128 SALMON FISHING IN CANADA. 



tion, and receiving the same answer, thrice did he deliver 

 the same charge of feeding the flock. As if Peter had 

 thrice lost the Apostleship by thrice denying Christ, Christ 

 thrice restored to him the office, that he himself and the 

 other Apostles might have no doubt as to his having been 

 forgiven. And when our Lord had thus, as it were, rein- 

 vested Peter with the Apostleship, he proceeded to pro- 

 phesy ' by what death he should glorify God ; ' so that 

 almost the whole of this interview, as far as it is recorded 

 by the evangelist, was occupied with matters personal to 

 St. Peter, as though it had been on his account, or for 

 his sake, that Christ showed Himself the third time to His 

 disciples. 



" But how does the mode or character of the manifestation 

 agree with the supposition of its having been granted ^\'ith 

 an especial view to St. Peter, to his reinvestment with the 

 pastoral office ? IMost accurately ; for when Simon Peter 

 was first called by Christ to devote himself to the preaching 

 of the (xospel, the Lord wrought, as you will remember, a 

 miracle precisely similar, in its nature and circumstances, 

 to that recorded in the narrative which we have under 

 review. Simon Peter and his partners were then in a ship 

 on the sea of Gennesareth. They had then toiled all night 

 and taken no fish. At the bidding of Christ they then also 

 let down the net, and the result then also was, that imme- 

 diately they ' enclosed a great multitude of fishes.' And 

 then it was that Simon Peter, being overcome by the miracle, 



