550 A SHORT VIEW OF sCRITTHRE HISTORY,. character of the Messiah upon him, and his teaching the people. What is the third considerable design of his public life and mi- nistry ? A. To work miracles for the confirmation of his doc- trine, and for the proof of his being sent from God to be the Saviour of the world. 49. Q. What were someof the chief of the miracles which our Saviour wrought for this purpose ? A. These that follow : L He turned six vessels full of water into excellent wine ; John ii. 7-11. 2. He fed five thousand persons once with five loaves and two small fishes; and again he fed four thousand with seven loaves, and at both times there were several baskets of frag- ments ; 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 leprosy, the fever, the palsy, the dropsy, and other distempers by a word of command ; Mat viii. and ix. Mark i. Luke xiv. 5. He walked on the water, and suppressed a storm at sea by a reproof given to the seas and winds ; Mat. xiv. 25. and viii. 29. 0. He delivered several persons from the possession of the devil, by rebuking the evil spirits and commanding them tode- part; Luke iv. Mat. viii. Mark i. 7. He raised a few persons 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 : I. That almost every wondrous work Christ performed was a work of love and goodness, whereas many of the wonders of Moses were works of destruction. 2. Ilis miracles were very numerous, so that mankind could not be mistaken in all of them, though theyshould object against some. 3. They were wrought in many places of the Jewish nation, and several of, them before the eyes of the multitude, who could attest them. 4. They were such miracles, as were foretold should be wrought in the days of the Messiah, and therefore Ire confirm, ally appeals to his miraculous works for a testimony of his corn-, mission from God ; John x. 37, 38. and xv, 24. and xiv. 11. SECT. IV.-The Example of Christ. 51. Q. Let us proceed now and enquire, What was the
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