formidable perils than those of a tempestuous sea,and that we need just the same deliverer, in his loftier character of Redeemer. How necessary that men should become alarmed at their danger. And when they are so in genuine earnest, and cry outHe, the very same, says, "Be not afraid, I am here."

When he so spoke to the disciples, what delightful accents to be heard through the roar of the storm! And when all the terror was seized just in its full strength, and converted into grateful adoration— what an energy of piety! Peter was so elated, that he entreated to be called to meet his Lord on the waves. We may doubt, whether, in a person of cooler temperament, this request would not have been sinful. Christians should never seek extraordinary trials of their faith, when there is no duty to summon them. Their faith will then fail. And Peter incurred a practical rebuke of his hasty presumption on his faith; he was soon made to feel that it was far less than he had been confident it was. But this rebuke, both in fact and words, was accompanied by the mercy which stretched out a powerful hand to save him. It should have made him more cautious afterwards in his avowals, his too self-confident boastings, of what he would do and dare for his Master. "O thou of little faith," he said. Observe, faith is proved to be very defective whenever creatures are more dreaded than the Sovereign Lord of all creatures is trusted.

He entered into the ship, as it appears, while the tempest was still raging. And never was the

intervention of a powerful friend and benefactor more welcome, excepting (if we may once more turn the history into emblem) excepting when he comes to the soul under the terrors of guilt, or anticipating the terrors of death. But here, again, he changed their joy into an overwhelming amazement. They had just admitted the joyful hope that he would enable them to weather and escape the storm. But quite different from this; the consequence of his coming into the vessel was, that instantly there was a perfect calm, and the next moment they were miraculously brought to land. For John says, (vi. 21,) "Immediately the ship was at the land whither they went." They were overwhelmed again. This appeared to them, too much, almost, to be believed. There is more than intimated a strong censure of this feeling; and observe, by one of themselves, that is, the relater," For they considered not the miracle of the loaves, for their heart was hardened," (Mark vi. 52.) It is a charge of criminal dulness, and inaction of intellect. They would not have been so astonished, if they

had properly Their having

reflected on the preceding miracle. seen him exercise a power that could create, ought to have prepared them not to be amazed, to this almost incredulous degree, at the sight of a less demonstration of power.

But men are not creatures of thought and reflection. That which is connected with tumult and material magnificence, and where there is a mighty impression on the senses, strikes them as greater than a calmer phenomenon, in which thought

and wisdom may perceive still sublimer evidence of greatness and power.

However, it ended right; for they worshipped him as "truly the Son of God," with a conviction, a solemnity, and an ardour, which we may well believe would have expected hardly less than the lightnings of Heaven to fall on any one who should have dared to deny it. He accepted, as in every such instance he did, this worship, by this solemn title. He went on land, was recognized by the people, ("straightway they knew him," that is, he was known,) and, in prosecution of his grand commission and career, proceeded to new labours, new instructions to illuminate the people, and new miracles to convince them.

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LECTURE XXVI.

SIN MANIFESTED BY THE LAW.

ROMANS vii. 13.

“That sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.”

IN the natural world which we inhabit, there are several grand material elements constantly presenting themselves to our senses, in their various modes, combinations, and effects. Now, these elements are good and beneficent, adapted to a vast utility and actually effecting it; that is, essentially and generally so, notwithstanding that disorders and certain special combinations among them are pernicious and destructive.

But in what we call the moral world there is an element which is absolutely, intrinsically, and wholly, and always, bad. Its very name, is, with emphasis, EVIL; we call it also vice, depravity, wickedness, and, in religious language, it is named SIN,—a name which the world has a great dislike to-partly because it is the name which GOD gives to the evil. Our calling it an element may rightly, perhaps, be excepted against, on the ground that it is not a substantive, independent thing, but merely a result,

an effect of the disorder and perversion of the human faculties and passions; we only mean that it is a mighty and permanent reality in the moral world; there is nothing that more certainly, absolutely, constantly, does exist; not earth, mountains, rocks, ocean, fire. Its existence is perceived, in some degree, by all mankind, however dull or perverted their apprehensions. They are aware there is something else than goodness in the world. A large proportion of them can perceive its quality, as an evil, when it is exhibited in its most gross and striking forms,-in great crimes, in flagrant wrongs. But to apprehend, in any due measure, its extreme malignity, in its own nature, in whatever form it may exist and operate, would seem to be a rare attainment of humanity. A full and perfect apprehension is the attainment of no man on earth. Sin infects the very judgment which is to estimate it.

But, nothing is of more essential interest and necessity, than that there should be a clear, deep, comprehensive understanding of the quality of sin, and a strong and alarming impression of it, because fatal consequences are involved in an insensibility to that quality. For then the evil will have an unresisted power over the man. To dwell here, as spirits surrounded, invaded, penetrated by this element, being at the same time naturally disposed to yield to its operation, and not to be aware of its quality, what can this be less than to be liable to its whole deadly effect on the soul? The man, not aware what a dreadful serpent he has to deal with,