Quesnel: Moral Reflections on the Gospels Vol 1

CHAPTER XXVI. 431
ages, when his truth is condemned or deserted by
those who ou^ht to teach or defend it ! Let
us
honour the priesthood and the magistracy, even in
those who abuse it; and let us conscientiously sub-
mit ourselves thereto.
" 58. But Peter followed him afar off unto the
high priest's palace, and went in, and sat with the
servants, to see the end."
How weak are the endeavours of nature when left
to itself! We cannot distrust it too much, nor ad-
here too close to Christ. When a man is weak, and
can only follow Christ afar oflP, he must avoid all
dangerous occasions, and the company of such persons
who will but increase his weakness. He who
does that out of curiosity, or some human motive,
which he ought to do for the sake of God, will find
therein a snare and an occasion of falling, instead x)f
his own justification.
" 59. Now the chief priests, and elders, and all
the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put
him to death ;"
Had they sought true witness in order to clear him,
his whole life abounded with it. This proceedint'
of the council of the Jews, is too exact a representa-
tion of what the envious continually put in practice
against the best of men. They first resolve to ruin
them, and then seek the proper means of effecting
it, how unjust soever it be. They suppose or declare
them criminal; and after that, use their utmost en-
deavour to discover and fix some crime upon them.
" 60. But found none: yea, though many false
witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last
came two false witnesses, 6 J. And said. This fel-