Meditations on the fall and rising of St. Peter

THE increase of the Enemies Temptation, accumulates unto the Apostles sin. When Peter is pressed a second time, and with more strong opposition, he conceives a naked and empty denial, to be an implicit confession; and therefore that he may make them more credulous, he makes himself more impious; and to gain Faith with men, he not only denies, but forswears his ⟨p. 61⟩Faith with God, making Christ himself the Witness and Patron not only of a Lie, but also of a Revolt. With how deep a die of sin, with how many degrees of corruption, will the habit of Faith consist! That failed not Peter, though the exercise thereof were a while smothered and suspended. Christ's prayer was stronger to preserve it, than his denial to root it out. That very action, which if it had proceeded from a heart qualified with other dispositions of stubbornness, malice, ⟨p. 62⟩and obduration, would have been the irremediable sin against the Holy Ghost; was in Peter, proceeding from fear and weakness, the sin of a believing and faithful heart. How may the Godly in this one Example both learn to despair of their own strength, which cannot without Christ's assistance uphold them from so deep a fall; and not to despair of his mercy, which can keep Faith in a corner of that very heart, which lies drenched and weltering in its own blood; and can raise up unto ⟨p. 63⟩Martyrdom a man that had so deeply plunged himself into Apostasy! He that suffered Judas to be the horrid subject of his Judgment, raised Peter from a sin (I verily think) in it self as great, to be the Preacher and Witness of his Mercy.