that there will always be counterfeit coin wheie there is true money.
Let us mark, secondly, in this passage, the noble declara' Hon of faith which the Apostle Peter made. Our Lord had said to the twelve, when many went back, " Will ye also go away ?" At once Peter replied, with character- istic zeal and fervour, " Lord, to whom shall we go ? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and art sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God."
The confession contained in these words is a very re- markable one. Living in a professedly Christian land, and surrounded by Christian privileges, we can hardly form an adequate idea of its real value. For a humble Jew to say of one whom Scribes, and Pharisees, and Sadducees agreed in rejecting, "Thou hast the words of eternal life; thou art the Christ," was an act of mighty faith. No wonder that our Lord said, in another place, " Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona : for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father wkich is in heaven." (Matt, xvi. 18.)
But the question with which Peter begins, is just as re- markable as his confession. " To whom shall we go ?" said the noble-hearted Apostle. " Whom shall we follow ? To what teacher shall we betake ourselves ? Where shall we find any guide to heaven to compare with thee ? What shall we gain by forsaking thee? What Scribe, what Pharisee, what Sadducee, what Priest, what Rabbi can show us such words of eternal life as thou showest ?"
The question is one which every true Christian may boldly ask, when urged and tempted to give up his reli- gion, and go back to the world. It is easy for those who hate religion to pick holes in our conduct, to make objec- tions to our doctrines, to find fault with our practices. It may be hard sometimes to give them any answer. But