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cumstance which proves that they did not go far away. The multitude being dispersed, Jesus went up into the mountain, where he spent the evening in contemplation and prayer.

The disciples having met with a contrary wind, could not keep their course to Bethsaida, which was situated northwards, about a league or two from the desert inouutain on which the miraculous dinner was given. They rowed, therefore, against the wind, to keep as near their course as possible. But they were so tossed with the wind and the sea, that they made no way: for, in the beginning of the night, they were so near the shore, that, notwithstanding the day-light was quite gone, which is what John means by its being dark, Jesus saw them from the mountain toiling in rowing. Nay, they made so little way, that in the fourth watch of the night, i. e. after three o'clock in the morning, they had gotten only about one league from the shore. But But though Jesus beheld the distress of his disciples, and was about to appear for their relief, they did not see him, neither were they expecting deliverance from him. Thus, when the stormy billows of affliction beat upon and are ready to overwhelm God's people, they are apt to think he hath forgotten them, though he is looking at them all the while, takes particular notice of every thing that befals them, and is about to work their deliverance in a mauner altogether unexpected. In such cases, he oftentimes, of a sudden, calms the storm, makes every thing serene around them, and happily brings them safe into port. So Jesus, who had left his disciples alone at the present danger, that he might teach them to rely, in the greatest extremities, on the providence of God, went to save them, walking upon the sea. This latter cir

cumstance made them all suppose that what they saw was a spectre, or evil spirit: they therefore shrieked for fear. Wherefore, to make them easy, he quickly drew near and discovered himself to them, reanimating them by his presence and voice, with which they were all perfectly acquainted. The apostle Peter, a man of a warm and forward temper, looking at Jesus walking upon the sea, was exceedingly struck with it, and conceived a mighty desire of being enabled to do the like. Wherefore, without weighing the matter, he immediately begged that Jesus would bid him come to him on the water. He did not doubt but his master would gratify him, as he thought he paid him a compliment; his request insinuating, that he would undertake any thing, however difficult, at Christ's command. There was no height of obedience to which Peter would not soar, though, in the issue, it appeared, that the pinions of his faith had not strength to bear him up. Accordingly, our Lord, to shew him the weakness of his faith, and to bear down that high opinion he seemed to have entertained of himself, as well as to demonstrate the greatness of his own power, granted Peter his request for, in supporting him on the water along with himself, he appeared greater than if he had walked thereon singly. Besides, it might be designed to obviate the conceit of the Marcianites, Manicheans, and other antient heretics, who, from this passage of the history, pretended to prove that our Lord did not assume a real body, but only the appearance of one.

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Peter being thus permitted to walk upon the sea, it flattered his vanity not a little; when descending from the vessel, he found the water firm under his feet. Hence, at the first, he walked towards his Master with abundant confidence; but the wind becoming more boisterous than before, made a dreadful storm, and the sea raging at the same time, shook him in such a manner, that he was on the point of being overturned. His courage staggered. In the hurry of his thoughts, he forgot that Jesus was at hand, and fell into a panic. And now the secret power of God, which, while Peter entertained no doubt, had made the sea firm under him, began to withdraw itself. In proportion as his faith decreased the water yielded, and he sank. In this extremity,

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he looked round for Christ, and, on the very brink of being swallowed up, cried to Jesus for help. Save Lord, or I perish. Jesus dealt very mercifully with his apostle in not suffering him to drop to the bottom at once. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? Peter did not doubt that it was Jesus who walked upon the water. He must have been convinced of that before he left the vessel; nay, must have been convinced of it while he was sinking, else he would not have called to him for assistance : but he was afraid that Jesus would not, or could not, support him against the wind, which blew more fiercely than before; a doubt most unreasonable and culpable, since it was as casy to support him against the storm, as to keep him upon the water, which Jesus had virtually promised when Peter first left the vessel. The people of God, warned by this example, should beware of presumption and self-sufficiency; and, in all their actions, should take care not to be precipitate. Wherever God calls them, they are boldly to go, not terrified at the danger or difficulty of the duty, his providence being always able to support and protect them. But he who goes without a call, and proceeds further than he is called, who rushes into difficulties and temptations without any reason, may, by the unhappy issue of his conduct, be made to feel how dangerous a thing it is for one to go out of his sphere. Being convinced by the miracle of making Peter walk upon the sea that it was no spectre, but their Master, they received him into the ship with joy, in expectation, perhaps, that he would make the wind and the sea calm. Nor were their hopes frustrated: for, as soon as he came into the boat, the storm ceased so suddenly, that they were all sensible it was the effect of his power and will; an opinion which they would be confirmed in, if, as on other occasions, he now rebuked the wind and the sea.

On this occasion, Jesus seems to have wrought another miracle also; for, no sooner had he hushed the storm, than, driven by his power, they found themselves with their boat, in an instant, safe at land. John tells us, vi. 17, that "they went over the sea towards Capernaum." The country of Gennezareth, therefore, where they landed, as Matthew and Mark tell us afterwards, was not far from Capernaum. According to Josephus, Bel. iii. 18, the land of Gennezareth ran thirty furlongs along the shore of the lake, and was, in breadth, twenty. When Jesus came to the disciples, they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs: wherefore, as the lake was forty furlongs broad, the boat was miraculously driven, in an instant, at least, ten furlongs. The hushing of the storm, and their instantaneous arrival at the land, astonished the disciples exceedingly, and made them wonder at the greatness of their Master's power. For, though he had so lately performed the miracle of the loaves; nay, though they had the sensible proof thereof before their eyes, in the baskets of fragments which they had taken with them into the ship, and, perhaps, had been talking of it before the storm came on, they were so stupified with their fear, that they did not reflect on that.. miracle. We need not, therefore, be surprized that they did not call to mind a similar exertion of his power, which they had beheld while they sailed to the country of the Gadarenes.

Though, on many occasions, formerly, Jesus had given equal, if not greater, evidences of his power, the disciples did not till now make open professions of his dignity. It seems, when his miracles came thus to be multiplied, but especially when they followed upon one another so close, the apostles were more deeply affected with them than by seeing him perform a single miracle only. No wonder, therefore, that they were now perfectly confirmed in the opinion which they had so justly conceived of bim.

The evangelists, Matthew and Mark, omitting the conversation in the synagogue

of Capernaum, which happened the day after the miracle of the loaves, and, consequently, on the very day that Jesus arrived at Capernaum, give us, in a few words, the transactions of several days, perhaps, weeks, that is to say, the transactions of the whole space which passed between our Lord's arrival at Capernaum after the miracle of the loaves, and his departure to the passover, which John tells us was then at hand. These passages, therefore, naturally come in after the sixth chapter of John; because the miracles described in them were performed some days after the conversation in the synagogue, recorded in that chapter. Nevertheless, as the two evangelists have narrated these miracles in connexion with our Lord's arrival at Capernaum, it will not be improper to speak of them here.

Jesus ordinarily resided in this neighbourhood; but he had been absent for some time. Wherefore, the inhabitants, being well acquainted with him, knew him, immediately on his landing, to be that great prophet who commonly resided in the neighbouring town of Capernaum, and who had done numberless miracles among them, Being, therefore, glad that he was returned, they sent messengers to all their friends and acquaintance in the country round about, who were sick, desiring them to come and be cured. This happened immediately on his landing, and before he entered Capernaum. The people, rejoicing at the opportunity, came, after a few days, in great crowds, carrying their sick in beds, and bringing them to Jesus, whether he was in Capernaum, or the neighbouring country: for he tarried here till he took his journey to the passover. The number of the sick brought to him to be cured was so great, that he could not bestow particular attention upon each of them. They and their friends, therefore, besought him to grant them the favour of touching, if it were but the extremity of his clothes, being certain of obtaining thereby a complete cure. Nor were their expectations disappointed: for as many as touched him were made perfectly whole, whatever the distemper was which they laboured under.

And now to return to the people whom Jesus had fed by miracle; notwithstanding he had ordered them to go home when he had sent his disciples away, he did not leave the desert mountain. It seems, they took notice that no boat had come thither but the one belonging to the disciples; and because Jesus did not go with them, they concluded he had no design of leaving his attendants. Wherefore, though by withdrawing into the mountain, he modestly declined the dignity they had offered him, they persuaded themselves he would be prevailed upon to accept it the next day, especially as they might fancy the disciples were dispatched to prepare matters for that purpose. In this hope, they remained all night about the foot of the mountain, in the clefts of the rocks, making the best shift they could to defend themselves from the storm; and, as soon as the morning was come, they went up to wait on Jesus; but they did not meet with him, though they searched for him up and down the mountain. At length, they began to think he had gone off in one of the boats belonging to Tiberias, which, during the storm, had taken shelter in some creek or other at the foot of the mountain. The most forward of the multitude, therefore, entering those boats, sailed to Capernaum, the known place of our Lord's residence, where they found him in the synagogue teaching the people, [John vi. 59.] and asked him, with an air of surprize, how and when he came thither. Jesus answered them, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye seek me not because ye saw the miracles. Ye are not come after me because ye were convinced, by my miracles, of the truth of my mission, and are now disposed to hearken unto my doctrine: but because ye did eat of the loaves and were filled having been once fed, you expect that I will feed you frequently by miracle; and the satisfaction you found in that meal, has made you conceive great hopes of

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