and only Messiah, spoken of in the O. T.: that if Jesus of Nazareth, born in Bethlehem, be not that Messiah, there can be no other;-that if the Messiah did not appear about the time of the birth of our Lord, he never will, and never can come into the world, so as to fulfil the ancient prophecies;-and consequently, that Jesus Christ our Lord is the true and only Messiah ; and that the expectations of the Jews respecting some future advent of their Messiah, are altogether delusive, and unfounded upon any part of the Holy Scriptures.* § 4. OF HIS OFFICES. In explaining the name Christ, you have said, that holy men who, under the law, were sent of God to fulfil certain offices, were anointed with holy oil, in token of their divine commission : Q. 227. Now, can you tell me what those offices were? A. They were of three kinds, viz. those of Prophet, Priest, and King. Q. 228. In what did the ceremony of anointing consist? A. It consisted in pouring oil upon the head, which * We may also further observe, that the exact fulfilment of all these prophecies in the person of Christ, infallibly proves the divine inspiration of the Bible. being for holy purposes, was therefore called holy oil. (Ex. xxx. 22—33.) Q. 229. Was our Lord ever so anointed? A. No; for this anointing with holy oil was typical of the internal unction of the Holy Ghost, which, when baptized of John, visibly descended from heaven, and abode upon him. (a) (Ps. lxxxix. 20; Acts iv. 26, 27; x. 38.) (a) Matt. iii. 16; Mark i. 10; Luke iii. 22; Johni. 32, 41. Q. 230. Can you give an example of persons holding each of those offices which you have mentioned, being initiated into those offices by the ceremony of anointing with oil? A. Yes, of prophets, God directed Elijah to anoint Elisha; (a) of priests, Aaron (b) and his sons, (c) were anointed; and of kings, Saul, (d) David, (e) Solomon, (f) and Jehu, (g) received the royal unction. (a) 1 Kings xix. 16.—(b) Lev. viii. 12.—(c) Ex. xxviii. 40, 41.-(d) 1 Sam. x. 1; and xv. 17.—(e) xvi. 13.—(ƒ) 1 Kings i. 34.-(g) xix. 16. Q. 231. Did Christ fulfil these three offices? A. Yes; he fulfilled them in his state of humiliation, when upon earth; and he still continues to fulfil them now in his state of exaltation in heaven. 1.-PROPHET. Q. 232. What is the nature of the prophetical office? A. The nature of the prophetical office is two-fold, viz. first, to reveal to mankind such truths, doctrines, and events, as could not otherwise be known, and such as God sees fit to reveal;-secondly, to instruct mankind in their duty. Q. 233. Can you tell me the principal truths which our Lord, in the days of his humiliation, made known, and which were not before clearly revealed? A. It is probable that all the truths which our Lord taught when upon earth, were before intimated in the O. T., but our Lord enlarged upon, and more clearly explained a variety of most important truths, which before were but very little understood. Q. 234. What truths, more . particularly, were these? A. The nature of redemption by himself; (a) the nature and necessity of spiritual regeneration ;(b) and the certainty of a future resurrection to an endless life, of either happiness or misery, with many others. (c) (a) John xiv. 6. I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me. (b) John iii. 5. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. (c) John v. 28, 29. The hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. Q. 235. What special doctrines did our Lord teach, which before were not well understood? A. All the mysteries of the Gospel; such as the I 3 Trinity in Unity, (a) Election,* (b) Regeneration, (c) Adoption, (d) Justification, (e) Sanctification, (ƒ) and others. (a) John i. 18; x. 30; and xiv. 16, 17, 20. (b) Matt. xx. 23; (Rom. ix. 11–16; xi. 5–7, 28; 2 Tim. ii. 19; and 1 Pet. i. 2.) (c) John iii. 5; (Tit. iii. 5; 2 Cor. v. 17.) (d) John i. 12; (Gal. iv. 5,6; Eph. i. 5; 2 Cor. vi. 16—18.) (e) John xiv. 6; (Rom. v. 9, 19; Gall. ii. 16; Tit. iii. 5—7; Eph. i. 7.) (ƒ) John xvii. 17-19; (1 Cor. i. 2; 2 Thes. ii. 13.) Q. 236. What events did our Lord particularl foretell? A. He foretold that he should be betrayed; (a) his own death, (b) resurrection, (c) and ascension; (d) the coming down of the Holy Ghost; (e) the destruction of the temple of Jerusalem; (f) the dispersion of the * From the doctrine of Election, many have inferred the opposite doctrine of Reprobation, as a necessary consequence; and as equally founded upon the decrees of God. But, whilst the former is unquestionable, the latter, to say the least, is very doubtful. The decrees of God are not a fit subject to be decided by human reasoning-they are far beyond the reach of our penetration. (Deut. xxix. 29.) Much less ought they to be decided, however apparently obvious, when opposed by the clear and express testimony of the word of God. But nothing can be more clear and express than that God willeth not the death of a sinner, or that any should perish eternally. (Ezek. xxxiii. 11; and 2 Pet. iii. 9.) If it were so, all the exhortations, calls, and invitations to sinners, with which the scriptures abound, would be mere delusion and mockery. See Art. 17. Ch. Engl., and compare the note to Q. 32, with Q. 203 to 205.-2nd Ed. Jews throughout the world; (g) and the universal spread of the gospel throughout the earth; (h) with many others. (a) Mark xiv. 18. (b) Matt. xvii. 23. (c) Mark ix. 31, and x. 33, 34. (d) John vi. 62, and xx. 17. (e) John xiv. 16, 17, 26. (ƒ) Mark xiii. 1, 2, 14—19. (h) Mark xiii. 10. Q. 237. In what manner, in his state of humiliation, did our Lord fulfil the other part of his prophetical office, viz. the instruction of mankind in their duty? A. This he did both by precept, and by example. Q. 238. Wherein did the precepts of our Lord differ from those of the O. T.? A. They were the same in substance; only being either very ill understood, or wholly perverted, and in some respects disregarded, he clearly explained them, showed their abuse, and enforced their spiritual and extensive application. (a) (a) Matt. v. 21, 22, 27, 28, 31, 32, &c. &c. also chap. vi. vii. Q. 239. What was the nature of our Lord's example? A. It was in every respect holy his whole life was unreservedly devoted to the service of God, and the welfare of mankind. (a) (a) John iv. 34. My meat is to do the will of him that sent and to finish his work. me, Q. 240. You have now told me wherein our blessed |