to have suffered martyrdom in a city of Achaia in the northern part of Peloponnesus. JAMES was the brother of John, and son of Zebedee (commonly called James the Great, to distinguish him from James, the son of Alpheus.) With Peter and John, he was admitted to particular interviews with Christ, when the other apostles were not present. We have no certain account that he ever was out of Judea. He was considered a very holy and just man; of great firmness and zeal in defending the doctrines of the gospel. He was the first apostle who suffered martyrdom; having been put to death by Herod, about fifteen years after the ascension of Christ. PHILIP, like the other apostles, spent several years in preaching the gospel in Judea, Galilee and Samaria; after which he travelled into other countries. He was some time in Phrygia, then a province of the Roman empire, which is comprehended in what is now called Turkey in Asia. And in this part of Asia he suffered death on account of his religion; but in what year of the Christian æra, is not precisely known. BARTHOLOMEW (who is supposed to be the same as Nathaniel) according to the most correct accounts, carried the gospel into Parthia, and Media; and probably into the western part of India. Afterward he passed through Phrygia in company with Philip, and then into Armenia, where he was put to death for preaching Christ, and opposing the idolatry and vices of the pagan inhabitants. The apostle THOMAS also went eastward, after passing several years in Judea; and preached to the Persians, Medes, Bactrians, and other nations bordering on India. He also suffered martyrdom by the hands of pagans for his efforts to persuade men to embrace the gospel of Christ. JAMES, the son of Alpheus, or Cleopas, nephew of the holy virgin, is said by ecclesiastical writers to have exereised the office of bishop, or pastor, to the Christians in Jerusalem. He was stoned to death about the year 66. An epistle written by him to the dispersed Jews, who believed in Christ, makes a part of the sacred canon. JUDE, the brother of James, last mentioned, and who was called Thaddeus or Libbeus, is supposed to have written the epistle, which bears his name. It is believed, that he preached in Mesopotamia, and other countries north and east of Judea; and afterwards suffered martyrdom in some part of Persia. SIMON ZELOTES, or the Canaanite, was a brother, or near relative of James and Jude. It is related of him, that he lived to a great age; that he preached the gospel in Egypt and Lybia; and after the death of James was bishop of Jerusalem. We have not a very full and particular account of the labors of all the apostles to the close of their lives. But the early Christian writers unite in giving testimony to their zeal and perseverance in executing the commission they received from Christ, to declare his gospel to and make disciples among all nations. They promulgated the gospel to all civilized people; and were entirely devoted to the great work of instructing and reforming the world. They sowed the good seed of the word of life in all countries then known and civilized; the fruits of which have continued to bless mankind down to the present day. They confirmed the doctrines they taught, by exhibiting supernatural power, by speaking various languages without previous learning, and by prophecies, some of which were soon fulfilled. These powers are called gifts of the Holy Spirit; and they were granted them for a testimony and sanction to the truth of their heavenly mission. And by this consideration only can we rationally account for the rapid and extensive prevalence of Christianity, when opposed by such numerous and powerful enemies; by ignorant and bigotted pagans, by conceited and self-sufficient philosophers, by interested priests, and by still more interested civil rulers and princes of the earth. Christianity having become known and established, the necessity for miracles no longer existed. And we learn, that they ceased after the days of the immediate successors of the holy apostles. But piety and charity never fail. They will ever be the duty and the ornament of Christians. BRADFORD & READ, No. 58, CORNHILL, BOSTON, HAVE FOR SALE Doddridge's Expositor; Drew on the Resurrection; Ely's Contrast of Calvinism, &c." Do. Practical Piety; Horne on Psalms; H. Kirk White's Remains; Do. on Sandemanianism; Jones' Illustrations of the Gospels, Life of Bishop Porteus; Horsley on Hosea; Jamieson's Sacred History; Meikle's Solitude Sweetened; Milner's Church History; More's Christian Morals; Locke's Reasonableness of Chris- Newcombe's Life of Christ; Newton on Ecclesiastical History Paley's Sermons ; Saurin's Sermons; Stackhouse's History of the Bible; Songs of Solomon; Twin Sisters, or Advantages of Token for Children; View of the principal Doctrines Watson's Tracts; Young Minister's Companion; Children's Books of all kinds, moral, entertaining and religious; Hymns for Children; Watts' Psalms and Hymns; Methodists' Psalms and Hymns: also, an extensive assortment of Books in Law, Medicine, History, and Miscellanies. They also propose soon to publish the Life and Works of Miss Catharine Talbot WATSON & BANGS, PRINTERS, 7, STATE-STREET, BOSTON. The Editor of this volume owes it to himself, as well as to his friends and the public, to observe, by way of apology both for the delay of its publication, and the numerous mistakes and imperfections which may be discovered, that, for six months past, he has been in a very feeble state of health, and unable to bestow the attention, he had proposed, and which a work of this sort demands. The notes had been made in an interleaved Testament; and in many instances, the words were abbreviated, so that they were not intelligible to the printers. This is And if health had permitted, the cause both of mistakes and omissions the Editor would have added more remarks, by way of explanation to the unlearned reader. The following mistakes have been observed, (others probably exist,) and the reader is requested to correct the passages accordingly. ERRATA. Page 13 of the Gen. Introduction, six lines from bottom, for shose, read those. 15 do. ten lines from bottom, for theory, read theology. 17 do. eight lines from bottom, for any, read every. 34 Matt. i. chap. 17, "Christ" should not be italicised. 87 five lines from top, for mind, read wind. 132 last line, for a, read the. 134 six lines from top, "moreover" should not be italicised. 143 Preface to Mark, sixteen lines from top, for after, read often. 152 Mark iii. 1 verse, it should read, and there was a man, &c. 161 Note, for Does it, read It does. 180 Note should be placed at the end of 18th verse. 201 Note, read, They could allege nothing, &c. 223 eight lines from top, "as was supposed" should not be in italics. 248 five lines from bottom, for bewaled, read bewailed. 286 four lines from bottom, he that, is repeated. 287 third line from top, read, for of such, &c. 296 Note, for Acts xi. read ii. 562 John x. 23, read in the temple. 410 twenty-three lines from top, for returning, read retiring. 418 Note, five lines from bottom, for singular, read similar. 419 twelve lines from top, for frely, read freely. 443 Note, for Isaiah chap lviii. read liii. 468 Note, for apostle, read apostles, and for doctrines, read doctrine. 469 top, read discussion. 471 Note, for viii. chapter, read xiii. 514 ten lines from top, for expect, read except. |