The History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland

To the which may be answered;¹ Albeit that we could render no reason of this work of Christ, yet were the work it self a sufficient reason; and it were enough to answer, That so it pleased him, who is not bound to render a reason of all his works: But yet if we shall mark with diligence to what Office Peter was to be called,² and what offences long rested with him, we shall find most just and necessary causes of this work of Christ, and down sinking of Peter. It is plain that Peter had many notable virtues, as a zeal and fervency towards Christs glory,³ and a readiness and forwardness to obey his commandments; but it is like plain, That of long continuance there rested with Peter a desire of honour and worldly rest (and that moved him to persuade Christ that he should not die.⁴) There rested with him pride,⁵ presumption, and a trust in himself; which presumption and vain trust in his own strength, unless it had been corrected, he had never been fit to have fed Christs flock:⁶ And such sins can never be fully corrected or reformed, till they be felt, known, and confessed. Doubtless so arrogant is our nature, that neither will it know nor confess the ⟨p. 72⟩infirmity of it self, until such time as it hath a trial by manifest experience; This is most plain by Peter, long after this tempest; for when Christ said to his Disciples, This night shall ye all be slandered in me, Peter boldly bragged and said,⁷ Albeit that all should be slandered, and should fly from thee, yet shall not I be slandered, but I am ready to go to prison, and to die with thee. This was a bold presumption, and an arrogant promise spoken in contempt of all his Brethren, from which he could not be reduced by Christs admonition, but the more that Christ showed him, that he should deny him, the more bold was he to affirm the contrary; as though his Master Christ (the Author of all Trueth, yea rather trueth it self) should make a loud lie; and therefore of necessity it was, that he should prove in experience what was the frailty of mans nature, and what was the imbecility and weakness of faith, even in those, that were his chief Apostles, which had continually heard his heavenly Doctrine, seen daily his wonderful Miracles, which had heard themselves so many admonitions of him, which also had followed and obeyed him in many things.