Ç1tAPTER XXIII. 449 that God sent his only begotten Son to save asmany as would believe on him ; John iii. 1 -21. 42. Q. What was our Lord's discourse with the woman of Samaria ? A. He told her of her living in the sin of fornication, and assured her the time was just at hand, when God would not regard persons ever the more on account of the places in which they worshippedhim, whether it were at the temple of Jerusa- lem or Samaria, but on the account of spiritual worship, which they paid him from their hearts; and he let her know plainly that he was the Messiah John iv. 7-26. 43. Q. What discourse had Christ with the Herodians ? A. They enquired of him whether it was lawful to give tribute to Cesar, that if he denied it, they might accuse him to the Ro- mans ; if he asserted it, they might render him odious to the Jews, and particularly the Pharisees : But Jesus gave them a very wise answer, and avoided their snares, by bidding them, " Render" to Cesar the things that are Cesar's, and unto God the things that are God's." Mat. xxii. 15-22. 44. Q. What dispute had Christ with the Sadducees ? The Sadducees, thought to ridicule him about the doctrine of the re- surrection, by enquiring, to which of her seven husbands a wife would belong in that day ? But, as he proved the resurrection to them from the law of Moses, so he assured them that there was no such relation as marriage in that state ; Mat. xxii. 23-33. 45. Q. What disputes did our Saviour hold with the Pha- risees, and the Scribes, and, the teachers of the law ? A. He had many disputes with them about their excessive fondness of ceremonies and traditions, wherein he chewed 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," Mat. xv. I- 20. and xxiii. and xii. 1 -7 46, Q. What was his debate with the ruler of the syna- gogue 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 Moses ; Luke xiii. 14-17. 47. Q. What controversy had Christ with the chief priests and elders of the people? A. About his own authority for preaching, wherein he silenced them, by enquiring of them what authority had John the baptist, whom all the people esteemed is aprophet ; Mat. xxi. 23=57. SECT. III.The Miracles of Christ. 48. Q. Thus we have finished the two first designs of the public life and ministry of Christ, viz. his appearing with the
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