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ever behave ourselves as in the presence of Christ. Let us act, and speak, and think, in such a manner as may bear his inspection; and, struck with these united demonstrations of wisdom, power, and grace, let us prostrate ourselves before him, and say, Our Lord, and our God! thus honouring the Son as we honour the Father (John v. 23), and adoring the indwelling Deity, through this veil of flesh, in which it has been pleased to enshrine itself, and kindly to attemper, though not entirely to conceal, its rays.

Though we have not those sensible manifestations which were granted to Thomas, let it suffice us that the apostles were the appointed witnesses of all these things; and what they saw with their eyes, and their hands handled of the word of life, that they have declared unto us (1 John i. 1, 3). Let us thankfully receive so convincing a testimony. Let us shew an upright and candid mind in accepting such evidence as the wisdom of God has seen fit to give us; remembering that a truly rational faith is the more acceptable to God, in proportion to the difficulties which it is able to surmount; and that there are peculiar blessings in store for them who have not seen and yet have believed.

SECTION VII.

MATTHEW XXVIII. 9, 10, 16-20. 1 Cor. xv. 6. AND as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him. Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.

Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them: (and there were above five hundred brethren gathered together there), and he was seen of them all at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. And when they saw him, they worshipped him : but some doubted. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things what

soever I have commanded you. And lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.

Go tell my brethren: Lord, is thy language concerning those who but a few hours before had forsaken thee, and one of them with such dreadful imprecations denied thee! Compassionate Redeemer! thou hast brought up from the tomb with thee that tenderness and goodness which laid thee there!

With how ill a grace could the Jews complain of any deficiency in the evidence of our Lord's resurrection, when he appeared alive to so great a number as five hundred at once! How glad must these disciples be when they saw the Lord! and with what pleasure must they hear him speaking of those things which concerned the kingdom of God!

The commission he gave his apostles, though it began at Jerusalem, did not end there; nor was it confined within the narrow limits of Judea; but they were appointed to go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. We to this day, in our remote land, enjoy the benefit of it. Let us remember the important consequences that will one way or another attend the gospel thus brought us. If we believe it, we shall be saved; but if we believe it not, we shall be damned. Life, or death, O my soul, is the certain issue of it, with regard to thee in particular. Be surety to thy servant, O Lord, for good (Psalm cxix. 122), and let my life be precious in thy sight!

SECTION VIII.

JOHN XXI. 1-14.

AFTER these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he himself. There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples. Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing. But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No. And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side

of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.

Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea. And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes. As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread. Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught. Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken. Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord. Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise. This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.

Christ first called these disciples when they were employed in the duties of their proper profession in life, and he now manifests himself to them while they were so engaged; perhaps particularly intending thereby to encourage an honest industry in which indeed we are far more likely to enjoy his presence, and to converse with him, than when we throw away our time in idleness and inactivity.

A while he leaves them to labour in vain, that when the plentiful draught of fishes came, it might be the more remarkable. Sometimes he may deal thus with his ministers, in their endeavours to catch men; that we may be convinced thereby, to whose power we owe our success, and may not sacrifice to our own net, or burn incense to our own drag. (Hab. i. 16.)

All the disciples rejoiced at his appearance; but Peter was the foremost to cast himself at his feet. Conscious that so much had been forgiven him, he is solicitous to shew that he loves much, (Luke vii. 47.) So may the remembrance of our miscarriages work upon us, to make us more vigorous in

Christ's service, and to inspire us with such zeal and affection as many waters may not be able to quench, nor the floods to drown! (Cant. viii. 7.)

Let us not imagine this miracle was merely intended for a demonstration of Christ's Divine power over all that passeth through the paths of the sea (Psalm viii. 8); it was also the work of wisdom and bounty. By the sale of so many large and fine fishes a seasonable provision was made for the subsistence of his disciples at Jerusalem, while they were there waiting for the descent of the Spirit, (Luke xxiv. 49.) Let every circumstance of this kind encourage us to trust him, as the Lord of nature and of grace, who will withhold from us no necessary supply of either, while we are making it our humble and faithful care to promote his glory.

SECTION IX.

JOHN XXI. 15-24.

So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, loves thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? he saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? and he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, when thou wast young, thou girdest thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.

Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on

his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou me. Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, he shall not die; but, if I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee. This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true.

What if our Lord Jesus Christ should put the same question to us that he did to Peter, in this remarkable passage, and should thus repeat it again and again? Are there none of us who should be at a loss for an answer? None of us to whom he might say, I know that you have not the love of Christ in you? Or are there none of us who apprehend, that, if we had ourselves been thus pressed, we could, at the very best, only have said, Lord, thou that knowest all things, knowest that I cannot tell whether I love thee or not?-Blush, and be confounded, O my soul, if thou must reply with such uncertainty to a question of so great importance, and in a case where all the ardour of the heart might be so justly expected!

But are there not still some of us who through Divine grace could reply with pleasure, Lord, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that, notwithstanding all the unhallowed and lamented infirmities of our lives, we do indeed love thee?And, if we are thus really conscious to ourselves of such an unfeigned affection, let it be our daily joy, that he who implanted this Divine principle in our hearts, discerns and sees it there; and, knowing all things, he perfectly knows this, however we may be suspected, however we may be censured.

Let us learn also by what method we are to express our love, according to our ability and opportunity; even by feeding his sheep, and promoting the interest and edification of his church. Let ministers especially do it; and let them not forget those dear creatures, the lambs of the flock. Jesus the compassionate Shepherd as we see, did not forget them; but taught his servants with the greatest tenderness both by his precepts, and by his example, to gather them in their arms, and carry them in their bosom. (Isa. xl. 11.)

Happy are those ministers who, instead of indulging a vain curiosity in things wherein they are not at all, or but very little concerned, are spending their lives in such faithful ser

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