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A. That it was perfect and faultless. He is said to have "left us an example that we should follow his steps, who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth." 1 Pet. ii. 21, 22. And he says himself, I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done." John xiii.

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Q. Do we any where find in the Evangelists a professed eulogium on our Lord's character?

A. Nowhere; they have simply recorded facts and discourses, and it is from combining and comparing these together, that we are to collect our knowledge of the character of our Lord.

Q What are the qualities for which he was most distinguished?

A. The first and most remarkable virtue was his piety. He spent much time by night and by day in prayer; he constantly expressed a deep and awful sense of God's perfections. John viii. 29. "He did always those things which were pleasing to the Father, and obeyed his will, even to the death of the Cross." John xiv. 31. Phil. ii. 8.

He was also distinguished for benevolence. The whole period of his ministry was employed "in going about doing good." All his miracles and all his discourses were calculated to heal the natural diseases of men, or to remove the evils which sin had brought into the world.

Q. What other qualities distinguished our Lord's character?

A. He was remarkably compassionate toward

the poor and miserable. It is thrice recorded of him that he wept. When he saw the multitudes who followed him into the desert, he "had compassion on them," miraculously fed them, and began to "teach them many things."

He was also remarkable for his justice, for his universal temperance, for his meekness, his humility, his fortitude, his veracity, his prudence, his natural affection, his friendships, his patience, his resignation, his love of his own country, consistently with his love of all mankind. Q. What most demands our attention in a review of our Lord's character ?

A. As an instructor we find him delivering the most sublime truths, respecting the divine nature, the duties of mankind, and a future state of existence; overpowering our minds with the grandest ideas of his own nature, as our legislator, our judge, and redeemer. These instructions he communicates with the most graceful dignity, and the most impressive simplicity. He removes the false glosses and constructions which had been put by the Jews upon the moral law, and enforces it by new and most powerful motives.

All his precepts are reasonable, when rightly explained, and useful in their tendency.

His manner of teaching is simple, sublime, and pathetic; he instructs by precept, by parable, and by actions.

In his example, he exhibits a perfect model of piety to God, and of benevolence to man; of temperance without austerity, of meekness without apathy, of fortitude without insensibil

ity. He is humble, though all nature is subject to his control; he is patient and resigned, under the most excruciating tortures. All his virtues are regulated by the most consummate prudence, and all his benevolent actions are performed without the feast ostentation.

Q. Till the coming of our Lord, did a character like his ever exist?

A. Never, nor has any such character ever appeared since. In him dignity and modesty, the most awful greatness, and the most conciliating tenderness, remarkably unite. Now he converses with Prophets and Angels, the next instaut we see him patiently instructing his disciples, and embracing young children in his

arms.

Q. What conclusion are we to draw from this view of our Lord's character?

A. That it was a real one and divine-that it was impossible for the highest human genius to portray such a character, had it not existed, much less could this have been done by such plain and illiterate men as are admitted to be the authors of the Gospel history. Finally, from the facts recorded in the New Testament, we must conclude with the unprejudiced “centurion, and those who were with him" at our Lord's crucifixion, "Truly this was the Son of God." Matth. xxvii. 54.

CHAPTER VI.

Of the sufferings and death of Jesus Christ. Q. What most claims our attention in the sufferings of our Lord ?

A. The pains and the shame to which he was exposed; the dread and agony of soul which made him exclaim in the garden of Gethsemane, "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death;" Matth. xxvi. 38. and upon the Cross, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me ?" Matth. xxvii. 46.

Q. Why did he endure all these sufferings? A. As an expiation for the sins of his people. Q. In what manner did Christ suffer?

A. He suffered innocently, voluntarily, and patiently, with perfect resignation to the will of God, and with perfect charity towards his enemies and murderers.

Q. What do we learn from hence ?

A. That the sufferings of our Lord were in conformity with the righteous will of his Father, and with the covenant of grace; that sin, which made these sufferings necessary, is a great and deadly evil: that after Christ's example, we should with patience and resignation endure the afflictions which God may judge it necessary to inflict on us, and that even when persecuted by enemies, we should cherish compassion and good will towards them, and pray for them.

Q. At what time did our Lord undergo these sufferings?

A. It was when Tiberius Cæsar was Emperor of Rome, and Pontius Pilate the Governor of Judea; at which time the Jews were a conquered people, and their supreme civil authority taken from them, as had been predicted by the patriarch Jacob. Gen. xlix. 10.

Q. Under what circumstances was our Lord condemned?

A. Although his death was demanded by the chief Priests and rulers, and a multitude of the Jewish people, yet his innocence was publicly attested by the false apostle that betrayed him, and the judge who condemned him; his death was therefore not for any offence of his own. Q. What kind of death did our Lord suffer? A. The death of the Cross.

Q. What is observable in this mode of punishment?

A. That it was extremely cruel and painful, and at that time was considered as infamous and accursed. It was therefore inflicted only on the worst criminals, as we see in the case of the thieves who were executed with our Lord. Q. What is further observable in the kind of death which our Lord endured?

A. That in this instance he fulfilled an ancient prophecy, which declared that he should be "numbered among the transgressors," Isaiah liii. 12. and that it should appear from the manner of his death, that our Lord died" to redeem us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us; for it is written, cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree." Mark xv. 28. Gal. iii. 13. Deut. xxi. 23.

Q. Was it not sufficient that Christ suffered?
A. No, it was necessary that he should die.
Q. For what reason?

A. That he might thus agreeably to ancient prophecy, and various types and symbols in the Mosaic economy, offer himself as an all

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