doth not take aduantage against vs but still mercy pleaseth him as the Prophet speaketh c. This doctrine serueth to admonish vs to take heede of this fearefull sinne of desperation and to trust at all times in the mercy of God for the forgiuenesse of our sinnes For as wee haue heard God is as readie to forgiue as wee can bee to aske forgiuenesse And therefore Bernard saith well a Tardius videtur Deo veniam peâ—â—tori dedâ—sse quam illi accâ—passa Isa 30.18 Sic â—â—â—m festinat misâ—ricors Deus absolâ—cre reum à tormento conscientiae suae quasi plus cruciet misericordem Deum compassio miseri quam ipsum miserum compassio sui De conscient aedis cap. 38. It seemeth longer to God to giue the pardon of sinnes then it doth to a sinner to receiue it according to that of the Prophet The Lord standeth waiting that hee may haue mercie vpon vs. For the mercifull God doth make such hast to absolue a sinner from the torment of his conscience as though the mercifull God had more compassion of a poore wretch then hee hath of himselfe And Saint Augustine saith b Non possum terreri multitudine peccatorum si mors Domini in metem venerit quoniam peccata illum vincere non possunt Extedit bâ—achia tua in cruce expandit manus suas paratus in amplexus peccatorum August Manual cap. 23. I cannot be terrified with the multitude of my sinnes if I can but call to minde the death of our Lord because my sinnes cannot ouer-come him hee hath stretched out his armes vpon the Crosse and spred abroade his handes as being readie to embrace poore sinners So that c Quecunque necessitas coâ—â—t ad poenitudine nec quantitas criminis nec breuitas teporis nec horae extremitas nec vitae enormitas si vera contritio si pura suerit voluntatii mutatio excludâ—t à venia sed in amplitudine sinus sui mater charitas prodigos suscipit reuertetes omni sepore Dei gratia recipit poenitetes Cypr. ser de Coen Dom. as another Father saith Whatsoeuer necessitie driueth a man to repentance neither the greatnesse of his sinne nor the shortnesse of the time nor the extremitie of the houre not the enormitie of the life past if there bee true contrition and an holy change of his will doth exclude him from pardon but the Mother charitie admitteth her prodigall children into the largenesse of her bosome when they returne and the grace of God at all times receiueth sinners when they repent For the Scripture witnesseth that hee despised not the Theefe that confessed his sinnes nor Marie Magdalene that washed his feete with her teares nor the Woman of Canaan that besought him for her Daughter nor the Woman that was taken in adulterie nor Matthew sitting at the receit of custome nor his Disciple that denyed him nor Paul that persecuted his Disciples nor the wicked Iewes that crucified him But yet this must not encourage any man to presume too farre of Gods mercy as though hee might liue as hee list and yet haue the pardon of his sinnes For the Lord hath denounced a fearefull threatning against all such impenitent persons Hee that blesseth himselfe in his heart saying I shall haue peace Deut. 29.19 although I walke after the stubbernesse of mine owne heart The Lord will not bee mercifull vnto that man 20. but the wrath of the Lord and his iealousie shall smoake against him and euery curse that is written in this booke shall light vpon him and the Lord shall put out his name from vnder heauen So that the mercie of God how great soeuer is restrained only to repentant sinners Hanged himselfe This fearefull example of Iudas giueth vs occasion Question Whether it be lawfull for a man to kill himselfe in the last place to discusse that Question Whether it bee lawfull for any man to lay violent handes on him selfe and to procure his owne death Many causes there are which driue men to these desperate courses but they may bee reduced to two heads either for auoiding of euill or for procuring of good For the first Many there are that when some great calamitie is either threatned against them or lyeth heauie vpon them which they thinke they are not able to beare seeke to escape it by offering violence to themselues As some to preuent bondage and thraldome a Plutarch in cius vita as Cato Vticensis because hee would not bee in subiection to Caesar killed himselfe Some in a long and languishing sicknesse haue desperately ended their dayes to ridde themselues from their paine as Plinius Secundus maketh mention of one that in this case famished himselfe to death Some hauing made themselues odious in the world by their wickednesse with Nero when hee saw himselfe censured of the Senate and hated of all good men beginne to loath their liues as being ashamed to liue any longer And wee haue both heard and seene that many wretched misers hauing hoorded vp corne in hope of a dearth when it hath fallen out contrarie to their expectation haue for very griefe hanged themselues Againe some to preuent sinne whereunto they were like to be forced or being forced to shunne the reproach and infamie that might redound vnto them haue killed themselues as Lucretia did among the Romanes Nemo polluto queat Animo mederi morte sanandum est sed is Hercules furens apud Senecam when shee was rauished by Tarquinius Last of all some not able to beare the horrour of their conscience by reason of Gods wrath haue sought to free themselues by being their owne executioners as did Saul and Iudas and diuers others For the second Some in a preposterous desire of euerlasting happinesse haue wilfully shortened their liues As one Cleombrotus who hauing read Plato his booke of the immortalitie of the soule that hee might the sooner attaine to it cast himselfe headlong from a wall Others haue made away themselues for vaine glorie to get them a name As Curtius among the Romanes 2. Maccab. 14.41.42 c. and Razis among the Iewes and many others But wee are to know that it is not lawfull for any cause whatsoeuer for a man to depriue himselfe of life The truth whereof may appeare by many reasons First death in it selfe naturally is euill inflicted vpon mankinde for a punishment of sinne yea it is one of Gods enemies as the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 15.26 The last enemie that shall bee destroied is death And therefore no man should wittingly and willingly procure it to himselfe Secondly that same naturall affection which is in all men should restraine them from so desperate cruelty against themselues Otherwise they rebell against God who is the author of nature which wee see the very brute beasts will not doe They may peraduenture goare and teare one another but whatsoeuer extremitie they are in they will neuer hurt themselues So that
in their sins nor cast them off when they fall but mercifully putteth vnder his hand Psal 37.24 as Dauid saith Last of all wee haue here a liuely patterne of true and sound repentance for our direction in the like case All which are most necessarie to be knowne and therefore the Holy Ghost would haue the Story related by all the Euangelists As then it hath pleased the Lord to vse such diligence in setting it down so let vs vse the like diligence in attending to it for our benefit and edification And that we may proceed orderly in the handling thereof let vs consider Two generall partes 1. His falwhere 1. The occasion of it 1. The place the high Priestes Hall 2. The Persons 1. A maide ver 69. 2. Another maide v. 71. 3. The standers by v. 73 2. The sinne it selfe 1. Propounded he denied 2. Amplified 1. By the maner openly Before them all v. 70. 2. By the degrees of it 1. A bare deniall or a dissembling ve 70. 2. An Oath ver 72. 3. An imprecatioÌ„ he cursed himself if euer he knew Christ v. 74. 2. His Repentance whereof afterward Peter sate without c. It was a dutie of pietie in the Apostle Peter to follow his Master to this place and a great argument of his loue towardes him aboue all his fellowes For it is said before in this Chapter verse 58. that howsoeuer Peter followed a farre off yet hee came after to the high Priests hall and went in and sate with the seruants to see the end It was an honest affection in him that he did not hide himselfe as the other Disciples did verse 56. Who all forsooke their Master and fled but did earnestly desire to see what the issue would bee and what would become of Christ All this I say was commendable in the Apostle But because our Sauiour had forewarned him of the weaknesse of his nature and had plainely told him that before the cocke crowe he should denie him thrice he should rather haue kept himselfe close in some secret place then thus to offer and expose himselfe to temptation and to the occasions of sinne He could not but know that euery body would obserue and take notice of him aboue all the rest because he had bin such a tickler in his Masters quarrell and had cut off one of their eares with his sword that came to apprehend him And besides he had alwayes accompanied his Master whether soeuer he went and therefore there was no hope that he should escape vnknowne Doct. 1. We must carefully auoide all occasions of sinne From hence then wee learne for our first instruction that he that would preserue himselfe from sin must carefully auoid all the occasions thereof It is a true saying He that would no euill doe must doe nothing that belongs thereto The occasion in euery thing is a great matter The occasion of good preuaileth much to draw men to good and the occasion of euill to drawe them to euill euen when before the occasion bee offered there is no great desire to either of them But especially occasions to euill are most forcible The reason is first because of our selues we are so prone to euill Our nature is like drie wood which is apt to kindle assoone as euer fire is put to it So giue a man the least occasion and presently he yeeldeth to sinne There is no speedier coniunction of fire and gunpowder or of fire and towe or tinder or any other such combustible thing then ther is between our corrupt nature and sinne vpon the least occasion vnlesse the grace of God doe preuent it There needeth no Deuill to tempt vs Nemo laeditur nisi à se Nihil mihi contrarium est nisi ego ipse Mecum est quiquied mihi nocere potest Bern. Med. c. 11. let but any occasion be offered and we straight way become tempters to our selues It is a true saying No man is hurt but by himselfe The Diuell and all the Diuels in hell could not preuaile against vs if our owne hartes by yeelding to euery occasion of sin did not betray vs. And this is that which the Apostle Iames saith Euery man is tempted Jam. 1.14 when hee is drawne away and entised by his owne concupiscence Wee harbour a secret enemie in our owne bosomes without which wee could not so easily be ouercome As wee see in our Sauiour Christ who saith of himselfe Iohn 14.30 Diabolus plus confidit in adiutorio carnis quoniam magis nocet domesticus hostis Illa verò ad subuersionem meam â—um illo faedus inijt Bern. Med. cap. 15. Iam. 5.11 that the Prince of this world came to him but he found nothing in him The Diuell tempted and assaulted him with might and maine but because there was no corruption in his nature to worke vpon he could not preuaile Yea holy Iob against whom Heauen and earth might seeme to conspire so long as he hurt not himselfe by impatiency hee was not hurt by all his afflictions but rather became more famous thereby being set forth as a patterne of patience to all posterity So would it be with vs were it not that we are as ready to lay hold vpon euery occasion of sin as the Diuel or the world is to offer the same vnto vs. The truth of this point appeareth in many examples in the Scriptures Gene. 3.6 Euah the Mother of vs all had no sooner an occasion of sin offered her by the beholding the fairenesse of the forbidden fruit but presently shee consented to the suggestions of the Serpent Neither did this corruption rest in her Gene. 6.2 but it hath likewise ouerspread all her posteritie When the sonnes of God saw the daughters of men that they were faire they tooke themselues wiues of all that they liked Gene. 39.6.7 Iosephs Mistris no sooner casther eyes vpon Ioseph and sawe that he was a faire person and welfauoured but straight shee intised him to commit folly with her Gene. 34.1.2 VVhen Dinah the daughter of Iacob in a curious humour beganne to walke out to see the daughters of that countrie though it is like shee went not with any such purpose yet occasion being offered she lost her virginitie Iosh 7.21 VVhen Achan sawe in the spoile a goodly Babylonish garment and two hundred shekels of siluer and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels waight presently he coueted them and tooke them Yea Dauid a man otherwise after Gods owne heart 1. Sam. 13.14 assoone as euer he saw Bathsheba washing her selfe 2. Sam. 11.2.3.4 by and by lusted after her Diabolus dum decipere quenquam quaerit prius naturam vniuscuiusque intendit inde se applicat vnde hominem aptum ad peccatum inspexerit Bern. de ordine vitae sent for her and lay with her So violent is mans corrupt nature in apprehending euery occasion that may drawe him to sinne Againe
And therefore if we conuerse with them there is danger that we should be en wrapped in their punishments when the wrath of God breaketh out against them As Salomon threatneth The companion of fooles shall be afflicted Pro. 13.20 Gen 13.10.11.12 13. 14.12 19.16 And so wee see it fell out with Lot who by the fruitfulnesse of the place being drawne to liue in Sodome where the men were wicked and exceeding sinners against the Lord when they were taken prisoners he was taken prisoner with them And had not the Lord beene mercifull vnto him he had perished in the generall ouerthrow of the citty And therefore when the Lord was about to destroy Corah and his company for their rebellion Num. 16.26 Moses chargeth all the congregation to depart from the tents of those wicked men and to touch nothing of theirs least they perish in all their sinnes And it was the voyce of God from heauen concerning Babilon Apoc. 18.4 Qui iunguntur in culpa non seperantur in paena Cyprian lib. 1 Epist. 4. Euseb eccle hist lib. 4. cap. 14. Goe out of her my people that ye be not partakers in her sinnes and that yee receiue not of her plagues Hence was it that the Apostle Iohn comming into a bath at Ephesus to wash himselfe and finding there vnlooked for Cerinthus that wicked heretike straight way leapt backe and departed vnwashed saying to those that were with him Let vs flee from hence least the bath fall vpon our heads wherein this enemy of Gods truth is washed 5. Their company is contagious and there is great danger to be infected by them wicked men for the most part hold the old rule The more the merrier And therefore as Salomon saith Pro. 1.10.11.14 Noui ego hoc seculum moribus quibus sit Malus bonum malum esse vult vt sit sui similis Plant. Trinum they will entise and draw on others to come with them and to cast in their lot c. As it is the Deuils desire to make many partakers of his owne damnation so his instruments haue the same affection They that are bad would make the good bad also that they may be like themselues As they say he that hath the plague running on him hath a desire to infect others so he that is infected with any vice laboureth to make others as bad as himselfe As we see in drunkards and swearers and such like they loue none but such as will swill and drinke and sweare and swagger with them And as wee haue heard before the danger in this case is the greater because of our selues we are * Dociles imitandis turpibus prauis omnes sumus Iuuen. Sat. 14. Ad deteriora faciles sumus Sen. Epist 97. all so apt and prone to sin we are all of vs too apt schollers to learne that that is naught As the Painter with a light hand and running pencill can expresse the wrinckles warts moles in the face but not so easily the face it selfe sowe are hardly brought to follow the vertues of our friends if any be but for their vices we imitate them without any labour It is with vs in this case Seneca Epist 7. Si quis magistruÌ„ capâ—t improbum ipsum animum aegrotum ad deteriorem partem plaerûmque applicat Terent. And. Pro. 22.24.25 Non tuta tibi tua bonitas obsessa malis non magis quà m sanitas vicino serpente de confid ad Eg. lib. 40. as with one that hath beene long weakened with sickenesse that as he can hardly come abroad but he taketh some cold and is the worse for it so it is as hard for vs to come into lewd company and receiue no hurt If they cannot cause vs wittingly to yeeld to sinne yet they will giue vs some staine at vnawares And therefore Salomon giueth vs good counsell Make no friendship with an angry man neither goe with the furious man least thou learne his waies c. The like may be said of all other sins And Bernard hath a good saying to this purpose It is as hard for a man to preserue his goodnesse in the middest of euill men as it is hard to keepe his health in the middest of serpents For there is a secret poyson both in their words and deeds which fretteth and infecteth whomsoeuer it touceth as the Apostle speaketh of Hymenaeus and Philetus Hence is it that by reason of the manifold sinnes that beare sway the Apostle saith the times are perilous times 2 Tim. 3.1.2.3 such as it should be hard for a man to keepe faith a good conscience in them * Aliquid mali propter vicinum malum Eras adag Eras de lingua Dum spectant laesos oculi laeduntur ipsi Ouid. de remed It is a true prouerbe Much euill comes by an ill neighbour He that dwelleth by a man that halteth shall learne to limpe of him He that liueth daily among them that stammer shall in time learne to stut like them And he that is much conuersant with them that haue bleare eyes is in danger to catch the disease himselfe So he that is familiar with wicked men will in time become as bad as they a Haerebit tibi auaritia quandiu auaro sordidoque conuixeris Incendent libidines tuas adulterorum sodalitia Sen. Ep. 104. Eccles 13.1 Ecclus. 13.1 Pro. 6.27 Let a man liue with a base couetous person couetousnesse will strik vnto him Let him keep company with whore-masters and it will set his lusts on fire And as Ecclesiasticus saith He that is familiar with the proud shall be like vnto him As it is hard for a man to goe into a mill and not to haue some meale sticke on his cloathes or to touch pitch and not be defiled with it or to walke much in the Sunne and not to be tanned and sunne-burnt or to take fire in his bosome and his cloathes not be burnt or to goe into a pest-house and not take infection so it is as hard for a man to come into lewd and profane company and not be tainted with some vice or other For this cause the Lord gaue such straight charge to the people of Israel that they should haue no dealing with the inhabitants of the land of Canaan Exod. 23.32.33 34.12.15.16 Deut. 7.2.3.4 Thou shalt make no couenant with them nor with their Gods Neither shall they dwell in thy land least they make thee sinne against me And againe Take heed to thy selfe that thou make no compact with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest least they be the cause of ruine among you Least when they go a whoring after their Gods some man call thee and thou goe a whoring also And againe Thou shalt make no couenant with them Neither shalt thou make mariages with them neither giue thy daughter to his sonne nor take his daughter to thy sonne For they will cause thy sonne to turne away
O cowardly Peter thus basely to fall before hee came in sight of danger Here then as hath beene said wee haue a liuely patterne of mans strength Euen the best of Gods children are easilie ouerthrowne if God leaue them to themselues Weake and small meanes are of force sufficient to batter their faith if God doe neuer so little withhold his grace The Deuill needeth vse no great conflict nor bring no great force hee needeth not plant any great Ordinance or Canon shot against vs to shake the walles of our faith for euen the strongest of vs all if wee bee not held vp with the hand of God are ready to stagger at the least blast of tentation yea euen at the noyse of a leafe falling from the tree All the strength that is in any of vs without Gods grace is no better then smoake which vanisheth with the least blast of winde Before we be assaulted we are more then couragious as the Apostle Peter was here but assoone as the least temptation is laid against vs. Dulce bellum inexpertis We faint and are discouraged Like many a coward that on an Alebench will kill vp all before him but bring him into the field in the face of his enemy where he shall heare the clattering of armor and the dolefull grones of dying men on euery side his heart failes him Plura nos terrent quà m premunt saepiâ—sopinione quam re laboramus Senec. Epist 13. and hee is ready to betake himselfe to his heeles Yea many times wee trouble our selues with vaine and causelesse feares before euer the Diuell bend his force against vs. It is with vs as it was with the Apostle Peter when hee would needes walke vpon the water to goe to Christ he thought hee could haue done as his Master did but assoone as euer he set his foot out of the ship Mat. 14.30 hee was ready to sincke had not Christ caught him by the hand and held him vp In like manner vnlesse the Lord reach out the hand of his grace to support vs we cannot but fall As a staffe in a mans hand so long as hee holdeth it it standes but if hee take away his hand it falleth to the ground so we can stand of our selues no longer then the Lord stayeth vs. As a young child that is learning to goe if the nurse leaue it it falleth and peraduenture receiueth hurt As wee see in Mephibosheth Ionathans sonne 2. Sam. 4.4 who by the negligence of his nurse caught a fall whereby hee became lame of his feet euen to the day of his death So if God leaue vs to our selues and doe not follow vs with his grace we are readie to fall into mischiefe Hence is it that the Apostle saith Rom. 8.14 that all the children of God are led by the Spirit of God The Lord knowing our weaknesse in mercy sendeth his holy spirit which leadeth vs by the hand like little children And againe praying for the Colossians first he desireth the Lord to endue them with knowledge Yea that they may bee filled with the knowledge of his will Col. 1.9 Secondly that it would please God to sanctifie them that they might walke worthy of the Lord c. 10. A man would thinke that they that had such a measure of knowledge and grace should neede no more and yet the Apostle addeth a third petition that they may bee strengthned with all might through his glorious power insinuating 11. that though a man haue neuer so much knowledge and bee neuer so throughly sanctified yet if hee bee not strengthned also by the Lord he cannot stand In like manner hee exhorteth the Ephesians Finally my brethren saith he Ephes 6.10 be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might So that without the power of God our strength is no better then weakenesse And for this cause the Apostle Peter saith 1. Pet. 1.5 that wee are kept by the power of God to saluation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praesidiuÌ„ dicitur Aretius in locum Piscator Rom. 8.37 vnlesse the Lord in his mercy did watch ouer vs by his grace and defend vs against all assaults as it were with a guard for so much the word signifieth wee could neuer bee saued There are diuerse degrees of the grace of God in his children Sometimes it worketh powerfully and mightily in them Phil. 4.13 and so long they are more then conquerours as the Apostle saith in all temptations Rom. 8.35.38.39 They are able with Saint Paul to doe all things through Christ that strengtheneth them Yea in a Christian courage they dare cast downe the gauntlet and bid defiance to all the enemies of their saluation Mat. 16.18 So that though the gates of Hell were set wide open and all the power of darkenesse should issue and sally forth vpon them 2. Cor. 12.9 they could not preuaile This grace of God would be sufficient for them to make them stand against all assaults Psal 125.1 euen like Mount Zion that cannot be remoued But this powerfull operation and assistance of Gods grace doth not alwayes accompanie the godlie but sometimes it worketh more remissely and weakely yea oftentimes it is in a man as fire raked vp vnder the ashes so as hee can hardly perceiue it or discerne it And when the case is so with a man let any temptation be offered he presently falleth Obiection Psal 103.14 But it will bee obiected that the Lord knoweth how great our frailtie is for hee made vs and therefore must needs knowe what is in vs why then doth hee not alwayes assist vs with his grace 2. Sam. 24.1 cum 1. Chron. 21.1 why doth hee so often leaue vs to our selues and euen giue vs vp to be tempted of the Deuill as it is said of Dauid when he numbred his men Is not hee now the authour of sinne Answere To this I answere First that God is not bound to doe this for any man He hath once giuen them the first grace the grace of sanctification and he is not bound nor tyed to giue them the second grace the grace of corroboration And therefore farre be it from vs to charge the Lord to bee the authour of sinne For hee doth nothing to make any man sin only priuatly as we say he withholdeth his grace which he may doe and doe them no wrong Againe wee are to knowe that the Lord whose wisedome is infinite deepe and vnsearchable Psal 147.5 Rom. 11.33 hath many excellent ends for which he dealeth thus with his children First that we may not thinke that Gods grace is a naturall facultie which we should bee ready enough to conceiue if it were alwayes in vs alike To which purpose Saint Augustine hath a sweet saying Venit ad consolationem recedit ad cautelam ne magnitudo consolationis extollat te ne si semper apud te sit
Prophet Ieremy saith of the people in his time Were they ashamed when they had committed abhomination nay they were not ashamed neither could they haue any shame For as hee saith in another place they had a whores fore-head Prouer. 7.9 they could not be ashamed As a common strumpet neuer blusheth at her filthinesse so they neuer blush at any sinne they commit though it be neuer so hainous Salomon saith of the whore-maisters in his times that it was their manner to seeke out whore-houses In the twilight in the euening Iob. 24.15 when the night began to be blacke and darke And Iob saith The eye of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight 1. Thes 5.7 Ephes 5.11 and saith no eye shall see me and disguiseth his face And the Apostle saith of his times that they that be drunken are drunken in the night And hereupon these sinnes are called by him workes of darkenesse because men vsed to shunne the light and seeke obscurity in the committing of them a Tenebrae minuunt noxque atra pudorem Ouid. Metam lib. 10 â—ucustoditis apertis liminibus peccant Neâ— sunt gaudia si qua latent Martial lib. 1. Epigram 35. de Laesbia meretrice abigerunt testem veloque seraque Mart ibidem Gen. 4.8 Lucem ac aethera petit testecaelo peccat Senec in Hippol. Pudet non esse impudentes An. confess lib. 2. Non solum non occultanda verum etiam iam praedicanda ac diffiamanda vi dentur Aug. Enchir. cap 79. Non est Tucca satis quod es gulosus dici cupis cupis videri Mart. lib. 12. Epigram 41. Pulchrum est monstrari digito dicier Hic est Pers sat 1. For the night darknes do diminish shame But now whore-maisters and drunkards are not ashamed to commit their villanies with open face euen in the sight and as it were in contempt of the Sunne They expose their filthinesse to the vewe of the world and take pleasure in no sinne that is not notorious It is a shame saith the Apostle euen to speake of the thinges which are done of them in secret Ephes 5.12 Marke I pray you there were shamefull things committed in those daies and things which could not bee well named with modesty but they were done in secret they had a care to couer them and hide them from the eyes of men yea Cain himselfe though a reprobate would not murther his brother openly but calleth him forth into the fields where no body should see and their slewe him But now men are growne so shamelesse in sinne that murder is committed euen in the open streets and whoredome by the high-way side as we reade of Absalon that he lay with his fathers Concubines in the sight of all Israel 2. Sam. 16.22 Yea many are become desperate that they would be ashamed not to bee past shame in their sinnes For they glory in their shame Phil. 3.19 and boast themselues in their wickednesse as Dauid said of Doeg Psal 52.1 They are so farre from seeking to conceale their sinnes as they publish and proclaime them to the world as it were with a Trumpet It is nothing for them to be wicked vnlesse all the world know them to be such They in it that they are knowne to be common swearers and that they are pointed at for drunkards and vncleane persons But alas this is a wofull pride and a miserable boasting for a man to boast of that which without repentance will be the destruction of his soule Secondly wee are all here admonished to followe the counsell of the Apostle who saith Take heede that yee walke circumspectly redeeming the time because the dayes are euill Vse 2 It is true that when wee haue done all wee can Ephes 5.15.16 wee cannot but sinne for the cursed flesh with the corruptions and lustes thereof rebelleth continually against the spirit and haleth vs to one sinne or other Neither are wee to hope for better so long as wee carrie about with vs this body of sinne But yet wee must take heed and vse all holy meanes so to subdue and restraine these corruptions of ours as they may not breake out into notorious sinnes to the open dishonour of God and publike scandall of the Church Yea if it bee possible as much as lyeth in vs wee must labour to be free from all suspition of euill For if Caesar the heathen Emperour required this of his wife much more ought it to be in all that professe themselues Christians As the Apostle exhorteth Abstaine from all appearance of euill 1. Thess 5.22 Sane interest tuae perfectionis malas res pariter species deuitare In altero conscientiae in altero famae consulis De considerat lib. 3. Magnum est quidem glori osum vsque ad caelum omnâ—ii ore proferendum nunquam malis actibus locum dedâ—sse sed mulâ—ò fortius est nunquam falsis suspicionibus laborasse De bono discipl Luk. 1.6 Ioh. 8.46 The same counsell did Bernard giue to Eugenius the Pope when hee told him it made much to his perfection to auoide both euill and the shew of euill In the one hee should prouide for his conscience in the other for his credite And Saint Augustine hath a saying to the same purpose It is saith he a greater matter and a glorious thing and highly to be commended neuer to haue giuen place to euill deedes but it is a matter of greater strength neuer to haue beene subiect to false suspitions Let vs all therefore take heed to our selues in this respect that so wee may giue no occasion of offence in any thing nay rather may take away occasion from them that seeke occasion as the Apostle saith that euen our greatest enemies that prie most narrowly into our actions may not bee able to finde an hole in our coates But that wee may gaine that testimonie which was giuen to Zacharie and Elizabeth that they walked in all the commaundements of the Lord without reproofe Yea that in assurance of our owne consciences wee may be able to say to our enemies in some sort as our Sauiour Christ said to his VVhich of you can rebuke me of sinne namely of notorious sinne Saying c. This is the first degree of Peters sinne in denying his Master Some there are that in a preposterous affection Peruerso fauore tract 66. 〈◊〉 and a corrupt fauour as Saint Augustine calleth it towards the Apostle Peter doe labour to extenuate this fact of his and will by no meanes graunt that Peter could commit so greiuous a sinne as absolutely and flatly to denie Christ Iesus But the blessed Apostle standeth in no need of their apologie being already reconciled to God and receiued into fauour And if hee did their defence of him could doe him little good against so many and so manifest testimonies of the holy Ghost that doth accuse him Indeed charitie requireth that wee should couer euen a multitude of
5. he doth and that by Gods direction conceale the chiefe cause of his comming because it might endanger his life if Saul should heare of it and hee taketh an heifer with him as if hee had come only to offer sacrifice So wee neede not discouer all our purposes and intents further then necessitie requireth But if we bee once called to professe the truth then there is no place for dissembling Apoc. 14.1 But wee must haue our Fathers name written in our foreheads that all the world may see wee are not ashamed of our profession It is a sinne for a man to refuse to giue testimonie to the truth when he hath a due vocation If we be not Martyrs yet we must be Confessours or else wee are no Christians And this is that which the Apostle Peter exhorteth vs vnto Bee ready alwayes saith hee to giue an answere to euery man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you 1. Pet. 3.15 Wee must make it knowne what faith and Religion wee are of without a Vno eodemque silentio firmat errorem qui loquendo non astruit veritatem Fulg. ibid feare or shame if occasion serue else wee betray the truth b Cum causa Dei ventilatur in medium falsitas praeponitur veritati qui pro persona qua gerit non resistit de suo damnabitur silentio De vijs vitae When the cause of God is discussed and falshood preferred before the truth he that according to the person he beareth doth not resist it shall bee condemned for his silence saith Bernard This seemeth hard to a great many who thinke it a chiefe point of wisedome to shift of all questioning of Religion with making mention of other matters But let such persons knowe that they are in danger of a grieuous and fearefull fall For as hee that falleth from the first round of a ladder is in danger to fall past all the rest till hee come to the ground So they that in the case of Religion begin once to halt or slide a little and to depart from that free boldnesse that ought to bee in confessing of Christ for the most part doe euery day wexe worse and worse till at the last they fall to denie him in plaine tearmes Hee that is truely godly will neither bee fearefull nor bashfull but will shew his zeale for the truth when occasion serueth Hee will say as Iehu did to Iehonadab but with a better affection Come see the zeale that I haue for the Lord. 2. King 10.16 Vse This Doctrine in a worde reproueth all those that dissemble their Religion They count it a matter of great commendation for them to be close and secret that it may not bee knowne what Religion they are of They thinke themselues very wisemen Crede mihi bene qui latuit bene vixit c. Ouid Trist because they carry themselues so as they cannot be discouered But alas where they thinke most of all to hide themselues there they most of all bewray their owne shame and whiles they would conceale from the world what Religion they are of this their dissembling proclaimeth against them that they are of no Religion of God For if Religion be in the heart it will appeare in the wordes Psal 45.1 If the heart bee inditing of a good matter the tongue will be the pen of a ready writer If the heart beleeue to righteousnesse the mouth will also confesse to saluation as the Apostle saith Rom. 10.10 The zeale of Gods glory cannot bee shut vp in the heart but as fire it wil either smoake or flame it will shew it selfe by one meanes or other Quis enim celauerit ignem Lumine qui semper proditur ipse suo Paris Helenae apud Ouid. Epist. Quis enim bene celat amorem Eminet indicio prodiâ—a flamma suo Medea Iasoâ—n ibid. A man cannot dissemble his loue to his parents or his children No as the common saying is Loue will creepe where it cannot goe So it is not possible for a man to dissemble his loue to God and to the truth but hee must needes shew it by his plainnesse and opennesse in Religion when occasion is offered And when he went out into the porch Here followeth the second degree of the Apostle Peters sinne together with the occasion thereof He thought to haue escaped with his former dissembling of the matter and therefore he withdraweth himselfe into the porch hoping to haue got away before he should be questioned any more But his enemies not satisfied with that which he had said doe assault him afresh Another maid sawe him as it is in the Text and she likewise chargeth him to haue beene one of Christs Disciples Now there may seeme to be some difference among the Euangelists in relating the seuerall occasions of Peters deniall Mathew and Marke doe both affirme Mat. 26.71 Marke 14.69 Luke 22.58 Lira in locum that this second deniall was occasioned by a maid But Luke saith it was by a man For the reconciling of these places wee are to know as Lira well obserueth that the principall purpose of the Euangelists was to expresse the threefold deniall of Peter and therein they all agree But it was not their purpose precisely to set downe the persons that accused him but onely by accident And there is no contrariety in the matter for the voyce being first vttered by a Maide and receiued by a common applause it is likely as commonly it falleth out in such cases that many came flocking about him and with one mouth as it were beganne to accuse him Which Saint Iohn seemeth plainely to note Iohn 18.25 when as speaking of this second denial he saith ther were many that charged him to be one of Iesus his Disciples But whether it were one or more that occasioned this degree of his sinne it is not much materiall we see he was not long quiet amongst them But as soone as he had shifted off one accusation presently hee is tried with another Doct. Gods children are seldome free from tentations Nunquam bella bonis nunquam certamina desunt Et quocum certet mens pia semper habet Which may teach vs that the children of God are seldome free from temptations but for the most part one followeth on the necke of another As Dauid saith of his outward afflictions that they ouertooke one another as the waues of the sea Psal 42.7 so is it also with inward temptations the end of one is the beginning of another a Faelicitas nostra diabolo paena de Ciuit. Dei lib. 2. cap. 29. For seing our felicity is a punishment to the Deuill as Saint Augustine saith therefore hee remooueth euery stone to hinder the same and to make vs partakers of his owne damnation b Non vt sibi cedat quod amisit sed ne illuc pauper de pulueresuscitatus accedat vnde ipse in gloria
arme and it will bee heauie In like manner so long as sinne is familiar to a man that his heart is as it were the proper seat of it hee neuer feeleth any waight of it though it bee ready to presse and sinke him downe to hell yet he goeth away with it as if it were as light as a feather But if euer it please God to open his eyes that hee may see the haniousnesse of his sinnes then he will crie out with Dauid that they are a waighty burden too heauy for him to beare Ps 38.4 Saint Bernard hath a very good speech to this purpose How many are there saith hee to whome that same thing which at the first was so bitter that they abhorred it by vse is become sweet At the first a thing will seeme so heauy to thee as thou canst not beare it in processe of time if thou vse to carry it thou wilt not thinke it so heauy Quisquis in primo obstitit repulitque amorem tutus ac victor extitit Sen. in Hippol. Prima coitio est asperrima si eam sustinueris post illa iam vt lubet ludas licet Terent. in Phorm within a while thou shalt feele it light within a while thou shalt not feele it at all and in the end it will delight thee And thus by little and little a man comes to hardnesse of heart And therefore to conclude this point if wee desire to bee preserued from this height of sinne let vs be carefull to resist sinne betimes Let vs watch especially in the beginning of the temptation For then as one saith is the enemie easily ouercome if wee doe not suffer him to enter into the doore of our heart but assoone as euer hee knocketh goe ouer the threshold to meete him without And indeede sinne is most furious in the first assaults if it bee stoutly resisted then it will neuer get such hold in our hearts as otherwise it would Doct. All wicked men agree to persecute the godly So after a while c. This is the third degree of the Apostle Peters sinne and the occasion thereof The first and second assault was made against him by one alone and that a damosell but now all that were present come together against him VVhere in a word wee may obserue that all wicked men agree together to persecute Gods children Because they perceiued that Peter was one of Châ—ists Disciples out of that malice they had against Christ they all set vpon him tag and rag and baite him like a Beare at the stake Thus hath it beene in all ages from time to time Dauid complaineth of it in diuerse places Why saith he doe the heathen rage Psal 2.1.2 and the people murmure in vaine The Kings of the earth band themselues and the Princes are assembled together against the Lord and against his Christ Where wee see that Nations and peoples Gentiles Iewes Kings and Rulers men of all sorts both within and without the Church publike and priuate persons great and small doe conspire against Christ and his poore Church And againe They haue consulted together and haue made a league against thee The tabernacles of Edom and the Ishmaelites Psal 83.5.6.7.8 Moab and the Agarims Gebal and Ammon and Amalech the Philistims with the inhabitants of Tyrus Ashur also is ioyned with them c. And this was Dauids owne case Hee had enemies both in Court and Countrie Doeg the Ziphims Nabal and diuerse other were maliciously bent against him Yea our Sauiour Christ himselfe found no better entertainment But assoone as euer hee was borne and so all his life long there were cruell enemies that sought his destruction as the Apostles confesse in their prayer that Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles Acts 4.27 and the people of Israel gathered themselues together against him And so it is at this day Let any wicked man pretend a quarell though neuer so vniust against one that feareth God and all the birds of that viperous brood will violently flocke together and take part with him Acts 2.3.12.13 When the high Priests opposed themselues against Paul how many were there that were readie to ioyne with them Yea there were fortie of a conspiracy that bound themselues by a solemne vowe to kill him before they did either eate or drinke And when Demetrius the siluer smith was incensed against him 19.24.29 c. the whole Citty tooke his part and raged most furiously against him and his fellowes yea a great number of them not knowing what the matter was Yea though they haue beene at enmitie and at oddes before yet in this case they are soone reconciled Luke 23.12 As wee see that Pilate and Herod were made friends in persecuting of Christ though they had beene enemies one to another long before The stories of that bloudy raigne of Queene Marie doe affoord vs plenty of examples for the confirmation of this point And therefore for the vse of this Doctrine Vse we are here admonished to consider what manner of Religion it is that we take vpon vs to professe euen such as hath both the Sun Moone and Stars against it We must take notice of this before we giue vp our names to Christ that so wee may arme and fortifie our selues against it We must not looke for manie to assist vs and to take our parts but rather to haue almost all the world against vs. When the Apostle Paul came into trouble for the profession of the truth he complaineth That no man assisted him 2. Tim. 4.16 but all forsooke him Wee must not looke that it should be better with vs. Then began hee to curse himselfe c. These enemies of the Apostle Peter were not yet satisfied hee had dissembled before and forsworne himselfe yet that would not serue their turnes but still they presse him further and that with greater violence then before and therefore hee seeing their importunitie is determined to feede their humours though it should cost him his soule Doct. When men begin once to fall from God they haue no stay of themselues c. And therefore now he curseth himselfe if euer hee knew Christ Iesus The deuill could haue caried him no further except it had been to desperation Here then we are taught that they that once begin to fall from God haue no stay of themselues but without Gods restraining grace run headlong into the depth of iniquitie It is a true saying He must needes runne whom the diuell driueth And God knoweth we are all wauering and ready to fall as oft as the deuill shall thrust vs forward Neither shall wee euer make any stay vnlesse God stretch out his hand nam quis Peccandi finem posuit subsâ—quando recepit â—ectum semel attrita de fioâ—te ruâ—orem Quis nam ham num est quem tu contentum videris vno Flagitio and hold vs backe As a round stone tumbled downe from the top
of a steepe hill is caried with violence till it come to the bottome So when a man hath once giuen way to any sinne there is no hoe with him till he come to the bottome of hell vnlesse God pull him backe After that once the vigour and liuelyhood of the spirit was extinguished in the Apostle Peter if God had still left him to himselfe if a thousand seuerall persons had questioned with him about his Master he would haue denied him a thousand times Vse 1 This Doctrine serueth to admonish vs first to take diligent heede to our selues that we fall not into sinne least we bee caried headlong without stay Whose heart doth not quake and tremble to consider how farre the Apostle Peter hath fallen And who are we then that wee should presume of our owne strength There are some men that in a conceite of themselues will stint themselues how farre they will goe in the committing of sinne As they will go to the Alehouse and sit among good fellowes and drinke what they thinke good but they shall not all make them drunke But alas we see that many times for all these vaine bragges they are foulely and shamefully ouertaken ere they be aware Secondly we must pray earnestly to God to restraine the Vse 2 malice and rage of Satan and not to forsake vs ouer long Psal 119.8 51.12 as Dauid saith but to establish vs with a free spirit that we may not fall in this fearefull maner Otherwise if we by our carelesnesse and neglect of the good meanes which God hath sanctified do grieue and quench the holy spirit of God it shal be iust for the Lord euen to leaue vs ouer to the dominion of Satan to be held captiues of him and to bee caried headlong into all vngodlinesse Hetherto we haue heard the fearefull and lamentable fall of the Apostle Peter Now followeth his repentance and rising againe which with like diligence is also recorded by all the Euangelists for our comfort Wherein we are to consider 1. The occasions or the meanes of it 1. From without himselfe 1. Outward viz. The crowing of the Cocke 2. Inward viz. Christes looking back vpon him expressed Luke 22.61 2. From within himselfe but occasioned by the former viz. That hee remembred the words of Iesus c. 2. His Repentance it selfe 1. His preparation to it He went out of that wicked place 2. The maner of it Hee wept and that bitterly ANd immediately the Cocke crew This is the first meanes which God vseth for the repentance of the Apostle Peter For seeing in what a desperate state he stood he maketh hast to deliuer him He knew that if hee should haue continued in this case his heart would haue beene hardened by the deceitfulnesse of sinne Heb. 3.13 as the Apostle saith As it falleth out with the wicked who hauing once tasted the sweetnesse of sinne 1. Pet. 4.4 Ephes 4.19 doe violently runne to all excesse of riot and worke all vncleannesse euen with greedinesse And therefore the Lord being most carefull of his children delayeth no time but presently vseth all meanes to recouer them Doct. God will not suffer his children to perish in there sinnes Ezek. 18 31.32 33.11 From hence then we learne that God will not suffer his children to perish in their sinnes but endeauoureth to reclaime them This the Lord confirmeth by the Prophet Ezekiel saying Wby will ye dye O ye house of Israel For I desire not the death of him that dieth And hee bindeth it with an oath As I liue saith he I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and liue And our Sauiour Christ saith Luke 19 10. the Sonne of man came to seeke and to saue that which was lost Luke 1.79 And this we see first before their conuersion whiles they fitte as it were in darknesse and in the shadow of death the Lord in mercy visiteth them and giueth light vnto them and guideth their feete into the way of peace and causeth them to turne from the power of Satan vnto God Acts 26.18 Abraham a long while liued in grosse Idolatry in his Fathers house Gen. 12.1.4 euen till he were seuenty and fiue yeeres old But at the last the Lord in mercy called him out of his Contry and from his kindred brought him to the true knowledge of God Acts 9.1 The Apostle Paul before his conuersion was a grieuous enemy to the Church of God hee breathed out threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord. But in the middest of his rage the Lord tooke pitty vppon him 2. and as he was furnished with authority from the high Priest 3.4 to bind all both men and women that were of that way so dainely Christ Iesus called vnto him from heauen and reclaimed him and made him of a bloudy and cruell persecutor a most excellent Apostle and a most painefull preacher of that faith which before he destroyed Gal. 1.22 Againe after their conuersion if through frailty they fall into sinne as God knoweth there is no man that sinneth not as Salomon confesseth in his prayer 1. Kings 8.46 at the dedication of the temple the Lord will not suffer them to lye along therin and as it were to sleepe in death but in his tender compassion and in the riches of his mercy he raiseth them vp againe As Dauid saith of the godly man Psalm 37.24 145.14 Though hee fall he shall not be cast off for the Lord putteth vnder his hand And againe The Lord vpholdeth all that fall and lifteth vp all that are ready to fall And this our Sauiour Christ doth teach vs plainely in the parable of the lost sheepe which the good shepheard will not suffer to perish Luke 15.4.5 nor to wander out of the way to destruction but hee leaueth the rest and as though all his care were onely for that which was lost hee goeth after it and seeketh it and when he hath found it he layeth it on his shoulders and bringeth it home with ioy For which cause Dauid prayeth vnto the Lord saying Psal 119.176 I haue gone astray like a lost sheepe seeke thy seruant And the Apostle Peter confesseth Gods goodnes to himselfe and others in this case We were saith he as sheepe going astray 1. Pet. 2.25 but are now returned to the shepheard and Bishop of our soules And thus the Lord dealeth with all his children Though he suffer them for a time to follow their owne fantasies and to walke after the desires of their owne hearts yet he forsaketh them not for euer but in his good time he stretcheth out his hand to helpe and succour them Hee suffered Peter to fall fearefully as we haue heard but with all speede hee raiseth him vp againe So he suffered Dauid to commit very hainous and horrible sinnes 2. Sam. 12.1 and to continue and lye
though there be an Hyperbolicall excesse of speech for it is not possible for men to fill buckets with teares nor to cause themselues to swimme in their beds yet it signifieth that there was an exceeding great and vnspeakeable measure of griefe a Cura dolorque animi lacrymaque alimenta fuere Ouid. Met. li. 10 Againe he saith his teares were his meate day and night Psal 42.3 And in an other place hee saith hee was bowed and crooked together and made euen blacke with mourning all the day Psal 38.6 hee was naturally of a very good complexion ruddie and of a good countenance and comely visage 1. Sam. 16.12 but his continuall mourning had so changed bim as if he had beene disfigured with sickenesse Isa 38.3 And good Iosiah that his very heart did melt within him for griefe And that poore penitent woman in the Gospell 2. King 22 19. Luke 7.38 shed such plenty of teares as she washed our Sauiour Christs feet with them And indeed it is no small measure of sorrow that is sufficient in respect of the greatnesse of our sins For if we had an hundred eies and should weepe them all out and if wee had a thousand hearts and they should all breake a sunder with remorse and sorrow for our sinnnes it were too little b Lacrymae nobis doerunt antequam causae dolendi Senec. de breuit vitae and we should sooner want teares then matter of mourning Neither must this sorrow bee onely for feare of punishment For such kind of sorrow proceedeth from selfe loue and may bee in the reprobate As wee see in Saul Ahab Iudas and others In regard whereof the Lord told the Iewes that when they fasted and humbled themselues they did it not to him neither did he approue it Zech 7.5 But this sorrow must onely bee for the displeasure of God And therefore the Apostle calleth it godly sorrow 2. Cor. 7.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a sorrow according to God namely such a sorrow as respecteth no other thing but this that a man hath by his sinnes displeased and offended so good a God and so mercifull a Father And indeed Estque pati paenam quam meruisse minus Ouid. de Ponto to an ingenuous nature it is a greater griefe to deserue them to suffer punishment As appeareth plainely in the example of Dauid and other of Gods children But wee shall haue occasion to speake more of this point when wee come to intreat of the repentance of Iudas Last of all this sorrow must not be for a time Stella in Luc. 22.26 but it must be perpetuall Stella reporteth of the Apostle Peter vpon what ground or by what authoritie I knowe not that in all the rest of his life it was his manner to rise out of his bed euery night at the crowing of the cocke and to spend the time till morning in prayer weeping so abundantly that his face was withered with teares Whether this bee true or no it is not much materiall But howsoeuer wee are to knowe that forasmuch a Est paenitentia assiduè peccantibus assiduè necessaria Aug. de vera falsa panit cap 8. as wee sinne euery day therefore repentance is necessary euery day b Quid praeter plorare restat quid nisi semper dolere in vita vbi enim dolor finitur deficit paenitentia ibid cap. 13. And indeed what can a man doe in regard of his manifold sinnes but weepe and mourne all his life for where sorrow ceaseth there repentance faileth c Sit paenitentia continua amara comes aetatis meae Aug. de contrit cordis in oratione ad finem Psal 6.6 Iere. 9.1 And therefore let vs make repentance a continuall and sorrowfull companion vnto vs through our whole life as Dauid did who did not onely weepe now and then for his sinnes but it was his continuall practise Eeuery night he caused his bed to swimme And the Prophet Ieremie wisheth that he could weepe day and night for the sinnes of his people Much more no doubt would he doe it for his owne sinnes And as there is required this sorrow for sinnes past and present so there must bee also a forsaking of sin for the time to come As wee doe not read that euer this Apostle denyed his Master any more after this but as it is euident in the Acts hee was most bolde and constant in confessing him and his truth euen to the beardes of the greatest enemies thereof It is not sufficient for vs to bee inwardly sorrowfull but withall wee must put away our sinnes and testifie the inward repentance of our heartes by the outward reformation of our liues a Frustra dolemus praeterita nisi iusta accedat emendatio Aretius proble loc 34. de paeuit Nay it is in vaine for vs to bewaile our sinnes past vnlesse there follow a due amendment afterwardes As Bernard writ to Eugenius the Pope b Non ambigo te quoque ista deplorare at frustrà istud si non emendare studueris Bern. de Considerat l. 1 I make no question saith hee but thou bewailest these things but that is to no purpose vnlesse thou doest also labour to reforme them c Vera confessio vera paenitentia est quaendo sic paenitet hominem peccasse vt crimen non repetat Bern. de cons aedif ca. 53. And therefore hee describeth true repentance to bee this when a man so repenteth that he hath sinned as he will doe so no more And in his meditations hee hath a sweet saying to this purpose d Verus penitens semper est in labore dolore Dolet de praeteritis laborat pro futuris eauendis Sic plangit commissa vt non cōmittat plangenda Jrrisor enim est non verus paenitens qui adhuc agit quod paeniteat Sergiò vis esse verus paenitens cessa a peccato noli amplius peccare quoniam inanis est paenitentia quam sequens coinquinat culpa Meditat. cap. 4. A man saith hee that truely repenteth is alwayes in labour and sorrow hee is sorrowfull for his sinnes past and laboureth to take heed of sin to come he doth so bewaile the sinnes he hath committed as he will no more commit things that are to be bewailed For he is but a mocker and not truly penitent that still doth that whereof hee repenteth If therefore thou wilt be a true penitent person cease from sinne and sinne no more for that repentance is vaine which after-sinnes doe defile e Si permanent opera frustra voce assumitur paenitentia Mag. sentent lib. 4. Dist 15. G. Yea so long as a mans former euill deedes doe remaine it is in vaine for him to talke of repentance f Qui agit penitentiam non solum diluere lacrymis debet peccatum suum sed etiam emendatioribus factis operiro tegere delicta superiora vt
baptized of thee and commest thou to me There were other causes therefore besides sinne for which it pleased Christ to bee baptized First as himselfe saith that he might fulfill all righteousnesse Mat. 3.15 As in his Circumcision hee had fulfilled the law of Moses so hee was also to submit himselfe to Baptisme which hee knew to bee the ordinance of God Secondly that hee might sanctifie the element of water for our sanctification and for the washing away of our sinnes d Christi care ipso Iordane sanctior invenitur vt magis aquam ipsa descensu suo mundauerit quā ipsa mundata sit Opt. in Donar lib. 1. Christs flesh saith one was holier then Iordan it selfe so as it rather cleansed the water by going downe into it then was cleansed by it And Bernard saith e Baptizatus est Christus non se in aquis led aquas in se Sanctificans vt per cas Sanctificaret nos Bern. Ser. 6. in Parase Christ was baptised not to sanctifie himselfe in the waters but to sanctifie the waters in himselfe and in them to sanctifie vs. Thirdly to commend vnto vs this humility As St. Augustine saith c Christus de Spiritu Sācto generatus regeneratione no eguit In aqua autem voluit baptizari à Ioanne non vt eius iniquitas vlla dilueretur sed vt magna commendaretur humilitas Aug. Enchir. cap. 48. Christ being begotten of the holy Ghost needed no regeneration And yet hee would bee baptised of Iohn not that any iniquity of his might be washed away but to commend vnto vs his great humility Last of all he was baptized for our example that wee might not shunne baptisme which our Sauiour was content to vndergoe As the same Father saith d Baptizatus est Dominus propter superbiam futurorum vt nemo aspernaretur baptizari Aug. in Psal 91. The Lord was baptized to preuent the pride of them that were to come that no man might thinke scorne of baptisme This serueth first to commend the exceeding loue of Christ towards vs that hee would bee contented to suffer such vnspeakeable torments for our sakes Greater loue saith he then this hath no man that a man bestoweth his life for his friends And yet this loue of his was greater for we were not friends but enemies to him And therefore the Apostle saith Herein God setteth out his loue to vs that when we were sinners and enemies Christ dyed for vs. When the Iewes saw our Saviour Christ shedde a few teares for the death of Lazarus his friend * Vse 1. Joh. 15.13 Rom. 5.8.10 Ioh. 11.36 Rom. 12.1 Demus illi vitā nostram qui nobis dedit vitam suam Behold say they how he loued him But farre greater was his loue to vs which caused him to shed euen the dearest drop of bloud in his heart for vs his enemies And therefore we should be carefull to loue him againe and to testifie the same by consecrating our selues an holy and an acceptable sacrifice vnto him as the Apostle exhorteth Vse 2. Secondly it setteth vs see the hainousnesse of our sinnes in that nothing in the world could satisfie the wrath of God conceiued against vs but only the sufferings of Christ which should make vs mourne for our sinnes aboue all things and for euer after detest and abhorre the same When wee shall consider that our sinnes did pierce the very heart of Christ Iesus and shed his bloud it will make our hearts rise within vs at the committing of the least sinne whatsoeuer What is that to vs. This was the answere which the high Priests made to the confession of Iudas In the distresse and discomfort of his soule he came to them For he knew that the Priests lips should preserue knowledge Mat. 2.7 and that men should resort to them for comfort and direction he knew that they sate in Moses his seate Mat. 23 ◠Luke 11.52 and that they had the key of knowledge as our Sauiour Christ saith and therefore should be able to relieue men that stood in neede of comfort But see how little they respected him What is that to vs say they see thou to it As if they should say In that thou hast sinned in betraying innocent bloud it is nothing to vs but thou art too blame for it And therefore there is no reason why thou shouldest obiect the matter to vs. Looke thou to it how thou maiest escape it is thy sinne it is none of ours Here was cold comfort These were miserable comforters as Iob saith Iob. 16.2.5 They should rather haue strengthened him with their mouth and the comfort of their lips should haue asswaged his sorrow But let vs a little consider this speech of theirs It is strange they should make so light of the matter as they doe for it is most certaine their hand was deeper in the fact then his Ioh. 7.1.11.32 Mat. 26.3.4 Ioh. 11.47.53 Mat. 26 15. Luke 22.4.5 Ioh. 18.3 They often laid wait for innocent bloud sometimes seeking for him themselues and sometimes sending their Officers to take him And before hee was apprehended they had consulted and determined to put him to death They had couenanted with Iudas for money to betray him into their hands They receiued a band of Souldiers of Pilate and appointed them to Iudas for the apprehending of him They suborned and produced false witnesses against him that they might seeme to obserue some shew of iudgement Mat. 26.59.60 At the last when by a solemne oath they had extorted from him a confession of the truth namely Mat. 26.63.64.65.66 that he was Christ the sonne of God without any further examining of the cause they condemne him most guiltlesse And hauing rashly condemned him they deliuer him ouer to the Deputie Mat. 27.1.2 that hee might put him to death How then doth all this nothing concerne them But be it so Let it be graunted that they are without blame in this case and that Iudas only was the cause of betraying of him why then doe they not reuoke the iudgement and deliuer the innocent person from condemnation why doe they not reuerse that which they had corruptly iudged why doe they not now that they know the truth alter their wicked sentence Moreouer being Priests of the Lord to whom it appertained by their sacrifices to purge the sinnes of the people why doe they thus scornefully reiect this confession of a sinner especially considering that themselues had caused him to sinne why doe they not comfort him in his repentance and by their expiations procure him the pardon of his sinne Or if his sinne be vnexpiable as it is why doe they not being Iudges and Elders of the people punish him according to the law for being guilty of innocent bloud Here are then diuers sinnes bewrayed in this answere of theirs a Accusatio Sacerdotum est quod poenitētiam non egerunt etiā Iuda poeaitente Hugo Cardin.
in locum First we see the hypocrisie of these wicked chiefe Priests that though they were no doubt conuinced in their consciences by this confession of Iudas yet are not brought to any acknowledgment of their sinne much lesse to repent of it Nay indeede they could neuer endure at any hand to be put in minde of their sinne that so they might come to amendment Which of all the Prophets could they heare with patience if once hee beganne to touch their sinnes Nay did they not persecute him in this case as an Heretike and a contemner of their sacred dignitie The reason was first vpon a false conceit they had that they could not erre nor doe amisse It was their saying of old The law shall not perish from the Priest Jerem. 18.18 Hos 9.7 nor the counsell from the wise c. Yea they counted themselues men of the spirit as though none had the spirit of God but they As Zidkijah said to Michaiah 1. King 22.24 When went the spirit of the Lord from me to speake vnto thee And these later ones were still of the same minde For when the Officers that were sent to apprehend our Sauiour Christ returned with this answere Ioh. 7.46.47.48 Neuer man spake like this man What say they are yee also deceiued Doth any of the rulers or of the Pharisees beleeue in him as though they could not bee deceiued And when the blinde man that had newly receiued his sight spake somewhat boldly vnto them concerning Christ Iesus they thought great scorne with it Iohn 9.34 Thou art altogether say they borne in sinne and doest thou teach vs Vnder this pretence they alwaies bare out the matter and would not endure that any body should reproue them When Pashur the Priest had heard that Ieremiah had prophecied against him he smote him and put him in the stocks Jere. 20.1 Amos 7.10 And when Amos the Prophet spake against the sinnes of Amaziah the Priest of Bethel he complained of him to the King Yea the Pharisees could not endure that our Sauiour Christ himselfe should reproue them for when hee had denounced many woes against them one of them steppeth vp and telleth him Master in saying thus Euke 11.45 thou puttest vs to rebuke as though that had beene a hainous matter And thus is it with the Pope at this day he cryeth out with open mouth that hee cannot erre and that all iudgement is in his power and that he must be iudged of none a Dist 40. cap. Si Papa Yea it is to be read in plaine wordes in his owne decrees That the Pope is not to be iudged of any man though being carelesse of his owne and his brethrens saluation he should draw innumerable soules with him to hell Secondly from this perswasion that they could not erre did arise a damnable pride which made them thinke it a shame to confesse any fault And therefore they maintained all their deeds though neuer so hainous Now from this particular example Doct. Wicked men cannot endure to heare of their sinnes wee may for our instruction gather this generall Doctrine that it is the propertie of all wicked men not to endure to heare of their sinnes especially if they be great persons or haue any authority b Peccasse se non anguntur obiurgari molestè serunt Cic. de amicitia As the Heathen Orator could say They are not grieued at al that they haue done amisse but it grieueth them to be rebuked for it They cannot abide the libertie of the Ministerie of the word in ripping vp and laying open their sins But they will chop Logick with him whatsoeuer he be that shall take vpon him to reproue them will iustifie themselues and their actions against him As Saul did when Samuel reproued him 1. Sam. 15.20 Yea saith he I haue obeyed the voyce of the Lord and haue gone the way which the Lord hath sent me as though Samuel had done him a great deale of wrong to challenge him in that manner So the Prophet Malachie bringeth in the people allwayes answering againe when they are accused Mal. 1.6.7 The Lord tels them they had despised his name 3.8.13 they answere very sawcily wherein haue we despised thy name He tels them they haue spoyled him wherein haue we spoyled thee And hee tels them their wordes had beene stout against him why say they What haue wee spoken against thee Hos 4 4. And the Prophet Hosea affirmeth as much of the people with whom hee had to deale that though their sinnes were hainous and such as caused the Lord to commence an action against them yet they might not be reproued for all that but were ready to flie in his face that should doe it Ezech. 13 10.1◠Yet saith he let none rebuke nor reproue another for thy people are as they that rebuke the Priest So long as the Minister doth stroake their heades in their sinne Iere. 6.14 so long as hee daubeth with vntempered morter and soweth pillowes vnder mens arme-holes healing their hurt with sweet wordes saying peace peace when there is no peace So long as hee will not open his mouth against them or if hee doe so long as hee goeth faire and farre off as we say or else frameth himselfe to please their humours 1. Kin. 22.13.14 1. Pet. 4.4 as Ahabs seruant would haue perswaded Michaiah or which is worse will be content to runne with them to all excesse of riot so long he is a man for their tooth and so long they affect and loue him But if hee will needes deale sincerely and will not spare the proudest of them Isa 58 1. but will lift vp his voice like a trumpet and shew them their sinns then as the Prophet Ieremiah complained Jere. 15.10 hee is a contentious man a man that striueth with the whole earth no body can endure him Prou. 15.12 As Salomon saith a scorner loueth not him that rebuketh him 1. King 13 4. Hence was it that when Ieroboam heard the Prophet inueighing against the altar that hee had set vp hee presently bids Lay hold on him And this was it that made Ahab hate Michaiah 22.8 euen because he would be so plaine with him Gal. 4.9.1 And the Galatians counted the Apostle Paul their enemie because hee told them the truth The reason hereof is first because as our Sauiour Christ said their deeds are so euill that they cannot endure the light of the word Euery man saith he that doth euill hateth the light Iohn 3.19.20 neither commeth to it least his deeds should be reproued Secondly because of the swelling pride of their flesh For as a toad if it bee pricked swelleth till it burst withall Eccles 12.11 so they being pricked with the goade of reproofe as Salomon calleth it they swell and cannot brooke it Thirdly they are so highly conceited of themselues that they