In compiling this little work the following authors have been consulted: Doddridge's Expositor, Macknight's Harmony of the Gospels, Whitby's Annotations, Kenrick's Expositor, Campbell's Translation of the Gospels, Clark's Commentary, Wakefield's Translation of the New Testament, Priestley's Harmony of the Gospels, Harwood's Introduction to the New Testament, Jones's Illustrations of the Gospels, Cappe's Life of Christ, Fleury's Ancient Israelites, Allen's Modern Judaism, Watson's Tracts, Lardner's Works, Hunter's Observations on the History of Jesus Christ, Wait's Gospel History, Newcome's Observations on the Character of our Lord, Blair's Discourses on the Sermon on the Mount, Jortin's Sermons, Buckminster's Sermons, Porteus's Lectures, Priestley's Notes on Scripture, Fellow's Guide to Immortality, Calmet's Dictionary, Harmer's Illustrations, Paxton's Illustrations of Scripture, Burder's Oriental Customs, Jahn's Archæology, Harris's Natural History of the Bible, Bulkley on the Parables, Gray on the Parables, Clarke's Travels, Newton on the Prophecies, Simpson on Christianity. CONTENTS. Of the various religious sects which flourished in Palestine during the time of our Lord's ministry Of the moral discourses of our Saviour, and of the Of our Lord's reproving the Fharisees for their vio- LETTER XIV. On our Lord's directions to his disciples, when he sent them to preach and to perform miracles LETTER XV. On various passages in our Lord's discourses LETTER XVI. On the gentleness and humility of our Lord LETTER XVII. On our Lord's parables LETTER XVIII. On the parable of the good Samaritan 78 83 90 LETTER XIX. On the parable of the prodigal son 94 LETTER XX. On the parable of Dives and Lazarus LETTER XXI. On the parable of the marriage supper LETTER XXII. On the parable of the Pharisee and Publican LETTER XXIII. On the parable of a nobleman who went to receive 100 105 111 Of the forms of salutation in the East; and our Lord's farewell address to his Apostles 144 Questions for the Letters on the Gospels 147 151 LETTERS ON THE GOSPELS. LETTER I. The Importance of Studying the New Testa MY DEAR NIECES, ment. FROM your earliest years, you have been the objects of my tenderest solicitude; and your advancement in virtue and knowledge lies near my heart. I am gratified with the proficiency you have made in several branches of useful learning; but I entreat you not to forget, that the knowledge of the Sacred Scriptures, particularly of the New Tes tament, is infinitely more important than any other kind of knowledge. The Gospel is emphatically styled "glad tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people." While attentively perusing the New Testament,always bear in mind, that the Gospel was first preached to the Jews, in Judea; and that the Evangelists and Apostles, with the exception perhaps of St. Luke, were all of the Hebrew nation. Much of the peculiar beauty of the inspired writings cannot be perceived, unless the history, condition, and character of the Jews have become objects of your attention, not only during the period of the Mosaic dispensation, as recorded in the Old Testament, but at the time of our Lord's appearance. It is also important to understand the frequent allusions in the New Testament to their opinions, habits, manners, and ceremonies. A view of the darkness and depravity which prevailed in the world, both among Jews and Gentiles, at the period when our Saviour appeared upon earth, will enable you to appre ciate more justly the Divine excellence of the christian dispensation. I shall be highly gratified, if the historical sketches, I propose to give you, in a series of Letters, to illustrate the Evangelists, induce you to apply with renewed ardour to the study of the New Testament. LETTER II. State of the World at the Time of our Saviour's Appearance. MY DEAR NIECES, I will now fulfil the promise in my preceding letter, and give you a brief account of the ignorance and depravity which overspread the earth, until the Sun of righteousness arose, |