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XC. Upon the Crowing of a Cock. [ A]
How harshly did this note sound in the eare of Peter, yea pierced his very heart? Many a time had he heard this Bird, and was no whit moved with the noise; now there was a Bird in his bosome that crowed lowder then this, whose shrill accent conjoined with this astonished the guilty Disciple. The wearie Labourer when he is awakened from his sweet sleep by this natural Clock of the Houshold, is not so angry at this troublesome Bird, nor so vexed at the hearing of that unseasonable sound, as Peter was when this Fowl awake∣ned his sleeping Conscience, and called him to a timely repentance. This Cock [ B] did but crow like others, neither made or knew any difference of this tone and the rest; there was a Divine hand that ordered this Mornings note to be a Summons of Penitence. He that fore-told it had fore-appointed it: that Bird could not but crow then, and all the noise in the High Priests Hall could not keep that sound from Peter's eare.
But, O Saviour, couldst thou finde leisure, when thou stoodst at the Bar of that unjust and cruell Judgment, amidst all that bloody rabble of Enemies, in the sense of all their fury, and the exspectation of thine own Death, to listen un∣to this Monitor of Peter's Repentance; and upon the hearing of it, to cast back thine eyes upon thy Denying, Cursing, Abjuring Disciple? O Mercy without [ C] measure, and beyond all the possibility of our admiration, to neglect thy self for a Sinner, to attend the Repentance of one, when thou wert about to lay down thy life for all!
O God, thou art still equally mercifull. Every Elect Soul is no lesse dear unto thee. Let the sound of thy faithfull Monitors smite my ears, and let the beams of thy mercifull eyes wound my heart, so as I may go forth and weep bitterly.