17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

bath. Jefus told them, that, in imitation of God, his heavenly Father, he confined not his works of charity to time and place. This only incenfed them the more; as they declared him now, both guilty of a violation of the fabbath, and of making himfelf equal with God. Jefus told them, that he acted in all things in union with God-and that the great works he had done, and the greater works which he fhould do, all tended to convince them of this truth. The power of raifing the dead, said he, which the Father hath, the Son hath alfo; and the power of judgment the Father hath committed entirely to the Son, that he alfo fhould be the object of divine honour. So that whoever honoureth not the Son, difhonoureth the Father. Hence, therefore, he who believeth and obeyeth my doc trine, fhall be redeemed from all that fin and guilt, in which a mortal ftate involves him, and fhall inherit everlasting life. For the Son of God is now come to offer falvation to fallen man; and all who hear and obey his voice fhall be faved. For the Father, 26. 27.

22.

23.

25.

continues to the end of this chapter, was made before that council.
This fuppofition is chiefly grounded on the 334 verfe, as it is plain
(from John i, 19.) that the Sanhedrim is there alluded to.
If we
confider our bleffed Lord's apology in this light, we certainly give
it additional dignity.

19. Some writers have brought this paffage to opppofe the divinity of Chrift: but the natural interpretation of it, and its connection with ver. 17, feem to fland thus. My father worketh on the fabbath, as well as on other days, in the great defigns of his providence; and I work in like manner. Therefore the Son (ver. 19.) can do nothing of himself, that is, feparately from the Father; but is, mall things, united with him.

20. See a note on Mark xiii. 32.

28.

29.

as I faid, hath committed to him both the power of raifing to life, and of calling into judgment. Be affared, then, the hour cometh, when all that are in the grave fhall hear his voice, and fhall come forth; they that have done good, unto the refurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the refurrection of damnation. You fee then with how little juftice you accufe me of the breach of a law of God, when I do nothing without his power and 31.32.33. authority. If I alone bore testimony to myself, my 34-35-36. teftimony might be fufpected; but I have the tes

37.

38.

39.

40.

30.

timony of John alfo, for whofe great character you all have the highest esteem. You remember the teftimony which he bore, when you sent to confukt him. I urge this merely to draw you to the truth, by the ftrength of fuch evidence as is moft fuited to you; for myfelf, I lay Hittle ftrefs on any human authority. The miraculous works that I perform, are, beyond all, a teftimony that God hath fent me. And though here the witness is invifible, yet the teftimony is evident. But your unbelief is proof against all; for you know as little of that God who teftifies, as you do of me, to whom he bears testimony. You profefs to fearch the fcriptures as the fountain of life, and yet they ftrongly teftify of me. It is not, therefore, for want of fufficient evidence, that you reject the life I offer; but through the influence

30. That this verfe takes up the argument again, from a tranfition, feems plain (as Dr. Clarke obferves), both from the fenfe, and from its beginning juft as the 19th verfe does, which begins the argument.

of

of your wicked affections. Every thing tends to
fhew you that, I am not guided by any worldly
views; yet you have not the love of God fufficiently
in you to listen to any inftruction.
But though

you receive not me, who come in God's name, you
are ready to receive others, who come in their own.
Nor can it be otherwife, while a love of the world
and its honours lies at your hearts.

Think not

that I mean to accufe you. But remember, there is one in whom you truft, even Mofes himself, who will accufe you. For if you had believed the writings of Mofes, you could not but have believed in me, of whom Mofes teftifies. But if you believe not his testimony, it is impoffible you can pay any attention to my doctrine.

41.

42.

43.

44.

45.

47.

47.

VI.

5. 6.

After this, Jefus paffed over the fea of Tiberias, CHA P. and retired to a mountain with his difciples. But his retreat could not be hid for it was about the 1. 2. 3. 4. time of the paffover; and many people who had feen his miracles, and were going that way heard of him, and began to crowd about him. As he faw the people gathering in that folitary place, he was defirous to give them fome refreshment, before he fent them away; and asked Philip, (though with a view only to try him,) where he might procure food to fupply fo large a multitude? Philip told him,

44. Our Saviour's telling the Jews of their receiving honour one of another, feems to have reference to the members of the Sanhedrim; who were remarkable for giving each other founding titles.

7.

8.9.

10.

II.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16. 17.

that all the money they had could not purchase bread enough to fupply every one with a morfel. But another of the difciples, at the fame time, informing him that a lad there had five loaves and two fmall fifhes, he ordered the people, who were about five thousand, to fit down in companies on the grass; and taking the bread and fish, he gave thanks, and diftributed them, through the hands of his difciples, among the people. When they were all fatisfied, he bad his difciples gather up the fragments, that nothing might be loft. With these they filled twelve baskets. The multitude, on feeing this great miracle, univerfally declared that Jefus was that prophet whom they expected. And, indeed, their zeal, in a little time, arose to fuch a degree, that Jesus, finding them inclined, in a tumultuary manner, to place him at their head, retired from them, unob. ferved, to a place of folitude.

In the mean time, as evening approached, the difciples took boat, and coafted the lake towards Capernaum, expecting to take up Jefus on fome part of the fhore; but he no where appeared, and a dark 18. 19. tempeftuous night came on. They were not however kept long in fufpence, before he came to them 20. 21. walking on the lake. At first they were afraid; but when he spake to them, they gladly received him

15. It always appears, that the multitude followed Jesus under the idea of his being that leader who fhould restore their tem poral grandeur.

21. See a note on Matt. xiv, 25.

into the boat, which immediately arrived at the place they intended.

25.

26.

27.

The next day, the people having obferved the 22.23.24. disciples had gone alone, and that there was, at that time, no other boat near the place, conceived however, that Jefus was, in fome way, gone to them, and getting into a few boats, which had just arrived from Tiberias, went to Capernaum in queft of him. When they had found him, they expreffed their furprise how he got there. Jefus, instead of gratifying their curiofity, told them, they followed him not fo much for the fake of obtaining conviction from his miracles, as for the fake of the worldly advantages which they expected from him. Be not, said he, folicitous about these things; but let your attention be fixed on that fpiritual food, which is meant to be the nourishment of your fouls, and which the Son of man fhall give you, as the Father hath impowered him to do. They asked him, What they fhould do to obtain this fpiritual food? Jefus mentioned himself as the only perfon from whom they could obtain it.-- -They asked him, What extraordinary fign he gave them of being the difpenfer of this fpiritual food? He had fed them indeed, in a miraculous manner, with earthly bread; but could he give them bread alfo from heaven, as their fathers had eaten manna in the wilderness? Jefus told them, that the fpiritual food which he meant, was much fuperior

29.

30.

31.

32.