Page:The Bible and the Churches.pdf/10

 lead them back from their captivity; and the sceptre did not depart from Judah till Shiloh came, but darkness covered the earth, and gross darkness covered the people. We are now arrived at the time when the Divine Redeemer is to be born, and the commencement of the new dispensation of redeeming mercy.

John the Baptist comes preaching repentance and the remission of sins to prepare the people for the coming of the Son of God. When the proper time had arrived, Jesus commences His public work of redemption, in order that He might ultimately destroy the works of the devil, which He will most assuredly do. The Blessed Redeemer having finished the work which His Father had given Him to do by a life of sacrifice, completes the work of redemption by the sacrifice of Himself on the cross, and after forty days at different times appearing to His disciples, supporting and encouraging them according to His promise, appears at last and tells them that all power is given to Him in heaven and in earth; and tells them to go forth baptizing in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost: and they went forth baptizing in the name of Jesus, knowing that the name of Jesus is sufficient, because in Him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

We are now arrived at the development of the Christian dispensation, and shall endeavour to set forth some of the principal changes the Church has undergone since our Saviour ascended into heaven.

The progress and trials of the Church during the apostles time is set forth in the Acts of the Apostles.

The doctrines are set forth by the Apostle Paul and the other apostles.