The History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland

That imbecility and weakness of faith, if Peter had not proved and felt it in himself, neither could he rightly have praised Gods infinite goodness, and embraced his free mercy; neither had he been apt and meet to have been a a Pastor to the weak sheep and tender lambs of Christ, but he should have been as proud a contemner and despiser of his weak brethren, as the arrogant Papists, that contemn and despise all godly and great learned men, though they be a thousand parts more excellent then they.¹ But to correct and inform both presumptuous arrogancy and frail imbecility and weakness of faith, Peter was permitted once to sink, and thrice most shamefully to refuse and deny his Master, to the intent that by the knowledge of his own weakness, he might be the more able to instruct others of the same; and also that he might more largely magnify Gods free grace and mighty deliverance: And that Christ taught him before his falling; saying,² When thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren: As though Christ should have said, Peter, yet art thou too proud to be a Pastor, thou canst not stoop nor bow thy back down to take up the weak sheep, thou doest not yet know thine own infirmity and weakness, and therefore canst thou do nothing but despise the weak ones; but when thou shalt be instructed by experience of thine own self, what hid iniquity lurketh within the nature of man, then shalt thou learn to be humble, and stoop among other sinners; and also shalt be an example to others which after shall offend, as thou didst, so that if they repent as thou didst, they need not despair of mercy, but may trust most assuredly of Christ to obtain grace, mercy and forgiveness of sins, as thou didst.

That imbecillitie and weaknesse of faith, if Peter had not proved and felt it in himself, neither could he rightly have praised Gods infinite goodnesse, and imbraced his free mercy; neither had he been apt and meet to have been a a Pastor to the weak sheep and tender lambs of Christ, but he should have been as proud a contemner and dispiser of his weak brethren, as the arrogant Papists, that contemn and dispise all godly and great learned men, though they be a thousand parts more excellent then they.¹ But to correct and informe both presumptuous arrogancy and fraile imbecilitie and weaknesse of faith, Peter was permitted once to sink, and thrice most shamefully to refuse and deny his Master, to the intent that by the knowledge of his own weaknesse, he might be the more able to instruct others of the same; and also that he might more largely magnifie Gods free grace and mighty deliverance: And that Christ taught him before his falling; saying,