the true Messiah. When others who beheld his miracles, instead of being convinced by them, uttered blasphemies, and ascribed them to Beelzebub, Peter was not thus perverted, knowing well, that as the fruit was good, the tree must be good that bore it "a corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit," neither could "the wicked one" perform works of mercy. When others were offended at the doctrines which they heard, and murmured, "This is a hard saying, who can hear it?" Peter openly confessed, and declared, "Thou hast the words of eternal life."

This was the right heart, the proper disposition; not cavilling and contending, but " receiving the word with meekness." And we are here assured that such a disposition is derived from the Spirit of God. Flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. Now God had not revealed the truth unto Peter by a special vision or declaration, or in any other way than he had manifested it to the rest of the people who had seen Christ's miracles and heard his word. But Peter had received the truth with readiness of heart and will, when others had disputed and denied it. And this willing and faithful heart is the gift of the Spirit. "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." Those who "receive" Christ, and "believe in his name," are "born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."

2 John i. 13.

Therefore when our Lord heard Peter make that clear confession, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God, he knew at once that this was God's doing that the Spirit had wrought this conviction; had taken away the "evil heart of unbelief," and given the tender heart of humility and faith and love. Flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee. Flesh and blood could not have taught thee this lesson; for no man can implant faith in another flesh and blood would have taught thee a different lesson; would have led thee to doubt and dispute, or would have made thee shrink from this avowal. My Father which is in heaven has taught thee to submit and believe; and, therefore, blessed art thou. Thy faith shall save thee.

The fact is clear, both from Scripture and from experience, that no man can rightly believe Jesus to be the Christ, the Son of the living God, but through the influence of the Spirit. This truth may be abused; but it is not less the truth, or less needful to be understood. What, therefore, are you to do? What, but pray to Him from whom the Spirit proceeds, that he may give and preserve to you the same heart and faith which he gave to his apostle, and which entitled him to be called blessed. And never suppose that you can pray for this faith in vain. It would be impious to think so. For it would be judging worse of God, Our Lord has himself "Shall ye, being evil,

than of an earthly parent. taught us this argument; give good gifts to your children, and shall not your heavenly Father give his Holy Spirit to them that

ask him?"

Pray then for yourselves, and for all, that a deeper sense may be granted you of what you owe to Christ Jesus: that "the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to them that believe.” (Eph. i. 17, &c.)

18. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

19. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

20. Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.

Peter had avowed the fundamental truth on which the church of Christ is built: the truth which in all ages, instead of being vanquished by Satan, has prevailed against the gates of hell. Peter had also, by that confession, shown himself suited to become a pillar of that church. The question is, which is to be considered as the rock; Peter himself, or the truth which he had uttered. It seems more natural to ascribe this term to the individual Peter. Thou art Peter: a name which is by

3 That the church of Christ should be built on the acknowledyment of Christ, seems here to bear too much the appearance of a truism, to be so solemnly pronounced. The case is different with

interpretation" a stone;" on thee, as a corner stone, a foundation stone, I will build my church, a church which shall stand for ever. Peter certainly did become such a corner stone: the rising church rested upon him as its chief support for many years and he laid the foundation of it at the day of Pentecost, when there "were added to the church three thousand souls," and instead of a party of apostles, it became a body of Christians. On that occasion, he exhibited the keys of the kingdom of heaven ; he disclosed the doctrine, which "opens the kingdom of heaven to all believers." On other occasions, as in the case of Ananias and Sapphira, he proved himself endowed with a knowledge of the heart, which enabled him to bind or loose, to pardon or condemn.

We may remember, however, that it was not his successful eloquence, not his apostleship, not his special gifts, which drew forth the declaration of a remarkable blessing from our Lord: it was that which may equally belong to every Christian, his clear understanding and confession of Jesus as the Christ the Son of the living God: the avowal professed in the words, "Thou art the King of glory, O Christ; Thou art the everlasting Son of the Father."

us now, when we select as a leading article of faith out of many others, the divinity of Christ, or justification through Christ. This, however, will appear in different lights to different readers.

LECTURE XLI.

PETER REBUKED.-NECESSITY OF SELF-DENIAL.

MATT. xvi. 21-28.

(Mark viii. 31--38. Luke ix. 22—27.)

21. From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.

22. Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord; this shall not be unto thee.

23. But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: forthou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

We may observe, that our Lord uses the same words here to his beloved disciple Peter, which he employed towards Satan himself in his temptation in the wilderness: Get thee behind me, Satan: and thus intimates in what light even the nearest friends are to be viewed, when they stand between us and duty. The things which Peter would have recommended, were, in the opinion of man, more suitable to the character of the Messiah. To the taste and feelings of man, too, they must needs be more agreeable than what it was ordained that Christ should suffer. But this was the judgment of the flesh, not of the Spirit. And the great business of religion is to bring our own judgment and inclination and preference to conform to the will and wisdom of God. This is the proof of the