THE SEVERE REBUKE.

MATTHEW XVI. 22, 23.

"Then Peter took him and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord; this shall not be unto thee. But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan; thou art an offence unto me; for thou savorest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men."

THIS rebuke of the Apostle, whose life we are now reviewing, has been noticed in connection with his Lord's commendatory language, immediately preceding it, which has been so strangely wrested. It would seem as if there were specially intended, by that Holy Ghost who guided the pen of the Evangelists, in the close connection of these two passages, a positive and solemn contradiction of the forced meaning that would be afterwards put upon the first. The Church of Rome, in order to find some Scripture argument for her high-handed usurpations, and oppressive lordship over God's heritage, claims that the Saviour's answer to Peter's good confession invested him with an infallible judgment in all matters pertaining to the faith, so that he could neither err himself, nor could his pretended successors err till the end of time. But the Lord hath taken care that the very

next incident of the Gospel history should be sufficient to scatter this proud assertion to the winds. -No sooner have these words, which have been thus signally perverted, fallen from the lips of Christ, than the same Apostle plunges into a most grievous error, upon a point of vital consequence. He undertakes to advise his Lord, and dissuade him from his proposed passion and death, and receives in return one of the most withering reproofs which that meek and lowly One ever uttered. And the very point and occasion of that rebuke. is his inexcusable want of discernment in spiritual things, his betrayal of so earthly a judgment and so carnal a heart. The contrast, indeed, between the commendation and the reproof is highly instructive. It is at once a most overwhelming disproof of the baseless and arrogant pretensions of the Papacy; and also an affecting comment on the weakness, blindness, and fallibility of man, even when most honored and privileged. On the very same day, we find this Apostle commended most honorably for his faith and attachment to his Lord, and reproved in terms of the utmost severity for his blindness and unbelief. One moment he is the most favored of the Apostles, a chosen foundationstone of the Church, presented with the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and the next, he is visited with his Lord's stern displeasure, and addressed as if he were Satan himself, the great enemy of

God and man. Surely such an incident, in the life of such an Apostle, should teach us to cease from man, whose breath is in his nostrils, for wherein is he to be accounted of. We learn that man, in his best estate, is subject to error and prejudice. Those who seem most deserving of our confidence, if we repose in them that implicit trust which is due only to the word of our Maker, may lead us astray. God be thanked that we have his safe, and sure, and infallible word as "a light to our feet, and a lamp to our path." "Our faith," therefore, "standeth not in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God." Even a Peter, whose knowledge of Christ is not derived from flesh and blood, but from our Father in heaven; and who is called blessed by the Master's own lips, and numbered among his confidential friends and chosen. Apostles, may, in his advice and counsel, savor of the things that be of men, rather than of the things that be of God. Even he is to be listened to, only so far as he is sustained by the lively oracles of God. While then it becomes every Christian to recognize his individual frailty and liability to error, to distrust himself, to receive with meekness and docility the instructions of the stewards and watchmen of his Lord's household, he is at the same time authorized and required to go to the holy Scripture, as the ultimate arbiter of his faith. He is, with the Bereans, to search the Scrip

tures in an humble, honest, prayerful spirit, to ascertain whether these things be so. From this great privilege and bounden duty, no man, no minister, no Church has the right to debar him. God himself hath spoken to man in his blessed word hath spoken distinctly and intelligibly; and man may, therefore, and ought to listen reverently to the voice of God. But while we claim and use this most invaluable privilege, let us remember that we are no more exempt from prejudice and error than others; and let us cultivate that spirit of humility and candor, and that sincere dependance on the guidance of the Holy Spirit, which are the best safeguard against mistake. If even a Peter stumbled and erred so greatly, let us not be high-minded, but fear. And let us not forget that the times in which we are most lifted up, when we think we have made some special attainments in knowledge or grace, are the very times of chiefest peril.

It seems that our Saviour, immediately after assenting to the truth of Peter's confession, and thus solemnly reassuring his followers that he was the expected Messiah and the Son of the living God, thought it necessary to moderate their highraised anticipations, by speaking to them of his approaching sufferings and ignominious death. "From that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem,

and suffer many things of the elders, and chiefpriests, and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day." As if he would say to them, "You expect that I, your acknowledged Messiah and Prince, will speedily ascend the throne of David, and exalt my people to greatness and glory. You are dreaming of an earthly kingdom, with all its rewards, riches and honors. But far different is the reality. I came now upon earth to suffer, rather than to reign. The way to my throne is by the cross and the tomb. Dismiss these vain expectations. Know yourselves to be the disciples of a despised and suffering Master, and seek your recompense in another world than this." The mention by his Lord of these approaching indignities and cruel inflictions greatly excited the Apostle Peter. It seems to have shocked alike his ambition and his affection. Tenderly attached to his Master, he cannot bear to hear of his subjection to such insults and sufferings. Elated with the commendations which he had just received, and indulging new and higher hopes of earthly distinction, he is unwilling to be convinced that they are all baseless. He proceeds therefore to remonstrate with him in a tone of mingled affection and authority, deprecating such an event, and urging him to dismiss altogether such unwelcome thoughts. He seems to think that his Saviour's recent words of approbation gave him some right