will direct us, as the only true source of comfort under our various imperfections, to him whose intercession availed for his sinning disciple: "Simon, Simon," said our blessed Lord, "behold Satan hath desired to have thee that he may sift thee as wheat, but I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail thee not 1."

If we look through the Gospels it will not be difficult for us to find many instances which will prove to us that Peter was a man of considerable personal intrepidity. When Jesus, in a storm at sea2, appeared to his disciples, who were passing in a vessel over the lake of Genesareth, walking on the waves, Peter alone ventured to request that he might be permitted to come to him on the same uncertain element; and it is no impeachment of his natural courage, however it may be a proof of his want of true faith in his Lord, that, in so novel a situation, his confidence might at length give way, and that, being afraid, he should begin

1 Luke xxii. 31.

2 Matt. xiv. 28.

to sink. The mere desiring to put himself into so dangerous a situation, the mere venturing to quit his ship, and to give himself up to a stormy sea, is of itself a great proof of personal intrepidity.

We have another evidence of his earnestness and boldness, in a circumstance which befel shortly after the resurrection. Peter and some others of the disciples having rallied from that dispersion which took place on their Lord's seizure, had, it seems, betaken themselves to their former occupation of fishers. For a whole night they toiled without success. In the morning Jesus, whom at the distance at which he stood they knew not, appeared to them on the shore, and having desired them to let down the net on the right side of the ship, they immediately inclosed a vast number of fishes.

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said one of the disciples, "It is the Lord'." Now, when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, for he was naked, and did cast him

1 John xxi. 7.

self into the sea; and the other disciples came in a little ship." This is a further proof of the boldness, of the zeal, and of the earnest disposition of St. Peter.

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1

He had, moreover, given evidence of this, in his ready confession of his Lord. "Whom," said Jesus to his disciples, "do men say that I am1?" The answer was, "Some say Moses, and some Elias, and some that one of the old prophets is risen again." "But whom," continued our Lord, " say ye that I am?" And Peter answered and said, "Thou art the Christ the Son of the living God." And in reward for this his ready and confiding reply he obtained the promise, "I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom; and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

It was this favoured disciple who was so conspicuously to fall; and yet he did not fall unforewarned. As the time ap

1 Matt. xvi. 13. Luke ix. 18.

proached when our Lord was to be delivered up to the hands of sinful men, he began to prepare his followers for the event. He assembled them together to eat with him the feast of the passover; and he then consoled them by various expressions of love, of admonition, and of affection; at length he led them to the garden, where he knew that his betrayer would deliver him up. There it was that he revealed to them what was to happen, and foretold their weakness. "All ye shall be offended because of me this night, for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad." The other disciples, as it were, conscious of their own weakness, remained silent; but the bold spirit of Peter could not bear this imputation. "Lord," he exclaimed, “I am ready to go with thee both into prison and to death 2." "I tell thee, Peter," said our Lord, "the cock shall not crow this day before thou shalt thrice deny that

1 Matt. xxvi. 31.

2 Luke xxii. 33.

thou knowest me." Peter, confident in his own integrity of purpose, and relying on his natural courage, with reiterated boldness declared, "Though I should die with thee yet will I not deny thee." And then the others, animated by his example, joined with him in the assertion; "Likewise also said all the disciples."

It needs not to tell of our blessed Saviour's agony in the garden, or how these bold professors, in the midst of his distress, fell asleep. At length the soldiers, and the traitor approached, the infamous deceitful kiss, the concerted signal, was given, and the soldiers prepared to bind their prisoner. The disciples were awakened from their sleep, and their terror and confusion may well be imagined. But Peter's courage seems to have been roused by the tumult, and at first he well sustained his character. He drew his sword, he attacked his Master's enemies, and one of them he severely wounded. Could his Lord have been rescued by mere external force, his was the arm which would have done it. But Jesus