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58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread fhall live for ever.

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

60 Many therefore of his difciples when they had heard this, faid, This is a hard faying, who can hear it?

61 When Jefus knew in himself that his difciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?

62 What and if ye shall fee the Son of man afcend up where he was before?

63 It is the spirit that quickneth, the flesh profiteth nothing the words that I

is, lives to obey my Doctrine. Therefore I tell you again, that you may be fure to take notice of it; I am that Bread come down from Heaven, to which the Manna your Fathers eat of in the Defert of Arabia, is not to be compar'd: for they, as I told you, were not made immortal by it, and are all dead; but whoever feeds on this Bread I give him, fhall obtain everlasting Life.

Thefe Difcourfes were deliver'd by Jefus in the Synagogue of Capernaum; and many of his Hearers were offended at their Obfcurity, because he feem'd to tell them that his own Body, which was born of Mary, came down from Heaven; and that the way to obtain everlasting Life was to eat its Flesh after it fhould be kill'd; a thing fo ftrange, as did not only thwart the Jewish Inftitutions, but was repugnant to the Customs of all civiliz'd Nations whatever. Jefus perceiving his Difciples murmur upon this account, thus accofted them: Do these things alienate your minds from me? and cannot I perfuade you to believe that I am come down from Heaven? Yet this is not more hard to be believ'd than my Return thither from whence I came, and which fome of you fhall be Eye-witneffes of within thefe few months. Does what I told you concerning the eating of my Flesh offend you? Surely it was no hard matter to perceive that that must be understood after a fpiritual manner, fince nothing is more plain than that there could no Good redound to you from the material feeding on my Body. This is therefore to be taken in a

fpiritual

MATTHEW.

MARK.

LUKE.

JOHN.

CHAP. VI.

fpake unto you, they are fpirit, and they are life.

you

64 But there are some of that believe not. For Jefus knew from the beginning, who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.

65 And he said, Therefore faid I unto you, that no man can come to me,except it were given unto him of my Father.

66 From that time many of his difciples went back, and walked no more with him.

67 Then faid Jefus unto: the twelve, Will ye alfo go away?

68 Then Simon Peter anfwered him, Lord, to whom fhall we go? thou haft the words of eternal life.

69 And we believe and are fure that thou art Chrift, the Son of the living God.

fpiritual fenfe for the admiffion of my Doctrin, which I will confirm by my Death, and the effufion of my Blood, that I may obtain eternal Life for all that believe it and obey it. If I have spoke obfcurely to you, you ought however to be perfuaded there was a found meaning couch'd under that Obfcurity, tho you were not able to apprehend it, but the true reafon why you thus disbelieve me is, because you have not believ'd on God himself (For Jefus knew from the beginning who it was that fhould betray him, and who they were that would disbelieve his Doctrine.) I have therefore already told you, that it is impoffible for any one among the Jews to become my Difciple, unless he first believes in God my Father, who will deliver him into my hand.

Many of his Followers were fo offended at this Difcourfe, that they quite for fook him; which Jefus obferving, ask'd the twelve Apoftles whether they allo would defert him? Peter in the name of the reft cried out: To what other Teacher shall we have recourfe, if we once leave thee, who only art able to direct us in the certain way that leads to eternal Happiness?

We have believ'd and bin convinc'd by moft certain arguments, that thou art the Meliah, that is, the Son of the only true and living God. Jefus replied: Out

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Out of a multitude of Difciples I have chofen but twelve Apostles, and yet there is one in this fmall number that fhall treat me like an Enemy. This he understood of Judas firnamed Ifcariot, one of the twelve, who would betray him, as it afterwards fell out.

CHAP. XXXIV.

The third Paffover after Chrift's Baptifm. His Speech concerning washing of Hands, and the things by which men are really defil'd. The Daughter of a Canaanitish Woman poffefs'd by an evil Spirit. A dumb man, and feveral fick perfons cur'd.

NOT long after Jefus, according to his Cuftom, feems to have gone to Feru

falem to celebrate the Paffover, which that year happen'd upon the fifth of April, according to the Jewish Calendar. But while he continued in Galilee, there came feveral Pharifees and Doctors of the Law to him from Jerufalem to obferve his Words and Actions. Thefe having taken notice, that fome of his Apostles neglected to wash their Hands before they fat down to eat, could by no means digeft the

want

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MARK.

CHA P. VII.

3 For the Pharifees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.

4 And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups and pots, brazen veffels, and of tables.

Then the Pharifees and fcribes asked him, why walk not thy difciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?

6 He anfwered and faid
unto them,

Well hath Efaias
prophefied of you hypocrites,
as it is written,
This people
honoureth me with their lips,
but their heart is far from.
me.

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want of this Ceremony. For all the Jews, especially the Pharifees, are wont to wash their Hands with a great deal of nicety before they offer to touch a bit of Meat: Which custom they obferve with great exactnefs, tho it be only a Tradition handed down from their Ancestors, and no I aw of Moses. At their return from the Market, tho they are not confcious of having touch'd any thing reputed un-clean, yet for fear they might have done it unawares, they will eat nothing beforethey have wash'd their Hands. Many fuch Rites are obferv'd by them, tho there is no Law that lays any obligation on them; and they are very curious in the washing of their Pots and Cups, and other Utenfils. This then being the conftant practice of the Jews, the Pharifees came immediatly to Jefus without faying any thing to. his Apoftles, complaining of their neglect in this particular, and demanding the reafon of it. Jefus knowing their defign, told them, that Ifaiah gave an elegant. defcription of fuch Hypocrites as themfelves in thefe words, chap. 29. 13. This People draw near me with their Mouth, and with their Lips do honour me, but have

remov'di

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remov'd their Heart far from me; and their Fear toward me is taught by the Precept of Men. For you obferve with the utmoft diligence the Traditions of Men concerning the washing of Cups and Pots and the like, while you break or neglect the Laws of God.

But is this true Religion, to obferve inviolably the Inftitutions of Men, tho in oppofition to the Laws of God? Mofes commanded Children to honour their Parents; and thofe that curfe them, are by the Law to fuffer death for it. But your interpretation of it is, with a provifo that the Son tells not his Father or Mother in a paffion, that he has confecrated all his Goods to God, or that he has not taken an Oath never to confer any Benefit upon them; which impious Oath and dedication of his Goods, with which he might have affifted his Parents in their neceflities, you efteem obligatory. Thus plainly do you make the Traditions of

Men

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