Chapter XVII: Part 17

BIOGRAPHY, as one observes, is the best history; or, in other words, writing or reading the lives of great and good men, is one of the most profitable and delightful kinds of history we can entertain ourselves with. For hereby we are convinced, that Wisdom’s ways are indeed ways of pleasantness; and being proved to be practicable by men of like passions with ourselves, we are insensibly allured to follow them as they followed _Christ_, and encouraged to run with patience the race set before us. This, one would hope, is the grand end proposed by all such who undertake to draw the characters, or hand down to posterity the remarkable transactions of persons who have shone as lights in the church of GOD. Many have done worthily in this respect; and for this their labour of love, thousands as yet unborn, shall rise and call them blessed. But without detracting any thing from their due praise, I cannot help observing, that in most of the lives that I have had an opportunity of perusing, there seems to be one deficiency, I could almost say, common to them all. It is this: The writers of them seldom or never mention the blemishes or falls of those whose characters they exhibit. They emblazon their good, without so much as hinting at any of their bad qualities. In short, they paint them blameless, and by not mentioning any of their foibles, or the sins that did most easily beset them, they make them, as it were, equal to the angels of GOD, or rather to the Son of GOD himself, of whom alone it can truly be said, “That he was without sin.” Such a method, (however well meant, because we are more prone to imitate others vices than their virtues) to speak in the softest terms, is not according to the pattern shewn us in the mount. The scriptures set us a different copy. In those lively oracles, as in a well-drawn picture, we have both shade and light; and at the same time as they paint out to us, in the most striking manner, the graces for which the holy men of old were most eminent, they also, with an equally impartial hand, expose to public view, not only the common infirmities, but even some of the most dreadful falls, with all their aggravating circumstances, of some of the greatest men of GOD that ever did, or will live, till time itself shall be no more.

One of these is to be the mournful subject of our present meditation. _Procul ite profani!_ Let all profane persons keep at an awful distance: We are going to tread on holy ground. I set an hedge about it in the name of the living GOD. Come not too nigh the mount, lest that which was written for your learning, through your own perverse abuse of it, should prove unto you a further occasion of falling.

If any should enquire, “Why all this caution?” I answer, “We are about to discourse on the Apostle _Peter_’s shameful denial of his and our blessed Lord and Saviour JESUS CHRIST.” A passage recorded by all the evangelists, St. _Mark_ himself not excepted, who is supposed to have been emanuensis to St. _Peter_, and to have taken his gospel from _Peter_’s own mouth. A proof this, not only of the impartiality of the sacred writers, but also that the Holy Ghost intended that this awful story should, in an especial manner, be recorded for our learning, on whom the ends of the world are come. But though all the evangelists are very explicit in relating this perfidious and wicked act, yet we shall chiefly confine ourselves, at present, to the account given us of it in this xxvith chapter of St. _Matthew_, and, for method sake, purpose to consider,

_First_, The steps that led to this great man’s fall.

_Secondly_, The fall itself. And,

_Thirdly_, His recovery from it, mentioned in the text: “And
_Peter_ remembered the words of JESUS, which said unto him,
Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went
out and wept bitterly.”

But before we proceed to the prosecution of these points; it may be proper to premise, that we take it for granted the Apostle _Peter_, before his fall, was certainly a converted man. This is controverted by some. For what reason, is best known to themselves. The scriptures evidently leave us no room to dispute it. One passage may suffice for a proof. “Blessed art thou, _Simon Bar Jonah_ (said the glorious _Emmanuel_ to _Peter_, when he witnessed that good confession, Thou art CHRIST, the Son of the living GOD); for flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.” Not content with this, he adds, “Thou art _Peter_, and upon this rock will I build my church, and the gates of hell shall never be able to prevail against it:” Words that carry with them the strongest presumption, not only that _Peter_ was a converted man, but that he had some eminent place to be assigned him in the kingdom of grace. For our Lord pronounces him blessed: “Blessed art thou, _Simon Bar Jonah_:” and gives him a reason for it; “For flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee, but my heavenly Father.” So that _Peter_ called CHRIST Lord by the Holy Ghost, which none but a converted person can do. And further, “Upon this rock, says CHRIST, will I build my church;” which, whether it be understood of his confession of CHRIST’s divinity, or his being afterwards to be employed in first preaching the gospel to the _Gentiles_, seems to denote some peculiar favour and honour assigned to, and hereafter to be conferred upon him. It is true, indeed, the same all-seeing Redeemer, when afterwards he forewarned him of his fall, subjoined this particular command; “And when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.” But this only implies, that his fall would be so exceeding great, that his recovery out of it would be, as it were, a second conversion.

The steps that led to this terrible disaster, come now more particularly to be considered. In order to be informed of these, (as I take it for granted you have brought your Bibles with you) I must beg you to look back to the 33d verse of this chapter, where we shall find, that spiritual pride, and a too great dependence on a stock of grace already received, was one of the first steps discernible in this Apostle’s denial of his LORD――――The blessed JESUS, knowing all things that should befal him, after the solemn institution and celebration of his last supper, gave his disciples this tremendous warning, backed with a scripture prediction: “All ye (verse 31.) shall be offended because of me this night; for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.” A warning, one would imagine, terrible enough to have struck them all dumb, at least to have filled them with a holy jealousy of their own desperately wicked and deceitful hearts. But what says our Apostle? He (verse 33.) answered and said, “Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.” Poor _Peter_! How unlike thy former self, when at thy first calling, thou criedst out, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O LORD.” Alas! he now thinks his mountain is so strong, that it never could be moved. “Though all men should be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.” O these egotisms! How frequently are they used by, but how little do they become such frail creatures as we are! “Yet will I never be offended;” so far from being offended this night, that I will never, at any time, or in any place, be offended because of thee. No wonder, after hearing this, that the holy JESUS said unto him, (verse 34.) “Verily I say unto thee, that this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt, or will deny me thrice:” (for CHRIST’s predicting his fall, laid him under no necessity of falling). Surely _Peter_ will now retract! Nothing less. On the contrary, depending too much on the sincerity of his intentions, and his present good frame, he said unto his Master, (verse 35.) “Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee.” As though he should have said, “Die with thee I may; to die with or for thee, I am ready: but to deny thee, I dare not. Deny thee in any wise, I cannot, and neither will I. Is thy servant a dog, a devil, that he should do this?” Stop, _Peter_; whither art thou going? Where is thy present warm zeal carrying thee? What! wilt thou give the GOD of truth the lie? I begin to tremble for thee. Such self-confidence and spiritual pride, generally go before a fall.

But to proceed. Spiritual sloth, as well as spiritual pride, helped to throw this Apostle down. The sun, that glorious Sun of righteousness, was now about to enter into his last eclipse. Satan, who had left him for a season, or, till the season of his passion, is now to be permitted to bruise his heel again. This is his hour, and now the powers of darkness summon and exert their strongest and united efforts. A hymn is a prelude to his dreadful passion. From the communion-table, the Saviour retires to the garden. An horrible dread, and inexpressible load of sorrow begins to overwhelm and weigh down his innocent soul. His body can scarcely sustain it. See how he faulters! See how his hands hang down, and his knees wax feeble under the amazing pressure! He is afflicted and oppressed indeed. See, see, O my soul, how he sweats! But what is that which I see? Blood――drops of blood――great drops of blood falling to the ground. Alas, was ever sorrow like unto this sorrow! Hark! what is that I hear? O dolorous complaint? “Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me.” Hark! he speaks again. Amazing! the Creator complains to the creature, “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry you here and watch with me.” And now he retires once more. But see how his agony increases――Hark! how he prays, and that too yet more earnestly: “Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me.” And will his heavenly Father leave him comfortless? No.――An angel (happy, highly-favoured angel!) is sent from heaven to strengthen him. But where is _Peter_ all this while? We are told that the holy JESUS took him, with _James_ and _John_, into the garden. Surely he will not leave his LORD in such deep distress! What is he doing? I blush to answer. Alas! he is sleeping: nay, though awakened once by his agonizing LORD, with a “_Simon Peter_, sleepest thou? what! couldest thou not watch with me one hour?” yet his eyes, notwithstanding his profession of constancy and care, are heavy with sleep. LORD, what is man!

After hearing all this, we need not be surprized at the account given us, (verse 58.) of another step to his fall, viz. His following JESUS afar off. “But _Peter_, says the Evangelists, followed him afar off.” The Redeemer’s agony was now over, “and behold the hour is at hand, when he is to be betrayed into the hands of sinners.” He warns his sleepy disciples of it, and, acting like himself, goes out to meet the threatening storm. “Arise, said he let us go: behold! he that betrayeth me is at hand.” _Judas_, one of the twelve that eat of his bread, performs the hellish task, and lifts up his heel against him. He says, Hail, Master! kisses and then betrays him. For this was the sign agreed on, “Whomsoever I shall kiss, the same is he, hold him fast.” They knew the watch-word, and, like so many roaring lions, seize on their unresisting prey. This rouses _Peter_. Out of an honest, but misguided zeal, he draws his sword, and cuts off the High-priest’s servant’s ear. The blessed JESUS heals the one, reproves the other; and, according to _Isaiah_’s prophecy, is contentedly led as a lamb to the slaughter. _Peter_’s heat is soon cooled, and instead of adhering to his LORD, or saying, as might justly be expected, “Whither thou goest, I will go; whithersoever they lead thee, they shall lead me also:” Alas! alas! he followed him afar off. Observe, he does not deny his LORD all at once. No. Satan leads us on by degrees into great sins, and will not suffer us to be very bad immediately. _Peter_ at first follows afar off: he skulks behind, and keeps on purpose at a distance, lest he should be accounted one of his followers. O _Peter, Peter_, did I not know how prone my own deceitful heart is to go astray from the great Shepherd and Bishop of our souls, I should now begin to say, Fie upon thee, fie upon thee. Hadst thou kept close to thy LORD, thou mightest have been sheltered safely under his almighty wings; but how canst thou avoid falling, and that foully too, when thou beginnest thus to be ashamed of thy glorious master?

But this is not all. For we are not only informed that he followed JESUS afar off, but that “He went into the High Priest’s palace (verse 58.) and sat with the servants.” So that keeping bad company was another step that led to his great fall. Oh _Peter_! my blood begins now almost to run cold within me. I tremble for thee more than ever. What canst thou propose to thyself, or what bad thing may we not expect to hear of thee, when sitting in such sorry company? I had much rather have heard that thou hadst fled with thy other cowardly brethren. Thou sittest among thy master’s professed enemies to see the end. Whatever becomes of him, I dread to hear what the end of all this gradual backsliding will be, in respect to thy own soul.

Well! the blessed JESUS is now at the bar. Omnipotence suffers itself to be arraigned, and he who set bounds to the sea which it cannot pass, is content to be bound, and that as a criminal, by the work of his own hands. False witnesses rise up against him, and lay to his charge things that he knew not. “This fellow, say they, (verse 61.) said, I am able to destroy the temple of GOD, and to build it in three days.” And what reply doth the innocent JESUS make? None at all. Not only because they all knew that it was a malicious slander, but because he stood as our representative. He, therefore, held his peace, and as a sheep before the shearers is dumb, so this immaculate Lamb of GOD opened not his mouth. At length, being adjured thereto by the High priest in the name of the living GOD, he confesses himself to be the CHRIST, the son of the Blessed; and lets the imperious Sanhedrim know, that however contemptible his appearance might be now, yet they should hereafter see him sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. And does not this strike terror into his accusers and judges? By no means. The haughty High-Priest rises in disdain, hypocritically rends his cloaths, urging this as a reason, “He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses?” Was ever indignity, like this indignity, put on thee, thou most adorable Mediator! Which shall I marvel at most, the High-Priest’s impudence, or thy patience? Both, doubtless, are unparalleled. And yet, alas! a further trial awaits our suffering LORD. For whilst the master is thus arraigned, insulted, and causelesly condemned at the bar within, _Satan_ is no less busy in wounding him through _Peter_’s side, who was sitting in the palace without. _Peter_, indeed, thinks to sit there undiscovered; but a damsel comes to him, (verse 69) saying, “Thou also wast with JESUS of Galilee.” And what then? Was that high treason? Or rather was it not the highest honour? _Peter_, what sayest thou? Alas, (verse 70) “He denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest.” Know not what thou sayest, _Peter_? her words were plain enough, “Thou also was with JESUS of Nazareth.” Can any words be plainer? To deny this, in the least, was bad, but to deny this before them all, who could so easily confront thee, proves thee to be falling indeed. Call him now no longer _Peter_, but call him _Ichabod_: for the glory of the LORD is departing from him.

However, as yet there is hope concerning him. For, conscious, as it were, of his guilt (verse 71) “He went out into the porch.” _Satan_ pursues him. For when a saint begins to fall, his hellish language is, Down with him, down with him, even to the ground. Another damsel, therefore, is put in _Peter_’s way, who, upon seeing him, says, not unto _Peter_ himself, but to them that were there, (verse 71) “This fellow was also with JESUS of Nazareth.” She speaks the same language with her sister scoffer, and with those who accused the blessed JESUS at the bar. Doubtless, our modern scoffers are related to them, for they use the same dialect every day when speaking of CHRIST, or those that, through grace, dare to own and confess him before men. But here would I stop and feign be excused from relating to this great assembly _Peter_’s answer. Oh tell it not in _Gath_, publish it not in the streets of _Askelon_! But we must not be wise above what is written. The Holy Spirit hath left it upon record, and proclaimed it by four Evangelists upon the house-top, and, therefore, I am constrained to tell you, that again (verse 72.) “He denied with an oath, I do not know the man.” What! an Apostle swear? Was it not enough barely to deny the damsel’s assertion, but he must deny it with an oath? Perhaps, it was a crime he never was guilty of before. Surely, the way of sin is down-hill. One step leads to another. At first he only denied what was said to him, by a kind of equivocation, “I know not what thou sayest.” Now he grows bolder, and denies with an oath, “I know not the man.” What, _Peter_! Know not the man? That glorious God-man CHRIST JESUS thy LORD? What! not know Him, who called thee from the poor occupation of catching fish, to make thee an Apostle and a fisher of men? What! not know Him, who bad thee come to him upon the waters, and Him who with his own almighty arm saved thee from drowning, when thou wast answering thy name _Cephas_, and sinking like a stone? What! not know Him, with whom thou hast so intimately conversed for three years last past, who, so lately pronounced thee blessed, washed thy feet, gave thee a new name, and took thee to Mount _Tabor_, where he displayed before thee his excellent glory, which made thee cry out, It is good for us to be here? What! hast thou forgot all this, _Peter_?

Surely, it is high time for the cock to crow. Hark! The cock does crow, not only once, but twice; but all in vain. Fallen as this great man is, he must still fall lower. _Satan_ is now about to give him the last and most fatal thrust. He hath his quiver full of deadly arrows, and hath always instruments at hand, the weakest of which will foil the strongest Apostle when left to himself, “After a while (verse 73) came unto him they that stood by, and said unto _Peter_, Surely, thou also wast one of them, for thy speech betrayeth thee.” As though they had said, “How canst thou have the impudence to say thou knowest not the man, when thy very language and manner of speaking betrays thy being even one of his followers?” What says _Peter_ now? Can he withstand this glaring evidence? Yes, he not only denies it with a single oath, but (Oh, how shall I speak it!) he “began to curse and to swear,” and with a whole volly of execrable expressions, striving to act the bravado, he persists in saying (verse 74) “I know not the man.” And now, _Satan_, thou hast gained thy point. A great man, through too much self-confidence, spiritual pride, spiritual sloth, and too great intimacy with some of thy children, is fallen indeed! Thou hast sifted him with a witness.

But is he fallen, never to rise again? Is _Peter_ sunk too low for free grace ever to raise him up? Will the Redeemer suffer his truth to fail; or shall the prayer put up for him before he was led into temptation, viz. that his faith should not fail, remain unanswered? No, all the promises in CHRIST JESUS are all yea and all Amen; and having loved his own, he loves them unto the end. The enemy hath broke in upon _Peter_ like a flood, but the almighty Redeemer will now lift up his standard against him, and deliver his captive servant. Immediately, (verse 74) upon this last denial of his LORD, “the cock crew.” And what is most of all (nay, without which the cock might have crowed ten thousand times) another Evangelist tells us, that “the LORD turned, and looked upon _Peter_,” Oh amazing condescension! Oh unparalleled instance of endearing love! Our Lord was now upon a trial for his life. Fat bulls of _Bashan_ were surrounding him on every side. Yet the same love, that in the night in which he was betrayed, would not permit him to forget his disciples in general, would not, though he was himself now arraigned at the bar, suffer him to forget his poor fallen Apostle in particular. “The LORD, therefore, turned, and looked upon _Peter_.” But who besides _Peter_, and souls like him recovering from their backslidings, can tell the language of that look? Doubtless, it carried with it an “_Et tu Peter?_ And art thou there _Peter_? Is it not enough for me to be falsely accused, and condemned by my enemies, but I must be wounded also in the house of my friends! Is it not sufficient that _Judas_ betrays me, but thou must add to my grief by denying me? Deny me too with an oath, nay, with oaths and curses deny that ever thou knewest me? Is this thy kindness to thy friend? Alas! What is become of thy boasted professions now? Art thou the man that didst so solemnly declare, that though thou shouldst die with me, thou wouldst not deny me in any wise? Yes, Thou art the man.”

This, and much more of the same kind, we may well suppose was the real language of that convincing, heart-piercing look, which the LORD JESUS at this time gave his fallen _Peter_. Amazing! He looks him into contrition; whereas had he rewarded him according to his iniquity, he might have looked him into hell. Rejoice with me, therefore, my dear hearers. This straying sheep, through the tender mercies of the compassionate shepherd and bishop of our souls, by this look is brought back to the fold again. “And _Peter_, says our text, remembered the words of JESUS, which said unto him, Before the cock crow,” i. e. at the time emphatically called the cock-crowing, which was about three in the morning, “thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out.” (The word seems to import, that he threw himself out with a holy violence) “and wept bitterly.” St. _Mark_ only says, “And when he thought thereon, he wept.” For being an amanuensis to St. _Peter_, though explicit in the account of his fall, he is very sparing in mentioning his repentance. Unless we suppose that St. _Mark_ would insinuate that whenever _Peter_ reflected on his fall, he always wept for ever after. However that be, he wept bitterly now. Methinks, I see him wringing his hands, rending his garments, stamping on the ground, and with the self-condemned publican smiting upon his ungrateful breast. See how it heaves! Oh what piteous sighs and groans are those which come from the very bottom of his heart! Alas! It is too big to speak. But his tears, his briny, bitter, repenting tears plainly bespeak this to be the language of his awakened soul. “Alas! Where have I been? On the devil’s ground. With whom have I been conversing? The devil’s children. What is this that I have done? Denied the LORD of glory, with oaths and curses denied that ever I knew him. And now whither shall I go? Or where shall I hide my guilty head? I have sinned against light. I have sinned against repeated tokens of his dear distinguishing and heavenly love. I have sinned against repeated warnings, resolutions, promises and vows. I have sinned openly in the face of the sun, in the presence of my master’s enemies, and thereby have caused his name to be blasphemed. How can I think of being suffered to behold the face of, much less to be employed by, the ever-blessed JESUS any more? O _Peter_, thou hast undone thyself. Justly mayst thou be thrown aside like a broken vessel. GOD be merciful to me a sinner.”

And is this the language of thy tears, O _Peter_? Blessed art thou still then, thou _Simon Bar Jonah_. These tears, and this holy resentment against thyself, bespeak thee to be a holy mourner. Yet a little while, and thou shalt be comforted with a “Go tell his brethren and _Peter_, that he is risen;” and with a “_Simon_ son of _Jonah_, lovest thou me? Then feed my lambs.” And where is now thy boasting, O _Satan_? Or what hast thou gained by foiling this favourite of heaven? Thou didst desire to have him. Thy request was granted. Thou hast sifted him as wheat. But dost thou imagine the all-prevailing Mediator will suffer thee to pluck him out of his hands? No. JESUS hath prayed for him, and therefore _Peter_’s faith shall not finally fail. Rejoice not then over him, O thou enemy of souls! For though he has fallen, yet see how he begins to rise again. Though at the present he sits in darkness, yet, ere long, the glory of the LORD shall shine around him.

Where then are those Sons of _Belial_, those perverse disputers of this world, and yet, if possible, more perverse perverters of the Word of GOD? Dare any of you now go away, saying within yourselves, “Who can blame us for a little equivocating, or a little innocent lying, cursing, and swearing? Was not _Peter_, the great Apostle _Peter_, guilty of all these?” Yes he was, but with this difference, he fell through surprize, and but once, you, perhaps, sin wilfully and habitually. Fall he did, and that dreadfully too; but if his fall was dreadful, his repentence was as sincere and lasting. Ere long you shall see this same _Peter_, boldly owning his LORD before the whole _Jewish_ Sanhedrim, and rejoicing that he was counted worthy to suffer for his great name’s sake. Ere long you shall hear of an angel’s being sent to bring him out of prison, and at last sealing his blessed doctrine with his blood. Go ye then, and entreat the LORD to look you into a godly sorrow, and see that with _Peter_ you bring forth fruits meet for repentance; or as the LORD GOD liveth, in whose name I speak, and in whose presence we now stand, you, with all your carnal reasonings and wilful wrestings of the word of GOD, shall, ere long, be thrust down to the nethermost hell.

But why should I waste my time in reasoning with men of such perverse minds? To you who do, from your hearts, believe on JESUS of _Nazareth_, and who, in reality, are the children of the most High GOD, the mournful passage we are now upon, does, in a more immediate manner, call me to address myself. You, I am persuaded, on hearing of _Peter_’s fall, and the LORD’s turning and looking upon him, Will not draw this abominable inference, “Let us sin then, that grace may abound.” No. I know you detest it from your inmost souls; and if it was proper to speak, would to a man cry out, “God forbid.” Your hearts, I would humbly hope, are rather employed in silent ejaculation to the holy JESUS, saying within yourselves, “Oh, that he would this day look down from heaven, the habitation of his holiness, and cause, out of these rocky hearts, floods of repenting tears to flow.” I will readily join with you in this necessary request. For, alas! we are all guilty concerning this thing, viz. Of denying our LORD, as well as _Peter_. Some of us, perhaps, have not so openly with oaths and curses denied that ever we knew him. But then, though we have in words owned, yet in works and practice, it may be, we have habitually denied him. For how often have we been sleeping, when we ought to have been watching? And how often have we been warming and indulging our bodies, when we should have been in our closets warming our hearts in prayer? How often have we needlessly left the communion of saints, and as needlessly put ourselves into the way of, and too intimately conversed with open and unconverted sinners, or at least, with those who we had reason to think were enemies to the cross of CHRIST? How often have we been drowsy when hearing the word of GOD? Nay, how often have we been stupid, and even as dead as stones, at the table of the LORD, when CHRIST has been evidently set forth crucified before us? How often have we been so foolish as to trust our hearts, and instead of trusting the LORD, have leaned on the broken reed of our own understandings? How often have we been puffed up with spiritual pride, and confidently boasted of our graces, as though we had not received them? And oh, how often have we shamefully followed our LORD afar off? And notwithstanding he may have manifested himself to us as he doth not to the world; notwithstanding he may have taken us on the mount of ordinances, given us to see his glory, led us into his banqueting-house, and let his banner over us be love; notwithstanding our repeated vows that we would never leave him, never forsake him; yet how often have we, as it were, been ashamed of him, and his glorious Gospel, and given our LORD occasion, times without number, to complain in that cutting language, “These wounds have I received in the house of my friends?” And now which of us shall throw the first stone at _Peter_? Behold, he has been placed in the midst of us this day. My brethren, why stand we like statues? I say, let him that is without this sin of denying the LORD JESUS, cast the first stone. But with what face of justice can we do this, being guilty in many respects equally, and in some even more guilty than _Peter_ himself? Rather let us turn the edge of our resentment against ourselves, and imitating _Peter_ in his repentance, as we have undoubtedly too much imitated him in his crime, let us go out from a wicked, noisy, and deluding world, and weep bitterly. Who knows but the LORD may return and leave a blessing behind him? For this end was this instance of human frailty and divine condescension recorded. In him the Redeemer shewed all this long-suffering, that we, notwithstanding our manifold backslidings, might be kept from despair. True, we have sinned, but though we have sinned against light and love, yet we have still an advocate with the Father, even JESUS CHRIST the righteous, whose precious blood can, and, if applied to our souls by a living faith, will certainly cleanse us both from the guilt and power of all our sins. It was this which washed away the stain of this foul and dreadful fall from _Peter_’s heart. He quickly rose, and was as speedily restored to his blessed master’s favour again. “Go tell his brethren and _Peter_,” said the angel, “that he goeth before you into _Galilee_.” There shall you see him. They did see him. And what said JESUS unto him? He renewed his commission, and bid him “feed his sheep and lambs.” Accordingly we hear not only of his preaching, but of his being honoured so to preach, that three thousand were converted in one day. And is not the LORD JESUS the same now as he was yesterday? Yes, he is, and will continue the same for ever. We have his own royal word for it, that he will heal our backslidings, and love us freely. Let us return then unto the LORD, from whom we have revolted. He is long-suffering, slow to anger, and soon repenteth him of the evil which we provoke him to send upon us. But oh let us not return again to folly, but carefully watch and pray against spiritual pride, spiritual sloth, and self-indulgence, from whence all our evils flow.

Young preachers, to you in an especial manner are these words of exhortation sent. Of all people in the world, you had need watch most against spiritual pride. It is a fly that often spoils your whole pot of ointment. This made aged _Paul_ so careful to warn _Timothy_ not to lay hands upon novices, lest, says he, “being puffed up with pride, they fall into the condemnation of the devil.” How many awful instances have we had of this in various places within these few years last past? Young men, therefore, I exhort you to be humble. For CHRIST’s sake, for your own souls sake, for the sake of the church of GOD which he hath purchased with his own blood, pray without ceasing that you may be cloathed with humility. Take care of carrying too high sail. Popularity is a dangerous sea, and nothing but the special and almighty grace of GOD can keep you from oversetting in it. Mark the rocks against which others have made shipwreck, and beg of the LORD JESUS night and day, to help you to steer such a course as to avoid and keep clear of them: he alone can preserve you. _Satan_ envies the honour put upon you; he has a particular enmity against those whom he sees the Redeemer making use of. He knows your weak sides, and will desire to have you, as he desired to have _Peter_, that he may sift you as wheat. Watch, therefore, and pray always, that you may not fall in an hour of temptation. If _Peter_ could not stand when left to himself, what are we?

Have any from among ourselves of late given proofs of this? Nay, have any that once appeared boldly for our LORD, and seemed ready to follow him to prison or to death, have any such, I say, been permitted not only to follow him afar off, but shamefully and openly to disown and deny both him and his people? Let us not marvel as though some strange thing happened unto us, but let us search the scriptures. Many such instances are recorded there; and we know who hath forewarned us to expect them now. “It must needs be, says the unerring, all-seeing JESUS, that offences come. Let us not therefore be high-minded, but fear; and let him that standeth take heed lest he fall.” Brethren, pray for them. Who knows but they may yet rise, and the locks at present cut off, grow again? Who knows but the cock may yet crow, JESUS may yet look, and such grievous backsliders, being as it were reconverted, may appear more zealous than ever in strengthening their brethren? When shall this once be? “We wait for thy salvation, O LORD: make no long tarrying, O our GOD!”

In the mean while, let none of us be discouraged, GOD will take care of his own cause. The Redeemer hath declared, that the gates of hell shall never be able to prevail against his church: and, therefore, though the ark may totter, he can keep it from falling; and though driven for a while into the _Philistine_’s country, he assuredly can bring it back. He that healed the wound imprudently given by _Peter_ to the ear of the High Priest’s servant, he can and will heal all wounds, and repair all breaches that have been occasioned either by the backslidings, or unguarded conduit of those whom he vouchsafes to employ. “Out of the eater shall come forth meat, and out of the strong shall come forth sweetness.” The wicked, no doubt, rejoiced when they heard of _Peter_’s fall, and in all probability frequently vented their spleen in saying, “Here is religion for you! Here is a pretty family of reformers, and setters forth of new doctrines. One of them hath betrayed his master with a kiss, and another with oaths and curses denied that ever he knew him: if this be the beginning, what will the end of their boasted reformation be?” What will the end of it be? Ye fools! I have an answer ready: CHRIST shall be glorified, _Satan_ and all his emissaries confounded, and a multitude of souls out of every nation, language, and tongue, redeemed and finally saved. Oh what a CHRIST have we! Courage then, my brethren, courage! I beat to arms again in the name of the LORD of hosts. Let us not quit the field of battle, but in the strength of our once crucified, but now exalted JESUS, renew the combat. “He is faithful who hath promised not only to make us conquerors, but more than conquerors through his love.” Yet a little while, and our warfare shall be accomplished, death will put an end to all. A wicked world, a wicked heart, a wicked devil shall then cease from troubling us, and our weary souls shall never be so much as tempted to deny our blessed LORD any more.

Where is _Peter_ now? Yonder he sits, not weeping bitterly, but rejoicing in GOD his Saviour, on a throne of never-fading glory. To Him, at whose right hand he is now sitting, and who alone is able to keep us from falling, and to present us faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy; to Him the only wise GOD our Saviour, be glory, majesty, dominion, and power, both now and ever. _Amen._

SERMON LIX.

The true Way of beholding the LAMB of GOD.

JOHN i. 35, 36.

_Again, the next Day after, John stood, and two of his Disciples;
and looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the LAMB
of GOD._

GLORIOUS words these! Before we set about the opening and enforcing them, permit me to introduce myself in the language of _Paul_ to King _Agrippa_, “Would to GOD that both my own heart, and likewise the hearts of all that hear me this day, may not only be almost, but altogether in such a divine frame, as I am persuaded the heart of that man of GOD was who first uttered these words!” I need not tell you his name; our text tells us, it was _John_; emphatically called _John_ the Baptist, because he was sent to baptize with water unto repentance, in order to prepare his hearers for the further baptism of the Holy Ghost. He was a _Boanerges_, a son of thunder. He came in the spirit and power of _Elias_, and thereby soon rendered himself so exceedingly popular, that not only _Jerusalem_, all _Judea_, and all the regions round about _Jordan_, flocked to hear him preach, but even some of the _Jewish Sanhedrim_ began to doubt, whether he was not the _Messiah_ himself. Accordingly we are told in this chapter, “That they sent priests and levites from _Jerusalem_ ask him, Who art thou? What sayest thou of thyself?” A most commodious opportunity this, had he any thing in view but his master’s glory and the good of souls, for _John_ to have set up for himself. He might have said, “_Si populus vult decipi, decipiatur_; if people will be deceived, let them; I will impose on their credulity, and let them look upon me as the _Messiah_;” But scorning any such sinister and base ends, “He confessed, and denied not, but confessed, I am not the CHRIST.” The Evangelist expresses himself in a very peculiar manner, “He confessed, and denied not, but confessed;” implying that he took more than ordinary pains to rectify their mistake, and guard them against thinking more highly of him than they ought to think: nay, impatient, as it were, of the least appearance of any such thing, he speaks of himself in the most diminutive terms, acknowledges that he was unworthy even of carrying his blessed master’s shoes, and seizes the very first opportunity that offered itself to point him out in person to the people. The next day (verse 29.) _John_ seeth JESUS coming unto him, and upon seeing him, immediately cries out, “Behold the Lamb of GOD:” “Gaze not on, nor let your views terminate in me, but look to and behold the Lamb of GOD which taketh away the sin of the world.” Thus _John_ spoke in public; and to prove that he acted the same consistent part in private, our text informs us, that, “Again, the next day after, _John_ stood, and two of his disciples,” who like other newly awakened souls, having their master’s person too much in admiration, he labours to divert their views also from himself to CHRIST, and that too in the very same language. “For looking upon JESUS as he walked, he saith, Behold the LAMB of GOD.”

Thus does this disinterested, honest-hearted baptist, unweariedly and repeatedly recommend the LORD JESUS, under the same endearing character of the LAMB of GOD.

It shall be our business in the following discourse,

_First_, To shew you why it is that JESUS CHRIST is stiled the
LAMB of GOD. And,

_Secondly_, What we are to understand by beholding him, Way will
then be made for a word of application.

And first, Why is JESUS stiled the LAMB of GOD?

I presume one reason that may be assigned for it may be drawn from the account we have given us of his most amazing and unparalleled meekness. A Lamb, you all know, is one of the most pacific creatures in the world. When we would describe, or point out a person of a peaceable disposition, we say such a one is as quiet as a Lamb. But what is the meekness of any person, even _Moses_ himself, nay, of all the saints that ever lived, put them all together, in comparison of the meekness of the blessed JESUS? To prove this, I might refer you to his whole life, which was one continued meek and patient enduring of contradiction of sinners against himself; but if you want me to specify particular instances, only take a walk with me to _Gethsemane_’s garden; there you will see the traitor _Judas_ at the head of a troop of ruffians, accosting his glorious LORD with a Hail master! then kissing him, and then betraying him. But what says the Prince of peace? Only, “Friend, wherefore art thou come? _Judas_, betrayest thou the son of man with a kiss?” But how does this same JESUS behave after he was apprehended? Even in the same meek manner: for when his warm-hearted disciple _Peter_, through a misguided zeal, had cut off the High Priest’s servant’s ear, Suffer ye, said the holy JESUS, thus far. In all probability these words were addressed by our LORD to the officers who had tied his hands behind him. As though he had said, “Be pleased to unloose me, whilst I cure that poor man’s ear, which my too forward disciple hath imprudently cut off, and then you shall bind me again.” Was ever reply, was there ever meekness like unto this thy meekness, O thou blessed LAMB of GOD! Well did _Isaiah_ prophecy concerning thee, “That thou shouldst be led as a lamb to the slaughter,” which goes as willingly to the shambles, as to the pasture: and as justly might thy forerunner call upon sinners to behold thee under the pacific character of the LAMB of GOD. Help us, holy JESUS, to come at thy invitation, and to learn of thee, who gavest such amazing evidences of thy being meek and lowly in heart! then, and not ’till then, shall we find true rest in our souls.

But further, the dear LORD JESUS may properly be called a LAMB, or The LAMB, by way of emphasis, not only in allusion to the Lamb that was offered under the law morning and evening, but more especially because he was typified by the paschal lamb. Hence he is stiled, by that prince of preachers St. _Paul_, CHRIST our passover; and in allusion to the same, the Apostle _Peter_ tells us, “That we are not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from our vain conversation, but with the precious blood of JESUS CHRIST, as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot.” This was an indispensable requisite to be found in the paschal lamb. It was to be a lamb without blemish. A proper type of him who knew no sin, but was spotlessly holy, harmless, and altogether undefiled in heart, lip, and life. Indeed, if we consider him as having the chastisement of our peace, and the iniquities of us all laid upon him by way of imputation, he was, as some divines express it, the greatest sinner that ever was: and we should esteem him to be such in reality, were we to judge of his innocence by the abusive and barbarous treatment that he met with whilst tabernacling on earth. But, notwithstanding all this, he was without sin, and therefore could boldly and truly give men and devils the challenge, and say, “Which of you convinceth me of sin?” The prince of this world cometh, but shall find nothing in me. There was no corruption in the heart of this immaculate LAMB of GOD for _Satan_’s temptations to lay hold on: But this properly belongeth only to him: for any of his followers, though arrived at the highest pitch of christian perfection, much less for young converts, mere novices in the things of GOD, to presume that they either have, or ever shall, while on this side eternity, arrive at such a sinless state, argues such an ignorance of the spiritual extent of the moral law, of the true interpretation of GOD’s word, of the universal experience of GOD’s people in all ages, as well as of the remaining unmortified corruptions of their own desperately wicked and deceitful hearts, that I dare venture to tell the preachers and abettors of any such doctrine, however knowing they may be in other respects, that they know not the true nature of gospel-holiness, nor the COMPLEATNESS OF A BELIEVER’S STANDING IN THE UNSPOTTED IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS OF JESUS CHRIST, as they ought to know, or as I trust they themselves, through divine grace, will be made to know before they die. Surely it is high time to awake out of this delusive dream! Pardon this short, (would to GOD there was no occasion of adding) though too necessary a digression.

But to proceed. The paschal lamb was further typical of CHRIST, its great antitype, in that it was to be killed in the evening, and afterwards roasted with fire. So CHRIST, our passover, was sacrificed for us in the evening of the world; only with this material difference, the paschal lamb was first slain, and then roasted; whereas the holy JESUS, the spotless LAMB of GOD, was burnt and roasted in the fire of his Father’s wrath before he actually expired upon the cross. To satisfy you of this, if you can bear to be spectators of such an awful tragedy, as I desired you just now to go with me to the entrance, so I must now entreat you to venture a little further into the same garden, But――stop――What is that we see? Behold the LAMB of GOD, undergoing the most direful tortures of vindictive wrath! Of the people, even of his disciples, there is none with him. Alas! was ever sorrow like unto that sorrow, wherewith his innocent soul was afflicted in this day of his Father’s fierce anger? Before he entered into this bitter passion, out of the fulness of his heart, he said, “Now is my soul troubled.” But how is it troubled now! his agony bespeaks it to be exceeding sorrowful, even unto death. It extorts sweat, yea, a bloody sweat. His face, his hands, his garments, are all over stained with blood. It extorts strong cryings and many tears. See how the incarnate deity lies prostrate before his Father, who now laid on him the iniquities of us all. See how he agonizes in prayer! Hark! Again and again he addresses his Father with an “If it be possible, let this cup pass from me!” Tell me, ye blessed angels, tell me, _Gabriel_ (or whatsoever thou art called, who wast sent from heaven in this important hour, to strengthen our agonizing LORD) tell me, if ye can, what CHRIST endured in this dark and doleful night; and tell me, tell me what you yourselves felt when you heard this same God-man, whilst expiring on the accursed tree, breaking forth into that dolorous, unheard-of expostulation, “My GOD, my GOD, why, or how hast thou forsaken me?” Were you not all struck dumb? And did not an universal awful silence fill heaven itself, when GOD the Father said unto his sword, “Sword, smite thy fellow?” Well might nature put on its sable weeds; well might the rocks rend, to shew their sympathy with a suffering Saviour: and well might the sun withdraw its light, as though it was shocked and confounded to see its maker suffer. But our hearts are harder than rocks, or otherwise they would now break, and our souls more stupid than any part of the inanimate creation, or they would even now, in some degree, at least, sympathize with a crucified Redeemer; who for us men, and for our salvation, was thus roasted, as it were, in the fire of his Father’s wrath, and therefore fitly stiled the LAMB of GOD.