PART reflections the foregoing fupplied us with; yet IV. I cannot help obferving, that if this fecond 'increase of loaves is unquestionable, the preceding miracles are likewife fo: for both had the fame teftimony, being wrought in the prefence of more than eight thousand people; and the truth thereof is confirmed to us by the miraculous feeding which followed. Now what fort of miracles are these? Some of the most ftriking, and fuch as are far beyond any other power, except that of the Creator. These are the dumb, whofe fpeech is reftored; the lame, who walk; the blind, who fee; the maimed of every kind made whole. Objects of compaffion were laid at Jefus Chrift's feet; and the whole multitude, that was prefent at this fad fpectacle, was fuddenly feized with admiration, when they faw all these poor wretches cured.

1

How is it poffible to deny these miracles under fuch convincing circumstances? and if any one fhould be fo obftinate; how will he be able to difown the increase of seven loaves for eight thousand people, of which there remained, after the multitude was fatisfied, feven baskets full? fhall we treat as a dream a prodigy of which there is fuch a memorial? fhall we imagine that the apoftles afterwards contrived an affair of this publick nature, the falfity of which could be fo eafily detected, fince they mentioned both time and place, and ingenuously owned, that both the miracles of the loaves had made fo light an impreffion upon their minds, (altho' they were minifters on that occafion) that they were still distrustful

of

of the power and forefight* of Jefus Chrift; CHAP. and upon a certain occafion, they imagined that I. he accused them of being unmindful of his ha-' ving provided them with bread, because he bids them beware of the leaven of the Pharifees and Sadducees, meaning their hypocrify by this figurative term.

But it will be faid, from whence came fo great a number of fick and maimed? two reafons may be affigned: the one, the astonishing facility with which Jefus Chrift cured them; the other, the great reputation which his power and goodrefs gained him, not only in Judea, but also in the neighbouring provinces. We may judge of it by this paffage alone of Saint Mark: + "A great multitude "from Galilee followed him, and from

Judea, and from Jerufalem, and from

Idumea, and from beyond Jordan, and they "about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, "when they had heard what great things he did, came unto him. And he fpake to his disciples, that a fmall fhip fhould wait on him, because of the multitude, left they "should throng him. For he had healed many, infomuch that they preffed upon

"Which when Jefus perceived, he faid unto them, O ye "of little faith, why reafon ye among yourselves, because ye. "have brought no bread? Do ye not yet understand, neither "remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many "baskets ye took up? Neither the feven loaves of the four thou"fand, and how many baskets ye tcok up? How is it that "do not underftand, that I fpake it not to you concerning "bread, that ye fhould beware of the leaven of the Pharisees "and Sadducees? Mat xvi. 8.

ye

<< him,'

PART" him, for to touch him, as many as had

IV. plagues."

There are many instances of the like concourse in the gospel, and numberless miracles which have been operated on the fick. by the bare touch of the garment of Jesus. Chrift, nay by the very hem. But, as I at firft promifed, I fhall indifcriminately pass by all thofe prodigies, and fhall only mention fuch as have the cleareft marks of certainty.. And even of these I have taken notice, only because they have an immediate connexion. with the fecond increase of loaves, which carries its own evidence with it, and likewife diffufes a clear and decifive light upon the preceding prodigies.

ARTICLE IV.

Jefus Chrift walks upon the waves, makes Peter do the fame, fills the fea and the winds, abbreviates the Labour of the apostles, and under thefemiracles couches important truths.

A

FTER the first increase of loaves,. Jefus conftrained his difciples to "get into a fhip, and to go before him unto "the other fide, while he fent the multitude away. But the fhip was now in the midst. "of the fea, toffed with waves: for the wind

* Mat. xiv. zz. Ibid, ver 24. Mark vi. 48.

was

was contrary. And in the fourth watch CHAP. "of the night, Jefus went unto them walking I. << upon the fea. And when the disciples faw' "him walking on the fea, they were troubled,

faying, It is a fpirit, and they cried out for "fear. But ftraightway Jefus fpake unto "them faying, Be of good cheer, it is I, be "not afraid. And Peter anfwered him, Lord, "if it be thou, bid me come unto thee "on the water. And he faid, Come. And "when Peter was come down out of the ship, " he walked on the water to go to Jefus. But "when he faw the wind boisterous, he was “afraid: and beginning to fink, he cried, faying, Lord, fave me. And immediately

Jefus ftretched forth his hand, and caught

him, and faid unto him, O thou of little faith, "wherefore didft thou doubt? And he went

up unto them into the fhip, and the wind "ceased: and they were fore amazed in them" felves beyond measure, and wondered. For "they confidered not the miracle of the

loaves, for their heart was hardened. Then they, that were in the ship, came and worfhipped him, faying, Of a truth thou art the "Son of God."

The more I examine into this history which contains feveral miracles, the more fenfibly I am convinced of its truth. First, the whole multitude were witneffes, that the apofles entered the fhip alone, and that Jefus tarried to dismiss the people. This induced C 2

Mat. xiv, 28. Mark vi. 51, 52.

the

PART the people, who were astonished, to demand IV. of him how he came thither.

Secondly, None of thofe circumstances would occur naturally to one's mind; the miracle of walking upon the waters, at a time when the wind was boisterous, efcapes ones thought. More natural it would be to imagine, that he was either conveyed on the wings of the wind, or tranfported thither by an angel. Saint Peter's demand, who was in fafety in the ship, to walk on the waters like Jefus Chrift, could arife only from having ocular demonstration of the marvellous act, and from the firm perfuafion he already had of his infinite power. But if the hiftorian impofed on us with regard to the apoftle's walking upon the waters, he would not have given us this additional fiction, that he was afraid of the wind, and that his fear was the occafion of his finking.

Thirdly, If the fact had not been true and public, the evangelift would not have mentioned that term, with which Jesus Christ rebukes the first of his apoftles, as a man † of little faith, and rather would have omitted it at a time, when his reputation was neceffary for the support of the church.

Fourthly, Another Evangelift would have been very far from obferving of all the apostles, that through blindness of heart they were un

atten

"When they had found him on the other fide of the sea, "they faid unto him, Rabbi, when cameft thou hither? John vi. 25. + Mat. xiv. 31.