Peters Repentance, Text (1 of 3)

Peters Repentance · Text (1 of 3)

p. 3PETERS REPENTANCE.

MARKE 14. 27.

And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the Shepheard, and the Sheepe shall be scattered.

Vers. 28. But after that I am risen, I will goe before you into Galilee.

Ver. 29. But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I.

Ver. 30. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the Cocke crow twice, thou shalt denie me thrice.

Ver. 31. But he spake the more vehemently, If I should dye with thee, I will not denie thee in any wise. Likewise also said they all.

IT hath beene said of old,Instruunt Patriarchae, tam erran…es, quam docentes. that the Patriarkes and holy men of God instructed the Church as well when they erred and fell into sinne, as when they delivered wholsome and sound Doctrine. Which may be particularly instanced in the Apostle Peter, who in his two Epistles hath left us very good instructions for our Faith and Obedience, and against Deceivers: and in these passages of the Gospell is propounded to us as a Patterne of humane frailty in his fall, and of Divine power in his rising and repentance; both which instruct Believers concerning the strength of corruptions remaining in them, concerning the weaknesse of their graces, their need of renewing faith and repentance, their need of humility, feare and watchfulnesse, the mercy of a pardoning God, what thankfulnesse they should returne for that mercy, and for the certainty of persevering in the estate of grace, though with many failings and hoblings in the way.

But first in generall,Parts of this History. concerning all the Disciples; we have here a Prediction of their dispersion, ver. 27. all of them offended in him: together with a confirmation p. 4of it by a testimony of the Prophet Zacharie, the Shepheard smitten, and the Sheepe scattered, ver. 28. To which Christ subjoynes a consolation, namely that he and they should have a joyfull meeting together againe after his Resurrection; with the place where, in Galilee.

Particularly of Peters fall; first we have the occasion of it, that is, his rashnesse, saying once or twice, he would sticke to Christ though all should leave him, ver. 29. Then our Saviours checke thereto, ver. 30. first admonishing him of his fall, thou shalt deny me: secondly, the determinate number of his fals, thrice: thirdly, the time, this day, even this night. Fourthly, the signe he gives him, before the Cocke crow twice. Whereunto Peter replyes more stifly, ver. 31. to dye with him rather then deny him.

Afterward, when this prediction is to be acted; we have first the Occasion of Peters fall, partly in his going into the Priests Hall and warming himselfe by the fire, partly in the Priests Maids, who charged him with adhering to Christ, ver. 66, 67. Secondly, his fall it selfe, ver. 68. whose particulars with the circumstances and aggravations, we shall meet in treating of the words.

Lastly, for his Repentance; we have first the time, then: secondly, the meanes, both externall, the crowing of the Cocke, and Christs looking backe upon Peter; and internall, foreign quum animadvertisset. Bez.Peter remembred the words of our Lord, and weighed them well: thirdly, the manner of his Repentance, he went out and wept bitterly.

In all which we shal finde usefull notes and instructions for the use of edifying, that we may avoyd the like falling into like dangers; or, if we fall, we may at least recover all by the like repentance. And first of our Saviours Prediction.

All yee shall be offended because of me this night, &c.…

HE predicteth both their fall and rising, their sinne and his grace, that they might not despaire though their sinne were great; but come againe by repentance, and take hold of his grace.

Note 1. How Christ is a rocke of offence;Many offended in Christ, and how. he saith not, you shall be offended by me, but in me. In my infirmity, humanity and base estate; for Christ was never a cause active of offence, never gave just cause; but passively, an occasion of offence, as a rocke offends no man, but a blinde Man fals and offends at the rocke; Not properly and Actively, but accidentally and Passively; so Christ offends none: but so many are the scandals about and concerning Christ, as he pronounceth him blessed that is not offended in him.

1. Some are offended at the basenesse of his Birth; Is not this the Carpinters Sonne?

2. At the place of his Education; Can any good come out of Galilee?

3. At his Doctrine; these are hard sayings, who can beare them?

4. At his Miracles; he casts out Divels by Belzebub.

5. At his conversation as too licentious, Mat. 11. Johns Disciples Fast, &c. A Wine-bibber, Glutton.

6. At his Company; He converseth with sinners, Luke 5.

7. At his Allegiance; that he payes not tribute, Mat. 17.

8. At his Crosse and Passion; 1 Coa. 1. 23.We Preach Christ crucified, a scandall to the Jews.

But what marvaile of all this, that Scribes and Pharisees, blinde guides, and blinde People led by them, take offence by Christ, when even his Disciples and all they take offence at his lowe estate and Passion, immediately before warned by his own mouth?

But see how prone we are to offend our selves in Christ; say not as the Jewes, Had we lived in the dayes of our Forefathers, we would not have slaine the Prophets; so, had we Christ among us, we would not be offended; for every one almost is offended in him: Thus▪

Christ comes in the Preaching of the Word; but that is a breach and foolishnesse, p. 5yet without this foolishnesse of Preaching you shall never be saved;1 Cor. 1. ….1 Cor 1 thou wouldst have heard Christ on earth hadst thou lived; no; He that heareth you, heareth me; and contrary.

Whatsoever Christ speakes, thou wouldest not be offended; but nothing the Minister speakes but offends thee. If Christ should bid thee leave thy Usury, thou wouldst not be offended at him. If his Minister in his name bid thee, it offends thee.

If Christ should say to thee,James 5.Jas 5 sweare not at all, louelove your enemies, in giving honour go one before another, Mat. 5.Matt 5redeem the time, play it not away, put off vaine fashi… in Apparell, &c. you would not be offended.Rom. 12.Rom 12 But he hath said it, and his Preachers cannot speake it after him,Ephes. 5. 16.Eph 5:16 but thou art offended.

If Christ should bid thee take up his Crosse and follow him, thou sayest thou wouldst not be offended; but the Crosse of the Gospell so offende thee, thou wilt rather part with the Gospell then suffer a word of disgrace for thy profession; is not this to be offended at Christ? Christ comes in his Servants that hold forth the word of life by holy profession, and expresse the vertues of Christ, and abstain from the evils of the world; thou abhorrest them, canst not abide them, a packe of dissemblers; thou wouldst be an enemy to Christ and his Apostles.

Note 2. Marvaile not that the most of the world be offended at Christ this day;Holy profession offends at this day. if the Apostles could be so offended at his very person, how much more the world at his profession? as in the dayes of the Jewes, Isay 8. 18. Behold, I and the Children thou hast given me, are as signes and wonders in Israel.

Christs owne Disciples who were mirrours in the world, were counted monsters in the world; and those that lived as Angels, were as gazing stocks to men and Angels, 1 Cor. 4. 9.

The holy religion of Christ was once everywhere counted as Heresie, Acts 24. 14.Acts 24:14Acts 28. 22. so is it among Christians; but shall we count it Puritanisme, which is a vile Heresie? or is the Doctrin which we Preach and you professe a Sect? if it be a Sect, better be no man then not of this Sect.

Note 3. Comfort to godly Preachers and professors of Religion;Comfort to godly Preachers and professors. if the world be offended in them, it was so in their head before them. And the servant is no better; and they are offended in them that would be offended in Christ himselfe; be content as Christ; and for no other cause in them then that in Christ, and the light being the same, if it offended in the Head, it will in the Members; Christs Doctrine tended to Mortification, and crossed wicked mens lusts; if thine doe so, as the world was offended in him, so will it in thee. Christs life was holy and innocent, and actually reproved the corruptions of the world, and this was another cause of offence. If thy life doe so, all loose persons, Teachers or others will be offended in thee;Mat. 7. 29.Matt 7:29 Christs Ministry was powerfull against sinne, not as the Scribes, but with Authority; this was an eye-sore to blinde guides. If thine be so, then it will be an offence and pricke in the eyes of numbers.

Christs whole course was so gracious, so profitable, as God testified with him everywhere that he was with him; here was a matter of envie: If God testifie with thee, envious men will testifie against thee; For if we let him alone, all men will beleeve in him.

Note 4. Let our care be,Offend none justly. that the world may not justly be offended by us; and if in us, it was our Lords case, and our comfort shall be, men are not so much offended in us, as in Christ in us.

Christ never offended any man, yet what loads of slanders carried he to sanctifie ours?

Quest. How should a Christian subject to offence carry himselfe, to stop the mouthes of wicked men, when nothing he doth never so carefully and justly, but is traduced, himselfe slandered, wronged, abused?

Surely thus we must resolve:

1. That innocency, wisdome, goodnesse, will not free us against the worlds p. 6malice, no not if it were equall with Christs, no more then it did with him; but before Gods tribunall and equall hearing of men.

2. That Dogs will bark at Strangers, though they neither make nor meddle with them; and a wise Traveller (shall make himselfe worke enough to stop every Dogges barke) will goe on his way, and esteeme it as the barke of Dogges.

3. Labour to give no offence; and if Christ in thee offend any, let them stumble and fall; for to this they were appointed.

Note 5. A R… for the choice of our Religion,A trial of true religiousnesse. or the triall of it. Christian religion is a generall offence to the wicked, as Christ the subject of it; most of the world are offended with it, as Christ himselfe was left of followers, friends, Disciples, kinsfolkes; and ever suspect that way the most walke in, that is the broad way; the greater part still is against the better part.

Few shall be saved, few beleeve, few finde the narrow way; Christ hath but a few Disciples, and they for a time offended in him too.

Dislike not that Religion which hath but a few; a few haire braind fellowes onelyonly run to Sermons, and are so precise, say some. But choose thou the broad way at thy perill, and esteeme thy Religion as the Papist his, by Multitudes.

Good men must choose theirs by Truth, and that is a deare commodity in the hands of a few; and you must make this your wisdome to goe rather by the guide of a few that have their eyes to see their way, then of Multitudes that are blinde and discerne nothing.

For it is written, I will smite the Shepheard, and the Sheepe shall be scattered.

COnfirmation of the former Prediction, by a testimony of Zachary 13. 7. Christ gives here a twofold reason of the Disciples scandall.

1. It was foretold; the Prediction must be accomplished.

2. Because the Shepheard was to be smitten▪ they as Sheepe must be scattered.

The Scope of which place is, to prove Christ the true Pastor of the Flocke,Scope. even by his smiting and abasement; and so most aptly alledged that the Disciples might have matter of strength and comfort thence where they stumbled and offended themselves.

How different Divine conclusions are from humane,Divine conclusions differ from humane. and how contrary Gods spirit is from mans in drawing conclusions! Humane reason saith thus, Christ is smitten, and therefore he is not to be longer followed as a Guide: the Disciples themselves fall off from him; but Divine reason concludes cleane contrary; Christ is smitten, and therefore is the Shepheard to whom the Sheepe ought to cleave and not scatter themselves; so Isaiah 53. 4. Because he was smitten of God and humbled, proves him to be our Messiah and Redeemer.

Reason saith, That is not the true Religion which is so opposed and contradicted by Jewes, Turkes, Papists, held but by an handfull of men; the Spirit saith, that is true Christianity which is so resisted; never was the Sun so beset with darke clouds as Truth with oppositions. As therefore that Christ is the true Messiah,Luke 2. 34.Luke 2:34 because he is a signe of contradiction, whom now Herod seekes to kill, the Scribes and Pharises are deadly enemies unto: so is that true Christianity, which the world opposeth.

Humane reason saith, That cannot be the true way which so few walke in; can so many Ages,Mat. 7. 14.Matt 7:14 so many great Persons be so deceived? the Spirit faith, therefore it is the right way,1 Cor. 1. 26.1 Cor 1:26 because so few finde it; not many great ones, wise, learned, &c. as not many, but a few meane Fisher-men followed Christ himselfe.

Reason saith, they cannot be deare to God, who are so afflicted and smitten; the Spirit from thence concludes them Sons of God, Heb. 12, 6, 7.

p. 7Vse 1. Vnsafe therefore it is to follow our reason for our guide in divine things; no, be ordered by the word and rules, of Religion.

2. And we learne to deny our selves which is the first lesson in Christianity, Mat. 16, 24.

I will smite the Shepherd.

WHO is the Shepherd? Christ himself,Christ according to his many benefits hath many names. Iohn 10. I am the good Shepherd. Christ hath as many names as Benefits.

1. He redeemed us, and thence called the Redeemer of Israel.

2. He rules us by his Spirit and grace, and thence called the King of the Church.

3. He feeds us, and called thence the Bread of life.

4. He refresheth us, and thence called the Water of life.

5. He enlightneth us, and thence called the Light of the World. Iohn 8. 12.

6. He eternally appeaseth the Father, so called our high Priest, and here our Shepherd.

Quest. Why?

Answ. Because promised, Ezek. 34. 23. I will set up one Shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, and accordingly performed all, offices of a good Shepherd.

So here called a Shepherd, a name of great love and sweetnesse.

1. As descending of ancient Patriarks who were Shepherds,Christ why called a Shepherd. and they Types of him, Abel, Jacob, David, Moses.

2. He knows his Sheepe, and markes them for his owne. Iohn 10. 3. 14. And God sets his seale on them, 2 Tim. 21. 19. knows them by name, as Cyrus his Souldiers.

3. He feeds their Soules and bodyes in greene pastures, Psal. 23. and drives them to the sweet streames and waters of comfort, by the paths of grace and righteousnesse.

4. Defends them from the Wolfe and enemies, being timorous, simple, weake, shiftlesse creatures, to flye, resist, or save themselves; as David met the Lyon and Beare, and slew them, and saved the Sheepe, 1 Sam. 17. 34. so this Shepherd goes on to meet the Adversaries, and to give his life for the sheepe. Oh wonderfull love, and accordingly to be much magnified! this good Sheepherd watcheth over his Flocke with his eye never absent day nor night, sleepeth not by night as other Shepherds, but keepeth our bones, Psal. 34. 20. numbers the haires, Mat. 10. 30. observeth Enemies and turneth them back, Psal. 56 9.

One Sheep may forget another, as the Butler did Joseph, but Christ cannot forget any of his Flocke.

5. Nourisheth the young and tender Lambes, Isa. 40. 11. breakes not bruised reedes, suffereth not his to be tempted above their strength.

Seekes them straying, rejoyceth in finding, as in the Parable of the lost Sheep; seekes and saves them that are lost, cures the diseased; if the diseased be contagious, removes it till it be cured, washeth them in the streames of his blood, and every way saveth.

7. He bringeth them to the Fold

1. Of grace.

2. Of glory.

So of Christs Title.

2. This Shepherd must be smitten; namely, with ignominy, reproach, grievous strokes,Zech. 13. 17.Zech 13:17 death and the Sword; so in Zachary, Sword, arise and smite, &c.

Quest. What had he deserved?

Answ. He was fellow of the Lord, How Christ is Gods fellow.not onelyonly in familiarity of grace, but conformity of nature; for none can be Gods fellow which is not of the same nature; what fellowship betweene abhorring natures? therefore he was more pure then the Sun, and no spot in him from top to toe, but all perfection of grace; he was not therefore smitten for his own sake, but ours; so Isa. 53. 5. he was wounded for our transgressions.

p. 83. Who smit him?By whom he was smitten. I will smite him.

Object. The Original in Zachary saith; Sword smile, and rise upon the Shepherd.

Sol. The Evangelist or our Saviour respecting sense rather then words, thus changeth them.

2. The Prophet speaketh prophetically, Allegorically, obscurely, in a compared sense.

But now the accomplishment of a Prophecy being the best Expositor, he spe…ks according to the accomplishment plainly and without obscurity.

3. In both Phrases nothing else is signifyed but that all that trouble and persecution of Jesus Christ was moved according to the will and counsell of God, as Act. 4. 28. Herod and Pilate met to doe whatsoever thy hand and counsell determined: the Prophet in the commandement to the Sword expresseth the counsell of God; the Evangelist the hand of God in the death of Christ.

Object. But he was smitten by the high Priests and Jewes who slue him.

Answ. The hand and action of God was in it latent, the actions of the instruments were apparent, Gods hand was secret and hid to them, and therefore they sinned highly in bringing Gods purpose to passe.

Object. That God had a counsell ordaining and permitting this sin we grant; but that he had a hand in the sin, is hard to say.

Answ. Saint Luke addeth also, that God had a hand in this action, but more improperly then counsell; for this hand wrought not with them in the sin, but moderated, guided, restrained and over-ruled the sin to his glory and Christs advancement.

Vse 1. In that Christ is the Shepherd, comfort our selves in his

1. Love.

2. Care.

1. Love;Comfort in Christ our Sheepherd. more Love is included in this word Shepherd, then if he should call himselfe our Father, Brother, Kinsman; the good Shepherd gives his life for his Sheepe, which every Father and Brother will not doe.

2. Care; the Sheep need care for nothing but the Shepherds presence, Psal. 23. The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall want nothing; that is, nothing that is needfull and good; Jacob was a carefull Shepherd as any was, yet lost some Sheepe; some lost, some stolne, some torne, Gen. 31. 39, 40.

But the care of this Shepherd is such as he loseth none whom he hath chosen. Iob. 17. 12.

Moses was a carefull Shepherd of Gods People, but sometimes weary, sometimes grudged at the great burden and charge, Numb. 11. 11. But Christ was obedient even unto the death.

Vse 2. In that Christ was smitten with the Sword;Be patient in all smitings. learne patience in all afflictions and crosses, ordinary and extraordinary, Heb. 12. 2. Run with patience the race before us looking at Jesus.

Are we smitten with tongues of men, swords of men? so was the greene Tree; the dry may be contented.

1. He suffered for no necessity or desert, but by voluntary humility; we deserve even fiery tryals.

2. He not for his cause, but ours, and shall not we for his?

3. He despised the shame, and why should not we doe so?

4. The end of his crosse was the exaltation at Gods right hand, and we expect the same end.

Vse 3. Of admonition;Mourn for sin which caused Christ to be smitten. in that he was smitten for us, see it affect us with sorrow that we by sin drew out the Sword against Christ; Oh that we could cry out of our selves and sins, who brought Gods companion, and as the Apostle saith, one who thought it no robbery to be equall with God, to abase himself as a Servant, as a Sinner, to be smitten and suffer death as a malefactor, Phil. 2. 6. how should it humble us? looke on him whom we have smitten and mourn.

Againe we should stir up our selves to thankefulnesse, that he who was Gods p. 9companion in grace and nature,Sudy to be thankfull to Jesus Christ. would be content to be smitten for us, that by his stripes he would heale us; had the stroke for the least sinne light upon our selves, it could not be but eternally mortal; now he having put himselfe betweene the blow of Gods sword and us who had deserved the deadly blow, to him belongs all the praise of our peace and freedome; if a man should keep a blow off us with the losse of his life, we would be sorry and thankfull for such a friend; nay if losse of a limbe, &c.

Againe,Not all hated of God who are smitten by him. was Christ the Shepherd smitten, who was equall with God, and that by God? see that all are not hated of God, who are smitten of God; never was there such an object of Gods love, all creatures were not capable of that love which his Father poured upon him; yet he was smitten with temptation, persecution, and all kindes of affliction to sanctifie all kindes unto us, and not spared to the death.

Let none say he is cast out of favour because of afflictions, never any so smittenas Christ, never any so deare to God.

Againe,The liker to God, the more smitten. note who they be that are most smitten by the World in the World; even those that are likest unto God, and most conformable unto Jesus Christ.

If Christ had not been Gods companion, he had escaped better; so acquaintance with God brings many a blow from the World; if thou wilt converse with the World which knows neither him, nor thee, he hath rods in water to lash thee as a W…nderer or Stranger.

What marvaile is it that godly Pastors whose lives and doctrine come nearest unto this chiefe Sheepherd, be most smitten in the World? if Jeremy be lying in the Dungeon; if Herod smite James with the Sword, and take Peter, and vex others; if the whole rout of Drunkards, Usurers, and bench companions say, come and let us smite this Jeremy with the tongue, Jer. 18. 18.Jer 18:18let us slander him Towne and Country, we dare not with our hands, but our tongues are our owne, say lewd fellowes, who can controll us?

Let us say to our Preacher that he never did or thought of, somewhat will sticke, if we can doe it boldly enough, and with faces of brasse; for even thus was our Lord and chiefe Shepherd smitten, who saith they layd to my charge things I never knew; so may we, so may I.

Though Christ was smitten it was not by chance,Comfort because Gods hand is in it. fortune, or altogether by malice of wicked men, but all by the counsel and decree of God, comfort thy self.

1. It is Gods hand, not so heavy as Divels or wicked mens, Iohn 19. 10. nor shal alwayes lie on thee, nor so long as they would, Psal. 125. 3.

2. As in Christs smiting, God is now executing by evill men some of his good purposes towards thee; all workes for good.

3. He suffers them to try and exercise thee for a time, as Christ; but not his councell onelyonly is in it, but his hand to moderate it, that they cannot doe what they will, but what he will.

And the Sheepe shall be scattered.]

THE effect or consequent of the Shepherds smiting.

1. Who be these Sheep, Ezek. 34. 10. 2. How they are scattered.

These Sheepe be the Disciples and faithfull Believers in the name of Christ, under the Rule, care and custody of the chiefe Shepherd.

1. The Church is the great Sheepfold,Church called a Sheepfold, why. Iohn 10. 16. for out of the Church is no salvation; the fold is a defence for Sheepe; and because the Members of the Church live in concord and peace as Sheepe, not as Lyons, Wolves, Tygars, &c. The marke of Christs Sheep is love, John. 13. 13.

Every Christian resembles this creature in the Text:Christians why called Sheep. 1. Simple, foolish, subject to stay and to be scattered; yea quite lost without the care of the Shepherd, Isa. 55. 6. seeke the Lord while he may be found; so are the faithfull, not onelyonly before p. 10conversion, 1 Pet. 2. 11. I beseech you as Pilgrims, wherein the whole life is but a straying from God; but even after never so little left of the Shepherd, as Noah, Lot, David, Hezekiah, and here all the Apostles; and can never returne without the Shepherds call, partly in the word as Nathan to David, partly by corrections, which are as the Shepherds Dog to fetch us in, as Josephs Brethren.

2. Beset with all manner of enemies, Dogs, Wolves, Lyons, Foxes, and destitute in it selfe of all meanes of safety, without speed, courage, and natural weapons (as other creatures are armed with) to resist so many Adversaries, so as their whole safety is in the presence and care of the Shepherd.

So the Members of Christ beset with Tyrants, Hereticks, Hypocrites, Seducers, false Brethren, and cannot put back violence with violence; their safety and defence lies not as many beasts, in their Hornes, Hoofes, Nayles or teeth; they are onelyonly armed with the mercy and care of the Shepherd, without whom they are sure to be a dayly prey to the Divell,1 Pet. 5▪ 8.1 Pet 5:8 the roaring Lyon and his instruments.

3. Harmelesse, patient, beare all wrongs, offer none, lose the Fleece, their lives, with meeknesse, without strugling.

Thus Christians resemble the Shepherd himselfe, he bare all wrongs, he never did wrong, he was led as a Sheepe to the slaughter, and before the Shearer opened not his mouth; and his Members must receive a second wrong, rather then revenge a former, and still possesse their Soules in patience.

Vse. 4. Acknowledge our selves after grace received silly Sheepe,Note thy weake disposition even after grace received. most easie to stray away and become a prey to all the ravenous Beasts of the field; take notice of our wandring and straying disposition, resembled in the parable of the lost Sheep, Luke 15. that unlesse the good Shepherd leave the ninety and nine to seek us up we never come back.

Let this

1. Make us depend on the Shepherd.

2. Be more watchfull.

3. Pray that he would seeke us out of our wandrings and reduce us.

Psal. 119. 176. I am as a wandering Sheep, Oh seeke thy Servant.

Vse. 2. Imitate Sheep in sundry Christian vertues.Imitate Sheep and wherein.

Though they be easie to stray, yet being strayed they be easily reduced whither the Shepherd will without resistance and trouble; so Gods Sheep having broke out into some sin, sometimes a small check of conscience, sometimes a light affliction, sometimes a word of threatning or reprehension in the Ministry will bring them on their knees and humble them, when as all Gods plagues will not subdue the hard heart of wicked Pharaoh not reduced with ten plagues, therein like the Leviathan. Job 41. 15.

Sheep know their Shepherd and no man else; they know his voice or whistle and no man else.

We must know our Shepherd in his Person, in his offices, and esteeme to know nothing but Jesus Christ, 1 Cor. 2. 2.1 Cor 2:2and him crucified; we must know no man else for Pardon of our sin, for merit of righteousnesse, for intercession or obtaining salvation, but onelyonly Jesus Christ.

Vera gloria, Jer. 9. 24. the right glorying.

Vita aeterna, Iohn 17. 3. this is eternal life.

We must know and acknowledge no voyce but his, no word but his, no unwritten traditions, no determination of Popes, Councels, Fathers, but his Scriptures a perfect guide, Gal. 1. 8, 9. If any man or Angel bring another word, hold him accursed.

3 Sheep presently heare the voyce of the Shepherd, John. 10. 27. my sheepe hear my voyce, not the voyce of Satan calling from light to darkenesse, not of Antichrist calling to traditions and superstitions; But Christs voyce.

1. Externall exhortationin the ministry.

2. Internal inspirations, by the motions of his spirit not quenched.

p. 113. Bountifull Largition; Christ speakes in his mercies, inviting to repentance, Rom. 2. 4.

4. Corporal flagellation; his hand is his voyce, and cals to humiliation and conversion.

A good Christian heares all this; Heare the Rod, and who appointed it, Mic. 6. 9.

4. Sheepe follow their Shepherd; so the Sheep of Christ obey him; a fruit of hearing; and bring in abundant fruits of obedience, abounding in good workes. Nothing but profitable in Sheepe, fleece, flesh, encrease, profitable in life and death, they be nowhere but enrich the Ground. Thus did the Shepherd, and thus must we. So of the Sheepe.

Secondly, How the Sheepe shall be scattered.]

OUr Saviour expresseth it,Of the scattering of the People. Ioh. 16. 32. Behold, the houre commeth, yea is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every one to his owne, and leave me alone. I shall be this night smitten with reproach, ignomy, and the sharpest sword of God and men, even to the death; and now whereas soundnesse of Faith would make you cleave unto me in life and death, you shall forsake me; some of you shall deny and forsweare me, and all flye from me, and be scattered every one his way, as if you were deceived and deluded in me; yea, every one of you shall shift for his owne safety, and fall both from me, and one from another, as Sheepe are dispersed and scattered, when the Shepherd is slaine and taken from them.

And how this Prediction was accomplished, see Mat. 26. 56. Then all the Disciples forsooke him and fled, so soone as he was in his enemies hands; and not onelyonly they but other Disciples and followers of Christ, as the two Disciples that were going to Emaus, Luk. 24. 11.Luke 24:11whose Faith was so shaken, as they say, We thought this should be he that should redeeme Israel, and this is the third day: but now they began to be of another minde.

Quest. Why were the Disciples thus scattered?

Answ. 1. In themselves; carnall and excessive feare of themselves, who were yet weake, and had not received the Spirit to strengthen them as afterward; they had not cast the costs of their profession, nor accounted sufficiently the expence of this building, as their Master had long before exhorted them.

Ans. 2. God in his wisdome would have Christ left of all his Disciples, because he was to be knowne to tread the Wine-presse of Gods wrath alone, Esay 63. 3.Isa 63:3without partner or fellow; none must share in the Action, or in the glory.

Ans. 3. Thus it behoved the Scripture to be fulfilled, in regard of Christ himselfe, who voluntarily undertaking the grievous burthen of our sinne, must be forsaken of God, and all other creatures, and comforts for the time; for so we had justly deserved, and he must be left alone and comfortlesse.

Ans. 4. To teach us, that all the safety and comfort of the strongest Christians, were they as neere to Christ as his deare Disciples, is in their relation and dependance on the chiefe Shepherd; for without Christ, the Shepherd of soules, we lie dispersed, ungathered, and in a forlorne estate: If he withdraw himselfe never so little, as great Beleevers as the Disciples flye away from him, and never come to him till he come to them.

Vse 1. Are the Disciples scattered when Christ is persecuted and smitten?No marvell if unsound fall quite away. what marvaile if hypocrites be quite blowne away from their profession by perecution, who onelyonly as chaffe cleave to the Wheat?

If the godly be scattered for a time from Christ and from themselves, as here the Disciples, what marvaile if hypocrites be scattered from both?

If …ffliction for Christ shake the Faith of so great Apostles, no marvaile if it quite overturne such as be uns…tled and ungrounded.

This is one of the ends of affliction for the Gospell, to try them that are sound; p. 12for as the faire season of the Spring sets and ripens Fruits, so the Winds and boysterous blasts of Autumn makes them fall off.

We may not therefore stumble when we see great Professors fall off in trials; for some believe but for a time, Luke 8. 13. and so of some 1 John 2. 19. that they went out from us, because they were not of us.

Vse 2. Let no man presume of his owne strength to stand in triall,Let none trust trust his own heart. nor be too confident in another in tryall. Little knowes a man, nor will beleeve the deceit and hollownesse of his owne heart; Hazael will not beleeve he can prove such a Dogge, 2 King. 8. 13.2 Kgs 8:13and so vile as the Prophet speaks of.

Little knowes many a man, who now continues wel-affected to sound Preaching, how soone they should finde their inner disposition and outward too changed, if outward occasions were changed but a little.

So a man would have promised as much as any of the Disciples of Christ, as any in the world; nay, the Disciples would not beleeve Christ telling them how cowardly they should leave him; they thought themselves wronged, as their answer shewes; yet how should a man have bin deceived in them? how were they deceived in themselves, who immediately after our Lord had forewarned them, fall into this their weaknesse?

Vse 3. Arme our selves well against tryall;Arme against shaking trials. it was nothing for the Disciples to sticke to Christ while in peace; and we now while Christ is with us easily hold up the head; but when Christ is smitten then is the tryall; sound love to Christ is tryed by continuing with him in temptation.

Sound love to the Word, Preachers and Professours is that which hath endured triall; as that is sound Gold which hath passed the fire; good Ground is knowne by enduring.

Arme we therefore our selves with resolution, that we must suffer; that the Shepherd shall be smitten, and yet goe on: so with sense of our owne impotency to stand with watching and prayer, Mat. 26. 41.Matt 26:41that we enter not into temptation: also with sound love of Christ and Christian Religion; or else if the Pastor be smitten, thou shalt be scattered.

Vse 4. If godly Ministers or Professors in time of trouble be left, and those that seemed to depend on them,Thinke not much to be left alone in a good cause. to affect them for the best things, fall to the stronger side, it was our Lords case, we must be patient and contented; Elias persecuted by Jezabel, was left alone; Paul himselfe for Christ in his bands, had none to assist him (2 Tim. 4. 16.) or stand with him: it is no new case, that faithfull Pastors especially should be conformable to the chiefe Shepherd; all times of persecution did ever confirme this truth, that the Pastor was no sooner smitten, then the Sheepe were scattered from him. But let it comfort Ministers, as Christ, I am not alone, John 16. 32.John 16:32but my Father is with me.

Vse 5. If the Disciples be scattered in dayes of trouble,Make muc… of the … season of grace and peace. let us know the day of our peace, our season, the time of our visitation; frequent holy Assemblies, get hold of Christ, encrease of Faith, grow in wisdome, enjoy our season, our Sun, our Summer, our seed time; not knowing our day forfeits it; worke while we may, doe in our peace what we would, but cannot if triall come.

Ver. 28. But after I am Risen.]

NOW followes Christs Consolation.Gospell upon sad news soon yeelds comfo…t Wherein Note difference betweene Law and Gospell; the Law pronounceth heavie things, and there resteth. But the Gospell still after heavie newes, ends with good tydings; the Law throwes downe a man, and there leaves him; the Gospell raiseth the humbled: You shall be scattered, but I will come againe. Mat. 16. 21. I must goe up to Jerusalem to suffer: heavie tydings; Peter disswades him; But I will rise againe the third day; There is Gospell indeed.

So to the Church; You shall be hated of all men for my names sake; sad tydings; p. 13but if you continue to the end, ye shall be saved, Mat. 10. 23.

You must take up the Crosse and follow Christ, but I will give refreshing to your soules, Iohn. 16. 33. In the Worl… ye shall have affliction, but be of good comfort.

Vse. 1. Lay hold upon the Gospel, and sow in never so many teares, thou shalt reap in joy.

Vse. 2. Accept the condition of the Gospel, be content to begin with the Crosse, be weary laden, lay a good foundation in Repentance, mortification, godly sorrow; on this condition attaine the crowne of refreshing, and entrance into the Kingdome by many afflictions, Act. 14. 22.

If we suffer, we shall raign; all true joy is fetched out of sorrow; blessed are the mourners.

Vse 3. Let Papists sticke to the comfort of the Law, they shall never hear a good word from Christ.

Let prophane Persons shun the heavinesse of the Gospel they shall never have joy; Christ wipes away no teares where none be shed; he that will not be a weary needs no refreshing. This by the way.

Ver. 28. But after I am risen I will goe before you into Galilee.

SUch a promise as was never heard off before, and without exception, that a dead man should rise within few dayes, and promise so to do.

Having spoken of Christs admonitions; now of consolation where the Lord sustaines them with many grounds of comfort.

1. That there shall be a certaine end of this evill ready to swallow them up.

2. There shall be a short end after a few dayes, three or four.

3. There shall be a happy end; For,

1. Christ shall rise again from the dead with power and glory.

2. Whereas they are run from him, he will come to them againe.

3. Though they have left their Shepherd, yet he will become their Shepherd againe, and goe before them, and guide them as a Shepherd goes before his Sheep.

For their full confirmation, he declares both the time and place where he will, and when he will meet them; in Galilee a place fit for their estate; for it signifyeth dispersing or scattering; the Sea of Galilee forty miles from Jerusalem.

Quest. Why in Galilee?Why Christ would meet them in Galilee.

Answ. 1. That they may more surely enjoy one another without feare of the Jewes, and instruct them in the Kingdome of Christ.

2. Because Christ had more Disciples and Favorites in Galilee to whom he would familiarly offer himselfe, and manifest his resurrection, then in Judea.

3. Themselves were of Galilee, he would bring them backe were he found them.

4. They must follow their calling till Christ came, and for the time before they can get into Galilee, he will be there before them, expecting them; note here.

Note. 1. The wonderfull lenity and meeknesse of Jesus Christ;Wonderfull gentlenesse of Christ. he was going to dye for his Disciples, they fly from him, and doubt the truth of his whole proceedings, his Person, his Doctrine, his miracles, sufferings, the event of all his course.

He now doth not sharpely rebuke them for their infidelity, inconstancy and …emerity after so long being with him, but uses them gently, and with great and loving affection (as the Titles of Shepherd and Sheep import) not only forewarneth them of their danger, but furnisheth them with grounds of comfort, and promiseth them most loving and kind entreaty even after their flight, as if they had never forsaken him.

Vse A Rule to carry our selves toward Brethren that faile; let them be restored p. 14by the spirit of meeknesse; Gal. 6. 1.Gal 6:1yea if the offence concerne our selves, wherein we are hottest, to be most coole and calme; Christ casts not off for ever, no more must we breake affection, but imitate him with all moderation.

Note 2. Christ never with-draws himselfe from his Members,He never quite leaves his. but he leaves some comfort behind him, something to bring them in love with him, or to stay them in his absence, or to make them desire and seeke after him againe; yea, something instead of his presence or promise, Iohn. 14. having told his Disciples he must goe away and leave them; yet ver. 18. he promiseth not to leave them comfortlesse; for he will send the comforter to supply his absence; and still, God ordinarily takes not away one mercy but he gives another; as Christ here removes his personal presence, but supplyes it with a double blessing.

1. Protection of their persons in his absence.

2. Promise of his presence to rest their faith on in the meane time, Cant. 5. the Church would not open unto Christ when Christ called; he goes away in displeasure at her unkind answer, but he left behind him drops of Myrth, some sweet worke of the spirit that made her spirit yearn within her, which wrought compunction for her offence and quickned her to seeke him, ver. 25. His desertions are never totall.

Vse Which may comfort poore souls affected in sense of Christs absence; feelest thou a want of Christs presence? he hath left some pledge behind him, and he is perhaps nearer then thou thinkest.

1. He hath given thee a promise, he will not leave thee long.

2. He hath given the spirit which hath wrought some grace of trembling for offending him; some grace of fainting and longing after him; some grace of seeking him, as him whom thy soule loveth; some grace of prayer, breathing, earnest and inward desires, not satiate without him, some grace of fortitud, sustaining the heart for the present, and enabling to undergoe many troubles for his sake, yet abiding and waiting for him; this sweet hunger and thirst shall be satisfyed, Mat. 5. 6.

Note. 3. That Christ will shortly come againe after his smiting,Desertions neither totall nor finall. within a very few dayes; learne that as Christs desertions are not totall, so neither sinall; Christ never goes away but he will see us againe, Iohn. 16. 22.

1. His displeasure is but for a moment.Psal. 30. 5.Ps 30:5

2. Finall desertion were above their strength,1 Cor. 10. 13.1 Cor 10:13 and so against his promise.

3. It will not onelyonly endanger the faith of the Elect, but quite destroy it, which is impossible;1 Iohn 5. 4.1 John 5:4 against all the Gates of Hell it is their victory.

4. Vnion betweene Christ and the Christian admits no finall desertion; a fruit of it is in John 17. 24. to be where Christ is and see his glory.

5. The Covenant is everlasting, not to depart, but do us good, Jer. 32. 40. He marries us for ever in mercyes, Hos. 2. 12. and is a perpetual covenant, not onelyonly on Gods part as Papists say; but on our part also who will never breake finally with God, because of his feare put in our hearts, never to depart from him, Jer. 31. 41.

Vse. Now,Comfort thy self with the assured end of every tryall. as Christ would confirme the faith and confidence of the Disciples by setting before them a certaine end of the tryall; so let us confirme our selves with these words; If the Lord seeme to absent himselfe, he will not doe it for ever; his mercy cannot come to an utter end, his mercyes are as the Ocean which hath no eb but a flow again; sometimes he stands off the longer, because his Children stand off with him, and the case seemes desperate, as Abraham for a Sonne, but he will come at length to Abraham in the Mount, but not till the third day; to Jonas in the third day; Christ may lie in the grave till the case seeme desperate, but riseth the third day, and appeareth to all the Disciples save Thomas the same day, Iohn 20. he more glorifies himselfe in his long absence then presence, Iohn 11. 6.

Note. 4. Note againe, how Jesus Christ prevents us with his grace, he promiseth p. 15the Disciples,Christ prevents his with loving kindenesse. that before they can get to Galilee, after they have kept the Feast at Jerusalem, he would be there before them. The Shepherd smitten will returne to the dispersed Sheep, he will gather them againe, and he will be found of them in Galilee, the place of dispersion.

He saith not, they shall come to him, but they shall goe into Galile▪ and there he will finde them: surely, we never come to him, unlesse he come to us first; he must come to the Disciples themselves, or they cannot come to him, much lesse we.

Note 5. Christ here both strengthens them in the Article of his Resurrection,Christ an everlasting guide to his. and tels them the end of his Resurrection, which is, to goe before them; he will not onelyonly rise againe, but for this purpose, to be their guide and leader, and to take them againe as companions with him, as if they had never sinned against him.

How this was performed, see Mat. 28. 7. the Angels tell the Women; Arise; goe tell his Disciples, he is risen; behold, be goeth before you into Galilee, and Marke 16. 7. As he said unto you, &c.

As Christ at first found them, and began to be their guide and leader into Galilee; so now, after his resurrection he would manifest himselfe an eternall Shepherd.

Vse. And this was their happinesse and ours,See hence our happine…e. purchased by his eternall Resurrection; that we have an high Priest immortall, and higher then the heavens. They sled into Galilee to avoyd danger from their persons, but he findes them there.

They goe thither because their Master was dead, and betake them to their old Callings againe. But their Lord findes them againe at the Sea of Galilee, and makes them … fishers of Men, furnishing them with power from on high, above all they could have expected.

Christ raised, gives gifts unto men; his Death merits them, his Resurrection applies them; as a great King gives great gifts on the day of his Coronation; so Christ. Let us follow so worthy a guide in Faith and Obedien…e, who rose from death to be our guide to eternall life. We proceed.

Verse 29. And Peter said unto him, Though all men should be offended, yet would not I.

HERE we have an instance (as many elsewhere) of Peters temerity and rashnesse, not well considering his weaknesse, and what spirit he was of. For this holy Disciple bewrayeth great infirmity, in arrogating much above that was in him.

1. He directly contradicteth his Lord,Peters rashnesse in five particulars who said, all yee; Peter saith no, not all, he will not; not this Night; no, never.

2. Beleeves not the Oracle of the Prophet Zacharie, but would shi…t it off with pompe of words, not as concerning him; he was none of the sheepe that should be scattered, though the Pastor was smitten.

3. He presumes too much upon his owne strength, and of that which is out of his owne power, never mentioning or including the helpe and strength of God, by whom alone he should be enabled to stand; he neither considered his owne frailty, which will overthrow him, nor yet the power of God which should sustaine and uphold him.

4. He prefers himselfe too too vain-gloriously above all men; as if all men were weake to Peter; and Peter the onelyonly champion; if all men should deny thee, I would not; stronger in conceit then all the Apostles.

5. He is bold, hardy and vainely confident in a thing to come, in which he had never tryed his strength; he knew his present affection, he will take no notice of his future perill; nay, he disclaimes and almost scornes the danger, now p. 16when he is next to it, and even falling into it, and the difficulty expressed John 13. 37. Cannot I follow thee now? I will give my life for thee; I will be so far from denying thee, that I will confesse thee to the death; perils, dangers, feares, or death it selfe shall not seperate me from thee. Alas man! thou that canst not follow Christ, canst thou goe before him?

Object. But Peter had a Promise,Noact of faith in a Promise. Mat. 16. 18. that the gates of hell should not prevaile against his Faith; might not he be bold in this Promise?

Answ. 1. Promises of God make no man presume, but stir up watchfulnesse and excite to prayer, which Peter should have done, being admonished of our Lord.

2. Though his Faith lwas not quite to be shaken and extinct, yet he might for a time be so foyled as might bring him shame and sorrow enough.

3. He had promised indeed before this the spirit of fortitude and strength; but Peter anticipates the time; they were to be endued with virtue from above, but not till after the Resurrection, which was no priviledge but that in the meane time they might fall dangerously.

4. No Promise could crosse the word of the Prophet, and Christ himself now applying it to the present occasion, which ought to have bin believed.

Objec. But might not Peter be bold of victory, standing in so good a cause? must Christians stand doubtfull and in suspense alwayes of their standing?

Answ. 1. Peter must not be bold against so expresse a word of Christ.

Ans. 2. No Christian boldnesse may make a man confident in himselfe, and neglect prayer to God; that is a blame-worthy boldnesse for a Souldier to run into the fight without his weapons, or against the word of his Captaine.

Ans. 3. He should have considered the infirmity of his Faith, which yet was weake and suspected, if not for the truth yet strength of it, not knowing the strength of the imminent temptation.

Ans. 4. He should have considered that the strength of Faith of the Saints hath bin shaken in temptation, as Abraham, Paul, David, and why not he?

Objec. Christians are to come with courage to the battaile, assured of victory.

Ans. 1. But by his strength that hath loved us, Rom. 8. 37.

2. With the best diligence in using the means which Peter layes off,

Faith.

Prayer.

Watchfulnes.

3. With mixing Faith and Feare together; certainly beleeving the Promise of God, but fearing and suspecting our own weaknesse; so Phil. 2. 11, 12. Worke out your salvation with feare and trembling; there is feare: for it is God that workes the will and deed; there is Faith: the temper of Faith and Feare upholds us in the triall, when our eye is cast both on our weaknesse and Gods strength.

Objec. But Gods children are as bold as Lyons, Prov. 28. 1…Prov 28:1Prov. 28. 1.

Answ. 1. There is boldnesse of

Flesh.

Faith.

2. Boldnesse in the strength of God and love of our Father, not of our strength and love of him; Peter presumed to stand because of the love Christ.

3. A boldnesse upon the assured Promises of God and infinite merits of Christ, foyling both carnal feare and presumption; Peters boldnesse was not with the Word, but against it.

4. Boldnesse not suffering to feare damnation, but to extinguish the feare of transgression.

5. A boldnesse banishing feare to fall away into perdition, but not the feare of falling into finne and offence of God, which his owne Children are often too bold in.

Note. The vaine presumption of mans heart;Note, and watch pride of heart. in Peter see our selves; our nature is as confident; we thinke if all should flye from Faith and Religion, sure we would not. But were the Sword shaken a little, and the Scepter swayed but a p. 15little another way, many would see their mould and temper; they that now spit at the name of the hatefull Idoll of the Masse, would easily conceive it a better Religion, and we should not want some Catholike Moderators who would say, These two Religions with a little yeelding each side, might be brought into one. We are as strong before the Battle as Peter, and when danger seemes farther off; whereas the sight of one adversary would make a whole Army of us run away, as I…rael at the sight of Goliah.

But Peter should have remembred, and so should we, the Answer of the King of Israel to Benhadad, 1 King. 20. 11. Let not him that putteth on his Armour boast as he that puts it off. Let us not crow before the Victory. We are ready to promise our selves successe and events as he was, which are out of our power; he might promise and purpose watchfulnesse; endeavour, strive against this temptation, which was all he could doe; but to promise of the event and issue, was not his part nor to dispose of.

We can as easily promise to our selves, above that God hath promised, as he; nay, against the word of God, as he, that we shall be safe and stand, and conceive some singular prerogative or strength in our selves, while yet we forget to use meanes to grow in knowledge, awaken our Faith, provoke our watchfulnesse; we can be as proud and bragging in our speech as he was, forgetting modesty and humanity, promising Mountaines; and should our actions swell to our words, we would doe wonders; but away with these brags, and learne to speak humbly, warily and modestly, as knowing what befell this Apostle.

Vse. Beware of Pride of heart, which is so hatefull to God, as robbing him of his glory, and so prejudicial to our selves; for, if nature onelyonly and the pride of it, quicken our resolutions, and not Faith, they will dye and deceive us; if flesh onelyonly incite our courage, it will suddenly be cold, as in Peter.

Objection. But I have great gifts of knowledge, and speech, and zeale, and love and faith.

Answ. 1. Let no gifts puffe thee up; suppose thou hadst gifts Apostolicall, Peter had all these gifts, but pride of heart foiled them all; and the more and better the gifts be, it is so much the worse where they be abused or corrupted.

2. Never pride thy selfe above any man, who mayest see those corruptions and evils in thy selfe, which thou never sawest in any other man.

Vse 2. Thou standest by Faith, Rom. 11. 12. be not high-minded but feare. Peter that was now so forward, had no small cause to feare; and we want not more cause; as,

1. The weaknesse of flesh and pronenesse to sinne, yea weaknesse of spirit in the best, being borne of God, but yet as children.

2. Satans malice, ever seeking to cast us downe, winnowing us also as Wheat.

3. Naughtinesse of our bad workes, and imperfections of our best, in them unprofitable.

4. Perfection of Gods Law, strictnesse against the least disobedience, and in giving up of our Accounts.

Objection. But what need the Saints feare, or how may they, having against the former Gods power, Gods promise, Gods intercession; and seeing nothing is more contrary to Faith then fear and doubting?

Answ. When the Apostle Peter, 1 Pet. 1. 17. wisheth Christians to passe the whole time of their dwelling here in feare, he implyeth both the possibility and necessity.

But we must distinguish of feare, which is of

Humility.

Infidelity.Fear of humility and of infidelity.

The former is a reverent feare of Gods presence, whom we would not offend; a feare of falling into sinne, or making matter of unkindenesse between him and our selves.

The latter a hatefull feare of his presence, which we would avoid; a fear of faling into hell, and suffering according to our deserts.

p. 16The one is a despaire of Gods goodnesse, because sinne lyes at doore, and wrath hangs over their heads, and their Couscience is restlesse, and death is ready to overtake them in sinne, and hell is open, and the Divell reaching at them to eternall confusion.

The other is a feare of reverence, by which we feare the corruption of our Nature and treachery of our owne hearts; we feare the commiting of the least sin, and make conscience of all known evils; we feare least we be called to account before the reckoning be ready; we feare to offend God and godly men, or grieve his holy Spirit; we feare to be infected by evill men, and carried into their errour.

The former cannot stand with Faith, but is utterly against it; and being a feare of diffidence, makes men even distrustfull.

The latter is not against Faith, but stablisheth it, and makes our hearts watchfull and attendant to good meanes, both of continuance in the estate of grace, and worke of it, and increase of Faith, that we may be upheld to the end.

Let us therefore nourish this feare in us:

Motive 1. This feare is loves keeper and preserver of graces,Holy fear to be ever cherished. fear of fals, temptations, occasions of offending.

2. It smiteth with conscience of our owne infirmities and drives out to the spirit of strength and fortitude.

3. It restaines us from evill, as the Midwives, Exod. 1. 17. and Joseph, Ge…. 39. 9. and Job c. 1. 1.

4. It hath all the Promises made good to it, of prosperity and blessednesse: Blessed is he that feareth alwayes, Prov. 28. 14. We proceed.

Ver. 30. Jesus said unto him, verily I say unto thee, this day, even this night, before the Cocke crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice.

OVR Saviour perceiving the corruption of Peter, notably checkes and reproves it in this verse, with this asseveration, Verily I say. Wherein;

1. He admonisheth Peter of his fall; thou shalt denie me.

2. He gives him a signe, by which he shall take knowledge. Cocke crow twice.

3. The time, this day, even this night; double for certainty.

4. The determinate number of fals or denials; deny me thrice. As if he had said otherwise thus:

Oh Peter, Paraphrase.thou attributest and ascribest too much to thine owne strength, and knowest not the present danger; for verily I say unto thee; the more seriously I speake it, the more neerly it concernes thee to consider it; that thou who art confident above all thy fellowes, and thou who singlest thy selfe as more constant unto me then all the rest, even thou Peter shalt denie me.] Besides that thou shalt flye away from me with the rest, thou shalt denie me, thou shalt deny me that ever thou knowest me, or ever hadst any reference or dependence on me; and thou shalt doe this this night: thou sayest thou wilt never at any time doe so, but thou shalt this present day doe it, while yet thy promise is yet in thy mouth and thou canst not well forget it. I, many dayes and nights thou mightest forget me or thy promise, but even this day, this night shall not passe till thou hast denyed me. And that thou mayest consider the truth of this my Prediction, both before and after it is come to passe, I will give thee a signe, or marke, as a remembrance betweene us; Before the Cocke crow twice: A Cocke ordinarily crowes two times iu one night.

1. About midnight, called Gallicinium.

2. Towards morning, called Colicinium. Both times after.

But before the morning Cocke crow, or before the Cocke have done that crow, thou shalt perceive the truth of my words, and the vanity of thine own.

And because thou hast more confidently boasted of thy strength then all the p. 17rest of my Disciples, thou shalt more shamefully fall then all the rest; for thou shalt not content thy selfe to deny me once, but in that small time thou shalt deny me thrice, and that in such a manner, as now thou wouldest scorn to hear, but thou shalt not shame to doe.Christs divinity, he knows s…crets that are to come. John 2. 25. He knew what was in man.

Whence Note 1. The Divinity of Jesus Christ, who knew things to come in the particular circumstances; he foretels a fact which Peter must presently doe, while he is even protesting against it, and thinkes it most unlikely and impossible: he discovereth the time, the manner, the repetition, how often, and all circumstances by which he is distinguished and discerned from all creatures and false Gods, Isaiah 41. 23, 26. Bring forth your Gods, let them tell us what is to come. Men may see events, as Peter did this, but Christ foreseeth them; men see imperfectly by consequents and effects, Christ seeth and knoweth by the causes, he soundeth the depth of Peters heart which Peter himselfe could not gage, he saw the backe and deceitfull corners of it, and discerned how it must needs serve him, being left a while of Grace.

Vse 1. To live in his sight with feare and trembling, to whom all our wayes are knowne long before; no sin we can commit, but it is foreseen, as Peters was, his eyes are upon the wayes of man, Prov. 5. 21. for as there is no sinne committed but the eye of the Conscience is upon it above a thousand witnesses, so there is none to be committed but the eye of the Lord is upon it, which is above a thousand Consciences.

Vse 2. Never thinke to carry sinne so close but it shall come to reckoning, Luke 12. 2. Nothing is so covered which shall not be revealed; no darknesse can hide the workes of darknesse,2 King. 5. 26.2 Kgs 5:26 as the Prophet to Gehezi, Did not my spirit goe with thee? so, doth not the eye of the Judge goe with thee, Ez…ch. 35. 12. Thou shalt know the Lord hath heard all thy blasphemies which thou hast spoken against the Mountaines of Israel: so thou shalt know the eye of the Judge hath seene all thy drunkennesse, the times, places, manner, how often; so thou blasphemer, thou railer, thou de…ier of good men shalt know to thy cost and torment, yea, Men and Angels shall know.

Lastly, Christ is as ready to take notice of the least good, to reward it, 1 King. 14. 13. the little good in Abjah mentioned and recompenced.

Note. 2. The humanity and meeknesse of our Lord and Saviour;Christs humanity, he reprocheth not Peter for denials foretold. Peter had already grievously sinned in contradicting his Lord, in despising the Prophetical word, in advancing himselfe presumptuously against the expresse word; yet our Lord is not severe in rebuking, nor so sharpe in checking or reproaching him as he had deserved, but patiently heares him, passeth by the infirmity, and onelyonly most lovingly and plainly forewarns him of his present danger, not reproaching him for future denials.

1. Our Lord breakes not the bruised Reed,Grounds of it. nor quencheth a smoaking weke.

2. The Spirit in Peter, even in the midst of infirmity, making request for him, gets a cover and acceptance.

3. There was a graine of Faith, and sparke of love, in Peters heart, which was more in Christs eye, then all his frailty; the Lord in mercy looks more on his worke in us, then ours, against him.

4. Christ was now to leave them as weaklings and children, which was griefe eno…gh to them, and would not so much discourage them, especially at this time, measuring the tryall they were to undergoe.

5, He saw them now out growing their weaknesses, and therefore thought fitter to beare with them for a time; there was a good worke begun which himselfe was to perfect, and it is notably exprest in John 13. 37. setting downe the Story; thou canst not follow me now, but hereafter shalt follow me; namely, in bearing crosses, and suffering to the death hereafter, when the Spirit is come to strengthen the… ▪

Vse. Which must be a patterne of our imitation on the like grounds to provoke p. 18our selves to meeknesse & gentlenesse towards our Brethren offending;In like cases do as Ch…ist did. if we must reprove, let them see our love; if we can spy the least good in them, let that qualifie our heat for the present; if we cannot spy any for the present, hope what they may be, they may receive the Spirit, and outgrow the weaknesses. How ever we should not forget our Saviours meeknesse, nor that our selves may be tempted, as Peter, nay to good for evill.

The Woman of Canaan refuseth him a dish full of Water, but he opens to her the water of life.

Note. 3. How to come to know our owne weaknesse, Christ here admonisheth Peter; We never know our selves aright till Christ teach us.we never truly come to know our selves till Christ take us in hand to teach us, as the Woman at the Well (John 4.) never came to know her selfe till Christ taught her.

The word is a square, a glasse, a ballance, a light; Christ in the Gospel discovereth to us the darke corners of our hearts, letteth us see our hypocrisie, pride, earthlinesse, errors and lusts.

How many can say they never saw themselves in ill case till the word came, Rom. 7. 7. nay Paul was alive without the Law; so every naturall man thinks himselfe alive, in good case, no feare of sin, no terrors of conscience or feare of damnation, but are happy and well, their case being as a man sicke and near to death but complaines not, tels how he is not sicke, because his senses being overcome he feeles not his disease; so is every unregenerate man.

But if Christ in his word cannot be beleived, as Peter beleeves not he is so ill as Christ saith, then there is another meanes to bring us to the sense of our own weaknesse, and that is by Experience the Mistris of fooles, and so Peter in this History.

Many say, if all were true as the Minister saith, we were in a miserable state; but we cannot make men believe us calling them to the sight of themselves, that they are so bad as they are.

To thee I say thou that belongest to God as Peter, God will give thee up to some lust or other, till experience beat this knowledge into thee as Peter, but in mercy thou shalt see it in season.

Thou that doest not believe nor belongest to God, shalt also have wofull experience of the malice of thy heart, and wretchednesse of thy course, but too late when thy state shall be remedilesse; chuse you now whether you will believe the word or feele it; one you must; the word if it judge not in this day, shall in the last day, Joh. 12. 48.

Note. 4. This Day, Suddenly we are apt to fall from very good resolutions.this night.] Note how suddenly even a good man is turned from good resolutions if but a little left to himselfe, or he remit but a little of his owne watchfulnesse; a few houres make so confident a Disciple of Christ, who scorned to think of deniall of his Master, to deny and forswear him too.

Reas. 1. We stand by grace, which if it be not every moment renewed, we must needs fal; as a man upheld by a crutch, remove the crutch, and he fals down; or set a staff upright, withdraw the hand, ye need not thrust it downe; so we.

2. The suddennesse of the temptation which cometh like a lightning, and our pronesse to be kindled with the same; David in the forenoone might be not onelyonly chast, but holily employed in holy meditations, but in the afternoone on his Gallery spyes Bathsheba, and is all enflamed and moyled in foule wantonnesse and lust.

3. Freedome of the Spirit who cometh and goeth when he lists, as the Wind; which is a ground of humiliation in the most holy estate we can get into; not every joy, not any gracious estate may lift us up; Nescis quid serus vesper vehat, the Sunne may shut under a Cloud suddenly.

2. To watch our graces well, and forecast temptation.

3. Depend on the spirit of God to perfect and accomplish his owne good motions, and leave us not to our selves, who can quickly quench them.

p. 214. No marvell if the righteousnesse of Hypocrites be as the morning dew, Hos. 6. 4.Hos 6:4their desires as flashes to make them inexcusable, being in the spirit, they delight not to dwell in that good frame, but vanish into nothing.

Note. 5. Deny me thrice.] Prouder then others falworse then others.Peter was most confident of all the Disciples, and must fall more shamefully then they all; he will dye with Christ ere he will once deny him; but within foure or five houres, he shall deny him thrice; he would never deny him, but instantly shall not content himselfe to deny him once and againe, but thrice.

It commonly fals out, that they who pride themselves above others, even in good gifts, that they are given up to fall more shamefully then others; and why?

Reas. 1. God doth avenge pride of heart with sin and shame; cannot abide it in any, least in his Children.

2. His wisedome tempers poyson to a remedy, by these fals to abate the humour, and let out the core.

If presence of grace puffs up, absence of grace or presence of corruptions shall take them downe.

3. Pride is a rocke against which grace makes Shipwrack;Motives to humble walking with God. walke therefore humbly before God; for, when pride commeth then commeth shame, Prov. 11. 2. and where pride is, there is folly and ignorance of a mans selfe, and his owne estate; so our proverbe calleth him a proud foole, &c.

1. David professeth his heart was not haughty, but as a child, Psal. 131. 1.

2. Humility is a seemely garment for outward carriage, 1 Pet. 5. 5. decke your selves with lowlinesse of mind.

3. There is no great fall from a low place; one of the Fathers calleth it Coronam in tuto, pinnaculum & moenia, ne quis ex alto decidat.

4. Whatsoever may befall the humble-minded man, the Lord will give grace unto him, 1 Pet. 5. 5. grace of his Spirit, grace of his favour and countenance, grace of his Soule, he will dwell with the humble soule, Isa. 57. 15. and it with him; a most happy cohabitation.

Vers. 31. But Peter said more earnestly, if I should dye with thee, I will not deny thee; likewise said they all.

WHen Peter had heard our Lord and Saviour with his wonted asseveration tell him so heavy things of himselfe,Cumulation of sin in Peter. that he should deny his Lord that night thrice, and so renounce his faith, his profession and salvation by him, this should have soundly humbled Peter and terrified him; yea should have been as a dagger to his heart to have let out the life of his naturall pride and presumption.

2. Whereas it was sufficient to have made him concieve modestly of himself, at least to have entred into himselfe and consider of his weaknesse to take downe his carnall temerity and boldnesse one peg lower.

3. Wheras it should have brought him to renounce himself, and depend wholly upon the strength and grace of Christ his Lord, which onelyonly was sufficient for him.

4. Whereas it had beene enough to make him beleeve the Word and affirmation of the Lord, before his owne conceit; for to all these purposes did the Lord Jesus so forewarne him of his fall; yet he still blinded with vaine confidence in himselfe, or carried away with preposterous zeale, doth more vehemently persist in contradicting his Lord, in which he heaps up a number of sins.

1. The repetition and falling into the same sin after Christs admonition and asseveration;Four here observed. but Peter said.

2. The manner of his sin, he said more earnestly.

3. The matter of it, I will not deny thee, if I should dye with thee.

p. 224. The effect of it, drawing all the Disciples into the same sin with him, likewise said they all.

Note. 1. In that Peter falleth into the same sin againe, Godly apt to fall into the same sin.and against the meanes used by Christ; that the Child of God through strength of his corruption may fall often into the same sin, notwithstanding good meanes against it; For,

1. It is a very hard thing to lead them out of themselves,And why … almost nothing but experience of their former fals, which is the Mistris of fooles, bringeth them to see their folly; so here in Peter, all Christs warnings too little; and so long they must fall; sense of weaknesse is their greatest strength.

2. Till the judgement be changed, the Actions be the same; Peters judgement is disguised with an erroneous misjudging his owne estate; he is the same man after Christs speech as he was before, and so contradicteth him as before; as the most of the Fathers lived in Polygamy, not because it was ever lawfull, but their judgement being darke and erroneous in it, their practise was answerable; and who of Gods Children see not, that they know but in part, and grow dayly to see errors in themselves which they never saw before, as Peter saw not so much in himselfe as he did after?

3. Weakenesse of grace and regeneration in part causeth even the best to goe every day over the same wants and common infirmities; as wandring thoughts, idle speeches, unjust anger, &c. which frailties as they be daily renewed, so they must daily renew their repentance, and daily lay hold on Christs perfect merits for justification; this weaknesse of grace gave Peter up againe to this sin of contradicting his Lord.

4. The same ends remaine still, which may move the Lord to leave his Children to themselves, and to fall in the same sort; to try, excite, humble them, worke more serious sorrow, make them more watchfull, &c. which was the issue of Peters fall here.

Vse. Comfort to troubled spirits.Not to enbolden any in sin, or unto sinne (for we speake of frailties, not of presumptions, for which we can give small comfort) but to raise up to the comfort of the Covenant, such as are toyled with their corruptions, and finde themselves mastered with the same lusts sundry time…, notwithstanding their strife and watch against them.

To thee I say, the sense of thy weaknesse is a great part of thy strength; labour to grow up in soundnesse of judgement and in strength of grace; and though the Lord thy God for good ends sometimes let thee slip into the same frailties, his right hand is under thy head, and thy condition is not worse then the rest of the Saints in the world; Christs dear Disciple here is moiled in the same sinne, but not cast off for it.

Note. 2. In that Peter more vehemently denyed and contradicted his Lord,Repetition of sin makes sin the stronger. that every repetition of sin maketh sin the stronger; for as the body, the more it is nourished and fed, the stronger it groweth; so sin in the soule; every new act is an addition of strength till it come to an habit; it is the Apostles comparison, Jam. 1. 15. speaking of the conception and perfection of sin; when lust is conceived, it bringeth forth sin, and sin when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

Beside, corruption is cleane contrary to grace; as grace if it encrease not, i… decreaseth; so corruption, if it decrease not, it getteth strength and encreaseth.

Vse. Against them that say they will repent hereafter; plucke up a twig, let it not grow to be a Plant; dash the braines while a childe; a Sore, the longer it is let alone, groweth more incurable; finne fashioned by continuance groweth to another nature. Take heed and feare; thou hast an holy God to doe withall, and a corrupt heart of thine owne, though some grace. And, God observeth not onelyonly the sin, but the sinfull manner of doing and degrees of sinning, carelesnesse, carnall confidence, pride of spirit, slacknesse in use of holy meanes, relapsing; all very dangerous.

p. 23If I should dye with thee, I would not denie thee.

Note 3. PEter thinks himselfe strong enough to be a Martyr,We are apt to over-ween the good that is in us. now when he hath not learned the first principle of Religion, nor to know himselfe; before he promised, though all men should be offended, he would not: Now, before he will deny him, he will dye the death; it is nothing now with Peter to be a Martyr. Peter considereth not of what metall he is made; that he is dust, earth, and a lumpe of sinfull mire, unable to any thing.

2. He considereth not his present danger, though forewarned, that he is now ready to be made a prey to Satan, and in the Lyons mouth.

3. He considereth not,Jam. 1. 17.Jas 1:17 that every good and perfect gift is from the Father of lights; but hath power in himselfe to stand out the greatest of all trials; and therefore within a few houres, the contempt of this power of God drives it quite from him.

Vse. Let us well watch the pride of our owne nature: Nature is so proud in every one of us, that it will build up a tower to heaven, though it prove but a Babel and Confusion. Pride of heart will make us sacrifice to our owne Nets, and rob God of his glory. Peter had good things, and true grace in him; but not acknowledging them in the giver, puffes him up and darkens them; whereas grace received and acknowledged in the giver, are so far from puffing up, as they make humble.

Grace in Abraham comming neer to God, maketh him say, I am but dust and ashes, Gen. 18. 27.

2. In good things take heed of preposterous and rash zeale, which here Peter fals by; guide it by the Word, by Faith, by Prayer, by thy calling, by considering our selves; and thinke it safer to fear, then to be very confident of thy self.

Likewise said they all.]

THE fourth is the effect of Peters presumption; he drew in all the Disciples into the same sin: 1. which was the stronger:

1. Because they had heard our Saviour reproving Peter for his rash confidence.

2. They had never yet tryed their strength.

3. If they had, they should not at all have contradicted his word, who had said, all ye… shall be offended.

4. This terrible threatning of themselves and Peter, should have set them out of themselves, and clung unto him, and said, O Lord, we know our weaknesse; if we doe not, thou knowest it; we know thy truth, and cannot but beleeve thy Word; oh therefore, doe thou take care of us, thou that art the faithfull Shepherd, keepe us silly Sheepe from wandring from thee.

But they imitate Peter; they must be as constant as Peter, and must never seeme more fearfull then he. They must not be behinde him, neither in comforting their Master, nor in professing their zeale to their Lord.

Note. 1. Frailty in the best; no graine without some chaffe, no flour without some bran, no rose without some thorne; there is in the best matter of humiliation; the Disciples themselves in Christs presence shew great imbecillity and weaknesse.

Matter of comfort, which concernes us in our fals; Matthew was one of them that said so, yet Matthew records for our comfort, how he among the rest was vainly confident.

Note 2. How quickly sin spreads it selfe;Sin is of an infectious nature. Peter drawes all the Disciples after his sinne, when all Christs perswasions cannot stay them. The same of the same Apostle after he had received the spirit, Gal. 2. 14. by not walking with a right foot, drew the Gentiles and Barbarians also into his dissimulation, and compelled p. 24the Gentiles to Judaism…; not by teaching any Doctrine to that purpose, for they could not erre in that, but in the authority of his example. Example in sinne is a kinde of compulsion.

Vse 1. Take heed of sinning, least thou bring many sins upon thee, as Peters sinne here; heavie both in regard of his Master and fellow Disciples.

2. Beware also of the company of sinners; example is become a kinde of Law, and thy selfe as tinder to receive such sparkles.

We proceed now to a passage in another part of the Chapter.

Marke 14. 66.

And as Peter was beneath in the Hall, there came one of the Maids of the high Priests:

Ver. 67. And when she saw Peter warming himselfe, she looked on him, and said, Thou wast also with Jesus of Nazareth.

Ver. 68. But he denyed it, saying, I know him not, neither wot I what thou sayest; Then he went into the Porch, and the Cock crew, &c.

WEE have heard in the former Story, how much Peter had promised of himselfe; he would not be offended, he would not flye if all should; he will dye with Christ before he would deny him.

We have heard how our Saviour forewarned him of his weaknesse, and predicted his fall, and how stoutly he contradicted his Lord.

Now we come to his performance in this Story; which in generall shewes, that he was not so good as his word; but the Lords word was fully accomplished; Non factum quod Petrus dixerat, sed quod Christus praedixerat.

In the Story we have;Parts. first, Peters Sin: Secondly, Repentance: Peters

Fall.

Rising.

1. Peters deniall of his Lord: 2. his sorrow for it; his

Aversion.

Conversion.

The sinne and fall of Peter was the foulest and shamefullest of all the Disciples (except Judas) they all forsooke him and fled; so did he; none of them denyed him once, but he thrice; none forswore him but he, who with cursing and swearing abjured himselfe, if ever he knew him.

Quest. The Lord foresaw this sinne, foretold it, might have prevented it, and sustained him in the temptation; why should he suffer his dear Disciple so farre and so fouly to fall?

Answ. The Lord Jesus,Why God prevented not this fall of Peter. who might have prevented it, neither would nor did, for many Reasons.

1. He would give us and the whole Church an example of infirmity and weaknesse, by the fall of such a man.

2. The strongest must learn feare and watchfulnesse, and while they stand take heed least they fall, that the enemy suddenly oppresse them not, as Peter.

3. To crush presumption of men, and to teach to attribute more to the Word of Christ then their owne strength, which had Peter done, he had not so shamefully fallen.

4. The Lord foresaw, that in the last times men transported with the spirit of error, should transforme Peter into an Idoll, and grow to that madnesse as to lift him up into the place and office of Christ, giving unto him the headship of the Church, and make him the head of the Antichristian Romish Synagogue; and therefore the Lord set Peter apart above all other Disciples, in whom should breake out such weaknesse as he might be acknowledged not a God, but a fraile man; not a Lord, but a weake and sinfull servant; so in his life, Acts 3. 12. & 10. 15. Carnall men worship him, but Peter refused.

And by the way observe, how accurate the Scriptures are to set downe not this p. 25fall of Peter in the particular circumstances,Many other sins no…ed in Peter more then in other Disciples. but many more above all the Disciples; As,

1. His curiosity, desi…ing to walke on the Waters, presently punished with an other sin of infidelety, Mat. 19. 28.

2. His horrible sin o… disswading Christ from his suffering at Jerusalem, Master pitty thy selfe, Mat. 16. 22. for which Christ called him a scandall or Divel, that is a speciall instrument of the Divell.

3. His inconsiderate rashnesse, Mat. 17. 4. Let us make three Tabernacles; the Text saith, he wist not what he said; he to enjoy that glory, neglected all his fellow Disciples, yea cares not for the Salvation of the whole World; for if he must ever dwell there with him, he must not come downe to dye, which was against his word.

4. That he among the rest contended for Primacy, Mat. 18. 2. that he among the rest could not watch one hour with him, Mat. 26. 40. Though Christ had specially warned him and the two Sons of Zebedee of great tryall, ver. 43. that he among the rest fled from Christ.

5. That fact of temerity and rashnesse in cutting of Malchus his eare, against his calling and without warrant, condemned by Christ.

6. That he walked not with a right foot to the truth of the Gospell, Gal. 2. 14. but dissembled with the Jewes, and brought Barnabas in; for which Paul reproved him to his face.

All which we note, not to exprobate to that holy Apostle, but to shew that the councell of God in particular noting these failings would prevent the blasphemous doctrines and doings of the Church of Rome;

One of the Popes themselves, Leo, Epist. 89. saying that Peter was assumed into the fellowship of the individuall unity plainely deifying him, which blasphemy were rather to be buried with stones, then defended as Bellarmine goeth about to doe.

5. In Peters rising the Lord would give a singular example of mercy, that he might raise up great sinners in the hope of mercy that they might not despaire, but trust confidently in the same grace.

For these Reasons, the Lord would have all the Evangelists with one mouth and pen, and in one manner to record this grievous fact of their fellow Apostle; nay if it be true as some of the Ancients record, that the Gospell of Saint Marke was declared and uttred by Peter and written from his mouth by Saint Mark, that providence so overruled the matter, that Peter himselfe most ingenuously (for the former Reasons) did publish to the World both his sin and repentance.

In the first, of Peters fall, consider the

Occasion.

Fall it selfe.

In the occasion partly in

Peter himselfe.

Maid of the high Priest.

In Peter; As Peter was beneath in the Hall warming himselfe.

Here first marke how Peter …un upon temptation;Peters sin in …oing into the Hall. for what had he to do there in the Hall of the high Priest? his Lord had set him about other businesse.

1. Christ had now told him he could not now follow him, John 13. 26. yet he will follow him afar off; and though Christ had told him he was not able to suffer with him, nor for him, yet forward he will goe.

2. Christ had said to his Apprehenders,John 18.John 18 let these go away; yet Peter will not goe.

3. Christ had commanded them all to watch and pray, because temptation was at hand.

4. Had particularly told Peter what would be the event, if he did follow him; for had Peter beene with the other Disciples, or hid himselfe from the Tempter, he had no more denyed his Lord then they.

5. By a speciall providence Peter found the doore of the high Priest shut against him, which should have beene a warning to him, and not idly passed p. 26by; for when God casts a stop or bar in every way to hinder us in acting any evill, we should apprehend it as a part of his gracious providence, and stop our sinnes.

But Peter will not from the doore till he get in; he is hankering about to see what will become of Christ; he hath a love to his Master, and is unwilling to leave him; his zeale is not yet extinct, but rash and inconsiderate; he was greatly bound to his Master, and holdeth it laudable not to leave such a friend in distresse; though he could not helpe him, yet would shew duty; he seemeth mindfull of his promise also; though all men forsake him, yet would not he; and therefore to the high Priests house he will with another Disciple, as John 18. 15, 16. whom some thinke to be John who useth in his story so to speak of himselfe suppressing his name; but it is not likely that John so poore a Fisherman and Disciple of Christ was so well acquainted with the high Priest; but whosoever he was, he was a friend of Christ and his Apostles, and being known to the high Priest was let in, but Peter unknown was kept out, till his friend pitying his standing in the cold, entreated the Maid that kept the door to let in Peter.

Thus Peter with much adoe and importunity of his friend gets into the thicket of temptation; his friend hath besped him into that place, which Christ forewarned him to avoid, which is another argument I thinke him not to be John, who having heard his forewarne to Peter, in likelyhood would rather have diswaded him from his purpose, then been an Author in it; or if it were he and did not, he were blameworthy, and greatly sinned.

Vse. 1. He that would avoyd sin must carefully avoyd occasions,To avoyd sin avoyd occasions. which are the stronger because of our owne naturall inclination to evill; Joseph fled from his Mistresses company, and so kept himselfe pure, Gen. 32. 10. it was his wisdome, not onelyonly to avoyd her filthy desire, but her uncleane company.

The Lord himselfe is carefull to remove occasions of sinning from his People, Exod. 13. 17. carrying them through the Wildernesse, would not let them passe by the Philistines, and see War, least they should start back and sin against him.

And our Lord Jesus would have prevented this occasion in Peter by forewarning him of it; he that would not be burnt must not touch fire, or goe upon coales; stand not upon thine own strength where thou seest so great a Cedar to fall as Peter; thou canst not avoyd drunkennesse, adultery, prophannesse, if thou runnest into drunken, harlotry, and prophane Persons and places; beware of evill company, consider thy weaknesse and their power to seduce.

Travellers to see fashions in idolatrous Countryes, do therein seeke temptations, and by the just judgement of God for wantonnesse find Apostacy, returning corrupt in

Doctrine,

Manners, or both.

Prov. 21. 27. He that seekes danger, shall fall into it.

Vse. 2. He that would avoyd occasion of sinne,To avoyd occasions keepe close to the word. must hold himselfe to Gods commandement, and within the limits of his owne calling, which if Peter had done, he had not fallen so fouly; Christ had expressed his will and pleasure, that he should not have so much as deliberated on it, much lesse resolved against it; but he forgetteth the word and commandement of Christ, and so falleth into sin.

If Eve had remembred the word of God, and kept her to the commandement, neither the beauty of the Apple, nor the subtill perswasion of Satan had allured her away.

If Saul had kept him to the word of the Lord, 1 Sam. 15. 3. neither sparing of Agag, nor the fat Sheep or Oxen had drawne him into that disobedience which was worse then witchcraft; the word teacheth wisdome to avoyd snars of sin, but if a man cast away the Word of the Lord, what wisdome can be in him? keepe to the word, and buckle this Sword to thee, which onelyonly can cut the Sinewes of sin and temptation.

p. 27Vse. 3. Peter should have looked to his Calling;Suffer not for Christ till called. he was not now called to suffer, the time was not yet, John 13. 36. Besides, he had not received strength and gifts fit for it; if he shall now come to temptation, he can do nothing but deny his Lord, and shame himselfe, seeing Christ had foretold him.

A Christian cannot doe a more honourable worke then suffer for Jesus Christ, which is more then to beleeve in him; Phil. 1. 29.Phil 1:29but if it be not the will of God, 1 Pet. 3. 17. or if thou beest not called to suffer, if he forewarne thee with Peter that thou art not able to suffer the crosse, or fire, do not suffer.

Quest. What must I doe? must I yeild to Idolatry?

Answ. No, but step aside as Peter was commanded; watch and pray, and get strength, and then come forth, if thou hast tryed thy strength and findest it not sufficient to suffer the brunt, this is a sure warning from Heaven, thou must not put forth thy selfe to suffer; the farther thou goest, with more shame shalt thou flye back. If we must have a calling to suffer for Christ, much more look we have a calling to other inferior duties, else running out of thy calling, thou runnest into danger; thou hast no promise to be kept further then thou art in thy way; a good duty not warranted by thy Calling is sin to thee, though commended in another;Nature no sufficient in divine matters. every man must abide in his Calling, and so maintaine Gods order.

Note againe, nature is an ill guide; mans owne wisedome deceives himselfe sometimes with shew of good, and runs into infinite errors, as Peter must follow his Master, and who would thinke him blameworthy in shewing his love and affection to his Lord, and in minding his promise, that he would not leave him, if al men should; but all was but carnall wisdom; he should have beleeved his Lord and Master, and relyed upon his counsell, not by too much prefidence thrust himselfe into danger; and surely as the pride of humane wisedome is great, so Satans cunning more prevailes to carry us away with shewes of good, then he can in evill; is it not a good thing to become like God? and if Eve will eat the Apple, she may; is it not good to offer thousands of fat Sheepe and Bullocks to God in sacrifice? if Saul will spare them alive, he may doe it.

Is it not better and fitter one Vriah be slaine, then so great and godly a King stayned in his honour and reputed an Adulterer? seldome can Satan draw on a great sinne without some false glasse or glosse; we must therefore attend to the mouth of God, walke in the paths of his wisedome, and turn not aside for shewes; remember Prov. 3. 5. trust to the Lord, and leane not to thine owne wisedome, and ver. 6. In all thy wayes acknowledge the Lord, and he will direct thy steps.

Vse. 4. Lastly here is a notable rule to be observed in friendship examine the love thou shewest to thy friend by the love of God.How we are to shew love to a friend.

1. Take heed thy love be subordinate to the love of God, that if thou canst not please both, thy friend be not pleased with Gods displeasure, Mat. 10. 37. He that loveth Father and Mother better then me, is not worthy of me; nay, he that hateth them not, Luke 14. 26. so did not Peter, he should first have loved Christ as his Lord, and then as his friend, had he done so, he would have kept his word.

2. Love the Word better then thy friend, Peter should have stucke to the word, and not to Christs Person.

3. See thy love to thy friend be not preposterous, that thy affection destroy him not; here Peters friend helpes forward his sin, though perhaps unawares.

The subtilty of Satan creepes into our friendship and fellowships, that by our improvidence, we instead of helping and loving them, hurt them more then the Enemies could doe. We must pray for wisedome and judgement, that neither willingly nor unawares we either councell or lead them into any sin, or uphold any sin in them, or hinder in them any good.