The cottager's guide to the New Testament

NOTICE to the Reader at the beginning of the sixth Volume of the Cottager's Guide to the New Testament, which closes the Guide to the Gospels.

In the general view of the remaining portions of the Gospels which are to occupy the sixth Volume, it will be found that it occupies a period of fifty-four days, beginning with the day before our Lord's Crucifixion, and ending on the day of his Ascension into heaven.

On Thursday (4th of April in the year 30) the Paschal Supper was prepared for our Lord; and from the time of his partaking of it with his disciples every hour is accounted for in the Gospel History. He continued in the Supper-chamber till past midnight; when he went to the garden of Gethsemane, where he was apprehended before two o'clock on Friday Morning, 5th of April;-it being bright moonlight. He first went through a preparatory examination in the palace of the High Priest after which (about 3 o'clock in the morning) the form of a legal trial, before the Sanhedrim, was gone through in the Council-chamber in the Temple Court. Upon his condemnation Judas brought back the bribe, and committed suicide. Scriptures, Matt. xxvi. 17-75; xxvii. 1-10. Mark xiv. 12-72; xv. 1. Luke xxii. 7-71; xxiii. 1. John xiii., xiv, xv., xvi., xvii., xviii. 1—27. (Portions 176 to 191. z.)

Our Lord was then taken to Pilate's palace, where he arrived about 5 o'clock in the morning. Here he was first privately questioned, and then brought publicly before the judgment seat, about 6 o'clock, a.m. He was sent to Herod's palace-mocked by him, and returned to Pilate, who passed judgment on him and delivered him for execution, at about 8 o'clock, a.m. Scriptures, Matt. xxvii. 11-26. Mark xv. 2-15. Luke xxiii. 2—25. John xviii. 28-40; xix. 1—16. (Portions 192 to 196. aa.)

Jesus was led to Calvary, outside the gates of Jerusalem, and there crucified at 9 o'clock in the morning. He was on the cross six hours; and at 3 in the afternoon he expired. The body was claimed by Joseph of Arimathæa; and hastily buried, in order to complete the work before 6 o'clock in the evening, when the sabbath commenced. Scriptures, Matt. xxvii. 27-61. Mark xv. 16-47. Luke xxiii. 26-56. John xix. 16-42. (Portions 197 to 203. bb.)

A watch was set on the sepulchre during the Sabbath-Saturday 6th April. Scripture, Matt. xxvii. 62-66. (Por. 204. cc.)

At daylight on Sunday morning, the 7th April, the resurrection took place. Then followed the circumstances connected with this great event; and our Lord's subsequent appearances until his ascension. Scriptures, Matt. xxviii. Mark xvi. 1—14. Luke xxiv. 1—43. John xx. 1—29; xxi. 1-24. (Por. 205 to 213. dd.)

Our Lord appeared upon ten different occasions after his resurrection; at the last of which he ascended into heaven from the Mount of Olives, near Bethany. This event took place on Thursday the 16th May, A.D., 30. Scriptures, Mark xvi. 15-19.

Luke xxiv. 44-53. (Portion 214. ee.)

The Gospel History is concluded in Mark xvi. 20. John xx. 30, 31; xxi. 25. (Portion 215. ƒƒf.)

General and Condensed Index of the whole of the
portions of the Cottager's Guide to the New
Testament.

EXPLANATION OF THE INDEX.

1. The first column contains the number of the portions. A

letter in italic character is placed before some of the numbers :

these letters distinguish the beginning portion of each of the divi-

sions of the GENERAL OUTLINE of the gospel HISTORY already

given in the Notices to the Reader with each Volume. There

are 32 of these divisions, marked from a to ff.

2. The second column shews whether the portion contains an

account of any of our Lord's miracles, parables, discourses or

conversations. These are stated in numerical order; and in the

whole there are recorded 46 Miracles, 28 Parables, 31 Discourses

and 76 Conversations; indexes of which are given with the

Volumes.

3. The third column specifies the general subject of the por-

tion. This is stated in the fewest possible words which may
serve to recall to memory the main feature of the passage. Thus
the eye running down this column, will catch at once the thought
that directs to any particular passage for which search is made.

4. The fourth column states the place at which the circum-

such as will sufficiently mark the name of the place to a person

but moderately versed in Scripture.

5. The fifth column states the time at which the circumstances

related in the portion happened. When Mr. Gresswell gives a
minute date of the month or day it is noted; and on the day of
our Lord's Passion the hours are marked. These minute dates
are stated by placing, first the number of the day of the month,
and then the number in which the month stands in order in the
year, dividing the two numbers by a comma: thus 5,10 means
the fifth of October. Where two such dates occur in the same
line, they shew the days of the two prominent events mentioned
as the subject of the portion: thus Birth and Circumcision of
John 5,10 12,10" means, that the birth took place on the fifth
of October, and the circumcision on the twelfth of that month.
So "flight into Egypt, and return 9,8 B.C. 3 31,3" means, that
the flight took place on the ninth of August in the year 4 before
the common calculation, and the return on the thirty-first of

March in the following year. The capital letters connected with
such dates express the days of the week, S. being always placed
for Saturday and T. for Tuesday.

6. The sixth division of the Index contains the Scriptures, and
is divided into four columns for the four Gospels, arranged in
harmony. The figures denoting the chapters are sufficiently
distinguished from those denoting the verses, the former being
always followed by a period, the latter by a comma or break, and
never by a period.

7. The portions numbered 1 to 42, and marked from a to ƒ,
are found in Volume I.

Those numbered 43 to 81, and marked from g to k, are found
in Volume II.

Those numbered 82 to 109, and marked from 7 to 9, are found
in Volume III.

Those numbered 110 to 146, and marked from r to u,
in Volume IV.

Those numbered 147 to 175, and marked from v to y,
in Volume V.

are found

Those numbered 176 to 215, and marked from z to ff, are found
in Volume VI.

It may be useful to add the following, as Gresswell's statement
of the places and dates of the original publication of the four
Gospels.

St. Matthew, first in Hebrew

Do.

} years after the

Ascension.