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THE LIFE 
 
 OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR 
 
 JESUS CHRIST; 
 
 TOGETHER WITH THE LIVES OF 
 
 |jrs lain %psth, (Skitgelisis, anb ofljcr Ipriniiibe HJatto, 
 
 AND 
 
 A DISSERTATION ON THE EVIDENCES OF CHRISTIANITY. 
 
 BY 
 
 THE REV. JOHN FLEETWOOD, D.D, 
 
 WITH A PREFATORY NOTICE 
 
 BY THE REY. HENRY STEBBING, D.D. 
 
 A MEDITATION ON THE LOVE OF CHRIST, AND THE CHRISTIAN LAID FORTH, 
 
 BY JOSEPH HALL, D.D. 
 
 THE GOLDEN GROVE, AND THE WORTHY COMMUNICANT, 
 
 BY JEREMY TAYLOR, D.D. 
 
 VIRTUE & YORSTON, 12 DEY STREET, NEW YORK. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 THE LIFE OP CHRIST. 
 
 Chap. I. — Presage of the Birth of Christ. Pre- 
 diction of the Birth of John the Baptist. Salu- 
 tation of the blessed Virgin by the Angel. Visi- 
 tation of the Virgin Mary to Elizabeth. Birth 
 of the Baptist 5 
 
 Chap. II. — General decree for taxation published. 
 Birth of Christ. Declaration of the same to the 
 Shepherds. Circumcision and presentation of 
 Christ in the temple. The wise men of the East 
 worship the Holy Child. Flight of Joseph into 
 Egypt. Massacre of the infants at Bethlehem. 
 Death of Herod. Return of Joseph out of Egypt 13 
 
 Chap. III. — State of our Lord's childhood and 
 private life. His argument with the Jewish 
 doctors. Mission, character, and doctrine of the 
 Baptist. Baptism of Christ, and visible descent 
 of the Spirit on that solemnity 23 
 
 Chap. IV. — Commencement of our Saviour's mi- 
 nistry. His temptation in the wilderness. De- 
 putation of the Sanhedrim to John the Baptist. 
 First miracle wrought by the blessed Jesus .... 31 
 
 Chap. V. — Expulsion of the profaners of the temple. 
 Jesus visits and disputes with Nicodemus. Bap- 
 tizes in Judea. Instructs a poor Samaritan. 
 Heals a sick person at Capernaum. Retires again 
 to Nazareth, and is expelled thence by his im- 
 pious countrymen 39 
 
 Chap. VI.— Our Lord proceeds to Capernaum. 
 Adds to the number of his followers. Proclaims 
 the gospel in Galilee. Preaches to a numerous 
 audience his well-known and excellent discourse 
 upon the mount 50 
 
 Chap. VII. — Our blessed Lord cures the leprosy 
 and palsy. Casts out a devil. Succours the 
 mother-in-law of Peter'; and afterwards pursues 
 his journey through the country of Galilee .... 63 
 
 Chap. VIII. — Jesus confirms his mission by pro- 
 ducing a miraculous draught of fishes. Curing 
 the leprosy a second time. Appeasing the bois- 
 terous waves. Casting devils out of divers 
 persons grievously possessed 68 
 
 Chap. IX. — Our Lord proceeds in acts of mercy 
 and benevolence. Adds Matthew to the number 
 of his disciples. Casts out an evil spirit. Passes 
 again through Galilee. Selects twelve from 
 among his disciples, as his constant followers and 
 companions, and harangues the multitude in an 
 excellent discourse 75 
 
 Chap. X. — Continuation of our Lord's glorious 
 doctrines, beneficent acts, and astonishing mi- 
 racles wrought in confirmation of the divinity of 
 his mission, and the extending of his heavenly 
 kingdom 86 
 
 Chap. XL — The character of John the Baptist 
 cleared and justified by the blessed Jesus. Dis- 
 play of our Lord's humility and condescension by 
 conforming to the custom of the age and the 
 place where he lived 90 
 
 Chap. XII. — Miraculous cure effected at the pool 
 of Bethesda. Reproof of the superstition of the 
 Jews, in condemning the performance of neces- 
 sary works on the Sabbath-day. After doing 
 many acts of mercy and wonder, our blessed Lord 
 is visited by his mother and his brethren, and 
 makes a spiritual reflection on that incident. ... 97 
 
 Chap. XIII. — Our Lord delivers many remarkable 
 parables, and explains several of them. Returns 
 to Nazareth and commissions the twelve Apostles, 
 whom he had before selected as his constant 
 attendants and followers, to disperse and preach 
 the Gospel of the kingdom of God in divers 
 places. After the death of John the Baptist, 
 the Apostles return to Nazareth 109 
 
 Chap. XIV. — Our Lord adds to the confirmation 
 of his mission and doctrine by working a miracle 
 in the wilderness of Bethsaida. The people, 
 struck with the power and grace of the blessed 
 Jesus, propose to raise him to the earthly dignity 
 of king. Peter, by means of his blessed Master, 
 performs a miracle in walking upon the sea. Our 
 Lord's improvement of the miracle wrought in 
 the wilderness, introduced in a discourse deli- 
 vered in the synagogue of Capernaum 120 
 
Chap. XV. — Pharisaical superstition severely repri- 
 manded. The great Redeemer continues to dis- 
 play his power and benevolence, in the relief of 
 several objects of affliction. Guards his disciples 
 against the prevailing errors and fallacies of the 
 Scribes and Pharisees. Proceeds on the works of 
 his Heavenly leather 135 
 
 Chap. XVI. — The blessed Jesus delegates a special 
 power to Peter, one of his disciples. Pronounces 
 the final judgment of the world, and is afterwards 
 transfigured upon the mount 143 
 
 Chap. XVII. — Our Saviour relieves a youth tortured 
 with a dumb spirit. Conforms cheerfully to the 
 custom of the country by paying the tribute. 
 Reproves the pride of his disciples, and delivers 
 some excellent moral precepts 150 
 
 Chap. XVIII.— Our blessed Lord attends for the 
 fourth time the celebration of the Passover at 
 Jerusalem. Harangues the multitude at the 
 solemn Feast of Tabernacles. Exempts the 
 woman detected in adultery from the punishment 
 annexed by the Jews to that crime. Escapes 
 from the snares laid for him by the inveterate 
 Scribes and Pharisees 159 
 
 Chap. XIX. — Our Lord continues to work miracles 
 in confirmation of his mission and doctrine. Calls 
 forth and sends out seventy disciples. Preaches 
 to the people of Judea, by way of parables .... 175 
 
 Chap. XX. — The humble Jesus resides with Mar- 
 tha and Mary, two obscure women of Bethany. 
 Improves a circumstance which occurred at the 
 Feast of Dedication. Prescribes a mode of prayer 
 to his disciples and future followers. Revisits 
 some of the Pharisaical tribe 189 
 
 Chap. XXI. — Explanation of the origin and opinion 
 of the different sects amongst the Jews. Our 
 Lord teaches the multitude by plain discourse, 
 and also by parable 201 
 
 Chap. XXII. — Our Lord reproves the ignorance of 
 the people in not understanding the signs which 
 preceded his appearance. Pertinently replies to 
 an ignorant question and inference concerning 
 the Galileans. Teaches by parable. Relieves a 
 distressed woman; and is warned to depart the 
 country, in order to escape the resentment of 
 Herod 211 
 
 Chap. XXIII. — The blessed Jesus accepts the Pha- 
 risee's invitation a third time. Delivers divers 
 parables representing the requisites for admittance 
 into the kingdom of God. The care of the 
 Redeemer for every one of his people. The 
 reception of a penitent sinner, and the punish- 
 ment of misusing the benefits of the Gospel . . . 216 
 
 Chap. XXIV. — Jesus rebukes the insolent derision 
 of the Pharisees. Describes by a parable the 
 nature of future rewards and punishments ; and 
 enforces the doctrine of mutual forbearance .... 226 
 
 Chap. XXV.— Our Lord is applied to in behalf of 
 poor Lazarus. Cures ten persons of the leprosy 
 in Samaria, and restores Lazarus to life 231 
 
 Chap. XXVI.— The Great Prophet of Israel foretells 
 the ruin of the Jewish state, enforces many im- 
 portant doctrines by parable. Blesses the chil- 
 dren as emblems of the heavenly and Christian 
 temper and disposition . '. 239 
 
 Chap. XXVII. —Our Lord departs from his retire- 
 ment. Declares the only way of salvation. Shows 
 the duty of improving the means of grace, by 
 the parable of the vineyard. Prediction of his 
 suffering, and contention of the disciples about 
 precedence in his kingdom 245 
 
 Chap. XXVIII. — The benevolent Saviour restores 
 sight to the blind. Kindly regards Zaccheus the 
 publican. Delivers the parable of the servants 
 entrusted with their lord's money. Accepts the 
 kind offices of Mary. Makes a public entry into 
 Jerusalem 252 
 
 Chap. XXIX. — Jesus pronounces a curse upon the 
 fig-tree. Expels the profaners of the temple. 
 Asserts his divine authority, and delivers two 
 parables 260 
 
 Chap. XXX. — The blessed Jesus wisely retorts on 
 the Pharisees and Sadducees, who propound an 
 intricate question to him. Settles the most im- 
 portant point of the law. Enforces his mission 
 and doctrine; and foretells the judgment that 
 would fall upon the Pharisaical tribe 271 
 
 Chap. XXXI. — Our Saviour commends even the 
 smallest act proceeding from a truly benevolent 
 motive. Predicts the demolition of the temple at 
 Jerusalem, and delivers several instructive parables 285 
 
 Chap. XXXII. — Our blessed Lord is anointed by a 
 poor but pious woman. The perfidious Judas 
 consents to betray his Master. The humble 
 Jesus washes the feet of his disciples, and foretells 
 that disciple who was to betray him into the 
 hands of his inveterate enemies 306 
 
 Chap. XXXIII. — Jesus institutes the sacrament in 
 commemoration of his death and sufferings. 
 Settles a dispute which arose amongst his disciples. 
 Predicts Peter's cowardice in denying his Mas- 
 ter. Fortifies his disciples against the approach- 
 ing shock. Foretells Peter's cowardice again. 
 Preaches to and prays with his disciples for the 
 last time. Passionate address of our Lord to his 
 Father in the garden 317 
 
 Chap. XXXI V.— The blessed Redeemer is taken by 
 a band of soldiers, at the information of the traitor 
 Judas. Heals a wound given to the High-priest's 
 servant by Simon Peter 343 
 
 Chap. XXXV. — Fulfilment of our Lord's prediction 
 concerning Peter 347 
 
Chap. XXXVI.— The Saviour of the world is ar- 
 raigned at the bar of the Sanhedrim, and tried 
 by the Jewish Council 350 
 
 Chap. XXXVII. — Our blessed Saviour is carried 
 before the Roman Governor. The traitor Judas 
 becomes his own executioner. Pilate publicly 
 acquits Jesus, and refers his case to the decision 
 of Herod 353 
 
 Chap. XXXVIII.— The Roman Governor for want 
 of evidence proposes to acquit and release Jesus 
 three several times, but at length, at the pressing 
 instigation of the inveterate Jews, he condemns 
 and delivers him up 359 
 
 Chap. XXXIX.— The innocent, immaculate Re- 
 deemer is led forth to Mount Calvary, and there 
 ignominiously crucified between two notorious 
 malefactors. Reviled by the spectators. A phe- 
 nomenon appears on the important occasion. 
 Our Lord addresses his friends from the cross, 
 and gives up the ghost 365 
 
 Chap. XL.— The blessed Jesus is treated with in- 
 dignity after his crucifixion. A pious person 
 begs liis body of Pilate, in order for interment . . 377 
 
 Chap. XLI. — Two pious women go to view the 
 sepulchre of their crucified Lord and Saviour. 
 An awful phenomenon happens. A ministering 
 spirit descends. The Redeemer bursts the chains 
 of death, and rises from the confines of the grave 381 
 
 Chap. XLII. — The angel addresses the pious 
 women. Two disciples go to the sepulchre. Jesus 
 appears to Mary Magdalene. Afterwards to a 
 company of women. Peter meets his Lord and 
 Master after his resurrection 382 
 
 Chap. XLIII. — Jesus appears on divers occasions 
 to different disciples. Reproves and convinces 
 Thomas of his unbelief. Shows himself to a great 
 number of his followers in Galilee 390 
 
 Chap. XLIV. — Our Lord's ascension. The resur- 
 rection of Jesus asserted, and vindicated against 
 the objections of unbelievers. General review of 
 the life and doctrines of the great Redeemer . . . 398 
 
 Chap. XLV.— r Remarks on the peculiar nature of 
 the Christian religion. The principles it incul- 
 cates, and its fitness to render men holy and 
 humble here, and happily glorified hereafter . . . 407 
 
 THE LIYES OF THE APOSTLES. 
 
 St. Peter 421 
 
 St. Paul 460 
 
 St. Andrew 505 
 
 St. James the Great . 509 
 
 St. John the Evangelist 511 
 
 St. Philip 516 
 
 St. Bartholomew 518 
 
 St. Matthew 520 
 
 St. Thomas 523 
 
 St. James the Less 526 
 
 St. Simon the Zealot 530 
 
 St. Jude 532 
 
 St. Mark 535 
 
 St. Luke 537 
 
 St. Barnabas 539 
 
 St. Stephen 544 
 
 St. Timothy 548 
 
 Titus 550 
 
 The Virgin Mary 552 
 
 Mary, the Sister of Lazarus 568 
 
 Joseph 570 
 
 Joseph op Arimathea . . : 571 
 
 Nicodemus 572 
 
 Nicholas 574 
 
 John Mark 576 
 
 Clement 577 
 
 i Mary Magdalene 579 
 
 A DISSERTATION ON THE EVIDENCES OP CHRISTIANITY. 
 
 Page 581. , 
 
A MEDITATION ON THE LOYE OF CHRIST. 
 
 Sect. I. — The Love of Christ how passing know- 
 ledge; how free of us, before we were 629 
 
 Sect. II. — How free of us, that had made ourselves 
 vile and miserable 630 
 
 Sect. III. — How yet free of us that were professed 
 enemies 631 
 
 Sect. IV. — The wonderful effects of the Love of 
 
 Christ — His Incarnation 632 
 
 Sect. V.— His Love in his Sufferings 633 
 
 Sect. VI. — His Love in preparing Heaven for us . 634 
 Sect. VII. — His Love in our Redemption from 
 death and hell 636 
 
 Sect. VIII. — Christ's Love in giving us the Guard 
 of his Angels 637 
 
 Sect. IX. — His Love in giving us his Holy Spirit. 638 
 
 Sect. X. — Our sense and improvement of Christ's 
 Love in all the former particulars ; and first, in 
 respect of the inequality of the Persons 639 
 
 Sect. XL — A further enforcement of our Love to 
 Christ, in respect of our Unworthiness and his 
 Sufferings and prepared Glory 640 
 
 Sect. XII. — The improvement of our Love to 
 Christ for the mercy of his Deliverance, of the 
 Tuition of his Angels, of the powerful working of 
 his good Spirit 642 
 
 THE CHRISTIAN. 
 
 An Exhortatory Preface 647 
 
 Sect. I. — His Disposition 649 
 
 „ II.— His Expense of the Day 651 
 
 „ III.— His Recreations 653 
 
 „ IV.— His Meals 654 
 
 „ V.— His Night's Rest 655 
 
 „ VI.— His Carriage 655 
 
 Sect. VII. — His resolution in matter of Religion . 658 
 
 VIII.— His Discourse 659 
 
 IX.— His Devotion 659 
 
 X.— His Sufferings 660 
 
 XL— His' Conflicts 661 
 
 XII.— His Death 662 
 
 THE GOLDEN GROYE. 
 
 To the Reader 
 
 Credenda; or, What is. to be Believed. 
 
 A Short Catechism for the Institution of Young 
 
 Persons in the Christian Religion 
 
 An Exposition op the Apostles' Creed 
 
 Agenda; or, Things to be Done. 
 
 The Diary ; or, a Rule to spend each Day Reli- 
 giously 
 
 A Manual of Daily Prayers. 
 
 Sunday Decad I 
 
 Monday Decad II 
 
 Tuesday Decad III 
 
 Wednesday .... Decad IV 
 
 Thursday Decad V. . . . 
 
 Friday Decad VI 
 
 Saturday Decad VII. . . 
 
 Fostulanda; or, Things to be Prayed for. 
 
 A form of Prayer by way of Paraphrase, expound- 
 ing the Lord's Prayer 
 
 Litanies, &c. 
 
 For all Things and Persons 705 
 
 For Pardon of Sins 705 
 
 For Deliverance from Evils 706 
 
 For Gifts and Graces 708 
 
 For all States of Men and Women, especially in 
 
 the Christian Church 710 
 
 A Short Prayer to be said every Morning 712 
 
 A Prayer for the Evening 713 
 
 Sunday A Prayer against Pride 714 
 
 Monday A Prayer against Covetousness . 716 
 
 Tuesday A Prayer against Lust 716 
 
 Wednesday ... A Prayer against Gluttony and 
 
 Drunkenness 717 
 
 Thursday .... A Prayer against Envy 718 
 
 Friday A Prayer against Wrath and 
 
 inordinate Anger 719 
 
 Saturday .... A Prayer against Weariness in 
 
 Well-doing 720 
 
 A Prayer to be said by a Maiden before she enter 
 
 into the state of Marriage 721 
 
 A Prayer for a holy and happy Death 722 
 
THE WORTHY COMMUNICANT. 
 
 Chap. I. — Of the Nature, Excellences, Uses and 
 Intention of the Holy Sacrament of the Lord's 
 Supper. 
 Sect. I. — Of the several apprehensions of men 
 
 concerning it 723 
 
 Sect. II. — What it is which we receive in the 
 
 Holy Sacrament 726 
 
 Sect. III. — The blessings and graces of the Holy 
 Sacrament enumerated and proved particu- 
 larly '. 737 
 
 Sect. IV. — Practical conclusions from the pre- 
 ceding discourses 747 
 
 Sect. V. — Devotions preparatory to this mystery 755 
 
 Chap. II. — Of our General Preparation to the 
 Worthy Reception of the Blessed Sacrament, 
 and the Participation of the Mysteries. 
 
 Sect. I. — Of examination of ourselves in order to 
 
 the Holy Communion 758 
 
 Sect. II. — Of the examination of our desires . . 762 
 
 Sect. III. — Of our examination concerning re- 
 manent affections to sin 769 
 
 Sect. IV. — Of examination of ourselves in the 
 matter of our prayers in order to a Holy 
 Communion , 774 
 
 Sect. V. — Of preparatory examination of our- 
 selves in some other instances 778 
 
 Sect. VI. — Devotions to be used upon the days 
 
 of our examination relative to that duty . . . 783 
 
 Chap. III. — Of the Necessary Dispositions to the 
 Blessed Sacrament. 
 
 Sect. I. — Of faith, as it is a necessary disposition 
 
 to the Sacrament 788 
 
 Sect. II. — Of actual faith, as it is a necessary 
 
 disposition to the Sacrament 789 
 
 Sect. III. — Of the proper and specific work of 
 
 faith in the Holy Communion 794 
 
 Sect. IV. — Meditations and devotions relative to 
 this preparatory grace, to be used in the 
 days of preparation, or at any time of spiri- 
 tual communion 804 
 
 Chap. IV. — Of Charity preparatory to the Blessed 
 Sacrament. 
 
 Skct. I. • 806 
 
 Sect. II. — Of doing good to our neighbour . . . 808 
 
 Sect. III. — Of speaking good of our neighbours . 809 
 Sect. IV. — Forgiveness of injuries a necessary 
 
 part of preparation to the Holy Sacrament . 811 
 Sect.' V. — Devotions relative to the grace of 
 charity, to be used by way of exercise and 
 preparation to the Divine mysteries, in any 
 time or part of our life, but especially before 
 and at the Communion 819 
 
 Chap.V. — Of Repentance preparatory to the Blessed 
 Sacrament. 
 
 Sect. 1 822 
 
 Sect. II. — The necessity of repentance in order 
 
 to the Holy Sacrament 824 
 
 Sect. III. — What actions of repentance are 
 specially required in our preparations to the 
 Holy Sacrament 827 
 
 Sect. IV. — How far we must have proceeded in 
 our general repentance and emendation of 
 our lives before we communicate 838 
 
 Sect. V. — Penitential soliloquies, ejaculations, 
 exercises, and preparatory prayers, to be 
 used in all the days of preparation to the 
 Holy Sacrament 854 
 
 Chap. VI. — Of our Actual Preparation to the Re- 
 ception of the Blessed Sacrament. 
 
 Sect. I , . 857 
 
 Sect. II. — Rules for examination of our con- 
 sciences against the day of our Communion. 859 
 
 Sect. III. — Of an actual supply to be made of 
 such actions and degrees -of good as are 
 wanting against a Communion-day 863 
 
 Sect. IV. — Devotions to be used upon the morn- 
 ing of the Communion , 868 
 
 Chap. VII. — Of our Comportment after receiving 
 the Blessed Sacrament. 
 
 Sect. I. — Of the circumstances and manner of 
 
 reception of the Divine mysteries 871 
 
 Sect. II. — Acts of virtues and graces relative to 
 the mystery, to be used before or at the 
 celebration of the Divine Sacrament 879 
 
 Sect. III. — An advice concerning him who only 
 
 communicates spiritually 889 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 In proportion to the reverence which we entertain for religion in general, Will • be 
 our anxiety to obtain clear and definite accounts of its heavenly Author. When 
 the utmost that is known concerns the being of a God, honest and elevated minds 
 have never ceased to strive, according to the best of their ability, to gain clearer 
 notions of his attributes and his will. They felt that much of their happiness, and 
 even of their security, was depending upon their enlarging knowledge of Him wh©, 
 according to the measure of their strength, was the recognized source of light and 
 power. 
 
 Who is He ? what is He ? and whence does He come ? are questions naturally 
 proposed, the instant we are informed of some one who lays claim to the privilege 
 of instructing mankind in some extraordinary manner. But while this is the case 
 even in matters of worldly interest, the curiosity or anxiety excited is necessarily 
 of a deeper kind, when the new teacher asserts a divine commission, and proclaims 
 aloud that he is instructed to declare what the Almighty has prepared for the sal- 
 vation of his people. 
 
 On the first mention of the Gospel to those who were neither under the bondage 
 of unconquerable prejudice, nor ready, with a fanatical haste, to embrace any novel 
 system that might tempt their imagination, the inquiry as to the person and history 
 of Christ would precede all others. To answer the questions thus suggested was 
 the main purpose of each of the narratives furnished us by the blessed Evange- 
 lists. St. Luke has spoken for one and all in the brief but exquisite introduction 
 to his own Gospel. He wrote, that the current reports respecting Jesus might be 
 more certainly understood, and that a clearer conception might be formed of the 
 nature of his works and doctrine. That this was the object also of the other 
 Evangelists is evident from the character of their narrations ; and to the present 
 
 M48837 
 
2 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 day, an earnest-minded inquirer, desirous of learning what evidence there is for 
 the Gospel, and what he is to expect from becoming a follower of Christ, directs 
 his earliest attention to those divine histories provided, at the commencement 
 of the evangelical dispensation, for the establishment of our faith. 
 
 It is utterly impossible that any effort or ingenuity of the human mind, how- 
 ever sanctified or enlightened, should supersede the work of the heavenly Spirit in 
 ■ tiiia': •supply : -."of authoritative and inspired histories. But these histories may be 
 employed in more than one way to the edification of our souls. From the earliest 
 ages, wise and holy men have selected their main points, and discoursed on them 
 in order. They have treated them as four independent narratives ; as four separate 
 volumes of history, furnishing each its quota of most valuable materials, forming, 
 when put together, a document of the completest kind ; but not to be considered 
 so sufficient in each division, that any part bestowed by the bounty of the blessed 
 Spirit might be safely dispensed with or left out of recollection. 
 
 With the most devout feeling, therefore, of the infinite value of the original nar- 
 rative, and of the importance of leading men to contemplate it in its length and 
 breadth, pious divines have, from time to time, employed themselves in arranging 
 the facts and discourses set forth in the four Gospels, and so showing their sequence 
 and connection, that the life of Christ, as far as it can be made the subject of his- 
 tory, might be exhibited to the mind without any appearance of complexity. 
 
 It is evident that the greatest care is required in a work of this kind, that noth- 
 ing human may obtrude itself under the character of divine. This is to be observed, 
 not merely in regard to facts, but in respect also to comments and reflections, the 
 near association of the comment with the text having often been the cause of giving 
 undue authority to the former, while the latter was allowed to retain but a titular 
 claim to the homage of the reader. 
 
 We may hence conclude that nothing but the most reverential feeling of the 
 sacredness of the subject can secure a writer of the Life of Christ from falling into 
 dangers not to be lightly regarded. But with this caution, such a work may be 
 rendered eminently edifying and interesting. The- course of our Lord's ministry 
 is one glorious track of light ; but it is broader and of a deeper splendour in some 
 
INTRODUCTION. 3 
 
 places than in others ; and by its heavenly and mysterious nature it must often 
 be invisible to the understanding not practised in spiritual meditation. A mind 
 long familiarized to the language of the Saviour, and experienced in the interpre- 
 tation of those signs and parables which are employed in the Gospel, as a peculiar 
 medium of the profoundest truth, will speak of these things to others so as to open 
 their meaning, and conduct the thoughts, step by step, along the paths of divine 
 mystery, till the object of the whole is more clearly seen, and the heart itself ip 
 prepared to embrace the history in its entire compass. 
 
 An attentive perusal of the present volume will afford many illustrations of these 
 remarks. Knowing that the substance of the narrative is drawn from sources of 
 indisputable authority, the reader can have no anxiety respecting the truth of the 
 facts recorded. He will, therefore, be able to resign himself altogether to the 
 gracious influence which such a history is calculated to exercise on the mind. 
 Brought to contemplate his Lord from the moment when it was announced, " Unto 
 you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord," to 
 that when he pronounced those awful words, " It is finished," he learns what it is 
 to tremble and rejoice at the recital of the method employed for his salvation. 
 Nor resting here, the narrative leads him on from the scene of conflict, where Christ 
 triumphed over the grave, to those wonderful manifestations of the power which 
 had wrought in his resurrection, and which exhibited itself, at last, in the fulness 
 of its strength and splendour, when Jesus visibly ascended into heaven, leading 
 captivity captive. 
 
 The assistance which the reader will derive from a well-arranged narrative of 
 these sublime events will be found of importance, not only as exciting attention 
 to facts, otherwise less noticed, but as habituating him, in perusing the divine 
 originals, to arrange and classify the several portions of the history for himself. 
 When this ability is acquired, the mind will have a readier command over the 
 materials of reflection, and the several arguments on which the proof of heavenly 
 truth is founded will be seen with greater distinctness, and appreciated with a more 
 practical feeling of their strength and value. 
 
 "I am the way, and the truth, and the life : no man cometh unto the Father, 
 
4 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 but by me." Of the history of a being like this can we ever form notions too high 
 or fervent ? or can it be possible for us to be too anxious to familiarize it to our 
 hearts, and so to grasp it on all sides, that no agitation of mind or solicitation of 
 outward objects may ever separate it from our thoughts ? The writer of these brief 
 remarks earnestly commends the subject to the reader's best attention, reminding 
 him that, as Jesus has said, "No man cometh unto me, except the Father which 
 hath sent me draw him," so the happiest and most hopeful feeling he can cherish 
 in his heart is that which inclines him, more and more, to seek acquaintance with 
 Christ ; to dwell upon his words with increasing seriousness ; and to follow him in 
 his works and varied instances of exemplary holiness with more devoted thankful- 
 ness, and a livelier desire to exhibit the power of the grace which he bestows upon 
 believers. 
 
 HENET STEBBING. 
 
 St. James's Chapel. 
 
 COLLECT. 
 
 God, whose blessed Son was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil, 
 and malce us the sons of God, and heirs of eternal life : Grant us, we beseech thee, that 
 having this hope, we may purify ourselves, even as he is pure ; that when he shall appear 
 again, with power and great glory, we may be made like unto him in his eternal and 
 glorious kingdom; where with thee, Father, and thee, Holy Ghost, he liveth and 
 reigneth, ever one God, world without end. Amen. 
 
THE LIFE 
 
 OF 
 
 OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR 
 JESUS CHRIST. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Presage of the Birth of Christ. Prediction of the Birth of John the Baptist. Salutation of the blessed 
 Virgin by the Angel. Visitation of the Virgin Mary to Elizabeth. Birth of the Baptist. 
 
 HISTORY, as it refers merely to 
 human events, is a pleasing and 
 instructing subject ; but that which 
 relates to our immortal interest cer- 
 tainly claims our most serious regard. 
 
 No event that ever did, or, per- 
 haps, ever will happen, can more 
 remarkably display the wisdom and 
 power of the Great Jehovah than 
 the glorious manner in which he 
 brought life and immortality to light 
 by the gospel of his only Son, mani- 
 fested in the flesh. 
 
 The mind of man cannot be more 
 delightfully employed than in the 
 contemplation of the wisdom and 
 goodness of the Omnipotent Creator 
 of the universe, who, by the least sus- 
 pected means, and weakest instru- 
 ments, confirmed and established 
 that glorious gospel on which de- 
 
 pend all the Christian's hope of 
 eternal salvation. 
 
 Notwithstanding the strength and 
 number of his enemies, the church of 
 Christ grew, from the most inconsi- 
 derable beginnings, to an immense 
 fabric or building in the Lord ; nor 
 shall the united efforts of earth and 
 hell be able to prevail against it. As 
 it was planted, so it was reared by 
 an Almighty hand, which, like the 
 careful husbandman, pruned and 
 cultivated each tender sprig till it 
 arrived at full perfection, or, to use 
 the words of our Lord, " The least 
 of all seeds grew up, and waxed a 
 great tree, and spread out its 
 branches, and filled the earth." 
 
 Thus prevailed eternal Truth; nor 
 could the inveterate Jews, or super- 
 stitious heathens, resist its progress. 
 

 
 THE LIFE OF OUR 
 
 though Herod and Pontius Pilate, 
 with the Gentiles and people of Is- 
 rael, " gathered themselves together 
 against the Lord, and against his 
 Anointed j" for the doctrine of God 
 confounded the wisdom of the for- 
 mer, and overcame the folly of the 
 latter. 
 
 If we survey the works of a stu- 
 pendous Creator, we shall find that 
 few arrived at perfection at once. 
 This observation is amply confirmed 
 by the various productions in the 
 natural, and changes in the moral 
 world. The Supreme Being, who 
 conducts all his operations accord- 
 ing to his infinite wisdom, appears 
 to have retained the same maxim in 
 the regulating of his kindest design 
 to the sons of men. The Divine 
 mind and will were not revealed to 
 mankind, at first, in their clearest 
 evidence and fullest splendour. The 
 dawn, in a spiritual as well as in a 
 natural sense, preceded the meri- 
 dian glory; the former revelation 
 was but a type or earnest of the 
 latter, and, in comparison with it, 
 intricate and mysterious. 
 
 The all-gracious God, as it seemed 
 best to his unerring wisdom, was 
 pleased, by degrees, to open and un- 
 fold his glorious councils; and man, 
 by degrees, attained to the know- 
 ledge of the great plan of salvation, 
 and the means used by its great 
 Author to promote and establish it. 
 
 Some time before the incarnation 
 of the blessed Jesus an opinion pre- 
 vailed, among the pious part of the 
 Jews, that the Great Jehovah would 
 condescend to favour them with a 
 clearer revelation of his mind and 
 will, by the mission of some eminent 
 person qualified from above to in- 
 struct them in the same. This opi- 
 nion was founded on the predictions 
 of the ancient prophets, who had de- 
 scribed, with the utmost beauty and 
 clearness, the person, character, and 
 glory of the Messiah, appointed by 
 God, in his own time, to declare his 
 eternal counsels to mankind. 
 
 Relying on the fulfilment of these 
 prophecies, the devout persons a- 
 mong the Jews imagined the time 
 appointed by God at hand, and that 
 the promised Messiah would shortly 
 make his appearance, and therefore 
 are said to have " waited night and 
 day for the consolation of Israel." 
 These people, at that time grievously 
 oppressed by the Roman power, and 
 consequently anxious of regaining 
 their liberty, as well as revenging 
 themselves on their tyrannical op- 
 pressors, waited for the accomplish- 
 ment of the prophecies with the most 
 solicitous desire. But this opinion 
 of the approach of a general Deli- 
 verer extended much further than 
 the country of the Jews; for, through 
 their connexions with so many coun- 
 tries, their disputes with the learned 
 
LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST. 
 
 men among the heathens, and the 
 translation of the Old Testament 
 into a language now almost general, 
 their religion greatly prevailed in 
 the east; and, consequently, their 
 opinion, that a prince would appear 
 in the kingdom of Judea, who would 
 dispel the mists of ignorance, 
 deliver the Jews from the Roman 
 yoke, and spread his dominion from 
 one end of the world to the other. 
 
 While the eastern world was 
 fraught with these sanguine hopes, 
 the very angel who had appeared to 
 Daniel the prophet with a certain 
 information as to the period of the 
 Messiah's coming, as well as his trans- 
 actions in this lower world was sent 
 to Zacharias, while he was executing 
 his office before God, in the order 
 of his course (which was to burn in- 
 cense when he went into the temple 
 of the Lord), to foretell that a child 
 should spring from him and his wife 
 Elizabeth, though they were strick- 
 en in years, who should be endowed 
 with extraordinary gifts from heaven, 
 and honoured with being the fore- 
 runner of the Saviour of the world. 
 
 Zacharias, when he saw the angel, 
 though he knew him to be of hea- 
 venly extraction, could not judge 
 the subject of his mission, and there- 
 fore discovered a mixture of fear and 
 surprise ; but the aerial ambassador 
 cheered hisdesponding soul with this 
 kind address : " Fear not, Zacharias, 
 
 for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife 
 Elizabeth shall" bear thee a son, and 
 thou shaft call his name John." That 
 he waited day and night for the con- 
 solation of Israel he well knew, which 
 is all we can understand by his prayer 
 being heard ; for it was unnatural 
 for him to think that he and his wife 
 Elizabeth, who were advanced in 
 years, should have a son ; nay, he 
 intimates his doubts concerning it in 
 these words : " Whereby shall I 
 know this? for I am an old man, 
 and my wife well stricken in years." 
 Besides, he was a priest of the course 
 of Abiah, whose particular office was 
 to pray in behalf of the people for 
 public and national blessings; so 
 that it is very reasonable to think 
 that on all occasions of public wor- 
 ship he prayed most earnestly for 
 the accomplishment of the prophe- 
 cies relative to the appearance of 
 the long-expected Messiah, who was 
 promised as a. general blessing to 
 all the nations of the earth. 
 
 That this was the great subject of 
 his prayer appears from the decla- 
 ration of the angel Gabriel : The 
 prayer thou hast directed with since- 
 rity to an Almighty ear, concerning 
 the coming of the Messiah, " is 
 heard ; and behold thy wife Eliza- 
 beth shall bear thee a son," who shall 
 prepare the way for the mighty 
 Redeemer of Israel. The old priest, 
 indeed, was as much astonished at 
 
THE LIFE OF OUR 
 
 the subject of the mission as he was 
 at the appearance of the messenger ; 
 and esteeming it impossible that his 
 wife, thus advanced in years, should 
 conceive a son, weakly demanded a 
 sign, to confirm his belief in the ful- 
 filment of the promise, though he 
 knew the authority of the angel was 
 derived from the God of Truth. But 
 as it is the lot of humanity to err, 
 Zacharias had, at that moment, for- 
 got that nothing was impossible to 
 Omnipotence, as well as that it was 
 not the first time that the aged were 
 caused to conceive, and bear children . 
 The least reflection would have re- 
 minded him that Sarah conceived 
 and bare Isaac, when she was far ad- 
 vanced in years; and that Samuel 
 was born of a woman who had been 
 long reputed, and even called barren. 
 His curiosity was, indeed, grati- 
 fied, but in a manner that carried 
 with it at once a confirmation of the 
 promise and a punishment for his 
 unbelief. As he had verbally tes- 
 tified his doubt of the fulfilment of 
 the prediction of the angel, he was 
 punished with the loss of his speech, 
 which was to continue to the very 
 day in which the prediction should 
 be accomplished ; " Behold, thou 
 shalt be dumb, and not able to speak 
 until the day that those things shall 
 be performed, because thou believest 
 not my words ; which shall be ful- 
 filled in their season." 
 
 Zacharias soon received an awful 
 testimony of the divinity of the mis- 
 sion of Gabriel, who was no sooner 
 departed than he was struck dumb ; 
 for when he came to pray in the 
 course of his office, during the obla- 
 tion of his incense, he could not 
 utter a word, and was under the 
 necessity of making signs to the 
 people, that an angel had appeared 
 unto him in the temple, and that he 
 was deprived of the faculty of speech, 
 as a punishment for his doubting 
 the fulfilment of an event which he 
 had been foretold concerning him. 
 
 Soon after Zacharias departed to 
 his own house (the days of his mi- 
 nistration being accomplished), his 
 wife Elizabeth, according to the pre- 
 diction of the angel, conceived; and 
 retired into a private place, where 
 she lived five months in the uninter- 
 rupted exercises of piety, devotion, 
 and contemplation on the mysterious 
 providences of the Almighty, and his 
 amazing goodness to the sinful chil- 
 dren of men. 
 
 When Elizabeth was advanced six 
 months in her pregnancy, the same 
 heavenly ambassador w r as sent to a 
 poor virgin, called Mary, who lived 
 in obscurity in the city of Nazareth, 
 under the care of Joseph, to whom 
 she was espoused. This man and 
 woman were both lineally de- 
 scended from the illustrious house 
 of David, from whose loins it was 
 
LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST. 
 
 9 
 
 foretold the great Messiah should 
 spring. 
 
 This virgin, being ordained by the 
 Most High to be the mother of the 
 great Saviour of the world, was sa- 
 luted by the angel in the most re- 
 spectful terms : " Hail ! thou that 
 art highly favoured, the Lord is with 
 thee ! Blessed art thou among 
 women !" Such an address, from 
 so exalted a being, greatly alarmed 
 the meek and humble virgin : but to 
 allay her fear, and encourage her 
 heart, the angel related, in most 
 rapturous terms, the subject of his 
 embassy; which was to assure her 
 that she was chosen by God to the 
 greatest honour which could be con- 
 ferred on a mortal, and which would 
 perpetuate her memory ; an honour 
 no less than that of being mother of 
 the promised and longexpected Mes- 
 siah, who upon earth should be called 
 Jesus, because he should save his 
 people from their sins, of the Re- 
 storer of human nature, and the pro- 
 curing cause of eternal bliss to miser- 
 able sinners, who had forfeited the 
 favour, and incurred the resentment 
 of a just and offended God : but that 
 in heaven this Divine Person was 
 considered as the Son of the Most 
 Hi gh God : to whom should be given, 
 by his Almighty Father, the throne of 
 David, his earthly father, on which 
 he should preside: and which, being 
 the whole church of Christ, the house 
 
 of Jacob, the spiritual Israel, or the 
 kingdom of the Messiah, should 
 continue for ever and ever. 
 
 The astonished virgin, unmindful 
 likewise that Isaiah had long before 
 prophesied "that a virgin should 
 conceive and bear a son," thought 
 her virginity an insurmountable bar- 
 rier to the fulfilment of the pro- 
 phecy, more especially as such an 
 event had never before happened 
 since the creation of the world : and 
 therefore required of the angel an 
 explanation of the manner in which 
 such a wonderful circumstance could 
 be effected. 
 
 This request of the Virgin Mary 
 by no means implies that she did not 
 remember that with God all things 
 were possible, but only serves to 
 prove the weakness of her apprehen- 
 sion on the one hand, or her diffi- 
 dence and sense of her own unwor- 
 thiness on the other. 
 
 The angel, therefore, perceiving 
 the goodness of her disposition, not- 
 withstanding some little appearance 
 of human weakness, and shortness 
 of sight, vouchsafed an immediate 
 answer to her inquiry : " The Holy 
 Ghost shall come upon thee, and 
 the power of the Highest shall cover 
 thee :" or, in other words, this mira- 
 culous event shall be brought about 
 by the aid of the Holy Spirit, and 
 wonderful exertion of the power o* 
 the Most High. " As thy concep- 
 
10 
 
 THE LIFE OF OUR 
 
 tion is effected by the immediate in- 
 terposition of the Holy Spirit, there- 
 fore that holy thing which shall be 
 born of thee shall be called the Son 
 of God." To confirm her faith in 
 the glorious message, the heavenly 
 messenger observed to her, that her 
 cousin Elizabeth, notwithstanding 
 her advanced years, and reputed 
 barrenness, was above six months 
 pregnant; assigning this incontes- 
 table argument for the miraculous 
 incident, " For with God nothing 
 shall be impossible." 
 
 This reply not only removed all 
 her doubts and fears, but filled her 
 with inexpressible joy, so that she 
 even anticipated the promised feli- 
 city ; for she, with the rest of the 
 daughters of Jacob, had long in- 
 dulged a hope of being selected by 
 God to be the honoured mother 
 of the Saviour of Israel : and there- 
 fore, on her being assured that such 
 great happiness was destined her by 
 the heavenly Disposer of all events, 
 she thus expressed her reliance on 
 the fulfilment of the Divine pro- 
 mise, and her perfect acquiescence 
 in the pleasure of the Almighty : 
 " Behold the handmaid of the Lord, 
 be it unto me according to thy 
 word." 
 
 The angel had no sooner departed, 
 than Mary set out for the moun- 
 tainous country of Judea, though at 
 a very remote distance from Naza- 
 
 reth, in order to rejoice with her 
 cousin Elizabeth in the joyful news 
 she had received from the angel con- 
 cerning her. The rapture and de- 
 light which filled the minds of Mary, 
 Joseph her husband, and Elizabeth, 
 on the occasion of this salutation, 
 can alone be expressed by the affect- 
 ing description recorded by the 
 evangelist Luke, who is peculiar for 
 the beauty of his style, and elegance 
 of his expression. 
 
 That evangelist writes, that the 
 salutation of Mary had such an effect 
 upon Elizabeth, that, on her hearing 
 of the miraculous event which had 
 befallen the Virgin, the babe leaped 
 within her, and that being inspired 
 with a holy delight on the approach- 
 ing prospect of the nativity of our 
 Saviour, she exclaimed with rapture, 
 "And whence is this to me, that 
 the mother of my Lord should come 
 tome?" Nor did her ecstasy cease 
 with this token of humility and joy 
 on the important event ; in the ar- 
 dour of which she evinced that pro- 
 phetic influence, which, while it 
 amazed the blessed Virgin, could not 
 fail of establishing her belief in what 
 the angel had foretold, for she re- 
 peated the very words expressed by 
 the angel in the salutation of the 
 holy Virgin, " Blessed art thou 
 among women !'* together with a 
 quotation from the Psalms, and 
 " Blessed is the fruit of thy womb \" 
 
LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST. 
 
 11 
 
 For as Mary conceived the seed 
 longproroised, and earnestly desired, 
 the seed in whom all the nations of 
 the earth were to be blessed, he 
 could not but be blessed himself, ac- 
 cording to the words of the Psalm- 
 ist : " His name shall continue as 
 long as the sun, and men shall be 
 blessed in him : all nations shall call 
 him Blessed." The happy Virgin, 
 catching the holy flame from the 
 aged Elizabeth, broke out into an 
 humble acknowledgment of her un- 
 worthiness, and the wonderful grace 
 of the Almighty, in appointing her to 
 the exalted honour of bearing the 
 Redeemer of Israel, as expressed in 
 those well-known words, "My soul 
 doth magnify the Lord," &c. 
 
 Having thus confirmed herself, by 
 this visit, in the belief of the predic- 
 tion of the angel Gabriel, when the 
 period of Elizabeth's pregnancy ap- 
 proached, she returned to Nazareth, 
 having resided in Judea about three 
 months. 
 
 Soon after the departure of Mary, 
 Elizabeth brought forth her son, the 
 appointed harbinger of the King of 
 Glory ; and on the eighth day after 
 his birth, according to the Judaical 
 custom, he was circumcised, and 
 called according to the appointment 
 of the angel, John, alluding, in the 
 Hebrew tongue, to the gracious dis- 
 play of the wisdom and goodness 
 God was about to manifest to the 
 
 world, by the spreading of the gos- 
 pel of his Son, of whom this John 
 was the appointed forerunner. 
 
 This promise being thus fulfilled, 
 the aged priest was restored to his 
 speech, and immediately broke out 
 into praise and rapture at the mar- 
 vellous works of God, in strains 
 which astonished all around him. 
 
 This most surprising event greatly 
 alarmed the people of the adjacent 
 country, who were divided in their 
 opinions concerning a child whose 
 birth was attended with so many ex- 
 traordinary circumstances. Indeed, 
 these incidents were worthy of gene- 
 ral admiration : that he who was to 
 be the forerunner of the mighty Sa- 
 viour of Israel, should not make his 
 entrance on life in an obscure and 
 common manner, but with particular 
 tokens of the favour of heaven, in 
 order to attract the observation of 
 his countrymen, and excite their at- 
 tention to that ministry which he was 
 called to by God, even the prepara- 
 tion of the people for the reception 
 of the Messiah, who was shortly to 
 appear. 
 
 It is observable that the Baptist, 
 from his infancy, displayed great 
 qualities, both of mind and body ; 
 for such was his strength of consti- 
 tution, through the blessing of the 
 God of Nature, that he lived till 
 near the thirtieth year of his age, 
 when his public ministry began, in 
 
12 
 
 THE LIFE OF OUK 
 
 the mountains and desert country of 
 Judea, bereft of almost all the com- 
 forts of life. But at length the pro- 
 phecy of the good old Zacharias, re- 
 lating to his future elevation, was 
 literally fulfilled : "Thou, O child, 
 shalt be called the Prophet of the 
 Highest; for thou shalt go before 
 the face of the Lord, to prepare his 
 ways, to give knowledge of salvation 
 to his people, by the remission of 
 their sins, through the tender mercies 
 of our God, whereby the day-spring 
 from on high hath visited us, to give 
 light to them that sit in darkness, 
 and in the shadow of death, to guide 
 our feet in the way of peace." 
 
 As Joseph had abstained from all 
 matrimonial intercourse with his 
 wife, he was not a little alarmed 
 when, shortly after her return to Na- 
 zareth, she discovered evident signs 
 of pregnancy ; nay, so far was he 
 wrought on by circumstances, that 
 he absolutely resolved on a dissolu- 
 tion of the marriage ; but previous 
 to such a rigorous procedure, ques- 
 tioning her concerning the same, 
 she, to wipe off so foul an aspersion, 
 minutely related to him the parti- 
 culars of the vision from the angel, 
 and the extraordinary event that 
 had befallen Zacharias and her 
 cousin Elizabeth. 
 
 Notwithstanding this ingenious 
 declaration, Joseph's suspicions con- 
 tinued, and suggested to him that 
 
 this might be a device, concerted 
 by the friends of Mary, to exempt 
 her from that disgrace which must 
 attend a divorce on such a pretence ; 
 however, he resolved to execute his 
 purpose as privately as possible, 
 without assigning a cause for the 
 same, which, under their constitu- 
 tion, would have subjected her to 
 the penalty of death. 
 
 But, on cooler reflection, he called 
 to mind the sovereign power of Om- 
 nipotence ; for which reason, how- 
 ever opposite her case might be to 
 the nature of things in general, her 
 vindication might be well grounded. 
 He now thought himself bound by 
 every tie of justice and duty to pre- 
 serve her character, inviolable; 
 though, as he was a just man, and 
 a most religious observer of the 
 law, the assertions she made did 
 not appear to him sufficient to justify 
 him in retaining her in his house. 
 
 While he was thus ruminating on 
 this particular event, he was over- 
 taken with a pleasing slumber, and 
 received a communication from hea- 
 ven, which completely revealed the 
 cause and manner of Mary's preg- 
 nancy, dispelled his doubts, and 
 encouraged him to take home his 
 falsely suspected spouse : " Joseph, 
 thou son of David, fear not to take 
 unto thee Mary thy wife ; for that 
 which is conceived in her is of the 
 Holy Ghost !" 
 
LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST 
 
 13 
 
 The aged Joseph complied with 
 (he voice of heaven most cheerfully ; 
 for no sooner did the morning dawn 
 appear, than he arose from his couch 
 and obeyed the commands of the 
 Most High, by relating to his wife his 
 being assured of her innocence, and 
 immediately restored her to former 
 favour. While he related to her the 
 manner of this extraordinary revela- 
 tion by a messenger from the hea- 
 venly Canaan, he discovered in her a 
 remarkable chastity of heart, entirely 
 conformable to so mysterious an 
 operation, and knew her not till 
 she had brought, forth the great 
 Redeemer of Israel. 
 
 Thus was fulfilled that which was 
 foretold by the prophets, and parti- 
 cularly the prediction of Isaiah, 
 which imported, that a Virgin should 
 bring forth a son. " Behold a V irgin 
 shall conceive, and bear a son, and 
 shall call his name Immanuel," Isa. 
 vii. 14; which, being interpreted, is 
 God with us. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 General decree for taxation published. Birth of 
 Christ. Declaration of the same to the shep- 
 herds. Circumcision and presentation of Christ 
 in the temple. The wise men of the east worship 
 the Holy Child. Flight of Joseph into Egypt. 
 Massacre of the infants at Bethlehem. Death 
 of Herod. Return of Joseph out of Egypt. 
 
 A UGUSTUS Caesar, the Roman 
 ^ emperor, having, at this time, 
 issued an edict for a general taxation 
 
 on all the nations, cities, and towns 
 subject to the empire, king Herod, 
 in consequence of that decree, com- 
 manded all under his government 
 to muster in the city of his people, 
 or place of his descent, that an 
 estimate might be taken of their 
 persons and effects. Pursuant to 
 this order, Joseph and Mary, as de- 
 scendants from the line of David, 
 departed from Nazareth, where they 
 then resided, and came to Beth- 
 lehem, a city of Judea, the place 
 of the nativity of David and his an- 
 cestors. 
 
 So numerous were the people that 
 repaired to this place, on account of 
 the general decree, that every dwell- 
 ing was occupied ; and Joseph and 
 Mary, though they could not depart 
 thence till after the taxation, were 
 forced to take up their residence in 
 a humble stable, the spot in which 
 it pleased the Divine wisdom should 
 be born the Lord of Life and Glory, 
 who, as a perfect example of humi- 
 lity to all his followers, was to make 
 his entrance into, and his exit out of, 
 the lower world in the same mean 
 and humble manner. In this lowly 
 tenement the blessed Virgin brought 
 forth her first-born Godlike Son, 
 wrapped him in swaddling-clothes, 
 and laid him (having no better 
 place) in a manger. 
 
 It is remarkable, that all the ge- 
 nerations of the intervening spaces 
 
14 
 
 THE LIFE OF OUR 
 
 between three of the most remark- 
 able periods, relative to the house 
 of David, and the birth of our 
 blessed Saviour, are exactly the 
 same ; for the Evangelist Matthew 
 informs us, that all the generations 
 from Abraham to David, are fourteen 
 generations ; and from David unto 
 the Babylonish captivity are four- 
 teen generations ; and from the Ba- 
 bylonish captivity unto the birth of 
 Christ are also fourteen generations. 
 The same evangelist also traces his 
 genealogy from Abraham, and 
 proves his lineal descent from that 
 father of the faithful, through the 
 line of David, from race to race, to 
 that of the humble Virgin, and the 
 aged Joseph. 
 
 But to return to the immediate 
 subject of our history : the humble 
 manner in which the blessed Jesus 
 made his appearance in the world, did 
 not long eclipse the glory of his de- 
 scent ; a heavenly messenger being 
 dispatched from above to apprize 
 mankind of their Saviour's incarna- 
 tion. It pleased the wise Disposer 
 of all things, by his holy angel, first 
 to make known to some honest shep- 
 herds, who were watching their flocks 
 by night in the neighbouring fields, 
 the birth of the long-promised, long- 
 expected Messiah. The radiance 
 which shone around them terrified 
 the astonished peasants; but, in order 
 to dissipate their fears, and confirm 
 
 their joys, the Divine messenger in- 
 terposed, and thus addressed them : 
 " Fear not ! for, behold, I bring 
 you good tidings of great joy, which 
 shall be to all people ! For unto 
 you is born, this day, in the city of 
 David, a Saviour, who is Christ the 
 Lord. And this shall be a sign 
 unto you; ye shall find the babe 
 wrapped up in swaddling-clothes, 
 lying in a manger." 
 
 The glorious news was no sooner 
 proclaimed, than a number of the 
 celestial choir were heard to resound 
 the praises of the Almighty, for this 
 transcendent display of his goodness 
 to sinful men : " Glory to God in 
 the highest, and on earth, peace, 
 good-will towards men !" Trans- 
 ported with the happy tidings of the 
 birth of the Redeemer of Israel, 
 the angel no sooner departed, than 
 the shepherds hastened to Bethle- 
 hem in quest of the babe, whom, 
 according to the information of the 
 sacred missionary, they found wrapt 
 in swaddling-clothes, and lying in a 
 manger. This event, so exactly con- 
 formable to the angel's prediction, 
 equally delighted and amazed them; 
 nor could they conceal the purport 
 of his mission, but published abroad 
 all they had seen and heard. 
 
 Having viewed with praise and 
 wonder their long-expected Saviour, 
 and offered up their grateful praises 
 to God for the manifestation of his 
 
LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST. 
 
 15 
 
 goodness to mankind, they departed 
 with hearts filled with love and gra- 
 titude, still glorifying the Almighty 
 Parent of universal nature. 
 
 After the expiration of eight days 
 from the birth of the Holy Infant, 
 he was circumcised according to the 
 Mosaic institution, and his name was 
 called Jesus : that appellation being 
 given him by the angel, who ap- 
 peared to the Virgin Mary before her 
 conception. It was requisite that he 
 should conform to this custom ; a 
 ceremony which characterized the 
 Jewish nation, and was one of the 
 principal injunctions of the Mosaic 
 law under which he was born, in 
 order to fulfil all that is spoken of 
 him in the Scriptures. 
 
 Besides, as all the promises made 
 to Abraham were to be fulfilled in 
 the Messiah, it was necessary he 
 should receive the seal of circum- 
 cision, in order to prove his descent 
 from the Patriarch, concerning 
 whom it was foretold, " In thy seed 
 shall all the families of the earth be 
 blessed." As a further reason for 
 our Lord's compliance with this 
 Jewish institution, we may urge the 
 propriety of his finishing the former 
 dispensation, by an exact adherence 
 to its rules, as he was about to esta- 
 blish another and better covenant ; 
 which could not be effected more 
 fully, than by conforming to that 
 sacrament which was of Divine in- 
 
 junction, and indispensably requisite 
 to admission into the former. 
 
 As the same institution also re- 
 quired that every first-born son, with- 
 out any regard to circumstance or 
 family, should be presented to the 
 Lord, in the temple, by delivering 
 him into the hands of the priest, and 
 paying five shekels, together with an 
 offering, which, from the poorer sort, 
 consisted of a pair of turtle-doves, 
 or two young pigeons, a ceremonv 
 in commemoration of the Divine 
 mercy, in sparing the first-born in 
 Israel, when those of Egypt, both 
 men and beasts, were destroyed : his 
 parents having tarried at Bethlehem 
 till the days of Mary's purification 
 were accomplished, brought the 
 child Jesus to Jerusalem, and there 
 presented him in the temple to the 
 Lord, in the manner just described, 
 with the offering allowed to the 
 lower order of the people ; a re- 
 peated instance of the exact obedi- 
 ence of the immaculate Jesus to the 
 ceremonial law as well as the pov- 
 erty of his parents, though descended 
 from the royal house of Israel. 
 
 During the presentation of the 
 Holy Infant, there enteredthe temple 
 apious and venerable old man, named 
 Simeon, who, with all the devout, had 
 " waited day and night for the con- 
 solation of Israel," and to whom it 
 had been revealed by the Spirit of 
 Truth, that he should not depart this 
 
16 
 
 THE LIFE OF OUR 
 
 mortal life till he had seen the Lord 
 of life and salvation. 
 
 Accordingly it was signified to him 
 by the Holy Spirit, at whose instance 
 he came at the precise time into the 
 temple, thatthe child there presented 
 was the long-expected Messiah, even 
 the Redeemer of Israel. In an ecs- 
 tasy of joy he embraced the heavenly 
 Infant in his arms, and broke out 
 into this rhapsody, " Lord, now let- 
 test thou thy servant depart in peace, 
 according to thy word : for mine 
 eyes have seen thy salvation, which 
 thou hast prepared before the face 
 of all people ; a light to lighten the 
 Gentiles, and the glory of thy people 
 Israel." Luke ii. 29. 
 
 The exultation of Simeon asto- 
 nished the parents of our Lord ; not 
 as being unworthy of the Divine sub- 
 ject of it, to which are due strains 
 far superior either to men or angels, 
 but as evincing the old man's certain 
 knowledge that the child was the 
 promised Messiah, though he was 
 an absolute stranger. But their 
 surprise was speedily removed by 
 Simeon's saying unto Mary his mo- 
 ther, " Behold, this child is set for 
 the fall and rising again of many 
 in Israel;" or, in other wor' T s, this 
 is the stumbling-block and rock of 
 offence which it was long foretold 
 by God should be laid in Zion, and 
 which should occasion the fall of 
 many in Israel; for, through the 
 
 humble manner of his birth, and his 
 abject state upon earth, he became 
 despised and rejected of men ; yet 
 he is set for the rising again of 
 many, who shall rely on his merits, 
 and submit to his government. 
 
 Commentators are divided in their 
 opinions concerningthisold Simeon. 
 Some think that he was of the order 
 of the priesthood, and that he ut- 
 tered the words cited above while 
 he was presenting the child to the 
 Lord, in the office of his function. 
 But, as the Evangelist, who recites 
 in a particular manner the presenta- 
 tion of our blessed Lord, is silent 
 on that head, it appears little more 
 than conjecture. 
 
 Others affirm he was Simon the 
 Just, a disciple of the most famous 
 Hillel, the master of Gamaliel, under 
 whom the apostle Paul received his 
 education ; and that, while he was 
 attempting to explain to the people 
 that passage in the celebrated pro- 
 phecy -of Isaiah, " Behold a Virgin 
 shall conceive, and bear a son," it 
 was revealed to him that he should 
 see, with mortal eyes, the promised 
 Messiah ; and that, on his beholding 
 the holy child and his mother in 
 the temple, he broke out into that 
 well-known beautiful rhapsody. But 
 this could not be, for Simon the Just 
 lived till forty-one years after the 
 death of our Lord ; and it has been 
 affirmed by Eusebius. that he was 
 
LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST. 
 
 17 
 
 not above seventy years old when 
 he died. Besides, it is remarkable 
 that the Almighty, at that time, was 
 pleased to reveal his designs with 
 respect to the Messiah, not to the 
 great, the wise, and the learned, but 
 to the poor and illiterate, such as 
 Joseph a carpenter, Zacharias an 
 ordinary priest, and a company of 
 shepherds ; therefore, as the point 
 is not settled, we presume to oner it 
 as our opinion, that this old man, 
 to whom God was pleased to make 
 so extraordinary a revelation con- 
 cerning the Saviour of the world, 
 was a plain, honest man, rather 
 more eminent for the goodness of 
 his heart than the knowledge of his 
 head; and who possessed more piety 
 and devotion than learning or earthly 
 pomp. 
 
 A certain good prophetess, called 
 Anna, who had a long time waited 
 for the redemption of Israel, entering 
 the temple at the instant in which 
 Simeon exulted in the birth of the 
 heavenly Infant, and finding that he 
 was the promised Messiah, likewise 
 joined with him in praising God, 
 and went forth and declared the 
 glad tidings of salvation to all the 
 faithful in those parts. 
 
 Having, in every respect, com- 
 plied with the rights and ceremonies 
 contained in the law of Moses, 
 Joseph and Mary, with the child 
 Jesus, entered into Galilee, to their 
 
 own city, Nazareth. They did not, 
 however, long abide there; for, 
 having adjusted their affairs, they 
 returned again to Bethlehem, the 
 place of our Lord's nativity. 
 
 This step seems to have been pur* 
 sued in consequence of their opinion 
 that it was necessary, in order to his 
 being acknowledged the Messiah 
 sent of God, that he should reside 
 some time in the place of his birth. 
 Whatever was their motive for re- 
 moval, it was evident from Scrip- 
 ture, that while they were in Beth- 
 lehem with their Son, certain eastern 
 philosophers, called Magi, or Wise 
 Men, came, in consequence of the 
 appearance they had seen, to Jeru- 
 salem, and inquired for the king of 
 the Jews, declaring they had seen 
 his star in their own quarter, and 
 were come to pay him the adora- 
 tions due to his dignity. 
 
 Various conjectures have been 
 formed by the learned concerning 
 this star which is said to have ap- 
 peared in the east. Some think it 
 was the Spirit of God, others an 
 angel, some a comet, others a lumi- 
 nous appearance, &c. A modern 
 writer is of opinion, it was the glory 
 that surrounded the angels who ap- 
 peared to the shepherds at Beth- 
 lehem, on the night of our blessed 
 Lord's nativity. 
 
 But notwithstanding these uncer- 
 tain conjectures, the star answered 
 E 
 
18 
 
 THE LIFE OF OUR ' 
 
 the end designed, and directed the 
 Magi to the spot where resided the 
 Lord of life and glory. Some men, 
 too wise to admit of the evidences 
 from Revelation, have sceptically in- 
 quired howthese Eastern Magi could 
 arrive at any knowledge that the Jews 
 expectedthe Messiah, and that, there- 
 fore, on appearance of this new star 
 in the firmament, how they should 
 apprehend it pointed out the birth of 
 the great Redeemer of Israel ? The 
 learned assertors of the Christian 
 cause, in answer to these queries, 
 observe, that an opinion of the ap- 
 proach of the Messiah's kingdom had 
 long prevailed all over the east; nay, 
 this is declared in profane history, 
 by Suetonius, Tacitus, and Josephus. 
 The reason of this prevailing opi- 
 nion is Very obvious. The Jews con- 
 ceived mighty expectations of the 
 Messiah, from the many prophecies 
 concerninghim recorded in their own 
 language ; and the Arabians, from 
 the many prophecies of the same 
 import made to Abraham ; it being 
 certain that those people retained 
 traditional knowledge of this pro- 
 mise, and the words of Balaam, who 
 was an Arabian prophet : " There 
 shall come a star out of Jacob, and 
 a sceptre shall arise out of Israel ;" 
 which every impartial reader must 
 acknowledge rather refers to the ap- 
 pearance of the Messiah than any 
 other incident whatever. 
 
 The other eastern nations derived 
 their expectations of the Messiah 
 from their commercial connexions 
 with the Jews and Arabians, but 
 more especially from the Jews, who 
 being scattered over the whole 
 country of the east, spread their 
 religion wherever they went, which 
 occasioned several Roman historians 
 to take notice of the prevalence of 
 that opinion. 
 
 Nay, the expectation of the Mes- 
 siah beingborn in Judea, was strongly 
 impressed on the minds of the fol- 
 lowers of Zoroaster, who reformed 
 the religion of the Persians, being 
 servant to the prophet Daniel, and 
 being particularly favoured with re- 
 velations concerning the Messiah. 
 
 From these considerations it evi- 
 dently appears, that this opinion 
 prevailed throughout the east, and 
 that the Magi might with great rea- 
 son, on the appearance of the star, 
 repair to Jerusalem in quest of the 
 promised Saviour of Israel. 
 
 But to leave this subject, as not 
 immediately appertaining to our pur- 
 pose, the whole city of Jerusalem 
 was alarmed at the unexpected ar- 
 rival of the eastern Magi ; an event 
 which much perplexed the tyrant 
 Herod, whose jealous and ambi- 
 tious mind maintained the utmost 
 aversion to the very thought of a 
 rival, or competitor, and conse- 
 quently could not brook a report that 
 
LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST. 
 
 19 
 
 favoured the news of the birth of the 
 king of the Jews. 
 
 Disguising, however, his revenge- 
 ful principle, he received the Magi 
 with seeming respect, attended to the 
 design of their errand with affected 
 complacency, and, for the purpose of 
 gratifying their curiosity, summoned 
 a general council, and demanded of 
 them where Christ should be born ? 
 The council did not keep him long 
 in suspense, for, well remembering 
 that the prophets had particularly 
 foretold the place of his birth, they 
 replied to the demand of their king, 
 " In Bethlehem of Judea ;" and to 
 confirm their answer, cited prophetic 
 authority : " And thou, Bethlehem, 
 in the land of Judea, art not the least 
 among the princes of Juda ; for out 
 of thee shall come a Governor that 
 shall rule my people Israel," Matt. 
 ii. 6. The tyrant king, in conse- 
 omence of the reply from the supreme 
 council of the nation, directed the 
 Magi to Bethlehem, as the place, ac- 
 cording to ancient prophecy, de- 
 signed forthehonour of our Saviour's 
 nativity, earnestly entreating them, 
 at the same time, immediately on 
 their finding out the child, to send 
 him word, thathemightrepairthither, 
 and pay his adoration to him also. 
 
 But this was mere pretence, and 
 vile hypocrisy ; for so far was king 
 Herod from entertaining any religi- 
 ous regard for the infant Jesus, that 
 
 he resolved in his heart to destroy 
 him aj soon as he should be found ; 
 looking on him as designed for a 
 temporal prince, who would expel 
 him or his descendants from the 
 throne of Judea, instead of a prince 
 whose kingdom was to be wholly 
 spiritual, and whose throne was not 
 to be established upon earth, but in 
 the heavenly Jerusalem. 
 
 We have no greater evidence of 
 the divinity of our Saviour's mission, 
 than his miraculous preservation from 
 the designs of the ambitious and vin- 
 dictive Herod. The tyrant, in this 
 case, acted with the utmost subtlety ; 
 he therefore declined accompanying 
 the wise men in person, nor did he 
 even send attendants with them, who, 
 under the guise of honouring them, 
 might have secretly informed him of 
 the abode of the Messiah, or actually 
 destroy both the child and his pa- 
 rents ; in reality, he acted as if the 
 event gave him no concern, and in 
 a manner wholly different from the 
 general expectation of the people. 
 
 However, the Magi, having ob- 
 tained the intelligence they sought 
 in Jerusalem, set forward under 
 the guidance of the same star that 
 conducted them from their native 
 country, but had left them on their 
 arrival in Judea, which was the 
 cause of their directing their course 
 to the capital, in order to seek that 
 information which by the desertion 
 
20 
 
 THE LIFE OF OUR 
 
 of the star became requisite. Thus 
 we perceive that the design of the 
 Almighty in directing the eastern 
 Magi to the capital of Judea, was, 
 that the whole nation might be 
 made acquainted with the cause of 
 their journey. 
 
 Accordingly, they had no sooner 
 proceeded from Jerusalem, on their 
 way to Bethlehem, than their kind 
 conductor again appeared, went be- 
 fore them to the very city, and fixed 
 on the habitation of the heavenly In- 
 fant. Guided by this celestial con- 
 ductor, they entered the house, and 
 prostrating themselves at the sacred 
 feet of the spiritual King, presented 
 him with gifts of gold, frankincense, 
 and myrrh. Having thus accom- 
 plished the design of the expedition, 
 they proposed, according to promise, 
 returning to Jerusalem ; but being 
 diverted from that intention by a 
 dream, in which they were warned 
 by God of Herod's design, they pur- 
 sued another course towards their 
 own country, and by those means 
 defeated his malicious purpose. 
 
 But it is natural and reasonable 
 to suppose that the end of the Di- 
 vine Wisdom, in directing these 
 eastern Magi to the kingdom of 
 Judea to worship the child Jesus, 
 was not merely to gratify the curi- 
 osity of the wise men, because the 
 event promoted many other very im- 
 portant designs, some of which we 
 
 shall mention. It proved to suc- 
 ceeding ages the great expectation 
 the Gentiles formed of the appear- 
 ance of the Messiah, and conse- 
 quently established the truth of 
 those prophecies which related to 
 that event, as well as excited in the 
 minds of men the most sanguine 
 hopes and longing desires. 
 
 As these Magi doubtless reported, 
 on their return to their countrymen, 
 the particulars they had heard and 
 seen in the kingdom of Judea, rela- 
 tive to the Messiah, such report 
 must certainly have promoted the 
 belief of the gospel in those parts, 
 when afterwards preached there by 
 the apostles. The expedition of the 
 wise men was the cause of the answer 
 of the Sanhedrim, in which it was 
 unanimously declared to be the opi- 
 nion of all the Jewish rabbies then 
 living, that, according to ancient pro- 
 phecies, Bethlehem was the place 
 appointed by the Almighty to give 
 birth to the promised Messiah. 
 
 Italso contributed to another valu- 
 able purpose, in that the offerings of 
 the wise men procured a subsistence 
 for the holy family in Egypt, whither 
 they were soon after warned to fly, in 
 order to escape the vengeance of the 
 enraged king; for no sooner had the 
 wise men departed from Bethlehem, 
 than Joseph was warned by a hea- 
 venly messenger of the barbarous 
 purpose of Herod, and commanded 
 
LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST. 
 
 21 
 
 to fly into Egypt, with the young 
 child and his mother. 
 
 Joseph, in obedience to the Al- 
 mighty's command, rose that night, 
 and fled into Egypt, "and was there 
 untilthe death of Herod, that it might 
 be fulfilled which was spoken of the 
 Lord, by the prophet, saying, Out 
 of Egypt have I called my Son." 
 This prophecy, which is quoted from 
 Hosea, seems originally to refer to 
 the Israelites ; though the evange- 
 list's reference will be amply justi- 
 fied, by considering that the Egyp- 
 tian captivity alludes to their subjec- 
 tion of the Israelites to great hard- 
 ships, and their deliverance from the 
 same by an Almighty hand. 
 
 Now, as the departure of the holy 
 family into Egypt was in obedience 
 to the Divine command, in order 
 to protect the Infant from the in- 
 censed Llerod, the application of 
 the prophet, " Out of Egypt have 
 I called my Son," appears very just 
 as well as elegant. The king of 
 Judea long waited, with the most 
 earnest expectation, the return of 
 the wise men, being anxious to glut 
 his full resentment on the innocent 
 Jesus ; till, from their long delay, 
 he began to suspect a delusion, and 
 that his designs were frustrated by 
 some extraordinary interposition of 
 Providence. 
 
 A t length, irritated by disappoint- 
 ment, he resolved to accomplish by 
 
 cruelty a resolution he could not 
 effect by art, and accordingly issued 
 orders to a large party of soldiers to 
 go throughout Bethlehem, and the 
 neighbouring villages, and massacre 
 all the children they could find therein 
 that were two years old and under ; 
 thinking that the infant Jesus, whom, 
 as a prince, he both envied and 
 dreaded, of course would fall in the 
 general slaughter. But the heavenly 
 Missionary was sheltered from above ; 
 norwas the relentless king permitted 
 to impede the designs of an Al- 
 mighty Creator. However, the cities 
 through which the soldiers carried 
 their destructive swords exhibited 
 such scenes of horror and distress, 
 as could not fail to thrill every soul 
 not entirely lost to humanity. No 
 sound was heard but the piercing 
 cries of parents, the groans of ex- 
 piring babes, and a general impre- 
 cation of vengeance on the merciless 
 tyrant. But he did not long survive 
 the cruel decree, being swept away 
 by a nauseous disease, to answer for 
 his conduct at the bar of a tremen- 
 dous Judge. 
 
 No description can paintthe horror 
 and dismay of such a scene of relent- 
 less cruelty in a more glaring light 
 than the verse quoted by the evan- 
 gelist Matthew, from the prophet 
 Jeremiah : " Then was fulfilled that 
 which was spoken by Jeremiah the 
 prophet, saying, In Rama there was 
 
22 
 
 THE LIFE OF OUR 
 
 a voice heard, lamentations and 
 weeping, and great mourning. Ra- 
 chel weeping for her children, and 
 would not be comforted because they 
 were not." This prophecy must not 
 be understood literally, but descrip- 
 tively, or as a figure used to display 
 the horror of the scene as there ap- 
 plied by the evangelist, in which ac- 
 ceptation it has a peculiar beauty ; 
 representing Rachel, the beloved 
 wife of Jacob, buried many years 
 ago in the fields of Bethlehem, 
 awakened by the cries of the slaugh- 
 tered children, bursting even the 
 chains of death, and lamenting the 
 hapless fate of the murdered inno- 
 cents which surrounded her. 
 
 The tyrant Herod being thus cut 
 from off the face of the earth, Joseph 
 was warned by a heavenly messen- 
 ger to return to the land of Israel. 
 The good old man obeyed the Al- 
 mighty's command, and he appears 
 to have had a great desire of re- 
 siding in Judea, and very probably 
 in the city of Bethlehem; but hear- 
 ing that Herod was succeeded in his 
 throne by his son Archelaus, and 
 fearing that he might pursue the 
 barbarous design of his father, he 
 directed his course another way: 
 but being warned again by a hea- 
 venly mission, he retired into Gali- 
 lee, which was then under the go- 
 vernment of a mild and benevolent 
 prince, called Antepas, and took up 
 
 his residence at Nazareth, where the 
 particular circumstances which at- 
 tended the birth of the ever-blessed 
 Jesus were not generally known. 
 The evangelist affirms that Joseph, 
 with the infant and his mother, re- 
 sided in Nazareth, where the holy 
 Jesus spent his youth ; " That it 
 might be fulfilled which was spoken 
 by the prophet, He shall be called a 
 Nazarene." 
 
 The advocates for infidelity, who 
 notice the smallest inaccuracy in the 
 sacred Scriptures, have not failed 
 to observe, that the evangelist re- 
 fers here to what he cannot justify 
 from any of the prophetical writ- 
 ings, in which there are no such 
 words to be found as " He shall 
 be called a Nazarene." But be it 
 known, that the evangelist may with 
 justice be vindicated from the im- 
 propriety, by reminding these scep- 
 tics, that though the very words are 
 nottobe found, the allusion is just, and 
 consequently the application. This 
 expression refers to the general con- 
 tempt and ridicule in which the Is- 
 raelites held the Galileans, and espe- 
 cially the JNazarenes, who were even 
 despised by the Galileans themselves, 
 insomuch, that the word Nazarene 
 became a term of reproach. 
 
 Now, as the prophets in general 
 foretold the disgrace and infamy 
 through which the blessed Jesus 
 should pass, they consequently fore- 
 
LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST. 
 
 23 
 
 told he should be called a Nazarene, 
 or exposed to every token of con- 
 tempt and ridicule, of which this 
 appellation at that time was a re- 
 markable instance. 
 
 It is evident that our Lord's resi- 
 dence at Nazareth tended in a re- 
 markable manner to the fulfilment 
 of those prophecies, because in the 
 course of his public ministry he was 
 frequently reproached with the same, 
 and his countrymen often urged it as 
 a reason for their disregard of his 
 doctrine. But as the stubbornness 
 of unbelief will never admit of con- 
 viction, we have therefore added 
 these remarks, to confirm the faith 
 of the Christian, rather than con- 
 vince the obstinate Infidel. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 State of our Lord's childhood and private life. 
 His argument with the Jewish doctors. Mis- 
 sion, character, and doctrine of the Baptism 
 of Christ, and visible descent of the Spirit on 
 that solemnity. 
 
 THE precise circumstances of our 
 Lord's childhood and life, pre- 
 vious to his public ministry, cannot 
 be ascertained from the writings of 
 any of the evangelists ; which can 
 only be relied on as authentic. All 
 we can gather from those inspired 
 men is, that the faculties of his mind 
 were enlarged in proportion to the 
 growth of his body, insomuch that 
 he arrived at the very perfection of 
 
 heavenly wisdom. As his parents 
 were low and poor, he had not the 
 advantage of a finished education ; 
 and he seems to have received no 
 other instruction than what his 
 parents gave him, in conformity to 
 the Jewish laws. But supernatural 
 abilities amply compensated for the 
 deficiency of natural acquirements ; 
 and he gave instances in his earliest 
 years of amazing penetration and 
 consummate wisdom. 
 
 According to the Mosaic institu- 
 tion, his parents annually went up to 
 Jerusalem ; and when he arrived at 
 the age of twelve years, carried him 
 with them to that city, in order that 
 he might early imbibe the precepts 
 of religion and virtue. In this place 
 the holy Jesus tarried without the 
 knowledge, and consequently the 
 consent of his parents, who departed 
 with the rest that Were going towards 
 Galilee ; and thinking that he was 
 gone forward with some of their rela- 
 tions or acquaintance, they continued 
 their journey, not doubting but they 
 should overtake him on the road, or 
 meet him at the place where they had 
 appointed to lodge. But on their ar- 
 rival, not finding the child in the 
 village nor amongst their relations, 
 they returned to Jerusalem much 
 troubled ; and, after a most anxious 
 search of three days, found him in 
 the temple, sittingamong the learned 
 doctors, who were amazed at the wis- 
 
24 
 
 THE LIFE OF OUR 
 
 dom of his questions, and the perti- 
 nence of his replies, which were far 
 superior to the utmost they could 
 expect from one of his tender years 
 and mean education. 
 
 These doctors, or expounders of 
 the law among the Jews, always 
 taught the people publicly on three 
 great festivals ; and it was on one of 
 thosepublicoccasionsthattheblessed 
 Jesus gave such manifest proofs of 
 his wisdom and penetration as asto- 
 nished all beholders, many of whom 
 thought he must be something more 
 than human. As, according to his 
 own declaration, he was employed in 
 his heavenly Father's business, it 
 is natural to think, in the course of 
 his disputes, he modestly corrected 
 some of the errors which the Jewish 
 doctors then taught, and which were 
 repugnant to the plan of that true 
 religion he came to promote and 
 establish. The wonder of his parents 
 in finding him in such sublime em- 
 ployment, was beyond expression ; 
 though his pious mother, notwith- 
 standing the pleasure which the dis- 
 covery afforded her, could not help 
 showing the concern which his ab- 
 sence, without their knowledge had 
 occasioned them, by addressing him 
 thus : " Son, why hast thou dealt 
 thus with us? behold, thy father 
 and I have sought thee sorrowing." 
 To this question he replied, " That 
 their surprise at his absenting himself 
 
 withouttheir knowledge was ground- 
 less and absurd, as they might have 
 been assured from his extraordinary 
 birth, and the wonderful circum- 
 stances attending it, that his Father 
 was no less than the Almighty One 
 of Israel ; that he assumed human 
 nature to promote his glorious de- 
 signs ; and, therefore, as his errand 
 was of such moment, they must not 
 imagine he could always reside 
 with them. How is it that ye sought 
 me ? Wist ye not that I must be 
 about my Father's business ?" 
 
 Though his parents did not clearly 
 discern the force of this excellent 
 remonstrance, his pious mother com- 
 mitted his words to memory, and, 
 together with Joseph her husband, 
 joyfully returned with him to their 
 poor dwelling at Nazareth, where he 
 lived with them in dutiful subjection, 
 and thereby afforded a noble exam- 
 ple for the imitation of all children, 
 who are certainly bound to yield 
 obedience to their parents, since the 
 Son of God himself, when on earth, 
 has set them the pattern, practising 
 every branch of filial duty to his 
 earthly parents. 
 
 Our Saviour continued in this 
 lowly state for some time, during 
 which he greatly advanced both in 
 knowledge and stature ; and by his 
 extraordinary qualities, attracted 
 the regard and admiration of all who 
 either saw or heard him. 
 
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