his féete not scorched whosoeuer toucheth pitch must néeds be defiled therewithal euen so they that vse the society of the wicked must néedes smel of their wickednes as is prooued before Wept bitterly c. Now Peter béeyng conuicted of his sinnne and consideryng through the grace of Gods holye spirite that the guilt therof deserueth great and endles punishment beginneth to repent and turne vnto the Lord. This conuersion and turning is contained in thys word wept the outwarde token of hys sorrow expressing the inward griefe of his mind for we muste not thinke that his wéeping was the repentance it self least we make Iudas and Esau to be coÌ„uerted vnto the Lord by repentaÌ„ce But that the excéeding sorrowe of his minde did wring out his wéeping This repentaunce to pretermit all our aduersaries fond deuises concerning the same may be rightly thus defined It is a true turning of our life vnto god procéeding froÌ„ a pure and earnest feare of God which consisteth in the mortification of y e flesh and quickning of the spirite This was in Peter when he wept for his fault it is in all them that be truly called vnto the faith in Iesus Christ and ought to be in vs all coÌ„tinually because we cease not to transgresse the lawes of the Lord continually Now to explane the parts of this definition it is called a turning vnto God because so often as we sin we depart from God walking after the desires of our own flesh this turning must begin at the hart for the thoughtes of mans hart are altogither wicked naturally therfore y e turning vnto god must begin at the renuing of the same so commandeth the Lorde by the Prophet saying Make you a new hart in another place breake vp your fallow grounds sow not your séeds among thornes that is plucke out of your hartes your wickednes and impietie doo not receyue Gods mercies into your soules delighting still in wickednes this turning must be tried without any dissimulatioÌ„ or hipocrisie that if it be begun aright it maketh the hart to lothe detest and abhorre his former life and to sighe sob lament that his vngodlye demeanour hath so hainously transgressed the laws of his gentle and mercifull GOD and deserued such extreme paine torments this is that terror and feare that the prophet speaketh of Haue mercy vppon me O Lord for I am weake O Lord heale me for my bones are brused and there is nothing sound in my fleshe because of thine anger neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin and so forward in that psalme Dauid declareth how grieuously he was troubled in hys body and minde because he considered Gods iudgements against sin which indéede is in all the childreÌ„ of god in some measure but vtterly vnknowne and strange to secure and carelesse persons that sléepe in their owne iniquitie and for lacke of this doo neuer come to anye remorse in conscieÌ„ce but doo waxe worse and worse but it is vnto the Godlye a great cooÌ„fort for although they féele the heauy wrath of God against their sinne yet they knowe that is the beginning first entrance into Gods fauour againe for y e rigor of his wrath driueth vs back from our selues and maketh vs séeke vnto his mercy This must procéed from an earnest feare of God that is as before is declared from the consideration what God in iustice requireth of vs and how farre contrary we haue liued and also that he will execute iudgement agaynste all Sinne and Iniquitye The feare of this maketh vs to séeke what waye to haue Gods wrath appeased agaynste vs which is onely done by Fayth in Iesus Christe who came into y e world for that purpose that he might be a mediator and reconciler of sinners vnto God his Father so that euery one that shall come to the fauour of God again must certainly and stedfastly with out wauering beléeue that Christ his bloud hath béene shed for the satisfaction of Gods wrath agaynste hym for hys sins And so being perswaded hys conscience is at quiet with god and the terror of Gods wrathe whiche before dyd appéere is nowe pacified and satisfied in Iesus Christe But because mans harte is full of hypocrisie and a beast in his owne knowledge béeyng blinded through vaine confidence may perswade himselfe that God hath receiued him into his fauour when in déede it is not so Therefore it is said that this repentance consisteth in the mortifying of the fleshe and quickening of the spirit that is in crucifying and killing within himselfe the world and flesh to wit all sinne whatsoeuer and the quickening of the spirite which is by continuall endeuour to frame our liues precisely according to Gods word And because this can not be done perfectly no not in the best by reason of sin and iniquitie that cleaueth so fast vnto them therefore they thinke it their dutie so long as they carrie about with them this bodie of sinne to grone vnder the burthen thereof and to vse all those meanes that God hath set downe for them in his word to continue and abide in repentance and amendment of life without ceassing that Gods holie name may be glorified and their consciences surely setled in the mercies of the Lorde and sinne daily more and more abolished the whiche the Lorde God of his infinite mercie graunt vnto all them that earnestly séeke and labour for it Amen Let vs pray O Eternall GOD and our most louing and mercifull father whiche of thy great mercie hast reuealed vnto vs by the example of thy holy Apostle S. Peter that of our selues and in our owne imaginations wee wander daily further and further from thee Poure downe thy spirit O Lord into our hearts to perswade and certifie vs vnfainedly of the truth heereof and to bring vs by consideration of the same vnto a true acknowledgement of our owne misery and thereby to that humilitie which may declare vnto vs our wretched estate without thee that by the weying of the same aright we may knowe the necessitie of thy holy and blessed word which not only discouereth vnto vs all our naturall blemishes and corruptions but also teacheth how to knowe thee and to worship thee truly and therby be moued to haue an especiall care to heare the same taught publikely to reade it priuately for our comfort and to meditate in it continually that wee learning out of the same the absolute vprightnesse that thy law requireth may be cast downe and the mercie that thou offerest to repenting sinners may ground our vnfained faith vpon thy promises and by the consideration of thy greate mercies offered vnto vs in thy Sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christe may endeuour diligentlie to glorify thy holy name with that obedience that thou requirest and to shunne all things both in our religion and conuersation that hath no warrant out of thy blessed will that abandoning all fancies of mans traditions and will-worshippers pleasant in the eyes of flesh and bloud we may cleaue vnto thy perfect will reuealed vnto vs by thy Prophets and Apostles and shewing forth thy prayse according therevnto heere in this world may thorough thy mercie be glorified in the world to come through Iesus Christ our Lord only Sauiour FINIS Odiss 17. Luke 16 8. Crates Bias. Diogenes Matth. 6 24. Iohn 3 4. Matth. 7 21. 2. Tim 3 5. Matth. 20 22. Iude verse 4. Reuel 18 4. Iude verse 2 3. Rom. 12 2. Tit. 2 10. Mat. 26.34 35. Luk. 22.54.55 56. 57. 58. Mat. 26.72 73. 74. Luke 22.60 61. 62. 2. Tim. 3 16. Rom. 15 4. Gen. 2 17. 3.23 4.8 2.24 4.19 1. Sam. 15 3. Exo. 16 2.17 3. Exod. 20 4. Deut. 5 8. Iohn 4 23. 2. Cor. 3 17. Ieremy 5 7. A note for them that sweare by faith Masse Saint c. Eccles. 23 11. Zach. 5 4. Heb 13 4. Psal. 1 2 Iosua 1. 8 Ephe. 6.17 1. Cor. 1.21 Mat. 13.31 Ier. 5.14 Exec. 4.3 Deut. 32.2 Luke 8.15 Pro. 4 4.5.6.7.8 c. to the 15. Psal. 19.8.5.10 11.12 Psal. 119 99. Heb. 12 1. Iohn 8.47 Gen. 11 3 Exod. 5.2.3.14.27 1. Sam. 17.8.49 2. Chron. 10.14 15.16 Deut. 8 17. Iudg. 7.2 Gen. 2 7. 1. King 8 46. Psal. 14 3. Iob. 7 1. Psal. 39 5 6. Gen. 18 27. Exod. 3 11. 1. Sam. 18 18. 1. Cor. 4.7 Iob. 1.21 1. Sam. 2.7 Exod. 31.3 Ephe. 2.8 Mat 25.20 Luke 12.19 Pro. 17 17 Ioh. 13 37. Exod. 17 3. Num. 13 28.29 Math. 20 21. 13.21 Iohn 6 Mat 7 16 Iude. 4. Luke 14 28. Hebr. 11 25. Psal. 84 10. 2. Tim. 3 12. Eccles. 27 5. Ephes. 6 13. Gen. 19 8. Gen. 20 2. Gen. 42 15. Dan. 6 21. Prou. 4 1â— 24 1. Exod. 34 1â— Iosua 9 15. â— Cro. 16 9. 18 31. Rom. 16 17. â— Iohn 10. Euseb. 3 25. Euseb. 4.14 Ieremy 15 17. Gen. 6 2. Psal. 120 5. Psal. 84 â— Gen. 19 15. verse 7 18. Psal. 73 2 3 4 5 c. Iob. 21 15. Psal. 73 17. 1. Sam. 19 8. 2. Sam. 11 1 2. 3 c. 2. Chro. 1 6. 1. King 11 4. 2. Chro. 14 1.2 3 4. c. 16 12. 1. Chro. 26 1. c. 16. verse Hose 13 6. Prou. 30 8. Psal. 119 71. Iob. 5 17. 1 King 19 10. Pro 29 12. Luke 16 8. Psal. 101 6.7 Gen. 17 13. Gen. 8 19. Act. 16 32 10.2 Psal. 56 12 Reuel 3 15. 1. Kings 28.21 Mat. 10.33 Rom. 2 24. Iohn 28 25. Act. 3 3. Act. 9.2 Mat 22.46.26.4 This is the let to reformation at this day Luke 23 12. Acts. 16.14 A question for a Papist to answere 2. Cor. 3 5. Iam. 1 17. Dan. 1 8. Iere. 31 18. Heb. 6 5. Saule Iulian the apostata and all heretikes Matth. 24 14. 20 16. Matth. 7 24. 1. Iohn 4 6. Iohn 8 47. Wisd 2 14. Luke 22 47. 1. Cor. 3 6. Exod. 33 19. Rom. 9 15. Acts. 13 48. With what minde wee should heare or reade the word Gen. 3 8 9. 2 Sam. 11 4.12 9. 2 Chro. 33.3 2. King 21 16. 1. Chro. 33.12 Act. 9 3.4 Ephe. 2 12. Ephes. 1.13 1. Sam. 5.4 Deut. 23.19 Nehem. 5.8 Reuel 12 11. Psal. 1 2. â—9 10 Act. 9.19.26 Act. 25.5 Pro. 6.27 Eccle. 13.1 The definition of repentance Gen. 6 5. Ezek. 18 31. Iere. 4 4. Psal. 238 2 1. Tim. 3 13. Gal. 5 19 20. 22 23.
followe thée now But when he seeth plainelye that hys Maister is in troubles indéede then he pulleth in the shoulder the burthen is heauye vnto hym before he féeleth it he is very desirous to serue Christ but he is not willing to take paynes wyth hym So were the Israelites very desirous to come to Canaan but loath to be troubled by the waye in the wildernes They that went to viewe the lande of Canaan with Caleb and Iosua coÌ„fessed it to bee a Countrey so fruiteful that it flowed with milke and honye and did desire to come thither neuertheles they were vnwilling to enter combate wyth the Iebusites Amalachites Cananites and other people that shoulde bee ouercome before they should possesse it The Sonnes of Zebedee did desire to sit at Christes elbowes in hys kingdome but they had forgotten that they must firste drinke of the cup that Christ did drinke of and to bee baptized with his Baptisme And therefore it is that our sauiour Christe termeth those hearers whome tribulation doth driue from the gospel to be like vnto the stony ground into the which the word of GOD can sende no roote because of the hardenes thereof Manye also dyd depart from Chryste whiche before did follow him willingly because their grosse capacity coulde not conceiue howe they shoulde eate the flesh of the son of man drinke his bloud and truly the worlde is ful of suche people at this daye that bee verye willing to heare and learne the worde of God because that they knowe that it is the waye to eternall life but if any troubles shoulde séeme to arise for the same they are gone they are willing to come to Christe by nighte because they feare troubles by daye but they are not discerned in these dayes by their reuolting in time of persecution because the Lordes name bee praysed for it all men may fréelye professe the Gospell but by theyr carnal and fleshly conuersation their contrarye life and dealing for the trée is knowne by the fruite they loue to heare how to come to Heauen but they like not thys that they muste addresse themselues to obedience that they muste forsake theyr wicked conuersation and frame theyr doynges to the rule of Gods worde and therefore they turne the grace of God into wantonnesse So there bee a greate number that be followers of Peter in thys poynte for he followed because of his promise but it was a farre off so they followe the Gospell because of their present safegard which else they could not enioy But as Peter durst not come neare for feare of troubles so dare they come no faster on for feare of after clappes they thinke that keeping themselues a loofe they maye bee safe at all seasons if a change comer for which they gape then they thynke they may with honestye change lykewyse whereas if they shoulde be desirous to pull downe Papistrie if they bée in any authoritie and earnestlye e +stablishe the preachyng of the Gospell they shoulde â—e ashamed in those dries whyche I truste shall neuer bée but in the meane whyle lette them knowe that they haue well profited towarde the Diuell when they be in that case for manye denye with Peter but few wéepe with hym Wel howsoeuer it be that the worlde doe thus fall from the Lorde and pull away theyr shoulder from hys obedyence yet they that feare God in déede and doo vnfaynedly beléeue that which they professe doo together with the profession thereof vndergo and willingly receyue all troubles which follow the same They first sit them downe and cast their accounts as Christ counsaileth them and not rashly adueÌ„ture they know not what as Peter did So did Moyses though he might haue had great preferment in Pharaoh his Court yet he chose rather to suffer affliction with the children of the Lord then to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season knowing this to be most true that it is better to be a dorekéeper in the house of the Lorde then to dwel in the tabernacles of wickednes Then if we desire to come vnto that place whervnto these are gone we must followe their good examples I knowe it for a most certaine truth that all that will liue godly in Christ Iesu shall suffer persecution And therefore we must endeuor our selues to indure the same for we shall haue Sathan continually to assaile vs with diuers temptations we shall haue the world alluring vs vnto the deuises thereof by sundry entisements yea and our owne flesh through the condition of our corrupt nature vncessantly pricking vs forward into all kindes of vanitie so true it is that Ecclesiasticus saith that temptation trieth the hearts of men now as the Lorde hath ordeined that these trials should befall his children in this world so he hath also left especiall consolation vnto them and ordeined meanes how they must be ouercome That one place of the Apostle Paule to the Ephesians is sufficieÌ„t for this matter to furnish the souldiour of Christe with complete armoure Firste his ioynes shoulde be girded with the truth that is a sincere mind and affection putting away all dissimulation whatsoeuer Secondly his brest must be fenced with righteousnes that is his life and conuersation must be holy and vpright Thirdly the preparation of the Gospell of peace that is the determination to depend vpon the reconciliation that the Gospell affoordeth Fourthly the shield of faith that is the safe protection that you may haue thorough an vndoubted faith Fiftly the helmet of saluation that is an earnest desire of the kingdome of heauen Sixtly the sword of the spirit which is the word of God It is called a sword because thorough it Sathan is beat back the worlde crucified vnto vs and our owne sinnes cut away Seauenthly the last and chiefest is continuall prayer vnto God for thereby his grace is obteined to ouercome all temptations and his protection to shielde vs from falling so that these things being taken vnto vs aright they will helpe vs to passe through all troubles or affliction in this world whatsoeuer And when they had made a fire c. It followeth to speake of those accidentarie causes which were without him or adioyned vnto hym which be in number two The first is the company with whome and the seconde the place where The company be the high Priests seruants for as it appeareth in this Chapter when they had taken Christ brought him to y e place apointed they hauing done their feate came into the hall and making a fire there to warme them Peter sate downe also amongst them marke how fitly Peter applieth himselfe to the time and companie with the professors of Christ he professeth but with persecutors he denieth Peter is not the first of the children of God that hath béene ouergone and taken tardie in this case of béeing corrupted with wicked companie For the seruant of God Lot being sore oppressed
the daunger of professing the same and tell hym that he is verily a Papist for he hathe beene séene at Masse and his déedes and other dealings bewray him he will not say I knowe not the Pope I neuer came in company wyth massemongers but his answere will rather be thus Sure I must confesse I haue in my tyme leaned that waye but I am not nowe of that mynde I haue reneued my copie onely because of his newe Landlord and my opinion is altered And so he being an Academicke rather than a sure beléeuer maketh Religion to bée but an opinion O Peter thou lackest thys subteltie for thou mightest with this haue stopped the Damosels mouthe at the first thou myghtest haue sayde Surely I confesse I did followe thys fellowe because I had some pleasure in hys wonders that he dyd But nowe I holde wyth the Scribes and Pharisies and doe beléeue the Lawe of Moyses But subteltie had not entered so farre into the Church of GOD as nowe it hathe the vaile of Hipocrisie was not so close as in these dayes it is And truely that kynde of people is nowe the rifest and yet the woorste of all other For Dauid had manye greate iniuries done vnto hym but that whych his pretended friend did was the greatest grief of all in so muche that he saithe if it had béen his enimie he could haue born it But it was euen he with whome he had singular consultations in the word of GOD. And therfore if Dauid were so troubled with suche then we haue greately to looke vnto our selues and to auoide them as néere as we may For most certayne it is that the Churche of God hathe not at this day a greater enimie than they that bee nourished kepte fostered and promoted in hyr owne lappe that through pretence of Religion become euen betraiers of Christ and hinderers of the procedings of his gospel And sure it is to be wished that all men woulde boldelye professe that which in hart they embrace that the one partie might be vtterly cōfounded For he that with a Papist is a Papist with a professour is a professor lyke the weathercocke turning wyth the wynde an vnconstant Camelion euery where and no where is the sorest enimie to Religion and therefore guilty of no small punishment And therefore God sayth thus of suche I knowe thy workes thou arte neyther hoat nor nor colde I woulde thou were colde or hot Therefore because thou art luke warme and neyther colde nor hot It will come to passe that I shall spewe thée out of my mouth Let euerye one to conclude set the saying of Elias the Prophet before hys eyes If the Lorde be God follow him if Baall be he go to him and follow him halt not betwéen two opinions but stande faste to the one He denied before them al c. Now the holy Ghoste setteth downe the parties before whom he denied namely before them all which circumstance aggrauateth greatly the sinne of Peter For he had heard his Mayster teache thys lesson That whosoeuer shoulde deny him before men him would he denye before hys heauenly father But he not regarding thys dyd boldely deny him before them all Thys ought to mooue vs to labour in the worde and prayer most earnestlye that our confession and certaintie of Fayth may bée constant and surely grounded that we neuer deny our Sauiour before anye man For denying hym before weake beléeuers besides that we procure Christ to deny vs before God we doe as muche as in vs lyeth to ouerthrowe so many soules into Hell And if it bée before the wicked whiche be the enimies of God and his trueth we doo set open the window to their blasphemye and so we bée the meanes whereby the worde of God is euill spoken off Contrariwyse if our confession be stedfaste it vpholdeth our owne Fayth confirmeth our Brethren and maketh the enimye ashamed And after a while c. Nowe come we to the second deniall for when that he affirmed that he knew him not thinking thereby to escape They were not contented wyth that for presently an other came vnto hym Mathew reporteth it was another Damosell and so doth Marke but all is to one effect For the firste voyce béeyng vttered by one and receiued by a common applause no doubte many did speake the same at once as Iohn recordeth But whither it were one or more sure it is that he was not long quiet tyll they had tryed hym further where we may beholde the malice of persecutoures that be neuer contented with anye answere vntill they haue vtterly ouerthrowne the partyes persecuted So Paule before his conuersion being a persecutour was not contented to make hauock of the seruantes of the Lorde in Ierusalem But because some had escaped his hands he procured Letters of commission to followe them to Damascus vtterly to extinguishe them Likewtse the Scribes and Pharises being often put to silence by our sauiour Christ and conuicted yet their rage neuer ceassed vntill they had put him to death The Papistes also in time of persecution here in Englande could neither be satisfied with stocking imprisoning racking nor scourging vntil they had burned the bodies of y e poore saints Denyed with an oath c. Peter had thought that he had bin quiet and therefore it was that he firste denied but séeing that that woulde not serue for his credite sake he wil not cal back his former deniall which is a right propertye of a worldelye man who thinketh it a discredit to call back that which first he hath set downe but tieth it with an oth that he knewe not the man Where we sée that they which once crack the bonds of conscience in hope of any benefite in this world are very like to go further rather than they will misse of their purpose The end that Peter looked vnto in his first denial was his owne safegard but séeing that woulde not serue he procéedeth further and ceasseth not vntill he haue satisfied the aduersaries a practise indéede common to those that bée backe-sliders who beyng vrged to yéelde in small matters for theyr quietnesse bée contente so to doo If they be put vnto a great trial and pricked at to slyde from theyr whole profession I pray God they followe not Peter and content them selues to doe any thyng so that they may be quiet and the other partyes not displeased And therefore it shall bée very good for vs to kéepe the profession of Fayth most sincere and to stande as stoutelye and defende as constantly the small matters as the great knowing thys that we may not séeme to yéeld vnto any thyng wherevnto the spirite of God hathe commaunded vs to stand fast Then came they vnto him c. The first assaulte is noted to bée but by one and that a Mayde It is nowe augmented that they came in greater numbers whiche thyng we sée practized continually that if any
one godlesse man haue or pretende to haue any quarrel against such as feare the Lorde all the birds of that Uiperous Feather doe violentlye flocke togither agaynste that poore seruant of God yea if they heretofore haue beene foes they agrée togither to persecute the Godly for Herode and Pilate will be made friendes that theyr power may bée the more agaynste Christe that their pollicies may bée conioyned to determine hys Death Beholde here againe the wicked wiser in theyr generation than the Godlye for if a godly thyng bée motioned in an assemblye or conference the rest shoulde be very forwarde to helpe it but alas the remnauntes of olde Adam doe sticke so fast on and priuate considerations doe so violentlye carry men away that they wyll rather be hinderers than furtherers casting doubtes and inconueniences in the way thoughe the motion bée drawne out of the Fowelles of Gods owne worde against which no mouth shoulde once dare to speake whervpon it commeth that Religion is receyued according as man is dyrected by hys owne naturall reason and Gods word is obeyed so farre as we thinke it conuenient for the maintenaunce of our owne honor dignitye and estate yea thoughe our honor dishonor the Lorde and our dignitie bring discredite to our profession and our wealthe procure want to the church of GOD but they whome the Lorde hath truelye conuerted vnto him selfe whose heartes the holye Ghost hathe seazed vppon for the Lorde to dwell in and whose myndes he hath inlightned to attende vnto the trueth are carefull that the will of god be performed that reason be restrained and all their affections ruled by the line of his most blessed worde whereby euery one of vs may haue good occasion to examine our selues how farre we haue profited or whither or no we haue entered into the way of true religion For thy speech bewraieth thee c. whē they sée that he denieth it they goe about by circumstaunces to prooue it againste hym to wyt that hys spéeche be wrayed hym for you must note that as in our Nation the property of the spéeche in the North doeth differ from that of the Southe whereby a man is knowne what countrie man he is euen so the spéech vsed in Galile differed something from that which was in vse about Ierusalem by whiche they gathered that he was a Galilean note the marke whereby Peter is knowen euen his spéech he was a Minister of the word he had learned the doctrine of the Gospell and gouernement of the Church from the mouth of Christ and yet he is not discerned by his apparell from another man whereby we learne that in the primitiue time of the Gospell the Ministers of the word were knowen by their doctrine and other notes belonging vnto them and not by any outward forme but as religion decaied so the true notes of Gods Ministers vanished away and because the people were become blinde in discerning the spirites they must haue notes applied to theyr sight to wit to knowe him by his garment which they thinking to be the shéepes clothing did deceiue the people by the effects of rauening wolues and this fond or rather obstinate blindnesse the more is the pitie remaineth yet among vs that carnall men whose knowledge is fleshly must haue a sensible and pompous shew in the world to perswade them that such and such be ministers but my brethren as this argueth in them that they be altogether carnall so contrariwise let vs labour to find out by the marks that God hath set vpon them and not the badges of men that may deceiue vs who be the true shepheards of Christes shéepe and vpon whome we may be bolde to receiue the foode of our soules least in stead thereof we receiue ranke poyson for the most infecting venime that euer polluted the soule of man hath béene couered with the vaile of those marks which now the world woulde haue the ministers of Gods word discerned by Then began he to cursse c. They are not yet contented although he hathe sworne vnto them as faithles persons make no reckoning of an oath For now they come together and affirme that he was verily with them Now Peter séeing their importunate suite is determined to féede their humor though it cost him the losse of his owne soule for he cursseth himselfe if he knew the man héere we may see the iust iudgement of God that they that thinke best of themselues and boast most of theyr owne habilitie doo most euidentlie declare the contrarie by the effect For Peter who before woulde neuer forsake Christ is now gone so farre from him as any man can for hée is now throwne into the verie deapth of sinne into the gates of hell and into Sathans clawes nothing remaineth of his owne part vnfinished that can encrease his eternall destruction a case most lamentable and yet it is the state of all mankinde not vpholden with Gods spirite I woulde verie gladly be resolued of this doubt by any Pelagian Papist or anie other that maintaineth fréewill in man howe muche Peter had left within him when he did fall For this I am sure he had all his natural power remaining within him so that if he had any how then came it to passe that he had no benefit by it if he had none then sure it is that by nature we haue no inclination to doo well for if any haue power of himselfe to stand in that grace that he is placed in then Peter might for he had profited well in godlinesse But if none can stand when he is set vpon the féete of Gods mercy without the speciall vpholding of the Lorde then much lesse can any being throwne downe in the mire of their naturall corruption doo anie thing of himselfe that is good toward his owne saluation away then with all such fréewill and let vs by the example of Peters downefall begin to learne another lesson namely that man of himselfe can not thinke a good thought and therefore in so much that euery good thing commeth from the Lorde that we in all humilitie submit our selues confessing our nakednesse that by his mercifull goodnesse we may be preserued And againe where we sée that Peter a very vpright man and zealous in the seruice of God hauing once begun to depart from the Lord hath no staie of himselfe but runneth headlong into the bottome of iniquitie we are especially to take héede that we vse those meanes which God hath appointed in his word to stay the beginnings of sin for if it enter once with the head it is that Serpent that will easily winde in the whole bodie if Satan had plainely said to Peter at the first curse thy selfe if euer thou didst knowe Christ I am perswaded that he would haue loathed it extremely and not haue hearkened vnto him but he was subtiler then so for he brought him vnto that at the last without anie staie which at the first he
he crowe no more thou maist assure thy selfe for sure it is thou art in the way of destruction a necessarie meditation for all men The Lord looked backe c. The seconde cause followeth the cocke had crowen and yet Peter had not remembred himselfe neither was he awaked out of his sinfull sléepe vntill the Lorde turned backe his countenaunce vpon him but when once he looked vpon his face whose knowledge he had denied then began he to remember himselfe and consider that things were amisse But was it the turning backe of his face that wrought this in Peter No for then it might haue conuerted Iudas whome he looked vpon when he betraied him But it was his grace and holie spirite which did mercifully fall downe into his heart when the cocke did crowe Whereby we sée plainely that it is not the outwarde ministerie of the word of God onely that bringeth saluation vnto mankinde for Paule planteth Apollo watereth but God giueth the increase and this is the reason that so many heare the word and so few profit therein because it belongeth to the Lorde to shew mercie to whome he will shewe mercie And therefore when the Gospell was preached to them of Antioch by S. Paule it is said that so many as were ordained to saluation beléeued so that if thou hearing or reading Gods word doest desire that it may worke to thy saluation pray earnestly vnto the Lord that it would please him of hys infinite mercie to looke backe vpon thée with the eies of his grace and so framing thy selfe in a true faith and a single heart to applie it vnto that ende wherefore it is giuen thée thou shalt surely féele in thy soule an especiall operation of the spirite of God to thy greate comforte Thus much briefly concerning the first two causes of Peters conuersion where note by y e way that the two first causes of his fall were within himself but the first that worke to his rising againe are without himselfe to teach vs that all our sinnes procéede of our selues and come from our selues but all goodnesse not of vs but from the Lord that his name only may be praised for all good things and we our selues blamed for all euill Peter remembred c. Now followe the causes within himselfe but marke this first the Cocke did crow no doubt of it more did heare him then Peter but because he was ordeyned as a meanes to call Peter home therefore he only being guilty was pricked in heart and none else moued So God hath ordeyned the Preaching of hys worde to be an instrument to put all men in minde of their faults and that they mighte amend And such is the force thereof that the worde preached generally doth mooue euery mans conscience which is guiltie of that crime whiche is reprooued And therefore there be manie wicked men of the worlde that doo imagine the Preacher to harpe onely vppon them because they be guiltie as if he speake against Papistrie euerie massemonger thinketh he pointeth at hym if he inneigh againste Swearers Usurers whoremaisters or théeues euery swearer Usurer Whoremaister and théefe thinketh his owne doinges to bee touched And in déede though they turne it to a fault in the Preacher this sheweth vnto vs the wonderfull vertue of Gods word that can speake so to euery mans heart and thought Therefore when thou hearest thy owne faults rebuked euen that which thou thoughtest all the world had not knowen openly reuealed doo not thinke that he speaketh it of choller or hath learned it of thy trustie familiars but thinke rather that Gods spirite whiche searcheth all mens thoughtes doth speake vnto thée that thou shouldest amende it For as Peter béeing guiltie alone was onely pricked in conscience and did repent so it is thy duetie to consider thy owne estate and repent thée of thy fault that God may be mercifull vnto thée Peter remembred c. The worde preached and Gods grace working inwardly doo bring Peter to remēbrance First that Christ had sayde Before the Cocke crowe thou shalt deny me thrise c. And secōdly that he had so doon in déed for they must be handled together let vs then note this diligently before the crowing of the cocke and the looking back of Iesus there was no such thing in his minde but they two comming together doo bring him into consideration of his estate Adam and Heuah when they had transgressed the lawe of the Lord made no care of it at the first But when the word of the Lorde and his spirite said VVhere art thou he remembred what God had said that he should not eate of the trée of knowledge of good and euill and that he had eaten of it King Dauid when he had committed those hainous sins of murther and adultery slept quietly therein vntil the Prophet Nathan came to rebuke him and the spirite of the Lorde withall wrought in his heart then he remembred his grieuous sinne and the law of the Lord God to the contrarie Manasses the son of godly Ezechiah thought Idolatrie no Sinne and to make the stréets of Ierusalem swymme with the bloud of innocentes no offence But when the troubles that he sustained in the time of his captiuitie which were in stead of the preaching of gods word did pintch him and the Lorde stretched forth the hands of his mercy to receyue him then he saw the horriblenes of his sinne The like is euident in S Paule who before his conuersion thought he did god good seruice in séeking the vtter extinguishing of the saincts of god But when the light did shew him the blindnes of his mind and the voice of Christ did aske him why he did so persecute him he was stroken downe in consideration of his offence To leaue off to recken anye more examples out of Gods word The same is most true in all mākinde euen in our selues For before we be called vnto the trueth in Iesus Christ we walke in the waies of our owne imaginations we liue without god be strangers from the couenant of the promise of GOD. But when it pleaseth him of hys goodnesse to call vs vnto the knowledg of his grace by preaching his word vnto vs and that he look backe vpon vs with the eies of his mercye Then we see plainelye what is the rule of righteousnes that God hath inioyned vnto al the sonnes of Adam and comparing the same with our déeds we sée how great is our debt that we haue vnpayed howe many be our Sinnes that we haue committed and how vain our former conuersation hath béene whereas before this be reuealed vnto vs we procéede securely in our owne iniquity and as all worldlings doo think our owne wayes to be right and honest Wherefore if this be the way and firste entrance into the schoole of Christe to wit the word of God preached to shewe vs our sins What a great care ought we