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But Simon must apply the parable to himself as well as to the woman, before he understands its full meaning. Simon is the creditor who owed little, aud he thinks he who is willing frankly to forgive him, confers but a small obligation:-he forgets that he is as unable as the woman which owed much, to discharge that obligation; and instead of treating Jesus with affectionate regard, his conduct is not only cold and indifferent, but it displays tokens of studied contempt, which are apparent to all.

Our Lord again says unto the woman, “thy sins are forgiven;" upon which some of them that sat at meat with him, imbued with the spirit of Simon, began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also,—that assumes the prerogative of God?

But Jesus proved to the woman that his words were not vain, for she feels that peace, which it is alone in the power of God to bestow ; and he said to her, “ thy faith hath saved thee, go in peace."

XIII.

LUKE VIII. 22. MARK IV. 36.

A BARK is launched for the Lord Jesus upon the sea of Galilee-and we are following in one of "the other little ships" belonging to the fishermen. We sail in comfort and enjoyment; the loveliness of the scenery around-mountains with their bold projecting masses of rock, and their deep shadows reflected in the waters, the glistening of the sunlight upon the sharp edges of the rippling waves, and above all, the consciousness that we are following the Lord and giver of life, pervades the whole soul with delight and peace; that delight and peace which the works of creation are calculated to inspire. But even the fairest of these works, the loveliest remains of Eden, share in the defacement which sin has brought upon this debased world.

Even

But we must learn not to rest upon created delights of any sort; we may as at this moment in quietness possess them, but we may not fondly imagine that they will be for ever ours. now, in a frail boat exposed to the mercy of the first gale which may spring up, or the first rapid which we may approach, we seem upon the point of forgetting that we are strangers and voyagers, seeking another and a better shore. We glide smoothly over the placid waters, and say in spirit if not in words, "I have found a rest." But alas! great may be our mistake— there is no rest here. It is far away, and so far distant does it sometimes seem,- -SO dreary does unbelief make the way appear, that the heart sickens, and the weary soul is ready to fear that the appointed rest may never be attained.

Absorbed in the contemplation of the surrounding objects, given up to this enjoyment, and perhaps not sufficiently mindful of Him whom we follow, we are on a sudden roused by an unusual stir among the boatmen, and observe that the light blue of the sea assumes a darker hue, the waves swell and gradually lose their

sharp bright edges; the shade of the hills is lost in the overspreading gloom, and "a storm of wind comes down upon the lake;" the heaving vessel fills with water, "and the ship is covered with the waves"-the hardy mariners are trembling and in jeopardy.

"The Lord hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm." Darkness was under his feet, the Lord also thundered in the heavens, and the highest gave his voice; "his pavilion round about him were dark waters, and thick clouds of the skies" intercept from distinct view the ship which contains the sacred person of Jesus. We have taken him for our portion, our hope, our salvation; and helpless indeed would be our state, were he not nigh us in this hour of need. We felt at ease while all was bright around us, and is he less our safety and our defence in this hour of darkness and dismay? O Lord, "thou who rebukest the sea and maketh it dry," where art thou?

But whence this marvellous change?—in that part of the sea where the ship which contained our Lord was struggling with the storm, the

waves at once are calmed, and the wind ceases to blow, and perfect stillness now pervades the whole expanse of waters, which again is smooth as a polished mirror, and our vessels, which but now seemed doomed to be engulphed, are safely moored under a sheltering cliff on the shore of Gadara.

Approaching his disciples, who have just left the ship in which Messiah was, we hear one say, while fear is still depicted on his countenance, "what manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?"

These words are sufficient to inform us that the sudden and miraculous calm was produced, by the Lord of the storm and of the calm.

As these men recover from their terror, I receive from them an account of the miracle by which the Lord had delivered us. When the stormy wind arose, they in their alarm sought him, but could not at once find him. At length he is perceived “in the hinder part of the ship asleep on a pillow." Yet they were equally under the protection of his divine power. Is he not the great watchman of Israel, who neither slumbers

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