State of the world at the time of our Saviour's ap-

pearance

LETTER III.

Of the civil and religious state of the Jewish nation

at the time of Christ's birth

. LETTER IV.

Of the various religious sects which flourished in

Palestine during the time of our Lord's ministry

LETTER V.

Of Palestine, and of the cities in which our Lord

taught, and performed miracles

LETTER VI.

Sketch of the history of Jerusalem since the time of

Christ

LETTER VII.

Of the moral discourses of our Saviour, and of the

allusions, contained in them, to the opinions and

habits of the Jews

LETTER VIII.

The subject continued

26

37

44

55

Of the miracle performed by our Lord in healing the
Centurion's servant

LETTER XIII.

Of our Lord's reproving the Pharisees for their violation of the divine law and of the Pharisees and Sadducees' requiring a sign from heaven

LETTER XIV.

On our Lord's directions to his disciples, when he sent them to preach and to perform miracles

LETTER XV.

86

94

99

LETTER XXI.

On the parable of the marriage supper

LETTER XXII.

On the parable of the pharisee and publican

LETTER XXII.

On the parable of a nobleman who went to receive

141

149

Of the forms of salutation in the East, and our
Lord's farewell address to his disciples

Questions for the Letters on the Gospels

195

200

204

LETTERS ON THE GOSPELS.

LETTER I.

The Importance of studying the New Testa

MY DEAR NIECES,

ment.

FROM your earliest years, you have been the objects of my tenderest solicitude; and your advancement in virtue and knowledge lies near my heart. I am gratified with the proficiency you have made in several branches of useful learning; but I entreat you not to forget, that the knowledge of the Sacred Scriptures, particularly of the New Testament, is infinitely more important than any other kind of knowledge. The Gospel is emphatically styled "glad tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people." While attentively perusing the New Testament, always