Deuout contemplations expressed in two and fortie sermons vpon all ye quadragesimall Gospells written in Spanish by Fr. Ch. de Fonseca Englished by. I. M. of Magdalen Colledge in Oxford

THE XXXIX. SERMON. (Book 39)

MAT. 26. MARC. 14. LVC. 22. IOH. 18.

Of S^t. Peters Deniall, and Teares.

OF Peters deniall, there are two opinions, as opposite, as false.* 1.1 The one, That Peter had lost his Faith. Grounding the same vpon the testimonie of Saint Ambrose, Postquam Petrus fidem se perdidisse defluit, maiorem gratiam reperit, quam ami••it, After that Peter had bewailed his lost faith, the grace he found was more than that he lost. And in that our Sauiours repre∣hension to his Disciples at his departure to heauen, Hee re∣prooued their vnbeleefe and hardnesse of heart, Where he excepted not Peter.* 1.2 This opinion is primarily contrary to those words of our Sauiour Christ, I haue prayed for thee (Peter) that thy faith might not faile thee.* 1.3

Secondly, it is contrary to naturall reason. For, to passe sodainly from one extreame to another, though God doth it by extraordinary wayes, yet neyther Nature, nor Art, nor the Diuell doth it, be it either from ill to good, or from good to ill. Nemo repentè turpissimus, said the Poet. The sanctitie of Peter sure was one of the greatest; and to passe sodainely from a Saint, to an Infidell, (which is numbred amongst those sins that are the most hainous) it cannot sinke into my head.

Besides, Faith is like vnto your Ermine, who had rather mori, quam foedari; ra∣ther dye, than durtie it selfe. And therefore Faith is cloathed in white; a colour wherein the least spot or soyle shewes foulest. Corresponding with that of Saint Paul, Hauing the mysterie of faith in a pure conscience. The conscience wherein Faith is to reside, must be pure and cleane: and as it goes soyling, so it goes lessening and losing it selfe. And as is the blood of the soule, and the last humour which is vomited forth, as it is to be seene in those that are sea-sicke; so is it in the ver∣tues of Faith, Peruenit gladius (saith Ieremie) vsque ad animam, The sword hath en∣tred euen vnto my soule. Saint Ierome, That the sword is come vnto the soule, Quando nihil in anima vitale reseruatur, When there is not any vitall thing that is re∣serued in the soule, when all goodnesse is gone out of it.* 1.4 But Saint Peter was not come to that desperate passe, his case was farre otherwise. And if Saint Ambrose say, That he lost his Faith, he vnderstood thereby, that loyaltie and fidelitie which Peter ought better to haue kept, or that confession of his faith, which vp∣on that occasion he was bound to haue made; according to that of Saint Paul, With the heart we beleeue vnto righteousnesse, but with the mouth wee confesse vnto sal∣uation.

And for that reprehension which our Sauiour Christ bestowed vpon his Disciples at his departure for heauen,* 1.5 it is a cleere case, that it was not directed to Peter, as appeareth by the words following, where it is said, That the rest, when they were told by the women that he was risen from the dead, it seemed vnto them as a feigned thing, neither beleeued they them: But Peter was one of the first that ranne vnto our Sauiours Sepulchre, and reuealed to the rest the glo∣rious resurrection of his Lord and Sauiour.

Other Doctours excusing Peter, say, That in this Deniall, he spake Amphibo∣logically, his words carrying a doubtfull or double meaning, and yet might ad∣mit a good construction; and this opinion S. Ambrose, S. Hilary, and S. Cyril toucht vpon: but the truth is, that S. Peter did grieuously sinne therein, and that he had lost his loue, but not his faith.

* 1.6Some treating of the occasions that made God to turne his eye from Peter, some (they say) were on Peters part, others on our Sauiours.

And the first and chiefest occasion was Saint Peters confidence and presump∣tion. Saint Ambrose professeth, Quod non erat humanae infirmitatis, sed diuina po∣testatis, That it was not so much out of humane fra••ltie as diuine power; Such a thing, that all the strength and force of humane weakenesse could not performe. Leo the Pope, Haesi••are permissus est, vt nemo auderet de sua virtute confidere, He suffered him to stagger, that no man might dare to relye vpon his owne strength; Vsing it as a cooling-card for confident Presumists. Saint Augustine expounding that place of the Prouerbs, Neque declines ad dextram, neque ad sinistram, Doe not decline nei∣ther to the right hand, nor the left, doth put the difficultie in declining to the right hand. We doe acknowledge two wayes in this our earthly pilgrimage.

One of life.

The other of death.

That it is a dangerous peece of businesse to decline to the way of death, it is a cleere case; but to the way of life, very darke and intricate. S. Ierome saith, That the iust man should haue a care not to decline to the right hand, because he may chance to offend God out of his double diligence, as Vzza did, in staying the Arke, least it might fall to the ground. Saint Augustine saith, That our best ser∣uice may be vnacceptable, if not sinfull, through our owne presumption. And so did Peter sinne, presuming on his owne proper valour, and setled resolution: which made our Sauiour Christ say vnto him, Thou shalt deny me thrice; and hee replyed thrice, Rather than I will deny thee, I will dye a thousand deaths. O Lord, either thou tellest me thus out of the feare of my weaknesse, or to try me what I will doe, I haue but one life to loose, If need were I would dye with thee, &c. He promised that which was not in the power of his strength to performe. Man promiseth he knowes not what, because he knowes not himselfe. The Angell knew not what would follow: for had he had this knowledge at the first, that alone would haue lessened his contempt. Adam knew by reuelation, That his mar∣riage did represent that of our Sauiour Christ with his Church; but he knew not the Media, or meanes that led thereunto. Saint Peter would neuer haue presu∣med so much on himselfe, had he knowne what would haue followed thereupon: So that he promised that which he was not possibly able to performe. But if pre∣suming on our Sauiour Christs fauour, he had told the wench that stood at the doore, I am one of Christs Disciples, and I will lay downe my life for the testi∣monie of his truth, and mine owne faith; he had secured his life: For it was not possible that our Sauiour Christ should be false of his word, If ye seeke me, suffer these first to goe their way. But euermore those men that most presume, are most

deceiued. Pharaoh pursued the children of Israel, boasting as he went, I will not leaue a man of them aliue, I will at once make an end of these Slaues: But this presumption of his succeeded so ill with him, that he and all his were made food for fishes, They su••ke like lead to the bottome of the sea. And anon after it is said, Thy wrath did deuoure thē, as the fire consumeth the straw. They perished first like lead, because they descended euen to the bottome of the sea: and they perished like straw, because they afterwards floated aboue water; to the end that the chil∣dren of Israel might behold in their drowned bodies, the powerfull hand of God. That proud Philistim Goliah, vaunted himselfe, and cryed out vnto Da∣uid, Come to me, and I will giue thy flesh vnto the fowles of the heauen, and to the beasts of the field. He was an able and a valiant man, but his valour was nothing answera∣ble to his arrogancie and presumption, so that for all his great brags, himselfe was made a prey for the Vultures.

God would haue his friends to be valiant, yet cowards; weake, yet strong; fearefull, and yet confident: and, that the one should grow from the considera∣tion of their owne weaknesse; and the other, from their affiance in God. Moses fled (being afraid) from the Serpent; but being animated by God, hee was so bold, as to take him by the tayle. Tobias out of feare, fled from the fish, but in∣couraged by the Angell, he set vpon him, and was strong enough to teare his iawes in sunder. And therefore Saint Paul saith, All things are possible vnto me, in him that is my strength and my comforter. And he might as well haue said, Without God I can doe nothing, In deo meo (saith Dauid) transgrediar murum, In my God, I will leape ouer a wall; Whereas without him, he is not able to crawle ouer a Thre∣shold. The Scribes and Pharisees did presume that they should enioy those for∣mer good times and golden ages of their great grandfathers and forefathers; but they were not confederat with them in shedding the blood of the Prophets, and therefore our Sauiour made them this answer, Behold,* 1.7 I send vnto you Prophets and wise men, and Scribes, and of them yee shall kill and crucifie. And of them shall yee scourge in the Synagogues, and persecute from Citie to Citie; that vpon you may come all the righteous blood that was shed vpon earth, from the blood of Abel the righteous, vnto the blood of Zacharias the sonne of Barachias, whom ye slew betweene the Temple and the Altar. And yet ye are not ashamed to say, That if ye had beene in the dayes of your fathers, ye would not haue beene part∣ners with them in the blood of the Prophets. Benadab king of Syria bosting much of his power, he of Israel answered him, Let not him that girdeth his harnesse,* 1.8 boast himselfe as he that putteth it off; He that fights for the victory, let him not glory as hee that hath got the victorie: for the successe of warre is doubtfull. The like iudge∣ment ought euery one to make of the victorie and the warre that is waged with the soule; which whilest it liueth in this mortall body, cannot assure it selfe; so various and doubtfull are the successes of this warre. When Iacob had some difference with his father in Law about the Idols which Rachel had stolne,* 1.9 hee told him, Except the God of my father Abraham, & the feare of Isaac, had been with me, &c. The Commentators here question it, why Iacob did not as well say, the God of Isaac, as of Abraham? And Paulus Burgensis answers thereunto out of the opinion of the Hebrewes, That God was neuer called the God of any man,* 1.10 whi∣lest that man was liuing: because he doth not then inioy a sure estate. And there∣fore in regard that Abraham was dead, and Isaac liuing, he said, the God of Abra∣ham, and the feare of Isaac. After that braue resolution which Abraham had to sa∣crifice his sonne, God sayd vnto him, Now I know that thou fearest God. But here another doubt now offers it selfe, That Abraham hauing shewne such a great and

extraordinarie token of his loue, why God did not say vnto him, I now know that thou louest God. The reason is, That when a iust man comes to the top and heigth of his loue, he may presume of himselfe, that he hath then begun to loue. And, for that feare is the first step to loue, he sayd, Nunc cognoui quod timeas, &c. By the whole drift of this discourse, that conclusion of Ecclesiasticus remaineth cleere, Lift not thy selfe vp in the thought of thy soule, like the Bull. Let not thy thoughts and hopes make thee doe the things that are vaine and foolish. Hee in∣stances in the bull, an vntamed beast, which doth not acknowledge heauen. Why wilt thou leaue thy leafes and thy fruit, and remaine like a dotard in the desart? Iob saith,* 1.11 If he layd folly on his Angels, how much more on them that liue in houses of clay? If in the purest steele, he found rust, and in the finest cloth the Moth, &c. S. Augustine saith, Nullum peccatum facit homo, quod non possit facere alter homo, si desit rector, per quem factus est homo, Man doth not commit that sinne, which another may not ••oe, if that Ruler doe not direct man, by whom man is made.

* 1.12The second occasion on Peters part, was the Pallace of Caiphas. Saint Ambrose saith, That Peter comming to warme himselfe at the Pallace, came to denie the truth. For where Truth it selfe was taken prisoner, he had need of a great deale of courage, that should not incline to a lye. Aeneas Syluius reporteth, That Fre∣dericke Archduke of Austria, would goe a nights disguised through the Tauerns and Victualing houses belonging to the Court, only to heare what they sayd of himselfe, and his Ministers; & being demanded, why he did expose his person to that perill? his answer was, Because in Court they neuer tell truth. Plutarch re∣counteth of King Antiochus, That hauing lost himselfe a hunting, hee lighted vpon a Cottage where were a companie of shepheards, and asking them being at supper, What the world said of the King and his Ministers? The King (said they) hath the report of a good honest gentleman, but that the State was neuer worse gouerned than now, for it is serued by the greediest and the gripingest Mi∣nisters that were in the world: and when he came backe againe to Court, he told those that were about him; Since I first tooke possession of this my Kingdome, I neuer heard the truth of things till yesterday. Amongst foure hundred Pro∣phets, which Ahab consulted,* 1.13 onely hee met with one that would not lye vnto him, and the King hated him for telling him the truth. Saint Ambrose calls the Pallace, Basilica, deriuing it from the Basiliske, which kills with it's looke. Of this creature Aelian saith, That he vomiteth forth his poyson vpon a stone: And it fits well for Peter, whom our Sauiour Christ termed Petram; vpon whom the diuell (whom the Scripture stiles a Basiliske) vomited foorth his poyson. Our Sauiour Christ receiued much kindnesse and courtesie in the house of Martha, of Zacheus, and the Pharisee; but in Herods Pallace they made a foole of him; In that of Pilat, they whipt him, and crowned him with thornes; and in that of Caiphas he receiued so many affronts, that God onely knowes what they were: according to that which Dauid said in his name, Tu scis impropirum meum, & con∣fusionem meam.

The third occasion was, That hee would enter into the Pallace, by being brought in by the hands of a woman.* 1.14 Saint Bernard saith, Si infidelitas intrat, quid mirum, si infideliter agat? Maximus Tirronensis saith, That Peters sinne was much like vnto that of Adam: there being imployed in both of them, a man, a woman, and a diuell. Adam had a warning not to eate, Peter not to denie: Eue was the oc∣casion that Adam did eate; and Cayphas maid-seruant, that Peter did denie. In a word, a woman was the instrument of all our deaths, and threw downe to the ground those two Columbs and pillars of the world: but Peters fall was the fou∣ler,

for Eue proceeded with inticements and flatteries, and Adam suffered him∣selfe to be ouercome, Ne contristaret delitias, Lest he should grieue his Loue. But this woman (saith Saint Augustine) proceeded with threatnings; now a woman is ve∣ry powerfull in matter of allurements, inticings, dalliance, and deceiuing, through profession of loue: but in matter of feare (as Saint Gregorie hath obserued) shee is very weake. A woman triumphed ouer Sampson, Dauid, Salomon, Sisera, and Holophernes, by making loue, and vsing deceit: but here a maid, with only a bunch of keyes hanging at her girdle, triumphed ouer Peter, by feare.

The fourth occasion was, Saint Peters offering to thrust into the Pallace. Ioseph could not auoid the occasion, because his Mistresse called him vnto her; Dauid did cast his eye aside by chance: but Peter did seeke occasion, And he that loues anger shall perish by it. He doth not say, He that loues warre or victorie, but he that loues danger. Many of the children of Israel did cut off the thumbs from their fingers, because they would excuse themselues from prophanation, by singing the songs of Sion; and being importuned thereunto, Sing vnto vs one of the songs of Sion; They answered, How shall we sing one of the Lords songs in a strange land, &c. Osee saith, Non vocabis me vltra Baalim, sed vocabis me vir meus. Baalim is the same, as Vir meus, But because there was an Idol that was called Baalim, God said, Doe not call me Baalim; to the end that no man may presume that thou yet bearest Baalim still in thy mind, or for to take all occasion from thee, of thinking thereof any more.

On Gods part there are likewise very good reasons.* 1.15

The first shall be of Saint Gregorie. Saint Peter being to bee a Pastor, it was fit that he should fall into so foule a fault, least that afterwards he should be scanda∣lized by other mens offences, and carry too sharpe and hard a hand towards sin∣ners. Saint Augustine touches vpon the same reason, in his bookes de Ciuitate Dei, persuading the Bishops of Galilea,* 1.16 That Clemencie should sway more with them, than seueritie; loue, than power; softnesse, than sharpnesse; for, there is no man that liues without sinne. And if our Sauiour Christ should haue censured Peter after his first deniall, he would not haue reapt from thence so much fruit, as now he did.

The second shall be of Saint August. who sayes, That it is a wholesom•• medi∣cine for a proud man, to suffer him to fall into some grieuous and manifest sinne; to the end, that the foulenesse of that fault may abate his pride. Saint Peter was so peremptorie and so presumptuous, that he did presse this point with such a deale of confidence and boldnesse, that he told his Master, Though that all men shall be of∣fended by thee, yet will I neuer bee offended.* 1.17 And Christ then telling him that hee should denie him thrice, he presently reply'd thereupon; Though I should dye with thee, yet will I not denie thee: but you see how this his courage was after∣wards cooled. Which presumption of his, when he saw his great weaknesse, he humbly bewailed with many a bitter teare, which turned to his exceeding great good. And this reason is confirmed by Saint Chrysostome, who saith, That God permitted Peter to denie his Master, that he might thereby learne to relie more vpon God, than himselfe. Saint Peter gaue lesse credit to Christs words, than his owne resolution: but the successe thereof did put him out of his errour. Leo the Pope saith, That God did suffer Peter thus to fall, that the holiest might take heed not to trust too much to their owne strength. Euthimius further addeth, that this negation of his, was as it were a Fiador, or suretie, against anie bosting or glorying in those so many miracles, which were afterwards to bee wrought by Peter. Saint Paul saith of himselfe, That the pricks that he had in his flesh, did serue

as so many Piguelas or lines to your hawkes iesses, that hee might not sore too high, being puffed vp with these his many reuelations, Ne magnitudo reuelatio∣num extollat me.

The third shall be of Leo the Pope, who saith, That God did permit in Peter so great a sin, Vt in Ecclesia remedium poenitentiae conderetur, For the better foun∣ding and establishing in the Church, the authoritie and efficacie of repentance. The like reason is rendred by Saint Ierome, By Peters fall (saith he) was manifested the vertue of repentance, against the poyson of sinne: which is all one with that of Saint Paul; I was a blasphemer, a persecuter, &c. And God was content to giue way thereunto, for the better instruction of those that were to beleeue hereafter. He that makes treacle, tryes it first vpon his owne child, &c. God sent Ieremie to the Potters shop, that he might see how the broken vessell was to be new mol∣ded againe, and come out better than before. And shall not I be able to do as much with you, as the Potter with his clay? Where it is to be noted, That as the clay of∣tentimes receiues a better forme and fashion than at first, and for more honoura∣ble vse: So (saith Saint Chrysostome and Euthymius) Peter was made much the better by this.

First, because it was a very good warning vnto him, not to presume any more on himselfe. And therefore Christ asking him whether he loued him? He durst neither say I nor no.

Secondly, because God pardoning this his disloyaltie, it was but a further in∣flaming of his loue, and setting his heart more on fire in the zeale of his seruice; according to that saying of our Sauiour Christ, He little loues to whom little is for∣giuen. In a word, it was a fulfilling of Abacucs prophesie, If thou didst hereto∣fore tread one step in the way of death, thou shalt now tread ten for it in the way of life.

* 1.18Then he began to curse himselfe, and to sweare, &c, This his negation or deniall, was foretold by Dauid, I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was none that would know me. As also by Ieremie, They haue denyed the Lord, and said it is not he. S. Peter had learned in the schoole of Christ, Let your Communication be yea, yea, and nay, nay. The maid asked him if he were not one of Christs Disciples, He answered, I am not. But she reply'd vnto him, Thou art; For thy speech doth bewray thee. But he, that he might auoid all spies, or any further inquirie, Began to fall a cursing, &c. How now Peter? Art thou well in thy wits? knowest thou what thou doest? Thou that sawst thy Sauiour so glorious in Tabor, Thou that confessedst him to be the Sonne of the liuing God, Thou, whom hee called, together with thy brother Andrew, to be fishers of men; Thou, to whom he stretcht foorth his hand in the sea, to saue thee from drowning; doest thou not know him? I know him not. O Peter lament thy ignorance, for thou hast beene more cruell to thy Master than all they that conspired against him, and laid their heads together to torment him: for as for them, some bound his hands, others his necke, others spat in his face, these buffeted him, those platted thornes on his head, others pulled him by the beard, and tugged him by the haire, one pierced his side; but thou didst runne him through the heart. O Peter (saith Saint Augustine) What is become of your courage now? What, of your great brags? What of this your protestation and strong resolution, I will lay downe my life for thee? And of that your, Why should I not follow thee, and die with thee? There was no torment that troubled Iob so much, as that his friends should forsake him, My friends and familiar acquaintance stood afarre off from me. Dauid was not so sensible of any of all his persecutions, as that of his sonne Absalon; And Iulius Caesar tooke it not halfe

so tenderly at any of the other Traytors hands, as of his sonne Brutus, and ther∣fore said vnto him when he stabd him, Et tu quoque Brute? Ha Brutus art thou in this Conspiracie? Gentiles and Iewes, Ecclesiasticks and Seculars, Patritians and Plebeyans, did all conspire against Christ; but none of those iniuries that they offered him, toucht his heart so neere as Peters Deniall of him. That Iudas should sell him, betray him, and deliuer him vp into his enemies hands; that the high Priests, Herod and Pilat should desire his death, and consent thereunto, it was no∣thing, because they hated him and were his professed enemies: But that Peter should denie him, to whom he had made such glorious promises, and hauing so often made offer vnto him of his life, that he should play the Renegado, and deale thus and thus, &c.

Then the Lord turned backe, and looked vpon Peter, and Peter went out and wept bit∣terly. Saint Luke like a good Painter drawes me Peter first with a cole, but now he giues him his more liuely colours. The first variegation and garnishment that he giues this peece, was, our Sauiour Christs looking back vpon Peter: How he looked on him, we haue handled elsewhere. The effect, which this his looking on him wrought, was the making of his heart to melt like waxe; and the turning of Christs eye, the turning of Peters eyes into two fountaines. The Astrologers say, That he that is borne in the aspect of Mars, is sterne and cruell; in that of Iupiter, mercifull and courteous; in that of Mercurie, industrous and eloquent. The beams of the sun inlighten the ayre, dispellclouds, fertilize the fields, breeds pearles in the shels of the riuers, corall in the bottome of the sea, gold, siluer, and other mettalls in the veynes of the earth, and like a well ordred clocke, go∣uernes all the world. What shall the Son of righteousnesse doe then with the beames of his Eyes? Sidonius Apolinaris reports of those of Thracia,* 1.19 That for to signifie the vertue and power of the eyes of our Sauiour Christ, they did paint a sunne, whence three Raies, or bright-shining beames brake forth: the one, rai∣sing vp one that was dead; the other did breake a stonie heart; and the third did melt a snowie mountaine; and the Motto was this, Oculi Dei, ad nos. The beames of Christs eyes raise vp the dead, breake rocks, and melt snow, A facie tua (saith Esay) montes defluent. The fire which they hid in the transmigration of Babylon, the children of Israel found at their returne, turned into water; but exposing it to the beames of the sunne, it grew againe to be fire, to the great admiration of the beholders: which is a figure of Saint Peter, who through his coldnes became wa∣ter, but the beames of the Sonne of righteousnesse, raised a great fire out of this water. Pliny reports of certaine stones in Phrygia, that being beaten vpon by the beames of the sunne, send forth drops of water: But the beames of the Sonne of righteousnesse did not onely from this Petra, or stone Saint Peter, draw teares, but whole riuers of water. According to that of Dauid,* 1.20 Which turneth the rocke into water-pooles, and the flint into a fountaine of water.

Saint Ambrose seemeth to stand somewhat vpon it, why Peter did not aske for∣giuenes of his sins at Gods hands? Inuenio (saith he) quod fleuerit, nō inuenio quid dix∣erit; lachrymas lego, satisfactionem non lego; I find that he wept, but do not find what he said; I read his teares, but read not his satisfaction. The reasons of this his silence, and that he did not craue pardon of God by word of mouth, are these:

First, because he had runne himselfe into discredit by his rash offers, and after∣wards by his stiffe deniall; and therefore thought with himselfe, That it was not possible for him to expresse more affection with his mouth, than he had vttered heretofore, Etiam si oportuerit me mori tecum, non te negabo, &c. And that tongue which had deny'd him, to whom it had giuen so good an assurance, could neuer

(as he thought) deserue to be beleeued. And therefore our Sauiour questioning him afterwards concerning his loue, he durst not answer more than this, Thou knowest, ô Lord, whether I loue thee or no.

Secondly, he askes not pardon by words, because the pledges of the heart are so sure, that they admit no deceit. And for that, Lachryma sunt cordis sanguis, Tears are the hearts blood; S. Ambrose therfore saith, Lachrymarū preces, vtiliores sunt, quā sermonū; quia sermo in precando fortè fallit, lachryma omnino non fallit: The prayers of teares are more profitable, than of words; for words in praying, may now and then de∣ceiue vs, but teares neuer. S. Chrysostome saith, That our sinnes are set downe in the Table-booke of Gods memorie; but that teares are the sponge which blotteth them out. And indeering the force of teares, he saith, That in Christs souldier, the noblest Act that he can do, is to shed his blood in his seruice, Maiorem charita∣tem nemo habet, &c. For what our blood shed for Christ, effecteth; that doth our teares for our sinnes. Mary Magdalen did not shed her blood, but she shed her teares: And Saint Peter did not now shed blood, but hee shed teares; which were so powerfull, that after that hee had wept, hee was trusted with a part of the gouernment of the Church; who before hee had wept, had not gouernment of himselfe:* 1.21 for teares cure our wounds, cheere our soules, ease the conscience, and please God, O lachryma humilis (saith Saint Ierome) tuum est reg∣num, &c. O humble Teare, thine is the kingdome, thine is the power, thou fearest not the Iudges Tribunall, thou inioynest silence to thine accusers: if thou enter emptie, thou doest not goe out emptie; thou subduest the inuincible, and bindest the omnipotent.

Hence it is that the diuell beareth such enuie to our Teares. When Holofernes had dryed vp the fountaines of Bethulia, hee held the Citie his: and the Diuell when he shall come to dry vp the teares in our eyes, when he hath stopt vp those waters that should flow from the soule of a sinner, hee hopes he is his. Elian of Tryphon, the Tyrant, reports of this one vnheard-of crueltie: Fearing his Sub∣iects would conspire against him, he made a publike Edict, that they should not talke one with another; and being thus debarr'd of talking one with another, they did looke very pittifully one vpon another, communicating their minds by their eyes. And being forbid by a second Edict, that they should not so much as looke one vpon another, when they saw they were restrained of that libertie likewise, wheresoeuer they met one another, they fell a weeping. This seemed to the Ty∣rant the damnablest and most dangerous conspiracie of all the rest, and resol∣ued to put them to death. The diuell is afraid of our words, afraid of our affecti∣ons, but much more afraid of our teares. O Lord so mollifie our sinfull hearts, that whensoeuer we offend thee, our words, our affections, and our teares, may in all deuotion and humilitie present themselues before thee, crauing par∣don for our sinnes. Which we beseech thee to grant vs for thy deare Sonne Christ Iesus sake. To whom with the holy Spirit, be all prayse, honour, and glorie, &c.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Two opinions concern••ng Peters deniall.
• * 1.2

  Mar. 16.
• * 1.3

  Luk. 22.
• * 1.4

  How Peter may be said to haue lost his faith.
• * 1.5

  Of Peters Fall.
• * 1.6

  The occasions of it.
• * 1.7

  Ma••. 23.
• * 1.8

  3. Reg. 20.
• * 1.9

  Gen. 31.
• * 1.10

  God not cal∣led the God of any man, while he li∣ueth.
• * 1.11

  Iob 4.
• * 1.12

  Truths sel∣dome heard in Princes Courts.
• * 1.13

  3. Reg. 22.
• * 1.14

  S. Peters sinne like that of Adam.
• * 1.15

  Man bya sight of his owne weaknesse is taught to pity an others.
• * 1.16

  Reasons why Christ suffe∣red Peter to deny him.
• * 1.17

  M••t. 26.
• * 1.18

  Peter more in∣iurious to Christ, than all his enemies Psal. 142. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••.12
• * 1.19

  The power of Christs eyes.
• * 1.20

  Psal. 114.
• * 1.21

  The efficacie of Teares.