DISTRICT OF MASSACHUSETTS, TO WIT:

District Clerk's Office. BE it remembered, that on the twenty-second day of May, A. D. 1828, in the fiftythird year of the Independence of the United States of America, HILLIARD, GRAY, LITTLE, AND WILKINS, of the said district, have deposited in this office the title of a book, the right whereof they claim as proprietors, in the words following, to wit:

'Lives of the Twelve Apostles: with Explanatory Notes. By F. W. P. GREENWOOD, Junior Minister of King's Chapel, Boston. "The glorious company of the Apostles praise Thee.""

In conformity to the act of the Congress of the United States, entitled 'An act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned; and also to an act, entitled An act supplementary to an act, entitled, "An act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned;" and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engraving, and etching historical and other prints.'

JNO. W. DAVIS,

Clerk of the District of Massachusetts.

EXAMINER PRESS.

Hiram Tupper, Printer-Bromfield Lane.

2596

19-2

то

THE MEMBERS

OF THE

SOCIETY WORSHIPPING AT KING'S CHAPEL,

THIS VOLUME,

WRITTEN FOR THEIR USE,

AND PUBLISHED AT THEIR REQUEST,

IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED

BY THE AUTHOR.

LIVES OF THE APOSTLES.

INTRODUCTION.

JESUS CHRIST, the Saviour and Teacher sent from God, soon after he commenced his ministry, selected twelve men to be his immediate followers and confidential disciples. "Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; the first, SIMON who is called PETER, and ANDREW his brother; JAMES the son of ZEBEDEE, and JOHN his brother; PHILIP, and BARTHOLOMEW; THOMAS, and MATTHEW the Publican ; JAMES the son of ALPHEUS, and LEBBEUS, whose surname was THADDEUS; SIMON the Canaanite, and JUDAS ISCARIOT, who also betrayed him.' This list of the apostles is taken from the Gospel of Matthew, who was himself one of them. We are also presented with a similar catalogue in the Gospels of Mark and Luke, and in the book of Acts.

*

Why the exact number of twelve was appointed, it is more difficult than important to determine. Perhaps it was done in compliance with the attachment of

* Chap. x. 2, 3, 4.

1

the Jews to that number. Perhaps it was with a more particular reference to the number of the sons of Jacob, and the tribes of which they were the progenitors and founders; 'ye also,' says Jesus, shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.' This is a point, however, of little or no consequence; and therefore need not detain us in discussion.

The motives which induced the Master to call to himself a select company of disciples, seem to be much more obvious. It was proper and even necessary, that he should have some followers in whom he might particularly confide, and who should be always near him and about him.

I

It was needful, in the first place, that he should be thus attended, in order that the wonders, which he worked in confirmation of the divinity of his mission, should be nearly inspected and credibly attested. deem it one of the strongest evidences of the truth of our Saviour's miracles, that they were performed, not only in sight of the multitude, but of a select company, who were too familiar with him to be deceived themselves, and too honest to join with him in deceiving others. Being brought into the midst of his operations, they were qualified to judge of their reality and integrity, and therefore qualified to report them to the world with all the warmth of conviction, and all the directness, particularity, and authority of constant experience and repeated vision. A changing crowd, never composed perhaps on any two occasions of the same materials, might have been mistaken; but a band of twelve companions could not have been. They were fitted,