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"which heard me, what I have faid unto "them: behold, they know what I said.

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22. And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by ftruck Jefus with the palm of his hand, saying, "Answerest thou the high priest so ?

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23. Jefus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; "but if well, why fmiteft thou me.

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24. (Now Annas had sent him bound "unto Caiaphas the high priest.)"

To the questions put to him by the high priest, with a view of entrapping him respecting his disciples and doctrines, Jesus refers to thofe to whom he had publicly preached. On this, in defiance of every principle of decency and decorum generally observed even by the most iniquitous courts, to give a color of justice to their proceedings, and in direct violation of the Jewish law, which allowed the accufed party freedom of fpeech to plead his own cause, one of the officers ftruck Jesus a blow, under pretence that his re

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ply was an infult to the high prieft; nor does it any where appear that he was even rebuked for fo grofs a breach of propriety. Our meek Redeemer mildly remonftrates against such treatment, defiring that, if he has spoken any thing wrong, it may be proved against him, but that he may not be fubjected to blows if he has by his words given no juft caufe of offence. Annas, in caufing our Lord to be bound when he had fent him to Caiaphas, seems to have ufurped an authority that did not belong to him, for the purpose of adding to his fufferings: but, it is worthy of remark, that, throughout the whole of these iniquitous proceedings, no more attention feems to have been paid to legal forms, than to the more fubftantial principles of justice.

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25. And Simon - Peter ftood and "warmed himfelf: they faid therefore " unto him, Art not thou also one of his difciples? He denied it, and said, I am

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* 26. One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinfman whose ear "Peter cut off, faith, Did not I fee thee "in the garden with him?

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27. Peter then denied again: and immediately the cock crew."

In St. Luke's gospel (chap. xxii. ver. 61. 62.) we may find the remainder of this ftory, which affords fo many ftriking lef fons for the regulation of our conduct. "And the Lord turned, and looked upon "Peter: and Peter remembered the word "of the Lord, how he had faid unto him, "Before the cock crow thou shalt deny "me thrice. And Peter went out and

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The fall of St. Peter, at the fame time that it affords a melancholy instance of human infirmity, fets before us a fignal example of divine mercy, in affifting human nature with grace to recover itself from the most perilous fituation. feems to have been poffeffed of the greatest share of natural courage and resolution of

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of the difciples; and when our bleffed Lord fpeaks of their forfaking him, Peter, in particular, expreffes his abhorrence at the idea of fuch bafenefs: yet the fame Peter, who thought himself fo fecure, and whofe zeal for his mafter could not be confined to mere profeffions of service, but burst forth into action in his defence, wanted the fortitude, after he was in cuftody, to own him for his lord, or even to admit that he had the least knowledge of him; but, after giving prevaricating anfwers to those who first questioned him, concludes with oaths and curfes That he knew not the man. Let this be to us a leffon of humility; and a warning against the prefumption of relying on our own ftrength: fince Peter fell, who amongst us fhall hope to refift temptation, otherwife than through God's affiftance; which is promised to all thofe who afk it faithfully. In the above relation, we see the danger of a first false step: the path of truth is plain and fimple, and wants no 'embellishment to fet off its native beauty;

whilft that of falfehood leads us through the most crooked and thorny ways: one falfehood requires many more to support it; and, even then, feldom escapes detection. Parents, and those who have the education of youth, cannot be too careful to guard their young minds against this mean and cowardly vice: children fhould be early taught a ftrict adherence to truth, even in the most trifling matters: by this they will efcape many other vices of which falfehood is the origin.

Let us now turn to the pleafing fide of the picture, and confider Peter in his penitence, and restoration to virtue. His fault, great as it was, was unpremeditated: it proceeded from the impulfe of the moment. His heart was good. No fooner, therefore, did his beloved Lord caft on him a look of reproof, softened by pity and affection, than he was inftantly brought to a sense of his guilt, and felt fuch an abhorrence of himself, that, unable to continue in the presence of his much-injured Master, he retires to deplore

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