attentive and lefs fenfible to the miracle ofCHAP. the increase of loaves, than the common peo- 1. ple, who through gratitude and interest openly avowed their defign of proclaiming him king.

In fhort, it is an idle infinuation, that an history, which has gained fuch credit, and is fo circumftantiated, which has been examined by the apoftles, and wrote with all poffible marks of fincerity, is not entituled to a thorough belief; a history that can give no offence, but because it is an evident proof of the chriftian religion.

Here we must attentively obferve, that Jefus Chrift did not perform his miracles as the prophets, and his difciples, in the name of another; but to confirm his divine miffion, and to prove that he was the promised Saviour and Meffiah; that he wrought them as the Son of God, having all nature at command, and being powerful by his will alone: in a word, that the intention of these marvellous operations was in order to gain their belief, that they should put an entire confidence in him, and that there should be no limits to the faith and hope, of which he is the term and object. Thus does he find nothing but what was lawful in the adoration paid to him by the apostles, and thofe that were in the fhip; and he not only approved of their filing him C 3

the

"He went up unto them into the fhip, and the wind ceaf"ed: and they were fore amazed in themselves beyond measure, "and wondered. For they confidered not the miracle of the loaves, for their heart was hardened. " Mark vi. 52.

PART the Son of God, but also encouraged their IV. opinion of his having fufficiently confirmed it to them by walking on the tempeftuous fea, by enabling Peter to do the fame, by reproaching his diftrust in not relying on his word, by suspending him in the abyfs with his almighty hand, by causing a dead calm inftantly to fucceed an hurricane and tempeft, and by making the fhip advance immediately to the other fide, which could not be effected by rowing, nor by human means during a whole night. Now this circumftance is alfo to be obferved, as it reconciles the feeming contradiction between those evangelifts, who affirm that Jesus Christ entered the ship; * and Saint John, who looked upon it as unneceffary, because the ship was instantly at land. Which imports, that he entered it, tho' it was of no ufe to him.

My defign is not to unfold what the miracles of Jefus Chrift fpiritually and mystically contain, when the hiftory does not derive from thence a new degree of certainty. But when the fpirit makes part of the letter, or (to speak more plain) when it not only tends to illuftrate but to prove it, I am obliged to make a proper ufe of this advantage; for I have obferved, that when no more than the miracle is fhewn to people, who, in other refpects, do not want understanding, they have a fecret repugnancy to. fubmit to it; but that repugnancy vanishes, and ad

21.

miration

*They willingly received him in o the fhip, and immediately the ship was at the land, whither they went." John vị.

miration is fubftituted in its place, when CHAP. they perceive the defign and neceffity of the 1. miracle.

;

It is plain that the church is figured by the Thip, in which Peter and the apostles embarked: and it is obvious, that the night, the contrary wind and the waves, point out the conflicts that the gospel should meet with in its firft promulgation, and the commotions of the church throughout all ages. The useless efforts of the apoftles, when they laboured with their oars during the abfence of Jefus Christ, conveys a leffon to the minifters of the Church, that their endeavours, if merely human, will be attended with little fuccefs; that Jefus Chrift's attention to the diftrefs of his difciples, when they imagined him to be abfent, manifefts his concern for the church, even after he is become invifible that by coming to them towards the end of the night, he intended to be a fure comfort to those who confide in him, in the greatest extremity; that by walking on the waves, he was defirous to prove himself to be abfolute mafter of the world, and fuperior to all the violence it employs against his ministers; that by discovering himself at a distance, and being taken for a fpirit, he defigned to confirm thofe in the faith, who are tempted to treat his promises as ideal and without reality, and more capable to augment, than to preferve from danger; that by fpeaking and faying unto them It is I, he intimated to them, that he was the only one who ought to be feared, and on whom

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PART their hopes fhould be centered; that by enIV. abling Peter to walk upon the waters, he ma'nifefted that whilft he was present no wreck could happen; and that if by his command, and to be faithful to him, we feem on fome occafions to relinquish the fhip, it is with fafety, as long as we truft in him; that by entering the ship and caufing Peter to return into it, he promises never to forfake his church, and always to protect the public ministry, by whom it is conducted; and by making the ship instantly come to land after a great deal of hard and fruitless toil, he declares that he will shorten when he pleases the labour of his minifters; but especially of those whom he fhall employ in the latter days, when his grace almost alone, and in a very little time, will complete what remains of their courfe and labour.

Let this miracle be examined with respect to its myftical and prophetical fenfe, and I queftion not but an impartial examiner will find it worthy of Jefus Chrift, as founder and protector of the church; and not only will judge it true, but comfortable, and fraught with inftructions proper for the nourishment of faith, and the support of chriftian hope.

A R

The apostles awake Jefus Chrift in the midst of a furious tempeft, which ceafes at his command. Perpetual protection promised to his church.

BE

Efore this miracle, Jefus Chrift perform'd another fimilar to it in fome circumstances, tho' different in others, but the truth of both is attefted by the fame proofs. One day, after having spoke to the people in different parables; + "When the even was come, "he faith unto his difciples, Let us pafs over cc unto the other fide. And when they had "fent away the multitude, they took him, " even as he was in the fhip, and there were " also with him other little fhips. But in the paffage a great storm of wind arofe, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now "full. Jefus was in the hinder part of the fhip afleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and fay unto him, Mafter, careft thou

not that we perish? And he arose and re"buked the winds, and faid unto the fea, "Peace, be ftill: and the wind ceased, and "there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye fo fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? And they feared exceed

+ Matth. iv. 35.

* Τί δειλοί τε ουτω; πῶς ἐκ ἔχετε πιςίν. Luke viii, 25, &c..