where, as the Arabian geographer informs us, a agony; their company at least being some refair and stately church was built to the honor of freshment to one under such sad fatal circumthe Virgin Mary,) to enter upon the ante-scene stances; and this but for a little time, “one hour,” of the fatal tragedy that was now approaching; it would soon be over, and then they might freely it bearing a very fit proportion (as some of the consult their own ease and safety. It was their fathers have observed) that as the first Adam fell dear Lord and master whom they now were to and ruined mankind in a garden, so a garden attend upon, ready to lay down his life for them, should be the place where the second Adam sweating already under the first skirmishes of his should begin his passion, in order to the redemp-sufferings, and expecting every moment when_all tion of the world. Gardens, which to us are the powers of darkness would fall upon him. But places of repose and pleasure, and scenes of all these considerations were drowned in a prodivertisement and delight, were to our Lord a found security; the men were fast asleep, and school of temptation, a theatre of great horrors though often awakened and told of it, regarded it and sufferings, and the first approaches of the not, as if nothing but ease and softness had been hour of darkness. then to be dreamed of. An action that looked like 4. Here it was that the blessed Jesus labored the most prodigious ingratitude, and the highest under the bitterest agony that could fall upon hu- unconcernedness for their Lord and master, and man nature, which the holy story describes by which one would have thought had argued a very words sufficiently expressive of the highest grief great coldness and indifferency of affection toand sorrow; he was "afraid, sorrowful," and wards him. But he would not set it upon the "very heavy;" yea, "his soul was" Epiduros, "ex-tenters, nor stretch it to what it might easily have ceeding sorrowful,” and that “even unto death;" been drawn to; he imputes it not to their unhe was "sore amazed and very heavy;" he was thankfulness, or want of affection, nor to their "troubled," rapaxon, his soul was shaken with a carelessness of what became of him, but merely vehement commotion; yea he was "in an agony," to their infirmity and the weakness of their bodily a word by which the Greeks were wont to repre- temper, himself making the excuse, when they sent the greatest conflicts and anxieties. The could make none for themselves: "the spirit ineffect of all which was, that "he prayed more deed is willing, but the flesh is weak." Hereby earnestly," offering up "prayers and supplications teaching us to put the most candid and favorable with strong cries and tears," as the apostle ex-construction upon those actions of others which pounds it; and sweat, "as it were great drops of are capable of various interpretations, and rather blood falling to the ground." What this bloody with the bee to suck honey, than with the spider sweat was, and how far natural or extraordinary, to draw poison from them. His last prayer beI am not now concerned to inquire. Certain it is it was a plain evidence of the most intense grief and sadness; for if an extreme fear or trouble will many times cast us into a cold sweat, how great must be the commotion and conflict of our Saviour's mind, which could force open the pores 5. While he was thus discoursing to them, a of his body, locked up by the coldness of the band of soldiers sent from the high priest, with night, and make not drops of sweat, but "great the traitor Judas to conduct and direct them, drops," or (as the word Spopbo signifies) "clods" rushed into the garden, and seized upon him; of blood to issue from them! While our Lord was which when the apostles saw, they asked him thus contending with these ante-passions, the whether they should attempt his rescue. Peter, three apostles, whom he had left at some distance (whose ungovernable zeal put him upon all danfrom him, being tired out with watching, and dis- gerous undertakings,) without staying for an anposed by the silence of the night, were fallen fast swer, drew his sword, and espying one more busy asleep. Our Lord, who had made three several than the rest in laying hold upon our Saviour, addresses unto heaven, that, if it might consist which was Malchus, (who, though carrying king. with his Father's will, this bitter "cup might pass ship in his name, was but servant to the high from him," (expressing herein the harmless and priest,) struck at him with an intention to despatch innocent desires of human nature, which always him; but God overruling the stroke, it only cut off studies its own preservation,) between each of his right ear. Our Lord liked not this wild and them came to visit the apostles; and calling to unwarrantable zeal, and therefore entreated their Peter, asked him, whether they could not "watch" patience, whilst he miraculously healed the wound; with him "one hour;" advising them to "watch and turning to Peter, bade him put up his sword and pray," that they entered "not into tempta- again: told him that they who unwarrantably used tion;" adding this argument, that "the spirit in- the sword should themselves perish by it; that deed" was willing," but that "the flesh" was there was no need of these violent and extrava"weak;" and that therefore there was the more gant courses; that if he had a mind to be rid of his need that they should stand upon their guard.— keepers he could ask his Father, who would preObserve here the incomparable sweetness, the sently send "more than twelve legions of angels" generous candor of our blessed Saviour, to pass to his rescue and deliverance: but he must "drink so charitable a censure upon an action from the cup" which his Father had put into his hand; whence malice and ill-nature might have drawn for how else should the Scriptures be fulfilled, monsters and prodigies, and have represented it black as the shades of darkness. The request which our Lord made to these apostles was infinitely reasonable, to watch with him in his bitter

66

ing ended, he came to them, and told them with a gentle rebuke, that now they might "sleep on," if they pleased; that "the hour was at hand that he should be betrayed, and delivered into the hands of men."

which had expressly foretold "that these things must be?" Whereupon, all the apostles forsook him, and fled from him; and they who before in their promises were as bold as lions, now it came

to it, like fearful and timorous hares, ran away from him. Peter and John, though staying last with him, yet followed the same way with the rest, preferring their own safety before the concernments of their master.

frivolous, and which to excuse man from folly would charge God with falsehood: for if he did not deny him, then our Lord was out, when he said, that that night he "should thrice deny him;" that is, his person, and not only his humanity. Certainly 6. No sooner was he apprehended by the sol- the best apology that can be made for Peter is, diers, and brought out of the garden, but he was that he quickly repented of this great sin; for no immediately posted from one tribunal to another ;* sooner had he done it, but the cock crew again; brought first to Annas, then carried to Caiaphas, at which intimation our Saviour turned about, and where the Jewish Sanhedrim met together in or- earnestly looked upon him; a glance that quickly der to his trial and condemnation. Peter having pierced him to the heart, and brought to his rea little recovered himself, and gotten loose from membrance, what our Lord had once and again his fears, probably encouraged by his companion, foretold him, how foully and shamefully he should St. John, returns back to seek his master, and deny him. Whereupon, not being able to confinding them leading him to the high-priest's hall, tain his sorrow, he ran out of doors to give it vent, followed afar off, to see what would be the event and "wept bitterly;" passionately bewailing his and issue but coming to the door, could get no folly, and the aggravations of his sin; thereby enadmittance, till one of the disciples who was ac-deavoring to make some reparation for his fault, quainted there, went out and persuaded the ser- and recover himself into the favor of heaven, and vant who kept the door to let him in. Being led to prevent the execution of divine justice, by taking into the hall where the servants and officers stood a severe revenge upon himself; by these peniround the fire, Peter also came thither to warm tential tears he endeavored to wash off his guilt; himself, where being espied by the servant-maid as indeed repentance is the next step to innothat let him in, she, earnestly looking upon him, charged him with being one of Christ's disciples, which Peter publicly denied before all the company, positively affirming that "he knew him not" and presently withdrew himself into the porch, where he heard the cock crow: an intimation, one would have thought, which should have awakened his conscience into a quick sense of his duty, and the promise he had made unto his master. In the porch, another of the maids set upon him, charging him "that he also was one of them that had been with Jesus of Nazareth;" which Peter stoutly denied, saying that he "knew not Christ;" and the better to gain their belief to what he said ratified it with an oath. So na

tural is it for one sin to draw on another.

cence.

SECTION VI.

Of St. Peter, from Christ's Resurrection till his Ascension.

WHAT became of Peter after his late prevarication, whether he followed our Saviour through the several stages of his trial, and personally attended as a mourner at the funeral of his master, we have no account left upon record. No doubt he staid at Jerusalem, and probably with St. John, together with whom we first find him mentioned, when both set forwards to the sepulchre; which 7. About an hour after, he was a third time set was in this manner. Early on that morning upon by a servant of the high-priest, Malchus's whereon our Lord was to return from the grave, kinsman, whose ear Peter had lately cut off: by Mary Magdalene,* and some other devout and him he was charged to be one of Christ's disci- pious women, brought spices and ointments, with ples; yea, that his very speech betrayed him to a design to embalm the body of our crucified be a Galilean:-for the Galileans, though they did Lord. Coming to the sepulchre at sun-rising, and not speak a different language, had yet a differ- finding the door open, they entered in, where they ent dialect, using a more confused and barbarous, were suddenly saluted by an angel, who told them a broader and more unpolished way of pronuncia-that Jesus was risen, and bade them go and action than the rest of the Jews; whereby they quaint his apostles, and particularly Peter, that he were easily distinguishable in their speaking from was returned from the dead; and that he would other men; abundant instances whereof there are go before them into Galilee, where they should extant in the Talmud at this day :-nay, not only meet with him. Hereupon they returned back, gave this evidence, but added, that he himself had and acquainted the apostles with what had passed, scen him with Jesus in the garden. Peter still who beheld the story as the product of a weak resolutely denied the matter; and to add the and heated fancy. But Peter and John presently highest accomplishment to his sin, ratified it not hastened towards the garden :† John, being the only with an oath, but a solemn curse and execrayounger and nimbler, outran his companion, and tion, that he was not the person, that he knew not came first thither: where he only looked, but enthe man. It is but a very weak excuse which St. tered not in, either out of fear in himself, or a Ambrose and some others make for this act of great reverence to our Saviour. Peter, though Peter's, in saying, "I know not the man." "He behind in space was before in zeal, and being elder did well," says he, "to deny him to be man whom and more considerate, came and resolutely enterhe knew to be God." St. Jerome takes notice of ed in, where they found nothing but the linen this pious and well-meant excuse made for Peter, cloths lying together in one place, and the napkin though out of modesty he conceals the name of its author, but yet justly censures it as trifling and

Matt. xxvi. 57; Mark xiv. 53; Luke xxii. 54; John xviii. 12.

that was about his head wrapped together in another; which being disposed with so much care and order, showed (what was falsely suggested * Mark xvi. 1. + Luke xxiv. 12. John xx. 2.

he would, after his ascension, pour out his Spirit upon them in larger measures than they had hitherto received, that they might be the better fortified to grapple with that violent rage and fury wherewith both men and devils would endeavor to oppose them; and that in the mean time they should return to Jerusalem, and stay till these miraculous powers were from on high conferred upon them. His discourse being ended, laying his hands upon them, he gave them his solemn blessing; which done, he was immediately taken from them, and being attended with a glorious guard and train of angels, was received up into heaven. Antiquity tells us, that in the place where he last trod upon the rock, the impression of his feet did remain, which could never afterwards be filled up or impaired; over which Helena, mother of the great Constantine, afterwards built a little chapel, called the Chapel of the Ascension; in the floor whereof, upon a whitish kind of stone, modern tra

that he who knew all things must needs know that he loved him. To each of these confessions our Lord added this signal trial of his affection; then, "Feed my sheep" that is, faithfully instruct and teach them, carefully rule and guide them; persuade, not compel them; feed, not fleece nor kill them. And so it is plain St. Peter himself understood it. by the charge which he gives to the guides and rulers of the church, that "they should feed the flock of God, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; neither as being lords over God's heritage, but as examples to the flock." But that by feeding Christ's sheep and lambs, here commanded to St. Peter, should be meant a universal and uncontrollable monarchy and dominion over the whole Christian church, and that over the apostles themselves and their successors in ordinary, and this power and supermacy solely invested in St. Peter, and those who were to succeed him in the see of Rome, is so wild an infer-vellers tell us, that the impression of his foot is ence, and such a melting down words to run into any shape, as could never with any face have been offered, or been possible to have been imposed upon the belief of mankind, if men had not first subdued their reason to their interest, and captivated both to an implicit faith and a blind obedience. For granting that our Lord here addressed his speech only unto Peter, yet the very same power, in equivalent terms, is elsewhere indifferently granted to all the apostles, and in some measure to the ordinary pastors and governors of the church as when our Lord told them, that "all power" was given him “in heaven and in earth," by virtue whereof they should "go teach and baptize all nations," and "preach the gospel to every creature:" that they should "feed God's flock, rule well," inspect and "watch over" those over whom they had the authority and rule. Words of as large and more express signification than those which were here spoken to St. Peter.

5. Our Lord having thus engaged Peter to a cheerful compliance with the dangers that might attend the discharge and execution of his office, now particularly intimates to him what that fate was that should attend him; telling him, that

showed at this day; but it is that of his right foot only, the other being taken away by the Turks, and, as it is said, kept in the temple at Jerusalem. Our Lord being thus taken from them, the apostles were filled with a greater sense of his glory and majesty than while he was wont familiarly to converse with them; and having performed their solemn adorations to him, returned back to Jerusalem, waiting for the promise of the Holy Ghost, which was shortly after conferred upon them.— "They worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy."* They who lately were overwhelmed with sorrow at the very mention of their Lord's departure from them, entertained it now with joy and triumph; being fully satisfied of his glorious advancement at God's right hand, and of that particular care and providence which they were sure he would exercise towards them, in pursuance of those great trusts he had committed to them.

SECTION VII.

till the Dispersion of the Church.

though when he was young he girt himself, lived Of St. Peter's Acts, from our Lord's Ascension at his own pleasure, and went whither he pleased; yet when he was old he should stretch forth his hands, and another should gird and bind him, and THE holy Jesus being gone to heaven, the aposlead him whether he had no mind to go; intimat-tles began to act according to the power and coming, as the evangelist tells us, "by what death he should glorify God;" that is, by crucifixion, the martyrdom which he afterwards underwent. And then, rising up, commanded him to follow him; by this bodily attendance mystically implying his conformity to the death of Christ, that he should follow him in dying for the truth and testimony of the gospel. It was not long after that our Lord appeared to them, to take his last farewell of them; when leading them out unto Bethany, a little village upon the mount of Olives, he briefly told them, that they were the persons whom he had chosen to be the witnesses both of his death and resurrection; a testimony which they should bear to him in all parts of the world; in order to which

mission he had left with them. In order whereunto, the first thing they did after his ascension was to fill up the vacancy in their college, lately made by the unhappy fall and apostacy of Judas. To which end, no sooner were they returned to Jerusalem, but they went as uncpwov, "into an upper room." Where this veрwоv was, whether in the house of St. John, or of Mary, John-Mark's mother, or in some of the out-rooms belonging to the temple, (for the temple had over the cloisters several chambers for the service of the priests and levites, and as repositories where the consecrated vessels and utensils of the temple were laid up; though it be not probable that the Jews, and especially the priests, would suffer the apostles and their company to be so near the temple,) I stand

Luke xxiv. 52.