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whether there is any other name having a similar signification.

A. Yes; Messias. "I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ," (John iv. 25.) We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ," (John i. 41.)

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Q. What are the languages in which these two names are declared?

A. Messias, in the Hebrew tongue; Christ in the Greek.

Q. What is their signification?

A. The Anointed.

Q. What was the design in the custom of anointing?

A. It was, under the law, to set apart to some special use or office; and therefore under the notion of unction we must understand that promotion and ordination. And this anointing with oil to the highest offices was but a type and shadow.

Q. How, then, do you apply these types to Jesus?

A. When Jesus is called the Christ or Messias, he is the substance of those types, inasmuch as he is set apart by God, anointed with most sacred oil, and advanced to the highest office, for which, under the law, preparation was made by the use of oil.

Q. Was there a general expectation of the coming of Christ?

A. Yes. John iv. 25.

Luke iii. 15. John

vii. 27, 31, 40, 41. John i. 19, 20, 21.

Q. Was a belief in the coming of Christ an article in the Jewish faith?

A. Yes; they who believed not, were interpreted to deny the law and the prophets.

Q. What are the grounds on which they built this expectation?

A. On the promises of God: God said unto Abraham, In Isaac shall thy seed be called," (Gen. xxi. 12.); and we know this to have been a promise of a Messias to come, because St. Paul has taught us, that "to Abraham and his seed. were the promises made; he saith not, unto seeds, as of many, but as of one, and to thy seed, which is Christ," (Gal. iii. 16.) The Lord said unto Moses, "I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee," (Acts iii. 22; vii. 37.) And St. Peter satisfies us that this prophet promised to Moses is Jesus the Christ, (Acts. iii. 20.)

Q. How do you know that the time of Christ's coming is past?

A. The prediction of Jacob on his death-bed is clear and full: "The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from beneath his feet, until Shiloh come, and to him shall the gathering of the people be," (Gen. xlix. 10.) But the sceptre is departed from Judah; therefore Shiloh, i. e. Messias, is come.

Q. How do you prove that by Shiloh is to be understood the Messias?

A. It is manifest from the consent of the ancient Jews, and the description immediately added to the name.

Q. Is there any other evidence that the Messias is come?

A. Yes; Malachi's prediction that he would come whilst the temple stood, (Mal. iii. 1. and Haggai ii. 6, 7, 9.) From these, it is clear, he was to come whilst the second temple stood. It is not now standing, therefore Messias is come.

Q. How do you prove that the man Jesus was the Messias?

A. 1. By the acknowledgment of Jews and Gentiles, that this Jesus was born in Judea, and lived and died there before the dispersion of Israel, and the destruction of the second temple, i. e. the time foretold that the Messias should come. 2. By the fulfilment of prophecies belonging to the Messias, in Jesus, whether in regard to the family, the place, or the manner of his birth; neither were they ever fulfilled in any person beside him.

Q. Show their fulfilment in regard to the family.

A. That he was to come out of the tribe of Judah and family of David, is every where manifest, (Isa. xi. 1, 2, 10.) It was Jesus of whom the elders spake, (Rev. v. 5.) It was Jesus who

said, "I am the root and offspring of David," The Jews all acknowledged it.

(Rev. xxii. 16.)

(Mark. xii. 35.

Matt. xxii. 42; xxii. 23. Luke

xviii. 38. Matt. xxi. 9. 1 Heb. vii. 14.)

Q. Show their fulfilment as to the place where the Messias was to be born.

A. We find that Jesus, by a particular act of providence, was born where it was predicted the Messias should be born, (Matt. ii. 4, 5. John vii.

41, 42. Matt. ii. 5, 6.)

This prediction was ful

filled in the birth of Jesus, (Luke ii. 1—11.) Q. Show their fulfilment in the manner of his birth.

A. Isaiah said, "The Lord himself shall give you a sign: Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call his name Immanuel." (Isa vii. 14.) We know that Jesus was thus born. of the Virgin Mary, "that it might be fulfilled which was thus spoken of the Lord by the prophets," (Matt. i. 22.)

Q. Have you any further proof that Jesus was the Messias?

A. In his teaching what the Messias was to teach; doing what the Messias was to do; and suffering what the Messias was to suffer.

Q. Show this as to what Jesus taught.

A. The Messias was promised as a prophet and teacher, (Deut. xviii. 18. Isa. xlii. 1, 4.) Now it is evident that Jesus was superior to all prophets and teachers; for he has revealed unto

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us the most perfect will of God, both in his precepts and promises, delivering them not like Moses, "Thus saith the Lord;" but, "I say unto you," (Matt. v. often. vii. 29.)

Q. Show this as to what Jesus did.

A. When John the Baptist sent his disciples with this message to Jesus, "Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?" (Matt. xi. 2, 3.) his answer referred to the works of Christ, (Matt. xi. 4, 5.) The Jews acknowledged a like testimony, (John vii. 31. iii. 2.) What were all the miracles of Moses and the prophets, compared with those of our Saviour? (John xxi. 25.) The power of working these miracles was inherent in himself," in whom dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily," (Col. ii. 9. Mark v. 25, 29. Matt. xiv. 34, 36. Luke vi. 17, 19.) Its inherency is further evident from his conferring it on others, (Luke x. 19. Matt. x. 8. Mark xvi. 17. John xiv. 12.)

Q.

Show this as to what Jesus suffered.

A. Christ's condition is thus described by Isaiah liii. 2, 3. Compare with this Phil. ii. 6, 7. Luke ii. 51. Matt. viii. 20. xiii. 55. Mark vi. 3. His sufferings are pourtrayed by the same inspired writer, and by others. And if we compare the prophets with the evangelists, it will appear that the Messias was to suffer nothing which Jesus did not suffer. Compare Zech. xi. 12, with Matt. xxvi. 15. Isa. liii. 5. Zech, xii. 10, and Ps. xxii.

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