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of feeling than by firm principle and that he had too much presumption to be at all aware of his own weakness. His fall, accordingly, was what might naturally be looked for; and much instruction may be obtained from considering the causes which led to it, so that men may be put upon their guard when they discover similar infirmities operating in themselves. The world has seen many instances of the failure of human virtue; I would to God it could be said, that there were as many instances of its recovery. This is the more pleasing subject to which we are led by the Repentance of St Peter, and it is likewise a subject no less fruitful of instruction.

I. The first consideration which here occurs to us is, the power of Religion in effecting Repentance. Although Conscience may be lulled to rest, and the common sentiments of Morality may have ceased to influence the heart, there is yet a powerful instrument in the hand of Heaven, by which the sinner may be brought to a sense of his guilt. "The Lord turned and looked upon Peter, and Peter remembered the word of the Lord." It is easy, my brethren, for the soul to deceive itself. It is easy to pal

liate even very heavy offences, by the sophistry natural to every sin. We may excuse ourselves by the customs of the world-by the force of passion or habit-by balancing our good qualities against our bad-by fancying that vice is only hurtful if it is known, and that secrecy prevents it from either injuring others or ourselves. All this may do, when we look upon our conduct with our own eyes alone, or what we imagine to be the view which other men will take of it; but when we conceive a greater eye to be turned upon it-the eye of Him who seeth in secret, who judgeth not as man judgeth, but who formeth a right judgment—if this impression is kept steadily before us, the veil which hid us from ourselves is rent in twainconscience reassumes all its original accuracy of perception-we appear to ourselves in our true colours, and are confounded with our real deformity. Nor is it terror alone which produces this revulsion of the mind. Religion is yet more powerful in its love than its terrors. was no reproachful word, no threatenings of his Lord which awakened the slumbering conscience of Peter. It was a look,a look, we may believe," more in sorrow than in anger;" but

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which, thrilling through his soul, told him at once of the goodness of the Master whom he had denied, and of his own unworthiness and ingratitude. In like manner, the truths of Religion falling upon the consciences of the guilty, afflict them chiefly by the representation of that Divine Beneficence and Love to which they have made so unsuitable a return-with the representation of what they might have been in comparison with what they are; how pure, how elevated they might have been, as the children of God, and the blessed heirs of immortality, instead of grovelling in that sordid pollution into which the corruptions of the world, or of their own hearts, have plunged them '-These are, in truth, the terrors of the Lord, far more than the most alarming pictures of a Future State of Retribution; and there is no passage in Scripture containing an image of Divine Vengeance so overpowering as those emphatic words which speak of " the wrath of the Lamb,"

II. The second consideration which this incident affords us, is that of the Efficacy of Repentance. "And Peter went out and wept bitterly." Well might he weep, when he thought of Him whom he had so basely deserted-of his own re

solutions and protestations of fidelity, all forgotten in one short hour,-all upon which he valued himself most, the zeal, the affectionate attachment of his character lying in the dust, prostrate and degraded. Well might he weep,-but his tears were drops of inestimable value; they flowed from a heart that was now acquainted with its own weakness, that was deeply sensible of its former presumption, to which all its feelings of ardent love and devotion had been restored, purified from the base alloy of delusive vanity. In that single look of his Master, he had read more than years of reflection could have given him. He saw at one glance all the dignity of the Divine Nature, and of unchanging Rectitude, and of Heavenly Compassion, and felt all the littleness and the impurity of his own vain and wandering mind. "He wept bitterly," and this is all that we are informed of in this part of the narrative,—but these were not tears that were to be forgotten as soon as they were shed! No, my brethren, the remaining part of the history of this eminent Apostle, is a continued display of great and magnanimous virtue : no more apprehensions of Mortal displeasure standing in the way of that service which was due to his Master; no more

such expressions from his lips, as "I know not the man ;" but, now, in the presence of all the rulers and elders of Israel, we hear him boldly declaring," that that Jesus whom they crucified, but whom God had raised from the dead, the stone that was set at nought of the builders, was now become the head of the corner; that there was no salvation in any other, for there is none other name under Heaven whereby we must be saved." And when he was commanded not to speak at all, nor teach in the name of Jesus; his language now was, " whether it be right in the sight of God, to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard." So well did he now represent that image which his Master had applied to him, of the Rock on which the Church was to be built, and so well did he fulfil the affectionate injunction, that “ when he was himself converted, he should strengthen his brethren." No history, certainly, can convey to us a stronger instance of the efficacy of repentance, or can give more encouragement to the sinner, to forsake the evil of his ways. None more strikingly displays the gracious dispensation of the Gospel,

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