of his Master, the malice of the Jews, vigilant through apprehension, and enraged by envy, would have ac cused him also to Pilate. The friends of Malchus, "whose ear he had so lately cut off," would have arraigned him as a disturber of the public peace, and demanded punishment, overpowering, by their clamors, his evidence, and justification. Our Lord had, it is true, declared to Peter and His other Apostles, that he who valued his life above Him and His doctrine, could not be His disciple; but He, evidently, meant that they should, at a future period, prefer Him and his Religion, even when alarmed with torture, and menaced with death. When He exhorted them to unite the wisdom of the serpent with the harmlessness of the dove, He, clearly, signified to them that they should not, unnecessarily, expose themselves to danger, when it was in their power to escape from it. Now the disciples were to continue alive to be witnesses of the Resurrection, and preachers of the doctrine of their Master, throughout the world. And therefore, as a good shepherd, who, in the midst of personal danger, is solicitous for his sheep, He speaks to the Jews that His disciples might not be apprehended with Him, but that they might be permitted to go their way. Besides, St. Peter's confession could neither have promoted the glory, nor conduced to the safety, of Jesus; the Jews being determined to suppress, as they thought, His doctrine, by taking away His life. Such reasons as these might prevail with this distinguished disciple to leave the high-priest's palace during the time that his Lord was arraigned before the Jews.

Let

Let us next observe the succeeding part of his be havior upon his denial of the Blessed Jesus, "He wept bitterly."

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He was no sooner sensible of his fault than he lamented it. He did not, as the manner of too many is who sin against God, defer their amendment from one day to another; but like David, when the Prophet Nathan laid his sin before him, convicted of transgression, and penetrated with remorse, "I have sinned," he cries," against the Lord." Thus, St. Peter, when he was admonished by our Saviour's look, "went out,

and wept bitterly," acknowleged his frailty, and bewailed his offence. And, indeed, he, whose heart is touched with a just sense of God's displeasure against sin, well knowing, that his "burden is too heavy for "him to bear;" and he, who is oppressed with such a load, will, quickly, and earnestly, endeavor to remove it. To design, then, to repent hereafter, is to proclaim, that we are unacquainted with our lost condition, and ignorant of the danger of living at variance with God, exposing us, thereby, to the hazard of dying impenitent. For, if we do not repent after the commission of sin-life being uncertain, and we, every moment, liable to be called to account for it--the season of repentance may escape us, and "in the sin we have "sinned, we may die." The time to come is in God's hand, and at His disposal, and so heinous may our sin be in His sight, aggravated, perhaps, by our "having "tasted the good word of God;" that, instead of prolonging, in His mercy, that time, on which we vainly relied, He may, in His displeasure, say, that, as to us, "time shall be no longer." We are God's stewards upon earth, ignorant when He may require VOL. III.

K

our

SERMON XI.

ST. PETER'S DAY.

THIS eminent Apostle was born at Bethsaida, a town of Galilee, being by profession a fisherman. He was brother to St. Andrew, and his elder brother most probably; because in the catalogue of the Apostles he is mentioned before him (Mat. x. 2). He had in his character some eminent qualifications, which gave him a distinction above the generality of the Apostles. He was the first of them, who publicly professed his belief of the Divinity of our Blessed Lord (xvi. 16); which frank declaration of his made our Saviour promise him, that his preaching and confession should be a principal foundation of the Church, which He designed to build. He, together with James and John, was greatly beloved by our Blessed Lord (xvii. 1. ch. xxvi. 37). He had a mighty zeal for his Master which prompted him to draw his sword in His defence. But, withal, it must be said, that these good qualities were eclipsed by the cowardice, which he shewed in denying his Master, and by his dissimu lation which he used in complying with the Jews, in the observance of their ceremonies (Gal. ii. 4).

After our Saviour's Ascension, he did singular service in the propagation of the Gospel. He, by one sermon, convinced three thousand souls of the truth of Christianity. He was sent by the Apostolical College, together with John, to confirm the new converts that Philip had gained to the faith in Samaria, which office they discharged with great faith. fulness.

fulness. He was imprisoned by Herod about the year of Christ, 44; and was, in a miraculous manner, delivered from thence, by the ministry of an Angel. After preaching to the neighboring towns of Judea, he converted many to the faith in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Bithynia, and at last settled a Bishopric, where he himself sometimes presided, in Antioch. When he and St. Paul had for a considerable time preached at Rome, their ministry in the Gospel was much hindered by the magical arts of Simon, the magician. He was there thrown into prison, and suffered martyrdom. After being scourged, when he was led out to be crucified upon the hill, called Janiculus, he desired to be fastened to the cross with his head downwards, alleging, that he thought himself unworthy to die exactly in the same manner with his Lord.

That Peter was married is mentioned in Scripture, his wife's mother being spoken of. His wife also suffered martyrdom; for Clemens of Alexandria, who lived in the year 194, says

it is reported, that St. Peter, when he saw his wife drawn to execution, exhorted and comforted her, calling her by her proper name, bidding her remember her Sa ⚫viour, and telling her, that she was now going to her owa

home.'

* MAT. XXVI. 75

He went out, and wept bitterly.

O record the worthy actions of eminent men hath,

To

always, been esteemed of peculiar use, and of general service; as it supplies those who read or hear them with examples to copy, and incitements to emu

Never before printed.

late

our accounts; it, therefore, behoves us to have them, always, ready, and prepared. This seasonable advice, and solemn warning, our Lord himself has given His servants: "watch, therefore, for ye know not at what "hour your Lord doth come." To which, it is necessary to add, that God does not promise the gifts and graces of his Holy Spirit, on condition that we receive them when we please, but when He offers them. "To-day if ye will hear His voice, harden not your "hearts." We may intend to repent "before we go "hence," but when the period shall arrive, in which our design is to be put in execution, He may withhold the power of his Grace; and the lamentable lot of the Israelites may be ours" as I cried, and they would "not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith "the Lord of Hosts."

Let us next proceed to the degree of St. Peter's sorrow, conveyed in these words," he wept bitterly." He was so shocked with the reflection of the sin he had committed, that far from attempting to justify it, by pleading the danger to which he was exposed; or to extenuate it, by alleging the inefficacy of his acknowleging his Master, he deplored it deeply, and with all the aggravating circumstances attending it, as may appear by St. Mark's recital of the transaction, who was St. Peter's follower, and his scribe, and whose Gospel was examined, and approved, by him. With what modesty and humility does he there speak of his repentance? He mentions it, as if he conceived his sin to be so great, and his sorrow so disproportionate to it, that it ought to be passed over in silence-he only says, "when he thought thereon,

"he