54 COCK AND HEN. 



Saviour alludes, when he exhorts his disciples to be ev- 

 er watchful and ready for his coming. " Watch ye, 

 therefore, for ye know not when the master of the 

 house cometh ; at even, or at midnight, or at the cock 

 crowing, or in the morning." Mark, chap. 13th, v. 35. 



The Cock crows regularly at about midnight, as 

 well as in the morning, and these periods have been 

 called the first and second cock crowing. If howev- 

 er reference is made to the crowing of this bird with- 

 out mentioning the time, it is understood to mean the 

 morning crowing, because this is the period when he 

 is most commonly heard. 



To these distinctions our Saviour seems to have re 

 ferred, when he warned his disciple Peter, that he was 

 about to disown, and deny his Master. "And Jesus 

 saith unto him, verily I say unto thee, that this day, 

 even in this night, before the cock crow twice thou shalt 

 deny me thrice." Mark, chap. 14, verse 30. 



By this is understood that before the next morning, 

 %Y perhaps between midnight, when the Cock crows 

 the first time, and the dawn of day, when he crows 

 again, that Peter would deny that he knew the Sav- 

 iour. 



And this came to pass according to the prediction ; 

 for when this disciple saw his Master in the hands of 

 his enemies, who were leading him away to crucify 

 him, his fears for his own safety prevailed over his for- 

 mer attachment, and he cruelly and deceitfully deni- 

 ed that he ever knew him. " And as Peter was be- 

 neath, in the palace, there cometh one of the maids of 

 the high priest; and when she saw Peter warming 

 himself, she looked upon him, and said, and thou also 



