remitted vnto them c. And thus doth Augustine also vnderstand this place p Inter omnes Apostolos Ecclesiae Catholicae per sonam sustinet Petrus Huic enim Ecclesiae claues regni caelorum datae sunt cum Petro datae sunt Et cum ei dicitur ad omnes dicitur Amas me Pâ—sce oues meas Aug. de agone Christiano 1. Pet. 2.4.5.6 Ephes 2.20 Caluin instit lib. 4. c. 6. sect 5.6 1. Cor. 3.11 10.4 Gualter homil 10. in Mich. 4.1 Amongst all the Apostles saith he Peter beareth the person of the Catholicke Church For to this Church were giuen the keyes of the kingdome of heauen when they were giuen to Peter And when Christ said to him hee said to them all louest thou me feed my sheepe Wee see Peter is none of the foundation of the Church let vs see then what is the foundation By the rocke whereon our Sauiour Christ promised to build his Church is vnderstood 1. Christ himselfe as euen the Apostle Peter expoundeth it when hee saith that all Christians must be founded vpon that liuing stone elect and pretious which is the chiefe corner stone as also the Apostle Paul saith yea hee maketh Christ the onely foundation beside which none other can be laid For other foundation can no man lay then that which is laid which is Iesus Christ And he said in plaine termes the rocke was Christ And this is most agreeable to the word of our Sauiour Christ for he saith not vpon thee will I build my Church but vpon this rocke namely which thou hast confessed Now let euery man that hath any braines iudge whether it bee more agreable to the faith and more behoofull for the Church of God to be founded vpon Christ or vpon Peter vpon the sonne of the liuing God whom Peter confessed Mat. 16.23 or vpon Peter that so shamefully denyed him vpon him that subdued and conquered Sathan or vpon him whom Christ presently after calleth Sathan vpon him that is called and is indeed the corner stone that fasteneth both the walles together or vpon him Plessis treatise of the Church cap. 7. that by his carnall counsell was a stone of offence vnto him 2. The faith of Peter whereby he confessed Christ And indeed there is no great difference but all comes to one end Pet. Mart. loc com clas 4. cap. 6. sect 29. whether of these opinions we hold For Christ is the foundation of the Church not simply and absolutely but as he is apprehended of the faithfull and confessed by faith To conclude Ferus in Mat. 16. it is very well worth our marking to consider what Ferus who was himselfe a Papist hath written concerning this point in his commentaries vpon this place of Mathew This place saith he is a chiefe place of all that Mathew hath written neither is there any place that doth more comfort the conscience And this the aduersarie of all goodnesse knew well enough and therefore he hath bent all his endeauour to wrest it from the true naturall and simple meaning and to drawe it to disputations and strife of words which also he hath effected For concerning this place wee doe nothing else but contend for superioritie who should be the greatest not considering Mat. 20.25.26 what our Sauiour said to his Disciples in the like case The Lodes of the Gentiles haue dominion ouer them c. But it shall not be so with you And a little after hee saith wee must inquire what this rocke is whereon the Church is built The word rocke in the scripture is some times taken for strength and firmenesse Psa 20.7.5 40.2 and security as in those speeches of Dauid He shall set me vpon a rocke and he set my feet vpon the rocke where he meaneth nothing else but that hee was set in a sure and safe place that is in security And therefore when Christ saith vpon this rocke will I build my Church c. hee meaneth nothing else but that hee would build his Church vpon a sure and immoueable foundation against which all the assaults of the aduersaries should not preuaile Note Hereby it is euident that Christ built not his Church vpon Peter nor vpon any other man for there is no man so firme and constant that he cannot be mooued which also we plainely see in Peter Wee must therefore seeke for another rocke In the holy Scripture Christ himselfe is many times called a stone or a rocke as Isa 28.16 Psal 118.22 1. Pet. 2.4 Hearest thou what Peter saith namely that Christ is a stone and he would haue vs to be stones also which is when we are built vpon Christ Now he is built vpon Christ that beleeueth in Christ and relieth on those things which Christ is able to doe The rocke then primarily is Christ vpon whom the whole Church is built 1. Cor. 3.11 according to that of the Apostle Other foundation can no man lay c. Againe because by true faith we are ioyned vnto Christ and so doe also after a sort become stones or rockes therefore also Christian faith and the firme and constant truth of the Gospell is that rocke whereupon Christ hath built his Church He that resteth vpon this faith is a true member of the Church in what place of the world soeuer he be And he that knoweth not this faith is no member of the Church though hee seeme to be the chiefe in the Church For the Church relyeth on this truth and the Church is but one Thus far Ferus which sentence of his is agreeable and consonant in all things to the doctrine of our Church and indeed to the doctrine taught in the holy Scriptures Where we see that God hath not left vs without sufficient witnesse of this truth euen in the midst of the Church of Rome it selfe A maide came to him c. We see yet further here the punishment of carnall pride and vaine arrogancie and confidence For our Sauiour Christ of purpose would haue the Apostle Peter discouered of this gyrle and of no greater persons to the end that his pride and boasting whereby hee had so highly exalted himselfe before might bee corrected and beaten downe when hee should perceiue himselfe to bee ouercome not of a man but a woman not of some stout Gyant but of a weake and feeble porter Hee had before in a vaine conceit exalted himselfe aboue all his fellowes Though they should all bee offended by Christ vers 33. yet hee would not Yea aboue Christ himselfe to whom in a manner he doth closely giue the lie as though hee had beene deceiued in him when hee told him hee should denie him thrice No he was another manner of man then hee tooke him for he would liue and die with him that hee would vers 35. But see how shamefully he is cast downe For his fall was so much the fowler by how much the seruants that occasioned it were the baser A
THE REPENTANCE OF PETER And IVDAS TOGETHER WITH THE FRAILTIE OF THE Faithfull and the fearefull ende of wicked Hypocrites PROVER 24.16 ¶ A iust man falleth seuen times and riseth againe but the wicked fall into mischiefe LONDON Printed by William Stansby for Ioseph Browne ANNO DOMINI 1612. TO THE VERTVOVS AND RELIGIOVS LADIE THE LADIE MILDRED SAVNDERSON WIFE TO THE HONOVRED SIR NICHOLAS SAVNDERSON Knight Baronet encrease of grace in this life and eternall glorie in the life to come GOOD MADAME there is such a satietie if not a surfet of books at this day that it may bee thought as superfluous to publish any new worke as to carrie timber to the Wood or water to the Sea In which respect I had neuer presumed to set pen to paper but only that I haue long desired to giue your Ladiship some testimonie of my thankefull heart for the fauours I haue receiued at your hands And though I know that as Plinie said of Traian the Emperour you are most sparing in prizing and valuing the benefits you bestow because you giue them freely and put them not out to vsurie yet if I should dissemble them I might iustly be condemned of grosse ingratitude I acknowledge you haue opened euen the fountaine of your good opinion to me which hath flowed as it were with a full streame of pietie and so many waies hath your vertue refreshed and relieued me that I may truly say as once Furnius said to Caesar I shall liue and die vnthankefull For when I haue done all I can I cannot sufficiently conceiue the thanks which you deserue I am bold therefore to present these poore fruits of my labours vnto your Ladiship to be a publike witnesse and pledge to all posteritie of my dutifull affection towards you And though this paper-gift bee too base a recompense for your vndeserued fauour Yet it being the best which my pouertie can affoorde I doubt not but according to your milde disposition you will accept of it respecting rather the affection of the giuer then the worth of the gift for if I were able to giue more I would performe it I am not ignorant that in publishing these my weake Meditations I shall expose my selfe to a thousand censures of curious and carping Readers but I had rather be taxed of rashnesse in this behalfe then iustly blamed for want of dutie How meane soeuer they be if they may any way benefit the Church of God especially if they may be any small meanes to further your godly endeauours in the way of Christianitie and to build you vp towards the Kingdome of heauen I shall gaine that which I most desire And thus I commend your Ladiship to God and to the Word of his grace beseeching him that whatsoeuer good beginnings hee hath wrought in you hee will perfit the same vntill the comming of Iesus Christ that your last worldly day may be your assured entrance to euerlasting glorie Your Ladiships in all Christian duties obliged CHARLES RICHARDSON or to manifest what is wrong only the one cannot demonstrate the right But Almightie God and his Ministers doe not onely shew the one but teach the other especially in this doctrine of Repentance without the knowledge whereof all knowledge in the minde is but like a dreame and all paines but the washing of the Moore Onely the true penitent when he awaketh shall be satisfied with the Image of God which made Otho the Emperour to cause his kitchin-boyes to treade vpon his necke Et vilissimam dei creaturam conculcare and trample vpon him the vilest creature of God The penitent man hath but seuen steps to heauen which are shewed out in the seuen penitentiall Psalmes the conscience and shame of sinne the feare of punishment the sorrow for the offence the desire of amendment the firme beliefe of pardon the mistrust of his strength the longing after heauen with the apprehension of Iesus Christ the way vnto it Hee that doth these things shall neuer faile But let me say of these treatises as the Angell said to Cornelius Simon Peter is at Ioppe send for him he shall shew thee what thou shalt doe This Booke in the sorrow of Peter shall teach thee to repent exemplarily and by the example of Iudas to dread hypocrisie the way to desperation Farewell EDW. TOPSELL THE REPENTANCE OF PETER AND IVDAS MATT. 26. VER 69.70 69 Peter sate without in the Hall and a maide came to him saying Thou also wast with Iesus of Galile 70 But he denied before them all saying I wote not what thou sayest c. To the end of the Chapter IN this Chapter and the next that followeth the Holy Euangelist doth at large set out the History of the passion and suffering of our Sauiour Christ together with all the circumstances and seuerall partes thereof Now in these words the course of the History is interrupted to inserte a briefe narration of the fall and repentance of the Apostle Peter which was necessarily done that the truth of that which Christ had foretold him Verse 34. namely that before the cocke crow he should denie him thrice might appeare It is worthy to bee obserued that all the foure Euangelists doe diligently describe this Story of Peters fall Manie things there are which some one of the Euangelists doe make mention of which are omitted by all the rest But here as if they had taken consent they all leaue this registred to all posteritie Shall we thinke that they are delighted in blasing and publishing this horrible and shamefull fault of their fellow Apostle Indeed carnall men loue to rippe vp other mens vices either to satisfie their owne enuie and malice whereby they are mooued to disgrace and defame their brethren or to commend their own righteousnesse and holinesse aboue other men as the proud Pharisie dealt with the poore Publican But farre be it from vs to imagine Luke 18.11 2. Tim. 3.16 2. Pet. 1.21 that so holy men being inspired and as it were led by the Holy Ghost should be carried either with enuie or arrogancie in this case But as their heart and pen was guided by the Lord in the rest of the Scripture so no doubt they were also directed in this particular and that for the publique benefit and great good of the whole Church Rom. 15.4 For as Whatsoeuer things are written they are written for our learning so this narration is richly furnished with many excellent and heauenly instructions for our vse For first of all it hath pleased the Lord in Saint Peter the chiefe of the Apostles to giue vs a memorable example of the frailtie and weaknesse of mans strength if he bee left neuer so little to himselfe Secondly we may see in it the beginning and progresse of sinne how being yeelded to at the first by degrees it commeth to the height Thirdly wee may behold as in a glasse the great loue of God towardes his children who will not suffer them to perish
sinnes but the obedience which we owe to God will not suffer vs to extenuate that which the holy Ghost doth so much amplifie and aggrauate in the Scriptures As this sinne of Peter as was said in the beginning was both foretold by our Sauiour Christ before hand and also was afterwards recorded by all the Euangelists Brent in Lucam 1. Pet. 4.8 1. Pet. 4.8 a Hoc quam friuolum sit prudens lector intelligit Si enim iste non negauit ergo mentitus est dominus qui dixerat Ter me negabis Aqui. in locum And therefore euery man may perceiue how friuolous a thing it is to goe about to defend him For if hee did not denie his Master then Christ Iesus lyed that foretold it and all the Euangelists nay rather the holy Ghost himselfe that recorded it Againe the Apostle himselfe doth not acknowledge this vnseasonable kindnesse who by and by being smitten in his soule with the greatnesse of his sinne weepeth bitterly testifying thereby that hee had sinned more hainously against Christ then he was able in wordes to expresse and so by his teares hee reprooueth them that take vpon them to bee his Patrones And to this purpose is that saying of Optatus though otherwise much addicted to the Apostle Peter b Dubito dicere peccasso tantam sanctitatem Sed ipse hoc factum probat qui doluit amarè fleuit vbertim qui nec daleret nec fleret si nulla interue nisset occasio contra Donatist lib. 7. Mat 16.17 I am afraid saith hee to say that so great holinesse did sinne But he himselfe proueth it to bee trueâ— in that he sorrowed bitterly and wept abundantly who would neither haue sorrowed nor wept if there had beene no offence Here then we see first in generall that the Apostle Peter did sinne greatly in that hee confesseth Christ while he was in safety and now denieth him when he is in trouble Whiles he was vnder the wing of his Master he maketh a most excellent and famous confession of him as wee haue seene before for which hee is highly commended euen by Christ himselfe Blessed art thou Simon the sonne of Ionas for flesh and bloud hath not reuealed this vnto thee but my Father which is in heauen And againe when many of Christs followers began to fall off and to forsake him and hee asked the twelue if they also would goe away Peter answered in the name of them all Joh. 6.66.67.68.69 Master to whom shall wee goe Thou hast the words of eternall life And we beleeue and knowe that thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God Doct. We must confesse Christ Iesus as well in time of trouble as in peace Tempore duro est inspicienda fides Nequaquam par gubernatoris est virtus cum placido aut cum turbato mari vebitur Tunc enim laudante nullo ill iudatus inglorius subit portum At cum strident funes curuatur arbor gubernacula gemunt tunc ille clarus Dijs maris proximus Plin. secund Epist lib. 9. Mat. 7.24.25 Vtque comes radios per solis eutibus vmbra est Cum latet hic pressus nubibus illa fugit Ouid de Trist Mat. 13 21. Mat. 20.21 â—2 Joh. 6.60 But now that danger beginneth to appeare he shrinketh in the wetting and vtterly denieth him Which doth teach vs that it is not enough to confesse Christ and his truth in the time of peace but we must allo sticke to it euen when trouble ariseth for the same It is an easie matter to professe the Gospell while all is quiet and the weather faire but all the triall of constancie is in aduersitie The valour and courage of a Souldier is best seene in the hottest skirmish the skill of a Marriner is best discerned in the greatest tempest So the constancie of a Christian is best tryed in the most greiuous persecution when a tree hath taken deepe root it endureth the violence of winde and weather when a house is builded on a sure foundation neither raine nor flood nor raging stormes can make it fall So it is a good token that a man is rooted and grounded in the truth when hee shrinketh not for euery blast of winde As the shadow followeth the body so long as the Sunne shineth but when it is clouded it vanisheth away so in time of prosperitie all men will bee followers of Christ but assoone as persecution or tribulation commeth for Christs sake they are gone As our Sauiour saith Many with the Sonnes of Zebedee would bee Christs Disciples if he had an earthly Kingdome to aduance them to places of honour that one might sit on his right hand and the other on his left hand But when it comes to this reckoning that they must pledge him of that bitter cup of the Crosse that hee drunke of before them then I feare me they would be ready to say with the carnall Capernaites This is an hard saying who can beare it Like the Isralites that would faine goe to the land of Canaan but they are loath to bee so long tossed vp and downe in the wildernesse And therefore they are euer murmuring and complaning for one thing or other Our Sauiour Christ knew this before Mat. 24. tot and therefore for the better arming of his Disciples against it hee foretolde them o it Teaching vs thereby that wee must not onely professe Religion when there are many encouragements but if the case be so that we must follow Christ with a crosse on our backes yet we must not shrinke Mat. 16.24 but goe after him through thicke and thinne through faire and foule And indeed there is great reason for this For if Christ commaund vs to loue men not onely that are our friends but euen our enemies also Mat. 5.44 or else our loue is nothing worth Much more must wee be constant in our loue to the Lord not onely when his fauourable countenance is turned towardes vs but euen then when hee seemeth to bee our enemy setting vs vp as a marke against him Iob. 7.20 6.4 and sighting against vs with all his terrours as Iob saith The Apostle Peter commaundeth seruants to be subiect to their Masters with all feare not onely if they be good and courteous 1. Pet. 2.18 but also if they be froward Much more must we performe our seruice vnto God not onely when he is kind to vs by his benefits but also when he trieth vs by affliction The deuill himselfe seeth the equitie of this For hee thought it was not worth God haue mercie as we say that Iob feared God in his prosperitie Doth Iob saith hee feare God for nought Job 1.9.10 Hast thou not made an hedge about him c. Thou hast blessed the worke of his hands and his substance is increased in the land As if he should say it were pitie that he liues if hee should not feare thee in this estate But saith