Imagini ale paginilor
PDF
ePub

PAGE.

THE NEW AND COMPLETE

LIFE OF OUR BLESSED LORD AND SAVIOUR,

JESUS CHRIST :

CONTAINING

The most authentic and full account of all the wonderful

TRANSACTIONS, SUFFERINGS, AND DEATH

OF OUR

GLORIOUS REDEEMER:

WITH

THE LIVES, ACTS, AND SUFFERINGS, OF HIS HOLY APOSTLES, EVANGELISTS, DISCIPLES, &C. INCLUDING THE LIVES OF JOHN THE BAPTIST, THE VIRGIN MARY AND MANY OTHER ENINENT PERSONS AND PRIMITIVE CHRISTIANS, NOT TO BE FOUND IN ANY OTHER WORK OF THIS KIND.

CHAPTER I.

Concerning the State of Religion, &c. in the World in General, and in the Roman Empire and the Jewish Nation in particular, at the Time of our REDEEMER'S Birth. Including an Account of the various Sects amongst the Jews, and other particulars, by way of Introduction.

IT is generally acknowledged, by the most learned and judicious chronologers, that the GREAT REDEEMER was born in the four thousandth year after the creation of the world, and four years before the vulgar ara. This mistake is supposed to have arisen from the

B

low state of learning, when the birth of CHRIST was first fixed as the epocha from which the whole Christian world reckoned their time. This being upwards of five hundred years after the birth of CHRIST, and there being no authentic records, to fix the time with exactness and precision, a mistake of four years was at first made, and hath been ever since continued. The year in which the SAVIOUR of the world was born, was the thirty-third of Herod, king of the Jews, after his taking Jerusalem; and the twenty-sixth of the emperor Augustus, after the victory of Actium; which, concluding the contest between him and Mark Anthony, put him in possession of the whole Roman empire. It was now about seven hundred and fifty years since the building of Rome. The Romans had carried their victorious arms through the surrounding nations, and by their justice, clemency, and moderation risen to the highest pitch of glory and renown: but by the pride, luxury, and frequent quarrels of their great men, the empire was sinking from its ancient greatness; the commonwealth was at an end; and the senate had been forced to submit to a master. Though the state had made a violent struggle for liberty, in the murder of Julius Cæsar, great quarrels succeeded, and the whole empire was subjected to the authority of Augustus. This was a prince of a very amiable disposition: he, by his wise management, put an end to all contention, and governed the empire with such justice, prudence, and moderation, as made him highly esteemed by his subjects. He not only settled the affairs of the state so as to preserve all things quiet at home, but had the like success throughout the remoter parts of the vast. empire for a general peace prevailed through all the world, when our Great Redeemer, the heavenly Prince of peace, was born.

The Jewish nation was at this time groaning under the tyranny of Herod the Great; who, though an old man, declining in his health, and just bordering on the

« ÎnapoiContinuă »