man, " he did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth." His whole life was perfectly free from spot or weakness, at the same time that it was remarkable for the greatest and most extensive exercises of virtue. But ne ver to have committed the least sin in word or in deed, never to have uttered any sentiment that could be found fault with, upon the various topics of religion and morality which were the daily subjects of his discourse, and that through the course of a life filled with action, and led under the observation of many enemies, who had always access to converse with him, and who often came to find fault, is a pitch of perfection plainly above the reach of humanity; and therefore he who possessed it must certainly have been divine. Accordingly, the evidence of this proof being undeniable, both as an argument and as a matter of fact, Jesus himself publicly appealed to it, before all the people in the temple. Which of you convinceth (or rather convicteth) me of sin?" And if in affirming that I am perfectly free from sin, "I "I say truth, why do ye not believe me?"

66

the

Such was the person who is the subject of the evangelical history. If the reader, by viewing his life, doctrine, and miracles, as they are presented to him united in one series, has obtained a clearer notion of these things than before, or discerns a beauty in his actions thus linked together, which taken separately does not so fully appear; if he feels himself touched with the character of Jesus in general, or with any of his sermons and actions in particular, thus simply delineated in writings whose principal charms are the beauties of truth; above all, if his dying so generously for men strikes him with admiration, or fills him with joy, in the prospect of that pardon which is thereby purchased for the world-let him seriously consider with himself what improvement he ought to make of the divine goodness.

Jesus, by his death, has set open the gates of immortality to men, and by his word, Spirit, and example, graciously offers to make them meet for, and conduct them into the inheritance of the saints in light. Wherefore, being born under the dispensation of his gospel, we have, from our earliest years, enjoyed the best means of acquiring

wisdom, virtue, and happiness, and the lineaments of the image of God. We have been called to aspire after an exaltation to the nature and felicity of God, set before mortal eyes in Jesus Christ, to fire us with the noblest ambition. His Gospel teaches us that we are made for eternity, and that our present life is to our after-existence, what childhood is to man's estate. But as in childhood many things are to be learned, many hardships to be endured, many habits to be acquired, and that by a tedious course of exercises, which in themselves though painful, and it may be useless to the child, yet are necessary to fit him for the business and enjoyments of manhood: just so, while we remain in this infancy of human life, things are to be learned, hardships to be endured, and habits to be acquired, by a laborious course of discipline, which, however painful, must cheerfully be undergone, because necessary to fit us for the employments and pleasures of our riper existence above. Our Heavenly Father, ever mindful of us, has sent down Jesus, the express image of his own person, to initiate us into, and carry us through this course of education for eternity. Inflamed therefore with the love of immortality and its joys, Let us submit ourselves to our heavenly Teacher, and learn of him those graces which alone can make life pleasant, death desirable, and fill eternity with ecstatic joys.

These reflections, together with a part of the preceding account of our Lord's sufferings and death, are extracted from Dr. Macknight's Harmony of the Gospels; as it appeared to the editor to afford a more full and circumstantial detail of the particulars of those interesting events than that which was penned by Mr. Howell.

PARABLES OF JESUS,

ACCORDING TO THE REV. T. SCOTT.

ARRANGED IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER,

THE

DISCOURSES OF JESUS,

ARRANGED IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER,

ACCORDING TO THE REV. T. SCOTT.

CONVERSATION

CONVERSATION with Nicodemus, at Jerusalem. John 3, 1....21 Conversation with the woman of Sa

Sychar.

John 4. 1....42

maria,

Discourse in the synagogue of Naza

reth,.

Sermon upon the Mount,
Instructions to the Apostles,

Denunciations against Chorazm, &c.
Discourse on occasion of healing the

infirm man at Bethesda, Discourse concerning the disciples plucking ears of corn on the Sabbath, Refutation of his working miracles by

the agency of Beelzebub,

Discourse on the bread of life,
Discourse about internal purity,
Discourse against giving or taking of-
fence, and concerning forgiveness
of injuries,

Discourse at the feast of tabernacles,
Discourse on occasion of the woman

THE

A

COMPLETE

HISTORY

OF THE

Holy Bible.

BOOK THE TENTH.

The History of the first Planting of Christianity, taken from the Acts of the Apostles.

WHEN it pleased God to visit the world with the light

of the glorious gospel, the nations in general were sunk into an amazing degree of vice and wickedness; and that which contributed greatly to this was their profound ignorance of the true God, and their stupid and abominable idolatries.

The nation of Israel also, which retained the most just notions of the Deity, and had a standing revelation of his will, were fallen into great corruptions, relying chiefly on their descent from pious ancestors, and upon their observation of religious ceremonies, while the spirit and design of the law were lost sight of, and the scriptures rendered of little effect by their vain tradi

tions.

The heathen sages and philosophers had in vain attempted universal reformation. The priests and poets