Can aught exceed the grace that shines here? That gracious, loving, faithful Lord, in view of Peter's terrible sin--knowing all he was about to do, all the sad forgetfulness--could actually plead for him that, spite of all, his confidence might not give way--that he might not lose the sense of the eternal stability of that grace which had taken him up from the depth of his ruin and guilt. Matchless grace! Nothing can surpass it in brightness and blessedness. Had it not been for this prayer, Peter's confidence must have given way. He never could have survived the awful struggle through which his soul passed when thinking of his dreadful sin. When he came to himself, when he reflected upon the whole scene, his expressions of devotedness, "Though all should deny Thee, yet will I never deny Thee"--"Though I should die with Thee, yet will I not deny Thee"--"I am ready to go with Thee to prison and to death"--to think of all these words, and yet that he should deny his beloved Lord with cursing and swearing, was overpowering. It is a dreadful moment in the soul's history when one wakes up to the consciousness of having committed sin--sin against light, knowledge, and privilege--sin against divine grace and goodness. Satan is sure to be specially busy at such a crisis. He casts in the most terrible suggestions--raises all manner of questions--fills the heart with legal reasonings, doubts, and fears--causes the soul to totter on the foundation. But, thanks and praise to our God, the enemy cannot prevail. "Hitherto shalt thou come, and no further." The all-prevailing intercession of our divine Advocate sustains the faith so sorely tried, carries the soul through the deep and dark waters, restores the broken link of communion, heals the spiritual wounds, lifts up the fallen one, brings back the wanderer, and fills the heart with praise and thanksgiving. "I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not; and when thou art restored, strengthen thy brethren." Here we have set before us in the most touching way _the procuring cause_ of Simon Peter's restoration. We shall now look for a moment at THE PRODUCING MEANS. For this, too, we are indebted to the evangelist Luke. Indeed it is through him the inspiring Spirit has given us so much of what is exquisitely human--so much of what goes straight to our very hearts, in subduing power--so much of God coming out in loveliest human form.