Peters Fall, Title page – Table of contents
PETERS FALL. ¶ Two Sermons vponupon the Historie of Peters denying Christ. Wherin we may see the causes of mans falling from God, and the manner how, both of the wicked thorough incredulitie, and of the godly by infirmitie: and also the way that God hath set downe in his word to rise againe. By IOHN VDALL, Preacher of the word of God at Kingston vponupon Temmes.
Prouerbs. 24, 16. A iust man falleth seauen times, and riseth againe, but the wicked fall into mischiefe.
¶Printed at London by Iohn Windet, and Thomas Iudson for Nicholas Lyng. Anno. 1584.
To the right Honorable Lord, Frauncis, Earle of Bedford, Knight of the noble order of the Garter, one of her Maiesties most honorable priuie Counsell, IOHN VDALL wisheth increase, and continuance of vertue and godlines.
THE greatest difference that the Philosophers could finde (right Honorable) betweene man and beast, was the rule of reason, wherby they could perceiue that man could giuegive iudgement of things present and things past, and comparing them together, could (after a sort) prognosticate of things to come, which moued them according to theyr power and vnderstanding, to labour night and day in continuall meditation of the excellencie of the same, to seeke the adorning and beautifying thereof, with all those things which brute beasts for lacke of reason coulde not hauehave: as namely, the continuall searching out of naturall causes, the daily consideration of the effects, and operations of things in this world: and the particular qualities of eueryevery seuerall beast, bird, fish, tree, herbe, worme, fruite, stone, and euerie other creature whatsoeuer. The benefite of whose diligēce redoundeth euen to our great good, and consolation, as the Physitian verie well knoweth, and the diseased patient sensibly feeleth: yea, and (which more is) they stayed not themselues in this alone, but labouring still to beautifie that same diuine part of mans mind (I meane reason) they inuented another kynde of flower, whiche they called Morall Philosophie, wherewithall their meaning was, to hauehave the effects of reason rightly ruled, to shine foorth most brightly in eueryevery particular action of mans life, putting all their contemplations by this meanes, in assiduall and dayly practise: wherein, how excellent they were, and how forcibly they vsed it in their conuersation, and also how equally it directed all their deedes by iustice and equitie, their owne writings remaining yet, and their notable acts recorded in histories, do better & more plentifully declare, then either I can, or my present purpose may suffer me. OnelyOnly thus much is to be saide, that their vertues were so excellent, that we aime stil at them, and their common wealths so well ordered, that we make them our continuall platforme & patterne: and the nearer we come vntounto diuers of thē, the better we thinke our gouernment established. Now it is not vnknowne vntounto your honor, nor to any other that hauehave the true feeling of Gods grace working in their hearts, and the Sunne of righteousnes shining in theyr consciences: that the Lord our God, the creator of all things, our redeemer, preseruer and sanctifier, hath giuen vntounto vsus not only the knowledge of all these things (in some measure) which they had in great aboundance, but (which more is) a farre surpassing and more excellent difference, to seuer vsus withall from the rest of his creatures, then euer they had, or once thought of, to wit, the knowledge of his louelove and fauour towards vsus in his Sonne Iesus Christ. For albeit it be true that reason is the essentiall and formall difference, as they call it, betweene man and beast, yet we see euen in them some sparke, and as it were, some speciall kind of reason: for to try the same in particular effects, we see that a Dog can discerne his maister from another man, yea, though he be twenty yeares from him, if it be true that Homer reporteth of Vlisses his dog,Odiss. 17. & him that vseth to hurt him he can shun, and can fawne on him that cherisheth him. The bird also can foretell whē raine wil fall. The Emit in the time of sommer, maketh prouision for winter. Many there be, such like as these which we reade of in Pliny & Aristotle, writing of the nature of beasts, and whiche by our owne experience we daily see. But this is so farre from seeming to be reuealed to any other creature, that it is a paradox, and a strange thing to many of vsus, that differ frō bruite beasts by reason, & therfore which is the drift of this whole discourse, it standeth vsus vponupon which professe the name of Iesus Christ, which do acknowledge him to be giuē of God the Father, and sealed vntounto vsus by God the holy Ghost, for our eternall saluation: to hauehave an especiall care, that as Christ sayth of the wicked, (that they be wiser in their generation, then the children of light) so it be not sayde of vsus,Luke. 16, 8. that the Paganes, Heathen, and Gentile Philosophers, be not found in the sight of God more diligent in their humane profession, then we in the profession of Iesus Christ: I meane more glorious in shewing foorth the fruite of their Philosophy in their actions, then we of our diuinitie in our life and conuersation. And surely, I would to God that we could truly and rightly follow their steps in one thing, which is this: I reade of them that the more knowledge they obteined in their Philosophy, the more they abandoned themselues from the vanities of the world, so that one casteth his gold into the sea,Crates. another carried all his substance with him wheresoeuer he went: another contented himselfe with a tub or tunne to dwell in,Bias. in steede of his house:Diogenes. all of them whatsoeuer they possessed, they did willingly employ it to the encrease of knowledge in themselues and others. But do we so? no. We seeke how to serue God and Mammon too:Matth. 6, 24. we labour to become religious in shewe, and couetous in deede: We desire to come to Christ by night with Nicodemus,Iohn. 3, 4. for feare of worldly losses, we seeke to crie Lord, Lord, but we hauehave no care to do the works of the Lord.Matth. 7, 21. 2. Tim 3, 5. Matth. 20, 22. We make a shewe of godlinesse, but we denie the power thereof: we wish to sit at the right and left hand of Iesus in his kingdome, but we are loth to drinke of his cup. (All in one word) We professe Iesus Christ,Iude verse. 4. but turne the grace of God into wantonnesse. Hence it is that wickednesse doth so abound, that Sathan hath preuailed so much, and that so few endeuour a godly life: euen for that the enemie can perswade them that profession will serue, that a shewe is sufficient. But howsoeuer it be, that so many be drunke with this cup of Sathans poison, against whome in truth, the Heathen Philosophers that neuer knew God, shall rise in the day of iudgement and condemne them, for that they hauehave beene more carefull to shew the fruite of their profession in vpright dealing (though it was in vaine) then these hauehave bene, yet it behoueth all them that see these things, and are greeued with the consideration thereof, and are not spotted with the same brand, to be so much the more carefull, as the euill is common, that they smell not of their abhomination, that they depart from them,Reuel. 18, 4. and be not partakers of their sinnes, that they hate the garment spotted by the flesh, that they fashion not themselues like vntounto thys world,Iude verse. 2, 3. Rom. 12, 2. but that they be changed in their shape, by the renewing of their mindes, and that thereby their profession may be adorned,Tit. 2, 10. and the truth thereof in their hearts and consciences forceablie established. When I considered these things (right Honorable) and sought out of Gods booke (which is the looking glasse discouering all enormities) wherein the chiefe cause heereof should consist: I perceyued (so farre as my small knowledge could atteyne vntounto) that the lacke of the right vse of Gods word, and heedefull care to be gouerned by the same, did ingender these, and infinite other abhominations: and therefore for mine owne comfort, and the instruction of others, I dyd make choyse of the history of Peters denying of Christ to entreate vponupon: which being ended, for certayne considerations heereafter mentioned, I hauehave so neere as I could, penned it according as it was spoken: Most humblie beseeching your Honour, that the same may proceede vnderunder the wings of your defence and protection, which I doubt not shall be by that meanes of the godly sort, the better accepted, and of the cankered caterpiller the lesse touched, so shall I be bound (which notwithstanding is my dutie) to pray vntounto the Lord God of heauen, for the encrease and continuance of the graces of his holie spirit vntounto your honour, to guide and direct the same in all your good and godly enterprises whatsoeuer, that thereby Gods holie name heere vponupon earth may be glorified, hys children mainteined and cherished, sinne and iniquitie cut downe and quenched, Iesus Christ his Gospell promoted and aduanced, and your owne conscience vnfaynedly comforted. Amen.
Your Honours most humble to commaund. IOHN VDALL.
To the Godly and well disposed Reader.
HAuing taken in hand to intreat of this place of Scripture (according to my poore talent, wherwith God hath enabled me) I was very earnestly requested by some of my friendes (such as feare God vnfainedlye) to put the same in printe for the benefite (as they said) of others But considering with my selfe, the greate number of learned and godly treatises already extant, & how vnnecessary it should be for my greene & vntimely blossome to appeere in this age of the ripe Haruest, and also howe readye mans nature is to cauill at the doings of others: and like the spider to suck poyson out of the finest Flowers, I was fully determined it should neuer shew it selfe in the worlde: yet beeing mooued wyth their earnest suite, and at length being ouercome with their forceable perswasions, I hauehave penned the same as neere as I can remember. Now (good Reader) if thou be desirous to knowe what benefite thou shalt reape by the same, I am very loth to indent with thee before hand for if I should promise nothing, I were to be blamed to trouble thee, which else mightest be better imployed. If I shoulde promise that which peraduenture thou maiest finde: I might seeme to arrogate too muche vntounto my selfe, & therfore I commit it to thy godly consideration and iudgement. But for the place of scripture it selfe, thus muche I dare say (and that I trust with the consent of all the godlye learned) that if thou desire to vnderstand how the wicked doe begin to fall from the Lord: what causes doe concurre, and in what order they proceede vntounto the height of iniquitie: If thou desire to know what it is that mooueth the godly to fall & offend god And lastly if thou be willing to vnderstand what things bee necessary and expedient for thy selfe, being fallen to returne vntounto god, & to stand in his fauour when thou art in it, I am sure thou maiest learne it out of this history. Now if I hauehave not so fully discoursed of eueryevery point, as thou couldest wish, nor so learnedly proceeded, as the matter doth require: I praye thee beare with me, and praye to the Lord to encrease his beginnings in me, & supply my want? concerning the last parte of al, which is repentance, I hauehave of purpose beene sparing in it, because others hauehave learnedlye and at large intreated thereof: whoseful intreaty if thou desire, hauehave recourse vntounto those their writings. To conclude, if any thyng doe here please thee, giuegive God his due for it (to whome all honour belongeth) If ought be lacking, helpe me I beseeche the with thy praiers to God our father, that it woulde please him to direct al our indeauoures to the aduancement of his glory, the benefite of his Church, and comfort of our consciences that we may walke warily and circumspectly amongst this froward & crooked generatiō.
Amen.
The Text out of Saint Mathevv and S. Luke conferred both togither.
IEsus said vntounto Peter, verilye I say vntounto thee,Mat. 26.34. that this night before the Cocke crow thou shalt deny me thrice.
Peter saide vntounto him, though I shoulde dye with thee,35. yet will I not deny thee.
And Peter followed a far off, & when they had kindled a fire in the middest of the Hall,Luk. 22.54.55. and were set downe togither, Peter also sat downe amongst them.
And a certaine maíde beheld him as he sat by the fire,56. and hauing well looked on him saide, this man was also with him.
But he denied before them al saying:57. woman, I knowe him not,58. And after a little while another man sawe him, and saide,Mat. 26.72. thou art also of them
But he denied againe with an oth, saying: I knowe not the man.
Then after a while came vntounto him those that stoode by,73. and said vntounto Peter, surely, thou art also one of them,74. for euen thy speach bewraieth thee.
Then began he to cursse him selfe,Luke 22.60. and to sweare, saying: I knowe not the man.
And immediately while he yet spake,61. the Cocke did crowe.
Then the Lord turned backe, and looked vpō Peter, and Peter remembred the wordes of the Lord, how he had saide vntounto him before the Cock crow, thou shalt denye mee thrise.
And Peter went out and wept bitterly.62.
The Method and order of the whole matter in this booke.
Peter his
fall,
the causes,
within himselfe,
presumption, in
forsaking Gods word. 1.
leaning to hys owne power. 2.
following a farre off. 3.
without himself,
the companye, the hygh priestes seruantes. 4.
the place, the warme fire. 5.
the manner how,
1. By bare denying. 6.
2. By swearing. 7.
3. By execration.
rising again
the causes.
without himself.
the crowing of the cocke. 9.
the looking backe of Iesus. 10.
within himselfe
what Christ had saide. 11.
what he had done. 12.
the manner how.
his going out. 13.
his sorrowing. 14.