And immediately after the baptism of Jesus, "the heaven was opened, and the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: and Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age (n).” Jesus being thus baptized, and having received this testimony to his divine character, was, "led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil (o)." He there fasted forty days and forty nights, and underwent a variety of temptations which are recorded by St. Matthew and St. Luke; but at length the devil, being unable to prevail, left him, and "behold, angels came and ministered unto him (p).” After the temptation, Jesus returned to Nazareth, and began his ministry in Galilee: "He went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the Gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness, and every disease among the people (q)." The excellence of these instructions, joined to the authority with which they were delivered, and accompanied by the repeated performance of miracles, could not fail to convince many people that he was a Teacher sent from God: he was acknowledged to speak as never man spake (r)," and to work such miracles as had never been seen in Israel ($)." His followers soon became numerous, and he chose from them twelve persons, who were named Apostles; and who constantly attended him during his ministry, except for a short period, when he sent them to preach in Judæa and Galilee. He gave them peculiar instructions for that purpose, and also (n) Matt. c. 3. v. 16 and 17. Luke, c. 3. v. 21, &c. (0) Matt. c. 4. v. 1. (q) Matt. c. 9. v. 35. 66 66 (p) Matt. c. 4. v. 11. (s) Matt. c. 9. v. 33. Chap. 32.] HISTORY ABRIDGED. 371 enabled them to perform miracles. And when they had executed their commission, they " gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught (t).” The freedom with which John the Baptist had censured the incestuous marriage of Herod Antipas with Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, provoked the resentment of Herod, and induced him to apprehend and imprison John. Not long afterwards, Herod, being pleased with the dancing of the daughter of Herodias, promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask; and she, being instructed by her mother, desired that the head of John might be presented to her. Herod expressed great concern at this request, but pretending the obligation of the oath which he had rashly sworn, he commanded that John should be beheaded; and "his head was given to the damsel, and she brought it to her mother (u)." In the meantime Jesus continued his ministry. He declared that the general purpose of his coming into the world was to call sinners to repentance, that the world through him might be saved, and that whosoever believed in him should not perish, but have everlasting life; he inculcated the necessity of faith, humility, meekness, temperance, self-denial, devotion, and resignation to the divine will; he cautioned his hearers against pride, censoriousness, covetousness, hatred, reviling, causeless anger, the love of this world, and the indulgence of every irregular appetite; he taught that the two great branches of men's duty were to love God, and to love their neighbour; that they were to worship God in spirit and in truth; that they should imitate their heavenly Father in mercy, forgiveness, and in all goodness; that they should do to others as (u) Matt. c. 14. v. 11. (t) Mark, c. 6. v. 30. they would that others should do to them; that they ought to be pure in heart as well as unblameable in outward actions; that they were not to pray, fast, or give alms merely that they might be seen of men, but in all things to seek the approbation of God, who not only sees the most private actions, but is also acquainted with the inward thoughts of men: he farther declared, in the most distinct and positive manner, that there will be a future state of existence, and a general judgment; and that those who have acted well in this world will be rewarded with eternal happiness, but that the wicked will be consigned to everlasting misery. These precepts and these truths he delivered sometimes plainly, sometimes in parables; and as a proof of his divine mission, and of the divine authority of the doctrines which he taught, he performed a great variety of { miracles in the most public manner, and in every part of Judæa and Galilee: he turned water into wine; he fed five thousand persons with a few loaves and fishes; he walked upon the sea, and calmed the winds and waves ; he made the blind to see, the deaf to hear, and the lame to walk; he cured all sorts of diseases, "healed all that were oppressed of the devil (x)," and restored the dead to life. Besides these wonderful works, he manifested an exact knowledge of the thoughts and designs of men; he foretold his own death, resurrection, and ascension; the descent of the Holy Ghost; the sufferings of the Apostles, and the success of their preaching; he predicted the destruction of the city and temple of Jerusalem, the dispersion of the Jewish people, and the abolition of their national polity, in the most clear and positive terms; he prophesied concerning times which are yet future, and declared that he should come again to judge the world. (x) Acts, c. 10. v. 38. 1 1 In the course of his ministry, Jesus went up into a high mountain with three of his Apostles, Peter, James, and John, and was in their presence transfigured: His face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as light, and a bright cloud overshadowed them; and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him (y)." Christ not only lived without any external state and splendour, but he seems not to have had any fixed habitation after he began his ministry, except in the house of Peter, one of his Apostles. Meek and condescending to his disciples, and to all who resorted to him for instruction or relief, he at the same time reproved their faults and failings with the impartiality and dignity belonging to his divine character and office; he inveighed with great severity against the hypocrisy, pride, covetousness, and vain traditions of the Scribes and Pharisees, and chief men among the Jews, and warned them of the danger to which they exposed themselves by their wicked lives and unfounded docunfouı trines When Christ had fully taught and confirmed his religion, and in his own conduct had exhibited a perfect example of piety and virtue, he went up to Jerusalem, according to the custom of the Jews, and according to his own practice during his ministry (z), to keep the Passover, and while he was eating it in a room with his Apostles, where it was prepared by his direction, he foretold that one of them should betray him to the Jews. He then instituted the sacrament of the Lord's (y) Matt. c. 17. v. 2 and 5. () Many commentators think that this was the fourth Passover at which our Saviour had been present since he began his ministry, but I am inclined to think it was only the third. Vide page 240 of this volume. Supper, and afterwards went with his disciples to the Mount of Olives; he there retired into a private part of a garden with Peter, John, and James, and foreseeing that his death was near at hand, he underwent a severe agony of mind; he prayed with great earnestness to be delivered from the sufferings which awaited him, “if it were possible," consistently with "the cause for which he came into the world," but at the same time he expressed the most perfect resignation to the will of his Almighty Father: he declared to those who were with him, the near approach of his traitorous Apostle; "and while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves from the chief priests and elders of the people (a)."-" Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye? They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them. As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground. Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? and they said, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he; if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way (b).” Then Peter, in a transport of zeal to defend his beloved Master, drew his sword; but Jesus said unto Peter, "Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it? Then the band, and the captain, and officers of the Jews, took Jesus and bound him (c),” and carried him before the high priest and Sanhedrim. He was there accused, examined, and pronounced to be "guilty of death (d),” as a blasphemer, "because he made himself the Son |