Ch. 26 Petera deìiàl. his ownLaw, as finning againft himfelf And theyare fioce the fame. a. The very Murderers of Chrift, would Teem greater enemies to Blafphemy, and more zealous for God's Hcnour, than God hithielf: So little are falfe men to be believed. 67. Thendid they fpit in his face, and buffeted him, and others fmote Wm with the pain's of their hands, 68. Saying Prophete unto us thou Chrifl, who is he that fmote thee'? 67,68.N. It was God in the l-lefh that (ubmit. ted to all this kernand abide for our Sin. r. O then what cloth fin deferve? a. And why fhould we look for better, and be over- tender of our Flefb or Reputation. 6g. Now Peter fist without in the palace : and a damfel came unto him, faying, Thou alto waft with Jefus of Galilee. 7o =. But he deni- ed before them all, faying, I know not what .thou fayell. 71. And whenhe was gone out into the porch, another maid faw him, and Paid un- to them that were there, Thisfellow was al1ò with Jefus ofNazareth. 72. And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man. 69, &c. N. I. Aman that is forwardeft in profeffing Courage, and in drawing the Sword, andlayingabouthim, is ingreater danger bare- ly cowarded by filly Wenches. So uncertain a thing is Man. 2. Diftruflful fear, and love of Life, may dray men intomultiplied hey nousfin. 73. And after a while Game unto him they that flood by, and faid toPeter, Surely thou alfo art one of them, for thy fpeech bewrayeth thee. 74. Then began he to curie and to fwear, laying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew. 73. Matthew mentioneth but one Cock- crowing It being the middle or fecund that is meant. 2. To ask, what had become of Peter, if he had died in this Sin, and how far he did fall from Grace, is not fo profitable, as to confider our own frailty and danger, and how to4cape the like. 75. And Peter remembred the words of Jefus, which faid unto him, Before the cock crow, thou ¡halt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly. St. Matthew. Judas's confefon. 7s. N. Chrift looted on Peter, (as john raid,,) and this began to melt him into Repentance, with the hearing of the fecund Cock : Yet though he wept, nadid not return, and open. ly Confeti brtlt, as he did after.. Doubtefs the Difcipirs had far more Grace; and were ich liable to fall after the Holy Ghoit came down on them at fencecoft , than before. C H A P. XXVII. Hen the morningwas come all the chief priefls and elders of the people took counfel a- gainfi Jefus to put him to death. r. Note, The Romana had taken from the Yews the power of putting men to Death ; Therefore they confuked how to get the Ra- man Government to do it: Priefts and Rulers, all confpire it. 2. And when they had houndhim, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the gover- nour. 2. When they had judged Ihim to deferve Death after their Law, they bring himbound to Pilate the Roman Goverr,our, to have him Condemn, and Crucifie him. 3. Then Judas which had betray- ed him, when he faw that he was condemned, repented himfeif; and brought again the thirty pieces of filver to the chief priefts and elders, 4. Saying, I have finned, in that I have betrayed the innocent bloud. And they faid, .What is that tous ? fee thou to that. 3, 4. N. t. It is uncertain whither Yudas was before emboldened to betray him for gain, by thinking that he Would deliver Rm- telf by a miracle ; or whether he was made fenflels by the Devil, till now that God awa- kened hisconfcience. 2. 0 how differently Both fin appear in the hour of flattering Temp- tation, and when confcience is throughly wakened ? It frema not then the fame thing, becaufe confcience is not in the fante cafe. 3. We fee here what told comfortcoin- pauions in fin will give-a man in mifery or defpair ? See Mau to that, is all that can be got then from them that tempted and hi- red him to fin. 4. 0 the ftupidity of feared fleepy confciences I that thefe Arch ptiefts and Rulers fhould nothe touched with 'Judas's ter. rot and repentance, but lay, What is that to us, when it was they that hired him to fin, and finn d (till. 5, And he cart down the "pieces
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