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Father's house which Christ prepares for them that love Him. Our Lord speaks of these friends receiving" us there, as a great addition to our happiness in that eternal world. He would have this placed definitely before our mind, in order (I think) that we may understand better, and more truly realise, for the quickening of our faith and hope, of what kind are the treasures which we are to lay up in heaven, and how very superior they are to the treasures which men lay up on earth.

No parable of our Blessed Lord will supply us with more food for meditation, with more encouragement to perseverance and self-denial, with more materials for that 'hope by which we are saved, with more instruction as to the nature of our future recompense, and as to the results of our work here on earth in increasing that reward, than this of "The dishonest steward," if only it be carefully studied.

CHAPTER X.

THE TWELVE PETER AND JOHN.

NEXT to the example and teaching of our Lord Himself, we naturally turn for our guidance and instruction to those of His chosen disciples whom it was His own special work to train to follow in His footsteps. The particular work for which they were being prepared by their personal intercourse with their Lord was to be witnesses to those great events by which He accomplished our Redemption; and this testimony, when the Holy Ghost had given them the spiritual power necessary for their ministry, they went forth to proclaim, first to the Jews, and afterwards to the whole world. This, which was the speciality of their work for God, is very exactly and very emphatically described by the Apostle John,*"That which we have heard, that which we have seen with our eyes, that which we beheld, and our hands have

handled, concerning the Word of life, declare we

unto you."

Nothing, we might suppose, could exceed the definiteness of this particular work which was committed to the Twelve. And yet, when we examine their history and teaching in the New Testament, it is equally apparent that this oneness of work was no uniformity; for in proportion as a work for God is spiritual and real, in the same proportion is it personal, and therefore marked by the individuality of him who fulfils it. The spiritual work of every single member of Christ's Body, of each apostle as well as of each prophet, of each teacher and each pastor, of each evangelist and each disciple, is his own work. And this makes it of so much importance for every one of us to enquire, "What is my work?"

It will, therefore, be profitable for us now that we pass from the example of our Lord Himself to those of His servants, to consider what individual features and characteristics we find among those original apostles, who yet

had one common work for God which distinguished their witness for the truth from every other. It will be sufficient to take the two which are the most prominent, and consider the special work of each, so far as it may be practically useful to ourselves in our study of the subject.

(1) St. Peter, who in every list of the Twelve always stands first, who was recognised by our Lord Himself as their leader, and who, after our Lord's Ascension, assumed, without any questioning, the position of the chief of the apostles, was, no doubt, by the natural energy of his character, and even by that impetuosity and impulsiveness which, dangerous as it may be, is often connected with great power, fitted to be a leader of men. And yet, according to man's judgment, he would have been the very last of all the disciples to whom the name Cephas, "The Rock," would have been given. The first to confess our Lord to be the Son of God, yet the only disciple who denied Him; overcome by strong temptation for the moment, yet

repenting with bitter tears as soon as he had sinned; the first to admit Gentiles into the Church, and boldly protesting before the council at Jerusalem against "laying a yoke on the neck of the Gentile converts ;" and yet, not long afterwards, at Antioch, dissembling his real convictions in order to please the Jews, and acting as if his mind were not yet decided on the question, how could such an one fulfil the work committed to him as the chief representative of the Apostolic body? But Peter was an instance of the truth, which is of all most necessary to be remembered in regard to our work for God, that God's power is made perfect in man's weakness. His infirmities of character were such as would have disqualified him for being a great leader in the world. The stuff of which the world's heroic characters are made is not that which Christ ordinarily selects for the work of manifesting the Name of God. The strength of him who was foremost in witnessing for the truth, after Christ sent down His Spirit on His Church, was the strength that is derived from the deepest