John 21:24

24. This is the disciple &c.] The disciple, respecting whom this was spoken, is the writer of this present history, and his testimony is certainly and infallibly true, so that whatever is herein related is undoubtedly to be believed. Dr. S. Clarke.

This (meaning himself) is the disciple who testifies of these things, and wrote them. And we all know that such testimony obtains in all judgments whatever, for he was an eyewitness, and saw what he testifies. Dr. Lightfoot.

John 21:25

25. — there are also many other things] It would be impossible to record every particular incident of our Saviour’s life, nor is it necessary; the matters which are here recorded being sufficient for our instruction, and being certainly and undoubtedly true, are most worthy of our entire belief. Bp. Mann. That is truly perfect which is sufficiently fitted for its end. All our Saviour’s miracles and discourses are not recorded in the Gospels, but so much is delivered down to us, as is amply sufficient for our faith and practice. Dean Stanhope.

— even the world itself could not contain] This is a strong figurative expression, agreeable to Eastern modes of speech, signifying the great number of miracles which Jesus wrought. Bp. Pearce.

— Amen.] This is a reverential attestation of the truth and importance of the contents of this book. Bp. Mann.

The accounts of our Lord’s resurrection given by the different Evangelists are substantially the same, though differing in a few minute occurrences of no moment, which have been ably reconciled by learned men. His several appearances after His resurrection to different persons and at different times, which we find recorded, are the following. The first to Mary Magdalene alone, Mark xvi. 9. The second to her in company with several other women, Matt. xxviii. 9. The third to St. Peter, 1 Cor. xv. 5. The fourth to the two disciples going to Emmaus, Luke xxiv. 13. The fifth to the Apostles at Jerusalem, when they were assembled with the doors shut on the first day of the week; at which time He shewed them His hands and His feet, pierced with the nails, and did eat before them, John xx. 19; Luke xxiv. 37—43. The sixth to the Apostles a second time as they sat at meat, when he satisfied the doubts of the incredulous St. Thomas, by making him thrust his hand into His side, John xx. 36. The seventh to St. Peter and several of His disciples at the lake of Tiberias, when He also ate with them, John xxi. 1. The eighth and last was to above five hundred brethren at once, 1 Cor. xv. 6.

There are then no less than eight distinct appearances of our Lord to His disciples after His resurrection, recorded by the sacred historians. In regard to these, it is quite impossible that there should have been any delusion or imposition, and that all those different persons could be deceived in these appearances of One, with whose countenance, figure, voice, and manner, they had for so long a time been perfectly well acquainted, and who now, not merely presented Himself to their view transiently and silently, but ate and drank and conversed with them, and suffered them to touch Him and examine Him thoroughly, that they might be convinced by all their senses, that it was truly their beloved Master, and not a spirit,

things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.

that conversed with them. It is quite impossible that the disciples should have invented a tale to impose upon others, because it would have been an imposition, not only on others, but on themselves. It would have been an attempt to persuade themselves that their Master was risen when He really was not, from whence no possible benefit could arise to them, but, on the contrary, grief, disappointment, and mortification in the extreme. But besides this, the narratives themselves of this great event bear upon the very face of them the strongest marks of reality and truth. They describe, in so natural a manner, the various emotions of the disciples on their first hearing of our Lord’s resurrection, that no one, who is acquainted with the genuine workings of the human mind, can possibly suspect any thing like fraud in the case. When the women were first told by the angels that Christ was risen, and were ordered to tell the disciples, they departed quickly from the sepulchre, “with fear and great joy,” Matt. xxviii. 8; with joy at the unexpected good news they had just heard; and with reverential fear at the presence of the angel. They therefore “trembled and were amazed:” and ran to bring the disciples word: “neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid,” Mark xvi. 8. And when they had told these things to the Apostles, “their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not,” Luke xxiv. 11. When Jesus Himself appeared to the Apostles at Jerusalem, “they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit; and they believed not for joy, and wondered,” Luke xxiv. 37, 41. When He appeared again unto the eleven as they sat at meat, they were so incredulous that He upbraided them with their unbelief, Mark xvi. 14. And St. Thomas would not be convinced without thrusting his hand into His side, John xx. 27. This certainly was not the behaviour of men who were fabricating an artful story to impose upon the world, but of men who were themselves astonished, and overpowered with an event which they did not in the least expect, and which it was with the utmost difficulty they could be brought to believe. Bp. Porteus.

General Reflections on the Gospel, the Character of our Lord, &c.

In the history of our Lord, given by the Evangelists, such a scene has been presented to our observation, as cannot but have excited sensations of a very serious and very awful nature in our minds. We cannot but have seen that the Divine Author of our religion is, beyond comparison, the most extraordinary, and most important Personage, that ever appeared on this habitable globe. His birth, His life, His doctrines, His precepts, His miracles, His sufferings, His death, His resurrection, His ascension, are all without a parallel in the history of mankind. He called Himself the Son of God, the Messiah predicted in the Prophets, the great Redeemer and Dehverer of mankind, promised in the sacred writings, through successive ages, almost from the foundation of the world. He supported these great characters with uniformity, with consistence, and with dignity, throughout the whole course of His ministry. The work He undertook was the greatest and most astonish-

GENERAL REFLECTIONS ON THE GOSPELS,

ing that can be conceived, and such as never before entered into the imagination of man. It was nothing less than the conversion of a whole world from the greatest ignorance, the most abandoned wickedness, and the most sootish idolatry, to the knowledge of the true God, to a pure and holy religion, and to faith in Him, who was the way, the truth, and the life. He proved Himself to have a commission from heaven, for those great purposes, by such demonstrations of Divine wisdom, power, and goodness, as it is impossible for any fair, and ingenuous, and unprejudiced mind, to resist. When all these circumstances are collected into one point of view, they present such a body of evidence, as must overpower by its weight all the trivial difficulties and objections that the wit of man can devise against the Divine authority of the Gospel. Let us consider, in the first place, the transcendent excellence of our Lord’s character, so infinitely beyond that of every other moral teacher; the gentleness, the calmness, the composure, the dignity, the integrity, the spotless sanctity of His manners, so utterly inconsistent with every idea of enthusiasm or imposture; the compassion, the kindness, the tenderness He expressed for the whole human race, even for the worst of sinners, and the bitterest of His enemies; the perfect command He had over His own passions; the temper He preserved under the severest provocations; the patience, the meekness, with which He endured the most cruel insults, and the grossest indignities; the fortitude He displayed under the most excruciating torments; the sublimity and importance of His doctrines; the consummate wisdom and purity of His moral precepts, far exceeding the natural powers of a man born in the humblest situation, and in a remote and obscure corner of the world, without learning, education, languages, or books. Let us consider, further, the minute description of all the most material circumstances of His birth, life, sufferings, death, and resurrection, given by the ancient Prophets many hundred years before He was born, and exactly fulfilled in Him, and Him only; the many astonishing miracles wrought by Him in the open face of day, before thousands of spectators, the reality of which is proved by multitudes of the most unexceptionable witnesses, who sealed their testimony with their blood, and was even acknowledged by the earliest and most inveterate enemies of the Gospel. Above all, let us consider those two most remarkable occurrences in the history of our Lord, which are alone sufficient to establish the divinity of His person, and of His religion; I mean His wonderful prediction of the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, with every minute circumstance attending it; and that astonishing and well authenticated miracle of His resurrection. When we lay all these things together, and weigh them deliberately and impartially, our minds must be formed in a very peculiar manner indeed, if they are not more thoroughly impressed with faith in the Son of God, and the Gospel which He taught. Bp. Porteus.

We cannot but observe in our Saviour’s general demeanour a surprising mixture of humility and greatness, dignity and self-abasement, both of which were equally instructive in their turns. Sometimes we find Him solemnly asserting His divinity, at others the meekest and the lowest of the sons of men: sometimes reminding His followers that He could command legions of angels, were it necessary; at other times apprising them that He should be more destitute of common conveniences than even the beasts of the field, or birds of the air; now telling them, that a greater than Solomon is amongst them, now washing His disciples’ feet: conscious of His own power and just prerogative, yet all submission to the powers in being; complying with

their laws and institutions, however hazardous or inconvenient to Him; and paying their demands to the ntermost, though at the expense of a miracle: on some occasions publishing the character and office which He bore; on others, carefully concealing them, in order to prevent the hasty misconstruction of His friends, to guard against the inveterate malice of His foes, and gain sufficient time to fix a good foundation for the faith of all. None was more industrious and zealous in the cause of God; none more indifferent and resigned in His own; He patiently endures the affronts and outrage to His person, and the frequent insults on His reputation, and intercedes for the forgiveness of His murderers; yet when His Father’s honour is concerned, He vindicates it instantly, and with uncommon warmth; He publicly chastises the profaners of His temple, and threatens the severest punishment to such as should continue to blaspheme the power and Spirit by which He was acting. He is ready to receive publicans and harlots; disdains not to converse with hereticks and schismatics; persons most odious and of worst repute, but whom He sees to be truly penitent, and really desirous of instruction; while He rejects the formal sanctimonious hypocrite, and reprimands the self-sufficient Pharisee. He detects, and with authority rebukes, the flattery of the proud, designing queriet; but satisfies each scruple, and resolves each doubt of the sincere and humble searcher after truth, even before they can be intimated to Him. He cherishes the broken-hearted, comforts the desponding, strengthens and supports the weak and wavering; condescends to the infirmities of the mesnees and most despicable, that has the least spark of goodness in him; but never gratifies the vanity, or gives way to the petulancy, of the greatest. Vice from Him meets with due discouragement and just reproof in all men of the highest station; virtue, with kind compassion, and a generous aid, in any of the lowest.

Neither in the perusal of the Gospels should we omit to consider the ordinary course and common tenour of our Saviour’s life, which we find chiefly conversant in social duties, as these come into use most frequently, and are of the greatest and most general benefit to mankind; and setting us a pattern of performing these, which was the most inviting to us, and most imitable by us, and the least capable of ever being mistaken or perverted: a pattern, not only of perfect innocence, but usefulness in every circumstance and situation; of joining sometimes in such relaxations both of mind and body, as would tend to the support of each; in such prudent moderate enjoyment of the good things of this world, as might convert them to the present and future benefit of all who partook of them: of undergoing all the toils, difficulties, labours, and distresses, to which we are subject; of bearing all the evils and afflictions, the crosses and calamities of life, with so much patience, constancy, and perseverance, as would prevent our sinking under them; and at length make us “more than conquerors” over them. A pattern of particular affection and esteem for friends; of general kindness and good will towards enemies; of gratitude and love for all good offices; of meekness and a most forgiving temper under any ill usage; of strict obedience to superiors, either in church or state, so far as is consistent with our duty to the Supreme Being; mildness and condescension to inferiors, in whatsoever respect, or whatsoever degree; of justice, fidelity, benevolence, and charity to all. In short, His whole life was a lecture of true practical philosophy, and each part of it pointed out some virtue proper for our imitation. Bp. Leac.

Whoever considers with attention the character of our blessed Lord, as it may be collected from the various

THE CHARACTER OF OUR LORD, &c.

incidents and actions of His life, (for there are no laboured descriptions of it, no encomiums upon it, by His own disciples,) will soon discover that it was in every respect the most perfect that ever was made known to mankind. If we only say of Him, what even Pilate said of Him, and what His bitterest enemies cannot and do not deny, “that we find no fault in Him,” and that the whole tenour of His life was entirely blameless throughout; this is more than can be said of any other person that ever came into the world.

But this is going a very little way indeed in the excellence of His character. He was not only free from every failing, but possessed and practised every imaginable virtue. Towards His heavenly Father He expressed the most ardent love, the most fervent yet rational devotion, and displayed in His whole conduct the most absolute resignation to His will and obedience to His commands. His manners were gentle, mild, condescending, and gracious: His heart overflowed with kindness, compassion, and tenderness to the whole human race. The great employment of His life was to do good to the bodies and souls of men. In this, all His thoughts and all His time were constantly and almost incessantly occupied. He went about dispersing His blessings to all around Him, in a thousand different ways; healing diseases, relieving infirmities, correcting errors, removing prejudices, promoting piety, justice, charity, peace, harmony among men, and crowding into the narrow compass of His ministry more acts of mercy and compassion, than the longest life of the most benevolent man upon earth ever yet produced. Over His own passions He had obtained the most complete command; and though His patience was continually put to the severest trials, yet He was never once overcome, never once betrayed into any intemperance or excess in word or deed, never once “spake unadvisedly with His lips.” He endured the most cruel insults from His enemies with the utmost composure, meekness, patience, and resignation; displayed the most astonishing fortitude under a most painful and ignominious death; and, to crown all, in the very midst of His torments on the cross, implored forgiveness for His murderers in that divinely charitable prayer, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

Nor was His wisdom inferior to His virtues. The doctrines He taught were the most sublime and the most important that were ever before delivered to mankind, and every way worthy of that God from whom He professed to derive them, and whose Son He declared Himself to be. His precepts inculcated the purest and most perfect morality; His discourses were full of dignity and wisdom, yet intelligible and clear; His parables conveyed instruction in the most pleasing, familiar, and impressive manner; and His answers to the many insidious questions that were put to Him, shewed uncommon quickness of conception, soundness of judgment, and presence of mind, completely baffled all the artifices and malice of His enemies, and enabled Him to elude all the snares that were laid for Him. It appears then, even from this short and imperfect sketch of our Saviour’s character, that He was beyond comparison the wisest and most virtuous person that ever appeared; and even His bitterest enemies allow that He was so. If, then, He was confessedly so great and so good a man, it unavoidably follows that He must be, what He pretended to be, a Divine person, and of course His religion also must be Divine: for He certainly laid claim to a Divine original.

He asserted that He was the Son of God; that He and His religion came from heaven; and that He had the power of working miracles. If this was not the case, He must, in a matter of infinite importance, have as-

asserted what had no foundation in truth. But is such a supposition as this in the smallest degree credible? Is it probable, is it conceivable, is it consistent with the general conduct of man, is it reconcilable with the acknowledged character of our Lord, to suppose that any thing but truth could proceed from Him, whom His very enemies allow to have been in every respect (and, of course, in point of veracity) the best and most virtuous of men? Was it ever known, is there a single instance to be produced in the history of mankind, of any one so unblemished in morals as Christ confessedly was; persisting, for so great a length of time as He did, in assertions, which, if untrue, would be repugnant to the clearest principles of morality, and most fatal in their consequences to those He loved best, His followers and His friends? Is it possible, that the pure, the upright, the pious, the devout, the meek, the gentle, the humane, the merciful Jesus could engage multitudes of innocent and virtuous people in the belief and support of a religion which He knew must draw on them persecution, misery, and death, unless He had been authorized by God Himself to establish that religion; and unless He was conscious that He possessed the power of amply recompensing those who preferred His religion to every other consideration? The common sense and common feelings of mankind must revolt at such a preposterous idea. It follows, then, that Christ was, in truth, a Divine teacher, and His religion the gift of God. Bp. Porters.

The perfection of Christ’s example it is easier to understand than to imitate; and yet it is not to be understood without serious and deep meditation on the particulars of His history. Pure and disinterested in its motives, His love to mankind had solely for its end the happiness of those who were the objects of it. An equal sharer with the Almighty Father in the happiness and glory of the Godhead, the Redeemer had no proper interest in the fate of fallen man. Infinite in its comprehension, His love embraced His enemies; intense in its energy, it incited Him to assume a frail and mortal nature, to undergo contempt and death; constant in its operations, in the paroxysm of an agony, the sharpest the human mind was ever known to sustain, it maintained its vigour unimpaired. In the whole business of man’s redemption, wonderful in all its parts, in its beginning, its progress, and completion, the most wonderful part is the character of Christ; a character not exempt from those feelings of the soul and infirmities of the body which render man obnoxious to temptation, but in which the two principles of piety to God, and good will to man, maintained such an ascendancy over all the rest, that they might seem by themselves to make the whole. This character, in which piety and benevolence, upon all occasions, and in all circumstances, overpowered all the inferior passions, is more incomprehensible to the natural reason of the carnal man than the deepest mysteries, more improbable than the greatest miracles; of all the particulars of the Gospel history, the most trying to the evil heart of unbelief; the very last thing, I am persuaded, that a ripened faith receives; but of all things the most important and the most necessary to be well understood and firmly believed, the most efficacious for the softening of the sinner’s heart, for quelling the pride of human wisdom, and for bringing every thought and imagination of the soul into subjection to the righteousness of God. “Let this mind,” says the Apostle, “be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus;” that mind which incited Him, when He considered the holiness of God, and the guilt and corruption of fallen man to say, “I come to do Thy will, O God!” that is, according to the same Apostle’s interpretation, to do that will by which we are sanctified; to make the satisfaction

GENERAL REFLECTIONS ON THE GOSPELS,

for the sinful race which Divine justice demanded. Being in the form of God, He made Himself of no reputation; He divested Himself of that external form of glory in which He had been accustomed to appear to the Patriarchs in the first ages, in which He appeared to Moses in the bush, and to His chosen servants in later periods of the Jewish history; that form of glory in which His presence was manifested between the cherubim in the Jewish sanctuary. He made Himself of no reputation, and, uniting Himself to the holy fruit of Mary’s womb, He took upon Him the form of a slave, of that fallen creature who had sold himself into the bondage of Satan, sin, and death; and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, He submitted to the condition of a man in its most humiliating circumstances, and carried His obedience unto death, the death even of the cross, the painful ignominious death of a malefactor, by a publick execution. He who shall one day judge the world, suffered Himself to be produced as a criminal at Pilate’s tribunal; He submitted to the sentence which the dastardly judge, who pronounced it, confessed to be unjust: the Lord of glory suffered Himself to be made the jest of Herod and his captains: He who could have summoned twelve legions of angels to form a flaming guard around His person, or have called down fire from heaven on the guilty city of Jerusalem, on His false accusers, His unrighteous judge, the executioners, and the insulting rabble, made no resistance when His body was fastened to the cross by the Roman soldiers; endured the reproaches of the chief priests and rulers; the taunts and revilings of the Jewish populace; and this, not from any consternation arising from His bodily sufferings, which might be supposed for the moment to deprive Him of the knowledge of Himself. He possessed Himself to the last. In the height of His agonies, with a magnanimity not less extraordinary than His patient endurance of pain and contempt, He accepted the homage which, in that situation, was offered to Him as the King of Israel; and, in the highest tone of confident authority, promised to conduct the penitent companion of His sufferings that very day to paradise. What then was the motive which restrained the Lord of might and glory, that He put not forth His power for the deliverance of Himself and the destruction of His enemies? Evidently that which He avows upon His coming first into the world: “I come to do thy will, O God!” and by doing of that will to rescue man from wrath and punishment. Such is the example of resignation to God’s will, of indifference to things temporal, of humility, and of love, which we are called upon to imitate. Bp. Horsley.

The imitation of the life of Jesus is a duty of that excellency and perfection, that we are all helped in it, not only by the assistance of a good and great example, which possibly might be too great, and scare our endeavours and attempts, but also by its easiness, compliance, and proportion to us. For Jesus, in His whole life, conversed with men with a modest virtue, much like a well-kindled fire, fitted with just materials, which casts a constant heat, not like an inflamed heap of stubble, glaring with great emissions, and suddenly stooping into the thickness of smoke. His piety was even, constant, unblamable, complying with civil society without affrightment of precedent, or prodigious instances of actions greater than the imitation of men. For, if we observe our blessed Saviour in the whole history of His life, although He was without sin, yet the instances of His piety were the actions of a very holy, but of an ordinary life: and we may observe this difference in the history of Jesus from ecclesiastical writings of certain beatified persons, whose life is told rather to amaze us, and to create scruples, than to lead us in the evenness

and serenity of an holy conscience. But Jesus intended Himself the example of piety, and in manners as in the rule of faith, which, because it was propounded to all men, was fitted to every understanding; it was true, necessary, short, easy, and intelligible. So was His rule and His copy: fitted not only with excellencies worthy, but compliance possible, to be imitated: of glories so great, that the most early and constant industry must confess its own imperfections; and yet so sweet and humane, that the greatest infirmity, if pious, shall find comfort and encouragement. Bp. Taylor.

Let us consider our blessed Saviour according to the appearance He made in the world, and this was such as shewed Him to be void of all ambitious and aspiring thoughts, and to be meek and humble, and perfectly virtuous and holy. His miracles were wrought without vanity or ostentation, and never out of revenge, or to shive His power over His enemies, but always with a gracious and merciful design. He avoided all opportunities of popularity. He would not intermeddle in private affairs, when He was appealed to; and He made His escape, when the people would have taken Him by force to make Him a King. He suffered the acclamations, and accepted of the hosannas of the people, to fulfil a prophecy concerning Himself; but took so little delight in these applausees, that He wept over Jerusalem, when the whole city was moved at His entrance, and nothing but joy or wonder had a place in any others’ thoughts. He dealt freely and generously with His disciples, not deluding them with vain hopes, nor promising them great matters, but checking their aspiring thoughts, and telling them, truly and plainly, that they were to expect nothing but miseries in this world from the profession of His doctrine. He put it to their choice, whether they would take up their cross and follow Him; and, when He was betrayed by one of these very disciples, He uses no upbraiding or reproachful language, but addresses him with a Divine patience and meekness. No man ever suffered with so much injustice and cruelty, nor ever any with so great compassion and charity towards all His enemies.

He lived a mean and despised life; and was never in such a condition as could tempt any man to flatter Him, or to conceal His faults, if He had been guilty of any: and He had always many enemies, who endeavoured to fasten the worst calumnies upon Him, but their malice tended only to render His innocence the more manifest and illustrious.

The person who betrayed Him, and delivered Him into the hand of His enemies, was one of the twelve; one of His own disciples and Apostles, whom He had sent out to gain proselytes, and to whom He had committed a power of working miracles, and of doing whatsoever was requisite to gain reception for His religion in the world. Judas was one of the twelve, who were nearest to Him, and were admitted to all the secrets of His kingdom, and were entrusted with the more hidden mysteries and obscure doctrines of His religion: whatsoever was spoken to others in parables, was explained afterwards to them in private; nothing was withheld from them with which it was convenient for them to be acquainted, or which they were capable of knowing. Nay, Judas seems to have had a particular mark of favour placed upon him, in that he was the keeper of the bag, for this was an office of some trust and confidence; however, it gave him an opportunity of knowing whether his Master had any such ambitious designs as He was accused of; for, if He had perverted the nation, and forbidden to give tribute to Cesar, and had endeavoured to set Himself up as King of the Jews, which was the charge laid against Him before Pilate, such a project could not have been carried on without amass-

THE CHARACTER OF OUR LORD, &c.

ing a great treasure; of which, therefore, if any such thing had been in hand, Judas had been best able to give an account. But when one who had constantly attended upon Him, and was so intimately acquainted with all the secrets of His life and doctrine, had nothing to allege against Him after he had betrayed Him; what could make more for His justification, or be a clearer demonstration of His innocence?

When He was condemned and crucified, one of the thieves who were crucified with Him made an open profession of Him; when there could be no temptation of flattery, nor leisure or patience for a man in that condition so to speak, but by the special providence and grace of God: and, to give an early instance of the great efficacy of His cross, and of the mercy which it reaches forth to all repentant sinners, our Saviour assures him, that, on that very day, he should be with Him in paradise. A strange discourse upon the cross! to speak of kingdoms, and promise paradise, under so much infamy and torment. That one should have the faith to ask, and the other the power to promise, so great things in that condition! Who could have had the courage to promise so much upon the cross, but He who was able to perform it? Dr. Jeskin.

The manner of our Saviour’s teaching was the most easy and natural that can be imagined. He generally draws His doctrine from the present occasion and the objects that surround Him; from the most common occurrences and occupations; from the seasons of the year; the service of the Jewish synagogue, or their solemnities; from some extraordinary accidents, remarkable places, or transactions, and the like. Thus, upon curing a blind man, He styles Himself “the Light of the World,” and admonishes the Pharisees of their spiritual blindness and inexcusable obstinacy, in refusing to be cured and enlightened by Him, John ix. 5, 39, 41. On little children being brought to Him, He recommends the innocence and humility of that state, as very proper qualities for all those who would be true members of His church, and, under the same figure, intimates the privileges that belong to all such, Mark x. 14, 15; Matt. xviii. 4, 5, 6, 10. Beholding the flowers of the field and fowls of the air, He teaches His disciples to frame right and worthy notions of that Providence which supports them, and therefore will support beings of a rank so much superiour to them, Matt. vi. 26, 28; Luke xii. 24, &c. Observing the fruits of the earth, He instructs them to judge of men by their fruits, and not to be themselves unfruitful under all the means of grace, Matt. vii. 16; Luke vi. 43, &c. Taking notice of their behaviour at a feast, He first gives general advice therein to both the master and his guests; and from thence brings them to the consideration of a better entertainment, to which they were all invited; but of which few among them would be persuaded to render themselves worthy, Luke xiv. 7, 16, &c. From meat and drink, He leads them to the eating of His body and drinking His blood in a spiritual sense; the being nourished with His doctrine and partaking of His kingdom, John vi. 31, 53, &c. From outward washing, to the purifying of the heart, and cleansing the affections, John xiii. 8. From tasting of the fruit of the vine after the paschal supper, to the celebration of an eternal festival of freedom, rest, and happiness, in another world, Matt. xxvi. 29; Luke xxii. 17, 18. From the salt, He takes occasion to acquaint them with the nature of their office, which was to season the minds of men, and keep them from the contagion of this world, as well as to give them a true taste and relish for the enjoyments of that kingdom; and at the same time reminds them of the absolute necessity for their duly executing this their office; otherwise, instead of being the best, the purest, and

most useful, they would become the most worthless, and incurable, and contemptible among mankind, Mark ix. 50; Luke xiv. 34. Those that were fishers, He teaches how to catch men, Luke v. 10; Mark i. 17; and shews them how far this would resemble their former employment, in taking of all kinds, both bad and good, which were at first inseparable, but would at length be carefully distinguished from each other, Matt. xiii. 47. Seeing the moneychangers, He exhorts His disciples to lay out their several talents to the best advantage, Matt. xxv. 27; Luke xix. 23, 45. Being among the sheep-folds, He proves Himself to be the true Shepherd of souls, describing the particulars in which His character exactly answered that of a good shepherd, John x. 1—16. Among vines, He discourses on the spiritual husbandman and vine dresser, and draws a parallel between His vineyard and the natural one, Matt. xv. 13; John xv. 1. Upon the appearance of summer in the trees before Him, He points out as evident signs of His approaching kingdom, Luke xxi. 29; Matt. 24, 32. At the season of fruits, He puts the Jews in mind that the time was come when some fruit would be expected from them, in return for all the labour that had been bestowed upon them; and intimates the judgment that would shortly overtake all such among them as were found unprofitable, Matt. xxi. 33; Luke xiii. 6. When the harvest comes on, He reminds them of the spiritual harvest, or the gathering of His church among men; admonishes them to labour diligently in that work, and add their prayers to heaven for success, Matt. ix. 38; Luke x. 2; John iv. 35. From servants being made free on the sabbatical year, He takes occasion to proclaim a greater and more noble freedom from the slavery of sin, and bondage of corruption, John viii. 32. And from the Jewish ceremony of fetching water on the last day of the feast of tabernacles, in commemoration of the miracle wrought for their fathers in the thirsty wilderness, He introduces an offer of that true living water which should be unto them a well springing up unto everlasting life; the Gospel of immortal happiness and salvation, and the plentiful effusion of the Holy Spirit, which they that believed on Him were to receive, John vii. 37, &c; compare John iv. 10. Upon hearing of some that were killed by the fall of a tower, and others put to death by the Roman governor in the midst of their sacrifices, He guards them against all misconstruction and rash censure in such cases; exhorts them all to take due warning by these punishments, and forcibels the general destruction of such as would not be persuaded to it; and which should be the more distinguishable, as coming attended with the very same circumstances, Luke xiii. 1. From the conspicuous eminence of a city standing on a mountain, He turns His discourse to the no less remarkable situation of His own disciples, Matt. v. 14. From the temple before Him, He points to that of His body which was most properly so called from the Divinity, residing in Him, John ii. 19. From Herod’s unadvisedly leading his army out to meet the king of Arabia, who came against him with superior forces and defeated him: a lesson is laid down to all who entered on the Christian warfare, that they should first well weigh and carefully compute the difficulties that attended it, before they were engaged in a matter of such consequence, Luke xiv. 31. From the robberies which were more particularly frequent in that age, He forms a beautiful story of a certain traveller, who fell among thieves, was stripped, and wounded, and could find no relief from any of his own country or persuasion; but met with it in one of those from whom he had the least reason to expect it, as being so much used to despise and hate that people, and their way of worship: from whence He forces His opponent to approve this amiable

GENERAL REFLECTIONS ON THE GOSPELS, &c.

instance of humanity, even in the odious character of a Samaritan; and thereby shews him, incontestably, that the like good office would no less become a Jew in the like circumstances, Luke x. 30. And from what often happened about that time, namely, that those who obtained the kingdom of Judea went to Rome to be confirmed in it; and, on their return, called such to account as had been wanting in their duty, and took ample vengeance on those who rebelled against them, (which was the case particularly under Archelaus;) He gives His followers to understand, that after He had ascended into heaven, and taken full possession of His spiritual kingdom, He would come again in power and great glory, and not only punish that rebellious nation of the Jews with exemplary judgments, but at length condemn all those who wilfully opposed His Gospel, as well as those who continued to neglect and disregard it, Luke xix. 19. Many more instances might be given, where Christ has formed His arguments and exhortations on such things as offered themselves to Him, applying each most aptly to His present purpose: and, where this does not so immediately appear, we have reason to believe it is chiefly owing to the omission of some circumstances in the history. By these means, He improved every thing into an useful moral, made every object and event serve for a constant monitor and remembrancer of His instructions, which must thus be more easily retained, than they could be by a long train of abstract reasoning, or under any artificial arrangement of a number of particulars laid down together. Bp. Low.

To the preceding reflections on the character of our blessed Lord and the excellency of His religion, which have been selected from the writings of distinguished Christians, it may be useful to add the following passages from writers of a very different description, for

the purpose of shewing what strong testimony to the Divine character of the Founder of Christianity has been borne, even by persons who were greatly prejudiced against the truths of His religion.

Of the two extracts which are here subjoined, the former occurs in the works of a well known sceptical English writer, Mr. Chubb; the latter, in those of the celebrated French author, Rousseau.

‘In Christ we have an example of a quiet and peaceable spirit, of a becoming modesty and sobriety; just and honest; upright and sincere; and, above all, of a most gracious and benevolent temper and behaviour. One who did no wrong, no injury to any man, in whose mouth was no guile; who went about doing good, not only by His preaching and ministry, but also in curing all manner of diseases among the people. His life was a beautiful picture of human nature, when in its native purity and simplicity; and shewed at once what excellent creatures men would be, when under the influences and power of that Gospel which He preached to them.’

‘I confess that the majesty of the Scriptures, and the holiness of the Gospel, greatly affects me. View the books of the philosophers with all their pomp; how little do they appear placed beside this! Is it possible that a book, at once so sublime and simple, can be the work of man? Is it possible that He, whose history it records, can be but a mere man? Does He speak in the tone of an enthusiast or of an ambitious sectary? what mildness, what purity in His manners! what persuasive grace in His instructions! what elevation in His maxims! what profound wisdom in His discourses! what presence of mind, what ingenuity, and what justness in His answers! what empire over His passions! Where is the man, where is the sage, who knows how to act, to suffer, and to die, without weakness and without ostentation?’

The following Chapters from St. John are appointed as Proper Lessons, or as Gospels, on Sundays and Holidays:

CHAP. VER. I… 1-14, Christmas Day, …Gospel. I… 19-28, 4th Sunday in Advent, …ditto I… 43-51, St. Philip and St. James, …Morning. II… 1-11, 2d Sunday after Epiphany,..Gospel, II… 1-11, Epiphany, …Evening. III… 1-15, Trinity Sunday,…Gospel. III… 16-21, Monday in Whitsun-week,…ditto. IV… 46-54, 21st Sunday after Trinity, …ditto. VI… 1-14, 4th Sunday in Lent, …ditto. VI… 5-14, 25th Sunday after Trinity,…ditto. VIII… 46-59, 5th Sunday in Lent, …ditto. X… 1-10, Tuesday in Whitsun-week,…ditto. X… 11-16, 2d Sunday after Easter, …ditto. XI… 45-57, Wednesday before Easter, Morning. XIII. … Thursday before Easter,…ditto. CHAP. VER. XIV… 1-14, St. Philip and St. James, …Gospel. XIV… 15-31, Whit-Sunday, …ditto. XV… 1-11, St. Mark, …ditto. XV… 12-16, St. Barnabas, …ditto. XV… 17-27, St. Simon and St. Jude,…ditto. XV. 26 to XVI. 4, Sunday after Ascen. Day, …ditto. XVI… 5-15, 4th Sunday after Easter, …ditto. XVI… 16-22, 3d Sunday after Easter,…ditto. XVI… 23-33, 5th Sunday after Easter,…ditto. XVIII… Good Friday, …Morning. XIX… 1-37, Good Friday, …Gospel. XX… 1-10, Easter Day, …ditto. XX… 19-23, 1st Sunday after Easter,…ditto. XX… 24-31, St. Thomas, …ditto. XXI… 19-25, St. John the Evangelist,…ditto. M E D I T E R R A S Y R T I S L I H Y A D A R I A R I C D A R I A R I C M S E A P O R T U S O C R A D O C T R A B I A # THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. ## INTRODUCTION.

THIS Book, in the very beginning, professes itself to be a continuation of St. Luke’s Gospel; and its style bespeaks it to be written by the same person. The external evidence also is very satisfactory; for, besides allusions in earlier authors, and particularly in Clement of Rome, Polycarp, and Justyn Martyr, the Acts of the Apostles are not only quoted by Irenæus, as written by St. Luke the Evangelist, but there are few things recorded in this book that are not mentioned by that ancient Father. This strong testimony in favour of the genuineness of the Acts of the Apostles is supported by Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, St. Jerome, Eusebius, Theodoret, and most of the later Fathers. It may be added, that the name of St. Luke is prefixed to the book in several ancient Greek manuscripts of the New Testament, and also in the old Syriack version.

This is the only inspired work which gives us any historical account of the progress of Christianity after our Saviour’s ascension. It comprehends a period of about thirty years, but it by no means contains a general history of the church during that time. The principal facts recorded in it are, the choice of Matthias to be an Apostle in the room of the traitor Judas; the descent of the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost; the preaching, miracles, and sufferings of the Apostles at Jerusalem; the death of St. Stephen the first martyr; the persecution and dispersion of the Christians; the preaching of the Gospel in different parts of Palestine, especially in Samaria; the conversion of St. Paul; the call of Cornelius, the first Gentile convert; the persecution of the Christians by Herod Agrippa; the preaching of St. Paul and St. Barnabas to the Gentiles by the express command of the Holy Ghost; the decree made at Jerusalem, declaring that circumcision and a conformity with other Jewish rites and ceremonies were not necessary in Gentile converts; and the latter part of the book is confined to the history of St. Paul, of whom St. Luke was the constant companion for several years.

As this account of St. Paul is not continued beyond his two years’ imprisonment at Rome, it is probable that this book was written soon after his release, which happened in the year 63 of the Christian era. We may therefore consider the Acts of the Apostles as written about the year 64.

The place of its first publication is more doubtful. The probability is, that it was first published in Greece, although some contend for Alexandria in Egypt. This latter opinion rests on what is found written at the end of some Greek manuscripts, and of the copies of the Syriack version; but the best critics think that these subscriptions, which are also affixed to other books of the New Testament, deserve but little weight; and, in this instance of the Acts, it is not supported by any ancient authority.

It must have been of the utmost importance in the early times of the Gospel, and certainly not of less importance to every subsequent age, to have an authentick account of the promised descent of the Holy Ghost, and of the success which attended the first preachers of the Gospel, both among the Jews and Gentiles. These great events completed the evidence of the Divine mission of Christ, established the truth and universality of the religion which He taught, and pointed out, in the clearest manner, the comprehensive nature of the redemption which He purchased by His death. Bp. Tomlæa.

It appears that St. Luke’s object in writing the book called the Acts of the Apostles, was not, either to deliver a general history of the propagation of Christianity, or a complete history of St. Paul in particular. He seems to have had a twofold object in view; namely, 1st, To relate in what manner the gifts of the Holy Spirit were communicated on the day of Pentecost, and the subsequent miracles performed by the Apostles, by which the truth of Christianity was confirmed. An authentick account of this matter was absolutely necessary, because Christ had so often assured His disciples, that they should receive the Holy Spirit. Unbelievers therefore, whether Jews or heathens, might have made objections to our religion, if it had not been shewn that Christ’s declaration was really fulfilled. 2d, To deliver such accounts, as proved the claim of the Gentiles to admission into the Church of Christ, a claim disputed by the Jews, especially at the time when St. Luke wrote the Acts of the Apostles. And it was this very circumstance which excited the hatred of the Jews against St. Paul, and occasioned his imprisonment in Rome, with which St. Luke closes his history. Hence we see the reason why he relates (chap. viii.) the conversion of the Samaritans, and (chap. x, xi.) the story of Cornelius, whom St. Peter baptised, though he was not of the circumcision. Hence also St. Luke relates the determination of the first council in Jerusalem, relative to the Levitical law; and, for the same reason, he is more diffuse in his account of St. Paul’s conversion, and preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles, than on any other subject. It is true that the whole relation which St. Luke has given at chap. xii. has no connexion with the conversion of the Gentiles; but, during the period to which that chapter relates, St. Paul himself was present at Jerusalem, (see chap. xi. 30; xii. 25;) and it is probably for that reason that St. Luke has introduced it.

Although the author of this book has omitted many material parts of ecclesiastical history, in the first thirty years after the ascension, yet he is very circumstantial and perspicuous in those parts which he has related. In general, the style of the Acts of the Apostles is much purer than that of the other books of the New Testa-