and terrified into a denial of Christ, when he saw him contrary to his
expectations, resign himself to death, by the wicked hands of
unbelieving Jews, aided by heathen soldiers, yet that only one kind
look from his captive Lord, had brought him to repent and mourn in the
bitterness of his soul, that he had not agreeably to his former
purpose, died with his divine master--He might have alleged, that he
had not forsaken Christ's family and friends, even when Christ hung on
the cross or slept in the tomb; though his most faithful followers,
had then been ready to conclude, that they had been deceived, when
"they trusted that it was he who should have redeemed Israel"--that he
had watched Christ's corpse, and been with the first to examine the
report of his resurrection, and among the first who believed it--and
that even then, at that appearance of his Lord, he only of those
present, when they saw him standing on the shore, could not wait till
the boat should convey him to the land, but had thrown himself into
the sea, leaving the fish which they had enclosed, to continue in
their own element, and swam to the shore, not perhaps, without
endangering his life, that he might not delay to receive and welcome
his Lord.

* Matthew xv. 12-19.

These, and probably many other things, evidential of the reality and
strength of his love to Christ, Simon might have alleged,
notwithstanding his late defection--distinctions, which perhaps none
of his fellow disciples could have pleaded; and which, had any share
of the pharisaic spirit rested on him, might have induced him to claim
that superiority to his brethren, which a certain church afterwards
attributed to him.