I. CnmsT's D0DILY PRESENOE DID BUT ILLUSTRATE ms SPIRITUAL PRESENCE. It should be clearly seen that our Lord was with his disciples in e. double sense. He was with them spiritually, just as he is still with us; but, besides that, he was with them in bodily relations, in ways that could be apprehended by their senses. That bodily presence was given to teach th,3m what the spiritual presence is and involves. The record of that bodily presence is preserved that it might do the same thing for us. Christ, by coming on the sea, taught the disciples two things. 1. That he would be with them when they could not see him. 2. That they must not wonder if he came to them in strange forms and manifestations. He was teaching them how to use their wings in the spiritual atmosphere, as the mother-bird teaches her fledgelings. lI. CHBIST1B BODILY PRESENCE WAB PRESENTLY TO PABB INTO A SPIRITUAL PRESENCE. The first suggestion wt1.s the loss of body-weight which enabled Jesus to walk on the water, The second suggestion was the passing of the bodily into the spiritual at the Resurrection. The third was the passing of the spiritual body beyond the apprehension of the senses at the .Ascension. The illustrative bodily presence bas gone now, and gone for ever; the reality of the spiritual presence of Christ is the possession and the glory of his Church to-day.-R. T. Vere. 29, 30.-17ie lack of staying power. "But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid." It is the weakness of the impulsive man that he has no staying power, and is only good for the little while that the fit is on him. It is the weakness of impulsive, excitable nations, that while they are splendid e.t a dash, they have none of the persistency that holds on until the end is fully secured. St. Peter often spoke and acted before he thought. Behind him was impulse rather than resolve. So difficulties created at once a new and opposing impulse. He failed as quickly and as unreasonably as he acted. The men who succeed in life 11re the men who can bold on. St. Peter might have safely walked the water if he had held on the faith with which he started from the boat, and which had received the Master's approval. I. ST. PETER ATTEMPTED AN IMPOSSIBILITY. There is nothing that men regard as so impossible as "walking on the sea." Men can walk on the narrowest ledges of the loftiest cliffs, or on the thinnest ropes, but not on the water. The Egyptians, in their hieroglyphics, were wont to represent an impossibility by painting the figure of a man with his feet walking upon the sea. St. Peter saw this impossibility overcome by his Master, ..A sudden thought seized him. He should like to do what his Master did. It was a child's wish; but it showed love and trust. He spoke it out. The Master said "Come," and he tried to do the impossible. .A nobler man than those who never had such thoughts, and never made such attempts. II. ST. PETER BEGAN TO SUCCEED WITH HIS IMPOSSIBILITY. A man can walk steadily along a very dangerous place if he looks up at the steadfast sky. He will be gLddy if he ventures to look around or to look down. It is thus always in the spiritual spheres. St. Peters can always walk safely, even on the treacherous waters, so long as they look up and away to the steadfast Christ. They will fa.ii and fall as soon as they look around, or down, or within. And the reason is that man is strong when he leans on another, but weak when he trusts to himself. The impulsive man leans for a minute and is strong; then impulse fails, and he is, like Samson, weak as other men. Ill. BT. PETER BOON FAILED WITH HIS IMPOSSIBILITY. If he could have kopt his eye and mind fixed on Jesus he would have succeeded. But he thought of the wind; and the wind took the place of Jesus. Jesus quickened faith; the wind quickened fear. Faith makes a man strong. Fear wholly unnerves. What St. Peter needed for success was "staying power of faith." Keeping on trusting. Keeping on "looking off unto Jesus;" "patient continuanco in well-doing."-R. T.
Ver. 33.-Tlul name which disciplesfoundfor Jesw. In a previous homily attention has been given to the name which Jesus found for himself, "The Son of man." Here we have the name for th,3 highest thoughts which disciples could reach concerning him, "The Son of God." Much interest may be found in comparing the leading names given to Christ. God's name for him. His own name for himself. His disciples' name for him. 'fhe name he was to have. The name he wished to have. The name he came to have. "Emmanuel; " "Son of man;" "Son of God." The THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW, [OIi. xv.1-39.
disciples' confession WBS made in a moment of wonder at their Lord's walking on the Hra, which convinced them that he was more than man. We need not suppose that they put into the term that full meaning whioh we associate with it; but they said it to Christ in a spirit of true reverence, offering to him the worship due only to a Divine ~~ I I. THE NAME "SoN OF GoD,, DOES NOT REPRESENT OUB FIRST APPREHENSION OF CHRIST. It is intendecl that the humanity of Christ should make the first impression upon us. At first sight he is the "Man Christ Jesus." St. John is even supremely jealous of the truth that "Jesus is come in the flesh." It may be doubted whether any argnments for the Divinity of Christ can be effective uutil the truth of hia humanity has been fully apprehended. What requires to be seeu clearly is that the humanity of Christ ca1,not be fully and adequately set forth without producing the con,iction that be was more than human. What the orthodox party needs to secure is a complete representation of our Lord's humanity. Imperfect representations have hirl 1he h·1sis of erroneous doctrines concerning our Lord's Person. We begin with his full humanity. , IL TuE }.AME "SoN OF Gon,, REPRESENTS ADVANCED CmnsTU.N ATTAINMENT. Hardly in the instance now before us, which is better regarded as an anticipative exclamation of what would be more intelligently and more considerately stated by-and- by. We have also to remember that the Jews commonly spoke of tradesmen as "son of the trade," and these disciples may but have intended a figure for the good man, the" Son of God." But the term was subsequently used with its fullest meaning. It represents tbe advanced spiri Lual apprehension of Christ. He is "the Son of God with power." The conviction of the Divinity, or Deity, of Christ is seldom or ever reached by arguments. It is the conviction which comes to men by personal dealings with Christ; personal experiences of his power. At first we know him as our Saviowr l by- and-by we know him as our God.-R. T.