574 Book.IV.Part+ Lookin[, unto 1efus. Cbap.1. Sect.7 ------- ------------- if weare Chrifi:sfervants, to live in this world without falfe accu- · fat ions; come let us take heart, and in fome cafes fay not a word ; fincc be that was moil: innocent, was moft filent, why fhould we be too forward in our excufes ? I know there is a time to fpeak, as a time for filer.ce; if it may tend ro Gods honour; and to the fpreading ofGods truth, and that right circumftances do concur, it is then time to open our mouths, though we let in death. So did pur blelfed Saviour; 0 let us learn of him, and follow his fieps. 4· Forthedoome or fentenceof thefeJudges; Caiphasprejudging all the Sanhedrim, in declaring Jefus to have fpoken blafphemy, and the fact to be: notorious, he then asked their votes; what thit..fzye? and they anfwered, andfaid, he is guilty of Mlt.l6.66. death. They durfl: not deny what {aiph.u had faid, they knew his faction was very potent, and his malice great, and his heart was fet upon the bu!inelfe, , and therefore they all confpire, and fay as he would have them, he io guilry &fdeath. Oh here is Jefus fentence, which flwuld have been mine, he is guilty of death. But this fcntence was but like firong difpofit.ions roan inraged feaver, they had no power at that time to inflict death, or fuch a death, as that of the crolfe, they only declared him apt,and worthy, and,guilry ofdeath. . , .. Prov;JI.I4• In the multitude of Councr/lers there is fafety, faid Solomon; but we muft take this in, If ir be ofgood men, and togood purpvfes : for otherwife the meetings, alfemblies, and counceIs of the wicked PCal.z.:z. are dangerous and deadly; the Kings of the eartiJjet thm,·{elves, and the R ulcrs tal:.§ counce! together againft the Lord, 11r1d ag.11lnft hio anoynted. Such councels we had·many in our times; I know not whether we may call them councels, or f} rttma tuntum civitati.1, an ulcerom bunch raifed by thediforder and difiemper of theCity. . 5. For Peters denyal and abjuration; whiles rhefe things were tbus acting concerning Chrift, a fad accident hapened to his fervallt Pettr; at firft a damofel comes to him , and tells him, t hou waft with {ejm of Galilee; and then another maid telis the Mmh. t 6 • 6 9· by-ftanders, thu fe llow was r<!fo whh 'jcfm ofN az,areth : and after a wh i!l!, they that ftood by fpake themfelves, [ttrely thou art one ofth~m, for thy fJmch bewrayeth thee, q. d. thy very idiome ver, 71. ~eclares thee to be a qaMean:. thou art as Chrift i>, of the fame · country
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