eye, and contrary to the word of our God, but all, every besetting sin, every uncharitable temper, every doubtful pleasure, every worldly entanglement which opposes you, or impedes you in following Christ; making no single reserve for any favourite pleasure, or any questionable profit, but faithfully and boldly plucking them out, and casting them from you, as a freewill offering, at the command of your Redeemer? Who among us is there, thus really striving to forsake all for Christ? A careful examination of our thoughts, our words, our actions, even for this single day which is passing over us, would, we fear, leave the holiest without an answer, and without excuse. Yet, brethren, this it is to be a Christian; time can make no alteration in the requirements of that name; it is still in this sense obligatory upon all who bear the name of Christ, to forsake all, to deny themselves, to take up the cross,

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and to follow Christ. What shall we, then, say to these things? Who is there that does not stand self-convicted before that God who seeth the heart? Who is there that will refuse to say, "God be merciful to me a sinner!" Who is there that will not heartily unite in this most appropriate petition of our Church :Grant, O merciful God, that as thine holy apostles, leaving all that they had without delay, were obedient unto the calling of thy Son Jesus Christ, and followed him; so we, forsaking all worldly and carnal affections, may evermore be ready to follow thy holy commandments, through Jesus Christ our Lord,"

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LECTURE II.

MATT. XIV. 29.

"AND WHEN PETER WAS COME DOWN OUT OF THE SHIP, HE WALKED ON THE WATER, TO GO TO JESUS."

SIMON PETER, having now become one of our Lord's constant attendants, and having been ordained one of his twelve apostles, is henceforth to be found, in every incident of importance, holding a most prominent situation among the followers of our Lord, and bearing a most distinguished part.

Is there an undertaking of peculiar hazard and danger, requiring the highest exertion of faith and the most unbounded display of courage-such, for example, as the walking upon the surface of the

troubled deep? this undaunted apostle is foremost in the attempt. Is there a doubt cast upon the devoted attachment of the followers of our Lord, and from the lips of our Lord himself, "Will ye also go away?"-this affectionate being is the first, from the full outpourings of a loving heart, to repel the imputation; "Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.' Is there an inquiry which could probe the faith, and accurately ascertain the degree of light and knowledge which the apostles possessed, "Whom say ye that I am?"-this supernaturally instructed disciple is the man, unhesitatingly to reply, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God."

May the same Spirit, who, upon each of these deeply interesting occasions, influenced the heart of Peter, be present with us this morning, while we endeavour profitably to consider the conduct of the apostle, under the first of these

widely differing circumstances; and may this Divine Teacher impart to us some blessed portion of Peter's courage, of Peter's wisdom, and of Peter's love!

The incident to which I shall at present call your attention is contained in the 14th chapter of St. Matthew's Gospel, where we read, that after a day spent in the most laborious and fatiguing acts of beneficence and charity; after miraculously healing the sick and feeding the fainting multitude, our Lord had withdrawn himself from the presence of his beloved disciples, to spend the greater portion of the night in secret communion with his heavenly Father. A night of fervent prayer, after a day of ceaseless labour! What an example for us, my brethren, who are too ready to consider the smallest feelings of fatigue, even if not induced by doing the works of him who sent us, an excuse fully sufficient for the intermission, or the diminution of our communion with Heaven. O! that there

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