THE

NEW TESTAMENT,

ARRANGED IN

CHRONOLOGICAL & HISTORICAL ORDER.

WITH COPIOUS NOTES

ON THE

PRINCIPAL SUBJECTS IN THEOLOGY

THE GOSPELS ON THE BASIS OF THE HARMONIES OF LIGHTFOOT, DODDRIDOE,

PILKINGTON, NEWCOME, AND MICHAELIS; THE ACCOUNT OF THE
RESURRECTION, ON THE AUTHORITIES OF WEST, TOWNSON,
AND CRANFIELD: THE EPISTLES ARE INSERTED IN
THEIR PLACES, AND DIVIDED ACCORDING TO

THE APOSTLES' ARGUMENTS.

BY THE

REV. GEORGE TOWNSEND, M.A.

OP TRINITY COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE;
AND DOMESTIC CHAPLAIN TO THE BISHOP OF DURHAM.

IN TWO VOLUMES.

VOL. II.

London:

PRINTED FOR C. & J. RIVINGTON,

ST. PAUL'S CHURCH-YARD, AND WATERLOO-PLACE, PALL-MALL.

1825.

Printed by R. Gilbert, St. John's-square, London.

THE

NEW TESTAMENT.

CHAPTER IX.

From the Ascension of Christ to the termination of the

Period in which the Gospel was preached to the Prose-
lytes of righteousness, and to the Jews only'.

1

SECTION I.
After the Ascension of Christ the Apostles return to Jeru-

salem.

ACTS i. ver. 1-3. and 12-14. alian Pe- 1 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of Jerusalem, iod, 4742. algar Æra, all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 9.

Having thus far proceeded through the magnificent temple of the Cbristian religion, till we have arrived at that holy altar on which the greut sacrifice was offered, we are about to contemplate the wonderful gift of the Holy Spirit which the now glorified victim sent down from the Holy of Holies.

We will pause, however, at the threshold of the rising Church, and appeal to all who have hitherto refused to enter in and worship, if they bave been able to discover any God so wor. thy of their homage, as the God of Christianity; or any temple so firmly established as this beautiful fabric of eternal truth. The Christian challenges the world to produce another system which is at all comparable to Christianity, in the evidences of its truth, the purity of its precepts, the philosophy of its discoveries, both concerning God and man; or in all the other essential qualities which the speculations, the fancy, or the sober reason of the reflecting or the learned'in all ages have considered essential to any proposed scheme of religion. The Christian world has hitherto been, for the most part, too patient under the repcated attacks of their antagonists. They bavo been contented with defence, and with maintaining the walls of their fortress; in replying to, rather than assailing the enemies of their sublime and holy faith. It is true that one considerable advantage has accrued to the cause of truth from this plan of action. Every argument which sophistry has been able to invent, and ignorance or vice to advance, has been fully and fairly met, discussed, and refuted. The external and internal evidence of Christianity has been so amply displayed the facts on which the whole system rests have been so ably and repeatedly enumerated, that no possible danger can be apprehended, if the Church of God continues its vigilance, from any future efforts of the great adversary of mankind. The danger to which alone it is exposed, is the offence which arises from the VOL. II.

B