from foreign dominion. The people could not, however, remain independent, but were obliged to seek an alliance with the Romans, who then seized the opportunity of making the land tributary, and appointed a governor over it. A merely nominal king, Herod, an Edomite, governed the land under the Romans. He was a man of great talent and energy, but a cruel tyrant. His flatterers called him the restorer of the throne of David; but the true Israelites saw with deep sorrow that a foreigner ruled over them, and that the sceptre had departed from Judah. They perceived, however, in this circumstance a sign of the coming of Him to whom, as their forefather Jacob had prophesied, the gathering of the people should be. After Malachi, no other prophet appeared to impart to their minds Divine consolation. This made them long the more earnestly for the promised One, the Son of David, the Anointed of the Lord, to restore again the throne of David, and to expel the Romans from the land. But they had something very different to learn. Long before, the prophet Isaiah had said, "MY THOUGHTS ARE NOT YOUR THOUGHTS, NEITHER ARE YOUR WAYS MY WAYS, SAITH THE LORD. FOR AS THE HEAVENS ARE HIGHER THAN THE EARTH, SO ARE MY WAYS HIGHER THAN YOUR WAYS, AND MY THOUGHTS THAN YOUR THOUGHTS. a a Isaiah lv. 8, 9. END OF OLD TESTAMENT. BIBLE STORIES, FOR THE YOUNG. By C. G. BARTH, D.D. NEW TESTAMENT. TRANSLATED FROM THE THIRTIETH GERMAN EDITION. LONDON: THE RELIGIOUS TRACT SOCIETY; Instituted 1799. SOLD AT THE DEPOSITORY, 56, PATERNOSTER ROW, AND 65, ST. PAUL'S CHURCHYARD; AND BY THE BOOKSELLERS. CONTENTS. Page 1. The Angel Gabriel is sent to Zacharias and to Mary 5. The Baptism of Jesus by John, and the Temptation of Jesus by the Devil 152 6. The Calling of the Disciples of Jesus.-The Marriage of 9. Peter's Draught of Fishes, and the Piece of Money 10. The Sermon on the Mount 161 163 13. The Miracles of Jesus, (continued) 14. Warning to the Impenitent.-Invitation to the Weary and Heavy Laden 15. The Penitent Sinner, and the Canaanitish Woman 172 21. Children blessed, and Men reproved.-The Rich Young Man. 23. The Merciful Samaritan, and the Unmerciful Servant 24. On Humility 25. The Transfiguration of Jesus 198 26. Three Visits of Jesus to Bethany 27. Christ's Entrance into Jerusalem 199 . 203 |