made up of three lobes. Each by itself is a perfect leaf, but the three united are but one leaf. We call the first Person the Father, because, (1) He is the Father of all created beings, (2) He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ from all eternity, (3) He is the Father of all the Baptized by adoption. He made or created all things in Heaven and in earth, the Angel hosts to serve Him in Heaven, and men to serve Him on earth, and all other creatures to serve man's necessities, and His glory." As God made and gave laws to all created matter, He can alter those laws or interrupt them at pleasure. Such an interruption is called a miracle. 2. And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord. b E believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God the Father, very God, equal to the Father in power, wisdom, and goodness. We believe that He, out of His unspeakable love, came down on earth to redeem and to restore man. We call Him Jesus, which means à Savib S. John i. 1-3. © S. John vi. 38; 1 Tim. i. 15. с a Gen. i. our, because He saves His people from their sins. " He saves both our souls and our bodies. с b In Christ are two natures, the nature of God, and the nature of man; thus He can mediate between an offended God and penitent man. d e He is called Christ, that is the Anointed, because He is set apart to be our Prophet, Priest, and King. A prophet is a teacher of righteousness, and such was Christ. A Priest is one who offers a sacrifice to atone for sins. Christ is a Priest for ever, in that He offered once on Calvary, and is still offering in Heaven, the sacrifice of His death. A king is one governing a kingdom. Christ is a King, and His kingdom is the Church. i f Man was created in innocence and for heaven. He fell by sin, and so lost both. Being unable of himself to make atonement he had nothing before. him but the sad prospect of misery, both here and and hereafter. God took compassion on him and promised him a Redeemer; but this promise was not fulifilled till four thousand years had elapsed; yet, in the meantime, the promise was frequently renewed. It was first made to Adam and Eve.j It was renewed to Abraham. k And again to Isaac. Again to Moses.m The promise of the a S. Matt. i. 21. S. Matt. v. vi. vii. C b Rom. ix. 5. Philip. ii. 6, 7. S. Mark iv. 34; e Ps. cx. 4; Heb. v. 6; vii. 17, 24-28. f Heb. x. Rev. xix. 12. S. Luke xxii. 29; S. Matt. xiii. xvi. 28; S. Luke i. 33; 1 Thess. ii. 12. j Gen. iii. 15. k Gen. xxii. 18. 1 Gen. xxvi. 3, 4. m Deut. xviii. 15. 12. g Rev. v. 6. 41; i b d a C Redeemer was renewed to David. The Prophets foretold the circumstances of Christ's coming, His. birth of a virgin, the place of His birth, the character of His preaching, the nature of His: miracles, His ride into Jerusalem, that He should cast the buyers and sellers out of the temple, that the Jews and Gentiles should conspire to slay Him, that He should be betrayed by one of His disciples, that He should be sold for thirty pieces of silver, and accused by false witnesses, k and should be silent before His judges,' insulted, buffeted and spat upon, and scourged," and crucified; that He should be offered gall and vinegar, P that His side should be pierced, also His hands and feet, that He should die with malefactors, s that He should rise again, and ascend into heaven to the right hand of God." r t i Ps. xli. 9; lv. 12. i Zech. xi. 12. m Ps. xxxv. 15-21. P Ps. Ixix. 21. d Isa. lxi 1. h Ps. ii. 1, 2; xxii. k Ps. xxxv. 11. • Ps. xxii. 14-17; Ps. xxii. 16; Zech. Isa. liii. 9, 12. Ps. xvi. 10, 11. "Ps. xxiv; lxviii. 18; ex. 1. 3. Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary. HIS article contains the fulfilment of the promise of Christ's coming, the Incarnation of Christ, that is the taking upon Him of human flesh and a human soul. a He was incarnate for three special purposes :(1) To set us an example of a perfect man. (2) To be enabled to feel for us in our temptations and weaknesses. (3) To have a body and soul which He might offer as a perfect sacrifice to the Father. с The narrative of the conception and birth of our Lord will be found in the Gospels. In the four holy Gospels also is contained the life of our Lord, His teaching, His miracles, His parables. Mary is called the virgin, because she was a virgin in her conception, a virgin in giving birth, and a virgin ever after. Those who are in Scripture called the brethren of Christ were not real brothers, but cousins. b Heb. iv. 15. e Isa. liii. 10; Heb. x. 5; d S. Luke i. 26-80; ii. 1-19; S. Matt. i. 18-25. 1 Cor. xi. 1; 1 Pet. ii. 21. Eph. v. 2. 4. Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was cruciffed, dead, and buried. HRIST suffered a cruel death on the cross that He might make atonement for us.a Atonement signifies making at one those who were separated. Man's guilt separated man from God, so that, till the sin was taken away God and man could not be reconciled. Therefore Christ, who, as God was sinless, died to pay the penalty for sins, and thus remove it, and reconcile God and man.c b Christ also suffered that he might redeem us. Redemption means bringing back out of slavery those who once was free. Man was free once when innocent in Paradise; but mankind was sold under sin,"d and passed into the slavery of the devil by the transgression of Adam. No sinful man could buy back mankind, as he would be himself a slave; but Christ, being sinless, was free. He paid the price, which was His blood. And now mankind is redeemed by Christ. Christ's passion was for man's restoration. The fall of Adam had been productive of evil to the body and the soul. On the body it had b Col. ii. 14. C Eph. ii. 12, 13, 16; Col. i. 20. f 1 S. Pet. i. 18, 19. a Rom. v. 11. |