Imatges de pàgina
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of young men is their strength. They can gird themselves; and go with ease, and speed whither they would. And let them use well their powers and opportunities. Let them be active and useful, and prepared for the future. Other days will come; and when they shall be old, they shall stretch forth their hands, and another shall gird them, and carry them whither they would not-They will be helpless and dependent. People long for age-but what is it but longing for days in which we have no pleasure; when we shall be dim-sighted; and hard of hearing; and tremblings will come upon us; and the grasshopper will be a burden; and desire fail! These are the effects of the state -if by reason of strength our years are threescore and ten, yet is their strength labour and sorrow. Let us secure succour against such a period. It is said, an old man has no friend but his money. But if we are kind, and live not to ourselves, we shall not want those who will rock the cradle of our age. And, above all, God will be our comfort and strength; and bear and carry us; and gently take us to himself; where our youth shall be renewed like the eagle's, and mortality swallowed up of life.

But our Lord we are assured designed to intimate, that after Peter had served him as an Apostle, he was to honour him as a martyr-" signifying by what death he should glorify God." Thus,

First. Our Lord foresaw Peter's sufferings, and the manner in which he was to finish his courseAnd he foresees all that shall befall each of us. We know not what a day may bring forth. But nothing is left to chance. No event will turn up that is new to him; and for which he has not provided.

Secondly. Peter was not to die till he should be old. Very good and useful men have been removed in the midst of life-and this is one of the most mysterious dispensations of Providence. But this is not always the case. Religion conduces to

health and longevity. Many of God's most eminent servants have "filled their days," and come to the grave in a good old age, like a shock of corn fully ripe, in its season. And the hoary head is a crown of glory, when it is found in the way of righteousness. Such a man is not only a kind of physical wonder-that he should have been preserved so long with such a feeble frame, and exposed to so many outward dangers: but a moral wonder-that with such a heart, and in such a world, he should have held on his way, and kept his garments clean, and been without offence. He is a monument to the

glory of divine grace.

Thirdly. He was to die by crucifixion. This is the meaning of his "stretching forth his hands, and being girded and carried whither he would not”i.e. his arms would be extended on a cross, and he would be bound, to be led to a death of violence, not agreeable to his feelings, and at which nature would revolt. For religion does not divest us of humanity; an aversion to pain is not inconsistent with submission to the will of God; we may love the result of death, and shudder at the passage. Paul wished not to be unclothed, but clothed upon : and Jesus himself, with strong cryings and tears, said, Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me. Peter would, and would not; there was nature in him, as well as grace. And while the spirit would be willing, the flesh would be weak. We see this related of some of the martyrs. Latimer, in one of his Letters in Prison, says to his friend-"Oh! pray for me! I sometimes shudder, and could creep into a mousehole; and then the Lord visits me again with his comforts; and thus, by his coming and going, shews me my infirmity." Ridley, at the stake, said to the smith, that was driving in the staple, "Knock it in hard, my good fellow; for the flesh may have its freaks." And when they were leading Rawlins along to the flames, chancing to see his wife and chil

dren among the crowd, he burst into a flood of tears and, striking his breast, he exclaimed, "Ah! flesh, you would have your way; but I tell thee, by the grace of God, thou shalt not gain the victory."

Lastly. His death was to issue in the Divine glory. Persecution has always been overruled to advance the cause it aimed to destroy. The wrath of man has praised God. The blood of the martyrs has been the seed of the churches. The death of such men has been honourable to the truth and grace of the Gospel. It has awakened attention, and induced inquiry; and, by displaying the temper and supports of the sufferers, such impressions have been made upon the spectators, that, before the ashes were extinguished, others were ready to be baptised for the dead.

We are not martyrs. But we are often called to suffer; and we may glorify God in the fires. There is only one way into the world; but there are many ways out. By which of these we are to pass, we know not. But we may glorify God by the death we shall die-if we are enabled to exercise faith, patience, and repentance; if the joy of the Lord is our strength; and we can, from experience, recommend his service.

For this, we should be concerned. And, but for this, we presume many would desire to die "softly, suddenly, and alone"-Yet what they should choose, they wot not. They, therefore, leave all with their Heavenly Father-only praying, that Christ may be magnified in their body, whether it be by life or by death.

AUG. 3.-" And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me. Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which

also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? Peter seeing him, saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou me.' John xxi. 19-22.

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THIS is another part of the discourse when they had dined. It is the reproof of Peter, who, though recovered from his fall, and re-commissioned to his office, was not faultless-Who can understand his errors?

The case was this. As soon as our Lord had tried Peter's love, and predicted his death, he said unto him, "Follow me." This is to be taken literally: for though it might be intended as a symbol, yet he now arose from his seat, and, walking away from the company, he told Peter to come after himprobably wishing to have some communication with him apart. Peter obeyed. But John, seeing this, and fearing that our Lord was departing, and would take Peter along with him, could not remain where he was and so he followed them--silent and anxious, and, perhaps, weeping. Peter, turning round, sees him; and asks, "Lord, and what shall this man do?" It is probable this arose partly from an affec. tionate concern for his companion; and, considering the peculiar friendship there was between them, we might have considered the question as excusable, if not even laudable.

But we are sure it was wrong in the motive. Peter, instead of being satisfied with a knowledge of his own duty and destiny, and praying to be able to perform the one, and endure the other; wishes to pry into John's future circumstances-to know what was to become of him; whether he also should suffer; and what death he should die. This, in the view of him who reproved not according to the hearing of the ear, involved in it an improper curiosity-a principle,

when indulged, always the most unprofitable in itself, and often the most rude in its exercise, and injurious in its effects. Our Lord always discouraged it; and therefore he here rebukes Peter in these memorable words "If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou me"-as I have commanded thee.-How many things engage our time and attention, which do not concern us! How often do we turn from what is plain and important; and perplex or amuse ourselves with what is too distant for us to reach; too deep for us to fathom; too complicated for us to unravel; or too trifling to merit regard! When poring over the future state of the Heathen, and the destiny of idiots, and the decrees of God, and the union of fore-knowledge and free-agency, and the fulfilment of Prophecy; is not the Saviour asking, "What is that to thee? Follow thou me"? "The secret things belong unto the Lord our God; but those things which are revealed belong unto us, and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this Law."

Our present knowledge is proportioned to our present state. More information upon certain subjects would now injure, rather than improve, by multiplying our diversions, and drawing us more off from the one thing needful. We are now in a state of action and preparation. Let us leave the knowledge that is too wonderful for us. A daylabourer will gain more of it in a moment after he enters heaven, than any philosopher or divine can acquire by the toil of a whole life. Let us wait the great teacher, Death, and God adore-Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

But what have we to do? FOLLOW THOU ME. Lord, help me to follow thee, as thy disciple and thy servant-immediately, without delay-freely, without constraint-fully, without reserve and constantly, without change, or a shadow of turning!

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