27 Q. What is the remarkable prophecy which Job spake concerning Christ?

A. Job xix. 25, 26, "I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth and though, after my skin, worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God."

28 Q. When is this prophecy to be fulfilled?

A. When Christ the Redeemer, who lives in heaven, shall come to raise the dead, and to judge the world, "he shall stand at last upon the earth," after his enemies are conquered; and the children of God in their new raised bodies shall see God; that is, shall see Jesus Christ the Redeemer, who is Emmanuel, or God with us; and who is described as "God manifest in the flesh," 1 Thess. iv. 16, 17. 1 Cor. xv. 24-26. 1 Tim. iii. 16.

29 Q. What great and evident truths may be inferred from this long train of prophecies concerning Jesus Christ our Saviour?

A. We learn that, from the beginning of the world, ever since the sin and fall of Adam, throughout the several ages of mankind, there hath been a continual succession of prophecies given from God, who foreknows all things, concerning some great and glorious Deliverer and Saviour, who should be manifested to the world in time; and that he should appear as the king of Israel, and for the salvation both of the Jews and Gentiles and accordingly he has been expected by those good men in the several ages who were best acquainted with the Scriptures, and particularly in that age wherein Jesus Christ appeared. See Luke i. 69, 70. and xxiv. 27. Acts iii. 18-24.

30 Q. But does this determine Jesus the son of Mary to be the glorious person, this expected Saviour?

A. Since all the characters which so many prophets, in so many different ages, have given concerning the Messiah or Christ the Saviour, do really agree and meet together in Jesus, and in none besides, they leave us no room to doubt whether this Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Mary, be the Christ or no.

THE HISTORY

OF

THE NEW TESTAMENT,

ABRIDGED IN WAY OF QUESTION AND ANSWER.

INTRODUCTION.

Having finished the history of the Old Testament, and related briefly the short affairs of the Jews, so far as we find them recorded elsewhere, we proceed now to the history of the New: the chief subjects of it are our Lord Jesus Christ, the Saviour of mankind; John the Baptist, who was his forerunner; and the Apostles, who were his followers.

The history of John the Baptist is but short; it contains a brief narrative of his birth, his ministry, and his death.

The history of Christ our Saviour is much larger, and it may be divided into three distinct parts, namely, the account of his birth and childhood; the account of his public life and ministry; and the account of his death, resurrection, and ascension.

The history of the Apostles, after our Saviour's ascension, begins with an account of the twelve Apostles in general, but chiefly of St. Peter and St. John; and proceeds more largely to a particular account of the travels, labours, and sufferings of St. Paul: and this concludes the Scripture History, except what is contained in the visions of St. John, in the Revelations.

The writers of this history are St. Matthew and St. John, the Apostles; St Mark, the companion of St. Peter, and St. Luke, the companion of St. Paul. It is contained chiefly in the four Gospels, written by

those Evangelists whose names they bear; and in the Acts of the Apostles, of which Luke was the writer; though some further hints and memoirs may be collected from some part of the Epistles.

CHAPTER XXI.

OF JOHN THE BAPTIST.

1 Q. As the Old Testament begins with the creation of the world, so the first question here is, Who was the Saviour of the world?

A. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who was sent down to dwell among men, in order to become their Saviour, Matt. i. 21. 1 Tim. i. 5. John iii. 17.

1 John iv. 14. Matt. xvi. 16.

2 Q. What notice was ever given of his coming? A. God himself, and his prophets, throughout all ages, have foretold his coming as some great deliverer, as the Messiah, or anointed of God, Luke i. 79. Acts iii. 18.

3 Q. Were there any plain marks or characters given him whereby he might be known?

A. Yes, many characters of him are found in the books of the Old Testament, as the foregoing chapter declares; and he has answered them all, in his life, his doctrine, his death, and his resurrection.

4 Q. Was such a Messiah expected by the Jews, to whom the books of the Old Testament, were given ?

A. He was long expected by them, and particularly in that age wherein he came; and that both by the Jews and the Samaritans, John i. 45. Luke iii. 15. John iv. 25, 29.

Note, It is worth our observation, that not only the Jews and Samaritans, but the Heathens also, about this time expected some great king or glorious person to be born.

Virgil, the Roman poet, who lived in the time of Augustus Cæsar, in his fourth Eclogue is supposed to

describe the blessings of the government and age of some great person, who was or should be born about this time; and he doth it in language very agreeable to the Jewish prophet's description of the Messiah and his kingdom. Some suppose that he borrowed this sense from some ancient books of the prophetesses, who were called Sibyls; but it is evident that those writings of the Sibyls, which are delivered down to us, have so many signs of forgery, that we can give no credit to them.

Suetonius, a Roman writer, tells us, in the life of Augustus Cæsar, that there was one Julius Marathus declared, "that nature was about to bring forth a king for the people of Rome." He says also, in the life of Vespasian," that there had prevailed over all the eastern part of the world a constant opinion, that about that time there should come out of Judea those who should obtain the empire of the world." Tacitus, another of their historians, saith the same thing; and, "that it was contained in the ancient books of the Jewish priests;" so that both Jews and Gentiles expected now some glorious person to arise in the world."

5. Q. Who was the forerunner or the messenger sent to declare that he was just at hand?

A. John the Baptist, the son of Zacharias and Elizabeth, Luke i. 5, 67. Mark i. 2.

6 Q. What was Zacharias?

A. A good man, and a priest, who lived without a child till his wife and he were both grown old, Luke i. 6, 7.

7 Q. What was there remarkable in the birth of John?

A. The angel Gabriel appeared to Zacharias while he was offering incense in the temple, and the people were praying without, and told him that he should have a son, and should call his name John, Luke i. 9, &c.

8 Q. What sign did the angel give of the truth of his message?

A. That Zacharias should be dumb, and not able to speak till John was born, ver. 20.

9 Q. What honour was done to Elizabeth while she was with child of her son ?

A. The virgin Mary, the Mother of Jesus, made a visit to her, and they both rejoiced and praised God together in a divine rapture, Luke i. 39–55.

10 Q. When was Zacharias released from his dumbness, and had his voice restored to him?

A. When his wife brought forth a son, and they were going to circumcise the child, he wrote his name John on a table, and then his tongue was loosed, and he spake the praises of God, ver. 59-64.

11 Q. Where was John brought up?

A. In the desert country or wilderness of Judea, and there he also began his public ministry when he was about thirty years of age, ver. 80, and Luke iii. 2. 12 Q. What was his chief commission from God? A. He was sent to preach the doctrine of repentance and forgiveness of sins; to baptize or wash with water those who professed their repentance, and to direct the people to Christ as the Saviour, Mark i. 4, 5. John i. 26, 31.

13 Q. What further instructions did he give to the people?

A. He bade them not trust in their being the children of Abraham: he taught them lessons of love and liberality; to give food and clothing to those who wanted and he gave special directions to the Pharisees and Sadducees, to the publicans, and the soldiers who came to be baptized, Matt. iii. 7, 8. Luke iii. 7-14.

14 Q. What directions did he give to the Pharisees and Sadducees?

A. He bade them "bring forth fruits" in their lives, to make their repentance appear, as well as profess it with their lips, Matt. iii. 7, 8.

15 Q. What advice did he give the publicans or tax-gatherers?

A. To exact or demand no more money of the people than was appointed, Luke iii. 13.