taught you to regard Him as the most loving and sympathizing of
friends； as well as the mightiest and most powerful of Saviours。 Answer
him； that you want no fort from saints and angels； from the Virgin
Mary or from Gabriel； so long as you can repose your weary soul on THE
MAN CHRIST JESUS。
III。 Let us learn； in the third place； that there may be much weakness
and infirmity； even in a true Christian。
You have a striking proof of this in the conduct of the disciples here
recorded； when the waves broke over the ship。 They awoke Jesus in
haste。 They said to Him； in fear and anxiety； 〃Master； carest Thou not
that we perish？ 〃
There was impatience。 They might have waited till their Lord thought
fit to arise from His sleep。
There was unbelief。 They forgot that they were in the keeping of One
who had all power in His hand。 〃We perish。〃
There was distrust。 They spoke as if they doubted their Lord's care and
thoughtfulness for their safety and well…being。 〃Carest Thou not that
we perish？〃
Poor faithless men！ What business had they to be afraid？ They had seen
proof upon proof that all must be well so long as the Bridegroom was
with them。 They had witnessed repeated examples of His love and
kindness towards them； sufficient to convince them that He would never
let them e to real harm。 But all was forgotten in the present
danger。 Sense of immediate peril often makes men have a bad memory。
Fear is often unable to reason from past experience。 They heard the
winds。 They saw the waves。 They felt the cold waters beating over them。
They fancied death was close at hand。 They could wait no longer in
suspense。 〃Carest Thou not；〃 said they； 〃that we perish？〃
But； after all； let us understand this is only a picture of what is
constantly going on among believers in every age。 There are too many
disciples； I suspect； at this very day； like those who are here
described。
Many of God's children get on very well so long as they have no trials。
They follow Christ very tolerably in the time of fair weather。 They
fancy they are trusting Him entirely。 They flatter themselves they have
cast every care on Him。 They obtain the reputation of being very good
Christians。
But suddenly some unlooked…for trial assails them。 Their property makes
itself wings and flies away。 Their own health fails。 Death es up
into their house。 Tribulation or persecution ariseth； because of the
word。 And where now is their faith？ Where is the strong confidence they
thought they had？ Where is their peace； their hope； their resignation？
Alas； they are sought for and not found。 They are weighed in the
balances and found wanting。 Fear； and doubt； and distress； and anxiety；
break in upon them like a flood； and they seem at their wits' end。 I
know that this is a sad description。 I only put it to the conscience of
every real Christian； whether it is not correct and true。
The plain truth is that there is no literal and absolute perfection
among true Christians； so long as they are in the body。 The best and
brightest of God's saints is but a poor mixed being。 Converted；
renewed； and sanctified though he be； he is still passed with
infirmity。 There is not a just man upon earth that always doeth good
and sinneth not。 In many things we offend all。 A man may have true
saving faith； and yet not have it always close at hand； and ready to be
used。 （Eccles。 vii。 20； James iii。 2。）
Abraham was the father of the faithful。 By faith he forsook his country
and his kindred； and went out according to the mand of God； to a
land he had never seen。 By faith he was content to dwell in the land as
a stranger； believing that God would give it to him for an inheritance。
And yet this very Abraham was so far overe by unbelief； that he
allowed Sarah to be called his sister； and not his wife； through the
fear of man。 Here was great infirmity。 Yet there have been few greater
saints than Abraham。
David was a man after God's own heart。 He had faith to go out to battle
with the giant Goliath when he was but a youth。 He publicly declared
his belief that the Lord who delivered him from the paw of the lion and
bear； would deliver him from this Philistine。 He had faith to believe
God's promise that he should one day be King of Israel； though he was
owned by few followersthough Saul pursued him like a partridge on the
mountains and there often seemed but a step between him and death。 And
yet this very David at one time was so far overtaken by fear and
unbelief that he said； 〃I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul。〃 （1
Sam。 xxvii。 1。） He forgot the many wonderful deliverances he had
experienced at God's hand。 He only thought of his present danger； and
took refuge among the ungodly Philistines。 Surely here was great
infirmity。 Yet there have been few stronger believers than David。
I know it is easy for a man to reply； 〃All this is very true； but k
does not excuse the fears of the disciples。 They had Jesus actually
with them。 They ought not to have been afraid。 I should never have been
so cowardly and faithless as they were！〃 I tell the man who argues in
that way； that he knows little of his own heart。 I tell him no one
knows the length and breadth of his own infirmities if he has not been
tempted。 No one can say how much weakness might appear in himself if he
was placed in circumstances to call it forth。
Does any reader of this paper think that he believes in Christ？ Do you
feel such love and confidence in Him that you cannot understand being
greatly moved by any event that could happen？ It is all well。 I am glad
to hear it。 But has this faith been tried？ Has this confidence been put
to the test？ If not； take heed of condemning these disciples hastily。
Be not high…minded； but fear。 Think not because your heart is in a
lively frame now； that such a frame will always last。 Say not； because
your feelings are warm and fervent to…day； 〃to…morrow shall be as
to…day； and much more abundant。〃 Say not； because your heart is lifted
up just now with a strong sense of Christ's mercy； 〃I shall never
forget Him as long as I live。〃 Oh； learn to abate something of this
flattering estimate of yourself。 You do not know yourself thoroughly。
There are more things in your inward man than you are at present aware
of。 The Lord may leave you as He did Hezekiah； to show you all that is
in your heart。 （2 Chron。 xxxii。 31。） Blessed is he that is 〃clothed
with humility。〃〃Happy is he that feareth always。〃 〃Let him that
thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall。〃 （1 Pet。 v。 5； Prov。
xxviii。 14； 1 Cor。 x。 12。）
Why do I dwell on this？ Do I want to apologize for the corruptions of
professing Christians； and excuse their sins？ God forbid！Do I want to
lower the standard of sanctification； and countenance anyone in being a
lazy； idle soldier of Christ？ God forbid！Do I want to wipe out the
broad line of distinction between the converted and the unconverted；
and to wink at inconsistencies？ Once more I say； God forbid！I hold
strongly that there is a mighty difference between the true Christian
and the false； between the believer and the unbeliever； between the
children of God and the children of the world。 I hold strongly that
this difference is not merely one of faith； but of lifenot only one
of profession； but of practice。 I hold strongly that the ways of the
believer should be as distinct from those of the unbeliever； as bitter
from sweet； light from darkness； heat from cold。
But I do want young Christians to understand what they must expect to
find in themselves。 I want to prevent their being stumbled and puzzled
by the discovery of their own weakness and infirmity。 I want them to
see that they may have true faith and grace； in spite of all the
devil's whispers to the contrary； though they feel within doubts and
fears。 I want them to observe that Peter； and James； and John； and
their brethren were true disciples； and yet not so spiritual but that
they could be afraid。 I do not tell them to make the unbelief of the
disciples an excuse for themselves。 But I do tell them that it shows
plainly； that so long as they are in the body they must not expect
faith to be above the reach of fear。
Above all； I want all Christians to understand what they must expect in
other believers。 You must not hastily conclude that a man has no grace
merely because you see in him some corruption…There are spots on the
face of the sun； and yet the sun shines brightly and enlightens the
whole world。 There is quartz and dross mixed up with many a lump of
gold that es from Australia； and yet who thinks the gold on that
account worth nothing at all？ There are flaws in some of the finest
diamonds in the world； and yet they do not prevent their being rated at
a priceless value。 Away with this morbid squeamishness which makes many
ready to