The consideration of the wonderful power of the Son of God, thus man. ifested in procuring bread in the wilderness for so many thousands of peo ple, ought to relieve the cares, and quiet the minds of his people concerning their daily bread. With what joy and satisfaction of soul ought we to consider, that we are under the immediate care of our heavenly Father, whose paternal goodness provides subsistence for all his creatures; and, "who openeth his hand, and satisfieth the desire of every living thing." It is the beloved Son of the Eternal Father, that showers down such a wide profusion of blessings on a thankless world; and according to the beautiful language of the Psalmist, " yisiteth the earth and blesseth it; who maketh it very plenteous, who watereth her furrows, and sendeth rain into the little vallies thereof; who maketh it soft with showers, and blesseth the increase thereof; who crowneth the year with his goodness, while his clouds drop fatness, making the vallies stand so thick with corn, that they laugh and sing." With what thankfulness and praise ought we to behold the constant effects of that heavenly goodness, which supplies the whole creation with food: ought we not to rely on the paternal care of the great Parent of nature, who manifests his goodness, and displays his bounty to an undeserving world, by "giving them rain and fruitful seasons, and filling their hearts with food and gladness."

Nor should we be unmindful of the manifest exertion of divine power, in the constant supplies which are provided for a world of creatures, and in the abundant provision which is made for the daily support of all mankind. Is it any less a miracle, that the supreme Lord of universal nature, should, every day, support and feed the whole race of mankind, and all the brute creation, than that he should feed ten thousand person's in the wilderness, with five loaves and two small fishes? What proportion does ten thousand persons bear to all the myriads of men on the face of the earth, who are daily fed by it's fruits? And is not the increase of those fruits as great a miracle, and as matiifest an exertion of divine power, as the increase of the bread by the blessing of our great Redeemer.

If we had hearts to consider the works of God with attention and care, we should perceive the manifest exertions of his power, in the secret operations of Nature, and as clear proofs of his divinity in her regular productions, as in the most extraordinary and miraculous events. The marks of divine power are equally seen in the wine, which arises from the moisture of the earth, through the tubes of vegetation, and is received from the branches of the vine; as in that instantaneously made from water at the marriage at Cana. Nor ought they less to be ragarded in the corn, gradually ripened, and made into bread for the support of all mankind; than in the bread miraculously blessed to the support of the multitude in the wilderness: but we are very prone to overlook the common operations of creative Wisdom and Power, without considering, that, if we are unaffected with the divine munificence and bounty, so manifestly and richly displayed in the works of nature and Providence, there is much reason to conclude, that outward miracles would not awaken us to a sense of our duty, nor effectually mend our hearts: we are, however, very apt to deceive ourselves in this particular, and often led to couclude, that had we been present at so stupendous a miracle, as that we are now considering, we should have adored the divine hand that wrought it, and never have forsaken the Lord of life. But, alas, if all the display of divine wisdom and goodness in the works of creation; if all the evidences of the omnipotence of the Son of God, in the constant supplies which he provides for his numerous creatures; if the constant manifestations of his goodness to ourselves, in providing for us, and feeding us the whole course of our lives; will not elevate our hearts, and raise them to himself in gra titude and joy, there is the highest reason to conclude, that, had we seen the blessed JESUS feed ten thousand men, women, and children, with

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CHAPTER XVII.

The Mullitudes, after having been miraculously fed in the Wilderness, attempt to take CHRIST by Force and make him King: King: He shuns their Importunity by withdrawing himself from them: He walketh on the Sea to his Disciples: He saves Peter who desired to accompany him, but was sinking for want of Faith. CHRIST disputeth with the Jews in the Synagogue of Capernaum, and declareth himself to be the Bread of Life: He goes to Jerusalem at the Passover; then returns to Galilee, and reproves the Pharisees for their Superstition.

WHEN the wondering multitudes had partook of the miraculous banquet, prepared for them by our great Redeemer, a sudden flow of glad. ness and elevation of mind ran through the desert: every eye was fixed on the great Founder of the feast; every heart was glad, and every tongue resounded his praise.

And now, being thoroughly convinced, that he was their promised Messiah, and having no notion of the reign of the Messiah, but that of his setting up a temporal kingdom, they reverenced him as the great deliverer of their nation, and stood determined immediately to make him king, whether he consented to it or not. Loud acclamations resounded through the woods and wilds, and the voice of exultation and triumph ran along the side of the mountain where the miracle had been performed: the dis ciples seemed to join with the multitude in their desires, and every thing was prepared to proclaim him king.

JESUS to prevent the execution of their design, without their perceiving his intention, sent his disciples away in a boat, with orders to sail to Bethsada. The multitude were very willing to let the disciples depart, when they saw that Jesus did not go with them: perhaps, they imagined, that the disciples were sent to provide such things as were necessary against he assumed the kingdom; nor did they refuse to disperse when our Lord dismissed them, no doubt, designing to return in the morning; which we find, was really the case.

Having thus sent the disciples, and the multitude away, JESUS ascended to the summit of the mountain alone, spending the night in heavenly contemplation, and ardent prayer to his almighty Father.

But the disciples, meeting with a contrary wind, could not continue their course to Bethsada, which lay about two leagues northward of the desert mountain, where the multitude had been miraculously fed. They, however, did all in their power to land as near the city as possible: but a tempest arising they were tossed all night in the tumultuous 'sea, witout being able to make the desired port. At the conclusion of the fourth watch, which was about five o'clock in the morning, they were advanced no further than about a league from the shore; they were tossed by the foaming waves, and opposed in their course by the stormy wind; and though they toiled hard, had no prospect of reaching the place where they desired to land.

Our Lord had, from the mountain, beheld the distress of his disciples, & was now coming to their relief, though they had not the least expectation of

joys the presence of his Saviour, thinks that he can "endure all things;" and concludes, that "his mountain stands strong, and he shall never be moved:" but, when affliction and trouble arise, he has very different views of things; when great dangers are before him, and the boisterous waves of disappointment, vexation, and distress, roar around him, he is very prone to be disheartened, and to think, that he shall certainly be swallowed up,

that God hath forsaken him, and will be favorable no more. Such are too often his sentiments, and, if the divine hand of his Saviour did not hold him out, he would, like Peter, sink in the mighty water.

This miracle of our exalted Redeemer's walking on the sea, seems to have astonished the disciples, more than any which had been before it; for though they had so lately seen the miracle of feeding the multitude with five loaves, it did not appear to have such an effect on their minds, as this last manifestation of his divine power; for now, with the utmost veneration, gratitude, and joy, they came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth, thou art the Son of God."

Nor was walking on the sea, the only miracle which our Redeemer wrought at this time; for we are informed by the evangelists, that as soon as their almighty master, and his relieved disciple, were received into the ship, the vessel was instantaneously transported to its intended port."Then they willingly received him into the ship; and immediately the ship was at the land wither they went."

It was in the country adjacent to Capernaum, that our great Redeemer landed; and, as he had not been in that neighborhood since his visiting Nazareth, the country people flocked about him in great numbers, bringing their sick and diseased, which the divine physician immediately healed: and, as it had been a considerable time since he had been in that country, they crowded around him in such numbers, that he could not pay a partieular attention to every object of distress; but they had so great an opinion of the healing virtue, which he so eminently possessed, that they beseeched him, "that they might only touch the hem of his garment; and as many as touched were made perfectly whole."

It hath been before related, that after CHRIST had fed the multitude in the desert, he dismissed them; but, though they dispersed at his command, they did not return to their habitations: for, perceiving that the disciples were sent to the other side of the lake, and that Jesus stayed behind, they probably concluded, that they were sent to provide necessaries for their master's assuming the kingdom; though he had modestly declined that high dignity in the evening, they were encouraged to hope, that he would accept of it the ensuing day. This expectation, it may be supposed, induced them to lodge in the solitary wilderness, and shelter themselves in caverns of the rocks and mountains, though they were very much incommoded by the raging of the storm.

When morning arrived, the multitude left the places of their retreat, and searched for our Redeemer in every part of the desert mountain: they saw him ascend to the summit, the foregoing evening, and were very much surprised that he could not be found; but having wearied themselves in arı unsuccessful search, they probably concluded that he had departed in some boat which belonged to the sea of Tiberius, that had been forced by the storm to take shelter in some creek, at the foot of the mountain. With this expectation, they departed to Capernaum, where they found him in the Synagogue, teaching the people; and, with a mixture of joy and surprise, asked him, Rabbi, when comest thou hither?" To this question, our great Redeemer answered, that they did not follow him because they were convinced by his miracles of the truth of his divinity, but because they had been miraculously fed: Verily, verily I say unto you," said he, seek me, not because you saw the miracles, but because ye did eat o the loaves, and were filled." Hereby our great Redeemer intimated, thet

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