A. By Acts of Diffimulation and pretended Friendship, in Hopes to induce him publickly to renounce his Religion.

Q. Did he answer their Expectations?

A. No; he went with them to the Top of the Temple, and standing on the Pinnacle thereof, proclaim'd the Refurrection of the LORD JESUS, and his fecond Coming.

Q. What was the Confequence of that Declaration?

A. The People glorify'd the bleffed JESUS, and proclaim'd Hofanna to the Son of David. Q. How did our Apoftle's Enemies fhew their Refentment on that Occafion?

A. They threw him headlong from the Pinnacle to the Ground.

Q. Was he kill'd by that Fall?

A. No; he recover'd Strength fo far, as to get on his Knees, and pray for his malicious Perfecutors.

Q. Had his Prayers no Influence over them? A. No; they loaded him with a Shower of Stones, whilst in that Act of Devotion; and at laft, one of them, with a Fuller's Club, beat out his Brains.

Q. How old was he at that Time?!

A. About 96..

Q. What Writings did he leave behind him?

A. Only one Epiftle that is genuine'; the Gofpel afcrib'd to him being look'd upon as fpurious and apocryphal..

LESSON XIII.

The Life of St. Jude.

Saint Jude, otherwife call'd Thaddeus, and

Lebbeus, was the Brother of St James, and Brother alfo, as he ftiles himself, of JESUS Chrift, tho' he was only the Son of Jofeph by his former Wife Efcha. Scripture is filent with Refpect both to his Profeffion, and the particular Time when our Saviour honour'd him with the Dignity and Office of an Apoftle: However, from the Time of such Ĉall, whenever it was, he prov'd a moft zealous. Advocate for the Chriftian Faith. The Province allotted him for the Exercife of his Minifterial Charge, was Judea and the Parts adjacent, where he preach'd the Gospel with great Succefs. From thence he travell'd thro' Samaria to Idumea; as alfo to the Cities. of Arabia, and the adjacent Countries; and proceeded even to Syria and Mefopotamia. Towards the latter End of his Life he travelled into Perfia, where his Labours in the Miniftry were crown'd with great Succefs: But being too free and open in inveighing against the fuperftitious Rites and Ceremonies of the Magi, he was, by their Suggestion and Contrivance, put to fome cruel and inhuman Death, tho' the Manner of it is uncertain. As to his Writings, he left only one

Epiftle

Epiftle behind him, infcrib'd to all Chriftians in general; but 'tis imagin'd that he intended it more particularly for the Service of fuch Jews as were Converts in their feveral Difperfions. It was at firft fufpected to be fpurious, but afterwards, on more mature Deliberation, was receiv'd as Part of the facred Canon. The main Scope and Design of it is, to exhort them to adhere with Conftancy and Refolution to the Faith once deliver'd to the Saints, and zealoufly to oppofe the Gnoftics, and other falfe Teachers, who us'd their utmoft Endeavours to corrupt it.

The CATECHISM.

F what Country and Kindred was.
St. Fude.

A. The Brother of St. James, and Brother, as he tiles himself, of JESUS Chrift, tho' the Son only of Jofeph by a former Wife.

Q. By what other Names or Titles was he known and diftinguish'd?

A. By thofe of Thaddeus, and Lebbeus. Q. What is the Import or Signification of thofe Titles?

A. The latter denotes Prudence and Understanding; and the former, a Perfon zealous in praifing Gov.

Q. What was his Profeffion, and when was he call'd to the Apoftolical Office?

A. It is uncertain; Scripture being filent in both thofe Particulars.

Q. Wh

Q. What Province was allotted him for the Propagation of the Gospel?

A. Judea, and the Parts adjacent ; where be made a great Number of Converts to the Christian Faith.

Q. Where did he remove from thence? A. He travell'd thro' Samaria to Idumea; from thence to the Cities of Arabia, and the adjacent Countries; and proceeded as far as Syria and Mefopotamia.

Q. Where did he refide towards the latter End of his Life?

A. Amongst the Perfians, and preach'd the Gospel for fome Time with great Success; but being too open and free in his Invectives against the Rites and Ceremonies of the Magi, he was, by their Means, put to fome inbuman Death; but the Manner of it is uncertain..

him?

What Writings did he leave behind

A. One Epistle only, infcrib'd to all Chrif tians in general, which tho' at first fufpected, was afterwards received as Part of the Sacred Canon.

Q. What is the principal Scope and De fign of it?

A. To exhort the converted Jews in particular, wherever Jcatter'd and difpers'd, to adhere with Conftancy and Refolution to the Faith once deliver'd to the Saints, and zealously to oppofe the Gnoftics,, and other falfe Feachers, who us'd their utmost Endeavours to corrupt it..

1

Saint

LESSON XIV.

The Life of St. Simon.

Aint Simon was firnam'd the Canaanite, or Zelotes, both which Terms fignify Zea lous, on Account of the Warmth of his Difpofition, and his unfeigned Zeal after his Converfion for the Chriftian Faith. As to his Country or Kindred, fome imagine, that he was the Son of Jofeph by his firft Wife Efcha, and that he was born in Cana of Gali lee; but there is no fubftantial Authority for the Juftification of thofe Conjectures. After our LORD's Paffion, St. Simon continu'd to join in Worship and Communion with the other Apoftles and Difciples of Chrift at Ferufalem; where he refided till after the Feaft of Pentecoft, when they were all plentifully furnish'd with the Gifts of the Holy Ghoft, in Order to qualify them for the due Adminiftration of their Apoftolical Office in diftant Countries. From thence 'tis thought he went into Egypt, Cyrene, and Africa, where he preach'd the Gofpel with great Success Some Time afterwards, he travell'd into Lybia and Mauritania. Towards the latter End of his Life, he paffed, according to fome Hiftorians, into Britain, where, after he had made a great Number of Profelites to the Christian Faith, and gone thro' a long Series of Trials and Afflictions, he was crucify'd and bury'd there by the Infidels.