The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1860-09-19
Snn1ag Rra6ing.
D! Ye of Little Faith.
Matt. viii |: %.

ing the Sea OF Gallilee. He is asleep in
the stern OF the boat. A sudden and vio
lent storm bursts upon them. The waves
cover the boat. The disciples, tbouob
fishermen, and accustomed to battle Will,
the fury Of the elements, are alarmed
They awake Jesus, crying, Lord, save.
we perish" He rises TO quell the tenn.
pest: but first rebukes those who had
prayed to him. He does hot say-"O
ye unbelieving:" :" for il they had been ut
ter skePtlcts they would not have prayed
at all. There was faith in their appeal.
but 1t was feeble: and for its f.eblene,s
they were rebuked. Les us look then at
the nature Of their faith.
They had seen Christ working mir acles
all day. HIS touch, his voice. had ar,
PEELED diseases and devils, They believed
no doubt, that II he should arise and ex
er' his miraculous power, he could deliver
them from the wrath Of the tempest
And thus they showed very great conf.
dence IN the Saviour. He bad wrought
n" miracle hitherto on the water. He
mad exercised no control over winds or
waves. il was grand and noble faith
then, which led those disciples to 90 to
that weary teacher in the stern Of the
boat, and ask him to save them. Par.
haPs not another being at the time, on
earth, would have trusted "a the disciples
d'd-would have walked up the sleeping
Saviour expecting to be delivered from
the fury of the night tempest.
But there was ALLOW of sense in this
iaith. They must see before they could
fully believe. Christ awake, with lis eve
upon the danger; Christ speaking to o.
laying his hand upon :he crested 6illows.
would have inspired them with hope
But Christ sleeping in their midst, appa
rent'y unconscious, gave them no com
Iori. In the facts that they had embark
ed by his special request, and that he
was with ihem-he the Son of Cod
having AL knowledge, and all pow er. and
dear 10 the Father on high who never
sIumters or sleeps, they found no comfort.
And yet these are the facts which should
have encouraged them. That sleeper
was their Divine Master. He knew all
that would occur during the night, when
he commanded them to embark. He
the elements as truly while he
SumSered as when he arose and rebuked
them.
An absolute and perfect faith is like
that Of Jesus himself who slep, duripo
the storm. lie had toiled all day for the
glory oi God. lie had exhausted the
strength OF his human body in lsbors of
love, and he had right TO seek repose
committing himself to the sleepless care
of his Heavenly y Father. He knew that
tee was the well beloved Son, and that
thiould not be forgotten or neglected,
rocka, he lay at midnight on a frail boat
tween ii, the tempest The contrast be.
OF the decild like sleep and the terror
and better his shows how much truer
Every Cbrislia. was than theirs.
Jesus on the Sea. 'ay have the taith of
gotten Son, but he isis not the only be-
true vine Of which the Rrsnch of that
bandman. While he trlesr is the hus'
honor God he will be guideferve and
ded as Jesus was. His doubts a.guar.
are an impeachment of The grRars
promises in his behalf They grieve Il.
hearts on high which love hin they as.
tohished the ministering spirits which
come 10 protect AMI serve him. Little
faith is better than no faith at all, but it
subjects US TO great deal of needless
trouble and fear. We should seek ear.
nesty to have the dross Of sense purged
away-to be able to believe because God
has spoken !; or because we know that
God, as reconcied father, is omnpres.
ent and omnipotent, ard not because we
see evidences OF His interposition in our
behalf.
This faith will not lead to sluggish in
activity. Christ toiled when there was
work to do. He trusted only, without
toilpg when human power and skill were
insufficient. Our unbelief lead us to neg.
(ect what we can and ought 10 do, and to
struggle and tremble when We ought TO
trust. When we have spsn. the day as
Jesus spent his, we may sleep at night
amid the widest tempests, as the child
in its mothers arms. And sleeping thus
. will prepare us for the tolls of a true life.
There is an Intimate connection bet ween
the faith Of energy and the faith Of re-.
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