the mouth of it-sealed and guarded by a detachment of Roman soldiers,-was opened on the morning of the third day by an angel descending from heaven-Jesus rising again to life-the event proved by the subsequent appearance of Jesus to Mary Magdalene, to the other women from Galilee, to the disciples on their way to Emmaus, to the ten on the same evening, to the eleven on the following Lord's day, at the sea of Tiberias and on a mountain in Galilee, and by his frequent and familiar intercourse during a period of forty days-resurrection proving-his work was finished-approved-the Father giving as firstfruits the hope of a resurrection to all his people. 11. THE ASCENSION. went about doing good, our example in purity, in meekness, in self-denial, in patience, and in love. VIL CHRIST'S OFFICES. A PROPHET. Confessed under the designations of prophet of Nazareth, the prophet of the Highest, the prophet that should come into the world, a great prophet, a prophet mighty in word and in d:ed, names verified in foretelling of false Christs, the downfall of Jerusalem, the treachery of Judas, Peter's denial, His own Apprehension and Death, Burial, and Resurrection, etc. CHRIST'S OFFICE AS A PRIEST. CHRIST'S OFFICE AS KING, On the Mount of Olives, and in the presence of His followers, in the act of blessing them, separated from them-seen to ascend and en- King of Zion, King of righteousness, etc., His ter into a cloud, the disciples gazing after Kingdom being universal, eternal, supreme, Him, addressed by two angels, who gave pro- yet subordinate to the Father, His mission mise of His return again to earth, ascension being to glorify the Father, and to finish the necessary for the gift of His Spirit, the pre-work which the Father gave Him to do; paring of heaven for His followers, and making continual intercession for them. VI-CHRIST'S CHARACTER. ORIGIN OF THE JEWISH NATION. exercising this office, accomplishing the conversion, sanctification, and glorification of His people-the subjugation of his enemies at the last day, sitting as Judge of the righteous and the wicked, with full power to acquit and justify the one and condemn and punish the other. JEWS. Traced to Abraham; called a people above all others, a holy nation, a kingdom of priests; selected not because better, or more numerous than other nations, but simply of sovereign grace. HIGH PRIVILEGE OF THE JEWS. Covenant with God,-dwelling in his land,protected by his favour,-enjoying the services of his tabernacle, the ministrations of His priests, and the teachings of His prophets. ISRAEL IN EGYPT, Subjected to cruel bondage, described as a state of oppression, an iron furnace, a rigorous service, but seen and cherished by God; greatly increased in number. COMMISSION OF MOSES, Given by God at the burning bush to demand the release of the tribes; executed by doing signs and wonders, calling down plagues upon Pharaoh and his people-eventually leading forth the chosen people to the land of promise. THE EXODUS. Six hundred thousand marching out of Egypt, besides women and children, accompanied by a mixed multitude, along with flocks and herds; achieved by the power of God; Egyptian pursuers drowned in Red sea. SUBSEQUENT RELATION OF THE JEWS TO EGYPT, Forbidden to look back to it, to traffic with it-to form alliances with it-Egypt a bruised reed to trust in, yet in the wilderness Israel often seeking to return to it. ISRAEL IN THE WILDERNESS, For forty years, by the way of the Red sea, Edom and the plains of Moab, led by Jehovah in the pillar of the cloud, fed by manna, and water from the flinty rock, defended from enemies by the Captain of the Lord's host. BINS IN THE WILDERNESS, Murmuring against God, and against Moses and Aaron; committing fornication; with the exception of Joshua and Caleb, the entire JEWS.] SYNOPSIS. generation, above twenty years of age, which the captives to return and build Jerusalem, in conformity with which many went back. left Egypt in the wilderness, dying. (REBUILDING OF JERUSALEM, See under CANAAN.) ISRAEL IN CANAAN, Conquering the land, destroying thirty-one kings, settled in it, enjoined to separate themselves from all other nations, were forbidden to make covenant with them. THE SAMARITANS, In one of the provinces of Palestine in the time of our Lord, descended from a colony sent by the king of Assyria during the captivity; at first entirely idolatrous, but afterwards mingled the ceremonies of the Jews with their idolatrous rites: held in great aversion by the people of Israel. WICKEDNESS OF THE JEWS, Forsaking the worship of God, and turning to the worship of idols, in following the customs of surrounding nations, and forming alliances with them, in "hardening their neck," and in disobeying the statutes of Jehovah; famine, and pestilence, and war sent upon the people, God forsook is dwelling place," and sent the people into captivity. ISRAEL IN CAPTIVITY, The ten tribes conquered by Shalmanezer king of Assyria, and carried to Halah, Habor, etc.; Judah, by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and carried to Chaldea, where they remained for seventy years. CONDITION DURING CAPTIVITY, Their land mourning in solitude, Jerusalem sitting in widowhood, Zion covered with a cloud, and the other cities of the land as a wilderness, the people in captivity as weeping by the rivers of Babylon. THE PRESERVED REMNANT, With the promise that they should be ga thered again, restored to their own land, and there again take root, animated by the hope of deliverance, and by the expectation of seeing their temple again built up. RETURN FROM CAPTIVITY, Accomplished by the proclamation of Cyrus, who had taken Babylon, granting liberty to II. LAWS PROTECTING LIFE. MURDER, OPPOSITION TO THE RETURNED TRIBES. From the Samaritans, false pretences of friendship, false representations to the king, and active opposition to the undertaking. FINAL DISPERSION OF THE JEWS, Predicted by Moses as the consequence of persisting in disobedience, by Christ as the consequence of rejecting him-was accom plished by the Romans under Titus when Jerusalem was destroyed, the Jewish polity broken up, and the people scattered over all nations. PROPHECIES REFERRING TO AND ILLUSTRATED Having allusion to the enemies of Israel, to PROPHECIES RESPECTING THE GENTILES AS THE SUCCESSORS OF THE JEWS. The heathen as the Messiah's inheritance, all nations flowing to the temple, the isles waiting for God's law, incense being offered from the rising to the setting of the sun, etc. JEWISH FAITH AND JEWISH PREJUDICE. Seen, the former in the converts on the day of Pentecost, and in the numerous converts to the gospel which were gathered by the apostles from all ranks, the latter seen in the obstinacy and zeal with which the nation at large maintained the perpetual obligation of the ceremonial law, instanced in Peter's preaching to Cornelius, in the church at Antioch, in the synod at Jerusalem. THE CHURCH AMONG THE GENTILES, Made up of believers from all nations, Paul, the Apostle of the Gentiles. FINAL INBRINGING OF THE JEWS, Involved in God's promise to Abraham, often the theme of prediction by Isaiah, repeatedly foretold by Paul. LAW. Forbidden, by God to Noah, by the law of committed in purpose or fact. Cain, David, Pharoah. HUMAN PENALTY AGAINST MURDER Moses, by Christ, and by the Apostles-often Life for life without mercy DIVINE PENALTY. and entail, extending to daughters, on certain Punishments natural and supernatural-in conditions, as well as sons. this life and in the life to come. MALICE THE CAUSE OF MURDER, LAW OF Debt. Regulations respecting the recovery of it, the Hatred of Esau towards Jacob,-of the breth-tionary, etc.; many allusions to it in Scripremission of it, pledges in security of it, cau ren of Joseph towards him-of Haman towards the captive Jews-of Saul toward David -and of the Rulers of the Jews towards Christ. ture; the borrower as servant to the lender. LAW OF MASTER AND SERVANT. Superiority of master-contracts-Abraham, VI. ANCIENT Slavery. Or service rendered among the patriarchs, LAW OF SLAVERY, OR BOND-SERVICE, Forbidding all trading in the persons of men, stealing of a Hebrew punished with death,the heathen alone held in bond service, the Hebrew, if so held, might redeem himself, at all events became free on the year of jubilee, and whether Hebrew or stranger, servants were to be kindly treated by their mastera NEW TESTAMENT PRECEPTS TO SERVANTS. Obedience to masters, singleness of heart, performance of duty, not with eye service as menpleasers; allusions as when Christ's people are called servants of righteousness, as made free by the truth, and when the world is spoken of as the servants of sin, and as being under the bondage of sin. POOR LAW. POVERTY. An inevitable state of society-the poor shall never cease out of the land; the poor ye have always with you. BEGGING ALMS. In thoroughfares and places of public resort, as at the gate of the temple, and of rich mens' houses, the wayside. RICH AND POOR. Often alluded to in their appropriate characteristics; the former,as strong, honoured, answering roughly, and having many friends; the latter, using entreaties, being hated, and being separatea from their neighbours. GOD'S CARE OF THE POOR. Involving peculiar rights of primogeniture Maintaining their right, being their por LAW.] LAWGIVER. Persons employed in transcribing and interpreting the law of Moses, in later times, orators or lawyers, employed in pleading before judges, instanced in Tertullus. TRIBUNAL. In ancient times set at the gates of cities, as in Ruth; in latter times in halls, as the judgment hall of Pilate, set for deciding in controversies, involving accusation, defence, and appeal. PUNISHMENTS. Imprisonment sometimes with fetters and stocks Paul at Philippi; scourging, which, however, might not be inflicted on a Roman citizen, and limited by Mosaic law to strokes forty, save one, retaliation, fine, stoning, the sword. CAPITAL PUNISHMENTS OF FOREIGN NATIONS. Hanging, instanced in Haman,-burning alive, the sentence pronounced upon Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego,-exposure to wild beasts, instanced in Daniel,-cutting asunder, threatened by Nebuchadrezzar to his wise men-decapitation, instanced in John the Baptist, and crucifixion inflicted upon the Saviour. POWER AND PREROGATIVE. With little limitation, extending to the power of life and death, the making of peace or the 'declaration of war, the levying of armies, and the collection of taxes, rulers often surrounded by flatterers, as the young men who gave counsel to Rehoboam. CHARACTERS OF KINGS. GOOD. Their throne being established by righteousness, BAD KINGS, DUTIES, Arising from the compact, real or implied, between the king and the subject-devolving upon both parties he that ruleth over men must be just. Honour the king. TAXES, Were levied upon the people as by Pharaoh, the kings of Israel and Judah, the Roman Emperor, etc.,-royal revenues and lands as in days of Solomon-gathered by tax collectors as the publicans who collected the Roman tribute from the Jews. OFFICERS OF STATE. Under the king, executed the offices of government, described as being over the host-over the Causing the people to mourn-examples in Solo- tribute-over the house, etc., as being recorders, mon, in some things, Abijam, Nadab, Baasha,scribes, wise men, counsellors, companions of the Omri, Ahab, Ahaziah,Jehu,Jehoahaz, Jehoash, king, etc. Zechariah, Ahaz, Jehoram, Jehoiachim, Manasseh, Jeroboam, Pekah, and Pekehiah. KINGLY VICES, TREASONS AND REVOLUTIONS Rebellion forbidden and loyalty enjoined and enforced-repeated instances of rebellions, retion of a royal family. Luxury, pride, flattery, falsehood, avarice, ty- volts, revolutions, regicide, and even the extirparanny, and idolatry as in Jeroboam. MAN'S MORAL NATURE. SECULAR DUTIES. Adam's sin and exile from Eden; therefore he drove out the man-labour and mortality The pursuit of happiness-vanity of vanilies, in the curse-bread to be eaten in sweat of etc. brow-by one man sin came-human depravity declared to be great, universal, hereditary, early manifested-seen in sins of every class, wilful violation of God's law, and in spite of all his warning-the Apostle's account of the inner combat-what I would, that I do not. DELIVERANCE FROM THIS FALLEN STATE, MAN INTELLECTUAL. Industry, diligent in business, idleness and its baneful results-vineyard of sluggard-lion in way-wealth, God's gift, but not to be coveted; treasure in heaven, earthly riches often ill-ac quired, of small value in many cases, and very precarious-riches fly away as an eagledangers of wealth-ostentation-pride-one thing thou lackest. EMOTIONS. The evil of ignorance great-blessing of wis Sorrow, patience, pride and its ruin, humidom and its responsibility-a wise man is strong-instances in Solomon and Daniel-the lity, contentment, joy, hope, anxiety, murwisdom of the world crafty-of no avail before muring. God-wisdom God's gift as seen in Solomon's RELATIVE EMOTIONS, dream-yet imperfectly possessed by man, we Anger, revenge and its sinfulness, envy, sin |