An interesting anecdote is related of him by Eusebius on the authority of Clement of Alexandria; that, as the Apostle was led forth to the place of martyrdom, the soldier or officer who had guarded him to the tribunal, or rather his accuser, as Suidas expressly assures us, having been convinced by the wonderful courage and constancy of St. James during his trial, repented of his conduct, came and fell down at the Apostle's feet, and heartily intreated his forgiveness. The holy man, surprised at the occurrence, raised him up, embraced and kissed him, and said, "Peace, my son, peace be to thee, and the pardon of thy faults." Whereupon, in presence of the assembled people, the penitent publickly professed his belief in Christianity, and so was beheaded together with the Apostle.

There exists a story concerning the wonderful translation of St. James's body into Spain in a ship without oars, without a pilot or any to steer or conduct the voyage, which was performed only by the reliance of the sailors on the merits of the Apostle whose remains they carried with them; and concerning the final settlement of the body in a place, which is supposed to derive its name from the event in the appellation of, first, "Ad Jacobum Apostolum ;' thence, in after times," Giacomo Postolo ;" and thence again, in the modified form of Com

postella'.

This story may be well ranked among the figments of romance, or rather of a corrupt superstition; though there are not wanting those who profess to believe it, together with the incredible miracles reported to be performed at his tomb, where the Apostle's reliques are worshipped with the most solemn veneration to this day.

REFLEXIONS.

IN reflecting upon St. James's history, our attention may be first directed to that effusion of intemperate zeal, with which the Apostle, in concurrence with his brother, proposed to our blessed Lord the question, "Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?” That this question proceeded from attachment to their Master, and a jealousy for his honour, appears most probable from all the circumstances of the narrative. Some indeed have been of opinion, that the messengers sent by our Lord, to prepare entertainment for him, were these two disciples. If so, this proposal might be suspected to proceed as much from resentment of an injurious treatment of themselves, as of their Master. But the contrary opinion

i Dr. Cave.

is more agreeable to the circumstances of the case and it appears better to attribute the proposal of the Apostles, to a zeal well-intentioned, but ill-understood and ill-regulated, for their Master's honour. That such was the character of their zeal, we certainly know from the gesture and language of our Lord himself in reply; for" he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them."

There is no quality of the mind, by which men, even good men, are more apt to be misled than zeal; particularly zeal in religion, “zeal of God," as St. Paul terms it. Where the object is good, the quality is of high value: "it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing:" and beyond controversy no object can be better, than the promotion of God's glory, and the furtherance of his religion. But it ought not to carry us beyond the bounds of moderation. It ought to be regulated by a correct knowledge of the nature and character of the religion, which we profess, and which we are desirous of furthering; and it ought to be brought into subjection to the dictates of that religion: a religion, not furious, fiery, implacable, cruel; but

* Rom. x. 2.

peaceable, gentle, easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy." They who act for the furtherance of that religion in a manner inconsistent with its dictates, shew, as in the case of the Jews, that however sincere be their "zeal of God," it is "not according to knowledge;" or, as in the case of St. James and his brother, that they "know not what manner of spirit they are of." Every deviation from the rules of charity and brotherly love, of gentleness and forbearance, of meekness and patience, which our Lord prescribes to his disciples, however it may appear to be founded on an attachment to him and zeal for his service, is in truth a departure from the religion of Him, "the Son of man," who "came not to destroy men's lives, but to save them."

But how gracious was the answer of our blessed Lord! How full of benignity and tenderness to the impatient and overheated disciples! How full of kindness, compassion, and affection for the lost race of mankind! Whilst it teaches us to estimate duly the character of his holy religion, let it prompt us to admire the - excellency of him who is the Author of our faith; and to imitate his example, who, whether in his

'Jam. iii. 17.

general character of the Saviour of mankind, or in that of the Lord and Master, may we not say the brother and familiar friend, of his disciples, hath set before us a pattern of meekness and lowliness of heart!

The other occurrence, in which our Apostle was particularly concerned, may instruct us, not only in the spiritual nature of Christ's kingdom, but in the mode of procuring admission to its glories; namely, a conformity to his example. Our Saviour was petitioned, on behalf of the two brethren, the sons of Zebedee, that they might be permitted to sit, "the one on his right hand, and the other on his left, in his kingdom." But what was his answer? "Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup, that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" Conformity to the example of Christ is necessary, in order to our being admitted to the glories of his kingdom. In the case of the Apostles, and in the primitive ages of Christianity, that conformity was frequently required to be shewn in an especial manner by partaking of the sufferings which he himself endured in testimony of his truth. In some subsequent periods it has occasionally been required to be shewn by similar conduct. Sometimes however the sufferings, in which Christians are required to be conformed to the