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23 Q. How did the child Jesus escape?

A. Joseph, his supposed father, was warned by an angel to "take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt," v. 13.

24 Q. When did Jesus return into the land of Israel? A. When Herod .was dead, God sent a message by an angel, in a dream, to command Joseph and Mary to return with him; so they returned into Galilee, and dwelt in Nazareth, their city, v. 19—23.

25 Q. Was there any thing further remarkable in the childhood of Jesus?

A. When he was twelve years old he went up with his parents to the passover, according to their custom; but when they returned they missed their son, Luke ii. 41–43.

26 Q. Where did they find him?

A. They turned back to Jerusalem, and, "after three days, they found him in the temple, in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions," v. 45, 46.

27 Q. What reason did the child Jesus give for his conduct?

A. He told them that they might have supposed "he was about his Father's business:" but he went down with them to Nazareth, where he spent the rest of his childhood, and was subject to his parents, Luke ii. 49-51.

28 Q. How did Jesus employ his younger years? A. It is reported by the ancients that he was brought up to his father's trade, who was a country carpenter, and that he made ploughs and yokes for oxen; for Jesus himself is called a carpenter, Mark vi. 3.

CHAPTER XXIII.

OF THE PUBLIC LIFE AND MINISTRY OF CHRIST.

INTRODUCTION.

His preparation for his public work.

1 Q. At what age did Jesus begin to appear in public?

A. At about thirty years of age, Luke iii. 23.

2 Q. How was he prepared for his public work? A. He was eminently prepared for it by his baptism, by the descent of the Holy Spirit upon him, by his retirement, and his temptations, Luke iii. and iv. 3 Q. When was Jesus Christ baptized?

A. When John the Baptist was sent with a commission to baptize men, Jesus offered himself at the river Jordan to be baptized, that he might "fulfil all righteousness," though he had no need to be washed from sin, Matt. iii. 14, 15.

4 Q. What testimony did he receive from John the Baptist?

A. John declared that Jesus was "" the Lamb of God, who would take away the sins of the whole world ;" and that he himself, who baptized with water, was not worthy to loose the shoes of Jesus, because he was appointed to baptize with "the Holy Spirit, and with fire," Matt. iii. 11.

5 Q. What miracle attended this baptism?

A. When "Jesus came out of the water, the Spirit of God, like a dove, descended upon him, and a voice from heaven was heard, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased," Matt. iii. 16, 17.

6 Q. Whither did he go for his retirement after he was baptized?

A. He was led into the wilderness, not only to endure temptation, and conquer the tempter there,

but probably to spend forty days in meditation and prayer, and converse with God; as Moses, before his giving the laws to Israel, spent forty days with God on Mount Sinai, Mark i. 12, 13.

7 Q. Was this the place of his contest with the Tempter?

A. Yes; the Devil assaulted him here with three powerful temptations, Matt. iv. 1—11.

8 Q. What was the first temptation?

A. The Devil persuaded him to turn stones into bread because he was an hungered, having fasted forty days.

9 Q. How did Christ answer him?

A. By showing him that "man doth not live by bread alone, but by the power and blessing of God," Deut. viii. 3.

10 Q. What was the second temptation?

A. The Devil set him upon a pinnacle of the temple, and bade him cast himself down, for there was a promise, in Psalm xci. 11, that "angels should bear him up," so that he should receive no hurt.

11. Q. How did Jesus resist that temptation?

A. By showing that we must not tempt the providence of God any way, Deut. vi. 16. and therefore we must not venture upon dangers without necessity. 12 Q. What was the third temptation?

A. The Devil promised to give him all the kingdoms of the world, if Jesus would fall down and worship him.

13 Q. How was this temptation vanquished?

A. By declaring that God only was to be worshipped, Deut vi. 13. and x. 20.

14 Q. Whence did Jesus derive his answer to these several temptations?

A. From several texts of Scripture which he cited upon this occasion, and all out of the book of Deuteronomy.

15 Q. What token of honour from heaven did Christ receive in the wilderness?

A. When the Devil was disappointed and vanquished, and forsook him, "the angels of God came and ministered unto him."

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JESUS CHRIST's appearance with the characters of the MESSIAH.

16 Q. We are now come to the public life and ministry of Jesus Christ; let us hear what were the chief parts or designs of it?

A. The first design of his public life and ministry was to appear in the world with the marks of a divine commission, and the characters of the Messiah upon him.

17 Q. How did Jesus fulfil this first design of his public life and ministry?

A. He healed the sick, he raised the dead, he preached the glad tidings of salvation to the poor, he set about the reformation of the world, and all this without noise or uproar; and he received several

testimonies from heaven. See these characters of the Messiah foretold by the prophets, Isaiah xxxv. 4, 5. and Ixi. 1, 2. and xlii. 2. Mal. iii. 1, 2, 3. and exemplified in Christ, Matt. xi. 3-5. and chap. v. 17-20. and xii. 19.

18 Q. But did not Christ preach up his own character as the Messiah, or anointed Saviour?

A. Though he several times preached that he was "sent from God," yet he very seldom declared plainly that he was the Messiah; and even forbid the men that knew it to publish it at the time, nor would he suffer the devils to declare it, Matt. xvi. 20. Mark i. 34.

19 Q. Why did our Saviour so long abstain from declaring that he was the Messiah who should come into the world?

A. Partly that men might learn his office and character in a rational way, and infer, that he was the

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Messiah by his doctrine and his works; and partly that he might not expose himself to the rage of his enemies, and to death before his time, Luke vii. 19-23.

20 Q. What were some of the testimonies which Christ received from heaven in his life?

A. Voices from heaven at several times; once at his baptism, which was mentioned before; once among the people, in answer to his prayer; and once on the mount of transfiguration, when Moses and Elias came from heaven to attend him.

21 Q. What was that voice which came in answer to his prayer?

A. When Christ prayed in public that God his Father would glorify his name, there was an answer came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again," John xii. 28.

22 Q. What was the transfiguration ?

A. Jesus went up into a high mountain with three of his disciples, his countenance was changed all glorious, and his raiment shining like sun-beams; Moses and Elias appeared and conversed with him, and from a bright cloud broke forth a voice, "This is my beloved Son, hear him," Matt. xvii. 1-5.

SECTION II.

Of the subjects of his preaching, his parables, and his disputes.

23 Q. What was the second part and design of his public life and ministry?

A. To teach and preach many necessary truths and duties to the people, Mark i. 38, Isaiah Ixi. 1.

Luke iv. 18.

24 Q. In what manner did our Lord Jesus Christ preach to the world and teach mankind?

A. He spake several things to them in public sermons or discourses, others in free conversation or dispute sometimes he spake in plain lauguage, at

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