I. Scripture-light the most sure light ... delivered in three sermons on 2 Pet.…

Quest. But should not a Godly, Gracious man be fully grieved and humbled for his sin?

Answ. Grieved, humbled for his sin? yes surely; though the Lord through the over-ruling hand of his Grace, do work never so much good out of my sin unto me, yet I am to be humbled for it, and the rather to be humbled for it, because he works good out of it. I have read indeed of the Mother of those three Learned men, Lombard, Gratian, and Comaestor, the three great pillars of the Roman Church (for Lombard wrote the sentences; and Gratian the Popish Decretals; and Comaestor, Historiam Scholasticam) that when she lay on her death bed, and the Priest came unto her, and called upon her for repentance of her whoredoms,¹ (for these three, Lombard, Gratian, and Comaestor, were her bastards, as the very popish writers do record it) & he telling her that she must be greatly afflicted, grieved, and humbled for her uncleanness, or else she could not be saved, why? said she, I confess indeed, that whoredom and uncleanness is a great sin, but considering what a great deal of good hath come to the Church of God by my sin, that three such great lights have been brought forth into the world by my sin, Non valeo paenitentiam agere, I cannot, I will not repent. & thus it is with many poor ignorant souls, when they see, how the Lord by his over-ruling hand doth work good unto them out of their sin, as some outward blessings & mercies, they do not repent of their sin, but rather justify themselves in their sins: but now take a Godly man, a gracious soul, and the more that he sees the Lord working good out of his sin, the more he is humbled for it; and upon that very ground, because God works good of it, therefore he is humbled the more.

Answ. Grieved, humbled for his sin? yes surely; though the Lord through the over-ruling hand of his Grace, do work never so much good out of my sin unto me, yet I am to be humbled for it, and the rather to be humbled for it, because he works good out of it. I have read indeed of the Mother of those three Learned men, Lumbard, Gratian, and Comaestor, the three great pillars of the Roman Church (for Lumbard wrote the sentences; and Gratian the Popish Decretals; and Comaestor, Historiam Scholasticam) that when she lay on her death bed, and the Priest came unto her, and called upon her for repentance of her whoredomes,