But Jesus presently sent his disciples before him to the wilderness by sea, which was on the same side with Bethsaida and Capernaum: for he that left his father's kingdom to take upon him the miseries and infelicities of this world, declined the tumultuary election of an earthly crown. Therefore, when he had sent away his disciples to Bethsaida by water, he went into the mountains to secrete himself till the multitude should separate to their several habitations; he, in the mean time, taking the opportunity of that retirement for a season of prayer.* But when the apostles were engaged in the sea far from land, on a sudden a great and violent storm arose, with which they were pressed to the extremity of danger, labouring almost in hopelessness and despair till the fourth watch of the night; when in the midst of their fears and labours, Jesus comes walking on the sea, and appeared to them, which occasioned the utmost consternation. They had lost their pilot who used to conduct them safely through all difficulties of sea and land; and being now left to themselves, they had nothing but despair and death before their eyes; and seeing a shape of they knew not what walking on the water, they supposed it had been a spirit: but in tenderness to their frailty he soon dispelled their fears, by informing them who he was, which yet they desired to have confirmed to them by demonstration: for when Jesus bid them not to be afraid, telling them who he was, Simon Peter said unto him, "Master, if it be thou, command me to come to thee on the waters." The Lord did so; and Peter throwing himself upon the confidence of his master's power and providence, came out of the ship; but his fears beginning to weigh him down, he cried out, saying, "Lord save me!" Jesus taking him by the hand, reproved his timorousness, and the weakness of his faith, "Why didst thou doubt? Why was thy heart divided between faith and diffidence? Why didst thou distrust my power, who bid thee come to me?" When they were come into the ship, the rest of the disciples seeing Peter safe, and the storm appeased, came and adored Jesus, acknowledging

* Prayer. See Matt. xiv. 33.

his omnipotence, and admiring the divinity of his power and person. From hence they went over to the land of Genesareth, whither, when the inhabitants heard that he was come (for they knew him, as having been there before) they sent unto him all the diseased people in the place, with so firm a confidence believing his power, that they only desired a touch of his garment for the curing their most stubborn and inveterate maladies: and as many as touched his clothes were healed.

The day following, the people that stood on the other side of the sea considering that there was no other boat there, but that wherein the disciples had embarked, and that they had put off without Jesus, coming nigh the place where they had eaten bread, when by blessing the five loaves he so multiplied them, that they were sufficient to feed five thousand; and found that he was gone from thence as well as his disciples, they concluded that Jesus, though he went not with them, was gone after them to Capernaum, his usual habitation: and having opportunity of other, vessels for passage, they took ship, and went to Capernaum to seek for him. Where when they found him, and not knowing which way he came thither, they in a surprise asked him how he came there. But Jesus, instead of gratifying their curiosity with a direct answer, takes occasion from this anxious inquiry of theirs to observe to them, "That which induces you to follow me is not the acknowledgment of my divine power evidenced by my miracles; nor is it to embrace my doctrine, nor a desire to learn of me, but a gross and carnal complacency of gratifying your appetites, and such advantages, as you obtained by my multiplying the loaves to feed you. Set not your hearts on these poor external advantages, desire not to acquire this corporal food in order to your worldly ends; but labour earnestly to obtain that food which is unperishable, and will make all that feed on it immortal." Hereupon they said to him, "What course wilt thou prescribe to us, that we may be always 'employed in the works of God, so as to be acceptable to him?" Jesus tells them, "That which God requires of them is to believe on him, the Messiah, whom God hath sent." Then

they, though they had before believed, and concluded that he must be the Messiah* and were therefore resolved to make him their king, now retract their former resolution, and demanded farther demonstration; telling him they had great reason to adhere to Moses, who wrought such miracles, and brought down bread from heaven ready prepared; and unless he would produce some such testimony as might equal that of the Manna, they would not believe on him. Jesus replied, "That Manna came not from heaven, but out of the airy region; and it was the work of God, not of Moses: and now the same God gives you far more durable food than that was ;-he gives you his Son, who came really from heaven, and who is bread and food to your souls, as Manna was to your fathers for that fed but the body, and presently perished; but that which God gives you now is for your souls, and feeds them to eternity. I am that durable life-giving bread of God, whose excellency is infinitely above that of Manna. You have seen me, and tasted of my miracles, yet ye do not believe in me, and consequently feed not on this true bread which came down from heaven.† This is an evidence of great obstinacy in you; for had God's preventing grace any influence on you, you would certainly come and obey my call, and I should not af terwards reject you, for this lies upon me, as the office for which my Father hath sent me, the fulfilling of which is my care, that I should preserve every one that shall thus come and believe on me, and give to every one that perseveres, besides many excellent privileges here, eternal life of body and soul hereafter. There is also another part of my Father's commission to me, that whosoever believeth in his Son should not perish, but inherit everlasting life in the other world.” When the Jews heard him say he was the bread which came down from heaven; they, regarding his birth here on earth, and his parentage, could not forbear murmuring. To which Jesus replies, “I have said nothing to cause this murmur

Messiah. See John v. 14, &c.

† Heaven. See John vi. 37, &c.

ing: it is true, there is some pretence for these vulgar prejudices against me; but it is an effect of my Father's preventing grace to fit and prepare men's hearts to be ready and willing to come to me and for every one that doth thus come, and therein obey my call, on him will I certainly bestow everlasting life. The sum therefore of what I thus say hath been obscurely delivered to you of old by the prophets: for they,† speaking of these times foretold that God would dispose the hearts of men to receive Christ; and therefore it was that I said, that every disciple of my Father who hath been truly taught of him, doth certainly come to me, and believe in me. The Manna given in the desert did not make those immortal that did eat it: but the bread which is now sent you down from heaven, will give immortality to them that feed on it. And this bread of life is not only prepared for you Jews, but for all others who receive and digest it into the food and nourishment of their souls." Hereupon the Jews taking every thing he spake in a‡ literal sense, disputed among themselves how he could give his flesh to eat, and his blood to drink. Jesus knowing their perplexity, tells them in the same metaphorical way, Except you feed on this celestial food, that is, believe on me as a Saviour, you have no part of the true immortal life in you. For I that am sent in the flesh to die for the world, and am the food which will nourish you to everlasting life: so that he that believeth in me must necessarily derive life from me. The Manna which your fathers did eat could not preserve them for ever, for they are dead; but the bread that I shall give you shall be to you everlasting food." In this metaphorical way of speaking Jesus continued some time; upon which divers of his disciples forsook him, being offended by their

*Murmuring. See John vi. 44, &c.

They. See John vi. 56, 57, &c.

4. See Isaiah liv. 13.

§ Disciples. John vi. 66. Among those disciples which St. John says deserted our Saviour upon the misunderstanding of this Sermon, St. Mark the Evangelist is by Epiphanius, Heræs. xv. said to be one, but that he was afterwards recalled by Simon Peter.

literal and carnal understanding of those words which he intended in a spiritual sense: for the words which he spake were not profitable in the sense of flesh and blood; but they are spirit, and they are life, himself being the expounder, who best knew his own meaning.

Jesus seeing this great desertion of his disciples, began to suspect the rest, not excepting the twelve apostles; and therefore turning to them, he asked them, if they also would forsake him? To whom Simon Peter answered, "Lord, whither shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life: and we believe, and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God." But although this public confession was made by St. Peter in the name and confidence of the other apostles, yet Jesus, who knew the hearts of them all, answered Peter, “Have not I of all the followers that have professed to believe in me, chosen but twelve to be my constant attendants, and one of them is a traitor ?" meaning Judas Iscariot, who afterwards betrayed him. This he spake to them prophetically, that they might perceive that the events which afterward took place, particularly in the treachery of Judas, who conspired with the Jews to destroy him, did not surprize him that he could not prevent them, but that they came by his own knowledge and permission and though Judas as yet had made no offer or attempt that way, yet our Saviour knew he would deliver him to the Jews, notwithstanding he was so near him as to be one of the apostles, whom he intended should preach the gospel to all people.