that incapacity? If God, it is another case; but if they brought it upon themselves by their excess and folly, the guilt of not doing that good they might have done, with the talents which God at first committed to their trust for that purpose, will lie upon their souls for ever. Take ye the unprofitable servant, says our Lord, and cast him into outer darkness".

Since, therefore, we are but stewards under God of these worldly possessions, for the good of the household, and to supply our fellow-servants' wants as there is occasion, according to our several abilities and trusts; and of which we must one day be called to give an account; it becomes us to be prudent and faithful: not to be lavish of what is not our own, nor to pamper ourselves, to the neglect of those under our charge, and then think to come off by pleading inability; but, as wise and good stewards, frequently to have our eye upon our future reckoning, and to be modest and frugal in our own expenses, and careful that nothing be lost; which may enable us to do still more good; having a tender regard and open hand to those whom it is our duty to support in their necessities. And so shall we, after a life of comfort and satisfaction here, at last hear the happy Euge, Well done, good and faithful servants; enter ye into the joy of your Lord. Amen, blessed Jesus, Amen!

THE NINTH MIRACLE.

Jesus walking upon the troubled sea.

MATT. xiv. 22, &c.

And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone. But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea, &c.

AFTER Jesus had wrought the amazing miracle of feeding five thousand men, besides women and children, with five loaves, and two small fishes, the people that saw it were so affected with it, that they assuredly concluded he was that prophet that should come into the world; that is, the Christ or Messias, who was then generally expected; and accordingly were resolved to proclaim him their king b, and constrain him to be their leader, and to fight their battles, in order to the restoring them to their former glory and which he that could work such a miracle must needs be able to bring to pass! and with the least provision maintain the greatest army, and command victory wherever he went.

But when Jesus perceived this design of theirs, which was very disagreeable to the end of his comb John vi. 15.

a John vi. 14.

ing, and the nature of his kingdom, (which was not to be of this world,) he persuaded them to desist for that time, and betake themselves to their several homes; and then, having ordered his disciples likewise to leave him, and go before to the other side of the lake, he withdrew to his usual retreat in the mountains, and betook himself in solitude to his devotions, in which he spent that night.

Now from this passage we may take notice, once for all, of that excellent mixture of the active and contemplative life which is so remarkable in all our Saviour's conversation, and which every Christian in some measure ought to imitate.

Our Lord's business in the world was of such a nature, that nothing could be more public: it was to seek and to save the lost race of mankind; to enlighten their benighted minds with heavenly doctrine, and teach them the way to everlasting happiness; to rescue them from that deplorable bondage they were in to the powers and the works of darkness, and that endless misery, which, without his succour, would inevitably have been their sad portion at last in hell.

And in order to this equally great and good work, which none could effect but he, we find he made choice of an ambulatory sort of life, and fixed nowhere after he had begun his public ministry, but from place to place continually went about doing good, as being the common Friend of all men, the great Light of the world, and therefore shedding his blessed influences every where alike; conversing with Gentiles as well as Jews, Publicans and sinners as well as Scribes and Pharisees; preaching © John xviii. 36.

the gospel to the poor as well as to the rich; and bestowing miracles of mercy equally upon all that were not rendered incapable of them by hypocrisy and unbelief.

But notwithstanding so full an employment, and such an active and unsettled way of living, he not only duly frequented the public service of the synagogue and the temple, but would often lose himself in the solitudes of mountains and deserts, spending many hours in private intercourse with heaven by meditation and prayer: and when the hurries of the day would not afford him leisure for it, he would borrow from the night; and then return again to his labours of love with an unwearied diligence, that he might complete the stupendous works which his Father had given him to finish.

And so should it be with us. The most busy calling is no just excuse for the neglect of our devotions; we ought and we may find time both to attend upon the public offices of the church, and likewise to retire in private to meditate and pray, and compose our thoughts into a religious and heavenly frame, and yet mind our business too. Before we enter upon the employments of the day, our time is our own; as it is also when we have finished them at night; and therefore it is but then abridging ourselves of a little sleep, though it be but one hour at a time, and we may have competent leisure, let our calling be never so busy, to commune with our hearts, and think upon God, and breathe a few sighs towards our country above; and even this little will keep up so lively a sense of the great things relating to our future state, as will preserve d John v. 36.

us from being much corrupted in our passage to it. And that sort of business which will not allow such short intervals as these, or such an over-eager way of following it as jades a man's spirits to that degree, as to make him fit for nothing but his bed at night, and then in the morning hurries him away again into the crowds and bustles of the world before he is well awake; such a life as this is no better than that of a beast of burden, and will be of dismal consequence at last.

But those that are more disengaged, and have either no constant settled employment, or such as gives them more command of their time, and admits of a frequent relaxation, are obliged to much more than this: and whoever is really sensible of the great end of living, and believes that an eternal life will succeed this short one here, in which, if he is not infinitely happy, he must be extremely miserable to endless ages, will be glad of all opportunities, and make as many as he can, of recess from noise, and vanity, and vexation, that with a calm and quiet mind he may think of his long home, to which he is travelling apace, and consider whether his steps are right or not, and form such resolutions as his case requires, and be earnest with God in prayer for his direction and assistance.

And that this may be done to the purpose, sufficient time must be afforded to unload our souls by degrees of secular cares and encumbrances, (which lie so close, and stick so fast, that it is not to be expected we should be free from them in a moment;) that so our minds being clear and undivided, we may be able to pursue a good thought home, with