Can we ourselves, my brethren, trace through the successive pages of the gospel history these wonders and their application—these facts, and the truths to be deduced from them, without feeling our hearts burn within us, like those of the disciples on the road to Emmaus, when Christ himself opened to them the scriptures? What subjects for holy research and pious study does the life of Jesus supply! What lessons of wisdom may be drawn from that storehouse of divine truth! Lessons of every sort that can be profitable for the soul, of doctrine, of reproof, of correction, of instruction in righteousness. And if, like the disciples, we had ourselves seen him walking upon the sea in the fulness of almighty power, claiming the authority of him that ruleth the universe, and exerting that authority in the obedience which he compelled the winds and the sea to yield to his command, could we have failed to acknowledge his power? could we have doubted that he was indeed the God of the whole earth, and not have given him the due honour to his name? And if for our protection and safety we had seen that power exerted, if to save us from threatened destruction he had thus subdued the storm, could we have entertained any fear, that in the future trials of our lives he would suffer us to labour in his cause without efficient support and defence? Would it not have been the basest ingratitude to have trembled for ourselves, when

labouring for him; and the most coward fear to have shrunk from exertion in his cause?

The feelings of hope and confidence which these wonders were intended to generate in the minds of the apostles, were indeed fully established. They showed their convictions by their lives, and by their deaths. They feared not to labour for him who they knew was able and willing to support them they feared not to die for him who was able to save them in death.

Time will not permit us to dwell longer upon the details of this interesting subject: we can only apply to our own selves what has been said.

In our course, then, as Christians, let us not be alarmed at difficulties and dangers. Let us not be troubled above measure if afflictions befal us, while we continue in the path of duty. We are too prone to indulge despondency, and to increase, by unnecessary fears, the real dangers which may surround us. We may have reason to be thankful for our sorrows, and see in them cause for hope rather than fear; and for confidence rather than alarm. Had the disciples proceeded on the calm and unruffled sea, to the port whither they were sent, they would have lost this exhibition of the divine character of Jesus; and so also they would not have been so sensibly impressed with his power and his willingness to save them. He who permits us to be in trouble, as he permitted them to be in

the storm, knows also the reasons of that permission and he will assuredly teach us something of those reasons, and show us something of the wisdom of them, if we cling to him with unshaken faith, and persevere in the path of duty. Our fears are often aroused to teach us the lesson of hope in him: our doubts are often excited to strengthen our fainting faith. We are suffered to fall into danger, that we may the more fully experience his protection: we are assailed by calamities and sorrows, only to taste more sensibly the consolations of his grace, and to rest more completely in his love. At all events, we know that he is in the rudest storm, or walking upon the wildest wave; and we ought to look for him, and wait for his approach, as our sure and safe deliverance.

Neither only as individual Christians ought we to learn hope and confidence from the consideration of this miracle. Upon the safety of that ship in the waves of the midnight sea depended, as far as human wisdom may conjecture from the display of the Divine counsels, the means of promulgating the truth of God, and of extending the blessings of the gospel. There were his chosen ones for that holy office; there were those whom he had appointed to be the heralds of salvation. And if indeed it were a spirit of evil that raised the storm around that vessel, if indeed a spirit of evil might have been per

mitted to hope, that by the destruction of that company the triumph of evil might be accomplished, there was the Saviour ready to defend them there was he, engaged in prayer to his heavenly Father for the success of his gospel; and over that stormy wave did he come to their succour, and the sea was calm.

May not we, my brethren, as members of Christ's holy church, learn a lesson of hope and confidence from this miracle? Is it not a pledge that his truth shall be defended ?—that his church, the means, under his divine blessing, of establishing and promulgating that truth, shall be supported and sustained? We may want more of reliance upon his grace, more of faith in his mercy, more of obedience to his will; and therefore we may now be placed among dangers and difficulties, the waves of ungodliness, and the tumult of the wicked ones. But we ought to feel that if a spirit of evil have raised this storm around our church, we have that within it which shall raise in us a hope of safety that pure word of life which is given for the salvation of the world, those means of grace which Christ himself has ordained for the health and support of the faithful and we ought to trust that he who has permitted the waves to rage, will control them for the blessed purposes of his own mercy, and will, ere long, calm them by his power, and succour us by his grace.

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191

SERMON XIV.

MARY ANOINTING THE HEAD OF JESUS.

PREACHED AT RICHMOND CHURCH, IN OBEDIENCE TO THE KING'S LETTER, FOR THE INCORPORATED SOCIETY FOR THE PROPAGATION OF THE GOSPEL IN FOREIGN PARTS.

OCTOBER 18, 1835.

MARK XIV. 6-9.

And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me. For you have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always. She hath done what she could: she is come beforehand to anoint my body to the burying. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.

SUCH were the terms of approbation and encouragement in which the gracious Saviour condescended to vindicate an act expressive of love and gratitude to himself: and so fully did he