fruitful and pleasant country, near the lake or sea of Galilee: as the Jews called any large collection of waters a sea. We may suppose, that along the sides of this sea our Saviour loved to walk. After days of toil, he might retire in the evening to this spot; and as the waves rolled along the shores, and the sun sunk calmly in the distant sky, here he prayed to his Father in secret, or here in private taught his disciples. "The appearance of this lake in the time of Christ, was very different to that which it now presents. Then its borders were thickly populated, and the eye rested in turn upon fortresses, and cities, and villages: Magdala, Bethsaida, and Capernaum, were the most distinguished. Then its surface was enlivened with boats passing constantly across, and from town to town, while the fishers launched forth to cast their nets in the deep waters. Then the shores were every where richly planted, and numerous delightful gardens were spread around; while a multitude of people were seen passing to and fro. And then were heard the voices of men calling to each other, the joyous shouts of happy children, the sound of the song and harp, the noise of the mill-stones, and the lowing of the herds upon the sides of the hills." But now all around is desolate; in the language of a modern traveller, "Silence now reigns throughout the whole extent of this sea."

MIRACULOUS DRAUGHT OF FISHES.

LUKE V. 1-11.

SHORTLY after our Lord had taken up his abode in this part of the country, one day, when on the

shore, the people came down the sides of the mountains that inclose the lake, and thronged about his path. And why did they break on his retirement? It was that they might hear from his lips the words of truth. Christ was always ready to give up his own ease that he might promote the good of man, and therefore was willing to teach them. The people pressed around him to hear, when, the better to address them, he entered into one of the many fishing boats that were commonly lying on the shore, and sat down to preach. The owners of the ship were his own disciples, who were diligently engaged, some in mending and others in washing their nets. They had already been called as disciples, and probably had been with him in some of his journeys; though they had not at this time wholly given up their employment as fishermen. When they saw their Master about to speak to the people, they left their nets, and hastened towards him; and, that he might address the people with advantage, they thrust the ship a little way from the land.

We may imagine we see the Lord Jesus in the boat, a few feet from the shore; the deep blue sky is spread above, and around are high rocks or gently sloping hills; while on the opposite edge of the lake appear villages and towns. Here he may have been heard by thousands, as he spoke to them from his floating pulpit.

The sermon ended, Jesus, to confirm the truths he had taught, wrought a miracle, showing his sovereign power as Lord of the seas, and all the creatures they contain. Turning to Simon Peter, he said, "Launch out into the deep, and

let down your nets for a draught."

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Simon an

swered: Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing." They had many times during the night cast their nets into the deep waters, and found, to their disappointment, that no fish were inclosed. Yet they would not disobey; weary as they were, they made another trial, though it appeared to promise little success; for to fish in the open day, when the heat of the sun is on the waters, and the fish are usually in the recesses of the deep, is not the eastern mode. They, in faith and obedience, push the boat into deep water, and let down the net for a draught. And now was brought together so large a number of fishes, that the net broke from the weight, or would have broken without assistance. In their perplexity, Simon and Andrew made a signal for their partners, James and John, to come to their help in another boat; when they loaded both vessels, so, that they were in danger of sinking. Their previous want of success made this supply the more surprising; and the miracle being wrought in the day time, while the people still lingered on the shore, would serve to enforce the truths to which they had just listened. This miracle must have impressed their minds greatly, when they perceived that

"In general, the fishermen of the east prefer the night, to any other time, for fishing. Before the sun has gone down, they push off their canoes, each carrying a lighted torch; and in the course of a few hours may be seen out at sea, or on the rivers, like an illuminated city. They swing the lights about over the sides of the boat, which the fish no sooner see than they come to the place, and then the men cast in the hook, the spear, or the net. They have many amusing sayings about the folly of the fish in being thus attracted by the glare of a torch." -Roberts's Oriental Customs.

creatures living in the depths of the sea were subject to Christ's authority.

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Peter was astonished, and falling down at the Saviour's feet, cried, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. He felt he was in the presence of Deity; a sense of his sins and unworthiness suddenly rushed on his mind, while, with mingled feelings of humility, gratitude, and awe, he entreated Jesus to depart from one who was so guilty and undeserving. He thought the Divine purity of Jesus could not endure him, and perhaps feared that the power which had brought the miraculous supply would break forth and consume him. It was the belief of the Jews, that whoever had seen any appearance of Deity, or messenger from the invisible world, would shortly die. Jacob was surprised, when he had seen the glory of God, that his life was preserved, Gen. xxxii. 30. Gideon expected to be slain. when he was visited by the angel of the Lord, Judges vi. 22, 23. Manoah said to his wife, "We shall surely die, because we have seen God." Judges xiii. 22. This belief arose from what God had said to Moses: "There shall no man see me, and live," Exod. xxxiii. 20. We may, therefore, suppose that Peter was in terror, lest this appearance was a warning of his speedy

death.

But Simon did not know the love of Christ towards him, nor the gracious design of this miracle. His fears were soon calmed. "Fear not," said Jesus to his trembling disciple; " from henceforth thou shalt catch men." From that time Peter and his companions were to be entirely employed in preaching the gospel; and

in the surprising draught of fishes, they might foresee their future success. They were to be "fishers of men:" the world was the wide ocean in which they were to labour; the net was the gospel; they were to draw men from their native element of sin, and gather them safely to the shores of heaven. The fishing boats were then brought to the shore; and valuable to them as they were, they left their father Zebedee, and all they had in the world. They were secretly drawn by Divine grace, or they would not have so done. The more men have of the world, the less are they willing to give it up for Christ; but the disciples knew that he would provide for their wants, and in faith "they forsook all, and followed him."

1. Three years after this time, on the day of Pentecost, the Saviour's words, "Thou shalt catch men," were fulfilled. Then three thousand souls were converted by the preaching of the apostle Peter; and shortly after the number was increased by five thousand men, Acts ii. 41; iv. 4. It was the same almighty power that controlled multitudes of fishes, and inclosed them in the net, that brought so many guilty sinners into the net of the gospel, at the preaching of humble and uneducated fishermen. If we are required to give up worldly advantage for the sake of Christ, we should cheerfully submit. We may

not be called to this test, like Peter; yet we are bound, if we love the Saviour, to forsake the follies and sins of the world; to give up our own ways, and to seek to promote the glory of our

Lord.

2. This miracle encourages us to labour in the