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him into the fhip: and immediately (f) the fhip was at the land whither they went.

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 whereinto his difciples were entered, and that Jefus went not with his difciples into the boat, but that his difciples were gone 23 away alone: (Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias, nigh unto the place where they did eat 24 bread, after that the Lord had given thanks.) When the people therefore faw that Jefus was not there, neither his difciples, they alfo took shipping, and 25 came to Capernaum, feeking for Jefus. And when

ye

they had found him on the other fide of the fea, they 26 faid unto him, Rabbi, when cameft thou hither? Jefus answered them, and faid, Verily, verily I fay unto you, Ye feek me, not becaufe faw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. 27 Labour not for the meat which perifheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life (g), which the Son of man fhall give unto you: for him 28 hath God the Father fealed. Then faid they unto

him, What shall we do, that we might work the 29 works of God? Jefus anfwered and faid unto them,

This is the work of God (b), that ye believe on him 30 whom he hath fent. They faid therefore unto him,

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(ƒ) As foon as Jefus came into the veffel, it immediately reach ed the place they were going to.

(g) Our bleffed Saviour's meaning is, not to difcourage that labour and induftry, which the providence of God hath made neceffary to men in their respective flations, and the neglect of which is therefore finful; but he recommends comparatively as of much higher importance than any concerns of this world, a careful preparation for the next. Mat. vi. 33.

The miracles the Son of Man performs, are as it were the feal of his authority from God the Father, to give eternal life to fuch as believe and obey him.

(h) Care to embrace and obey the gospel covenant, is the work that God requires of you.

What

What fign fheweft thou then, that we may fee, and 31 believe thee (i)? what doft thou work? Our fathers did eat manna in the defart; as it is written, He gave 32 them bread from heaven to eat. Then Jefus faid unto them, Verily, verily I fay unto you, Mofes gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father 33 giveth you the true bread from heaven (k). For the bread of God is he which cometh down from hea34 ven (1), and giveth life unto the world. Then faid

they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. 35 And Jefus faid unto them, I am the bread of life:

he that cometh to me, fhall never hunger; and he that 36 believeth on me, fhall never thirst (m). But I said. unto you, that ye also have seen me, and believe not. 37 All that the Father giveth me, fhall come to me; and

him that cometh to me, I will in no wife caft out (n). 38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own 39 will, but the will of him that fent me. And this is the Father's will which hath fent me, that of all which he hath given me, I should lofe nothing (4), but fhould 40 raife it up again at the last day. And this is the will

of him that fent me, that every one which feeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlafting life: 41 and I will raise him up at the laft day. The Jews. then murmured at him, because he faid, I am the

(2) Not fatisfied with the miracles they had feen, not even with that of the loaves by which they were fed, they fill demand, as a further proof, a fign from heaven. Mat. xvi. 1. Mofes brought food from Heaven, could he vifibly do the like?

(k) Mofes was but the inftrument in the hand of God; and it is God who now offers you the greatest of all bleffings, through me, even eternal life.

(1) That is the bread of God that cometh down from heaven and giveth life, not as the manna did to one nation, but to the whole world; not for a fhort time, but to all eternity.

(m) Will have no need of any other support for ever.

(2) All that accept of the gift of the Father will believe in me and fhall be accepted by me.

(a) I fhould fuffer none to be loft.

42 bread

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bread which came down from heaven. And they said, Is not this Jefus the Son of Jofeph, whofe father and mother we know? how is it then that he faith, I 43 (came down from heaven? Jefus therefore answered and faid unto them, Murmur not among yourselves. 44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath fent me, draw him: and I will raife him up at 45 the last day. It is written in the prophets, And they fhall be all taught of God (p). Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, 46 cometh unto me. Not that any man hath feen the 2 Father, fave he which is of God, he hath feen the 47 Father. Verily, verily I fay unto you, He that be48 lieveth on me hath everlasting life. I am that bread 49 of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilder50 nefs, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and 51 not die. I am the living bread, which came down from heaven If any man eat of this bread, he fhall live for ever (q): and the bread that I will give, is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. 52 The Jews therefore ftrove amongst themfelves, faying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat (r)?

53 Then

(p) There are two ways by which men are taught of God, viz. by the good principles of the heart, and by divine revelation. All they who had a good difpofition, could not but reverence his wifdom and power; and if they confulted the fcriptures of the Old Teftament, they must have feen that he was there plainly defcribed as the Meffiah; the time and place of his birth, the family from which he fprung, and the manner of his life, being all exactly, foretold.

(4) To eat of the bread of life, is to receive and digeft the hea venly doctrine of Chrift, by obedience to which we shall be prepared for everlafting life. See Matt xvi, 12.

(r) This figurative mode of fpeech was naturally fuggefted by the occafion. The multitude had followed Chrift for the fake of the loaves, expecting to be fed again, as they had been the day before; and being difappointed, affect to defpife the miracle, and extol Mofes for having wrought a greater in bringing bread from heaven.

Our

bleffed

53 Then Jefus faid unto them, Verily, verily I fay unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and 54 drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whofo eateth

my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life, 55 and I will raise him up at the laft day. For my flesh 56 is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed (s). He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwel57 leth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath fent me, and I live by the Father; fo, he that eateth 58 me, even he fhall live by me. This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna and are dead: he that eateth of this 59 bread, fhall live for ever. These things faid he in the 60 fynagogue, as he taught in Capernaum. Many therefore of his difciples, when they had heard this (t), faid, This is an hard faying, who can hear it? 61 When Jefus knew in himself, that his difciples mur

mured at it, he faid unto them, Doth this offend you? 62 What and if ye fhall fee the Son of man afcend up

bleffed Lord then takes occafion to affert his own fuperiority, invites them to eat, not fuch temporary perishable food as manna, which their forefathers had in the wildernels, but the true living, that is, everlafling bread, from heaven; defcribing under that name, belief in him, and obedience to his doctrine, as being fpiritual food and nourishment to the foul. And this is the meaning of this ftrong figure, which is continued through this whole difcourfe: but the conceptions of the Jews were too grofs to understand it in its true fenfe.

(s) Not literally and naturally, and yet verily and indeed, that is truly, and in fact, if taken in a fpiritual fenfe. Obferve, that though there is no reafon to imagine that this general way of fpeaking was intended by our Lord to be underflood particularly of his la fupper, yet it may fairly be applied to that fubject, and may serve to explain its true and real meaning. Befides which, if the paffage be underflood of both the body and blood of Chrift, then is there a neceflity for communion in both kinds; viz. in Wine, as well as Bread.

(1) Many even of his difciples were in the fame error.

63 where

63 where he was before (u)? It is the spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing (w): the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. 64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Je

fus knew from the beginning, who they were that be65 lieved not, and who should betray him. And he said, Therefore faid I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father:

66

From that time many of his difciples went back, 67 and walked no more with him. Then faid Jefus 68 unto the twelve, Will ye alfo go away? Then Simon

Peter answered him, Lord, to whom fhall we go? 69 thou haft the words of eternal life. And we believe,

and are fure, that thou art that Chrift, the Son of the 70 living God. Jefus anfwered them, Have not I chofen 71 you twelve, and one of you is a devil (x)? He fpake of Judas Iscariot the fon of Simon: for he it was that fhould betray him, being one of the twelve.

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After thefe things, Jefus walked in Galilee: for he

would not walk in Jewry (a), because the Jews 2 fought to kill him. Now the Jews feaft of tabernacles 3 was at hand. His brethren therefore said unto him (5), Depart hence, and go into Judea, that thy disciples alfo

(u) I am to afcend into heaven; and when I am taken up from you, then furely you will be convinced that I cannot mean to offer flefh to eat in a literal fenfe.

you my

(w) What I have faid of giving myfelf for food, is to be taken fpiritually, and in that fenfe alone can my flesh be profitable to the Soul.

(x) Befides thofe of my common hearers, who have deferted me, one even of you, my chofen difciples, is a falfe traitor, and is doing the work of the devil.

(a) In Jewry, that is in Judea.

(6) By his brethren are meant his relations.

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