speak of his rapines, murders, oppressions, and the torments that he inflicted upon the innocent, and the persons he put to death without any form of process. Philo, in particular, describes him as having exercised an excessive cruelty during his whole government, disturbed the repose of Judæa, and given occasion to the troubles and revolt that followed. St. Luke records his massacre of the Galileans in the temple [xiii. 1, 2, &c.] His fruitless endeavours to deliver our Saviour from the hands of his enemies; his wife's alarming dream and message to him; his repeated declarations of our Saviour's innocence; his endeavour to gratify the malice of the Jews by whipping him; his equally fruitless attempt to get rid of pronouncing sentence by sending him to Herod; his declaration of his utter aversion to condemn the innocent by washing his hands; with the consequent imprecation of the Jews upon themselves and their posterity; his want of resolution to acquit him; his inscription upon the cross in different languages; with his reply to the Jews, when they challenged it; and his delivery of the body to Josephus and Nicodemus, are recorded by the Evangelists. Pilate having, by his excessive cruelties and rapine, disturbed the peace of Judæa during the whole time of his government, was at length deposed by Vitellius, the pro-consul of Syria, A. D. 36, and sent to Rome to give an account of his conduct to the emperor. Tiberius having died before Pilate arrived at Rome, his successor Caligula banished him to Vienna in Gaul, where he was reduced to such extremity that he killed himself. He was only procurator of Judæa, though the evangelists call him governor, because he in effect acted as one, by taking upon him to judge in criminal matters. With regard to Pilate's wife, the general tradition is, that she was named Claudia Procula, or Proscula; and as to her dream, some think that as she had intelligence of our Lord's apprehension, and knew by his character that he was a righteous person, her imagination, struck with these ideas, naturally produced the dream we read of; but others think that this dream was sent miraculously for the clearer manifestation of our Lord's innocence.

BARABBAS, a notorious robber and murderer, whom Pilate, wishing to save Jesus, put in the list with him, for the Jews, to determine which should be released, naturally thinking the remarkable difference between the two characters would lead them to a proper choice, but they, instigated by their rulers, saved the murderer, and murdered the Saviour of mankind.

SIMEON, a respectable old man of Jerusalem, who waited for the fulfilment of the prophecies respecting the coming of the Messiah, whom he had a divine intimation that he should live to see, and who bore public testimony to our Saviour in

the temple in his infancy. (Luke ii. 25. 35.) From his speech, or address of thanks to God, on that occasion, and particularly from his prophetic address to the mother of Jesus, he appears to have had much more clear views of the nature of the Messiah's kingdom, than most of his countrymen of that age. But those too, perhaps, he had by immediate revelation. Tradition says, that Simeon was the son of the famous Hillel, president of the Jewish Sanhedrim, and that he taught the celebrated Gamaliel.

ANNA, a Jewish prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She had been early married, and had lived seven years with her husband. After his death, she devoted herself to the service of God, and it was while thus employed, that finding the Virgin Mary, with her infant son in the temple, she joined with the venerable Simeon, in thanking God for him, and in bearing testimony to him, as the promised Messiah. It is worth remarking that these two early testifiers of our Saviour's mission being both far advanced in life, could not be liable to the most distant suspicion of collusion with Joseph and Mary in palming a false Messiah on their countrymen, as they had not the smallest probable chance of living to see him grow up to maturity, and fulfil their prophecies, and therefore could have no interest in declaring a falsehood.

ZECHARIAH, or ZACHARIAS, a priest of the tribe of Abia, who married Elizabeth, and in his old age became father of John the Baptist, according to the revelation by Gabriel, Luke i.

ELIZABETH, wife of Zacharias, and the mother of John the Baptist. St. Luke i. 5, tells us that she was of the daughters of Aaron, of the race of the priests. An angel having foretold to Zacharias the birth of John the Baptist, Elizabeth conceived, and for five months concealed the favour which God had done her; but the angel Gabriel discovered to the Virgin Mary the miraculous conception, as an earnest assurance of the birth of the Messiah.

ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST, the forerunner of Jesus Christ, was the son of Zachariah and Elizabeth. He retired into a desert, where he lived on locusts and wild honey; and about the year 29 began to preach repentance, and to declare the coming of the Messiah. He baptized his disciples, and the following year Christ himself was baptized by him in the river Jordan. Some time after, having reproved Herod Antipas for his adultery and incest, he was cast into prison, where he was beheaded. His head was brought to Herodias, who, according to St. Jerome, pierced his tongue with a bodkin in revenge for his reproof.

JOSEPH, son of Jacob, and grandson of Matthan, spouse of the Virgin Mary, and reputed father of Jesus Christ, Matt. i.

15, 16. The Gospel says, that Joseph was a just man. That he lived by labour, and worked at a trade is agreed. Some say he was a carpenter, some a locksmith, and others a mason.

The Scripture informs us, (Matt. i. 18-20,) that Joseph being informed that Mary, his espoused wife, was pregnant, and not knowing to what to attribute it, he inclined to dismiss her privately, by giving her a bill of divorce, instead of publicly dishonouring her. But while he was under this embarrassing uncertainty, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, and encouraged him to take home Mary.

About six months after, Joseph went to Bethlehem, there to be registered with Mary his wife, in pursuance of an edict from Augustus. While they were in this place, the time of Mary's delivery came. Forty days after the child's birth, Mary and Joseph carried him to Jerusalem, and performed what the law appointed. While here, the angel of the Lord directed Joseph in a dream to carry the child into Egypt, because king Herod sought to kill him. How long they continued in Egypt we cannot tell, probably not long, since Herod died about the passover, some few months after the massacre of the innocents. The angel again informed Joseph, that he might return to Judæa, but, learning that Archelaus succeeded Herod, Joseph retired to Nazareth in Galilee, which was not subject to Archelaus, but to Herod Antipas. He took Jesus at the age of twelve, with Mary, to the passover of Jerusalem, where they lost him for three days, but at length found him in the temple. (Luke ii. 42-51.) It is believed with great probability, that Joseph died before Jesus began his public ministry. Joseph does not appear at the marriage of Cana, or in any other instance; and Jesus, upon the cross, recommended his mother to St. John, which, without doubt, he would not have done, had her husband been living.

MARY, the mother of our Saviour Jesus Christ, daughter of Joachim and Anna, of the tribe of Judah, and married to Joseph of the same tribe. Her visit to her cousin Elizabeth during her pregnancy; her journey with Joseph to Bethlehem, in consequence of Augustus's decree of universal taxation; her delivery in very disadvantageous circumstances; the congratulations and presents of the eastern magi, and the shepherds; the prophecies of Simeon and Anna; her flight with her husband and infant to Egypt, with their return to Nazareth; her presence at the marriage in Cana of Galilee, which Jesus dignified not only with his presence, but by performing his first miracle, in honour of matrimony, and to supply the festive scene; with other interesting particulars, are recorded in Matt. ii., Luke i. ii., and John ii. Capernaum seems to have been the place where she afterwards chiefly resided. St. Epiphanius thinks that she followed Jesus every where during the

whole time of his preaching; though we do not find the evangelists making any mention of her among the holy women that followed him, and ministered to his necessities. She was, however, at Jerusalem at the last passover that our Saviour celebrated there; she saw all that was transacted against him, followed him to Calvary, and stood at the foot of his cross with a constancy worthy of the mother of the suffering Saviour of mankind. On that trying occasion, Jesus recommended her to the care of his loved disciple. It is not to be doubted, but that our Saviour appeared to his mother immediately after his resurrection; and that she was the first, or at least one of the first, to whom he vouchsafed this great consolation. She was with the apostles at his ascension, and continued with him at Jerusalem, expecting the coming of the Holy Spirit, Acts i. 14. After this she dwelt in the house of St. John the Evangelist, who took care of her as of his own mother. It is thought that he took her along with him to Ephesus, where she died in an extreme old age. There is a letter of the cecumenical council of Ephesus, importing, that in the fifth century it is believed she was buried there, yet there are authors of the same age, who think she died, and was buried at Jerusalem.

CLEOPHAS, brother of Joseph, the husband of Mary. He was the father of Simeon, bishop of Jerusalem, of James the Less, of Jude, and Joseph, or Joses and Salome. Cleophas married Mary, sister to Mary. He was therefore uncle to Jesus Christ, and his sons were first cousins to him. Cleophas, his wife, and sons, were disciples of Christ; but Cleophas did not sufficiently understand what Jesus had so often told his disciples, that it was expedient he should die, and return to the Father. Having beheld our Saviour expire upon the cross, he lost all hopes of seeing the kingdom of God established by him on earth.

The third day after our Saviour's death, that is, on the day of his resurrection, Cleophas departed from Jerusalem. He went with another disciple to Emmaus; and, in the way, they discoursed on what had lately happened, particularly with respect to Jesus Christ. Our Saviour joined them, appeared as a traveller, and asked them on what they were discoursing; he reasoned with them, and encouraged them, convincing them from Scripture, that it was necessary the Messiah should suffer death, previously to his being glorified. At Emmaus, Jesus seemed as if inclined to go farther; but Cleophas and his companion detained him, and made him sup with them. While they were at table, Jesus took bread, blessed it, brake it, and gave it to them. By this action their eyes were opened, and they knew him, but Jesus left them, and they instantly returned to Jerusalem, (Luke xxiv.)

MARY, the wife of Cleophas, or Alpheus, is generally reckoned the sister of Mary, the mother of our Lord and VOL II.

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Saviour Jesus Christ, whence her children are called the brethren and sister of our Saviour. She witnessed his crucifixion; was present at his burial, and prepared spices for embalming his body. (Matt. xiii. 55. xxviii. 56. Mark vi. 3; and xv. 40. Luke xxiii. 56, and xxiv. 10. John ix. 25.)

We shall depart from the chronological order a little in what follows; as it will be proper now to introduce the Saviour Jesus Christs

JESUS, the CHRIST, emphatically styled the Son of God and Saviour of the world. The four evangelists have transmitted us accounts of the life of Jesus. They mention particularly his birth, lineage, and family, but say very little concerning his infancy and youth. The place of his birth was Bethlehem, a flourishing city of Judah; but the year in which he was born is not precisely ascertained. The most general opinion is, that it took place in the year of Rome 748-9, and about eighteen months before the death of Herod the Great. Herod being informed that the Messiah, the king of the Jews, so much spoken of by the prophets, was now born, being afraid that his kingdom should now be taken away, contrived how to destroy his supposed rival; but Christ being carried, while very young, into Egypt, escaped the cruelty of the tyrant; who, it is said, made a general and cruel massacre of the infants of Bethlehem, from the age of two years and under. After the death of Herod, our Saviour was brought back to Judæa; but we are totally ignorant of what his employment was during the interval between his return thither, and the time of his entering upon his ministry. We know only, that when he was but twelve years of age, he disputed in the temple with the most learned of the Jewish doctors; whom he surprised with his knowledge, and the answers he gave to their questions. After this, he continued with his parents, and was subject to them, till he entered upon his ministry. It is said, indeed, though upon no sure foundation, that during this period he followed the trade of Joseph, who was a carpenter. In the thirtieth year of his age, he began his public ministry; to which the attention of the people was drawn by the preaching of John, a prophet miraculously inspired of God to proclaim the existence of the Saviour, as now appearing upon earth, and visible to the eyes of all; and by the prophet Christ himself was baptized in the waters of Jordan, that he might not, in any point, neglect to answer the demands of the Jewish law. His life was a continued scene of the most perfect sanctity, and the purest virtue, not only without spot, but also beyond suspicion. By miracles of the most stupendous kind, and not more stupendous than beneficent, he displayed to the universe the truth of that religion