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Peter, who was always remarkable for bold resolutions, desired his master to give him leave to come to him on the water; and on obtaining permission, he left the ship, and walked on the sea, to meet his Saviour. But when he heard the deep roar around him, and the waves increase, he began to be afraid and as his faith declined, his body sunk in the water; so that in the greatest agony he called for assistance to him who was able to save. Nor was his cry in vain; the compassionate Redeemer of mankind stretched out his hand, and again placed him on the surface of the water, with this gentle reproof, "O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?" And sooner was the blessed Jesus and his disciples entered into the ship, than the winds ceased, the waves subsided, and the ship was at the land whither they were going.

A miracle of this kind could not fail of astonishing the disciples, and convincing them of the divinity of his mission: accordingly they drew near and worshipped him, with this confession, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.

The next day our blessed Saviour entered the synagogue of Capernaum; and from the miracle of the loaves, took occasion to

discourse concerning himself and the true manna, and the "bread which came down from heaven;" opening to them the more sublime and spiritual mysteries of the gospel, on which great part of the audience, who expected he was going to erect a temporal kingdom, and re-establish the throne of David in Jerusalem, offended at his representing his dominion as entirely spiritual, departed from him, and came no more to hear his discourses. Jesus, on beholding this defection, turned himself towards his disciples, and asked them, Whether they also would go away? To which Peter replied, "Lord, whither shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life:" to whom should we apply for life and salvation? "Thou art the the way, way, the truth, and the light."

The inhabitants of Judea, who beheld with astonishment the miracles wrought by the blessed Jesus, had formed many conjectures concerning him. Our great Redeemer was not ignorant of this: but being willing to hear what account his disciples would give of the various opinions of the people, asked them what the world said concerning him: To which they replied, that some took him for John the Baptist, risen from the dead; some thought him to be Elias, and others Jeremiah, or one of the old prophets. phets. He asked them what they themselves thought of him: To which Peter in the name of the rest, answered, "Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God," anointed and set apart by the Most High, to be the great King, Priest and Prophet of Israel.

This full and comprehensive declaration of Peter satisfied the inquiry of our blessed Saviour, who answered, Saviour, who answered, "Blessed art thou Simon Bar-Jonah; for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven." That is, this faith which thou hast now confessed is not human, or built upon the testimony of man, but upon that knowledge which I was sent from God to reveal unto the world: therefore, I say

also unto thee, "that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." As thy name signifies a rock, so shalt thou prove firm, solid and immoveable in building my church, which shall be so firmly established by thy care and diligence upon that faith thou hast now professed, that all the assaults of men and devils shall not be able to destroy it.

The disciples had no idea that their Master was to suffer death for the sins of the world; on the contrary, they considered him as immortal, having imbibed the opinion of the Scribes and Pharisees, that Christ abideth

for ever: so that when the blessed Jesus told them of the sufferings he must undergo at Jerusalem, what affronts and indignities he must suffer, and be at last put to death with all the acts of torture and disgrace, by a sentence of the Jewish Sanhedrim, Peter who could not endure the thought of his Master's suffering even the least punishment, much less those cruelties he had men

tioned, and last death itself, interrupted him very unseasonably, and said, "Be it far from thee, Lord, this shall not be unto thee." He considered these sufferings as inconsistent with the character of the great Messiah, whom he expected would restore the splendour of the throne of David his father, and reduce all the kingdoms of the earth to his obedience. But our blessed Saviour, who came down from heaven, to give his life a ransom for the sins of the world, and who valued the redemption of mankind infinitely more than his own ease and safety, highly resented this speech of St. Peter, and accordingly returned this sharp reproof: "Get thou behind me, Satan, thou art an offence to me." Thy pernicious counsel, in seeking to oppose the design for which I purposely left the courts of heaven are offensive; and thou "savourest not the things of God, but those that be of men."

Some time after, the great Redeemer of the souls of men, being to receive a speci

men of his future glorification, took with him three of his most intimate apostles, Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and went up into a very high mountain, and while they were employed in earnest addresses to the Almighty, he was transfigured before them, darting such lustre from his face, as exceeded the meridian rays of the sun in brightness: and such beams of light issued from his garments, as exceeded the light of the clearest day: an event and sen«just shall walk in white robes, and shine sible representation of that state, when the as the sun in the kingdom of their Father." During this heavenly scene, the great prophets, Moses and Elias, appeared in all the familiarly conversing with him, and disbrightness and majesty of a glorified state, coursing of the death and sufferings he was heavenly regions of bliss and happiness. shortly to undergo, and his ascension to the heavenly regions of bliss and happiness.

In the mean time Peter and the two apostles were fallen asleep. But on their awak

ing were strangely surprised to see the Lord surrounded with so much glory, and those two great persons conversing with him. They, however, remained silent till those visitants from the courts of heaven were going to depart, when Peter, in rapture and extacy of mind, addressed himself to his Master, declaring their infinite pleasure and delight in being favoured with this glorious spectacle; and desired his leave to erect three tabernacles, one for him, one for Moses, and one for Elias. But while he was speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed these two great prophets, and a voice came from it, uttering these remarkable words, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: hear ye him." On which the apostles were seized with the utmost consternation, and fell upon their faces to the ground; but Jesus touching them, bid them dismiss their fears, look up with confidence; they immediate ly obeyed, but saw their Master only.

and

After this heavenly scene, our blessed

ed, "Thou shalt never wash my feet." But the blessed Jesus told him, that if he washed him not, he could have no part with him ; intimating, that this action was mystical, and signified the remission of sins, and the puri

to be poured upon all true christians. This answer sufficiently removed the scruples of Peter, who cried out, "Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head." Wash me in every part rather than let me lose my portion in thee.

Lord travelled through Galilee, and at his return to Capernaum, the tax-gatherers came to Peter, and asked him whether his Master was not obliged to pay tribute? When our blessed Saviour was informed of this demand, rather than give offence, hefying virtue of the spirit of the Most High, wrought a miracle to pay it.. Our great Redeemer was now going, for the last time, to Jerusalem; and he ordered two of his disciples, probably Peter and John, to fetch him an ass, that he might enter into the city on it, as had been foretold. The disciples obeyed their Master, and brought the ass to Jesus, who being mounted thereon, entered the city amidst the hosannas of a numerous multitude, with palm-branches in their hands, proclaiming at once both the majesty of a Prince, and the triumph of a Saviour.

CHAP. IV...

Life of St. Peter, from the Time of the
Celebration of the last Passover to the
Crucifixion of the great Redeemer.

THE blessed Jesus proceeded from Jeru

salem to Bethany, from whence he sent two of his disciples, Peter and John, to make preparations for his celebrating the

passover.

Every thing being ready, our blessed Saviour and his apostles entered the house, and sat down to table. But their great Master, who often taught them by example as well as precept, arose from his seat, laid aside his upper garment, took the towel, and pouring water into a bason, began to wash his disciples' feet, to teach them humility, and charity, by his own example. But on his coming to Peter, he would by no means admit his Master to perform so mean and so condescending an office. What! the Son of God stoop to wash the feet of a sinful mortal! A thought which shocked the apostle, who strenuously declarNo. 19.

The blessed Jesus having set this pattern of humility, began to reflect on his approaching sufferings, and on the person who should betray him into the hands of wicked and cruel men, telling them, that not a stranger, or an enemy, but one of his friends, one of his apostles, and even one of them who then sat at the table with him, would betray him.

This declaration exceedingly affected them all in general, and Peter in particular, who made signs to St. John, to ask him particularly who it was? Jesus complied with this request, and gave them to understand that it was Judas Iscariot.

Our great Redeemer now began the institution of his supper, that great and solemn institution, which he resolved to leave behind him, to be constantly celebrated in his church, as a standing monument of his love in dying for mankind; telling them at the same time that he himself was now going to leave them, and that "whither he went, they dould not come." Peter, not well understanding what he meant, asked him whither he was going? To which our great Redeemer replied, that he was going to that place whither he could not now, but should hereafter, follow him intimating the martyrdom he was to suffer for his Master's religion. Peter answered, that he was ready now to follow him, even if it required. him to lay down his life. This confident presumption was not at all agreeable to the

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blessed Jesus, who told him he had promised great things, but would be so far from performing them, that before the cock crew he would deny him thrice.

Supper being now ended, they sung an hymn, and departed to the Mount of Olives; where Jesus again put them in mind how greatly the things he was going to suf fer would offend them. To which Peter replied, that "though all men should be offended because of him, yet he himself would never be offended." How far will an indisHow far will an indiscreet zeal and affection transport even a good man into vanity and presumption ! Feter questions the fidelity of others, but never doubts his own: though his Lord had just before reproved him for his self-sufficiency. This confidence of Peter inspired the rest of the apostles with courage: so that they declared their constant and unshaken adherence to their Master.

They now repaired to the garden of Gethsemane; and leaving the rest of the apostles near the entrance, our blessed Saviour, taking with him Peter, James, and John, retired into the most solitary part of the garden, to enter on the preparatory scene of the great tragedy that was now approaching.

Here the blessed Jesus laboured under the bitterest agony that ever human nature suffered, during which he prayed with the utmost fervency to his Father, "offering up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears; and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

While our blessed Redeemer was thus interceding with the Almighty, his three disciples were fallen asleep, though he had made three several visits to them, and calling to Peter, asked him, If he could not watch one hour with him? Advising them all to watch and pray, that they might not enter into temptation, adding, "the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."

What incomparable sweetness! what generous candour did the Redeemer of mankind display on this occasion! He passed the most charitable censure upon an action, which malice and ill-nature would have painted in colours, as black as the shades of darkness.

The disciples were drowned in a profound security, and were buried in a deep sleep, and though often awaked and informed of the approaching tragedy they little regarded the admonitions, as if nothing but ease and softness engaged their thoughts: an action which seemed to imply the most amazing ingratitude, and the highest disregard for

their Lord and Master.

But he, who was compassion itself, would not impute it to their want of affection, or disregard for his safety: he considered it merely as the effect of their infirmities, and made an excuse for them, when they could make none for themselves; teaching us the useful lesson of putting the most favourable construction on the actions of others: and to imitate the bee and not the spider, by sucking honey, instead of poison, from the various transactions of human life.

While he was discoursing with thein, a band of soldiers, from the chief priests and elders, preceded by the traitor Judas to conduct and direct them, rushed into the garden, and seized the great high priest of our profession. Peter, whose ungovernable zeal would admit of no restraint, drew his sword, and, without the least order from his Master, struck at one of the persons who seemed to be remarkably busy in binding Jesus, and cut off his right ear. This wild and unwarrantable zeal was very offensive to his Master, who rebuked Peter, and intreated the patience of the soldiers, while he miraculously healed the wound.

But now the fidelity of the apostles, which they had urged with so much confidence, was put to the trial. They saw their Master

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