in Heaven: and prepare yourselves for that blessed place by holy living, by fearing God, and by keeping all the commandments of your blessed Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

And now to God, &c.

LECTURE XXXIV.

ST. MATTHEW xiv. 23.

And when he, (that is, Jesus) had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.

AFTER our blessed Lord had fed five thousand men, besides women and children with only five loaves, and two fishes, which was a most wonderful proof of his power and goodness, he sent the multitudes. away and went up by himself into a mountain to pray, You know I have often, very often begged you to follow your Saviour's example, and I would now advise you to follow it in this instance, by seeking an opportunity very frequently to be by your

selves, and to pray to God. I hope and trust you say your prayers regularly and constantly every morning and every evening: but if you are religious, and wish to love, and fear, and serve God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, you will pray also during the day; particularly when you find yourselves tempted to do a wrong thing, or to feel sorry and distressed at any thing, you can lift up your eyes and your hearts to Heaven, and say, O God, save me from sin, by thy grace, for the sake of Jesus Christ. Oh God, save me from danger, and let this distress pass away from me, for Jesus Christ's sake. God does not stand in need of many words from us: he looks to our hearts, and if those hearts pray to him, we need not be particular about our words. You can say, and say it from your heart, O Lord, have mercy on me, and make me a good Christian, even while you are at your work. But when you have time, go apart sometimes, and pray to your heavenly Father. You know

that you are never safer than under his protection, and you know very well that you are in the midst of danger and distress in this world, and are liable every moment to fall into some evil. You cannot do better therefore than by praying to God often. His eyes are over us all, and his ears are open to our prayers. Make yourselves acquainted with him through Jesus Christ, and you will be at peace, have peace of mind, and peace with God, both now and for ever.

While our blessed Lord was at his prayers, his disciples were going in a ship over the water to the other side of the country. The wind was against them, and the ship was very much tossed about by the In the course of the night, towards morning, Jesus, who had passed the greatest part of the night in prayer to God, went towards his disciples, walking on the sea. This, you know, is an impossible thing with man, but was very possible with

waves.

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Him, who had the power of God, and whom even the winds and the sea obeyed. The disciples, seeing their Lord thus walking on the sea, thought that it was a spirit, and began to cry out for fear. But Jesus immediately spake to them, saying, Be of good cheer: be not alarmed: It is I, your Lord and master, you need not be afraid. Peter, who was one of the disciples, and who was always more forward than the rest, and had a great confidence in him self, instantly cried out, Lord, if it be thou, if it be my Lord and master, whose power, I know, is so great, bid me come to thee on the water. Our Lord, in order to make Peter know himself, said to him, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, our Saviour enabled him to walk on the water. But when he saw that the wind was very strong, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said to him, O thou of little faith, wherefore