and true. St. Peter means that he ministered to the church in Babylon, in Assyria.

Peter wrote to the strangers scattered throughout (1) Pontus, (2) Galatia, (3) Cappadocia, (4) Asia, and (5) Bithynia. In fact he wrote to the churches who knew him, and to whom he had ministered the word of life. "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible (seed), by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever." St. Paul had founded these churches. St. Peter had retired from Judea, and had entered on the work of the ministry amongst the churches of St. Paul's foundation. these churches St. Peter had written his two epistles. He called the members of these churches "a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people." He told to them that their duty was "to show forth the praises of him who had called them out of darkness into his marvellous light."-1st Peter ii. 9. He exhorted the elders amongst them, acknowledging that he also was an elder.

To

XXII. The second Catholic or General Epistle of Peter, A.D. 66.-This epistle was written to the churches in Asia, to which churches St. Peter had addressed his first epistle. The design of the apostle is to confirm these churches in their love, and faith, and obedience of their faith, that so "an entrance might be ministered to them abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."

He had told to them the truths of the gospel, in his ordinary ministrations, during many years past. He wrote his epistles to put them in remembrance of these things. Though ye know them, and (though ye) be established in the truth." He felt that his Lord had showed to him that he must shortly put off his tabernacle, that he must depart and be with Christ. 66 Moreover, I will endeavour that ye may be able, after my decease, to have these things always in remembrance."

This is the guide which St. Peter has given to all christians for their faith and practice. He assures them of their final salvation in glory everlasting, if they will follow his directions. He thought that his own epistles contained all information essentially necessary to salvation.

He declared that no prophecy of Scripture is of private interpretation (invention: Dr. Macknight.) "For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man,' but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."

We have St. Peter declaring his opinion of, and his belief in, the doctrine of the " Inspiration of the Writers of the Old Testament." We have also his declaration of his own inspiration, to enable him to explain to members of the churches the simple truth in Jesus, which, when unadorned, is adorned the most. These solemn truths St. Peter wrote in the immediate prospect of his death. We learn: 1. St. Peter was the author of the two epistles which bear his name; 2. That these epistles were written to the same persons; 3. That these persons were in a state of persecution, and had also to contend with Gnostics, and other heretics in the church; 4. That the second

epistle was written a short time after the first, and not long before St. Peter's martyrdom. The precise year cannot be ascertained.

XXIII. The First Catholic or General Epistle of St. John, A.D. 90.-Three epistles bear the name of John. The author of these three epistles is the author of the gospel which bears his name, and of the Book of the Revelation of St. John the Divine. The first epistle is supposed to have been written before the destruc tion of Jerusalem. The date of this epistle is uncertain. Some fix the date A.D. 69 or 70. Others A.D. 90. Some think it was written before A.D. 80. It may have been written before the destruction of Jerusalem. The date A.D. 69 or 70 may be correct. Jeru salem was destroyed about A.D. 73.

Some think that John wrote this epistle to the Par thians. Parthia was a celebrated country of Asia, bounded on the west by Media, on the south by Carmania, on the north by Hyrcania, and on the east by Asia. The Parthians were Scythians, a people in the most northern parts of Europe and Asia, from which circumstance Parthia is named European and Asiatic. The coldness of the most northern parts of Scythia rendered them uninhabitable. Scythia comprehended the following modern kingdoms:-1. Tartary; 2. Russia in Asia; 3. Siberia; 4. Muscovy; 5. the Crimea; 6. Poland; 7. part of Hungary; 8. Lithu ania; 9. the Northern part of Germany; 10. Sweden; 11. Norway, &c.

Arsaces

The Parthians were wonderful archers. laid the foundation of the Parthian empire. Parthia had twenty-five large cities. The largest was called "Hecatompylos," the hundred gated, because it had one hundred gates.

Augustus Cæsar learned the danger of having s careless commander of his forces in these northern regions. The battle of Actium (B.c. 31) had secured to Augustus Cæsar the empire of the civilized world. Quintilius Varus was his lieutenant, or was Roman pro-consul. He was made commander of the armies of Germany. Arminius, an active general of the enemy, surprised Varus. All was lost. The Roman army was cut to pieces. Varus killed himself, A.D. 16. Some of his officers followed his example. The mind of Augustus sank under the weight of this disaster. He was often heard to cry out, "Quintilius Varus, restore to me my legions."

The Roman commanders were too avaricious. Their avarice provoked rebellion. "You have not sent to us dogs and shepherds to secure their docks, only wolves and bears to devour them." Such was the reply of Bato, their leader, when summoned before the tribunal of Tiberius, and when asked why he dared to revolt against the power of Rome.

Quintilius Varus entered Germany a poor man He was wealthy when he died. Horace descrites the Parthians as a dreadful enemy, extremely deceit ful and untrue. "Parthis mendacior," more decuita or more lying than the Parthians, are the words of Horace.-Ep. iii. 112.

"Ispe ego, qui nullos me affirmo scribere versus,
Invenior Parthis mendacior

"I, myself, who affirm that I write no verses, am found more deceitful (or lying) than the Parthians." The Parthians deceived their enemies by false appearances. In battle they pretended to fly that they might turn suddenly upon their enemies. Sometimes in their flight they discharged their arrows upon their enemies with dreadful effect.

If St. John wrote to the church amongst the Farthians, it is not probable that he would have written in Greek. "Lampe, who appeals to Theodoret, contends that the epistle was not designed for any particular community, but that it was written for the use of Christians of every denomination. This seems the more probable opinion, since the epistle contains no reference to any individual churches." -Dr. A. Clarke.

Cerinthians, Docteæ, and Gnostics are the names of the communities whose errors are opposed by St. John in this epistle. It is, therefore, a catholic or general epistle. It appears from the style to have been written in the apostle's old age. St. John must have been an old man when he wrote this epistle, even though its date be A.D. 60 or 70. He lived to be one hundred years of age, and died, perhaps, sixty-eight years after our Lord's crucifixion. He died at Ephesus. Fables must have arisen respecting so great an apostle who lived so long in this world.

1. He is reported to have been thrown into a cauldron of boiling oil, and to have come out uninjured.

2. He is reported to have inquired, when he returned to Ephesus after his release from exile in Patmos, concerning a youth of great promise who had been converted to the faith of Christ by St. John's ministry. The information which St. John received in answer to his inquiries caused to him many painful reflections. He determined to go to the hill country to find out his lost convert. He went. He saw in the distance his strayed sheep. The young man fled. The old man pursued. The contest was unequal. St. John fell upon his knees, and pursued him by his prayers. He gained the victory. The young man stood still. He heard once more the voice which had won him to virtue. He returned to his spiritual father, to virtue, and to God. He is supposed to have lived and died a zealous minister of the word of God. He had been living in the hill country as a robber chieftain. This story, so natural, may have been founded in fact.

XXIV. The second Epistle of St. John, A.D. 90.— This is a private epistle to a lady of distinction, and to her children. The residence of the lady is unknown. We may suppose that she did not live far from Ephesus. In verse iv. St. John declares his joy, occasioned by his discovery of the obedience of the faith, manifested by this good lady's children: "I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the father."

Some persons are, very thoughtlessly, fond of making use of passages of scripture in matters of a worldly nature, A candidate for a seat in the House

Another gentleman, desirous of obtaining the consent of a lady to marry him, wrote to her the words of St. John's Ep. ii. v. 5: "Now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another."

Another gentleman, writing to a lady to whom he was engaged, and whom he afterwards married, used as his motto the word "Mizpah."-Gen. xxxi. 49. Laban wished to retain Jacob's services. He renewed his agreement with Jacob. He would make a covenant with Jacob-a witness between himself and Jacob.

Gen. xxxi. 45: "Then Jacob took a stone and set it up for a pillar."

46: "And Jacob said unto his brethren, gather stones; and they took stones and made a heap; and they did eat there upon the heap."

47: "And Laban called the heap Jegar-SahaDutha-the heap of witness' (Chaldea). But Jacob called it 'Galeed-the heap of witness."" (Hebrew).

48: "And Laban said, "This heap' is a witness between me and thee this day; therefore was the name of it called 'Galeed.'"

49: "And Mizpah,' a beacon or watch-tower; for he (Laban) said: 'The Lord watch between me and thee when we are absent one from another."

This is a very interesting history. The ancient custom of covenant-making is set forth. However, the sincerity and the honesty of the contracting parties in this case are doubtful, and by no means exemplary. The use of the motto, "Mizpah," was not prophetic of good results. In the case of the use of this motto to which I have referred matters were prosperous.

A lady wished to give salutary advice to a friend who was about to receive orders in the Church of England. She said: "If ever you feel tempted, by reason of your popularity as a preacher, to indulge in spiritual pride, remember what wonders God did cause to be wrought by the jawbone of an ass-and be humble." "And he (Samson) found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand and took it, and smote a thousand men therewith."-Judges xv. 15.

St. John warns the lady to whom he wrote to beware of entertaining in her house any person who did not hold the doctrine of Christ: "The children of thine elect sister greet thee. Amen."

XXV. The Third Epistle of St John, A.D. 90.This epistle also is private, written to a man named "Gaius." Tatoo-Gaius. The Greek word is rendered Caius in Latin.

1. Romans xvi. 23: St. Paul mentions a Gaius who lived at Corinth: "Gaius, my host."

2. 1 Cor. i. 14: St. Paul mentions a Gaius who lived at Corinth, and whom he had baptized: v. 14: "I thank God that I baptized none of you but Crispus and Gaius": 15. "Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.

3. Acts xix. 29: Mention is made of a Gaius, a native of Macedonia, who accompanied St. Paul, and spent some time with him at Ephesus: "And having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul's companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre."

4. Acts xx. 4: "And there accompanied him (St. Paul) into Asia, Sopater of Berea; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timotheus; and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophĭmus." St. John iii. 4, ranks his Gaius amongst his children. Therefore, some think that the apostle claims Gaius as his convert. They conclude that St. John's Gaius or Caius is a different person from the Gaius of Corinth, from the Gaius of Macedonia, and from the Gaius of Derbe. Some think that the host of St. Paul, and of "the whole church," is the hospitable Gaius, the very Corinthian Gaius, to whom St. John addressed his third epistle. St. John concludes his epistle by stating that he would not write the many things which he had to communicate, as he hoped shortly to see him (Gaius), and to speak with him face to face.

It is evident that St. John wrote his second and third epistles to persons with whom he had lived for a long time in great friendship, and that he and they dwelt at Ephesus, and in its neighbourhood.

St. John mentions "Diotrěphes, who loved to have the pre-eminence," as a man worthy of censure for his malicious disposition towards the brethren.

Gaius is commended for his hospitality. Demetrius bears a good report. The style of these three epistles is the same. A man of numerous years, full of wisdom and of divine love, can be easily imagined as the author of these epistles.

The three epistles may be supposed to have been written at the same time, perhaps A.D. 90.

XXVI. The Catholic or General Epistle of St. Jude. -Jude calls himself the brother of James. He is supposed, therefore, to refer to James the Less, who wrote the epistle which bears his name. If this be true, James and Jude were apostles and brothers, and brothers of our Lord; perhaps cousins or brothers of our Lord, sons of Joseph by a former wife, or by Mary the mother of our Lord, after she had brought forth her first-born son Jesus, of whom Moses in the law and the prophets did write: Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. James is called the son of Alphæus, or Cleophas. Lebbæus, whose surname was Thaddeus, may have been Jude, the author of this epistle.

There is no evidence in the epistle that he was the brother of James the Less. He merely called himself "Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ, and a brother of James." But which Jude or which James is intended

cannot be determined. Perhaps he is "Jude, the brother of James the Less." The style of Jude is similar to that of James. His epistle is not addressed to any church in particular, but to all christians. It is, therefore, a catholic or general epistle.

The ninth verse of this epistle, if written by Jude, may be considered as condemning the apostle as the author of this epistle; that is, proving that he could not be the author of this epistle. (v. 9), "Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee." This may be a Jewish legend, quoted by Jude, just as our Lord quoted the supposed Jewish legend of the rich man and Lazarus, for the purpose of enforcing a great truth, by a tale which had been known to the persons addressed, and received by them with respect. Neither our Lord nor St. Jude can be considered as quoting these legends with any other design than that of making use of a Jewish legend to enforce a great moral truth.

There are five passages in this short epistle: v. 17 and 18, there is reference made to 1 Tim. iv. 1, to 2 Tim. ii. 1, and iv. 3, and to 2 Peter ii. 1, and iii. 3.

We may, therefore, conclude that this epistle was written some time after St. Paul had written his second epistle to Timothy. Perhaps A.D. 67.

The gross immorality of the Jewish people at this period may be learned from the epistle of St. Jude, as well as from the epistle of St. James.

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XXVII. The Revelation of St. John the Divine, A.D.

This book was written by St. John, the author of the gospel and of the epistles which bear his name, during his exile in Patmos, A.D. 96. Some suppose that this book was the last writing belonging to the New Testament-the last revelation vouchsafed to man. The Saviour ordered the apostle to write to the seven churches in Asia Minor, named in order: 1. Ephesus; 2. Smyrna; 3. Pergamos; 4. Thyatira. 5. Sardis; 6. Philadelphia; 7. Laodicea. The style of the writing is similar to that of Ezekiel and of Daniel. The careful student will read the three books consecutively. The style is considered to be obscure. Ezekiel complained (xx. 49), "Then said I, Ah! Lord God, they say of me, 'doth he not speak parables?'" The Jews complained that God caused Ezekiel to deliver his addresses to them in a style horrible, mysterious, and unintelligible, on account of their sins. I cannot require from my heavenly Father any clearer guide in morals than that which is given in the eighteenth chapter of Ezekiel. The Jews do not wish to acknowledge Daniel as an inspired prophet. Daniel obtained the favour of Nebuchadnezzar, the founder of the Babylonian empire, and the overthrower of the old Assyrian empire, of which Nineveh was the capital. In the time of Belshazzar, and in the hour of his terror, when the handwriting on the wail chilled the mad current of his revelry, the queenmother advised an appeal to the neglected state-officer. the once honoured Daniel. He came. His interpre tation of the handwriting told the sudden and imme diate doom of the Babylonian empire. The morrow's

sun beheld Belshazzar and his empire amongst the departed glories of the world. Cyrus the elder, whose education is described by Xenophon in his Cyropædia, entered Babylon as its master and founded the Persian or Medo-Persian Empire. The queen-mother had declared that the Spirit of the holy Gods was in Daniel. Nebuchadnezzar had the same belief in Daniel's inspiration. Daniel became the favourite minister of the Persian Cyrus. He proved to Cyrus that God had enabled the prophet Isaiah to foretel the destruction of Babylon, and to name her conqueror. In fact, Daniel met Cyrus as Cyrus entered Babylon, and read to him these words of Isaiah: "Who saith to the deep (the Euphrates) Be dry; and I will dry up thy rivers: who saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure; even saying unto Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and unto the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid."-Isaiah xliv. 27-98. Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the twoleaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut; I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron and I will give to thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I the Lord, who call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel."--Isaiah xlv. 1-3. Daniel wore the golden honourз (given to him by the Babylonian monarch Belshazzar), whilst he read to the victorious Cyrus these predictions of Isaiah.

He received the honours of the Persian conqueror Cyrus, who obtained for Daniel the patronage of the Median Darius, the uncle of Cyrus.

The man thus honoured by successive generations of royalty, and by their successive governments, established for himself a character which the breath of calumny cannot tarnish. Daniel had the inspiration of the God whom he served.

We now turn to Ezekiel, and behold him as a prophet of the Lord, to whom Daniel is a companion. We now turn to John, in Apocalyptic vision, and we see that he possesses a claim to be ranked with Ezekiel and with Daniel. We believe that these three men wrote as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

However obscure the Revelation of St. John may be considered, one thing is certain, "a wayfaring man, though a fool, need not err" in understanding the meaning of the directions in faith and practice given in this book. The conclusion of this book contains threatening of destruction to any who may add to or take from, and promises of blessings to those who will faithfully keep the things contained in this book." John himself wrote his gospel long after he had written the Revelation. The threatening and the promise both refer to the general truth of the Christian revelation, and to the historic predictions contained in the Revelation of St. John. A false doctrine introduced, or received when introduced, exposes to the punishment threatened. A wilfully false interpretation of the prophecies contained in the Revelation must appear to be equally dangerous. A

blessing is promised to all who attentively read the "Revelation."

Eusebius first conferred the title of "Divine" upon St. John. He thought that St. John had uttered clearer revelations of the Divine Mind than the other apostles had uttered. I do not agree with him. The prophetic visions, from the fourth chapter to the end, are thus described by Sir Isaac Newton: "God gave these, and the prophecies of the Old Testament, not to gratify men's curiosity by enabling them to foreknow things, but that, after the prophecies were fulfilled, these prophecies might be interpreted by the events, and by God's own providence, and not by the interpreter. They might then be manifested to the world."

The style of the writing in this book of the Revelation of St. John the Divine is similar to the style in the gospel and epistles of St. John. The student may read the Greek of these three books successively, and may prove, by his own efforts, these two things: first, that the Greek of St. John is the same easy Greek in these three books; and second, that the same man must have written these three books, for, however diversified the matter, the style of easily translated Greek is the same. The student may thus satisfy himself as to the genuineness of the Revelation of St. John the Divine, that is, that the book was written by St. John. He can read modern history, commencing from the battle of Actium, B.C. 31, and, by careful examination of events predicted, compared with events prophetically recorded, he can ascertain the fulfilment of the predictions, so far as they have been as yet fulfilled, and thus satisfy himself as to the authenticity of the "Revelation;" that is, whether its contents be truths.

The early church doubted the genuineness of this book; that is, whether St. John wrote it. They doubted also its authority, that is, whether the matter was true. Afterwards the book was generally acknowledged, but received with caution.

Dr. Lardner fixes the date of this book thus:A. D. 95, or 96, or 97. Epiphanius says that John was banished to Patmos by Claudius Cæsar. This makes the date of the book, A.D. 50. Andreas, Bishop of Cæsarea, in Cappadocia, about A.D. 500, in his comment on this book (vi. 6), says, John received the Revelation under the reign of Vespasian. This might fix the date to some time before the destruction of Jerusalem. However, Jerusalem was destroyed, A.D. 73. Vespasian reigned to A.d. 79.

The inscription in this book, in the Syriac version, published by De Dieu, A.D. 1627, and afterwards in the London Polyglot, is the following:-"The Revelation which God made to John the Evangelist, in the island of Patmos, to which he was banished by Nero Cæsar." This fixes the date of the "Revelation" before A.D. 69, and consequently before the destruction of Jerusalem.

Of this opinion are many eminent writers, and among them, Hentenius, Harduin, Grotius, Lightfoot, Hammond, Sir Isaac Newton, Bishop Newton, Wetstein, and others.-See Dr. Adam Clarke.

The

Dr. Clarke thinks that the style of the "Revelation" is different from the style of the gospels and epistles of St. John. I must repeat my opinion that the style of the three books is the same, as to the ease with which the Greek may be translated. style, if the word mean the figurative and parabolical expression and description of the events predicted, is different. Further, this mode of writing is the cause of the difficulty in the interpretation. I must add, that the spirit of God does not inspire the words. He leaves these to the natural powers and genius of the person inspired. Hence the natural differences in the words and style of composition found in the writings of the inspired penmen. The Holy Spirit inspires the matter; and the fulfilment of the matter predicted proves the Divine inspiration. I quote the following passage from Dr. Adam Clarke's preface to the "Revelation of St. John the Divine:" "Among the interpreters of the Apocalypse' ("Revelation,") both in ancient and modern times, we find a vast diversity of opinions; but they may be all reduced to four principal hypotheses, or modes of interpretation.

1. "The Apocalypse contains a prophetical description of the destruction of Jerusalem, of the Jewish state, and of the wars of the Jews and the Romans.

2. "It contains predictions of the persecutions of the Christians under the heathen Emperors of Rome, and of the happy days of the church under the Christian Emperors, from Constantine downwards.

3. "It contains prophecies concerning the tyrannical and oppressive conduct of the Roman Pontiffs, the true Antichrist, and foretells the final destruction of Popery.

4. It is a prophetic_declaration of the schism and heresies of Martin Luther, and of those called reformers and their successors, and the final destruction of the Protestant religion.

(1.) The first opinion has been defended by Professor Wetstein and other learned men on the continent.

(2.) The second is the opinion of the primitive fathers in general, both Greek and Latin.

(3.) The third opinion was first broached by Abbè Joachim, who flourished in the thirteenth century. His opinion was espoused by most of the Franciscans, and has been, and still is, the general opinion of the Protestants.

(4.) The fourth opinion seems to have been invented by Popish writers merely by way of retaliation, and has been illustrated and defended at large by a Mr. Walmsley (I believe), titular Dean of Wells, in a work called "The History of the Church," under the feigned name of "Signior Pastorini."

In this work he endeavours to turn everything against Luther and the Protestants which they interpreted of the Pope and Popery; and attempts to shew, from a computation of the Apocalyptical numbers, that the total destruction of Protestantism in the world will take place, A.D. 1825. The book was published, A.D. 1771. No place nor printer's name

is mentioned. The Catholic College of Maynooth, in Ireland, have lately published (see Tegg's edition of Dr. A. Clarke's Commentary, A.D. 1836) a new edition of this work, in which the author kindly predicts the approaching overthrow of the whole Protestant system, both in church and state, and gives to them, in the meantime, most condescendingly, Abaddon, or the devil for their king."

A.D. 1872.-Prince Bismarck is a strange interpreter of "Signior Pastorini."

Dr. A. Clarke enters fully into the controversy amongst learned men as to the author of the Apocalypse, whether John the Apostle or John the Presbyter were the author. I believe that John the Apostle wrote the " Revelation," that it is canonical, and that all Christian men should receive it as such. The following words prove the doctrine of the apostle, and prove the book to have been written by the beloved apostle of our Lord, who would have him tarry till I come." St. John knew and felt that "the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin:" "Unto him who loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father: to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen."-Rev. i. 5-6.

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The same gospel spirit animated the apostle in the last lines of the Apocalypse. Rev. xxii. 17: "And the Spirit and the Bride (the church) say, Come. And let him who heareth say, Come. And let him who is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." The 18th and 19th verses contain St. John's testimony to any who should add to "the words of the prophecy of this book:" "God shall add unto him the plagues which are written in this book: And if any man take away from the words of the prophecy of this book, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and out of the things which are written in this book. He who testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. The grace

of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen."

CHAPTER II.

I. Mary, the wife of Joseph and the mother of Jesus, was, it is said, the daughter of Jonathan and Anna, of the tribe of Judah; but Scripture mentions nothing of her parents, not even their names, unless Heli (Luke iii. 23) be the same as Jonathan. She was of the royal race of David, as was Joseph her husband; and was also cousin to Elizabeth, wife of Zachariah the priest, and mother of John the Baptist, who was six months older than Jesus. Luke i. 5-38.

II. Mary, sister of Lazarus, who has been supposed to be confounded with the woman mentioned in Luke vii. 37-39: "And, behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of