41 Q. What was his Difcourfe with Nicodemus? A. He taught Nicodemus, who came to him by Night, that a Man muft be born again, that is, he must have his old finful Nature renewed into Holiness, if he would fee the Kingdom of God; and that God fent his only begotten Son to fave as many as would believe on him, John iii,

I-21.

42 Q. What was our Lord's Difcourfe with the Woman of Samaria? A. He told her of her living in the Sin of Fornication, and affured her the Time was just at hand when God would not regard Perfons ever the more on the account of the Places in which they worshipped him, whether it were at the Temple at Jerufalem or Samaria, but on the account of the fpiritual Worship which they paid him from their Hearts; and he let her know plainly that he was the Meffiah, John iv. 7-26.

43 Q. What Difcourfe had Chrift with the Herodians? A. They enquired of him whether it was lawful to give Tribute to Cæfar, that if he denied it, they might accufe him to the Romans; if he afferted it, they might render him odious to the Jews, and particularly the Pharifees: but Jefus gave them a very wife Anfwer, and avoided their Snares, by bidding them Render to Cæfar the Things that are Cæfar's, and unto God the Things that are God's, Matth. xxii. 15-22.

44 Q. What Difpute had Chrift with the Sadducees? A. The Sadducees thought to ridicule him about the Doctrine of the Refurrection, by inquiring, To which of her feven Hufbands a Wife would belong in that Day? But, as he proved the Refurrection to them from the Law of Mofes, fo he affured them that there was no

fuch

such Relation as Marriage in that State, Mat. xxii. 23-33.

45Q. What Difputes did our Saviour bold with the Pharifees, and the Scribes, and the Teachers of the Law? A. He had many Disputes with them about their exceffive Fondness of Ceremonies and Traditions, wherein he thewed that they made void the Law of God by their own invented Traditions; and that the Duties of Morality, Righteousness and Goodness, were more valuable even than the Ceremonies of God's own Appointment, and are to be preferred where they may happen to interfere: for God will have Mercy, and not Sacrifice, Matth. xv. 1—20. xxiii. and xii. 1-7.

46 Q What was his Debate with the Ruler of the Synagogue and other Jews? A. About his healing diseased Persons on the Sabbath-day, at which they cavilled; but he proved to them that it was a very lawful thing, even from the Care that God took of Cattle on the Sabbath-day in the Law of Mofes, Luke xiii. 14-17.

47 Q. What Controverfy had Chrift with the Chief Priefts and Elders of the People? A. About his own Authority for Preaching, wherein he fi lenced them, by enquiring of them what Authority had John the Baptist, whom all the People efteemed as a Prophet, Matth. xxi. 23—27.

SECT. III. The Miracles of CHRIST.

48 Q. THUS we have finished the two first Defigns of the publick Life and Ministry of Chrift, (viz.) his appearing with the Character of the Meffiah upon him, and his teaching the

People

People. What is the third confiderable Defign of his publick Life and Miniftry? A. To work Miracles for the Confirmation of his Doctrine, and for the Proof of his being fent from God to be the Saviour of the World..

49 Q. What were fome of the chief of the Miracles which our Saviour wrought for this Purpose? A. These that follow.

1. He turned fix Veffels full of Water into excellent Wine, John ii.

2. He fed five thousand Perfons once with five Loaves and two fmall Fifhes; and again, he fed four thousand with feven Loaves, and at both times there were feveral Baskets of Fragments, Mat, xiv. and xv.

3. He gave Sight to the Blind, Hearing to the Deaf, Speech to the Dumb, Strength and Vigour to lame and withered Limbs, Mark viii. John ix. Mark vii. Mat. xx. John v.

4. He healed the Leprofy, the Fever, the Palfy, the Dropfy, and other Diftempers by a Word of Command, Mat. viii, and ix. Mark i. Luke xiv.

5. He walked on the Water, and fuppreffed a Storm at Sea by a Reproof given to the Seas and Winds, Mat. xiv. 25. and viii. 29.

6. He delivered feveral Perfons from the Poffeffion of the Devil, by rebuking the evil Spirits, and commanding them to depart, Luke iv. Mat. viii. Mark i.

7. He raised a few Perfons from the Dead, (viz.) the Ruler's Daughter in the Chamber, the Widow's Son in the Street, as he was carried to his Burial, and Lazarus was called out of his Grave when he had been dead four Days, Mark ix. Luke vii. John xi.

&

50 Q. What is there remarkable in these Miracles of our Saviour? A. These four things.

1. That almost every wondrous Work of Chrift performed was a Work of Love and Goodness, whereas many of the Wonders of Mofes were Works of Destruction.

2. His Miracles were very numerous, so that Mankind could not be mistaken in all of them, though they should object against some.

3. They were wrought in many Places of the Jewish Nation, and feveral of them before the Eyes of the Multitude, who could attest them.

4. They were fuch Miracles as were foretold fhould be wrought in the Days of the Meffiah, and therefore he continually appeals to his miraculous Works for a Teftimony of his Commiffion from God, John x. 37, 8. and xv. 24, 14, II.

SECT. IV. The Example of CHRIST.

51 Q. LET us proceed now and enquire, What was the fourth thing defigned in the publick Life and Ministry of Chrift? A. To give an Example to the World of univerfal Holiness and Goodness, John xiii. 15. Į Cor. xi. 1. Rom, · XV. 5.

52 Q. What are fome of the more remarkable Virtues, Graces or Duties, wherein Christ appears to be our Example?

A. 1. He fought the publick Glory of God with the warmest Zeal, and vindicated the Honour of his Father's Appointments against the Corruptions of Men, John viii. 50. xvii. 4, and ii. 16, 17. Matth. xxiii.

2. He was strictly obfervant of all the Commands of God, even the Ceremonial as well as the Moral: He obferved the Sabbath, he came up to the Feast at Jerufalem, he defired to be baptized, he came to fulfil the Law of God, and made it his Meat and his Drink, Matth. iii. 15. and v. 17. John xiv. 31. iv. 34. and vii. 10.

3. He was frequent and fervent in religious Exercifes, Prayer and Praise, Luke vi. 12. and xi. 1, 2. Matth. xiv. 23. and xi. 25.

4. He was eminent for Heavenly-mindedness, Self-denial as to the Comforts of this Life, and Truft in God for his daily Bread: He was fo poor that the good Women miniftred to him out of their Subftance, and he had not where to lay his Head, Luke ix. 58. viii. 3.

5. He bore Sorrows from the Hand of God with the higheft Submiffion, and the vileft Injuries from Men with perfect Patience and Meeknefs, not returning Railing for Railing, but bleffing those that perfecuted him, 1 Pet. ii. 21-23. Matth. xi. 29. Luke xxii. 42. and xxiii. 34.

6. He gave the most glorious Inftances of GoodWill to Men, Compaffion to the Miferable, and Love to Friends, to Strangers and to Enemies. He often had pity on the Multitudes that followed him, he travelled about and took all Occafions to do Good to the Bodies and the Souls of Men; to their Bodies by his healing and feeding them, and to their Souls by his Preaching and Converfation, and at laft he laid down his Life for Sinners, Acts x. 38. Matth. ix. 36. and xiv. 14. John xv. 13. Rom. v. 6, 8, 10.

7. He was obedient to his Parents, paying them Honour, and obedient to Magiftrates, paying Tax and Tribute, Luke ii. 51. Mat. xvii. 24.

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