CONTENTS.
CHRIST is here described in feeding the people by a miracle. He giveth Sight to a blind man, and sweetly discourseth with his disciples.
IN days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them, (2) I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat: (3) And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far. (4) And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness? (5) And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven. (6) And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people. (7) And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them. (8) So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets. (9) And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away.
In addition to the observations made on those miracles of JESUS feeding the multitude, see Matthew 15:32; Mark 6:35. I would here only detain the Reader, to remark how unceasingly that compassion of JESUS is still exercised, now in the day of his power; in feeding his redeemed spiritually here, in grace, and above, in glory. Let the Reader turn to the beautiful and interesting account which is given of his Church in glory, where CHRIST leads them to fountains of living water. Revelation 7:17. And when, he hath beheld, by faith, the Church above, let him look to the Church below, and see no less how Jesus still feeds them with, his grace. He is himself the living bread and the living water. John 6:51; John 4:14. and as he promised): so his redeemed find; all, who are fed by him, feel such fulness, that they hunger no more, neither thirst any more, after the empty, unsatisfying things, of time and sense; but find CHRIST's flesh to be meat indeed, and his blood to be drink indeed. Reader! shall we not both say, LORD! evermore give us this bread! LORD! evermore give us this water, that we thirst not, neither go elsewhere to draw. John 6:34; John 4:15.