forts and visitation of the Holy Ghost, which thou in thy infinite and eternal wisdom knowest most apt and expedient to encourage our duties, to entertain our hopes, to alleviate our sadnesses, to refresh our spirits, and to endure our abode and constant endea vours in the strictnesses of religion and sanctity. Lead us, dearest God, from grace to grace, from imperfection to strength, from acts to habits, from habits to confirmation in grace; that we may also pass into the region of comfort, receiving the earnest of the Spirit, and the adoption of sons; till by such a signature we be consigned to glory, and enter into the pussession of the inheritance which we expect in the kingdom of thy Son, and in the fruition of the felicities of thee, O gracious Father, God eternal. Amen.

SECTION XIV.

Of the Third Year of the Preaching of Jesus.

1. BUT Jesus knowing of the death of the Baptist, Herod's jealousy, and the envy of the Pharisees, retired into a desert place beyond the lake, together with his apostles; for the people pressed so upon them, they had not leisure to eat. But neither there could he be hid, but great multitudes flocked thither also; to whom he preached many things. And afterwards, because there were no villages in the neighbourhood, lest they should faint in their return to their houses, he caused them to sit down upon the grass; and with five loaves of barley, and two small fishes he satisfied five thousand men, besides women and children; and caused the disciples to gather up the fragments, which being amassed together filled twelve baskets. Which miracles had so much proportion to the understanding, and met so happily with the affections of the people, that they were convinced that this was the 'Messias who was to come into the world,' and had a purpose to have taken him by force, and made him a king.

2. But he that left his Father's kingdom, to take upon him the miseries and infelicities of the world, fled from the offers of a kingdom, and their tumultuary election, as from an enemy: and therefore, sending his disciples to the ship to go before towards Bethsaida, he ran into the mountains to hide himself, till the multitude should scatter to their several habitations; he, in the meantime, taking the opportunity of that retirement for the ad

antage of his prayers. But when the apostles ere far engaged in the deep, a great tempest ose, with which they were pressed to the extremity of danger, and the last refuges, labouring in sadness and hopelessness, till the fourth watch of the night; when, in the midst of their fears and labour, Jesus comes walking on the sea, and appeared to them, which turned their fears into affrightments; for they supposed it had been a spirit. But he appeased their fears with his presence and manifestation who he was; which yet they desired to have proved to them by a sign. For Simon Peter said unto him, Master, if it be thou, command me to come to thee on the waters.' The Lord did so and Peter, throwing himself upon the confidence of his Master's power and providence, came out of the ship; and his fear began to weigh him down, and he cried, saying, Lord, save me.' Jesus took him by the hand, reproved the timorousness of his faith, and went with him into the ship; where, when they had worshipped him, and admired the divinity of his power and person, they presently came into the land of Gennesaret, the ship arriving at the port immediately. And all that were sick, or possessed of unclean spirits, were brought to him: and as many as touched the border of his garment were made whole.'

3. By this time they whom Jesus had left on the other side of the lake, had come as far as Capernaum to seek him, wondering that he was there before them. But upon the occasion of their so diligent inquisition, Jesus observes to them, "That it was not the divinity of the miracle that provoked their zeal, but the satisfaction they had

in the loaves, a carnal complacency in their meal: and upon that intimation speaks of celestial bread, the divine nutriment of souls; and then discourses of the mysterious and symbolical manducation of Christ himself; affirming that he himself was 'the bread of life that came down from heaven;' that he would give his disciples his flesh to eat, and his blood to drink;'" and all this shall be for the life of the world,' to nourish unto life eternal; so that without it a happy eternity could not be obtained. Upon this discourse divers of his disciples (amongst whom St. Mark the evangelist is said to be one, though he was afterwards recalled by Simon Peter) forsook him,'' being scandalized by their literal and carnal understanding of those words of Jesus, which he intended in a spiritual sense. For the words that he spake were not profitable in the sense of flesh and blood; but they are spirit, and they are life,' himself being the expounder, who best knew his own meaning.

4. When Jesus saw this great defection of his disciples from him, he turned him to the twelve apostles, and asked if they also would go away. Simon Peter answered, Lord, whither shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life: and we believe and are sure thou art that Christ the Son of the living God.' Although this confession was made by Peter, in the name and confidence of the other apostles, yet Jesus told them, that even amongst the twelve there was one devil; meaning Judas Iscariot, who afterwards betrayed him. This he told them prophetically, that they might perceive the sad accidents which afterwards happened, did not invade

1 Epiphan. Hæres. 15.

and surprise him in the disadvantages of ignorance or improvision, but came by his own knowledge and providence.

5. Then came to him the Pharisees, and some Scribes, which came from Jerusalem and Galilee, (for Jesus would not go to Judæa, because the Jews laid wait to kill him,) and quarrelled with him about certain impertinent, unnecessary rites, derived to them not by Divine sanction, but ordinances of man; such as were, 'washing their hands oft when they eat, baptizing cups and platters,' and washing tables and beds:' which ceremonies the apostles of Jesus did not observe, but attended diligently to the simplicity and spiritual holiness of their Master's doctrine. But in return to their vain demands, Jesus gave them a sharp reproof, for prosecuting these and many other traditions, to the discountenance of divine precepts; and in particular, they taught men to give to the Corban, and refused to supply the necessity of their parents, thinking it to be religion, though they neglected piety and charity. And again he thunders out woes and sadnesses against their impieties; for being curious of minutes, and punctuaì in rites and ceremonials, but most negligent and incurious of judgment and the love of God; for their pride, for their hypocrisy, for their imposing burdens upon others which themselves helped not to support; for taking away the key of knowledge from the people, obstructing the passages to heaven; for approving the acts of their fathers in persecuting the prophets. But for the question itself, concerning washings, Jesus taught the people, that no outward impurity did stain the soul in the sight of God; but all pollution is from within, from the corruption of the