stretched out his hand, and smote a servant of the high priest, called Malchus, and cut off his ear.

XXVI. 52 Then Jesus said unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.

Put up thy sword: these are not the weapons, that ye, my disciples, must fight withal: Peter, thou dost not herein fight for me, so much as against thyself; for whosoever, in a private revenge, being not thereto called and authorized, shall smite with the sword, that man pulls upon himself the just revenge of God and his Law; and must expect the same measure, which his cruelty, and presumption, hath meeted to another.

XXVI. 53, 54 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?

It is a great weakness and ignorance in thee, if thou thinkest it is for want of help, that I am fallen into these malicious hands: no; I would have thee know,that if I would pray unto my Father in Heaven for rescue, I could easily obtain a mighty host of glorious angels to deliver me: but then, what would become of mankind? or how should that be fulfilled, which the Scriptures have foretold concerning me, and that great work of Redemption, which must be wrought by me?

XXVI. 61 And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.

Whereas Jesus had said, If you shall destroy this living Temple of my body, I will, within three days, build it up again; these false witnesses, perverting his words, and misalledging them, as spoken of the material Temple of Jerusalem, accuse him to have said, I am able to destroy this Temple of God, which you hold in so great honour and reverence, and can build it up again in three days.

XXVI. 64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless Is I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

Jesus saith unto him, I am indeed the Christ, the Son of God; but it is not for you to judge of me, by this now homely and contemptible appearance of mine: the time shall come, when ye shall behold me in another form: ye, who now look upon me with scorn and contempt, shall then see me sitting gloriously on the right hand of Majesty and Power, and coming in the clouds of heaven to judge both the quick and the dead.

XXVI. 68 Saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee?

They say thou art a great Prophet; now, shew thy skill out of thy deep knowledge, now tell us, thus hoodwinkt, who it is that smites thee.

XXVII. 2 And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor,

But, having not in their own hands the power of life and death, they bound him, and led him away; and delivered him to the Roman Governor, Pontius Pilate.

XXVII. 3 Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces &c.

Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw the proceedings and issue of this business, viz, that Jesus was condemned to die, whereas upon the sight and knowledge of the continual miracles of Christ, he, perhaps, supposed, that, notwithstanding this wicked transacting of his, his Master would easily free himself from their hands; he was stricken with a late remorse, and brought again the thirty pieces &c,

XXVII. 9 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken_by_Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value. Sce Zech. xi. verse 13.

The testimony is plainly cited out of Zechariah, and yet is in ancient copies alledged under the name of Jeremiah: which doubtless happened by the writer's mistaking of the abbreviations; Zee for Ipie as I have seen it in a very old manuscript.

XXVII. 15 Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would.

Now at that feast of the Passover, for the honour of that solemnity, it was an ancient custom of the Jews, in memory of their letting loose from their Egyptian thraldom, to let loose some one prisoner, whom they would choose, for what offence soever he was committed; which favour the Roman governors, to ingratiate themselves with the Jewish people, thought good to continue un

to them.

XXVII. 24 He took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.

Then Pilate, knowing that it was the Jewish manner, by washing of hands to signify and profess their innocency, took water, and, in the presence of the multitude, washed his hands, and made protestation of his clearness and freedom from the guilt of the innocent blood of Jesus Christ.

XXVII. 25 Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.

If there be any fault in shedding the blood of this man, we do willingly take it upon ourselves: let it be required of us, and of our children.

XXVII. 28 And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe.

And they scornfully put upon him all the robes and ornaments of

royalty, in mockage and derision: as first, they clad him with a scarlet robe.

XXVII. 29 And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand and they bowed the knee before him, &c.

Then, for his crown, they floutingly put upon his head a wreath of thorns platted together; and, instead of a sceptre, they gave hima reed in his hand; and, in an open mockage, they bowed their knees to him, and jeeringly saluted him with the royal acclamation of, Hail, King of the Jews.

XXVII. 34 They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall : and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink.

They gave unto him, according as they were wont to do unto condemned malefactors, a potion of sharp wine, mixed with myrrh, and other:bitter compositions; which he tasted of, but would not drink,

XXVH. 44 The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.

All sorts were ready to cast their taunting and opprobrious speeches upon him: not only the scribes and the priests and the multitude, but even the very thieves had their mouths open against him; for, one of those thieves, that was crucified with him, scornfully upbraided his Passion to him.

XXVII. 45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.

Now, from twelve of the clock until three in the afternoon, there was a darkness over all the land: God, by this, purposing to shew unto the world, by this unusual change of the course of nature, that there was a violence offered to the God of Nature, which he abhorred; and the delinquents had cause to be stricken with remorse for:

XXVII. 46 And about the ninth hour, Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

And, about three of the clock in the afternoon, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, in the words of the prophet David, his true and ancient type, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? which he did in a deep sense of his Father's wrath unto mankind, in whose stead he now underwent that, which was due for the sins of the whole world: while he said, Why hast thou forsaken me? implying that God had, for the time, withdrawn from him the sense and vision of his comfortable presence; and while he said, My God, implying the strength of his faith, whereby he did firmly apprehend the sure and gracious aid of his Eternal Father.

XXVII. 47 Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias.

Some of them, that stood there, when they heard him say Eloi, whether mistaking the likeness of the word, or whether wilfully

scorning him in this passionate expression of his grief, said, This man calleth for Elias.

XXVII. 51, 52, 53 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; And the graves were opened; and many bodies of saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

And, behold, that the Jews might now understand, that, by the death of this Son of God, all the Mosaical ceremonies and rites were at a full end, the veil of the temple, which was before the Holy of Holies, rent in pieces, from the top to the bottom; and, that they might see the God of Heaven and Earth suffered under their hands, as the heavens testified their interest in him by subduing their light, so did the earth by the quaking and agitation thereof, and by the rending of her rocks; Yea, the very graves were opened, and many bodies of the saints, which had long lain therein, now, by the Almighty power of their dying Saviour, arose, And came out of their graves, to attend him who was the First Fruits of the dead; the Author of the happy resurrection of his chosen; and, therefore, upon the Resurrection of this Son of God, the Lord of Life, they arose, and went into the city of Jerusalem, and shewed themselves to many, whom they had been formerly known unto.

XXVII. 54 Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.

Now, when the Centurion, though a mere heathen, and the Roman soldiers that were with him, saw the darkness and the earthquake, and the manner of Christ's death, his patience, his mercy, his voluntary and sweet expiration, they were stricken with great fear, saying, This Jesus was put to death as upon pretence of blasphemy, for that he gave out himself for the Son of God; but all these things plainly shew, that he said nothing but truth, of himself doubtless he was no other, than that he said of himself, the Son of God.

XXVII. 56 Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's children. This while, there was no news of his Disciples: they, except John only, had withdrawn themselves; but many women, who had been very ready to attend Christ, and to minister unto him, in his journey from Galilee to Jerusalem, stood within sight, though not very near to his Cross; sadly beholding all that was done unto him.

XXVII. 61 And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre.

Now there was Mary Magdalene, and that other Mary the mother of James, sitting over against the sepulchre, that they might take good view of the place where Jesus was laid; purposing to

bring sweet odours, when the Sabbath was over, for the perfuming and embalming of his body.

XXVII. 62 Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate. Now, the next day, that followed the preparation day, being both the Sabbath day and the day of the Passover, the chief priests, now not regarding the sacred solemnity thereof out of their malice to Christ, came together to the Roman Governor, Pilate.

XXVII. 65 Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch; go your way, make it as sure as you can.

Ye have a guard of soldiers, which, out of the tower of Antonia, are designed to this service: go your way; set sure watch upon the sepulchre.

XXVIII. 1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week.

In the night after the Sabbath, when it was dawning toward the morning of the first day of the week.

XXVIII. 18 All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. All power is given to me both in heaven and earth, as Mediator betwixt God and Man: neither is this power at this time conveyed unto me, which before I had not; but now, by this my glorious and triumphant Resurrection, it is manifested to you and the world, that I am invested with this power.

XXVIII. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

By virtue whereof, I give you, my Apostles, commission and charge, to go teach all nations of the world; adding to your doctrine the seal of holy Baptism, whereby ye shall initiate all believers into my Church: baptizing them, as, by calling upon the name of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, one in essence, three in distinction of persons; so, in the authority of the same One God, and into the profession of the faith and religion of that one God, distinguished by those three co-eternal and co-equal persons, blessed for ever.

XXVIII. 20 And, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world, Amen.

And, lo, howsoever my bodily presence shall be seduced from you, yet, in my Spirit and Infinite Deity, I will be ever present with you, to protect and bless you, and my whole Church, to the end of the world.

THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK.

I. 2 Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. See Malachi iii. 1.

I. 3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, &c. See Isaiah xl. 3.