it for ever, from generation to generation 
 ** shall they dwell therein." Isa. xxxiv. 1, &c.— 
 There is a degree of grandeur and dignity in the lan- 
 guage of the above denunciations of vengeance, which 
 cannot fail to excite our admiration and terror : but 
 the curses here enumerated are figuratively expres- 
 sed, and intended, like what our Saviour says of the 
 sun, moon, and stars being darkened, to import the 
 utter destruction and ruin of a nation. 
 
 The phrase of Christ's *' coming in the clouds," is 
 generally extended no farther than his coming with 
 the Roman army to effect the destruction of Jerusalem; 
 and his *' sending forth his angels to gather forth his 
 *' elect from the four winds," is referred to the minis- 
 try of his disciples, and their making converts of the 
 inhabitants of all nations, for the establishment of the 
 Christian church. 
 
 From what is said above, we trust that we have ma- 
 nifestly and incontrovertibly proved, the existence of 
 the divine power and knowledge of our blessed Re- 
 deemer. The particulars concerning his own death, 
 and the consequent state and condition of his disci- 
 ples, and of the Jewish nation, are events which he 
 predicted, and which were fully accomplished, as we 
 learn partly from the accounts of our own Scriptures, 
 and partly from the testimony of a Jewish historian, 
 whose credit and authority have been universally ad- 
 mitted through a long succession of ages. 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 159 
 
 CHAP. XXXV. 
 
 Jesus continues to instruct the people daily in the tem- 
 ple. Two days preceding the passover, he predicts 
 his death. Our Samour is anointed in the house of 
 Simon the leper. Judas Jscariot, one of the twelve 
 apostles, accepts a bribe from the Sanhedrim, to 
 whom he engages himself to betray his Master. In 
 consequence of their Master's order, Peter and John 
 repair to Jerusalem, in order to make preparations 
 for the passover. Jesus sups with his disciples^ 
 and during the entertainment, he says, that one of 
 them shall betray him. The institution of the Eu- 
 charist. Jesus takes a second cup of wine, and 
 commands his apostles to share it among them. 
 The affection of our Saviour towards his apostles^ 
 and the treachery of Judas. Jesus exhorts his dis- 
 ciples not to indulge ambitious propensities, and 
 proposes himself to them as an example of humility. 
 He washes the feet of his disciples ; and oti this oc- 
 casion holds a discourse with Peter. Jesus discours- 
 es to his apostles on the act of condescension he had 
 performed-, and recommends to their imitation the 
 example he had shewn of humility. Our Saviour 
 is troubled, and signifies by ivhich of his apostles 
 he shall be betrayed. Judas retires from the com- 
 pany ; after which our Lord reminds the other apos- 
 tles of his miracles ; mentions his speedy departure 
 from them ; and recommends them to cherish mutual 
 love. Peter enquires of his Master, to what place 
 he should retire, since he had said the apostles could 
 not follow him. He forewarns Peter, and predicts 
 the persecution that his apostles were to encounter. 
 Jesus exhorts his disciples against despondency ; 
 and informs them that by a strici obedience to his 
 gospel, they will entitle themselves to the enjoyment 
 
160 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 of everlasting happiness. He informs them^ that, 
 in ha'uing seen him^ they may he considered as hav- 
 ing seen the Father of the creation. He asserts 
 his divine authority, and promises to reward the 
 faith of his disciples. He engages to send the Holy 
 Spirit to them. He promises divine assistance and 
 comfort to all his faithful Jollovjers. Our blessed 
 Redeemer bequeaths peace and comfort to his disci' 
 pies, and declares the time to be approaching, when 
 he shall be betrayed into the power of his enemies, 
 
 WUR blessed Saviour continued daily to repair to 
 the temple, where he delivered instructions to the 
 people concerning- the laws of the kingdom of heaven ; 
 but in the evening he constantly retired to Mount 
 Olivet, or some place adjacent thereto, lest he should 
 be surprised, and taken into custody by his enemies; 
 for though the members of the Sanhedrim had form- 
 ed a resolution of putting him to death, they dared, 
 not attempt to apprehend him in the open day, while 
 he was surrounded by his numerous followers : but 
 had he reposed within the city, they would, in all 
 probability, have seized him during the darkness and 
 silence of night. 
 
 Having delivered the parables recited in the preced- 
 ing chapter, our blessed Saviour spoke to his apos- 
 tles on the subject of his approaching death, in order 
 to fortify their minds against a more trying scene than 
 they had yet experienced. He observed to them, that 
 on the Tuesday in the passion week the passover 
 would be celebrated ; adding, that on that day he 
 should be delivered into the power of his enemies, 
 who would put him to death by crucifixion. *' And 
 " it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these say- 
 *' ings, he said unto his disciples, Ye know, that af- 
 ** ter two days is the feast of the passover, and the 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. l6l 
 
 " Son of man is betrayed to be crucified." Matt, 
 xxvi. 1, 2. 
 
 A great number of the members of the Sanhedrim 
 had held frequent consultations at the house of Caia- 
 phas the high-priest, where many stratagems were 
 projected for apprehending Jesus, and putting him to 
 death : but IcMowing the high veneration in which he 
 was held by the multitude, they deemed it not pru- 
 dent to attempt the execution of their barbarous and 
 sacrilegious purpose during the * holidays, lest a po- 
 pular tumult should be fomented, and they should ex- 
 pose themselves to the censure of the Roman govern- 
 or ; for they knew that a great part of the people es- 
 teemed Jesus to be a prophet acting under the imme- 
 diate authority, and by the inspiration of the Al- 
 mighty ; and therefore they supposed that they would 
 rescue him, even though he should be apprehended 
 by virtue of an express and formal order issued by 
 the grand council of the nation. '* Then assembled 
 " together the chief-priests, and the Scribes and the 
 " elders of the people, unto the palace of the high- 
 ** priest, who was called Caiaphas, and consulted that 
 ** they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him- — 
 " But they said. Not on the feast-day, lest there be an 
 *' uproar among the people." Matt. xxvi. 3, 4, 5, 
 
 Upon the approach of the evening, our blessed Sa- 
 viour departed from Jerusalem, and retiring to the 
 town of Bethany, entered the house Simon surnam- 
 cd the Leper, probably in consequence of his hav- 
 
 * Maimonides says, the Jews were accustomed to punish notoriouf 
 offenders during the time of one of the three grand festivals, on account 
 of the vast concourse of people who on those occasions assembled in Je- 
 rusalem. They meant to treat our Saviour with the utmost severity, 
 but were yet willing to recede from this custom, rather than provoke 
 the indignation of the populace. However, they were induced by the 
 favorable opportunity which the treachery of Judas afforded, to em- 
 brace this season for carrying their iniquitous designs into execution. 
 VOL. II. W 
 
162 
 
 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 ing experienced the healing power of the heavenly 
 Physician. While he was at supper, a woman, who 
 doubtless had been an object of his benevolence and 
 mercy, entered the apartment, and from an alabaster- 
 box, poured upon the head of Jesus, some precious 
 ointment of the genuine spikenard ; and perceiving 
 that the ointment did not flow freely, she f broke, or 
 shook the box, and poured the whole upon the head 
 of Jesus. Some of the persons present, knowing that 
 Jesus was averse to luxurious indulgences, censured 
 the woman for her extravagant waste of the ointment, 
 saying, that it might have been sold for three hun- 
 dred J denarii, which sum would have been suffici- 
 ent to relieve the necessities of many indigent per- 
 sons. 
 
 To reprove his disciples for having censured the wo- 
 nian on account of the manner in which she had ma- 
 nifested her zeal for him, our blessed Saviour observ- 
 ed to them, that the divine Providence had been pleas- 
 ed to order that there should always be persons in 
 necessitous circumstances, and therefore the virtuous 
 would be able to find continual opportunities for the 
 exercise of their charity and benevolence ; adding, 
 that those who longer omitted to manifest their love 
 towards him would be denied the privilege of testi- 
 fying their zeal for his gospel and aifection for his per- 
 son, for his ministry was drawing towards a conclu- 
 sion ; upon the arrival of which, the king of terrors 
 would enjoy a short triumph over his body. The 
 woman, said our Lord, who has incurred your re- 
 proaches, has be4iaved towards me with the highest 
 degree of respect that it was in her power to bestow : 
 nor could she perform a more proper or seasonable 
 
 •f The original word is of doubtful signification. 
 
 + A denarius was equal to about seven-pence half-penny of English 
 money. 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. l63 
 
 action than that of anointing my body, which, in a 
 few days will be consigned to the dreary mansions of 
 the grave : and I predict to you, that wherever my 
 gospel shall be preached, the conduct of this woman 
 shall be celebrated, and her fame shall be transmit- 
 ted to the latest posterity. " Now when Jesus was 
 *' in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, there 
 " came unto him a women having an alabaster-box 
 " of very precious ointment, and poured it on his 
 *' head, as he sat at meat. But when his disciples 
 *' saw it, they had indignation, saying. To what pur- 
 *' pose is this waste ? For this ointment might have 
 '* been sold for much, and given to the poor. When 
 '* Jesus understood it, he said unto them. Why trou- 
 " ble ye the woman ? for she hath wrought a good 
 *' work upon me. For ye have the poor always with 
 '* you, but me ye have not always. For in that she 
 " hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it 
 *' for my burial. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever 
 *' this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, 
 " there shall also this, that this woman hath done, 
 *' be told for a memorial of her." Matt. xxvi. 6, 
 &c. 
 
 During the entertainment above-mentioned, Judas 
 Iscariot, yielding to the impulses of his insatiate ava- 
 rice, arose from table, and hastened to the city to Je- 
 rusalem, having formed the abominable resolution of 
 betraying his Master for the sake of the reward he 
 should obtain from the rulers of Israel. He found 
 the council assembled, and communicated to them 
 his horrid purpose. They eagerly embraced his pro- 
 posal, and agreed to pay him thirty * shekels of sil- 
 ver, on condition of his betraying the blessed Jesus 
 
 * Thirty staters, or sheckels of the sanctuary, were equal to about 
 three pounds Mfteen shilUngs English money, which sum was the usual 
 price paid for a slave ; so that in the circumstance of conspiring against 
 his hfe, the Jews manifested their contempt for the Son of God. 
 
164 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 into their power. Having engaged in this iniquitous 
 contract with the chief- priests, Judas resolved to avail 
 himself of the first favorable opportunity of carrying his 
 design into execution, at a time when our Lord was not 
 attended by his numerous followers, that he might 
 avoid fomenting a popular tumult. *' Then one of the 
 ** twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief- 
 *' priests, and said unto them, What will ye give me, 
 *' and I will deliver him unto you ? And they cove- 
 *' nanted with him for thirty pieces of silver. Anjd 
 *' from that time he srought opportunities to betray 
 " him." Matt. xxvi. 14, 15, 16. 
 
 The time was now approaching, when our blessed 
 Saviour was to conclude the mighty work for which 
 he had come into the' world ; and he was determined 
 to adhere to the most minute of the ceremonial insti- 
 tutions of Moses. Upon the first day of the feast of un- 
 leavened bread, being the fifth of the week, at which 
 time the Jews were commanded by the law to kill the 
 paschal lamb, the disciples enquired of Jesus, whether 
 it was not his pleasure that they should make prepara- 
 tions for the celebration of the passover ? Hereupon our 
 Saviour commanded Peter and John to repair to Jerusa- 
 lem, and make the necessary preparations for the feast, 
 which he said, he meant to celebrate in that city, in 
 company with his apostles ; adding, that upon enter- 
 ing the city, they v/ould meet a man bearing a pitcher 
 of water, and enjoining them to follow him into his 
 house, and in the name of their Master, request, that 
 he would provide a convenient room for the reception 
 of him and his disciples. This man, said our Lord, 
 will immediately conduct you into a coiumodious and 
 furnished room at the upper part of his house, where 
 you are to make the necessary preparations for the 
 passover. Thus our blessed Saviour meant to con- 
 vince his disciples, that he was acquainted with every 
 event that w^ould happen to him ; and that he should 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 163 
 
 voluntarily and with cheerfulness, submit to those 
 punishments and indignities which were to openile to 
 the benefit of mankind. In obedience to the com- 
 mand of Jesus, Peter and John repaired to Jerusalem, 
 and, upon entering that city, they met a man v\ith a 
 pitcher of water, who behaved to them exactly as their 
 Master had foretold. " Then came the day of un- 
 ^' leavened bread, when the passover must be killed. 
 " And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go, and pre- 
 " pare us the passover, that we may eat. And they 
 " said unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare .'' 
 " And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are en- 
 *' tered into the city, there shall a man meet you, 
 *' bearing a pitcher of water : follow him into the 
 " house where he entereth in. And ye shall say unto 
 *' the good man of the house, The master saith unto 
 ** thee, Where is the guest-chamber where I shall 
 *' eat the passover with my disciples ? And he shall 
 *' shew you a large room furnished ; there make rea- 
 " c]y. And they went and found as he had said unto 
 " them; and they made ready the passover." Luke 
 xxii. 6, Sec. 
 
 The two apostles having made the necessary pre- 
 parations for the passover, upon the approach of even- 
 ing, our blessed Redeemer departed from Bethany ; 
 and some time before the hour at which the Jews were 
 accustomed to eat the passover, he entered the city of 
 Jerusalem, and repaired to the apartment which had 
 been prepared for his reception, accompanied by his 
 twelve apostles. 
 
 While they were at table, our blessed Lord said to 
 his apostles, I tell you of a truth, that one of the 
 twelve who are now at supper with me, shall treache- 
 rously surrender me into the power of the Sanhedrim. 
 Hereupon they were greatly disconcerted, and seve- 
 rally asked their Master, to which of them he refer- 
 
166 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 red. Jesus declined giving a decisive answer, but 
 repeated, that he should be betrayed by one of the 
 twelve. 
 
 So afflicted were the innocent disciples by what 
 their Master had said concerning the treachery he was 
 to experience, that they did not remark the words ad. 
 dressed to his apostate disciple, whom our Saviour 
 had privately informed, that he was apprized of his 
 villainous intention : but they repeated their ques- 
 tion, as to which of them was capable of so horrid a 
 crime as that he had mentioned. Yielding at length 
 to their importunity, our blessed Redeemer signified 
 to them that he should be betrayed by one of those 
 who eat out of the same dish with him. The time is 
 approaching, said our Lord, when I shall be put to 
 death, agreeable to the prophecies concerning the 
 Messiah* : but the most dreadful punishments shall 
 be inflicted upon that man who shall betray me. The 
 declaration of Jesus could not fail to disconcert the 
 wicked traitor, who, however, soon recovered his usu- 
 al confidence, and determined boldly to proceed in his 
 iniquitous project. " Now when the even was come 
 *' he sat down with the twelve. And as they did eat, 
 *' he said. Verily I say unto you, that one of you 
 ** shall betray me. And they Mere exceeding sor- 
 '' rowful, and began every one of them to say unto 
 " him, Lord, is it I ? And he answered and said. He 
 " that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same 
 " shall betray me. The Son of man goeth, as it is 
 *' written of him : but woe unto that man by whom 
 " the Son of man is betrayed : it had been good for 
 " that man, if he had not been born. Then Judas, 
 
 * Hence it appears, that the prediction of Christ's suffering throiio-h 
 the treachery of Judas, laid him under no necessity of performing the 
 horrid deed, but only implied a knowledge in God, as to the manner 
 in which the uncontrouled will of man would operate. 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. l6j 
 
 *' which betrayed him, answered, and said, Master, 
 *' is it 1 ? He said unto him, Thou hast said." Matt. 
 xxvi. 20, &c. 
 
 A variety of conjectures having been framed con- 
 cerning the motives whereby the perfidious Judas was 
 induced to deliver his innocent Master into the power 
 of his cruel enemies, it may not here be improper to 
 insert those, which carry with them the strongest ap- 
 pearances of probability : but as this is a point of 
 some intricacy, we shall be careful not to lay any re- 
 straint or prejudice upon the minds of our readers, 
 who will be left entirely free to deduce from the ex- 
 plicit and candid arguments which we shall produce, 
 such decisions as the dictates of reason shall sug- 
 gest. 
 
 It is the opinion of many learned men, that Judas 
 was induced to the perpetration of this abominable 
 act of villainy, by the resentment with which they 
 suppose him to have been inspired, in consequence of 
 the rebuke he received from his Master, for having 
 censured the woman who poured a precious ointment 
 upon the head of our blessed Saviour, while he was 
 at supper, in the house of Simon the leper. Though 
 it is probable that this was a reason of some weight 
 with the traitor, it could scarcely be his only motive, 
 because the reproof was not directed to him in parti- 
 cular, but to his disciples in general, who had perhaps 
 concurred in blaming the woman for what they con- 
 ceived to be an unnecessary act of profusion. It is, 
 indeed, scarcely to be imagined, that so mild a re- 
 proof could have provoked any man, of however an 
 irrascible and revengeful a disposition, to determine 
 upon the murder of his friend : and it is less likely, 
 that Judas, whose avaricious temper must have dis- 
 posed him to bear much severity of treatment, rather 
 than fail to improve the opportunity of acquiring 
 
163 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 wealth, would have been urged to this wicked resolu- 
 tion by so slight a provocaiion ; for he, as well as the 
 other apostles, still imagined that Jesus would affect 
 the pomp and splendor of a temporal sovereign, and 
 that his followers would be promoted to offices of 
 high honor and emolument. 
 
 Others are of opinion, that the covetous disposi- 
 tion of Judas prompted him to betray his Master: 
 but if by the word covetous we are to understand 
 the desire of obtaining" reward from the chief-priests, 
 this conjecture must be extremely defective ; for the 
 sum was too inconsiderable to tempt the most sordid 
 mind, to resolve upon sacrificing the life of a friend ; 
 and more especially, if the man expected to enjoy much 
 greater emoluments from the future f^ivors of that 
 friend, than it was possible could result to him in con- 
 sequence of his death. 
 
 A third party attribute the perfidy of Judas to the 
 doubts he entertained, as to whether his Master was 
 in reality the Messiah ; and these imagine, that he 
 betrayed him in a fit of despair. But the futility of 
 this solution may be proved with but little difiiculty. 
 Had Judas believed his Master to be an impostor, 
 some parts of his conduct must have appeared as a 
 foundation of so injurious an opinion; and in this case, 
 he would indisputably have particularized to the chief 
 priests and elders, whatever he conceived to be ob- 
 jectionable in the behaviour of our Saviour, at the 
 time when he engaged in the contract of betraying 
 him. That he did nothing of this kind, is clearly evi- 
 dent ; for had he exhibited any accusation against his 
 Master before the council, they most certainly would 
 have reminded him of that circumstance, when he 
 returned to them, and expressed his remorse and con- 
 trition for the perfidy of his conduct. Had he giv- 
 en any intimations tending to confirm the priests and 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. l69 
 
 cklers in their disbelief oi' the divinity of the mission 
 of Jesus, they would most indisputably have been 
 adduced against him in the course of his trial, when 
 his enemies were wholly incapable of procuring evi. 
 dcnce in support of their groundless accusations. 
 It may be further observed, that had Judas consider- 
 ed his Master as an impostor, and expected no other 
 reward for sacrificing his life than the money he was 
 to receive from the council, he would scarcely have 
 accepted of so small a sum ; since he could not be 
 ignorant, that the chief- priests and rulers would not 
 have scrupled to give any price, rather than fail of 
 getting the person of our Saviour into their power. 
 
 In short, the solemn declaration which Judas made 
 to the priests, bearing testimony to the perfect in- 
 nocence of our great Redeemer, and expressing his 
 concern for the horrid crime he had committed, are 
 clear confutations of the supposition that he believed 
 his Master to be an impostor. *' I have sinned," said 
 he, " in betraying innocent blood." 
 
 The evangelist informs us, that Judas was of so 
 rapacious a disposition, as to embezzle money from 
 the common stock of our Saviour and his apostles ; 
 and this affords us sufficient reason to believe, that he 
 became the disciple of Jesus with a view to amass 
 riches, and acquire such other temporal advantages, 
 as he supposed would be enjoyed by the friends and 
 followers of the Messiah. This evangelist also gives 
 a sanction to the idea, that as he had been disappoint- 
 ed in his expectations, he became extrem.ely impatient 
 of the delay ; and the more so, as his Master had fre- 
 quently, and particularly about that period, dissuad- 
 ed his disciples from entertaining any ambitious 
 views or expectations; and had also declined to em- 
 brace the opportunity of erecting a temporal sove- 
 reignty, to which he had been vehemently urged by 
 
 VOL. II. X 
 
170 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 the mnltitDde, who had accompanied him to Jerusa- 
 lem - uts and exclamations of Hosanna to the 
 Son L :. His impatience, therefore, it mny be 
 presomed, w as so excessive, as to prompt him to sur- 
 render his Master into the pouer of the Sar.hedrim ; 
 conceiving, that he would then be under an absolute 
 necessity of assuming the dignity of a sovereign prince, 
 which uould place him in a situation, whereby he 
 would be enabled to bestow emoiaments and other 
 rewards upon his followers. 
 
 The grand council of the Jewish nation was com- 
 posed of the principal persons of the sacerdotal order, 
 the representatives of the most eminent of the Jewish 
 &milies, and the doctors of the law ; and when con- 
 ducted into the presence of so august an assembly, 
 the traitor, pe: haps, imagined, that his Master would 
 resolutely assert his pretentions to the tirle of the 
 Messiah ; and after proving the justice of his claim, 
 to the entire conviction of the council, immediately 
 assume the regal dignity, and claim the right of exer- 
 cising the full powers government. 
 
 Though he could not be ignorant that the mea- 
 sures he was pursuing would prove exceedingly of- 
 fensive to his Master, yet he might hope that the suc- 
 cess of his project would ensure his pardon from the 
 benevolent Jesus, and also recon.meod him to a mere 
 distinguished place in the esteem of so generous a 
 Piaster. Considering himself affronted by the re- 
 proof he received when the woman had poured 
 the ointment upon the head of Jesus, he was pro- 
 bably provoked to execute the resolution he had 
 fi ' ~ -? ^^^ Master to an alteration of 
 
 h: .^, therefore, from table, he has- 
 
 tened to the counci!, and proposed to them his iniquit- 
 o 't. For a small reward, he engaged to 
 
 cc. -. party of armed men to the place oi retire- 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 171 
 
 ment, where our Saviour usually resorted at night, 
 thut they might apprehend him without dangtr of 
 being opposed by, or of creating a tumult among 
 the populace. 
 
 Judas asked the chief-piiests and elders, what re- 
 ward he was to expect for betraying his Master to 
 them : but it is probable, that he did not suspect 
 thai his enemies had determined to put him *.o death ; 
 for they had not publicly avowed the barbarity of 
 their designs, but pretended, that they were bound 
 by the duties of their station, to bring him to trial 
 for assuming the character of the Messiah, in order 
 that he might be treated according to his deserts : 
 and the offer that Judas made to the council, was in 
 consequence of their public resolution. Had the chief- 
 priests and elders suspected, that the design of Judas 
 was to effect the death of his Master, they must have 
 understood, that he coincided with them in the sup- 
 position, that Jesus was an impostor ; and therefore 
 they would have produced him as an evidence in 
 support of the accusation exhibited against their Mas- 
 ter. 
 
 It is true, that the persecutors of our blessed Savi- 
 our said, the money which they paid to Judas was 
 *' the price of blood ;" but this phrase is not to be 
 understood in the strict literal sense. The traitor had 
 given them power to deprive our blessed Redeemer 
 of life, and therefore they said, the money paid to him 
 was " the price of blood." 
 
 Had Judas intended to take away the life of our 
 blessed Saviour, he would have rejoiced when he was 
 condemned to die ; but, on the contrary, when this 
 shocking sentence was pronounced, he repented of his 
 wicked proceedings, proposed to return the bribe he 
 
1J2 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 had received from the council, and bore solemn and 
 public testimony to his iSiastcr's innocence. 
 
 Whatever was the motive of Judas it is certain that 
 his treachery will not admit either of excuse or pal- 
 liation ; for, considered in the most favorable point 
 of view, it must be admitted, that he acted in direct 
 contradiction to every sentiment of religion and vir- 
 tue. It is, however, indisputably certain, that Judas 
 was not influenced by any buspicion as to the justice 
 of the pretensions of his Master to the character of 
 the Messiah, to impeach the divinity of whose com- 
 mission, not the slightest circumstance can be collect- 
 ed from the v»'hole tenor of the conduct of the abomi- 
 nable and impious traitor. 
 
 But, returning from this digression, we shall relate 
 the particulars of the sacrament instituted by our Sa- 
 viour in commemoration of his death and sufferings. 
 Being shortly to surrender his life as a propitiatory 
 sacrifice for the sins of mankind, our blessed Re- 
 deemer instituted the sacrament of his supper, that 
 his death, and the beneficent purposes thereof, might 
 be perpetuated to the most distant ages. 
 
 While our I^ord sat, accompanied by his disciples, 
 at the Paschal sa{)per, he took some bread, and having 
 broken it, desired his apostles to eat, saying, that the 
 food he had offered them, they were to consider as 
 his body. This rite, said our Lord, you are not in 
 future to observe as a memorial of the deliverance of 
 the Jewish nation from the Egyptian bondage, but in 
 conimemorati(jn of the happy event of being rescued 
 b} me fioni a state of spiritual bondage, which is in- 
 finitely more deplorable than all the afflictions which 
 your fore. fathers experienced from those people who 
 had re(!ucc(! ihem to a state of the rnost abject slave-' 
 ry. Your observance of this institution, will intitle 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 173 
 
 you to the glorious privilege of being numbered 
 among the children of God. Do this in remembrance 
 of me, who by yielding up my life, will redeem you 
 from the power and t} ranny of Satan, and enable you 
 to attain to a state of glorious antl immortal bliss. — 
 Having divided the bread among his disciples, our bles- 
 sed Redeemer filled a cup with wine, and having given 
 thanks to God, presented it to his apostles, command- 
 ing them all to drink ; and telling them, that the wine 
 represented his blood, by the eftusion of which, his 
 heavenly Father would enter into a new covenant with 
 mankind, by means of which the sins of the people 
 then existing, and of future ages, would be expiated. 
 My disciples, said the blessed Jesus, must in all ages 
 drmk of this cup, because the wine it contains, repre- 
 sents my blood, which will soon be shed for the re- 
 mission of the sins of mankind, and by w^hich the 
 new covenant between God and man will be fully ra- 
 tified ; adding, after he had taken a second cup of 
 wine, and presented it to the apostles who sat next 
 to him, desiring them all to partake of it, that he had 
 been extremely desirous of celebrating this passover 
 with them, which was the last he should participate, 
 until they should meet him in the glorious kingdom 
 of his heavenly Father, and there celebrate their 
 deliverance from the miseries hiseparable from the 
 imperfection unulienably annexed to humanity. — 
 " And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and 
 '' blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, 
 *' and said. Take, eat ; this is my body. And he 
 "■ took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, 
 *' saving, drink ye all of it : for this is my blood of 
 " the New Testament, which is shed for many for 
 " the remission of sins. But I say unto you, I will 
 " not drink henceforth of the fruit of the vine, until 
 *' that day when 1 drink it new with you in my Fa- 
 " ther's kingdom." Matt. xxvi. 26, &:c. '' The Lord 
 " Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, 
 
174 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 *' took bread : and when he had given thanks, he 
 *' brake it, and said, Take eat : this is my body, 
 *' which is broken for you : this do in remembrance 
 ** of me. After the same manner also he took the 
 " cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the 
 *' New Testament in my bhjod : this do ye, as often 
 *' as ye drmk it, in remembrance of me. For as often 
 " as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew 
 " the Lord's death till he come. Wherefore, whoso- 
 " ever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the 
 *■' Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and 
 " blood of the Lord. But let a man examine him- 
 " self, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of 
 " that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unwor- 
 " thily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not 
 " discerning the Lord's body." 1 Cor. xi. 23. &c. 
 
 The manifestation of the Son of God is the most 
 illustrious and momentous event, that can possibly 
 engage the meditatjon of mankind. On account of his 
 sufferings for us, we are indebted to him for all our 
 hopes and assurances of obtaining forgivness of our 
 sins, and the enjoyment of a state of ineffable and ever- 
 lasting bliss. To procure the happiness of mankind, 
 he assumed the veil of humanity, thereby condescend- 
 ing to suffer an amazing degradation from the dignity 
 he enjoyed « ith his heavenly Father : for the same 
 beneficent purpose, he employed himself with unwea- 
 ried attention, in delivering such instructions as were 
 calculated for enabling the sinful children of men to 
 secure their eternal salvation ; and while he delivered 
 these divine precepts, he shone forth an all-perfect ex- 
 ample of sanctity and virtue. 
 
 For the benefit of mankind, our blessed Redeemer 
 submitted to a long course of the most cruel indig- 
 nities and hardships, to the agonies of crucifixion, 
 and the stroke of death ; he then arose from the grave, 
 
OUit BLESSED SAVIOUR. 175 
 
 and in the fulness of heavenly splendor, ascended to 
 the throne of the Almighty, to mediate in behalf of 
 mankind. 
 
 The institution of the sacrament above-mentioned, 
 was perfectly consistent with ihe unbounded wisdom 
 and goodness which were manifested through the 
 whole tenor of our blessed Redeemer's conduct, dur- 
 ing his residence on earth. The beneficent Jesus in- 
 stituted this rite, in order that his death and suffer- 
 ings, and the glorious purposes thereof, might be con- 
 stantly impressed upon our memories. The breaking 
 of bread, and pouring out wine, were intended tore- 
 present to us a signal proof of the tender affection 
 which both Jesus and his heavei.-ly Father entertained 
 for mankind, to procure whose salvation, the sacred 
 body of our blessed Redeemer was exposed to the 
 most vile indignities, and the most excrutiating cru- 
 elties, that the inveterate malice of his enemies could 
 suggest. In this instance of the divine love, we can- 
 not fail to perceive a peculiar propriety ; for it point- 
 ed out, by a particular ordination, a fact of the high- 
 est importance in the immense scheme of revelation. 
 It may indeed be presumed, that, in those corrupt and 
 illiterate ages, when the sacred truths of the Scrip- 
 tures were but little known by the generality of the 
 people, and when the works of the inspired writers 
 were in a great measure neglected, even by the priests, 
 the sufferings and death of our Saviour would scarce- 
 ly have been remembered, had not those facts been 
 perpetuated by the celebration of the sacrament of the 
 Lord's Supi-er. 
 
 Since we are naturally inclined to yield to the allure- 
 ments of sensual pleasure, the charms of ambition, 
 and the splendor of riches, which are calculated to 
 suppress and obliterate the noblest sentiments of reli- 
 gion and virtue, our benevolent Redeemer was gra- 
 
176 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 ciously pleased, by enjoining us to a frequent repeti- 
 tion of the sacramental feast, to afford us opportunities 
 of reflecting upon our erroneous proceedings, and the 
 necessity of a punctual discharge of the Christian 
 duties. 
 
 The gospel of Christ is beneficent and generous : it 
 is admirably adapted to correct the irregularity and 
 intemperance of our passions, to enlarge our affec- 
 tions towards our fellow-creatures, and to inspire us 
 w^th an ardent love of God : but though it enforces 
 all the religious and moral obligations, by motives 
 astonishingly powerful and affecting, yet such is the 
 perverseness of the disposition of mankind, that their 
 peace is continually interrupted by jealousies, conten- 
 tions, envy, wrath, and malice. Therefore by uniting 
 us together by the sacrament of his body and blood, 
 the blessed and immaculate Jesus manifested his di- 
 vine wisdom and benevolence, and powerfully urged 
 us to avoid anger, calumny, revenge, and all other vi- 
 cious dispositions, ; and at the same time strongly 
 recommended the practice of compassion, humility, 
 tenderness, and love. 
 
 We are bound by an indispensible obligation to a 
 punctual observance of the sacrament of our Lord's 
 Supper ; and therefore, that wc may receive it wor- 
 thily, it behoves us piously to meditate on the design 
 of the gospel, the noble system of heavenly truths 
 which it exhibits, the illustrious example of our bles- 
 sed Saviour, the ravishing prospects of his revelation, 
 and the powerful and incontestible evidence, by which 
 the great truths of his gospel are so wonderfully con- 
 firmed. 
 
 It is an essential branch of our duty, to contemplate 
 the unparrelled benevolence of the Almighty, in pro- 
 jecting the great scheme of our redemption ; the infi- 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 177 
 
 nite goodness of his only Son, in mediating in our be- 
 luilt", and his wonderful transactions in the prosecuiion 
 of this stupendous undertaking : and that our hopes 
 of salvation may not prove abortive, we must strongly 
 impress upon our minds a proper sense of the great 
 and immediate purposes, for which this sacrament 
 was appointed. 
 
 This sacrament was instituted by our Saviour, in 
 order to establish the hearts of mankind in the love 
 and fear of God, who yielded up his only Son as a 
 propitiatory sacrifice for the sins of mankind. Those 
 who have professed faith in Christ, are required to 
 prove the reality of that profession, by a strict obedi- 
 ence to the precepts of his gospel, and by abounding 
 in that righteous disposition which his own heavenly 
 example so engagingly recommends. Thus will the 
 sacrament be rendered subservient to the most bene- 
 ficial purposes, and be made instrumental in qualify- 
 ing us for participating in that dignity and happi- 
 ness, which our Saviour enjoys in the blessed mansi- 
 ons of his heavenly Father. 
 
 Having before the passover predicted his sufferings 
 aiul death, while our Lord remained among his dis- 
 ciples, he continued to behave towards them with the 
 strongest instances of his love and benevolence. — 
 Though he was acquainted with the impious design 
 which Judas had projected against his life, and was 
 invested with power by his heavenly Father to defeat 
 the iniquitous machinations of the traitor, yet he did 
 not obstruct the execution of his sacrilegious purpose, 
 nor, on his account, behave with less tenderness and 
 aifviction towards his other apostles. In the mean 
 lime Judas, having permitted his imagination to be 
 entirely engrossed by the delusions of Satan, and be- 
 ing resolved to proceed in his treasonable design, con- 
 tinued assiduously to attend upon the person of Jesys, 
 
 VOL. II. Y 
 
178 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 anxiously waiting for an opportunity of betraying 
 his Master into the power of his enemies. 
 
 Nothwithstanding the frequent intimations that our 
 Saviour had given, to convince his apostles that he 
 was not to erect a temporal sovereignty, they still en- 
 tertained an opinion that the time would soon arrive, 
 when he would assume the reins of government, and 
 render all the princes of the earth subject to his do- 
 minion ; and therefore they engaged in a controversy, 
 as to who should enjoy the most dibtinguished offices 
 under his government. Hereupon our Lord admo- 
 nished them, as he had done on former occasions. 
 
 The kings of the Gentiles, said Jesus, exercise an 
 arbitrary dominion over their subjects, who bestow 
 upon their tyrannical rulers the most honorable ap- 
 pellations. But you are to conduct yourselves in a 
 very different manner: to obtain true honor and sin- 
 cere esteem, you must omit no opportunity of ren- 
 dering services to your fellow creatures. The person 
 who sits at table, is more honorably distinguished 
 than the man by whom he is attended in the capacity 
 of a servant. But I am resolved to minister to you, 
 that by my example you may be instructed in your 
 duty. But you are not to infer from what I have 
 said, that I esteem you unworthy to enjoy the rewards 
 of my heavenly kingdom. You have steadily adher- 
 ed to me under all my misfortunes : and therefore, as 
 my Father has admitted me to share in his kingdom, 
 so will I delegate my authority to you ; and you shall 
 be seated in my presence upon twelve thrones, to pro- 
 nounce judgment upon the twelve tribes of Israel. 
 *' And there was also a strife among them, which of 
 " them should be accounted the greatest. And he 
 " said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise 
 " lordship over them, and they that exercise au- 
 ** thority upon them are called benefactors. But 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 179 
 
 *' ye shall not be so : but he that is greatest among 
 " you, let him be as the younger ; and he that is chitf, 
 " as he that doth ^erve. For whether is greater, he 
 " that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth ? is not he 
 *' that sitteth at meat .'' but 1 am among you as he that 
 *' serveth. Ye are they which have continued with 
 '* me in my temptations. And I appoint unto you a 
 '' kingdom, as my hath Father appointed unto me : 
 " that ye may eat and drink at my table in my king. 
 " dom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes 
 '^ of Israel." Luke xxii. 24, &c. 
 
 Our blessed Saviour now arose from table, and put- 
 ting off his upper garment, girted a napkin round his 
 body ; then pouring water into a bason, he proceeded 
 to wash the feet of his apostles, and to wipe them 
 with the napkin which he had put round his waist. 
 When our Lord came to Peter, that apostle objected 
 to having his feet washed by his Master ; who there- 
 upon said, that though he was yet unacquainted with 
 the reason of his performing that office, he should be 
 informed of it in a short time. However, Peter still 
 objected, saying, that he could not endure to see 
 his Master degrade himself by so servile an employ- 
 ment. Upon this Jesus said, that if Peter continued 
 to oppose his design, he could not partake of the bles- 
 sings of the kingdom of heaven. Hereby our Lord 
 signified, by an allusion of corporeal washing, that the 
 minds of men were to be purified from their vices and 
 defilements, before they would be qualified to enjoy 
 eternal happiness. Peter not yet comprehending the 
 meaning of Jesus, exclaimed, If it seems good to thee, 
 O Lord, wash not my feet alone, but my head and 
 hands also. Upon this our Saviour said, that the man 
 who had once washed his body, was entirely clean, 
 and that therefore it was not necessary for him, to 
 have recourse to frequent clcansings, except with re- 
 spect to the feet, which were liable to be defiled by the 
 
186 
 
 THE HISTOttY OF 
 
 dust and dirt; and he added, that thougli some of 
 them were clean, they were not all so. Thus he in- 
 timated, that those who had resolutely determined to 
 divest themselves of their evil habits, were not re- 
 quired to effect a thorough and entire change, since 
 they had only to free themselves from some relicks of 
 their former vices ; and at the same time he reflected 
 upon the wickedness of Judas, w ho he did not consi- 
 der as being upon terms of equality w ith his other dis- 
 ciples, and w ho had the confidence to remain in the pre- 
 sence of his Master, and dissemble his desperate de- 
 sign, although he was conscious that his iniquity could 
 not be concealed from Jesus. " He riseth from sup- 
 '^ per, and laid aside his garments, and took a towel, 
 " and girded himself. After that, he poureth water 
 " into a bason, and began to wash the disciples* 
 " feet, and to wipe them w ith rhe towel wherewith 
 " he was srirded. Then cometh he to Simon Peter: 
 ** and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou w-ash 
 *' my feet ? Jesus answered and said unto him. What 
 *' I do thou knowest not now: but thou shalt know 
 ** hereafter. Peter saith unto him, thou shalt never 
 '* wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee 
 *' not, thou hast no part with me. Simon Peter saith 
 " unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my 
 *' hands and my head. Jesus saith to him. He that 
 ** is washed, needcih not save to wash his feet, but 
 ** is clean every whit : and yc are clean, but not all. 
 " For he knew v* ho should betray him ; therefore 
 " said he, Ye are not all clean." John xiii. 4, &c. 
 
 Having performed this office, our Lord put on his 
 garment, and having agam seated himself, enquired 
 of his apostles, whether they understood the meaning 
 of what he had done, the action being entirely em- 
 blematical. You properly, said Jesus, distinguish 
 me by the appellations of Lord and Master ; for I am 
 the Son of God, and the Saviour of mankind. If then 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 181 
 
 I, who am your Lord and Master, condescend to * 
 wash your feet, by my example you are instructed in 
 the duty of being ever cheerfully disposed to employ 
 yourselves in the most humble offices of charity in 
 behalf of your fellow-creatures. I have afforded you 
 a striking example of humility and moderation : and 
 the servant cannot reasonably expect more favorable 
 treatment than his Master, nor is the messenger to 
 be considered as superior to him from whom he 
 has received his commission. You have had ma- 
 ny opportunities of being instructed in the princi- 
 ples of your duty, by a strict adherence in which you 
 will most assuredly obtain everlasting happiness. — 
 He added, that previous to his calling them to the 
 apostleship, he was perfectly acquainted with their 
 most secret dispositions ; and if one of those he had 
 chosen should prove a traitor, his delinquency was 
 not to excite the astonishment of the others, as that 
 man was appointed to be one of his disciples, that 
 the scriptures might be fulfilled, since he was volun- 
 tarily disposed to submit to what David complained 
 of. " He that has eaten bread with me, hath lift up 
 *' his heel against me." This I say, in order that 
 none of you may erroneously imagine, that any oc- 
 currence can possibly happen to me, without my be- 
 ing previously informed thereof, and that you may 
 cheerfully and resolutely proceed in the duties of 
 your apostolical commission. Whoever shall afford 
 you reception worthy the characters you are to main- 
 tain, I shall esteem as having rendered those services 
 to me ; and whoever shall be thus esteemed by me, 
 will be as liberally rewarded by the Almighty, as if 
 their kindness had been exerted in favor of me, who 
 am his messenger, and act under the authority of his 
 
 * This is not to be literally nn<lerstood, as imposing a command 
 upon mankind to wash the feet of each other, but to be interpreted in 
 the spiritual sense ; Jesus meaning to instruct his disciples, that they 
 were bound to perform offices of charity and service to each other. 
 
182 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 divine commission. " So after he had washed their 
 ** feet, and had taken his garments, and was stt down 
 " again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have 
 " done to you ? Ye call me Master, and Lord : and 
 *' ye say well : for so I am. If I then, your Lord and 
 ** Master, have washed your feet, ye also pught to 
 *' wash one another's feet. For I have given you an 
 *' example, that ye should do as I have done to you. 
 " Verily, verily I say unto you, The servant is not 
 " greater than his Lord, neither he that is sent, greater 
 " than he that sent him. If ye know these things, hap- 
 " py are ye if ye do them. I speak not of you all ; 
 *' I know whom I have chosen ; but that the Scrip- 
 *' ture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me, 
 " hath lift up his heel against me. Now I tell you 
 *' before it come, that when it is come to pass, ye may 
 *' believe that I am he. Verily, verily I say unto 
 *' you, He that receiveth whomsoever 1 send, receiv- 
 ** eth me : and he that receiveth me, receiveth him 
 " that sent me." John xiii. 12, &c. 
 
 While our blessed Saviour was discoursing in the 
 above manner to his dibcipics, he was much troubled 
 by reflecting, that he should be betrayed by one of 
 them : and this circumstance he again mentioned in 
 the hearing of them all. Jesus had signified to Judas 
 that he knew him to be the traitor, but this not being 
 overheard by the other apostles, they earnestly regard- 
 ed each other, being unable to conceive which of them 
 could be capable of so abominable an act of villain)?^. 
 At length Peter requested John, who was greatly be- 
 loved by Jesus, and was at that time reclining upon 
 his bosom, to ask his Master, to which of his disciples 
 he alluded. In reply to the request of John our Sa- 
 viour said, that he meant the man to whom he should 
 present some bread dipped in wine ; and he immedi- 
 ately oftereda sop to Judas Iscariot, who had no soon- 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 183 
 
 er recievcd it, than he became * more furiously agi- 
 tatetl by the evil spirit. This being observed by our 
 Saviour, addressing himself to the traitor, he said in 
 a loud voice, '' Thatf thou doest, do quickly." These 
 words were not understood by the apostles, some of 
 them imagining, that as Judas was accustomed to car- 
 ry the bag, containing the common stock of money of 
 Jesus and the apostles, his Master meant to command 
 Judas to provide such necessaries as would be requir- 
 ed during the remaining days of the feast ; and others 
 supposed, that he meant Judas should distribute alms 
 to the poor. However, when Judas had eaten the sop 
 presented by his Master, he departed, the evening be- 
 ing then far advanced. *' When Jesus had thus said, 
 " he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, 
 '* Verily, verily I say unto you, that one of you shall 
 *' betray me. Then the disciples looked one on ano. 
 " ther, doubting of whom he spake. Now there was 
 " leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples whom 
 " Jesus loved. Simon Peter therefore beckoned to 
 " him, that he should ask whom it should be of whom 
 " he spake. He then lying on Jesus' breast, saith un- 
 " to him, Lord, who is it ? Jesus answered, He it is 
 *' to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. 
 " And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Ju- 
 *' das Iscariot the son of Simon. And after the sop, 
 " Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, 
 " That thou doest, do quickly. Now no man at the 
 " table knew for what intent he spake this unto him. 
 " For some of them thought, because Judas had the 
 " bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things 
 
 * The davil did not enter into Judas in substance, but in operation, 
 as he is said to possess those who are fully inclined to obey his evjl sug- 
 gestions. 
 
 t This is not to be understood as an encouragement for Judas to 
 proceed in his wicked enterprize, but only as a declaration of Christ's 
 readiness to suffer death. 
 
ISi Tur nisi«»iM oi 
 
 *• \\\A{ \\c hrtvcnrr.lol .•»v\:«mNt (he lr;\«»t : «>r thnt lu- 
 ** *lu)uUl u»>c Honu (l\»\«(i iv> \\\v noor. Il«" tlu n havn^'. 
 *» ii>o<Mv<HTthi» no|>, xvcni uuuu (li;«(rly v)ui ; uikI it was 
 
 »<oU luoro rvplioiUy (o OuMwhor «poNiK>. The pr- 
 l«o<l> Mul J* NUM, will \pivOily !Uli\i\ wlun I ^l^;Ul ton 
 
 worht i rt«\<l th<*ivlorv \ \\\\\s\ \\\^\\ \\\\\\\\i\ vou, il^iU 
 my hcrt>t^nK V^^lhoi l\j»» Oo^nonMiMiu tl who I mw In 
 w*fty >ji\u><^>ulx\uiii mir^^oU»^ «Uho\»jj;h ih<?ol)»hn«^u Jews 
 MiU ^t'n^jiuUr m<^ axonr of \\\c common ravv of moi 
 UUx Axv I 1\<UA^ miuolv Mxvl ihc i^lon ol inul lo uwov 
 kuul> »o alM» xviU ht[>> l\v mir;4ck» wu>^e surpiiNinj; 
 th,^\\ luxr t>cru yrt ^ccw, ,iuv1 by mhcr «\osi imlul>iiA 
 h\c iisA<\\\^ lOxxuiV \\\Ai i\\<' Mwiunm In \\lu« h \ ;\kU In 
 O'TiixY^t^ imm<HUt^Uly Trom hu\u Uo inrontt<<i ihtm. 
 lU)!i< !\r \\'aA but « ^hoti lin^t:^ to * <x u\i^i« with Uuin ; 
 An\l Ows^ (avaU U\axc o( ih<^m, xx \\\\ ^\cm tnuin ncss 
 A«x<\ ,irtx\n<>n» l) m\ U hncit ilixNOipUN, Miti our Lv>*\l, 
 «» \ \\A\r u\\<\ thooUshn<*ir.<cxx«x *ouoxx 1 iulxxrm you 
 tU^t ux U\<^ (xUoc (XX XX hu h I >hx<U Nhovth^ 3i\>^ you c;^n> 
 ttixi iwm<\\i4irU oht^^ax x^Jmituucc* hui I >niiily 
 <'\ho«i > ou »o «^l^y tUi« ucxx oonxm^n<), ChcriNh a 
 tViutoAl Vxxc l\x»^ r^Ach vxlWr> «u<i (h«t xnilh an t <»ix)our 
 <\l' -> tivAl I hAxr •■ s 
 
 xox^ ,-,,.,,. :>cthc ovUcritxiXx \ >. > ... ...>v,- 
 
 |Nis>>xU;^U he f <lku»x^^u»h<\UV*>in th%»$c ol'aixy oihtr 
 
 *H VVrt»« VteS'^»|>CKW* <x< men ^ h«s - ,,;«;, v>^ tiMA ij* 
 
MiiHtpf. ** 'VUvrci'nn' when he- Wns «onn out, Jrsuft 
 •' Htiid, now (H iIm- Son of nnin fj;lorifM(l, wnd (iod i» 
 " fr|.,rifi<-d in him. IT Ood be ^rlor dird in hiin, Ood 
 '• MhidI !iKo f/ldidy hnn in hiniMcir, wnd shfdl stiiiifwny 
 '• (rlorily him. Little chddrtn, yd a ItUlc wink* 1 am 
 ' with yon. Yc nhidl ncek me : i\tn\ as I »«»hI unto 
 *' th^.I^•w^, Whitht r I K<»,yc cannot com*' ; so now I 
 " say nnto you. A n( w comrnan lmi:nt i {<ivc unto 
 you, ih.it yc h)VC one another ; hh I have Igved you, 
 " th.it yc also h)vr' one another. JJy this nhall all men 
 «' Vii'.iv ihat yc are my discijdcs." lolm xni. 31, ttc. 
 
 I'rU r now rrqnrHted to l)e inloriiifd ol the |»la(je 
 wh< re he meant to retire, since he harl said, that hii 
 npoHtlc* would not be |)ef milted to follow him. Our 
 I.'.rd informed him, tluit, althon^^h he could not he 
 immediately admitted to tlu- place whither he wan j^o- 
 ing, yet at a future period he Hhould enjoy that jjrivi. 
 Ic|^r. Upon heinf^ anked by Peier the rcasr>n \u could 
 nf)t be allowed tf) accompany him, our Saviour said, 
 
 Know that the evil spirit hath re{jue»ted permission 
 or(iod to make a srvrc trial of thy laifh and constan- 
 ( y : but I have supplicated my heavenly I'ather, not 
 to suffer thy faith to be subdued ; and I now enjoin 
 thee, that when thy fidelity shall be established, thou 
 flh:ilt, by thy example, f;on(inn thy brethr' n in tlu'ir 
 allegiance to me. Displeased ar beinj^ deemed the 
 weakest of the apostles, on whom the pr^ver of Satan 
 would most HiicccKsfully o|>erate, I'etcr declared, that 
 
 (liK<>i|>lrA ^h^li !)r kuowri by thrir niiirrrp nffrrtioD for each other j n vir- 
 ^ tur no miith Mi'tivated in thr j>nin)tivc ages, that it excited at once the 
 Uitrcd and admiration of tlir hruthrnti. 
 
 • f frnrr «/ood m-n flrrivr th^ romforfahl'- unmtrunr^., that Sjitun h;m 
 
 not p., v^r, fithrr to trrnpt or alTIi' t fhTn, without the divm'- p'rmi*- 
 
 Mi ; ,in(| >vr Hrr ut the »»urnc tim<r iri«tru(,ted, that if is the duty of tli'>«€ 
 
 ■ i'> inve rrpriitrd of thcirBuin, to (/xiimAcrate the lull of others, and t/> 
 
 ■ '• K'lhntous fitf thfir ronftf mation in faith. 
 
 roL. It. X 
 
186 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 neither the terrors of imprisonment, nor the pains of 
 a violent death, were sufficient to induce him to retract 
 his resolution of sharing the fortune of so kind a 
 Iricnd, so dear a Master, so wise a Guide, and so 
 profitable a Teacher. But in reply, our Saviour told 
 him, that notwithstanding the confidence he had in 
 his own strength, the cock should not be heard to 
 crow that day, till he had thrice disowned his Master. 
 *' And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan 
 *' hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as 
 " wheat ; but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith 
 *' fail not : and when thou art converted, strengthen 
 " thy brethren. And he said unto him, Lord, I am 
 *' ready to go with thee both into prison, and to death. 
 " And he said, I tell thee Peter, the cock shall not 
 *' crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny 
 *' that thou knowest me." Luke xxii. 31, &c. 
 
 Our blessed Saviour having concluded M'hat he had 
 to communicate to Peter in particular, addressed him- 
 self to his other disciples, reminding them, that when 
 he first commanded them to separate themselves, and 
 travel into different parts to preach his gospel, he di- 
 rected them not to be solicitous as to providing them- 
 selves with the means of subsistence, or weapons for 
 the defence of their persons ; assuring them, that if 
 they firmly relied on the assistance of divine Provi- 
 dence, they would be amply supplied with whatever 
 their necessities should require, by those persons 
 whom the Almighty, in every place they should visit, 
 would graciously dispose to behave towards them 
 with friendship and benevolence. 
 
 He observed, that their ministry had proved suc- 
 cessful; and enquired, whether, during their stvcial 
 journies, they had been involved in circumstances of 
 distress, or deficient of provisions, or other necessa- 
 ries. Upon their replying in the negative, our blessed 
 
OUK BLESSED SAVIOUU. 187 
 
 Redeemer said, the case was now widely different, for 
 the number of their enemies was greatly niereased ; 
 and therefore they would fnid it necessary to be pro- 
 vided with money, as the means of procuring sub- 
 sistence ; and that rather than be destitute of wea- 
 pons for the defence of their persons, it would be pru- 
 dent for them, even to sell their garments for the pur- 
 pose of purchasing swords. 
 
 Our Lord now informed his apostles, that he had 
 so nearly accomplished the important purpose for 
 which he came into the world, that when, according 
 to what he had been foretold by the * prophet, he 
 should submit to be treated as a criminal, the whole 
 dispensation of Providence, with respect to him, 
 would be completed. 
 
 Interpreting his words, according to the literal 
 sense, the apostles informed their Master, that they 
 were possessed of two swords. But our Lord judg- 
 ed it unnecessary to explain himself, knowing that 
 at a future period they would fully comprehend his 
 meaning, and bemg unwilling to dwell longer upon 
 this subject, but desirous of affording consolation to 
 his apostles, whom he now perceived to be extremely 
 afflicted and melancholy. 
 
 The apostles informed Jesus that they had two 
 swords, because they supposed he meant, that they 
 should arm themselves in a literal sense, in order to 
 oppose the assaults that would be made upon them by 
 the Jews : but he merely intended to convey to them 
 an idea of their approaching distress and temptations, 
 and to shew them the necessity of continually guard- 
 ing themselves against being surprised into danger by 
 craft and treachery ; and therefore he only said to 
 
 * Isa. liii. X2. 
 
188 THE HISTORY Ot 
 
 them, ** It is enough;" thereby signifying, that it 
 would be needless to concern themselves on the sub- 
 ject of providing arms for the defence of their per- 
 sons. ** And he said unto them, When 1 sent you 
 "uithoui purse and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye 
 •' any thing ? And they said, Nothing. Then said 
 ** he unto them, But now he that hath a purse, let 
 *' him lake it, and likewise his scrip : and he that 
 ** haih no sword, let him sell his garment and buy 
 *' one. For I say unto you, that this that is written 
 *' must yet be accomplished in me. And he was reck- 
 *' oned among the transgressors. For the things con- 
 *' cerning me have an end. And they said. Lord, 
 *' behold, there are two swords. And he said unto 
 " them. It is enough." Luke xxii. 35, &cc. 
 
 Our blessed Redeemer now exhorted his apostles 
 against being terrified and disconsolate, on account of 
 his having informed them of the sufferings he was to 
 endure, and that they would for a time be deprived of 
 his company. You have ever been taught, said Je- 
 sus, to repose a firm reliance on the Almighty, who 
 will yield you assistance and support in all your afflic- 
 tions ; and since I am invested with full power by 
 my heavenly Father, and am the head of my church, 
 it behoves you to trust in me for the full accomplish- 
 ment of all that I have promised. The blessed re- 
 gions wherein my Father reigns, are more than suf- 
 ficiently * spacious to accommodate all true believers 
 in my gospel ; and if you persist in a strict obedience 
 to my commands, neither persecution, death, nor any 
 other circumstance, shall prevent your obtaining that 
 happiness which 1 have proposed to your acceptance. 
 
 • " In my Father's house are many mansions." The Jews are of 
 opinion that parad se contains seven mansions, each be"'ng twelve thou- 
 sand miles in length, ten thousiin^ broad, and ten thousand iu height. 
 
OUIl BLESSED SAVIOUR. 189 
 
 It also behoves you patiently to submit to rny de- 
 parture from you, since I shall leave you to ■\ prepare 
 a place of happiness for your reception, to which I 
 shall introduce you when the lime aj)pointed by the 
 divine wisdom shall arrive ; and in those regions of 
 bliss, you shall remain with me in a glorious state of 
 immortality. 
 
 You cannot now surely, be ignorant of the place of 
 my destination, nor of the meaiis whereby you may 
 qualify yourselves to participate with me in the bles- 
 sings of the kingdom of my heavenly Father. '* Let 
 "not your hearts be troubled: ye believe in God, 
 " believe also in me. In my Fadier's house are ma- 
 " ny mansions : if it were not so, I would have told 
 " you. 1 go to prepare a p^ice for you. And if . I 
 '' go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, 
 " and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there 
 *' ye may be also. And whither I go, yc know, and 
 *' the way ye know." John xiv. 1, &c. 
 
 The disciples of our Lord, however, still enter- 
 tained an idea that their Master was to reign in the 
 character of a temporal prince, and therefore hoped 
 to enjoy honors and riches under his government.— 
 Thomas said, that neither he nor his brethren were 
 able to comprehend whither their beloved Master 
 meant to retire, and that consequently they must be 
 ignorant of the way to follow him. Hereupon our 
 blessed Redeemer replied, I am myself, as I have re- 
 peatedly informed you, the true and only way to eter- 
 nal life. No man truly knoweth me, who is igno- 
 rant of my Father ; for my Father and I arc one. If 
 you have a just conception of my doctrines, you must 
 know the duties which my Father expects you to dis- 
 
 t By tlie entrance of Chri t into lieaven, he procured for us admit- 
 tiiice to a place which Wiis before inaccessible. 
 
190 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 charge ; and in having seen me, you may be consi- 
 dered as having seen him, whose will I proclaim, and 
 whose works I execute. 
 
 Thomas replied, Lord, shew us the Father, and 
 we will decline all further importunity. Have you, 
 said our blessed Saviour, been so long, and so con- 
 stantly my companions, and still remain ignorant of 
 my real character. I am the representative of the 
 heavenly Father of mankind, the great Creator and 
 Governor of the universe, who is himself, indeed, 
 invisible : but I tell you, Philip, that truly to know 
 one, is to know and hold spiritual intercourse with 
 both. Believe me when I assure you, that I act by the 
 authority of the Almighty, and am acquainted with 
 his divine deterniinationa : and that whatever I speak, 
 is the declaration of his will ; and whatever I perform, 
 is the operation of his power. If you sincerely be- 
 lieve in, and strictly conform to the precepts of my 
 gospel the Almighty will confer upon you the power 
 of working miracles, even * greater than those which 
 I have performed, when I shall have returned to my 
 heavenly Father. And be assured, that whatever you 
 ask of him, in my name, shall, on account of the me- 
 rit you derive from being my disciples, be granted 
 to you. " Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we knovir 
 '* not whither thou goest ; and how can we know the 
 " way ? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the 
 " truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Fa- 
 *' ther, but by me. If ye had known me, yc should 
 " have known my Father also : and from henceforth 
 *' ye know him, and have seen him. Philip saith 
 *' unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, audit suffic- 
 '* eth us. Jesus saith unto him. Have I been so long 
 " time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, 
 
 * 7'his seems principall}- to refer to the admirable success of »he gos- 
 pel preached by the apostles, after the descent of the Holy Ghost. 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 191 
 
 ** Philip ? He that hath seen me, hath seen the Fa- 
 " ther; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Fa- 
 " ther? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, 
 " and the Father in me ? The words that I speak unto 
 *' thee, I s.jeak not of myself: but the Father, that 
 " dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe mc 
 *' that I am in the Father, and the Father in me : 
 *' or else believe me for the very works sake. Veri- 
 " ly, verily I say unto you, He that believeth on me, 
 " the works that I do, shall he do also ; and greater 
 *' works than these shall he do ; because I go unto 
 " my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my 
 " name, that will I do, that the Father may be glo- 
 *' rihed in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my 
 " name, I will do it." John xiv. 5, See. 
 
 O my beloved disciples, if you entertain a sincere 
 and ardent affection for me, you will punctually con- 
 form to the rules i have prescribed for the regulation 
 of your conduct, your obedience being the only cer- 
 tain token of your esteem. Upon my return to the 
 blessed kingdom of my heavenly Father, you shall 
 receive sufficient pledges of my affectionate remem- 
 brance of you ; for I shall supplicate him to bestow up- 
 on you the power not only of healing diseases, giving 
 sight to the blind, casting out evil spirits, but even 
 of performing more astonishing miracles than those 
 1 have wrought ; and in compliance with my prayers, 
 you will, by an intuitive faculty, be endued with the 
 power of understanding and speaking all languages, 
 and of successfully propagating my gospel through 
 all the nations of the earth. O my beloved disciples, 
 when I shall have ascended into the mansions of 
 my heavenly Father, that you may have the less cause 
 to regret my departure, I will supplicate him graci- 
 ously to provide against the inconveniencies which 
 you may apprehend from my absence, by sending 
 you another Advocate and Comforter, who shall di- 
 
192 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 rect and assist you in all your emergencies. This 
 inl'allible guide is the Holy Spirit; of uho^e trans- 
 cendent perfections the corrupt part of mankind are 
 entirely ignorant ; the abandoned profligacy , and vile 
 corruption of their hearts, prompting them to op- 
 pose those divine sensations, which he is ever dii^pos- 
 ed to transfuse into the souls of the sons of sinful 
 men : but you are inspired by, and inclined to che- 
 rish and entenain this Holy Spirit ; and therefore he 
 shall for ever remain with you. You are already 
 possessed of his secret and invisible efficacy ; and 
 be assured, that hereafter he shall gloriously display 
 himself to you by great and vi-sible manifestations. 
 *' If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I 
 " will pray the Father, and he shall give you ano- 
 ** ther Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; 
 ** even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot 
 *' receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth 
 " him : but ye know him ; for he dwelleth with you, 
 "and shall be in you." John xiv. 15, 16, 17. 
 
 But, said the blessed Jesus, I w ill not leave you in 
 a state of despondency ; for upon my departure from 
 you, you will have the consolation to reflect, that you 
 will receive assistance and support from the Holy 
 Spirit; and, that your constancy and fortitude may 
 not relax, be assured that I shall return to you. — 
 After my body shall be consigned to the grave, the 
 generality of mankind will behold me no more : but 
 I shall be restored to life, and again become visible 
 to you ; who will then be convinced, by the most in- 
 dubitable evidence, that I am intimately conversant 
 in all the great purposes and determinations of my 
 heavenly Father ; with whom you shall be assured, 
 that I am in a state of the most perfect unity and 
 communion, I must, however inform yon, that it 
 will be needless for you to expect the enjoyments of 
 those blessings which I have proposed to your ac 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 193 
 
 ceptance, unless you continue stedfast and immovea- 
 ble in your faith to me, and in your obedience to all 
 my commands ; for unless you strictly comply with 
 this condition, all your hopes of future happiness will 
 prove abortive. " I will not leave you comfortless : 
 *' I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the 
 " world seeth me no more : but ye shall see me : be- 
 " cause I live, ye shall live also. And that day ye 
 *' shall know that I am in my Father, and you in me, 
 " and I in you. He that hath my commandments, 
 *' and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me ; and he 
 ^' that loveth me, shall be loved of my Father, and I 
 '' will love him, and will manifest myself to him." 
 Johnxiv. 18, he. 
 
 Our Saviour was now interrupted by one of his 
 apostles named Judas Thaddeus, who asked him the 
 reason whereby he was induced to manifest himself 
 only to his select disciples, and not to the promiscu- 
 ous multitude ; who might by his public avowal of 
 his sacred character, be reclaimed and converted. — 
 Hereupon our Saviour replied, As I have already in- 
 formed you, I act in this manner, because the gene- 
 rality of mankind are not disposed to obey my com- 
 mands, and therefore cannot maintain a communion 
 with me : but I manifest myself to you, because you 
 embrace my gospel. Whoever loves me, and de- 
 monstrates his love of me by his obedience to my 
 commands shall be rewarded with signal instances of 
 the favor both of my Father and myself ; for he shall 
 abound in spiritual blessings, and become an inhabi- 
 tant of the happy regions of endless bliss. But those 
 who love me not, and refuse to obey my commands, 
 shall have no intercourse either with me, or my hea- 
 venly Father. The doctrine I preach is not of my 
 own invention, but what my Father has commanded 
 
 VOL. II. 2 a 
 
194 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 me to proclaim. The * Holy Spirit, whom as I have 
 already informed you, the Father will send in my 
 name to comfort and assist you, is as it were my spi- 
 rit, and will therefore be called the spirit of the Mes- 
 siah ; and this Holy Spirit and Divine Comforter, 
 shall recall to your recollection such parts of your 
 duty as may have escaped your m^emory, instruct you 
 in points wherein you may be deficient, fully explain 
 whatever may appear obscure in my gospel, and com- 
 municate to you whatever shall be further necessary 
 for you to understand. " *' Judas saith unto him, not 
 *' Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest 
 " thyself unto us, and not unto the world ? Jesus an- 
 " svvered, and said unto him, If a man love me, he 
 *' will keep my vv'ords : and my Father will love him, 
 *' and we will come unto him, and make our abode 
 " with him. He that loveth me not, kecpeth not my 
 ** sayings : and the Vv'ord which ye hear, is not mine, 
 " but the Father's which sent me. These things have 
 " I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. — 
 ** But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom 
 *' the Father will send in my namie, he shall teach 
 " you all things, ai^d bring all things to your remem- 
 *' brance, whatsoever I have said unto you.'* John 
 xiv. 22, &c. 
 
 The time of my sufferings now approaches, and 
 therefore, said our blessed Saviour, I must now af- 
 fectionately take a farewell of you : but I do not take 
 leave of you according to the common custom of the 
 generality of mankind, who only affect the appear- 
 ance of friendship and kindness ; for after my depar- 
 ture, I shall retain a tender recollection of you, and 
 be unremittingly careful to promote your safety and 
 
 * The Hoi}' Spirit proceeds iVom the Father and the Son, and is 
 therefore stiled, " The Spirit of the Son." Gal. iv. 6. " the Spirit 
 ofChfjst," I Pet. i. 2. Roin. viii. 9. and " the Spirit of the Father," 
 Matt. X. 20. 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 19-^ 
 
 liappiness. Be not alHicicd on occasion of my depar- 
 ture, nor dread to encounter those evils to which you 
 will necessarily be exposed. Although I shall short- 
 ly leave you, rest firmly assured that you will behold 
 me again. If you love me with sincerity and truth 
 of affection, instead of lamenting my absence, \ ou 
 will rejoice to reflect, that I am preparing to go' into 
 the presence of my heavenly Father, since he is supe- 
 rior to me in dignity and power ; and since it is from 
 him, who is the supreme Author of all glory and 
 happiness, that I derive all my authority. 
 
 These things I now predict to you, because when 
 you shall be witnesses of their full accomplishment, 
 your faith in me may be strengthened and confirmed. 
 Since the time which I have to remain with you will 
 be soon elapsed, i must be under the necessity of 
 speaking to you in brief; but though my directions are 
 delivered to you in a concise manner, they are not, 
 on that account, to claim a slighter share of your at- 
 tention. The prince of wickedness is now employ- 
 ing all his instruments for effecting my destruction; 
 and * those who are instigated by his spirit, shall by 
 the divine permission, assume the appearance of 
 friendship for me : but this shall not happen because 
 I have been guilty of any crime, or because it is pos- 
 sible for the power either of the devil, or the malice 
 of man, to prevail over me, but because the time 
 will be then arrived, when I shall, by submitting to a 
 painful and ignominious death, manifest the greatness 
 of my affection to God, and my cheerful resignation 
 to his divine will. Now let us arise, said the blessed' 
 Jesus, and retire from the city. 
 
 Having spoken in the above manner, our great Re- 
 
 * JiicJ'is and his followers, and the rulers of the Jews, who although 
 they shall find no guilt in me, yet shall they put me to death. 
 
196 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 deemer was joined by his apostles, in chanting forth a 
 hymn magnifying the name of God ; and having thus 
 conchided the passover, they repaired to the Mount 
 of Olives. " Peace I leave w^ith you ; my peace I 
 *' give unto you ; not as the vi'orid giveth, give I 
 " unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, nei- 
 *' ther let it be afraid. Ye have heard how I 
 " said unto you, I go away and come again unto 
 " you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice because I 
 •* said, I go to the Father, for my Father is greater 
 *' than I. And now I have told you before it come 
 " to pass, that when it is come to pass, ye might be- 
 *' lieve. Hereafter I will not talk much with you « 
 " for the prince of this world cometh, and hath no- 
 *' thing in me. But that the world may know that I 
 *' love the Father ; and as the Father gave me com- 
 " mandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.'* 
 John xiv. 27, &c. 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUIl. 197 
 
 CHAP. XXXVI. 
 
 Our blessed Saviour delivers the parable of the vine 
 and its branches^ thereby recommending the prac- 
 tice of virtue to his apostles. He exhorts them to 
 cherish a mutual affection towards each other, 
 Jesus proposes himself y as an example for teaching 
 them the virtue of patiently submitting to the ma- 
 lice of their enemies , and informs them of the reason 
 of his exhortation. He consoles them with assur- 
 ances of the mission of the Holy Ghost ; and ex- 
 plains to them the purposes for which the Spirit 
 will descend upon them. Of the affliction vohich 
 the apostles were to experience upon the decease of 
 eur Saviour^ and the great joy that would succeed 
 on occasion of his resurrection. He exhorts his 
 apostles to pray to God in his name. He again 
 mentions his going to the Father^ and predicts the 
 desertion of the apostles. Our blessed Saviour ad- 
 dresses himself in prayer to his heavenly Father in 
 behalf of himself^ his apostles y and all who should 
 in future believe in him, 
 
 U PON the arrival of our blessed Saviour and his 
 apostles at the Mount of Olives, he intimated to them, 
 that some events were approaching which vi^ould re- 
 quire the utmost exertions of their fortitude; and 
 therefore he exhorted them to fortify their minds by 
 prayer. From the vines which were growing upon 
 the Mount of Olives, our Saviour drew an allusion 
 most admirably calculated to impress upon the minds 
 of his disciples those great truths, to enforce and 
 explain which was a most essential part of his di- 
 vine commission. 
 
198 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 I may be compared, said the blessed Jesus, to the 
 root, or body of a vine, of which you are the branch- 
 es ; and of this vine my heavenly Father may be cal- 
 led the dresser. If this vine produces any unfruitful 
 branches, or if any profess themselves to be my dis- 
 ciples, and yet bring forth no fruits of virtue, my Fa- 
 ther will cut off those unprofitable branches, or not 
 admit those faithless professors to enjoy the privileges 
 to which my true and righteous disciples will be en- 
 titled : but he will only prune the branches which 
 bear fruit, whereby they will acquire additional vi- 
 gor : and thus the sincere lovers of truth and holi- 
 ness, will be denied some of the advantages and con- 
 veniences of life, thai their virtues may become more 
 extensive and resplendent. But you who have for a 
 considerable time worchily approved yourselves my 
 disciples, are free from all intemperate p-issions, and 
 superfluous and vain desires. Be careful that, in all 
 circumstances and situations, you exactly conform to 
 my precepts, and your obedience will insure to yoii 
 the full enjoyments of all the rewards I have promis- 
 ed you. A branch lopped off from the body of the 
 tree cannot possibly bear fruit ; nor can you continue 
 in the paths of righteousness and virtue, if you trans- 
 gress the rules which I have prescribed for the regu- 
 lation of your conduct. 
 
 The man who adheres to my precepts, shall bring 
 forth the fruits of virtue in abundance : but he who 
 rejects my doctrines will resemble a branch, which 
 being cut from the body of a tree, must consequently 
 wither and decay, and be only fit for fuel. Thus, if 
 you regulate your conduct according to my directi- 
 ons, * whatever you request of me shall be granted : 
 but those who disobey my commands, shall be con- 
 
 * Whatever you request according to the will of God, for the pro- 
 motion of his glory, and the furtherance of your ministry, provided that 
 you ask in faith. 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 199 
 
 dcmncd to everlasting torments. '* I am the true vine, 
 " and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch 
 *' in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away : and 
 " every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that 
 " it may bring forth more fruit. Now you are clean 
 ** through the word which I have spoken unto you. 
 " Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot 
 *' bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine ; no 
 «' more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine 
 *' ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and 
 <' I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit ; for 
 ** without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not 
 " in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is wither- 
 " cd, and men gather them, and cast them into the 
 ** fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and 
 " my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, 
 ♦' and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Fa- 
 " ther glorified, that ye bear much fruit." John xv. 
 1, &c. 
 
 As my Father has loved me, so will I continue to 
 love you, unless you render yourselves unworthy my 
 esteem by disobeying my commands; for my hea- 
 venly Father has loved me, because I have ever f 
 obeyed his commandments with the most exact fide- 
 lity. I am desirous that the comfort you have deriv- 
 ed from my presence, may be continued to you after 
 my departure ; and therefore I particularly enjoin you 
 to love one another, with that ardor of affection 
 which I have manifested tow^ards you. My love of 
 mankind induces me to sacrifice my life for their be- 
 nefit ; and since I propose myself to you as an ex- 
 ample, you cannot be ignorant of the nature of that 
 pure and genuine esteem which I recommend you to 
 
 t Thnugli truly God, our blessed Saviour may with great propriety 
 be said to have kept his Father s commandments while he remained oa 
 earth, because he sustained the character of a prophet, and acted by the 
 influence of the Holy Spirit. 
 
200 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 cherish for each other. In the circumstance of sur- ' 
 rendering my life, I shall afford the most incontesti- 
 ble demonstration of the sincerity of my love of you, 
 and of all mankind. 
 
 On the easy condition of obeying my commands, I 
 admit you to the privilege of my friendship ; though, 
 considering how infinitely I am your superior, I might 
 justly stile you my servants : but so far from having 
 reduced you to a servile state, I have ever treated you 
 as my beloved friends, and have fully and explicitly 
 communicated to you the great :|: purposes and de- 
 terminations of my heavenly Father, Upon our first 
 interviews, you did not voluntarily acknowledge me 
 as your Master : but on the contrary, I selected you 
 to be my apostles, and the ministers of my gospel, 
 that you might proclaim the will of God to mankind, 
 and abundantly produce the fruits of godliness in the 
 conversion of men to the knowledge of truth, and 
 the profession and practice of righteousness and vir- 
 tue, which will infallibly secure to them the enjoy- 
 ment of everlasting bliss. "- As the Father hath lov- 
 " ed me, so have I loved you : continue ye in my 
 " love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall 
 *' abide in my love ; even as I have kept my Father's 
 *' commandments, and abide in his love. These 
 *' things have I spoken unto you that my joy might 
 " remain in you, and that your joy might be full. — 
 " This is my commandment, That ye love one ano- 
 " ther as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man 
 " than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 
 " Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever, I com- 
 
 X This is not to be absolutely understood, as comprising all the pur- 
 poses and determinations of God ; for they would not hear of the cessa- 
 tion of the law, circumcision and the sabbath, and of the casting off of 
 the Jews, and caliirt^ in of the Gentiles, without offence ; but all mat- 
 ters that were proper for them to be informed of concerning Christ, 
 themselves, and the future church. 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 201 
 
 " mand you. Henceforth I call you not servants ; 
 *' for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doth : 
 *' but I have called you friends ; for all things that 
 " I have heard of my Father, I have made knowa 
 *' unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but 1 have 
 " chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go 
 " and bring forth fruit, and that y(jur fruit should 
 " remain ; that whatsoever ye should ask of the Fa- 
 '^ ther in my name, he will give it you. These things 
 '-' 1 command you, that ye love one another." John 
 XV. 9, Sec. 
 
 You must indeed expect, that a considerable part 
 of mankind will hate and persecute you, on account 
 of your love of me, and your adherence to the prin- 
 ciples of my gospel. Do not, however, suflfer this 
 unworthy treatment to dispirit you, or render you 
 less persevering in the cause of righteousness ; for 
 you will not be subjected to more severe sufferings, 
 or greater indignities, than your Master. I have alrea- 
 dy observed to you, that the servant is not to esteem 
 himself as being superior to his employer. I have 
 been treated as an enemy to mankind, who will be- 
 have towards you with cruelty and injustice equal to 
 what I have sustained. Had the generality of men 
 readily and cheerfully embraced my gospel, you might 
 indeed have had some reason to expect, that they 
 would hold your preaching in due veneration : but 
 since I have sustained great indignities and persecu- 
 tions from the wicked and the perverse, the obstinate 
 and the incorrigible part of mankind, because I re- 
 proved their vices, and exhorted them to the practice 
 of holiness, it is reasonable that you should expect to 
 meet with a similar opposition in the prosecution of 
 your ministry. 
 
 Amidst all your sufferings, you will have the con- 
 solation to reflect, that the righteousness of your 
 
 VOL. II. 2 B 
 
202 THE HISTORY OK 
 
 cause, and the injustice and malice of your persecu- 
 tors, will be rendered more conspicuous. Had I not 
 fully explained my Father's will to them, they would 
 be less deserving blame ; for in that case, they might 
 have pleaded want of information, and the consequent 
 impossibility of attaining to the knowledge of truth ; 
 but I have so clearly demonstrated the divinity of my 
 commission, that not the slightest excuse can be 
 urged in extenuation of their guilt. 
 
 Those who oppose .my gospel, and persecute you, 
 on account of your proclaiming it to mankind, there- 
 by inviting them to provide for their eternal salvation, 
 prove themselves to be the enemies of God, and his 
 holy commandments. Had not I confirmed the truth 
 of my doctrine by more signal miracles than had 
 been performed before, they would have had some 
 appearance of excuse for not relying on my bare affir- 
 mation : but although they have received abundant 
 proofs of my divine authority, and the most incon- 
 testible evidence of the truth of my doctrines, they 
 still obstinately persist in opposing the will of my 
 heavenly Father, because they cannot, consistently 
 with the rules of duty prescribed, to them, yield gra- 
 tification to their abominable lusts. Hence then, it 
 is evident, that by their obstinate and contumacious 
 disobedience to my commands, they dishonor God, 
 and expose themselves to the dreadful effects of his 
 displeasure. When men have surrendered them- 
 selves to the government of worldly affections and pas- 
 sions, it is not surprising that they act in contradiction 
 to the strongest evidence of reason ; for this is but 
 the natural consequence of obstinate and habitual 
 wickedness, whereby is fulfilled what the holy David 
 complained of when he said, the Jews hated him 
 without cause. 
 
 Notwithstanding all the opposition of sinful men 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 203 
 
 to my gospel, there will be many who will heartily 
 espouse, and resolutely promote my doctrines. That 
 Holy Spirit who will be sent from heaven to comfort 
 and support you, shall with wonderful efficacy bear 
 indubitable testimony to the truth of the divinity of 
 my mission, and cause my gospel to be successfully 
 proclaimed throughout the universe : and you also, 
 who are not even yet entirely divested of doubts and 
 apprehensions, although you have so long remained 
 with me, and been witnesses to my divine power 
 and authority, shall then bear ample testimony in 
 my behalf. " If the world hate you, ye know that 
 ** it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the 
 *' world, the world would love his own : but because 
 ** ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you 
 '* out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. 
 " Remember the word that I said unto you, The ser- 
 " vant is not greater than his lord. If they have 
 " persecuted me, they will also persecute you : if they 
 ** have kept my saying, they will keep your's also. 
 *' But all these things will they do unto you for my 
 " name's sake, because they know not him that sent 
 " me. If I had not come, and spoken unto them, 
 *' they had not had sin : but now they have no cloke 
 " for their sin. He that hateth me, hateth my Fa- 
 *' ther also. If I had not done among them the works 
 *' which none other man did, they had not had sin : but 
 *' now have they both seen and hated both me and my 
 " Father. But this cometh to pass, that the word 
 " might be fulfilled that is written in their law. They 
 " hated me without cause. But when the Comforter 
 " is come, whom I will send you from the Father, he 
 " shall testify of me : and ye shall also bear witness, 
 " because ye have been with me from the begin- 
 " ning." John xv. 18, &c. 
 
 I thus forewarn you of the persecution you will 
 experience, in order that you may so fortify your 
 
20-1 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 minds, as not to be discouraged from persevering in 
 the punctual discharge of your duty. You must ex- 
 pect to be treated with great severity by the chief 
 priests and the rulers of the Jews, who are men of 
 the most extravagant hypocrisy and superstition, and 
 the most strenuous advocates for their ceremonial 
 and ritual traditions ; but wholly regardless of the will 
 of Omnipotence in matters of great and eternal obli- 
 gation, and invincibly prejudiced against the holiness 
 and purity of my gospel : these men will * excom- 
 municate you from their societies, upbraiding you as 
 the most iniquitous malefactors. To such excess 
 will their malice and superstition arrive, that they 
 will f put you to death with circumstances of the most 
 horrid cruelty, and even imagine that they arc there- 
 by rendering an acceptable service to the Almighty, 
 Thus will they act, in consequence of their refusal 
 of those benevolent offers which I have made to them, 
 by the command of my heavenl)^ Father. I have hi- 
 therto omitted to inform 3^ou of the troubles in which 
 you will be involved, and the sufferings that will be 
 inflicted upon you, because, being present, I could 
 upon all occasion relieve you in your necessities, and 
 regulate your conduct by salutary advice and direc- 
 tions. But as I am now preparing for my departure, 
 I deem it expedient to remind you of the gracious 
 promises I have made you, in order so to fortify your 
 minds, that you may courageously encounter those 
 
 * The Jewish synagogues were not dedicated wholly to public wor- 
 ship ; for punishments were there inflicted upon offenders against the 
 law, sometimes by scourgin*^, sind at other times by removing the par- 
 ties accused, four feet from the rest of ttte people. Such as were not 
 reformed by these means, weve pubhcly cited, and expelled the com- 
 munion of the church. 
 
 f Agreeably to th's prediction, .Justin Martyr says, that the Jews 
 disgraced and execrated the ('hristians in the synr.gogus, and cruelly 
 inurdered them whenever opportunities occurred. 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 205 
 
 cruel persecutions wliich you will receive from the 
 obstinate and incorrigible Jews. 
 
 But though I have informed you, that I shall spee- 
 dily leave you, in order to return to the blessed 
 mansions of my heavenly Father, you do not appear 
 to be so earnestly solicitous to -learn the particulars 
 concerning the place of my destination, as the im- 
 portance of the matter I have proposed to your 
 consideration evidcn'ly demands. " These things 
 " have 1 spoken unto you that ye should not be of. 
 ** fended. They shall put you out of the synagogues : 
 *' yea, the time cometh, that whosoever kilieth you 
 " shall think that he doeth God service. And these 
 *' things will they do unto you, because they have 
 *' not known my Father nor me. But these things 
 " have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye 
 " may remember that I told you of them. And 
 " these things I said not unto you at the beginning, 
 ** because I was with you. But now I go my way 
 " to him that sent me ; and none of you asketh me, 
 " Whither goest thou ?" John xvi. 1, &.c. 
 
 I perceive that you are afflicted by what I have 
 said concerning my departure, and the temptations 
 and miseries to which you will be exposed in my 
 absence ; and that you disregard the consolatory part 
 of my discourse, whereby you are apprized of the de- 
 scent of the Holy Ghost, and of the advantages that 
 will thence result to you. Instead of suffering your 
 spirits to be dejected by the consideration that I am 
 about to leave you, that circumstance should occasi« 
 on you to rejoice, since it will operate so essentially 
 to your advantage. 
 
 Such are the orders and dispensations of Providence, 
 that until I shall have taken possession of my heavenly 
 kingdom, the Holy Spirit cannot be sent to comfort 
 
206 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 and assist you : but when I have ascended the throne 
 of heaven, I will appoint him effectually to plead your 
 cause against your malicious adverbaries ; and, in de- 
 spite of all opposition, he shall cause my gospel to be 
 established in every quarter of the globe. 
 
 When the Holy Spirit shall descend upon earth, he 
 shall accuse and convict the Jews of their obstinate 
 incredulity, and their cruelty towards me. He shall, 
 by wonderful signs, attest and confirm the truth of my 
 gospel, and convince mankind of their enormous wick- 
 edness in rejecting those terms of salvation, which I 
 have so urgently proposed to their acceptance. By 
 demonstrating my departure from earth to be only a 
 temporary and short privation of the vital principle, 
 preparatory to my being invested with full power and 
 authority both in heaven and earth, he shall abundant- 
 ly convince mankind of the justice and righteousness 
 of my cause, and of the glorious excellency of that 
 dispensation which I have proclaimed to mankind, for 
 the great purpose of rescuing them from the dominion 
 of Satan. This Holy Spirit shall also, by a wonder- 
 ful efficacy, destroy the power of the evil spirit, estab- 
 lish the pure and holy doctrine of my gospel through- 
 out the world, and convince mankind of the power 
 and authority which are delegated to me for the pur- 
 pose of executing vengeance upon those who have 
 ■wickedly opposed the establishment of the kingdom of 
 the Messiah. '^ And because I have said these things 
 ** unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart. Neverthe- 
 ** less 1 v.'ill tell you the truth : it is expedient for you 
 " that I go away ; for if I go not away, the Comforter 
 *' will not come unto you : but if I depart, 1 uill send 
 ** him unto you. And when he is come, he will re- 
 " prove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of 
 ** judgment : of sin, because they believe not on me ; 
 " of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye 
 
OUU BLESSED SAVIOUR. 207 
 
 " sec me no more ; of judgment, because the prince 
 " of this world is judged." John xvi. 6, &c. 
 
 As I have before observed, " I * have yet many 
 things to say unto you ;" but because your minds arc 
 not sufficiently divested of prejudice to afford them a 
 proper reception, I shall postpone particularizing 
 thcbC matters : but by the agency of the Holy Ghost, 
 1 shall hereafter communicate to you many important 
 points, which are to be observed with respect to the 
 establishment of my church. The Spirit of truth, 
 that infallible guide, with which I have promised that 
 you shall be inspired, shall enlarge your understand- 
 ings, remove your prejudices, and instruct you in all 
 those divine truths, which will be necessary to enable 
 you successfully to pursue the great work which I 
 have commenced, and which I shall continue to pro- 
 secute through the means of your ministry. The 
 Holy Spirit is not to establish any new doctrine : but 
 as ] have instructed, and will continue to instruct you 
 in the name of my heavenly Father, so shall the Spirit 
 fully explain and illustrate whatever may appear ob- 
 scure in what I have said to you, and inspire you with 
 such ideas and determinations, as will effectually tend 
 to the establishment of my church. He shall mani- 
 fest my glory, as all my actions have tended to mani- 
 fest the glory of my Father. All that I have taught 
 you, 1 received from my Father; and so all the in- 
 structions that you will receive from the Spirit, 1 shall 
 communicate to you through his agency. 
 
 I have said, that the Spirit shall teach you what he 
 shall receive from me ; for receiving from my Father, 
 may be properly said to be receiving from me ; and 
 
 * These words are by many supposed to liave reference to the abo- 
 lition of theceremonial law, and the eptublishmentof tliedoctnncof jus- 
 tiric.ition by faith alone, Src. which truths they were fully informed of 
 by the Holy Ghost after his descent upon them. 
 
208 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 teaching his will, is teaching mine ; for our natures 
 are congenial, and the Father has invested me with 
 full power and dominion. 
 
 The comfortable assurances which I have delivered 
 to you, will be sufficient to support you under all 
 your approaching distresses. But a short time now 
 remains, before I shall depart from you : but suffer 
 not this circumstance to afflict you ; for a short time 
 after my departure, I shall appear to you again ; for 
 when I depart from you I shall not perish, but only re- 
 turn to my heavenly Father. *' I have yet many thmgs 
 *' to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 
 " Hovvbeit, when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he 
 *' will guide you into all truth : for he shall not speak 
 *' of himself: but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall 
 *' he speak : and he will shew you things to come. 
 " He shall glorify me ; for he shall receive of mine, 
 " and shall shew it unto 3''ou. All things that the 
 " Father hath are mine : therefore said I, that he 
 " shall take of mine, and shall sliew it unto you. A 
 " little while, and yc shall not see me : and again, a 
 *' little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to 
 « the Father." John xvi. 12, &c. 
 
 The apostles now enquired of each other, what their 
 Master could mean by these words, which being una- 
 ble to comprehend, they were much troubled. Ta 
 relieve their perplexity, Jesus said to them, that the 
 time was approaching, when he should submit to the 
 stroke of death ; but that presently afterwards, he 
 should triumph over the king of terrors by a glorious 
 resurrection, and appear to them again, previous to 
 his ascension into heaven. The world, said our Lord, 
 will rejoice and triumph over you, supposing that they 
 have effected my utter destruction, and wholly sup- 
 pressed your ministry : and in consequence hereof, 
 you will be overvvhehned with affliction : but your 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 209 
 
 sorrow will not be of long continuance ; for upon my 
 return to you, your hearts will be filled with inex- 
 pressible j(jy. 
 
 A woman in labor is for a time sensible of much 
 pain and sorrow, but after delivery she no longer re- 
 flects on her poignant sufferings, but greatly rejoices 
 on occasion of the birth of her child ; and so while 
 you are under the apprehension of my departure, and 
 during the distresses and temptations which you will 
 experience in my absence, your minds will be deeply 
 impressed wiih sorrow and anxiety ; but upon my 
 return to you, you shall greatly rejoice ; and the ut- 
 most power and malice of your enemies shall not de- 
 prive you of the satisfaction, which shall result to you 
 in consequence of my appearance, after my resurrec- 
 tion. But there will be no necessity for me to remain 
 long with you ; for the Holy Spirit will be commissi- 
 oned to impart unto you, all that it will be expedient 
 for you to know ; and, exclusive of this advantage, 
 the Almighty himself will be ever disposed to listen to 
 your petitions, and to bestow upon you whatever you 
 ask of him in my name. 
 
 Hitherto you have not supplicated the Father * in 
 the name of his only Son : but you are now instruct- 
 ed to put forth your petitions to God in the name of 
 your Redeemer, who is preparing to surrender his 
 life for the salvation of mankind : and be assured, 
 that whatever you shall ask for the glory of God, and 
 to enable you to pursue your ministry with success, 
 shall be granted to you ; and that your joy, which 
 will commence at the time of my appearance to you 
 after my decease, will be fully completed by the ef- 
 ficacy and success of your holy ministration. 
 
 * You have not prayed to the Almighty in my name, as the Medi- 
 ator between God and man, and with respect to my merits and inter- 
 cession. 
 
 VOL. II. 2c 
 
210 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 According to the extent of your knowledge, and the 
 strength of your capacities, 1 have hitherto spoken to 
 you concerning the establishment of my church by 
 allusions and similitudes, which have seemed to you 
 imperfect and obscure ; but the time will now spee- 
 dily arrive, when I shall in a more open and explicit 
 manner acquaint you with the determinations of my 
 heavenly Father, respecting the nature and establish- 
 ment of my kingdom ; and explain to you how, and 
 for what purposes you are to address yourself in prayer 
 to him, by whom you are already greatly beloved, be- 
 cause you believe that I act by his divine authority, 
 I have descended from heaven, and resided upon 
 earth under the appearance of a frail and imperfect state 
 of humanity, in order that I might reveal to mankind 
 the will of my heavenly Father, and instruct them in 
 the means of attaining to everlasting life and happi- 
 ness ; and having accomplished this great and import- 
 ant undertaking, T am preparing to return to the oles- 
 sed regions of ineffable bliss, from whence I derive 
 my origin. " Then said some of his disciples among 
 ** themselves, What is this that he saith unto us, A 
 ** little while, and ye shall not see me ; and again, a 
 *' little while, and ye shall see me ; and, because I go 
 *' to the Father ? They said therefore. What is this 
 ** that he saith, A little while ? We cannot tell what 
 *' he saith. Now Jesus knew that they were desirous 
 " to ask him, and said unto them. Do ye enquire 
 *' among yourselves of that I sr.id, A little while, and 
 '* ye shall not see me ; and again, a little while, and 
 " ye shall sec me ? Verily, verily I say unto you, 
 *' That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall 
 " rejoice : and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow 
 *' shall be turned into joy. A woman when she is in 
 '* travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come : but 
 *' as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remem- 
 " bereth no more of the anguish, for joy that a man 
 *' is born into the world. And ye now therefore have 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 211 
 
 *< sorrow : but I will see you again, and your heart 
 '* shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you. 
 *' And in that day ye shall ask me nothing^. Verily^ 
 " verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye sh dl ask the 
 *' Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto ye 
 " have asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall re- 
 " ceive.that your joy may be full. These things have I 
 " spoken unto you in proverbs : but the time cometh 
 " when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, 
 " but I shall shew you plainly of the Father. At that 
 *' day ye shall ask in my name : and 1 say not unto 
 *' you, that I will pray the Father for you : for the 
 " Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved 
 " me and have believed that I came out from God. I 
 " came forth from the Father, and am come into the 
 '* world : again, I leave the world, and go to the Fa- 
 " ther." John xvi. 17, &c. 
 
 Our Saviour had not before spoken in such plain 
 and express terms to his disciples, who now under- 
 stood that by the departure he had so often mentioned, 
 he meant to inform them, that he should quit this 
 sublunary sphere. Therefore they said, Now, O Lord, 
 you speak to us in a stile that does not surpass the 
 limits of our comprehension, and we clearly conceive 
 your meaning. You have at once satisfied our curi- 
 osity, and added great confirmation to our faith, hav- 
 ing convinced us of your power to penetrate into the 
 most secret recesses of the hearts of men ; for though 
 we did not declare our doubts, you perceived the per- 
 plexity in which our minds were involved, and were 
 graciously pleased to communicate to us such infor- 
 mation as has entirely dispersed those scruples which 
 were the effects of our ignorance. We were, indeed, 
 as you perceived, extremely desirous of an explana- 
 tion, but were fearful of applying to you on that sub- 
 ject, lest we should give you offence : but you have 
 perfectly convinced us, that you are the ambassa- 
 dor of God. 
 
S12 THE HISTOHY OF 
 
 Hereupon Jesus said to them, that although they 
 firmly believed in him, and had resolved to persevere 
 in their faith, it behoved them to be careful, lest they 
 should be too confident of their own strength ; and 
 to pray fervently to heaven, that they might be deli- 
 vered from temptation in the time of distress. 
 
 ^You shall, said Jesus, before many hours elapse, 
 utterly abandon me, in the hope of providing for your 
 own security. But though you will desert me, I 
 shall not be alone, for- my heavenly Father will ever 
 remain with infie. I have predicted these matters to 
 you, in order that ye may so increase your constancy 
 and fortitude, as to be the better enabled to resist those 
 temptations to which you will be exposed ; and you 
 cannot but derive comfort from my having prepared 
 you to encounter those calamities which you will 
 shortly experience, and which will most assuredly 
 terminate in a glorious victory over the malice of your 
 enemies. 
 
 Suffer not the consideration of the sufferings you 
 are to endure to depress your spirits, or to impair 
 your courage and constancy : but reflect, that, by the 
 unremitting fortitude I have exerted, I have obtained 
 a complete conquest over the dominion of sin ; there- 
 fore adopt my example, and participate with me in the 
 rewards of the kingdom of heaven. " His disciples 
 *' said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and 
 " speakest no proverb. Now are we sure that thou 
 " knowt St all things, and needest not that any man 
 " should ask thee : by this we believe that thou cam- 
 *' est forth from God. Jesus answered them, Do ye 
 " now believe .'' Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now 
 " come, that } e shall be scattered every man to his own, 
 " and shall leave me alone : and yet I am not alone, 
 " because the Father is with me. These things I have 
 " spoken unto you that in me ye might have peace. 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 213 
 
 " In the world ye shall have tribulation c but be of 
 " good cheer, 1 have overcome the world." John 
 xvi. 29, &c. 
 
 Having exhorted and comforted his disciples in the 
 manner above recited, the blessed Jesus '■' lifted up 
 ** his eyes to heaven," and fervently prayed to his 
 Almighty Father in the following manner. Holy and 
 Almighty Father, the time will speedily arrive, when 
 I shall submit to the most rigorous punishments, 
 which will terminate in a painful and ignominious 
 death. Grant me, O Lord, fortitude to support my- 
 self under the persecution and malice of my ene- 
 mies, with that dignity which is becoming him whom 
 thou hast been pleased to acknowledge as thy Son, 
 that 1 may thereby add to the glory of thy holy name. 
 Enable me, O God, to triumph over death by a glo- 
 rious resurrection and ascension into heaven, that 
 the honcjr of thy name may be magnified, and thy di- 
 vine power be believed throughout the world : so 
 shall mankind render themselves worthy to enjoy the 
 blessings of eternity, according to the full intent of 
 that office and power with which thou hast been gra- 
 ciously pleased to invest me. 
 
 That I might effect the great design of providing 
 for the eternal salvation of mankind, I have faithfullv 
 proclaimed thy will, and preached the doctrine of 
 repentance, whereby I h ive exalted the glory of thy 
 name among mankind. That, the great scheme of 
 salvation may be perfected, do thou, who art the * 
 only true God, glorify me by re-admitting me to 
 
 • That the Father is here called " the only true God," In exclusion, 
 only of those w. om thf false persuasion of the Gentiles had introduced 
 as g 'tis, and not in exclusion of Christ, as the Socinians pretend, is ma- 
 nifest from tlie circumstance of Christ himself being elsewhere called 
 '* the only true God.'* 
 
!214 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 those honors which I f enjoyed before the commence- 
 ment of the world. I have manifested thy will to 
 the disciples, whom, by thy appointment, I selected 
 from the rest of mankind, to proclaim the precepts 
 of thy gospel, and the doctrine of thy salvation. 
 
 The doctrine I have preached to the disciples, they 
 have cheerfully embraced, punctually adhered to, 
 and faithfully obeyed ; they are firml}^ persuaded, that 
 what I have preached to them is not a human inven- 
 tion, but a system of. divine truths, proclaimed to 
 mankind by thy especial authority and command. By 
 the power thou hast transmitted to me, I have pro- 
 tected ihem from all the assaults of their malicious 
 enemies ; and eleven of them have maintained a due 
 allegiance to me : but the perfidious man who has 
 deserted my cause, will effect his own destruction ; 
 and in him will be accomplished the predictions of 
 the prophets, who denounced exemplary vengeance 
 against the abominable treachery of which he has 
 been guilty. 
 
 As the period will soon arrive when I shall leave 
 this world, I now address myself to thee, O heavenly 
 Father, in the hearing of my faithful apostles that 
 their minds may be strengthened and fortified against 
 yielding to the impression of distressing and melan- 
 choly ideas. As thou hast begun the great work of 
 their salvation by my preaching and revealing to them 
 thy holy will, I supplicate thee, O God, to continue 
 thy gracious favor and protection to them after my 
 departure from this transitory life. Grant that they 
 may be so sincerely affected with the truth of thy holy 
 doctrine, that their conduct may be ever conforma- 
 
 t Our blessed Redeemer had a glory with the Father, before he as- 
 sumed the appearance and nature of humanity ; and this glory he dedin- 
 ed, when he became a man, according to a variety of scriptural 
 evidence. 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 215 
 
 ble thereto, since this doctrine contains only those 
 divine precepts vvhich I have published by thy autho- 
 rity and com ma lid. 
 
 I do not pray in behalf of the unbelieving and im- 
 penitent world, but for those who have embraced that 
 most holy doctrine which you were graciouly pleased 
 to command me to preach for the redemption of man- 
 kind, and who by their ministry, have glorified thy 
 name : I do not make these requests for my apos- 
 tles alone, but for * all those who have reposed, or 
 may hereafter repose faith in me. The period will 
 soon arrive, when I shall return to thy heavenly king- 
 dom ; and therefore I recommend to thy peculiar 
 care and protectiofi, my eleven beloved disciples, who 
 will faithfully proclaim the precepts of my gospel after 
 my departure from this world. Endue them with 
 grace to conduct themselves agreeably to the rules 
 which I have prescribed to them, and with power to 
 deliver to mankind with unimpaired purity, the ho- 
 ly doctrines of truth and righteousness, which they 
 have received from me ; so shall their fidelity and 
 xeal in the discharge of their sacred function, entitle 
 them to remain inseparably united to me, as I am to 
 thee. From the hour when I first appointed them to 
 be my apostles, I have been unremittingly assiduous 
 to guard them against the smallest violation of their 
 duty; and, excepting the ungrateful traitor who has 
 conspired with my enemies to cft'ect my destruction, 
 they have yielded a perfect obedience to my direc- 
 tions : but now that I am soon to withdraw my per- 
 
 * Hence it appears, that Christ, after having prayed for his apostles 
 in particular, put Forth the same request, in behalf ot'his other disciples ; 
 and therefore it must follow, that the words of the evangelist have no 
 regard to the election of a particular number, but only to those peculi- 
 ar gifts and blessings, which were necessary to the apostles. " J pray 
 " not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me." John 
 xvii. '.J. 
 
216 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 sonal protection from them, I earnestly beseech thee 
 to assist them by thy Holy Spirit, and that they may 
 derive comfort from the assurance that they will ever 
 remain under thy especial care and protection. 
 
 My doctrine being utterly repugnant to the passi- 
 ons and lusts, the affections, designs, and inclinations 
 of worldly men, my disciples will be hated and perse- 
 cuted by the vicious and incorrigible part of the world. 
 I do not request that you would take them out of the 
 world, but beseech that you will preserve them in it, 
 that they may be instrumental in promoting thy holy 
 word, and in magnifying the glory of thy name. 
 
 These disciples are of a disposition exceedingly 
 different from the generality of mankind ; for they 
 have adopted the example of righteousness and virtue, 
 which I proposed to them in my own person. Do 
 thou, O Father, increase in them the moderation and 
 candor of their minds, and cause them to be tho- 
 roughly impressed with ihat true doctiine which I 
 have recommended to them by your especial com- 
 mand, that they may both in their preaching and their 
 moral conduct through life, become worthy and suc- 
 cessful ministers of my gospel. 
 
 As thou hast appointed me to reveal thy holy will to 
 mankind, so I depute these my apostles to continue as- 
 siduously to propagate the doctrine which Ihave es- 
 tablished. To promote the great end for which I came 
 into the world, I have communicated to my apostles, 
 that power and authority of performing miracles for 
 the confirmation of their doctrine, and the evidence 
 of thy truth, which thou didst communicate to me ; 
 so that I, acting by their agenc}^ as thou hast done 
 by me, may promote that doctrine which I have hi-s 
 therto preached, and convince mankind, by the ef- 
 ficacy of the Spirit, that I was sent into the world tg 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 217 
 
 execute thy righteous will, and that my disciples 
 act by the same divine commission. 
 
 Almighty Father, I beseech that thou wouldest ad- 
 mit all those who have heartily embraced my gospel, 
 to participate with me in heavenly bliss ! and exalt 
 them to the privilege of beholding the wonderful glo- 
 ry, wherewith, in th)'^ unbounded and eternal love, 
 thou didst invest me before the creation of the world. 
 The generality of mankind obstinately persist in op- 
 posing your divine pleasure : but my disciples hold 
 thy sacred name in due veneration ; and, by thy di- 
 vine permission, I will continue to endue them with 
 the Holy Spirit, that they may improve in righteous- 
 ness, in faith, and in all good works ; so that they 
 shall themselves, as well as all who believe in, and 
 act agreeably to what they preach, obtain that ever- 
 lasting happiness, which is the efiect of that infinite 
 love that thou hast, through me, manifested towards 
 them. 
 
 VOL. II. 2 D 
 
218 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 CHAP. XXXVII, 
 
 Our blessed Saviour crosses the brook Cedron, and re- 
 puirs towards the garden of Gethsemane ; but ^ pre- 
 li'ious to his arriiial there^ he predicts that he shall 
 be seized that night, and that his apostles will de- 
 sert him. The agony of the holy Jesus. Our Sa- 
 'Diour departs from his disciples, and fer'vently ad" 
 dresses himself in prayer to his heavenly Father, 
 Upon his return to his disciples, he finds them 
 asleep, and awakens them. . He prays again, and 
 wakes his disciples a second aiid a third time. Ju- 
 das enters the garden of GethsemanCy at the head 
 oj a party of soldiers, who take Jesus into custo- 
 dy. Peter cuts off the ear of Malchus, for which 
 action he is repro^ued by Jesus, who heals the wound. 
 Our Sa'uiour questions the officers on the subject of 
 his being taken into custody. A young man who 
 'was seized by the soldiers, escapes without his gar- 
 ment. Jesus is conducted to the house of Annas 
 and Caiphas, whither he is followed by Peter and 
 John. Peter thrice denies haiiing any knowledge 
 of Christ: but he repents, after hailing heard the 
 cock crow twice. Caiphas exa?nines Jesus before 
 the chief-priests and rulers of Jerusalem, and false 
 evidence is adduced against him. Jesus is con* 
 ducted before the Sanhedrim, and further examin- 
 ed. He acknowledges himself to be the Messiah ; 
 and he is crutlly rcuilcd and insulted, arid condenin- 
 ed as deserving to suffer death. 
 
 After the transactions recorded in the preced- 
 ini^ chapter, our blessed Redeemer, accompanied by 
 his apostles, descended from the Mount of Olives, 
 and crossing the brook Cedron, proceeded towards 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 219 
 
 the garden of Gethsemane. On the way our Lord 
 said to his disciples, that they would that very nipht 
 forsake him, according to the prediction of the pro- 
 phet Zechariah. " Awake, O sword, against my shep- 
 '' herd, and against the man that is my fellow, saiih 
 *' the Lord of hosts : smite the shepherd, and the 
 " sheep shall be scattered, and I will turn mine hand 
 *' upon the little ones." Zech. xiii. 7. Hereupon 
 Peter said, that though he should be deserted by his 
 other disciples, yet he would steadily maintain his 
 allegiance and fidelity to him, under every circum- 
 stance of distress and extremity. Our Saviour now 
 reminded Peter of what he had already predicted, re- 
 peating to him, that before the cock should twice be 
 heard to * crow, he would thrice deny being his dis- 
 ciple. But Peter solemnly protested, that he would 
 submit to be put to the most cruel death, rather than 
 deny obedience to his Master ; and the other apos- 
 tles as fervently declared, that no circumstance what- 
 ever should prevail upon them to violate their duty 
 and allegiance to Jesus. " And Jesus saith unto 
 " them, All ye shall be offended because of me this 
 " night ; for it is written, I will smite the shep- 
 " herd, and the sheep shall be scattered. But after 
 " that I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee. 
 •' But Peter said, although all shall be offended, yet 
 *' will not I. And Jesus saith unto him. Verily I say 
 *' unto thee, that this day, even in this night, before 
 *' the cock crow twice, ihou shalt deny me thrice. 
 " But he spake the more vehemently, If I should 
 *' die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise.— 
 " Likewise also said they all." Mark xiv. 27, &c. 
 
 Upon their arrival at the garden of Gethsemane, 
 
 * The Heathen writers mention a double crowing of the cock ; the 
 tirst about midnight, and the second at the fourth watch, or at day- 
 break. The latter of these is emphatically called the cock-crowing ; 
 Jill J it was this that brought Peter to repentance. 
 
220 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 Jesus, accompanied by Peter and James, and John, 
 the two sons of Zebedee, the three select apostles 
 who had been witnesses to his glorious transfigura- 
 tion, proceeded forward, having commanded his other 
 disciples to wait near the entrance, and recommended 
 them to pray to God that he would not permit their 
 constancy to be exposed to too severe trials. 
 
 Our blessed Redeemer now meditated upon those 
 sufferings which in a few hours he was to endure ; and 
 the i)rospect of the shocking scene that was shortly 
 to ensue, overwhelmed him with affliction ; and there- 
 fore he addressed himself in fervent prayer to his hea- 
 venly Father, supplicating, that if he could, consist- 
 ently with the salvation of mankind, he might be de- 
 livered from the sorrows by which he was then so 
 heavily oppressed. On this occasion he sustained 
 those grievous conflicts in his soul, by which, as well 
 as his dying on the cross, he became a sin.oftering, 
 and thereby accomplished the redemption of man- 
 kind. 
 
 Having informed his three disciples that he was in 
 an agony of sorrow, and commanded them to remain 
 v^here they then were, and to w^atch, he retired to 
 the distance of about a stone's throw ; and prostrat. 
 ino; himself upon the earth, exclaimed, O Almighty 
 Father, thou art able to prevent the cruel death, and 
 those indignities which I expect shortly to suffer ; 
 but if thy eternal wisdom hath unalterably decreed 
 me to these purposes, I shall entirely resign myself 
 to thy Almighty pleasure. While our Saviour was 
 laboring under this agony, an * angel descended from 
 heaven, and administered comfort to him ; and the 
 
 * In the tirrip of ^t. Jerome, ib's account of tlie anjrel was wan'ing 
 in many of the Greek and Latin copies. It seems to have been expung- 
 ed by the Avians. 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 221 
 
 more he was oppressed with sorrow, the more fervent. 
 ly he addressed himself to God by prayer, bo in- 
 tense was his anguish, cmd bO excessive was the per- 
 turbation of his spirits, that his blood was forced 
 through the pores of his skin : and mixing with his 
 sweat, it fell in drops upon the earth. 
 
 His earnest supplications to the Almighty, and his 
 entire resignation to the divine will, procured an 
 abatement of his agony; and he arose, and returned 
 to his apostles, whom he found in a sleep. Having 
 awakened them, he said, Am I so little regarded by 
 you, that you neglect to watch one hour with me in 
 my affliction ? Arise, and pray, that you may be en- 
 dued with constancy and fortitude to support your- 
 selves under the severe trials to which you will in a 
 short time be exposed ; for though you are fully 
 persuaded that your duty requires you to be inflexi- 
 bly persevering in your profession of being my disci- 
 ples, 3'et such is the fraiity of human nature, that it 
 is scarcely possible for mankind to collect a sufficient 
 degree of courage and fortitude effectually to resist 
 the tyranny of those violent passions, which by fre- 
 quent indulgence, often become too powerful for the 
 controul of reason. " And they came to a place 
 " which was named Gethsemane : and he saith to 
 *' his disciples, sit ye here while I shall pray. And 
 " he takcth with him Peter, and James, and John, and 
 *' began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy. — 
 " And he saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sor- 
 *' ronful unto death : tarry ye here and watch. And 
 " he w^cnt forward a little and fell on the ground, and 
 " prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass 
 '* from him. And he said, Abba, Father, all things 
 *' are possible unto thee : take away this cup from 
 *' me : nevertheless not what I will, but as thou wilt. 
 " And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and 
 ** saith unto Peter, Simon, slecpest thou i" couldest 
 
2^22 - THE HISTORY OF 
 
 " not thou watch one hour ? Watch ye and {pray, lest 
 *' ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly ib ready, 
 *' but the flesh is weak." Mark xiv. 32, 8cc. 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 down to the ground.*' 
 Luke xxii. 43, 44. 
 
 Having thus admonished his disciples, our Saviour 
 again retired to pray; and upon his return, he dis- 
 covered them to be a second time in a profound sleep. 
 Having again awaked them, he rebuked them for 
 their negligence ; after which he retreated from them 
 a third time, to supplicate his heavenly Father ; but 
 as he obtained no assurance of an abatement of his 
 expected anguish, he expressed himself willing to en- 
 counter the utmost torments, which the Almighty- 
 should be pleased to permit the rage and malice of his 
 enemies to inflict upon him. 
 
 Observing that the affliction his three apostles had 
 experienced on his account, had so harrassed and ex- 
 hausted their spirits, that they had not been able to 
 resist an inclination to repose, Jesus said, The time 
 is nearly arrived, when I must submit to the cruelty 
 of my enemies; and I am resolved courageously to 
 encounter the effects of their ras:e, however severe 
 and undeserved ; therefore take your rest, for youf 
 vratching is wholly unnecessary. I shall shortly be 
 surrendered into the power of wicked and unrelenting 
 men, both Jews and Romans ; and if you are inclined 
 to be witnesses of the unmerited severity of treatment 
 I shall receive from them, arise, and accompany me 
 to meet the perfidious and ungrateful wretch, who is 
 now upon his way to betray me to a party of soldiers, 
 dispatched to apprehend me by the members of the 
 Sanhedrim. 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 2Q3 
 
 Judas had frequently accompanied his Master to 
 the garden of Gcthseniune, and therefore knew the 
 spot to which he was uccu>.tomed to retire. At the 
 head of a party of armed men, and ^ deputation of offi- 
 cers from the Sanhedrim, eanying lamps and torches, 
 the traitor entered the garden in search of Je$us. — 
 Though the passovtr was liever celebrated but at the 
 time of full moon, they foresaw that the light of that 
 planet might be intercepted by clouds; they also 
 knew, that the place was greatly shaded with trees ; 
 and for these reasons, the soldiers were attended by 
 servants carrying lights. It is probable, that the sol- 
 diers were unacquainted with the personof Jesus, and 
 that therefore it was judged necessary that Judas should 
 point him out by a particular sign : and the soldiers 
 were commanded to seize and conduct before the 
 Sanhedrim, the man whom Judas should salute. 
 
 When Judas approached the spot where he expect- 
 ed to find our Saviour, he v.alked hastily up to him ; 
 probably with a design of concealing his villainy from 
 his Master and the eleven apostles, and pretending, 
 perhaps, that he was desirous of apprizing him of his 
 danger. Judas accosted our Saviour, saying. Hail 
 Master, and kissed him. But our Lord, knowing 
 his design, did not fail to upbraid him with his treach- 
 ery. Dost thou betray me, said our Lord, with a 
 fawning salutation ? 
 
 After receiving this reprimand, Judas retired into 
 the company of the soldiers. And the time of his suf- 
 fering being arrived, our Lord did not now, as he had 
 formerly done, avoid his enemies; but turning to- 
 wards the soldiers, he asked, whom it was they 
 sought ? They replied, that they came in search of 
 Jesus of Nazareth. Hereupon our Lord immediately 
 acknowledged himself to be that Jesus of Nazareth, 
 whom they came to apprehend ; and he had no soon- 
 
224 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 er pronounced these words, than the soldiers being 
 struck with astonishment fell back upon the ground. 
 But so far was Jesus from taking advantage of their 
 consternation, that he made not the least endeavor to 
 escape, which he might have successfully attempted 
 without the smallest difficulty : but on the contrary, 
 he a second time addressed himself to the soldiers, 
 repeating the question as to whom they sought. Be- 
 ing again told that they came in search of Jesus of 
 Nazareth, he said, 1 have already acknowledged my- 
 self to be the man you seek; and since it is me a one 
 that you are authorized to take into custody, 1 request 
 that you will offer no violence to these my attend- 
 ants. " He went away again the second time, and 
 *' prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not 
 *' pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be 
 *' done. And he came and found them asleep again ; 
 *^ for their eyes were heavy. And he left them, and 
 *' went away again, and prayed the third time, saying 
 *^ the same words. Then cometh he to his disciples, 
 *' and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your 
 *' rest ; behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of 
 *' man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, 
 *' let us be going : behold, he is at hand that doth 
 " betray me. And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one 
 " of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude 
 *' with swords and staves, from the chief-priests 
 '' and elders of the people. Now he that betrayed 
 *' him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall 
 *' kiss, the same is he; hold him fast. And forth- 
 *' with he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, Master ; and 
 *' kissed him. And Jesus said unto him. Friend, 
 " wherefore art thou come ?" Matt. xxvi. 42, &c. 
 
 The tribune who had the command of the cohort*, 
 
 * This was a military term among the Romans, signifying a body of 
 troops consisting of six hundred foot soldiers, or as some say, of five 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 225 
 
 now advanced towards Jesus, who was rudely seized 
 and bound by some of the soldiers. Enrag-ed to sec 
 his Master thus unworthily treated, Peter drew his 
 sword, and smote off the ear of Malchus, who was 
 servant to the high priest. So exasperated was this 
 disciple, that he was on the point of singly attacking 
 the whole body of soldiers : but our Lord command- 
 ed him to sheath his weapon, and at the same time 
 reproved his rashness, saying, that those who took up 
 arms against him should fall by the power of their ene- 
 mies ; and that his imprudent defence implied a want 
 of confidence in the AIniighty, to whose determina- 
 tions he was willing to submit, that all the prophe- 
 cies concerning his sufferings and death might be ac- 
 complished. To prevent any tumult, or other ill con- 
 sequences from Peter having struck oif the ear of the 
 high-priest's servant, our compassionate Redeemer 
 touched the wound, and it immediately healed. 
 
 Addressing himself to the chief priests and minis- 
 ters of the Sanhedrim, our blessed Saviour asked 
 them, why they came to apprehend him attended by 
 armed soldiers ; which seemed to imply, that they 
 considered him as a public robber. He had been ac- 
 customed daily to instruct the people in the temple, 
 and yet, he observed, they had attempted no violence 
 against his person : but the time was arrived, when 
 God would permit the angels of darkness to execute 
 the wicked designs they had projected against him. 
 But before our blessed Saviour had spoken these 
 words, his apostles, observing that their Master was 
 in the power of his enemies, deserted him while un- 
 der these circumstances of distress, as he had pro- 
 phesied. " Then came they and laid hands on Jesus, 
 " and took him. And behold, one of them which 
 
 huTnlred ; these were divided into three parties, culled maniples, whlcU 
 were subdivided into centuries. 
 
 VOL. II. 2S 
 
226 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 "were with Jesus, stretched out his hand, and drew 
 " his sword, and struck a servant of the high-priest, 
 *' and smote off his ear. Then said Jesus unto him, 
 " Put up again thy sword into his place ; for all they 
 "that take the sword, shall perish with the sword. 
 *' Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, 
 *' and he shall presently give me more than tw-elve le- 
 *' gions of angels r But how then shall the scripture 
 ** be fulfilled, that thus it must be ? In that same 
 *' hour said Jesus to the multitude. Are you come 
 '^ out as against a thief with swords and staves for 
 ** to take me ? I sat daily with you teaching in the 
 *' temple, and ye laid no hold of me. But all this 
 *' was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might 
 *' be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him 
 " and fled." Matt. xxvi. 50, &c. 
 
 To learn the occasion of the tumult, * a young 
 man, having a linen cloth about his body, came to 
 the spot where the soldiers had taken our Lord into 
 custody ; and this youth they also apprehended, pro- 
 bably because he shewed some marks of respect to 
 Jesus : but he escaped from them, leaving his garment 
 in their hands. " And there followed him a certain 
 *' young man, having a linen cloth cast about his nak- 
 *' ed body ; and the young men laid hold on him : 
 " and he left the linen cloth, and fled from them nak- 
 " ed." Markxiv. 51, 52. 
 
 The soldiers conducted Jesus to the house of An- 
 nas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who that year 
 
 * Some of the fathers are of opinion, though on a very slender foun- 
 dation, that tins young man was James, the brother of our Lord. 
 Others believe him to liavebeen St. Joha : but, according to the evan- 
 felistt;, he followed Christ to the high-priest's hall. The most reason- 
 able toni<?cturi' seems, that he belonged to the family of the proprietor 
 of the garden of Gethsemane ; and that being awakened suddenly by an 
 uncommon noise, he arose from his bed, and throwing a cloth over him, 
 he retired to learn the occasion ©f the tumult. 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUIl. 227 
 
 held the office of high-priest. Annas had himself 
 been advanced to the digait} ofthe high-priesthood, 
 and that circumstance, together with his relationship 
 to Caiaphas, procured him the respect that was shewn 
 him on this occasion. But declining singly to inter- 
 fere, Annas ordered our Saviour to be escorted be- 
 fore Caiaphas ; who, as we have before observed, 
 when the conduct of Jesus became the subject of 
 investigation in the Sanhedrim, gave it as his opini- 
 on, that it would be expedient to sacrifice his life to 
 the public good. Peter and John, the son of Zebedee, 
 followed Jesus to the palace of Caiaphas, where se- 
 veral of the members had assembled, when the order 
 was issued for apprehending Jesus ; and wliere they 
 had remained, to learn the issue of their stratagem. 
 John having an acquaintance with some persons in 
 the family of the high-priest, gained admittance into 
 the hall, adjacent to the apartment where his Master 
 was to be examined : but Peter was under the ne- 
 cessity of waiting without, till he gained an introduc- 
 tion through the interest of John. 
 
 Peter seated himself in the hall, in company with 
 the domestics ofthe high-priest, anxiously waiting the 
 issue of his Master's examination. The female servant 
 who had opened the door to Peter, looking stedfasty 
 at him, asked him, if he was not one ofthe disciples 
 of Jesus of Nazareth ? This he positively denied, 
 saying, he could not conceive what reason she had 
 for proposing the question to him. The question put 
 to him by the woman so disconcerted Peter, that he 
 left the hall, and retired to the porch, where he in 
 a short time heard the cock crow. Returning to the 
 company, who were seated before the fire, another 
 of the female servants asked him, if he was not one 
 ofthe disciples 'of Jesus of Nazareth. In reply, he 
 denied having any knowledge of Jesus ; and to con- 
 firm what he had said, he appealed to heaven by an 
 
228 THE HISTOKY OF 
 
 Oath. About an hour afterwards, another of the ser- 
 vants, the kinsman of him whose ear Peter had struck 
 off, declared, that he had seen that disciple in com- 
 pany with Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane. In 
 short, all the persons present concurred in opinion, that 
 he was a follower of Jesus ; and their suspicions \v ere 
 greatly confirmed, b} his pronunciation proving him 
 to be a native of Galilee. He now with oaths and 
 imprecations resolutely * disclaimed all knowledge 
 of Jesus, immediately after which he heard the cock 
 crow a second time. 
 
 Peter had no sooner pronounced the third denial, 
 than Jesus turned towards him, and regarding him 
 with remarkable sternness, reproached him for his in- 
 fidelity. The displeasure and reproach expressed in 
 the countenance of Jesus, and the crowing of the 
 cock, recalled the prediction of his Master to the me- 
 mory of Peter, and at the same time forcibly im- 
 pressed his mind with remorse and sorrow. To con- 
 ceal his grief and confusion, Peter covered his face 
 with his garment, and retiring from the hall, by shed- 
 ding abundance of tears, aftbrded some relief to his 
 soul, which was oppressed by the most poignant an- 
 guish, arising from a proper sense of the enormity 
 of the crime he had committed. 
 
 Our blessed Saviour was now introduced into the 
 apartment where the high-priest, and several of the 
 members of the Sanhedrim were assembled, to exa- 
 mine him concerning the doctrines he had promulgat- 
 ed, and the converts he had made to his gospel. Cai- 
 aphas demanded uf Jesus, for what purpose he had 
 
 * It will not excuse Peter to suppose he said, " I know not the 
 *' w«/2." because be knew him to be God ; for this would be to de- 
 fend the servant, anrl accuse the Muster of falsehood. If Peter did not 
 actually and abso'uicly deny him, Christ would not have said, " Thou 
 *' shall deny methnce." 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 229 
 
 prevailed upon people to become his disciples, whe- 
 ther he intended to establish himself in the monarch- 
 ical dignity, and what was the tendency of the doc- 
 trines he taught This conduct was equally uncan- 
 did, artful, and ensnaring. The attempt to extort 
 from a prisoner a confession which may aftVct his life 
 or liberty, is surely a very inequitable and unjustifi- 
 able procedure ; and this Jesus intimated in his re- 
 ply, calling upon them to support the accusations al- 
 ledged against him, by the testimony of witnesses. 
 
 Our blessed Lord informed the high-priest, and the 
 elders of the people, that he had publicly delivered 
 his doctrines in almost every synagogue in Judea, 
 and that he had been accustomed to preach in the 
 temple to very numerous audiences, and therefore, 
 he observed, had he intended to delude the multitude 
 into error, or to obtain any improper influence over 
 their minds, he should certainly have been detected, 
 since all his actions were exposed to public obser- 
 vation. Hereupon one of the officers, with sacrile- 
 gious insolence, struck Jesus, upbraiding him at the 
 same time for not addressing himself to the high- 
 priest with the veneration and respect, which, he said, 
 were due to his character. Notwithstanding the 
 gross affronts he had received, the meek and humble 
 Jesus, with great composure, said, If I have given 
 any just cause of offence to this assembly, prove to 
 me in what particular my crime consists : if you can- 
 not do this, by what means will it be possible for you 
 to excuse this inhuman trentment of a defenceless 
 prisoner. Tlius Jesus became an example of the 
 forbearance and humility, which he had before re- 
 commenfled. '■'■ VV^hosoever shall smite thee on one 
 *' cheek, turn to him the other also." Matt. v. 39. 
 
 The council expected that Jesus would avow him- 
 self to be the Messiah : but being disappointed, they 
 
230 THE HISTOKY OF 
 
 proceeded to examine several witnesses, to prove that 
 he had assumed that character ; for they considered 
 this pretension as an act of blasphemy in Jesus, who 
 being, as they imagined, only a man, they supposed 
 could not pretend to the character of the Messiah, 
 without committing a most daring and unpardonable 
 offence against the Almighty. 
 
 Some of the witnesses contradicted each other in * 
 their depositions, and others advanced charges of too 
 insignificant and frivolous a nature, to serve as the 
 foundation of convicting our Lord of any capital of- 
 fence. But two persons, at length, agreed in depos- 
 ing, that they had heard Jesus declare, that he w^as 
 able to destroy the temple of God, and to re-construct 
 it in the space of three days. When our Lord ex- I 
 ])elled the traders from the house of God, the Jews " 
 asked him, by what authority he acted ? whereupon 
 he said, *' Destroy this temple, (pointing to his bo- 
 *' dy,) and in three days I will raise it again," There- 
 fore these witnesses, either through malice, or ignor- 
 ance that he alluded to the miracle of his resurrec- 
 tion, interpreted our Saviour's words into a declara- 
 tion that he was able to destroy and rebuild the mag- 
 nificent temple of Jerusalem in three days : and the 
 chief-priests and rulers deemed this expression an 
 act of blasphemy, declaring it impossible that so stu- 
 pendous an undertaking could be accomplished in 
 so short a period of time, but by the operation of the 
 power of the Almighty. 
 
 Notwithstanding the charge produced against him, 
 our Lord remained silent ; whereupon the high-priest, 
 supposing that he meant to shew the contempt in 
 which he held the members of the council, arose from 
 his seat in a violent rage, and demanded the reason of 
 so extraordinary conduct. " And the men that held 
 " Jesus, mocked him and smote him. And when they 
 
OUIl BLESSED SAVIOUR. 231 
 
 " had blindfolded him, they struck him on the face, 
 *' and asked him, saying, Prophesy, who is it that 
 " smote thee ? And many other things blasphcmous- 
 *' ly spake they against him. And as soon as it was 
 '♦ day, the ciders of the people and the chief-priests 
 " and the scribes came together, and led him into 
 '* their council, saying. Art thou the Christ ? tell us." 
 Luke xxii. 63, Stc. 
 
 Being thus questioned by the Sanhedrim early in 
 the morning alter his apprehension, our Lord said, 
 that if he should acknowledge himself to the Messiah, 
 they would not believe him ; nor would they restore 
 him to liberty, even if he should demonstrate his in- 
 nocence by the most incontestible evidence. " And 
 *' he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe. 
 *' And if I also ask you, ye will not answer me, nor 
 '' let me go." Luke xxii. 67, 68. 
 
 Disappointed in all his stratagems to extort some 
 expression from Jesus, which might be perverted to 
 his disadvantage, the high-priest now solemnly * ad- 
 jured him, by the tremendous name of the Almighty, 
 to declare whether he was the Son of God. Being 
 thus urged by a religious obligation to make a public 
 profession, our blessed Saviour avowed himself to be 
 the Messiah : saying, that his judges would soon be 
 convinced of the truth of his assertion, by the destruc- 
 tion that he would inflict upon the Jewish nation, and 
 the rapid progress of his gospel in every quarter of 
 the globe ; adding, that finally he should prove the 
 justice of his pretensions on the great and tremendous 
 day of judgment, when he should be seated on the 
 right hand of his Almighty Father, and surrounded 
 with all the glories of the kingdom of heaven. 
 
 * All adjuration of this nature, was considered as equivalent to ;i« 
 outli, the party adjured being expected to declare the whole truth. 
 
232 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 Our Saviour's public profession of being the Mes- 
 siah, so exasperated the high-priest, that he rent his 
 garments, and addressing himself to the whole assem- 
 bly, said, it would be superfluous to attempt produc- 
 ing further evidence, since the prisoner's own con- 
 fession, had clearly convicted him of the most horrid 
 blasphemy. Upon this, they unanimously declared, 
 that since he had presumed to arrogate to himself the 
 character of the Messiah, it was expedient that he 
 should be put to death. 
 
 Being thus cruelly and unjustly condemned, the 
 servants and other people spit upon him, and offered 
 him a variety of other indignities, of the most gross 
 and affronting nature. Having caused our blessed 
 Saviour to be blindfolded, some of the council, with 
 a view of rendering him an object of ridicule, desir- 
 ed him to exercise his prophetical spirit, by disco- 
 vering who smote him. Thus was the Son of God, 
 the great and blessed Redeemer of the world, treat- 
 ed with a degree of severity and insult, wholly un- 
 worthy his sacred character : but he submitted to 
 his sufferings with patience and resignation, thereby 
 leaving mankind an example of an humble and entire 
 acquiescence in the dispensations of divine Provi- 
 dence, 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 233 
 
 CHAP. XXXVIII. 
 
 Our Saviour is conducted before Pilate^ the Roman 
 governor^ ivho authorizes the Jews to judge him 
 according to their own la-ivs : but they refuse to eX" 
 ercise the pox^er thus delegated to them. The mem^ 
 bers of the Sanhedrim exhibit accusations against 
 JesuSy -who makes no reply. Our Saviour acknoiv- 
 ledges himself to be a king. Pilate is desirous of 
 restoring Jesus to liberty^ but he is opposed by the 
 Jews. Pilate sends Jesus to be examined by He^ 
 rody who acquits him. The Roman governor says, 
 he will release either Jesus or Barabbas^ as the 
 Jews shall decide ; and they prefer the latter. 
 After endeavoring in vain to appease the rage of 
 the Jews^ Pilate orders our Saviour to be scourged. 
 Pie shews Jesus to the people^ and reluctantly con-" 
 sents to his crucifixion. Still desirous of preserv- 
 ing the life of Jesus ^ he further interrogates him .• 
 and at length he^ after %v ashing his hands in the open 
 courts in token of his innocence^ delivers him to the 
 Jews, who behave towards him with contempt and 
 insult. Struck with a conviction of his abominable 
 treachery^ Judas returns the thirty sheckels he had 
 received for betraying Jesus, and puts an end to 
 his life. Simon, the Cyrenian, compelled to carry 
 the cross. Our Saviour predicts the destruction of 
 the Jews- lie is crucified between two malefactors. 
 Pilate puts an inscription upon the cross, and will 
 not allow it to be altered. The chief priests, the 
 soldiers and the multitude, scoff" at, and revile our 
 blessed Saviour ; and their example is followed by 
 one of the suffering thieves : but the other rebukes 
 him, and receives a comfortable assurance from 
 Jesus. Our Saviour recommends his mother to the 
 care of John. A darkness for the space of three 
 VOL. II. 2 r 
 
234 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 hours. The death of the Redeemer of the world. 
 Prodigies atteiidant upon the decease of Jesus, 
 Women present at the crucifixion. It he legs of the 
 tivo malefactors are broken^ and the side of Jesus 
 is pierced with a spear. The body of our Saviour 
 interred by Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, 
 
 J HE blessed Jesus being condemned by the una- 
 nimous voice of the grand council of the Jewish na- 
 tion, it was resolved, that he should be taken before 
 the Roman governor, that he might give confirmation 
 to their sentence. 
 
 Csesarea was the general place of residence of the 
 Roman governors of Judea : but on occasion of the 
 great feasts, they repaired to Jerusalem, to prevent or 
 suppress tumults, and to administer justice. The 
 Jews conducted our Saviour to the palace of Pontius 
 Pilate, where, however, they refused to enter, that 
 they might not defile themselves, by being under the 
 roof of a Heathen, whereby they would have been 
 disqualified for eating the passover. 
 
 To accomodate the Jews on occasions of this nature, 
 a structure called Gabbatha, in the Hebrew language, 
 was formed adjoining to the governor's palace. This 
 place was so contrived, that the people could stand 
 in the open air, round the tribunal, excepting on the 
 part which joined the palace, to observe the judicial 
 proceedings. The great Redeemer of mankind being 
 brought to this tribunal, Pilate ascended the judg- 
 ment-seat, and demanded, \vhat accusations the Jews 
 had to alledge against the prisoner. Though this 
 was both a natural and a necessary question, it gave 
 much offence to the captious Jews ; and they haughti- 
 ly said that had they not conceived him to be a cri- 
 minal highly meriting much severity of punishment, 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUK. 235 
 
 they should not have appealed to him ; for they had 
 examined him, and found him deserving to be punish- 
 ed with death, which the Roman laws prohibited them 
 from carrying into execution. Thus was veriiied our 
 Saviour's prediction, concerning the manner in which 
 he should be put to death ; for the Romans were ac- 
 customed to crucify such strangers as were condemn- 
 ed to die, which was contrary to the practice of the 
 Jews ; who were, besides, restrained from inflicting 
 death, except on occasion of sudden tumults and in- 
 surrections. 
 
 The Jews now alledged against our Saviour, that he 
 had endeavored to excite an insurrection against the 
 Roman government, by prohibiting the payment of 
 taxes to Caesar, pretending that he w as himself the 
 king of the Jews. Upon being interrogated by Pi- 
 late, our Lord acknowledged that he was indeed a 
 king ; but he was at the same time averred, that he 
 did not effect the power, splendor, and authority of 
 a temporal sovereign, for the kingdom of the Messiah 
 was in the heavenly Canaan. The members of the San- 
 hedrim now advanced a variety of accusations, equally 
 false and malicious, against our blessed Saviour ; 
 who, however, disdained to speak in contradiction to 
 his malicious accusers, lest it should be imagined, 
 that he was terrified by the prospect of approaching 
 death. Pilate, being unacquainted Vvith the senti- 
 ments and motives of Jesus, asked him, why he made 
 no attempt to refute the charges brought against him ? 
 but he still remained silent, to the great astonishment 
 of the governor. The question, as to whether he 
 was a king being again put to Jesus, he a second time 
 acknowledged the title ; saying, however, that his 
 regal dignity was not of a nature to excite the jea- 
 lousy of the court of Rome ; for had his kingdom 
 been of this world, he should have raised armies to 
 defend him against the power of his enemies ; and 
 
236 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 our Lord added, that he was born to promote the 
 hapj/iness of mankind, and to instil into their minds 
 the knowledge of truth. Upon this, Pilate asked, what 
 was the nature of that truth of which he had spoken ? 
 but without waiting for a reply, he addressed him- 
 self the Jews, informing them, that he had strictly- 
 examined Jesus, who appeared not to have commit- 
 ted any offence, which, according to the Roman law, 
 rendered him worthy to suffer death. 
 
 But the superstitious and bigotted Jews, persisted 
 in accusing our Lord of seditious practices, saying, 
 *' he stirred up the people, beginning from Galilee to 
 *' to this place." Upon learning that our Saviour 
 was a Galilean by birth, Pilate ordered him to be 
 conducted before Herod, who was then at Jerusalem, 
 for examination ; saying, that the tetrarch of the pro- 
 vince where the sedition was said to have commenc- 
 ed, was the proper judge to determine in this case ; 
 since he must necessarily be in possession of facts, 
 which would enable him to pronounce an equitable 
 decision. 
 
 The appearance of Jesus afforded great pleasure to 
 Herod, who hoped to see him perform some great mi- 
 racle : but in this he was disappointed ; for however 
 liberal in working miracles in favor of the wretched 
 and distressed of every denomination, our blessed Re- 
 deemer would not exert his divine power merely to 
 grat'f}^ the curiosity of a barbarous tyrant, who had 
 apostatized from the doctrine of John the Baptist, and 
 even caused his teacher to be put to death. The 
 enemies of our Saviour accused him of having assum- 
 ed the character of the Messiah, and Herod proposed 
 to him divers questions on the subject of the crime of 
 which it v,as pretended that he was guilty : but he de- 
 clined making any reply, for the same reasons which 
 had induced his silence when before Pontius Pilate. 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 237 
 
 Herod declared, that he did not believe Jesus to be 
 criminal, or that any part ot" his conduct had been of- 
 fensive or injurious to the government : but to make 
 him an object of derision for having assumed the cha- 
 racter of the Messiah, he caused him to be clothed in 
 a gorgeous robe, and after permitting his attendants 
 to ridicule and insult him, sent him back to Pilate. 
 
 To gain popular applause, the Roman governors 
 were accustomed, during the feast of the passover, to 
 restore to liberty some prisoner nominated by the 
 people. At this time a man named Barabbas, who had 
 been guilty of robbery and murder, and also the fo- 
 menter of a rebellion, was in confinement ; and Pilate 
 asked the people, whether they were desirous he 
 should comply with the annual custom, by releasing 
 Jesus or Barabbas; for he was desirous of shewing 
 lenity to our Saviour, from a persuasion of his inno- 
 cence ; and also that he might comply with a request 
 made by his wife, who, in consequence of a dream, 
 wherein it was represented to her that her husband 
 would condemn our Lord, had interceded in his favor. 
 But the multitude decided in favor of Barabbas ; and 
 in consequence thereof, Pilate reminded them that, 
 although Jesus had been examined both by Herod 
 and himself, no criminal charge had been proved 
 against him, and therefore he requested them to in- 
 timate in what manner they wished him to be dispos- 
 ed of. Upon this they said, that so far from desiring 
 his acquital, they hoped the governor would gratify 
 them, by subjecting the prisoner to crucifixion, Pi- 
 hite now informed them, that he could not, without 
 a manifest breach of justice, exercise so rigorous a 
 punisliment upon Jesus as they required, since the 
 charges exhibited against him did not appear to be 
 founded in truth. 
 
 To so extravagant a pitch was the rage of the mul 
 
238 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 titude provoked, by the crafty and wicked insinua- 
 tions of their priests, that all the efforts of Pilate to 
 appease their turbulent passions proved ineffectual. — 
 *' They cried, saying. Crucify him, crucify him.— 
 *' Then Pilate saith unto them, Why, what evil hath 
 " he done ? And they cried out the more exceeding- 
 *' ly, Crucify him." Pilate now commanded Jesus 
 to be scourged, hoping that by subjecting him to that 
 punishment, he should in some measure appease the 
 malice of his enemies. In addition to the punish- 
 ment they were ordered to inflict upon our Saviour, 
 the soldiers scoffed at and ridiculed him, and placed a 
 crown of thorns upon his head, and clothed him in a 
 purple robe, and put a reed into his hand by way of 
 sceptre, for the purpose of deriding him, on account 
 of his pretensions to the sovereignty of the Jewish na- 
 tion. 
 
 After our blessed Saviour had submitted to this 
 severe and disgraceful punishment, Pilate accompa- 
 nied him into the judgment hall, and shewed him to 
 the populace ; imagining, that when they should be- 
 hold his miserable condition, their obdurate hearts 
 would relent. Our great and blessed Redeemer ap- 
 peared upon the marble pavement where the tribunal 
 was erected, having his face, hair, and shoulders stain- 
 ed with his sacred blood. But so far was this truly 
 melancholy and pathetic scene from producing the ef- 
 fect which the compassionate Pilate expected, that it 
 served but more violently to inflame the malice of 
 the priests ; who, apprehending that the populace 
 might relent, vehemently urged Pilate to condemn 
 him to die by crucifixion. 
 
 The populace being thus outrageously clamorous, 
 Pilate said, that since they were obstinately determin- 
 ed upon the dc- '''uction of an innocent man, he would, 
 lest his opposition to their desires should create a 
 
 I 
 
OUU BLESSED SAVIOUR. 239 
 
 popular tumult, surrender him into their power, that 
 they might themselves * crucify him ; but he added, 
 that he was himself Urmly assured, that the man whom 
 they sought to destroy, had not committed any offence 
 against either their religious or civil institutions, 
 which would justify that severity of punishment which 
 they seemed determined to inflict upon him. 
 
 But the Jews refused to exercise the privilege given 
 them by the governor, of inflicting punishment upon 
 a man, of whose innocence, even his judge had re- 
 peatedly borne public testimony ; for they reflected, 
 that if they proceeded to the exercise of this power, 
 the governor might afterwards accuse them of sedi- 
 tious practices, as his permission had been extorted 
 from him by their clamorous proceedings. Suppos- 
 ing him to be guiltless of the other facts alledged 
 against him, they observed that he had, by calling 
 himself the Son of God, even in the presence of the 
 council, committed an offence which demanded the 
 most rigorous punishment. 
 
 In consequence of this last representation, the anx- 
 iety of Pilate to preserve the life of our Saviour, was 
 increased ; for he called to his recollection, the great 
 and many miracles which he had been told Jesus had 
 wrought ; and apprehended, that he was in reality of 
 divine origin. That mode of religious worship to 
 which the governor adhered, instructed him to be- 
 lieve in the existence of men descended from gods ; 
 and indeed, the Heathens believed, that the deities 
 which they worshipped, sometimes resided upon 
 earth, under the appearance of humanity. Hence 
 Pilate was induced to interrogate Jesus, concerning 
 
 * Piktcdiil not give them permission to crucify our Saviour, but sig- 
 nified that if they were determined to proceed to the last extremity, 
 they would do itat thcirperil. 
 
240 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 his ancestors and his country. But our Lord declin- 
 ed making any reply, lest the governor should thereby 
 be induced to reverse his resolution of surrendering 
 him into the power of the Jews, who were to crucify 
 him. 
 
 This silence greatly surprised Pilate, who asked our 
 Saviour, why he refused to answer him ; saying, that 
 he was invested with power either to restore him to 
 liberty, or to condemn him to crucifixion. Here- 
 upon our Lord said, that he knew him to be account- 
 able to Caesar for every part of his conduct, and 
 would forgive him any injury w^hich he might receive 
 from him, since the fury of the populace would con- 
 stram him to act in contradiction to his own senti- 
 ments. 
 
 Pilate now addressed himself again to the multitude, 
 signifying his resolution to release our Saviour ; 
 whereupon the chief-priests, and rulers of Israel, ve- 
 hemently exclaimed, '' If thou let this man go, thou 
 *' art not Cassar's friend : whosoever maketh himself 
 *' a king, speaketh against Caesar." This argument 
 had a powerful effect upon Pilate, who dreaded the 
 idea of being accused before the emperor Tiberius : 
 knowing that he was accustomed to punish with un- 
 relenting severity, those officers acting under him, and 
 who were found guilty of the slightest neglect or 
 breach of duty. 
 
 Pilate again brought Jesus before the people, and 
 pointing to him, said, "Behold your king;" by 
 which words, he meant to ridicule the Jews, on ac- 
 count of their expectation of a Messiah. Greatly 
 enraged by this sarcastical expression, they exclaim- 
 ed, "• Away with him, away with him ; crucify him." 
 Upon this, Pilate, in the same taunting manner, asked 
 them, whether they wished him to crucify their king; 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. ^41 
 
 and in rephs they said, they owed obedience to no 
 king but Ccesar. Thus they publicly renounced their 
 hope of the Messiah, which the whole oecononny of 
 the Jewish religion was calculated to cherish; and 
 they at the same time acknowledged their subjection 
 to the Romans, against whom they afterwards rebel, 
 led. 
 
 All his endeavors for mitigating the rage of the 
 Jews proving ineffectual, Pilate, to shew the reluctan- 
 cy with which he delivered him up to his enemies, 
 called for water, and in the presence of the multitude 
 washed his liands ; by which action he signified, that, 
 whatever might be the fiite of Jesus, he should him- 
 self be free from every cause of censure. When 
 the governor had thus intimated, that he was in no 
 respect the author of the sufferings which Jesus 
 had already sustained, or of those further calami- 
 ties which the Jews were desirous of inflicting upon 
 him, the whole multitude exclaimed, If he be inno- 
 cent, may th*:: punishments due to the spilling of his 
 blood, fall upon us and our posterity. 
 
 'Pilate now commanded Barabbas to be released, 
 and delivered over Jesus to the Jews, in order for being 
 crucified. Our blessed Redeemer, who was still com- 
 pelled to wear the crown of thorns, and the purple 
 robe, and to carry the reed by way of sceptre in his 
 hand, was again made the object of public derision 
 and insult. Bfing thus disguised, the multitude 
 bowed their knees before him, sarcastically exclaim- 
 ing. Hail, king of the Jews ! Having continued for 
 some time to treat him in this cruel and insulting 
 manner, they stripped him of the purple robe, and 
 taking the rtcd out of his hand, struck him with it. — 
 Having clothed him in his own garments, the soldiers 
 
 VOL. 11. 2 c. 
 
242 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 led him towards the spot appointed for his crucifix- 
 ion. 
 
 No sooner did Judas perceive that the righteous Je- 
 sus was condemned to suffer death, than, touched 
 with remorse, on account of his abominable treache- 
 ry, he hastened to the Sanhedrim, and made a decla- 
 ration of his repentance. *' Then Judas which 
 *•' had betrayed him, when he saw that he was con- 
 " demned, repented himself, and brought again the 
 " thirty pieces of silver to the chief-priests and el- 
 *' ders, saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed 
 " the innocent blood. And they said, What is that 
 *' to us ? see thou to that. And he cast down the 
 '' pieces of silver, and went and hanged himself." 
 Matt, xxvii. 3, See. The rope by which Judas hung 
 himself, broke, " And falling head-long, he * burst 
 *' asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed 
 " out." Acts i. 18. 
 
 Judas threw down the thirty shekels in the midst 
 of the council : but though the priests secured the mo- 
 ney, they declined depositing it in their treasury, be- 
 cause they considered it as being polluted, on account 
 of its having been applied to the purpose of betraying 
 a man who was to sufier death. This money the priests 
 disposed of, in the purchase of a spot of ground, 
 called the Potter' s>field, which they converted into a 
 burying-place for such strangers as should die at Je- 
 rusalem. The manner in which this spot of ground 
 came into the possession of the priests, being pub- 
 licly known to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, they 
 gave it the name of Aceldama, which signifies the 
 Field of Blood. 
 
 * Or probably, by the suddenness of the fall, the peiitonseum broke ; 
 in consequence of wliicb, the bowels descended into the scrotum ; 
 , -which sometimes happens iVomlcap;ng, or other violent motions of the 
 lower parts. 
 
 i 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. ^ 243 
 
 Our blessed Saviour was compelled to walk to- 
 wards Mount Calvary, the place appointed for his 
 execution, bearing on his shoulders the cross on 
 which he was to suffer : but the fatigue he had sus- 
 tained from the time of being apprehended, having 
 been hurried from place to place, obliged to stand 
 during the whole time of his several examinations, 
 the want of food, and the loss of blood, had so ex- 
 hausted his strength, as to occasion him to faint un- 
 der his burden In consequence of this, a native of 
 Cyrene in Egypt, named Simon, was compelled to 
 carry the cross after our Lord. But the soldiers did 
 not appoint Simon to this office from motives of 
 compassion to our Saviour, but because they appre- 
 hended he might die under his burden, and thereby 
 escape the punishment to which he was destined. 
 
 Our Saviour was followed by a vast concourse of 
 people, and among these were a great number of wo- 
 men who tenderly compassionated his sufferings. Ad- 
 dressing himself to these females, our Lord bid them 
 not to weep on account of his sufferings, but rather 
 to lament the calamities to which their own children 
 were destined ; saying those would be the happiest 
 women who had no issue ; for the time was approach- 
 ing, when the most dreadful calamities would over- 
 whelm the people of Jerusalem. 
 
 Our Saviour was escorted, in company with two 
 criminals, who were also to suffer crucifixion, to the 
 spot called Golgotha, or the Place of Sculls, on ac- 
 count of the great number of bones of the persons 
 who had there been put to death, being scattered 
 about. The crosses being fixed, and every other 
 preparation made, some of the people presented to 
 our great Redeemer a f soporific potion, which hav- 
 
 t St. Matthew says, *' Vinegar mixed with gall ;" St. Mark, 
 
244 THE HISTOltY OF 
 
 in,e^ tasted, he refused to drink, resolved to bear his 
 sufferings wiih patience and foriitude. He was now 
 stripped, and his garments were divided into four 
 parts, so that each of tiic quaternions, who were his 
 executioners, might have a share. The upper gar- 
 ment being of one piece, and without a seam, his 
 executioners cast lots for it. Thus our Saviour in 
 reality, experienced what the Psalmist figuratively 
 spoke of himself, "■ They divided my garments among 
 ** them, and cast lots for my vesture." Psalm, xxii. 
 9. 
 
 Our blessed Redeemer was lifted up to the cross, 
 to which he was affixed by nails being driven through 
 his hands and feet ; and of the two criminals above- 
 mentioned, one was crucified on each side of him — 
 Amidst the excrutiating torments he endured, he 
 maintained the most unshaken fortitude, and fervently 
 prayed for his cruel persecutors. " Father, said he, 
 *' forgive them, for they know not what they do." — 
 This instance of a meek and forgiving temper, was 
 ivorthy the only-begotten Son of God. 
 
 Pilate caused the following inscription in Hebrew, 
 Greek, and Latin, to be placed over the head of Je- 
 sus : This is Jesus the king of the Jews. — 
 The chief priests and elders, requested Pilate to alter 
 the inscription thus : This is Jesus of Nazareth, 
 Viho said he was king of the Jews : but the gover- 
 nor refused to comply. 
 
 The chief priests and elders, the soldiers, and the 
 multitude, united in insulting our dying Redeemer; 
 saying, that since he had performed so many mira- 
 cles, and pretended to a divine power and authority, 
 
 *• Wine m".ng!e:l with myrrh." It appears, however, to have been an 
 intoxicating Hquor, given to ri."n(kr suffering persc»ns les? sensible of pain. 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 245 
 
 he Would do well to descend from the cross, in which 
 case they would no longer discredit his assertions. 
 
 To add to the indignitj- of his punishment, our Lord 
 was crucified between two malefactors ; one of whom 
 insultingly said to him, " If thou be Christ, save 
 "" thyself and us : but the other answering, rebuked 
 *' him, saying, Dost thou not fear God, seeing thou 
 " art in the same condemnation ? And we indeed 
 '' justly ; for we receive the due reward of our deeds : 
 " but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he 
 " said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou 
 *' comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto 
 *' him, Verily I say unto thee, to day shalt thou be 
 *' with me in paradise." Luke xxiii. 39, &c. 
 
 Near the cross of our Saviour, stood Mary his mo- 
 ther, with Mary the daughter of Cleopas, his mother's 
 sister, and Mary Magdalene, with John, the son of 
 Zebedce. Addressing himself to his mother, our 
 Lord exhorted her to be comforted, and then recom- 
 mended her to the protection of John, enjoining him 
 to behave to her with the respect and veneration that 
 would have been due to her, had she been his own 
 mother. John faithfully observed his master's com- 
 mand; and from the circumstance of his recommending 
 his mother to the care of his beloved disciple, it may 
 be reasonably supposed, that her husband Joseph was 
 at this time deceased, 
 
 Jesus was placed upon the cross about the third 
 hour after the rising of the sun, and about the sixth 
 hour, a preternatural darkness overspread Judea and 
 the neighboring countries. " About the ninth hour 
 " Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying Eli, Eli, la- 
 " ma sabachthani ? that is to say. My God, my God, 
 *' why hast thou forsaken me ?" But it must be ob- 
 served, that our Saviour did not mean to say that he 
 
246 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 was forsaken of God ; for according to the Jewish 
 mode of expression, persons laboring under afflic- 
 tions were said to be forsaken by the Almighty ; 
 and in this sense, the words of Jesus are to be in- 
 terpreted. 
 
 Some of the multitude, not distinctly hearing our 
 Lord, imagined that he invoked the prophet Elias ; 
 and dipping a spunge in vinegar, they affixed it to 
 a reed, for the purpose of moistening his mouth, 
 that his life might be prolonged, till it should be 
 known whether Elias would rescue him from his 
 sufferings. Having tasted the * vinegar, our bles- 
 sed Redeemer said, ** It is finished ;'' meaning, that 
 the redemption of mankind was accomplished ; and 
 then adressing himself to the Almighty, he said, "Fa- 
 *' ther, into thy hands I commend my spirit." — 
 Having pronounced these words, he '' bowed his 
 " head, and gave up the ghost." 
 
 The death of Jesus was attended with many pro- 
 digies. Without any human force, the veil of the 
 temple was rent asunder ; the earth trembled to its 
 foundations ; rocks were split, and the bodies of 
 saints deposited in the sepulchres hevv^n therein, were 
 re-animated, and many of these holy persons were 
 seen at Jerusalem after the resurrection of Christ. 
 The centurion, and the three soldiers who guarded the 
 crosses, were so affected by the earthquakes, and 
 other wonderful signs which attended the death of 
 our Saviour, that they glorified the name of the Al- 
 mighty, and cried out, " Truly this was the Son 
 '^ of God." These prodigies also greatly astonished 
 the multitude, and served to convince even those 
 who had been most urgent for the crucifixion of 
 
 * Vinegar was a weak wine ; and by its being offered to Jesus, were 
 fulfilled the words of David, " In my thirst they gave me vinegar to 
 "drink." 
 
OUR BLE.SSED SAVIOUR. 247 
 
 Christ, that he was justly entitled to the sacred cha- 
 racter he had assumed. 
 
 The many wonderful testimonies given by the Al- 
 mighty in confirmation of the divinity of the mis- 
 sion of Jesus, occasioned a great number of people 
 severely to lament, that they had neglected the oppor- 
 tunity afforded them by the governor, of preserving 
 his life ; and others were stung with the keenest 
 pangs of remorse, for having been instrumental in 
 procuring his condemnation. Among the spectators 
 of the distressful scene of our Saviour's crucifixion, 
 were a considerable number of women, eminently 
 distinguished by the righteousness and sanctity of 
 their lives ; and several of these pious females, had 
 attended our Lord in his progress through Galilee. 
 
 It was prohibited by the law of Moses, that the bo- 
 dies of men who were hanged, should remain on the 
 tree during the whole night. Our Saviour was cru- 
 cified on a Friday ; and as the sabbath was now ap- 
 proaching, the Jews requested that the ensuing day 
 might not be polluted by the men who had been put to 
 death remaining on the cross, and that their legs might 
 be broken to hasten their death. Pilate complied ; 
 and the legs of the two malefactors were immediately 
 broken : but the executioners perceiving that Jesus 
 was already dead, judged it unnecessary to break his 
 bones. One of the soldiers, however, thrust his 
 spear into the side of our Lord, and from the wound 
 issued blopd and serum : and to this circumstance, 
 John, the son of Zebedee, was an eye-witness ; and 
 he has recorded it as an incontestible proof of the re- 
 ality of our Saviour's passion. Thus were fulfilled 
 the two following prophecies : *^ A bone of him shall 
 " not be broken ; and they shall look on him whom 
 *' they have pierced." 
 
248 THE HiSTOftY OV 
 
 Joseph of Arimathea, a member of the Sanhedrim, 
 and a man of singular virtue, regardless of the malice 
 of his countrymen, repaired to Pilate, and begged 
 he might be indulged in the privilege of dispos- 
 ing of the body of Jesus. The governor complied 
 with this request ; and Nicodemus, who, as we have 
 related, privately visited our Saviour by night, joined 
 Joseph in giving interment to the sacred relicks of 
 our great Redeemer. Repairing to Mount Calvary, 
 they removed the body from the cross, and wrapping 
 it in a linen cloth, with an hundred pounds of myrrh 
 and aloes, which Nicodemus had procured, they con- 
 veyed it to a garden adjacent to the mount, and de- 
 posited it in a sepulchre, which Joseph had caused to 
 be hewn out of a rock, intending it for the reception 
 of his own remains. The tomb to which the body of 
 the holy Jesus was consigned, was not entirely com- 
 pleted ; but Joseph and Nicodemus secured the door, 
 by rolling against it a very large stone. 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 249 
 
 CHAP. XXXIX. 
 
 The women ivbo were present at the interment of the 
 holy Jesus J purchase spices for the purpose of em- 
 balming the body. Pilate orders the sepulchre of 
 Christ to be guarded. 7he %vomen repair to the se- 
 pulchre of Jesus, where thty see two angels, one of 
 whom informs them that Jesus is risen ; and this 
 circumstance they communicate to the apostles, 
 Peter and John repair to the sepulchre, and are con- 
 vinced of the remo'ual of the body. Jesus appears 
 to Mary, and sends her to the apostles, who disbe- 
 lieve her relation. Other women behold Jesus, and 
 are sent hy him to the apostles. The soldiers bear 
 testimony to the resurrection of Christ, and the 
 priests bribe them to suppress the publication of the 
 fact. On the road towards Emmaus, Jesus dis' 
 courses with tivo of his disciples ; and on their re- 
 turn to Jerusalem, they declare that they have seen 
 their Master, but are discredited ; and the testimo- 
 ny of Peter is also disbelieved. Our Lord appears 
 to all his aposth's, except Thomas; and after con- 
 vincing them of the reality of his body , promising 
 them the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, and in- 
 structing them in the principles of their duty, he 
 breathes upon them, and disappears, Thomas disbe- 
 lieves the testimony of his brethren. Jesus ap- 
 pears to Thomas, and the rest of his apostles. Tho- 
 mas acknowledges his Master, who pronounces those 
 to be happy who believe without occular demonstra- 
 tion. 
 
 JVlARY Magdalene, together with the mother of 
 Jesus, and several other women, were present at the 
 interment of Jesus ; and after the funeral ceremony, 
 
 VOL. II. 2 II 
 
250 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 they agreed to purchase spices for the purpose of em- 
 balminr^ the body of their blessed Redeemer, when the 
 sabbath should be concluded, according to the cus- 
 tom of the Jewish nation. 
 
 Upon the sabbath the chief- priests came to Pilate, 
 and said, that since Jesus, whom they sacrilegiously 
 called an impostor, had frequently declared, that he 
 should rise from the dead, they judged it highly ex- 
 pedient that a guard should be placed at the sepul- 
 chre, lest his (liscipks should remove the body, and 
 seduce the ignorant multitude into a belief of the pro- 
 phecy concerning his resurrection. The governor 
 acquiesced in their desire; and departing with the 
 soldiers, they sealed the stone which was placed at the 
 entrance of the tomb, and enjoined the men to the 
 most vigilant attention to their duty, until the end of 
 the third day. 
 
 Before the break of day on the Sunday, and about 
 six and thirty hours after the body of Christ had been 
 deposited in the sepulchre, Mary Magdalene, Mary 
 the mother of James, with Salome, and other women, 
 came to the sepulchre, in order to embalm the body 
 of the holy Jesus, with the spices which they had 
 purchased on the preceding Friday ; Nicodemus 
 having, as we have observed, furnished only myrrh 
 and aloes. While they were on the road, an earth- 
 quake happened, which we may suppose to have been 
 the prelude to the most memorable event to which 
 mankind have been witnesses. The women had 
 been much troubled, from an apprehension of their 
 incapacity to remove the stone from the entrance of 
 the cave ; but this was performed by an angel of the 
 Almighty, after which our blessed Redeemer depart- 
 ed from tlie tomb ; and the soldiers, being thrown 
 into the utmost consternation, fled into the city, " In 
 *' the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn towards 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 2ol 
 
 '' the first clay of the week, came Mary Magdalene, 
 •^ and the other Mary, to see the sepulchre. And 
 " behold, there was a great earthquake, for the ang-el 
 " of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and 
 *' rolled back the stone from the door, and sat uijon 
 '' it. His countenance was like lightning-, nnd his 
 *' raiment white as snow. And for fear of him the 
 *' keepers did shake, and became as dead men." — 
 Matt, xxvii. 1, &c. 
 
 The removal of the stone from the entrance of the 
 sepulchre, greatly surprized the women, who ima- 
 gined that the body of Jesus had been taken from the 
 tomb by his sacrilegious enemies : but their astonish- 
 ment was increased to the highest degree, upon be- 
 holding an angel clothed in a white garment, who ui- 
 formed them that Jesus was risen from the dead, and 
 ordered them to go into the cave, and convince them- 
 selves that the body was not there. The angel also 
 commanded them to inform the disciples, and par- 
 ticularly * Peter, of the resurrection of their Master; 
 and that he was departed into Galilee, where he 
 would appear to them. 
 
 Upon entering the sepulchre, the women beheld 
 another angel ; and were struck with such awe by 
 the appearance of this heavenly messenger, as to be 
 on the point of retiring ; but he graciously encouraged 
 them to proceed further into the cave, where they 
 perceived the linen in which the body of Jesus had 
 been wrapped, and rilso the napkin which had bound 
 his head. Notwithstanding the assurances they had 
 received from the two angels, they were not firmly 
 persuaded of the resurrection of their Master ; and 
 
 * Peter is here particularized, not as the chief of the apostles, but for 
 the purpose ofaftbrdint; Iv" consolation, and to remove the apprehen- 
 sion that he had forfeited the privilege of being numbered among the 
 disciples by the threefold denial of Christ. 
 
252 THE HISTORY OP 
 
 therefore the celestial ambassadors gently reproved 
 their incredulitj', reminding them at the same time 
 of our Lord's predictions concerning himself. *' Why 
 " seek }'e the living among the dead ? He is not here, 
 " but is risen : remember how he spake unto you when 
 *' he was in Galilee, saying, The Son of man must be 
 " delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be cru- 
 " cified, and the third dav rise again." Luke xxiv. 
 5, 6,7. 
 
 Departing from thesepulchre of the blessed Jesus, 
 the women hastened to acquaint the eleven apos- 
 ties with v> hat had occurred ; but they were careful 
 not to divulge these particulars to any of the persons 
 whom they met on the way, lest they should ex- 
 pose themselves to the resentment of the Sanhedrim. 
 The women communicated what they had heard and 
 seen to the apostles ; but they gave * no credit to 
 their relation. Then Mary Magdalene, taking Peter 
 and John apart, assured them, that she had visited 
 the tomb ; and that if Jesus was not risen from the 
 dead, his body was removed from the place where- 
 in she had seen it deposited. Hereupon Peter and 
 John, followed by INlary, hastened to the sepulchre ; 
 and John being the younger man, he first arrived 
 there, and stooping, looked into the tomb, but per- 
 ceived nothing but the linen clothes, in which the 
 corps of our holy Redeemer had been wrapped—— 
 Presently after came Peter, who entering the sepul- 
 chre, saw *' the linen clothes lie,; and the napkin 
 *' that was about his head, not lying with the linen 
 *' c'othes, but vvrapjjed together in a place by itself." 
 John now went into the tomb, and having carefully ex- 
 
 * The doubts of the apostles on the subject of their Master's resur- 
 rection, destroys as ])robability of their being imposed upon- 1" rom 
 their coubts, s:iys one of the ancients, we sho-j Id deduce a confirmation 
 of our faith ; and the more difficulty they shewed in believinj^ Christ's 
 resurrection, the stronsfrr renson is there to induce us to n belief of tbat 
 evciir. 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUU. 2,53 
 
 amined it, concurred with Peter in a belief, that the 
 body of their Master had been stolen : for none of 
 the apostles had yet formed an accurate comprehen- 
 sion of the predictions of our Saviour concerning his 
 resurrection. Peter and John> v/ho were much afflict- 
 ed by the supposition that the body of their Master 
 had been taken away by the Jews, now returned to 
 their respective habitations. 
 
 Mary Magdalene continued for some time weeping 
 without the tomb, which she at length entered, in or- 
 der once more to view the place v^^here the sacred re- 
 lics of her beloved Master had been deposited. She 
 was no sooner within the sepulchre, than she perceiv- 
 ed two angels clothed in white robes, one standing 
 where the head, and the other where the feet of Jesus 
 had lain. Upon beholding these heavenly messengers, 
 she was greatly terrified ; but in a most endearing ac- 
 cent, one of them asked her the occasion of her sor- 
 row. She answered, " Because they have taken away 
 ** my Lord, and 1 know not where they have laid 
 ** him." She had no sooner pronounced these words, 
 than turning aside, she beheld Jesus : but her terror, 
 and the garment in which he was then clothed, 
 prevented her immediately recognizing his person, 
 Jesus repeated the question proposed to her by the 
 angel, ** Woman, why weepest thou ?" Mary, now 
 mistaking him for the proprietor of the garden where- 
 in the grave was situated, said, that if he had taken 
 the body from off his premises, and would inform her 
 where it was, she would cause it to be deposited in a 
 place from whence a further removal would be unne- 
 cessary. 
 
 Jesus now addressed Mary by name ; and regarding 
 him more earnestly, she recognized her Master, and 
 prostrating herself, would have embraced his knees: 
 but he declined this compliment, saying, that before 
 
254 THE HrSTOKY OF 
 
 his ascension into heaven, she would have frequent 
 opportunities of manifesting her regard ; and com- 
 manding her to hasten to the apostles, and inform 
 them that the time was approaching, when he should 
 go into the presence of f his God, who was also the 
 God of all his irue disciples. '■'■ Go to my brethren, 
 " and say unto them, 1 ascend to my Father, and your 
 *•• Father ; and to my God, and your God." 
 
 The happy relation between God and man, which 
 had been long cancelled, was now renewed. The 
 children of sinful men, were exalted to the honor of 
 being deemed the brethren of Christ. The apostles 
 deserted their Master, when he was under circum- 
 stances of the most extreme distress : but notwith- 
 standing this, he was graciously pleased to pardon 
 them, and to assure them of the continuance of his 
 affection, by distinguishing them by the endearing ap- 
 pellation of brethren. 
 
 The angels kept themselves invisible in the sepul- 
 chre, during the presence of James and John ; and 
 indeed, none of the male disciples were honored with 
 the first visions of the angels, or with the immediate 
 news of the resurrection of the Son of God. When 
 our Saviour was reduced to the utmost extremity of 
 distress, he was deserted by his male disciples, whose 
 faith was so weak, that when they saw him. expire 
 upon the cross, they absolutely despaired of his being 
 the Messiah. But on this melancholy occasion, the 
 women shewed an uncommon degree of magnanimity. 
 
 t Because Christ here calls the Father his God, as well as the God 
 of his disciples, the Soclnians contend, that Christ i? not God : but from 
 the words, '• My God and your God," it only follows, that he was 
 not God according to that nature which ascended. Thus speaking of 
 Christ, the Psalmist says, " God, even thy God,huth anointed thee :'* 
 and he adds of the same person, " Thy throne, O God, is for ever 
 *' and ever." 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 255 
 
 They attended the blessed Jesus in his expiring mo- 
 ments, and, after his decease, accompanied the body- 
 to the place of interment, where they manifested the 
 most pious veneration towards their deceased Master, 
 of whose resurrection they entertained a firm belief. 
 Thus the strength of their faith procured the women 
 the distinguished honor of being favored by the divine 
 aj>probation, in the circumstance of the resurrection 
 of the holy Jesus being first communicated to them. 
 
 It is evident from the above circumstances, that 
 Mary Magdalene was the earliest witness of the resur- 
 rection of Christ : but the apostles and disciples, 
 seemed to have forgotten the promises of their divine 
 Master. The other women having likewise gone to 
 the sepulchre a second time, and discovered that the 
 body was gone, returned towards the apostles, to tell 
 them the fact, but were met by our Saviour, whose 
 person they immediately recognized ; whereupon, 
 though terrified with apprehensions inspired by the 
 awful occasion, they fell at his feet, and did him ho- 
 mage. 
 
 Our Saviour, with a benevolence that ever marked 
 his divine character, raised them from the earth, bade 
 them dissijiate their fears, and go to the apostles, 
 whom he distinguished by the appelhition of " Bre- 
 •' thren ;" and inform them that he was proceeding 
 towards Galilee, where they would find him. 
 
 In the interim some of the soldiers, who had been 
 stationed to watch the sepulchre, having been eye- 
 witnesses of the angels, and the resurrection of our 
 blessed Lord, repaired to the city, and informed the 
 chief-priests of what had passed : on which the San- 
 hedrim was assembled, and it was proposed by the 
 priests that the soldiers should be bribed ; in conse- 
 quencc of which a sum of money was given them, in 
 
236 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 consideration of their affirming that the body was sto- 
 len while they slept; and they were likewise told, 
 that if the governor should be informed of what might 
 be reported, no harm should arise to the reporters. 
 The soldiers received the money, and did as they 
 were directed ; and, for many years, their story ob- 
 tained credit. Jesus likewise made his appearance to 
 Peter ; but we have no record of the particulars that 
 passed at this meeting. 
 
 Two of the disciples going to Emmaus * on the 
 same day, and conversing respecting our Redeemer 
 and his crucifixion, were met by him ; whom, howe- 
 ver, they knew not, as they had not any expectation 
 of an event so extraordinary as the resurrection. 
 
 When our Saviour had enquired into the subject of 
 their discourse, and, in particular, what made them i! 
 so dejected, one of them, named Cleopas, answered, 
 as it is recorded by St. Luke, " Art thou only a stran- 
 ** ger in Jerusalem, aud hast not known the things 
 "which are come to pass there in these days ?" — 
 Hereupon our Saviour demanded what it was that had 
 fallen out so very extraordinary. Cleopas expressed 
 his astonishment, that he could be ignorant of events 
 so generally known, and the subject of almost uni- 
 versal conversation. He mentioned the crucifixion 
 of Jesus of Nazareth, who " was a prophet, mighty 
 '* in deed and word, before God, and all the people :" 
 adding, that "• the chief priests and rulers delivered 
 *' him to be condemned to death ;" but that they 
 trusted he was the true Messiah, who was to be the 
 Redeemer of mankind i but as he had been dead three 
 days, their hopes began to vanish, even though some 
 women of their own society had informed them that 
 ihey had seen a vision of angels in the morning, who 
 
 * Emmiiiis was about seven miles and a half from Jerusalem. 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUll. 257 
 
 told them that the Messiah was still living, and that 
 this information was confirmed, as to the seimlclire 
 being empty, by some of the disciples having visited 
 the place in the morning. 
 
 Jesus now reprobated the narrowness of their ideas, 
 which had not formed a clear conception of what had 
 been predicted by the prophets ; and had so ill un- 
 derstood his own explanation of the prophecies, that 
 they could not comprehend, that by the express ap- 
 pointment of God, our Saviour '* was to have suffer- 
 ** ed these things, and to enter into his glory." He 
 then began with Moses, and proceeding dirough the 
 prophetical writings, he explained to them all the 
 scriptural writings respecting himself. Thus they 
 conversed till they advanced near the village of Eni- 
 maus, when Jesus appeared as if he would have gone 
 farther ; but they pressed him to remain with them, 
 as the evening was advancing. Our Saviour com- 
 plied with their request, and while he was at supper 
 with them, '* he took bread, and blessed it, and brake 
 "it, and gave to them:" on which, in the elegant 
 phrase of scripture, " their eyes were opened, and 
 " they knew him, and he vanished out of their sight. 
 " And they said one to another, did not our hearts 
 '* burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, 
 *' and while he opened to us the scriptures ?" 
 
 They lost not any time in returning to Jerusalem, 
 where they found the apostles assembled, with others 
 of Christ's disciples, who had been informed of the 
 resurrection. To these they mentioned the circum- 
 stances of meeting with our Saviour, his conversa- 
 tion, and his being known to them during the break- 
 ing of bread. 
 
 While they were in conversation, Jesus appeared 
 personally before them, and saluted them with, 
 
 VOL. II. 2 I 
 
258 - THE HISTORY OF 
 
 " Peace be unto you." But they were terrified to such 
 a degree, that they supposed it was a ghost that ap- 
 peared before them. Hereupon Jesus said, *' Behold 
 " my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Handle 
 *' me and see : for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, 
 " as ye see me have." After having thus expressed 
 himself, he shewed them his hands and his feet ; but 
 yet some of them were incredulous, and expressed a 
 kind of joy mixed with wonder, if what they hoped 
 might prove to be true. 
 
 Still farther to convince them of the certainty of 
 his resurrection, and of his re-assuming the human 
 form and powers, our Saviour demanded if they had 
 any thing to eat ; on which they produced a piece of 
 a broiled fish and a honey-comb, of which he ate in 
 their presence, and then addressed them in terms to 
 the following purport : You must be now convinced, 
 that all which I spake unto you while I was in my 
 state of humanity, respecting what is written of me 
 by Moses, and the prophets, and in the Psalms con- 
 cerning me, must be fulfilled. Then opened he their 
 understanding, that they might understand the scrip- 
 tures, and commissioned them to begin the preaching 
 of the gospel at Jerusalem, and to promulgate its doc- 
 trines through all the nations of the earth. He em- 
 powered them to preach repentance, pardon, and a 
 consequent remission of sins, in his name, and among 
 all nations; and instructed them, that as they had 
 been witnesses of what had passed, they could vouch 
 for the authenticity of his doctrine, and the divine 
 authority of his precepts. He then gave them his sa- 
 cred benediction ; saying, " As my Father hath sent 
 " me, even so I send you :" Follow my example ; 
 pursue the gracious plan I have laid down, and by 
 the divine assistance, you may preach the gospel, not 
 in Judea only, but through the world, and uivite per- 
 sons of all degrees to the acceptance of the glorious 
 
OUU BLESSED SAVIOUR. 2j9 
 
 terms held out by the dispensation of the gospel ; 
 the profession of which, afier public baptism, will 
 ensure eternal happiness ; as on the contrary, a re- 
 jection, after equal profession, will entail misery as 
 lasting as severe^''. 
 
 In order to convince the apostles of the divine au- 
 thority with which he invested them, our great Re- 
 deemer told them, that he would invest them with the 
 following powers : — that in his name they should cast 
 out devils ; that they should speak with new tongues ; 
 (that is, in languages which they had never studied ;) 
 that they should have the power of grasping noxious 
 animals without injury, and the still superior power of 
 healing the sick, merely by the imposition of their 
 hands': in fact, that the malignancy of all distempers 
 should yield to the sacred power with which they 
 were entrusted. 
 
 By the gospel according to St. John, we find, that 
 after our blessed Saviour had thus commissioned his 
 followers to perform the will of God, " he breathed 
 " on them, and said. Receive ye the Holy Ghost :" 
 that he empowered them to remit the punishments 
 due to sin, and to retain the disorders of the impeni- 
 tent. 
 
 At this time Thomas, who was surnamed Didy. 
 mus, was not present with the other apostles : and 
 when he came, and was informed by them that they 
 had seen the Lord, so great was his incredulity, that 
 he could not place any confidence in their assertions ; 
 but declared that he would not believe the story, ex- 
 cept he should see Christ himself, and have occular 
 
 * In the xvith chapter of St. Mark, verses 1 5; and 1 6, it is thu': wrt- 
 ten : *' And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach 
 " the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized, shall 
 
 be saved ; but he that believeth not, shall be damned." 
 
260 THE HISTOKY OF 
 
 demonstration of the fact. He even went farther ; 
 saying, " except I shall see in his hands the print of 
 ** the nails, and put my finger into the print of the 
 " nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not 
 " believe." John xx. 25. 
 
 At the expiration of eight days, the eleven disci- 
 ples being assembled in consequence of an expected 
 visit from 'he Saviour, an 1 Thomas being likewise in 
 their company, the door was made fast; yet Jesus 
 appeared among them", and said, " Peace be unto 
 " you ;" and addressing himself particularly to Tho- 
 mas, he said, " Reach hither thy finger, and behold 
 *' my hand : and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it 
 " into my side : and be not faithless, but believ- 
 *' ing." 
 
 Thomas appeared now to be ashamed of his former 
 incredulity, and in the genuine spirit of faith and con- 
 viction, acknowledged Christ as his Lord and his 
 God. To this Jesus replied, " Thomas, because 
 *' thou hast seen me, thou hast believed : blessed are 
 " they that have not seen, and yet have believed." 
 Having said this, our Redeemer quitted the compa- 
 ny. 
 
 Thus have we, in as short a compass as possible, 
 endeavored to deliver a plain narrative of the life and 
 and transactions of our blessed Saviour ; and we hope 
 and trust that his bright example will be copied, as 
 far as it can be, consistent with the frailties of morta- 
 lity ; and that those who read this history, may be in- 
 spired with an ardent wish to be humble imitators of 
 a conduct, which the mere efforts of human nature 
 cannot arise to ; but which, by the assistance of the 
 divine power, it is the duty of every one to imitate, 
 and to shew, by his practice, that he is a Christian 
 in something more than in name. We now proceed to 
 
OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 261 
 
 a recital of the lives of the apostles ; which we pre- 
 sume, will adduce stili farther proofs to those we have 
 already given, of the solid importance of the 
 Christian Faith, and the sacred obligation we are 
 all under to live in a way which may not disgrace the 
 holy religion we profess ! 
 
i^#^^^i|^E»#^^#.^l0^#^^^l0l0l0^l^0^^i:^ll^#^#¥^#l^^^0^ 
 
 HISTORICAL ACCOUNT 
 
 OF THE 
 
 LIVES OF THE APOSTLES, S^x, 
 
 ^0m 
 
mfi^mmMfi^A0i^^^^^^fif^0^^fii f^p^0Si0^^0!>m m^m^^^^ff^ 
 
 HISTORICAL ACCOUNT 
 
 OF THE 
 
 LirES of the APOSTLES, S^x. 
 
 The life of St. PETER. 
 
 ThI! 
 
 ;S apostle was a native of Bethsaida in Gali- 
 lee, a city delightfully stationed on the borders of the 
 lake of Genesareth, otherwise called the Sea of Ga- 
 lilee ; near which was a wilderness, to which our Sa- 
 viour used to retire occasionally for the sake of me- 
 ditation. 
 
 It is not possible to ascertain the year in which this 
 apostle was born : but there is good reason to believe, 
 that he was born full ten years before Christ ; since, 
 previous to his becoming a disciple of his divine Mas- 
 ter, he had entered into the married state ; and there 
 are several instances of his being treated with singu- 
 lar respect by the rest of the apostles, by the gravity 
 of his appearance, 
 
 VOL. II. 2 K 
 
266 THE LIFE OF ST. PETER. 
 
 Peter was legally descended from Abraham, an^j of 
 course, circumcised accordinjj to the ritual of the 
 Mosaic system. The name given him by his parents, 
 was Simon, or Symeon, a very common appellation 
 among ihe Jews, at, and soon before the commence- 
 ment of the Christian zera. After he became a disci- 
 ple of Christ, the name of Cephas was bestowed on 
 him, which in the Syriac, \the vulgar language of the 
 Jews at that period,) signified a stone, or rock. The 
 Greek word for this name is Fetros'^, which in En- 
 glish is rendered Peter, 
 
 Of the parents of this apostle, the evangelists give 
 not any farther information, than that his father was 
 named Jonah, who was so highly favored by Christ, 
 that he made choice of his son Andrew, as well as St. 
 Peter, to be one of his apostles ; and of consequence, 
 a promulgator of those doctrines, on which true 
 christians fix their firmest hopes of reliance. 
 
 In his early years, St. Peter was employed in the 
 business of fishing on the lake of Bethsaida ; and 
 others of the apostles w^ere likewise of the same hum- 
 ble occupation. Thus we see, that our blessed Sa- 
 viour chose not his servants from the high and mighty, 
 but from the lower orders of mankind ; whence a plain 
 reference may be reasonably drawn, that God is no 
 respecter of persons ; or, that if he does make a dif- 
 ference, it is in favor of the low, the humble, the dif- 
 fident, and unassuming. 
 
 St. Peter, from his youth, was trained to the pro- 
 fession of fishing, and dwelled on the borders of the 
 lake of Bethsaida, w hich was distinguished for its ex- 
 cellent fish. Having followed his business for a consi- 
 derable time, he became an inhabitant of Capernaum, 
 
 * This word signifies a stofie, ovroc/c. 
 
THE LIFE OF ST. PETER. 367 
 
 where he kept a house, and paid his tribute at the time 
 that Christ began to discharge the important business 
 which had occasioned Iiis mission to earth. History 
 informs us, that Helen, the mother of the celebrated 
 Constantine the Great, in honor of the memory of 
 St. Peter, built a superb church, on the spot where- 
 on the house of that apostle had been erected. 
 
 Peter followed his occupation of fishing at Caper- 
 naum, which was exceedingly well calculated for the 
 pursuit of his business, and where he might support 
 his family by the honest profits of his industry. It is 
 but too common for persons in the higher ranks of life, 
 to treat with indifference at least, if not with contempt, 
 those of whom, from a false pride, they have been 
 taught to look on as their inferiors : but it should be 
 remembered, to the degradation of human insolence, 
 that with God there are no distinctions, but what are 
 marked by the gradations of virtue and vice ; and 
 that, in his eye, a pious beggar is of more estima- 
 tion than a wicked prince ; and that, however differ- 
 ent and distinct may be our fate in this sublunary 
 world, the time will mfallibly come, when all distinc- 
 tions shall be forgotten, except those which arise 
 from the supereminence of a religious life, to that of 
 careless indifference, or abandoned profligacy. 
 
 We are not informed by the scriptural records, that 
 St. Peter was of any particular sect ; but we learn, 
 that Andrew his brother, was one of the most zealous 
 followers of our Saviour : nor is it probable, but that 
 he who was anxious to carry to his brother the ear- 
 liest intelligence of the great Messiah, must be as anx- 
 ious to introduce him to John the Baptist, the great 
 fore-runner of the Saviour of mankind. Peter's sin- 
 gular curiosity at the information that Christ would 
 visit and converse with him, furnishes at least a colla- 
 teral proof, that the preaching and declarations of St. 
 
268 THE LIFE OF ST. PETER. 
 
 John had made a strong impression on his mind, and 
 prepared him for the reception of his divine Visitor. 
 
 Jesus paid not his first visit to the apostle, till he 
 was thirix years of age, and had been baptized by John 
 in the river Jordan ; where his commission as an 
 age nt of the divine mercy, w^as most solemnly attest- 
 ed, and generally acknowleged. After the baptism 
 of our Lord, he was, as some of our writers express 
 it, 'Miurried into the wilderness;" wdiere he re- 
 mained forty days in a contest with the devil, and 
 was finally victorious. over that grand enemy of the 
 human race. 
 
 Immediately thereon, he preceeded to Bethabara be- 
 yond Jordan, where the apostle John was then em- 
 ployed in baptizing the converts to the Christian 
 faiih ; and replying to certain Jews, who had been 
 deputed by their brethren to enquire into the veracity 
 of the reports respecting the expected Messiah, the 
 great Redeemer of mankind. The apostle, with a 
 veracity that marked his character, informed them of 
 all he knew respecting the Redeemer of mankind ; and 
 in a short time, acquainted his followers who he was : 
 on which two of them followed the Author of their sal- 
 vation, one of whom was Andrew the brother of Peter. 
 
 Early in the morning of the following day, St. Arf^ 
 drew repaired to his brother, to inform him that he 
 had beheld the expected Messiah ; and expressed him- 
 self with rapture on the delivery of the glad tidings 
 so long expected, and so anxiously hoped for. 
 
 Peter, who was of the number of those who had pa- 
 tiently awaited for that redemption which had been 
 expected, followed his brother to the place where Je- 
 sus was ; and when they arrived, Christ gave evident 
 testimony of his divinity, by calling- Peter by his pro- 
 
THE LIFE OF ST. PETER. 269 
 
 per name, mentioning his family and relations, and 
 acquainting him with the title by which he would soon 
 be distinguished. 
 
 We learn not from sacred writ, whether the bro- 
 thers constantly attended on our Saviour from this 
 period : but it seems probable, that they remained 
 with him till they had received such instructions as 
 might enable them to pursue their ministration of 
 divine knowledge, and then returned to their em- 
 ployment as fishermen. 
 
 By this time, the Saviour of mankind had exerci- 
 sed his holy and benevolent function for more than 
 twelve months ; when the frequency of his preaching, 
 and the constant success of his miracles, so greatly 
 advanced his fame throughout Judea, that immense 
 numbers of people repaired to hear him preach, and 
 to be witnesses of the wonderful acts which he per- 
 formed. 
 
 The crowds of people that perpetually crowded 
 around our Saviour, became so troublesome, that he 
 was induced to make frequent retreats to places of 
 solirude. On one of these occasions, on the borders 
 of the Galilean Sea, the people learning where he was, 
 ran to him in multitudes ; on which, to avoid the 
 throng, he went into a boat belonging to Peter, who 
 had been fishing all night with others of his profes- 
 sion, and was now on shore, drying his nets, Jesus 
 requested Peter to put off his boat from the land, 
 that he might conveniently instruct the people, who 
 by this time had assembled in amazing crowds. 
 
 In this situation Christ expounded the will of God ; 
 and having finished his discourse, he resolved to ex- 
 hibit an instance of his divine power ; and therefore 
 directed Peter to row from the shore, and throw his 
 
270 THE LIFE OF ST. PETER. 
 
 net into the water. The apostle replied, that they 
 had not met with any success during the night, and 
 that little was then to be expected : but he obeyed the 
 commands of his Master. He then cast in his net, 
 and drew up such a miraculous draught of fishes, 
 that he fell at the ft-et of Christ in astonishment and 
 admiration, and confessed himself unworthy of the 
 presence of the Son of God, 
 
 Christ kindly compassionated his distress, and told 
 him, that the miracle "was wrought for the confirma- 
 tion of his faith ; and that, thenceforth, he should be 
 2i fisher of men. Peter and his associates now be- 
 came the constant disciples and companions of Christ ; 
 comporting themselves as became true proselytes to 
 the gospel dispensation. 
 
 Not long after this, Christ and his disciples repair- 
 ed to Capernaum, where the mother of Peter's Avife A 
 being in a violent fever, Jesus took her by the hand, ^ 
 and, by his divine power, immediately restored her to 
 her former health : at once, giving the most indisput- 
 able proof of his heavenly influence and supreme au- 
 thority. 
 
 Having deemed it expedient to select from among^ 
 the number of his followers, some persons who should 
 be the constant witnesses of his miracles and gospel, 
 and who might be successfully employed in promot- 
 ing the Christian religion after his ascension into the 
 regions of his heavenly Father, our great Redeemer 
 privately retired in the evening to a solitary moun- 
 tain, where he employed the whole night in fervently 
 supplicating the Almighty, to render him successful 
 in the great and important undertaking in which he 
 had engaged for effecting the salvation of mankind. 
 
 Having elected the twelve apostles, he appointed 
 
THE LIFE OF ST. PETER. 9JI 
 
 them to be the constant attendants on his person ; and 
 he afterwards invested them with the power of working 
 miracles, and commanded them to travel into va- 
 rious parts of Judea, that the precepts of his gospel 
 might be disseminated with the greater rapidity and 
 success. In their enumeration of the apostles, the 
 evangelists concur in naming St. Peter first : but we 
 are not hence to infer that he was invested with any 
 personal prerogative over his brethren ; for nothing 
 of this kind is intimated in the scriptures ; and be- 
 sides, St. Paul expressly says, that he himself was not 
 inferior to any one of the apostles. 
 
 Soon after the appointment of the apostles, our 
 Lord, attended by Peter and the two sons of Zebe- 
 dcc, proceeded to the house of Jairus, one of the ru- 
 lers of the synagogue, in order to restore the health of 
 his daughter, who then lay at the point of death. — 
 They were met by one of the domestics of Jairus, 
 who informed them that the damsel was dead, and 
 that, therefore, the attendance of Jesus would be un- 
 necessary : but our compassionate Redeemer bid the 
 afflicted father not to despair, assuring him at the 
 same time, that if he had faith, his daughter should 
 yet be perfectly restored. Peter accompanied our 
 Lord to the house of Jairus, whose daughter, at his 
 command, was immediately restored to life and per- 
 fect health. 
 
 We have no farther account of this apostle in 
 particular, till the night after our Saviour had mira- 
 culously fed the multitude in the wilderness. Jesus 
 ordered his disciples to embark and cross the lake, 
 saying, he would himself dismiss the multitude. A 
 terrible storm arising, they were thrown into the ut- 
 most consternation, momentarily expecting that they 
 should fall victims to the fury of the contending ele- 
 ments. \Vhile in this situation, they perceived their 
 
272 THE LIFE OF ST. PETER. 
 
 Master walking on the surface of the boisterous bil- 
 lows ; but supposing him to be an appyrilion, their 
 terror was increased to an unspeakable degree. But 
 approaching the vessel, our Saviour dispelled their 
 fears, by assuring them, that their terror was without 
 cause, and that he would protect 'hem from every 
 evil. Peter, who was ever remarkable for a forward 
 and bold disposition, requested that his Master would 
 permit him to walk to him ; and upon obtaining leave, 
 he descended from the vessel, and walked upon the 
 waves to meet the Saviour of mankind. The storm 
 now increasing, Peter was much terrified, and his faith 
 declining, he sunk in the water. Upon his calling 
 upon his Master for assistance, the blessed Jesus 
 stretched forth his hand, and raised him to the sur- 
 face of the water ; at the same time, however, gently 
 reproving him in the following manner : *' O thou of 
 *' little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?" No soon- 
 er had the blessed Jesus entered the vessel, than the 
 winds and waves subsided, and the ship was at the 
 place of destination. This stupendous miracle could 
 not fail of exciting the astonishment of the disciples, 
 and of convincing them of the divinity of the mission 
 of Jesus, before whom they prostrated themselves, ex- 
 claiming, " Of a truth, thou art the Son of God." 
 
 On the following day, our Saviour repaired to the 
 synagogue of Capernaum, and upon his representing 
 his kingdom to be entirely spiritual, many of his au- 
 ditors deserted him ; and upon this occasion, Peter 
 asked Jesus, whether he and his brethren should go ? 
 saying, that since he had the words of eternal life, 
 where ought they to apply for the purpose of secur- 
 ing their salvation ; and adding, " Thou art the way, 
 " the truth, and the light." 
 
 The people of Judea, who had with astonishment 
 beheld the miracles of Jesus, entertained a variety; ■ 
 
THE LIFE OF ST. PETFR. 273 
 
 of conjectures concerning him. Of this our Lord 
 was by no means ii^norant ; but being willing to hear 
 what account his disciples would give of the different 
 opinions of the midtitude, he questioned them on the 
 subject. They re[)lied, that some believed him to be 
 John the Baptibt risen from the dead, some that he 
 was Klias, and others that he was Jeremiah, or one 
 of the ancient prophets. In const-quencc of this full 
 and comprehensive declaration of Peter, our Saviour 
 said, " Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jonah ; for Hc^h 
 " and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but mv Fa- 
 *' ther which is in heaven." By these words our 
 Lord implied, the faith which Pfter acknowledged, 
 was not founded upon the testimony of man, but upon 
 that knowledge which the Almighty had appointed 
 him to reveal to mankind. I therefore say, continued 
 our Saviour, "■ that thou art Peter, and upon diis 
 *' rock will I build my church, and the gates of hell 
 *' shall not prevail against it." As thy name signifies 
 a rock, so shall thy faith be, as a rock, firm and im- 
 moveable ; my church shall be so stedfastly estab- 
 lished upon tlic faith thou hast pr .'fcsbed, that it shall 
 not yield to the assaults either of men or devils. 
 
 The disciples had no conception that Christ was to 
 suffer death lor the sins of mankind, but believed that 
 the Messiah would establish an earthly sovereignty, 
 subdue all the nations of the earth to his dominion by 
 the terrors of war, and reign to eternity ; and there- 
 fore, when our Lord predicted the indignities which 
 he was to experience during the course of his minis- 
 try, and the cruel and disgraceful death he was to 
 suffer by the sentence of the Sanhedrim, Peter inter- 
 rupted him, saying, " Be it far from thee. Lord, this 
 " shall not be unto thee." But our compassionate 
 Redeemer, valuing the redemption of mankind great- 
 ly above his own personal safety, severely rebuked his 
 apostle for this expression. *' Get thou behind me, 
 
 VOL. II. 2 L 
 
274 THE LIFE OF ST. PETER. 
 
 *' Satan, thou art an offence to me." Thy pernicious 
 coLiisel, which opposes the g;reat design lor which I 
 qu'tted thp blessed regions of my heavenly Father, is 
 ofiVnsive ro me : because it proves, that ihou " savor- 
 *' est not the things of God, but those tiiat be of 
 '* men.'' 
 
 When our g-reat Redeemer was about to receive a 
 specimen of his future glorification, he look with him 
 Pfter, :;nd the two sons of Zebedee, to the summit 
 of a lofty mountain, which was the scene of our bles- 
 sed Saviour's transiisruration. From his face was dif- 
 fused the radiancy of heaven, and beams of light 
 issued from his jrarments. This event was a sensible 
 rcpKfsenlaiion of that state, when the " just shall 
 '* walk in white robes," and *' shine as the sun in 
 '* the kingdom of their Father " During this won- 
 derful scene, the prophets Moses and tlias appeared 
 in all the splendor of a state of glorification, and con- 
 versed v.ith Jesus on the subject of the sufferings and 
 death he was shortly to undergo, and his ascension 
 into the regiows of ineffaiile and eternal bliss. 
 
 In the mean time. Peter and his two brethren fell 
 asleep : but awakening, they were astonished upon 
 beholding their Master surrounded by the glory of 
 heaven, and ens-asjed in conversation with his celestial 
 visitants. T;»ey lemained silent till the two prophets 
 appeared to be preparing for departure, v/hen Peter, 
 in an extacy, declareri, that his brethren and himself 
 were sensible of the most exalted delight, in being 
 wiii-esses to this glorious spectacle : at the same time 
 requesting permission to erect three tabernacles, one 
 for their Master, one for Moses, and another for Eli- 
 as : but while he was speaking, a bright cloud over- 
 spread ihe two heavenly ambassadors, and a voice 
 from heaven wjs heard to proclaim, " This is my be- 
 " loved Son, in whom I am well pleased ; hear ye 
 
THE LIFE OF ST. PETER. 27-5 
 
 " him." Hereu|»on tlie apostles were seized with the 
 utmost consternation, and prostrated themselves upon 
 the earth : but our Saviour bid them dismiss their 
 fears, and look up with confidence : they obey -d, but 
 saw only their Master, the celestial anib issue! )rs hav- 
 ing ascended into the regions of bliss during their 
 state of prostration. 
 
 After the glorification of Jesus, he travelled into 
 Galilee, and upon his return to Capernaum, tUc tax- 
 gatherers applied to Peter, -desiring to be informed, 
 whether his Master was willing to pay the usual tri- 
 bute. This demand being Cv)inaiU!ucatect to Jesus, 
 he was unwilling to violate an established custom, 
 and therefore wrought a miracle in order lo enjDle » 
 Peter to pay the tribute for himself and his Master. 
 
 Our Saviour was now to repair to Jerusalem ; and 
 therefore he commanded Peter and John to fetch hiiH 
 an ass, that he might enter the city in the manner he 
 ' had predicted. 
 
 Having visited Jerusalem, Jesus repaired to Beth- 
 any, from whence he dispatched Peter and John to 
 make preparations for celebrating the passover.— 
 These orders being obeyed, our Lord, accompanied 
 by his apostles, repaired to the house where pre- 
 parations had been made for their reception, and 
 seated themselves at tabic. Jesus, who was accus- 
 tomed to teach by example as well as precept, pre- 
 sently arose from his seat, and washed the feet of 
 some of his disciples, thereby instructing them in 
 the duties of humility and charity. When our Sa- 
 viour came to perform this ceremony to Peter, he 
 objected to his Master's condescending to so servile 
 an office, saying, *' Thou shalt never wash my feet.'* 
 Hereupon our blessed Saviour tignified, that the 
 washing was purely mystical, and represented there- 
 
2T6 the life of st. peter. 
 
 mission of sins, and the purifying virtue of the Spi- 
 rit of the most high Gpd, which was to be diflfused 
 among all sincere Christians This explanation re- 
 moved the scruples of Peter, who exclaimed, "Lord, 
 *' wabh not my feet only, but also my hands and my 
 *' head." Wash me in every part, rather than I 
 should lose any portion of thy blessing. 
 
 Having given his disciples this example of humi- 
 lity, the blessed Jesus mentioned his approaching 
 sufferings, and that he should be betrayed into the 
 power of his enemies by one of his apostles. The 
 eleven apostles were greatly affected by this declara- 
 tion ; and Peter made signs to John, w ho was then re- 
 clining on the bosom of his Saviour, to enquire of his 
 Master, which of the twelve could be capable of so 
 abominable an iniquity as ihv.i he had mentioned. 
 And in compliance with this request, our Lord sig- 
 nified that Judas Iscariot was the man to whom he 
 alluded. 
 
 Upon the institution of the sacramental supper, our 
 Savioui mfornifd his discipies, that he was preparing 
 to leave them, and that they could not obtain admit- 
 tance where he w^as going. Not comprehending our 
 Saviour's meaning, Peier asked, to what place he was 
 going. Jesus answered, that he was going to a place 
 where Peter would not be able to gain immediate ad- 
 mittance, though he time would arrive when he would 
 follow ; thus alluding to the martyrdom, he was to 
 su^er for his Master's religion. Hereupon Peter 
 said, thai he was willing to follow him, even at the 
 hazard of his life. This confidence was by no means 
 agreeable to the meek and humble Jesus, who re- 
 proved his disciple, saying, that notwithstanding 
 what he had promised, his resolutions were so weak- 
 ly founded, that before the cock should be twice 
 
THE LIFE OF ST. PETER. 277 
 
 lieard to crow, he would three times deny his Mas- 
 ter. 
 
 The paschal supper being concluded, they sung an 
 hymn, and then departed lo the Mount of Olives ; 
 where Jesus again reminded them of the sufferings he 
 was to endure, whereby they would be all offended. 
 U])on this Peter said, that " though all men should be 
 *' offended because of him, yet he would never be of- 
 *' fended." Thus we see, that a forward and intem- 
 perate zeal, will transport even good men into vani- 
 ty and presumption. Peter questions the fidelity of 
 others, but reposes the firmest confidence in his own 
 fortitude, although his Master had but a very short 
 time before rebuked him for the error which he, on 
 this occasion, repeated. The confidence of Peter in- 
 spired his brethren with courage; and therefore they 
 declared, that under all circumstances, and in all situ- 
 ations, they would faithfully maintain their allegiance 
 to their Master. 
 
 They now repaired to the garden of Gethscmane, 
 and leaving his eight apostles near the entrance, our 
 Saviour, accompanied by Peter, and James and John, 
 retired to a solitary spot, which was to be the scene 
 of our great Redeemer's agony. Our Lord told his 
 select disciples, that " his soul was exceeding sor- 
 ** rowful, even unto death;" and indeed, he experi- 
 enced a most violent conflict between the spirit and 
 the flesh ; his human nature, like that of other men, 
 being extremely averse to yield to the stroke of death. 
 During the agony of our Lord, his disciples slept ; 
 and awakening them, he addressed himself to Peter, 
 saying, " What, could ye not watch with me one 
 *' hour ? The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." 
 What endearing kindness, what unbounded genero- 
 sity, what incomparable sweetness, did our Saviour 
 display on this occasion ! He pronounced the most 
 
^JS THE LIFE OF ST. PETER. 
 
 mild and charitable censure upon the inattention of 
 , his disciples. Though repeatedly awakened from 
 their sleep, and apprized of the melancholy scene that 
 was shortly to ensue, still they disregarded the admo- 
 nitions of their Master, who recommended them 
 to pray, lest they sliould yield to temptation : but 
 so far from severely upbraiding them on account of 
 their disobedienee, he considered their having in- 
 dulged the desire of repose, as the consequence of 
 the infirmities of their nature ; thereby instructing 
 them in the useful lesson, of putting the most favor- 
 able construction on the actions of their fellow-crea- 
 tures. 
 
 While our Saviour was discoursing to his apostles, 
 the traitor Judas, followed by a band of soldiers, came 
 into the garden ; and Judas having saluted Jesus, 
 the soldiers rushed upon, and seized him. Hereup- 
 on Peter drew his sword, and struck off the right 
 ear of the high-priest's servant. Our Lord rebuked 
 the rashness of Peter, and entreated that the soldi- 
 ers would forbear till he should have healed the 
 wound. 
 
 The period was now arrived, when the boasted fi- 
 delity of the apostles was to be put to a severe trial. 
 They beheld their Master in the power of a band of 
 armed men, and therefore their duty required them 
 to exert their utmost efforts for alleviating his suffer- 
 ings ; — but, alas! instead of administering comfort, 
 and of affording assistance to their Master, they 
 sought to secure their safety by flight. 
 
 Having bound our Saviour with cords, the soldiers 
 conducted 1 . n to the hou'ac of Annas, and from thence 
 to the palace of Caiaphas, the high-priest, where the 
 members of the Sanhedrim had assembled, with a 
 preconcerted determination to pronounce upon him 
 
THE LIFE OF ST. PETER. 279 
 
 the sentence of condemnation, although no evidence 
 of guilt should be adduced against him. 
 
 In the interim, Peter, who had, in company with 
 the other disciples, deserted the blessed Jesus in his 
 distress, recovered his spirits, and being encouraged 
 by St. John, he repaired in search of his Master, 
 whom he followed at a distance to the palace of Cai- 
 aphas ; where, however he was refused admittance. 
 But through the interest of John, he was permitted to 
 enter the hall, where the officers and domestic ser- 
 vants of the high-priest v.'ere collected about a fire. 
 Here one of the female servants charged Peter w^ith 
 being one of the followers of Jesus ; but this he posi- 
 tively denied, and presently after retired into the 
 porch, where he heard the cock crow. 
 
 After this, he was accosted by another female do- 
 mestic, \\ ho also accused him of being a disciple of 
 Jesus of Nazareth ; but, as before, he resolutely de- 
 nied the charge, and even ratified his declaration with 
 an oath. 
 
 About an hour after this, the kinsman of the ser- 
 vant whose ear Peler had smote off', insisted that he 
 was the disciple of Clnist, in company with whom he 
 declared he had himself seen him in the garden of 
 Gcthsemane ; adding also, that his pronunciation evi- 
 denily proved him to be a Galilean. But Peter still 
 denied the fact, and appealing to the Almighty, with 
 solemn imprecations, declared, " that he knew not 
 ♦' the man." This denial was no sooner uttered, than 
 he again heard the cock crow. Hereupon Jesus turn- 
 ed towards Peter, and regarded him with such pecu- 
 liar earnestness, as recalled to his recollection, that 
 his Master had frequently predicted that he would 
 basely deny him. Struck with a consciousness of 
 his guilt, Peter retired from the palace of the high- 
 
580 THE LIBE OF ST. PETER. 
 
 priest, and " wept bitterly :" he sincerely lamented 
 his infidelity, and his repeated aggravations of his 
 sin. 
 
 From a variety of circumstances it appears, that 
 after the crucifixion of our blesst-d Redeemer, Peter 
 resided at Jerusakm, or at least in the neighborhood 
 of that city ; for when Mary Magdalene returned 
 from the sepulchre to inform the disciples that the 
 stone was removed from the door, and that the body 
 of Jesus was not to be found, Peter and John hasten- 
 ed towards the garden. 
 
 But this apostle did not remain long in suspencc 
 with respect to his Master, uho appeared to him on 
 the same day. Thus as Peter, was the first of the 
 disciples who acknowledged the divinity of Christ, 
 so was it reasonable that he should first behold him 
 after his resurrection. Thus our compassionate Re- 
 deemer convinced Peter that the crime he had com- 
 mitted was fully pardoned. 
 
 In a short time after, agreeably to the command of 
 their Master, the apostles retired into Galilee ; and we 
 find that Peter, the two sons of Ztbedee, and three 
 other of the disciples, returned to their former occu- 
 pation of fishing in the lake of Genesareth. Early 
 one morning, when these people were following their 
 usual employment, they perceived a grave person on 
 the shore, who asked them, if they had any provi- 
 sions ; and upon their answering in the negative, he 
 bid them cast their net on the right side of the ship, 
 and their labor would be amply rewarded. They 
 complied with his directions, and immediately enclo- 
 sed so prodigious a quantity of fish, that it was not 
 without the utmost difficulty that they were able to 
 bring them to shore. This remarkable success, oc- 
 casioned the apostles to look upon each other with as- 
 
THE LIFE OF ST. PETER. 281 
 
 toii'ishment ; and at length, John observed to Peter, 
 that the person to whose advice they were indebted 
 for this wonderful druuiijht, could be no other than 
 their great Lord and Master. Peter had no sooner 
 heard this, than he leaped into the sea, and swam to 
 shore, so impatient was he to acknowledge his Mas- 
 ter. Thomas, Nathaniel, James, and John, brought 
 the vessel deeply laden with fish to land, and having 
 disembarked, they perceived a fire already burning, 
 and fish broiling thereon. Although there was fish on 
 the fire, our Lord commanded them to bring some of 
 those they had taken in the net, and lay them on the 
 fire for their repast, Jesus presented to them both 
 fish and bread, and also partook of the meal. 
 
 The repast being concluded, our Saviour, addres- 
 sing himself to Peter, asked, whether his love of him 
 exceeded that of the other disciples. Peter, who 
 had been taught humility by fatal experience, replied, 
 *' Lord, thou knowest, notwithstanding my former 
 *' denial of thee, which proceeded not from my jtidg- 
 ** ment, but my fears, that thou art the object of my 
 " love and veneration." Our Lord repeated his ques- 
 tion twice ; it being proper that he who had thrice 
 denied his Master, should make compensation for 
 his failings by a threefold acknowledgment of his Sa- 
 viour. To each of the confessions of Peter, our Lord 
 added *' Feed my sheep ;" by which words, he en- 
 joined his apostle to exert his utmost endeavors for 
 reclaiming mankind from their iniquities, and for pro- 
 pagating his gospel. 
 
 The blessed Jesus was now pleased to intimate to 
 Peter the fate that he was to experience, saying, that 
 in his youth he girt himself, lived at his pleasure, and 
 went wherever his inclination dictated; but when old 
 age should arrive, others would gird and bind him, 
 and lead him where he was averse to go ; thus signi- 
 
 VOL. II. 2 M 
 
282 THE LIl-E OF ST. PETER . 
 
 fyi^'g, as the evangelist informs us, " by what death 
 *' he should glorify God." Peter repined not upon 
 learning that he was to encounter great misfortunes, 
 and he was willing that his confession of faith should 
 be as public as his denial of his Master ; hoping, that 
 he might by that means sufficiently atone for his for- 
 mer sins. Peter now asked our Saviour, what would 
 be the fate of his beloved disciple John. And in re- 
 ply to this question, Jesus said, '^ It doth not concern 
 *' thee to learn the events which I shall dispose to 
 *' to him ; he shall not die, till he shall have been wit- 
 " ness to the destruction of the Jewish nation." 
 
 A few days after this, our blessed Redeemer sum- 
 moned his disciples to Mount Olivet ; and there en- 
 joined them to remain at Jerusalem, till, in compli- 
 ance with his promise, he should occasion the Holy 
 Spirit to descend upon them, that they might be fully 
 qualified for the discharge of the ministerial function, 
 into which he had already inaugurated them. Hav- 
 ing spoken to this effect, our blessed Saviour be- 
 stowed upon them his solemn benediction, *' and as- 
 " cended up to heaven, where he sitteth on the right 
 " hand of God." 
 
 Notwithstanding they were deprived of the presence 
 of their Master, the apostles were indefatigable in 
 the discharge of the important commission with which 
 he had invested them. Upon their return to Jerusa- 
 lem, the first object that claimed their attention, was 
 to supply that vacancy in their original number, which 
 had happened in consequence of the apostacy of 
 Judas Iscariot. 
 
 In a full congregation of the disciples of Jesus, who 
 asseYnbled in an upper apartment of a house belong- 
 ing to one of the members of the church of Christ, 
 Peter, as president of the meeting, observed, that Je- 
 
THE LIFE OF ST. PETER. 283 
 
 sus had selected twelve persons for the purpose of 
 propagating his gospel ; but as the number had de- 
 creased through the treachery of Judas, it appeared 
 expedient that the office which had been vaca'cd in 
 consequence of his apostacy should be supplied. — 
 The whole assembly assented to this proposition ; 
 and " they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, 
 " who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. And 
 " they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest 
 *' the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two 
 *' thou hast chosen, that he may take part in this mi- 
 " nistry and apostleshi,), from which Judas by trans- 
 " gression fell, that he might go to his own place. 
 *' And they gave forth their lots ; and the lot fell 
 '^ upon Matthias, and he was numbered with the ele- 
 *' ven apostles." Acts i. 23, &c. 
 
 Ten days after the ascension of the blessed Jesus, 
 and at the time of celebrating the feast of Pentecost, 
 the apostles and many other pious Christians, who 
 from the time of the ascension had constantly em- 
 ployed themselves in solemn devotional exercises, 
 were assembled at their usual place of worship, when 
 they were surprised by a loud wind, with which came 
 " * cloven tongues, as it were of fire, and sat upon 
 " each of them.*' Perhaps a fiery vapor or exhalation, 
 formed by the divine power into the figure of a man's 
 tongue, divided at the tip, was placed upon the head 
 of each of the apostles, representing the gifts which 
 the Almighty at that time bestowed upon them by 
 the effusion of the Holy Spirit. They were now in- 
 spired by the Holy Ghost, and immediately enabled 
 to speak divers languages to which they had been hi- 
 
 * Cloven, to denote the variety of languages which the apostles 
 would be enabled tc understand and speak ; and hcry, to represent their 
 zeal in proclaiming thegospel ; as also that divine light which they were 
 to impart to others, and that purity and holiness wherewith they were 
 to be endued. 
 
284 THE LIFK OF ST. PETER. 
 
 therto entire strangers, and were, of consequence, 
 quaiifietl to preach the wonderlul works of God to 
 the inhabitants of the various quarters of the globe. 
 
 The rumor of this miracle was soon dispersed 
 throughout Jerusalem, where f immense numbers of 
 people had assembled on occasion ol" the feast ; and 
 among these, were men of every nation under hea- 
 ven ; " Parthians, Medes, Klamites, the dwellers in 
 *' Mesopotamia and Judea, Cappudocia, Pontus and 
 *' Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Kgypt, the parts of 
 *' Lybia and Cyrene." 
 
 The wonderful Hiculty thus bestowed upon the 
 apostles, of conversing in various languages, had 
 different effects upon the minds of the people ; some 
 ascribing their gift of speech to a supernatural pow- 
 er, and others believing, in consequence of the slan- 
 derous insinuations of the Scribes and Pharisees, 
 that what the apostles had uttered, was the result of 
 having drank intcmperately of new wine; and that 
 their discourses were fallacious, confused, and inco- 
 herent. 
 
 To rescue his brethren and himself from this in- 
 vidious accusation, Peter arose, and said, that the 
 slanderous charge of intoxication was equally ground- 
 less and unreasonable; for it then being only about 
 nine o'clock in the forenoon, it could scarcely be sup- 
 posed ihat they had tasted wine, or any other in- 
 flammatory liquor ; especially since, according to the 
 establi^jhed usage in the celebration of the feast of the 
 Pentecost, the jjcople received no kind of refreshment 
 at so early aa hour. He said, that these extraordina- 
 
 t St Luke enumerates fifteen sorts of stranjjers, who, upon the 
 report of this miraculcus power, resorted to the assembly of the Chris- 
 tians, and were astonished to hear their sfveialhui<juages spoken with 
 the utmost fluency and piecision, by uneducated natives of Galilee. 
 
THE LIFE OF ST. PETER. 285 
 
 ry and miraculous effects were produced by an effu- 
 sion of the Holy Spirit, according to a prediction of 
 the prophet Joel. This miracle, said the apostle, is 
 an iucontestible proof, that Jesus is the true begot- 
 ten Son of God ; for though by their malicious and 
 blood) contrivances they had put him to death, yet 
 he was ascended into heaven, and seated at the right 
 hand of his Almighty Father, agreeably to what had 
 been foretold of him by David; who had said, that 
 he should sit at the right hand of God, and his ene- 
 mies be made his footstools. Hence then, said he, 
 it behoves the whole house of Israel to believe, that 
 Jesus of Nazareth, whom you have barbarously cru- 
 cified, is the true Messiah, appointed by the Almigh- 
 ty to effect the redemption of mankind, and establish 
 the Christian church. 
 
 This was the first public discourse of Peter ; and 
 it so deeply impressed the minds of his auditors, 
 that fearing they had incurred the displeasure of the 
 Almighty, they enquired what means they ought to 
 pursue for obtaining pardon. " Men and brethren, 
 *' what shall we do?" Upon this, Peter informed 
 them, that the only means of expiating their guilt, 
 and of obtaining the gift of the Holy Spirit, would 
 be by sine ere repentance, and baptism in the name of 
 the holy Jesus. Upon these conditions, he said, the 
 promises of the new covenant, ratified by the death 
 of the Son of God, would be fulfilled to them, to their 
 posterity, and to all those who should become con- 
 verts to the gospel of Christ. 
 
 This endearing and persuasive address of St. Pe. 
 ter, was productive of the most salutary effects; for 
 on 'hi^ occasion, three thousand converts were made 
 to the Christian religion ; and these people received 
 the sacrament, and ever after continued in the doc- 
 trine and fellowship of the apostles. Thus was ac- 
 
286 THE -LIFE OF ST. PETER. 
 
 complished that prophecy of our Saviour, which ex- 
 pressed that St. Peter should become *' a fisher of 
 *' men." 
 
 A short time after the above wonderful conver- 
 sion, and during the continuance of the feast of Pente- 
 cost, Peter and John went to the temple about three 
 o'clock in the afternoon, the time of evening prayers, 
 and beheld a man, who had been a cripple from his 
 birth, lying at the gate, and begging alms. The sight 
 of this miserable object excited their compassion; 
 and Peter said, that though it was not in his power to 
 afford him pecuniary relief, yet he was able to con- 
 fer a gift of infinitely higher importance ; for he pos- 
 sessed the power of bestowing health and life, and 
 was disposed to afford him relief. Then taking the 
 man, who was about forty years of age, by the hand, 
 he commanded him in the name of " Jesus of Naza- 
 " reth to rise up and w^alk." The diseased members 
 immediately performed their proper functions, and 
 the man accompanied the apostles into the temple, 
 at the same time glorifying the name of God. 
 
 The people were filled with admiration, upon be- 
 holding the free exercise of the beggar's limbs ; and 
 being informed of the manner in which this wonder- 
 ful cure had been wrought, they repaired into Solo- 
 mon's porch, to satisfy their curiosity, by beholding 
 a man possessed of the extraordinary power which 
 Peter had manifested. 
 
 Peter availed himself of this opportunity to magni- 
 fy the name of our holy Redeemer ; and addressing 
 himself to the multitude, he said, they were not to 
 suppose that this surprising cure had been performed 
 merely by the force of their own pov/er ; for it had 
 been wrought in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, and 
 by the power of that just and holy person whom they 
 
THE LIFE OF ST. PETER. 287 
 
 liad barbarously crucified. Though they had put him 
 to death, he was risen from the grave, and ascended 
 in heaven, there to remain till the great and tremen- 
 dous day of general restitution. But notwithstand- 
 ing^ the enormity of their sins, the apostle bid them 
 not to despair of obtaining forgivness ; which would 
 most assuredly be extended to them, provided they 
 sincerely repented of all their sins, but particularly 
 of the shocking cruelty they had perpetrated upon the 
 only Son of God. He said, that it behoved them to 
 reflect that they were the peculiar persons to whom 
 the gracious promises of salvation were primarily gi- 
 ven ; and that since they w-ere the men to whom the 
 Almighty had sent his only Son to " turn them away 
 " from their inic^uities," they were bound by the ob- 
 ligations of duty and gratitude, to prove themselves 
 not unworthy the tenderness and compassion that had 
 been extended to them ; which they could do no 
 otherwise, than by atoning for their sins by sincere re- 
 pentance. If they sincerely repented of their sins, 
 and heartily embraced the doctrine of Christ, the 
 apostle assured them, that they would be entitled to 
 the full enjoyment of the blessings of eternity : but 
 that, on the contrary, if they persevered in their ob- 
 stinate incredulity, they would inevitably become the 
 objects of the divine vengeance. This discourse had 
 so happy an effect upon the minds of the multitude, 
 that * in the course of the day whereon it was pro- 
 nounced, live thousand converts were reclaimed to 
 the gospel of Christ. 
 
 This amazing success of the Christiati doctrine, 
 could not fail of inflaming the jealousy of the rulers 
 of Israel : and the chief-priests and Sadducees repair- 
 ed to the Roman governor, and represented that the 
 
 * Thus is tlic above passage commonly understood : but there is 
 room for a dirtcrent interpretation, viz. that the whole number of be- 
 lievers in the gospel of Christ, amounted to about five thousand persons. 
 
288 THE LIFE OF SP. PETER. 
 
 vast number of people who were assembletl^ and the 
 preaching of the apostles, threatened to promote a re- 
 bellion. In consequence of this information, the cen- 
 turion who had the command of the garrison station- 
 ed in Fort Antonia, which was built to overlook the 
 temple on the north side, led forth a band of soldiers, 
 who seized the apostles, and conducted them to pri- 
 son. On the following day, they were brought for 
 examination before the Jewish Sanhedrim : but the 
 pretence of seditious practices was waved, because 
 evidently groundless"; and the several charges were 
 at length resolved into the single question, " By what 
 '* power and authority had the Lime man been cur- 
 *' ed ?" To this question, Peter resolutely replied, 
 " Be it known unto you, and all the descendants of 
 *' Jacob, that the miracle wrought in the cure of the 
 *' cripple, was performed in the name of Jesus of Na- 
 " zarcth, whom you barbarously crucified, and whom 
 *' the Almighty has rescued from the power of death. 
 " This Jesus is alluded to by the prophet, who men- 
 " tions him under the similitude of a stone ; which 
 *' stone, you, like unskilful builders, have rejected : 
 *' but God has made him the head of the corner ; and 
 *' through his merits and mediation alone, the chil- 
 " dren of sinful men are to expect salvation." 
 
 The undaunted spirit which the apostles displayed 
 on this occasion, raised the wonder of the whole 
 court, who, however strongly inclined, did not pre- 
 sume to dispute the existence of a miracle, which had 
 been wrought in the presence of so great a multitude 
 of people. But the court commanded the apostles to 
 withdraw, while they deliberated on the measures to 
 be pursued against them. Not being in possession 
 of evidence which could even by the most forced and 
 uncandid construction, fix the imputation of guilt up- 
 on them, the Sanhedrim determined to attempt justi- 
 fying themselves in the opinion of the people, by treat- 
 
THE LIFE OF ST. PETER. 289 
 
 ing the apostles with undeserved severity, thereby ag- 
 gravating their former cruelty towards the blessed Je- 
 sus. They therefore, agreed to prohibit them from 
 continuing to preach in the name of Jesus. 
 
 The apostles were again ordered into the court, and 
 acquainted with the resolution of the council. Here- 
 upon they said, that having received a commission, 
 from heaven, they were bound by the strongest of all 
 obligations to proclaim the gospel of Christ ; and 
 therefore they would appeal to themselves, whether it 
 was not their duty to '* obey God, rather than man." 
 This was a fair appeal to the consciences of their very 
 judges : but instead of being satisfied, the rulers were 
 inclined to proceed to acts of the most extreme seve- 
 rity ; and this disposition they would certainly have 
 indulged, had not their malice been restrained by the 
 high veneration which the people entertained for the 
 apostles, whom the council dismissed, after having 
 repeated their menaces with additional vehemence. 
 
 Being thus restored to liberty, Peter and John re- 
 turned to their brethren, and informed them of the 
 treatment they had experienced from the Jewish ma- 
 gistrates. Upon this they joined in prayer to the Al- 
 mighty, that he would be graciously pleased to grant 
 them sufficient courage and fortitude, firmly to estab- 
 lish the religion of their crucified Saviour. Having 
 uttered these pious supplications, God was pleased to 
 signify to them that their prayers were heard The 
 house wherein they were assembled, was shaken by 
 a mighty wind, as it had been during the feast of 
 Pentecost ; and they immediately found themselves 
 replenished with fresh measures of the Holy Ghost, 
 whereby they were inspired with power and resolu- 
 tion to proceed in preaching the gospel of Christ, and 
 the doctrine of his resurrection, in despite of all the 
 menaces of the Jewish rulers. 
 
 VOL. II. 2 N 
 
290 THE LIFE OF ST. PETEK. 
 
 Among the various good effects resulting from the 
 evangelical preaching, was a spirit of unbounded love 
 and charity, with which the true believers were in- 
 spired. Many of the converts to the Christian doc- 
 trine were in circumstances of indigence : but such 
 was the liberality of the rich, that they cheerfully re- 
 lieved their necessities, selling their estates, and de- 
 livering the produce to the apostles, that they might 
 distribute it in proportion to the circumstances of such 
 of their brethren as had occasion for pecuniary assist- 
 ance. Barnabas particularly distinguished himself by 
 his benevolent disposition ; for he disposed of a valu- 
 able estate in Cyprus, and delivered the produce to 
 the apostles, to be disposed of in such charitable uses 
 as their discretion should dictate. 
 
 But even in these primitive times of Christianity, 
 hypocrisy was not unknown among the professors of 
 religion. Of this a singular instance was afforded in 
 the case of Ananias, and his wife Sapphira. Ambi- 
 tious of emulating the example of many pious peo- 
 ple, who had consecrated their possessions to the ho- 
 nor of God, and the necessities of the church, having 
 sold their estate, for the purpose of an ostentatious 
 display of benevolence, they delivered only a part of 
 the produce to the apostles. 
 
 When Ananias came to pay the money into the 
 hands of Peter, that apostle severely rebuked him on 
 the score of his hypocrisy, asking him, what atone- 
 ment it was possible for him to make, for having been 
 guilty of so enormous a crime, as attempting to com- 
 mit an imposition upon the Holy Ghost. So greatly 
 was Ananias affected by the dreadful apprehension of 
 becoming an object of the divine vengeance, that he 
 fell upon the earth, and instantly expired. *' But a 
 '■'■ certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, 
 ** sold a possession, and kept back part of the price, his, 
 
THE LIFE OF ST. PETER. 291 
 
 " wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain 
 " part, and lay it at the apostles feet. But Peter said, 
 *' Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie 
 " to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the 
 " price of the land ? While it remained, was it not 
 " thine own ? and after it was sold, was it not in thine 
 " own power ? Why hast thou conceived this thing 
 " in thine heart .-' Thou hast not lied unto men, but 
 " unto God. And Ananias, hearing these words, 
 " fell down, and gave up the ghost. And great fear 
 " came on all them that heard these^things. And the 
 ^' young men arose, wound him up, and carried him 
 " out, and buried him." Acts v. 1, &c. 
 
 About three hours after the death of Ananias, his 
 wife Sapphira came to St. Peter, and as she had con- 
 spired with her husband in the abominable crime for 
 which he had lost his life, the apostle upbraided her 
 with her guilt ; saying, that since she hud shared in 
 his iniquity, it was but just that she should be sub- 
 jected to a similar punishment. She was smitten by 
 the hand of Omnipotence, and fell dead upon the 
 ground. The body of Sapphira was taken away by 
 the persons who had removed that of her husband, 
 and they were buried in one grave. ** And it was 
 '' about the space of three hours after, when his wife, 
 " not knowing what was done, came in. And Peter 
 " answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the 
 " land for so much. And she said, Yea, for so much. 
 " Then Peter said unto her. How is it that ye have 
 '"■ agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord ? 
 " Behold, the feet of them which have buried thy 
 " husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. 
 " Then fell she down straitway at his feet, and yield- 
 ^' ed up the ghost. And the young men came in, 
 " and found her dead, and carrying her forth, buri- 
 " ed her by her husband. And great fear came upon 
 '' all the church, and upon as many as heard these 
 " things." Acts v. 7, &c. 
 
292 THE LIFE OF ST. PETER. 
 
 The guilt of these people was unquestionably very 
 great : but yet the punishment inflicted upon them 
 was not so much on account of their sin, as that a 
 signal example might be afforcledj for deterring others 
 from falbifying their religious resolutions and pur- 
 poses, and from permitting their covctousness and 
 avarice from seducing them into the practice of dissi- 
 mulation and hypocrisy to the Almighty, from whose 
 knowledge no motion of the heart can be concealed. 
 
 This severe infliction, which was certainly intend- 
 ed to inspire the people with a proper idea of the au- 
 thority of the apostles, had the intended effect ; for 
 from henceforward the multitude feared their power, 
 and venerated their persons. It was, however, but 
 on very extraordinary occasions that the apostles pro- 
 ceeded to acts of great severity ; but, on the contra- 
 ry, they were accustomed to exert their power in 
 works of mercy and beneficence towards the sons and 
 daughters of afiliction. They cast out devils, and 
 perfectly cured every kind of disease. The Almigh- 
 ty was pleased to bestow such sanative virtue upon 
 these holy men, that a single touch, or a word, from 
 either of them, was sufiicient to remove any bodily 
 disease or infirmity, however desperate, or of howe- 
 ver long continuance. The sick were laid upon beds 
 and couches in the streets ; and those afilicted persons, 
 over whom even the very shadow of St. Peter passed, 
 were instantly cured of their infirmities. These mi- 
 racles caused the apostles to be held in great venera- 
 tion, and procured a vast number of converts to the 
 Christian religion. 
 
 The great influence which the apostles obtained 
 over the minds of the multitude, and the extraordinary 
 and continually increasing success of the gospel, prov- 
 ed highly offensive to the members of the Sanhe- 
 
THE LIFE OF ST. PETER. 29^) 
 
 drim ; who were extremely exasperated, upon finding 
 that their prohibition wa» entirely disregarded, and 
 that the cause of Christianity daily became more firm- 
 ly established. They caused these ho y men to be 
 apprehended, and even proceeded so far as to com- 
 mit them to the conimon prison. But the Almighty, to 
 prove that no human power was capable of interrupt- 
 ing the divine purposes and decrees, sent his angel 
 to them in the night to restore them to freedom, and 
 command them to proceed in the duties of their holy 
 ministration. In obedience to the angel's command, 
 they repaired to the temple early on the following 
 morning, and there publicly instructed the people in 
 the means of providing for their eternal salvation. 
 
 Ignorant of the miraculous deliverance of their 
 prisoners, the council assembled in the morning, and 
 dispatched some of their officers to bring the apostles 
 before them for examination. Upon the return of 
 these officers, they made a report to the council, pur- 
 porting that, although the prisoners were not to be 
 found, there appeared no means by which it was pos- 
 sible they could have effected their escape ; for when 
 they visited the prison the doors were fast, and the 
 keepers were on guard. 
 
 This extraordinary circumstance greatly alarmed 
 the council, and suggested to them, that they had en- 
 gaged in a business which might probably terminate 
 to their disadvantage. Being informed, however, that 
 the apostles were preaching in the temple, they dis- 
 patched thither the captain of the guard with a num- 
 ber of their own officers, with orders to bring the 
 apostles before them for examination ; but they cau- 
 tioned their messengers against using compulsive 
 measures, lest the populace should thereby be pro- 
 voked to acts of fury and outrage. 
 
29-1 THE LIFE OF ST. PETER. 
 
 The holy apostles being conducted before the San< 
 hedrim, Caiaphas censured them for having presum-j 
 ed to preach the gospel, after the prohibition that had^ 
 been laid upon them. Your duty to this assembly, 
 which is composed of the rulers of the people, said 
 the high-priest, enjoins you to an implicit acquies- 
 cence in our decrees : but instead of yielding to our 
 commands, you have inflamed the minds of the peo- 
 ple, by representing us as the murderers of the Mes- ^ 
 siah ; and hence it appears, that your design is tO 1 
 provoke the multitude to avenge themselves upon us 
 for having put him to death. In reply, Peter, in the 
 name of his brethren and himself, said, that although 
 obedience was due to the governors of the people, 
 obligations of an infinitely higher nature were due to 
 the Almighty, an exact conformity to whose will 
 was to supercede every other cortsidefation ; and 
 therefore, in despite of all opposition, they would 
 persevere in proclaiming those great truths, which 
 had been communicated to them by the immediate 
 inspiration of heaven. 
 
 So exasperated were the members of the Sanhe- 
 drim by the reply of Peter, that they formed a reso- 
 lution of putting all the apostles to death ; and this 
 they would in all probability have carried into ex- 
 ecution, but for the interference of Gamaliel, a grave 
 and learned Pharisee, and a man of high reputation 
 among the people. 
 
 The apostles being commanded to withdraw, this 
 wise and prudent counsellor admonished his brethren 
 to proceed with caution in the afi'air which was then 
 under their consideration ; reminding them, that di- 
 vers factions had already been excited under the pre- 
 text of introducing new sects of religion, but these 
 designs had all proved abortive without any opposi- 
 tion from that court. And he further declared, that 
 
THE LIFE OF ST. PETER. 295 
 
 it would, in his opinion, be prudent to decline all op- 
 position to the preaching- of the apostles ; for since, 
 if their doctrine was merely of human invention, it 
 would necessarily fall into disrepute, and at length 
 be lost in oblivion, without any measures pursued by 
 the council for its suppression ; but if their doctrine 
 was what they so confidently asserted, and what they 
 appeared so powerfully to justify by the performance 
 of miracles, it would not only be ineffectual, but e- 
 ven impious to attempt the suppression of the preach- 
 ing of the disciples of the deceased Jesus, which, sup- 
 posing them to be invested with a divine commission, 
 would be sacrilegiously to oppose the works of the 
 Almighty. 
 
 These reasonable expostulations were so far pro- 
 ductive of their proper effect, that the council revers- 
 ed their determination of putting the apostles to death, 
 but sentenced them to be scourged, and admonished 
 them to preach no more in the name of Jesus. Hav- 
 ing submitted to the discipline of scourging, the a- 
 postles departed from the Sanhedrim, rejoicing that 
 they were esteemed worthy to suffer reproach and 
 disgrace in the cause of righteousness. 
 
 Although the speech of Gamaliel restrained the 
 members of the Sanhedrim from directing the full 
 force of their fury against the apostles, they still con- 
 tinued implacable enemies to the gospel of Christ. — 
 Stephen, the proto martyr, a man of singular wisdom 
 and piety, engaged in a controversy with the enemies 
 of the gospel, whom he publicly confuted, by argu- 
 ments founded on the divine truths of scripture. — 
 The victory obtained by Stephen, so exasperated his 
 enemies, that under pretext of his having been guilty 
 of blasphemy, they accused him before the Sanhe- 
 drim ; and the charge falsely exhibited against him, 
 was supported by two corrupt witnesses. No formal 
 
996 THE LIFE OF ST. PETER. 
 
 sentence was pronounced against Stephen, but he was 
 cruelly stoned to death by his malicious enemies. 
 
 After the death of Stephen, the Jews persecuted the 
 disciples of our blessed Saviour with such unrelent- 
 ing severity, that they were under the necessity of 
 providing for their security, by retiring from Jerusa- 
 lem into various parts of Judea and Samaria, but a 
 very inconsiderable number remaining with the apos- 
 tles in the city. 
 
 In this dispersion, Philip the deacon retired to the 
 city of Sabaste in Samaria, where he preached the 
 gospel, and confirmed his doctrine by casting out un- 
 clean spirits, and performing a great number of mi- 
 raculous cures. In this city resided a man named 
 Simon, who by magical illusions had greatly raised 
 the admiration of the multitude, and particularly that 
 of the lower classes of the people, who believed him 
 to be ''the great power of God;" an appellation 
 which he had blasphemously arrogated to himself, 
 pretending to be the father and so^ereign of the whole 
 world. 
 
 The doctrine of Philip was attended with such re- 
 markable success, that the reputation of Simon rapid- 
 Iv declined : and therefore he pretended to become a 
 convert to Christianity, and submitted to the ceremo- 
 ny of baptism ; hoping that by this stratagem, he 
 should be able to dibcover the means by which Philip 
 wrought those miracles uhich so greatly raised the 
 admiration of the multitude. 
 
 The conversion of so great a concourse of people 
 was no soontr known to the apostles, \\ho still re- 
 mained in Jerusalem, than they determined to send 
 Philip assistance. St. Peter and St. John according- 
 Iv hastened to Sabaste, in order to confer the Holy 
 
THE LIFE OF ST. PETER. 297 
 
 Spirit upon those who had embraced Christianity ; 
 for that privile£^e was peculiar to the apostles, and 
 Philip was only a deacon. 
 
 Peter and John having prayed for, and laid their 
 hands upon the new converts, they received the Holy 
 Spirit : and Simon observing the wonderful effects 
 produced by the imposition of the hands of the apos- 
 tles, became extremely desirous of attaining to the 
 power of exercising the same privilege. He there- 
 fore offered the apostles a sum of money, on condi- 
 tion that they would invest him with the power of 
 giving the Holy Ghost to those on whom he should 
 lay his hands. Knowing and abominating the insin- 
 cerity and wickedness of this man, Peter rejected 
 his proposal with indignation ; and admonished him 
 to repentance, as the only means of securing himself 
 from everlasting torments. What St. Peter had said, 
 greatly alarmed Simon, who being apprehensive that 
 he, like Ananias and Sapphira, should be made a 
 a terrible example of the guilt of hypocrisy, solicited 
 the apostles to pray in his behalf, that the judgments 
 due to his crimes might be averted ; but the insince- 
 rity of the repentance of this man will appear here- 
 after. 
 
 Having remained some time in Samaria, St. Peter 
 and St. John returned to Jerusalem, proclaiming the 
 divine truths of the gospel in all the towns and villa- 
 ges through which they passed. 
 
 The violence of the persecution against the Christian 
 church now subsided ; and during this period of tran- 
 quillity, peace, and security, St. Peter undertook a 
 general visitation of those churches which had been 
 established by the disciples whom the persecution had 
 dispersed. Upon the arrival of this apostle at Lydda, 
 a village in the tribe of Ephraim, he performed a mi- 
 
 VOL. IT. 2 o 
 
298 THE LIFE OF ST. PETKR. 
 
 raculous cure upon iEneas, who had been so dread- 
 fully afflicted with the palsy for eight years, as to be 
 confined to his bed during that whole period. The 
 fame of this miracle was rapidly spread throughout 
 the adjacent country, and it served to impress great 
 numbers of people with a belief in the gospel of the 
 Son of God. 
 
 During the residence of St. Peter at Lydda, a pious 
 woman, named I'abitha, who in the Greek language 
 was called Dorcas, died at Joppa, a sea-port town 
 about six miles from Lydda. This woman had been 
 long highly celebrated for her universal benevolence, 
 and particularly for her extensive charity to the poor, 
 great numbers of whom she constantly cloathed and 
 supported. The death of this woman was universal- 
 ly lamented ; and the people of Joppa having heard 
 that Peter had restored jEneas to health, merely by 
 commanding him in the name of Jesus to rise and 
 walk, and likewise that he had performed divers other 
 stupendous miracles, they dispatched two messengers 
 to solicit his attendance. 
 
 Upon his arrival, Peter was introduced to the apart- 
 ment, where the deceased lay, dressed in funeral attire, 
 and surrounded by those weeping widows and other 
 persons, who had been the objects of her benevolence. 
 The mourners dared not presume to request that Pe- 
 ter would restore the deceased to life ; but their la- 
 mentations sufficiently indicated their desire. Hav- 
 ing caused the mourners to leave the apartment, Pe- 
 ter turned towards the body of the deceased, and hav- 
 ing addressed himself in prayer to the Almighty, he 
 commanded the dead woman to arise ; immediately 
 after which he took her by the hand, and presented 
 her in perfect health to her friends. This miracle 
 confirmed the faith of a great number of persons 
 newly converted to the gospel of Christ, and occasi- 
 
THE LIFE OF ST. PETER. 299 
 
 oned many others to embrace Christianity. Peter 
 remained a considerable time in the town of Joppa, 
 residing in the house of a man named Simon, who 
 was by profession a tanner. 
 
 During the abode of Peter in the town of Joppa, 
 our Saviour was pleased to fulfil his promise of giving 
 him the keys of the kingdom of heaven, by making 
 him the instrument of admitting the Gentiics into 
 his church. While he was one day offering up his 
 prayers to heaven, he found himself hungry, and cal- 
 led for meat to satisfy his appetite. While the food 
 was preparing, he fell into a trance, during which a 
 large sheet ^vas let down from heaven, containn^.g a 
 variety of creatures, both clean and unclean ; and at 
 the same time a voice from heaven was heard to pro- 
 claim, " Arise, Peter, kill and eat." The apostle, 
 yet tenacious of the Mosaical institutions, sai 1, that 
 he could not, consistently with the dictates of his con- 
 science, comply ; adding, that he had never eaten 
 any common or unclean food. Upon this, the voice 
 reproved him for his refusal, saying, that what God 
 had cleansed, was not to be esteemed common or 
 unclean. This was done thrice, after which the vi- 
 sion disappeared. 
 
 Upon awakening, Peter was greatly perplexed, be- 
 ing unable to divin*! the meaning of this extraordina- 
 ry vision. While the apostle was ruminating upon 
 the symbolical representation, which was intended to 
 instruct him, that the Almighty intended to employ 
 him in a new embassy, he was disturbed by a knock- 
 ing at the gate. Three messengers being introduced 
 to him, they informed him, that a Roman captain, 
 named Cornelius, a centurion of the Italian band, 
 who was not a circumcised Jew, but a proselyte of the 
 gate, requested his presence at Cassarea. 
 
300 THE LIFE OF ST. PETER. 
 
 On the following day, Peter set out for Caesarea ; on 
 his arrival there, Cornelius fell at his feet, according 
 to the frequent practice of salutation in eastern coun- 
 tries; bui Peter raised him from the ground, saying, 
 the hono/ he intended him was due only to God. 
 
 Cornelius now informed Peter, that four days be- 
 fore, an angel from heaven had informed him, that his 
 prayers and alms had proved acceptable to the Al- 
 mighty ; and <:ommanded him at the same time to 
 send to Joppa for Simon Peter, uho resided at the 
 house of a tanner adjac^ent to the side of the sea, who 
 would fully instruct him in the mysteries of salva- 
 tion. 
 
 Peter was greatly astonished upon hearing this re- 
 lation, but upon comparing it with the vision which 
 he had lately seen, he concluded that God no longer 
 maintained an exclusive kindness for the Jewish race, 
 but on the contrary, meant, that people of all persua- 
 sions should be permitted to participate in the bene- 
 fits of the new covenant. 
 
 Peter now expounded the great mysteries of salva- 
 tion to the centurion, and a considerable number of 
 other persons, among whom were many Jewish con- 
 verts ; and uhile he was speaking, the Holy Ghost 
 descended upon those of his auditors whose hearts 
 had been before purified by faith. The descent of 
 the Spirit, enabled them to magnify the name of God 
 in various languages, to the great astonishment of 
 the Jewish con\erts ; who till now had maintained an 
 opinion, that God would never bestow the graces of 
 his Spirit upon the Gentiles. Observing the amaze- 
 ment of his auditors, Peter snid, he knew no reason 
 why those persons who had received the Holy Ghost, 
 should not be baptized ; for their former errors could 
 not reasonably be considered as ah objection, since 
 
THE LIFE OF ST. PETER. 301 
 
 they were now converted to the cause of truth and 
 righteousness ; and he accordingly gave orders for 
 their baptism. 
 
 The news of Peter having admitted Cornelius and 
 others to a baptism with water, whicii is only a typo 
 of the baptism of the Spirit, being conveyed to Je- 
 rusalem, upon the return of Peter to that city, the 
 apostles and other brethren severely censured him for 
 his eating with, and living upon terms of familiarity 
 and friendship with the Gentiles. Peter defended 
 himself against the accusations of his brethren, by 
 representing, that the Almighty had not confined the 
 grace of the gospel to the people of any particular 
 nation ; and that all descriptions of men, provided 
 that they regulated their lives by the rules of virtue 
 and religion, were entitled to be admitted into the 
 communion of the gospel. The arguments of St. Pe- 
 ter so entirely removed the scruples of his brethren, 
 that they applauded his conduct, and magnified the 
 name of God, for the extensive benevolence and mer- 
 cy he had displayed in affording the Heathens an op- 
 portunity of providing for their eternal salvation by 
 a sincere repentance, and an exact conformity to the 
 divine precepts of the gospel dispensation. 
 
 Having compleatcd his visitation to the newly es- 
 tablished churches, Peter returned to Jerusalem, 
 where, with unremitting industry, he continued to pro- 
 claim the blessed tidings of salvation. But he was 
 interrupted in his course of righteousness by the cruel 
 machinations of Herod Agrippa, who, with a view to 
 ingratiate the favor of the Jews, had put the apostle 
 James to death ; and finding this act of barbarity 
 highly acceptable to this obstinate people, he deter- 
 mined to render Peter an object of his savage barba- 
 rity ; and in pursuance of this wicked design, he 
 
302 THE LIFE OF ST. PETER. 
 
 caused that apostle to be apprehended, and cast into 
 prison. 
 
 The Christian disciples fervently supplicated the 
 Almighty for the deliverance of Peter ; nor were their 
 prayers disappointed. On the night preceding the 
 day appointed for the execution of St. Peter, an an- 
 gel of the Lord descended into the dungeon where he 
 was confined, and at that time sleeping between two 
 of the keepers of the prison. Having disengaged the 
 apostle from his fetters, the heavenly messenger awak- 
 ened him, commanding him to gird on his garments, 
 and follow him. Peter supposed this to be merely a 
 vision ; till having passed the first and second guard, 
 and also a strong iron gate, which opened to them by 
 a divine impulse, and walked the length of a street 
 into the city, he was so far recovered from his con- 
 sternation, as to be persuaded that the whole was a 
 matter of reality ; and he praised God for having res- 
 cued him from the power of Herod, and from the 
 vengeance which the Jews had meditated against 
 him. 
 
 Repairing to the house where a great number of 
 Christians had assembled to pray for his deliverance, 
 Peter knocked at the door, and the servant maid, hear- 
 ing his voice, returned to inform those within, that 
 the apostle was waiting. This information they con- 
 sidered as the mere effect of fancy : but as the woman 
 persisted in her assertion, they supposed that the voice 
 she had heard proceeded from the angel of Peter, or 
 some messenger sent by him from the courts of hea- 
 ven. But upon the door being opened, they were 
 convinced of their error : and Peter briefly related to 
 them, the manner in which he had been rescued from 
 the power of his oppressors ; and after requesting 
 that they would inform his brethren of his deliver- 
 ance, the apostle retired. 
 
THE LIFE OF ST. PETER. 303 
 
 Herod being informed on the following morning', 
 that the apostle had effected his escape, he was exas- 
 perated to the most extravagant degree of rage, and 
 commanded those who had been entrusted with the 
 care of the prisoner, to be put to instant death. 
 
 A short time after the miraculous deliverance of 
 St. Peter, a controversy occurred between the Jewish 
 and Gentile converts on the Mosaic institutions. The 
 Jews contended, that circumcision, and a strict ob- 
 servance of the precepts of the ceremonial law, as 
 well as those of the gospel, were essentially necessary 
 to salvation. In consequence of this dispute, a coun- 
 cil of the apostles and brethren was summoned to 
 meet in Jerusalem ; and in this assembly, Peter, af- 
 ter reminding his auditors that the Almighty had 
 been graciously pleased to appoint him the first 
 preacher of the gospel among the Gentiles, he said, 
 that by conferring upon them the Holy Spirit, God 
 had admitted those people into the communion of his 
 church ; and that therefore, to impose upon them an 
 adherence to the precepts of the ceremonial law, would 
 be to offer an offence to the Almighty, who had given 
 sufficient assurances, that both Gentiles and Jews 
 would obtain salvation through the grace of the gos- 
 pel. 
 
 Peter's address proved entirely satisfactory to his 
 brethren ; and it was unanimously resolved, that no 
 other injunction than the observance of some par- 
 ticular precepts, which were deemed equally salutary 
 and convenient both to the Jews and Gentiles, should 
 be imposed upon them. This decision was drawn up 
 in the form of a synodical epistle, and sent to the 
 churches established in various parts, for the purpose 
 of appeasing those contentions and animosities to 
 which the dispute had given rise. 
 
304 tHE LIFE OF ST. PETER. 
 
 Some time after the above decision, Peter quitted 
 Jerusalem, and repaired to Antioch, where, disre- 
 garding the distinction of meats prescribed by the 
 law, he eat and conversed with the Gentile prose- 
 lytes. This practice he continued till the arrival of 
 certain Jewish converts, who were still tenaciously 
 observant of the ceremonial law, from Jerusalem. — 
 Lest he should offend these people, he separated 
 himself from the Gentiles, refusing to eat, or hold 
 further communion with them. This example con- 
 firmed the Jews in- their superstitious observation 
 of the law, and perplexed the Gentiles with new 
 doubts. Hence were the ancient and inveterate pre- 
 judices between the Jews and the Gentiles revived; 
 and after the example of the apostles, the whole bo- 
 dy of the Jewish converts separated themselves from 
 the society of the Gentile Christians ; and even Bar- 
 nabas followed this example of dissimulation. 
 
 St. Paul being now at Antioch, he personally op- 
 posed the conduct of Peter, severely reproving him 
 for his gross prevarication and hypocrisy. He ex- 
 posed the inconsistency of St. Peter, saying, that he, 
 being himself a Jew, and consequently under a more 
 immediate obligation of observing the Mosaic law, 
 was highly deserving censure, since he had divested 
 himself of the yoke, and at the same time endeavor- 
 ed to impose it upon the Gentiles, who had never 
 been under the necessity of conforming to the cere- 
 monies of the Israelites, 
 
 Almost the whole of what we have hitherto related 
 concerning St. Peter, is founded on the authority of 
 scripture : but for further particulars of the life of 
 this apostle, we must have recourse to those writers 
 of ancient history, who arc most esteemed on account 
 of ther authenticity and candor. 
 
THE LIFE OF ST. PETER. 305 
 
 How long Peter continued at Antioch, and whe- 
 ther he went immediately after his departure from 
 thence, are matters of uncertainty. It is, however, 
 certain beyond dispute, that he was indefatigably as- 
 siduous in promoting the gospel of Christ : and we are 
 informed, that, exclusive of the strenuous and suc- 
 cessful measures he pursued for the establishment of 
 Christianity in the eastern quarters of the globe, he 
 preached in Africa, Sicily, Italy, and also in Bri- 
 tain ; where he is said to have resided a considera- 
 ble time, and to have obtained a great number of con- 
 verts by his preaching. 
 
 St. Peter visited Rome, where, we are informed, 
 he sojourned several years ; but the emperor Clau- 
 dius, taking advantage of some seditious practices 
 among the Jews, published an edict for their expul- 
 sion ; and Peter, with others, retired, and going to 
 Jerusalem, was present at the synod which we have 
 lately mentioned. 
 
 Towards the conclusion of the reign of Nero, Pe- 
 ter returned to Rome, where he found the minds of 
 the people violently prejudiced against the doctrines 
 of the gospel by the deceptions of Simon Magus, 
 who, as we have related, he had chastized for his 
 wicked practices in Samaria. Foreseeing that the 
 contrivances of this abominable impostor would has- 
 ten his death, Peter applied himself with redoubled 
 vigor to fortify the minds of his followers, and to 
 confirm them in a belief of the divine truths of the 
 gospel. For effecting this salutary purpose, he re- 
 solutely opposed the delusive machinations of the 
 great deceiver of mankind. In the last year of his 
 life, Peter seems to have written his tv/o epistles to 
 the dispersed Jews in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, 
 and Bythinia ; and in an appointed controversy with 
 Simon, he publicly exposed the magical impostures 
 
 VOL. II. 2. p 
 
306 THE LIFE OF ST. PETER. 
 
 of that monster of iniquity ; and afterwards, through 
 the divine assistance brought him to an ignominious, 
 miserable, and exemplary death. 
 
 News of the death of Simon being communicated 
 to the emperor, he determined to avenge himself both 
 for the loss of his favorite, and the endeavors used 
 by the apostle to '* turn mankind from darkness into 
 *' light, and from the power Satan unto God." He 
 accordingly issued an order for taking Peter into cus- 
 tody, together with his companion St. Paul. 
 
 St. Ambrose informs us, that the people perceiving 
 the danger to which St. Peter was exposed, they ad- 
 vised him to retire from Rome ; and that yielding, 
 though reluctantly, to their persuasions, he escaped 
 by night. But as he was passing the gate, he was 
 met by a figure resembling his beloved Master ; and 
 upon Peter asking whether he was going, he was an- 
 swered, *' To Rome, to be crucified a second time." 
 Peter understanding this as a reproof for his want of 
 resolution, returned into the city ; and presently af- 
 terwards he was apprehended, and, together with St. 
 Paul, committed to the Mamertine prison ; where they 
 remained eight or nine months, constantly employed 
 in preaching to their fellow-prisoners, aud to those 
 people who resorted to them, and in other religious 
 exercises. It is supposed that during this confinement, 
 and but a short time before his death, Peter wrote 
 his second epistle to the dispersed Jews. 
 
 Upon the return of Nero from Achaia, he resolved 
 to sacrifice the apostles to his cruelty and revenge. — 
 It was the pleasure of the Almighty, that St. Peter 
 should now be released from the afflictions incidental 
 to this sublunary life, and that his pious labors should 
 be rewarded with the blessings of immortality. Be- 
 ing condemned by the Romon emperor to suffer death, 
 
THE LIFE OF ST. PETER. 307 
 
 he was conducted to the summit of the Vctican Mount, 
 adjacent to the Tiber, there to surrender up his life 
 on the cross. 
 
 Upon his arrival at the place of execution, he re- 
 quested, that he might not suffer in the usual man- 
 ner, but with his head towards tiie earth ; saying, that 
 he was unworthy to die in the posture in which his 
 blessed Redeemer had suffered. This was comj)lied 
 with ; and he yielded up his soul, glorifying the name 
 of God. St, Peter and St Paul suffered martyrdom on 
 the same day, being, according to the calculations of 
 many learned chronologists, in the year of our Lord 
 LXV. 
 
 The body of St. Peter is said to have been em- 
 balmed, according to the Jewish custom, by a pres- 
 byter, named Marcellinus, and to have been buried in 
 the Vatican near the Triumphal Way. A small 
 church was soon afterwards erected on the spot where 
 the body was deposited. This building was destroy- 
 ed by Heliogabalus, and the remains of the apostle 
 were removed to the cemetary in the Appian Way. 
 In the time of Cornelius, the body was, by order of 
 that pope, conveyed back to the Vatican, where the 
 emperor Constantine erected, to the memory of this 
 apostle, a superb church, which bears his name, and 
 is considered as one of the most stupendous and mag. 
 nificent structures in the world. 
 
 That St. Peter was a married man is beyond dis- 
 pute ; for his wife's mother is mentioned in scripture. 
 A tradition is extant, mentioning, that long before 
 the death of the apostle, his wife suffered martyrdom ; 
 and that as she was proceeding to the place of execu- 
 tion, he exhorted her to rely on the mediation of the 
 blessed Jesus. He is said to have left one daughter, 
 named Petronilla ; but this is not ascertained to any 
 degree of certainty. 
 
( 308 ) 
 
 The life of St. PAUL. 
 
 T 
 
 HIS apostle was a descendant from the race of 
 Abraham, and a native of Tarsus, the metropolis of 
 Cilicia, a rich and populous Roman municipium, or 
 free corporation, situated about three hundred miles 
 from Jerusalem. He was of the tribe of Benjamin, and 
 born about two years before our blessed Saviour. St. 
 Paul was educated in Jerusalem, under the celebrated 
 rabbi Gamaliel. He was one of the most rigid and 
 zealous observers of the law of Moses ; and at an 
 early period of life, attached himself to the sect of 
 Pharisees. 
 
 With respect to his double capacity of being of 
 Jewish extraction, and born a Roman citizen, he had 
 two names, Saul and Paul ; the former being Hebrew, 
 and the other Latin. The descendants of Benjamin 
 were accustomed to give the name of Saul to their 
 children, from the time of the first king of Israel, who 
 was chosen out of that tribe ; and Paul was a name 
 common among the Romans. He was brought up to 
 the trade of tent making ; it being an invariable prac- 
 tice of the Jews, to cause their children to be in- 
 structed in some useful occupation, that, in case of a 
 change of circumstances, they might be able to earn 
 a livelihood. 
 
 Saul, being of an active and sanguine disposition, 
 became a dibiinguished advocate in favor of the law 
 of Mo^es, and the traditions of the elders. He was 
 impatit lit of all opposition to the doctrines and tenets 
 in which he had been educated, and a vehement blas- 
 phemer and ,'crsecutor of the Christians. But, in jus- 
 tification of the conduct of this apostle, in the early 
 
THE LIFE OF ST. PAUL. 309 
 
 part of his life, it must be observed, that he acted ac- 
 cording to the dictates of his conscience, whereby he 
 conceived hinriself to be bound to do " many things 
 *' contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth." Hence 
 then it appears, that the prejudices of his education, 
 and the natural warmth of his temper, co-operated to 
 incite him to those implacable persecutions of the 
 Christians, for which he was so celebrated. 
 
 Saul was one of those who engaged in the disputa- 
 tion with Stephen the martyr, concerning the Messi- 
 ah ; but how far he was accessary in procuring him 
 to be put to death by false accusation, is uncertain.-— 
 After this, he procured a commission from the San- 
 hedrim to extend his persecution to Damascus, and 
 to bring back in chains such Christians as had fled 
 thither for shelter. But on his way to Damascus to 
 execute the commission of the Jewish Sanhedrim, a 
 light, far more refulgent than the meridian brightness 
 of the sun, darted upon him. Saul, and the persons 
 who accompanied him, were thrown into the utmost 
 consternation, and they fell from their horses prostrate 
 on the earth. A voice in the Hebrew language was 
 now heard to say, *' Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou 
 " me f " Upon this Saul said, " Who an thou, Lord ?" 
 He was immediately answered, '* I am Jesus of Na- 
 " zareth whom thou persecutest : it is hard for thee 
 *' to kick against the pricks." These words implied, 
 that all his endeavors to exterpate that faith which 
 his disciples reposed in him would prove ineffectual, 
 and like kicking against the spikes, would serve only 
 to wound and torment himself. 
 
 Being novv perfectly convinced that Jesus was the 
 Messiah, Saul said, " Lord, what wilt thou have me 
 *' to do ?" Upon this the blessed Jesus informed him 
 of the reason of his appearance, saying, " Arise and 
 ** stand uponihy feet ; for I have appeared unto thee 
 
310 THE LIFE OF ST. PAUL. 
 
 *' for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a 
 *' witness, both of those things in which I will ap- 
 ** peal unto thee, deliveringithcc from the Gentiles ; 
 " unto whom now I send thee, to open their eyes, 
 ** and turn them from darkness to light, and from the 
 ** power of Satan to God ; that they may receive for- 
 *^ givness of sins, and inheritance among them that 
 " are sanctified by faith that is in me." Our blessed 
 Saviour commanded Saul to repair immediately to 
 the city, referring him for further instructions to one 
 of his followers named Ananias. 
 
 Upon arising, Saul found himself deprived of sight ; 
 and therefore his companions, who heard, but did not 
 understand the voice, led him to the city of Damas- 
 cus, where he entered the house of one Judas, there 
 he remained without sight for three days ; during 
 which space he neither eat nor drank, but employed 
 the whole time in beseeching the Almighty to pardon 
 the sins of his ignorance. 
 
 Our blessed Redeemer appeared to Ananias, and 
 commanded him to go to the house of Judas, and en- 
 quire for Saul of Tarsus, whom he had chosen to 
 preach the gospel both to the Jews and Gentiles ; 
 mentioning at the same time, the great sufferings he 
 would endure in the cause of religion. 
 
 In obedience to the command of his heavenly Mas- 
 ter, Ananias repaired to Saul, and laying his hands 
 upon him, said, that Jesus had sent him to restore 
 his sight ; and by an infusion of the Spirit to give 
 him a knowledge of those divine truths which he had 
 opposed ; adding that Jesus was now willing to re- 
 ceive him by baptism into his church, and to consti- 
 tute him a member of his body. Ananias had no 
 sooner concluded, than Saul recovered his sight. 
 
THE LIFE Ot ST. PAUL. 311 
 
 To the utter astonishment of the multitude, Saul 
 now publicly proclaimed the gospel of Christ, assert- 
 inf^ that " Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God;" 
 and demonstrating this great truth by such incontro- 
 vertible testimony, as would admit of no reply from 
 the enemies of the Christian doctrine. 
 
 Soon after the miraculous conversion of St. Paul, 
 he travelled into Arabia Petraea, where he received a 
 full revelation of the mysteries of Christianity. Hav- 
 ing preached in various parts of the country, he re- 
 turned to Damascus, where he converted a great num- 
 ber both of Jews and Gentiles. The great success 
 of the preaching of St. Paul so irritated the Jews, 
 that after he had remained in Damascus, and the 
 parts adjacent thereto, about two or three years, they 
 prevailed upon the governor to determine upon putting 
 him to death : but knowing that he had a vast num- 
 ber of friends in Damascus, his enemies foresaw, that 
 to apprehend him would be an undertaking of consi- 
 derable difficulty. They continually searched for him 
 in the houses where he was supposed to conceal him- 
 self, and obtained a body of soldiers from the gover- 
 nor to watch the gates, lest he should escape their fury. 
 Whilehewas thus circumstanced, his Christian friends 
 exerted their utmost endeavors for giving him an op- 
 portunity of privately retiring from the city : but find- 
 ing it impossible to effect an escape through either of 
 the gates, they lowered him in a basket from the win- 
 dow of one of their houses ; and by that means, he 
 ( luded the vigilcnce of the people employed to ap* 
 prehend him. 
 
 St. Paul now returned to Jerusalem, where the 
 Christians, however, avoided his society : but Bar- 
 nabas introduced him to Peter, and James, the bishop 
 of Jerusalem, informing them of his miraculous con- 
 
ol2 THE LIFE OF ST. PAUL. 
 
 version ; in consequence of which, they kindly en- 
 tertained him for the space of fifteen days. 
 
 Being warned by God in a vision, that his testimo- 
 ny would not be received at Jerusalem, and that is was 
 expedient he should depart, and preach the gospel to 
 the Gentiles, St. Paul returned to Tarsus, his native 
 city ; from whence he in a short time accompanied 
 Barnabas to Antioch, to assist in propagating Christi- 
 anity among the inhabitants of that city. 
 
 In this city, where St. Paul resided a whole year, 
 the disciples first acquired the appellati(m of Chris- 
 tians, being before distinguished by the name of Na- 
 zarenes. 
 
 About this period, a dreadful famine prevailed in 
 many parts of the Roman empire, and particularly in 
 Judea. In consequence of this calamity, Barnabas 
 and Saul were deputed to convey contributions from 
 the Christians of Antioch to their distressed brethren 
 in Jerusalem. Immediately after executing their com- 
 mission, they returned to Antioch, and while they 
 "Were there employed in the exercise of their religious 
 duty, it was revealed to them by the Holy Ghost, that 
 it was the pleasure of the Almighty, that they should 
 preach the gospel in distant parts. 
 
 They accordingly departed, and first visited Seleu- 
 cia, from whence they sailed for Cyprus ; and at Sa- 
 lamis, a considerable city in that island, they preach- 
 ed in the Jewish synagogue. From hence they pro- 
 ceeded to Paphos, the residence of Sergius Paulus, 
 the proconsul of the island ; a man who, though of 
 great wisdom and integrity, had yielded to the seduc- 
 tions of Bar- Jesus, a Jewish impostor, who stiled him- 
 self Elymas, or the magician. The apostles severely 
 rebuked Eiymas for his opposition to the truths of 
 
THE LIFE OF ST. PAUL. 313 
 
 the gospel, and informed him, that he would spec 
 dily be made a signal instance of the divine venge- 
 ance ; and of this he was no sooner informed, than 
 he was deprived of sight. This miracle, in conjunc- 
 tion with the preaching of the apostles, convinced the 
 proconsul of the truth of the gospel, to which he be- 
 came a convert. 
 
 St. Paul, accompanied by Titus, repaired to Phry- 
 gia in Pamphylia, and from thence to Antioch, the 
 metropolis of Pisidia, where Paul preached in the sy- 
 nagogue on two succeeding sabbaths. The impres- 
 sion which the discourses of Paul made upon the 
 minds of the people, so exasperated the Jews, that 
 they exclaimed against Jesus of Nazareth in a stile of 
 the most shocking blasphemy. But notwithstanding 
 their malicious and vehement opposition, the apostles 
 persevered in the discharge of their duty, and obtain- 
 ed a great number of converts. 
 
 By base and artful insinuations, a number of the 
 bigotted women were induced to attempt inflam- 
 ing their husbands against the apostles, who in con- 
 sequence of this stratagem, were driven out of the 
 city. Upon their departure, they shook the dust 
 from their feet, in testimony of their disapprobatioR 
 of the ingratitude and infidelity of their enemies. 
 
 From Antioch they proceeded to Iconium, the ca- 
 pital of Lyconia, in the Lesser Asia, where their 
 preaching was attended with great success. Though 
 they had made converts of a very considerable part 
 of the inhabitants of the city, others still entertained 
 the most implacable enmity towards them. The un- 
 believing Jews prevailed upon a number of the Gen- 
 tiles to join them in opposing the apostles, whom this 
 faction, at length, determined to stone to death. But 
 
 VOL. II. 2 (^ 
 
314 THE LIFE OF ST. PAUL. 
 
 being apprized of this cruel design, they privately 
 departed. 
 
 Proceeding to Lystra, they preached the gospel in 
 different places of public worship ; and amidst a nu- 
 merous congregation, St. Paul, beholding a man who 
 had been born a cripple, said to him aloud, '* Stand 
 *' upright on thy feet :" and these words were no 
 sooner pronounced, than he rose and walked. This 
 miracle raised the admiration of the spectators, who 
 being educated in the superstitious customs of the 
 Heathen worship, cried out, *' The gods are come 
 "down to us in the likeness of men." The fame of 
 this wonderful cure, was soon spread throughout the 
 city ; and the inhabitants assembled, and being pre- 
 ceded by the priest of Jupiter, and several oxen de- 
 corated with garlands, repaired to the house where 
 the apostles resided, in order to offer up sacrifices 
 to them, and otherwise honor them as divinities. 
 
 Paul and Barnabas were no sooner informed of their 
 intention, than being greatly affected on account of 
 the superstitious notions of the people, they rent their 
 garments in testimony of their abhorrence of the ido- 
 latrous principles of the multitude. Addressing them- 
 selves to the people, they said, that the miracle was 
 performed in the name of Christ, and that they them- 
 selves being no more than men, were consequently 
 unworthy divine honors ; but they exhorted them to 
 pay their adorations to that Almighty Being, to whose 
 bounty alone they were indebted for all the blessings 
 they enjoyed. 
 
 By the arguments of the apostles, the multitude 
 were, though with difficulty, persuaded to decline 
 their intended idolatrous sacrifice. The apostles con- 
 tinued to proclaim the happy tidings of salvation, 
 through repentance, and faith in our blessed Lord and 
 
THE LIFE OF ST. PAUL. 315 
 
 Saviour Jesus Chirst : but they were still harrassed 
 by the malicious and bigotted Israelites, some of 
 whom coming from Antioch and Iconium to Lystra, 
 instilled such vile prejudices into the minds of the 
 people, that they cast stones at, and in other respects 
 treated the apostles with the most savage barbarity. 
 St. Paul nearly fell a sacrifice to this severity ; for he 
 was deprived of all sensation, and dragged out of the 
 city under the supposition that he was dead. While 
 the Christians of Lystra were lamenting over him, 
 and probably preparing to convey him to a place of 
 interment, he arose, and returned with them into the 
 city. On the following day, Paul and Barnabas de- 
 parted to Derbe, and gained many converts to the 
 gospel of Christ. 
 
 In a short time they re-visited Lystra, Iconium, and 
 Antioch of Pisidia, where, after confirming the faith 
 of the people they had converted to Christianity, they 
 appointed elders and pastors to yield them further in- 
 structions as to their religious duties. 
 
 Passing through Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia ; 
 and after preaching at Perga, they proceeded to Atta- 
 lia. Having compleatcd the circuit of their ministry, 
 they returned to Antioch in Syria, from whence they 
 had at first departed. 
 
 The famous controversy now occurred, with res- 
 pect to the observation of the Jewish ceremonies in 
 the Christian dispensation. Paul and Barnabas went 
 to consult with the apostles and other brethren at Je- 
 rusalem, as to the most expedient measures for ter- 
 minating their controversy. They addressed them- 
 selves to Peter, James and John, who perceiving that 
 the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed to 
 Paul, and that of the circumcision to Peter, it was 
 resolved, that the former should preach to the Gen- 
 
316 THE LIFE OF ST. PAUL. 
 
 tiles, and the latter to the Jews. A council being 
 summoned, a resolution unanimously passed, that 
 the Gentiles were not under the obligation of the law 
 of Moses, and therefore that some persons of their 
 own church should be joined with Paul and Barnabas 
 to carry the decrees of the council to Antioch. 
 
 St. Paul and his companions returned to Antioch, 
 whether Peter also repaired in a short time after. — 
 The decretal epistle being read in the church, the 
 converts familiarly associated with the Gentiles : but 
 upon the arrival of some of the Jews from Jerusalem, 
 St. Peter separated himself from the Gentiles, refus- 
 ing to hold any communication with them. Upon 
 this occasion, St. Paul severely rebuked him for the 
 practice of hypocrisy. 
 
 Paul, accompanied by Silas, visited the churches of 
 Syria and Cilicia, and from thence proceeded to Crete, 
 where Paul constituted Titus to be the first bishop 
 and pastor of the island. Hence Paul and Silas, by 
 the way of Cilicia, came to Lystra, where they found 
 Timothy, whom Paul designed for the companion of 
 his future travels. But knowing that his being un- 
 circumcised, would occasion the Jews to object to 
 his gospel, he caused him to submit to that institu- 
 tion. St. Paul and his companions now passed 
 through Phiygia into the country of Galatia, where 
 they were held in high veneration, being esteemed 
 the immediate messengers of heaven. By a revela- 
 tion, St. Paul was prohibited from preaching in Asia, 
 and by a second vision, he was commanded to repair 
 to Macedonia. 
 
 Being joined by St. Luke, who from this time be- 
 came his inseparable companion, St. Paul and his 
 associates passed from Asia into Europe. They sail- 
 ed to the island of Samothracia, in the ^gean Sea, 
 
THE LIFE OF ST. PAUL. 317 
 
 and the following day arrived at Neapolis, a part of 
 Macedonia. From Neapolis they proceeded to Phi- 
 lippi, the capital of that part of Macedonia, and a 
 Roman colony, where they continued some days. 
 
 While they remained in these parts, Paul preach- 
 ed in the proseucha, or oratory of the Jews, which 
 was situated by the side of the river and at some dis- 
 tance from the city. By the influence of the Holy 
 Spirit, St. Paul obtained a great number of converts, 
 among whom was a woman named Lydia, a Jewish 
 proselyte, and a native of Thyatira. This woman 
 and her whole family being baptized, she became ex- 
 ceedingly importunate that Paul and his companions 
 should reside at her house ; and they were prevail- 
 ed upon to accept her invitation. 
 
 While the apostles remained in this city, they daily 
 resorted to the oratory, for the purpose of employing 
 themselves in religious exercises. After some days 
 had elapsed, as they were passing to the usual place 
 of devotion, they were met by a young woman, who, 
 by the influence of an evil spirit, possessed a prophe- 
 tic spirit of divination. This woman followed Paul 
 and his companions, exclaiming, *' These men are the 
 ** servants of the most High God, which shew unto 
 " us the way of salvation.'' In this manner she be- 
 haved on several successive days ; and at length Paul, 
 in the name of Jesus, commanded the spirit to de- 
 part from her ; and the demon immediately obeyed. 
 
 Her masters had been accustomed to derive consi- 
 derable emoluments from her predictions ; and there- 
 fore they were highly exasperated against the apostles, 
 for having deprived them of a power which had proved 
 so profitable to them. By the instigation of these 
 men, die multitude were inflamed against Paul and 
 his companions, whom they seized, and conducted 
 
318 THE LIFE OF ST. PAUL. 
 
 before the magistrates of the colony, accusing them of 
 baring iatrodujtd innovations, in which they, being 
 HomanNj couia not luwiuily acquiesce. 
 
 Desi- .^us of preserving ii:e :i..nv-|uillity of the state, 
 the m. gistai^s resolved to punish Paul and his compa- 
 nions, whom the rauhiuide had accused of seditious 
 practices; and thcitfore they ordered them to be 
 stripped, and severely scourged. 
 
 This v.i^c.j'iine was infiicted upon the aposdes, who 
 were afterwards committed to prison, the Keeper being 
 orde.-cd to guard them with uncommon vigilance : 
 and he accordingly put them into the inner prison, 
 aAd confined their feet in the stocks. Notwithstand- 
 ing their disagreeable situation, their minds vv*. re per- 
 fectly serene ; and at midnight they sung the praises 
 of, and prayed to the Almighty in so audible a voice, 
 thai they were heard in every part of the prison. Their 
 prayers to the throne of gruce were not in vain; for 
 the very foundations of the prison were shook by an 
 earthquake ; the prisoners were released from their 
 chains, and the gates opened. The gaoler being rouz- 
 ed from his sleep, concluded that all his prisoners 
 had escap>ed, and being driven by this apprehension 
 to a state of desperation, he attempted to put a period 
 to his life. Observing his intention, Paul cried out, 
 ** Do thyself no harm, for we are all here.'' The 
 gaoler now imagined that the iaie convulsion of na- 
 ture had been wrought by the Almighty for the sake 
 of the apostles, and calling for a light he hastened 
 into their presence, and prostrated himself ut iheir 
 feet. He then conducted them to his house, bathed 
 their stripes, and supplicated them to instruct him in 
 the knowledge of that God, through whose unbound- 
 ed goodness mankind might secure their eternal sal- 
 vation. St. Paul replied, that if he sincerely believed 
 in Jesus Christ, he might be saved with his whole 
 
THE LIFE OF ST. PAUL. 319 
 
 house. Accordingly the gaoler, and all the psrsons 
 of his family, received baptism, and were iiclmiltcd 
 members of the church of Chribl. 
 
 Early in the morning-, the magistrates, either hav- 
 ing heard of the extraordinary events which had hap- 
 pened, or reflecting that the severity of their proceed- 
 ings was wholly unjustifiable, dispatched an ofilcer to 
 the prison, with ordtrs for restoring the aplastics to 
 freedom. This message was joyfully received by the 
 gaoler, who bid his prisoners, '* depart in peace." 
 But that the magistrates might be made sensible of 
 the injustice of which they hatl been guilty in punish- 
 ing him and his companions without either trial or 
 examination, St. Paul sent ihem a message, purport- 
 ing, that as they had proceeded to so unwarrantable 
 an extremity as to scourge and imprison subjects to 
 the Roman empire, in open violation of the law, it 
 ■was expected that they would themselves repair to the 
 prison, and make some compensation for the illega- 
 lity of their proceedings. The Roman laws permit- 
 ted no freeman to be punished without a formal trial, 
 nor till sentence of condemnatian had been pronounc- 
 ed against him ; and therefore the magistrates were 
 terrified, lest they should be called to a severe account 
 for their delinquency. Induced by this consideration, 
 they repaired to the prison, and in the most submis- 
 sive and earnest manner, entreated the apostles to 
 depart, lest the public tranquillity should be inter- 
 rupted. 
 
 However inadequate to the cruel treatment they had 
 experienced, the submission of the magistrates was 
 accepted by the meek disciples of the blessed Jesus ; 
 who departing from the prison, went to the house of 
 Lydia, where ihcy were joyfully congratulated by their 
 brethren, on occasion of their deliverance. 
 
320 THE LIFE OF ST. PAUL. 
 
 Having thus, as appears from the epistle of St. Paul 
 to the Philippians, established a very considerable 
 church, the apostles quitted Philippi, and pursued 
 their journey towards the west. Upon their arrival 
 at Thessalonica, the metropolis of Macedonia, situ- 
 ated about one hundred and twenty miles from Philip- 
 pi, they entered the Jewish synagogue, where St. 
 Paul preached to the people. While the apostles re- 
 mained in Thessalonica, they resided in the house of 
 a Christian named Jason, who entertained them in a 
 most courteous and friendly manner. But the Jews 
 still persevered in their obstinate incredulity, refusing 
 to acknowledge Christ as the Messiah, and persecut- 
 ing his disciples with unrelenting fury. 
 
 A number of Jews assembled before the house of 
 Jason, with a design of surrendering Paul into the 
 power of the enraged multitude : but in this they 
 were disappointed ; for being apprized of the intention 
 of the banditti, Paul and Silas removed to another 
 part of the city. This disappointment served more 
 violently to exasperate the rage of the populace, who 
 now determined to wreak vengeance upon Jason, for 
 having afforded an asylum to the apostles of our bles- 
 sed Saviour. Seizing Jason and several of his Chris- 
 tian brethren, they conducted them before the magis- 
 trates, alledging, that they had been guilty of sedi- 
 tious practices, in setting up Jesus as a king, in con- 
 tempt of the dignity and power of the emperor of 
 Rome. Jason was only accused of harboring those 
 who had endeavored to introduce innovations in the 
 government : but the magistrates could not be pre- 
 vailed upon to release him and his companions till they 
 had given security for their appearance, in case of 
 being called upon to answer the charges exhibited 
 against them. 
 
 The tumult being appeased, Paul and Silas, being 
 
THE LIFE OF ST. PAUL. 
 
 321 
 
 favored in their escape by a considerable number of 
 Tlicssalonians, retired by night to Berea, a city at 
 about fifty miles distance towards the south. Here 
 Paul preached in the synag-ogue, particularly addres- 
 sing himself to his countrymen, to effect whose con- 
 version he was exceedingly anxious. He frequently 
 adverted to the scriptures of the Old Testament, de- 
 ducing therefrom the most incontrovertible testimo- 
 nies in support of the truths of the doctrines he had 
 advanced. The inhabitants of Berea were not so ob- 
 stinately perverse as the people of Thessalonica, for 
 they attended to the doctrines of St. Paul with serious 
 respect and unfeigned reverence. He obtained a great 
 number both of Jewish and Gentile converts, among 
 whom were several women distinguished for their ex- 
 tensive possessions, and elevated rank in life. 
 
 News of this extraordinary success of the gospel 
 beins: transmitted to Thessalonica, the Jews of that 
 city were highly incensed against the apostles, and 
 repairing to Berea, by a variety of stratagems they 
 exasperated the populace against them. In conse- 
 quence hereof, Paul was under the necessity of pri- 
 vately departing : but Silas and Timothy, being less 
 popular, and consequently less envied, still remained 
 in the city. 
 
 Paul having retired from Berea, a report was cir- 
 culated, that he meant to depart from Greece by sea ; 
 it being supposed, that this would tend to appease 
 that violent spirit of persecution, which the Jews had 
 maliciously exerted against him. By the order of 
 the apostle, the guides who attended him, conducted 
 him to Athens, and returned, after being ordered to 
 direct Silas and Timothy to repair to Athens with all 
 possible expedition. 
 
 Taking an accurate survey of the city of Athens, 
 
 VOL. II. 2 R 
 
322 THE LIFE OF ST. PAUL. 
 
 St. Paul was greatly afflicted to find, that it contained 
 vast numbers of temples dedicated to the worship of 
 different idols. St. Paul exerted his utmost efforts 
 for effecting the conversion of these misguided peo- 
 ple, to whom his doctrine was equally new and extra- 
 ordinary. The Athenians did not persecute him as 
 the Jews had done ; but the Epicurean and Stoic phi- 
 losophers, considered the gospel of our blessed Savi- 
 our as a fiibulous invention, while others supposed 
 Jesus to be some newly discovered deity, whose image 
 the apostle wished to be erected in tlieir temples. 
 
 The people were unwilling to receive any new ob- 
 jects of worship : but the Araeopagus or supreme 
 council of the city being invested with power to de- 
 cide with respect to all objects of public adoration, he 
 was summoned to appear before these judges, and to 
 explain to them the nature of the worship he was so 
 desirous to establish. Being conducted into the pre- 
 sence of this assembly, in an elegant address he ex- 
 plained to them the principles on which his gospel 
 was founded. In the course of his harangue he men- 
 tioned the resurrection, v\ hich was ridiculed by some 
 of his auditors : but others, though not perfectly sa- 
 tisfied by the proofs he had advanced in favor of the 
 Christian system, attended to his arguments with can- 
 dor, and were deeply impressed by the strength of his 
 reasoning and the elegance of his diction. He was at 
 length dismissed by the coiuicil, who said they would 
 give him a second audience on the same subject -— 
 St. Paul's discourse on the above occasion was not 
 wholly without success, for some few of his auditors 
 were converted to a belief in his gospel ; and among 
 them were Dionysius, one of the judges of the court, 
 and Damaris, supposed to be his wife. It is gene- 
 rally believed, that this Dionysius was afterwards con- 
 stituted first bishop of Athens by St. Paul. 
 
THE LIFE OF ST. PAUL. 323 
 
 During the residence of St. Paul in the city of 
 Athens, Timothy, in obedience to the instructions he 
 had received, hastened to join him ; and upon his ar- 
 rival, he informed St. Paul, that from the time of 
 his departure, the Christians of Thessalonica had 
 been cruelly persecuted by their fellow-citizens. This 
 intelligence gave much concern to St. Paul, who at 
 first resolved to visit his brethren in person, in order 
 to> administer comfort to them, and confirm them in 
 the faith they had embraced. But declining this in- 
 tention, he dispatched Timothy to f(jrtify their minds 
 against being discouraged by those persecutions, 
 to which he had informed them the professors of the 
 Christian gospel would be continually exposed. 
 
 Soon after the departure of Timothy, St. Paul pro- 
 ceeded from Athens to the city of Corinth, where he 
 found Aquila and Priscilla his wife, who had been 
 banished from Rome by the decree of Claudius. We 
 have already observed, that St. Paul was brought up 
 to tent-making, at which trade he now worked, in 
 conjunction with Aquila, that he might not be bur- 
 thensome to the new converts. 
 
 St. Paul having resided some time in Corinth, he 
 was joined by Silas and Timothy, and continued to 
 preach the gospel with great fervency of devotion. 
 His pious exhortations, provoked the obstinate Jews 
 to treat the name of the holy Jesus with blaspliemous 
 indignity; and therefore the apostle told them, that 
 since they were determined to render themselves the 
 objects of the divine vengeance, he would no lon- 
 ger consider ihem as worthy his labors, but would 
 henceforth address himself to the Gentiles. Repair- 
 ing to the house of Justus, a religious proselyte, he 
 there by his preaching, and miracles, made a great 
 number of converts ; and among these v/ere Crispus 
 the chief ruler of the synagogue, together with Gains 
 
324 THE LIFE OF ST. PAUL 
 
 and Stephanas, all of v>'hom with their families were 
 baptized, and admitted into the communion of the 
 Christian faith. 
 
 Lest the ingratitude and cruelty of the Jews should 
 discourage this able minister from prosecuting the 
 glorious work of proclaiming the ways of salvation, 
 our blessed Saviour appeared to him in a vision, 
 informing him, that notwithstanding the little success 
 which had hitherto attended his })reaching, a great 
 number of converts were to be gained in the place 
 where he then resided ; and therefore our Lord ad- 
 monished him not to dread the power of his enemies, 
 but to proceed with confidence and security in the 
 discharge of the duties of his sacred function ; assur- 
 ing him, that he should constantly be an object of the 
 divine care and protection. About this period, the 
 apostle appears to have written his first epistle to the 
 Thessalonians ; and before he quitted Corinth, he 
 wrote his second epistle to the same people. 
 
 Upon leaving the city of Corinth, the apostle em- 
 barked at the port of Cenchrea, and directed his course 
 for Syria, being accompanied by Aquila and Priscil- 
 la. Upon his arrival at Ephesus, he preached in the 
 synagogue of the Jews, whom he informed, that he 
 was going to Jerusalem ; adding, that he would re- 
 turn to them after the celebration of the passover. — 
 He sailed to Cassarea, and from thence proceeded to 
 Jerusalem, whence, having, kept the passover, and en- 
 couraged his Christian brethren to persevere in an 
 observance of the duties prescribed in the gospel, he 
 repaired to Antioch. Passing through the countries 
 of Galatia and Phrygia, he confirmed the faith of the 
 newly-converted Christians, and returned to Ephe- 
 sus ; to which city he was accompanied by Gains of 
 Derbe, Aristarchus a native of Thessalonica, Timo- 
 theus and Erastus of Corinth, and Titus. 
 
THE LIFE OF ST. PAUI,. 325 
 
 Immediately after his arrival, he enquired of cer- 
 tain of his disciples, " Whether they had received 
 *' the Holy Ghost ?" and upon learning that they had 
 received baptism only according to the institution of 
 St. John, he caused them to be baptized in the name 
 of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost : 
 and after the apostle had prayed, and laid his hands 
 upon them, they received the gift of tongues, and 
 other miraculous powers. 
 
 After this he continued to frequent the Jewish sy- 
 nagogues, exerting his most earnest endeavors to 
 convince the multitude of the great truths of the 
 Christian religion : but his doctrine being vehement- 
 ly opposed by the enemies of our blessed Redeemer, 
 he declined visiting those public buildings dedicated 
 to divine worship, but delivered his instructions in 
 the school of a public preceptor named Tyrannus. 
 
 Thus did he continue to preach the gospel for two 
 years, during which space he made a great number of 
 of converts. But, that the truth of the divinity of his 
 commission might be confirmed by the most ample 
 and indisputable testimony, the Almighty was pleas- 
 ed to confirm the gospel preached by St. Paul, by 
 miraculous operations of a peculiar and extraordinary 
 nature. He restored to health all afflicted persons, 
 who besought him to relieve their sufferings ; and if 
 handkerchiefs or napkins were only touched by him, 
 and applied to the sick, their diseases, whatever their 
 degree of malignancy, were immediately removed. 
 
 About this time St. Paul wrote his epistle to the 
 Galatians, among whom he learnt several corrupt 
 opmionshad been propagated, by persons who treat- 
 ed his person with contempt ; and to destroy the au- 
 thority of his gospel, slighted him as an apostle ; urg- 
 ing, that his inferiority would be extremely manifest 
 
326 THE LIFE OF ST. PAUL. 
 
 Upon comparing him with Peter, James and John, 
 who had familiarly conversed with Christ during his 
 residence upon earth. In this epistle, therefore, he 
 vindicates the honor of the apostleship ; asserting, 
 that he received his commission immediately from 
 Christ, and that he was in no respect inferior to any 
 of the apostles. He refutes those Judaical opinions 
 which had infected the people, and concludes with 
 instructing them in the necessary rules of a righteous 
 life. 
 
 In the city of Ephesus was a magnificent, rich, and 
 beautiful temple, dedicated to Diana, whose image 
 stood in the building. This figure was the object 
 of public idolatry ; and the priests had persuaded the 
 people, that it was the work of the hands of Jupiter 
 himself. Hence it was held in high veneration, not 
 only in Ephesus, but throughout Asia. The people 
 were accustomed constantly to carry small silver ima- 
 ges of the temple in their pockets, as incentives to 
 their superstitious zeal. Thus the manufacturers of 
 silver, the principal of whom was named Demetrius, 
 procured much employment. Perceiving that the 
 introduction of Christianity would, by abolishing 
 idolatrous practices, prove exceedingly injurious to a 
 lucrative employment, Demetrius summoned a meet- 
 ing of the artists, whose business it was to make 
 images of the temple, and represented to them, that 
 if Paul was permitted to pursue his endeavors for 
 bringing the temple into disrepute, they must be re- 
 duced to a state of poverty, in consequence of the ruili 
 of their business. This address greatly inflamed the 
 minds of the people, whom Demetrius had summon- 
 ed to assemble ; and vehemently exclaiming, " Great 
 <' is Diana of the Ephesians," they resolved to effect 
 the destruction of St. Paul. 
 
 Upon the celebration of public games, it was usual 
 
THE LIFE OF ST. PAUL. 327 
 
 for slaves to be exposed to the fury of savage beasts 
 for the diversion of the public The party formed 
 by Demetrius, endeavored to seize Paul, in order to 
 convey him to the theatre, and there expose him to 
 the wild beasts. But being disappointed in this de- 
 si j^n, they hurried Gains and Aristarchus, who were 
 followers of Paul and natives of Macedonia, to the 
 theatre, intending that they should be torn in pieces 
 and devoured by the beasts. 
 
 Though Paul was exceedingly desirous of appear- 
 ingpublicly in the theatre in defence of his friends, he 
 was, though with great difficulty, dissuaded from 
 adopting a measure, which could not fail of exposing 
 him to the most imminent danger. 
 
 Gains and Aristarchus being brought into the the- 
 atre, an amazing tumult ensued ; and during the con- 
 fusion, a Jew, named Alexander, was seized by the 
 multitude, and expecting to fall a victim to popular 
 rage, he prepared to make a defence. The multitude^ 
 perceiving that he was a Jew, and suspecting that he 
 was one of Paul's associates, the tumult was increas- 
 ed to the most extravagant degree, nothing being 
 heard for tlie space of two hours, but the exclama- 
 tion of *' Great is Diana of Ephesus." In conse- 
 quence of this confusion, the officer who kept the re- 
 gister of the games, addressed himself to the multi- 
 tude, censuring their intemperate conduct, and ap- 
 prizing them, that they had rendered themselves ob- 
 noxious to the effects of the displeasure of the magis- 
 tracy. This discourse appeased the tumult, and Gai- 
 ns, Aristarchus, and Alexander being restored to li- 
 berty, the people returned to their respective habita- 
 tions. 
 
 St. Paul says, *' he fought with beasts at Ephe- 
 sus." This expression alludes to the design of the 
 
328 THE LIFE OF ST. PAUL. 
 
 enraged muliitude, of exposing him to the fury of the 
 wild beasts in the theatre ; or to the manners of the 
 people, who sufficiently merited to be represented as 
 monsters of barbarity. 
 
 The Corinthian church being distracted by a vari- 
 ety of schisms and factions, St. Paul wrote his first 
 epistle to the Corinthians, with a view of restoring 
 tranquillity, and correcting those gross corruptions 
 which prevailed among the Christians. A short time 
 afterwards, Apollos and Zenos having resolved to re- 
 pair to Crete, St. Paul sent by them his epistle to Ti- 
 tus, whom he had constituted bishop of that island. 
 In this epistle, he fully instructs Titus in the several 
 duties of his holy office. 
 
 After residing almost three years in the city of 
 Ephesus, and founding a considerable church there, 
 of which he had ordained Timothy the first bishop, 
 St. Paul directed his course about two hundred miles 
 to the northward, expecting to meet Timothy at Tro- 
 as ; but being disappointed, he took shipping, and 
 pursued his journey to Macedonia, where he preached 
 the gospel in divers parts, travelling as far as Illyri- 
 cum, now called Sclavonia. 
 
 During this journey, St. Paul encountered many 
 dangers and difficulties ; but amidst his difficulties, 
 the arrival of Titus affi^rded a very seasonable relief 
 to his harrassed and almost exhausted spirits. This 
 worthy bishop brought with him large contributions 
 from the Corinthian church ; and from the example 
 of these liberal Christians, St. Paul excited the Ma- 
 cedonians to an imitation of their benevolence ; his 
 design being to render their bounty subservient to 
 the relief of the distressed Christians at Jerusalem. 
 
 While Titus remained in Macedonia, St. Paul 
 
THE LIFE OF S 1\ PAUL. 329 
 
 wrote his second epistle to the Corinthians, and sent 
 it to them by Titus and Luke : and about the same 
 time, he wrote his first epistle to Timothy, whom he 
 had left at Ephesus. Bft'ore Paul's departure from 
 Greece, he visited Corinth, where he wrote his cele- 
 brated epistle to the Romans, which he sent to those 
 people by Phoebe, archdcaconess of the church of 
 Cenchrea. 
 
 St. Paul now determined to repair to Jerusalem, in 
 order to distribute the contributions among the 
 Christian brethren inhabiting that capital. Having 
 commenced his journey, he received intelligence, 
 that the Jews had resolved not only to rob him, but 
 also to put him to death ; and in consequence of this, 
 he hastened back into Macedonia, and arriving at Phi- 
 lippi, proceeded from thence to Troas, where he re- 
 mained seven days. On the sabbath, he preached 
 to the inhabitants of Troas, and continued his dis- 
 course till midnight, proposing to depart early in the 
 morning. Towards the conclusion of this discourse, 
 several of his auditors were overtaken by sleep; and 
 among these, was a young man named Eutychus, who 
 fcli from the third story, and was taken up entirely 
 (lead : but the apostle addressed himself to heaven in 
 behalf of the deceased, who was restored to life, to 
 the infinite astonishment of the multitude. 
 
 From Troas he travelled on foot to Assos, whither 
 he had before sent his companions by sea. Hence 
 they sailed to Mitylene, a city in the isle of Lesbos. 
 The next day they sailed to Chios, and on that fol- 
 lowing, disembarked at Trogyllium, a promontory of 
 Ionia, near Samos. Arriving at Miletos on the fol- 
 lowing day, Paul sent to Ephesus, to summon the 
 ciders of the church to attend him. He reminded 
 them of the fidelity with which he had discharged 
 the duties of his miinistry, exhorting them steadily 
 
 VOL, II. 2 s 
 
330 THE LIFE OF ST. PAUL. 
 
 to maintain their faith in the blessed and immaculate 
 Jesus, who had yielded up his life as a propitiatory 
 sacrifice for the sins of mankind. He informed them, 
 that he was going to Jerusalem, where he was igno- 
 rant of what would befal him, excepting the events 
 predicted by those who were endued with the pro- 
 phetical gifts of the Holy Ghost. He said, he was 
 conscious that he should sustain imprisonment and 
 other afflictions ; but on the score of his sufterings, he 
 felt no uneasiness, being willing to yield up his life, 
 rather than in any respect violate the obedience which 
 wasduetohis great Lord and Master. Having con- 
 cluded a pious and pathetic discourse, St. Paul fervent- 
 ly addressed himself in prayer to heaven, in which he 
 was joined by the whole multitude, who accompanied 
 him to his vessel ; expressing the most poignant sor- 
 row, in consequence of his having informed them 
 that they would '' see his face no more." 
 
 From Miletos they proceeded to Coos, and from 
 thence to Rhodes. From the latter island they sailed 
 to Patara, the metropolis of Lycia, where they em- 
 barked on board a ship bound for Phcenicia. He re- 
 mained a week in Phoenicia, where some of the 
 Christian brethren endeavored to dissuade him from 
 going to Jerusalem : but no consideration of personal 
 saiecy, could induce the apostle to decline his resolu- 
 tion of exerting his utmost efforts for the propagation 
 of the gospel. Finding all their persuasions ineffec- 
 tual, they accompanied Paul to the sea-side, where he 
 kneeled and prayed with them ; and after affection- 
 ately embracing them, he embarked and sailed to 
 Ptolemais, from whence he the next day proceeded to 
 Caesarea. 
 
 Agabus a Christian prophet, came at this time to 
 Caesarea ; and taking Paul's ji:irdle, this man bound 
 his own hands and feet with it ; by this symbol signify- 
 
THE LIFE OF ST. PAUL. 331 
 
 ing, that the Jews would bind Paul, and surrender 
 him into the power of the Gentiles. Upon this his 
 own companions joined the Christians of Ciesarea, 
 earnestly bescechinj^, that he would not go to Jerusa- 
 lem : but finding his resolution to be immoveable, 
 they declined further importunity. Paul and his com- 
 panions proceeded to Jerusalem, where they experi- 
 enced a kmd and friendly reception from their Chris- 
 tian brethren. 
 
 On the day after their arrival, they went to the house 
 of St. James the apostle, where the bishops and go- 
 vernors of the church had assembled. He informed 
 the meeting, of the contributions he had received for 
 the relief of the distressed Christian brethren ; and 
 particularized the success, with which the Almighty 
 l)ad been graciously pleased to bless his endeavors for 
 propagating the gospel ; and hereupon they joined in 
 thanksgiving to God. They observed to the apos- 
 tle, that there were many thousands of Jewish con- 
 verts in the city, who were zealously attached to the 
 law of Moses ; and that these people, being informed 
 that he had instructed his Jewish converts to renounce 
 circumcision, and the ceremonies of the law, would 
 upon receiving intelligence of his arrival, immediate- 
 ly assemble to become witnesses of his conduct, ac- 
 cording to which they would regulate their future 
 proceedings. Therefore they advised him, as the 
 most probable means of preventing a popular tumult, 
 to join himself with four persons, who were at that 
 time to accomplish a vow, and conform to the cere- 
 monies required by the law. Convinced of the ex- 
 pediency of adopting this advice, St. Paul and the 
 four other men, having purified themselves, repaired 
 to the temple ; signifying to the priest, that the time 
 of a certain vow which they had made being accom- 
 plished, they were come to make such offerings as 
 were required by the obligation of the law. 
 
332 THE LIFE OF ST. PAUL. 
 
 When Paul had been seven days in Jerusalem, 
 wholly employed in distributing alms, and in making 
 the sacrilices enjoined by the law, when certain Jews, 
 who had violently opposed his doctrine in Asia, be- 
 ing come to Jerusalem to -jeiebrate the feast of Pen- 
 tecost, fomented a tumult against him, accusing him 
 of having advanced doctrines destructive of the in- 
 stitutions of the Jewish law. 
 
 Hereupon a violent outrage ensued, and the enrag- 
 ed multitude, forcing the apostle out of the temple, 
 beat him, and in other respects behaved towards him 
 >vith shocking barbarity. These violent proceedings 
 threatened an insurrection ; and therefore Claudius 
 Lysias, the Roman tribune, who had the command of 
 the garrison in the castle Antonio, led forth the sol- 
 diers and tribunes to suppress the riot. The presence 
 of Lysias awed the multitude, who now discontinu- 
 ed their cruelty to Paul ; and the captain caused him 
 to be put into chains, demanding what was the nature 
 of his oftence : but no particular charge being alledg- 
 ed against him, he was ordered to be taken into the 
 castle. In the v/ay, he requested permission to ad- 
 dress himself to the captain ; who hearing him speak 
 Greek, asked if he was not the Egyptian who had 
 some time before excited an insurrection in the city. 
 Upon this he assured him, that he was a native of 
 Tarsus, and had been educated in the Jewish religion ;. 
 adding that from a mistaken zeal, he had violently 
 persecuted the Christians ; and particularizing the 
 several circumstances of his miraculous conversion, 
 and of his subsequent trance, during which, he was in- 
 structed to depart from Jerusalem, and preach the 
 gospel in other parts. 
 
 Upon hearing Paul mention that he had received a 
 commission to preach tlic gospel, the fury of the po- 
 
THE LIFE OF ST. PAUL. 333 
 
 pulace became wholly ungovernable, and they united 
 in insisting that he should be instantly put to death. 
 
 The captain of the guard commanded Paul to be 
 brought within the temple, and to be scourged, till he 
 should acknowledge the cause of that extraordinary 
 aversion which the Jews had expressed against him ; 
 he was bound, and other preparations were making 
 for executing this sentence, when the apostle demand- 
 ed of one of the centurions, whether it was lawful to 
 scourge a citizen of Rome who had not been tried, 
 and consequently against whom no formal sentence 
 had been pronounced. The centurion immediately 
 hastened to Lysias, informing him, that the prisoner 
 was a Roman, and therefore advising him to proceed 
 with caution. Upon this the governor came to the 
 prison, and being informed by Paul, that he was born 
 a free citizen of Rome, he reversed the order for sub- 
 jecting him to the disgraceful punishment of scourg- 
 ing, and was greatly terrified upon reflecting, that he 
 might be called to a severe account for having confin- 
 ed him in chains. 
 
 On the following day, he ordered Paul to be releas- 
 ed from his chains ; and that the cause of the tumult 
 might be discovered, he summoned the Sanhedrim 
 to assemble, and conducted the apostle before them. 
 The apostle informed the council, that throughout 
 his whole life, he had conducted himself by the strict- 
 est rules of conscience and duty^ " Men and brethren, 
 " I have lived in all good conscience before God, un- 
 •* til this day." This expression greatly exasperated 
 the high-priest, who ordered some persons that stood 
 near the apostle, to strike him on the face. Upon 
 this, the apostle said to Ananias, '* God shall smite 
 ** thee, thou whited wall.*' Hereupon some of the 
 spectators observed, that it was unlawful to revile the 
 high-priest of the Almighty : and this reproof the 
 
334 THE LIFE OF ST. PAUL. 
 
 apostle received with great gentleness, excusing his 
 inadvertency, and acknowledging that God himself 
 had said, " Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of 
 " the people." Perceiving that the council consisted 
 both of Pharisees and Sadducees, he loudly proclaim- 
 ed, " Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the Son of 
 ** a Pharisee ;" adding that he was brought before 
 the tribunal, to answer for having asserted the doc- 
 trine of the resurrection of the dead. 
 
 The Pharisees favored the doctrine of the resurec- 
 tion, which was strenuously opposed by the Saddu- 
 cees ; and therefore the declaration of St. Paul, created 
 much confusion in the court. The dissentions of 
 these two sects increased to so extravagant a degree, 
 that the captain feared Paul would be torn in pie- 
 ces, and therefore he conveyed him back to the cas- 
 tle. 
 
 During the silence of night, St. Paul was com- 
 forted and encouraged by extraordinary communica- 
 tions of the divine Spirit, animating him to maintain 
 his constancy and resolution ; assuring him, that in 
 despite of the malicious designs of his enemies, he 
 should live to bear testimony in support of the gos- 
 pel, even in the capital of the Roman empire. 
 
 On the following morning, about forty of the most 
 turbulent Jews, engaged in a confederacy for the pur- 
 pose of sacrificing the life of Paul ; ratifying their 
 agreement by a solemn oath, and vowing with shock- 
 ing imprecations, that they would neither eat nor 
 drink till they had perpetrated their barbarous de- 
 sign. 
 
 This iniquitous project was divulged to Paul by his 
 sister's son, who also at the request of the apostle, 
 communicated it to Lysias ; who in consequence of 
 
THE LIFE OF ST, PAUL. 335 
 
 this information, commanded a party of horse and foot 
 soldiers to be in readiness at nine o'clock in the even- 
 ing, to conduct St. Paul before Felix, the Roman go- 
 vernor of the province ; to whom he also transmitted 
 a narrative of the proceedings of the Jews against the 
 prisoner, at the same time commanding his accusers 
 to appear before the Roman magistrate. St, Paul 
 was accordingly conducted to Caesarea ; and Felix 
 informed him, that his cause should be decided im- 
 mediately after the arrival of his accusers ; ordering 
 him, in the mean time to be secured in the place cal- 
 led Herod's Hall. 
 
 Soon after the arrival of Paul, a charge of sedition, 
 heresy, and profanation of the temple, was exhibited 
 against him by Tertullus. Having heard the accu- 
 sation and the apostle's defence, Felix declined pro- 
 nouncing judgment, saying, he would consult Lysias, 
 the governor of the castle ; who, he said, could not 
 but be qualified to relate the particulars of the tumult 
 and sedition. He ordered Paul to remain a prisoner, 
 indulging him, however, in the privilege of being vi- 
 sited by his friends. 
 
 A short time after this, Drusilla, a Jewess, the wife 
 of Felix, and daughter of the elder Herod, came to 
 Caesarea ; and sending for Paul, the governor per- 
 mitted him to explain the principles of the Christian 
 doctrine in presence of his wife. Hereupon Paul de- 
 livered a pious, affecting, and persuasive discourse ; 
 and when he came to a description of the day of judg- 
 ment, Felix trembled on his throne; and abruptly 
 interrupting the apostle, said, he would hear the con- 
 chision of his discourse on a future opportunity.—- 
 U'he conscience of Felix was dreadfully alarmed ; for 
 he was cruel, unjust, revengeful and rapacious. He 
 was informed, that Paul had possession of a consi- 
 derable sum of money, and therefore he expected that 
 
336 THE LIFE OF ST. PAUL. 
 
 he would purchase his freedom with a considerable 
 bribe : but being disappointed, he kept the apostle in 
 prison for the space of two years. 
 
 Felix, being succeeded in office by Fortius Festus, 
 suffered Paul to remain in prison, in order to gratify 
 the malice of the Jews, and induce them to speak fa- 
 vorably of his government, after his departure from 
 Judea. 
 
 Upon the arrival of Festus in Jerusalem, the high- 
 priest and the members of the Sanhedrim, brought ar 
 indictment against Paul, requesting that he might be 
 sent for to Jerusalem, in order to take his trial, their 
 design being to assassinate him on the way. But 
 Festus informed them, that he meant in a short time 
 to go to Caesarea, where they might exhibit their ac- 
 cusations against him. 
 
 Upon the arrival of Felix at Caesarea, the Jews re- 
 newed their accusations against Paul ; but notwith- 
 standing all their wicked and malicious artifices, they 
 were unable to prove him guilty of any crime. Festus, 
 however, being desirous of ingratiating the favor of 
 the Jews, asked Paul, whether he was willing to go 
 to Jerusalem, for the purpose of taking his trial ; 
 and to this the apostle answered, " I appeal unto Cae- 
 sar." 
 
 Some time after this appeal, king Agrippa, who 
 succeeded his father Herod in the teirarchate of Gali- 
 lee, and his sister Berenice, came to congratulate Fes- 
 tus on his accession to the government. The apostle 
 being brought into court, where Agrippa, Berenice, 
 and a splendid retinue had assembled, Festus said, 
 that in consequence of his having appealed to Caesar, 
 he had resolved to send the prisoner to Rome : but 
 was notwithstanding desirous, that his case should be 
 
THE LIFE Oh ST. PAUL. 337 
 
 debated before kin.^ Agrippa, that some particulars 
 might be collected, for the purpose of grounding a 
 criminal charge. 
 
 Being informed by Agrippa, that he was at liberty 
 to make his defence, the apostle related, with what un- 
 relenting cruelty he had persecuted the Christians, 
 and particularized the circumstances of his wonder- 
 ful conversion. While the apostle was pleading in 
 his own defence, he was interrupted by Festus, who 
 accused him of insanity : but the apostle denied this 
 charge, saying, that his judgment was unimpaired, 
 and that he spoke the dictates of truth. So eloquent 
 and persuasive was the discourse of St. Paul, that 
 Agrippa acknowledged to him, that he had almost 
 prevailed upon him the embrace the Christian faith. 
 
 It was at length resolved that Paul should be sent 
 to Rome, and be committed to the care of Julius, com- 
 mander of a company belonging to the legion of Au- 
 gustus ; and he was accompanied by St. Luke, Aris- 
 tarchus, Trophimus, and some others. Embarking 
 at Adramyttium, after a dangerous voyage, they were 
 cast on the coast of the island of Melita, or Malta, 
 where they landed, and experienced a friendly recep- 
 tion from the inhabitants. While St. Paul was put- 
 ting some sticks upon a fire round which a number 
 of people had assembled, a viper came from among 
 the wood, and fastened on his hand. Hereupon the 
 people imagined that he was some notorious offender, 
 who had been rescued from the dangers of the tem- 
 pest, that he might be thus exposed as an exemplary 
 object of the divine vengeance : but upon seeing him 
 shake the venemous animal into the fire they chang- 
 ed their opinion, and proclaimed him to be a god. 
 
 After remaining three months in this island, they 
 took shipping in a vessel called the Castor and Pol- 
 
 VOL. II. 2 T 
 
338 THE LIFE OF ST. PAUL. 
 
 lux, and landed at Puteoli. The Christian inhabitants 
 of the city of Rome, being apprized of the approach 
 of St. Paul, great numbers of them went to meet and 
 pay their respects to him ; some travelling to a place 
 called the Three Taverns, about thirty miles from 
 Rome, and others as far as the Apii-forum, situated 
 at the distance of fifty-one miles from the capital. 
 
 Upon his arrival in the city of Rome, St. Paul sent 
 for the heads of the Jewish consistosy, and informed 
 them, ihat the malice of his enemies had compelled 
 him to appeal to Caesar, as the only means of rescuing 
 himself from an injurious and cruel imputation. Paul 
 resided two years in Rome, constantly exerting his 
 best endeavors, both by preaching and writing, for 
 the promotion of Christianity. Among those whom 
 the apostle converted, was a man named Onesimus, 
 who had absconded from his master with effects to a 
 considerable amount. After the conversion of this 
 man, St. Paul sent him back to his master, with a 
 letter, enjoining him to pardon this reclaimed sinner, 
 and treat him with kindness. 
 
 Being informed of the imprisonment of St. Paul, 
 the Christians of Philippi made a contribution for his 
 relief, and sent the money by Epaphroditus their bi- 
 shop, by whom the apostle sent back an epistle, in- 
 structing them in the rules of religious and moral du- 
 ty. Availing himself of the opportunity of the de- 
 parture of Tychicus, St. Paul sent by him his epistle 
 to the Ephe'sians ; and about this time he wrote his 
 epistle to the Colossians. By what means St. Paul 
 obtained his freedom, is a matter of uncertainty ; but 
 before his departure from Italy, he wrote his epistle 
 to the Hebrews. 
 
 Accompanied by Timothy, St. Paul now travelled 
 into Spain ; and, according to the testimony of seve- 
 
THE LIFE OF ST. PAUL. 33.9 
 
 ral respectable writers, he crossed the sea, and preach- 
 ed the gospel in Britain. After remaining eight or nine 
 months in these western parts, St. Paul returned to 
 the east ; and after visiting Sicily, Greece and Crete, 
 he repaired to Judea, where he met with Peter, and 
 was together with that apostle cast into prison, in 
 the general persecution of the Christians, on pre- 
 tence of their having set fire to the city. How long 
 he remained in confinement, and whether he was 
 scourged previous to his execution, we are not in- 
 formed. But pleading the privilege of a Roman citi- 
 zen, he was sentenced to be beheaded. 
 
 St. Paul suffered at the Aquae Salvias, three miles 
 from Rome, and was buried in the Via Ostiensis, about 
 two miles from the capital. About the year 317, Con- 
 stantine the Great, at the instance of Pope Sylvester, 
 erected a superb church upon the spot where the re- 
 mains of this apostle were deposited. 
 
( 340 ) 
 
 The life of St. ANDREW. 
 
 St, 
 
 ". Andrew was a native of Bethsaida, a city in 
 Galilee, son of John or Jonas, a fisherman, and brother 
 of Simon Peter, but whether older or younger is un- 
 certain ; though it is most generally intimated by the 
 ancients, that he was the younger. He was brought 
 up to his father's profession, at which he continued 
 to labor till our blessed" Saviour elected him into the 
 apostolical office. Andrew was one of the disciples 
 of John the Baptist, who, when Christ appeared in 
 the country beyond the Jordan, pointed out the Sa- 
 viour of mankind, stiling him " the Lamb of God ;" 
 and following him to his place of abode, Andrew con- 
 versed with Jesus, to whom he shortly after introduc- 
 ed his brother Simon. After remaining a short time 
 with our blessed Redeemer, they returned to their 
 usual occupation. 
 
 Something more than a year after this, our Saviour 
 perceived Andrew and Peter fishing in the sea of Ga- 
 lilee, and by his divine power he enabled them to ob- 
 tain a miraculous draught of fishes ; after which he 
 commanded them to follow him. 
 
 After the descent of the Holy Ghost, St. Andrew 
 is recorded by the generality of ancient writers to 
 have been chosen to proclaim the gospel in Scythia, 
 and the adjacent countries ; and this office he execut- 
 ed with great success, though he was furiously op- 
 posed by the malicious Jews. 
 
 In the city of Sinopc, situated in the Euxine Sea, 
 St. Andrew met his brother Peter, who remained 
 there with him a considerable time. The inhabitants 
 
THE LIFE OF ST. ANDEW. 341 
 
 of Slnop'e engaged in a confederacy against Andrew, 
 and determined to burn the house where he resided ; 
 but being disappointed in this, they beat him with 
 clubs, cast stones at him, and otherwise treated him 
 with the most savage barbarity, till they supposed 
 that they had entirely deprived him of life. But he 
 recovered, and returned publicly into the city, and 
 reclaimed a great number of the Jews to the religion 
 of the blessed Jesus. 
 
 From Sinope St Andrew returned to Jerusalem, but 
 he remained only a short time in this city. He tra- 
 velled over Thrace, Macedonia, Thessaly, Achaia, 
 and Epirus, zealously preaching the religion of Christ, 
 and confirming his doctrine by miracles and wonder- 
 ful signs. At length he arrived at Patrea, a city of 
 Achaia, where he surrendered up his life upon the 
 cross, thereby affording his greatest testimony in de» 
 fence of the religion of his divine Master. 
 
 iiigenas, the proconsul of Achaia, came at this time 
 to Patrea, and had recourse to every method of force 
 and persuasion, for reducing the people to their former 
 idolatrous mode of worship. But the apostle still 
 persevered in the discharge of the duties of his mi- 
 nistry, and even ventured to expostulate with the pro- 
 consul ; who being highly exasperated against him, 
 sentenced him first to be scourged, and then to be put 
 to death. 
 
 Seven lictors successively scourged the body of 
 St. Andrew, whose constancy, patience and fortitude 
 under his sufferings, so provoked iEgenas, that he 
 ordered him to be crucified ; and that his sufferings 
 might be of longer continuance, he commanded him 
 to be fastened to the cross by means of ropes instead of 
 nails. Upon his arrival at the place of execution, the 
 apostle fervently addressed himself in prayer to the 
 
342 THE LIFE OF ST. ANDREW. 
 
 throne of^race, and exhorted the people to persevere 
 in the faith which he had recommended to them. Be- 
 ing fastened to the cross, he remained in that situation 
 two whole days ; during which, he continued to in- 
 struct the people in the principles of the gospel. — 
 At length he supplicated the Almighty, that he might 
 seal the truth of his religion with his blood. His 
 prayers were heard, and he immediately expired. — 
 The death of this faithful minister of Christ happened 
 on the last day of November ; but in what year, can- 
 not be precisely ascertained. 
 
 The body of St. Andrew was honorably interred 
 by Maximillia, a lady of distinction, and who, ac- 
 cording to Nicephorus, was wife to the proconsul. — 
 Constantine the Great removed the body of St. An- 
 drew to Constantinople, and deposited it in the su- 
 perb church which he had erected in honor of the 
 apostles. When this church was taken down by the 
 order of the emperor Justinian, in order to its being 
 rebuilt, the body of St. Andrew was found in a wood- 
 en coffin, and again deposited in the proper place. 
 
( 343 ) 
 
 The life of St. JAMES the GREAT. 
 
 IN order to distinguish him from another of the 
 same name, this apostle was called James the Great. 
 He was the son ofZebedee, and by trade a fisherman ; 
 in which occupation both he and his brother were 
 employed, when the Saviour of the world called them 
 to be his disciples. Soon after this, he was exalted 
 from the station of an ordinary disciple, to the exer- 
 cise of the apostolical duties. He was also honored 
 with some peculiar instances of the favor of Jesus 
 Christ, being one of the three chosen to attend his 
 master, when he restored the daughter of Jairus to 
 life ; he was also permitted to be present on occasion 
 of the glorious transfiguration, and of the agony of 
 Christ. Upon the calling of the three select apostles, 
 our Lord gave them each a new title ; calling Simon 
 by the name of Peter, or a rock, and James and John, 
 who were brothers, Boanerges, or the sons of thun- 
 der. 
 
 Some imagine, that this appellation was given them 
 on account of the bold and vehement manner in which 
 they would proclaim the gospel ; and others are of 
 opinion, that the name was meant to signify that they 
 would proclaim the great mysteries of the gospel in a 
 more profound and lofty strain than the other apos- 
 tles. However this may be, by this term our Lord 
 seems to allude to the resolute disposition of the bro- 
 thers, who were of a more fiery temper than the rest 
 of the apostles. When our Saviour sent some of his 
 disciples to make preparations for his reception at Je- 
 rusalem, upon the arrival of these disciples in Samaria, 
 they were treated with great severity by the inhabi- 
 tants. This was so highly resented by James and 
 
344 THE LIFE OF ST. JAMES THE GREAT. 
 
 his brother, that they applied to Jesus, desiring to 
 know, whether he would not imitate the conduct of 
 Eiias, by calling down fire from heaven to consume 
 these inhospitable and degenerate people. But the 
 holy Jesus informed them, that he came not to destroy, 
 but to effect the salvation of mankind. 
 
 According to Sophronius, St. James preached to 
 the dispersed Jews, after the ascension of our blessed 
 Saviour. Herod inflamed a violent persecution of 
 the Christians, and during the continuance thereof, he 
 pronounced sentence of death upon St. James. 
 
 As the apostle was conducting to the place of exe- 
 cution, the man who had given evidence against him, 
 being converted by the remarkable courage and con- 
 stancy which he displayed during his trial, prostrat- 
 ed himself at the feet of the apostle, and supplicat- 
 ed forgivness for the accusation he had exhibit- 
 ed against him. The apostle tenderly embraced the 
 man, saying, " Peace, my son, peace be to thee, and 
 " the pardon of thy faults.'* These words were no 
 sooner pronounced, than the convert publicly pro- 
 claimed himself to be a Christain, and St. James and 
 this man were beheaded at the same time. Thus fell 
 the apostle St. James, the first proto-martyr, by cheer- 
 fully drinking of that cup, of which he had long be- 
 fore assured his Saviour that he was willing to par- 
 take. 
 
( 345 ) 
 
 The life of St. JOHN the EVAN- 
 GELIST. 
 
 J HIS evangelist, of whose descent we have alrea- 
 dy given an account, was probably a follower of John 
 the Baptist; and upon hearing him pronounce Jesus 
 to be the " Lamb of God," he followed the Saviour 
 of the world to the place of his abode. He was the 
 youngest of the apostles : but yet he was peculiarly 
 honored by his divine Master, being present at the 
 resurrection of the daughter of Jairus, the transfigu- 
 ration of our Saviour, and the agony he endured in 
 the garden. 
 
 When our Saviour was apprehended in the garden 
 of Gethsemane, he was deserted by St. John ; who, 
 however soon repented of his pusillanimity, and go- 
 ing in search of Jesus, entered the hall of the high- 
 priest ; and from this time he steadily adhered to him, 
 and attending him at the time of his crucifixion, re- 
 solutely avowed his faith, amidst a numerous body of 
 armed soldiers, and an immense concourse of their 
 most inveterate enemies. With his dying breath, our 
 Saviour recommended his disconsolate mother to the 
 protection of St. John. 
 
 St. John resided principally in Jerusalem till the 
 decease of the Virgin Mary, which happened about 
 ten years after our Saviour's ascension. After this 
 event, he retired into Asia, and applied himself with 
 unremitting assiduity to the propagation of the Chris- 
 tian relii^ion. He founded churches at Smyrna, Per- 
 gamus, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea, and 
 many other places ; but he most generally resided 
 at Ephesus, where St. Paul had many years before 
 
 VOL. II. 2 u 
 
346 THE LIFE OF ST, JOHN THE EVAN. 
 
 established a church. After residing several years 
 at Ephesus, St. John was accused before the emperor 
 Domitian, of being a public subverter of the establish- 
 ed religion of the empire. Being conveyed in chains 
 to Rome, by the decree of this barbarous prince, St. 
 John was thrown into a cauldron of boilinsr oil : but 
 the Almighty was graciously pleased to rescue him, 
 from this apparently unavoidable destruction. This 
 miraculous deliverance, however, was not sufficient 
 to convince the emperor of the divinity of the com- 
 mission of John, or to abate the furious enmity he 
 had conceived against him. He condemned John to 
 banishment in the island of Patmos, situated in the 
 Archipelago, where he resided several years, diligent- 
 ly employed in teaching the poor and ignorant mha- 
 bitants the principles of the gospel ; and towards the 
 conclusion of the reign of Domitian, he wrote his book 
 of Revelation. 
 
 Upon the decease of Nero, and the succession of 
 Nerva, John returned into Asia, and established his 
 residence at Ephesus, where the people had lately 
 subjected Timothy their bishop to martyrdom. In 
 conjunction with seven other bishops, he now assum- 
 ed the government of the extensive diocese of Asia 
 Minor, and disposed of the clergy in the most advan- 
 tageous manner that the circumstances of the times 
 would admit. With unceasing industry, St. John 
 continued to cultivate the Christian religion, till death 
 put a period to all his toils and sufferings. St. John 
 died in the beginning of the reign of Trajan, being 
 then in the ninety-eighth year of his age ; and accord- 
 ing to Eusebius, he was buried in the neighborhood 
 of Ephesus. 
 
( 347 ) 
 
 The life of St. PHILIP. 
 
 St. 
 
 '. Philip had the distinguished honor of being- 
 first called to be a disciple of the blessed Jesus ; he 
 was a native of Bethsaida, " the city of Andrew and 
 *' Peter." Soon after our Saviour's temptation in the 
 wilderness, he met Andrew and his brother Peter, 
 and after some discourse, parted from them. On the 
 following day, as he was passing through Galilee, he 
 met with Philip, whom he commanded to follow him, 
 that being the mode he constantly adopted in calling 
 his disciples. Though the brethren above-mentioned 
 first conversed with the Saviour of the world, they 
 immediately returned to their usual occupation, and 
 were not called to be disciples till a year after. Im- 
 mediately after being appointed to attend our Saviour, 
 Philip communicated the glad tidings of the appear- 
 ance of the Messiah, to his brother Nathaniel, whom 
 he also introduced to our Saviour. 
 
 When our Lord was fortifying the minds of his 
 disciples against his departure, he informed them, 
 that he was going to make preparations for their re- 
 ception in the mansions of the heavenly Canaan ; say- 
 ing at the same time, that he was '' the way, the 
 " truth, and the life ;" that " no man could come to 
 *' the Father, but by him ; and that knowing him, 
 " they both knew, and had seen the Father." Not 
 understanding these words, Philip requested, that Je- 
 sus would shew him and his brethren the Father.— 
 Hereupon our Lord mildly rebuked him for his ignor- 
 ance in not knowing, after the information he had re- 
 ceived, that he was himself the image of his Father, 
 by whose divine pleasure all his actions were regu- 
 lated. 
 
348 THE LIFE OF ST. PHILIP. 
 
 We are informed by ancient writers, that in the dis- 
 tribution made by the apostles of the several regions 
 of the globe, where they were respectively to propa- 
 gate the gospel, the Upper Asia fell to the lot of St. 
 Philip ; and in that country, he discharged the duties 
 of his ministry with remarkable industry, and corres- 
 pondent success. He established divers churches, 
 and confirmed the faith of those whom he converted 
 by a great variety of miracles. 
 
 Upon his arrival at Hierapolis in Phrygia, St. Phi- 
 lip was greatly afflicted, upon finding the people most 
 abominably addicted to idolatrous practices. The 
 principal object of the worship of these superstitious 
 people, was an enormous serpent ; and by his fervent 
 and continued prayers to heaven, he procured the 
 death of this idol, or, at least, caused it to be remov- 
 ed from the temple, and the adoration that had been 
 long paid to it, consequently to be discontinued. — 
 Having thus destroyed their deity, he explained to 
 the multitude the great mysteries of the gospel dis- 
 pensation ; and this discourse prevailed upon great 
 numbers of the people to embrace the gospel of Je- 
 sus. But the magistrates of the city, being highly 
 exasperated against Philip, on account of the great 
 number of people whom he daily converted from the 
 practice of idolatrous worship, they seized him, and 
 caused him to be scourged. After this, he was led 
 to execution ; and, according to some writers, hang- 
 ed against a pillar, or, as others assert, crucified. The 
 bo(l> of this apostle was taken down by St. Bartho- 
 lomew, his fellow-laborer in the vineyard of Christ, 
 and Mariamne, St. Philip's sister, who caused it to 
 be buried with the usual solemnities. 
 
( 349 ) 
 
 The life of St. BARTHOLOMEW. 
 
 1 HIS apostle is mentioned as one of the twelve 
 disciples of Christ, under the name of Bartholomew ; 
 but it is evident from many passages of scripture, 
 that he was also called Nathaniel , and St. John ex- 
 pressly says, that he was a native of Cana in Gali- 
 lee. 
 
 Upon being informed by Philip that he had seen 
 the long expected Messiah, whose appearance had 
 been so frequently predicted by Moses and the other 
 prophets, Bartholomew said, that the Messiah could 
 not be a native of Nazareth, as Philip had described : 
 but in reply Philip requested, that he would accom- 
 pany him to Jesus, and receive satisfaction of the truth 
 of what he had asserted. 
 
 Upon his approaching, he was saluted with the 
 honorable character of being "■ an Israelite in whom 
 " was no guile." This salutation greatly surprized 
 him, as he supposed himself to be an entire stranger 
 to him : but our Lord informed him, that he had seen 
 him while he remained under a fig-tree at some dis- 
 tance, before being called by Philip. Thus convinced, 
 he acknowledged Jesus to be the promised Messiah, 
 and the only Son of God. Hereupon our Saviour said, 
 that since from the above instance he believed him to 
 be the Messiah, he should in future receive more pow- 
 erful testimonies in confirmation of his faith ; for he 
 should behold the heavens open to receive him, and 
 the celestial hosts of immortal spirits attending his 
 triumphant entry into the blessed regions of his hea- 
 venly Father. 
 
350 THE LIFE OF ST. BARTHOLOMEW. 
 
 After the ascension of the holy Jesus, St. Bartho- 
 lomew travelled to different parts, for the purpose of 
 promulgating the gospel ; and in the pursuit of this 
 righteous occupation, he passed the Asiatic confines 
 of India. After residing a considerable time in India 
 and the eastern extremities of Asia, he returned to 
 the northern and western parts ; and in conjunction 
 with St. Philip, he exerted his most strenuous endea- 
 vors for reclaiming the inhabitants of Hierapolis in 
 Phrygia, and the neighboring parts from their idola- 
 trous worship, and for instructing them in the infidlible 
 means of eternal salvation. The preaching of these 
 apostles so exasperated the bigotted magistrates, that 
 they condemned them to sulRr martyrdom ; but this 
 sentence was reversed, and they were restored to li- 
 berty. 
 
 From hence St. Bartholomew proceeded to Lyco- 
 nia, where, as we are assured by St. Chrysostom, he 
 preached the gospel with great success. At length 
 he retired to Albanople in Great Armenia, where ido- 
 latrous worship was universally practised ; and here 
 he zealously endeavored to reclaim the misguided in- 
 habitants. But the pious efforts of this apostle, to 
 " turn them from darkness unto light, and from the 
 " power of Satan unto God," were so far from prov- 
 ing effectual, that they rendered him obnoxious to the 
 most violent effects of the indignation of the magis- 
 trates, who prevailed upon the governor to condemn 
 him to suffer death ; and he was accordingly cruci- 
 fied. 
 
( '351 ) 
 
 The life of St. MATTHEW. 
 
 DT. Mattheu', who was also called Levi, though 
 a Hebrew, and probably a native of Galilee, held an 
 office under the Roman government, being a publican 
 or tax-gatherer. This evangelist appears to have 
 been collector of the duties upon such merchandizes 
 as came, by the sea of Galilee, and the toll of passen- 
 gers by water. His office or custom-house was at 
 Capernaum, the usual place of our Saviour's abode. 
 As Jesus was going out of the city of Capernaum, to 
 walk by the side of the sea, he perceived Matthew 
 sitting in his office, and said to him, '* Follow me. — 
 *' And he arose and followed him.'* Matthew was 
 in opulent circumstances, and had a lucrative em- 
 ployment : but he not only relinquished his posses- 
 sions, but also hazarded incurring the displeasure of 
 his superiors in office, for so abruptly deserting the 
 business which they had entrusted to his care. 
 
 The Pharisees, who were accustomed to avail them- 
 selves of every opportunity of endeavoring to bring 
 the doctrines of our blessed Saviour into disrepute, 
 informed some of the disciples of our Lord, that their 
 Master's familiarity with publicans and sinners, they 
 conceived to be extremely inconsistent widi that pu- 
 rity and holiness of character to which he pretended. 
 Thus was our Saviour censured, in consequence of his 
 having accepted an invitation from Matthew, to par- 
 take of an entertainment, where the guest were com- 
 posed almost entirely of publicans: but he infoimed 
 these people, that though the persons with whom he 
 had associated, were infamous to a proverb, yet the 
 circumstance of his joining the company, could not 
 justly subject him tu reproach ; for his motive was 
 
352 THE LIFE OF ST. MATTHEW. 
 
 not either to encourage or countenance their iniquit- 
 ous proceedings, but to convince them of the ne- 
 cessity of reforming their lives, as the only means of 
 effectually providing for their eternal salvation. 
 
 After his conversion, Matthew did not return to his 
 former employment of a publican, although St. Peter, 
 and some other of the apostles, re-assumed the pro- 
 fession of fishermen, after the resurrection of our Sa- 
 viour. On this head, St. Gregory observes, that 
 some callings are in themselves innocent, and that 
 there are others vvhichcan scarcely be exercised with- 
 out sin. The corrupt, insolent, and covetous practi- 
 ces of the publicans, had brought the characters of 
 those officers into universal detestation ; and had Mat- 
 thew returned to his former profession, he would 
 have been in danger of yielding to those temptations 
 to which he must have been perpetually exposed. 
 
 During the first eight years after the ascension of 
 our blessed Saviour, St. Matthew continued to preach 
 the gospel in various parts of Judea : but after that 
 period, he departed from the country of Palestine, in 
 order to explain the principles of Christianity to the 
 Gentiles. There is nothing of certainty, as to the 
 course St. Matthew pursued in his travels ; though 
 the province which claimed his peculiar attention, is 
 said to have been the Asiatic ^Ethiopia. 
 
 Before leaving Judea, at the instance of the Jewish 
 converts, he wrote his history of the life and transac- 
 tions of the blessed Jesus. The gospel of St. Mat- 
 thew was written before that of either of the other 
 three evangelists ; and for this reason, it takes the 
 first place in the canon of the New Testament.— 
 Nicephorus is of opinion, that this gospel was written 
 fifteen years after the ascension of our blessed Savi- 
 our ; and Irenasus supposes it to have been produced 
 
THE LIFE OF ST. MATTHEW. 353 
 
 at a much later period. It must, however, have been 
 extant previous to the dispersion of the apostles ; for 
 St. Bartholomew took it with him into India, and left 
 it in that country. The ancients concur in opinion, 
 that this work was originally written in Hebrew ; and 
 this, indeed is very probable, since it was intended by 
 the author for the use of those who had been born 
 and bred in Judea and Jerusalem ; and therefore it ip 
 reasonable to suppose, that he wrote to them in their 
 mother-tongue. Being translated into Greek, this 
 version received the unanimous approbation of the 
 apostles, and consequently obtained equal authority 
 with the original. By whom this gospel was trans- 
 lated, is uncertain. Athanasius, in his Synopsis, as- 
 cribes the work of St. James the Less ; Anastatius 
 attributes it to St, Paul and St. Luke ; and others 
 say it was written by St. John. There is no cer- 
 tainty as to what became of the original Hebrew, or 
 whether that copy of it which Pant^enus is said to 
 have brought from the Indies, was deposited in the 
 city of Alexandria, and there kept till the time of 
 St. Jerome, who avers that he perused it. 
 
 St. Matthew was a man extremely addicted to 
 spiritual contemplation ; he was temperate and ab- 
 stemious to an exemplary degree, denying himself the 
 common gratifications and conveniencies of life, and 
 subsisting entirely upon vegetable productions. He 
 was also a man of singular humility. In mentioning 
 the apostles by pairs, the other evangelists place St. 
 Matthew before St. Thomas ; but he modestly speaks 
 of himself last. 
 
 The other apostles mention the former sordid and 
 disgraceful course of life in which this evangelist had 
 been engaged, only under the name of Levi : but 
 speaking of himself, he mentions his former circum- 
 stances and situation, under the name of Matthew. 
 
 VOL. II. 2 w 
 
354 THE LIFE OF ST. MATTHEW. 
 
 Venantius Fortunatus says, St. Matthew suffered 
 martyrdom at Nadabber, a city in the Asiatic Ethio- 
 pia : but the manner of his death is not particularly 
 mentioned. Nicephorus writes, that in consequence 
 of his prayers to heaven, the fire kindled to burn him 
 was suddenly extinguished, and that he afterwards 
 died according to the common course of nature. — 
 Dorotheus asserts, that St. Matthew was honorably 
 interred at Hierapolis in Parthia. St. Chrysostom 
 imagines, that St. Matthew died before the seventieth 
 year of Christ, when Jerusalem was destroyed by the 
 Romans. 
 
( 355 ) 
 
 The life of St. THOMAS. 
 
 E have no account in the evangelical history, 
 either of the country or kindred of St. Thomas : but 
 from circumstances, however, we may pretty safely 
 conclude, that he was a Jew ; and in all probability, he 
 was a native of Galilee. Learned men concur, in 
 giving the following reason .for St. Thomas being 
 called Didymus : when the Jews, travelled into fo- 
 reign countries, or were accustomed to converse fa- 
 miliarly with Greeks or Romans, they assumed to 
 themselves Greek and Latin names, bearing an affini- 
 ty to, or perhaps being synonimous with those given 
 them by theii parents. Thus Thomas, a Syriac 
 name, denoting a twin, was explained by Didymus, 
 which has the same import in the Greek. 
 
 Soon after being appointed to the exercise of the 
 apostolical duties, St. Thomas aiforded an eminent 
 instance of his willingness to encounter the utmost 
 danger and difficulty, rather than abandon the righ- 
 teous cause of his great Lord and Master. When 
 the rest of the apostles were endeavoring to dissuade 
 Jesus from going into Judea, on account of the de- 
 cease of Lazarus, and were greatly troubled, lest he 
 should be stoned by the multitude, finding their argu- 
 ments would prove ineffectual, Thomas said, '* Let 
 *' us go, that we may die with him." For he con- 
 cluded, that instead of restoring Lazarus to life, his 
 Master would himself submit to the power of death, 
 through the fury of the populace. When the holy Je- 
 sus, a short time previous to his sufferings, was speak- 
 ing to his apostles concerning the joys of heaven, in- 
 forming them, that he was about to depart, in order to 
 prepare for their reception in the regions of eternal 
 
356 THE LIFE OF ST. THOMAS. 
 
 bliss ; adding, that they might follow him, and that 
 they knew both where he was going, and the way thi- 
 ther ; St. Thomas replied, that they knew not where 
 he was going, and were equally ignorant as to the 
 way leading to the place to which he alluded. Here- 
 upon our Lord emphatically replied, *' I am the 
 " way;" thereby intimating, that the Almighty had 
 sent him to instruct mankind in the means of obtain- 
 ing eternal life, which they could not fail of enjoying, 
 if they followed his example. 
 
 On the day of the resurrection of our blessed Re- 
 deemer, he came to the house where a number of his 
 disciples were assembled : but at this meeting, Tho- 
 mas was not present, having, it is probable, not join- 
 ed his brethren since their dispersion in the garden ; 
 when the apprehension of danger, induced each of 
 them to consult his particular personal safety. Upon 
 being informed by his brethren, that their Master had 
 appeared to them, he refused to yield credit to their 
 assertion ; saying that what they had mistaken for 
 their Master, must have been a spectre or apparition ; 
 which opinion, had he been present, he would have 
 retained, unless convinced of the identity of the per- 
 son of his Master, by the prints of the nails, and the 
 Wounds in his hands and side. 
 
 Notwithstanding this infidelity in suspending his 
 faith of those facts which the ancient prophets had 
 expressly foretold, which Christ himself had inculcat- 
 ed in his discourses, and which the other apostles had 
 attested, with infinite condescension our blessed Re- 
 deemer again presented himself, when Thomas and 
 his brethren were assembled ; and, after the usual 
 salutation of '* Peace be unto you," he turned to Tho- 
 mas, commanding him to " reach forth his hand, and 
 " put it to his side, and his fingers into the prints of 
 ** the nails." Thomas obeyed, and being convinced 
 
THE LIFE OF ST. THOMAS. 357 
 
 of his error, exclaimed, ** My Lord, and my God;" 
 thus acknowledging that Jesus had proved himself 
 omnipotent, in subduing the power of death ; and 
 omniscient, in being sensible of the scruples * he 
 had entertained. Our Saviour now observed, that it 
 was happy for him, that he believed in the evidence of 
 his senses ; adding, however, that he would have been 
 more commendable, had he believed without such evi- 
 dence, since he was not unacquainted with the seve- 
 ral predictions, purporting that the Son of God would 
 rise from the dead. 
 
 After the extraordinary effusion of the Holy Ghost, 
 which, according to his promise, our blessed Redeem- 
 er poured upon his apostles, St. Thomas and his 
 brethren preached the gospel in different parts of Ju- 
 dea ; and after the dispersion of the Christian church 
 in Jerusalem, Thomas repaired into Parthia, the pro- 
 vince wherein he was appointed to discharge the du- 
 ties of his holy ministration. After this, he preached 
 to the Mcdes, Persians, Carmanians, Hyrcanians, 
 Bactrians, and the neighboring nations. During his 
 residence in Persia, he is said to have met with the 
 magi, or wise men, who upon hearing of the birth 
 of Christ, had travelled through a great extent of 
 country, in order to pay their adorations to him ; and 
 after baptizing these people, he admitted them among 
 the number of his followers, employing them as his 
 assistants in propagating the doctrines of Christian- 
 ity. 
 
 Passing through Persia and Ethiopia, St. Thomas 
 travelled into the Indies. When the Portuguese first 
 visited India, after their discovery of a passage by 
 
 * By this doubting of Thomas, we are more confirmed, than by the 
 f;iith of the other apostles ; for this circumstance was productive of an 
 in' ontrovertible proof, that the very body in which our Lord suffered 
 upon the cross, was restored to life. 
 
358 THE LIFE OF ST. THOMAS. 
 
 the Cape of Good Hope, they collected several par- 
 ticulars concerning St. Thomas ; partly from anci- 
 ent monuments, and partly from uncontroverted tra- 
 ditions, which had been preserved by the Christians. 
 The substance of these particulars is, that St. Tho- 
 mas arrived at Socotora, an island in the Arabian Sea ; 
 from whence he proceeded to Cranganor, where hay- 
 ing gained many converts, he travelled farther into the 
 east. Having successfully preached the gospel, he 
 returned into the kingdom of Coromandel ; and at 
 Malipur, the metropolis, situated in the neighborhood 
 of the mouth of the Ganges, he began to erect a place 
 for divine worship : but this work was interrupted by 
 the idolatrous priests, and Sagamo, the prince of the 
 country. The apostle, however, performed several 
 miracles, and with such effect, that he was permitted 
 to proceed in his undertaking ; and Sagamo himself 
 being converted to Christianity, a great. number of 
 his subjects followed the example of their prince. 
 
 From the great success of the gospel, the Brach- 
 mans dreading that their own religion would be extir- 
 pated, were extremely exasperated against St. Tho- 
 mas ; and knowing that he was accustomed to retire 
 to a tomb at a small distance from the city, for the 
 exercise of private devotion, they resolved that this 
 place should be the scene of the sanguinary designs 
 which they had projected against the apostle. While 
 he was fervently praying to the Almighty, the Brach- 
 mans, attended by a number of armed followers, sur- 
 prised the apostle in his retirement ; and having dis- 
 charged against him a shower of darts, one of the 
 priests ran him through the body with a lance. 
 
 The body of St. Thomas was interred by his dis- 
 ciples in the church which he had lately constructed, 
 and which was afterwards improved into a magnificent 
 structure. According to St. Chrysostom, St. The- 
 
THE LIFE OF ST. THOMAS. 359 
 
 mas, who was originally the most incredulous and 
 weak of the apostles, became, through the conde- 
 scension of Christ in satisfying his scruples, the most 
 active and invincible of the whole number ; travel- 
 ling over a great part of the globe, and preaching the 
 gospel to ignorant and barbarous nations, with unre- 
 mitting zeal and fortitude. 
 
( 360 ) 
 
 The life of St. JAMES the LESS. 
 
 IT may be reasonably conjectured, that St. James 
 the Less was the son of Joseph, afterwards the hus- 
 band of Mary, by his first wife, whom St. Jerome 
 stiles Escha ; adding, that she was the daughter of 
 Aggi, brother to Zacharias, the father of John the 
 Baptist. Hence he was reputed to be the brother of 
 our blessed Saviour. In the evangelical writings, we 
 indeed find, that several persons are mentioned as the 
 brethren of our Lord ; but in what sense, was greatly 
 controverted by the ancients. St. Jerome, St. Chrys- 
 ostom, and some others, assert them to have been 
 so denominated from their being the sons of Mary, 
 cousin-german, or according to the Hebrew idiom, 
 sister to the Virgin Mary. But Eusebius, Epipha- 
 nius, and others say, that they were the children of 
 Joseph by a former wife : and this seems best to ac- 
 cord with, what the evangelist says. *' Is not this 
 ** the carpenter's son ? Is not his mother called Mary ? 
 *' and his brethren James and Joses, Simeon and 
 ** Judas ? and his sisters, are they not all with us ? 
 " Whence then hath this man these things ?*' Hence 
 it appears, that the Jews understood these persons to 
 be not only Christ's kinsmen, but his brethren. 
 
 After the resurrection, St. James the Less was ho- 
 nored with a particular appearance of our Lord ; and 
 this circumstance, though not mentioned by the evan- 
 gelists, is recorded by St. Paul. Some time after 
 our Saviour had appeared to James, he was constituted 
 bishop of Jerusalem, being advanced beyond his 
 brethren on account of his relationship to Christ ; 
 and for this reason, Simeon was elected to succeed 
 him in that see ; for after James, he was the next kins- 
 
THE LIFE OF ST. JAMES THE LESS. 36 1 
 
 man to our Saviour ; a consideration which induced 
 Peter, and the two sons of Zcbedec, though they had 
 been greatly honored by our Lord, to dcchne con- 
 tending for that high office. 
 
 After the conversion St. Paul, upon his coming 
 to Jerusalem, he applied to James, who honored him 
 with the right hand of fellowship. Peter sent news 
 of his miraculous deliverance from prison to St. 
 James. " Go, shew these things unto James, and to 
 *' the brethren." Thus he commanded that the in- 
 telligence should be communicated to the brethren 
 in general, but particularly to James, who was the 
 pastor of the church. 
 
 St. James was remarkably diligent in the discharge 
 of the duties of his sacred office, and his preaching 
 was attended with proportionate success. His zeal 
 and industry rendered him a particular object of the 
 rage of the enemies of the gospel, whom he has thus 
 described : " they please not God, and are contrary 
 '^ to all men." Provoked in consequence of St. Paul 
 having escaped the effects of their fury, by making an 
 appeal to Cassar, they directed their wrath against 
 St. James : but being unable to effect their cruel de- 
 sign during the government of Festus, they resolved 
 to attempt it under the procuratorship of Albinus, his 
 successor, Ananus the younger of the Sadducees, 
 being then high-priest. 
 
 In pursuance of their iniquitous design, a council 
 was summoned for the purpose of examining St. 
 James, whom this assembly condemned as a violator 
 of the law. But lest the people should be enraged, 
 and a popular tumult ensue, the Scribes and Phari- 
 sees endeavored to ensnare the apostle ; insidiously 
 informing him, that they had reposed an implicit con- 
 fidence in him, and that the whole Jewish nation as- 
 
 VOL. II. 2 X 
 
362 THE LIFE OF ST, JAMES THE LESS. 
 
 cribed to him the title of a just man : and they re- 
 quested that he would avail himself of tlie opportunity 
 aftorded by the great number of people assembled on 
 occasion of the paschal solemnity, of correcting the 
 erroneous opinions they had imbibed respecting Je- 
 sus : adding, that if he would publicly disclaim his 
 being the Messiah, they would accompany him to the 
 top of the temple, whence his proclamation might 
 be heard by the multitude. 
 
 The apostle said he- would accept their proposal, 
 of addressing ihe people from the top of the temple ; 
 and being stationed on one of the pinnacles, the Scribes 
 and Pharisees demanded that he would declare his 
 sentiments concerning the crucified Jesi?s. Hereup- 
 on St. James said in an audible voice, " Why do you 
 •"' enquire of Jesus, the ^on of Man ? He sits in hea- 
 '* ven, at the right-hand of the Majesty on high, and 
 ^' v.'ill come again in the clouds of heaven." Hear- 
 ing this declaration, the multitude exclaimed '* Ho- 
 " sanna to the Son of David." 
 
 Thus disappointed, and knowing that the measures 
 they had pursued could not fail more strongly to con. 
 firm the people in their belief of the gospel, they de- 
 termined to put James to instant death, that the fate 
 of this apostie might deter others from acknow- 
 ledging Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah. They ac- 
 cordiiigly cried out, that Justus himself was seduc- 
 ed and become an impostor, and immediately preci- 
 pitated him from the pinnacle whereon he stood into 
 the court below. Notwithstanding the violence of 
 the fall, this holy man was so far recovered as to be able 
 to rise on his knees, and fervently pray to heaven in be* 
 half of his murderers. But his cruel and unrelenting 
 enemies cast a great number of weighty stones at him, 
 even at the very time v\ hen he was benevolently sup- 
 plicating the Almighty to pardon their iniquities; 
 
THE LIKE OF ST. JAMES THE LE-^S. 363 
 
 but one of the multitude, more merciful than his as- 
 sociates, released him from hii> sufferings, by putting 
 a period to his life with a fuller's club. 
 
 Thus fell this righteous man in the ninety-sixth 
 year of his age, and about twenty-four years after the 
 glorioJis ascension of our blessed Saviour. His death 
 was severely lamented by all the members of the 
 Christian church, and even, as Josephus acknowledg- 
 es, by the most just and sober people of the Jewish 
 nation. St. James the Less was a man of exem- 
 plary piety and virtue, and of such unblemished in- 
 tegrity, that he obtained the honor of being surnamed 
 the Just by his countrymen. He was a man of such 
 abstracted piety, as entirely to neglect his person, 
 that his religious duties might not suffer interruption. 
 He always lived in a state of celibacy, and neither eat 
 flesh nor drank wine, nor any other kind of strong li- 
 quor : he only clothed himself in linen, and neither 
 anointed, bathed, nor shaved his head, to which the 
 inhabitants of the eastern countries were accustomed. 
 He frequently retired into the temple, and there con- 
 tinued alone, earnestly supplicating the Almighty to 
 pardon the sins of mankind. He was so constantly 
 employed in prayer, that, as we are assured by Euse- 
 bius, the skin of his knees was as hard as the hide of 
 a camel. 
 
 St. James wrote only one epistle, and that proba- 
 bly but a sjjiort time previous to his martyrdom ; for 
 it contains some passages, mentioning the near ap- 
 proach of the destruction of the Jewish nation. This 
 epistle was addressed to the Jewish converts dispers- 
 ed in the eastern countries, and intended to comfort 
 them under their sufferings, and confirm their faith. 
 
 The more conscientious and religious part of the 
 citizens were exceedingly displeased wdth Ananus, on 
 
364 THE LIFE OF ST. JAMES THE LESS. 
 
 account of his being instrumental in the horrid mur- 
 der of St. James ; and they privately sent to Agrip- 
 pa, who had advanced him to the dignity of the high- 
 priesthood, beseeching, that he might be restrained 
 from the perpetration of future acts of unprovoked 
 cruelty. Some of those people who went forth to 
 meet Albinus, and congratulate him on his being pro- 
 moted to his government, represented to him, that 
 Ananus had abused the trust reposed in him, by as- 
 sembling the council which had condemned James, 
 without having a licence for that purpose. Hereup- 
 on Albinus wrote to Ananus, severely reproaching 
 him for his conduct ; and he also removed him from 
 the pontifical office, after he had enjoyed it three 
 months. 
 
( 365 1 
 
 The life of St. SIMON the ZEALOT. 
 
 In the catalogue of the twelve apostles, St. Simon 
 is distinguished from Simon Peter by two surnames, 
 being called the Canaanite and the Zealot. Hence 
 some have imagined, that he was a native of Cana in 
 Galilee, and that it was on occasion of his marriage, 
 that our Saviour wrought the miracle of changing 
 water into wine. In his Greek Testament, Dr. Mill 
 has observed, that this name is variously written, Ca- 
 nanaeus, Chananaeus, and Canneeus. The learned 
 Cave says, it has no relation to Simon's birthplace, 
 but descends from a Hebrew root denoting zeal. — 
 St. Luke stiles him Simon Zealotes ; so that it ap- 
 pears, his two names have the same signification. — 
 When and upon what account he was called Zealot, 
 cannot be clearly ascertained. Nicephorus dates 
 this from the time of his commencing the apostolical 
 office : but had the name been given him on this oc- 
 casion, it is probable, that the circumstance would 
 have been mentioned in the gospel, as well as the 
 names of Peter and Boanerges, or have at least been 
 taken notice of by some writer of much greater anti- 
 quity than Nicephorus. Others are of opinion, that 
 previous to his engaging in the service of Christ, he 
 was oqe of that particular sect, or party among the 
 Jews, called Zealots, on account of the great zeal they 
 professed for the honor of God. The zealots are 
 mentioned by Josephus and other ancient writers, as 
 a people whose zeal degenerated into every species of 
 the most abominable licentiousness ; and these wri- 
 ters concur, in mentioning them as the most deplora- 
 ble pests of the Jewish nation. 
 
366* THE LIFE OF ST. SIMON THE ZEALOT. 
 
 Though it may be very fairly presumed that this 
 apostle was of the sect of Zealots, yet we are not on 
 that account to degrade him in our esteem, any more 
 than St. Matthew for being originally a publican, or 
 St. Paul a Pharisee, and a violent persecutor of the 
 disciples of the blessed Jesus. Whatever the former 
 character of St. Simon, it is certain, that after his 
 conversion, he was a most zealous advocate for the 
 honor of his Master ; and considered the enemies of 
 Christ as his own, however nearly xillied to him by 
 blood or affection. He was himself a most rigid ob- 
 server of all religious duties, and constantly ma- 
 nifested a steady and pious indignation against those 
 who professed a regard to that holy religion which 
 they dishonored by their irregular courses. 
 
 According to Theodoret, Simon was of the tribe of 
 Zebulon or Na[)hthali ; and thus he distinguishes him 
 from Simeon, the brother of our Saviour, who was 
 of the tribe of Judah, and afterwards bishop of Jeru- 
 salem. At the feast of Pentecost, St. Simon receiv- 
 ed the miraculous gifts of the holy Spirit ; so that he 
 Avas equally qualified with the rest of the apostles, 
 for discharging the duties of the gospel ministration. 
 There is no doubt of his having exercised the gifts 
 bestowed upon him witfi zeal and fidelity, but in what 
 quarter of the globe is uncertain. Some writers 
 assert, that he travelled into Egypt, Cyrene, and 
 Africa, and likewise all over the Mauritania, pro- 
 claiming the gospel of Christ to those ignorant and 
 barbarous nations ; and others add, that he after- 
 wards proceeded into the western parts, and preach- 
 ed in Great-Britain ; where, they assert, after he had 
 tonverted great multitudes of the people, and sus- 
 tained manifold hardships and persecutions, he suf- 
 fered martyrdom by crucifixion. None of these wri- 
 ters, however, have pretended to ascertain the place, 
 either of the crucifixion or interment of St. Simon. 
 
( 367 ) 
 
 The life of St. JUDli. 
 
 Il 
 
 ■ N the evangelical history, this apostle is menti- 
 oned by three different names ; Jude, or Judas, Thad- 
 deus, and Lebbeus. The first of these appellations 
 he had in common with many other Jews, and in ho- 
 nor oF one of the twelve patriarchs ; and it is proba- 
 ble, that the other two were added, to distinguish him 
 from Judas the traitor, whose conduct had rendered 
 that appellation odious to the Christians. Lebbeus, 
 according to the definition of St. Jerome, signifies a 
 man of wit and understanding ; and Thaddcus im- 
 ports divine fervor. 
 
 St. Jude was brother to St. James the Less, being 
 the sons of Cleophas and Mary ; and consequently he 
 was in the same degree of relationship to our Saviour 
 with St. James, whose affinity to our Lord we have 
 explained in the life of that apostle. 
 
 We are unable to determine, when or by what 
 means, he became a disciple of Christ, no particulars 
 concerning him being on record till we find him men- 
 tioned in the catalogue of the twelve apostles ; nor is 
 he afterwards mentioned till our Lord's last supper, 
 when discoursing to his disciples concerning his de- 
 parture, he said, " the world should see him no more, 
 " thous^h tbey should see him." Hereupon the apostle 
 said, " Lord how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself 
 '' to us, and not unto the world ?'' By this question 
 it appears, that Jude expected the Messiah would es- 
 tablish a secular kingdom : but the reply corrects his 
 error, informing him, that the world was unqualified 
 for the glorious appearance of the Messiah, having 
 treated his person with disrespect, and rejected his 
 
368 THE LIFE OF ST. JUDE. 
 
 doctrine ; and that therefore his intimate converse, 
 and special acts of grace, would in future be confined 
 to those who made worthy returns, by instances of 
 mutual love, and a due obedience to his commands. 
 
 After the glorious resurrection of our holy and 
 blessed Redeemer, St. Simon resided with the rest 
 of the apostles in the city of Jerusalem, till they re- 
 ceived the effusion of the Holy Ghost, at the feast of 
 Pentecost. We are told by Paulinus, that the pro. 
 vince which fell to the share of St. Jude in the apos- 
 tolical division, was Lybia ; but he does not mention 
 whether it was the Cyrenean Lybia, which is suppos- 
 ed to have received the gospel of St. Mark, or the 
 more southern part of Africa. "We have no other ac- 
 count of his preaching in those countries. 
 
 The Armenians aver, that St. Jude first introduced 
 Christianity amongst them, and will not admit that 
 his remains were deposited in St, Peter's at Rome ; 
 urging that he died, and was buried in their country. 
 The Greek Menologies intimate, that this apostle died 
 in consequence of being shot with arrows. But ac- 
 cording to the general opinion of the writers of the La- 
 tin church, he suffered martyrdom with St. Peter in 
 Persia; and in consequence of this supposition, 
 both these apostles are commemorated on the same 
 anniversary. 
 
 We have only one epistle under the name of St. 
 Jude ; and this is placed the last of those seven, 
 which in the sacred canon are stiled the catholic. — 
 It bears no particular inscription, but is supposed to 
 have been originally intended for the converted Jews 
 in their several dispersions, as were the epistles of St. 
 Peter. 
 
 The subject of St. Jude's epistle, is nearly similar 
 
THE LIFE OF ST. JUDE. 369 
 
 to 'that of the second epistle of St. Peter, whose 
 sense he principally follows, and whose expressions 
 he frequently introduces. But as the iniquitous prac* 
 tices of the Nicolaitans, Gnostics, the followers of 
 Simon Magus, and others, had arrived to a most ex- 
 orbitant excess, he opposed their heretical principles 
 with greater severity than St. Peter had done. And 
 because true Christian charity, though zealous, is 
 without bitterness and hatred, he exhorts his disciples 
 to pursue gentle measures for effecting the reformation 
 of those deluded people, and " to pluck them as 
 *' brands out of the fire ;" meaning by fire, their im- 
 pious principles and practices, which, if persevered 
 in, would inevitably produce their destruction. He 
 plainly appears to intimate, that most of the apostles 
 were dead at the time of writing his epistle, which 
 seems not to have been written till after the reign of 
 Nero, and the destruction of Jerusalem. 
 
 That St. Jude was a married man is unquestionable, 
 for Hegesippus mentions two of his grand-children. 
 St. Jude, like St. James, St. John, and sometimes 
 St. Paul, does not stile himself an apostle, but " the 
 *' servant of God:*' but he calls himself Jude, the 
 brother of James. Many of the Greek writers in- 
 sist, that he died at Berytus ; but in this it is evident, 
 that they confound this apostle with Thaddues, the 
 evangelist of Edessa. 
 
 VOL. II. 2 Y 
 
( 370 ) 
 
 The life of St. MATTHIAS. 
 
 xilFTER the eleven apostles had attended our Sa- 
 viour to the summit of Mount Olivet, and been wit- 
 nesses to his glorious ascension into heaven, they re- 
 turned to the house of St. John, on Mount Sion, 
 which Nicephorus informs us, was the place where 
 the primitive Christians were accustomed to assem- 
 ble. The company consisted of about an hundred 
 and twenty persons ; and in the midst of these St. 
 Peter arose, and delivered a succinct narrative of the 
 treacherous conduct of Judas Iscariot. After this, he 
 moved for the immediate election of a new apostle, 
 that the original mieht be a?ain complete ; recom- 
 mending at the same time, that the person to whom 
 this important office should be committed, might be 
 one of those disciples who had punctually attended 
 Jesus during the whole course of his public minis- 
 try, from the time of his baptism by St. John, to 
 that of his ascension into heaven ; for it was neces- 
 sary, that the person to succeed to the apostolical dig- 
 nity, should be an unexceptionable witness of the 
 holy life and mighty works of the divine Jesus, and 
 particularly of his resurrection, that eminent ratifica- 
 tion of all his doctrines and miracles. 
 
 The assembly, immediately assented to the propo- 
 sal of St. Peter, and two persons were nominated as 
 candidates ; one of these was called Joseph, surnamed 
 Bnrsabas and Justus, supposed to be the brother of 
 Janjes the Less ; ai d the other was called Matthias. 
 The mode of election w^as by lots, a riaraier of deter- 
 mination commonly resorted to, bcih by the Jews 
 and Gentiles, for the choice of magistrates and other 
 public officers. This method of decision the apos- 
 
TiiE IJIK Oh ST. MATTHIAS. 371 
 
 ties had recourse to, particularly on this occasion, 
 because they were not yet inspired by the Holy Ghost, 
 by whose especial influence they were afterwards di- 
 rected in all the important concerns of life. They 
 now fervently prayed to the Almighty, that he who 
 knew *' the hearts of all men, would shew, whether 
 " of those two he had chosen." The lots being put 
 into an urn, the name of Matthias w^as first drawn ; 
 and he was accordingly declared to be the twelfth 
 itpostle. 
 
 Hence we may with certainty conclude, though the 
 scripture be silent with respect to the time when Mat- 
 thias became a disciple of our blessed Saviour, that 
 he was one of his earliest followers and attendants. 
 St. Peter expressed an anxious wish, that the man 
 who should succeed to the apostolical vacancy, might 
 be one fully qualified, with the rest of the brethren, 
 to bear testimony, from his own knowledge, of the 
 divine nature and wonderful works of the holy Jesus. 
 Kusebius and Epiphanius, and Clemens Alexandri- 
 nus, say, that St. Matthias was one of the seventy 
 disciples of our Lord. 
 
 Having prcaclied a considerable time in different 
 parts of Judea, St. Matthias, as we are informed by 
 the Greek writers, travelled eastward. St. Jerome 
 says, his principal residence was near the eruption of 
 the river Aparsus, and the haven Hyssus, in Cappa- 
 docia. He was indefatigably industrious in his en- 
 deavors to convert the uncivilized inhabitants to Chris- 
 tianity, which considerable numbers of them em- 
 braced. In the prosecution of this holy work, how- 
 ever, he was exposed to innumerable hardships and 
 sufferings ; and he suffered martyrdom in the year of 
 our Lord 61, or as others assert, in the year 64. — 
 Dorotheus asserts, that he died at Sebastople, and 
 was buried there near the temple of the sun. And 
 
372 THE LIFE OF ST. MATTHIAS. 
 
 ancient martyrology says, he was seized by the Jews, 
 and being accused as a blasphemer, was first stoned 
 and then beheaded. But the Greek offices, which 
 are supported by several ancient breviaries, say, that 
 he was crucified. Some contend, that his body was 
 conveyed to Rome ; and others as strenuously assert 
 that it was interred at Treves, in Germany. Bol- 
 landus is of opinion, that the body of Matthias which 
 is at Rome, is that of Matthias, who was bishop of 
 Jerusalem in the year of our Lord 120, and that his 
 history has been confounded with that of the apostle. 
 
( 373 ) 
 
 The life of St. MARK. 
 
 J HIS evangelist, who was one of the tribe of Le- 
 vi, was descended from Jewish ancestors. By the 
 ancients, he was generally esteemed to be one of the 
 seventy disciples of our blessed Saviour ; and Euse- 
 bius says, that he was sent by St. Peter to preach the 
 gospel in Egypt ; and in Alexandria, the metropolis 
 of the country, he established a Christian church. — 
 He converted great multitudes of both sexes ; and his 
 preaching was attended with such remarkable success, 
 that the people not only embraced the Christian faith, 
 but also conformed more strictly to the rules of mo- 
 rality. 
 
 Having preached in several of the oriental parts of 
 Egypt, he travelled westward to Lybia, passing 
 through Marmarica, Pentapolis, and other neighbor- 
 ing countries, inhabited by barbarous and idolatrous 
 people ; but by his preaching and miracles he prevail- 
 ed upon them to embrace Christianity, and confirmed 
 them in that faith. 
 
 Returning to Alexandria, he preached the gospel 
 with great freedom and boldness, and constituted go- 
 vernors and pastors of the church ; but while indus- 
 triously laboring in the vineyard of his great Master, 
 his progress in his holy avocation was interrupted by 
 the idolatrous people. 
 
 About Easter, when they were celebrating the so- 
 lemnities of Serapis, the multitude tumultuously en- 
 tering the church, seized St. Mark, who was then 
 performing divine service, and having bound his feet 
 with cords, cruelly dragged him through the streets. 
 
374 THE LIFE OF ST. MARK. 
 
 and over the most craggy places, to the Bucelus, a 
 precipice near the sea, where they confined him in a 
 lonesome prison. During the night, his great and 
 beloved Master appeared to him in a vision, and com- 
 forted him under his afflictions, encouraging him to 
 submit to his fate with Christian magnanimity and 
 fortitude. 
 
 On the following morning the populace renewed 
 their barbarity, dragging him about the streets till he 
 expired. After this horrid murder, they wantonly 
 mangled, and then cruelly burnt the body of the de- 
 ceased. This abominable act of cruelty being per- 
 petrated, the Christians carefully collected the bones 
 and ashes of St. Mark, and buried them near the place 
 where he had been accustomed to preach. The re- 
 mains of this Evangelist were afterwards removed 
 from Alexandria with great funeral pomp, and con- 
 veyed to Venice, where they were religiously honor- 
 ed, and St. Mark was adopted the titular saint and 
 patron of that state. This evani^elist suffered mar- 
 tyrdom on the fifieenth of April, but in what year is 
 uncertain ; though from circumstances it appears pro- 
 bable, that it happened towards the conclusion of the 
 reign of Nero. 
 
 The gospel of St. Mark was written at the earnest 
 entreaty of the converts in the city of Rome. Not 
 content with havine; heard the discourses of St. Pe- 
 ter, they solicited St. Mark, his disciple, to commit 
 to writing a narrative of what that apostle had deli- 
 vered to them. This task was undertaken with cheer- 
 fulness, and executed with remarkable success. The 
 work being approved by St. Peter, it was command- 
 ed to be publicly read in the Christian assemblies. 
 
( 375 ) 
 
 The life of St. LUKE. 
 
 J HE city of Antioch, the metropolis of Syria, 
 gave birth to St. Luke. This phice abounded in se- 
 minaries of learning, and was eminent for the profici- 
 ents it produced in the arts and sciences. Having 
 acquired a considerable share of learning in his own 
 country, he travelled into Greece and Egypt for fur- 
 ther improvement ; and becoming remarkablj skilful 
 in the science of physic, he determined upon the 
 practice thereof, as the means of earning a subsist- 
 ence. But it does not hence follow, that he was a 
 man distinguished either for his birth or fortune; for 
 in the early ages, the heiibng art was generally prac- 
 tised by domestics, or persons in a dependant situa- 
 tion. Grotius is therefore of opinion, that St. Luke 
 went to Rome, and lived there in quality of a physici- 
 an to some noble family ; and that after obtaining his 
 freedom, he returned to his own country, and there 
 continued to pursue the practice of physic. 
 
 He also acquired great reputation by his skill in 
 painting ; and an ancient inscription found in a vault 
 near the church of St. Maria de Via lata at Rome, 
 supposed to be the place where St. Luke resided, a 
 picture of the blessed Virgin is mentioned, " being 
 '' one of the seven painted by St. Luke." 
 
 The evangelist, whose life we are writing, was a 
 Jewish proselyte : but at what time he embraced 
 Christianity is uncertain. St. Luke was the constant 
 companion of St. Paul in all his travels, and his fel- 
 low-laborer in the vineyard of Christ. He was highly 
 esteemed by that apostle, who appears to enjoy parti- 
 cular satisfaction in acknowledging him as his com- 
 
376 THE LIFE OF ST. LUKE. 
 
 panion. He calls St. Luke " the beloved physician,'* 
 and " the brother whose praise is in the gospel." 
 
 St, Luke wrote two books in the Greek language 
 for the use of the Christian church, being his gospel, 
 and the Acts of the Apostles ; and he dedicated both 
 these productions to Theophilus, which many of the 
 ancients suppose to be a feigned name, denoting a 
 lover of God, an appellation commonly attributed to 
 sincere Christians. But others are of a contrary opi- 
 nion, and because the title of " most excellent," the 
 usual form of address to princes and great men, they 
 suppose Theophilus to have been a person of rank. 
 
 St. Luke is supposed to have written his gospel at 
 Rome, during the two \ears imprisonment of St. 
 Paul in that city. He forcibly mentions the several 
 circumstances which relate to the sacerdotal character 
 of the blessed Jesus, and records the principal transac- 
 tions of hib life ; and therefore, in accommodating the 
 four symbolical representations, mentioned in * Eze- 
 kiel, to the four evangelists, the ancients assigned the 
 ox or calf to St. Luke. 
 
 The history of the apostolical acts, St. Luke also 
 wrote at Rome ; from the dedication, it appears to 
 have been produced after his gospel ; and from the 
 concluding part we may reasonably conjecture, that he 
 finished it about the end of St. Paul's imprisonment. 
 In this history, he not only relates the actions, but al- 
 so the sufferings of some of the chief apostles, and of 
 St. Paul in particular, of whose transactions he was 
 perfectly qualified to produce an authentic narrative. 
 He particularly enlarges upon the great miracles per- 
 formed by the apostles. 
 
 * Ezek. i. lo. The other representations are a man, a lion, and an 
 eagle ; the tirst of which is generally given to St. Mathew ; the se- 
 cond to St. Mark; and the last to St. John. 
 
THE LIFE OF ST. LUKE. 377 
 
 We have no certain information, either as to the 
 manner or the time of the death of St. Luke : but 
 there is reason to believe, that he died either in the 
 eightieth, or eighty-fourth year of his age. By the 
 command of Constantine, or his son Constantius, if 
 we may rely on the authority of Niccphorus, his re- 
 mains were sent to Constantinople, and deposited in 
 the church built to the memory of the apostles. 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
( 378 ) 
 
 The life of St. BARNABAS. 
 
 1 HOUGH not one of the twelve, St. Barnabas is 
 honored by St. Luke, and the primitive writers, with 
 the title of an apostle; and indeed, the great share 
 which he is represented to have had in the ** Acts of 
 " the Apostles," gives him a just title to this distinc- 
 tion. He was originally called Joses ; but his coun- 
 trymen added the name of Barnabas, to denote some 
 excellent quality which he possessed. St. Luke in- 
 terprets this name, "• the son of consolation;" and 
 St. Jerome says, it further signifies "• the son of a 
 *' prophet." Both these explananions will accord 
 with the character of this apostle, who was eminent 
 for his prophetic gifts and endowments, as well as for 
 that spirit of benevolence wdiichhe was constantly ex- 
 erting in behalf of his Christian brethren. He was 
 a descendant of the iribe of Levi ; and his ancestors 
 had removed from Judea, and settled in the isle of 
 Cyprus. He was educated at Jerusalem, under Ga- 
 maliel, the preceptor of St. Paul. It is probable, 
 that the accidental circumstance of being educated 
 under the same master, proved the first foundation of 
 that intimate friendship, which subsisted between 
 those two eminent servants of the blessed Jesus. 
 
 The first mention of Barnabas in the scripture, is 
 the record of that memorable service to the church, in 
 disposing of his patrimony in Cyprus, and giving the 
 whole produce to the apostles, to be distributed by 
 them among the indigent followers of Christ. This 
 example was followed by many other opulent Chris- 
 tians : but Barnabas is mentioned as having sold the 
 most valuable estate in the island, and being the most 
 active in promoting this laudable design. 
 
THE LIFE OK ST. BARNABAS. 37.9 
 
 When St. Paul, three years after his conversion, 
 came to Jerusalem, he addressed himself to Barnabas, 
 who introduced him to Peter and James, and satis- 
 fied them of the sincerity of his faith in Jesus. This 
 recommendation was 30 powerful, that Paul was not 
 only admitted into the communion of the apostles, 
 but invited to Peter's house, " and abode with him 
 " fifteen days." 
 
 Upon the inhabitants of Antioch making applica- 
 tion for some of the superiors of the religious order 
 to come amongst them, in order to confirm their faith 
 in the gospel, which had been preached to them with 
 remarkable success, St. Barnabas was deputed to 
 preach the gospel to those people, and by his exempla- 
 ry life and pious discourses, he made very considera- 
 ble additions to the Christian church. The field being 
 too extensive for one laborer, Barnabas went to Tar- 
 sus, to procure the assistance of Saul, who returned 
 witli him to Antioch, and continued to assist a whole 
 year, in the pious work of establishing the Christian 
 church. Their labors proved successful ; and the 
 disciples of Antioch, who before this had called them- 
 selves brethren, believers, and elect, were stiled by 
 their enemies, Nazarcnes ; and Galileans were now 
 first called Christians. 
 
 In consequence of the prophecy of Agabus, that 
 there would shortly be a famine throughout the world, 
 or as it is most generally understood, throughout the 
 Roman empire, and particularly in Judea, the Antio- 
 chians sent large contributions by Barnabas and Paul, 
 for the relief of their brethren in Jerusalem. Having 
 discharged their charitable commission, they returned 
 to Jerusalem, taking with them John, whose surname 
 was Mark, the son of Mary, and sister of Barnabas. 
 
 A short time after the return of the apostles to An- 
 
S80 THE LIFE OF ST. BARNABAS. 
 
 tioch, an express revelation was made by one of the 
 prophets, purporting, that ''Barnabas and Saul should 
 *' be set apart for an extraordinary work, whercunto 
 *' the Holy Ghost had assigned them " In conse- 
 quence of this, a day was appointed for a solemn mis- 
 sion, and they were solemnly ordained to preach the 
 gospel to the Gentiles. From being united with St. 
 Paul in this commission, St. Barnabas obtained the 
 name of an apostle. 
 
 Being consecrated the apostles of the Gentiles, Bar- 
 nabas and Paul departed from Antioch, being attend- 
 ed by John Mark, who acted in the capacity of their 
 deacon. Having preached the gospel in various parts, 
 they arrived at Pamphylia, whence to the great grief 
 of his uncle, Barnabas returned to Jerusalem. 
 
 Proceeding to Lystra, Paul cured a man who had 
 been born lame ; and this miracle so astonished the 
 inhabitants, that they behaved towards him and his 
 companion as divinities : but they modestly disclaim- 
 ed the honors offered them by the people. 
 
 By the artifices of their former malicious persecu- 
 tors, the inhabitants of Lystra were, at length, so vi- 
 olently inflamed against the apostles, that they assault- 
 ed them with unrelenting fury, and even stoned Paul 
 till they believed him to be dead. By the divine as- 
 sistance, however, he soon recovered his health and 
 spirits ; then departed with his companion for Derbe, 
 where they converted many of the people to the reli- 
 gion of the holy Jesus. 
 
 After travelling through several countries, preach- 
 ing the gospel, and confirming the faith of their dis- 
 ciples, they returned to Antioch ; where soon after 
 their arrival, they assembled the church for the pur- 
 pose of composing a disagreement, occasioned by 
 
THE LIFE OF ST. BARNABAS. 581 
 
 some of the Jewish converts having endeavored to 
 persuade the Gentiles, that they were enjoined to an 
 observation of the law of Moses, as well as the gos- 
 pel dispensation. All their endeavors to reconcile 
 this difference proving ineffectual, Paul, Barnabas, 
 and others, were nominated to submit the question to 
 the decision of the church at Jerusalem. The synod 
 having decreed that the Gentile converts should not 
 have circumcision and other Jewish rites imposed 
 upon them, the apostles returned to Antioch, accom- 
 panied by John Mark. 
 
 Some time after this, St. Peter arrived at Antioch ; 
 and, lest he should render himself odious to the bi- 
 gotted Jews refused to hold communication with the 
 Gentiles ; and the authority of this example, seduc- 
 ed Barnabas into the same error ; of which, however, 
 they both repented, in consequence of being severely 
 reproved by St. Paul. 
 
 A few days after the above event, Paul proposed 
 to Barnabas, that they should repeat their late travels 
 among the Gentiles ; and this was approved of by 
 Barnabas, who, however, desired that they might be 
 accompanied by his reconciled nephew, John Mark. 
 This was resolutely opposed by Paul, on account of 
 John Mark having, when at Pamphylia, proved him- 
 self deficient in the constancy of becoming a faith- 
 ful minister of Christ. Hence arose a disagreement; 
 in consequence of which, these holy men, who had 
 for many years been fellow laborers in the vineyard 
 of Christ, separated. Barnabas and his kinsman sail- 
 ed for Cyprus ; and Paul, accompanied by Silas, tra- 
 velled into Syria and Cilicia. 
 
 Barnabas afterwards travelled into various quarters 
 of the globe, preaching the glad tidings of salvation, 
 healing the sick, and performing other miracles.—- 
 
382 THE LIFE OF ST. BAUNABAS. 
 
 Returning again to his native island, he pursued the 
 exercise of his holy ministration. While he was 
 preaching in the synagogue, some Jews from Syria and 
 Salamis, seized and barbarously stoned him to death. 
 John Mark, who was a spectator of this horrid act 
 of cruelty, privately interred his body in a cave, near 
 the city. The body of St. Barnabas is said to have 
 been discovered during the reign of the emperor Ze- 
 no, in the year of our Lord 485 ; and the tradition 
 adds, that a Hebrew manuscript of the gospel of St. 
 Matthew, was found lying upon his breast. 
 
( 383 ) 
 
 The life of St. STEPHEN. 
 
 1 HERE are no records concerning the birth, 
 counlry or parents of St. Stephen. It does not appear 
 that St. Stephen and the other six deacons, had any 
 particular designation previous to their appointment 
 to the service of the tables ; and therefore Stephen 
 could not have been one of the seventy disciples, al- 
 though it is probable, that he was long a zealous fol- 
 lower of the blessed Jesus. 
 
 He was a zealous promoter of the religion of the 
 blessed Jesus, and performed a great number of mira- 
 cles, in confirmation of his doctrine. His unremit- 
 ting solicitude in obtaining converts to the cause of 
 Christianity, highly exasperated the Jews. Some peo- 
 ple of the synagogue of the freed men of Cyrenia, 
 Alexandria, and other places, engaged in a controversy 
 with Stephen ; and being unable to destroy the force 
 of his arguments, ihey suborned false witnesses to ac- 
 cuse him of having committed blasphemy against 
 God and Moses. These mercenary and perjured 
 wretches deposed before the Sanhedrim, that they had 
 heard Stephen speak disrespectfully of the temple and 
 law ; and affirm, that Jesus of Nazareth would destroy 
 the holy place, and abolish the law of Moses. St. 
 Stephen appeared before this assembly with an un- 
 daunted resolution ; and while he spoke in defence of 
 his own innocence, his face became brilliant as that of 
 an angel. 
 
 Having concluded his defence, his enemies were 
 furiously enraged : but regardless of their malice, 
 Stephen raised his eyes towards heaven, and perceiv- 
 e<l the glory of God, and the blessed Jesus standing 
 
384 THE LIFE OF ST. STEPHEN. 
 
 on the right hand of Omnipotence. Addressing him- 
 self to the council, he declared the particulars of his 
 vision ; which so exasperated them, that they put 
 their hands to their ears, and by other signals intimat- 
 ed, that they had heard some dreadful blasphemy ; 
 and immediately after, they hurried him out of the 
 city, and stoned him to death. 
 
 On these cruel occasions, the witnesses were accus- 
 tomed to cast the first stones at the victims of the po- 
 pular fury : but whether they conformed to this parti- 
 cular at the martyrdom of St. Stephen, is unknown. 
 The evangelist, however, informs us, that the wit- 
 nesses were principally concerned in this barbarous 
 transaction ; for they stripped off their garments, and 
 laid them at the feet of Saul, then a violent persecutor 
 of the Christians, but afterwards one of the most zea- 
 lous ministers of the gospel. In the midst of his 
 torments, St. Stephen continued fervently to pray to 
 the Almighty, that he would pardon his persecutors., 
 saying, *' Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." 
 
( 385 ) 
 
 The life of St. TIMOTHY. 
 
 A( 
 
 CCORDING to some writers, Timothy was a 
 native of Lystra ; but others are of opinion, that he 
 was born at Derbe. His father was a Gentile, 
 and his mother was a Jewess, named Eunice. St. 
 Paul extols the parents of Timothy on account of their 
 piety, and of the great care they took of the educa- 
 tion of their son. 
 
 When St. Paul came to Lystra, about the year of 
 Christ 52, he circumcised Timothy, previous to ad- 
 mitting him among the number of his disciples. Ti- 
 mothy was so active a minister, that he rendered 
 Paul very essential service in promulgating the gos- 
 pel. We cannot ascertain the time when he was 
 constituted a bishop, but it is supposed, that he very 
 early received the imposition of the hands of the apos- 
 tle. St. Paul calls him his dearly beloved son, his 
 brother, the companion of his labors, and a man of 
 God. 
 
 Timothy accompanied St. Paul to Macedonia, Phi- 
 lippi, Thcssalonica, and Berea ; and, at this latter 
 place, he was left, together with Silas, to confirm the 
 converts. From Athens Paul sent for Timothy to 
 join him ; and soon after his arrrival, he was dispatch- 
 ed by the apostle to Thessalonica. From this place, 
 accompanied by Silas, he repaired to meet St. Paul 
 at Corinth. 
 
 Some years afterwards, St. Paul dispatched Timo- 
 thy and Erastus into Macedonia, ordering the former 
 to call at Corinth, and remind the inhabitants of the 
 
 VOL. II, 3 A 
 
386 THE LIFE OF ST. TIMOTHY. 
 
 doctrines he had preached to them. Joining Paul in 
 Asia, they travelled together into Macedonia. 
 
 When St. Paul returned from Rome, in the year of 
 Christ 64, he left Timothy at Ephesus, to promote 
 the church there, of which he was the first bishop. 
 From Macedonia St. Paul wrote to Timothy, recom- 
 mending him to moderate his austerities, and to drink 
 a little wine, on account of the weakness of his sto- 
 mach, and the frequent infirmities to which he was 
 subject. After the arrival of the apostle at Rome, in 
 the year 65, being but a short time before his death, 
 he wrote a second epistle to Timothy, expressing the 
 most tender affection for that disciple. He requests 
 him to repair to Rome before winter, and to take 
 with him several articles which he had left at Troas. 
 It is reasonable to suppose, that he complied with 
 the apostle's desire, and that he was a witness to his 
 martyrdom. There is nothing known to a certainty 
 with respect to the death of Timothy. 
 
( .^^87 ) 
 
 The life of St. TITUS. 
 
 B] 
 
 >EING born a Gentile, Titus became a convert 
 to the preaching of St. Paul, who calls him his son. — 
 He accompanied Paul to Jerusalem, when the apos- 
 tles went thither to procure the decision of the synod, 
 as to whether the converted Gentiles were subject to 
 the ceremonies of the Jewish law. Several persons 
 were at this time very urgent, that Paul should per- 
 form the ceremony of circumcision upon Titus, but 
 to this neither of them would consent. 
 
 Titus was sent by St. Paul, to compose some dif- 
 ferences which had arisen in the Christian church at 
 Corinth ; and he succeeded in this commission, but 
 refused to accept the presents oflfered him by the in- 
 habitants ; thereby proving, that he did not act from 
 mercenary motives, but from an anxious concern for 
 their eternal salvation. 
 
 From Corinth, Titus went into Macedonia, from 
 whence Paul ordered him to return, in order to make 
 preparations for his arrival. He immediately depart- 
 ed, taking with him the second epistle of St. Paul to 
 the Corinthians. About the year of Christ 63, Titus 
 was constituetd bishop of the isle of Crete. 
 
 The following year the apostle wrote, desiring, that 
 when he should have sent Tychicus or Artemas to suc- 
 ceed him in the care of the church in the isle of Crete, 
 that Titus would come to him at Nicopolis, where 
 he intended to reside during the winter season. In 
 this epistle he enumerates the qualities necessary in a 
 bishop and instructs Titus in the questions which he 
 was to propose to persons of all descriptions. He also 
 
388 THE LIFE OF ST. TITUS. 
 
 exhorts him to maintain a strict authority over the 
 Cretans, and to reprove them for the many vices to 
 ^vhich they vt^ere addicted. It is not known where 
 this epistle was written, or by what messenger it was 
 sent. 
 
 Titus was appointed to preach the gospel in Dal- 
 matia, where he resided in the year 65, when the apos- 
 tle wrote his second epistle to Timothy. He after- 
 wards returned into Crete, and preached the gospel 
 there, and in the neighboring islands. Titus died in 
 the ninety-fourth year of his age, and his remains 
 were interred in the island of Crete. Several writers 
 concur in affirming, that the cathedral of the city of 
 Candia was dedicated to Titus. 
 
( 389 ) 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 h 
 
 .N the History of our Blessed Saviour, we have 
 inserted all the particulars w^hich are known concern- 
 ing the Virgin Mary, and Mary the sister of Lazarus. 
 With respect to Joseph, or Joses, the brother of St. 
 James the Less, the few particulars that are preserv- 
 ed in relation to him, will be found in our life of that 
 apostle. 
 
 We have already observed, that Joseph of Arima- 
 thea, or of Banatha, Rama, or Ramulus, a city be- 
 tween Joppa and Jerusalem, was secretly a disciple 
 of the blessed Jesus ; and that, after avowing the 
 Christian faith, he, in conjunction with Nicodemus, 
 deposited the body of our crucified Saviour in a se- 
 pulchre. The name of Joseph of Arimathea is omit- 
 ted in the ancient Latin martyrologies, nor was it in- 
 serted in many others till after the year of Christ 
 1585. His body is said to have been conveyed to 
 Moyenmontier, by Fortunatus, archbishop of Gra- 
 da. The relicks of this saint were here held in high 
 veneration till the tenth age ; when the monastry be- 
 ing given to the canons, the body was removed, but 
 to what place is unknown. 
 
 Nicodemus was by birth a Jew, and belonged to the 
 sect of Pharisees. After his conversation with, and 
 conversion by the holy Jesus, he signalized himself 
 for his Christian piety. Upon the return of the offir 
 cers dispatched by the Pharisees to apprehend our Sa- 
 viour, they told the council, that never man had spo- 
 ken like him. Upon this the Pharisees severely re- 
 proached the blessed Jesus, when Nicodemus asked 
 his brethren, whether they were permitted by the law 
 
390 CONCLUSION. 
 
 to condemn any man unheard. At length he openly 
 declared himself to be a disciple of Jesus, and as we 
 have already related, joined Joseph of Arimathea, in 
 paying funeral honors to the Saviour of the world. 
 
 Nicodemus received baptism from the disciples of 
 Christ, but whether before or after his passion is un- 
 certain. Gaining intelligence of this circumstance, 
 the council deposed him from the dignity of a senator, 
 pronounced against him the sentence of excommuni- 
 cation, and compelled him to retire from Jerusalem. 
 His effects were plundered, and he was so cruelly beat- 
 en, as to be very near losing his life. After this bar- 
 barous treatment, he took shelter in the house of Ga- 
 maliel, his uncle, or cousin-german ; who, upon his 
 decease, honorably interred him near the body of St. 
 Stephen. In the year 415, the remains of Nicode- 
 mus, together with those of Gamaliel and St. Stephen, 
 were discovered. 
 
 Nicholas was a proselyte at Antioch, where he was 
 converted from Paganism to the Jewish religion. He 
 afterwards embraced the gospel, and became one of 
 the most eminent of the primitive Christians. He 
 is accused, but with what degree of justice cannot 
 be determined, with having countenanced the hereti- 
 cal sect called Nicolaites ; from whence arose several 
 others, addicted to the most horrid barbarities, and 
 other crimes. His character, however is strenuously 
 defended by many celebrated writers of antiquity : 
 but St. John does not intimate the least circumstance, 
 in extenuation of the fact alledged against him : nor 
 has any Christian church paid honor to his memory. 
 
 Every remarkable event in the life of John Mark, is 
 included in our account of Barnabas. It may not, 
 however be improper to introduce some few additi- 
 onal matters. It is asserted by some writers, that he 
 
CONCLUSION. 391 
 
 was bishop of Biblis in Phoenicia. The Greeks call 
 him an apostle, and say, that the sick were cured by 
 his shadow. It is probable that he died at Ephesus, 
 where his tomb was much resorted to and celebrated. 
 
 Concerning Clement, there are a great variety of 
 opinions; but it is tolerably certain, that he was or- 
 dained either by Peter or Paul ; and most probably 
 it was by the latter. The immediate successor of 
 St. Peter in the Bishoprick of Rome, was Limus, who 
 was succeeded by Anaclctus ; and the successor of 
 this bishop was Clement. During his pontificate, he 
 wrote an epistle to the Corinthians, which is still ex- 
 tant ; and this performance was so highly esteemed 
 by the ancients, that it was frequently read in their 
 churches. We are informed, upon good authority, 
 that Clement was living in the third year of the em- 
 peror Trajan, being the hundredth of our great Lord 
 and Saviour Jesus Christ. 
 
 THE END OF THE LIVES OF THE APOSTLEJf. 
 
A BRIEF 
 
 ENUMERATION 
 
 OF THE 
 
 APOSTLES 
 
 AND THEIR 
 SUCCESSORS 
 
 For the first three hundred years after the Crucifixion. 
 
 VOL. II. 3 B 
 
A BRIEF 
 ENUMERATION 
 
 OF THE 
 
 APOSTLES AND THEIR SUCCESSORS, 
 
 FOR 
 
 The first three hundred years after the Crucifixion. 
 
 ANTIOCH. 
 
 In this catalogue of the five Apostolical Churches, 
 we shall place Antioch first, because it is generally 
 admitted, that a church was founded in this city by 
 St. Peter, a considerable time before the estab- 
 lishment of that at Rome. The succession of the 
 bishops of this church was in the following order : 
 
 1. St. Peter the Apostle ; who presided 7 years, or, 
 
 according to Nicephorus, 11 
 
 2. Evodus, 23 
 
 3. Ignatius, near 40 
 
 4. Heron, 20 
 
 5. Cornelius, 13 
 
 6. Eros, 26, or, according to Eusebius, 24 
 
 7. Theophilus. 13 
 
396 A BRIEF ENUMERATION 
 
 8. Maximinus, 13 
 
 9. Serapio, 25 
 
 10. Esclepiades, 9 
 
 11. Philetus, 8 
 
 12. Zebinus, or Zebennus, 6 
 
 13. Babylus, 13 
 
 14. Fabius, or, according to Nicephorus Flavius, 9 
 
 15. Demetrianus, as Nicephorus says, 4 : but Eu- 
 
 sebius says, 8 
 
 16. Paulus Samosatenus, 8 
 
 17. Domnus, presided. 2, as Nicephorus asserts, but 
 
 Eusebius says, 6 
 
 18. Timseus, 8 
 
 19. Cyrillus, Nicephorus says, 15, Eusebius, 24 
 
 20. Tyrannus, 13 
 
 21. Vitalis, 6 
 
 22. Philogonius, 5 
 
 23. Paulinos, or as Nicephorus calls him, Paulus, 5 
 
 24. Eustatius, formerly bishop of Bersea, a learned 
 
 man, and one of great eminency in the council 
 of Nice, the first general council, summoned 
 by Constantine the Great, whose time will be 
 the boundary of this catalogue. 
 
OF THE APOSTLES, &C. 397 
 
 ROME. 
 
 The establishment of this church is attributed both to 
 St. Peter and St. Paul ; the one as apostle of the 
 circumcision, preaching to the Jews ; and the other, 
 as the apostle of the uncircumcision, preaching to 
 the Gentiles. 
 
 1. St. Peter and St. Paul, both of whom suffered 
 
 martyrdom under Nero 
 
 2. Linus, 12 
 
 3. Cletus, Anacletus, or Anencletus, some say 9, 
 
 and others 2 
 
 4. Clemens, 9 
 
 5. Euaristus, 9, or 13 
 
 6. Alexander, 10 
 
 7. Xystus, or Sixtus, 10 
 
 8. Telesphorus, 11 
 
 9. Hyginus, 4, or as Eusebius says, 8 
 
 10. Pius, 11, or 15 
 
 11. Anicetus, 9, or 11 
 
 12. Soter, or as Niccphorus calls him, Soterichus, 
 
 9, or, as Eusebius says, 7 
 
 13. Eleutherus, 15 
 
 14. Victor, 10, or according to Onuphrius, 12 
 
 15. Zephyrinus, 8, some say 18, and Onuphrius as- 
 
 signs 20 
 
 16. Calistus, or Callixtus, 6, others say 5 
 
 17. Urbanus, some say 6, others 4 ; Eusebius says 
 
 5, and St. Hierome, 9 
 
 18. Pontianus, some say 3, others 4, Eusebius 5 
 
 19. Anterus died before the expiration of a month 
 
 after his exaltation to the pontifical dignity 
 
 20. Fabianus, 14 
 
 21. Cornelius, 2 
 
 22. Lucius, 2, others say 3 
 
398 A BRIEF ENUMERATION 
 
 23. Stephaniis, 2 or 3, or as some say 7 
 
 24. Xystus, 1, or 2, or according to Eusebius, 8 
 
 25. Dionysius, 6, 9, 10, H, and Eusebius extends 
 
 the time to 12 years 
 
 26. Felix, 4 or 5 
 
 27. Eutycliianus, 1, though Eusebius allows him but 
 
 8 months, and Onuphrius says 8 years and 6 
 months 
 
 28. Gains, or as Eusebius calls him, Gaianus, 11, 
 
 or as Eusebius says, 15 
 
 29. Marcellinus, 8 or 9 
 
 30. Marcellus, near 6 " 
 
 31. Eusebius, 6, some say 4, though Eusebius al- 
 
 lows but 7 months, and Onuphrius 1 year and 
 y months 
 
 32. Miltiades, 2, 3, or 4 
 
 33. Silvester, 23, or as Nicephorus says, 28. He 
 
 was elected in the vear of our Lord 314. 
 
OF THE Al'OStLES, 8zC. 399 
 
 JERUSALEM. 
 
 The church of Jerusalem may in some sense be said 
 to have been established by our Saviour himself, 
 for it was cultivated and improved by the whole 
 college of apostles. The bishops presided in the 
 following rotation : 
 
 1. St. James the Less, some say, was constituted 
 
 bishop by our blessed Saviour, but others arc 
 of opinion, that the dignity was conferred upon 
 him by the apostles 
 
 2. Simeon, the son of Cleophas, brother to Joseph, 
 
 our Lord's reputed father. He presided 23 years 
 
 3. Justus, 6 
 
 4. Zacheus, or, as Nicephorus stiles him, Zachari- 
 
 as, 4 
 
 5. Tobias, 4 
 
 6. Benjamin, 2 
 
 7. John, 2 
 
 8. Matthias, or Matthaus, 2 
 
 9. Philippus, 1 
 
 10. Seneca, 4 
 
 11. Justus, 4 
 
 12. Levi, or Lebes, 2 
 
 13. Ephrem, or Ephres, or, as Epiphanius stiles him, 
 
 Vaphres, 2 
 
 14. Joseph, 2 
 
 15. Judas, 2. This quick succession was owing to 
 
 the turbulent and refractory spirit of the Jews, 
 who frequently rebelled against the Roman pow- 
 er. Hitherto the bishops of Jerusalem had suc- 
 cessively been of the circumcision, the church 
 there being entirely composed of Jewish con- 
 verts. But the city and temple being laid in a 
 state of desolation, the Jews dispersed them- 
 
400 A BRIEF ENUMERATION 
 
 selves into various countries, and the Gentiles 
 were not only admitted members of the church, 
 but even advanced to the episcopal chair. The 
 first of these were, 
 
 16. Marcus, 8 
 
 17. Cassianus, 8 
 
 18. Publius, 5 
 
 19. MaJ^imus, 4 
 
 20. Julianus, 2 
 
 21. Caianus, 3 
 
 22. Symmachus, 2 
 
 24. Julianus, 4 
 
 25. Elias, 2. Though omitted by Eusebius, this 
 
 bishop is recorded by Nicephorus of Constan- 
 tinople 
 
 26. Capito, 4 
 
 27. Maximus, 4 
 
 28. Antoninus, 5 
 
 29. Valens, 3 
 
 30. Dulichianus, 2 
 
 3 1. Narcissus, 4 
 
 32. Dius, 8 
 
 33. Germanio, 4 
 
 34. Gordius, 5 
 
 35. Alexander, 15 
 56. Mazabenes, 9 
 
 37. Hymenaeus, 23 
 
 38. Zabdas, 10 
 
 39. Hermon, 9 
 
 40. Macarius, ordained in the year of our Lord 315. 
 
 Nicephorus of Constantinople says, he presid- 
 ed 20 years, but St. Hierom allows a much 
 longer time. 
 
OF THE APOSTLES, &C. 401 
 
 BYZANTIUM, afterwards called CON- 
 STANTINOPLE. 
 
 This church was established by St. Andrew. 
 
 1. St. Andrew, the Apostle 
 
 2. Stachys, 16 years 
 
 3. Onesimus, 14 
 
 4. Polycarpus, 17 
 
 5. Plutarchus, 16 
 
 6. Sedecio, 19 
 
 7. Diogenes, 15. The three latter are not menti« 
 
 oned by Nicephorus of Constantinople, but they 
 are recorded by Nicephorus Callistus 
 
 8. Eleutherus, 7 
 
 9. Felix, 5 
 
 10. Polycarpus, 17 
 
 11. Athenodorus, 4 
 
 13. Euzoius, 16 ; though Nicephorus Callistus says 
 only 6 
 
 13. Laurentius, 11 years and 6 months 
 
 14. Alypius, 13 
 
 15. Pertinax, 19; but Nicephorus reduces his time 
 
 to 9 
 
 16. Olympianus, 11 
 
 17. Marcus, 13 
 
 18. Cyriacus, or Cyrillianus, 16 
 
 19. Constantinus, 7 
 
 20. Titus, 35 years and 6 months, but Nicephorus 
 Callistus says 57 years 
 
 21. Demetrius, 21 years and 6 months. 
 
 22. Probus, 12 
 
 YOL. II. 3 c 
 
402 A BRIEF ENUMERATION 
 
 23. Metrophanes, 10. During his government of 
 
 the church, Constantine removed the Imperial 
 Court to this place, which he made the seat 
 of his government, calling it by his own name 
 
 24. Alexander, 23 
 
OF THE APOSTLES, &C. 403 
 
 ALEXANDRIA. 
 
 The foundation of this church was established, and 
 a great part of its superstructure raised by St. 
 Mark. Though not strictly an apostle, yet being 
 an Apostle at large, and receiving his commission 
 immediately from St. Peter, the church of Alex- 
 andria received the honor of being admitted among 
 the apostolical number. 
 
 1. St. Mark the Evangelist, who, according to Ni- 
 
 cephorus of Constantinople, presided 2 years 
 
 2. Anianus, 22 
 
 3. Avilius, 12 or 13 
 
 4. Cerdo, 10, or, as Eusebius says, 11 
 
 5. Primus, 12 
 
 6. Justus, or Justinus, 10 
 
 7. Eumenes, 10; or, according to Eusebius, 13. — 
 
 St. Jerome calls him Hymenaeus 
 
 8. Marcus, or Marcianus, 13 ; or, as Eusebius 
 
 says, 10 
 
 9. Celadion, 10 ; or, as Eusebius says, 14 
 
 10. Agrippinus, 14, or 12 
 
 11. Julianus, 15, or 10 
 
 12. Demetrius, 21, or, as Eusebius, with greater pro- 
 
 bability, says, 43. He was a man of great pie- 
 ty, and labored under many troubles, during 
 the persecution at Alexander. 
 
 13. Heraclas, was, upon the decease of Demetrius, 
 
 advanced to the government of the church, over 
 which he presided 16 years ; though Nicephorus 
 of Constantinople, probably mistaking Hera- 
 clas for his predecessor, say he governed the 
 church 43 years. 
 
 14. Dionysius, 17. In the persecution under Deci- 
 
 us, he went first to Taposiris, a small town be- 
 
404 A BRIEF ENUMERATION, &C. 
 
 tween Alexandria and Canopus ; then to Ce- 
 phro, and afterwards to other places in the de- 
 serts of Lybia. He died in the twelfth year of 
 the Emperor Gallienus. 
 
 15. Maximus, according to the computation of Euse- 
 
 bius, presided 18 years ; but Nicephorus of 
 Constantinople assigns only 8 
 
 16. Theonas, 17, or, according to St. Jerome's ver- 
 
 sion of Eusebius, 19 
 
 17. Petrus, 12. He assumed the dignity three years 
 
 before the last persecution, in the ninth year of 
 which he purchased the croM'n of martyrdom 
 with the loss of his head. Soon after the death 
 of Petrus, Constantine the Great rescued the 
 church from the dreadful calamities in which 
 it had been so long involved, and established it 
 in a state of prosperous tranquillity. 
 
 18. Achillas, 9, but Nicephorus of Constantinople al- 
 
 lows him only one year. 
 
 19. Alexander, 23. During the government of 
 
 Alexander, Arius began more openly to pro- 
 mulgate his heretical principles at Alexandria : 
 in consequence of which, sentence of excom- 
 munication was pronounced against him; and 
 soon after being banished from Alexandria, he 
 was condemned by the fathers who composed 
 the Nicene council. 
 
0^^0m 0if^i0 ^ 0m0i0 i 0^ ¥tifi0 ^0 i0tm 0^0m 0k \ 
 
 GENERAL INDEX. 
 
 ^ ^ I^ ^¥t0 ¥mm0^0 imi ¥'j0f0 ¥^ 0m 0^0i 0m0^0$0m0¥i0^0^ 
 
m0^0^0^^^^^^^0^^0^0 s:M^m 0ti0^^^t^m m0 i ^ ^ t0> i^^M0U if^ 
 
 GENERAL INDEX. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Page. 
 
 The time of incarnation of our blessed Saviour 1 
 
 The birth of John the Baptist predicted 2 
 
 The characters of Zacharias and Elizabeth ibid. 
 David divides the Jewish priesthood into twrenty-four 
 
 courses S 
 
 l^he angel appears to Zacharias, who is struck dumb 4 
 
 The conception of John the Baptist ib. 
 The salutation of the angel to the Virgin Mary 6 
 
 The visitation of the blessed virgin to Elizabeth, which 
 
 is returned 7 
 
 Elizabeth is delivered of a son 9 
 Zacharias recovers the use of the organs of speech and 
 
 hearing 10 
 
 The education of John the Baptist H 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 Of the authority of the scriptures 12 
 
 Arguments against scepticism ib. 
 
 Prophecies IS 
 
408 INDEX. 
 
 Page. 
 State of the Roman empire at the nativity of our Savi- 
 our 14 
 The Sibylline oracles 15 
 Description of the holy land 18 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 The pregnancy of Mary discovered to Joseph, who pro- 
 poses to repudiate her, but declines that resolution in 
 consequence of a dream 26 
 
 The decree of Augustus • 27 
 
 Joseph and Mary repair to Bethlehem 28 
 
 The birth of our Blessed Saviour ib. 
 
 , The angels appear to the Shepherds, who go to Bethlehem, 
 
 and worship the heavenly infant 29 
 
 The circumcision of Jesus and the appearance of the star 
 
 in the East 30 
 
 The wise men repairing to Jerusalem, are examined by 
 Herod, after which they pursue their journey to Bethle- 
 hem, where they pay adoration to the Messiah, and pre- 
 sent to him myrrh, gold, and frankincense. 31 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 The uncertainty of the particular day of Christ's nativity 33 
 Remarks on the decree of Augustus, and a description of 
 
 the Roman empire 34 
 
 Time occupied in making the survey mentioned by St. 
 
 Luke 35 
 
 Account of the Jewish shepherds ib. 
 
 The city of Bethlehem, the cave of nativity, convents, 
 
 chapel of the manger, and grotto of the blessed Virgin ; 
 
 chapels of St. Jerome, St. Paula, and Eustochium 36 
 The field of the shepherds 38 
 
 Solomon's pools, gardens and fountains. 40 
 
INDEX. 409 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 Page. 
 The genealogy of Jesus Christ 41 
 
 The line of the Virgin Mary included in that of Joseph 48 
 Reasons for the rejection of Cainaa and other names in the 
 catalogue of St. Luke 34 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 Institutions relating to the presentation of the first-born, and 
 
 the purification of women 56 
 
 Joseph and Mary repair to Jerusalem 37 
 
 Simeon takes Jesus in his arms, and praises God 58 
 
 Account of the prophetess Anna 59 
 
 In consequence of a vision, Joseph and Mary convey Jesus 
 
 into I*"gypt GO 
 
 Massacre of the children of Bethlehem 61 
 
 Upon the decease of Herod, Joseph returns to Nazareth 62 
 Infant state of our Saviour ib. 
 
 He accompanies Joseph and Mary to Jerusalem, whence 
 they depart without him, and afterwards find him in 
 the temple, engaged in dispute with the doctors 63 
 
 The humiUty of Christ towards Joseph and Mary 67 
 
 Proofs that Christ followed the occupation of Joseph 68 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 Of the name of the blessed Virgin 70 
 
 Her parents and nativity 71 
 
 Her education and nuptials 79 
 
 Her virfiiuity after marriage, and her annunciation i^. 
 
 That Mary was with jesus at Cana, and other places - 74 
 The death of the Virgin Mary, and revelation concerning 
 
 her 77 
 
 Of the jK'rpetual virginity of the mother of Jesus 78 
 
 Her assun;ption. *. ib, 
 
 VOL. II. 3 D 
 
410 INDEX. 
 
 CHAP. vm. 
 
 Page. 
 The commencement of the gospel of Jesus Christ 80 
 
 The character and commission of John; and the substance 
 
 of his doctrme 81 
 
 Great multitudes of people resort to John from Galilee 
 
 and the different parts of Judea, and are baptized by 
 
 him 8S 
 
 The discourses of John to the Pharisees, the publicans, 
 
 and the soldiers ' 84 
 
 John declares that he is not the Messiah. 87 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 Preliminary Rules for elucidating the history of our Savi- 
 our's public ministry, from the time of his baptism to the 
 time of his crucifixion 90 
 
 CHAP. X. 
 
 The baptism of our blessed Redeemer 102 
 
 The visible descent of the Holy Spirit; and the voice of 
 
 the Almighty heard from the heavens 103 
 
 Christ goes into the desart, where he remains forty days 
 and forty nights, without receiving any kind of nutri- 
 ment 104 
 The several efforts of Satan to tempt our Saviour 105 
 Satan is rebuked and repulsed by Christ, who afterwards 
 
 returns from the desart ib. 
 
 The several testimonies of John concerning our Saviour 107 
 
 CHAP. XI. 
 
 The calling of Andrew and another of the disciples of John 
 the Baptist 117 
 
INDEX. 411 
 
 Page. 
 
 The calling of Peter and of Philip 118 
 
 The conversation of our Saviour with Philip 119 
 
 Christ is invited to a marriage feast at Cana, where he 
 
 changes water into wine 120 
 
 CHAP. XII. 
 
 The prophaners of the temple expelled by Christ 123 
 
 His discourse with the Jews on the subject ot the expulsion 
 of the traders from the temple, and the prophecy of his 
 resurrection 124 
 
 The lessons of our blessed Saviour to Nicodemus, wherein 
 he explains the purpose of his incarnation 125 
 
 Christ departs from Jerusalem, and baptizes such Jews 
 as resort toWim for that purpose 129 
 
 John continues to administer baptism atyEnon 130 
 
 A controversy between some of the disciples of John and 
 the Jews, concerning the baptism practised by our Lord 
 and his forerunner ib. 
 
 The disciples reproved by John, who bears testimony in 
 the divinity of Christ, and teaches the necessity of taith 
 in him, as the means of eternal salvation 131 
 
 John reprimands Herod for having contracted an incestu- 
 ous alliance with Herodias, the wife of his brother, 
 Herod Philip, and the daughter of Aristobulus, the 
 Itrother of both, in consequence of which the Baptist is 
 thrown into prison 132 
 
 CHAP. XIII. 
 
 A resolution formed at a consultation of the Pharisees, and 
 intelligence of the imprisonment of John being commu- 
 nicated to Jesus, he departs from Judea towards Ga- 
 lilee. 134 
 
 In the course cf his journey he meets a woman of Sama- 
 ria, with whotn he discourses of the Holy Spirit, under 
 the similitude of living water 135 
 
 He informs the woman of the sie.cret circumstances of her 
 life, and explains to her the nature of the true worship 
 of God 135 
 
412 isruEX. 
 
 Page. 
 
 Christ acknowledges himself to be the Messiah 137 
 
 The Samaritan woman calls her neighbors to Jesus, and 
 they believe in his doctrines 13d 
 
 CHAP. XIV. 
 
 Christ proceeds into Galilee, where he preaches the gospel 
 with great success 141 
 
 He performs a miraculous cure upon the son of a noble- 
 man of Capernaum 142 
 
 He preaches in the synagogue at Nazareth, where he be- 
 comes the object of popular admiration: but upon re- 
 proaching the Nazaienes with infidelity, they are exas- 
 perated against him, and endeavor to throw him from a 
 precipice ib. 
 
 He enforces the necessity of repentance to the people of 
 Galilee 144 
 
 CHAP. XV. 
 
 Christ relieves a person possessed of a demon 147 
 
 At the instance of Peter and Andrew, he cures the mo- 
 ther-in-law of the former, of a fever ib. 
 Great numbers of diseased persons repair to Jesus, and are 
 
 restored 148 
 
 Having fervently prayed to his heavenly Father, Jesus con- 
 tinues to preach the gospel ih. 
 The miraculous draught of fishes 150 
 The calling of Jamesand John ih. 
 Jesus restores a leper to health 131 
 Christ returns to Capernaum, where he performs a wonder- 
 ful cure upon a paralytic 153 
 
 CHAP. XVI. 
 
 The calling of Matthew 156 
 
 The reason of the conversation of Jesus with the publican 156 
 The similitudes and reasons of our Saviour, explaining why 
 
INDEX. 413 
 
 Page 
 he did not exact from his disciples severities equal to 
 those endured by the disciples of John and the Pharisees 150 
 
 Christ performs a niiraculous cure at the pool of Bethesda 157 
 
 The Pharisees are exasperated against Jesus, and accuse 
 him of violating,' the s<ibbath 159 
 
 Our Saviour proclaims himself to be the Son of God, the 
 object of divine Avorship, and the future judge of man- 
 kind 161 
 
 He appeals to John for a confirmation of his divinity ; and 
 to the miracles he had wrought as well as to the scrip- ^ 
 tural writings »i. 
 
 Christ re|)roves the Pharisees for their unbelief in him, and 
 asserts that tliey shall be proved guilty by the writings 
 of Moses 16^ 
 
 CHAP. XVII. 
 
 The disciples of Jesus gather some ears of corn to appease 
 thf'ir hunger, on the sabbath, and are accused of profa- 
 nation by the Pharisees 164 
 
 Our Lord excuses his disciples, and instances the cases of 
 David and ihe priests ih. 
 
 He reasons on the use of the sabbath, exposes the futility 
 of the observations of the Pharisees, and performs a 
 wonderful cure 166 
 
 To avoid the malice of the Pharisees, our Saviour embarks 
 on the lake of Gennesareth 167 
 
 fie cures v.irious diseases, and relieves persons possessed 
 with demons ib. 
 
 Application of a prophecy of Isaiah to our blessed Saviour 168 
 
 CHAP. XVIII. 
 
 After fervently praying to the Almighty during a whole 
 night, the blesstd Jesus appoints the twelve a|X)stles 16P 
 
 Accompanied by the apostles, he repairs into the plains, 
 and from thence proceeds to Capernaum 170 
 
 He asceuds a mountain, and in the course of a most admi- 
 ral)le siriiion, pronounces the eight beatitudes 171 
 
 The character aud duty of the disciples of Christ 174 
 
414 INDEX. 
 
 Page. 
 That he came to fulfil the law 175 
 
 Of murder, unprovoked anger, reconciliation, adultery, 
 lust, divorce, perjury, profane swearing, retaliation, love 
 • to our enemies, charity, prayer, the Lord's prayer, fast- 
 ing, love of riches, worldly care, judging others, bimd 
 guides, the prostitution of holy things, efficacy of prayer, 
 doing as we would be done by, the strait and wide gates, 
 fallacious teachers, and unsound professors of religion ib. 
 
 CHAP. XIX. 
 
 Our Saviour descends from the mountain, and proceeds to 
 Capernaum 186 
 
 He performs a miraculous cure upon the servant of a cen- 
 turion \S7 
 
 Jesus restores to life the son of a widow . 188 
 
 John sends his disciples to Christ, who addresses the peo- 
 ple concerning the Baptist 189 
 
 Jesus reproaches the inhabitants of the cities of Chorazin, 
 Bethsaida, and Capernaam, for their want of faith in 
 him 192 
 
 CHAP. XX. 
 
 Christ accepts an invitation to the house of Simon, the 
 Pharisee 194 
 
 The feet of our Saviour anointed by a repentant woman ih. 
 
 Jesus proposes a question to the Pharisee, and receives an- 
 answer, which he applies to the case of the Avoman, 
 whose sins he pardons 19^- 
 
 Christ continues his progress through Judea, accompanied 
 by his twelve apostles, together with Mary INIagdalene, 
 and several other women on whom he had wrought mi- 
 racles 196 
 
 Jesus performs a wonderful cure, in consequence of which 
 he is wickedly traduced by the Pharisees 197 
 
 Our Saviour delivers certain similitudes, and deduces argu- 
 ments therefrom ib. 
 
INDEX. 415 
 
 Page. 
 
 He reproves the Pharisees, and refuses to give them a de- 
 monstration of his power to perform miracles 200 
 
 The Virgin Mary repairs to .lesus, on occasion of which he 
 says, all who live accordmg to the rules of his gospel, 
 are related to him in a spiritual sense 201 
 
 CHAP. XXI. 
 
 In order to avoid the inconvenience of being surrounded by 
 a vast number of people, Christ goes into a boat, and 
 preaches to the multitude 203 
 
 He compares hi»j preaching the gospel to a man employed 
 in sowing seed ib. 
 
 Jesus explains to his disciples, the reason of his using simi- 
 litudes 204 
 
 He explains the parable of the man sowing of seeds, and 
 after illus*^rating what he had said on that subject, he de- 
 livers a caution to his disciples. 20(5 
 
 Christ delivers several parables concerning the gospel 207 
 
 Why he gave instructions in a figurative stile 20f) 
 
 Our Lord's explanation of the parable of the tares ib. 
 
 He delivers other parables, and leaves the country 210 
 
 CHAP. XXII. 
 
 Our Saviour crosses the lake of Gennesareth, and gives an 
 answer to a lawyer, who proposed to accompany him 213 
 
 He obviates the excuse of a person who desired to be ad- 
 mitted among the number of his disciples, on condition 
 of remaining at home till after the decease of his aged 
 father 214 
 
 He appeases a violent storm, and reproves his disciples for 
 a want of confidence in him 215 
 
 Meeting two men possessed with evil spirits, they request 
 that Christ will not torture them 216 
 
 He depossesses the demoniacs, and sufi'ers the evil spirits 
 to enter into a herd of swine 217 
 
 The swineherds publish the news ; in consequence of 
 
416 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Page, 
 which, the people of Gadara request Jesus to evacuate 
 their country /6, 
 
 Christ re-embarks for Capernaum, and the demoniacs pub- 
 lish the fame of his miracles ib. 
 
 Upon his return, Jesus is met by a vast concourse of peo- 
 ple on the banks of the lake of Gennasareth 218 
 
 The ruler of the synagogue solicits Christ to restore his 
 daughter to health ?7,. 
 
 In his way to the ruler's house, Christ meets a woman, 
 whose afflictions are removed by her touching his gar- 
 ment /5, 
 
 Intelligence is brought of the decease of the daughter of 
 the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus repairs to the 
 house, and restores her to life 219 
 
 Christ relieves two men afflicted with blindness, and heals 
 a demoniac 220 
 
 CHAP. XXIII. 
 
 Our Saviour repairs to Nazareth, and is again treated with 
 contempt by his countrymen 223 
 
 He continues his progress through Galilee 224 
 
 Christ determines to send forth his apostles, and according- 
 ly gives instructions for the regulation of their holy mi- 
 nistry, and invests them with the power of working mi- 
 racles ib. 
 
 The apostles separate, and proceed to exercise their mi- 
 nistry 229 
 
 CHAP. XXIV. 
 
 The return of the apostles of Christ 237 
 
 Our Saviour crosses the lake, and is followed by great mul- 
 titudes of people 238 
 
 He feeds five thousand men, exclusive of women and chil- 
 dren, wilh only five loaves, and two small fishes 239 
 
 Jesus commands his apostles to cross the lake, and in their 
 passage they meet a dreadful storm 242 
 
 Christ walks upon the surface of the sea towards the ves- 
 sel in which were the apostles ih. 
 
INDEX. 417 
 
 Page. 
 
 At the command of Jesus, the apostle Peter walks upon 
 the waters 243 
 
 Christ aj)peases the tempest, and the apostles proclaim him 
 the Son of God ''^• 
 
 Our Lord disembarks and proceeds to Capernaum, follow- 
 ed by a great concourse of people, among whom he 
 performs divers cures '"• 
 
 Upon their requiring of him a miracle, Jesus addresses the 
 multitude in a mystical discourse concerning his own 
 body and blood 247 
 
 A contention arises among the people with regard to what 
 Jesus had said 24S 
 
 Our Lord pursues his allegorical discourse ib- 
 
 The obscurity of his doctrine offends the auditors of Christ, 
 who reproves his apostles, in consequence of their hav- 
 ing murmured at his discourse 249 
 
 Several of his followers having left him, our Lord asks his 
 disciples, whether they will desert him also 2.50 
 
 Jesus hints at the treachery of Judas Iscariot ib. 
 
 CHAP. XXV. 
 
 Our Saviour goes to Jerusarem to celebrate the passover 252 
 
 The superstition of the Pharisees severely reproved by 
 Christ 253 
 
 He discourses to the people on. the subject of inward im- 
 purity, and predicts the abrogation of the ceremonials 
 of the Jewish religion 254 
 
 He explains to his apostles what he had said to the mul- 
 titude 255 
 
 He relieves the daughter of a Syrophcenician woman 25() 
 
 Christ repairs to Decapolis, and cures a person who was 
 deaf and dumb 258 
 
 Our blessed Saviour feeds four thousand men, and a great 
 number of women and children, by the multiplication 
 of seven loaves and a few fishes; after which he goes 
 to Dalmanutha, and reproaches the Pharisees and Sad- 
 ducees 2(50 
 
 Jesus cautions his disciples, and reproves them on account 
 of their not understanding his meaning 262 
 
 At Bethsaida Jesus cures a man afTlicted with blindness 263 
 
 VOL. II. 3 JB 
 
418 ' INDEX. 
 
 Page. 
 
 Being on the road to C^sarea Philippi, Jesus questions his 
 disciples as to the manner in which the people speak of 
 hun, and also concerning their own opinions. ib. 
 
 He approves the reply of Peter, and promises that his 
 fidelity and fortitude shall be rewarded by the blessings 
 of futurity 264 
 
 Jesus predicts his sufferings and death, and rebukes the 
 rashness of Peter 266 
 
 He delivers instructions to the multitude, and predicts the 
 tail of Jerusalem ib. 
 
 CHAP. XXVI. 
 
 Description of Jerusalem, and the temple, with the seve- 
 ral revolutions of that remrj-kable city and building 268 
 The modern state of Jerusalem §71 
 
 Account of the church of the holy sepulchre 3§3 
 
 The sepulchres of the kings 320 
 
 The function of the holy fire 327 
 
 Account of St. Peter's prison, St. Mark's church, the house 
 
 of Annas and Caiaphas, the church of Coenaculum, &c. 328 
 The pool of Bathsheba, the Potter's-field, valley of Jeho" 
 saphat, brook Cedion, pool of Siloam, pillar of judg- 
 ment, sepulchre of the blessed Virgin, the vaults of the 
 apostles, mount Olivet, the chapel of ascension, the pa- 
 lace of Pilate 330 
 Description of the cities of Cana and Capernaum 336 
 Some account of Beer; with remarks on the country of 
 Palestine 338 
 
 CHAP. XXVII. 
 
 The transfiguration of our blessed Saviour 341 
 
 He converses with Moses and Elias 342 
 
 A voice heard from the heavens ib. 
 
 Our Saviour descends from the mountain, and discourses 
 
 to his apostles concerning Elias 343 
 
 He restores a youth possessed with an evil spirit ib. 
 
INDEX. 419 
 
 Page 
 
 Our Lord repairs to Galilee, and addresses his apostles on 
 the subject of his sutlerings and resurrection 34G 
 
 Jesus goes to Capernaum, and empowers Peter to work 
 a miracle, in order to pay the tribute-money ib. 
 
 He reproves his apostles, enforcing to them the doctrine 
 of humility, by proposing to them the example of a 
 littK^ child 348 
 
 He discourses on the subject of offences, and the necessi- 
 ty of a rigid adherence to the truth 349 
 
 He compares his disciples to salt 351 
 
 Christ prescribes to his apostles rules for the regulation of 
 their conduct, and rehearses the parable of the lost 
 sheep ib. 
 
 Our Lord inculcates the duty of forgivness, and menti- 
 ons the example of a king and one of his subjects 354 
 
 CHAP. XXVIII. 
 
 On occasion of the feast of tabernacles, Jesus repairs pri- 
 vately to Jerusalem 362 
 
 On his journey he is refused lodging and entertainment by 
 the Samaritans 363 
 
 Our Saviour appoints seventy disciples, and after deliver- 
 ing to them instructions for the regulation of their con- 
 duct, he sends them to ditlerent parts to preach the gos- 
 pel 3G4 
 
 He pronounces a malediction against several cities, and far- 
 ther discourses to his disciples 365 
 
 The Jews seek for Jesus, who appears in vindication of 
 himself 366 
 
 Our Lord justifies himself with respect to a cure he had 
 performed on tlje sabbath-day 368 
 
 Christ declares his mission from his Father ib. 
 
 'i'he rulers endeavor to apprehend Jesus, and he informs 
 them that his time is not come 370 
 
 Christ invites the people to embrace his doctrines 371 
 
 Various opinions concerning Jesus, who becomes the sub- 
 ject of consultation in the Sanhedrim, or grand council 
 of the Jewish nation ^ 372 
 
 The judgment of Christ concerning a Woman detected in 
 adultery 374 
 
420 INDEX. 
 
 Page. 
 
 He vindicates his own testimony concerning himself 375 
 
 Our Lord declares that the Jews are strangers both to him 
 and his heavenly Father 370 
 
 He gives an intimation of his speedy departure, but they 
 mistake his meaning ib. 
 
 He reproves the people, declaring them to be slaves, and 
 that he alone has power of giving them liberty 379 
 
 He proposes for their imitation the example of Abraham ; 
 and declares that they cannot be imitators of God, be- 
 cause they do not repose faith in him ib. 
 
 Our Lord defends himself against the slanderous imputa- 
 tions of the Jews " 381 
 
 Proofs that Abraham foresaw the appearance of Christ 384 
 
 The Jews are otiended at Christ 385 
 
 Jesus cures a man who had been born blind, and who being 
 examined by the Sanhedrim, persists in ascribing his 
 cure to Christ 385 
 
 Our Saviour effects the conversion of the man who had been 
 born blind, and delivers instructions to the multitude 392 
 
 Different opinions of the Jews 401 
 
 CHAP. XXIX. 
 
 The return of the seventy disciples, with vv^hom our Lord 
 
 discourses concerning the extent of their pow'er 403 
 
 Jesus gives thanks to his heavenly Father, for the success 
 
 that had attended the ministry of his seventy disciples 404 
 Our Saviour s reply to a lawyer, who enquired by what 
 
 means he could obtain happiness 406 
 
 The parable of the good Samaritan ib. 
 
 Our Lord applies the parable to the question proposed by 
 
 the lawyer 408 
 
 Jesus repairs to Bethany: he reproves Martha, and com- 
 mends Mary 409 
 The instructions of Jesus concerning prayer 410 
 In order to encourage his disciples, he delivers to them se- 
 veral similitudes 411 
 Jesus exhorts his auditors against treating his gospel with 
 
 indillerence ib. 
 
 Our Saviour refuses to shew the Jews a miracle 414 
 
INDEX. 421 
 
 Page. 
 He discourses of inward defilement, at the house of a Pha- 
 risee 418 
 Our Lord censures the Scrihes and Pharisees, who are en- 
 raged against him 420 
 He exhorts' the people to avoid the practice of hypocrisy, 
 
 and delivers an encouraging discourse to his apostles 421 
 Of adhering to the gospel, and concerning the sin against 
 
 the Holy Ghost 423 
 
 Our Saviour refuses to pronounce judgment on a contro- 
 versy relating to private property 424 
 Parable of a rich man 425 
 Exhortations against the vice of avarice 426 
 Of treasure in heaven 4g7 
 The duty of watchfulness 429 
 A similitude concerning a nobleman and one of his domes- 
 tics 430 
 Jesus mentions what will prove the effects of his gospel 432 
 His discourses to the people 433 
 That worldly calamities attack some men, though there 
 
 are others more wicked 435 
 
 The parable of the fig-tree ib. 
 
 Our Lord restores a woman to health, who had been long 
 
 possessed with an evil spirit 437 
 
 Similitudes concerning the kingdom of heaven 438 
 
 That the blessings of the kingdom of God shall not be con- 
 fined to the Jews alone 439 
 Jesus is warned to depart, in order to avoid the rage of 
 
 Herod 440 
 
 Our Saviour's reply concerning Herod, and his lamenta- 
 tions over the city of Jerusalem 441 
 
 CHAP. XXX. 
 
 Our blessed Saviour is invited to dine with one of the Pha 
 
 risees 443 
 
 On his way to the house of the Pharisee, he cures a man 
 
 afflicted with the dropsy 444 
 
 Our Lord justifies his conduct in having performed this 
 
 cure on the sabbath-day 445 
 
 He reproves the persons present at the entertainment, on 
 
 account of their contending for the uppermost place ?7;. 
 
422 , INDEX. 
 
 Page. 
 The parable of the feast, where those who had been invited 
 
 did not attend 446 
 
 The profession of the gospel to be preferred to all worldly 
 
 considerations ib. 
 
 Similitudes respecting those who profess the gospel of 
 
 Christ 448 
 
 Parables of the sheep, and of the money that were lost 450 
 Parable of the prodigal son 452 
 
 Our Saviour rebukes the Pharisees for their avarice and 
 
 hypocricy 460 
 
 The sanctity of the gospel superior to the law 461 
 
 The parable of tie rich man and Lazarus, delivered as a 
 
 caution against the abuse of riches 462 
 
 Concerning offences, and the forgivness of them 463 
 
 Of the increase of faith, and of unprofitable servants 465 
 
 In his way to Jerusalem, our Saviour cures ten lepers 466 
 
 Of the establishment of the kingdom of heaven, and the 
 
 judgment of God upon the Jews 460 
 
 The parable of the unjust judge, and the importunate wi- 
 dow 471 
 The parable of the Pharisee and the publican, who prayed 
 
 at the same time in the temple 478 
 
 Our Saviour arrives at Jerusalem at the time of the feast 
 
 of dedication, and discourses to the multitude 474 
 
 The Jews endeavor to stone Jesus ; but he disappoints their 
 
 malice 475 
 
 VOLUME 11. 
 
 CHAP. XXXI. 
 
 Upon the conclusion of the feast of dedication, Jesus re- 
 turns into Galilee, followed by a great concourse of 
 people G 
 
INDEX. 42.'j 
 
 Page. 
 Jesus declares divorce to be unlawful; and mentions why 
 
 it was permitted by Moses ib. 
 
 His explanation of what he had said 7 
 
 Our Saviour receives, and blesses little infants 9 
 
 He replies to a young man, who enquired the way to eter- 
 nal life ?*• 
 Riches an obstruction in the pursuit of happiness 10 
 Jesus promises to reward his apostles 12 
 A similitude of a man hiring people to labor in his vine- 
 yard 1* 
 Lazarus of Bethany is seized with a violent illness, and Je- 
 sus informed of that event 16 
 He informs his disciples that Lazarus is dead 10 
 Jesus repairs to Bethany, where he is met by Martha, Ma- 
 ry, and a number of the Jews ih. 
 Our Saviour weeps 120 
 The resurrection of Lazarus 21 
 A consultation in the Sanhedrim 26' 
 The prophetical opinion of Caiaphas the high-priest 27 
 The Sanhedrim resolve to put Jesus to death; in conse- 
 quence of which, he retires towards the wilderness of 
 Jericho 28 
 
 CHAP. XXXIL 
 
 Upon the approach of the passover, our blessed Saviour 
 departs from the desert near Jericho, and repaire to Je- 
 rusalem 35 
 
 Duruig his journey, he predicts to his apostles the circum- 
 stances of his condemnation, death, crucifixion, and re- 
 surrection 33 
 
 He mstructs his apostles, as to the manner in which they 
 shall regulate their conduct 34 
 
 Jesus cures two blind beggars, and holds a conversation 
 with Zaccheus the publican Sb 
 
 The parable of the talents 38 
 
 In consequence of a proclamation issued by the Sanhe- 
 drim, the Jews endeavor to apprehend Jesus 40 
 
 He repairs to Bethany, where his feet are anointed by the 
 pious Mary 41 
 
 He replies to an objection advanced by Judas f&. 
 
424 INDEX. 
 
 Page. 
 
 Our blessed Saviour rides towards Jerusalem upon an ass, 
 amidst the acclamations of an immense concourse of 
 people 46 
 
 The conduct of Jesus excites the rage of the Pharisees 47 
 
 The advice of the Pharisees to the Sanhedrim ib. 
 
 The lamentations of our blessed Saviour over the city of 
 Jerusalem 48 
 
 Jesus enters Jerusalem, and a second time expels the tra- 
 ders from the temple 49 
 
 Persons afflicted with various diseases are brought to Jesus, 
 in order to be restored to health 50 
 
 The priests interrogate him,.and he answers their questions ib. 
 
 The curiosity of some Greeks to behold Jesus 51 
 
 His discourse to the multitude on the subject of the curio- 
 sity of the Greeks 52 
 
 The voice of the Almighty heard from the heavens 53 
 
 Jesus answers to the enquiries of the multitude, concern- 
 ing the voice of the Ahnighty ib. 
 
 He discourses to them on the subject of his approaching 
 dissolution 54 
 
 Jesus secludes himself from the society of men ib. 
 
 Some words of the prophet Isaiah applied to the Jews 53 
 
 Having admonished the Jews to repose faith in him, our 
 blessed Saviour returns to the town of Bethany 57 ♦ 
 
 CHAP. XXXIII. 
 
 In his way from Bethany to Jerusalem, Jesus curses a 
 fig-tree, which immediately withers 59 
 
 The rulers of Jerusalem conspire to effect the destruction 
 of Christ 63 
 
 The power of faith, and the necessity of forgivness ib. 
 
 The rulers of the Jews question Jesus as to the authority 
 by which he had expelled the traders from the temple, 
 and assumed the privilege of publicly discoursing to the 
 people; and he retorts upon, and confutes them 64 
 
 Our Saviour delivers the parables of the father and two 
 sons, and of the vineyard that was hired by husband- 
 men 66 
 
 Parable of the wedding supper, and of the man who was 
 found without a wedding garment 70 
 
INDEX. 425 
 
 Page. 
 
 The Pharisees concert measures for exposhig Jesus to the 
 enmity of the populace, and send different people to ex- 
 amine him ; but he exposes the futility of their discour- 
 ses ' 72 
 
 The Sadducees propose a question to Jesus concerning a 
 woman who had seven husbands; whereupon our Lord 
 finds occasion of addressing them on the subject of a fu- 
 ture state 73 
 
 Our Saviour becomes the object of popular admiration 76 
 
 In reply to a question proposed by a lawyer, Jesus explains, 
 which is the most important precept amongst the legal 
 institutions; and he commends another of the same pro- 
 fession, in consequence of his having made a pertinent 
 remark 77 
 
 Jesus questions the Pharisees concerning some words of 
 David, and they are unable to otfer any reply 78 
 
 Difterent sects among the Jews 80 
 
 CHAP. XXXIV. 
 
 Our Saviour recommends his disciples to attend to the doc- 
 trines of the Pharisees, but carefully to avoid an imita- 
 tion of their manners 94 
 
 He exhorts them to suppress ambitious desires 95 
 
 He severely reproaches the Ptiarisees, accusing them of 
 pertidy, partiality, cruelty, and other heinous crimes 9(5 
 
 Our Saviour apj)lau(is the liberality of a widow 105 
 
 Jesus predicts the destruction of the temple of Jerusalem, 
 and the sufferings to be inflicted upon his apostles ; and 
 at the same time, exhorts those holy men not to dread 
 the utmost malice of their enemies 106 
 
 Jesus says, that the persecutions of their enemies will oc- 
 casion many of his disciples to desert his cause; but 
 that the faithful servants of God will be amply reward-r 
 ed 109 
 
 Predictions relating to the destruction of the city of Jeru- 
 salem ; and the misery of the Jewish nation described ib. 
 
 Jesus cautions his disciples against impostors 110 
 
 Other predictions of the dreadful calamities to be inflicted 
 upon the Jews 111 
 
 Similitude of a fig-tree 119 
 
 VOL. II. 3 I) 
 
426 INDEX. 
 
 Page. 
 
 Jesus declares the truth of his predictions, and exhorts the 
 people to constant Avatchfulness ib. 
 
 The suddenness of the judgments to be passed upon man- 
 kind 120 
 
 Watchfulness and diligence recommended in a similitude ib. 
 
 Parable of the ten virgins 121 
 
 The rewards and punishments to be distributed in the great 
 day of judgment 125 
 
 CHAP. XXXV. 
 
 Jesus continues to instruct the people daily in the temple 160 
 
 Two days preceding the passover, he predicts his death ib. 
 
 Our Saviour is anointed in the house of Simon the leper 161 
 
 Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve apostles, accepts a bribe 
 from the Sanhedrim, to whom he engages himself to 
 betray his Master 163 
 
 In consequence of their Master's order, Peter and John 
 repair to Jerusalem, in order to make preparations for 
 the passover 164 
 
 Jesus sups with his disciples and during the entertain- 
 ment, he says, that one of them shall betray him 165 
 
 The institution of the Eucharist 166 
 
 Jesus takes a second cup of wine, and commands his apos- 
 tles to share it among them 172. 
 
 The aflection of our Saviour towards his apostles, and the 
 treachery of Judas 177 
 
 Jesus exhorts his disciples not to indulge ambitious pro- 
 pensities, and proposes himself to them as an example 
 of humility 178 
 
 He washes the feet of his disciples ; and on this occasion 
 holds a discourse with Peter ISO 
 
 Jesus discourses to his apostles on the act of condescen- 
 sion he had performed, and recommends to their imita- 
 tion the example he had shewn of humility ib. 
 
 Our Saviour is troubled, and signifies by which of his apos- 
 tles he shall be betrayed 182 
 
 Judas retires from the company; after which our Lord re- 
 minds the other apostles of his miracles ; mentions his 
 speedy departure from them ; and recommends them to 
 cherish mutual love 184 
 
INDEX. 427 
 
 Page. 
 
 Peter enquires of his Master, to what place he should re- 
 tire, since he had said the apostles could not follow 
 him 185 
 
 He forewarns Peter, and predicts the persecution that his 
 apostles were to encounter 186 
 
 Jesus exhorts his disciples against despondency ; and in- 
 forms them that by a strict obedience to his gospel, they 
 will entitle themselves to the enjoyment of everlasting 
 happiness 187 
 
 He informs them, that, in having seen him, they may be 
 considered as having seen the Father of the creation 190 
 
 He asserts his divine authority, and promises to reward the 
 faith of his disciples 191 
 
 He engages to send the Holy Spirit to them 192 
 
 He promises divine assistance and comfort to all his faith- 
 ful folio weis 194 
 
 Our blessed Redeemer bequeaths peace and comfort to his 
 disciples, and declares the time to be approaching, when 
 he shall be betrayed into the power of his enemies 195 
 
 CHAP. XXXVI. 
 
 Our blessed Saviour delivers the parable of the vine and 
 its branches, thereby recommending the practice of virtue 
 to his apostles 197 
 
 He exhorts them to cherish a mutual affection towards each 
 other 198 
 
 Jesus proposes himself, as an example for leaching them 
 the virtue of patiently submitting to the malice of their 
 enemies, and informs them of the reason of his exhorta- 
 tion 199 
 
 He consoles them with assurances of the Holy Ghost ; and 
 explains to them the purposes for which the Spirit will 
 descend upon them 203 
 
 Of the atfliction which the apostles were to experience up- 
 on the d(;cea:>e of our Saviour, and the great joy that 
 would succeed on occasion of his resurrection 205 
 
 He exhorts his apostles to pray to God in his name 209 
 
 He agaui uientious his going to the Father, and predicts 
 the desertion of the apostles 210 
 
428 INDEX. 
 
 Page. 
 
 Our blessed Saviour addresses liimself in prayer to his hea- 
 venly Father in behalf of himself, his apostles, and all 
 who should in future believe in him 213 
 
 CHAP. XXXVII. 
 
 Our blessed Saviour crosses the brook Cedron, and repairs 
 towards the garden of Gethsemane ; but, previous to 
 his arrival there, he predicts that he shall be siezed that 
 night, and that his apostles will desert him 218 
 
 The agony of the holy Jesus 220 
 
 Our Saviour departs from his disciples, and fervently ad- 
 dresses himself in prayer to his heavenly Father 221 
 
 Upon his return to his disciples, he finds them asleep, and 
 awakens them ih. 
 
 He prays again, and wakes his disciples a second and 
 a third time ib. 
 
 Judas enters the garden of Gethsemane, at the head of a 
 party of soldiers, who take Jesus into custody 223 
 
 Peter cuts otf the ear of Malcus, for which action he is re- 
 proved by Jesus, who heals the v/ound 225 
 
 Our Saviour questions the officers on the subject of his 
 beuig taken into custody ih. 
 
 A young man who was seized by the soldiers, escapeswith- 
 out his garment 22(5 
 
 Jesus is conducted to the house of Annas and Caiaphas, 
 whither he is followed by Peter and John ib. 
 
 Peter thrice denies having any knowledge of Christ : but he 
 repents, after having heard the cock crow twice 227 
 
 Caiaphas examines Jesus before the chief-priests and rulers 
 of Jerusalem, and false evidence is adduced against him 228 
 
 Jesus is conducted before the Sanhedrim, and further ex- 
 amined, ih. 
 
 He acknowledges himself to be the Messiah; and he is cru- 
 elly reviled and insulted, and condemned as deserving to 
 sutfer death 321 
 
INDEX. 429 
 
 CHAP. XXXVIII. 
 
 Pag& 
 
 Our Saviour is conducted before Pilate, the Roman gover- 
 nor, who authorizes the Jews to judge him according to 
 their own laws: but they refuse to exercise the power 
 thus delegated to them 234 
 
 The members of the Sanhedrim exhibit accusations against 
 Jesus, who makes no reply 235 
 
 Our Saviour acknowledges himself to be a king ib. 
 
 Pilate is desirous of restoring Jesus to liberty, but he is op- 
 posed by the Jews 23S 
 
 Pilate sends Jesus to be examined by Herod, who acquits 
 him ^ ib. 
 
 The Roman governor says, he will release either Jesus or 
 Barabbas, as the Jews shall decide ; and they prefer the 
 latter 237 
 
 After endeavoring to appease the rage of the Jews, Pilate 
 orders our Saviour to be scourged 238 
 
 He shews Jesiis to the people, and reluctantly consents to 
 his crucifixion ib. 
 
 Still desirous of preserving the life of Jesus, he further inter- 
 rogates him: and at length he, having washing his 
 hands in the open court, in token of his innocence, deli- 
 vers him to the Jews, who behave towards him with 
 contempt and insult 239 
 
 Struck with a conviction of his abominable treachery, Ju- 
 das returns the thirty sheckels he had received for be- 
 traying Jesus, and puts an end to his life 242 
 
 Simon the Cyrenian, compelled to carry the cross 243 
 
 Our Saviour predicts the destruction of the Jews ib. 
 
 He is crucilied between two malefactors 244 
 
 Pilate puts an inscription upon the cross, and will not al- 
 low it to be altered ib. 
 
 The chief-priests, the soldiers and the multitude, scoff at, 
 and revile our blessed Saviour ; and their example is 
 followed by one of the suffering thieves: but the other 
 rebukes him and receives a comfortable assurance from 
 Jesus ib. 
 
 Our Saviour recommends his mother to the care of John 245 
 
 A darkntss for the space of three hours ib. 
 
 'I'he death of the Redeemer of the world 246 
 
430 INDEX, 
 
 Page. 
 Prodigies attendant upon the decease of Jesus 247 
 
 Women present at the crucifixion ib. 
 
 The legs of the two malefactors are broken, and the side 
 
 of Jesus is pierced with a spear {b. 
 
 The body of our Saviour interred by Joseph of Arimathea 
 
 and Nicodemus 248 
 
 CHAP. XXXIX. 
 
 Then women were present at the interment of the holy Jesus, 
 purchase spices for the purpose of embalming the body 249 
 
 Pilate orders the sepulchre of Christ to be guarded 250 
 
 The women repair to the sepulchre of Jesus, where they 
 see two angels, one of whom informs them that Jesus is 
 risen ; and this circumstance they communicate to the 
 apostles ib. 
 
 Peter and John repair to the sepulchre, and are convinced 
 of the removal of the body 252 
 
 Jesus appears to Mary, and sends her to the apostles, who 
 disbelieve her relation 253 
 
 Other women behold Jesus, and are sent by him to the 
 apostles ib. 
 
 The soldiers bear testimony to the resurrection of Christ, 
 and the priests bribe them to suppress the publication of 
 the fact 255 
 
 On the road towards Emmaus, Jesus discourses with two 
 of his disciples; and on their return to Jerusalem, they 
 declare that they have seen their Master, but are discre- 
 dited ; and the testimony of Peter is also disbelieved 256 
 
 Our Lord appears to all his apostles, except Thomas; and 
 after convincing them of the reality of his body, promis- 
 ing them the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, and instruct- 
 ing them in the principles of their duty, he breaths upon 
 them, and disappears 257 
 
 Thomas disbelieves the testimony of his brethren 259 
 
 Jesus appears to Thomas, and the rest of his apostles 260 
 
 Thomas acknowledges his Master, who pronounces those 
 to be happy who believe without occular demonstration ib. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 431 
 
 
 Page. 
 
 Life of St. Peter 
 
 266 
 
 St. Paul 
 
 308 
 
 St. Andrew 
 
 340 
 
 St. James the Great 
 
 343 
 
 St. John the Evangelist 
 
 345 
 
 St. Philip 
 
 347 
 
 St. Bartholomew 
 
 349 
 
 St. Matthew 
 
 331 
 
 St. Thomas 
 
 355 
 
 St. James the Less 
 
 360 
 
 St. Simon the Zealot 
 
 365 
 
 St. Jude 
 
 367 
 
 St. Matthias 
 
 370 
 
 St. Mark 
 
 373 
 
 St. Luke 
 
 375 
 
 St. Barnabas 
 
 378 
 
 St. Stephen 
 
 38S 
 
 St. Timothy 
 
 385 
 
 St. Titus 
 
 387 
 
 Conclusion 
 
 389 
 
 Brief enumeration of the Apostles, &;c. 
 
 393 
 
0M^#M^^^^^^^MU^#MMI#^0^l^#^l^^^#^#^^ll§0l^^^^^#^ 
 
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 8S2420.T469V.2 
 
 The history of our blessed Lord and 
 
 Princeton Theological Seminary-Speer Library 
 
 1 1012 00052 2237