with much of ignorance and imperfection. But such as it was, it was a faith that stood alone. He that had it was a remarkable man, and far in advance of the age in which he lived.
We should pray frequently that God would raise up more Christians of the stamp of the apostle Peter. ^rring, and unstable, and ignorant of his own heart as he sometimes proved, that blessed apostle was in some respects one in ten thousand. He had faith, and zeal, and love to Christ's cause, when almost all Israel was unbelieving and cold. We want more men of this sort. We want men who are not afraid to stand alone, and to cleave to Christ when the many are against Him. Such men, Uke Peter, may err sadly at times, but in the long run of life will do more good than any. Knowledge, no doubt, is an excellent thing ; but knowledge without zeal and warmth wiU never do much for the world.
Let us notice, thirdly, in this passage, our LorcPs pre- diction of His ou>n coming death. We read that He said, " The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and chief priests, and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day." These words, as we read them now, sound simple and plain ; but there lie beneath the surface of them two truths which ought to be carefully remembered.
For one thing our Lord's prediction shows us, that His death upon the cross was the voluntary act of His own free will. He was not delivered up to Pilate and cruci- fied because He could not help it, and had no power to crush His enemies. His death was the result of the eternal counsels of the blessed Trinity. He had under-