4. Now when he had left fpeaking, he faid unto Simon, launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.

5. And Simon anfwering faid unto him, Mafter, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing; nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.

6. And when they had done this, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes, and their net brake.

7. And they beckoned unto their partners which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came and filled both the Ships, fo that they began to fink.

8. When Simon Peter faw it, he fell down at Jefus, knees, faying, Depart from me, for I am a finful man, O Lord.

9. For he was aftonifbed, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken :

10. And fo was alfo James and John the fons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jefus faid unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.

11. And when they had brought their ships to land, they forfook all and followed him.

The MORAL REFLECTION.

TH

HE apoftles had laboured the whole night without fuccefs: Mafter, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing. How many upon their death-beds will have reason, with St. Peter, to cry out, we have taken nothing? We have laid a thoufand thousand defigns; undertaken as many enterprizes; we have raised our fortunes ; procured honourable posts; made noble alliances; we have compafs'd all we aimed at, and aimed at all that flattered our ambition, or pampered

fense:

fenfe and yet, O God, we have taken nothing, nor done any thing to the purpose; because we have spent all our thoughts and time upon the concerns of this life, without any regard to the other.

Where are thofe pleafures you purfued with fuch eagerness, and enjoyed with fuch tranfport? They are flown away with time, vanifh'd in finoak, funk into nothing. You laboured for riches, without ceffation, without intermiffion: you bought farms, purchafed lordships, but where are they? They are made over to an heir, who perchance will not drop one tear upon your coffin, nor let fall one God be merciful to his foul. Nothing now remains for you, but defpair in your foul, and a grave for your body.

Oh! how true it is, that thofe, who enflave themselves to the world, find nothing in their hands they have grafp'd a fhadow, and mistook illufion for truth: Open my eyes, O Lord, that I may diftinguifh fubftance from appearance; real evils from feeming happiness; and fhut my heart against all thofe fpecious vanities, that charm my senses to enfnare my foul. They are only colour without, nothing within. All, in fhort, in this world, befides virtue, is nothing. In the fight of God, a cup of cold water, given in his name, is of more value, than the whole univerfe, purchased by ambition, and poffefs'd with vanity.

Although the labour of the night had proved fo unfuccessful; yet, at our Saviour's command, the apostles caft once more their nets: At thy word, I will let down the net. And what was the event, but a plentiful draught? They inclofed a great multitude of fishes. No enterprize fucceeds, O God, without thy affistance, tho' never fo

holy:

holy none miscarries when undertaken by thy command, and guided by thy grace: human prudence is too fhort-fighted to promife fuccefs, and man too weak to perfect any pious work without the help of grace. Except the Lord build the house, their labour is but loft that build it, Pfal. cxxvii. 1. In all your undertakings choose the best measures prudence can fuggeft; but then rely upon God's affiftance, and invoke it, as if you had done nothing. Without this, you will find yourselves in the apostle's condition: we have toiled all night, and have taken nothing. God takes a pleasure to disappoint thofe, who rely upon their own ftrength, and to help thofe, who put all their confidence in his affiftance: Í will undertake nothing, my Saviour, but in thy name, and for thy honour. I will carry it on with care and circumfpection; but the event I leave to thy providence. Thou doft only command my endeavours: thou art satisfied with my defire, when the action is not in my power; and doft reward the intention, without blaming the disappointment.

Now, thy conduct is different from that of the world thy fervice more eafy; thy rewards more juft. How often are care, diligence, and prudence blamed? How often negligence and temerity applauded? Infidelity with fuccefs receives a recompence, and fidelity without it punishment. But thou, O Lord, doft only regard my heart; and if I mean well, I fhall receive a reward.

The miracle, done in his favour, so astonish'd St. Peter; that, befide himself, with amazement, he fell down at our Saviour's feet, and defired him to remove farther from fo finful a creature: Depart from me, for I am a finful man, O Lord. The acknowledgment of his unworthinefs

raised

raised the value of the favour, and the goodness of our Saviour; both together caft him into fuch a fit of humility, and love, that he esteemed himself unworthy of the favour, and even of our Saviour's prefence; and therefore he broke out into this expreffion. Depart from me, for I am a finful man, O Lord. But, O dear faint, if you are a finner, why do you defire his absence, who taketh away the fins of the world? Afk him rather to enter, than bid him depart: beseech him rather to approach, not to retire. But, Oh! This depart, that came from an humble and contrite heart, drew our Saviour nigher; and he, who before only stood before St. Peter's eyes, now entered into his foul. So true it is, what St. Auguftin faid long ago, that God retires from the proud, and ftoops to the humble. Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high, and yet bumbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven and earth, Pfal. cxiii. 5. There is no furer way to obtain the greatest favours of God, than to efteem ourselves unworthy of the leaft: to preferve our innocence, than humbly to confefs ourselves finners: I am a finful man, O Lord.

The reward of this humility was the choofing them for his difciples. And having brought their fhips to land, they forfook all, and followed him. The obedience of the apoftles followed immediately the command of our Saviour: they never ballanced upon the execution, but obeyed his call, as foon as they heard it. They not only abandoned their little All, but themselves alfo to his conduct. They forfook all, and followed him. Oh! that we could perfuade ourselves, of what importance it is to obey God's call, as foon as we hear his voice. How many would have lived faints, who died in their imperfections?

How

How many would have obtained pardon for their offences, who now defpair of mercy? The young man in the gofpel defired to follow our Saviour; but he afked leave first to bury his father: the demand feemed reasonable; but however he loft by it the happiness of our Saviour's company, and the dignity of an apostle. The fcripture, fathers, reason, and experience, cry out against delay: we acknowledge, and are convinced of the danger; and yet, good God! we act, either as if we refolved never to repent, or had an affurance of repentance. We, who will not truft chance with our moft trifling concerns, entruft it with the most important of all, even thofe on which depends a happy eternity.

O what folly! what madnefs! No: if I am called to day, I will not put off the execution till to-morrow. Now grace is offered, and time; perchance afterwards both may be denied. Why therefore fhall I fleep upon an uncertainty, when I may put my falvation in fecurity? The apoftles left their nets, to obey thy call, O God! I am tied to the world by nets: tranfitory pleafures, enfnare me; ill habits entangle me: break these threads, or rather cables, that I may fly to thee, obey thy voice, and fulfil thy commands.

But, like thefe difciples, at Chrift's call, muft we abandon all to follow him? We must withdraw our hearts from an unlawful love of the world, and even from our poffeffions alfo, when we cannot keep them without a crime. For it is to renounce God himfelf, not to abandon what he commands and does he not command us to renounce father and mother, nay, and our own lives, if they cannot be preferved without a crime? All things, even the most dear, must be abandoned, if they draw us into fin. Pleafure and interest muft yield to his friendship;

and