almost unaccountable inconsistency, his bold and forward zeal for his Master's cause, and yet, at times, amazing and almost incredible cowardice,-something analogous to the hidden conflicts and inner experience of our own soul's history.

I would remark, in passing, I think it must be admitted that, in the many different classes of persons associated with our Lord in this last eventful week of his earthly history, we have proof that the Holy Ghost intends to present us with types of character. Judas, who betrayed him, is the type of a large class who love property more than principle, and who make religion subservient to temporal interests. The officers, who bound Jesus and struck him, represent another class,men who are the tools of the world, always ready to please their superiors at any cost, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage, and willing, when occasion serves, to betray the most sacred cause. In the soldiers, who made merry, mocking, jesting, robing him with purple, and crowning him with thorns, we have another class and type of character,-the men who can trifle and jest about holy things, making fools of themselves in order to excite the thoughtless frivolity of others. In Pilate we have also the type of a large class, those who love the praise of men more than the praise of God, and who will do violence to conscience in order to gain popularity. In the apostles we have, lastly, represented to us various types of men-no two of them alike; but, however various their dispositions, however different their general characteristics, one common spirit animated them, one common love pos

sessed them, one common object was their "all in all”. they followed Christ. As Peter on one occasion, speaking for the rest of the disciples, said, when asked by the Lord, "Will ye also go away ?" "Lord," saith he, "to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life.”

In the history of the fall and restoration of the apostle Peter, there is much corresponding to the spiritual inner history of every real Christian before me; the details only are different. Deeply and experimentally are we taught how little any of us-the strongest believer amongst ushas reason to boast of his own strength, or rely on his own resources or his most sincere resolutions; while, on the other hand, there are few records in the Word of God more calculated to set forth fully the great, the unbounded, and allsubduing grace which is in the Lord Jesus Christ, than this history.

Now, first, who was Peter, and what was Peter? He was a poor fisherman, hardly earning a scanty livelihood upon the lake of Galilee: he was also a poor, fallen child of Adam-a poor, corrupt sinner. Alas! it seems but too evident a matter, and too sadly and easily proved, that oaths and falsehood and blasphemy were abundantly familiar to him; but the God of glory loved that poor fisherman; the Son of God came down from heaven to seek him and to save. He passed by one day while Peter was following his trade, little thinking upon that ambassador from heaven,— little thinking upon mercy, or salvation, or eternal love for him. The time was the time of love, and the Lord called Peter to himself. He communicated to him all his heart,

told him the wondrous mission he had come from heaven to perform, privileged him, as one of the few, to go forth and proclaim to sinners the height and depth, and length and breadth, of the love of God. Thus he found him, and forgave him all; and Peter became one of the favoured three, the circle within the circle of the apostles. We find him in the chamber of death, when the Lord restored to life the little maid. We find him again in a peculiar position of privilege upon the mount of transfiguration, where he was permitted to converse with Elijah and Moses and to see Jesu in glory; to hear their conversation, and learn what occupied most the thoughts and hearts of the glorified ones above, viz., "the decease which Jesus was to accomplish at Jerusalem." And, finally, we find him, as we read to-day, entering with the Lord into the garden of Gethsemane, and sitting down professedly to watch while Jesus went "to pray yonder," where "his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground." Blessed wert thou, Simon Bar-Jona! Blessed were the eyes that saw the things that thou didst see, and the ears that heard the things that thou didst hear. What eye had not seen, nor ear heard, nor ever entered the heart of man to conceive, God did reveal to thee; not flesh and blood, but thy Father which was in heaven. Thou shouldest have died with Jesus ere thou shouldest have denied him :"Simon, Simon, Satan desired to have thee, that he might sift thee as wheat, but I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not; and, when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren."

The fall of Peter was, I have no doubt, the greatest fall on record. We have to consider the eminence from which a man falls, and the depths into which he falls; and whether we take the height from which he fell, or the depths into which he fell, I think the fall of Peter was the greatest fall on record. He was more warned than David; he lived in a light Noah did not possess, and with which Lot was not acquainted. Judas' fall was as nothing compared to Peter's. There was no grace in Judas; there was very much grace in Peter, chief among the apostles,-solemnly warned of the dangers prepared for him, and of the anxiety of Satan to trip him up,―pledged in the most solemn way, "Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee;" and after he had partaken with the Lord of the emblems of the Body that was about to be broken, and of the Blood about to be shed; and after teaching such as few had ever enjoyed, and comforts such as only Christ could give, "Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid; I go to prepare a place for you, and I will come again and receive you to myself, and where I am there ye shall be also:" and "I will pray the Father and he will give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever."

Then think of what a trifling temptation overcame this apostle the sneer of a servant-maid! Then the denial three times repeated. First it was in evasion; he pretended he did not understand the language of the person addressing herself to him: "I know not what thou sayest." Then an oath: "I do not know the man." Mark the sneer. It was the first time the expression fell from the lips of Peter,

"the man." And then, lest he might not be believed―lest, indeed, his speech might bewray him-he began to curse and to swear: "I know not the man of whom ye speak." "Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe." Oh, "let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall," and let the prayer of the Psalmist be upon the lips of all who profess the name of Jesus: "Hold back thy servant from presumptuous sins, lest they get the dominion over me.'

We

How Peter grieved Christ! I greatly err if, amongst the many bitter drops infused into the cup of Christ, there was a bitterer earthly drop than Peter's denial of him. read of an incident in Roman history, how the great Cæsar was set upon by the conspirators who took him away, and how he defended himself until he saw Brutus amongst the gang, and then saying, "What thou, too, Brutus!" he folded his arms and submitted himself to his murderers. Ah, that was nothing to this scene.

Very interesting it is, and very instructive, too, to notice the steps by which Peter descended into this great sin. Generally, before our tongues are untrue to the Lord, our hearts have wandered from him; before our conduct betrays our alienation, a considerable amount of alienation-unrecognised, perhaps, by ourselves, and undiscovered by our fellows has already taken place. You remember the beginnings of Peter's fall. When the Lord took a towel and girded himself, and began to wash his disciples' feet, Peter would not consent: "Thou shalt never wash my feet," he said. Here was false humility: it was real pride. I tell you, friends, not only must the Son of God wash the