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"Now about that time" "Herod the King stretched forth his hands to
vex certain of the Church. And he killed James the brother of John
with the sword." And concerning this James, Clement, in the
seventh book of his Hypotyposes, relates a story which is worthy of
mention; telling it as he received it from those who had lived before
him. He says that the one who led James to the judgment-seat, when
he saw him bearing his testimony, was moved, and confessed that he was
himself also a Christian.
They were both therefore, he says, led away together; and on the way
he begged James to forgive him. And he, after considering a little,
said, "Peace be with thee," and kissed him. And thus they were
both beheaded at the same time.
And then, as the divine Scripture says, Herod, upon the death of
James, seeing that the deed pleased the Jews, attacked Peter also
and committed him to prison, and would have slain him if he had not,
by the divine appearance of an angel who came to him by night, been
wonderfully released from his bonds, and thus liberated for the service
of the Gospel. Such was the providence of God in respect to Peter.
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