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him, O thou of And when they Then they that

his hand, and caught him, and said unto little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? were come into the ship, the wind ceased. were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.-Matt. xiv. 22-33. See Mark vi. 46-52; John vi. 16-21.

And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side. And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship: and there were also with him other little ships. And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the winds, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith? And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?-Mark iv. 35-41. See Matt. viii. 23-27.

ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE SACRED NARRATIVE.

Christ dismissed the multitude, after he had fed them miraculously, lest they should "take him by force and make him a king”—(John vi. 15); but himself retired for prayer. Though Christ, as God, was Lord of all, and was prayed to, yet Christ, as man, had "the form of a servant," and prayed. Christ has herein set before us an example of secret prayer, and the performance of it secretly. Observe, when the disciples went to sea, their Master went to prayer; when Peter was to be "sifted as wheat," Christ prayed for him.

Christ "went unto them, walking on the sea." This is a great instance of Christ's sovereign dominion over all the creatures; they are all under his feet, and at his command; they forget their natures, and change their qualities that we call essential. We need not inquire how this was done, whether by condensing the surface of the water, (when God pleases, "the depths are congealed in the heart of the sea,"-Exod. xv. 8.) or by expanding the gravitation of his body, which was transfigured as he pleased, it is sufficient that it proves his divine power, for it is God's prerogative to "tread upon the waves of the sea,” (Job ix. 8.) as it is to "ride upon the

wings of the wind." He that "made the waters of the sea a wall for the redeemed of the LORD," (Isai. li. 10.) here makes them a walk for the Redeemer himself, who, as Lord of all, appears with one foot on the sea and the other on dry land.-Rev. x. 2. The same power that made iron to swim, (2 Kings vi. 6) did this. "What ailed thee, O thou sea?" -(Psal. cxiv. 5:)—it "was the presence of the Lord. Thy way, O God, is in the sea!"-lxxvii. 19. REV. MATTHEW HENRY.

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The fourth watch of the night began three hours before sunrise; and, during these three hours, Jesus came to the disciples, perhaps after daybreak. Note, that to walk on the sea is made the property of God," who alone spreadeth the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.' Job ix. 8.-Whitby. "The picture of two feet walking on the sea, was an Egyptian hieroglyphic for an impossible thing."-Doddridge. It was, no doubt, an attestation that he was the God of Nature, the Lord of the creation; and also an emblem of his power over all the troubles and persecutions which disquiet his church. REV. THOMAS SCOTT.

The waves rose, but he trod them down; the raging sea murmured under the footsteps of its Lord; but, willing, or unwilling, it must bear him. Thus, when the swelling powers of this world rise, our Lord shall trample them down. But when he says, "I am He, not a phantom, as you suppose, but really what you see;" Peter says, "Lord, if it is thou, order me to come to thee upon the waters." If it is thou, I do not wonder that thou suspendest solid flesh upon the backs of the liquid waves; for, what wonder if the creature waits upon its Creator? Therefore I should not wonder, should I do that at which I may wonder. I know, Lord, that a human body is not suffered, by the laws of Nature, to have fixed footsteps upon the liquid waves; but let thy gift of grace be afforded, and that law of Nature shall cease for awhile. Thou hast chosen to take of me, infirmity, in that flesh which thou bearest; grant that I have from thee power that the waves shall bear me ! ST. AUGUSTINE.

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"They were troubled, saying, It is a spirit." The Jews, especially the sect of the Pharisees, had a notion, from whom the disciples might have theirs, of spirits, apparitions, and demons, being to be seen in the night; hence that rule, "It is forbidden a man to salute his friend in the night, for we are careful, lest it should be a demon." They say many things of one Lilith," a she-demon, that used to appear in the night, with a human face, and carry off young children, and kill them. Some such frightful notions had possessed the minds of the disciples, "and they cried out for fear," as persons in consternation, in the greatest danger, through a vulgar notion among seafaring-men, that such sights are ominous to sailors. "But straightway Jesus spake unto them," as one truly affected towards them, and concerned for their welfare: he called aloud unto them, saying, "Be of good cheer, it is I, be not afraid;" don't be affrighted at my

apppearance, from whom you have nothing to fear; nor be afraid of the storm and tempest in which you are, I'll deliver you; for it is I, your Master, Saviour, and Redeemer, and not any hurtful spirit.

Christ may be sometimes near his people, and they not know him; as the Lord was in the place where Jacob was, and he knew it not (Gen. xxviii. 16); and as Christ was standing by Mary Magdalene at the sepulchre, and she took him to be the gardener: and for want of a distinct knowledge of Christ, in his person, offices, and grace, persons have wrong apprehension of him, filled with dread and fear, concluding they have no interest in him; that he is a Saviour, but not of them; but Christ makes himself known unto them, as the able and willing Saviour, and as their Saviour and Redeemer. DR. GILL.

All elements are alike to their Maker. He that had well approved his power on the land, will now show it in the air and the water. He that had preserved the multitude from the peril of hunger in the desert, will now preserve his disciples from the peril of the tempest in the sea.

How do all things seem to conspire to the vexing of thy poor disciples ! The night was sullen and dark; their Master was absent; the sea was boisterous; the winds were high and contrary. Had their Master been away, yet if the sea had been quiet or the winds fair, the passage might have been endured: now both the season, and sea and wind, and their Master's desertion, had agreed to render them perfectly miserable. O Saviour, our extremities are the seasons of thine aid. Thou camest at last; but yet so, as that there was more dread than joy in thy presence. Thy coming was both miraculous and frightful!

Thou, God of elements, passedst through the air, walkedst upon the waters! Whether thou meantest to terminate this miracle in thy body, or in the waves which thou trodest upon; whether so lightening the one, that it should make no impression in the liquid waters, or whether so consolidating the other, that the pavemented waves yielded a firm causeway to thy sacred feet to walk on, I neither determine nor inquire: thy power was in either miraculous.

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What object should have been so pleasant to the eyes of the disciples as their Master; and so much the more as he showed his Divine power in this miraculous walk? But lo, contrarily, they are troubled :" not with his presence, but with his form of presence. And why are they thus troubled ? 66 They thought they had seen a spirit." But say it had been what they mistook it for, a spirit,-why should they fear? Had they well considered, they had soon found that evil spirits are nevertheless present when they are not seen, and harmful or malicious when they are present unseen: visibility adds nothing to their spite or mischief. And could their eyes have been opened, they had, with Elisha's servant, seen more with them than against them; a sure though invisible guard of more powerful spirits, and themselves under the protection of the God of spirits.

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It was high time for the Saviour to speak; the disciples were almost lost

with fear. If his presence were fearful, yet his word was comfortable; "Be of good cheer, it is I;"-"I, your Lord and Master; I, the commander of winds and waters; I, the sovereign Lord of heaven and earth; I, the God of spirits." Let heaven be but as one scroll, and let it be written all over with titles, they cannot express more than, " It is I." O sweet and seasonable word of a gracious Saviour, able to calm all tempests, able to revive all hearts! BISHOP HALL.

Peter showed here, what on other occasions appears to have been his natural character, a mixture of boldness and weakness, of sincerity and irresolution. "Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee upon the water." This was placing himself in a way of unnecessary trial, as when he followed Jesus into the high priest's palace, and mixed himself among his Master's bitterest enemies. Still, then, he showed the same earnest zeal, and there he showed the same courage and confidence which afterwards fitted him to be a main pillar of the infant church. Not being equally called for, it was followed by a check and a reproof; but it was in its nature the same faith as that which is so highly approved in Abraham.

"O the imperfect composition of the best saints on earth: as far from pure faith as from mere infidelity!" He was a portion of the same excellence, and the same weakness, which afterwards showed itself in a scene more resembling ordinary life. The same ardent zeal, which saith, "Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee upon the water," said also, “Lord, I am ready to go with thee both to prison and to death." No doubt, Peter thought this and meant this, as sincerely as he intended to venture upon the waves. But, within a very few hours, " seeing the wind boisterous, he was afraid:" seeing his Master in the hands of his enemies, seeing that he had no power to deliver himself," he denied him, saying, I know him BISHOP J. B. SUMNER.

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It was between the hours of three and six in the morning that Jesus made this appearance to his disciples, "walking on the sea :" thus suspending the laws of gravitation was a proper manifestation of unlimited power. Jesus did this by his own power; therefore Jesus showed forth his Godhead. In this one miracle we may discover three :— 1. Though at a distance from his disciples, he knew their distress. 2. He found them out on the lake, and probably in the midst of darkness. 3. He walked upon the water. Job, speaking of those things whereby the omnipotence of God was demonstrated, says particularly, "He walketh upon the waves of the sea" (Job ix. 8); intimating that this was impossible to anything but Omnipotence.

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Immediately the ship was at the land." How far they were from the place at which they landed, when our Lord came to them, we know not: but the Evangelist seems to speak of their sudden arrival there as extraordinary and miraculous. DR. A. CLARKE.

Our Lord having persisted in his zealous labours till the evening, put to

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sea even as he was in the ship," whence he had preached, and without any peculiar attention to his health, ease, or indulgence, after so great fatigues!— Mark iii. 1. 20. 31. 36. Such an example did he set us of enduring hardships, and avoiding all needless regard to ourselves, whilst employed in doing good to the souls of men!

Instead of the fair voyage, which probably they expected, they were overtaken with a terrible storm: so that the ship was speedily covered with the waves, and apparently ready to sink; yet amidst all this confusion and distress, Jesus lay fast asleep. His human nature, like ours in every thing but sin, was wearied, and he willingly yielded to sleep, foreseeing the storm, that his power might thus be more noticed. But the disciples, trembling lest they should be swallowed up by the waves, and having no resource but in his power, came and awoke him; saying, "Lord, save us, we perish." Considering all which they had seen of his power, this was comparatively weak faith; and their fears were evidences of much remaining unbelief. Having therefore first rebuked them, as men of " little faith (Matt. viii. 26), he next, with the authority of the Lord and Governor of the creation, rebuked the winds and waves, as a master would rebuke a company of unruly servants; and at his omnipotent word, the winds suddenly ceased to blow, the tempestuous sea, contrary to its nature, became smooth, and a perfect calm succeeded. Thus the tempest which threatened their destruction was overruled, to the increase of their faith, and admiration of the majesty and power of their Lord!

Storms may indeed assail us, and our fears may be great; but faith will apply to him for help, and meet no disappointment. Even when he seems to slumber, he restrains the violence of the winds and waves, and the fury of wicked men and apostate spirits; and when he awakes for our help, he will turn all our terrors into adoring love and gratitude to him as the Mighty God and the Prince of Heaven !" REV. THOMAS SCOTT.

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Christ had given sailing orders to his disciples (Matt. viii. 18), that they should" depart to the other side" of the sea of Tiberias, into the country of Gadara, in the tribe of Gad, which lay east of Jordan: thither he would go, to rescue a poor creature that was possessed with a legion of devils, though he foresaw how he should be affronted there. He chose to cross the lake, that he might have occasion to manifest himself the God of the sea as well as of the dry land; and that all power is his, both in heaven and in earth. It is a comfort to those who go down to the sea in ships, and are often in perils there, to reflect that they have a Saviour to trust to and pray to, who knows what it is to be at sea, and to be in storms there.

"There arose a very great storm." Christ could have prevented this: but that would not have been so much for his glory and the confirmation of their faith, as their deliverance was. Christ would show, that those who are passing with him over the ocean of this world must expect storms. Jesus Christ was asleep in this storm. We never read of Christ's sleeping but at this time: he was in watchings often, continued all night in prayer to God. This was a sleep, not of security, like Jonah's in a storm,

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