SERM.making the folemn confeffion, * that he IX. was the Chrift; and at the approach of our Lord's fuffering, he expreffed the strongest refolution of cleaving to him, declaring, that, though all others fhould forfake him, he would not, and that he would die with him rather than deny him. And when the officers of the Jews brought a band of men to take Jefus, Peter was the only man, who made any refiftance, wounding a fervant of the high priest. Yet we fee, that with all the affectionate warmth of his heart, and forwardnefs of his fpirit, he difcovered, in fome inftances, much weaknefs; and though he was hearty and honeft in his refolutions, yet in acting his part, he failed. When he was in the high prieft's hall, waiting to see what would become of his mafter, he was fo frightened, that he denied all relation to him, not without oaths. And, on occafion of the debates at Antioch, he was fo afraid of the Jews, that he acted a mean and pufillanimous part, complying with their fuperftitious imaginations, contrary to the light of his own mind, for which he was sharply rebuked by the Apoftle Paul. * Matt. xvi. 16. Such Such characters we often meet with in hu- SERM. man life; in which we fee warmth, and IX. zeal, and chearfulness, in undertaking, where yet men are defective in that strength and firmness of mind, which are requifite to make them happy in execution. But though fuch was Peter's natural temper, yet we fee, that, in feveral inftances, aided from above, he acted a most heroic parts particularly, in the first perfecutions, which were raised by the Jews after our Lord's refurrection, he was the boldeft speaker, and treated all their attempts against the Christian caufe with that neglect, which became a moft affured mind. To return from this digreffion : You may obferve, how warm this controverfy, concerning the Gentile converts, was, in the primitive church; the Jews, obftinate in their prejudices; and the Apoftle Paul, and fuch as joined with him, inflexible in defending the cause of truth and liberty. It feems the debate was carried, in fome places, fo high, as to become the caufe of a breach in Chriftian communion. Now, confidering the heats, which this matter occafioned, and the length, to which the diffenfion was car SERM. ried, it is by no means probable, that the IX. diffenting parties were in a plot to impose upon the world; or that a scheme, which, at the bottom, was mere imposture, could fubfift and bear up against such animofities. Although fome perfons engaged in this controverfy were very much heated, and had a most hearty diflike of their antagonifts, ftill we do not meet with the least hint, that any of them gave up the whole of Christianity, or charged the patrons of, or advocates for it, as impoftors. None of them divulged any such secret, as, that all, by which they had fo much amused the world, was the artful contrivance of fome wicked and defigning men. But in all the fierceness of their contention, they agreed in the great articles of the Chriftian faith, that Jefus was the fon of God, that he was the promised Meffiah, and that he was risen from the dead. If indeed these contentions had happened long after Christianity had got footing, and prevailed in the world, this argument, taken from them, would have been but of very fmall force; but we find jarring and disagreement in the very opening of the scene. This doth not at all look like intrigue and ftratagem, ftratagem. And any one, who attentively SERM. readeth the writings of the Apostle Paul, IX. upon the fubject of these debates, will evidently fee, that he wrote not like a person, who was tenderly nurfing and fupporting an imposture, and feared a discovery; but like one, who was fully convinced of the truth of what he said, and the importance of it, and who had good authority to bear him out, and therefore would be true to his principles, whoever fhould oppose him. No matter to him, if the great name of Peter was in the oppofite party, or if the established reputation of a Barnabas stood in his way; he would go with none of them farther than they acted an upright part, and abode by the fimplicity of the gospel. He would not give place, no not for an hour, at the expence of truth and of his own fincerity. It must be owned, that differences in opinion, with refpect to matters of religion, when attended with animofity and a contentious fpirit, are very bad and hurtful, and often followed with moft pernicious confequences: they greatly afflicted and hurt even the primitive church. However, we have this one good confe*Gal. ii. 5 quence SERM. quence following upon the hot debates in IX. the apoftolic age, that it must appear extremely improbable, that men, who had fuch fierce contentions among themselves, should be combined together in a plot against mankind, and in pursuing a defign cunningly and artfully framed to impose upon the world. The Apostle Paul, in fome of his difcourfes upon thefe debates, doth plainly mention false brethren, and fome, who seem to have been of the very worst characters, men, who ferved not Jefus Chrift, but their own bellies, perfons of the lowest, moft corrupted, and illiberal fpirits; and low fpirits indeed they muft have been, who merely for the fake of what they could get from the bounty and charity of Chriftians, in a state of continual oppreffion and perfecution, took upon them the character of Chriftians or minifters of Christ, while in their hearts they were at enmity with his religion: Yet it seems, that some such there were: and he speak eth of them, who oppofed him, with great bitterness, and preached Christ out of and contention and does not envy doubt to call fome of them minifters of Satan. But he biddeth all these opponents the |
