This, and much more of the same kind, we may well suppose was the real language of that convincing, heart-piercing look, which the LORD JESUS at this time gave his fallen _Peter_. Amazing! He looks him into contrition; whereas had he rewarded him according to his iniquity, he might have looked him into hell. Rejoice with me, therefore, my dear hearers. This straying sheep, through the tender mercies of the compassionate shepherd and bishop of our souls, by this look is brought back to the fold again. “And _Peter_, says our text, remembered the words of JESUS, which said unto him, Before the cock crow,” i. e. at the time emphatically called the cock-crowing, which was about three in the morning, “thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out.” (The word seems to import, that he threw himself out with a holy violence) “and wept bitterly.” St. _Mark_ only says, “And when he thought thereon, he wept.” For being an amanuensis to St. _Peter_, though explicit in the account of his fall, he is very sparing in mentioning his repentance. Unless we suppose that St. _Mark_ would insinuate that whenever _Peter_ reflected on his fall, he always wept for ever after. However that be, he wept bitterly now. Methinks, I see him wringing his hands, rending his garments, stamping on the ground, and with the self-condemned publican smiting upon his ungrateful breast. See how it heaves! Oh what piteous sighs and groans are those which come from the very bottom of his heart! Alas! It is too big to speak. But his tears, his briny, bitter, repenting tears plainly bespeak this to be the language of his awakened soul. “Alas! Where have I been? On the devil’s ground. With whom have I been conversing? The devil’s children. What is this that I have done? Denied the LORD of glory, with oaths and curses denied that ever I knew him. And now whither shall I go? Or where shall I hide my guilty head? I have sinned against light. I have sinned against repeated tokens of his dear distinguishing and heavenly love. I have sinned against repeated warnings, resolutions, promises and vows. I have sinned openly in the face of the sun, in the presence of my master’s enemies, and thereby have caused his name to be blasphemed. How can I think of being suffered to behold the face of, much less to be employed by, the ever-blessed JESUS any more? O _Peter_, thou hast undone thyself. Justly mayst thou be thrown aside like a broken vessel. GOD be merciful to me a sinner.”
And is this the language of thy tears, O _Peter_? Blessed art thou still then, thou _Simon Bar Jonah_. These tears, and this holy resentment against thyself, bespeak thee to be a holy mourner. Yet a little while, and thou shalt be comforted with a “Go tell his brethren and _Peter_, that he is risen;” and with a “_Simon_ son of _Jonah_, lovest thou me? Then feed my lambs.” And where is now thy boasting, O _Satan_? Or what hast thou gained by foiling this favourite of heaven? Thou didst desire to have him. Thy request was granted. Thou hast sifted him as wheat. But dost thou imagine the all-prevailing Mediator will suffer thee to pluck him out of his hands? No. JESUS hath prayed for him, and therefore _Peter_’s faith shall not finally fail. Rejoice not then over him, O thou enemy of souls! For though he has fallen, yet see how he begins to rise again. Though at the present he sits in darkness, yet, ere long, the glory of the LORD shall shine around him.
Where then are those Sons of _Belial_, those perverse disputers of this world, and yet, if possible, more perverse perverters of the Word of GOD? Dare any of you now go away, saying within yourselves, “Who can blame us for a little equivocating, or a little innocent lying, cursing, and swearing? Was not _Peter_, the great Apostle _Peter_, guilty of all these?” Yes he was, but with this difference, he fell through surprize, and but once, you, perhaps, sin wilfully and habitually. Fall he did, and that dreadfully too; but if his fall was dreadful, his repentence was as sincere and lasting. Ere long you shall see this same _Peter_, boldly owning his LORD before the whole _Jewish_ Sanhedrim, and rejoicing that he was counted worthy to suffer for his great name’s sake. Ere long you shall hear of an angel’s being sent to bring him out of prison, and at last sealing his blessed doctrine with his blood. Go ye then, and entreat the LORD to look you into a godly sorrow, and see that with _Peter_ you bring forth fruits meet for repentance; or as the LORD GOD liveth, in whose name I speak, and in whose presence we now stand, you, with all your carnal reasonings and wilful wrestings of the word of GOD, shall, ere long, be thrust down to the nethermost hell.