THE SERMON. 123 



to life and liberty and further labour in his divine Master's 

 cause that Peter who when condemned to crucifixion by 

 the cruel Nero, did not deem himself worthy to die a death 

 of agony in the same manner as our divine Redeemer, and 

 was at his own request fastened to the cross with his head 

 downwards thus, in meekness and humiliation following 

 the footsteps of his Saviour, on earth, obtaining a martyr's 

 crown, in heaven securing a saint's diadem of everlasting 

 glory. 



" At the time he gave utterance to the words of our text, 

 seven of our Lord's disciples had assembled together on 

 the shore of the sea of Tiberias; as soon as Peter 

 announced his intention to them to ( go a fishing,' they 

 all agreed to accompany him, and spent the night in fruit- 

 less toil, for they caught nothing. 



a When the morning came, as they approached the land, 

 there stood upon the shore One whom they did not recog- 

 nise, and who inquired of them whether they had any 

 meat ? On their answering in the negative, he directed 

 them to cast the net at the right side of the ship, and 

 assured them they should find. 



" They cast the net without hesitation, and immediately 

 enclosed so great a multitude of fishes that they were 

 unable to draw it. 



" This miracle was so similar in its nature and circum- 

 stances to that which had preceded the calling of Peter 



