that path, which he had to retrace to the beloved of his soul. But farther, Peter was evidently not prepared for the scene, which met his eye in the high priest's palace. We are told by Matthew that he "went in to see the end." There is good reason for supposing, that he expected a very different result from that which actually took place -he probably thought that his Master would then, if ever, vindicate his claim to be the Messiah: that he would manifest a still more glorious display of his power in the midst of the priests gathered around him, than he did in the garden, when the soldiers and servants were constrained to prostrate themselves before him. Instead of this, however, he beholds his Master treated with the greatest indignity, and yet making no resistance, nor giving any indication by which he might look for the declaring of his power. He beheld him struck by the hands of the menials, buffetted, and blindfolded. He beheld him giving his cheeks to the smiters, and his back to them that plucked off the hair; and under this exhibition of his Master's sufferings the heart of the apostle fainted, his courage failed, his resolution was gone, the victim was in the toils or ever he was aware," and crushed beneath the oppression of him, whom he had recklessly defied in his own strength, he denied his Master. 66 And thus we may remark, that we are often very far from correctly estimating beforehand the extent or power of that temptation into which we are ready to plunge. One thing occurs unexpectedly after another-one dormant passion after another is roused into activity, one weakness after another is allowed full scope for action; till at length we are hurried on from one step to another in the delirium of temptation, to stumble and fall. Now, remember that during the downward course of the erring disciple he ceased not to love his Master. But his sin was, that he depended on the emotion of his own. heart, instead of the grace of his Master's Spirit. So let us never think it enough for us to participate in the glow of affection which the Lord's people have towards their Master, but let us be jealous that we have Godly fear as well as Godly love; the latter, that our dependence may be that of the child, and not the servant: the former, that by standing in awe of his holiness we may flee to the shadow of his protection, "for grace to help us in every time of need." We need the whole armour of God, and not a part only. We require more than the emotion to desire to do what is right, we need the constant communication of strength, to enable us to "withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand." But let us now see how the fallen apostle was restored. He had heard the cock crow, and yet his mind did not appear to be broken under the experience of his guilt. And as he had fallen under his own weakness, so no power of his own could raise him up. But even in the midst of his sin his Master was caring for him; and he was about to prove to him, what he declared his willingness to be to Israel of old, "Thou hast destroyed thyself, but in me is thine help." Yes, the time for touching as well as refreshing the apostle's heart was to be "from the presence of the Lord." At that very moment, when with fearful cursing he imprecated the judgment of God on himself if he knew the man, then "the Lord turned and looked upon Peter." Yes, that one look was sufficient. It entered into his inmost soul. The full account of his awful wickedness rose up in array before him: "he remembered the words of the Lord." How affecting is this incident. The suffering Jesus hears cursing and swearing, There was no wrath his disciple deny him; he hears him and he turns and looks upon him. in that look. No! had he "in anger shut up his tender mercies," he would have "hid his face from him;" but what did it reveal to his guilty follower? It shewed him that his Lord knew his wickedness, that his whole conduct in the hour of his Master's sorrow was perfectly known to him. And it did more than this; as it was not in anger, it was in love. Yes, the look which entered into Peter's soul, and pierced through his heart, told him of his for giveness. That glance of mingled sadness, pity, and love, while it stung him to the quick, doubtless sealed to him his pardon. Hence the gushing tenderness of his contrite spirit. He manifests no despondency or despair. He goes out and weeps bitterly; or, as Mark's narrative may be rendered, he wrapped his face in his mantle and wept. He shut out all external objects, that he might commune with his own heart and be still. His Saviour had looked into his heart, and he desired to follow that look, and in the deep, self-abasement of conscious guilt, to seek for the renewed favour and love of him he had so awfully denied. Beloved, let us remember, when Satan gains an advantage over us, and we are entangled in the prison of his snares, that there is no door of escape, but the door of humiliation and of tears, the wormwood and the gall of sin must there be tasted, that we may by experience know that it is an “evil thing and a bitter" to forsake the Lord: and as this alone is the door of escape, so can it be opened only by the "look of Jesus." It is only in the returning light of his countenance, and in the renewed favour of his neglected grace, that we have our feet taken out of "the net" which has been "privily laid" for us. Let us, then, from the whole of this narrative, take warning, that we fall not as Peter fell. Let our hearts be full of praise to the Lord Jesus Christ for his love, which indeed "many waters cannot quench." And let us take encouragement from the reflection, that we are in the hands of one who unites to the utmost tenderness, forbearance, gentleness, and love, the ability to save us "to the uttermost." And especially while we tremble, and are dismayed at the instance before us of human weakness, let us not fail to draw the contrast with which the history of this very apostle furnishes us, when on many future occasions he witnessed a good confession before many witnesses;—when this trembling, erring disciple came forth in the presence of the rulers of his people with such unflinching resolution, such undaunted boldness, that they "took knowledge of him that he had been with Jesus"-and thus, while with conscious infirmity we acknowledge that we have "no power of ourselves to help ourselves "—let us never hesitate to commit ourselves to the apostolic experience, can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." 66 I But we must now briefly notice the account which John inserts in the middle of this narrative of Peter's fall, of our Lord's conduct before the High Priest. "The High Priest," we are told, "then asked Jesus of his disciples and his doctrine. Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing. Why askest thou me? Ask them which heard me, what I said unto them; behold they know what I said." How calm, and dignified, and unanswerable was this appeal! He did not wish to be tried by his own declarations of his doctrine at the moment; but he asked them to examine into every thing which he had declared and taught among the people. They had abundant material from which to gather his views and doctrine, and he summoned the whole people as his witnesses. And thus, as on that occasion, no true witnesses could have appeared but in his favour, so at the last great day of account, when he, the glorious One, shall himself be seated on his throne of glory, he shall not only pronounce the judgment of absolute wisdom, but "every mouth shall be stopped," and every creature shall at his tribunal bear testimony to his holiness, his justice, and his love. But, "when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck him with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the High Priest so? Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why smitest thou me?" Oh what a lovely exhibition of the character of our Divine Redeemer is this! How beauteous an illustration of what he himself tells us of that character, "I am meek and lowly in heart." What a living portrait of the apostolic maxim, "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." Beloved friends, let us overwhelm the feelings of irritation which so naturally arise in our hearts, from the real or supposed infliction of injuries, by gathering the spirit of our Master into our breasts: "When he was reviled, he reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not." "Reviled, rejected, and betrayed, No curse he breathed, no plaint he made." Oh, that while we seek to polish and to temper the sterner features of the Christian character, to "endure hardness as good soldiers of the cross, we might also seek for growth |