was even so. Then said they, It is his angel:" just as, in the case alluded to above, they would explain the fact in any way rather than believe the simple truth. It has been observed on this passage, by a living writer, "How much better it would have been to have hastened at once to the gate, than thus to have engaged in a controversy on the subject! Peter was suffered to remain knocking while they debated the matter. Christians are often engaged in some unprofitable controversy, when they I should hasten to catch the first tokens of the divine favour, and open their arms to welcome the proofs that God has heard their prayers."

"It is his angel!" Dr. Hammond thinks that the easiest way of understanding this proposed solution of their difficulty, is to consider them as speaking of a messenger" from Peter,—some one who had come from Peter, and in his name. The word "angel" often signifies no more than a messenger. It is used of John's messengers, (Luke vii. 24, 27,) and of Christ's. (Luke ix. 52.) When Rhoda felt confident it was Peter, because she knew his voice, they thought it was because he that stood at the door had called himself Peter; and therefore offered this solution of the difficulty, " It is his angel;" that is, "It is one that comes with an errand from him, and thou mistookest as if it had been he himself."

Others think that this passage clearly shows the notion entertained by the Jews, of a tutelary or guardian angel attending each individual saint; and that they supposed

this angel of Peter had now come with news concerning him, and had assumed the voice and form of Peter, to assure them that he had come from him. This is possible; but, even if it be admitted, it gives no support at all to the opinion, that every saint has a tutelary angel attending him. The utmost that can be concluded from the account is, that they believed it to be so, not that it is true. The holy Scriptures teach no such doctrine; and the simple fact that certain Jews held this opinion, cannot, by any means, prove the opinion to be correct.

Peter, having at length obtained admission, found the company in a state of the greatest excitement; and it was with some difficulty that he succeeded in getting them to command themselves sufficiently to listen to his account.

Beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace," he "declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison." Having satisfied their curiosity, and filled them with thankfulness and praise to God on his behalf, he withdrew from them to place of greater safety. Romanists say, ridiculously enough, that he went to Rome. This is like many other things, which they find easy to say, but impossible to prove.

Diligent search was made, but made in vain, for Peter; and Herod, disappointed and furious, turned his wrath against the keepers of the prison. He examined them, with a view to finding out how the rescue had been effected; but, probably, they could give him no information; and "he commanded that they should be put to

death."

Herod's own dark day of reckoning was at hand; and the unprincipled persecutor was made a signal example of the just judgment of God.

The days of persecution for righteousness' sake are not ended. In our own happy land, indeed, we have rest and liberty; pray God it may continue to be so, and that we may have grace to improve our advantages! But there are other lands where religious liberty is denied, where the civil power keeps the conscience of the subject, and it is a punishable crime to preach the Gospel, to meet for prayer, or to possess and read the book of God. Nor are the laws which constitute these things criminal, dead letters. They are enforced. And Christian men and women are now in prison in the Papal States for such offences. The church is one throughout the world. Is it praying for these? Remember Francesco and Rosa Madiai! the dungeons of Florence, and the Duke of Tuscany!

SCENE XIII.

THE CLOSING SCENE.

"VERILY, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. This spake He, signifying by what death he should glorify God."John xxi. 18, 19.

"Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance; knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath showed me."-2 Peter i. 13, 14.

HUMAN life is a journey; and the question is, Where will it end? It is a voyage: what port shall we make? It is our season of probation: how will it terminate? It is a day when will it close? Who among us is able to answer these inquiries, with respect either to ourselves or to others, and thus to gratify such curiosity as a man may feel in regard to his own future, or such as Peter felt in regard to John, when he said, "Lord, and what shall this man do ?" There is none to answer. Every avenue of information is closed; every oracle is dumb; and an impenetrable veil conceals the future from our view. The end itself is, indeed, certain. The sentence has gone forth against us; it cannot be repealed; and "

A A

we must

needs die." But, beyond this fact, what can we know? The time, the place, the cause, and the circumstances of our death are all wisely hidden from our sight.

For important reasons, no doubt, although they are not explained to us, it pleased the Redeemer partially to draw aside the curtain, and disclose to his servant Peter the manner of his death. This was done, at an early period of his public career, during a memorable interview with Christ, to which attention has already been directed. An important commission was intrusted to him; the duties of it were specified; and then Peter was solemnly told "by what death he should glorify God." The circumstances connected with the actual fulfilment of these words are involved in considerable obscurity and doubt. There is little that can be affirmed with absolute certainty; and to the questions, "When, and where, and how was the prediction fulfilled?" we can, at the best, give but a probable reply.

The principal difficulty, however, lies with the second of these questions. For, as to the first, it is generally admitted that some thirty-four years elapsed between the deliverance of the prediction and its actual accomplishment; and no conclusion of moment depends upon the precise year of Peter's death. And then, with regard to the third question, there is a tolerable unanimity of opinion. It is not disputed that Peter suffered martyrdom, and that by the means of crucifixion. Whether he was crucified in the usual posture, or with his head down