THE SERMON. , 125 



the teaching of the Holy Spirit, through whom alone can 

 the dark things of Scripture be made clear, and the intricate 

 plain. 



" The fire could hardly have been kindled by the disciples 

 themselves during the night ; they had been absent many 

 hours, and what they had lighted would have been extin- 

 guished : they would hardly have left fish behind them on 

 the shore ; for they had caught nothing, or if they had, the 

 fish which now stood ready for their meal could not have 

 been that which their own hands had placed on the coals. 



" Besides, there is something peculiar in the manner in 

 which St. John mentions the fire and the provision. He 

 is particular in noting that it was 6 as soon as they were 

 come to land ' that the disciples saw this fire of coals. It 

 was the first object which met their eyes on landing. 

 There would have been nothing to mention had this fire 

 been only what they had themselves kindled overnight. 

 And we may believe that the Evangelist is so careful in 

 pointing out that the fire was seen on the instant of reach- 

 ing the shore, on purpose to make us understand that the 

 disciples did not light it after they landed, and that neither 

 did they stir up the embers of the day before. It might 

 have been expected that the disciples would have been so 

 engrossed with looking at their risen Master as to have had 

 no eye for any other object. Neither would they have had, 

 we may venture to believe, unless for something startling 

 and mysterious. But that strange fire, kindled, as they may 



