He denies that he knew him; and the Cock crew. him:] [JOH. Art not thou alfo one of this Man's Difciples?] And thou also wast with Jefus of Nazareth [of Galilee.] [MAT. XXVI. -69. LUKE XXII. 56. JOHN XVIII.-17.—] LUKE XXII. 57. And he denied him [before them all,] faying, Woman, [JOH. I am not ;] I know him not [MAR. neither understand Í what thou fayeft] [MAT. XXVI. 70. MARK XIV; 68. —JOHN XVIII.—17.] Mark XIV. 517 him farther, the charged him directly with it, Sect. 184. and faid, Tell us truly, Art not thou thyfelf alfo [one] of this Man's Difciples (f)? There is a great deal of Room to think it; yea, thou waft alfo with him, even with this Jefus the Nazarene of Galilee, who is now on his Trial. 67. And Peter was Luke XXII, fo furprized at this unexpected Discovery, that 57. be roundly and confidently denied him before them all (g), and faid, Woman, I profefs that I am not his Difciple; nay, that I do not fo much as know him (b); nor do I understand what thou meanest in charging me with being one of his Affociates for I am fure thou mighteft as well have fixed on any other Perfon in the Company. upon this he went out into the Portico (i); and 68. while he was there, the Cock crew (k). ; And Mark XIV, And the Servants and Officers, who had brought John XVIII. Jefus thither, and were now waiting for the Iffue 18. of his Trial, ftill ftood there in the Hall, having (as was before obferved,) made a large Fire of Coals; Teize Chrift: She therefore muft guefs by Peter's Countenance, that he was one of his Friends; unless poffibly she had feen them together in the Temple, or elsewhere. (f) Art not thou alfo one of this Man's Difciples ?] One would imagine from the Word [alfo,] when it is read in the Connection John has placed it in, that in this Question the referred to John; as if she had faid, Art not thou one, as well as thy Companion? And if this were admitted, it would be a plain Intimation, that John acknowledged himself a Difciple of Chrift. But it must be owned, that the other Evangelifts ufe the fame Word [alfo,] tho' they fay nothing of John's being with Peter. (g) He denied him before them all.] How must these People be furprized, when they faw (as, no doubt, fome of them did,) this timorous Difciple within the Compafs of a few Weeks, when he was brought with John before the Council, not only maintaining the Cause and Honour of Jefus, but boldly charging the Murther of this Prince of Life on the Chief Men of the Nation, and folemnly warning them of their Guilt and Danger in Confequence of it. Acts iv. 5,-12. Perhaps when it is faid there, (ver. 13.) that they took Knowledge of Peter and John, that they had been with Jefus; the Meaning may be, that fome of them, or their Attendants, remembered Peter and John as the Two Perfons, who had followed Jefus thus far, when the reft had forfaken him. Compare John xviii. 15, 16. (b) I do not know him.] Chrift was fo publick a Perfon, and fo well known to Thousands, not at all in his Intereft, that this additional Falfehood was moft unneceffary; and, as it frequently happens, when People allow themselves to tranfgrefs the Bounds of Truth, it was more like to entangle and discover him, than to clear him. (i) He went out into the Portico.] I apprehend, that the Word gavo most exactly anfwers to the Latin Word Veftibulum, by which many good Interpreters render it. And confidering the Magnificence of the Jewish Buildings at this Time, it is reasonable to conclude, that this, which belonged to the High-Priest's Palace, was fome stately Piazza or Colonnade; and therefore I chofe rather to render it Portico, than Porch, a Word equally applicable to the meaneft Buildings of that Kind. (k) The Cock crew.] It is ftrange, this Circumftance did not remind him of our Lord's Prediction, and bring him to fome Senfe of his Sin: Perhaps it did; and he might return perfuaded, that he should be more couragious, if he met with a fecond Attack, (1) For 518 John XVIII. 18. He is again taxed with it, and denies him with an Oath. Sect. 184. Coals; for they had been Abroad at Midnight, cold,) and they warmed and it was cold (1); and they were warming them- Peter flood with them, and themfelves and [Simon] "Jelves at the Fire. And Simon Peter having ftaid warmed himself. [JOHN a while in the Portico, as he must have been XVIII. 25.-] pinched by the Sharpnefs of the Air, and was, no doubt, in a reftlefs Commotion of Mind on Account of what had paffed, came in again, and having mingled with the Servants, ftood at the Mat. XXVI. Fire-fide to warm himself amongst them. 7. And when he had thus been gone out into the Portico, and was returned into the Hall, after a little while another Maid faw him again, and faid to them that were there, (as her Fellow-Servant had done just before,) Whatever he pretends, I verily believe, this Man was also with Jefus of Nazareth: And prefently he began to fay openly to them that ftood by, Surely this is [one] of them, that have endeavoured to bring all the Nation into Confufion, and is crept in hither as a Spy, rather than John XVIII. a Friend. They therefore taking Notice of what both these Women had fpoken, began to tax him with it, and said to bim, What, have we a Rebel fo near us? Let us know plainly, who thou art: Art not thou alfo, who pretendeft to enter these Doors as a Friend, [one] of his Difciples, who Luke XXII. has been doing fo much Mischief? 25. 58. And as MAT. XXVI. 71. And when he was gone out into the Porch, [LUK. after a little while] another [Maid] faw him [again,] and faid unto them that were there, Jefus of Nazareth: [and he began to fay to them that food by, This is one of them.] This Fellow was also with [MARK XIV. 69. LUKE XXII. 58.-1 JOHN XVIII.-25.They faid therefore unto him, Art not thou also one of his Difciples? LUKE XXII.-58. MAT. XXVI. 72. And [LUK. Peter] again denied he feemed in great Confufion, another Man that And another faw him, and stood by, saw him perplexed, and therefore charg- faid, Thou art alfo of them. ed it home upon him, and faid, It is certainly fo; Thou art alfo [one] of them, and deferveft to fufMat. XXVI. fer with thy Master. And to remove all Suf72. picion as entirely as poffible, that they might no more think that he belonged to Jefus, Peter again denied [him] in the strongest Manner, even with an Oath (m), and faid, Man, why doft thou talk thus? I folemnly affure thee, and call GOD to witness to it, that I am not one of them and that [it] with an Oath, [JOH. and faid,] [LUK. Man, I am not ;] I do not know the Man. [MARK XIV. 70.LUKE XXII.-58. JOHN XVIII.—25.] (1) For it was cold.] It is well known, that the Coldness of the Nights is generally more fenfible in thofe hotter Countries, than among us. (m) With an Oath.] Dr. Clarke conjectures, that Peter was suffered to fall fouler than any of the rest of the Apostles, (except Judas the Traitor,) and to make more remarkable Miftakes in his Conduct, that we might be cautioned againft that extravagant Regard, which would afterwards be demanded to him and his pretended Succeflors. Clarke's Seventeen Sermons, N° x. pag. 236. (n) The He denies him a Third Time, with curfing and fwearing. LUKE XXII. 59. And [after a while] about the Space of one Hour after, another confidently affirmed, faying, Of a Truth this Fellow alfo was with him; for he is a Galilean. [MAT XXVI. 73.—MARK XIV. -70.-] MARK XIV.—70. And they that ftood by [came unto him, and] faid again to Peter, Surely thou [alfo] art one of them; for thou art a Galilean, and thy Speech agreeth thereto, [and bewrayeth thee.] [MA T. XXVI. -73.] of the Servants of the Highwhofe Ear Peter cut off,) faith, Did not I fee thee in 519 that indeed I do not fo much as know the Man, Sect. 184. but came in out of mere Curiofity to learn the Mat. XXVI. Occafion of this publick Alarm, without the leaft Intereft in him, or Concern for him. 72. And as he ftill continued there, after a while, Luke XXII. about the Space of one Hour after he had thus 59. denied him, another Man in the Company confi dently affirmed that the former Charge was juft, faying, Of a Truth this Man was also with him, and is a Follower of this Jefus; for it is plain he alfo is a Galilean, and every one knows that most of his Difciples are of that Country. And upon Mark XIV. this, they that stood by came to him, and faid to 70. Peter again, Surely it is as this Man afferts; and notwithstanding thy denying it, there is no Room to doubt but thou art alfo [one] of them, for thou art plainly a Galilean: And I know it, faid one that was there, by thy Speech; for fuch I have obferved to be thy Dialect and Accent, as agrees [to that] Country, [and] confequently discovers thee to be of Galilee, as moft of this Man's fediJOHN XVIII. 26. One tious Followers are. And one of the domeftic JohnXVIII. Servants of the High-Priest, being a Relation of 26. his whofe Ear Peter had cut off, preffed the Charge home upon him, and said, How can you have the Affurance to deny it? Take heed what you fay: Did not I myself fee thee in the Garden with him? Then Peter being terrified to think of the Danger Mat.XXVI. to which he fhould be expofed, if he was difco- 74. vered to be the Perfon that made the Attack on the Servant of. the High-Prieft, which might in fuch a Circumftance expofe him even to Capital Punishment, denied it again more violently than ever; and that he might not any more be called in queftion, he began to curfe and to fwear, and folemnly to imprecate the Judgment of GOD upon himself, if it were fo; [faying,] as he had done before, I tell thee, Man, I know not what thou meanest by fuch a falfe and groundless Accufation; I do not fo much as know this Man of whom you speak, and was fo far from being in the Garden with him, that I am absolutely a perfect Stranger to him. And he had no fooner thus denied him in this fhocking Manner, but imme the Garden with him? MAT. XXVI. 74. Then [JOH. Peter denied again, and] began to curse and to fwear, Jaying, [LUK. Man, I know not what thou fayeft;] I know not [this] Man (of whom ye fpeak.] And immediately [LUK. while he yet fpake,] the Cock crew [the fecond Time.] [MARK XIV. 71, 72. — LUKR XXII, 60. JOHN XVIII, 27.] diately, 520 Luke XXII. 61. ; LUKE XXII..61. And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter; and Peter remembred the Word of the Lord [Jefus,] how he had The Cock crows again, and JESUS looking on him, he repents. Sect. 184. diately, while he yet fpake, the Words of Jefus were fulfilled, and according to the Warning he had given him, the Cock crew the fecond Time (n). And Jefus having been examined by the Senate in a more retired Room, was now brought back into the Hall, while they were confulting what they should do with him, so that he ftood within hearing when Peter thus ungratefully denied him. and hearing such shocking Language from a Voice fo familiar to him, just as thofe dreadful Words proceeded out of his Mouth, the Lord turned about, and looked upon Peter with a Mixture of Earneftnefs and Tenderness in his Countenance, which thro' the fecret Energy of the Spirit, that went along with it, pierced him to the very Heart: And then Peter recollected the Word of the Lord Jefus, how he had faid to him but that very Evening, Before the Cock crow twice, thou shalt deny 62 me thrice. (See Mark xiv. 30. pag. 496.) And Peter could no longer bear the Place, nor ftand faid unto him, Before the Cock crow [MAR. twice,] thou fhalt deny me thrice. [MAT. XXVI. 75. MARK XIV. —72.—1 62 And Peter went out, and [MAR.when he thought thereon, he] wept bitterly. [MAT. XXVI. -75MARK XIV. -72.]; (n) The Cock crew.] To reconcile this with what the Jews pretend, that all the Cocks ufed to be removed out of Jerufalem at the Time of the Paffover, fome would render o anexlop eparnoev, The Watchman proclaimed the Hour of the Night: But this is fo unnatural an Interpretation, that rather than admit it, one would question the Truth of that Jewish Tradi tion, or conclude, that if the Cuftom it afferts did prevail in Chrift's Time, fome Cock was accidentally left behind, or returned unobferved to this Place. The Hurry of fuch a Night as this, might have occafioned much greater Neglects, than this supposes. (0) Covered his Head with his Mantle.] Raphelius, and fome learned Criticks, would render Canav, throwing himself out of the Company in a paffionate Manner, which it is very probable he did: But others, and particularly Elfner, (Obferv. Vol. i. pag. 165, 166.), and Lambert Bos, (Exercit. pag. 21, 22.) with much better Authority, would tranflate it. covering his Head, which was a Token of Mourning and Shame, well becoming Peter on this Occafion. (Compare 2 Sam. xv. 30. Efth. vi. 12. and Jer. xiv. 3, 4.) As for our Verfion, [when he thought thereon,] I can find no Pafilage in Antiquity, in which the Word has fuch a Signification; tho' to be fure that Phrafe exprefles what was truly the Cafe. I have therefore inferted it in the Paraphrafe, as I would take every Opportunity of paying all due Refpect to fo valuable a Tranflation, as ours is in the main. IMPROVE Reflections on Peter's Denial of CHRIST. IMPROVEMENT. 521 Mat. xxvi. HOW W loudly does this affecting Story speak to us, in the Words of Sect. 184. the Apostle, Let him that thinketh be ftandeth, take heed left he fall! (1 Cor. x. 12.) Peter profeffed the warmest Zeal; and gave his 69,-74. Lord repeated, and, no doubt, very fincere Affurances of the firmest Refolutions in his Caufe; and yet, except Judas the Traitor, none of his Brethren fell fo low as he. But a few Hours before, he had been with Chrift at the Sacred Table, and had heard from his own Lips those gracious Difcourfes, which, as ecchoed back from his Word, do ftill ftrike fo ftrongly on the Heart of every true Believer. He had just seen thofe Words, remarkably, and even miraculously verified, that Jefus having loved his own that were in the World, he loved them to the End. (Job xiii. 1.) How reasonably then might it have been expected, that bis own fhould also have continued their moft zealous and conftant Affection to him? But Peter, who, if poffible, was more than doubly his, as a Difciple, as an Apoftle, as a diftinguished Intimate, most shamefully denies him; and that, not only once, but a fecond, yea, and a third Mark xiv. Time, even with Oaths and Curfes, as if he would by that Diabolical 66,—71. Language give a fenfible Proof that he did not belong to Chrift: And who indeed that had heard it, would have imagined that he did? Nay, John xviii. to aggravate it yet farther, it was done in the Prefence of the other Dif- 15, 16. ciple, and even of Christ himself, who furely was much more painfully e wounded by this Perfidiousness of Peter, than by all the Rage and Fury of his Enemies. Lord, what is Man! What is our boafted Strength, but Weakness! and if we are left unto ourselves, how do our most solemn Refolutions melt, like Snow before the Sun! Be thou Surety for thy Servants for Good! (Pfal. cxix. 122.) Luke xxii. The Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. So may he graciously look upon Ibid. us, if we at any Time make any Approach towards the like Sin! May he look upon us with a Glance, which fhall penetrate our Hearts, and caufe Floods of penitential Sorrow to flow forth! Peter went out, and Ver. 62, wept bitterly. He quitted that dangerous Scene, where Temptation had met and vanquished him; and chofe Retirement and Solitude to give Vent to his overflowing Soul. Thus may we recover ourselves; or rather, thus may we be recovered by Divine Grace, from thofe Slips and Falls, which in this frail State we fhall often be making! Let us retire from the Business and the Snares of Life; that we may attend to the Voice of Confcience, and of GOD fpeaking by it; and may fo tafte the Wormwood and the Gall, that our Souls may long have them in Remembrance. To conclude; let us exprefs the Sincerity of our godly Sorrow, by a more cautious and refolute Guard against the Occafions of Sin, if we VOL. II. Uuu would |