of his weakness was a warning which Peter did not forget. With humility he implored that assistance from God without which he was convinced he could do nothing. The aid so besought was not withheld from him; and thus strengthened, he was, indeed, able to follow his divine Master to prison and to death, and, finally, to lay down his life for his sake, whom we see he once thus shamefully and pusillanimously denied.

But how does this story apply to us? What are the lessons which we are to learn from it?

Its great use must be to teach us what frail weak creatures we are of ourselves, unless supported by the Spirit of God; and how little natural courage will avail us against our ghostly enemy, unless we have that courage which is from within, founded on a sure confidence and faith in our great Protector. And let us be assured that our spiritual adversary is well aware in what point our weakness lies, and well knows where we are most yulnerable. St. Peter was a man of per

sonal intrepidity, and it was not there that he attacked him; he took him by surprise; he shewed him his Lord a prisoner and degraded; he made him to be despised and rejected of men ;" and then he caused him to be challenged as to his knowledge of him.

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In the same way does he often act with us. Many are possessed of great constitutional bravery, and were they plainly told that their Saviour demanded their lives, that he would be pleased would they but sacrifice themselves for his sake, they would not for a moment hesitate; they would gladly march to the scaffold, or the stake, and suffer the severest martyrdom in zeal for their religion.

But let the very same persons be required to obey, in their lives and conduct, the precepts of the Gospel; let them, while endeavouring to act in subservience to these, be exposed to the assaults of obloquy or ridicule; let the sceptic sneer at them, let the scoffer deride them; let the fool utter something which may imply contempt of their zeal, and call it

enthusiasm, how soon will they shrink from the imputation, will " deny the Lord who bought them';" after having put their hand to the plough will turn themselves back, and will forget our Saviour's declaration, "He that shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of Man be ashamed when he cometh in his glory 2."

This is, perhaps, the most common way in which our blessed Saviour may be denied by us; for, thanks be given to God almighty therefore, we are not now exposed to open persecution on account of our religion. But, still, the time has been, and it may come again, when violence and outrage may assail our stedfastness. Then will the timid be tried; he who could bear ridicule, but could not face open danger; then will he have to steel his mind with the remembrances of God's will, to awaken his courage by the hopes of immortality, and to animate his faith by the prospect of "the recompence

1 2 Pet. ii. 1.

2 Luke ix. 26. 62.

of the reward!" At all times he will have to call to mind his Saviour's words, and they will be, under every form of adversity, his surest comfort; "He that does not take up his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple."

And

From both these trials may God guard us, or, at least, may he so interpose in our behalf, that we may not be tempted above what we are able to bear. that he may do so, let us obey our Saviour's exhortation to his own disciples in their hour of trial: "Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation, the spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak 2." By such conduct shall we always be preparing ourselves for the encounter, and securing ourselves a most powerful ally in it. We shall constantly be examining our hearts, anticipating our trials, and then, when they come, they will be softened, they will be diminished. Firm in our confidence in God, animated with hope, through Christ, we shall enter

1 Heb. xi. 26.

2 Matt. xxvi. 41.

into them with diffidence, but we shall proceed in them with success; and finally we shall find that, by the blessing of God,

those light afflictions which are but for a moment shall work out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory'

Which God of his infinite mercy grant, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

12 Cor. iv. 17.