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possession; but this information was accompanied with an observation which evidently indicated his persuasion of its inadequacy to the present demand. "There is a boy here, said he, who hath five barley loaves, and two fishes; but what are these among so many?"

Having thus extorted from them, by so judicious an interrogation, distinct confessions of the infirmity of their belief, he proceeded to the application of a remedy for its cure. This he did, not as when on another occasion, reminding them of the very miracle in this day's Gospel, he reproached them with their inconceivable dulness of comprehension. "Why do ye think within yourselves, O ye of little faith, because you have no bread?" (MATT. c. xvi. v. 8.) Not, as when he upbraided Peter, with his culpable diffidence in the protection of him, by whose command he had ventured to walk on the waters of the deep. "O thou of little faith, why didst thou doubt?" (MATT. c. xiv. v. 31.) Not, as when he censured Cleophas and that other disciple, on their road to Emmaus, for their difficulty in crediting the truth of his resurrection. "O foolish and slow of heart, to believe in all the things which the prophets have spoken. Did it not behove Christ to suffer these things, and so to enter into his glory?" (LUKE, c. xxiv. v. 25, 26.) No. It was by an appeal to their senses the most forcible and convincing,-it was by a most stupendous display of his mighty power, it was, in the language of the Psalmist, by laying a table in the

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wilderness, and covering that table with a profusion of provisions, more than sufficient to appease the hunger of upwards of five thousand guests,— that he undertook to produce the intended effect. Nor did he, for the accomplishment of this object, resort to the expedient of causing manna to descend from heaven, like that with which the Israelites were nourished during their wanderings in the desert. He attained his end by the very means which Andrew had treated with such apparent contempt. For having ordered the people to seat themselves on the green turf, he took into his venerable hands the five barley loaves, and the two fishes, and, by the divine influence of his efficacious blessing, converted them into a superabundant supply for the wants of the multitude. Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed to them who were sitting. In like manner also of the fishes as much as they would." Of the superabundance of the supply, there cannot be a stronger proof than the fragments which remained after the repast, which were collected together by the command of Jesus, and which actually filled twelve baskets. Thus did our blessed Saviour manifest, with the most splendid and irresistible evidence, the immensity of his power. And that this wonderful transaction had its desired effect on the minds of the Apostles, may fairly be inferred from that which it produced on the promiscuous multitude. For such was the impression which it made upon the latter, that,

in the heat of their enthusiasm they acknowledged him for their Messiah, and wished to compel him to mount the throne of Israel, which they conceived to be destined for that illustrious personage. But as the kingdom of Jesus was not of this world, as it was not by the exertions of the arm of flesh, but by the supernatural influence of grace upon their hearts, that he meant to rule the subjects of his empire, he defeated the project of his enthusiastic admirers by a seasonable retreat. "Then those men when they had seen what a miracle Jesus had done, said; This is of a truth the prophet that is to come into the world. When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, and make him king, he fled again into the mountain himself alone."

What an admirable history is that of Jesus Christ, which not only in the account it gives of him who is the principle subject of it, but which, in all the subordinate parts and collateral circumstances connected with it, affords such a variety of important instruction! Let us, my friends, this day, direct particularly our attention to that portion of it contained in the Gospel which I have been expounding to you, and endeavour to draw from it such reflections as may be conducive to the advancement of our spiritual interests. It begins by informing us, that when Jesus had passed the Lake of Tiberias, he was followed by a great concourse of people; and it also assigns the cause which gave rise to that particular incident. For

it expressly states that cause to have been the wonderful display of supernatural power which he had exhibited in the cure of a diversity of distempers :-"And a great multitude followed him, because they saw the miracles which he did on those that were diseased." A motive, similar to that which induced the Jews to pursue our blessed Saviour into his retreat, should also prompt us to an imitation of their example. Have we not, like them, often seen the marvellous demonstrations of his supernatural power in the frequent cure of a multiplicity of disorders? Have we not, perhaps, had the advantage ourselves of experiencing in our persons its salutary effects? Is not that heavenly physician constantly visiting the hearts of sinners by the influence of his Holy Spirit, and healing the diseases with which they are afflicted? Let us then, my friends, as the Jews did, repair to Jesus in the retirement of solitude, and there raising our thoughts to the holy mount, on which he is now seated, not only, as heretofore, with his disciples, but with an immense assemblage of celestial spirits, let us listen with docility to his divine instructions. The season, like that of the approach of the Jewish passover, which is related in the Gospel to have been near at hand, is peculiarly suitable to this measure, since the time is not far removed, when we shall be called upon by the church to celebrate the festival of the Christian passover, for a worthy participation in the blessings of which, a previous attendance on the blessed

Jesus in the solitude of retirement, may well be deemed a becoming preparation. He will there speak to you, my friends, as, according to St. Luke, he did to the Jews, "of the kingdom of God;" he will heal, in like manner, those among you who may "have need of healing;" and when he shall perceive at length within you, that vehement hunger and thirst after justice which his influence will have excited, he will not send you away fasting; but nourishing your souls with that imperishable food of his invigorating grace, which endureth unto everlasting life, he will realize the promise which he solemnly proclaimed in his sermon on the Mount, "Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice, for they shall be filled."

He will speak to you, I say, in the first place, of the kingdom of God. Yes, my friends, he will speak to you of the kingdom of God; that kingdom of God, I mean, which is within you, as he said to the Pharisees, (LUKE, c. xvii. v. 21) and which consists in the subjection of all the faculties of your minds and hearts, to the sovereign authority of his divine law. He will point out to you a variety of abuses which may have crept insensibly into the government of that kingdom. He will discover to you a multiplicity of defects which hitherto had remained unseen, or at least unnoticed. He will disclose to you the dangers which lurk concealed under the treacherous cover of a delusive tranquillity. He will guard you against the suggestions of evil counsellors, which

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