27. Q. And could CHRIST have done all that His Father required of us, if He had not taken upon Himself our nature?

A. Never. If CHRIST were GOD only, He could not have been punished in our stead; and if He were MAN only, He could not have done what God the Father required.

But CHRIST, being both GoD and MAN, He has left nothing undone, that could secure "eternal salvation" to His BODY, THE CHURCH.-Heb. v. 9.

28. Q. What does our LORD CHRIST teach us by His lowering Himself to become like unto us, His creatures? A. He teaches us to be humble; while He says: "Learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls."

"Let nothing be done through strife or vain-glory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

Let this mind be in you, which was also in CHRIST JESUS; who being in the form of GoD, made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men and humbled Himself, and became obedient even unto death."-St. Matt. xi. 29.-Phil. ii. 3-8.

29. Q. And, what great comfort do we take, from our SAVIOUR having thus made Himself "ONE with us?"

A. HE is NOT ASHAMED to call us HIS BRETHREN." 'Wherefore in all things it behoved Him to be made like unto His BRETHREN, that He might be a merciful and faithful HIGH PRIEST in things pertaining to

GOD, to make intercession for the sins of the people; for in that He Himself hath suffered, being tempted, He is able to succour them that are tempted."-Heb. iii. 11. 17. 18.

30. Q. Is not such a belief in CHRIST, a precious gift of GOD?

A. Yes indeed, the most precious. And I thank my heavenly Father, that He has given me the "right faith,” which is, to believe and confess, that His Son JESUS CHRIST, was conceived by the HOLY GHOST, and is "perfect GOD;" and that He was born of the Virgin Mary, by which I mean, that He is "perfect Man," like unto us, One CHRIST.

ALMIGHTY GOD, who hast given us THY ONLYBEGOTTEN SON, to take our nature upon Him, and to be born of a pure Virgin; grant that we, being regenerate, and made THY CHILDREN by adoption and grace, may DAILY BE RENEWED BY THY HOLY SPIRIT, through the same our LORD JESUS CHRIST; who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the same Spirit, ever ONE GOD, world without end. Amen.

Collect for Christmas Day.

G

66

ARTICLE IV.

SUFFERED UNDER PONTIUS PILATE, WAS CRUCIFIED, DEAD AND BURIED."

1. Q. What do you profess to believe in the fourth Article of your Faith?

A. "I believe that JESUS CHRIST, who was conceived by the HOLY GHOST, and was born of the Virgin Mary, did "suffer under Pontius Pilate; that He was crucified; that He died, and was buried."

2. Q. Why did JESUS CHRIST Suffer?

A.

"CHRIST once suffered for sins, that He might bring us to God."-1 Pet. iii. 18.

3. Q. Why must He have suffered in order to bring us to God?

A. Because GOD could not be reconciled to us, sinners, unless we were first made to suffer His wrath, as a punishment for our sins. But CHRIST put Himself in our place; so that the wrath of GOD fell upon HIм, and not upon us; and that made Him suffer, and "be sorrowful, even unto death."-St. Matt. xxvi. 38. -St. John xii. 27.

4. Q. But how could GoD be angry with CHRIST, since He "is His beloved SoN in whom He is well pleased"?-St. Matt. iii. 17.-Eph. i. 6.

A. Yea, although JESUS CHRIST be the "beloved SON of GOD," yet so great was the iniquity of us all, which was laid upon Him," that God could not bear the sight of it; but the curse of GOD, while falling upon our sins, fell upon His Son, who thus suffered, "being made a curse for us."-Is. liii. 6.—Gal. iii. 13. 5. Q. Why was it needful that CHRIST should thus suffer?

A. That He might "be made perfect through sufferings.”—Heb. ii. 10.

6. Q. How "perfect"?

A. That having suffered all the wrath of GOD against our sins, He might deserve for us, not only GODS' free forgiveness, but also that, as a reward for His sufferings, He should "receive power to give us eternal life." And "thus being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him."-St. John xvii. 2. x. 28.-Heb. v. 9.

7. Q. Did the sufferings of CHRIST begin only before His death?

A. No. The sufferings of CHRIST, began at His birth into the world, and continued until His death; for he was subject like us, to the infirmities of our human nature.

He suffered hunger.-St. Matt. iv. 2. xxi. 18.—St. Luke iv. 2.

He suffered thirst.-St. John iv. 7. xix. 28.

He suffered weariness.-St. John iv. 6.

He suffered poverty, and "for our sakes became poor." For He was born in a stable, "and laid in a manger;" and, while on earth, "had not where

to lay His head.”—2 Cor. viii. 9.—St. Luke ii. 7. ix. 58.-St. Matt. viii. 20.

He suffered, being tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin."-Heb. iv. 15.-St. Matt. iv. 1-11.

'And He was despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief."-Is. liii. 3. -St. Luke xxii. 28.

But He, our MERCIFUL HIGH PRIEST, suffered most, during His " agony" in Gethsemane, when He said, with grief: "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death ;" and when, "praying more earnestly, His sweat was like great drops of blood falling down to the ground." Till, at last, upon the Cross, He sank under the weight of Gods' anger and cried, “My God, MY GOD, WHY HAST THOU FORSAKEN ME?"-St. Luke xxii. 44.-St. John xii. 27.-St. Matt. xxvii. 46. -Heb. v. 7. ii. 17.

8. Q. What great comfort does God graciously allow us to take, from the thought that CHRIST suffered ? A. By CHRISTS' sufferings, we see that He took indeed our nature, being really and truly like as we are, and that He verily suffered in our place. We take comfort therefore, in that, as the Scripture says, "He hath surely borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows :" " for He was stricken and smitten of GoD and afflicted." " He was wounded for our transgressions, and was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and by His stripes we are healed."—Is. liii.4.5. 9. Q. What reward did CHRIST receive for having humbled Himself, and having suffered as He did?