shall be satisfied deliuereth his sins in grosse as fast as any one came to be serued but now at the last he beginneth to waigh ponder things and laying in the one end of the ballance his Maisters Prophecy the fulfilling thereof he found them to carry waight yea to be as heauie as Lead but laying in the other end his owne Promise and the performance thereof he findeth it as light as the wind yea lighter then vanitie it selfe and most worthie of the impression of Belthashars Embleme Thou art weighed in the Ballaunce and art found too light and therefore hee went out and wept bitterly Which teacheth vs how necessary and profitable a thing it is for men to thinke cōsider with themselues what God commaundeth promiseth threatneth rewardeth and punisheth and therewith to waigh and ponder our owne words actions and behauiour that finding them too light with Peter we may be sorry and with Dauid make haste to amende as he sayd J considered my wayes made haste to keepe thy Commaundements but seeing this is not in the letter of my Text no nor in the originall at all I will passe it ouer come to the Testification of his repentance which is two-fold First Hee went out if Peter had not been forewarned of the frailtie of his nature plainely told and fore-told of his sinne I should haue commended him much for his pietie honest affection in following into the High-priests Hall as earnestly desiring to see what the issue would be what would become of his Maister but seeing he was fore-warned and fore-told and had made himselfe the more noted by being such a stickler in his Maisters quarrell and cutting off one of the high Pristes seruants cares hee is much to be condemned that he would so rashly offer and expose himselfe to such violent occasions of sinne and temptations therevnto oh why rather did he not flie with his fellowes or hide himselfe close in some secret place til the storme should be ouerpast Neither doe I altogeather commende him for his going out for if his heart were truly smitten with sorrow remorse for his sinne why did he not make amendes by publicke confession Why doth he not in an holy zeale where and before whom he had denied there testifie his repentaunce Hath he sinned in publicke and doth he runne out at doores to sorrow in priuate Oh it had been much more valiant to haue confessed where he had denyed and repented where he had sinned But we see his feare is not altogether ouer yet his Repentance is true but weake yea the best vertues of Gods Saints are stained with some wantes euen their righteousnes as a menstrous Cloath and therefore though S. Paul say truely that Godly sorrow causeth repentance not to be repented of yet in some sense I may say Peters sorrow brought foorth such a repentance as when he had repented he might well repent thereof because he had not perfectly repented in his former repentance for Hee went out Some say this was to auoyde all appearaunce of hipocrisie I answere that as no sinne is more odious to God or hatefull to Gods people that worshippe him in spirit and trueth then hipocrisie and therefore most carefully auoyded by Dauid who caused his Bedde and Couch to swimme with teares And Ezekiah though he could not goe out of the roome yet bee turned his face to the wall and wept sore Whereas Hipocrites neuer weepe but in publicke but then they haue most teares at commaunde when they haue most witnesses thereof Yet some-times to weepe in publicke is no note of hipocrisie are teares the Preachers praise Lachrymae auduorum sint laudes tua Jerom and are they not also the hearers prayse yes assuredly a sweet argument as God witnessed of Josiah that their hearts do melt as when the Congregation is assembled to Preaching or Prayer and specially in time of some great humiliation as in the Niniuites fast or of the aboundance of a sorrowfull spirit the eyes gush out as in Hannah who poured out her soule before the Lord. Oh then that Peter had gone so through-stitch with his Repentaunce that as it is recorded that in the Pharisies house euen before all that sate at Table with him a Woman in sorrow for her sinnes did wash his feete with teares so it might haue been recorded that in the High-priestes house there was a man an Apostle yea Peter who in true sorrow for denying his Maister before them all did weepe bitterly before them all but alasse herein he fayled through feare he sinned publickly and is afrayde to repent publickely so hee went out Whose example affoordeth great consolation seeing God is well pleased with the poore endeauours and desires the lame and halting obedience of his children so that what they do be in trueth and also is a fayre warning and admonition that when we haue done any thing and as we conceaue in best maner yet still to suspect some want and to confesse we are but vnprofitable seruants we eyther haue not done what we ought or not in that manner we ought for Peter went out to weepe Yet finde we heere some good some sweete for Peters commendation and our imitation first that Peter delayeth not nor deferreth not his repentaunce he stayeth not till his Maister be condemned executed but so soone as euer God stroke his heart with remorse he made haste into some conuenient place where he might poure out his soule and his teares vnto God and therby teacheth vs with all speed to put holy motions in effect pray when God moueth thee read when God moueth thee repent when God moueth thee giue almes when God moueth thee quench not checke not grieue not the spirit with Cras cras thou knowest not whether euer God will moue thee any more or at least it may cost thee deare to recouer such motions agayne wherfore whilst it is called to day harden not your hearts but let euery soule marche valiently when God soundeth and stryketh the drumme The Reason hereof is because sinne and the allurements thereof do neuer cleaue so fast as when men bethinke to part from them so that he that is not fitte to day without the great mercy of God will be lesse fitte to morrow wherfore take no day with God but as Abrahams seruant bad Laban and Bethuell hinder me not and the blind man in the Gospell cast away his Cloake when Christ called him so let vs say to father mother husband wife or friend hinder me not yea cast away all hindrances though as pleasant profitable and deare vnto vs as right hand or right eie yea as Zache came downe hastily to entertaine Christ and Lot did scape for his life out of Sodome as Paul biddeth let vs flee from our sinnes and make euen all the
the very chinne he seeth no danger but holdeth on yet such was his mercie whom he denied that remembring him who had forgotten himselfe Immediatly the Cocke crew The vse is that as God is in loue hasty when wee haue sinned to affoord vs the meanes of repentance and saluation So we in wisedome make haste by the vse of them to turne vnto God for he is blessedst that sinneth not next to him is he that soonest repenteth according to that of Dauid Blessed is the man that doth not walke in the counsell of the wicked nor stand in the way of sinners nor sit in the seate of the scornefull For if from suggestion wee proceed to consent from consent to delight from delight to action from action to custome from custome to senselesnesse to haue no pricke no remorse no dislike woe be vnto vs. The first externall meanes whereby Peter was brought to the sight and sorrow of his sinne was the crowing of the Cocke The Grecians will that a Cocke be so called in their tongue because by his crowing he doth waken men and rayse them out of their beddes He crew as we say in English or lift vp his voyce according to the Greeke or according to the vulger he songe And this is the ordinarie phrase with the Latines The song or singing of the Cocke and well may his crowing be called singing because when he is fattest or best liking and findeth his hotte nature refreshed with the coldnesse of the night and vapors of the ayre he croweth most and in his kinde as with a song doth prayse his Creator a sweete domesticall Creature by singing teaching vs to lift vp our heartes and to prayse our God with our tongues from whom euery good and perfect gift proceedeth But I proceede from the Letter to Obseruations Wise Philosophers haue obserued that Cockes by crowing doe wake men out of sleepe and therfore lay-on towards day when it is time to awake and also foretell a shower comming Peter is fast on sleepe in the bedde of carnall securitie and must be awakned or else he sleepeth in death for euer a shower of teares is at hand not for the causing of his bedde onely to swim But as when God destroyed the old World the Windowes of Heauen were opened so the Sluces and Flood-gates of Peters eyes are to be opened and such Fountaines to breake out as if his little world were to be drowned with teares no maruell then though the Cocke crow Obserue we also the extent of Gods gracious prouidence who is so great in the greatest thinges as he is not lesser in the least There haue been Philosophers who thought that the Gods had no regard of humane affayres whose opinion sayth Tullie if it be true what pietie can there be what sanctitie what Religion Others though they went not so farre as to exempt all thinges yet they withdrew the smaller from the Heauenly prouidence for it was thought most iniurious to bring downe the Maiestie of God so low as to the husbanding of Bees and Pismyres as if in the number of the Gods there were some Myrmecides to carue out the smaller workes Another sect of Philosiphers viz. the Peripateticks who housed the prouidence of God aboue the Moone and thought it had no desent beneath the cyrcle thereof to intend inferyor businesses like those Epicures who sayd or at least Eliphaz in their names How should God know can he iudge through the darke clouds The clouds hide him that he cannot see and he walketh in the cyrcle of heauen Aueroës sirnamed the Commenter a Spanish Phisition that he may seeme to be madde with reason by reason fortifieth the former iudgement for he thinketh that the knowledge and vnderstanding of God would become vile if it were abased to these inferior and infirmer obiectes But from the Schoole of God we learne that wherof these wise Ethnicks were ignoraunt that our God though he haue his dwelling on high yet he abaseth himselfe to behold the thinges in Heauen Earth as he made all thinges by his word so he beareth vp all thinges by his mightie word or according to the Hebrew phrase who vse the Abstract for the Concrete the Substantiue for the Adiectiue or Epithite with the word of his power His Creation was as the Mother to bring foorth his Prouidence as the Nurse to bring vp his Creation a short Prouidence his Prouidence a perpetuall Creation his Creation gaue beeing his prouidence maintayneth in beeing his Creation erected the Fabricke his Prouidence keepeth reparation In a word as a Heathen man sayd he is full of businesse all eye to obserue and all hand to dispatch all businesse by it the Sunne mooueth for he made it to stand yea to goe backe the Raine falleth for the Cloudes are his Bottles the Ayre ratleth for it is the glorious God that maketh the thunder the Wind bloweth for he bringeth it out of his treasure n Birdes doe flye Plants and Grasse doe grow Fishes doe swimme Wormes doe bite yea and to conclude with my Text Cockes do crow Immediatly the Cocke crew for hee that gouerneth all thinges had sayd Before the Cocke crow thou shalt deny me thrise The second externall meanes was Christ his looking vpon him for so S. Luke sayth The Lord turned backe and looked vpon Peter and this I call Externall in regard of the Act though it were Internall in regard of the effect For this this was it that wounded his heart he denied and repented not because his Maister looked not vpon him he forsware and repented not but when he cursed himselfe he repented for his Maister looked vpon him Peter had thought his Maister had not heard or knowen or regarded his words But he that knew when he was thronged that some faythfull body had touched him for vertue was gone out of him now knew that his faythfull disciple had forsworne him that it was high time that vertue should proceede from him for to cure him and therfore most graciously turned backe looked vpō him that by seeing Peter he might cause Peter to see his sinne repent of it Which yet the act of seeing could not effect for euery one repented not that Iesus looked on for doubtles he looked on Iudas when he gaue him the soppe yea he spake most louingly mildly to him when he came with souldiors to apprehend him friend wherfore art thou come and Iudas betrayest thou the sonne of man with a kisse wordes which might haue broken his heart if hee had not been dead in sinnes Hee doth but looke vpon Peter and it serueth the turne For with Christ his bodily eye the sweete influence of his grace and spirit being conuayed to his soule he repented vnfaignedly and no meruaile for how could he remayne in
that other Prophet when he complayned My belly my belly I am payned euen at my very heart mine heart is troubled within me J can not be still And to conclude with our owne Example in what paine was Peter when as if all were turned into Gall or Worme-wood he wept bitterly The Reason of this Doctrine is worthy our consideration which is because in Repentance the spirit is wounded with the liuely sense and apprehension of Gods wrath against sinne which in other Plagues of the body it is not and therefore in greatest distemperatures of the body when the Bones are broken Loines filled with a sore Disease Woundes stincke and are corrupt and that a man may truely say with him in the Comedie Mine Heart is sicke my Reynes are sicke my Spleene is sicke my Liuer is sicke and all other partes are out of frame yet if a man haue peace with God his Spirit will beare his infirmities but if the Soule be sicke and the Spirit it selfe wounded who can beare it These are the onely paynes which are like the paines of Hell whence the Prouerbe came That good men haue their Hell in this life meaning that the paines of Repentance are so smart vnto them that it differeth many times very little from the Plagues of the other life Which doctrine thus confirmed yeeldeth two very necessary vses First it may serue to reforme the erroneous Iudgementes of many concerning Repentance Some thinke that euery Sorrow is Repentance but then should Worldlinges repent Some thinke euery Confession to be Repentance then should Pharaoh and Saul repent some thinke euery weeping repentaunce then should Esau repent some thinke euery little humiliation repentance then should Achab repent some thinke euery good word promise repentaunce then should most sicke men repent some thinke to crie God mercy is repentaunce then should euery Foole repent but if we remember what hath been sayd true Repentance is more then the hanging downe of the head like a Bulrush or to wring out a Teare or weare Haire-cloth or from the teeth outward to cry Lord haue mercy on me and so away Oh it is a scourging a renting a racking of the very Soule and a filling of the Reynes with exceeding bitternesse and griefe for sinne Secondly heere is matter of great comfort for the godly who are perplexed with the terrours of God and troubled mindes for sinne that they can truly say The paines of Hell came about vs Let them remember what Christ hath sayd Blessed are they that so mourne for they shall reioyce Heauinesse shall endure but for a night the time is at hand when all sighing shall be turned into singing lamentation into laughing All Teares wiped from their eyes and those which they haue shedde be rewarded with an eternall weight of comfort and glory Bitterly but not immoderately like Heraclitus or Niobe for Nature Reason and Religion forbidde such immoderate weeping Nature as the Philosophers haue obserued hath giuen vnto the Eye twise as many dry Skinnes or Filmes like Sluces to damme vp the course of Teares as moyst humours like Channels to let them runne forth but three of these and sixe of the other Reason sayth to much of a thing is naught too many droops of sweete honny are not good much lesse too many teares as bitter as wormewood but Religion goeth further and forbiddeth Christians to weepe as those that haue no hope so that nature which teacheth all things reason which teacheth all men and Religion which teacheth all Christians do ioyne togeather to teach this lesson we must weepe bitterly but not Immoderatly for it is the manner not the measure the qualitie not the quantitie of our teares which God respecteth yea euen three sillables pronounced with one true teare are more powrefull with God Then tenne thousand confessions vttered with a flood of detestable hippocritycall teares Lastly he wept bitterly but not desperatly as Esau and Judas did Peter hath sinned and that was the death of his soule but there was mercy with God to reuyue it agayne but had he despayred he had descended into hell forth of which there is no Redemption Some are bold to affirme that Iudas sinned more in despayring of mercy then in betraying of his Maister for in this he did but chiefly wornge his humanitie and bring vpon it that death which his Father had euerlastingly appoynted but in the other he wronged his deitie as if this sinne were greater then his infinite mercy could forgiue The hope of a Christian is very nicely and fearefully placed betwixt two extremities bold presumption and timerous desperation only shee is accompanyed with two Sisters to keepe her from this Scylla and Charibdis where so many poore soules suffer shipwracke ouerthrow viz. Faith and Loue Faith layeth hold vpon the mercies of God and keepeth from despaire and Loue teacheth to keepe the commaundements of God and beware of a sinfull and lycentious life whatsoeuer then our sinne be let vs beware of despaire which as it were bindeth Gods Armes and shutteth the Doore of Gods gracious Indulgencie against vs and is therefore a wound which can neuer be cured Say we vnto Christ Oh sweete Iesu thou camest to saue sinners If I were not a sinner thou couldst not be my Sauiour Thou callest all such as trauell and are heauie loaden and promisest to cast away none that come vnto thee Thou didest not cast away the Theese vpon the Crosse confessing nor Mathew sitting at the receipt of Custome nor the Woman washing thy feete with Teares nor the Canaanite begging for her Daughter nor the Publicane standing a farre off nor Peter denying nor Paul persecuting the sauiour of these Examples make mee to loue thee and run after thee Say we vnto God O Lord thy name is Jehouah thou art a God not in shew but in substaunce not for a season but in continuaunce thy nature is rich in Mercie thou art rich in Power rich in Wisedome rich in Iustice yea infinitely rich in whatsoeuer may be sayd thou art but as thy Mercie is ouer all thy Workes and as the Oyle which couereth all Liquors so is the riches of thy Mercie aboue all other thy Riches Thy Couenaunt is I will be thy God and the God of thy seed thy Promise is At what time Whensoeuer a sinner Whosoeuer shall repent of his sinne Whatsoeuer thou wilt forgiue and forget it Lord remember thy Name remember thy Nature remember thy Couenant remember thy Promise for these thinges haue caused mee to trust in thee And though thou killest me I will trust in thee Say we to Peter Oh blessed man Christ hath suffered Sathan to giue thee the foyle but he hath raysed thee he hath suffered thee to shame thy selfe that he might crowne thee with Glory thou
PETERS TEARES A SERMON Preached at S. Maries Spittle the xv of Aprill 1612. By Thomas Iacksonne Bachelour in Diuinitie and Preacher of Gods holy word at Wye in Kent Audeo dicere superbis vtile esse in aliquod magnum cadere peccatum vt sibi displiceant cadendo qui placendo ceciderunt August de Ciuit. lib. 14. cap. 13. LONDON Printed by W. W. for Clement Knight and are to be sold at his Shop in Paules Church-yard at the Signe of the Holy Lambe 1612. PETERS TEARES And immediatly the Cocke crew Then Peter remembred the words of Iesus which he had sayd vnto him before the Cocke crow thou shalt deny me thrice so he went out and wept bitterly Math 26 74.75 IT is a true saying of the Wiseman Right Honorable right Worshipfull and dearely beloued men breathren and fathers that to all thinges and to euery purpose vnder Heauen there is as in most languages it is varyed a time and season Judas had a time to betray his Maister for Christ left him to himselfe but Peter had the season to repent for so soone as he had denyed the Cocke crew and his Maister looked backe now it is the season which is as the salt which seasoneth all our actions for whatsoeuer is vnseasonable is distastfull And therefore howsoeuer my Text may seeme vnseasonablely handled in regard of the particular and as a dolefull Dittie in this time of mirth yet in regard of the generall it is high time and season for all to mourne for their sinnes and therefore be it seasonable or vnseasonable as the Apostle sayth I purpose by Gods grace to be instant in this And as Christ bid his hearers Remember Lots wife so I say to you all Remember Peter and let your cheekes be watered and all your actions seasoned with the brinish teares of vnfaigned repentance Weepe in sorrow for your sinnes the cause of Christes death and laugh for ioy for his resurrection whereby ye are iustified from your sinnes Weepe in ioy and reioyce in weeping keepe a meane in both This if I shall procure my Theame with the time shall be both fitte and profitable and all of vs shall depart hence pertaking in Salomons Blessing A word spoken in due season is like Apples of Gold with pictures of Siluer which God graunt it may be The Gospell specially mentioneth and recordeth the stories of three that were ledde into great temptations viz. Christ Peter and Iudas Christ was ledde of that good spirit whereof he was full Peter of that presumptuous spirit which sayd to Christ Though I should die with thee I will not denie thee and Judas of that wicked spirit which after the Soppe entred into him and put it into his heart to betray him That good spirit which led Christ to the combate gaue him power to ouercome that presumptuous spirit which ledde Peter fled and forsooke him that wicked spirit which led Judas betrayed and ouerthrew him Sathan thrust at Christ and he fell not he thrust at Peter and he fell and rose againe for his Maister helped him he thrust at Iudas and he fell and neuer rose for his Maister forsooke him Sathan winnowed Christ and found all Wheate he winnowed Peter and found much Chaffe he winnowed Iudas and found nothing but Chaffe he found all good in Christ some good in Peter but no good in Judas Christ was the trueth both in heart and tongue Peter had trueth in heart but not in tongue for his Maister had prayed for him that his Fayth might not fayle and Judas had neither trueth in heart nor tongue for with wordes of peace he betrayed him Hayle Maister Christ is the Father of the Elect who knew no sinne Peter a true Jabez the sonne of Sorrow for his sinne but Judas that childe of Perdition and dyed in his sinne In Christ we haue the example of a spotlesse Redeemer in Peter an example of a repenting Elect but in Iudas the example of a desperate Reprobate Christ is a blessed example for imitation that we may not sinne Peter a sweete president of consolation if through weaknes we doe sinne but Iudas a fearefull patterne of iust dereliction to all such as continue in sinne But Peter is the subiect of my speach The vices aswell as vertues the slippes and falles aswell as the steadfast standinges and vpright walkinges the crimminations aswell as commendations of Gods best Seruantes are fully and faythfully in holy Writ recorded Noahs drunkennes aswell as his vprightnesse Lots Incest aswell as the grieuing of his righteous Soule the weaknesse of Moses at the waters of Meribah when he spake vnaduisedly with his lippes aswell as his zeale when he brake the Tables as he came downe from Mount Sinaj Ionah his flying towards Tharsis aswell as his preaching in Niniuie And to conclude with mine example passing ouer many others Peters denying aswell as his confessing nay rather the former then the latter for whereas all the Euangelistes make report of his threefold deniall onely one recordeth his three-fold confession not as if holy men of God were herein led mooued as carnall men are who take a delight to be talking off and blasing abroad the sins of others either because in malice they would disgrace them as Cham did his father or in hipocrisie commende their owne righteousnesse and holinesse as the proud Pharisie dealt with the Publicane but therefore haue the holy Scribes faythfully chronicled their owne sinnes aswell as others for the glory of God and the good of his Church for in their sinnes and repentance as in a Looking-glasse of Christall we may see and obserue First Sathans malice and subtiltie who goeth about seeking whom to deuoure and euer hateth them most whom God loueth best that so we may watch continually Secondly mans frayltie and weakenesse if God leaue euen the best neuer so little to himselfe that he that thinketh he standeth may take heede least he fall yea condole commiserate him that is fallen as that reuerend Father who with teares lamented the fall of his brother saying Hee hath fallen to day and I not vnlikely to fall tomorrow Thirdly Gods mercy in putting vnder his hand in raysing his children againe and forgiuing them greatest sinnes vpon their true repentaunce that so we may neuer despayre And specially it was requisite that Peters sinne should be knowne that therin we may see Christes veritie and Peters vanitie Christ prophesied before the Cocke crow thou shalt deny me thrice and he did so Peter promised though I should die with thee I will in no case deny thee but he did not so let God then be true and all men lyers In this Story two thinges are principally to be obserued viz. Peters Fall and his Rysing againe his Sinne and his Repentance As concerning his Sinne it is to
the darknesse of his denyall whom the light of the world had so graciously looked vpon Now hath Peter that blessing which the Church so earnestly begged Aryse ô North and come ô South and blow vpon my Garden that the Spices thereof may flow out the Garden is the Soule the Spices are the sweete graces of Fayth Repentaunce Loue Zeale The Northerne winde are the cold and chilling blastes of Sathans temptations the South winde the warme meelding and fruitfull breath of Gods spirit the tender graces of Peters soule haue been frozen nipped in the head and blasted with Sathans temptations Oh it was a cold time with Peter Well doth the Euangelist note that Peter went to warme himselfe at the Fire for it was cold yet was he colder in his soule then in his body though he perceiued it not But now the South wind bloweth the Sunne of righteousnes shineth and he whose eyes are like a flame of fire looking vpon him his graces flow and he doth euen melt into teares Our Obseruations for instruction are of two sortes the first is from the Historie we may obserue the infinite loue of Christ towardes poore sinners he is but newly come foorth of the Garden where in his agonie and distresse he sweat like droppes of blood and is now in the very throng of his enemies where his Eares glow to heare their Blasphemies his Eyes dazle to see their derisions his Cheekes swell with their buffetinges and all his body soare yea blacke and blew with their nippinges and punsings yet in the midst of all these his troubles and indignities he remembreth poore Peter his most vnworthy Disciple and graciously looked vpon him Oh sweete Iesu that vouchsafedst such fauour to him that slept in the Garden followed a farre off in the way and hath denyed in the Hall that remembrest him who forgot thee and vouchsafest to looke vpon him that sware he neuer knew thee Did hee thus remember Peter when he was in the deapth of such mortall miserie and hath he forgotten vs now he is in the height of such immortall Glory No no he remembreth whereof we be made and knoweth both how and when we sinne and though we deserue to be left vnto our selues yet will he not fayle in good time to put vnder his hand and helpe vs vp againe Secondly from the mysterie we may obserue the meanes of a sinners conuersion and meanes of his recouery by repentaunce the Cocke is the Minister of the word who cryeth aloude lifteth vp his voyce like a trumpet and sheweth the people their transgressions and sinnes such a Cocke was Nathan to Dauid thou art the man Jonah to Nineuie yet fourty dayes and Nineuie shall be destroyed John Baptist to Judeah Repent for the Kingdome of Heauen is at hand Peter to Jerusalem Repent and turne that your sinnes may be put away But the Cocke by crowing could not awaken him for he crew once and Peter repented not Then the second time he crew yea he might haue crowen a thousand times in vayne had not his Maister looked vpon him whervpon the reuerent fathers comment sweetly he denyed first and wept not because his Maister looked not vpon him he denyed the second time and wept not because yet his Maister looked not vpon him but he denyed the third time and wept bitterly for his Maister then looked vpon him This teacheth vs that it is not the outward ministry of the word only be it neuer so excellent that is able to worke repentaunce in the heartes of the hearers let the Preacher be who he will one of a thousand for the excellencye of his giftes as prompt in the law of God as Ezra as mightie in the Scriptures as Apollos as eloquent to quicken and enliue his speach as if he spake with the tongue of an Angell as paynefull as Paul who laboured more then they all As blameles of conuersation as Zacherie let the people heare neuer so gladly as Herod heard Iohn neuer so earnestly as the Jewes heard the Prophet as one that had a pleasaunt voyce and could singe well let them heare neuer so long as those that heard Paul vntill midnight let the matter handled be neuer so heauenly gratious as all the Synagogue wondred at the gratious words which proceeded out of Christs mouth yet if the Lord giue not a blessing it is but the bitter sauour of death vnto death for though Paul himselfe Plant and Apollo water it is God and God only that must giue the increase Let not then any Minister be puffed vp with an high conceipt of his giftes though neuer so excellent for what hath any man that he hath not receaued nor yet contemne his brother though farre meaner for God vseth weake meanes to confound the mightie neither let the people haue the Persons of Gods Ministers in factious admiration to say I am of Paul I am of Apollos I am of Cephas But let Ministers giue louingly to one another the right hands of fellowship let all the people haue all Gods Ministers in singuler loue for their Works sake and let both Ministers and people pray to God for a blessing if we see any fruite of our labours or yee reape comfort and good by our Ministry let not the least of Gods glory cleaue vnto vs but all be giuen vnto him that hath looked vpon vs and blessed vs. To conclude this poynt with Application to our selues consider what I say and the Lord giue you vnderstanding in all things we haue all of vs sinned with Peter God and euery mans conscience know best how Gods Cocks haue crowen againe and againe how many hundred times hath God knocked at the portals of our consciences by the Ministry of his word to awaken vs and yet we sleepe and snorte in sinne yea his Cocks crow thicke great is the number of diligent and faythfull Preachers for the darcke night of sinne and ignoraunce is almost ouer and the long looked for day of glory and eternall saluation beginneth to dawne and no man knoweth whether this day or this night the last Cocke shall crow euen the Trumpet sound vnto Iudgement Looke downe vpon vs Lord Iesus that at last we may repent and mourne for our sinnes Amen And so much for the Externall meanes of Peters repentance the Internall follow which are also two First hee Remembred the wordes of Jesus which he had said vnto him before the Cocke crow thou shalt deny me thrise amongst the manifold graces of God wherewith the soule of man created after Gods image was endewed that is none of the least vse which is vsually called Memorie by vertue whereof man doth safely keepe what the minde hath once truely conceyued and as occasion serueth like a faythfull Register it doth