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even slight variations in the report of our Lord's words, do not attempt to convey all the shades of expression which give a distinctive character to the narrative; yet the size of the Volume may be an indirect evidence to the small proportion of the Gospels, which are actually identical.†

Although this narrative is in the words of scripture, the Editor would not desire it to be supposed that it must necessarily convey the exact sense of scripture. Whilst aiming to arrive at a point of view, common to all the historians, he may fail of that simplicity of conception, which will be derived from a single Gospel. By repeating details from the Evangelists, he may give some circumstances an accidental prominence. He may put as additional particulars, what are really different phases of the same event : or may give as different phases of the same event, what are in reality different transactions. These cases are, however, comparatively rare, and do not affect the general usefulness of the book. The diversity which he found among other Compilers, in some difficult passages, reminded him that persons of equal patience and candour form different judgments on the same facts. If those who deem a correct system of doctrine essential to salvation should learn charity and diffidence, when they meet, in the wide range of scripture, with texts which seem to favour the views of their opponents; those who lay the highest stress on what is called Historical Christianity, may find that positive certainty, in minor details, is not essential to faith.

The Compiler of a work like the present is released from any fearful responsibility, by the knowledge that the gospels themselves are in the hands of all his readers. They will always, in their usual form, continue to be the writings in I which the believer will find nourishment for devotion.

If

* Even the Authorized Translation can convey to the careful reader a decided impression of the distinctive features of the Gospels, which are so marked, that critics, if they met with any isolated extract from them, could tell to which it belonged but he will derive peculiar assistance from the Apostolical Harmony, as this object is kept prominently in view in its construction.

The Editor of "The Four Gospels combined," remarks, that "The exclusion of all the repetitions reduces the combined length of the four Gospels by about one-eighth only. The words omitted in the Book of John......are equal to only fourteen verses." This is borne out by the calculations of Prof. Norton, in his very valuable work on the "Genuineness of the Gospels." See also a useful and interesting little work:-"The Gospel Narratives, their origin, peculiarities, and transmission, by Henry A. Miles." Boston, U. S.

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any derive from this Volume an increased interest in the evangelical records, it will necessarily promote their separate study. We wish to hear apart those voices which so wonderfully harmonize. We desire personal acquaintance with the individual characters of those whom we have loved when united; and we follow them from social intercourse to their own homes.

In conclusion, the Editor may be allowed to state, that as he commenced this work with no fixed theory, he has had no temptation to execute it with anything but candour. His acquaintance with the earthly life of Christ has become more complete, and his faith in the truthfulness of our memorials of it more strong. He has not been blind to difficulties, in descriptions of times of excitement and confusion, in which uniformity might itself have awakened suspicion; but they have only increased his confidence in the sincerity of the historians, and the fidelity of their transcribers. If he has not always reached the particular truth he sought, he has found truth, by searching in its spirit among those who were prompted by its influence; who, by speaking it in love, grew up in all things unto him who is the head, even Christ. If, in the distance of past ages, he sees as through a glass darkly, it only enhances the desire to see face to face in the holy future and to come to a perfect knowledge of all things, in the presence of those who wrote, and of him who is our Life.'

*The student may derive benefit from verifying the combined passages by the Harmony and as the Editor hopes that this Work may be used in some Bible Classes, he would suggest, that scholars, who have only the Common Version, may take one Gospel as a basis in each Section, copy out the passages which are not to be found in it, and search for them in the other Evangelists.

TABLES OF PARTS AND SECTIONS.

INTRODUCTION.

CIRCUMSTANCES CONNECTED WITH THE BIRTH AND CHILDHOOD OF JOHN THE BAPTIST, AND OF JESUS CHRIST.

SECT. i. Luke's General Introduction to the Gospel History, Page 1. ii. Announcement to Zachariah of the approaching birth of John, 1. iii. Announcement to Mary of the approaching birth of Jesus, 3. iv. Mary's visit to Elizabeth, 4. v. Birth of John the Baptist, 5. vi. Genealogies of Christ, 7. vii. Announcement to Joseph of the approaching birth of Jesus, 9. viii. Birth of Jesus, with connected circumstances, 9. ix. Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, 11. x. Visit of the Magi-Flight into Egypt-Return to Galilee, 13. xi. Jesus at the Passover when twelve years of age, 15.

RECORDS OF CHRIST'S MINISTRY.

PART I. THE PREACHING OF JOHN THE BAPTIST: AND THE

MINISTRY OF CHRIST TO HIS FIRST MIRACLE.

SECT. i. General View of the Dispensation by Jesus Christ: His Power and Dignity, 16. ii. General View of the Ministry of the Baptist, 17. iii. The Baptism of Jesus, near Bethabara, 19. iv. The sojourn of Christ in the Desert: His Temptations, 20. v. Testimony of the Baptist to a deputation from the Sanhedrim. The First Disciples of Jesus, 21. vi. The Marriage at Cana: Our Lord's First Miracle, 24.

PART II.

FROM THE FIRST PASSOVER, INCLUSIVELY, ΤΟ THE APPROACH OF THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES.

SECT. i. At the FIRST PASSOVER, Jesus authoritatively expels the traders from the Temple-court, and predicts his death to the rulers, 25. ii. During the Passover many believe in him: conference with Nicodemus: observations of the Evangelist, 26. iii. Last-recorded testimony of the Baptist: observations of the Evangelist, 28. iv. Our Lord's conference with the Samaritan Woman, at Sychar: subsequent occurrences, 29. v. Jesus while at Cana heals the Nobleman's son who was ill at Capernaum, 32. vi. During the PENTECOST, our Lord heals the infirm man at Bethesda: his subsequent discourse before the Sanhedrim, 33. vii. The walk through the Corn-fields on the Second-First Sabbath, 36. viii. Christ rejected at Nazareth, 37.

PART III.

CONNECTED WITH THE FEAST

TRANSACTIONS

OF TABERNACLES.

SECT. i. On the approach of the FEAST OF TABERNACLES, Christ is urged to go to Jerusalem: He goes up privately about the middle of the feast: transactions during it, 39. ii. The woman taken in adultery brought before Jesus : his discourses with the Jews, on the day after the Festival, 42. iii. Miraculous cure of the blind man : our Lord's subsequent discourses: the Good Shepherd, &c., 46.

PART IV.

CHRIST'S PUBLIC PREACHING IN GALILEE-IN
FEAST OF TABERNACLES

THE INTERVAL BETWEEN THE

AND THAT OF DEDICATION-UNTIL THE MISSION OF THE

TWELVE.

SECT. i. Imprisonment of the Baptist; on hearing of it, Christ begins to proclaim the approach of the Kingdom of Heaven: he calls Peter, Andrew, James, and John, 51. ii. On the ensuing sabbath, Christ heals the demoniac in the synagogue of Capernaum; then, the mother of Peter's wife; and, in the evening, many others, 52. iii. First Progress through Galilee. Miraculous draught of Fishes, 54. iv. The Sermon on the Mount, 55. v. The cure of the leper, and of the centurion's servant in Capernaum, 65. vi. The widow's son raised at Nain, 67. vii. Having given directions to cross the Lake, our Lord is addressed by a Scribe and others on the passage he stilleth the storm: on landing in the District of Gadara, he restores the maniac and his companion, 67. viii. On returning to Capernaum, Jesus heals the paralytic, and afterwards calls Matthew the publi71. ix. The day of Matthew's feast: the Pharisees and the disciples of John censure Christ, 72: the cure of the disordered woman, 74: the daughter of Jairus restored to life, 75: sight restored to two blind men: and the dumb demoniac cured, 76. x. Christ selects the Apostles, and then makes a Second Progress through Galilee, 76. xi. The Apostles instructed both for their present Mission, and for their future service, and then sent forth into various parts of Galilee, 78.

can,

PART V.

TRANSACTIONS OF CHRIST AFTER SENDING FORTH THE APOSTLES, TILL ALL OF THEM HAD COLLECTED TO HIM AFTER THE DEATH OF THE BAPTIST.

SECT. i. The message of the Baptist, and our Lord's reply, 82. ii. Jesus, at the house of Simon the Pharisee, receives the grateful services of the woman who had been a sinner, 84. iii. Christ instructs and sends forth the Seventy Disciples he upbraids the cities of Galilee: (Notice of the return of the Seventy to him:) he gives praise to the Father, 85. iv. Christ delivers the parable of the Good Samaritan: and visits Martha and Mary at Bethany, 87. v. Christ at Jerusalem at the FEAST OF DEDICATION : subsequent sojourn in the Peræa, 89. vi. Some disciples instructed in prayer, 90. vii. Discourses of Christ during his sojourn in the Perca: at the house of the Chief Pharisee, 91: with the Multitude

on counting the cost, 93: the Lost Sheep: the Prodigal Son, 94: the Unjust Steward; and the Rich Man and Lazarus, 96. viii. Jesus goes to Bethany, and raises Lazarus from the dead: the Sanhedrim formally resolve to put him to death; and he withdraws to Ephraim, with some of his disciples, 99. ix. On returning to Galilee, probably at Capernaum, our Lord heals the man with the withered hand: the Pharisees hold a council against him; and he withdraws to the shore of the Lake, 102. x. Discourses of Christ occasioned by the hostility of the Pharisees and the interference of his relatives: after the cure of the blind and dumb demoniac, 104: on the demand of a sign from heaven, 106: on the application of his Mother and Brethren, 107. xi. Christ at the house of a Pharisee, 108. xii. The Day of Parables: Sower-Tares-Growth of Corn-Mustard Seed&c., 110. xiii. Our Lord again visits Nazareth, 115. xiv. A series of discourses recorded by Luke in connection, 116. xv. The infirm woman healed on the Sabbath, 121.

PART VI.

FROM THE GENERAL RETURN OF THE TWELVE, TO OUR LORD'S DEPARTURE FROM GALILEE.

:

SECT. i. Herod hears of Jesus, after the death of John the Baptist: the remainder of the Apostles rejoin our Lord, 123. ii. The miracle of the Five Thousand, near Bethsaida Philippi, 125. iii. During the following night, Christ walks on the sea: and the next day works miracles in the Land of Gennesaret, 127. iv. Conference in the synagogue at Capernaum, the day after the miracle of the Five Thousand, 129. v. Declarations to the Scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem and also to the people and his disciples, 132. vi. Christ goes to the Region of Tyre and Sidon, where he cures the daughter of the Syrophoenician woman he then returns to the neighbourhood of the Lake; and, in the Decapolis, he cures a deaf man and many others, and miraculously supplies Four Thousand with food, 135. vii. When near Dalmanutha, some Pharisees and Sadducees seek for a sign from our Lord: after crossing the Lake, he warns his disciples against their doctrine; and, on arriving at Bethsaida, restores a blind man, 137. viii. Christ withdraws to the Region of Cesarea Philippi, where Peter declares his belief that he is the promised Messiah, 139. ix. Transfiguration of Christ, 141. x. On the day after the Transfiguration, our Lord cures a deaf and dumb demoniac, 143. xi. In passing through Galilee, Christ again predicts his approaching sufferings; and, on arriving at Capernaum, pays the Temple tribute, 144. xii. Our Lord's last discourses in Galilee, 145.

PART VII. OUR LORD'S FINAL JOURNEY FROM GALILEE,
THROUGH THE PEREA, TO HIS
SHORTLY BEFORE THE PASSOVER.

ARRIVAL AT BETHANY

SECT. i. Our Lord sets out for Jerusalem; is refused reception in Samaria: while passing through the Confines of Samaria and Galilee, in order to go into the Peræa, he heals ten lepers, 150. ii. Christ teaches in the Perca: declaration to

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