59 These things faid he in the fynagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.

60 Many therefore of his difciples, when they had heard

this, faid, This is an hard faying, who can hear it?

61 When Jefus knew in himself, that his difciples murmured at it, he faid unto them, Doth this offend you ? 62 What and if ye fhall fee the Son of man afcend up where he was before?

59. These things Jefus faid openly, in the Synagogue at Capernaum; upon occafion of the People following him. out of the Wilderness for the fake of the Loaves wherewith he had fed them and because of their magnifying Mofes's giving their Fathers Manna in the Wildernefs, in oppofition to His Miracles.

;

60. Now because he expreffed his Mind in a figurative way, which required both a great Attention, and alfo a very good Difpofition of Mind to receive and confider it; he was greatly misunderstood, not only, as I have faid, by the unbelieving Jews, but even by many of his own Difciples alfo; who could not forbear murmuring among themselves, and complaining that it was a ftrange and hard thing, he should call himself Bread which came down from Heaven, and that he fhould bid them eat his Flesh and drink his Blood.

61 & 62. But Jefus knowing their Thoughts, and their private Difcourfe among themfelves, called them to Him and faid: Are ye furprized and difturbed at what I have now fpoken, as if they were ftrange inconceivable and unintelligible Things? What if hereafter ye fhall fee me go up again to the fame place, from whence I at firft came? Does not this feem now to you altogether as ftrange a thing, that I fhould afcend up into Heaven, as that I have come down from thence? Yet when you fee that, it will caufe you not to wonder at this neither. And it will teach you also to understand thofe other Words in like manner, which I fpake concerning your eating my Flesh and drinking my Blood, not in a grofs and abfurd, but in a rational and Spiritual Senfe.

63. Learn

ver. 44.

63. Learn therefore and endeavour in the mean time, to draw your felves off as much as you can, from grofs and carnal Notions, to wife and just Apprehenfions of Things. And whenever I fpeak to you of the Conditions of obtaining Everlasting Life, and exprefs my self in figurative and metaphorical Words; know that 'tis of no ufe to take what I fay, in the grofs and literal Sense; but ye ought always to understand me of Spiritual Actions, fuch as improve the Soul, and tend to make Men better.

64. But I know that some of you do not heartily believe in me, and therefore are not willing to apprehend me rightly, but rather defirous to pervert my Words to an abfurd Senfe, that ye may have a Pretence to leave me. This Jefus faid, because he knew how every one, that profeffed himself his Difciple, stood affected towards him; and perfectly forejaw, not only who of the Multitude that followed him would revolt, but likewife which of his Apoftles would betray him.

*

the

63 It is the spirit that quickneth, flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I fpeak unto you, they are fpirit, and they are life.

64 But there are fome of you that believe not. For Jefus

knew from the beginning, who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.

65 And he faid, Therefore said I u to you, that no man

un

can come unto me,

except it were given

65. And for this Reafon (continued Jefus) because I knew there were fome fuch among you, therefore I told you before, that my Doctrine could never be heartily entertained and embraced by unto him of my Faany, but only by fuch as were endued with good and teachable Difpofitions, willing to learn, defirous to be instructed in the way of Eternal Life, and prepared to receive any well-attested Revelation of God's Will.

66. Upon this, many of the unfincere Difciples, whofe Confciences were touched with this clofe application of Jefus's Difcourfe; thinking themselves difcovered, and that it was to no purpofe to diffemble any longer, went off from him, and followed him no more.

ther.

669 From that time many of his difciples went back, and walked no more

with him.

67 Then

67. Then faid Jefus to the Twelve Apoftles: Will ye alfo fall away from me, and forfake me, as thefe Men have done?

68. Peter, who was generally the most forward of them all to exprefs his Zeal, anfwered: Lord, to whom should we go? What Teacher fhould we follow ? Whofe Inftruction and Difcipline should we fubmit to, if once we forfook You, whose Doctrine is the only true Guide to Eternal Life and Happiness?

69. For we are firmly perfwaded and fully fatisfied, by what we have heard indeed the Promifed Meffiah, the Son from you and feen you do, that you are of the Living God.

70. Hereupon Jefus, to fhow that he knew the Hearts of the twelve Apoftles as well as of the reft of the Multitude, and alfo to caution them against having too great a Confidence in themfelves, replied: You make indeed a brave and generous Confeffion; But it is not true of you All. For though I have chofen you Twelve above all others, to admit you to the clofelt Friendfhip and Intimacy with my felf; yet I know that one even of you, whom I have thus particularly honoured, will entertain a bafe and treacherous Defign of delivering me up to my Enemies.

71. This Jefus meant of Judas Iscariot, who was to betray him; though he did not at this time think fit to name him.

VOL. II.

Ν

CHAP

CHAP. VII.

Jefus refuses to go to Jerufalem with his Relations, ver. 1. The Nature and End of Christianity, ver. 16. Ceremonies must give Place to moral Duties, ver. 22. Different Opinions of the People concerning Jefus, ver. 40.

I.

things Jefus walked in Galilee: for he would not caufe the Jews fought walk in Jury, beto kill him.

After thefe Things, Jefus continu- 1 AFTER thefe ed to dwell a great while in the Country of Galilee, travelling from one City to another, preaching the Doctrine of the Gospel, and confirming his Words with many Miracles in all that Region round about. For fo great was the Hatred which the chief of the Jews at Jerufalem had conceived against him, because of his Freedom in reproving their Corruptions and Superftitions at his laft being there, that they fully determined to take away his Life, upon the first opportunity they could find of apprehending him; And therefore Jefus, the appointed time of his Suffering being not yet come, forbore going again into Judad, and continued in Galilee for a long time together.

23. But at length, when the Feaft of Tabernacles drew near, which was a Feaft kept in remembrance of the I raelites living in Tents for Forty Years in the Wilderness, and one of the three great Feasts at which all the Men were by the Law obliged to go up to Jerufalem Jefus's Relations, obferving him to be later than ordinary before he went up to the Feaft, haftened him, faying: Why do you tarry here fo long in this obfcure Corner of the Country? Why do you not rather make all the hafte you can into the populous Country of Judæa, and to the City of Jerufalem, where the

2 Now the Jews feast of tabernacles was at hand.

3 His brethren therefore faid unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judea, that thy difciples alfo may fee the works that thou doest.

4 For

principal Men of the Nation dwell, and where there is at this time a vast Concourse of People; that your Works may be feen by the chief Rulers, and by the great Multitudes of People that are met together there; and fo you may get a far greater Number of Difciples, than you can poffibly do here.

4. For the way to gain Authority and Reputation among the People by doing great Things, is not to do them privately in a Corner; And the way to obtain the efteem of being a Prophet or eminent Teacher, is not to hide your felf in a retired and folitary Part of the Country. But if you can/at any Time and in any Place do fuch Wonders as you undertake to do here, do them in Judaa, do them in Jerufalem, do them at the publick time of the approaching Feaft; that the great Men, the Jews, the Profelytes, and Strangers, may all take notice of them, and be convinced of your Power.

5. This they faid, not having worthy Thoughts of Jefus and of his Power, nor any right Apprehenfion of the End ánd Defign of his Teaching; but unreasonably and unjustly imagining, that his Aim was Vain-Glory and the Efteem of Men, only to fet himself up for the Head of a Sect and the Leader of a Party.

6. Jefus therefore answered them: Yé understand nothing of my Cafe: It is not yet a proper time for me to fhow my felf publickly at Jerufalem; For I know what Designs are formed against me; and that I cannot do it fo foon, and in such a manner as you would have me, with fafety of my Life. But you may go thither as openly and as foon as you Z 2 please

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