of the sacred writers, who would rather relate circumstances discreditable to themselves and their companions, than deprive mankind of the benefit to be derived from such lessons of human frailty. Woe be to us if we make an ill use, or if we make not a good use, of that which they have written for our improvement!

Our blessed Saviour, having celebrated with his disciples the last passover which he would ever partake of in their company, and which, as a memorial of his love, he had converted from a Jewish ceremony into a Christian sacrament, went out with them (i. e. with the eleven, for Judas was already gone to prepare for the accomplishment of his wicked purpose) to the Mount of Olives, where he had been so often used to devote to wakeful prayer the hours which others were spending in sleep. "It was dark," and the spirits of the party no doubt accorded with the gloominess of the season; for it was no feast of revelry, and joyous merriment, from which they had risen, although they had been commemorating the happy deliverance of their forefathers from the destroying angel, and from Egyptian bondage, yet the joy, which might have arisen from the remembrance of these mercies, was repressed by the prospect of that great affliction which approached. Sad to them must have

sounded the words, "this is my body which is broken for you"-"this is my blood which is shed for you;" and still more dismal, when Jesus himself, "troubled in spirit," "testified and said, verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me." No wonder that they were, as the Evangelist relates, "exceeding sorrowful;" at the announcement of his departure, “sorrow had filled their hearts." How much must that feeling have been aggravated, when they were informed that one of their own party, who had dipped his hand in the same dish with his master, should be the wretch to betray him into the hands of his enemies! Thus dejected and melancholy, they followed Him towards the Mount of Olives; and as they were on the way, "Jesus saith unto them, all ye shall be offended because of me this night; for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered," "all ye shall be offended;" this was worse to them, than "one of you shall betray me;" for though indeed they then " doubted of whom He spake," and, as if each thought it possible he might be the person alluded to, asked one by one, "Is it I? Is it I?" yet there were, at all events, eleven out of the twelve not included in the charge, and probably all had their suspicions, who the traitor was; therefore they did not think it necessary

on that occasion, to make any protestations of their fidelity. But now when all, without exception, were involved, none could escape by supposing the imputation meant only for his neighbour; so that each felt himself challenged to express his own abhorrence of the thought, and his own attachment to his Master. But who should be the first to speak? He who was first on most occasions, shall he be backward now, when his firm and resolute adherence to his Lord is called in question? Surely he will be stedfast, though the love of others should wax cold. "Peter answered and said unto Him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended." Observe, there is no doubting, no hesitation, no fears or distrust of himself; though his faith had failed once already, and he might have remembered the reproof, "O thou of little faith!"-though he had been so shocked at the mere prediction of the very events by which his constancy was now to be tried, that he had even taken upon himself to rebuke his Lord for speaking of things that appeared to him quite incredible, and might have remembered the severe reply, "get thee behind me Satan, thou art an offence unto me;" still, his former errors had not yet taught him this humbling lesson, to be suspicious of himself;

he must be laid lower still, before he can be convinced of his weakness; his confidence, at present, is unabated; it is not a wish, a hope, a prayer, that he expresses; it is a fixed and decided resolution, from which nothing shall move him; "though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended."

It was probably after this asseveration that Christ spoke what follows, which St. Luke only, who has omitted the preceding part of the conversation, has recorded; "Simon, Simon, Satan hath desired to have you, (i. e. all the Apostles,) 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 former prediction was general; it applied to the whole party without distinction; and even that, Peter thought it necessary to ward off from himself. He is now pressed more closely; he is warned that the danger is serious; that Satan himself designs to prove him, by the exercise of all his art and power; that his own faith is most in jeopardy, since his Divine Master had prayed for him in particular; nay, it is plainly intimated that it will be overcome, because he is instructed what to do when he is converted, when he shall rise again from his fall. But still, even this did not persuade him; he was more certain of his

own strength than even of the prophetic knowledge of Christ, whom he had confessed with assurance to be the "Son of the living God:" so he speaks with the boldness of a man who has made up his mind for whatever may happen, and is determined to run all hazards; nothing shall shake him; "Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death." What could his Lord say to this? could he any longer suspect so faithful and courageous a follower? one who was ready to encounter all danger for his sake? If Christ had not known him better than he knew himself, this would certainly have been satisfactory; but he was fully aware both of the power of the enemy, and of the frailty of the man; and as a last admonition, that he might not be so confident, and that he might be more on his guard, or at least that after his fall, might have a clearer perception, and be more affected by the experience of his great weakness, he informs him distinctly and explicitly, of the particular circumstances of that temporary apostacy of which he should be guilty; "I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest But the more particular, the more did the charge appear past all belief; he must now cut the matter short by a more earnest tone and

me."