tired, and refuge for those that are terrified. With what kindness and compassion doth Christ say to them, Come and rest! The most active servants of Christ cannot be always upon the stretch of business, but have bodies that require some relaxation, some breathing time. We shall not be able to serve God without ceasing, day and night, till we come to heaven, where they never rest from praising him. And the Lord is for the body, considers its frame, and not only allows it time for rest, but puts in mind of resting. "Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers; return to thy rest." And those that work diligently and faithfully, may cheerfully retire to rest. The sleep of the labouring man is sweet.

The diligence of the people to follow him. It was rude to do so, when he and his disciples were desirous, for such good reason, to retire; and yet they are not blamed for it, nor bid to go back, but bid welcome. A failure in good manners will easily be excused in those who follow Christ, if it be but made up in a fulness of good affections. They followed him of their own accord, without being called upon. Here is no set time, no meeting appointed; yet they thus fly like a cloud, and as the doves to their windows. They followed him out of the cities-quitted their houses, their callings and affairs, to hear him preach. They followed him afoot, though he was gone by sea, and so, to try them, seemed to put a slight upon them, and to endeavour to shake them off; yet they stuck to him. Nay, they followed him, though it was into a desert place, despicable and inconvenient. The presence of Christ will turn a wilderness into a paradise.

Christ gave them entertainment, ver. 34,- When he saw much people, instead of being moved with displeasure, because they disturbed him when he desired to be private, as many a man, many a good man, would have been, he was moved with compassion toward them, and looked upon them with concern, because they were as sheep having no shepherd. They seemed to be well-inclined, and manageable as sheep, and willing to be taught; but they had no shepherd-none to lead and guide them in the right way-none to feed them with good doctrine; and therefore, in compassion to them, he not only healed their sick (as it is in Matthew), but he taught them many things; and we may be sure that they were all true and good, and fit for them to learn. All his hearers he generously made his guests, and treated them at a splendid entertainment: so it might truly be called, because a miraculous one.-The disciples moved, that they should be sent home. When the day was now far spent, and the night drew on, they said, This is a desert place, and much time is now past; send them away, to buy bread, vers. 35, 36. Christ ordered that they should all be fed (ver. 57),-Give ye them to eat. Though their crowding after him and his disciples hindered them from eating (ver. 31), yet he would not therefore, to be even with them, send them away fasting; but, to teach us to be kind to those who are rude to us, he ordered provision to be made for them that bread which Christ and his disciples took with them into the desert, that they might make a quiet meal of it for themselves, he will have them to partake of. Thus was he given to hospitality. They attended on the spiritual food of his word, and then he took care that they should not want corporal food. The way of duty, as it is the way of safety, so it is the way to supply.

The disciples objected to it, as impracticable,―Shall we go and buy two hundred penny-worth of bread, and give them to eat? Thus, through the weakness of their faith, instead of waiting for directions from Christ, they perplex the cause with projects of their own. It was a question, whether they had two hundred pence with them, whether the country would of a sudden afford so much bread if they had, and whether that would suffice so great a company; but thus Moses objected,"Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them?" (Num. xi. 22.) Christ would let them see their folly in forecasting for themselves, that they might put the greater value upon his provision

for them.

Christ effected it to universal satisfaction. They had brought with them five loaves, for the victualing of their ship, and two fishes perhaps they caught as they came along; and that is the bill of fare. This was but a little for Christ and his disciples, and yet this they must give away, as the widow her two mites, and as the Church of Macedonia's deep poverty abounded to the riches of their liberality. We often find Christ entertained at other people's tables-dining with one friend, and supping with another; but here we have him supping a great many at his own charge; which shows, that when others ministered to him of their substance, it was not because he could not supply himself otherwise-if he was hungry, he needed not tell them; but it was a piece of humiliation that he was pleased to submit to-nor was it agreeable to the intention of miracles, that he should work them for himself.

The provision made was ordinary. Here were no rarities, no varieties, though Christ, if he had pleased, could have furnished his table with them; but thus he would teach us to be content with food convenient for us, and not to be desirous of dainties. If we have for necessity, it is no matter though we have not for delicacy and curiosity. God, in love, gives meat for our hunger; but, in

66

wrath, gives meat for our lusts. Psal. lxxviii. 18. The promise to them that fear the Lord is, that Verily they shall be fed," he doth not say, They shall be feasted. If Christ and his disciples took up with mean things, surely we may.

A blessing was craved upon the meat,-He looked up to heaven, and blessed. Christ did not call one of his disciples to crave a blessing, but he did it himself (ver. 41); and, by virtue of this blessing, the bread strangely multiplied, and so did the fishes; for they did all eat, and were filled, though they were to the number of five thousand, vers. 42, 44. This miracle was significant, and shows that Christ came into the world to be the great feeder, as well as the great healer-not only to restore, but to preserve and nourish, spiritual life; and in him there is enough for all that come to him-enough to fill the soul, to fill the treasures; none are sent empty away from Christ, but those that come to him full of themselves.

Care was taken of the fragments that remained, with which they filled twelve baskets. Though Christ had bread enough at command, he would hereby teach us not to make waste of any of God's good creatures; remembering how many there are that do want, and that we know not but we may some time or other want such fragments as we throw away.

45 'And straightway he constrained his disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while he sent away the people. 46 And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray. 47 "And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land. 48 And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them. 49 But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out: 50 For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid. 51 And he went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered. 52 For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their Pheart was hardened. 53 And when they had passed over, they came into the land of Gennesaret, and drew to the shore. 54 And when they were come out of the ship, straightway they knew him, 55 And ran through that whole region round about, and began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard he was. 56 And whithersoever he entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment: and as many as touched †him were made whole.

Matt. xiv. 22; John vi. 17.

Or, over against Bethsaida. m Matt. xiv. 23; John vi. 16, 17. n See Luke xxiv. 28. o Chap, viii. 17, 18. p Chap. iii. 5, xvi. 14. 9 Matt. xiv. 34. Matt. ix. 20; chap. v. 27, 28; Acts xix. 12. † Or, it. This passage of story we had in Matthew (xiv. 22, &c.), only what was there related concerning Peter, is omitted here.

Christ constrained his disciples to go before by ship to Bethsaida, intending to follow them, as they supposed, by land. The people were loath to scatter, so that it cost him some time and pains to send them away. As long as we are here in this world we have no continuing city, no, not in communion with Christ. The everlasting feast is reserved for the future state. Christ departed into a mountain, to pray. He prayed; though he had so much preaching-work on hands, yet he was much in prayer. He prayed often, and prayed long; which is an encouragement to us to depend upon the intercession he is making for us at the right hand of the Fatherthat continual intercession. He went alone, to pray; though he needed not to retire for the avoiding either of distraction or of ostentation, yet, to set us an example, and to encourage us in our secret addresses to God, he prayed alone. A good man is never less alone than when alone with God.

The disciples were in distress at sea. The wind was contrary (ver. 48), so that they toiled in rowing, and could not get forward. This was a specimen of the hardships they were to expect,

when hereafter he should send them abroad to preach the gospel; it would be like sending them to sea at this time with the wind in their teeth. They must expect to toil in rowing-they must work hard to strive against so strong a stream; they must likewise expect to be tossed with waves-to be persecuted by their enemies; and by exposing them now, he intended to train them up for such difficulties, that they might learn to endure hardness. The Church is often like a ship at sea-tossed with tempests, and not comforted. We may have Christ for us, and yet wind and tide against us; but it is a comfort to Christ's disciples in a storm, that their Master is in the heavenly mount, interceding for them.

Christ could have checked the winds where he was, or have sent an angel to their relief; but he chose to help them in the most endearing manner possible, and therefore came to them himself.

He did not come till the fourth watch of the night-not till after three o'clock in the morning; but then he came. If Christ's visits to his people be deferred long, yet at length he will come; and their extremity is his opportunity to appear for them so much the more seasonably. The sea was now tossed with waves, and yet Christ came, walking upon it; for though the floods lift up their voice, the Lord on high is mightier. Psal. xciii. 3, 4. No difficulties can obstruct Christ's gracious appearances for his people, when the set time is come. He will either find or force a way through the most tempestuous sea, for deliverance. Ps. xlii. 7, 8. He would have passed them; that is, he set his face as if he would have gone farther, and took no notice of them. This he did, to awaken them to call to him. Providence, when it is acting designedly and directly for the succour of God's people, yet sometimes seems as if it regarded not their case. They thought he would, but we may be sure that he would not, have passed by them. They all saw him, and were troubled (ver. 50), thinking it had been an apparition, or evil genius, that haunted them, and raised this storm. We often perplex and frighten ourselves with phantasms-the creatures of our own fancy and imagination. He encouraged them, and silenced their fears, by making himself known to them. He talked familiarly with them, saying, Be of good cheer, it is I; be not afraid. We know not Christ till he is pleased to reveal himself unto us. "It is I-I, your Master-I, your Friend-I, your Redeemer and Saviour. It is I, that came to a troublesome earth, and now to a tempestuous sea, to look after you."

The knowledge of Christ as he is in himself, and near to us, is enough to make the disciples of Christ cheerful even in a storm, and no longer fearful. "If it be so, why am I thus?" If it is Christ that is with thee, be of good cheer, be not afraid. Our fears are soon satisfied, if our mistakes be but rectified, especially our mistakes concerning Christ. See Gen. xxi. 19; 2 Kings vi. 15-17.

He went up to them into the ship. Let them but have their Master with them, and all is well. And as soon as he was come into the ship, the wind ceased. In the former storm that they were in. it is said, "He arose, and rebuked the winds, and said to the sea, Peace, be still" (chap. iv. 39); but here we read of no such formal command given; only, the wind ceased all of a sudden.-Our Lord Jesus will be sure to do his own work always effectually, though not always alike solemnly, and with observation. Though we hear not the command given, yet, if thus the wind cease, and we have the comfort of a calm, say, "It is because Christ is in the ship, and his decree is gone forth. When we come with Christ to heaven, the wind ceaseth presently. There are no storms in the upper region.

They were sore amazed in themselves were in a perfect ecstasy; as if it were a new and unaccountable thing, as if Christ had never done the like before, and they had no reason to expect he should do it now. They ought to admire the power of Christ, and to be confirmed hereby in their belief of his being the Son of God. But why all this confusion about it? It was because they considered not the miracle of the loaves; had they given that its due weight, they would not have been so much surprised at this; for his multiplying the bread was as great an instance of his power as his walking on the water. They were strangely unthinking, and their heart was hardened, or else they would not have thought it a thing incredible that Christ should command a calm. It is for want of a right understanding of Christ's former works, that we are transported at the thought of his present works, as if there never were the like before.

When they came to the land of Gennesaret, which lay between Bethsaida and Capernaum, the people bid them very welcome. The men of that place presently knew Jesus (ver. 54), and knew what mighty works he did wherever he came-what a universal Healer he was; they knew, likewise, that he used to stay but a little while at a place, and therefore they were concerned to improve the opportunity of this kind visit which he made them. They ran through that whole region round about, with all possible expedition, and began to carry about in beds those that were sick, that he might cure them, ver. 55. Let him go where he would, he was crowded with patients-in the towns, in the cities, in the villages about the cities. They laid the sick in the streets, to be in his way, and begged leave for them to touch if it were but the border of his garment ;, and as many

as touched were made whole.

We do not find that they were desirous to be taught by him, but only to be healed. If ministers could now cure people's bodily diseases, what multitudes would attend them! But it is sad to think how much more concerned the most of men are about their bodies than about their souls.

CHAPTER VII.

1 The Pharisees find fault at the disciples for eating with unwashen hands. 8 They break the commandment of God by the traditions of men. 14 Meat defileth not the man. 24 He healeth the Syrophenician woman's daughter of an unclean spirit, 31 and one that was deaf, and stammered in his speech.

THEN "came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem. 2 And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with || defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault. 3 For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands *oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. 4 And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brazen vessels, and of tables. 5 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?. 6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. 7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. 8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups and many other such like things ye do. 9 And he. said unto them, Full well ye §reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. 10 For Moses said, "Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death: 11 But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is 'Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free. 12 And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; 13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye. 14 And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand: 15 There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man. 16 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. 17 'And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable. 18 And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him; 19 Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats? 20 And he said, That which

a Matt. xv. 1.

+ Sex

Or, common. ▾ Or, diligently: in the original, with the fist: Theophylact, up to the elbow. tarius is about a pint and an half Or, beds. b Matt xv 2. c Isa. xxix. 13; Matt. xv. 8. Sor. frustrate. d Exod. xx. 12; Deut. v. 16; Matt. xv. 4. e Exod. xxi. 17; Lev. xx. 9, Prov. xx. 20. ƒ Matt. xv. 5, xxiii. 18. g Matt. xv. 10. h Matt. xi. 16. j Matt. xv. 15.

cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. 21 *For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: 23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

k Gen. vi. 5, viii. 21; Matt. xv. 19. I Gr. covetousnesses, wickednesses.

One great design of Christ's coming was, to set aside the ceremonial law which God made, and to put an end to it; to make way for which he begins with the ceremonial law which men had made, and added to the law of God's making, and discharges his disciples from the obligation of that; which here he doth fully, upon occasion of the offence which the Pharisees took at them for the violation of it. These Pharisees and scribes with whom he had this argument, are said to come from Jerusalem down to Galilee (fourscore or a hundred miles), to pick quarrels with our Saviour there, where they supposed him to have the greatest interest and reputation. Had they come so

far to be taught by him, their zeal had been commendable; but to come so far to oppose him, and to check the progress of his gospel, was great wickedness. It should seem that the scribes and Pharisees at Jerusalem pretended not only to a pre-eminence above, but to an authority over, the country clergy; and therefore kept up their visitations, and sent inquisitors among them, as they did to John when he appeared. John i. 19.

Now, in this passage we may observe,

I. What the tradition of the elders was. By it all were enjoined to wash their hands before meat; a cleanly custom, and no harm in it—but they placed religion in it, and would not leave it indifferent, as it was in its own nature. People were at their liberty to do it, or not to do it; but they interposed their authority, and commanded all to do it, upon pain of excommunication. This they kept up as a tradition of the elders. The Papists pretend to a zeal for the authority and antiquity of the Church and its canons, and talk much of councils and fathers, when really it is nothing but a zeal for their own wealth, interest, and dominion, that governs them; and so it was with the Pharisees.

We have here an account of the practice of the Pharisees, and all the Jews, vers. 3, 4. They washed their hands oft-they particularly washed before they ate bread; that is, before they sat down to a solemn meal; for that was the rule—they must be sure to wash before they ate the bread on which they begged a blessing. "Whoever eats the bread over which they recite the benediction, 'Blessed is he that produceth bread,' must wash his hands before and after," or else he was thought to be defiled. They took special care, when they came in from the markets, to wash their hands; from the judgment-halls-so some; it signifies any place of concourse where there were people of all sorts, and, it might be supposed, some heathens or Jews under a ceremonial pollution, by coming near to whom they thought themselves polluted; saying, "Stand by thyself, come not near me, I am holier than thou." Isa. lxv. 5. They say, the rule of the rabbies was, That if they washed their hands well in the morning, the first thing they did, it would serve for all day, provided they kept alone; but if they went into company, they must not, at their return, either eat or pray till they had washed their hands; thus the elders gained a reputation among the people for sanctity, and thus they exercised and kept up an authority over their consciences. They added to this the washing of cups, and pots, and brazen vessels, which they suspected had been made use of by heathens, or persons polluted; nay, and the very tables on which they ate their meat. There were many cases in which, by the law of Moses, washings were appointed; but they added to them, and enforced the observation of their own impositions as much as of God's institutions.

II. What the practice of Christ's disciples was. They knew what the law was, and the common usage; but they understood themselves so well that they would not be bound up by it-they ate bread with defiled, that is, with unwashen hands, ver. 2. Eating with unwashen hands, they called eating with defiled hands; thus men keep up their superstitious vanities, by putting every thing into an ill name that contradicts them. The disciples knew (it is probable) that the Pharisees had their eye upon them, and yet they would not humour them by a compliance with their traditions, but took their liberty, as at other times, and ate bread with unwashen hands; and herein their righteousness, however it might seem to come short, did really exceed, that of the scribes and Pharisees. Matt. v. 20.

III. The offence which the Pharisees took at this. They found fault (ver. 2); they censurea them as profane, and men of a loose conversation; or rather, as men that would not submit to the power of the Church to decree rites and ceremonies, and were therefore rebellious, factious, and schismatical. They brought a complaint against them to their Master, expecting that he should