S9S WHETHER DOMESTIC POULTRY WERE 
dently be referred to, as events which would happen at fixed 
periods, before which Peter was to deny his Lord thrice ; 
and as the blasts, supposed to be called cock-cro wings, were 
three hours distant, they would very well suit the account 
of these denials given by Luke. 
If persons were appointed to call the hours of the night 
in Jerusalem, as they are in most cities of Asia and Eu- 
rope, and if two of these callings, some time betwixt mid- 
night and morning, were named cock-crowings, they would 
also answer the account of Luke ; but that they were so 
named, no where appears. 
If real cock-crowings are allowed, they might easily 
correspond with the intervals of time, at which the denials 
succeeded one another, if our Lord foresaw that they were 
to correspond, however uncertain they might be as natural 
events; and he foresaw the coincidence of the cock-crowings 
with the denials, however these cock-crowings were under- 
derstood. 
Whichever of these explanations be admitted, whether 
a real cock crew twice, or the blasts of the Roman trumpet, 
at the beginning of the third and fourth watches, were called 
Growings of a cock ; or two callings of the hours by watch- 
men, some time betwixt midnight and morning, deserved 
that name; the veracity of the Evangelists is not affected. 
The prediction of our Lord, that Peter was to deny him 
thrice, before the cock crew twice, and the fulfilment of 
that prediction, remain unaltered, however interpreted, and 
afford equally useful instruction to all honest and conside- 
rate men. 
From the comparison of our Lord's concern for Jeru- 
salem to that of a hen for her chickens, already noticed, we 
know, that this bird was in the country during his abode 
upon earth, and that the audience whom he addressed was 
well acc^uainted with an excellence belonging to it, by which 
