On the Life of Moses, an apocryphal book thus shalt thou save thy empire, if, indeed, of the highest antiquity. the decrees of fate can be opposed."

The ancient book which contains the

life and death of Moses, seems to have been written at the time of the Babylonian captivity. It was then that the Jews began to know the names given to the angels by the Chaldeans and Persians. Here we see the names of Zinguiel, Samael, Tsakon, Lakah, and many others, of which the Jews had made no mention, The book of the death of Moses seems

to have been posterior. It is known that the Jews had several very ancient lives of Moses and other books, independently of the Pentateuch. In them he was called Moni, not Moses; and it is asserted that mo signified water, and ni the particle of He was called by the general name of Melk. He received those of Joakim, Adamosi, Thermosi; and, especially, it has been thought that he was the same person whom Manethon calls Ozarziph. Some of these old Hebrew manuscripts were withdrawn from their covering of dust in the cabinets of the Jews, about the year 1517. The learned Gilbert Gaumin, who was a perfect master of their language,

translated them into Latin about the

year

1535. They were afterwards printed, and dedicated to Cardinal Bérule. The copies have become extremely scarce.

Never were rabbinism, the taste for the marvellous, and the imagination of the Orientals, displayed to greater excess.

Fragment of the Life of Moses.

A hundred and thirty years after the settling of the Jews in Egypt, and sixty years after the death of the patriarch Joseph, Pharaoh, while sleeping, had a dream. He saw an old man holding a balance in one scale were all the inhabitants of Egypt; mn the other was an infant; and this infant weighed more than all the Egyptians together. Pharaoh forthwith called together his shotim, or sages. One of the wise men said-"O king, this infant is a Jew, who will one day do great evil to your kingdom. Cause all the children of the Jews to be slain;

Pharaoh was pleased with this advice. He sent for the midwives, and ordered them to strangle all the male children of which the Jewesses were delivered. There was in Egypt a man named Abraham, son of Keath, husband to Jocabed, sister to his brother. This Jocabed bore him a daughter named Mary, signifying persecuted, because the Egyptians, being descended from Ham, persecuted the Israelites, who were evidently descended from Shem. Jocabed afterwards brought forth Aaron, signifying condemned to death, because Pharaoh had condemned all the Jewish infants to death. Aaron and Mary were preserved by the angels of the Lord, who nursed them in the fields, and restored them to their parents when they had reached the period of adolescence

At length, Jocabed had a third child : this was Moses, who, consequently, was fifteen years younger than his brother. He was exposed on the Nile. Pharaoh's daughter found him while bathing, had him nursed, and adopted him as her son, although she was not married.

Three years after, her father Pharaoh took a fresh wife, on which occasion he held a great feast. His wife was at his right hand, and at his left was his daughter, with little Moses. The child, in sport, took the crown and put it on his head. Balaam the magician, the king's eunuch, then recalled his Majesty's dream. “Behold," said he, "the child who is one day to do you so much mischief! The spirit of God is in him. What he has just now done is a proof that he has already formed the design of dethroning you. He must instantly be put to death." This idea pleased Pharaoh much.

They were about to kill little Moses; when the Lord immediately sent his angel Gabriel, disguised as one of Pharaoh's officers, to say to him, "My lord, we should not put to death an innocent child, which is not yet come to years of discretion; he put on your crown only because he wants judgment. You have only to

God sent Aaron on the same {errand: but Aaron thought his brother had done very wrong in marrying a Midianite; he called her a very coarse name, and little Gerson a bastard, and sent them the shortest way back to their own country.

Aaron and Moses then went to Pha{raoh's palace by themselves. The gate of the palace was guarded by two lions of an enormous size. Balaam, one of the king's magicians, seeing the two brothers come, set the lions upon them; but Moses touched them with his rod, and the lions humbly prostrating themselves, licked the feet of Aaron and Moses. The king, in astonishment, had the two pilgrims brought into the presence of all his magicians, that they might strive which could work the most miracles.

The author here relates the ten plagues

of Egypt, nearly as they are related in Then God, being angry, said to the bad Exodus. He only adds, that Moses angel Samael, "Well then, wicked one, covered all Egypt with lice, to the depth thou must take his soul." Samael joyfully of a cubit; and that he sent among all the drew his sword, and ran up to Moses. The Egyptians, lions, wolves, bears, and tigers, dying man rose up in wrath, his eyes which ran into all the houses, notwith-sparkling with fire. "What! thou vilstanding that the doors were bolted, and devoured all the little children.

According to this writer, it was not the Jews who fled through the Red Sea; it was Pharaoh, who fled that way with his army: the Jews ran after him; the waters separated right and left, to see them fight; and all the Egyptians, except the king, were slain upon the sand. Then the king, finding that his own was the weaker side, asked pardon of God. Michael and Gabriel were sent to him, and conveyed him to the city of Nineveh, where he reigned four hundred years.

The Death of Moses.

lain," said Moses; "wouldst thou dare to kill me?-me, who when a child, put on my head the crown of a Pharoah; who have worked miracles at the age of eighty years; who have led sixty millions of men out of Egypt; who have cut the Red Sea in two; who have conquered two kings so tall that at the time of the Flood they were not knee-deep in water? Be gone, you rascal; leave my presence instantly."

This altercation lasted a few moments longer; during which time Gabriel prepared a litter to convey the soul of Moses, Michael a purple mantle, and Zinguiel a cassock. God then laid his hands on Moses' breast, and took away his soul.

It is to this history that St. Jude the Apostle alludes in his Epistle, when he says that the archangel Michael contended with the devil for the body of Moses. As this fact is to be found only in the book which I have just quoted, it is evident that St. Jude had read it, and that he considered it as a canonical book.

God had declared to the people of Israel, that they should not go out of Egypt until they had once more found the tomb of Joseph. Moses found it, and carried it on his shoulders through the Red Sea. God told him that he would bear in mind this good action, and would assist him at the time of his death. When Moses had lived six score years, God came to an- The second History of the Death of nounce to him that he must die, and had Moses is likewise a conversation with but three hours more to live. The bad God. It is no less pleasant and curious angel Samael was present at the conver-than the first. A part of this dialogue is sation. As soon as the first hour had as follows:passed, he began to laugh for joy, that he should so soon carry off the soul of Moses; and Michael began to weep. "Be not rejoiced, thou wicked beast,' said the good to the bad angel; "Moses is going to die; but we have Joshua in his stead."

Moses. I pray thee, O Lord, let me enter the land of promise, at least for two or three years.

God. No: my decree expressly saith that thou shalt not enter it.

Moses.-Grant, at least, that I may be carried thither after my death.

God.-No; neither dead nor alive. Moses.-Alas! but, good Lord, thou showest such clemency to thy creatures! thou pardonest them twice or three times; I have sinned but once, and am not to be forgiven !

God.-Thou knowst not what thou sayest; thou hast committed six sins.

I remember to have swor

When we reflect that nearly the whole earth has been infatuated by similar stories, and that they have formed the education of mankind, the fables of Pilpay, Lokman, or Æsop, appear quite reason-part, taken from the Gospel according to able.

The traveller Tournefort, sent into These words are taken from the Gospel Asia by Louis XIV. informs us that the according to the Egyptians; and the text Georgians have preserved the gospel of is repeated entire by St. Clement of Alexthe Infancy, which was probably commu-andria. But what could the author of nicated to them by the Azmenians.

disciples of Jesus. This is nothing less that the glory of the Most High, and the than blasphemy against St. Paul.

The other Apocryphal Books of the First and Second Centuries.

I.

The Book of Enoch, the seventh man after Adam, which mentions the war of the rebellious angels, under their captain Samasia, against the faithful angels led by Michael. The object of the war was, to enjoy the daughters of men, as has been said in the article ANGEL.

II.

The Acts of St. Thecla and St. Paul, written by a disciple named John, attached to St. Paul. In this history, Thecla escapes from her persecutors to go to St. Paul, disguised as a man. She also baptizes a lion; but this adventure was afterwards suppressed. Here, too, we have the portrait of Paul :—Staturá brevi, cal- } vastrum, cruribus curvis, surosum, superciliis junctis, naso aquilino, plenum gratiá Dei.

Although this story was recommended by St. Gregory Nazianzen, St. Ambrose, St. John Chrysostom, &c., it had no reputation among the other doctors of the church.

spirit of intelligence and sanctification, shall descend upon this new priest; which seems to foretel Jesus Christ.

VI.

The Letter of Abgarus, a pretended King of Edessa, to Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ's answer to King Abgarus. It is, indeed, believed that, in the time of Tiberius, there was a toparch of Edessa, who had passed from the service of the Persians into that of the Romans; but his epistolary correspondence has been considered by all good critics as a chimera.

VII.

The Acts of Pilate. Pilate's letters to Tiberius on the Death of Jesus Christ. The Life of Procula, Pilate's wife.

VIII.

The Acts of Peter and Paul, in which is the history of St. Peter's quarrel with Simon the magician. Abdias, Marcellus, and Hegesippus, have all three written this story. St. Peter first disputed with Simon, which should resuscitate one of the Emperor Nero's relatives, who was just dead; Simon half restored him, and St. Peter finished the resurrection. Simon next flew up in the air; but Peter brought him down again, and the magician broke his legs. The Emperor Nero, inThe preaching of Peter. This writingcensed at the death of his magician, had is also called the Gospel or Revelation of St. Peter crucified with his head downPeter. St. Clement of Alexandria speaks wards, and St. Paul decapitated, as one of it with great praise; but it is easy to of St. Peter's party. perceive that some impostor had taken that apostle's name.

III.

IV.

IX.

The Acts of Blessed Paul the Apostle and Teacher of the Nations. In this book,

The Acts of Peter, a work equally sup- St. Paul is made to live at Rome for two posititious.

V.

The Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs. It is doubted whether this book is by a Jew or a Christian of the primitive ages; for it is said in the Testament of Levi, that at the end of the seventh week there shall come priests given to idolatry, -bellatores, avari, scribæ iniqui, impudici, puerorum corruptores et pecorum; that there shall then be a new priesthood; that the heavens shall be opened; and

years after St. Peter's death. The author says, that when St. Paul's head was cut off, there issued forth milk instead of blood; and that Lucina, a devout woman, had him buried twenty miles from Rome, on the way to Ostia, at her country house.

X.

The Acts of the Blessed Apostle Andrew. The author relates, that St. An{ drew went to the city of the Myrmidons, and that he baptized all the citizens. A young man named Sostratus, of the town