Reafons why God fuúe. red Peter to denie him. OfPeters Denial!. Peter more in- curious to Chri@,than ail hisenemies Pfal.r4z. ter.s.rz as fo many Piguelae or lines toyorir hawkes ieffes, that heemight not ('ore too high, beingpuffed vp with thefe his many reuelations , 2Cemagnitudo rcneatio- num extollat me. The third fhallbeofLee the Pope,who faith, That God did permit in Peter fo great a fin, Pt in Eccleftaremedittmpcnitertieconderetur, For the betterfoun dingand eftablithing inthe Church, the authoritieand eficacie of repentance. The like reafon is rendred by Saint Ierome,ByPeters fall (faithhe)was manifefted the vertueofrepentance,againftthepoyfon of finne : which is all one with that ofSaint Paul; I was a blafphemer, aperfecuter, &c. And Godwas content to giueway thereunto, fer thebetter inflrudionof theft that were tobeleeuehereafter. He that makes treacle, tryesit firft vpon his ownechild,&c. God fent Ieremieto the PottersChop, that he might fee how the broken veffèl' was tobe newmol- dedagain, andcome out better thanbefore. And (hallnot Ibe able to doas much withyou,aethePotter withhot clay ? Where it is tobe noted, That as the clay of- tentimes receiuesabetter forme and fafhion than at firft, and for more honoura- blevfe : So (faith Saint Chryfoflome and Euthymiasa) Peter was mademuch the better by this. Firft,becaufe it was a verygoodwarningvnto him, not toprefume anymore on himfelfe. And therefore Chrift asking himwhether he louedhim r He durft neither fay I nor no. Secondly, becaufeGod pardoning this his dìfloyaltie,it wasbut a further in- flamingof his loue, and fètting his heart more on fire in the zeale ofhis feruice; according to that Payingof our Sauiour Chrift, He little (cues to whom little isfor- giuen. In aword, it was a fulfilling of Abacucs prophefie If thou didft hereto- fore tread one ftep in thewayofdeath, thou (halt now tread tenfor itin the way of life. Thenhebegan to curehimfelfe, and tofweare, &c, This his negation ordeniall, was foretold byDauid, Ilookedon my right hand,andbeheld, but there was none that wouldknowme. As alfoby Ieremie, Theyhaue denyedthe Lord,and faidit is not he. S. Peter had learned in the fchoole of Chrift,Letyour Communication be yea,yea, and nay, nay. Themaid askedhim ifhe werenot one of Chrifts Difciples He anfwered, Iamnot.But the reply'dvntohim,Thouart ; For thyfpeech doth bewray thee. But he, that he mightauoid all fpies, or anyfurther inquirie, Began tofalla turfing,Cb.c. How now Peter? Artthou well in thy witskuoweft thou what thou doeft t' Thou thatfawft thy Sauiour foglorious in Tabor,Thou that confeffedit him to be the Sonneof the lining God, Thou, whom bee called,togetherwith thy brotherAndrew,to be fi fliers ofmen ; Thou, towhomhe firercht foorth his hand in the fea, to fauethee from drowning ; doeft thounot knowhim ? I know himnot. O Peter lamentthy ignorance, for thou haftbeene more cruell to thy Matter thanall they that confpired againft him, and laid their heads together to torment him : foras for them, fomebound hishands, othershis necke, others fpat in his face, thofebuffetedhim, thofe platted thornes on his head, others pulled him by the heard, and tuggedhimby the haire, one pierced hisfide; but thoudidtt runne him through the heart. O Peter(faith Saint Augufline) What is becomeofyour courage now What, ofyour greatbragsc What of thisyour proteftation and ftrong refolution, I willlaydownmylifefgr thee ? And of that your,Why fhould I not follow thee,and die with thee t' Therewas no torment that troubled rob fo much, as that his friends fhould forfakehim, Myfriends and familiar acquaintancefloodaforreoffromme.Dauidwas not fo fenfibleofanyofall his perfecurions, as that ofhis fonneAbfalen ; AndMime Cafar tooke itnot halfe fo
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