Secondly, Here is comfort propounded to sustain them under this great danger ; where observe two things —
1. The means of disappointing Satan, ' I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not.'
2. The event, delivered in the form of a direction. Peter should recover out of this lapse, and be a means to strengthen others : ' And when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.'
1. The means of disappointing Satan, ' I have prayed for thee,' &C' Mark, to Satan's desires there are opposed Christ's prayers. There is more force in Christ's prayers than in Satan's temptations. More par- ticularly consider — (1.) Who prayeth ; (2.) For whom he prayeth; (3.) For what.
[1.] Who prayeth ; Jesus Christ, the Mediator and advocate of his people. The devil is the accuser, but Christ the advocate, to whose mediation and intercession it must alone be ascribed that we do not finally miscarry. Christ is ready to pray, for he knoweth the heart of a tempted man : Heb. ii. 17, 18, ' Wherefore it behoved him in all things to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconcili- ation for the sins of the people ; for in that he himseK hath suffered, being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.' And his prayer is effectual : John xi. 42, ' And I know that thou hearest me always.' Christ doth not only perfume our prayers, or stay till we pray for ourselves, but prevents them by his own intercession when he fore- sees the danger.
[2.] For whom he prayeth : ' I have prayed for thee ; ' that is, for Peter. What ! for him only ? No ; but the rest of the disciples also. The remedy was prepared for them before the trials came, and the plaster fitted before the wound was made. But was it for the apostles only ? No, but for all believers : John xvii. 20, ' Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word.' Christ here upon earth did pray first for the college of the apostles, and then for all believers ; so in heaven he hath a watchful care over us, that we may not faint under the temptations of Satan.
[3.] For what he prayeth : ' That thy faith fail not ; ' that is, may not utterly miscarry. Here observe —
(1.) The grace prayed for, faith, the grace most necessary, and upon ■which other things depend. All matters that concern Christ and his kingdom depend upon faith : 2 Peter i. 5, 6, ' Add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, and to temper- ance patience, and to patience godliness.' If faith fail not, other graces wrill not fail : 1 Peter v. 9, ' Whom resist, steadfast in the faith.' And
398 SERMON UPON LUKE XXII. 31, 32.
faith is the grace most assaulted in the present trial ; for Peter was put to it whether he would own and acknowledge Christ to be his Lord and Master. . To faith there belong two acts — Believing with the heart, and confession with the mouth : Eom. x. 9, 10, ' If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus Christ, and believe in thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved ; for with the heart man believeth to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.' This last was put to the trial.
(2.) How far it was prayed for, in the word, ' Fail not.' Christ prayeth not that our faith should never be tried and assaulted, nor that we should be exempted from trouble, but kept from the evil : John xvii. 15, ' I pray not that thou shouldst take them out of the world, but that thou shouldst keep them from the evil' Not that we should be never oppugned, but not expugned ; neither that it should be not in any degree weakened, but not extinguished. Faith doth not fail totally as to the habit and root of it in their heart, though the habit may be much weakened and diminished, and its proper and natural action obstructed and interrupted, such as is confession with the mouth. Christ foresaw his approaching denial of him, and foretold it ; but Peter did not utterly forsake the faith, as appeareth by his speedy repentance. As a candle smoking and newly blown out easily sucketh light and flame again, so did he recover himself out of that surprise.
2. The event, delivered in the form of a direction ; wherein —
[1.] Is intimated his recovery and being converted. Peter had denied Christ with oaths and execrations, a foul fault ; but Christ recovered him by his look, that no man might despair ; and after his resurrection bringeth him to a threefold confession: John xxi. 15, 16, ' Lovest thou me more than these ? and lovest thou me ? and lovesi thou me ? ' Now the core of his distemper was gotten out : ' Lovest thou me more than these ? ' Is thy love to me so great as thou didst seem to affirm it when thou saidst, ' Though all men forsake thee, yet will not I ' ? Is thy love surpassing the love of all other my disciples ? What was Peter's answer ? * Lord, thou knowest that I love thee ; ' that is, sincerely. Being taught by his smart experience, he dareth not make comparison with all others ; no more comparisons now. Peter had been under a severe discipline, which taught him humility, and before all, the disciples he testifieth his repentance, which was first acted in secret. Now he was grown more jealous of himself, he would not boast of such a singular love.