ten by us, tliougli they are wiped out of the book of God's re- membrance. The very "grief" which Peter felt at being thrice asked about his love, was intended to do him good. It was meant to remind him that if he was grieved to be asked thrice, " Lovest thou Me ? " how much more must his Master have been grieved when he thrice denied Him !
Whitby observes, " Here is an argument that Christ, in Pe- ter's judgment, was truly God. He says, ' Thou knowest all things.' It is to God alone that the secrets of all hearts lie open."
There are little nice distinctions in the original Greek of these three verses, in the words that are used, which the English language cannot convey. But they deserve notice, and are not without meaning. Two different words are used to express our one word " love." One of these two words means a high- er, calmer, nobler kind of love than the other. This is the word which our Lord uses in the fifteenth and sixteenth verses, where He asks the question, " Lovest thou Me?" — The other of the two words means a more passionate and lower kind of love. This is the word which Peter always uses when he says, " I love thee ! " and our Lord once uses it in the seventeenth verse. — Again : two different words are employed to express our one English word " feed." One means simply " provide food and pasture," and is used in the fifteenth and seventeenth verses. The other means not«only " provide food," but " gov- ern, lead, direct, and generally do the work of a shepherd."
Some of the Roman Catholic writers try to make out that " lambs " in this remarkable passage mean the laity, and *' sheep " the clergy ; and that supremacy over clergy and laity alike is intended, by these words, to be conferred on Peter and his successors at Ptome! Archbishop Trench (on Miracles) justly condemns this interpretation, as " groundless and tri- fling." He observes, " The commission should at least have run, * Feed my sheep and feed my shepherds,' if any such con- clusion could be drawn from Christ's words, though an infinite deal would still remain to be proved."
The lessons which the whole passage is meant to teach the Church of Christ, are many and deep, and have been far too much neglected in every age. I can only indicate them, and then leave the reader to work them oat in his own mind.
(a) Love to Christ's person is one of the most important graces that can adorn a Christian, and specially a minister. Without it, correct doctrinal views, zeal for proselytizing, knowledge, eloquence, liberality, diligence in visiting the sick and relieving the poor, are worth very little, and will do very little good. With it, God is pleased to look over many infirmi- ties. A minister may be somewhat defective in some of his views, and even in some of his proceedings, but if he loves