need have we of witnesses? behold, || no degree of contempt, no mark of shame, now ye have heard his blasphemy. no kind of suffering, which we ought to de66 What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death. 67 Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands, 68 Saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, who is he that smote thee? We observed even now that our Lord was silent, and did make no reply to the false witnesses that evidenced against him at his trial; because being so manifestly contradictory, they did fall to the ground cline or stick at for Christ's sake, who hid not his face from shame and spitting upon our account. O monstrous impiety! How do they spit on that awful lovely face! How do they revile and blaspheme his noble office of a Prophet of the most high God! Prophesy, say they, in a mocking derision, who was it that smote thee? To such acts of inhumanity did the barbarous rage of the bloody Jews carry them. 69 Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee. 70 But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest. 71 And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth. 72 And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man. 73 And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee. 74 Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew. 75 And Peter remembered the words of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out and wept bitterly. of themselves. But now when the question was solemnly put by the high priest, Art thou the Christ? he said, I am. Thence learn, That although we are not obliged to answer every cavilling or ensnaring question, yet we are bound faithfully to own and freely to confess the truth, when we are solemnly called thereunto. Christ, who in the former verses was silent, and as a deaf man heard not, now witnesses a good confession; teaching us, both by his example and command, to confess and own both him and his truth, when lawfully required; when our silence would be a denying of the truth, a dishonour to God, and a scandal to our brethren. Christ knew that his answer would cost him his life, and yet he durst not but give it. Art thou the Son of the Blessed? Jesus said, I am. Yea, farther observe, That as Christ answered directly and plainly at his trial, so he did not refuse to anwer upon oath; Iadjure thee by the living God, says the judge of the court, that thou tell us whether thou art the Christ; that is, I require thee to answer this question upon oath; for adjuring a person, or requiring him to answer upon oath, was the manner of swearing among the Jews. Now to this adjuration our Saviour answered plainly and directly, I am, Mark xiv. 61. Hence learn, That swearing before a magistrate, upon a just and great occasion, is lawful; if Christ in the fifth of St. Matthew forbid all oaths, then here his prac-sin itself, the denial of Christ, I know not the tice was contrary to his own doctrine; but it is evident that Christ answered the magistrate upon oath, and so may we. Observe lastly, The sentence of condemnation which the council passed upon him for owning himself to be the Son of God: He hath spoken blasphemy, and is worthy to die. Hereupon the unruly rabble affront him with the vilest abuses, and most horrid indignities; They spit in his face, they blindfolded him, they smote|| him with their fists and palms of their hands; and in the way of contempt and mockery,||ish fear of sufferings and death, may draw they bid him divine or prophesy who it was that smole him. Learn hence, That there is This last paragraph of the chapter gives us an account of the fall and rising of Peter, of his sin in denying Christ, and of his recovery by a speedy and severe repentance. Both must be considered distinctly. First, As touching his sin and fall, there are four particulars observable, namely, the sin itself, the occasion of that sin, the reiteration and repetition of it, and the aggravating circumstances attending it. Observe, 1. The man; a manifest untruth: next he adds an oath to confirm that untruth; he swore that he knew not the man. And, last of all, he wished an horrid curse and imprecation upon himself, that is, he wished himself excommunicated and cast out of the church, say some: he wished himself eternally separated from the presence of God, say others: he wished in effect that the devil might take him, if he were acquainted with Jesus. The inordinate love of life, and slav the best of men to commit the worst of sins. Observe, 2. The occasions of this sin, and they were three: his following Christ afar || money, and another disciple deny him off; his being in bad company, amongst through fear. 4. Consider the time when he Christ's enemies; and his presumptuous denied him; verily it was but a few hours confidence of his own strength and standing. after he had received the sacrament of the 1. His following of Christ afar off. To fol- Lord's supper from Christ's own hand. How low Christ is the work of faith, and fruit of unreasonable then is their objection against love; but to follow him afar off, was the ef- coming to the Lord's table, because some fect of fear and frailty. Woe unto us, when that go to it dishonour Christ as soon as a temptation comes, if we be far off from they come from it! Such examples must Christ's presence and assistance. 2. His be- not discourage us from coming to the ordiing in wicked company among Christ's ene-nance, but excite and increase our watchmies. O Peter, thou hadst better have been fulness after we have been there, to take a-cold by thyself alone, than sitting by a fire || heed that the future conduct of our lives be encompassed with the blasphemies of the suited to the solemnity of a sacramental wicked: where thy conscience, though not table. 5. Consider the smallness of his seared, was yet made hard. The way to temptation to deny Christ; a damsel only escape prevailing temptations to sin is to put the question to him, Art thou not one of shun such places, and to avoid such compa- his disciples? If a band of armed soldiers nions, as in all probability will invite and had appeared to him, and affrighted him, draw us into sin. 3. Confidence of his own had he been terrified by the high priest's strength and standing was another occa- threatenings, bound and led away to judgsion of Peter's falling. Pride and presump-ment, sentenced to an ignominious, painful tuous confidence have been ever the fore- death, some excuse might have been made runners and occasions of a fall. O Lord! for him: but to disown his relation to Christ to presume upon ourselves is the ready at the question of a maid-servant that kept way to provoke thee to leave us to our- the door only, the smallness of the temptaselves: if ever we stand in the day of trial, tion was an aggravation of the crime! "Ah, it is the fear of falling must enable us to Peter, how unlike thyself art thou at this stand. Not only they who go forth in the time? Not a rock, but a reed; a pillar blown strength of nature, but also they who go down by a woman's breath! O frail humaforth in the strength of inherent grace, may nity, whose strength is weakness and inquickly fall from their own stedfastness. firmity!" Observe here, That in most of Observe, 3. The reiteration and repetition the saints' falls recorded in scripture, either of his sin. He denies him a first, a second, the first enticers, or the accidental occaand a third time. He denies him first with sions, were women. Thus in Adam's, Lot's, a lie, then with an oath, and after all with Samson's, David's, Solomon's, and Peter's. an anathema and a curse. O how danger- A weak creature may be a strong tempter; ous is it not to resist the first beginnings nothing is too impotent or useless for the of sin! If we yield to one temptation, Satan devil's service. It was a great aggravation will assault us with more and stronger. Pe- of Peter's sin, that the voice of a maid, a ter proceeded from a bare denial, first to doorkeeper only, should be stronger to overperjury, then to cursing and imprecation. come him than his faith in Jesus to sustain Observe, 4. The aggravating circumstances him. But what shall we say? Small things attending this sin of Peter, and they are are sufficient to cast us down, if God doth these: 1. The character of the person thus not hold us up: we sink under any burden, falling: a disciple, an apostle, a chief apos- if he sustain us not, and yield to every tle, a special favourite; who, with James temptation, if he leave us to ourselves. A and John, had the special honour to be with damsel shall then make a disciple shrink, Christ upon mount Tabor; Peter, who had and a doorkeeper is enough to drive an preached and prophesied in Christ's name, apostle before her. And immediately the cast out devils, and wrought miracles by cock crew. And Peter remembered the words Christ's power, yet he denies him. 2. Con- of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the sider the person whom he denies: his Mas- cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And ter, his Saviour, and Redeemer; he that had he went out and wept bitterly. Here we have washed Peter's feet but a little before; that an account of St. Peter's rising and recoeat the passover with Peter, and gave the very after his shameful fall, by a renewed sacrament to Peter; yet this kind and con- act and exercise of repentance. Where descending Saviour was denied by Peter. observe, The suddenness of his repent3. Consider before whom he denies him: ance, the means of his repentance, and the in the company and presence of the chief manner of it. Observe, 1. The suddenness priests, scribes, and elders, and their ser- of his repentance: although his sin was vants, who rejoiced at it, and were hardened great, yet his repentance was speedy and by it; that one disciple should sell him for without delay. From whence note, That thou shalt deny me thrice. This remembrance of Christ's words was an applicative and feeling remembrance of them. He remembered the prediction of Christ, and applies it sensibly to himself. Teaching us, That the efficacy of Christ's word, in order to the bringing of a soul unto repentance, depends not upon the historical remembrance of it, but upon the close application of it to every man's conscience. A sanctified remembrance of Christ's words, and our own sins, is an excellent preparative to repentance. Observe, lastly, The manner of Peter's repentance: it was secret, he went out; it was sincere, he wept bitterly; it was lasting and abiding all the days of his life, and attended with an extraordinary zeal and forwardness for the service of Christ to the end of his life. 1. It was secret, he went out; Vere dolet, qui sine teste dolet. He sought a place of retirement where he might mourn in secret; he cannot well be thought to dissemble his grief, who chooses no other witness but the omnipresent God. Solitariness is most agreeable to an afflict sins committed by the surprisal of a sudden || looked upon Peter. That is the first more temptation, are much sooner repented of, principal means of Peter's repentance. than where the sin is presumptuous and de- The second is, Peter's remembering the liberate. David's sins of murder and adul-words of Christ, Before the cock crow twice tery were presumptuous. and deliberate sins; he continued a long time in them, and lived almost a twelvemonth without any solemn repentance of them. St. Peter's sin was hasty and sudden, under a violent passion of fear, contrary to his settled purpose and resolution of constancy; and he takes the warning of the second crowing of the cock, and goes forth to express his repentance. Observe, 2. The means of his repentance, which was twofold. Less principal, the crowing of the cock; more principal, Christ's looking upon Peter, and Peter's remembering the words of Christ. 1. The less principal means of St. Peter's repentance, was the crowing of the cock: as the voice of the maid occasioned him to sin, so the voice of the cock occasioned him to repent. That God, who can work without means, doth sometimes work by weak and contemptible means, and when he pleases can open the mouth of a bird or beast for the conversion of a man. But why should our Saviour choose the crowing of a cock as a mean to bring St. Peter to repentance? There is ever some mys-ed spirit; and as St. Peter's sorrow caused tery in Christ's instruments; the cock was a preacher to call Peter to repentance, there being something of emblem between the cock and a preacher. A true minister must have the wings of a cock to rouse up himself from security, and to awaken others to a sense of their duty. He must have the watchfulness of a cock, to be ever ready to discover and forewarn danger. He must have the voice of a cock, to cry aloud and tell Israel of their sin, and terrify the roaring lion, and make him tremble. In a word, he must observe the hours of the cock, to crow at all seasons of the night, to preach in season and out of season the glad tidings of salvation. But, 2. The more principal means of St. Peter's recovery, was, 1. Christ's looking upon Peter. Christ first looks upon Peter with an eye of mercy, grace, and pity, before Peter looks upon his sin in order to repentance. Here take notice of the greatness of Christ's grace, of his wonderful love and mercy to his poor disciple. When our Saviour was upon his trial for his life, a time when our thoughts are wholly taken up about ourselves: even then did Christ find leisure to think upon Peter, remember to turn about, and give him a pitiful but piercing look; a look that melted his heart, and dissolved it into tears. We never begin to lament for sin, till we are first lamented by our Saviour. Jesus Reynolds on St. Peter's Fall. him to go forth, so might also his shame. Christ looked upon Peter, but how ashamed must Peter be to look upon Christ, considering that he so lately denied to have ever seen him! 2. His repentance was sincere, he wept bitterly; his grief was extraordinary, and his tears abundant. There is ever a weeping that follows sin; sin must cost the soul sorrow, either here or in hell; we must mourn awhile, or lament for ever. Doubtless, with Peter's tears there was joined hearty confession of sin to God, and smart reflections upon himself after this manner: "Lord, what have I done? I that did once acknowledge my master to be Christ the Son of the living God, have since denied him with oaths, curses, and impre cations. I that promised to lay down my life for his sake, have yet disowned and denied him at the voice of a damsel. O what unfaithfulness, what weakness, what wretchedness! O that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep all my days for the fault of this one night!" Blessed, indeed, are the tears of a converted revolter, and happy is the very misery of a mournful offender. 3. This holy man's repentance was lasting and abiding; he had a lively sense and remembrance of this sin upon his soul all his life. Ecclesiastical history reports, that ever after, when St. Peter heard the crowing of a cock, he fell upon his knees and mourned; others say, that he was wont to rise at midnight, and spend the time in penitent devotion between cock-crowing and day-light. And the Papists, who love to turn every thing into superstition, began that practice of setting a cock upon the top of towers, and steeples, and chimneys, to put the people in mind of this sin of Peter, and his repentance, by that signal. Lastly, St. Peter's repentance was attended with an extraordinary zeal and forwardness for the service of Christ to the end of his life. He had an earnest love towards Christ, Thou that knowest all things, knowest that I love thee and as an evidence of it, he fed their cruel and unjust censures upon holy and innocent persons. The chief priests and elders do not kill our Saviour themselves, but they deliver him over to the secular power, and desire Pilate, the civil magistrate, to sentence and condemn him; which soon after we shall find he did. They bound him, and led him away: but what need was there of binding him, that never made any resistance? And O, what ingratitude was it to bind him with cords, who came to unloose those bands of sin wherewith we were bound. 3 Then Judas, which had betrayChrist's sheep; for, in the Acts of the Apos- ed him, when he saw that he was tles, we read of his extraordinary diligence condemned, repented himself, and to spread the gospel, and his travels in or- brought again the thirty pieces of der thereunto are computed to be nine silver to the chief priests and elders, hundred and fifty miles: and the wisdom of God thought fit that this apostle should 4 Saying, I have sinned in that I preach the gospel to the Jews, as St. Paul have betrayed the innocent blood. did to the Gentiles; that as he had joined And they said, What is that to us? with the Jews in denying and disowning see thou to that. 5 And he cast Christ, so he should endeavour to persuade down the pieces of silver in the temthem to join with him in repentance, as he had joined with them in their sin. His sin ple, and departed, and went and was in some respect like theirs, therefore hanged himself. he is sent to preach the gospel to them, and his diligence therein is an undoubted proof and evidence of his repentance. Have any of us fallen with Peter, though not with a formal abjuring, yet by a practical denying of him, let us go forth and weep with him; let us be more vigilant and watchful over ourselves for the time to come: let us express more extraordinary love unto and zeal for Christ, more diligence in his service, and more concernedness for his honour and glory. This would be an happy improvement of this example. The Lord grant it may have that blessed effect. Amen. CHAP. XXVII. WHEN the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. 2 And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor. The foregoing chapter gives us an account of Judas his treason, in delivering our Saviour into the hands of the chief priests. In this chapter we find our holy Lord brought by the chief priests unto Pontius Pilate, the Roman Governor, in order to his arraignment and condemnation. Whence observe, That it has been the old policy of corrupt church-governors to abuse the power of the civil magistrate, in executing VOL. L-19 Here we have a sad relation of Judas's desperate death, after an hypocritical life, as also of the horror of his mind and conscience before his death. Observe here, 1. The time when Judas repented; after it was too late. When he saw that he was condemned, he repented. Learn thence, That they that will not see their sins timely to their conversion, shall see them sooner or later to their confusion. Observe, 2. The repentance itself, in the several parts and branches of it: he was sorrowful for the fact, he made confession of his sin, and made restitution for the wrong done. He repented, saying, I have sinned; and cast down the thirty pieces of silver. Learn thence, That a wicked man, when conscience is thoroughly awakened, may make confession of his sin, express some sorrow for it, and endeavour also the making of some satisfaction and restitution for the wrong for sin as sin; they that mourn more for and injury done by it. They that mourn the intrinsic evil that is in sin, than for the penal and consequential evils that follow sin; they that confess sin voluntarily and freely, particularly, penitently, believingly, with an eye of sorrow upon their sin, and an eye of faith fixed upon their Saviour; they that make restitution as an act of obedience to the command of God, and as an act of justice and righteousness to their neighbour; such persons' repentance shall find acceptance with God. Observe, 3. The answer and reply which the wicked N miserable man, Judas. Behold! ye pro- Let him that 6 And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. 7 And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in. 8 Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day. 9 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of kim that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value: 10 And gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord appointed me. high priests and elders make to despairing || Judas. 1. They excuse themselves, What is that to us? It is natural to all sinners to shift sin from themselves, and to lay it at any door rather than their own. Those that have had a share in the pleasure and profit of sin, are yet very desirous to throw the odium and guilt of it upon others. What is that to us? say these monsters in sin. O wonderful stupidity! could they think it nothing to them to hire a man to betray innocent blood? Was not the money given the price of blood, and the field they bought called the field of blood? yet do they impudently say, What is that to us? 2. As they excuse and acquit themselves, so they load and burden him: Look thou to that. Lord! what miserable comforters are companions in sin to one another, when distress and sorrow comes upon them! When sin comes to be questioned in order to its being punished, every sinner is for shifting for himself, and leaves his fellow in the lurch. Let us then remember the words of the Holy Ghost, He that walketh with wise men shall be wise, but a companion of fools shall be destroyed. How jolly soever sinners are together, when in the height of their lusts; they are but miserable comforters to one another upon a sick bed,or under the lashes of an awakened conscience. But though they may avoid each other now, there is a time coming when it will be impossible; at the great day the sinner shall see both his companions in sin, and his sins themselves, to be what he would never believe them here, the vilest of monsters. Observe, 4. The sad and fatal end of Judas; he went forth and hanged himself. Horror and despair took hold upon him, and seized his conscience; which was so intolerable, that he ran to the halter for a re-treasury which was the price of blood. They medy. Learn hence, 1. That conscience is a powerful though invisible executioner; the wrath of man may be endured, but the wrath of God is insupportable, and the eruptions of conscience are irresistible. O how intolerable are those scourges that lash us in this tender and vital part! Judas awakened with the horror of his act, conscience begins to rouse, and the man is unable to bear up under the furious revenge of his own mind. There is an active principle in men's breasts and bosoms, which seldom suffers daring sinners to pass in quiet to their graves. Guilt is naturally troublesome and uneasy; it disturbs the peace and serenity of the mind, and fills the soul with storms and thunder, both in life and death. How vainly did Judas hope to take sanctuary in a grave, and to meet with that ease in another world which he could not und in this! Thus ended this Observe here, 1. The niceness and scrupulosity of these hypocrites: they made no scruple to give money to shed blood, but they scruple the putting that money into the are afraid to defile their treasury, but are not afraid to pollute their souls. Thus hypocrites strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel; scruple a ceremony, but make no conscience of murder and perjury. Observe, 2. The use which they put this money to, which Judas brought them: they bought with it a field to bury strangers in. Thus Christ, who was himself a Stranger in a borrowed grave, by the price of his blood (being thirty pieces of silver) conferred graves on many strangers. Observe lastly, How the wisdom of God ordered it, that hereby a scripture-prophecy might be fulfilled, Zech. xi. 13. They weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver, and I took and cast them unto the potter. Whence learn, That all the indignities and abasing sufferings which the Lord Jesus underwent, were not only foreordained by God, but also foretold by the holy prophets; his being scourged, bui |