i r o Peter's Denial of his Hafer, S E x M. and the friend of God, feems not to have V. ailed fuitably to his character, when, thro' fear, he denied his wife, thereby expofing her and other innocent perfons to a fnare, both in Egypt and at Gerar, where Abime- lech reproved him feverely, as we read in the loth chapter of Genffis. Wes, the meekeft man in the whole earth, yet once fpake un- advifedly, and his fpirit was embittered, fo that God in his difpleafure depriv'd him of the priviledge of entering into Canaan ; and Job, whofe exemplary patience is juftly ce- lebrated in every age, yet in the extremity of his long continuing trial, fell into the con- trary diftempers of mind to a degree, which was reproachful, and afterward the fubjet of grievous remorfe. A multitude of other inftances there are, which the time would fail me to mention; but that in the text is very peculiar. A man fo near to the holy Jefus, a foundation on which he built his Church, and to whom he committed the keys of his kingdom, fo refolute in his ad-. herence to him as to fay, without his heart reproaching him for infincerity, tho' I flhould die with thee I will, not deny thee ; yet in that very night, after fo recent a premonition, denies with oaths, that he fo much as knew him,
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