were with Christ and many against Him. He made it when the rulers of his own nation, the Scribes, and Priests, and Pharisees, were all opposed to his Master. He made it when our Lord was in the '^'form of a servant," without wealth, without royal dignity, without any visible marks of a King. To make such a confession at such a time, required great faith and great decision of character. The confession itself, as Brentius says, " was an epitome of all Christianity, and a compendium of true doctrine about religion."' Therefore it was that our Lord said, *^ Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona.''
We shall do well to copy that hearty zeal and aifection which Peter here displayed. We are perhaps too much disposed to underrate this holy man, because of his occasional instability, and his thrice-repeated denial of his Lord. This is a great mistake. With all his faults, Peter was a true-hearted, fervent, single-minded servant of Christ. With all his imperfections, he has given us a pattern that many Christians would do wisely to follow. Zeal like his may have its ebbs and flows, and some- times lack steadiness of purpose. Zeal like his may be ill-directed, and sometimes make sad mistakes. But zeal like his is not to be des23ised. It awakens the sleep- ing. It stirs the sluggish. It provokes others to ex- ertion. Anything is better than sluggishness, luke- warmness, and torpor, in the Church of Christ. Happy would it have been for Christendom had there been more Christians like Peter and Martin Luther, and fewer like Erasmus.
In the next j)lace, let us take care that ive understand ivhat our Lord means when He speaJcs of His Church.