in feeding the multitude with five loaves and two fishes. When the people were satisfied, Jesus commanded the disciples to enter into a boat, and cross over to Capernaum, while he went up into the mountain to pray. But before the vessel could reach the opposite shore, a tempest arose, and the disciples were in imminent danger of their lives, being wearied with rowing, and the wind blowing furiously against them. In this distress, about the dawn of day, they beheld a human form walking by them upon the billows; at which astonishing spectacle they cried out with terror, thinking it was an apparition; but when our Lord addressed them, "Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid!" Peter answered, "Lord, if it be thou, bid me to come unto thee on the water." With this request Jesus complied; and as long as Peter relied upon the divinity of his master, he was superior to the elements; but as his fears increased, his faith failed, and he began to sink beneath the treacherous waves. In this exigency he cried out, "Lord save me!" and the hand of Jesus raised him with this gentle rebuke, "O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?"

Some time after the celebration of the passover at Jerusalem, our Lord went towards Cæsarea Philippi, and being disengaged from the multitudes which usually followed him, he said to his disciples, "Whom do men say that I, the Son of Man, am ?” They accordingly related the different opinions which were entertained concerning him, some taking him for John the Baptist, risen from the dead; others for Elias, or one of the old prophets restored to life. This gave our Lord occasion to question his disciples concerning their own faith: since, as they had witnessed his miracles, and heard his public and private discourses, it was necessary for them to have a right judgment of his character. Having then learnt from them what opinions were ente. tained of him among the people, he said to the twelve, “But whom say ve that I am?" Peter, who

was always the most forward to address his master, "ade answer, in the name of his brethren, "Thou art the Christ, or the Messiah, the Son of the living God."

To this confession of faith, which manifested a just conception of his dignity and office, Jesus returned this answer, "Blessed art thou, Simon BarJona, for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven: and I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven." Matt. xvi. 17, 19.

This is the famous passage which the church of Rome adduces as the authority for her claim to infallibility, and the supremacy of her pontiff as the successor of St. Peter: but nothing can be more forced than such an application, and nothing is more equivocal than this alleged succession.

Though the gracious promise was addressed to Peter, it was not confined exclusively to him, but Lelonged to each of the faithful apostles, all of whom were to be, as well as himself, pillars in the church of God. The following paraphrase of a learned writer upon this text, fully clears up its meaning :"Thou shalt be one principal foundation in my building. By thy firmness, steadiness, courage, constancy and zeal, in this confession, thou shalt become an eminent founder of my church---a most successful preacher of my doctrine to the world, in the first age of the gospel: thou art Peter; thou art a rock, and upon this rock will I build my church. It follows, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it! That is, opposition and persecution even unte death shall never be able to stop the progress of my gospel. Our Saviour adds, in the words next following the text, " and I will give unto thee the keys U

of the kingdom of heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, shalt be loosed in heaven." That is, thou, Peter, shalt first open the kingdom of the Messiah, by publishing the gospel to the Gentiles, and by the terms of that doctrine which I commission you to preach on earth, shall every man's sentence be finally and judicially determined of God in heaven.*"

As a further proof that no supremacy was conferred upon Peter in this approbation of his confession, we may adduce the circumstance which afterwards occurred. Our blessed Saviour, knowing that the time of his passion was drawing near, began to prepare the minds of his disciples for the dismal scene, by showing unto them how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders, and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day."

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Peter, who had a vehement affection for his master, was greatly concerned at this declaration, which destroyed all the prospects he had entertained of the glorious reign of the Messiah. He could not reconcile the state of suffering with the promises that had been made; nor could he believe that such a condition was necessary in the great work of redemption.

His mind was intent upon the temporal establishment of Israel; and it is probable that the assurances which his Lord had given him, were interpreted by him in a sense connected with that expectation. When, therefore, he heard Jesus speak of" sufferings and death," he could no longer contain himself, but "took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord; this shall not be unto thee."

The severity of the reply, coming from the lips of meekness, is a plain indication that the motives of

Dr. Clarke's Sermon on Matt. xvi, 13. See also his Paraphrase on the Gospels.

the apostle in giving his advice were sensual and corrupt. "Then Jesus turned and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan; thou art an offence unto me, for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men." Matt. xvi. 23.

Passing over some lesser circumstances in the life of this apostle, as related in the gospels, we come to that affecting part of our Lord's history when he made the great preparation for his sacrifice by the institution of the holy Eucharist.

Towards the end of the paschal supper, Jesus arose from the table, and, laying aside his loose upper garment, he took a towel, and pouring water into a basin, began to wash his disciples' feet. Surprised at such an instance of humiliation, Peter said, "Lord, dost thou so demean thyself as to wash my feet?" Jesus answered and said unto him, "What I do, thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter." This gracious explanation and promise, so far from satisfying the apostle, only inflamed his zeal into obstinacy, and he exclaimed, "Thou shalt never wash my feet."

The resistance of Peter arose from a principle of humility, from a sense of his own unworthiness, and a deep reverence for his master; still his conduct was reprehensible in opposing Divine wisdom, when exercised in a way which he could not understand. In the present instance we perceive human reason setting itself against heavenly mysteries, and the narrow judgment of man presuming to question the rectitude of the counsels of God.

This affectionate contention between the disciple and his Lord, is a very instructive lesson for all Christians, as it teaches them the necessity of an entire subjection of their wills to the dispensations of Providence, and of their understandings to the word of GOD.

The reply of Jesus to the declaration of Peter, completely overcame his scruples, and made him as eager in his submission, as he was before in his re

sistance. "Jesus answered and said unto him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. Simon Peter immediately saith unto him, Lord, if it be so, then wash not my feet only, but also my hands and my head."

After the institution of the holy communion, and the departure of Iscariot upon his work of treason, Jesus told his disciples that he was now about to be glorified. He also left then an injunction as his dying bequest, saying, "A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall men know that ye are my disciples, if love one to another."

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When Peter heard his master speak of leaving them, he said unto him, "Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go thou canst not follow me now, but thou shalt follow me afterwards:" intimating the martyrdom which he should undergo for the sake of Christ.

Our Saviour here added a remark which ought to have acted as a check upon the eager disposition of Peter, and to have made him more diffident in his declarations." Simon, Simon," said Jesus, "behold Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat; but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not; and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren."

The impatient disciple was not to be restrained even by this admonition; but being still anxious to prove his attachment to his master, as well as to discover the secret which, as he thought, lay hid in the declaration he had made, exclaimed, "Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake." Peter was no doubt sincere in his declaration; he neither wanted love to his Lord, nor resolution to defend him; but he had an over confidence in his own powers, and a restlessness of disposition which hurried him into inquiries without consideration.