COCK AND HEN. 25 



wast with Jesus of Nazareth." " But he denied, say- 

 ing, I know not what thou sayest. And he went out 

 into the porch ; and the Cock crew." Mark, chapter 

 14, verses 66 68. 



After this he was again accused by this maid, and 

 by another person, of being one of the Saviour's disci- 

 ples, and at each time he declared that he did not 

 know him. And immediately after the third denial 

 the Cock crew the second time. So that the predic- 

 tion, " Before the Cock crow twice, thou shalt deny 

 me thrice," was exactly fulfilled. 



But as in other cases, Peter's deceitfulness and ly- 

 ing did not go unpunished, for his conscience accused 

 him of his crime as soon as it was committed, for he 

 " remembered the words of Jesus." "And he went 

 out and wept bitterly." 



The Hen, it is well known, gathers her chickens un- 

 der her wings, both to protect them from danger and 

 to keep them warm. To this trait of tenderness in her 

 natural history, our Saviour alludes, when he address* 

 ed the Jews, and warned them of the miseries about 

 to descend on their city as a punishment for having 

 rejected his offers of mercy. " O Jerusalem, Jerusa- 

 lem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them 

 which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gath- 

 ered thy children, even as a Hen gathereth her chick- 

 ens under her wings, and ye would not." Matthew, 

 chapter 23, verse 37. 



How beautifully, and how affectionately does this 

 express the Saviour's love towards rebellious men. 

 Even after they had rejected, and despised him, and 

 his warnings, still he was willing to take them under 



