Prophet that reprooued him he straigthway brake out into that most earnest confession of charitie I haue sinned against the Lord and presently heard this answeare The Lord hath taken away thy sinne thou shalt not die This doctrine to make vse of it serueth first for our instruction namely that we be not too rash in iudging condemning our brethren We see by this that hath beene deliuered that a man may fall greiâ—ously and fearefully and Vse 1 yet bee restored to the fauour of God And therefore as Saint Iames saith Iam â— 12 VVho art thou that iudgest another man We may not set boundes and limites to Gods mercy at our pleasure to say such a man hath committed such and such sinnes therefore he cannot bee saued This is too great presumption in any man a Dei est nosse reum illius ferre sentetiam Tac eamus omnes homines Solus Deus iudicet peccatorem Opt. cent Donat. l. 4. Et l. 7. In diâ— iudicij sedebit index filius Dei qui agnoscit quid est suum quid alienum Illius est eligere quid condat in horreo quid tradat incendio Agnoscamus nos omnes homines esse Nemo sibi vsurpet diumi iudicij potestatem Nam si sibi tantum vendicet homo quid in iudicio acturns est Christus Satius sit homini si de peccato suo reus non sit quam vt de alieno iudex esse desideret Gal. 6.1 It belongeth to God onely to know who is guiltie in that manner and it is his prerogatiue as one saith well to giue sentence And therefore let all men keepe silence and let God alone iudge who is a sinner At the day of iudgement the sonne of God shall sit as Iudge who knoweth what is his and what is none of his It belongeth to him to make choice what hee will lay vp in his barne and what hee will commit to the fire Let vs all acknowledge our selues to bee men and let none vsurpe the power and authoritie of Gods iudgment For if any man shall arrogate so much to himselfe what shal be left for Christ to doe at the last iudgement Let it bee better for a man not to bee guiltie of his owne sinnes rather then to desire to be a iudge of other mens sinnes And therefore in this case let euery one of vs lay our hands vpon our mouthes And let vs practise the counsel of the Apostle Brethren saith he If a man be fallen by occasion into any fault yee which are spirituall restore such a one with the spirit of meekenesse considering thy selfe least thou also bee tempted Either wee haue committed as great sinnes our selues or if the like temptation were offered vnto vs wee should as readily yeeld as they haue done if God should leaue vs neuer so little And therefore wee must bee pittifull towardes them and pray for their amendement As he that hath recouered from some grieuous sicknesse pittieth those that are sicke of the same disease and as he that is deliuered out of prison hath compassion on them that lie bound in misery and yron Haud ignara mali miseris succurrere disco Dâ—do apud Virgil Aenead 1. So the childe of God hauing by Gods mercy recouered from his sinnes cannot choose but pitty those that are ouertaken with sinne That which the Apostle requireth of Ministers must in some measure be performed of all Christians namely to bee gentle toward all men suffering sinners with meeknesse 2. Tim. 2.24.25 prouing if God will at the last giue them repentance c. Yea by loue wee must couer euen a multitude of sinnes 1. â—et 4.8 And herein there is a manifest difference betweene the Godly and the wicked The godlie couer many infirmities in others vnder one good gift but the wicked burie many good gifts vnder one infirmitie Secondly it serueth for the comfort of all Gods children For it is a glasse wherein they may behold the rich mercie of God in pardoning such great sins that like sinners they may not despaire To which purpose Saint Paul hath an excellent speech hauing related at large what a wretched sinner hee had beene before his conuersion euen the chiefe of all sinners hee saith that hee was receiued to mercy for this end 1. Tim. 1.16 that Iesus Christ might shew on him all long suffering to the ensample of them that shall in time to come beleeue in him c. where he plainely teacheth vs that Gods grace is not appropriated and intailed to some few but is indifferently offered to all that are qualified aright to receiue it God was not onely mercifull in forgiuing the sinnes of Dauid and Peter and such like but hee is as mercifull to forgiue Vse 3 thee thy sinnes whosoeuer thou art if with bitternesse and griefe of heart Cadit Petrus vt reliqui caueant Hugo in locum Considera treme vir iuste Petrus paulò ante communicans c. CaielaÌ„ in hunc locum Cuiuis potest accidere quod cuiquam potest Sen. thou canst bewaile them as they did Thirdly wee may here bee admonished to take heed that wee sucke not poyson out of this and such like examples of the falles of Gods children by taking occasion thereby to hearten our selues in our sinnes but rather bee made more wary and circumspect ouer our selues As a weake old man seeing a young lustie man take a fall in the way before him taketh better heede to his steppes least he fall also So when we shall see that the Apostle Peter a man indued with such a measure of grace did notwithstanding fall so fearefully wee had neede looke well to our selues or else whither may wee fall if we bee left to temptation as hee was a Nemo audebit de sua virtute confidere quando mutabilitatis periculum nec beatus Petrus potuisset euadere Glossa ordinâ—r who dare now presume of his owne strength when this blessed Apostle that was a pillar as it were in the Church is thus fearefully shaken Nay rather a man should alwayes suspect himselfe and bee afraid to fall and when hee shall see such fearefull tempests and such lamentable shipwracke of such excellent men b Cum videat tantorum virorli cauendas tempestates slenda naufragia de Doct. Christ Lib. 3. as Saint Augustine saith And to this purpose Bernard giueth good counsell c Vita foueam in quam vides alium coram te cecidisse Aliorum perditio tua sit cautio de cons aedific c. 46. Shunne the pit saith he wherein thou seest another fall before thy face Let other mens destruction bee thy caution And d Aliorum ruinae vestra debent esse exempla de obed humil Non cadendi exemplum propositum est sed si cecideris resurgendi Non sit delectatio minorii lapsus maiorum sed sit casus maiorum timor minorum Aug. in Psal 51. Augustine hath the like saying
peece bringeth in another A Scholler though he be neuer so apt capable to conceiue of his lecture assoone as his Master readeth it vnto him yet if hee doe not meditate of it afterwardes it will profit him but a little so in like manner though a man doe neuer so rendily apprehend the doctrines of the word yet if hee doe not by meditation call them to remembrance and as it were riuet them into his mind they will easily be forgotten And therfore Psal 62.11 Dauid saith that when God spake once he heard it twice Namely he heard it once in the Tabernacle from the mouth of the Minister and by meditation at home caused his memory to repeat it to him againe And this should bee the practise of vs all if wee desire to reape any found benefit by the word Before the Cocke crow thou shall denie me thrise Our Sauiour Christ being God and knowing what should come to passe foretold that Peter should deny him It was decreed before that it should so fall out and it could not otherwise bee Why then may some say is Peter to bee blamed Nay rather why should not his fact bee excused seeing hee did no more then God had determined and Christ foretold Quicquid patimu◠mortale genus Quicquid facimus venit ex alto Sen. Mala. 3.6 Isa 14.27.24 For the resoluing of this question We are to know that it is true indeede that all things that are done in the world fall out by the prouidence of God and that his purposes can by no meanes bee altered as the Lord saith I am the Lord I change not And in another place The Lord of Hosts hath determined it and who shall disanull it And a little before Like as I haue purposed so shall it come to passe and as I haue consulted it shall stand For as the Apostle saith Iam. 1.17 With God their is no variablenesse nor shadowing by turning Yea it is true also that seeing Gods prouidence is the first immutable cause of all things it doth impose such a necessitie vpon all second causes that their effects cannot bee hindred nor the manner of doing them bee changed nor the time of producing them bee deferred And yet neuerthelesse man in all his euill actions must needes be culpable For it will not follow from hence that the will of man is any way forced or compelled but that it doth willingly and of the one accord desire whatsoeuer it will For God ruleth and gouerneth the will of man according to the nature of it and no otherwise Now the nature of the will is to will whatsoeuer it lusteth whether it be good or euill freely and willingly not by constraint or against the will for otherwise it were no will but a nilling tather So that Gods foreknowledge is no cause at all of the euill actions of men And this Peter Martyr illustrateth by an apt similitude Pet. Martyr Loc. com clas 2. cap. 2. Wee saith he doe often stand by and behold men playing together at some game notwithstanding wee cannot say that the knowledge and sight which we haue of their gaming doth impose any necessitie vpon them though while wee behold them in their game they doe necessarily play As therefore that necessitie doth not infringe the nature of their will so likewise the foreknowledge decree of God doth not compel the will of man But it will be obiected why doth not God ouer-rule the will of man seeing he is able and hinder him from falling into sinne I answere that man indeed who is vnder the law if hee should not hinder euill from his neighbour when it lyeth in his power should be blame-worthy as our Sauiour saith Marke 3.4 that not to saue life when a man hath ability to doe it is to kill But God is aboue the law and therefore that is good in him which is euill in man Yea hee doth it alwayes to a good end For hee knoweth that man being by nature euill cannot but sinne vnlesse hee be preuented by the especiall assistance of his grace and that he cannot but fall vnlesse the staffe of his spirit doe support him Psal 23.4 and yet in great wisedome he suffereth him to fall partly to declare his iustice in punishing of sinne Gualt in Zech. Homil. 5. partly to manifest his mercy in pardoning sinne and partly to shew man his frailty and weaknesse that he may be more heedfull for the time to come Thus God directeth the sins of the godly and the wicked to a good end that the one may become more wary afterwardes and the other besides their meaning and intent may execute the iudgements of God Thus was Dauid by his adultery made more temperat thus was Peter by his deniall made more stout in confessing of Christ and thus was Paul by his cruell persecutions made more feruent and earnest in preaching of the truth a Deus sicut bonarum naturarum optimus creator est ita malarum voluntatum iustissimus ordinator Vt cum malè illae vtuntur naturis bonis ipse bene vtatur etiam voluntatibus malis de Ciu. Dei lib. 11. c. 17. And to this purpose Saint Augustine hath a good saying That God as hee is the best creator of good natures so hee is the most iust orderer and disposer of euill willes that when they vse their good natures ill hee may vse their ill willes well b Quis tam impiè desipiat vt dicat Deum malas hominum voluntates quas voluerit quando voluerit vbi voluerit in bonum non posse conuertere Euch. ca. 97 And in an other place Who saith hee is so wickedly foolish as to say that God cannot turne to good whatsoeuer euill willes of men he will when he will and where he will Wee must not therefore cast the cause of our sinnes vpon God as though wee were any whit the more excusable because we doe nothing but what God hath fore knowne and determined Iudas in betraying Christ did no more then God had determined for our Sauiour saith The sonne of man goeth as it is written of him Yet Iudas is not excused for all that No Christ pronounceth a woe against him and saith it had beene good for him if hee had neuer beene borne Mat. 26.24 The Iewes in crucifying of Christ did no more then that which God and his counsel had determined to bee done Act. 4.28 2.23 3.18 And yet their deede was most damnable and accursed in the sight of God Pharaoh in opposing himselfe so rebelliously and stubbornly against God what did hee else but that which the Lord foreknew and fore tolde also to Moses and Aaron Exod. 3.19 7.3.4 And yet for all that the Lord is iustly glorified in his confusion Exod. 9.16 God hath decreed and as our Sauiour Christ saith it cannot bee auoided but offences will come and there is a necessary vse of them for the triall of Gods elect and
not punish thee dost render him euill for good and hatred for his good will Surely if hee bee such a one as thou imaginest thou dealest so much the more lewdly if thou doest not loue him And if hee suffer any thing to bee done against himselfe rather then hee will doe any thing against thee what malice is it in thee not to spare him who spareth not himselfe in sparing thee But farre be it from his perfection that as he is mercifull so hee should not be iust as though he could not be both iust and mercifull together especially considering that mercy is better when it is iust then when it is remisse yea mercy is no vertue without iustice b Quantò duitius Deus expectat vt emendetis tantò grauius iudicabit si neglexeritis Aug. de vanitate saeculi Yea the longer that God in mercy expecteth thine amendment so much the more grieuously will hee punish thee if thou neglect it c Deus quantum patris pietate indulgens bonus est tantum iud cis maiestate metuendus est Cyprian Serm. 5. de lapsis For looke how indulgent and gentle the Lord is in the kindnesse of a Father so much is hee terrible in the maiesty of a Iudge d Parauit calum sed parauit tartarum Parauit refrigeria sed parauit etiam aeterna supplicia Parauit inaccessibilem lucem sed parauit etiam perpetuae noctis vastam aeternamque caliginem idem lib. 2. Epist 7. And as he hath prepared heauen so hee hath prepared hell As hee hath prepared a place of comfort so he hath prepared also eternall torments As he hath prepared the light which none can attaine vnto so hee hath prepared also the vast and eternall mist of perpetuall darkenesse To this purpose agreeth that saying of Saint Augustine e Multum delectat omnes peccatores quia misericors miserator dominus c. Sed si amas tam multa initia tunc ibi vltimum quod ait verax Si enim nihil aliud diceret nisi misericors miserator dominus c. quasi iam conuerteres te ad securitatem impunitatem licentiam peccatorum faceres quod velles c. Et si quis te bene admonendo obiurgaret obsistere impudenti fronte Quid me terres de Deo nostro ille misericors est c. Ne talia homines dicerent vnum verbum addidit in fine quod ait verax excussit laetitiam malè prasumentium induxie timore piè doletium Augu. de decem chordis Heb. 10.32 12.29 Gal. 5.22.23 Iob. 39.16.17.18 It is very pleasing sayth he to all sinners that the Lord is mercifull and gratious slow to anger c. as it is Exod. 34.6.7 But if thou loue so many beginnings feare that which he saith at the last that he is true also For if he should haue said nothing else but mercifull and gratious c. thou wouldest straight fall to securitie and promise to thy selfe impunitie and take libertie to sinne and to doe what thou wilt c. And if any man should admonish and reproue thee thou wouldest resist with an impudent forehead say why do you terrifie me with our God he is mercifull c. Least men should speake in this manner he hath added one word in the end where he saith that he is true Whereby hee hath shaken off the ioy of euill presumption and hath brought the feare of godly sorrow c. Yea as the Scripture hath highly extolled the mercy of God to repentant sinners so it hath fearefully set out his rigour and seueritie against the impenitent It is a fearefull thing saith the Apostle to fall into the handes of the liuing God and our God is euen a consuming fire There is nothing so cold as lead and nothing so scalding if it bee heated there is nothing so blunt as iron and nothing so sharpe if it be sharpned there is nothing so calme as the Sea and yet in a boisterous weather there is nothing so tempestuous So likewise there is nothing so mercifull as God and yet if he bee prouoked nothing so terrible Whosoeuer will liue in sin and yet dreame of mercy hee deceiueth himselfe For as there is no law written against them that haue the fruits of the spirit so there is no Gospell written for them that bring forth the fruits of the flesh A presumptuous person may be fitly compared to the Ostrich which layeth her egges in the earth and maketh them hot in the dust as Iob saith and when she goeth from them shee taketh her markes by the seauen starres Afterward when she would returne shee looketh to the starre and vnder it seeketh them but it being remoued in the meane while shee cannot finde them and so her egges are trodden vnder foot and broken by wilde beastes so that shee seldome bringeth forth any young So a sinner that presumeth too much of Gods mercy sometimes by the instinct of the spirit hath some good purposes to doe well but hee quickely departeth and leaueth them presuming that by the mercy of God hee may returne to them againe when hee list but while hee deferreth to prosecute those good purposes and to bring them to effect Christ withdraweth his mercy from him and so they are troden vnder foot by the Deuill And therefore it is good to keepe the golden meane betweene the mercy and iustice of God a Proinde diligentes misericordiam Dei metuentes iustitiam nec de remissione peccatorum desperemus nec remaneamus in peccatis scientes quod illa omnium debitae sit exactura aequitas iustissimi iudicis quae non dimiscrit misericordia clementissimi redemptoris August de fide ad Petrum Diacon that louing the one and standing in awe of the other wee may neither despaire of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes nor securely continue in them knowing that the equitie of a most iust Iudge will exact all those sinnes of all men which the mercy of a most kind redeemer hath not pardoned Indeede the Lord is longe before hee punish but yet forbearance is no quittance b Raro antecedentem scelestū deseruit pede paena claudo Horat. li. 3. ode 2 Psal 140.11 50.21.22 Ezech. 18.21.22 and it is seldome seene that punishment is so lame that it cannot ouertake a sinner Euill saith Dauid that is the punishment of sinne shall hunt and pursue like a bloudhound the wicked person and bring him to destruction And howsoeuer the Lord many times seeth and sayth nothing yet in the end he will reproue sinners and set in order before them the things that they haue done But they haue Scripture to alledge for their warrant in this case For the Deuill hath made them wise to their own destruction Hath not God say they promised that at what time soeuer a sinner doth repent of his sinnes from the bottome of his hart he will put all his
suum satisfactione humili simplici consitentes Si qui autē sunt qui putant se ad Ecclesiam non precibus sed minis regredi posse aut existimant aditum sibi non lamentationibus satisfactionibus sed terroribus facere pro certo habeant contra tales stare Ecclesiam Domini nec castra Christi inuicta fortia Domino tuente munita minis cedere Sacerdos Dei Euangelium teneus Christi praecepta custodiens occidi potest vinci nō popotest Lib. 1. Epist 1. And this was the practise of St. Cyprian as himselfe testifieth I doe willingly saith he and louingly embrace such as returne penitently and confesse their sinnes with humble and vnfained satisfaction But if there be any that thinke they may come againe to the Church not by intreaty but by threatnings or suppose to procure their admittance not by lamentations and satisfactions but by terrours let them know for a certainty that the Church of God standeth out against such persons and that the inuincible and strong tents of Christ guarded by the Lords protection will not giue place to threatnings The Priest of God that holdeth the Gospell and keepeth the precepts of Christ may bee killed but hee cannot be ouercome And this was the resolution of Saint Ambrose when he heard that the Emperour was comming towards the Church before he was absolued c Ego vero praedico quod cum ingredi sacra limina prohibebo si vero Imperium in tyrannidem mutabit necem libenter suscipiam Vbi supra I protest saith he I will debarre him from going ouer the holy threshold and if he will turne his power into tyrannie I will willingly die in the quarrell To this purpose St. Augustine hath a good saying d Qui multos offendit peccando placare multos oportet satisfaciendo vt Ecclesia prius offensa per culpam in conuersione flectatur in misericordiam De vera falsa poenit cap. 11. he that hath offended many by sinning ought to pacifie many by making satisfaction that as the Church hath before beene offended by the trespasse so by the repentance it may be moued to compassion And indeed he that is truly touched with a sense and feeling of his sinnes will not be tender of his owne credit nay hee will not care how much he disgraceth himselfe so that by his confession he may glorifie God and edifie the Church And therefore they may iustly suspect their repentance that hauing publikely offended cannot be brought to make publike confession And as this publike confession is required so in priuate offences priuate confession is also necessary First in respect of our selues that by emptying our hearts into the bosome of another wee may receiue comfort And this is that which St. Iames exhorteth saying Iam. 5.16 Acknowledge your faults one to another and pray one for another that yee may be healed But here we are to know that a man is not bound to confesse his sinnes only to the Minister and to none else as the Papists teach men to lay open their sinnes to a greasie bald Frier but he may make choise of any other Christian friend of whose godlinesse and faithfulnesse he hath good experience Jsa 50.4 Yet because euery godly Minister hath from God the tongue of the learned and therefore knoweth best to minister a word in season to him that is weary therefore it is fittest to make choise of him Psal 19.12 Neither is a man bound to make confession of all his sinnes as the Papists would haue it for who can tell how oft he offendeth but only of such as doe most afflict his conscience Secondly in respect of others And first of such as we haue offended by our sinnes according to the rule of our Sauiour Christ Mat. 5.23.24 If thou bring thy gift to the Altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee Leaue there thine offering before the Altar and goe thy way first be reconciled to thy brother c. Now here Iudas failed in that hee goeth to the high Priests and confesseth to them but doth not prostrate himselfe before his Master whom he had betrayed and desire him to forgiue him his sinne which if he had done a Arbitror quod etiam Iudas potuisset tanta Dei miseratione non excludi à venia si poenitentiam non apud ludae or sed apud Christū egisset Ambros de poenit lib. 2. cap. 5. so great is his mercy to poore sinners he might haue obtayned pardon Secondly of such as to whom wee haue giuen occasion of sinne or haue beene any meanes to draw them to sinne And in this Iudas did well For in going to the high Priests he doth not only confesse his owne sinne but withall giueth them occasion to repent likewise For if he sinned in betraying Christ Iesus surely they also sinned in apprehending condemning and putting him to death And thus we see the persons to whom we are to make confession of our sinnes Now for the manner we are to know that euery kinde of confession will not serue the turne And therefore these properties are required First it is not enough to confesse our sinnes in generall as ignorant men vse to thump themselues on the breast and say I am a sinner but we must confesse our particular sinnes If any man shall obiect that this is needlesse because God knoweth our sinnes better then we our selues doe 1. Ioh 3.20 for he is greater then our hearts and knoweth all things I answere that it is true indeede all our sins are most perfitly knowne to the Lord. Psal 139.3 c. Who is accustomed to all our waies as Dauid saith And therefore wee doe not confesse our sinnes to informe God but wee doe it for our owne benefit that thereby we may be brought vnto godly sorrow which is attained by a distinct acknowledgement of our sinnes And thus haue the children of God confessed their sinnes When Dauid had numbred his people and his heart did smite him for it he confessed particularly I haue sinned exceedingly in that I haue done 2. Sam. 24.10 And in the title of the 51 Psalme hee confesseth his adultery in plaine termes And so doth the Apostle confesse how he had persecuted the Church Act. 22.19 20. yea by name how he had been a great stickler in the Martyrdome of blessed Steuen Yea Iudas in this place performed this duty And surely if it were not necessary the Deuill would neuer labour to hinder it so much as he doth as wee see how hard it is to bring one of an hundred to doe it as they ought for he knoweth that if once men come to a true sight of their particular sinnes and so to godly sorrow his Kingdome will soone decay and therefore he maketh men so vnwilling to yeeld to it as they are Secondly we must in confessing our sinnes aggrauate them to the vttermost against our selues and
betrayed it had beene good for that man if hee had neuer beene borne Doct. It is a grieuous sinne to despaire of Gods mercie From whence wee may gather this inctrustion that it is a most grieuous sinne to despaire of Gods mercie As that wretched Kain did when hearing the iudgement which God had denounced against him for killing his brother hee cryed out in the horrour of his soule My sinne is greater then can bee pardoned Gen. 4.13 And indeede a Quid aliud est desperare quam Deum sibi comparare August de vera falsa paenit ca. 5. he that despaireth of the forgiuenesse of his sinnes what doth hee else but compare God to himselfe Which is a great derogation from the Lord that his high and glorious Maiestie should bee likened vnto a vile and sinnefull man Besides hee doth offer horrible indignitie and notorious iniurie vnto the Lord. For as much as in him lyeth hee denyeth many of his most glorious attributes and properties as namely his loue his truth his power his iustice and his mercie For his loue If it were such as our sinnes could hinder it it should bee inferiour to the loue of man For what offence can bee so great from one man to another but loue will easily procure the pardon of it As wee see especially betweene parents and children It is not possible for a childe to commit any offence so great but vpon his submission and reformation his Father will forgiue him Though his affection bee for a time estranged yet hee will easily receiue him into fauour againe And therefore the Prophet saith Can a woman forget her childe and not haue compassion on the Sonne of her wombe Isa 49.15 as if he should say it is not possible But the loue of the tenderest and dearest mother in the world is but like a droppe of water to the maine Ocean in respect of that loue wherewith the Lord our heauenly father loueth vs that are his children So that wee may say of our greatest sinnes as the Apostle saith of all outward afflictions Rom. 8.39 they are not able to separate vs from the loue of God that is in Christ Iesus If the loue of the church to Christ Iesus her blessed spouse Cant. 8.8 be so strong as much water cannot quench it neither can the flouds drowne it 1. Pet. 8.8 much more is his loue to vs so feruent as an Ocean of our sinnes cannot quench or drowne it If the loue of men doe couer euen a multitude of sinnes 1. Pet. 8.8 yea all trespasses that can be committed Prou. 10.12 surely the infinite loue of God will couer our sinnes be they neuer so many Besides the Lord is no changling in his loue to loue a man to day and vpon some dislike to cast him off to morrow but whom he loueth once to the end he loueth them Job 13.1 and it is not our sinnes though many and great that can alienate his affection Nay hauing out of the abundance of his loue giuen vs his owne sonne Rom. 8.32 how shall he not with him giue vs all things necessarie for our saluation Secondly for his truth He hath made many gracious promises vnto vs that if we confesse and forsake our sinnes Prou. 28.13 we shall haue mercy Ezech. 18.21.22 that if we returne from all our sinnes which we haue committed c. all our transgressions which we haue committed shall neuer be mentioned vnto vs c. but as the Prophet saith God will haue mercy vpon vs Isa 55.7 2. Tim. 2.13 1. Ioh. 1.9 for hee is very readie to forgiue Now hee is faithfull in the performance of his promises as the Apostle saith Hee abideth faithfull hee cannot denie himselfe But if wee confesse our sinnes as he requireth he is faithfull to forgiue vs our sinnes And therefore for a man to distrust the forgiuenesse of his sinnes after he hath truly repented of them is to make God a lyer If we haue but the word of an earthly Prince it is a disgrace not to trust vnto it Much more is it a disgrace vnto the King of heauen and earth not to stay and relie our selues vpon his word For as St. Paul saith Let God be true and euery man a lyer Rom. 3.4 Thirdly for his power Wee know it is infinite And though our sinnes were as crimson yet hee is able to make them white as snow and though they were red like skarlet yet he is able to make them as white as wooll Isa 1.18 Hence is it that the Lord himselfe saith I haue put away thy transgressions like a cloude and thy sinnes as a mist Isa 44.22 insinuating that though our sinnes bee neuer so many yet he can as easily take them away as he can scatter the clouds with the wind or disperse the thickest mist with the heat of the Sunne And the Prophet Micah expresseth the same with great force of wordes saying Hee will subdue our iniquities and cast all our sinnes into the bottome of the Sea cap. 7.19 where he alludeth vnto that great ouerthrow which the Lord gaue Pharaoh and his host in the red Sea Giuing vs thereby to vnderstand that though our sinnes did march neuer so furiously against vs and exercise most cruell tyrannie in our soules and consciences yet the Lord is able to subdue them as hee did Pharaoh and his host whom he ouerwhelmed in the bottome of the Sea To this purpose St Augustine hath a good saying a Qui de Deo non praesumit veniam non animadvertit plus peccato suo Dei posse clemētiam Si enim sentiret Deum magis bonum quam se malum quicquid in se iustitia non inueniret à Deo magis bono expectaret Et quidem diffidit qui summi boni bonitatë maiorem sua nequitia non sentit Ille enim solus diffidat qui tantum peccare potest quantum Deus bonus est Cum sit autem nullus qui hoc possit qui timet de se malo praesumat de meliore Adbuc qui diffidit suam nequitiam Dei pietati comparat finem imponit diuinae virtuti dans finem infinito perfectionem diuinitatis auferens deo Aug. de vera fall poenit c. 5. 1. Pet. 2.24 Isa 53.5.6 Collos 2.14 1 Iob. 1.9 that hee that hopeth not for pardon at Gods hands doth not consider that Gods mercy is more powerfull then his sinne For if he thought that God is more good then himselfe is euill whatsoeuer righteousnesse hee findeth not in himselfe hee would expect him from God that is better And surely he is distrustfull that doth not thinke the goodnesse of the Lord to be greater then his wickednesse For let him only distrust that is able to sinne so much as God is good But seeing there is none that can doe this let him that feareth because himselfe is euil presume of him that is better Moreouer
the Apostle Peter and as in his fall wee haue seene the Image of a greiuous sinner so in this wee haue seene the picture of a true Conuert Many will fall with Peter and other of Gods children but they will not rise with them by repentance These men deceiue themselues such examples as this will doe them no good Thou seest that Peter was as ready to repent of his sinnes as he was to commit them Let me say to thee as our Sauiour Christ said to one in another case Luke 10.37 Ipsi Petro statim dimisit quia amarissimè sleuit Et tu si amarissimè fleas Christus ad te respiciet culpa discedet Ambros Ser. 46. Luke 13.3 Goe and doe thou likewise then may the comfort of this example appertaine vnto thee If thou canst weepe bitterly with Pettr and forsake thy sinnes as hee did then God will haue mercy vpon thee as well as vpon him Otherwise that sentence of our Sauiour Christ remaineth true Except ye repent ye shall all perish Now howsoeuer there be not any plaine story of Peters repentance either in the Gospels or in the Acts besides this mention of his teares yet it is most certaine that hee did truely and vnfainedly repent Our Sauiour assured him of it before his fall when hee said I haue prayed for thee that thy faith faile not and when thou art conuerted strengthen thy brethren Luke 22.32 Againe as here hee denyed Christ thrice a Quia dominum tertiò negauerat tertiò confitetur quoties culpam delinquendo contraxerat toties gratiam diligendo conquirit Qui ante lacrymas praeuaricator extitit post lacrymas pastor assumptus est alios regendos accepit qui prius se non rexit Ambros ibid. Marke 16.7 so after his resurrection hee confesseth him as oft And hee that before became a reuolter is now made a Pastor of the Church And the woman to whome the resurrection of Christ was first made knowne are commaunded by the Angell to goe and tell Peter by name that as he was most afflicted by reason of his sinne so he might be most comforted Besides the holy Ghost hath vsed him as a penman in writing the sacred Scriptures which he would neuer haue done if hee had continued impenitent And therefore let our repentance be vnfained as his was and we shall obtaine the pardon of our sinnes as hee did THE REPENTANCE OF IVDAS MAT. 27.3.4.5 3 Then Iudas which betrayed him when hee saw that hee was condemned repented himselfe and brought againe the thirtie peices of siluer to the cheife Priests and Elders 4 Saying I haue sinned in betraying the innocent bloud But they sayd what is that to vs see thou to it 5 And when he had cast downe the siluer peices in the Temple he departed and went and hanged himselfe WE haue handled before the repentance of the Apostle Peter in whose conuersion we haue seene a notable token of Gods mercy towardes repentant sinners We are now to intreat of the repentance of the traytour Iudas in whose wretched end wee haue a fearefull example of Gods wrathfull iudgement against wicked hypocrites In the former chapter the Euangelist hath declared the obstinate and wilfull malice of this damnable traytour namely how first of all hee conspired with the high Priests Vers 14.15.16 and compacted with them for a summe of money to deliuer his Master treacherously into their hands And afterwardes when our Sauiour made it known to his disciples that one of them should betray him how impudently he carried himselfe not once blushing at the matter Vers 25. but setting as good a face on it as any of the rest and lightly passing by the good admonition that our Sauiour gaue him not suffering it to preuaile with him to repentance or to bring him to any detestation of his fact Vers 47. And last of all how he came as the Captaine and leader of that rabble of souldiers that were sent to apprehend him Vers 49. and how with a false kisse in token of friēdship he betrayed him into their hands And now in this chapter hee setteth out his miserable end well beseeming so vile and wicked a life And he describeth it very diligently First because it serueth to illustrate and set out the innocency of our Sauiour Christ and also that it may bee an example to others wherein it may appeare what an end they are to looke for that are not afraid for loue of money to betraye the knowne truth And therefore it shall not be vnprofitable throughly to discusse that which the Euangelist hath written concerning Iudas In whose repentance there are many good thinges to bee seene though it want the cheife and principall namely faith in Christ Iesus which onely if if it had beene added we should scarce haue found so notable an example of repentance in all the Scriptures For in outward appearance it excelleth the repentance of Peter by many degrees But for our better direction in the profitable handling of it let vs consider in it Two generall parts 1. His repētāce where 1. The circumstances of it viz. 1. The person described 1. By his name Iudas 2. By the hainousnes of his sinne that betraied him viz. Iesus 2. The time when it was too late viz. When he saw that he was condemned 2. The parts of it which are three 1. His contrition Hee repented himselfe 2. His confession which is first in order though set after And it is 1. Propounded viz. he confessed his particular sinne I haue sinned in betraying innocent bloud 2. Amplified by the answere of the high Priest What is that to vs See thou to it 3. His satisfaction wher 1. He brought againe the money he had receiued 2. When they would not take it he cast it downe in the Temple 2. His miserable end where 1. His preparation to it He departed viz. into some secret and solitarie place 2. The manner of it He hanged himselfe Iudas This is the first thing to bee considered according to the order propounded to wit his name Iudas which was one of the twelue Which affordeth vnto vs this first instruction namely Doctrine No outward thing can mak a man a good Christian with out inward sincerity that no outward thing can make a man a good Christian without the inward sincerity of the heart It is not a mans calling though neuer so diuine and honourable it is not his company though neuer so godly it is not his learning though neuer so great it is not his ciuill honesty though he carry himselfe so as no man can iustly blame him it is not any other priuiledge in the world that can commend a man to God vnlesse withall he be sincere and sound hearted Iudas here had all these and yet we see he is a damnable hypocrite For his calling he was an Apostle as St. Peter saith Act. 1.17 He was numbred with vs and obtained fellowship in this ministration
committed openly and with violence God commended his poore people to the mighty men of this world not that they should spoile them but that they should defend and releiue them And if he shall be cast into hell that hath not giuen of his owne whether shall he be sent Mat 25 41. Luke 16.19 that hath inuaded and seazed vpon that which was another mans If he shall burne with the Deuill that hath not cloathed the naked where shall hee burne that hath spoiled him of his cloathes If Christ say Depart yee cursed c. Mat. 25.41 for I was hungrie and ye gaue me no meate he may say to these oppressours I was hungry and ye tooke from me that which I should eate that which you gaue to to your hawkes and hounds ye tooke our of my mouth c. Wee doe not reade that the rich glutton tooke any thing from Lazarus onely hee gaue him nothing Neither doth Abraham say vnto him Sonne remember that the poore man had meate to eate thou tookest it from him c. and yet we see hee is in hell in torments What therefore shall become of such as make hauock of the poore And therfore as one saith a Multum metuenda est nobis illa sententia comminantis omnem arhorem non serentem c. Quod si sterilitas mittetur in ignem rapacitas quid meretur Et si iudicium sine misericordia crit illi qui non facit misericordiam quale iudicium crit illi qui fecerit rapinam Fulg. de dispensat Domi. wee haue great cause to feare that sentence of Christ that threatneth that euery tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shal be hewen downe and cast into the fire For if barrennesse must be cast into the fire what doth rauening crueltie deserue And if he shall haue iudgement without mercy that sheweth no mercy what iudgement shall hee haue that exerciseth oppression Neither will it auaile them to say they giue almes and relieue the poore for God abhorreth that almes that is giuen of the teares of other men b Illam Deus cleemosynum abhominatur reprobat quae de lachrymis praestatur alienis Quid enim prodest si tibi benedicat vnus vnde plures maledicunt Aug. de vita Christiana Prou. 14.28 And what good will it doe thee saith one to haue one or two to blesse the for that for which a great many curse thee As indeede the whole common-wealth hath cause to crie out of these men for their courses are iniurious and hurtfull vniuersally Salomon saith In the multitude of the people is the honour of the King and for want of people commeth the destruction of the Prince So that in the iudgement of the holy Ghost these depopulators that lay all wast before them are the greatest enemies to the state that can be Well in a word let them bee afraid of the voice of the oppressed The Lord charged the Isralites that they should not trouble any widow nor fatherlesse child For saith hee If thou vexe or trouble such Exod. 22.22.23.24 and so hee call and crie vnto mee I will surely heare his crie Then shall my wrath bee kindled and I will kill you with the sword and your wiues shal bee widdowes Iob. 34.28 and your children fatherlesse And Iob saith of oppressours that they haue caused the voice of the poore to come before the Lord and hee hath heard the cry of the afflicted So that we see the wrongs and iniuries that are done to the poore doe ring a loud peale for vengeance in the eares of God And surely the Lord will not bee slacke to execute it vnlesse they doe preuent it by repentance There is a fearefull threatning in the prophecy of Habakkuk Hab. 2.9.10.11.12 against the crueltie of the Babylonians and in them against all oppressours Woe be to him saith hee that coueteth an euill couetousnesse to his house that hee may set his neast on high to escape from the power of euill Thou hast consulted shame to thine owne house by destroying many people and hast sinned against thine owne soule For the stone shall crie out of the wall and the beame out of the timber shall answere it Woe vnto him that buildeth an house with bloud and erecteth a Citie by iniquitie Where the Prophet giueth vs to vnderstand that howsoeuer wicked men by all their hard and vnmercifull dealing doe labour to aduance their houses and their posteritie and to make them great when they are gone yet they shall faile of their purpose for God will heape shame and contempt vpon them causing all the world to ring of their crueltie so that as Salomon saith their name shall rot and stincke Prou. 10.7 that they shall neuer bee mentioned but with disgrace And though by their vnconscionable courses they haue done much euill to others yet they haue hurt themselues most of all For by raking and scraping in this manner they haue brought vpon themselues a most irrecouerable losse euen the losse of their soules And though peraduenture their power and tyrany be such as no man dare once mute against them yet they shall not escape for that for their owne houses which they haue built with bloud and cruelty shall witnesse against them Yea euery stone in the wall and euery beame in the roofe shall with loud out-cries accuse their vnrighteousnesse Where by the way it is worth the obseruing that hee saith the stones and the timber shall as it were sing of these things by course As if hee should say These mightie men take great delight in Musicke and they haue their consorts in their houses But the Lord will raise vp other Song-men who by course as they doe in Quires shall chaunt out their grieuous oppressions with a lowde and shrill voyce and shall answere one another in this maner The one side shall sing Woe bee to him that buildeth a Towne with bloud and the other shall answere And to him that erecteth a Citie by iniquitie And haue wee not experience of this euen in our owne dayes Doe we not see a Nemo habet iniustum lucrum sin iusto damno August de connen 10. praecept Pauca malè parta malta benè comparata perdunt that goods heaped together in this maner doe seldome prosper But either the curse of God is vpon them while the owner is aliue or else if hee rest with them and leaue them to his children yet the third heire seldome enioyeth them Oh that all oppressours would seriously consider these things that seeing the examples of Gods iudgements in this case dayly before their eyes they might learne by other mens harmes to take heede to themselues Vse 2 Secondly this serueth to admonish all men Si Iudas resignat pecuniam malè acquisitam qua fronte retinet vsurarius vsuram c. Hugo in locum that possesse any thing vnlawfully to restore it otherwise this example of Iudas shal be
doth not take aduantage against vs but still mercy pleaseth him as the Prophet speaketh c. This doctrine serueth to admonish vs to take heede of this fearefull sinne of desperation and to trust at all times in the mercy of God for the forgiuenesse of our sinnes For as wee haue heard God is as readie to forgiue as wee can bee to aske forgiuenesse And therefore Bernard saith well a Tardius videtur Deo veniam peâ—â—tori dedâ—sse quam illi accâ—passa Isa 30.18 Sic â—â—â—m festinat misâ—ricors Deus absolâ—cre reum à tormento conscientiae suae quasi plus cruciet misericordem Deum compassio miseri quam ipsum miserum compassio sui De conscient aedis cap. 38. It seemeth longer to God to giue the pardon of sinnes then it doth to a sinner to receiue it according to that of the Prophet The Lord standeth waiting that hee may haue mercie vpon vs. For the mercifull God doth make such hast to absolue a sinner from the torment of his conscience as though the mercifull God had more compassion of a poore wretch then hee hath of himselfe And Saint Augustine saith b Non possum terreri multitudine peccatorum si mors Domini in metem venerit quoniam peccata illum vincere non possunt Extedit bâ—achia tua in cruce expandit manus suas paratus in amplexus peccatorum August Manual cap. 23. I cannot be terrified with the multitude of my sinnes if I can but call to minde the death of our Lord because my sinnes cannot ouer-come him hee hath stretched out his armes vpon the Crosse and spred abroade his handes as being readie to embrace poore sinners So that c Quecunque necessitas coâ—â—t ad poenitudine nec quantitas criminis nec breuitas teporis nec horae extremitas nec vitae enormitas si vera contritio si pura suerit voluntatii mutatio excludâ—t à venia sed in amplitudine sinus sui mater charitas prodigos suscipit reuertetes omni sepore Dei gratia recipit poenitetes Cypr. ser de Coen Dom. as another Father saith Whatsoeuer necessitie driueth a man to repentance neither the greatnesse of his sinne nor the shortnesse of the time nor the extremitie of the houre not the enormitie of the life past if there bee true contrition and an holy change of his will doth exclude him from pardon but the Mother charitie admitteth her prodigall children into the largenesse of her bosome when they returne and the grace of God at all times receiueth sinners when they repent For the Scripture witnesseth that hee despised not the Theefe that confessed his sinnes nor Marie Magdalene that washed his feete with her teares nor the Woman of Canaan that besought him for her Daughter nor the Woman that was taken in adulterie nor Matthew sitting at the receit of custome nor his Disciple that denyed him nor Paul that persecuted his Disciples nor the wicked Iewes that crucified him But yet this must not encourage any man to presume too farre of Gods mercy as though hee might liue as hee list and yet haue the pardon of his sinnes For the Lord hath denounced a fearefull threatning against all such impenitent persons Hee that blesseth himselfe in his heart saying I shall haue peace Deut. 29.19 although I walke after the stubbernesse of mine owne heart The Lord will not bee mercifull vnto that man 20. but the wrath of the Lord and his iealousie shall smoake against him and euery curse that is written in this booke shall light vpon him and the Lord shall put out his name from vnder heauen So that the mercie of God how great soeuer is restrained only to repentant sinners Hanged himselfe This fearefull example of Iudas giueth vs occasion Question Whether it be lawfull for a man to kill himselfe in the last place to discusse that Question Whether it bee lawfull for any man to lay violent handes on him selfe and to procure his owne death Many causes there are which driue men to these desperate courses but they may bee reduced to two heads either for auoiding of euill or for procuring of good For the first Many there are that when some great calamitie is either threatned against them or lyeth heauie vpon them which they thinke they are not able to beare seeke to escape it by offering violence to themselues As some to preuent bondage and thraldome a Plutarch in cius vita as Cato Vticensis because hee would not bee in subiection to Caesar killed himselfe Some in a long and languishing sicknesse haue desperately ended their dayes to ridde themselues from their paine as Plinius Secundus maketh mention of one that in this case famished himselfe to death Some hauing made themselues odious in the world by their wickednesse with Nero when hee saw himselfe censured of the Senate and hated of all good men beginne to loath their liues as being ashamed to liue any longer And wee haue both heard and seene that many wretched misers hauing hoorded vp corne in hope of a dearth when it hath fallen out contrarie to their expectation haue for very griefe hanged themselues Againe some to preuent sinne whereunto they were like to be forced or being forced to shunne the reproach and infamie that might redound vnto them haue killed themselues as Lucretia did among the Romanes Nemo polluto queat Animo mederi morte sanandum est sed is Hercules furens apud Senecam when shee was rauished by Tarquinius Last of all some not able to beare the horrour of their conscience by reason of Gods wrath haue sought to free themselues by being their owne executioners as did Saul and Iudas and diuers others For the second Some in a preposterous desire of euerlasting happinesse haue wilfully shortened their liues As one Cleombrotus who hauing read Plato his booke of the immortalitie of the soule that hee might the sooner attaine to it cast himselfe headlong from a wall Others haue made away themselues for vaine glorie to get them a name As Curtius among the Romanes 2. Maccab. 14.41.42 c. and Razis among the Iewes and many others But wee are to know that it is not lawfull for any cause whatsoeuer for a man to depriue himselfe of life The truth whereof may appeare by many reasons First death in it selfe naturally is euill inflicted vpon mankinde for a punishment of sinne yea it is one of Gods enemies as the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 15.26 The last enemie that shall bee destroied is death And therefore no man should wittingly and willingly procure it to himselfe Secondly that same naturall affection which is in all men should restraine them from so desperate cruelty against themselues Otherwise they rebell against God who is the author of nature which wee see the very brute beasts will not doe They may peraduenture goare and teare one another but whatsoeuer extremitie they are in they will neuer hurt themselues So that
that haue done no euill are secure and feare nothing and they that haue sinned doe alwayes looke for punishment And therefore it standeth vs in hand by all meanes possible to pacifie our conscience that so wee may haue comforr in all estates For as one saith well c Nihil iucundius nihil tutius nihil dulcius bona conscientia premat corpus trahat mundus terreat diabolus illa erit secura Bona conscientia secura erit cum corpus morietur secura cum animae coram Deo praesentabitur secura cum vtrumque in die iudicij ante tribunale terrificum iusti indicis statuetur Cum mundus omnis volubilitate circumrotetur ploret redeat pereat transcat nunquam marcessit bona conscientia Subijciatur corpus in paena in ieiunijs maceâ—ctur verberibus lanietâ—r eculeo distendatur gladio trucidetur crucis supplicio affligatur secura erit conscicatia Bern. de conscien aedifican cap. 22. there is nothing more pleasant nothing more quiet nothing more sweete and comfortable then a good conscience Let the body vexe a man let the world hale him let the Deuill terrifie him and yet it will bee secure A good conscience will be secure when the body dyeth it will bee secure when the soule shall bee presented before God it will bee secure when both body and soule shall stand before the terrible barre of the iust Iudge Though all the world bee turned topsie turuie though it weepe though it laugh though it perish though it vanish yet a good conscience neuer shrincketh Let the body bee brought vnder with punishment let it be macerated with fasting let it bee torne with stripes let it bee stretched vpon the racke let it bee slaine with the sword let it be hanged vpon the gallowes yet the conscience will be secure Secondly it may admonish vs aboue all things to take heed of sinne least it breed a worme in the conscience to gnawe and to wound the same with endlesse woe For as it hath beene said alreadie howsoeuer pleasure may accompanie the committing of sinne yet honour of conscience alwayes followeth after Vse 3 Thirdly it may admonish vs to pittie them that are afflicted in conscience Psal 41.1 Blessed is he saith Dauid that iudgeth wisely of the poore VVee knowe not how soone wee may drinke of the same cup our selues And therefore wee should pray for them in their distresse It was the fault of Iobs friends that seeing him cast downe with the hand of God Iob. 19.2 16.5 they vexed his soule and tormented him with wordes of reproach Where as rather they should haue strengthned him with their mouth and the comfort of their lippes should haue asswaged his sorrow Vse 4 Last of all it may serue to teach vs that if the horrour of conscience be so great in this life how vnspeakeable and vnsupportable it shall bee in the life to come Where that shall bee infinite which here is finite where that shall bee vnmeasurable which here is measurable where there is the Sea of sorrow whereof this is but a drop and where there is the flame of that fire which here is lesse then a sparke For whatsoeuer anguish wicked men indure here it is but the beginning of sorrow as our Sauiour Christ saith Mat. 24.8 And as the children of God haue onely in this life the earnest 1. Cor. 1.22 and the first fruites Rom. 8.23 of that happinesse which they shall fully enioy in the Kingdome of heauen so on the other side the wicked haue here but euen a tast onely of that miserie which shall bee heaped and powred vpon them in hell And therefore Saint Bernard saith well a Quid illic confusionis erit quid miseriae quid doloris quando iam immortalis factus interior ille conscientiae vermis tanta malignitate corrodet sed non consumet animam infelicem Bern. in declamat 1. Cor. 2.9 what confusion what misery what sorrow shall there bee there when that inward woâ—me of conscience shall gnawe the wretched soule with such crueltie and yet shall not consume it As neither eye hath seene nor eare hath heard nor heart can conceiue the ioyes that God hath prepared for them that loue him so no tongue can expresse no heart can imagine what horrible torments are prepared for the wicked Happie and thrice happie are they that shall neuer feele them Hanged himselfe This proceeded not from a Aretius in locum repentance but from desperation For though hee confessed his sinne as wee haue heard b Faciliùs desperatione cucurrit ad laqueâ—m quà m humilitate veniam deprecatus est Aret. probl de peccato in spi sanct yet hee was more readie by desperation to runne to the gallowes then by humilitie to craue pardon And therefore c Sceleratior omnibus O Iuda inselicior extitisti quem non paenitentia reuocauit ad Dominum sed desperatio traxit ad laqueum Glos ordin in locum as one saith hee was more wicked and more wretched then all men in that his repentance could not bring him to the Lord but desperation drewe him to the rope he could not for his life giue one rappe at the mercie gate of God for the forgiuenesse of his sinnes but was ouerwhelmed with honour of conscience by the apprehension of Gods wrath And herein Iudas is a patterne of all reprobates whom the Deuill leadeth as it were hoodwinckt a long time into many great and fearefull sinnes and at the last when their eyes are opened that they see the hainousnesse of their sinnes but see not the mercie of God he casteth them headlong into despaire and causeth them to cast off all hope of comfort and saluation d Penitentia humani animi sine gratia Dei quantò maâ—or est tantò est periculosior absorbet enim hominem abundantiori trislitia desperationem inducit talem fuisse iudae paenitentiam hic exitus comprobat Caietan in locii Lira in locum For repentance without the grace of God the greater it is the more dangerous it is for it swalloweth vp a man with more abundant sorrow and bringeth desperation And such was the repentance of Iudas as this end of his proueth And herein hee sinned more then hee did in betraying his Master because Lyra noteth in betraying of Christ hee sinned directly against his humanitie but by his despaire hee sinned directly against his deitie because hee sinned against the infinitenesse of his diuine mercy Now this his desperation proceeded from two causes First from the greatnesse of his sinne in betraying him of whose innocencie and holinesse hee had so good experience Secondly because hee had heard our Sauiour Christ whom hee knewe to bee a true Prophet whose wordes should neuer faile pronounce his damnation against him for so hee threatned Lira in locum when hee discouered his treason VVoe bee to that man Mat. 24.35 26.24 by whom the Sonne of man is