are very similar, particularly when a little faded. The error, if error it is, probably occurred at the time of the Greek being written in large letters, and if no old manuscripts, nor old translation, have the reading, "he has told you," I should be disposed to think it a clerical error of the first century, and as such carried into the compilation of the gospels. I profess so little doubt upon it, as to have adopted it in my translation.

9. "Saying, all hail."] Probably the origi nal Hebrew would convey the words, "Peace be with you;" but the translator took the salutation, in general use.

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Held him by the feet."] Those who were desirous to obtain favours, or to evince high respect, did this formerly, but to us, who live in the northern parts of Europe, it seems strange and inconsistent. We find it exemplified, 2 Kings iv. 27., and more amply discussed by Pliny, (Nat. His. Book II. Sec. 103.) "The "human knee has always, according to tradition,

enjoyed a certain sanctity. He who solicits "with humility, lays hold of it, extends his hands, "kisses it with adoration, or embraces it as an "altar." The conduct of the women is, at once, indicative of terror and admiration. They see a being raised from the dead, and whom they na

turally conclude to be of a superior and heavenly order, and according to the manners of the Jews, and of the east, pray with trembling. (See Luke v. 8. Judges vi. 23. xiii. 22. 1 Kings xvii. 18.) Jesus says, therefore, to them, "Be not afraid."

10. "My brethren."] The same as "disciples," only kinder. That they were brethren of Jesus, because "God is his Father and their Father" we shall find confirmed by Christ himself. (John xx. 17.)

APPENDIX TO THE HEBREW GOSPEL.

The Hebrew gospel of Matthew, not the genuine, but the interpolated gospel of the Nazarenes, had either here, or after verse 15, an addition, which, in treating of the history of the resurrection, I cannot pass over. Jerome has preserved a part of it in his catalogue of ecclesiastical writers. He says, in speaking of the younger James, "The gospel, according to the Hebrews, which I have lately translated into Greek and Latin, and which is often quoted by Origen, relates, after the resurrection of our Saviour, as follows:

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But the Lord (after he had given his bu

rial clothes to the servant of the high priest) went to James and appeared to him; for James, from the hour that he had drank the cup of the Lord, had sworn not to eat, until he had seen him again risen from amongst those who slept." (B. 4, sec. 103, Benedictine Edition.) The words between the brackets in the above quotation are wanting in some copies. From this it was to be inferred Jesus had met the servant of the high priest, and given him his sepulchral garments, that he might acquaint him with the fact of his resurrection; then follows, "and the Lord said, bring a table and bread," and immediately afterwards," He took the bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave it to James the Just, and said unto him, My brother, eat thy bread, since the Son of man is again risen from amongst those who sleep." James bore the title of Just, and his piety was highly respected by the Jews. He was a near relation, or as the Bible terms it, a brother of Jesus. There is some latent truth in this narration, for Paul (1 Corinthians xv. 7,) speaks of a particular notice or appearance, which James was favoured with, after the resurrection of Jesus

this appendix is not, however, from the hand of Matthew; it is more probable to have been a subsequent addition of the Nazarenes or Ebionites, who disfigured authenticated facts with frivolous circumstances, wrote them, at first, upon the margin of the Hebrew, and finally, in their deficiency of critical knowledge, introduced them into the recognised text. Without referring to those parts of this narration, which have been already noticed as improbable or incorrect, they do not stand in the right place. It is said, that Jesus showed himself on the first day of the resurrection, earlier to James than to the other apostles; but how does this coincide with Luke xxiv. 34? Should not the apostles have said, “ The Lord has appeared to James and to Simon." Paul places this appearance, with the addition of the word "after that," subsequent to the appearance in Galilæa, when Jesus showed himself to more than five hundred brethren; and it seems probable, that James obtained the appellation of " the Just," an epithet, which is never given him in the New Testament, some time after Matthew had written his gospel, and perhaps, not long before his martyrdom, which, according to Josephus, was a subject of such

mortification to the Jews. (Antiq. b. 20, sect. 9, 1.) This appendix seems to throw no light on the history of the resurrection.

MARK XVI. 2-8.

2. "And very early in the morning, the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.

3. And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone at the door of the sepulchre?

4. "And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away; for it was very great.

5. "And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man, sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.

6. "And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted; ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified; he is risen; he is not here, behold the place, where they laid him.

7. "But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter, that he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.

8. "And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled, and were amazed; neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid."