of Ananias, and was struck rather with fear, than with holy grief. He might have repented, as Pharaoh1 did, frightened, but not reformed. His boast of being "some great one" was, however, at this time, abandoned, and he yielded, with seeming devotion, to the superior power of the Apostles. "The loftiness of man was bowed down, and the haughtiness of man was laid low, and THE LORD ALONE was exalted

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vanquished. Sulpic. Sever. Hist. Sacr. lib. ii. Arnobius reports a meeting between St. Peter and Simon Magus at Rome, and in the above story there may be some faint traces of truth.

Simon,

1 Pharaoh said: "Intreat for me." Exod. viii. 28. in like manner, commended himself to the prayers of Peter and John.

12 Isaiah ii. 17.

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CHAPTER IX.

ON THE MIRACLES WROUGHT BY ST. PETER.

So entirely convinced were believers at Jerusalem of Peter's ability to perform miracles, that “ "they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least his shadow passing by might overshadow some of them 1." Unless Peter had performed such works, as proved beyond all dispute his possession of the gift of healing, is it probable that the expectation would have been formed, upon which the people are here described as acting? They must have received experience of his having, in person, miraculously restored the sick, as the ground of their opinion that there was efficacy even in his shadow.

From this passage in St. Luke's History, we should have had reason to conclude that many illustrious "wonders and signs" were wrought by Peter,

1 Acts v. 15.

of Ananias, and was struck rather with fear, than with holy grief. He might have repented, as Pharaoh1 did, frightened, but not reformed. His boast of being "some great one" was, however, at this time, abandoned, and he yielded, with seeming devotion, to the superior power of the Apostles. "The loftiness of man was bowed down, and the haughtiness of man was laid low, and THE LORD ALONE was exalted 2"

vanquished. Sulpic. Sever. Hist. Sacr. lib. ii. Arnobius reports a meeting between St. Peter and Simon Magus at Rome, and in the above story there may be some faint traces of truth.

Simon,

1 Pharaoh said: "Intreat for me." Exod. viii. 28. in like manner, commended himself to the prayers of Peter and John.

2 Isaiah ii. 17.

CHAPTER IX.

ON THE MIRACLES WROUGHT BY ST. PETER.

So entirely convinced were believers at Jerusalem of Peter's ability to perform miracles, that "they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least his shadow passing by might overshadow some of them 1" Unless Peter had performed such works, as proved beyond all dispute his possession of the gift of healing, is it probable that the expectation would have been formed, upon which the people are here described as acting? They must have received experience of his having, in person, miraculously restored the sick, as the ground of their opinion that there was efficacy even in his shadow.

From this passage in St. Luke's History, we should have had reason to conclude that many illustrious "wonders and signs" were wrought by Peter,

1 Acts v. 15.

though no instances had been specified, in which he thus asserted his apostolical authority. But men! tion is made in the Book of the Acts of three miracles performed by this Apostle, and they are works, which, the more scrupulously they are examined, appear the more complete, as credentials of his sacred commission.

I. Peter exerted an act of miraculous power, in imparting strength to a cripple at Jerusalem, who solicited alms, as he and John' went up into the

1 The names of St. Peter and St. John are often introduced together. These two Apostles were sent by Jesus to prepare the last Passover. Luke xxii. 8. Simon Peter beckoned to John, that he should ask whom our Lord designed to point out as the traitor. John xiii. 24. It is generally supposed that it was John, who with Peter followed Jesus to the judgment-hall: "And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another (the other) disciple." John xviii. 15. Peter and John ran together to the sepulchre. John xx. 4. John told Peter that the stranger at the sea of Tiberias was the Lord. John xxi. 7. Peter, in the interview with Christ on that day, desired to be made acquainted with the future destiny of John. Ib. 21. These brethren in Jesus Christ were together when the lame man asked an alms at the Temple-gate. Acts iii. 1. They were companions in prison for preaching to the people, and united in declaring before the council their intention to persist in the conduct, for which they had been arraigned: "Peter and John answered," &c. Acts iv. 3. 19. They were sent together to Samaria to confirm the converts made by Philip. Acts viii. 14.

Chrysostom observed that St. Peter and St. John were united by a close agreement of mind and feeling-πανταχοῦ φαίνονται οὗτοι πολλὴν ἔχοντες πρὸς ἀλλήλους ὁμόνοιαν. Hom. viii. in Acta Apost. Quoted by Bishop Pearson, Lect. in Acta Apost.

The particular friendship which subsisted between these Apos