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
must he depart out of this life without his warrant that hath giuen it him least he should seeme to refuse the charge which God hath assigned him Yea it is condemned by the generall consent of all Christian Kingdomes Where if a man offer violence to himselfe in this manner all his goods are confiscate and himselfe is denyed Christian buriall And indeede if the Canons of the Apostles as Peter Martyr witnesseth doe condemne them that wilfully doe geld themselues and call them no better then selfe-murderers And if the Apostle reproue them that in a colour of Religion doe not spare their bodies Col. 2.23 but superstitiously doe excruciate them without any necessitie as the Priests of Baal did 1. Kings 18.28 and as the Papists many of them doe at this day how much more are they to bee condemned that vtterly kill and destroy the bodie And therefore Saint Augustine a In sanctis Canonicis libris nusquam nobis divinitus praeceptum aut permâ—ssum reperiri potest vt vâ—l â—psius adâ—pisâ—â—ndae immortalitatis vel vllius carendâ— cauendiue mali causa nobis mâ—tipsiâ— necem iuferamus De ciuit Dei lib. 1 cap. 20. is verie peremptorie in this case affirming that there is neither precept nor permission to bee found in all the Canonicall Scriptures that either for attaining of immortalitie or for preuenting or auoiding of any miserie wee may procure our owne death As the pleasures of this world though neuer so great should not make vs loue this life more then wee ought so all the calamities that the world can lay vpon vs should not cause vs to abridge the time of our life Yea forasmuch as the faith of Christians doth endue them with heroicall constancie no miserie nor discontentment whatsoeuer should cause them to lay violent hands vpon themselues And indeede it is to bee feared least while by this meanes they seeke to shun a temporall calamitie they fall into an eternall and euerlasting miserie As the fish that leapeth out of the boyling pan into the burning fire And therefore if any bee so assaulted as they begin to loath their life and which is worse intend to bee more cruell to themselues then homicides let them remember that they haue somewhat more to loose then a temporall life Woe bee to them saith the wiseman Ecclesiasticus 2.15 that haue lost their patience much more in such a desperate and distrustfull manner as this is Neither is it true fortitude and courage what so euer foolish men pretend to the contrary The Heathen Poet could say b Furor est no moriare mori It is a madnesse by death to preuent death And Saint Augustine saith c Magis mens infirma quae ferre non potest vel duram corporis seruitutem vel stultam vulgi opinionem Maiorque animus merito dicendus est qui vitam aerumnosam magis potest ferre quà m fugere De ciuit Dei lib. 1. cap. 22 It is rather a weake and abiect minde that cannot endure either the thraldome of the bodie or the foolish opinion of the common people And that is worthily to bee called a more stout valiant mind that can rather endure a wretched life then shunne it d Regulus maluit hostes ferre seruiendo quam eis se auserre moriendo victores dommosferre quam mortem sibi inserre maluit Ibid. cap. 24. And therefore he preferreth the constancie of Regulus farre before Cato for that he had rather endure his enemies by seruing of them then by death to rid himselfe out of their hands Againe they that by this meanes desire either to reuenge or to eschew another mans sinne it is to be feared they fall into their owne a Nonne satius est flagitium committere quod penitendo sanctur quam tale facinus vbi locus salubris penitentiae non relinquitur Aug. ibid. cap. 25. And is it not better for them as one saith to commit a sinne that may bee healed by repentance And therefore Saint Augustine concludeth this question in this manner b Ibid. cap. 26. This wee say this wee affirme this we approue by all meanes that no man ought willingly to kill himselfe neither for auoiding of temporall miseries least hee fall into perpetuall nor for the sinnes of another man least hee that was not defiled by another be guiltie of a grieuous sinne himselfe nor for his owne sinnes past in regard whereof he standeth more in neede to liue that they may bee healed by repentance nor for the desire of a better life after death because they that are guiltie of their owne death can hardly looke for a better life afterward Obiection But it wil be obiected that in the first persecutions of the Church there are examples of many that to preserue themselues from sinne haue procured their owne death As namely c Euseb Eccles hist lib. 8. cap. 12 in Antioch a certaine noble woman with her two daughters that were virgins cast themselues into a riuer least they should bee compelled to offer sacrifice to Idols And two other godly virgins rather then they would endure the violating of their chastitie drowned themselues in the waues of the Sea d Ibid. cap. 17. And one Sophronia whose husband was gouernour of Rome vnder Maxentius when the Emperour by his messengers enticed her to whoredome made her husband acquainted with the matter and perceiuing that hee for feare of the tyrant had giuen his consent she intreated the messengers to stay till she had made her ready and going into her chamber and first on her knees making her prayers to God she fell vpon a sword and killed her selfe These and many such like examples are highly commended by writers of those times as though these facts had beene done by the instinct of the holy Ghost as Sampson who procured his owne death to to be reuenged of the Philistims But we are to know that the comparison holdeth not betweene Sampson and these persons For it is certaine indeed that that which Sampson did hee was moued to it by the spirit of God For at his prayers God restored him his former strength which before hee had lost Iudg. 16.28.29.30 Heb. 11.32 And the authour of the Epistle to the Hebrewes giueth testimonie of his faith and pietie and reckoneth him in the Kalander of the Saints But the like cannot bee truely said of any of these Nay Saint Augustine seemeth vtterly to disallow the fact speaking of Lucretia a Si non est ea impudicitia qua inuita comprimitur non est haec iustitia qua casta punitur De Ciuit. Dei lib. 1. cap. 19. that if it bee not inchastitie when a woman is rauished against her will it is no iustice when a chast person is punished The like example haue wee of Iudge Hales in our owne stories who as wee haue heard before b Fox Mart. pag. 1393. hauing for feare consented to the Bishops in Queene Maries time was afterward so