PREFACE.

THE nature of this little work is so fully explained in the title that little need be said by way of preface. Not only children, but grown persons, are frequently perplexed to discover the order of time in which the events recorded by the evangelists occurred, and most of the scripture harmonies that have been published are calculated only for the use of the learned. It appeared therefore desirable to arrange a chronological account of our Lord's ministry on earth, and place the events of the Gospel dispensation in their natural order. The chapters therefore are divided according to the years of Christ's mission. But the awful mysteries of Passion Week required fuller development, and the compiler therefore, following the example of our Church, has given a separate chapter to each day of that holy week, in which the work of

redemption was consummated. The work would have been obviously incomplete, if it did not show that all the prophecies and promises of our Lord to his disciples were fulfilled to the letter; chapters ha consequently been added on. The descent of the Holy Ghost, the Preaching of the Gospel to the Gentiles, the spread of Christianity throughout the Roman empire, before the fulfilment of the vengeance threatened against the unbelief of the Jews,-and finally the accomplishment of that prediction by the destruction of Jerusalem, and the dispersion of the Jewish nation over the face of the earth.

The compiler has, on every possible occasion, used the language of Scripture itself, convinced that no human skill or ingenuity could improve the word of God.

LIFE OF CHRIST.

CHAPTER I.

PROPHECIES RELATING TO THE BIRTH OF CHRIST.

OUR first parents were created innocent and happy; they were placed by their Divine Benefactor in the garden of Eden, where every thing necessary for their support and enjoyment was abundantly provided, without the necessity of labour. It pleased God, as a test of their obedience, to command that "they should not eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge," which grew in the midst garden, and they were told that if they violated this decree "they should surely die." Satan," the great enemy of God and man," envying the happiness which Adam and Eve enjoyed, presented himself disguised to the woman, and by crafty devices induced her to eat of the forbidden fruit. Eve persuaded her husband to join in her sin,

B

and they were both driven from the beautiful garden to wander over the uncultivated earth. "Thus sin came into the world and death by sin," the curse was pronounced upon Adam and all his posterity that they should return to the dust from which they were framed. But "in the midst of judgment God remembers mercy;" at the very time that Adam was thus punished, a promise was made of an Almighty Redeemer who should deliver mankind from the consequences of Adam's transgression, and open, after death, a glorious life of immortality, and show "that as in Adam all died, so in Christ shall all be made alive."

The promise was, "the seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's head," a gracious intimation that at some future time the power of Satan should be overthrown and the human race delivered from the consequences of Adam's fall. This promise was renewed to Noah, but a clearer prediction was vouchsafed to Abraham, for it was revealed that "in his seed should all the families of the earth be blessed." The same prediction was made to Isaac, and, after him, to Jacob. When Jacob was dying he was inspired by the Divine Spirit to declare that the future Redeemer should be descended from the patriarch