and SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST, and his APOSTLES, Cc. 7 fall as viaims and facrifices to his cruelty and revenge. While the fatal flroke was daily expelled, the Chriflians in Rome were continually offering up their prayers to heaven to protell thofe two holy per - fons: but the Almighty was now willing to put an end to their forrows ; and aller fealing the truth they had preached with their own blood, to receive them into the regions of eternal blifs and happinefs, and exchange their crowns of martyrdom for crowns of glory. Accordingly, they were both condemnedby the cruel emperor of Rome ; and St. Peter having taken his farewell of the brethren, efpecially of St. Paul, was taken from the prifon, and led to the top of the Vatican mount near the Tiber, where he was fentenced to furrender up his life by crucifixion. Coming to the place of execution, he begged the favour of the officers, that he might not be crucified in the common manner, but with his head downwards ; affirming, that he was unworthy to fuffer in the fame pofture in which his Lord had fuffered before him. This requeft was ac- cordingly complied with, and the great apoftle St. Peter furrendered up his foul into the hands of his great and beneficent Mailer, who came down from heaven to ranfom mankind from defiruélion, and to open the gates of the heavenly Canaan to all believers. The body of St. Peter being takendown from the trots, is Paid to have been em- balmed by Mercellinus the prefbyter, after the manner of the Jews, and then buried in the Vatican, near the Appian way, two miles from Rome. Here it remained till the time of pope Cornelius, who re-con- veyed it to the Vatican at Rome, where it retied in an obfcure place, till the reign ofConftantine, who, from the great reve- rence he entertained for the Chriflian reli- gion, erered many churches at Rome, and rebuilt and vafily enlarged theVatican in honour of St. Peter. If we confider St. Peter as a man, there will feem to have been a natural eagernefs predominant in his temper, which ani- No.32. mated his foul to the moll bold and gene- rous undertakings: but ifwe confider him as a difciple of the bleffed Jssus, we fitall find him exemplaryin the greatdutiesofreligion. To conclude : if we confider him as an apoftle, as a pallor, or fhepherd of the fouls of men, we Ihall find him faithful and diligent in his office, zealoufly endeavour íng to inftru& the ignorant, reduce the erroneous, flrengthen the weak, confirm the ftrong, reclaim the vicious, and turn the children ofmen into the paths ofrighte- oufnefs. He never omitted any opportu- nity of preaching to the people, and fpreading the glad-tidings of the gofpel amongft the human race : and fo powerful were his difcourfes, that he converted: many thoufands at one time. How many painful journies and dangerousvoyages did he undertake! With what unconquerable patience did he endure the greaten trials, furmount every difficulty, and remove every obflacle, that he might plant the gofpel ofhis beloved Mailer ! Never refufing even to laydown his life to promote it : nor was he only affiduous to perform thefe duties himfelf; he was alfo careful to animate others to do the like, earneftly preffing and perfuading the paftors and governors of the church to feed the flock of God, to labour freely for the good of the fouls of men, and not undertake thofe offices to acquire advantages to themfelves ; befeech- ing them to treat the flock committed to their care with lenity and gentlenefs, and to be themfelves fhining examples of piety and religion,the fureft method ofrendering theirminifiry fuccefsful : and, becaufe it was ;mpoffible for him to be always prefent, to teachand warn the children of men, he en- deavoured by letters to imprint in theirminds the pratdice ofwhat they had been taught : a method, he tells us, he was refolved to pur- fue, as long as he continued an inhabitant of this world; thinking it meet, while he was in this tabernacle, to ftir up the profeffors of the gofpel, by putting them in mind ofthefe things ; that fo they might be able after his deceafe to have themalways inremembrance, and not let them flip out of their minds. 4 Y St. JUDE,
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