Matthew 14:24-27

Mat. 14:24-27. "But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid." What we have here an account of seems livelily to represent what very frequently comes to pass to persons in the affair of their conversion. Christ did not appear unto them till they had been long tossed with a great tempest; the wind arose in the beginning of the night, and it was against them, and they had been rowing all night, and striving to get to the desired haven, and all to no purpose, so that by this time probably they were almost discouraged and just ready to yield the case, and see that it was utterly in vain for them to strive any more to reach their port. Then Christ in the latter post of the night appears to them, and comes to their help, and appears as one above their difficulties, walking in the boisterous waves that distressed and threatened to destroy them, treading them under His feet. So it commonly is with sinners under conviction before Christ appears for their help. They are first made sensible of their danger and brought unto great exercise and distress, and reduced to the last extremity, and to see that they can never reach the haven they seek of themselves. They are brought to yield their case as to their own strength, and then Christ appears as one that is above their guilt, and above all those evils that threaten to swallow them up, as it were treading under His feet those mighty waves that encompass them on every wide, that they are ready to sink in, and upon those raging waves that toss them and are ready to overwhelm them. These difficulties the disciples met with were in the night, a time of darkness, as Jacob's wrestling was in the night, signifying the darkness that persons meet with while under those convictions that are preparatory to conversion; and it is remarkable that the time when Christ appeared was near the breaking of the day, for it was in the fourth watch, which was the last post of the night. "Though weeping may continue for a night, yet joy comes in the morning." It seems to be an emblem of the light that arises to the soul after darkness, when Christ appears. This was the time when Christ arose from the dead, and this was the time when Jacob obtained the blessing after long wrestling. It is also worthy of notice that when Christ first appeared they did not know what it was, they were troubled at the sight, and said it is a spirit, and cried out for fear. So very often, at the first spiritual discoveries that persons have after great awakenings and distresses of conscience, they do not know what it is, they fear it is only a delusion, and are terribly afraid to receive it, as has been often seen in the time of the late extraordinary pouring out of the Spirit here in Northampton.