The grieved, and distressed apostle, could have mentioned many things as proofs of his love to Jesus; yea of the strength of his affection for him.  He might have pleaded his profession respecting Christ, at the time when he was honored with the name of Peter—­an honorable distinction, and designed to recommend him to the acceptance of his fellow disciples. * He might have mentioned what passed, when Christ asked the twelve, whether they “would also go away?” When many offended at his doctrine forsook him, after having followed him, and professed themselves his disciples.  Simon had on that occasion made a noble profession, shewing that he was a disciple indeed—­“Lord, to whom shall we go?  Thou hast the words of eternal life.  And we believe and are sure, that thou art that Christ, the son of the living God?” He might have pleaded, that he had singly dared to draw his sword against the multitude, which came to apprehend his Lord—­that he had resolutely attacked them, and maintained the conflict, with the whole band, till disarmed by a command from his divine Sovereign to put up his sword into its sheath—­that he had followed Christ, when most of the others forsook him and fled—­had ventured into the judgment hall to attend his trial and witness the event—­that though there surprised 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.