[" Lord, save me!" cried Peter in his extremity: and tlie hand of Jesus, stretched out, saved him instantly from his peril. And where shall we find, in all the sacred records, one instance of any person calling upon the Lord in vain ? The troubles of David were on many occasions exceeding heavy; yet did the prayer of faith procure for him deliverance from them alP. And thus shall it prove with us, if only, with the simplicity of Peter's affiance, we cry, " Lord, save me!" Let us suppose that we were, in a spiritual view, in the very predicament of Peter : let us suppose that, under loads of guilt and storms of corruption, we felt ourselves sinking into perdition ; the Pub- lican's prayer, uttered froin the heart, should prevail to allay the storm, and to bring us in safety to the haven of eternal rest. Only let us not limit either the power or grace of Christ, and we shall " be saved by him with an everlasting salvation."]
Address —
1. The presumptuous —
[No man, whatever he may have attained, is at liberty to expose himself to needless temptations. The injunction given to every child of man is, " Be not high-minded, but fear :" " Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall." To young people especially would 1 give this salutary caution: 'To rush into temptation M-ithout necessity, is to tempt the Lord.' It is only whilst with all holy watchfulness we " keep our- selves," that we can hope effectually to be preserved by God.]
2. The doubtful—
[The reproof given to Peter, " O thou of little faith ; wherefore didst thou doubt?" is justly applicable to us, if, under any circumstances whatever, we yield to a desponding spirit. For, is not the Lord Jesus present with us ? and is he not as able to save as ever! What if, with Jonah, we were " brought, as it were, into the very belly of hell," could not the same power as restored him deliver us also*^? Only take the promises of God for your support, and they shall never fail you: for " they are all yea and Amen in Christ Jesus'^.]
3. The confirmed behever —
[You, if in other respects you are walking uprightly, bring much gloi-y to your God. There is nothing that honours God so much as faith, and nothing that dishonours him so much as unbelief. Other sins pour contempt upon tl/e law : but un- belief reflects upon the Lawgiver, as calling in question his veracity, or power, or love. Be ye then as lights in a dark world. The world look only to second causes : you must shew
^ Ps. xl. 1— .3. «= Jonah ii. 1—7. '^ 2 Cor. i. 20.