his Master; and therefore it was fit and reasonable, that he should first see him alive after his resurrection. Chrysostom further remarks, that Peter had lately denied his Lord, the grief whereof lay hard upon him; and that our Saviour was therefore willing to administer some consolation to him, and, as soon as might be, to let him see that he had not cast him off: like the kind Samaritan he made haste to help him, and to pour oil into his wounded conscience".

In the twenty-first chapter of St. John's Gospel is the narrative of a remarkable appearance of our Lord, in which St. Peter bore a conspicuous part and had a particular interest. When our Lord had shewn himself, probably in some unusual habit, to Peter and John and several others of his disciples; and John, having discovered him by his causing a miraculous draught of fishes, had declared to Peter that it was the Lord; the latter immediately with affectionate and ready zeal "girt his fisher's coat about him, and cast himself into the sea" impatient to welcome his divine Master. To the question afterwards put to him by the Lord, "Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these?" possibly in allusion to that superior degree of at

d Dr. Cave.

A a

tachment which he had rashly boasted before his fall, "Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended," he now answered with an humility and moderation, which that fall appears to have taught him, "Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee." The question was put three several times to Peter, and each time received the like answer, and was each time followed by the like injunction, "Feed my sheep." Thus, did the Lord judge fit, that he, who by a threefold denial had renounced his allegiance, should by a threefold confession re-assert and confirm it: and thus did he shew that he accepted his profession of love, and renewed to him his apostolical commission. His charge was succeeded by a prophetical warning of the manner, in which the Apostle should glorify God by his death; and by an encouragement to follow his Lord in bearing undeviating testimony to the truth in the service to which he was appointed.

Soon after our Lord's ascension, Peter proposed to the disciples that another Apostle should be chosen in the room of Judas Iscariot'. On the day of Pentecost next ensuing, when the promised gift of the Holy Ghost had been shed forth, Peter standing up with the

eleven preached to the assembled multitude, and produced a conversion of about three thousand souls. Soon afterwards he together with John healed at the beautiful gate of the temple a man who had been lame from his birth, and thereupon addressed the people with efficacy and success and being brought before the council, and imprisoned, and threatened with further punishment, pleaded boldly and resolutely in the name of Jesus". When Ananias and Sapphira kept back part of the price of their land, with a false assertion that they had given the whole, Peter charged them with "lying to the Holy Ghost," that is " to God," whereupon they were smitten by the hand of God with immediate death. Amongst " the signs and wonders, which were wrought in the midst of the people by the hands of the Apostles," those of Peter bore a distinguished place, “insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them." And when the Apostles were apprehended, and brought before the council, and again commanded "not to teach in the name of Jesus," Peter and the other Apo

& Acts ii. 14—47. kActs v. 12-16.

h Acts iii. iv.

i Acts v. 1-11.

4

stles maintained the necessity of their bearing -witness to that name, asserting that they ought to" obey God rather than man'."

Thus far St. Peter was residing in Jerusalem. Soon after we find him deputed by the Apostles with St. John to visit the Church recently planted in Samaria by Philip the deacon, "laying their hands upon" the newly-baptized converts; thus confirming them by that rite, which has since been maintained in the Christian Church; and conveying to them" the gift of the Holy Ghost:" severely rebuking Simon Magus for supposing that "the gift of God might be purchased with money:" and thence "returning to Jerusalem, and preaching the Gospel in many villages of the Samaritans" on the way.

Again we find him, availing himself probably of the rest which the Churches enjoyed "throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria," passing through all parts of the country, and leaving where he went some signal proof of the supernatural power, with which he was endued. At Lydda, Æneas, a paralytick, “who had kept his bed eight years," was in the name of Jesus made immediately whole. And at Joppa, Tabitha was restored to life and health,

1 Acts v. 29.

Acts viii. 14—25.

after she had died and was laid out for her burial".

“

From Joppa, in compliance with a request from Cornelius, a Gentile and "a centurion of the Italian band," and in obedience to a special revelation from beaven, St. Peter went to Cæsarea by the sea-side, the city where the Roman governor had his residence. There he preached to Cornelius, and his kinsmen and near friends, so that the Holy Ghost fell on all them that heard the word." The Apostle hereupon caused them to be "baptized in the name of the Lord":" and, on his return to Jerusalem, his account of the supernatural circumstances attending that important event convinced the Apostles and other disciples, who were offended at his conduct in holding communion with men uncircumcised, that he had acted in conformity with the will of God, so that "they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life." Thus the door of faith was opened by Peter to the Gentile world; and thenceforth the Gospel was freely and successfully preached to them as well as to the Jews.

Peter probably now continued at Jerusalem, till his imprisonment by Herod Agrippa, who

"Acts ix. 32–42.

• Acts x.

P Acts xi. 18.