There are many cases however, in which the real necessity for doing things will appear much less urgent to a religious mind, than to those who have no spiritual understanding of what is duty. Outward forms of respect should be attended to in their place. Worldly people however often put them in a higher place than is necessary; and so make them out to be duties of more importance than some others which they value too low. This often makes them go after a shadow of what is good, while they leave the substance; so that they will neglect a clear christian duty, rather than be wanting in some outward attendance which custom has made proper. A little thought will enable us to find many cases, in which such a mistake might happen; besides the case of this disciple, who wanted to neglect his service to Christ, in order to attend his father's funeral. Lord however warns his true disciples against this error, by telling them to leave such mistaken. estimates of what is duty, to those who have not been born again of the Spirit, and who therefore are not acquainted with the true value of the one thing needful. (Luke x. 39–42.)

QUESTIONS.

Our

Am I in the habit of considering my duty to Christ as having a higher claim upon me than even those customs of the world which are most proper and important?

Or, do I think that I ought not to offend against any of these proper customs, even when the command of Christ may stand in the way of my fulfilling them?

VII. HEADS FOR PRAYER.

1. Pray that your religious feelings may arise from the right source, and be guided by proper knowledge.

2. Pray that your desire to follow Christ may be such as will enable you to bear any trouble that may come upon you for religion's sake.

3. Pray that, while you comply with the proper customs of those amongst whom you live, you may know how to value your duty to Christ above all the proprieties of the world.

VIII. THE PRAYER.

[1] Gracious Father, to know whom is life eternal, give me I pray thee such a knowledge of Thee, and of Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent, as may fill my heart with a true desire to follow Him whithersoever he may lead me. [2] Whatever trial I may be put to for his sake, give me grace to bear it: and let my desire to be found always with him, strengthen me to give up anything that would separate me from him. [3] Grant that I may be so advanced in spiritual life and knowledge, that my affections may be set on things above, not on things on the earth; and that I may know how to regard all worldly forms and customs at their right value. While I walk with all propriety and correctness with all men, may I never lay aside one religious duty to attend to matters of less importance. Give me grace in all my conduct to glorify thee, by giving up myself in all things to the service of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. AMEN.

Our Father, &c.

SEVENTY-SIXTH PORTION.

1. BEGINNING PRAYER.

MAY GOD, for the sake of JESUS CHRIST, give me the HOLY SPIRIT, that I may understand this portion of his Holy Word, and profit by it. AMEN.

II. THE SCRIPTURES.

Read St. Matthew's Gospel, ch. viii. v. 23 to 27. St. Mark's Gospel, chap. iv. ver. 36-41. St. Luke's Gospel, chap. viii. ver. 22-25.

III. THE MEANINGS;

or sense of some words as used in this portion.

Jesus and his disciples soon came to the waterside, where the boat was kept. It was now getting dark, and he desired the people who still followed him to go to their homes. Without further delay the disciples pushed off the boat, in order to make a voyage to the other side of the lake. Some of the people however were so anxious to follow him, that they got into smaller boats which happened to be at hand, and went after him.

VOL. II.

V

Our Lord must have been greatly fatigued with all the labours of the day; as soon therefore as the boat had set sail, he went to the part which is called the stern, and lying down, with his head upon a leathern cushion which he used for a pillow, he fell asleep.

They had not gone far, before the wind rose very much, so that it blew a violent storm. This made the waves of the sea rise very high; and, as they tossed the boat about, the water was dashed over the sides. At last so much water had come into the ship, that it was in great danger of sinking, and yet our Lord was all the while asleep in the stern. When however the danger seemed to be very great, so that the disciples were much alarmed, they went to Jesus and awoke him. Their fear made them forget all ceremony in doing this: some called out Master; Master, we are sinking; others said, Teacher, do not you see that we are like to be drowned; and others again cried to him, Lord, save us in the midst of our danger.

When Jesus was thus roused from his sleep, he gently reproved them for their fear, and for their want of confidence in his power. Then he got up, and speaking to the wind in the midst of its violence, and to the raging water around him, he said with a commanding manner "Peace, be still." In a moment the wind ceased to blow, and the water became quiet, so that there was a great calm.

As soon as he had given this proof of his power he again reproved them for their unbelief; asking them why they were in such fear, and how it was that, after all they had heard and seen before,

they still had no faith in him. The disciples were extremely astonished, and were almost as much afraid at the sight of this miracle, as they had been before at the storm. They talked among - themselves without being able to make up their minds what sort of person Jesus could be, whose commands were obeyed even by the winds and

waves.

V. THE REPETITION.

Now read again the Scriptures, See No. II.

VI. THE APPLICATION.

1. By the circumstances which are told in this portion of Scripture, the wonderful nature of Je-. sus, as both God and man, is set before us in the way of practical proof. The doctrine of the union of the two natures in him, is taught us in many parts of Scripture. (Matt. i. 22, 23. Gal. iv. 4. John viii. 28, 29, &c., &c.) But in this we may see, by the facts which happened, both that he certainly was man, and as certainly God. That he was a man such as we are, or rather such as Adam was before he had committed sin, plainly appears, because he was subject to those infirmities of the body which are not the consequence of sin, but which belong to the state of man's nature; such as hunger, (Matt iv. 2, xxi. 18.) thirst, (John iv. 7; xix. 28.) weariness, (John iv. 6.) and so here we find that the fatigue, produced by continual teaching for a whole day, in public and in private, (the account of which has been given in the last fifteen portions) had so wearied his human nature that he required the refreshment of sleep; just as would have been the case with any of us in like circumstances. This should lead