If we are true Christians, we shall find it essential to our comfort in religion, to have dear views of Christ's priestly office and intercession. Christ lives, and therefore our faith shall not fail. Let us beware of regarding Jesus only as one who died for us. Let us never forget that He is alive for evermore. St. Paul bids us specially re- member that He is risen again, and is at the right hand of God, and also maketh intercession for us. (Rom. viii. 34.) The work that He does for His people is not yet over. He is still appearing in the presence ox 'God for them, and doing for their souls what He did for Peter. His present life for them is just as important as His death on the cross eighteen hundred years ago. Christ lives, and therefore true Christians " shall live also."
We learn, thirdly, from these verses, the duty incumbent on all believers uho receive special mercies from Christ. We read that our Lord said to Peter, " "When thou art converted strengthen thy brethren."
It is one of God's peculiar attributes, that He can bring good out of evil. He can cause the weaknesses and infirmities of some members of His Church to work to- gether for the benefit of the whole body of His people. He can make the fall of a disciple the means of fitting him to be tl^e strengthener and upholder of others. — Have we ever fallen, and by Christ's mercy been raised ^to newness of life ? Then surely we are just the men who ought to deal gently with our brethren. We should tell them from our own experience what an evil and bitter thing is sin. We should caution them against trifling with temptation. We should warn them against pride, and presumption, and neglect of prayer. We should tell
i