pestilent hope, with which a man flattereth himself
toward his own destruction.

He who, in a sudden turn for fear or other affection, unadvisedly
falleth, and after, in labouring to rise again, comforteth himself
with hope of God's gracious forgiveness, walketh in the ready way
toward his salvation. But he who with the hope of God's mercy to
follow, doth encourage himself to sin, and thereby offendeth God
first--I have no power to keep the hand of God from giving out his
pardon where he will (nor would I if I could, but rather help to
pray for it), but yet I very sorely fear that such a man may miss
the grace to ask it in such effectual wise as to have it granted.
Nor can I now instantly remember any example or promise expressed
in holy scripture that the offender in such a case shall have the
grace offered afterward, in such wise to seek for pardon that God,
by his other promises of remission promised to penitents, would be
bound himself to grant it. But this kind of presumption, under
pretext of hope, seemeth rather to draw near on the one side (as
despair doth, on the other) toward the abominable sin of blasphemy
against the Holy Ghost. And against that sin, concerning either the
impossibility or at least the great difficulty of forgiveness, our
Saviour himself hath spoken in the twelfth chapter of St. Matthew
and in the third chapter of St. Mark, where he saith that blasphemy
against the Holy Ghost shall never be forgiven, neither in this
world nor in the world to come.

And where the man that you speak of took in his reason an example
of St. Peter, who forsook our Saviour and got forgiveness
afterward, let him consider again on the other hand that he forsook
him not upon the boldness of such a sinful trust, but was overcome
and vanquished by a sudden fear. And yet, by that forsaking, St.
Peter won but little, for he did but delay his trouble for a little
while, as you know well. For beside that, he repented forthwith
very sorely that he had so done, and wept for it forthwith full
bitterly. He came forth at the Whitsuntide ensuing, and confessed
his Master again, and soon after that, he was imprisoned for it.
And not ceasing so, he was thereupon sore scourged for the
confession of his faith, and yet after that imprisoned again
afresh. And, being from thence delivered, he stinted not to preach
on still until, after manifold labours, travails, and troubles, he
was in Rome crucified and with cruel torment slain.