^ TrpoffXa(36iJ.efos, taking him kindly and affectionately by the hand. Compare Rom. xiv. 1.
^ This is the meaning of the word " Satan." <= ffKciv^aXi'iy.
The other thing which our Lord condemned him for was, that he manifested a carnal and worldly spirit. God expects that his creatures should seek only his glory : and that personal considerations should be of no weight with them in comparison of that. But men prefer their own ease and honour, and are content to glorify God only so far as they can do it consistently with their own temporal comfort. ' Now,' says our Lord, ' you are " not savouring of the things of God, but of those that are of men ;" and are wishing me to act upon these low and carnal principles, instead of on those high principles which become my work and office. In this view therefore, as well as in the former, thou deservest no other name than that of " Satan." It is his great aim to banish from the world that supreme regard for God which men ought universally to feel ; and thou, in the advice thou hast given, hast shewn thyself to be under his influence, and hast, to the utmost of thy power, been fur- thering his designs. I would have thee therefore, and all my other disciples, know that I am greatly displeased with thee on this occasion'^.']
Without dwelling longer on the occurrence itself, we shall proceed to observe, that,
II. The instruction to be gathered from it is also pecu- liarly worthy of our attention —
And here there is much that conies home to the business and bosoms of mankind. We may see in this little history,
1. How to estimate the love of Christ —
[The sufferings which awaited Jesus were such as no finite creature could have borne : yet when entreated to shun them, he not only refused to listen to the advice, but reproved it with a severity that he never used on any other occasion. ' What ! Spare myself? Avoid the sufferings that are necessary to ex- piate the guilt of men, and to satisfy the demands of law and justice? How can I leave mankind to perish in their sins? I cannot endure the thought : and I account him who suggests it to me as no better than Satan himself: yes, even the highly favoured Peter appears to me in the light of that malignant fiend, when he would damp the ardour of my love to man, or discourage the execution of my plans for his redemption.'
View the answer in this light, and say, whether his *' love was not such as many waters could not quench, neither could floods drown it V Towards those who inflicted his sufferings
^ Our Lord, previous to his reply, turned about, and looked in a very significant way on all his other disciples. Mai-k viii. 33.
1375.1 Peter's tenderness reproved. 455
we behold nothing but kindness. To the man that betrayed him, " Friend, wherefore art thou come ? " To those who came to apprehend him, " Whom seek ye ? " To Peter, when denying him with oaths and curses, he spoke not a word, but gave him a look of pity and compassion. To his blood-thirsty murderers he also meekly submitted, praying and apologizing for them: " Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." And, after all ranks and orders of men in Jerusalem had satiated their malice in destroying him, he commanded his "Gospel to be preached to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.'" But when he was entreated to avoid those sufferings, his indig- nation was extreme ; nor were any tenns too strong to express it. Well indeed might it be said of his love, that " it passeth knowledge." We admire the firmness with which St. Paul resolved to meet the sufferings that awaited him^ : but this was nothing in comparison of Christ's love to us.]