Chap.x.Sect.7. Leokingrmto 1-e[m. Book.IV.Plut.3. 575 country and feet, and therefore thou art one of his difciples; peter thus fu rpri z.ed, without any time to deliberate, he fhamefully denies his Lord, and I. He doth ic with a kinde offubterfuge, I k_no.-v not wh;'!f thoM faJft; he feems to elude the accu- vcr 70 • [ation with this evafion, l know not thy meamng, I underHand not thy words, 1 skjlt mt what th?r4 (:ryjf. 2. At the next turne, nr 7%· he goes on to a licentious boldneife, denying Chnj"f wirh qn 011th, I do not ~ow the m;~n; and lafily he aggravates his !info far, that be grows to impudence,and fo denies his Lord with curjing, and fwearinu, I k._now notthe mrm; here'; a lye, an oath, and a vcr.74• curfe; the fin is begun at the voyce of a woman, a Glly damofel, not any of the greardl: Ladies, fhe was only a poore {ervingrna ide that kept the dores ·; but it grew to ripenelfe, when the men-fervants fell upon him, no•11 he fwears, and vows, and curfes hirnldfe if he ~ew the man. · 0 Peter, is the man fo vile that thou wilt not own him ! hadO: thou not before confefi him to be Chrifr, the Son ofthe living God? and doft thou not know him to be man, as well as God ! fay; is not this the man. God, God· man that call'd thee, and thy brother Andrew, at the fea of Galilee, faying, follow me, and I will mak.nou fifhers ofmen ? is not this he waom thou faweft ori Mount Tabor, fhining more gloriouOy than the Sun? is not this he whom thou faweft walk, ing on the waters, and to whom thou faid'£1:, Lord if it be thou, bid me come 1111t6 th(e <n the W.tter? how is it then that thou fayfr, Mat. I4·18 • I lznow not the man ? furely here's a fad example of humane infirmity; if Peter fell fo foully, how much more m&y lelfer ftars? and yet withal here's a blefled example of ferious through repentance; no fooner the cock crew, and Chrifi gave a look on Peter, but he goes out and weep1 bitterly ; the cock ms the vr~.7f; Preacher, and the look of Jefus was the grace that made the Sermon eff:etl:ual: 0 the mercy of Chrii1: ! he looked back'on -him that had forgot himfelfe; he revives his fervants memory to think on his Mafiers words ; he fends him qut to weep bitterly, that fo he might refiore him: mercifully to his favour againe. Let us learne hence, to think modeO:ly and foberly of our Vfr felves, yea,/•t him that think.fth he ftandeth, tafe! heed left' he fall h Cor. 1~. 11 ,. if Petercoul~ firO: dilfemble, and then lye, and then forfweare, and then blatpheme and ~;urfe, ; 0 ~et not us be high-minded but Rom.II.lo~ . [e111re, ,
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