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calm!" Blessed, for ever blessed, be this Lord and Saviour! It is well for us that he still does hear and relieve those who come to him with many fears and but little faith. He is not extreme to mark this failing; he remembers whereof we are made, and considers that we are but dust. At the same time, it must be remembered, that strong faith is most pleasing to him and most profitable to ourselves.

APPLICATION.

We have already seen, that in the path of duty and obedience, trials, various and unexpected trials, may come. The disciples had put to sea in obedience to their Lord's commands, yet they were exposed to severe trial. This we must bear in mind. Our Lord himself has assured

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us, that, through much tribulation we must enter into the kingdom of heaven." There is no station in life, no situation that man can fill, either at sea or on shore, but has its trials, difficulties, temptations, and dangers. In the path of duty only is the soul of man in safety;

but, remember, it is not exempt from trial. If patience ever has its perfect exercise and work in us, it will be in enduring, and, through the grace and strength of the Lord, in our being enabled to come out of it as gold comes out of the fire; that is, purified, cleansed, and made more what we should be. Faith and patience could not be exercised without our being exposed to trial. As exercise strengthens the limbs of the body; so does trial, through the Lord's blessing, strengthen the graces of the Holy Ghost in our souls. Indeed, men know not what grace is within them, nor what, through grace, they can do and suffer, until they are tried. May we ever live sensible that of ourselves we can do nothing; but that, through Christ Jesus strengthening us, we shall be enabled to do all things. Meanwhile, let all experimental Christians learn frequently to review the Lord's past dealings with them. It will be very profitable for the soul to meditate on the many and various trials and supports, dangers and deliverances,

sorrows and consolations which have chequered their past days. On one hand, they will see that many have been their afflictions; on the other, that the Lord supported them under or helped them out of them all. This, my christian friends, will teach you not to expect sunshine and fair weather through all the remainder of the voyage of life; and it will administer confidence and resignation when the sun seems again overcast, and, for a season, hidden from your eyes. It will, however, be but for a season, and your Lord will come and make all things new, and take you to that rest which remains for the people of God-to that kingdom where storms and trials never

come.

"Fair distant land!-could mortal eyes
But half its joys explore,

How would our spirits long to rise,

And dwell on earth no more."

But this address may meet the eye or reach the ear of the disobedient, the neglecter and despiser of Christ and his precious salvation. Oh, poor sinner, be

hold in the subject now brought before you the power and goodness of that God and Saviour whom you neglect and despise; and remember, that he who manifested that power and goodness in quelling the storm and in comforting and saving the disciples, will, by and bye, pour down a storm of fire on this sinful world, to confound and destroy all its guilty, unrepenting, and unsanctified inhabitants. But he will not allow that tempest to sweep you from his presence. If you continue to live on in sin, you will, indeed, perish as to this life and to every hope and enjoyment, to every relief and expectation of better days; but your immortal spirit must still live, and live on for ever. Yes, when death either lays your body in the grave, or sinks it beneath the waves of the ocean, your spirit must live, and see, and hear him who will call you to his tribunal; and whether you are ready or not, he will judge and sentence you. As yet, he has been on that throne as a God of mercy, interceding for you, and in answer to that in

tercession, your days have been thus far lengthened out; but there is a time when mercy will be exercised no longer; a time coming when the door of escape will be shut, and when the command will go. forth, "Prepare to meet thy God!" Oh, that you would now attend to the things that concern your everlasting peace; that you would consider your latter end. The whole drift of all the instructions held out in the subject now brought forward has been encouragement to those who are desirous of being the Lord's people, and who endeavour to become such by a course of faith, of love, and obedience. But to the unbelieving, the disobedient, and the Christ-despising portion of mankind; to the neglecters and despisers of his grace and mercy, there remains, so long as you continue thus, no sacrifice for sin, no covert from the storm, no shelter from the tempest, when the blast of the terrible one is as a storm against the wall.

If

you end your days as you have hitherto lived them, then you will find it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the

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