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claims, therefore, of his pretended fucceffors, the great Bithops of Rome, are abfurd and impious. They have no foundation in the fcriptures, and produce very mischievous effects. But, waving the confideration of thofe errors, we should pray that all the preachers of the Gofpel may obtain a measure of the fame grace, and manifeft the fame holy principles, by which St. Peter was influenced. So thall no respect to their intereft, reputation, or connections in life prevent them from promoting, to the uttermoft, the caufe of Chrift and the enlargement of his kingdom.

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We observe Peter's conftant attachment to his Master, and readiness to profess that regard. On one occafion, when he faw Jefus walking upon the tempeftuous fea in the night, at first he was intimidated, as well as his companions; but afterward, hearing the gracious voice of his Lord, he cried out, “Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water *.' This address, evidently, proceeded from faith and love, and yet betrayed much forwardness and self-confidence. To check thefe wrong principles, by giving him a painful proof of his weakness, which he was little aware of, Jefus permitted him to venture upon the deep.

We behold Peter, then, upheld by a divine power, treading on the boisterous waves, as on dry ground. But at length, when he attended to the violence of the wind, not retaining, as he should have done, his dependence on the Lord, his courage drooped, and his body began to fink. He expected nothing but immediate deftruction, and exclaimed in great anguish, "Lord, fave me.' This occurrence, which was an awful prefage of what he afterwards experienced, fhould have taught him more diffidence and meekness of fpirit. Jefus immediately afforded him the necessary affiftance, caught him as he was on the point of being

Matt. xiv. 22-33.
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overwhelmed,

overwhelmed, and conducted him fafely to the fhip. At the fame time he sharply reproved him for his unbelief, through which his attempt had failed: "O! thou of little faith, wherefore didft thou doubt?"* Alas! how often have we been fruftrated in our good defigns, on the very fame account! For a season, perhaps, we feemed as if we could truft the Lord; but, when we took off our eye from him, and thought of our dangerous fituation, our fears prevailed, and, if Jefus had not refcued us, we muft have utterly perifhed.

On another occafion, when many difciples forfook the Saviour, and the Apoftles themfelves appeared ready to depart, Peter, with his ufual fervour, profeffed his firm regard and unfhaken resolution not to defert his Mafter*. "Lord," faid he, "to whom fhall we go? Thou haft the words of eternal life; and we believe, and are fure, that thou art that Chrift, the Son of the living God." This was indeed an evidence of the fincerity of his faith, and the warmth of his affection. With fuch views of the Saviour, we alfo fhall adhere to him, and abhor the propofal of feeking any other refuge. If our fouls are established in a full perfuafion, that he alone can give us peace and everlasting happiness, then we fhall be willing to perfevere through every difficulty and danger in his fervice.

Jefus enquiring of his difciples, what opinions were formed concerning him, St. Peter stood forth, and made that noble confeffion, "Thou art the Chrift, the Son of the living God +." His Mafter, in reply, pronounced him truly bleffed, as having obtained this clear knowledge and ftrong confidence, not by any peculiar difcernment of his own, or information from others, not by any human abilities or affiftance, but by the diftinguishing grace of God and illumination of his Spirit. Jefus added, in very

* John vi. 66-690

† Matt. xvi. 13—19.

remarkable

remarkable terms, that Peter, as his fignificant name implied, fhould be used as a "Rock," and that on him, as one of its main fupports, fhould be built the glorious edifice of the Church, which, however oppofed by Satan and his agents, fhould continue to rife, and stand firm and impregnable against the most violent affaults *. He declared further, that he should appoint this favoured Apostle to be a principal officer in the kingdom of grace, and deliver its keys into his hands, as an emblem of authority committed to him for the administration of its affairs. But, with whatever powers Peter was invefted, he poffeffed them only in common with his brethren, as they also afterwards received a commiffion of the fame extent +. On no ground can the tyrannical ufurpations of the Popes of Rome be juftified, from the grant here given to Peter; fince they cannot prove their fucceffion from him, or their right, in confequence of that boafted fucceffion, to abfolve and to condemn, as they presume to do.

But, waving that unprofitable controversy, let us rejoice in the fecurity of the Church under the care of Jefus. It will be opposed by ftrong and malicious adverfaries: but He has engaged for its protection and continuance. Do we, as living ftones, conftitute a part of this spiritual building? Then we shall firmly

* Some fuppofe, that Jefus intended to point out himself as the Rock; and it is allowed, that He is the only fure foundation, on which his Church can reft, 1 Cor. iii. 11. Others understand, that the confeffion of faith, which St. Peter here made, is the Rock referred to, fince the profperity and even the exiftence of the Church. depend on the doctrines, included in that confeffion. But the con

nection of the paffage does not seem to be well preferved by either of thofe fenfes; and the Author conceives, that there is no more impropriety in confidering Peter as a fupport of the Church, than in repre fenting the Apostles and Prophets as the foundation, on which it is built, Eph. ii. 20. Rev. xxi. 14. Such an interpretation derogates not from the honour of Christ; nor can it favour the popish notion of Peter's fupremacy.

+.John xx. 23.
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refift

refist every attack. Can we adopt Peter's confeffion, with a full conviction of its truth? And is that conviction produced, in confequence of divine light communicated to the mind? O how great the privilege and bleffedness, thus to be acquainted with the character and falvation of Jesus!

Soon afterwards the Apoftle received a sharp reprehenfion. Perhaps, elated by these fingular declarations in his favour, and ftill entertaining ideas of a temporal kingdom, he could not bear to hear his Mafter foretel the paffion then approaching, and even dared to cenfure him on that account: he faid, “Be it far from thee, Lord; this fhall not be unto thee *." The address was in every respect unsuitable: it expreffed great ignorance and prefumption; and therefore he was rebuked for it with an unusual severity. Jefus perceived by what wrong affections his fervant was actuated, and, it fhould feem, he felt the fuggeftion as a temptation to himself: he replied, "Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou favoureft not the things that be of God, but thofe that be of men." Alas! how eafily may fuch, as are most exalted in grace, be turned afide by a depraved nature, and both speak and act under the influence of carnal principles, by which, in effect, they promote the purposes of Satan! Let us enquire, Do not we, like Peter, object to the crofs, and, as if we had loft our spiritual tafte, lay our plans for worldly advancement, through covetoufnefs or ambition? Do we not fhew, on fome occafions at least, that we do not perfectly underftand or comply with the humbling and felf-denying fcheme of the Gofpel? Ah! what are we then doing, but taking part with the Devil, and oppofing the defigns of Jesus?

St. Peter was not only a companion of Chrift, together with the other Apoftles, but numbered among

* Matt. xvi. 21-23•

his most intimate friends, and intrufted with the most unreserved communications of his mind and counsel. He was one of the favoured three, who faw the Saviour transfigured on the mount; when he, in particular, expreffed a rapturous delight in the vifion and the fociety there affembled. He cried out in his ecftafy, "Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles, one for thee, and one for Mofes, and one for Elias*." This honour he never forgot: many years afterward, and not long before his death, he attefted the fact, and infifted on it as a convincing proof, that he had "not followed cunningly devised fables †.” We do not look for fuch revelations of Chrift: but his people ftill enjoy his fpiritual prefence, and by faith behold his glory.. At thofe diftinguifhed feafons, when taken up with him to the mount, they feel a pleasure, which is unutterable, and wish to have no more to do with terreftrial concerns. Their language then is, "Lord, it is good for us to be here!"

When certain collectors applied for the accustomed. tribute, Peter readily agreed to pay their demand,, and, by his Lord's directions, caught the fish, which furnished the money for that purpose ‡. In one place, he propofed the queftion, how often he fhould forgive an offending brother §. In another, after receiving a folemn admonition concerning the danger of riches, he declared, that he had forfaken all from an attachment to his Mafter, and expreffed a hope of obtaining a recompenfe |. His profeffions of regard were fincere, yet we discover in them fome degree of felf-confidence and carnal expectations.

We omit various circumstances of a lefs interefting nature, in which his name is introduced; obferving only, that, throughout the whole hiftory, he stands

* Matt, xvii. 1-8. +2 Pet. i. 16-18. § Matt. xviii. 21.

xix. 27.

Matt. xvii. 24-27.

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distinguished

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