activity he has been thus supplying in his family and social intercourse, will grow up to a corresponding life and character. How solemn then are our relations to those around us-how fearful our responsibilities! What an appeal does this make to every parent, companion, employer! And what must be the influence of a church that was intended to be the light of the world, the salt of the earth, when its members have become thus lukewarm, formal, worldly, and the light in that church is darkness-the salt has lost its savor. If those whom God in his providence has appointed to his work in particular families, congregations, neighbourhoods, are not praying, watching, labouring, living for this, who will?

What then if impenitent relatives, and friends, and neighbours, continue impenitent, and go down to death, stumbling over such neglects and inconsistencies into the gulf of perdition; and there lifting up their eyes in torment, look back upon these earthly scenes, and say if that father, or mother, or brother, or sister, or partner, or companion, or neighbour, had not been so indifferent, set me such an example, encouraged me in such a course of life, led me into such schemes of ambition, wealth, and pleasure; if they had faithfully exhorted, warned, entreated me, I might have been awakened, converted, and escaped all this. Indeed eternity alone will disclose how many souls have been led to ruin by the inconsistencies of professors of religion. N. R. S.

THE LORD'S RECLAIMING LOOK.

IN the fall of Peter we have an awful instance of the danger of self-confidence. From his first acquaintance with Christ, he manifested the utmost zeal and fervour in his service. He professed his readiness, to go with his master to prison, and to death-whatever others might do, he would never forsake him. Though these strong expressions of attachment were, no doubt, honest, and sincere, yet they betrayed too great a reliance on his own strength, and good resolutions. He had not been long enough in the school of Christ to learn, that man, in his best estate, is altogether vanity. He had been repeatedly cautioned, and forewarned of approaching dangers; but still, he was sanguine, bold, and incautious; his Lord had told him, "that Satan desired to have him, that he might sift him as wheat,"-nay, he had predicted his sad, and shameful apostasy, with a precision which, had he been as docile and humble as he ought to have been, must have placed him on his guard, and prepared him to resist the temptation, when it came. But all these premonitions were of no avail. Peter felt as if his mountain stood. firm, and he should never see adversity. It seemed necessary, therefore, that he should learn, from experience, his weakness, and need of Divine assistance. He was accordingly left, for a season,

to try his own strength. The event proved, that a haughty spirit goeth before a fall-and that we have all need to pray with David, "Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe." Prov. 16

119 117.

18; Psal.

When the blessed Redeemer was betrayed into the hands of his enemies, Peter, with the other disciples, forsook him and fled. His boasted courage failed, and he began to tremble for his own safety; anxious, however, to see what would become of his master, he followed him to the palace of the high priest; but he followed him "afar off," in order, if possible, to avoid being recognized as one of his friends. When he arrived at the place of trial, instead of acknowledging his Lord, he mingled with the crowd; but something, either in his countenance or speech, soon excited strong suspicions of his being one of Christ's adherents. Thrice was he charged with being a disciple of Jesus, and thrice he denied, basely and profanely, that he knew anything of Him. Ah! Peter, how soon you forgot the solemn and confident profession, "Though all men should forsake Thee, yet will I never forsake Thee!" But we have no disposition to aggravate, or to give a high colouring to the turpitude of his crime. It is a melancholy instance of human frailty; and it teaches a lesson which every one should study for himself: "Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." There is no safety for any of us, but in an humble and entire reliance on the power and grace of the Lord Jesus. They who are united to Him by a true faith, shall never perish; they may fall, but they shall rise again with renewed strength. Even their failings shall, through grace, contribute to their future safety, as they will thereby learn to walk circumspectly. But what the Lord said, on a certain occasion to the drowsy disciples, he says to all, "Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation."

The fall of Peter was scandalous; but he was soon brought back again a weeping penitent. "The Lord turned and looked upon him; and he remembered the words of the Lord, how he said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice; and Peter went out and wept bitterly."

The only visible means used for Peter's recovery, so far as we know, was a look from the Saviour. Let us, first, inquire what was implied in that look; and then, secondly, notice the effect which it had on the backslider's mind.

I. What kind of a look was that, which the Lord gave this offending disciple? It must have possessed peculiar efficacy. It must have been accompanied by a Divine energy, which reached the offender's inmost soul; and yet, we may be sure there was nothing vindictive or revengeful in it. The blessed Redeemer, on all occasions, manifested the utmost forbearance, and meekness, towards those who injured him personally. "When he suffered, he threatened not." To the disciples, who slept when they should have been praying, he only gives the gentle reproof, "What, could

ye not watch with me one hour?" and then suggests an apology, The spirit, indeed, is willing, but the flesh is weak." Even when Judas came out against him as a traitor, he accosted him with the tender appellation of friend; not in a way of sarcasm, but with reference to that apostate's profession and apostolic character. When his enemies approached him, armed with swords and staves, determined to apprehend and drag him before the high priest, he calmly inquired whom they sought, and then surrendered himself into their hands. And when expiring on the cross, where he could not have been influenced by a selfish regard to the fear or favour of man, he implored the mercy of Heaven on those who were, at that moment, imbruing their hands in his blood; and suggested the only extenuation that charity could offer for their horrid crime, "Father forgive them; for they know not what they do."

From these and the like instances of his ineffable benignity and forbearance toward his personal enemies, we may safely infer, that the recovering look which he gave Peter was not of an angry or threatening character. Justly, indeed, might he have frowned upon him; and he might have intimated to him that the time would soon come, when he would have to render a solemn account for his profanity, falsehood, and treachery. He might have abandoned him to share in the doom of that scoffing crew, with whom he mingled to avoid the cross. This he might have done. But his ways are not as ours. Peter, though a great offender, was still a disciple; and the grace of God was to be marvellously displayed in his recovery from the snare of the devil, and his restoration to the favour and confidence of his Lord and Master.

The look, therefore, though not an angry one, undoubtedly carried a penetrating reproof home to Peter's heart and conscience. There is no hope of a backslider's reformation, till he is brought to a sense of his sin, and ingratitude to God. Peter's besetting sin had been self-confidence. He had, on a late occasion, expressed himself warmly and positively in regard to his firm adherence to his Lord. It might be, he insinuated, that others would prove so false or timid, as to apostatize; but, for himself, he had no fears. He was full of zeal; but his zeal was not tempered and supported by a sufficient measure of knowledge. He seems not to have considered that warm affections, under the influence of a deceitful and treacherous heart, afford but slender security, in seasons of temptation. He had not profited by the frequent warnings and admonitions of his blessed Lord. In this reclaiming look, we may suppose, therefore, that there was a gentle reproof conveyed, calculated to bring him to a feeling sense of his own insufficiency-to remind him of his ardent professions, and make him reflect on the dishonour he had done his Master, by his dastardly and wicked desertion and denial of him, at a time when he ought to have stood by him, and vindicated his righteous but misrepresented and suffering cause.

Peter certainly felt reproved-he could not in so short a space

of time, have become callous, or insensible of the obligations he was under to redeeming love. When his injured Lord turned, and looked upon him, he must have been almost overwhelmed with shame and self-abasement. The warnings, the instructions, the deliverance and gracious assistance, which he had received from Christ, must have rushed into his recollection, and sunk him into the dust of humility. That mixture of shame, reverence, and love, which an undutiful child feels, under the reproving eye of a tender but insulted parent, affords but a faint emblem of the unutterable anguish of soul which drove Peter from the presence of his Lord, and made him weep bitterly. But if the good Physician probed the wound, it was for the benevolent purpose of healing it. Whatever of reproof this look contained, it was full of love and compassion. If we might be permitted to interpret a look, which, perhaps, no words could fully express, we would suppose it addressed the offender to this effect:

Ah, Peter! see the sad consequence of trusting too much to your own strength. Your love was ardent, and your zeal honest and laudable; but you had not a proper sense of the deceitfulness of your heart. Had you been more humble-had you attended more to the admonitions I gave you had you feared, when you boasted-had you cherished a deeper sense of your dependence on divine grace, and confided less in your feelings and abilities, you might have escaped this dreadful fall. I need not tell you that you have acted a base and ungrateful part. Conscience tells you that you have dishonoured me, that you have wounded my cause, and destroyed your own peace. Your sin is heinous; but my grace is still sufficient for your recovery. Go out and weep bitterly for your gross and scandalous offence; but do not yield to despair. I have interceded for you often; and though you have now forfeited all claim upon my friendly regard, yet I am unwilling to abandon you. Retire, therefore, and humble yourself in the presence of your Maker-repent, and implore forgiveness, and where sin has abounded, grace shall much more abound. I know. your frameyou are a frail, dependent creature. I pity you-I forgive you. You once felt confident that you would never forsake me. You have now learned, by sad experience, that it is not in man to order his own steps aright. Go, henceforth, in the strength of the Lord. God. Lean not to your own understanding; trust in the Lord with all your heart; and he will direct your ways, and give you both grace and glory.

Such, I conceive to be, the import of that impressive and redeeming look, which Peter received from his injured and insulted Lord. It was not an indignant or vindictive frown-it conveyed reproof enough to bring the offender to a sense of his sin, and compassion and parental kindness sufficient to save him from despair, and inspire his broken spirit with the hope of forgiveness. And here, before we pass to the next article, let us pause, one moment, to

admire that grace which can restore the greatest backsliders, as well as save the chief of sinners! Let all whose case may, in any measure, resemble Peter's, return speedily unto the Lord their God. "O, Israel, return unto the Lord thy God, for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. Take with you words, and turn to the Lord; say unto him Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously; so will we render the calves of our lips. I will heal their backsliding, saith the Lord, I will love them freely; for mine anger is turned away from him. I will be as the dew unto Israel; he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon. His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive-tree. ** Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them; but the transgressors shall fall therein."Hosea, 14.

Let us never forget, Christian brethren, that the eyes of our blessed Saviour are continually upon us. Let this thought determine us never to dally with temptation. Let us follow our Lord resolutely, but humbly-not as Peter followed him to the palace of the high priest, "afar off," but closely and affectionately. The nearer we live to him, the safer and the happier we shall be. Whenever we begin to grow shy of him and his people, we begin to draw back unto perdition. Let us watch and pray, that we enter not into temptation. Let us beware of a boasting or self-confident spirit. When we are weak, then are we strong. We may not say, with Peter, "Though all men should forsake Christ, yet will we never forsake him;" but we may say with St. Paul, "We are of the circumcision who worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." "If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous." While he intercedes for us, our faith shall not fail; and if we fall before a sudden gust of temptation, we shall be raised again to the praise and glory of rich grace and redeeming love. That there was a peculiar efficacy in the look which Peter received from Christ, is evident from the effects it produced.

II. Let us now attend to the effects of the Saviour's look. They are noticed very briefly by the Evangelist, in our text.

1. The first effect was a remembrance of those warnings and admonitions which Peter had received, but which he had too little regarded.

"And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice." Had not Peter been in a careless and declining state, this prediction must have alarmed him, and made him pray fervently that God would preserve him from the shame and sin of apostasy. But as has been already seen, he had, by far, too high an opinion of his religious attainments. He depended too much on his good frames and