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greatest reluctance, deliberation, and thought, being desirous on the one hand of drawing out a Harmony independent of all authority except the divine original, and on the other hand avoiding alteration of what has been done, where it agreed with my views, and claiming not the slightest authority for the result.

In carrying out this compilation, the following method has been adopted :—

An index of each subject and occurrence in each gospel was copied into a synopsis, in single columns, and, from a comparison of the four synopses, an order of events was in some degree decided. Each gospel was then put in a single continuous column, and the four placed side by side, and the narrative taken from one or other, or harmonized from the four, as on a careful consideration of the whole seemed best.

In doing this, simplicity of narrative, like the principle of least action in dynamics, has been considered fundamentally indispensable.-Oneness of sense and purpose-the maintenance of the spirit and meaning, and of the general intention, so that no new, inferential, consequential, or suggestive meaning, should be imported by the juxtaposition of sentences brought from separate gospels, or the meaning of any word or phrase thereby influenced-these points have been cautiously regarded. The labours of others have been sedulously compared with what was done; the order of cause and effect, &c., has been kept in view, as well as the gradual development of the new doctrine; the introduction of as much of the four Gospels as possible, short of repeating the same words; these considerations have served as a guide in cases of difficulty.

What I have done has had the effect of rendering it necessary that I should most thoroughly investigate the four Gospels; and should it lead others to do the same, in simplicity and godly sincerity, they must indeed confess that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God, and believing have life through His name.

Δόξα ἐν ὑψίστοις Θεῷ,

καὶ ἐπὶ γῆς εἰρήνη,

ἐν ἀνθρώποις εὐδοκία.

Luke 2. 14.

Rotherham, February 15th, 1854.

C. BARTHOLOMEW.

THE LIFE AND DOCTRINE

OF

OUR BLESSED LORD AND SAVIOUR

JESUS CHRIST;

BEING A CONTINUOUS NARRATIVE,

COMPILED FROM THE FOUR GOSPELS,

IN THE WORDS OF THE AUTHORIZED VERSION.

"TH

Mark i, 1. Luke i, 1-15.

HE beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word; it seemed good to me also, 5 having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, that thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.

There was, in the days of Herod, the king of Judæa, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the 10 daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years. And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before 15 God in the order of his course, according to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense. And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when 20 Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.

And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his 25 birth. For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy

Reference Numbers.- No. 1 denotes St. Matthew's Gospel; No. 2, St. Mark's; No. 3, St Luke's; No. 4, St. John's; and No. 5 refers to The Acts of the Apostles.

B

Luke i, 15-41.

Ghost, even from his mother's womb.

And many of the children of
And he shall go before

Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

And

5

'And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years. And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, 10 until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season. the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple. And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple; for he 15 beckoned unto them, and remained speechless. And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house.

And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying, Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein 20 he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.

'And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art 25 highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and 30 shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David; and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the 35 angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was 40 called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda; and entered into the house of Zacharias, 45 and saluted Elisabeth. And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth

Matt. i, 1-18. Luke i, 41-56.

3was filled with the Holy Ghost: and she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And bles- 5 sed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.

And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall 10 call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree, 15 He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of mercy; as he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.

his

And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her 20 own house.

'The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren; and Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram; 25 and Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon; and Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse; and Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias; and Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam 30 begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa; and Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias; and Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias; and Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias; and Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the 35 time they were carried away to Babylon: and after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorababel; and Zorababel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor; and Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud; and Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan ; 40 and Matthan begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen 45 generations.

1 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: when as his

Matt. i, 18-25. Luke i, 57-79.

'mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, 5 Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 10 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife and knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son,

15

"Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son. And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her. And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of 20 his father. And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John. And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name. And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called. And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all. And his mouth 25 was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God. And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judæa. And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be!

And the hand of the Lord was with him.

30

And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, and hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; as he spake by the 35 mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: that we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; to perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; the oath which he sware to our father Abraham, that he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out 40 of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life. And thon, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; to give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, through the tender 45 mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,

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