THE falls of the People of God […] darken their sincerity: they are as […] Cloud covering their uprightness: th•• do make their sincerity questionab•• unto others: some that take notice of their fa•• are ready to suspect, and others are ready to de•• their sincerity; standers by are apt to impu•• their falls to their Hypocrisy and the reigning power of sin; as if they had now prove• themselves to be Hypocrites. They are read• to say of them, as David said of Doeg, Lo th• is the man that made not God his trust. And th•• ⟨p. 2⟩•••s make their sincerity questionable to them•••ves: if they have seen something of uprightness in themselves before, now they fear, they ••re mistaken: they think if there had been ••y Grace, that would have preserved them •••m falling: their falls wound their Consciences ••d disturb their Peace. They think if God ••d loved them, he would not have suffered •••m to fall into such sin: it seems to them […] be the fruit of Gods hatred: they are apt […] think that their sins have turned away the •••rt of God from them, and that he cannot •ight in them: they think moreover that if •••y had loved God, they could not have been •••wn to sin so against him. Satan is, wont to […] prove their falls unto their discouragement; ••d raises such mists, that day is turned into night […] to them. Upon this occasion Christ puts this question to Peter: the Disciples might be unsa••fyed with him, because of his fall; and he ••ight be dissatisfied with himself: but hereby Christ is leading of him into the Examination […] his own sincerity. You may conceive Christs ••eaning thus: Peter you have made a Profession many years: but in the time of my affliction, ••ou shamefully denied me; you formerly professed ••at you would dye with me, before you would ••ny me, but as soon as the Temptation came; ••u presently denied me: and as if it were ••t enough to do it once, you did it a second ⟨p. 3⟩and a third time: and as if plain denying […] not been enough, you did it with Cursing […] Swearing: is there any love in your heart u•• me? you showed some affection but now, […] throwing your self into the Sea, but is it […] love? have I your heart? am I the object […] your love? you professed more love than other Disciples; but do you indeed love me?
THE falls of the People of God 〈…〉 darken their sincerity: they are as 〈…〉 Cloud covering their uprightness: th•• do make their sincerity questionab•• unto others: some that take notice of their fa•• are ready to suspect, and others are ready to de•• their sincerity; standers by are apt to impu•• their falls to their Hypocrisy and the reignin• power of sin; as if they had now prove• themselves to be Hypocrites. They are read• to say of them, as David said of Doeg, Lo th• is the man that made not God his trust. And th•• ⟨p. 2⟩•••s make their sincerity questionable to them•••ves: if they have seen something of upright••ss in themselves before, now they fear, they ••re mistaken: they think if there had been ••y Grace, that would have preserved them •••m falling: their falls wound their Consciences ••d disturb their Peace. They think if God ••d loved them, he would not have suffered •••m to fall into such sin: it seems to them 〈…〉 be the fruit of Gods hatred: they are apt 〈…〉 think that their sins have turned away the •••rt of God from them, and that he cannot •ight in them: they think moreover that if •••y had loved God, they could not have been •••wn to sin so against him. Satan is, wont to 〈…〉 prove their falls unto their discouragement; d raises such mists, that day is turned into night to them. Upon this occasion Christ puts this estion to Peter: the Disciples might be unsafyed with him, because of his fall; and he ight be dissatisfyed with himself: but hereby hrist is leading of him into the Examination his own sincerity. You may conceive Christs eaning thus: Peter you have made a Profession many years: but in the time of my affliction, ou shamefully denied me; you formerly professed at you would dye with me, before you would ny me, but as soon as the Temptation came; u presently denyed me: and as if it were t enough to do it once, you did it a second
