CHAPTER VII.

JESUS WORKING MIRACLES.

JESUS now came back to Cana, where He had made the water into wine. A rich nobleman who lived at Capernaum, a town some distance off, had a son very ill. No one thought he could live long. The father had heard of Jesus, and of the wonderful things He had done. In great haste he went to Jesus, and begged Him most earnestly to go with him and heal his son. He was afraid he would die before Jesus could get to him. Now, see how Jesus tried his faith. Instead of going with him, He said, "Go thy way, thy son liveth." The nobleman believed the word of Jesus, and set off home. Do you not think he must have felt the journey very long, till he could see

how his dear son was? Presently he saw some of his servants coming to meet him. This would make him very anxious, for they might be coming to tell him that his child was dead. With what joy he heard them say, "Thy son liveth." "When did he begin to mend?" the father asked. "About. one o'clock yesterday," the servants answered. Then the father knew that it was at the very same hour when Jesus had said, "Thy son liveth."

I am sure you will not be surprised to hear that not only the nobleman, but all his family, believed in Jesus. But you will wonder when I tell you, that the people of Nazareth would not receive his words. One Sabbath-day when Jesus spoke to them in the synagogue (that was the Jewish place of worship), they were so angry with Him that they rose up, turned Him out of their city, and led Him to the edge of the hill on which Nazareth was built. They meant to throw Him down from the top, and kill

Him; but Jesus passed through the very midst of them and escaped. After this He lived at Capernaum, and there a great many miracles were done. Once, when Jesus was standing near the Lake of Gennesaret, the people pressed very much upon Him to hear his words. Two ships were standing by the lake; the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets. Jesus got into one of the ships, which was Simon's. He begged Simon to push out a little way from the land. Then He sat down in the ship, and taught the people as they stood on the shore. When Jesus had ended what He had to say to them, He told Peter to launch out into a deep part of the lake, and to let down his net, that he might catch some fish. Now, Peter had been toiling all night, and yet taken nothing. But when Jesus told him to let down his net he obeyed. And now, instead of taking nothing, the net was so full that it broke. James and John were

in their ship ship a little way off, and Peter called to them to come and help him. They set to work very quickly to fill both the ships with fish. You may suppose what an immense number there were, for we are told the ships began to sink. Peter was so astonished that he scarcely knew what to say. He fell down at Jesus' feet, and said, Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!" You may be quite sure he did not really wish Jesus to leave him, for as soon as the ships were brought to land he left all and followed Him. I cannot tell you all the wonderful things which we read of our blessed Saviour. I will try to choose those which you can best understand. Does it not make you love Him very much to hear how kind and gracious He was to all who came to Him? Never do we hear that He sent anyone away. Even a poor, miserable leper was kindly received by Him. Perhaps you do not know what a dreadful disease leprosy was.

The poor creature who had it was not allowed to live with anyone else; no one would go near him, nor do anything for him. Ah! dear children, shall I tell you what this horrible disease reminds us of? Sin is the leprosy of the soul; it brings with it nothing but wretchedness here, and everlasting misery hereafter. This poor

leper seems to have learned to know something about Jesus, for he came and worshipped Him. He had faith, too, for he said, "Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean." He knew Jesus could; he did not know whether He would heal him. Jesus put forth his hand, touched him, and said, "I will, be thou clean." In a moment he felt that his leprosy was cleansed.

Dear children, can you cure yourselves of the leprosy of sin? Can your parents, or friends, or your minister, cure you? Oh, no, for it cleaves to them, too, by nature. Nothing but the blood of Jesus