Jefus feeds a great Multitude with a few Loaves, ver. 5. Walks upon the Water, ver. 16. Men ought to be more follicitous about their eternal, than their temporal Life, ver. 27, 32. The Gospel fitted to convince fincere and teachable, not obftinate and incorrigible Men, ver. 37. Viciousness the Caufe of Unbelief, ver. 43. In what Senfe Jefus called himself the Bread of Life, ver. 51, 55. I. A Fter these things, Jefus retired again into Galilee; and went into that part of the Country, which is near the City of Tiberias, beyond the Lake of Genefareth. 2. And a great many People, who had feen the Miracles of Healing, which he had worked in other Places, followed him; some out of curiofity, to fee more Wonders; others, to beg affiftance for themselves or their Friends, against incurable Diseases; and others, with a Defire to hear his Doctrine. 3. Jefus therefore taught them many Things, and healed as many of them as had any Infirmity of Body. And when he had done, he retired with his Difciples to a neighbouring Mountain in the Defert, to pray and to refresh themfelves. 45. But the Multitude obferving whither he went, ftill followed him. And their Number continually increafing, because feveral of the People, who were now haftning from all Parts towards Jerufalem by reafon of an approaching Paffover, ftayed and joined themselves with the Company; the Difciples defired Jefus to make use of his Authority, and fend them away. But Jefus took pity on them; and refolving to give them fome Refreshment before he difmiffed them, he said to Philip: I am refolved, not to fend the Multitude away fafting, because many of them come from far, and have been a long time here; but how fhall we do, to buy Provisions for fo great a Number of People? 6. This Jefus faid, not that he him felf was at any less what to do, but only to try his Difciples Faith, whether by the Miracles they had already feen, they had learnt for the future to rely on his Divine Wisdom and Power in cafes where all humane Means failed. 7. Philip, not confidering Jesus's Power, nor apprehending that he had any Defign to feed the People miracu loufly, replied: All the Money we have, is not fufficient to buy Bread enough, to give to every one of them fo much as a Tafte. 89. But Andrew, Peter's Brother, hearing when Jefus fpake to Philip, and feeming to expect He would do fomething extraordinary, though he knew not what, faid: There is indeed a little Lad here, that has five Loaves of Bread and two fmall Fishes; but what these will do towards feeding fo great a Multitude, I cannot imagine.. 10. Then Jefus bid the Difciples cause the People to fit down upon the Ground, which was at that time full of Grafs. And they did fo; not diftrufting, though not yet fully forefeeing the Event. And being fet down in order in feveral Companies, they by that means appeared to be in Number about five thousand Men. he 11. Then Jefus taking the Bread and Fifh in his Hands, and having given Thanks to God and bleffed them ; brake the Bread, and divided the Fifh, and gave it out to his Difciples, bidding them diftribute it among the Multitude, and give to every one a piece of each: And they did fo. 12 & 13. And fo marvellously did the Bread and Fifh increafe, as it went through the Difciples Hands; that every one of that great Company had as much as he defired to eat. And when they had done, Jefus bid the Twelve Difciples gather up the Fragments, that nothing might be loft. And every one of them filled his Bafket with what was left: So that there remained twelve Bafkets full of broken Food, after all the Multitude had enough and were fatisfied. 14. This was fo fenfibly evident and undeniable a Miracle, that the Multitude immediately hereupon concluded, that Jefus muft needs be the Meffiah their Saviour and Deliverer; whom, according to the ancient Prophecies, they expected was to appear in the World about this time. 15. They refolved therefore, according to their falfe Notion that the Meliah was to be a temporal Prince, to take Jefus and proclaim him their 4 10 And Jefus faid, Make the men fit down. Now there was much grafs in the place. So the men fat down, in number about five thousand. 11 And Jefus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he diftributed to the difciples, and the difciples to them that were fet down ; and likewise of the fishes, as much as they would. 12 When they were filled, he faid unto his difciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be loft. 13 Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley-loaves, which remained over and above, unto them that had eaten. 14 Then those men, when they had feen the miracle that Jefus did, faid, This is of a truth that prophet that fhould come into the world. 15. When Jefus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by King. But Jefus, aware of their Design, which was very contrary to the Intent of his Preaching and Miracles, firft fent away his Difciples in a Boat over the Lake, left they fhould join with the Multitude in this their rafh Refolution; and then retired again to the Mountain by himself alone to pray; defigning to follow his Difciples foon after, and overtake them before they were got to the other fide of the Lake. 16 & 17. Now it was just about the Evening, when the Difciples went down to the Lake's fide, and took Boat to go over the Water towards CapernaBut before they had gone far, it grew very dark, and ftill Jefus came not to them. um; 18. The Lake alfo became very rough, by reafon of a ftrong contrary Wind that blew against them; fo that they thought themfelves in great danger of being loft. labour very 19. They were forced therefore to hard with their Oars; and yet it was a great deal after midnight, before they had rowed about twenty five or thirty Furlongs. At which Time, Jefus taking pity on them, came walking towards them on the Water, But it being dark, and he feeming as if he would have paffed by them, they did not know him, but, taking him for an Apparition, were affrighted and cri ed out. 20 & 21. Then difcovering himfelf to them, he bid them, not be afraid. And they took him in joyfully; believing that all danger was paft, now he was with them. And the Event was anfwerable to their Expectation: For though they had before Y 2 'made *The Paraphrafe on the three following verfes is extracted from Dr. Claget, maining made fo little way in fo long a time, 22, 23 & 24. The next morning, 35. * And when they found him, from whither they went. 22 The day following, when the people which stood on the other fide of the fea, faw that there was none other boat there, fave that one where into his disciples were entered,and that Jefus went not with his difciples into the boat, but that his difciples were gone away alone: 23 (Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias, nigh unto the place where they did eat bread after that the Lord had given thanks.) 24 When the people therefore faw that Jefus was not there, neither his difciples, they also took fhipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jefus. 25 And when they had found him on the other fide of the fea, they faid unto him, Rabbi, when cameft thou hither? 26 Jefus answered them, and faid, Veriverily, I fay unto you, Ye feek me, not because ye faw the miracles, but becaufe ly, ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. 27 Labour |