Lamb of God who would take away the Sins of the World; and that he himself who baptized withWater was not worthy to loose the Shoes of Jefus, because he was appointed to baptize with the Holy Spirit and with Fire, Matth. iii. 11.

5 Q. What Miracle attended this Baptifm?. A. When Jefus came from the Water, the Spiritof God like a Dove defcended upon him, and a Voice from Heaven was heard, faying, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleafed, Matth iii. 16, 17.

6Q. Whither did he go for his Retirement after be was baptized? A. He was led into the Wildernefs, not only to endure Temptation, and conquer the Tempter there, but probably to fpend forty Days in Meditation and Prayer, and converfe with God, as Mofes before his giving the Laws to Ifrael fpent forty Days with God on Mount Sinai, Mark i. 12, 13.

7Q. Was this the Place of his Contest with the Tempter? A. Yes, the Devil affaulted him here with three powerful Temptations, Matth. iv.

I-II.

8 Q. What was the firft Temptation? A. The Devil perfuaded him to turn Stones into Bread, because he was a-hungry, having fafted forty Days.

9 Q: How did Chrift anfwer him? By fhewing him that Man doth not live by Bread alone, but by the Power and Bleffing of God, Deut. viii. 3.

10 Q. What was the fecond Temptation? A. The Devil fet him upon a Pinnacle of the Temple, and bid him caft himself down, for there was a Promife in Pfalm xci. 11. that Angels

fhould

fhould bear him up, so that he should receive no Hurt.

11 Q. How did Jefus refift that Temptation? A By thewing that we must not tempt the Providence of God any way, Deut. vi. 16. and therefore we must not venture upon Dangers without Neceffity.

12 Q. What was the third Temptation? A. The Devil promised to give him all the Kingdoms of this World, if Jefus would fall down and worship

him.

13 Q. How was this Temptation vanquished? A. By declaring that God only was to be worfhipped, Deut. vi. 13. and x. 20.

14 Q. Whence did Jefus derive his Anfwer to thefe feveral Temptations? A. From several Texts of Scripture which he cited upon this Occafion, and all out of the Book of Deuteronomy.

15 Q. What Taken of Honour from Heaven did Chrift receive in the Wilderness? A. When the Devil was disappointed and vanquished, and forfook him, the Angels of God came and miniftred unto him.

SECT. I. JESUS CHRIST's Appearance with the Characters of the Meffiah.

16. WE are come now to the publick Life and Miniftry of Jefus Chrift, and let us hear what were the chief Parts or Defigns of it? A. The first Design of his publick Life and Miniftry was to appear in the World with the Marks of a divine Commiffion, and the Characters of the Meffiah upon him.

1

17 Q. How did Jefus fulfil this firft Defign of his publick Life and Miniftry? A. He healed the Sick, he raifed the Dead, he preached the glad Tidings of Salvation to the Poor, he fet about the Reformation of the World, and all this without Noife or Uproar, and he received feveral Teftimonies from Heaven. See these Characters of the Meffiah foretold by the Prophets, Ifa. xxxv. 4, 5. and lxi. 1, 2. and xlii. 2. Mal. iii. 1, 2, 3. and exemplified in Chrift, Matth. xi. 3, 4, 5. and v. 17-20. and xii. 19.

18 Q. But did not Chrift preach up his own Character as the Meffiah or anointed Saviour? A. Though he several times preached that he was fent from God, yet he very feldom declared plainly that he was the Meffiah; and even forbid the Men that knew it to publish it at that time, nor would he fuffer the Devils to declare it, Mat. xvi. 20. Mark i. 34.

19 Q. Why did our Saviour fo long abstain from declaring that he was the Meffiah who fhould come into the World? A. Partly that Men might learn his Office and Character in a rational Way, and infer that he was Meffiah by his Doctrine and his Works, and partly that he might not expofe himfelf to the Rage of his Enemies, and to Death before his time, Luke vii. 19-23.

20 Q. What were fome of the Teftimonies which Chrift received from Heaven in his Life? A. Voices from Heaven at feveral times; once at his Baptifm, which was mentioned before; once among the People in answer to his Prayer; and once on the Mount of Transfiguration, when Mofes and Elias came from Heaven to attend him.

21 Q. What was that Voice which came in anfwer to his Prayer? A. When Christ prayed in

publick

Chap. XXIII. publick that God his Father would glorify his Name, there was an Answer came from Heaven, 1 have glorified it, and I will glorify it again, John xii. 28.

22 Q. What was the Transfiguration? A. Jefus went up into a high Mountain with three of his Difciples, his Countenance was changed all glorious, and his Raiment fhining like Sun-beams, Mofes and Elias appeared and converfed with him, and from a bright Cloud broke forth a Voice, This is my beloved Son, hear him, Matth. xvii. 1—5.

SECT. II. Of the Subjects of his Preaching, bis Parables, his Difpules.

23. WHAT was the Second Part and Defign of his publick Life and Ministry? A. To preach and teach many neceffary Truths and Duties to the People, Mark i. 38. Ija, lxi. 1. Luke iv. 18.

24 Q. In what manner did our Lord Jefus Chrift preach to the World, and teach Mankind? A. He fpake feveral things to them in publick Sermons or Difcourfes, others in free Converfation or Difpute: fometimes he fpake in plain Language, at other times by way of Parable or Similitude, Mat. v. 2, 3, &c. and xiii. 3.

25 Q. What were fome of the chief Subjects of our Saviour's publick Preaching? A. Thefe that follow, (viz.)

1. He explained the Law of God in its full Latitude, as it reaches the Thoughts, as well as Words and Actions, and rescued it from the grievous Corruptions, the falfe Gloffes and Miltakes of the Jewish Teacher; and by this Means

he

281 he convinced his Hearers of Sin, and fhewed them the Need of a Saviour, Matth. v. 6, 7. ix. 12, 13.

2. He taught them the Vanity of depending upon any outward Privileges, as being the Children of Abraham; he fhewed them the Danger of putting Ceremonies and Forms of any kind in the room of real and practical Godlinefs; he feverely reproved the Scribes and Pharifees on this account, and affured Men there was no Salvation for them, no Entrance into Heaven, without being born again, or becoming new Creatures. See John iii. 3-8. viii. 33-41. Matth. vii. 21-24. viii. 12. and xxiii. 13-33.

3. He corrected feveral finful Cuftoms and Practices, with other foolish Traditions among the People, and reproved the Teachers of the Law for mingling their Traditions and the Inven→ tions of Men with the pure Appointments of God, Mark vii. 1-13. John ii. 13—17. Matth. v, vi, and vii.

4. He called the People aloud to Repentance of every Sin, because the Kingdom of the Gofpel was at hand. See Matth. iv. 17. Luke v. 32.

5. He gave particular Directions for the Prac tice of many Duties, (viz.) fpiritual Worfhip, Prayer, Dependance upon God, Hearing the Word, Giving Alms, loving our Neighbours, For giving our Enemies, &c. Mat. v, vi, vii, and xiii.

6. He preached the Gofpel, or the glad Tidings, of Pardoning-Grace to Sinners, who repented of their Sins, and believed in him: he promised the Affiftance of the Holy Spirit to them that afked it of God; he reprefented himself as fent of God, and invited all Men to come to him and trust in him that they might be faved, Luke iv. 18, 21,