of a common document; but that document was no other than the PREACHING OF OUR BLESSED LORD HIMSELF. He was the great Prototype. In looking up to him, the Author of their faith and mission, and to the very words in which he was wont to dictate to them (which not only yet sounded is their ears, but were also recalled by the aid of his Holy Spirit promised for that very purpose), they have given us three Gospels, often agreeing in words, though not without much diversification, ana always in sense."A

With respect to the doctrines of our Lord, it should be recollected that the sacred historians are labouring to report with accuracy the speeches and discourses of another; in which case even common historians would endeavour to preserve the exact sense, and, as far as their memory would serve them, the same words. "In seeking to do this," says the late eminently learned Bishop of London (Dr. Randolph), "it is not to be wondered at, that two or three writers should often fall upon verbal agreement: nor, on the contrary, if they write independently, that they should often miss of it, because their memory would often fail them. With regard to the sacred writers, it is natural to suppose them studious of this very circumstance; and we have also reason to think, that they had assistance from above to the same effect: and yet it is not necessary to suppose that either their natural faculty, or the extraordinary assistance vouchsafed them, or both, should have brought them to a perfect identity throughout; because it was not necessary for the purposes of Providence, and because it would have affected their character of original independent witnesses. Let me add, that these discourses, before they were committed to writing by the evangelists, must have been often repeated amongst the apostles in teaching others, and in calling them to remembrance among themselves. Matthew had probably often heard and known how his fellow-labourers recollected the same discourses which he had selected for his own preaching and writing. We know not how much intercourse they had with each other, but probably a great deal before they finally dispersed themselves. Mark and Luke had the same opportunities, even if they were not original eye-witnesses. I admit, then,

whether one or two blind men miraculously received their sight in the neighbourhood of Jericho; and whether that miracle was performed at one end of the town or at the other, are circumstances which, when compared with the miracles hemselves, are of so little importance, as may easily be supposed to have made but a slight impression on the minds of even some of the most attentive observers, whose whole attention had been directed to the principal object, and by whom these circumstances would be soon forgotten, or, if remembered at all, remembered confusedly. To the order To this powerful reasoning we can add nothing: proof time in which the miracles were performed, the evange- tracted as this discussion has unavoidably been, the import Lists appear to have paid very little regard, but to have re-ance of its subjects must be the author's apology for the corded them, as Boswell records many of the sayings of length at which the preceding questions have been treated; Johnson, without marking their dates; or as Xenophon has because the admission of either the copying, documentary, recorded the memorabilia of Socrates in a work which has or traditionary hypotheses is not only detrimental to the been, in this respect, compared to the Gospels." character of the sacred writers, but also diminishes the value and importance of their testimony. "They seem to think more justly," said that eminent critic Le Clerc, "who say that the first three evangelists were unacquainted with each other's design: thus greater weight accrues to their testimony. When witnesses agree, who have previously con certed together, they are suspected: but those witnesses are justly credited who testify the same thing separately, and without knowing what others have said."s

fewer; one subjoins a reason or an explanation, which another did not most correct observers, and scrupulously exact reporters in the world do feel to be necessary; and thus, we may be assured, would three of the always, if they separately related what they had seen or heard the very day before. Probably each would do so if he twice related, in conversation only, the very same transactions or discourses. Our daily experience may prove this to us. Narrations of the same facts, or of the same discourses, always differ from each other; generally, indeed, more than they ought to diner; from carelessness, inaccuracy, or the love of embellishment. But setting these causes aside, they still must differ. One person will relate rather more, another rather less, of the facts or words; one will try to explain as he goes, another to illustrate; and the expressions used will always savour, more or less, of the habitual mode of discourse peculiar to the individual. But in reporting speeches, the more care is taken to preserve the very words of the speaker, the less there will be, in that part, of the usual difference of expressions. Still, something there will always remain, because, however careful a man may be to describe correct view, and I hesitate not to say, the only correct view, of the reseinor imitate another, he is never able to put off himself. This, then, is the blances and differences in the Gospels. They agree as narratives will agree, whose common model is the truth. They differ as distinct narratives will always differ, while men are men; but they neither agree nor differ deacon Nares's Veracity of the Evangelists demonstrated, pp. 171–174. as copied narratives would, for the reasons already assigned." Mr. ArchIn pp. 175, 176. 297–301. the coincidence and difference of the evangelists and of St. Paul's two narratives of his own conversion, and the historical are appositely illustrated by harmonized tables of the parable of the sower, narrative of St. Luke.

John xiv. 26.

1 Bp. Gleig's edition of Stackhouse's History of the Bible, vol. iii. p. 104. "Remarks on Michaelis's Introduction to the New Testament," p. 32. "As no two human minds ever proceed with an exact parallelism of et seq. See also Bishop Gieig's edition of Stackhouse, vol. iii. pp. 105-112. ideas, or suggest an unvaried flow of the same words, so in reporting these Multo rectiùs sentire videntur, qui evangelistas tres priores scripsisse things, with all their care, the evangelists, like other men, made some suas historias cersent, cùm neuter aliorum consilii conscius esset, unde minute variations. Substantially, their accounts are the same, and bespeak etiam eorum testimonie majus accedit pondus. Cum enim consentiunt the same origin; namely, truth, reality, and correct representation. Inspi-testes, qui inter se capita contulerunt, suspecti potiùs habentur: sed testes, ration was doubtless a further guarantee for this substantial agreement, qui idem testantur seorsim, nescii aliorum testimonii, meritò verum dicere though it went not to the length of suggesting words. In little matters, there- videntur.-Joannis Phereponi [i. 2. Le Clem] ia ivertiores in Augus fore, they vary, so that one reports the same fact rather more fully, an- tini Librum de Consensu Evangeliorum Appendix Augustiniana, p. 632 other more concisely; one preserves more of our Lord's words, another | Antverp 1703. folio.

No. II.

TABLES OF WEIGHTS, MEASURES, AND MONEY,

MENTIONED IN THE BIBLE.

Extracted chiefly from the Second Edition of Dr. Arbuthnot's Tables of Ancient Coins, Weights, and Measures

4. Scripture Measures of Capacity for Liquids, reduced to 7. Roman and Greek Money, mentioned in the New Testament,

English Wine Measure.

reduced to the English Standard.

16 12 3 A hin

A penny, or denarius (Avasov)

(073

No. III.

A CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE

OF THE

PRINCIPAL EVENTS RECORDED IN THE BIBLE.

PART I.

4 Table of the most REMARKABLE EVENTS comprised in the Old Testament, abridged from Archbishop USHER and Father CALMET, together with the corresponding Dates adopted by the Rev. Dr. HALES in his "New Analysis of Chronology," ane. by the Right Rev. Dr. GLEIG, in his new Edition of Stackhouse's History of the Bible.

The true Date of the Birth of Christ is FOUR YEARS before the common Era, or A. D.

2136 1536 God informs Noah of the future deluge, and 2468 3275 3358 2108

commissions him to preach repentance to
mankind, 120 years before the deluge.

2227 1651 Lamech dies, the father of Noah, aged 777 2353 3184

Pharaoh's dreams explained by Joseph, who is 1715 1872 made governor of Egypt.

Joseph's ten brethren come into Egypt to buy 1706 1863
corn. Joseph imprisons Simeon.-His breth-

ren return; Joseph discovers himself, and
engages them to come into Egypt with their
father Jacob, then 130 years old.

2234 2614 3683 2433 A revolution in Egypt. The Israelites perse-1571 1728
2554

2155 2362 3763 2513 Moses, commissioned by God, returns into 1491 1648

B. C. Dr.H.|| Dr.H.A. M.

3763 2513 Pharaoh pursues the Israelites with his army, 1491 1648 3849 2599 During the succeeding anarchy happened the 1405 1561 and overtakes them at Pi-hahiroth. The waters divided. Israel goes through on dry

1249 1100 4361 2785 David succeeds to Saul on the throne of Israel. 1219 1070 3803 2553 The people pass the river Jordan. Joshua 1451 1608 4375 2819 Absalom's rebellion against his father David 1185 1036

4514 3107 Jehoshaphat accompanies Ahab in his expedi- 893 897 4506 3107
tion against Ramoth Gilead; where he nar-
rowly escapes a great danger.

4515 3108 Jehoshaphat equips a fleet for Ophir; Ahaziah 892 896 4507 3108 Ahaziah, falling from the lattice of his house. 896 899 king of Israel partaking of the design, the

Dr. U... M.

Kings of Judah.

4515 3117

Ahaziah reigns but one year.

Joash or Jehoash born.

Homer the Greek poet flourishes.

Kings of Israel.

B. C. Dr. H.

884 896 4515 3119 Samaria besieged by Ben-hadad king of Syria. 881 885
Ben-hadad and his army, seized with a
panic, flee during the night.

4516 3120 Ahaziah accompanies Jehoram king of Israel 879 895 4516 3120 Elisha, going to Damascus, foretells the death 880 884

to the siege of Ramoth Gilead. He is slain
by Jehu.

Athaliah kills all the royal family; usurps

the kingdom. Jehoash is preserved and
kept secretly in the temple six years.

4522 3126 Jehoiada the high-priest sets Jehoash on the 878 889
throne of Judah, and slays Athaliah.

4562 3164 Zechariah the high-priest, son of Jehoiada, 836 849
killed in the temple by order of Jehoash.
Hazael king of Syria wars against Jehoash.

of Ben-hadad, and the reign of Hazael.

Jehoram marches with Ahaziah against Ra

moth Gilead; is dangerously wounded, and
carried to Jezreel.

Jehu rebels against Jehoram; kills him, and
usurps the throne.

4544 3148 Jehu dies; Jehoahaz his son succeeds him.

852 867

4563 3165 Hazael returns against Jehoash; and forces 835 848 4561 3165 Jehoahaz dies. Joash, cr Jehoash, whom he 835 850 large sums from him. (2 Chron. xxiv. 23.)

Jehoash dies; and is succeeded by Amaziah.

had associated with himself on the throne

A. M. 3162, succeeds him.

Jehoash wars against Ben-hadad.

4591 3178 Amaziah wars against Jehoash king of Israel; 822 820 4576 3178 Jehoash obtains a great victory over Amaziah 821 834 is defeated by him.

4602 3189 Amaziah dies; Uzziah or Azariah succeeds 810 809
him.

Isaiah and Amos prophesy in Judah under
this reign.

king of Judah.

4577 3179 Jehoash king of Israel dies; Jeroboam II. suc-
ceeds him.
Jonah, Hosea, and Amos in Israel, prophesy
during this reign.

820 833

4640 3232 Jeroboam II. dies; Zachariah his son succeeds 779 792 him.

The chronology of this reign is very per

4654 3246 Uzziah dies; Jotham his son succeeds.
Laiah sees the glory of the Lord. (Isa. vi.)
Isaiah and Hosea continue to prophesy.

plexed.

4640 3232 Zachariah killed by Shallum, after reigning

768 771

six months.