verses, that when the storm began, and the waves beat over the ship, he was in the hinder part " asleep." He had a body exactly like our own — a body that could hunger, and thirst, and feel pain, and be weary, and need rest. No wonder that His body needed repose at this time. He had been diligent in His Father's business all the day. He had been preaching to a great multitude in the open air. No wonder that " when the even was come," and His work finished, he fell " asleep."
Let us mark this lesson also attentively. The Saviour in whom we are bid to trust, is as really a man as He is God. He knows the trials of a man, for He has experienced them. He knows the bodily infirmities of a man, for He has felt them. He can well understand what we mean, when we cry to Him for help in this world of need. He is just the very Saviour that men and women, with weary frames and aching heads, in a weary world, require for their comfort every morning and night. " We have not an high priest which can- not be touched with the feeling of our infirmities." (Heb. iv. 15.)
Let us learn, in the third place, that our Lord Jesus Christ, as God, has almighty power. We see Him in these verses doing that which is proverbially impossible. He speaks to the winds, and they obey him. He speaks to the waves and they submit to His command. He turns the raging storm into a calm with a few words — " Peace, be still." Those words were the words of Him who first created all things. The elements knew the voice of their Master, and, like obedient servants, were quiet at once.
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Let us mark this lesson also, and lay it up in our minds. With the Lord Jesus Christ nothing is impos- sible. No stormy passions are so strong but He can tame them. No temper is so rough and violent but He can change it. No conscience is so disquieted, but He can speak peace to it, and make it calm. No man ever need despair, if He will only bow down his pride, and come as a humbled sinner to Christ. Christ can do miracles upon his heart. — No man ever need de- spair of reaching his journey's end, if he has once com- mitted his soul to Christ's keeping. Christ will cany him through every danger. Christ will make him con- queror over every foe. — What though our relations op- pose us? What though our neighbors laugh us to scorn ? What though our place be hard ? What though our temptations be great ? It is all nothing, if Christ is on our side, and we are in the ship with Him. Greater is He that is for us, than all they that are against us.
Finally, we learn from this passage, that our Lord Jesus Christ is exceedingly patient and pitiful in dealing with His own people. We see the disciples on this occa- sion showing great want of faith, and giving way to most unseemly fears. They forgot their Master's miracles and care for them in days gone by. They thought of nothing but their present peril. They awoke our Lord hastily, and cried, " Carest thou not that we perish ?" We see our Lord dealing most gently and tenderly with them. He gives them no sharp reproof. He makes no threat of casting them off, because of their unbelief. • He