Abranam s offering up of Isaac was a type of Christ's being offered upon the cross; Isaac's carrying the wood on his shoulders was a type of Christ's carrying his own cross; and the brazen serpent and the paschal lamb prefigured Christ's being lifted up, and his being made a sacrifice for the sins of the people. Our Saviour was buffeted and spit upon, according to the prophecy of Isaiah. "He had vinegar given him to drink mingled with gall, and his garments parted among the soldiers by casting lots, according to David. He was numbered with the transgressors,' being condemned as a malefactor, to suffer with malefactors, being crucified between two thieves. He cried out under his sufferings, according to David," and prayed for his wicked persecutors, according to Isaiah." It was foretold he should make his grave with the rich," and, accordingly, he was put, after his crucifixion, into the tomb of Joseph, a rich man of Arimathea. Q. What prophecies which related to the resurrection and ascension of the Messiah were fulfilled in Jesus? A. The resurrection of Jesus Christ was predicted by David; thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, nor suffer thy Holy One to see corruption, for to this purpose this passage is applied by St. Peter." The time was foretold by Hosea to be after two days, as several of the Rabbies understood that place. And it was prefigured by the type of Isaac's deliverance when he had been offered up, and by the type of Jonas being three days and three nights in the whale's belly. His sitting at the right hand of God, which supposeth his ascension into Heaven, was foretold by the royal prophet, Sit thou at my right hand till I make thine enemies thy foot-stool. The accomplishment of the forementioned prophecies is a sufficient proof that our Saviour was a person sent from God. Q. How was Jesus proved to be sent from God by a voice from Heaven? A. Just before he began his public ministry, when he was baptized by John in the presence of a great assembly of the people, the Holy Ghost descended upon him, with a voice from Heaven, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice was again repeated, though not so publicly, at his transfiguration on Isaiah 1. 6. A Hosea vi. 2. s Psalm xxii. 18. lxix. 21. a Matt. xii. 40. t Isaiah liii. 12. u Psalm xxii. 1. y Acts ii. 27. Matt. iii. 16, 17 the mount; and is mentioned by St. Peter as a considerable argument of Christ's divine authority: For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we have made known unto you the power and coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-witnesses of his majesty; for he received from God the Father, honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from Heaven we heard when we were with him in the holy mount. And a third time there came a voice to him from Heaven in the hearing of all the people. Q. What further evidence is there that Jesus was a person sent from God? A. Jesus proved that he was sent from God, by the power with which he was endowed of working miracles; which power, when the miracles are great and unquestionable, and frequently wrought in public, is one of the highest evidences we can have of the divine mission of any person. And that our Saviour did many wonderful things, is confessed by his greates enemies, Celsus and Julian, though they attributed them to the power of magic. Q. Of what nature were our Saviour's miracles, and how were they wrought? A. He healed all sorts of diseases, in multitudes of people, as they came accidentally without distinction." The manner of curing them was above the ordinary course of nature; for a touch or a word alone produced the cure, and often he cured those at a distance from him. The most inveterate diseases submitted to his power: he restored sight to the man born blind: he made the woman straight that had been crooked and bowed together eighteen years; and the man that had an infirmity thirty-eight years he bids take up his bed and walk." He multiplied a few loaves and fishes for the feeding of some thousands; which miracles were twice done, and at both times many thousands were witnesses of them and, what all men grant to be miraculous, ne raised several persons from the dead, particularly Lazarus, after he had been four days in the grave. All these miracles he wrought publicly in the midst of his enemies, and for a long time together, during the whole season of his public ministry, which was about three years and an d Matt. xvii 5. e 2 Peter i. 16, 17, &c. f John xii. 28. g Matt. iv. 23, 24. John ix. 7. Luke xir. 13. John v. 8. i Matt. xiv. 21. j Matt. xv. 31. k John xf Chap. XXXI.-The Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ - 198 Chap. XXXII.-The Sunday after Ascension Day Chap. XXXIII.-Whit-Sunday Chap. XXXIV.-Monday and Tuesday in Whitsun Week Chap. XXXV.-Trinity Sunday Chap. XXXVI.-The Sundays from Trinity to Advent Chap. XXXVIII.-St. John the Baptist - Chap. XL.-St. James the Apostle Chap. XLII.-St. Matthew Chap. XLIII.-St. Michael and All Angels Chap. XLVIII.-All Fridays in the Year Devotions for the Circumcision, or New-Year's Day Devotions for the Epiphany Devotions for the Festival of the Conversion of St. Paul Devotions for the Festival of the Purification Devotions to be used every Day during the Season of Lent 286 287 Page Devotions for the fifth Sunday in Lent, called Passion Sunday . 291 Devotions to be added to our other Devotions on those Days when the Holy Communion is administered Devotions for Good-Friday 293 Devotions for Easter Even Devotions for Easter Day Devotions for the Festival of St. Mark the Evangelist Devotions for the Festival of the Ascension Devotions for the Festival of St. Barnabas Devotions for the Festival of St. John the Baptist Devotions for the Festival of St. James Devotions for the Festival of St. Michael and All Angels Devotions for the Festival of All Saints Devotions for the Ember Days Prayer to be used before Self-Examination Prayer for an effectual belief of the Christian Religion Collects and Prayer for the Church Prayer for a right Observation of Holy Days 294 295 half. His miracles, indeed, were so public and so undeni able, that St. Peter applies to the Jews themselves, declar ing,' that Jesus of Nazareth was a man approved of God Among them by miracles, and wonders, and signs, which God did by him in the midst of them, as they themselves also knew. Q. What objections were made against the miracles of our Saviour? A. His miracles were of such a description, and wrought in such a manner, and did so plainly prove themselves to be above the power of nature, that none of his enemies attempted to solve them that way; but they attributed them to the power of the devil, He casteth out devils by Belzebub, the prince of the devils.TM Q. How doth it appear that the miracles of our Saviour were not wrought by the power of the devil? A. The miracles of Christ could not be wrought by the power of the devil, because the doctrine of Christ, which was confirmed by his miracles, was contrary to that design which the devil carried on in the world, and was destruc tive of his kingdom. It forbids the worshipping of evil spi rits, and draws men off from such wickedness as those evil spirits were delighted with; and, in fact, it appears wherever the Christian religion was entertained, that the worship of demons, and all magical arts were renounced and forsaken, and one God only worshipped. So that it is not to be ima gined, that the devil should assist in doing such things as not only brought no profit nor advantage to him, but were the surest instruments of abating his power, and destroying his interest among mankind. This is the force of our Sa viour's answer to this objection;" Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city and house divided against itself cannot stand; and if Satan ast out Satan, he is divided against himself, how shall then is kingdom stand? Besides, there is no proof that the devil can work miracles, except so far as is permitted by God: and it is impious to suppose that God would aid him in a system of imposture. Q. What was the great miracle that gave the utmost evi dence of our Saviour's divine authority? A. The conclusive evidence of our Saviour's divine mission was his being raised from the dead the third day. The wit I Acts it. 29. m Matt. xii 24 Matt. xii. 25, 96. |