thee like a Catchpole dogge thee vp and downe like a Sergeant and follow thee like thy owne shadow thou canst not shake it off when thou wouldest this the godly haue found most true by wofull experience in themselues how hard a thing it hath beene to ouercome any sinne that hath beene entertained with them any time if it be but some idle oath or vnsauorie speech that they haue vsed how hard a thing is it to leaue it Which shewes how wonderfully such men deceiue their owne soules that will seeme to stint themselues in sinning as if they had power in themselues to leaue sinne at their pleasure These very thoughts shew that thou art in bondage vnder some corruptions and art in the power of Sathan and so in danger of destruction So then we must destroy sinne whilest it is an egge and smother it in the first conception as we destroy the young whelpes of the prey For as the Apostle shewes Lust conceiued brings forth sinne and sinne when it is finished it brings forth death Wherein the holy Ghost teacheth vs how dangerous a thing it is to giue the least entertainment vnto sinne it is like a Bird called the Lapwhing which is no sooner hatched but it runnes abroad And indeed sinne is much easier kept out then cast out It shall then be our wisedome to heed our selues betimes and euer to looke to our watch that we may preuent sinne euen at the first motions and occasions thereof an high point of heauenly wisedome Rayled on him Text. Sinfull and wretched was the life of this man and cursed and wretched was his death not onely in respect of the nature of his death which t is true was a cursed death to be crucified Deu. 21.23 But also in regard of his fearefull end that he made that hee should dye thus blaspheming of Christ But it is not to be wondered at for it was answerable vnto his life And herein will teach vs. What a dangerous thing it is to liue wickedly Doct. 3 A sinfull life hath commonly a cursed death for commonly as the life is so is the death a good life a good death an euill life commonly an euill death Here is a wofull end and a fearefull spectacle of a wretched life as his life was voyde of grace so was his death voide of comfort his life was wretched his death was damnable And this was not onely in respect of his body but also in regard of his soule the which no doubt went from the Crosse to Hell as it was said of Iudas that He went to his owne place Act. 1.25 that is to hell And indeed the Scriptures affoord vs diuers examples of wicked and vngodly men such who as their liues haue beene wretched and sinfull so haue died wretched and miserable deaths Pharaoh a sworne enemy to Gods Church and people Ex. 14.25 what a fearfull end came hee vnto with his people being ouerwhelmed in the sea Hest 5.6.7 and there perished Haman a great Fauourite vnder the Persian king an enemy to Gods Church and people came himselfe to dye that death hee had prepared for Mordecai and fell himselfe into the same pit he had made for others Thus do wee reade of Gods heauy iudgement vpon Balshazzar Dan. 5.5 the king of Babylon at his royotous feast abusing the holy vessels of the Temple prophanely the Lord at the same time ouertooke him with his iudgements The like of Ahab and Iesabel 1 Reg. 21. the story makes mention of their fearefull ends the very dogs did eate Iesabel that bloudy and butcherly Queene that had murthered so many of the Lords Prophets The like we reade of Saul that hauing in his life time persecuted Dauid at last fell vpon his owne sword The like of Herod that was deuoured with lice Of Iudas that in the dayes of our Sauiour Christ had played the close and cunning hypocrite what a fearefull end came that wretch vnto at last the Text saith He hanged himselfe Mat. 27.5 perceiuing at last what a horrible sinne he had committed in betraying the Lord of life he iudged himselfe vnworthy of life Now as his life was wicked his death was wretched for besides that hee made away himselfe and so became the cursed instrument of his owne death The Lord shewed a strange token vpon him at his death for when he was hanged He burst asunder in the middest Act. 1.18 and all his bowels gushed out There is a Tradition that saith that when Iudas was dead hee stunke so noysomely that no man could come neare him and yet this was not all for as the end of his body was miserable so was it also in regard of his soule for the Euangelist obserueth Act. 1.15 That hee went to his owne place that is to hell there to remaine for euer to be tormented with the deuill and his Angels And the like may be said of Ahitophel Absolom Ananias Act. 5. and Saphira c. And besides the examples of Gods iudgements out of diuine Writ of those whose liues as they haue beene wicked and vngodly so their deaths haue beene cursed and miserable Ecclesiasticall histories affoord vs infinite Eelix Earle of Wartemberg hauing a long time beene a most cruell persecutour of Christs Church sware to his companions at a supper that ere he dyed hee would ride vp to the spurres in the bloud of Lutherans But the same night the reuengefull hand of God stroke him euen in the height of his malice and cruelty that hee was strangled in his bed with his owne bloud Stephen Gardiner in Queene Maries dayes a bloudy persecutour sitting at dinner at the very time when Ridly and Latimer were burned at Oxford Acts and Mon. Fox he gloried and reioyced exceedingly thereat But the hand of God incontinently stroke him that he was carried presently to bed where his body was inflamed by reason he could not expell his vrine and his tongue mightily swolne and black hanging out of his mouth most fearefully and so miserably dyed The like wee reade of Bonner Morgan Thornton c. who hauing beene cruell persecutours God brought them to shamefull and miserable ends Yea our owne experience daily doth manifest this truth vnto vs that such as haue liued vitiously riotously and wickedly what miserable deaths they many times come vnto How many filthy adulterers hath God cut off with filthy rotten and loathsome diseases causing rottennesse to enter into their bones and bringing them to miserable ends How many beastly drunkards that haue beene inflamed with their strong drinke hath the Lord cut off in the very middest of their drunkennesse and so haue dyed most shamefully and miserably How many murtherers hath the Lord pursued whom none else could accuse and made the malesactours themselues confesse their horrible facts and all to bring a sinfull and wretched life to a shamefull and miserable end Surely the Lord is wonderfull in his indgements Oh that
men were wise to lay the same to heart But we see many times the wicked Obiect 1 whose liues haue beene vile and sinfull haue prospered all their dayes yea and their death it selfe hath not seemed to bee so miserable vnto them It is true Resp God many times suffereth the wicked to prosper in the world Their-houses as Iob saith are peaceable and without feare and the rodde of God doth not alwayes fall vpon them What then Is their case any whit the more happie Doth not prosperitie slay the foole And what are all the pompes and pleasures of the wicked but as a blazing Starre presaging ruine and destruction And what though the wicked passe their time in pleasures and feare no euill doth securitie prosit any will a man enuy him that goeth to execution in a Satten suit Is not their destruction the nearer at hand and so much the more fearefull when it commeth Secondly the best furniture against Death is Faith hope and a good conscience Iob 27.8 But What hope the wicked saith Iob when God shall take away his soule meaning indeed he hath no hope O but these men dye peaceably Obiect 2 euen like lambes in their beds So may a wicked man do and yet go to hell Answ and be in no better case as Dauid obserueth then the very beast in death Man saith he shall not continue in honour but is like the beasts that dye And indeed there is many times little difference betwixt the death of a beast and that of a wicked man saue the one hath many times a pillow vnder his head and the other dyeth in a ditch Pro. 11.7 When the wicked dye all his hope perisheth But we see that a wicked life doth not alwayes bring a cursed death Obiect 3 the other Thiefe that liued loosly and wickedly yet at last repented and was saued and God hath made a promise that at what time soeuer a sinner doth repent c. I answer Resp t is true the other Thiefe repenting and beleeuing in Christ was saued at the very last But what was not this miraculous Did not Christ now vpon a speciall occasion to shew the effect of his bloud the power of his passion and to demonstrate vnto the world his Deitie euen now at his lowest ebbe of humiliation shew his power in the conuersion of the Thiefe Must this extraordinarie example now be propounded as a president for euer that was but once miraculous and wrought vpon speciall occasion So mayest thou looke againe for the renting of the stones the opening of the graues and the raising of the dead and to see againe those other miracles of Christ that did accompanie that conuersion of his And for further satisfaction consider First that it is not impossible but that this was the first time of the call of this Thiese that he had neuer heard Christs Sermons before or had any outward call before this time that now he came to suffer with Christ and so his sinnes being of ignorance might excuse in part as Paul speaketh of his The Lord shewed mercy 1 Tim. 1.13 because I did them ignorantly But now thou canst not pleade this ignorance inasmuch as thou hast liued vnder the Gospell and hast had an outward call by the preaching of the same Secondly this example of the penitent Thiefe as it was extraordinary so we see it singular the Scriptures not leauing vs one example more of the like Now particular examples are not to bee vrged for a generall practise especially in so weightie a thing as the saluation of the soule is The other Thiefe that liued as he did died not as he did but our Text sheweth his miserable end that hee died impenitently blasphemously and desperately and so haue we like wise seene euen now proued vnto vs the miserable end of many moe whose liues as they haue beene sinfull so their ends haue beene fearefull If Sathan then or thy owne sinfull corrupt heare shall go about to perswade thee at any time that though thou takest thy sway and swing in sinne now thou mayest hereafter when thou wilt thy selfe repent with the good Thief◠and so be saued Answer Sathan thus and tell thy heart from me that it is a thousand fold more probable that thou shalt dye as thou hast liued impenitently wickedly desperately with the Impenitent Thiefe and so be damned rather then to haue such a singular grace giuen thee and mercy shewed at the last houre to repent with the penitent Thiefe and so be saued But God hath said Obiect 4 That at what time soeuer c. It is most true that at what time soeuer c. Resp And it is the mercy of God that we haue that and the like places of Scripture left vnto vs to comfort vs as a hand reached out vnto vs to keepe vs that we sinke not in the pit of desparation being so conscious vnto our selues of so many impieties through the which wee haue forfaited Gods fauour and loue in Iesus Christ and made our selues liable vnto his wrath and vengeance for euer But though the Lord say at what time soeuer a sinner doth repent he will blot out he doth not say at what time soeuer a sinner doth sinne he will giue repentance Repentance is Gods gift prouing saith the Apostle if at any times God will giue thē repentance Qui promisit poenitenti veniam Non promi sit peccanti poenitentiā Aug. And though God giue forgiuenesse euer to the penitent hee doth not euer giue repentance to the sinner And if the Lord giue not this gist and grace of repentance it is impossible for a sinner euer to repent Nay when the Lord hath once in the Gospel made tender of grace saluation conuincing our iudgements and bringing sin to sight with the wages of sin which is the wrath of God and destruction of soule and body for euer And with all tendering vs a gratious pardon in the blood of his Son that vpon our true repentance hee will bee againe reconciled vnto vs which tender of grace mercy offered when it shall bee on our part reiected and men shall perfer their owne sinfull lusts before their peace and by their obstinacy and willfull rebellion in sin trample vnder foote the blood of the Lord Iesus the time may come nay the time will come when thou wouldest faine repent thee of thy sins and canst not the Lord then may giue thee vp to hardnesse of heart and finall impenitency And therefore dally not with sin presume not to repent at thy pleasure But breake off thy sins be time by repentance remember that God will not be mocked Whatsoeuer a man soweth saith the Apostle that shall hee reape The whole life of a Christian should bee but a preparation for death for in dying well doth consist the well fare of a Christian for euer Now it is in grace in some sort as it is in nature the seede cast into the
measure and manner then they can befall vs. But we ought with much patience to possesse our Soules for that our Brethren and Master too haue troade the same presse before vs. And to this end consider further First that heerein we shall bee but conformable vnto Christ our head Motiues to suffer wrong who suffered as an euill doer at the hands of the wicked Secondly all the disgraces reproches and outward miseries that can be layd vpon vs by the wicked cannot take away due innocency nor make vs vnhappy I will not part with my innocency vntill I dye saith Iob. Thirdly though wee doe not deserue such disgraces or reproches from men yet the Lord is iust in his iudgements and for some secret sin or other may permit wicked men thus to reuile abuse vs for howsoeuer wee deserue them not with men wee are not innocent before God Thirdly for the manner of his death of all kinds of deaths now in vse amongst the Iewes this kind of death was most shamefull painefull and most accursed to be Crucified This kind of death was pronounced accursed by God himselfe Deut. 21.23 Gal. 3.13 Hee that is hanged is accursed of God and so saith the Apostle He was made a curse for vs. Now Christ in the prouidence of God his Father was to dye this accursed death Doct. 3 Christ died an accursed death this shamefull painefull and most ignominious death And heerein it is requisite that wee should not looke so much vpon the malice of the Iewes of Herod or of Pilate of the high-Priest or of the people for these all were but the Lords Instruments to serue his purpose and decree Act. 4.27.28 as it is sayd Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and people of Israel were gathered together for to doe whatsoeuer thy hand and thy councell determined before to be done But why was Christ to dye this kind of death aboue al other Quest There are many reasons wherfore Christ was thus to dye Ans and to suffer this kind of death First it was the Decree and Councell of God that it should be so Act. 2.23 Secondly that heerein and heereby it might appeare that Christ was the true Messiah and Sauiour that was promised of old vnto the Fathers for so saith Christ Io 8.28 When ye haue lift vp the Son of Man then shal ye know that I am he Thirdly that herein and hereby Christ might answere all those Types in the time of the Law Leuit. 10.15 Leuit. 7.20 concerning Christ As namely the Heaue offering which was to be lifte vp and shaken from the right hand vnto the left signifiing indeed the spreading abroad of Christs armes on the tree And that of Isaac layd vpon the wood Gen. 22.10 with the brazen Serpent erected vpon a pole Num. 21.8 all which were liuely Types and figures of Christ Fourthly that all those seueral prophecyes made before of the Mesiah to come might haue their period and determination in him viz. They pearced my hands and feete Ps 22.17 And againe They shall deliuer him to the Gentiles and they shall mocke him and scourge him and crucifie him Fiftly that those consequents of sin shame paine and the curse might through the sufferings of the Lord Iesus be taken away as indeed they are vnto all true beleeuers through Christ Who hath borne our shame suffering with two Malefactors Paine being racked and disioynted Psal 22.14 The curse being hanged on a tree And thus indeed in all these respects it was expedient that Christ should thus bee crucified and suffer this kinde of death That the Scripture might be fullfilled Io. 18.32 signifying what death hee should dye But especially it was most expedient that Christ should suffer this shamefull ignominious and cursed death that so hee might beare the curse of the law and the wrath of God for vs that wee might bee made Heyres of the blessing for so saith the Apostle He was made vnder the law Gal. 4.4 Gal. 3.13 that hee might redeeme them which were vnder the law that we might receiue the adoption of Sons Now this curse and malediction of the law hath Christ vndergone for vs according to that prophecy of old Esay 53.4 He bare our infirmities and carried our sins He was wounded for our Transgressions hee was broken for our iniquities he made his soule an offering for sin the chastisment of our peace was vpon him And thus was Christ made vnder the law the law deeming and reputing Christ the Transgressor and inflicting vpon him both in soul and body the whole curse and malediction of the law And indeed the wrath of God for the sins of the world lay so heauy vpon him as that it pierced his very soule For had Christ suffred onely in body then had he onely ouercome a bodily death then were our estate most miserable But our sinnes hauing deserued not onely a bodily death but euen the second death the death of body and soule it was therefore necessarie that Christ should satisfie the wrath and Iustice of his Father for both And indeed whence was it that when that his bitter death approched he began to be so sorrowfull and heauie whence was it that he said vnto his disciples My soule is heauy c. whence was it that he fell so often vpon his face and prayed Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me Whence was it that an Angell was faine to come from heauen to comfort him Whence was it that he prayed groueling his face to the earth whē his sweat was drops of bloud trickling downe to the ground Whence I say was all this but from those bitter pangs that he felt in his soule his soule being made an offering for sinne But how could God be iust in punishing an innocent for the nocent Quest 1 We must consider Christ in his sufferings not as a debtor Answ but as a suretie and a pledge betwixt God and vs who had vndertaken for vs Therefore he suffered not as guiltie in himselfe but personating vs that were guiltie Now it stands with the course of Iustice to lay the debtors action vpon the Suretie especially being willing and able to satisfie the same But Christs death was short Quest 2 and but for a little time and the sinnes of mankinde deserued an euerlasting punishment how then could this finite death of Christ answer for such an infinite debt This proceeds from the dignitie and worth of the person that doth suffer Answ and that is the Lord Iesus Christ himselfe in respect of his Humanitie which was more then if all mankinde vnto the end of the world should haue suffered the wrath of God in Hell for euer Seeing then that Christ was thus to vndergo this accursed death Vse 1 to free all the elect from the curse of the Law and death This shewes first of all the miserie of euery wicked man and
ground must haue some time to roote to battle to spring and to bring forth fruite and according as the seede is so is the crop we must sow in teares if we wil reape in ioy And largly in the one Modica sementi detractio est magnum messis detrimentum Bern. if we will reape abundantly in the other Againe men doe not sowe tares and looke to reape wheate Besides neuer was there seene a Seed-time Spring Sommer and Haruest come together O then why should Sathan and our owne sinfull hearts thus delude vs to thinke that wee may reape the crop of glory in heauen neuer sowed the seede of grace on earth Whereas God hath ioyned these two together grace glory Without holinesse no man shall see the Lord. To returne now to the vses Vse 1 Seeing this is so then that an euill life hath commonly an euill death then the madnesse of those men is to bee mourned for as Samuel mourned for Saul that flatter themselues in their sinfull courses that they shall at last dye happily when they haue had no care nor conscience in their liues to liue holily Indeed I confesse that heauen hath many well willers who would not goe to heaven auoid the torments of hell Cursed Balam himselfe can wish that his soule might dye the death of the righteous Numb 23. though he had no regard at all to liue the life of the righteous But these are but bare wishes in the wicked they cannot properly be called desires because they come but from some sudaine passion in the heart when the thoughts of death Iudgement or Hell possesse them Whereas the desires of the godly are euer ioyned with the meanes conducing thereunto such as are the daily hatred of sinne grouth in mortification daily increase of heauenly knowledge faith repentance and the like But these men separate those whom God hath ioyned together grace and glory And though their liues be neuer so vile wretched and sinfull presume that it shall go well with them in death No question this Impenitent Thief could not but see that his sinfull course of life and his heart must needs smite him somtimes for the same And what might be the answer he gaue his heart euery man may iudge that though he ran a sinfull course for a time yet he would repent at last and become a new man Thus is it now with the drunkard swearer vsurer yea the prophanest liuing for none can be so desperately sinfull but sometimes their hearts smite them and they answer them still with a late repentance as if repentance were in their power But at last comes death and ouertakes the sinner and now is he taken as a Bird in the snare Now he sees when it is too late how Sathan and his owne cursed heart haue kept him hudwinkt and now in stead of confession of sinne and sorrow of heart for their former abhominations and calling on God by earnest and hearty prayer all which they promised vnto themselues at this time Behold here in this Impenitent Thiefe hardnesse of heart and finall impenitency yea he falls to mocking and blaspheming the Lord of life from whom saluation commeth Canst thou heare these things thou that art a drunkard swearer vncleane person that lyest and liuest in thy sinnes and not haue thy heart tremble within thee I will conclude with that of Moses O that men were wise Deut. 29. then would they consider their latter end Secondly seeing then that the late and last houres repentance the common refuge of wicked men as it falls short of holinesse in life so it seldome reacheth to happinesse in death It shall bee our wisedome then betimes to lay for this worke of repentance and to liue an holy life that hath the promise of an happie death Get we grace in life we shall not misse of glory in death Psal 73. Marke the vpright man and behold the iust the latter end saith Dauid of that man is peace They shall enter vpon peace Isa 57.2 and shall rest in their beds Who Euery one walking before the Lord in righteousnesse So Paul I haue kept the faith 2. Tim. 4. henceforth there is laid vp for me a crowne of righteousnesse Thus runne then the promises of blessednesse in death to such and such onely who walke with God in a holy life Obiect 5 But we see sometimes euen of those holy Brethren that haue liued so purely and so godly in death they haue raged and blasphemed yea and behaued themselues as men in desperation T is true Resp this hath beene the case and so may bee of the most holy and sanctified seruants of Christ and yet this concludeth not that their deaths must needs therefore be miserable For such may be the nature of the disease as the Strangury Colique burning Feauer and the like that may cause this distemper in the best Now they are but the words of distemper and not spoken out of reason or iudgement neither will the Lord impute them vnto his seruants Rom. 11.1 For will God cast away his people God forbid Neither can mans changeable tongue alter Gods vnchangeable decree Or at the most such distempered words vttered by the godly at last are but forced through some violent temptation of Sathan which the diuell shall answer for and not the godly neither conclude the want of loue to God or deliberate purpose to sinne but rather humane frailty which shall not hinder true happinesse On him That is on Christ On whom hee rayled not on his fellow that was a Malefactour with himselfe no they were as Simeon and Leui brethren in iniquitie But vpon the most innocent the Lord Iesus Christ himselfe Herein teaching vs That none are more obnoxious and liable vnto disgrace and reproach then the godly are Doct. 1 None more liable to disgrace then the Godly are yea the better the Christian the more subiect to the reproach of wicked men Let no man then that is religious and godly indeed thinke that he can escape the mockeries and derisions of the wicked it is the portion of the Lord Iesus Christ himselfe he vndergoeth this at the hands of sinners yet doth patiently beare it This was Dauids case Psal 21.7 All they that see me laugh me to scorne They shoot out the lip they shake the head saying he trusted in God Psal 69.12 c. And againe They that sate in the gate spake against me and the drunkards made songs of me This was Iobs case Iob 30.1 They that are younger then I mocke me This was the case of the Prophet Esay Behold I and the children whom the Lord hath giuen me Isa 8.18 are for signes and for wonders in Israel Thus complaineth the Prophet Ieremy Ier. 20.7 I am a derision daily euery one mocketh me And this was the complaint of the Apostles of Christ We are made a spectacle vnto the world 1. Cor. 4.9.13 to
howsoeuer the wicked and the godly desire eternall life alike the childe of God onely is wise to lay hold vpon the opportunity whilest grace is offered seeking that in the first place Mat. 6.33 aboue all earthly and transitory things whereas it is the propertie of wicked and vngodly men to put it off vntill the day of grace be past Luk. 13.25 euen till the Master of the house be risen vp and hath shut to the dore Fiftly there is in the godly and those that shall bee saued in the end a constant seeking of God of eternall life and saluation not by moods and fits but throughout the whole course of their liues All their thoughts words and actions sauor of grace within and tend vnto heauen and the furtherance of their eternall happinesse Whereas with the wicked it is not so with them for if they desire eternall life and saluation it is no constant desire but by fits either when the Word or some affliction or other hath kindled such a good motion for the present within them but by and by like the morning dew it goeth away Hos 6.4 And last of all there is yet this difference betwixt the godly and the wicked in their desires A wicked man desires mercy but not grace the pardon of sinne but not the spirit of corroboration and strength against sinne He rather desireth freedome from misery the effect of sinne then from sinne it selfe the cause of misery wheras the childe of God is as earnest with God for strength against his corruptions for the time to come as the pardon of his sinne past Dauid is as earnest with God to stablish him with his free spirit Psal 51.12 as to wash him from his sinne Well then to conclude this poynt would we haue any comfort in our owne soules that wee are amongst the number of those that hunger and thirst aright after eternall life and saluation that our desires proue not to bee like the vaine wishes of the wicked that shall not profit them in the end O let vs then try our selues and examine our owne hearts by the rule of this doctrine Are we truely sensible of our owne wretchednesse and misery by reason of sin haue we vsed all holy helpes and meanes whereby wee may come to the comfortable assurance therof vnto our ownesoules Haue we learned to prize eternall life and saluation aboue all the world besides haue we made vse of all opportunites that God hath offered vnto vs for the getting of grace into our soules hath this desire of ours beene constant and not by fits onely and haue we as earnestly sought at Gods hand strength against our corruptions as the pardon of our sinnes past These things indeed may minister vnto vs a comfortable assurance that our desire of eternall life and saluation hath beene true hath beene vnfained such as shall not misse of saluation in the end Whereas if on the contrary part we neuer yet truely saw our misery by reason of sinne haue euer sleighted Gods ordinances preferred the world our profit and pleasures before the euerlasting saluation of our soules haue made no account of the season and opportunity of grace offered haue neither constantly desired nor for future times sought strength of God against our corruptions know wee that our desires were neuer true and vnfained but such as may be in wicked men that shall misse of saluation in the end When thou commest into thy kingdome The time when As this Penitent Theefe at this time acknowledgeth Christs Deity that hee was Lord and King and desireth as we haue heard before principally mercy for his soule that it might goe well with it in death or after death So now he comes to the time wherein especially he desired to bee remembred of Christ n. when Christ should come into his kingdome Q.d. O Lord now is the time of thy humiliation wherein thou art pleased to vndergoe the punishment for the sinnes of all the elect and to beare the burthen of thy Fathers wrath and all to free thine from the wrath to come I know this price will be payd and this misery thou now sufferest for sinne will be ouer and thou thy selfe againe restored into thy glorious kingdome there to liue and raigne for euer I beseech thee now heare mee against that time Doct. 1 and remember mee in mercy The happinesse of a Christian not to be looked for here but hereafter when thou commest thither Note we hence That the happinesse of a Christian is not to be looked for here but hereafter The fruit of repentance of righteousnesse and of holinesse is not to bee looked for here but hereafter The Christian hath not his happinesse in present possession but in reuersion In hope and expectation are they kept here liuing by faith as the Heyre being not of ripe yeares is not possest of the inheritance but after death they come then to bee possest of that glorious inheritance layd vp for the Saints This doth this Penitent Theefe acknowledge here in this his request to Christ as if he should say O Lord it is not life for a time which cannot be long that I so much stand vpon since death I haue deserued I am willing to dye but it is this I specially desire aboue al the world besides that when this life shall haue an end I may haue a resting place in thy kingdome If in this life onely wee haue hope in Christ 1 Cor. 15.19 wee are of all men most miserable And this the holy Ghost obserueth as an admirable fruit of the admirable faith of the Primitiue Fathers Heb. 11.13 14. who albeit they receiued not the promises but saw them a farre off were perswaded of them and imbraced them and confessed that they were strangers and Pilgrims on earth declaring plainely that they seeke a Country 1 Ioh. 3.2 Now we are the Sonnes of God saith the Apostle But it doth not appeare what we shall be It is true the Lord giues vs now the first fruits of the spirit the earnest of our inheritance which is peace with God and peace in our owne consciences and ioy in the holy Ghost to comfort the hearts of his seruants and to cheare them vp in their pilgrimage But the full fruition of their happinesse is not to be expected here but in heauen This made the Apostle Paul to say Phil. 3.3.13.14 I forgat that which was behinde and reaching forth vnto those things which are before I presse toâ—ard the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus as knowing that the happy recompence of reward was not to bee looked for here but hereafter And the reason is First Reas 1 we know but in part and therefore can beleeue but in part can be sanctified but in part and so cannot be capable of the perfection of our happinesse 1 Cor. 13.9 till all our imperfections be done away and our sanctification
Angels and to men being defamed we intreat we are made as the filth of the world and are the of-scouring of all things vnto this day And in the Catalogue of those worthies the Apostle makes mention of whom the world was not worthy of this was part of those trials and sufferings they vnderwent for Christs sake Others were tried by cruell mockings and scourgings c. And indeed why should any thinke this strange do but consider First Reas 1 the naturall disposition that is in wicked men who are by nature giuen to hate God and his truth to hate godlinesse yea and all that make profession thereof This was the condition of the Colassions before their calling they were enemies vnto God Col. 1.21 And that which the Apostle Saint Iohn obserueth of cursed Cain is true in some measure of euery wicked man 1. Ioh. 3.12 Cain was of that wicked one and slew his brother and wherefore slew he him because his owne works were euill and his brothers righteous yea the very pietie zeale godlinesse and vnblameable conuersation that is in the righteous is not the least cause wherfore wicked men are so wrathfully displeased with them their owne deeds being euill and they louing darknesse more then light hence is it that they hate the children of the light Ye are chosen out of the world therefore the world hateth you Ioh. 15.19 Whereas If ye were of the world the world would loue her owne Secondly consider againe the malice and policie of Sathan herein who ruleth and raigneth in the children of disobedience who bloweth the coales and by all meanes possible maintaineth this opposition as knowing that himselfe shall bee the gainer thereby For 1. Hereby wicked men are brought to a greater measure and degree of wickednesse and hardnesse of heart and so hasten their owne destruction 2. By this meanes to breake off if it be possible the weake Christian from this godly course by the manifold crosses and afflictions that Sathan layes in the way of such and by the which many thousands are discouraged 3. At the least to stagger the best in their holy walking that they may not so chearfully go on in their Christian course so constantly and so chearfully as otherwise they might Thirdly the Lord will haue it so that his owne people may be tried Heb. 11.36 Others were tried by mockings c. And thus will the Lord haue the faith patience constancie and obedience of his seruants made manifest vnto others to the praise and glory of his owne grace and the incouragement of others Reu. 2.10 Behold the deuill shall cast some of you into prison that ye may be tried and ye shall haue tribulation ten dayes But be thou faithfull vnto death and I will giue thee a crowne of life Now then seeing this hath beene the state of the Fathers Vse 1 the Prophets Apostles yea the Lord Iesus Christ himselfe to be reuiled and mocked by others we may not thinke it strange if the same befall any of vs. Nay seeing Christ suffered himselfe to bee mocked for our sakes what are we that we should disdaine to be mocked againe for his sake we ought rather with the disciples to reioyce that the Lord should account vs worthy of that honour to suffer for him resting assured that Our light afflictions which are but for a moment Acts 5.41 worketh for vs a farre more excellent and eternall weight of glory Secondly this may admonish euery childe of God to looke vnto themselues that they suffer not as euill doers for then the shame of the world and the reproaches of the wicked yeeld no true comfort 1. Pet. 2.12 For what glory is it saith the Apostle if when ye are buffeted for your faults Vers 20. ye take it patiently But if when ye do well and suffer for it ye take it patiently this is acceptable with God To suffer wrongfully and to suffer for Christ and his truth sake shall neuer go vnrewarded with God Blessed are ye saith our Sauiour when men reuile you Mat. 5.11.12 and persecute you and shall say all manner of euill against you falsly for my Names sake Reioyce and be glad for great is your reward in heauen And to the end we may beare this burden of reproach and disgrace for Christ the more easily How to beare the reproches of the wicked with comfort consider we First the more reproaches thou shalt vndergo by the wicked the more conformable thou art vnto Christ and that it is a good signe there is some grace within that soule that hath procured thee so much enuie from Sathan and from the wicked world Secondly if as now we become vile and contemptible in the world we should bee so in Gods account how miserable were a Christian aboue all others inasmuch as he is sure to meete with hard entertainment here But here is this happinesse that God seeth not as man seeth but the more contemptible and vile we are in the eyes of the world the more glorious and excellent in Gods account Thirdly if we startle at a mock or reproach for Christ Heb. 12 3. what would wee do when the Chaine were fastened to our loynes and we carried to the stake this is not to resist vnto bloud Fourthly howsoeuer wicked men now reuile and reproach thee this is their day now they haue their time there is a time comming when the Lord will bring forth thy righteousnesse as the day when wicked men shall be put to silence when thy faith patience zeale and sincerity shall be found vnto praise and glory in that day On him Christ now in misery and in great distresse this Impenitent doth adde vnto his sufferings which added greatly vnto his sinne A man saith Iob in affliction should be comforted Thus should hee rather haue pittied Christ and put vnder his shoulder at this time to haue holpen him to haue borne this burthen Certaine women meeting Christ carrying his owne Crosse towards Golgotha Luk. 23.27 pittied his case and wept and lamented for him It is the Apostles rule Heb. 13.3 Remember them that are in bonds as bound with them He should rather haue beene another Simon of Cyren by comforting him being afflicted But this man is so farre from ministring vnto Christ any comfort at this time as that he addeth to his sorows Doct. 2 which added likewise greatly vnto his sin It is a great sin to adde affliction to the afflicted Note hence That it is a great and a hainous sinne to adde affliction to the afflicted That this was the case and condition of the Lord Iesus at this time the Enangelists make it most cleare First by the railings and reproachings of the chiefe Priests and Elders saying vnto Christ at this time Mat. 27.39.40 He saued others himselfe he cannot saue If he be the King of Israel let him come downe and we will beleeue in him He beleeued in God
brand of a wicked man And last of all doe none but wicked men vse it why then let vs not regard it let vs not care how we are iudged by them that speake not out of iudgement but malice as they are masters of their tongues so let vs be masters of our eares by the vse whereof we may learne to contemne contempt it selfe Saue thy selfe and vs. Text. It is not the pardon of his sins that this Impenitent Thiefe desireth at Christs hands but deliuerance from his temporall punishment Sinne affects him not but the punishment of sinne Note hence That wicked men in time of affliction are more troubled with the punishment Doct. 3 Wicked men are more troubled for their misery then their sinne the effect of sin then with sinne it selfe the cause of punishment They cry out not against their sins but against their punishment Gen. 4. My punishment is greater then I can beare saith Cain Exod. 9. Pray ye to the Lord that this plague may be remoued saith Pharaoh to Moses And this we may see by experience daily of many that complaine of their miseries their crosses and afflictions but neuer complaine of their sinne the cause of all And whence is this But from That doting respect which they beare to themselues Reas which drowneth all the respect they ought to haue towards God So that they looke not vpon God offended but themselues punished they looke not vpon their sinnes with an holy compunction but vpon themselues with a foolish confession they looke not vpon the wronging of Gods Iustice but the heauy effects of it in respect whereof the doore of their lips moues like a doore vpon rusty hinges with words of murmuring and complaining It may serue then for the triall of our owne hearts during the presence of any affliction It is a brutish thing to cry onely for want the young rauens the yong Lyons doe as much wee must grieue principally for the withdrawing of Gods fauour and countenance from vs aboue all crosses or losses or any other outward misery that can or doth betide vs. We must say as Mephiboseth to Dauid Let Ziba take all the lands it is enough that I see the Kings face A generous spirit whose ancestors were attainted cares not so much for the restitution of his lands but of his honour of his bloud So must it be with a Christian to be restored againe into Gods fauour when wee haue sinned must bee the principall thing wee labour and seek after Hitherto of the Impenitent Thiefe VERSE 40. But the other rebuked him saying Doest thou not feare God seeing thou art in the same condemnation HItherto wee haue heard the fearefull estate and condition of the Impenitent Thiefe whose life as it was wretched and miserable so was his death fearefull and damnable Wherein we haue seene that an euill life hath commonly attending it an euill death Now followeth in order the be hauiour of the Penitent Thiefe at this time that was crucified on the right hand of Christ who is so farre from rayling on Christ by the example of the high Priest and Elders or with his Fellow the Impenitent Thiefe as that he iustifieth Christ becomes a witnesse of Christs innocencie pleadeth his cause against his malitious enemies reprooueth his fellow and maketh a publicke profession of his owne faith in a publicke auditory that for his part hee looked for life and saluation onely through this crucified Christ whom the world contemned And herein indeed setteth forth the almighty power of Christ both in respect of his Deitie that was able thus to conuert a soule in so miraculous a manner without meanes as also in respect of the power and efficacy of his death and passion which declareth it selfe most powerfully in the conuersion of this man both in the powerfull worke of Mortification and vinification destroying and killing in him the works of the old man and working in him true godlinesse The blessed fruits and effects whereof will appeare in the processe of this History But the other rebuked him Here we haue two malefactors both of them guiltie of one and the same sinne and both of them brought to one and the same shamefull death yet the one left and forsaken of God the other had this mercy shewed him euen at the last to bee conuerted by Christ and so saued Note hence first the generall Instruction and herein first That the Lord many times of his infinite mercy doth call home of the most desperate and wretched offenders Doct. 1 God can make of great sinners great Saints and makes of great sinners great Saints Yea where there is true repentance it is not the greatnesse of sinne the numberlesse number of our sinnes no nor the long continuance in the same that can any whit hinder vs of his mercy Yea the Lord hath of all sorts and conditions of men some that belong vnto the election of grace and appertaine vnto his glorious kingdome Here wee haue an example of Gods mercifull dealing towards a most desperate malefactour one that had spent his life in a most desperate course of sinning yet now at last brought home by repentance What a fearefull estate was Paul in before his conuersion Act. 9. a grieuous persecuter and bloud-succour yet called of God and made an instrument of much good in his Church Heb. 11. Rahab an Harlot that came of cursed Cain a Cananite of a cursed people of a cursed Citie yet had mercie shewed her and is honoured with a blessed memory in the Catalogue of Gods Saints for her admirable faith Ionas the Lords Prophet Ionaâ— 1. how fouly and fearefully fell he 2. Sam. 11. And so Dauid likewise in the matter of Vriah yet vpon their repentance restored againe to fauour Mary Magdalene branded with a brand of notable infamy yet is she one of the witnesses of Christs glorious resurrection And why should this seeme strange vnto any since First Reas 1 Gods gifts depend not vpon any respect to man but are free on Gods part and altogether vndeserued on ours Rom. 9. I will haue mercy on whom I will haue mercy Secondly the Lord herein will shew his owne power wisedome and goodnesse that can when it pleaseth him make his enemies his friends and such as haue been bloudly persecuters blessed Preachers and great and grieuous sinners on earth blessed Saints in heauen Thirdly the Lord doth it that he may magnifie his own mercy by turning the crimosin dye of scarlet sins into the whitenes of snow that where sinne hath abounded grace might superabound This serues first of all to magnifie the wonderfull wise dome and goodnesse of God Vse 1 who knoweth how to vse all things to his owne glory and can when and where it pleaseth him make of great sinners great Saints and bring backe some from their wicked wayes as a Brand plucked out of the fire Secondly we are taught here to esteeme of men as they are and
against his friends accusation that charged him for an hypocrite I was saith he a Father vnto the poore I restrained him not of his desire Iob 31.16.17.19.20 nor caused the eyes of the widdow to faile I did not eate my morsels alone but the fatherlesse did eate thereof c. I saw none perish for want of clothing nor any poore without couering But their loynes blessed me because they were warmed with the fleece of my sheepe So Hezekiah being by the Prophet summoned to death whereunto doth he retire himselfe now for comfort but to this his care conscience in his life to walke with God Isa 38. Remember Lord that I haue walked before thee in truth and with an vpright heart And neuer let vs thinke that we haue prosited aright in the schoole of Christ or as we should till wee haue learned by well-doing to get the affirmatiue part of Christianitie as well as the negatiue wherein we shall finde true comfort and approue our selues as Christians indeed But the other rebuked him But was not this Penitent Thiefe guiltie of the same fact with the other Quest how could hee then rebuke his fellow He that rebuketh another must not be guiltie of the same sault himselfe For how shall hee that hath vncleane hands himselfe wipe away the spots that are in another mans face This Penitent Thiefe though a sinner Ans yet repenting of his sin is accounted no sinner and therefore fit to reproue Ezek. 18.22.23 If the wicked saith the Lord will turne from his sinnes he hath committed c. All the transgressions that he hath done shall not be mentioned vnto him But in the righteousnesse that he hath done he shall liue And it is said of Iosias 2. Kin. 23.25 that he first returned himselfe vnto the Lord and then caused his Subiectâ— to returne Or else it may bee answered thus This Penitent thiefe though in other respects he were as faulty as the other yet he was not guiltie of that sinne of mocking of Christ the which he reproued in his fellow and so in that respect was fit to reproue the other And herein will teach vs that He that rebuketh another must not be guiltie of the same fault in himselfe Doct. 5 He that rebuketh another must not be guilty of the same fault himselfe Ioh. 8.7 Rom. 2.21 Mat. 7.5 We must cast the first stone at our selues Thou that teachest another teachest thou not thy selfe Thou hypocrite saith our Sauiour first cast out the beeme out of thy owne eye so shalt thou see clearely to plucke out the meat out of thy Brothers eye Iudah hearing that his daughter in law Thamar was with childe said Let her be burned Ge. 38.24 But when the pledges the seale the cloake and the staffe were shewed he knew himselfe faultie and then She is more righteous then I. So that he that is guiltie himselfe is not fit to censure others In the time of the Law he that had a blemish must not offer the bread of the Lord. Leu. 21.21 To shew that the Preacher in regard of grosse sinnes must be vnblameable It is a dangerous thing to sentence another to hell for drunkennesse vsury swearing c. and yet be guiltie our selues in an high nature of the same crimes Surely the Lord will say to such at the last as to the euill seruant in the Gospel O thou euil seruant out of thy owne mouth I condemne thee Such are their owne Iudges and the Lords owne mouth who will proceed against them accordingly Neither is this to be vnderstood onely of publicke persons such as Magistrates and Ministers are whose functions and callings are to reproue sinne in others but euen of priuate men also such as this Penitent Thiefe was their condemning of the faults of other men redounds vnto themselues and they being guiltie of the same passe the sentence therein vpon their owne soules Rom. 2.1 Therefore art thou inexcusable O man whatsoeuer thou art that condemnest for in that thou condemnest another thou condemnest thy selfe for thou that condeninest doest the same things And as this is the duty of euery man that reproueth another first to looke vnto himselfe that he be not guiltie of the same fault So especially are the Ministers of the Word tied vnto his duty Tit. 1.7 A Bishop saith Paul must be blamelesse as the Steward of God And he exhorteth Titus Tit. 2.7 in all things to shew himselfe a patterne of good works Num. 8.6 Thus the Lord in the time of the Law commanded the Leuites should themselues first be cleansed before they serued in the Temple How much more now in the time of the Gospell doth the Lord require this sanctitie of life in his seruants Now the Reasons do further cleare the necessitie hereof For First Reas 1 a guiltie conscience takes off the edge of a reprehension we giue to others when our owne consciences shall tell vs wee are guiltie of the same our selues we cannot so boldly so zealously and so freely reprehend sinne in others that we our selues are guilty of And therefore when Iethre exhorted Moses his sonne in law to appoint officers in euery City he shewed what manner of persons they should bee namely Men fearing God Exod. 18.21 and hating couetousnesse For indeed how could they either reproue or correct that in others whereof they themselues were guiltie neither can the Minister or any other so freely and faithfully reprehend those faults in others lest the prouerbe bee returned vpon them Physitian heale thy selfe Luk. 4.23 The second reason may bee drawn from the great danger that such men are in of Gods wrath and fearefull vengeance to fall vpon them We may see this in some sort in Moses an holy seruant of God whom the Lord sent to be a guide and deliuerer of his people and going downe into Egypt the Lord met him by the way to haue slaine him and the reason was this he had not circumcised his sonne Eliazar according to the commandement Now the Lord would not haue him to circumcise his Church abroad that made no reckoning of circumcising his familie at home Wo be to them that are offensiue in life that lay stumbling blockes before the people Thirdly such men especially Ministers if they be wicked do seldome any good in their place For albeit I confesse the efficacy of the Word and Sacraments depend not vpon the worthinesse of the person of the Minister that dispenseth the same but vpon Gods owne power and promise who doth make his owne ordinance effectuall whensoeuer and to whomsoeuer it pleaseth him As a messenger may deliuer money though he himselfe haue no part in it so may such conuay the grace of God to others though they themselues haue no part therein Yet it cannot be but the wickednesse of Elies sonnes will make the Lords sacrifices to bee abhorred of the people 1. Sam. 2.17 This shewes then what
conformitie doth best become the Minister of Christ namely Vse when puritie of doctrine and vnblameablenesse of conuersation go together This was taught the Priests in the time of the Law by that Vrim and Thummim which must euer go together The Apostle Peter requireth these two things of an Elder 1. Pet. 5.2.3 To feed the flocke of Christ and to be an ensample to the flocke For then the Lords building goeth on well when these two go hand in hand together For alas we see that practice preuailes aboue precepts and examples are more powerfull then rules either to the imitation of that is good or detestation of that is euill Now when those that should shine as starres in the Church shall walke inordinately though they preach the word as Indas did are neither so profitable in the Church nor shall they themselues escape damnation And therefore let this admonish vs all of what calling or condition soeuer to looke well to our selues and first to plucke out the beame out of our owne eye Mat. 7.5 that such reprehensions and admonitions we shall vse towards others may neither bee retorted with shame vpon our owne heads 1. Cor. 11.1 Phil. 3.17 1. The. 1.6 nor proue vnprofitable vnto our brethren For how shall the people follow their Pastors when they make no conscience to walke before them in the wayes of godlinesse Hitherto of the generall Instructions Robuked him Text. We come now to his reprehension The manifestation of his conuersion as the same is a fruit of his conuersion and that appeares in that great care hee had ouer his sellow to keepe him from sinne In rebuking his fellow and to bring him if it were possible to the participation of the same grace and mercy that hee himselfe had receiued Note wee hence first of all That it is a true note of a true conuert to stop others in a course of sinne Doct. 1 True note of a true conuert to stop others in a course of sinne Gen. 4. euery man stands bound asmuch as in him lyeth to keepe others from sinne It was a cursed speech of cursed Cain Am I my brothers keeper Euery man is in some sort his brothers keeper It is the Lords own chargegiuen vnto his people Leuit. 19.17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart but thou shalt reproue him How frequent haue the Prophets and the faithfull seruants of God of old beene in this duty Esay for this cause was accounted so contentious a man that nothing in the land could please him Ier. 15.10 So Ieremy woe is mee that my mother hath borne mee a man of strife This was likewise Ezechiels case an argument of his faithfulnesse in reprouing of sinne that he met with so much enuy and hatred from the world This care the Lord Iesus Christ himselfe the chiefe Shepheard and Bishop of our soules manifested towards his Apostle Peter Luk. 22.31.22 Simon Simon Sathan hath desired to winnow thee but I haue prayed for thee that thy faith faile not And doth likewise inioyne him that had receiued so great a mercy from Christ that he should shew the like mercy to his brethren saying Heb. 3.12.13 When thou art conuerted strengthen thy brethren To this purpose serueth that of the Apostle Take heed brethren lest there bee in any of you an euill heart of vnbeliefe in departing from the liuing God but exhort one another daily whilest it is called to day lest any of you bee hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sinne And this is taught by our blessed Sauiour when hee teacheth vs to pray thus Mat. 6. Leade vs not into temptation wherein our Sauiour will teach vs that it ought to be the care of euery Christian to desire to pray for and by all meanes possible to labour that our brethren be kept from sinne and this was Christs owne practice in that prayer of his hee made for his Disciples Ioh. 17.11 Verse 15. That God would keepe them from euill I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world but that thou wouldest keepe them from euill and indeed the ingemination and doubling of the petition shewes the wonderfull care he had of his people And to this purpose excellent is that of the Apostle Saint Iames Brethren saith he If any of you doe erre from the truth Iam. 5.19.20 and one conuert him let him know that hee which conuerteth a sinner from the error of his way shall saue a soule from death and shall hide a multitude of sinnes There can bee no greater testimony of a gratious heart and that the worke of regeneration and sound conuersion is wrought in a man then by testifying his care ouer his brother to keepe him from sinne And on the contrary part it is a note of a false Prophet and of a gracelesse heart to winke at the sinnes of others Thy Prophets haue looked out vain Lam 2.14 and foolish things for thee they haue not discouered thine iniquities to turne away thy captiuity But the reasons will make it more cleare Reas 1 First they are our brethren this may be one forcible reason to perswade vs to the practise of this duty to stop them in their course of sinning They are our brethren and they are in some sort committed to our keeping and if wee shall suffer them to sinne without rebuke or reprehension insomuch that they perish the Lord will say to vs as sometimes he said to Cain where is thy brother Gen. 4.10 when it will be in vaine for vs to post off the matter with am I my brothers keeper for the Lord for this sinne will proceed against vs as hee did against Cain What hast thou done The voyce of thy Brothers bloud cryeth vnto mee from the earth When it shall be in vaine for any man to pleade they neuer offered violence to the liues of their brethren since they neuer sought to stop and restraine them in their sinfull courses but suffered them to goe on in all manner of sinnes without reprehension Accessories by the law are as deepe wee say in the sinne as the principall yea and many times suffer with the malefactor thus is it with sinne so dangerous a thing it is to be silent at the committing thereof Secondly Saint Iames addeth two other most excellent motiues or reasons to perswade vnto this duty Iam. 5.20 Hereby we shall saue a soule and coner a multitude of sinnes Then the which what more noble or honourable seruice can a Christian perform either towards God or man First to saue a soule Luke 15. the very Angels reioyce at the conuersion of a sinner the promise is that such a one shall shine as the starres in the firmament Dan. 12.3 and indeed this is such a worke whereunto all the faithfull must addict themselues according to that measure of grace giuen them and that petition we put vp daily Thy kingdome
comfort of our owne conuersion and repentance doe but question thy owne heart how thou standest affected towards those thousands in Israel that yet are held in miserable bondage vnder Sathan power of darkenesse wallowing in the bloud of their owne soules Canst thou mourne for these as Samuel did for Saul dost thou pittie them in their spirituall miseries and doe thy bowels earne within thee towards such And dost thou labour to the vtmost of thy power and according to thy calling to bring home those that goe astray to the knowledge of the truth dost thou take all opportunities that are offered vnto thee by admonition instruction and reprehension to set forward the Lords worke herein Surely there cannot be a more certaine note of the truth of grace in thy heart and of thy owne conuersion then this When thou art conuerted saith our Sauiour to Peter Strengthen thy brethren No man can truely desire and indeuer the spirituall good of another that hath not tasted of the work first in himselfe But if on the contrary part vpon this examination thou findest that there is in thee no touch at all of griefe for the sins of other men thou layest not their miseries to heart the horrible sinnes of the times such as are whordome pride drunkennesse swearing prophanation of the Sabbath c. These things doe no whit affect thee nor trouble thee surely thou hast cause to mourne in secret and to be humbled for the hardnesse of thy owne heart for as yet the worke of grace is not wrought in thee for if it were it would manifest in this to labour the spirituall good of others Doâ— but consider the truth of this poynt in the example of this Penitent Theefe that had the least time that euer we read of or heard of to manifest the fruits of his repentance in and we shall see that howsoeuer his time was short and he was now to minde the euerlasting welfare of his soule yet hee is not vnmindfull of the spirituall misery of the soule of his Brother by rebuking him for his blasphemy by putting him in minde of his sinne and the equitie of that his deserued punishment that was now inflicted vpon him and all to this end if it were possible that his heart might bee touched with some remorse for sinne and hee be brought to repentance for the same There is no grace in that heart that doth not indeuer this in some measure of life Secondly if their case be miserable that doe not compassionate others in their spirituall miscries what shall wee say of those that with Simeon and Leui are brethren in iniquitie that prouoke one another come let vs cast in our lots together that are Sathans spokesmen and solicitors to draw men into sinne And those againe that are so farre from labouring the spirituall good of others as Ismael-like by reproches and disgraces lay stumbling blocks in the way of others to hinder them in their Christian courses like the Scribes and Pharisies against whom our Sauiour pronounceth a woe because they entred not into the kingdome of God themselues nor suffered those that would And last of all this may prouoke all vnto this duty and to labour to approue the truth of their owne conuersion by labouring to be instruments of the spirituall good of others And this duty rests vpon all Reu. 1.6 for we are all a kingdome of Priests and haue receiued a holy accomptment of the Father So especially the Ministers of the Word whose sacred calling cals for this duty they are in a speciall manner to looke vnto it they are to preach the Word in season and out of season 2 Tim. 4.2 Sow thy seede saith Salomon in the morning and let not thy hand rest in the euening for thou knowest not which shall prosper God calleth not all at the same houre but some at one time and some at another neither doth hee make the Word effectuall at all times at the first hearing for the strong man armed will not quickly leaue his Luke 11. possession But many liue long vnder the ministery of the same before they beleeue and imbrace it yet at the last God toucheth the hearts of many to attend and to be saued What though they doe not finde that comfortable returne of their labours are not some to lay the foundation and others to raise vp the building Is not the Word to be the sauour of death to some as it is to be the sweet sauour of life to other-some Is not their reward with the Lord Esa 49.4.5 and their recompence with their God And vnto this day must Parents and Masters be prouoked to set forward the Lords worke by the conscionable performance of Oeconomicall duties they must bee helpefull vnto the Minister this way it is not enough for them to bring their people to Church and to cast them off so vnto the Minister his burthen is too great if thou helpe not The Apostle cals Philemon Phil. 1. his fellow labourer no doubt it was in regard he so fitted and prepared his family for Pauls ministery And for this many of Gods worthy seruants are highly commended in the Word as Abraham Gen. 18. Iesh 24. Acts 10. Iosuah Cornelius The Parent and Master is as straightly charged with their families as the Minister with the congregation and if any vnder them doe dye for want of instruction the Lord will require the bloud of such a one at their hands VERSE 40. Doest thou not feare God seeing thou art in the same condemnation HItherto wee haue heard the Reprehension of the Penitent Thiefe in generall He rebuked him Now the Euangelist comes to set downe the particulars of his reprehension with those seuerall arguments and reasons to make the same the more effectuall for he that is to deale with rebellious and obstinate sinners had need to bring with him very mouing and effectuall arguments to disswade from sinne Now his arguments are 1. A persona From the nature of the person against whom he rayled God 2. A timore Dei From the feare of God the want whereof was the cause of his blasphemy 3. A praesente miseria From his present miserie Knowing thou art in the same condemnation 4. A iusto iudicio From the equitie of his punishment We are instly punished 5. Ab innocentia Christi From Christs innocencie This man hath done nothing amisse All which being duely consiclered are very powerfull motiues and arguments to set on his reprehension and to make the same the more effectuall And thus doth this Penitent manifest the truth of his conuersion by many blessed fruites and effects thereof The particulars whereof follow Fearest thou not God Text. q. d. O wretched man that now suffering the due reward of thy sinne shouldest thus blaspheme an Innocent euen the Lord Iesus Christ himselfe from whom saluation commeth Euen him before whom thou art shortly to appeare to giue an account of all thy euill deeds
are to come to appeare before the Lords Tribunall it is a signe indeed that the heart is desperately wretched and sinfull It is the maine end wherefore the Lord doth send afflictions to bring men home by repentance thus confesseth the Church Lam. 3.39.40 Man suffereth for his sinne let vs search and try our wayes and turne vnto the Lord and againe Come let vs returne vnto the Lord Hos 6.1 for he hath wounded vs and he will heale vs he hath smitten vs and hee will binde vs vp The happy fruit thereof Dauid confesseth by that comfortable experience he had in himselfe Psal 119.71 saying It is good for me that I haue beene in trouble that I may learne thy commandements When we are iudged saith the Apostle wee are chastened of the Lord 1 Cor. 11.32 that wee should not be condemned with the world The Rod makes the childe to stand in awe of the Father and the Scholler of the Master and the Blewnesse of the wound Pro. 20.30 saith Salomon serueth to purge the euill 2 Chro. 33.12 When did Manasses repent was it not when he was in tribulation When came the Prodigall sonne to himselfe Luke 15. and got the happy resolution to returne againe to his Father was it not when he was pinched with the famine It was in the time of aduersitie that the Israelites remembred GOD to bee their strength who in times of prosperity rebelled against him Iudg. 6. Ephraim may thanke the Lord for his corrections that hee was reclaimed and brought to see his owne disobedience and rebellion against God Ier. 31.18.10 Esa 38.14 who was as an vntamed Hayfer The like we may see in Hezechiah in Iob and in all Gods people if there be any faith any hope any grace at all in the heart of man now is the time for the exercise thereof when afflictions especially such as summon to death and iudgement are vpon vs. It seemed vnto this godly Penitent a most hainous thing indeed in his fellow yea the height and top of all impietie that now the hand of God was vpon him and hee so shortly to depart this life and to make his last account before the Iudge of all the world that he should in this reprochfull manner blaspheme an innocent euen the Lord Iesus Christ himselfe before whom he was shortly to appeare and to giue account of all the things that he had done in the flesh But what shall I say There are some whom al the torments in the world cannot moue or make them better sicknesse pouertie shame in the world all the buffettings of Sathan or miseries that can bee thought vpon alas moue them not nor any whit affect them to worke remorse of conscience compunction or sorrow for sinne to make them any whit the better But what may be the reason can any affliction presse out of the creature that was neuer in it If a whole mountaine were laid vpon a dry or rotten sticke will it yeeld any sappe no no it will first be ground to powder The impenitent Thiefe for all his misery that he was in or thoughts of death or of iudgement that now were vpon him is not brought to the least remorse of conscience for sin but the Penitent Thiefe he being vnder the same affliction yeelds the sweet sap and liquor of faith and repentance he confesseth his sinnes pleads Christs cause and compassionates the misery of his fellow and shewes most admirable fruits of repentance Yea if there bee any grace at all in the heart of man now is the time for it to shew it selfe otherwise wee perish without hope Seeing then that afflictions should thus make vs to looke home Vse 1 and that then in a speciall manner the graces of the heart will manifestly appeare This shewes the misery of euery wicked man that as he hath been a stranger from the life of grace in life so must needs want the comfort of grace in death as they haue liued so commonly they dye and in them that is verified oftentimes that is said of Nabal their hearts dye like stones within them like vnto a beast Or else as they haue minded the world their lusts and pleasures of these things they speake and their mindes run after them euen to the last Behold here in this impenitent Thiefe a spectacle wherein euery wicked man may behold himselfe as hee was gracelesse and wretched liuing hee speakes nought but the language of hell dying as his life so was his death wretched was hee lining and cursed and miserable is he dying Secondly this may serue to admonish euery one that as wee would haue our last words gratious and comfort in death to learn to speake the language of Canaan betimes for when the euill day comes all the wayte and burthen of iudgements and afflictions will neuer presse out one drop of spirituall moysture from vs no though they should presse vs downe to hell vnlâ—â—â—â— wee haue faith and repentance and other graces wrought in vs before misery comes VERSE 41. Wee indeed are iustly punished Text. for wee receiue the due reward of our deeds IN these words 4 Argument the Penitent comes to his fourth Argument to disswade his fellow from reuiling of Christ and this is drawne from the eâ—â—ity and iustnesse of their punishment and present misery A Iusto Iudicio Wee indeed are iustly punished for we c. Q.d. This present death wee are now to suffer bee it neuer so vile shamefull ignominious or accursed we ought with patience to beare the same for therein wee are but iustly punished Our sins we haue committed and wherein we haue continued haue brought vpon our heads this deserued punishment Micha 7.9 Wee ought therefore to beare with patience the Lords wrath because wee haue sinned against him And herein we haue another admirable fruit of his faith and repentance confessing 1 His sinne 2 Gods iustice We are iustly punished The Penitent Thiefe in rebuking his fellow He confesseth his sinne fals into a hearty confession of their sins and herein likewise manifesteth the truth of his repentance And will herein teach vs and all men vnto the end of the world That vnto true repentance Doct. confession of sinnes is most necessary Vnto true repentance confession of sins is necessary where the heart is truely and throughly touched with compunction and sorrow for sinne it will tune the tongue and set it on worke about the heartie acknowledgement of the same This Penitent herein may be an excellent patterne vnto vs who manifesteth herein the fruit of a wounded spirit and a broken heart in the sence of sinne hee stickes not to shame himselfe that God may haue the glory making a humble and heartie acknowledgement of his sinne and the world therein a witnesse of his vnfained repentance and indeed to such onely belongs the promise of remission of sinnes Pro. 28.13 He that hideth his sinnes shall
of the good and reclaiming of the euill The Internall meanes for the enlarging of this kingdome of Christ is Internall the effectuall working of Gods Spirit without which no outward meanes whatsoeuer can be effectuall And therefore God is earnestly to be sought vnto by prayer to second his owne ordinances by the effectuall working of his owne Spirit that the same may be effectuall for the building vp of the elect and the gathering together of the body of Christ And this is that which all good Subiects must desire and labour for euery particular man according to his place Princes and Magistrates especially Then Ministers who are the Dispensers of Christs Lawes yea and all people for herein shall wee approue our selues true and loyall Subiects indeed to Christ our King And thus haue we seene how Christ is both Lord and King And now for this poore Penitent thus to behold Christs excellencie and glory at this time when he was at the lowest ebbe of his humiliation I say to behold Christs Godhead when it was most vailed in such a death to behold life and in such ignominie and reproach to behold such glory this makes greatly for the commendations of his faith Had hee in times past beene conuersant with Christ had hee heard his heauenly doctrine or seene those glorious miracles which he wrought as the disciples did there might haply that seed be fallen into his heart that howsoeuer buried for a time as it was the case of Peter yet at last might bring forth this happie fruite But this being the first sight that hee got of Christ for ought we know and that at such a time when Christ is most of all abased and when all his Disciples had forsaken him Surely this must needs declare the almightie power of God in him and commend his faith and conuersion to be admirable indeed But this will faith do the nature whereof is To raise a man aboue this life Doct. Not to liue by sense True faith raiseth vp a man aboue this life or to iudge of things according to the outward appearance but to beleeue Gods Word and things incredible and in some sort impossible against sence and aboue reason Thus was it with this Penitent Thiefe at this time What great things beleeueth and confesseth hee here of Christ against all sence and reason that he was Lord and King of heauen and earth able to giue eternall life and saluation to whom it pleased him when there was no outward appearance of any such power in Christ but rather indeed of the contrary This shewes the wonderfull force of faith yea hee beleeueth aboue hope and contrary to hope hauing no ground at all in naturall reason to persuade him thereunto Faith saith the Apostle is the euidence of things not seene Heb. 11.1 and the ground of things hoped for Where outward sence and naturall reason takes place there faith is not exercised It is the excellencie of faith to beleeue where we see not when we shall come to walke as the Apostle saith by faith 2. Cor. 5.7 and not by sight Yea when outward sence and naturall reason failes then doth faith most of all bestir it selfe Fortifying it selfe daily in all the attributes of God such as are his wisedome power truth iustice c. We may see this in Abraham in the very act of sacrificing his sonne Isaac Gen. 22.2 in whom the promise was made He consulted not with flesh and bloud what should become of the same if Isaac should faile But his faith looked vp higher euen vnto Gods power faithfulnesse and truth and stayeth himselfe thereon Wee haue a Catalogue of examples in this kinde mentioned by the Author of that Epistle to the Hebrewes Heb. 11. who manifested the truth of their faith by beleeuing the promises in the middest of the extremest dangers And the reason is Reas Because the faith of euery true beleeuer resteth it selfe vpon two immoueable props Gods power and Gods truth Gods power was the ground of that admirable faith that was found in Abraham Heb. 11.19 in sacrificing of Isaac He accounted that God was able to raise him vp euen from the dead from whence also he receiued him after And the consideration of Gods truth is excellent to the same end He is a God of truth and cannot lie Mat. 5.18 he cannot denie himselfe Heauen and earth shall passe away yet shall no one iot or tittle of his word passe away Seeing then the nature of faith is such Vse 1 as that it raiseth vp the faithfull soule aboue this life to beleeue contrary vnto hope as we see in this Penitent that albeit Christ at this time was in extreme ignominie and reproach yet acknowledgeth him to be Lord and King How many forts of meÌ„ want true faith this serues to shew then how many thousands in the world deceiue themselues and are farre from true faith First all such whose faith is not grounded vpon Gods word but onely vpon sence such truths as they are able to appreheâ—d in their owne iudgements they will be content to allow of but such truths as they are not able by sence and reason to apprehend they presently reiect whereas true faith hath an eye principally to the word and rests there whilest sence and reason sees nothing Secondly such as by reason of outward prosperitie concludes they must needs bee highly in Gods fauour and loue whereas indeed Eccl. 9.2 No man knoweth either loue or hatred of that that is before him Whereas the childe of God that hath faith indeed rests vpon Gods bare word though for the present he see no performance Thirdly such who because the Lords iudgements are not presently executed haue their hearts set vpon euill and are ready to say with those cursed Atheists Where are the promises of his comming They neuer tremble before the Lord vntill his rod be vpon them Wheras the godly man that hath saith indeed hee knoweth that there is an vnchangeable certaintie in Gods threatnings and seeing the sword comming hideth himselfe Secondly Vse 2 let this serue to admonish vs all in the feare of God to take heed how we consult with flesh and bloud in things appertaining vnto God vnto eternall life and saluation The Impenitent Thiefe from the consideration of Christs wonderfull abasement and that common reproach that he now lay vnder from all sorts concludeth that he could not be God He is led as a beast onely by sence Christ appearing now without forme or beautie Isa 53. So depraued are our iudgements by nature in things appertaining vnto Christs kingdome But this Penitent Thiefe is led by another principle he beholds Christ not with fleshly eyes but with the eyes of faith and so euen in his lowest degree of humiliation beholds him as Lord and King heere is the strength and power of sauing faith indeed Lord remember me when thou commest Text. c. This Penitent being now to
God and such a one that is full of compassion able and willing to helpe Thus doth this Penitent here yea behold him as a God of mercy and Father of all consolation and comfort Standest thou in need of his power to helpe thee Present him vnto thy minde euen at the first entrance into thy prayers as a powerfull God And so likewise for his wisedome truth iustice c. We euer seeke those things most constantly and comfortably when we know them to bee had at his hands from whom we seek them This being carefully obserued of vs we shall finde it a strong prop vnto our faith and an excellent meanes to kindle affection in vs and so a thing most vsefull and necessary in prayer Lord remember me when thou commest into thy kingdome Text. These two Theeues make two different requests vnto Christ His desire it selfe the one for a corporall and temporall deliuerance If thou bee Christ saue thy selfe and vs. The request of the other is that his soule might bee saued in the day of the Lord Lord remember mee c. according to the inward principle of the heart so goes the desire They that are carnall are carnally minded but the spirituall man is spiritually minded and his desires are principally after spirituall things And herein will teach vs That the saluation of a mans soule is the thing that euery man Doct. The saluation of the soul is principally to be desired next vnto the glory of GOD ought principally to desire This Penitent had taken care of Gods glory before by iustifying Christs innocency and now in the next place he looketh after the saluation of his soule that it might goe well with that in death yea by how much the more excellent the soule is aboue the body by so much the more carefull ought a man to be of the saluation of the one aboue the other Our greatest care must be that it may goe well with our soules at death We may suppose this penitent Thiefe speaking thus at this time O Lord inasmuch as my life hath beene wretched it is iust with thee that I should now at last suffer this shamefull cursed death It is not life that I desire but am willing to imbrace the sentence of death and the rather for that I see it is thy good pleasure it should be so This is the onely thing I now desire that when this life shal haue an end I shal come to appeare before thee in thy kingdome that thou wouldest bee pleased in mercy then to remember me Now if all Gods children bee led by one and the same spirit and so are alike disposed in respect of spirituall good things it must necessarily follow that this longing desire after life and saluation that was in this Penitent is wrought in some measure in the hearts of al those that are vnder the same hope and they are able in the witnesse of a good conscience to say as hee did here Lord remember me c. This affection was in the Prophet Dauid when hee saith O Lord I haue longed for thy saluation And indeed what other thing then the soules future happinesse can the Scriptures intend in these and the like places exhorting vs to seeke for wisedome and knowledge as for siluer Pro. 2.4 Of searching for it as for treasures of striuing to enter in at the straight gate Luk. 13.24 Ioh. 6.17 of labouring for that meate which shall indure to euerlasting life of running to obtaine and the like what is meant I say in all these but the saluation of the soule aboue all other things This was old Simeons desire Luke 2. Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace c. This affection we finde to haue beene in those Iewes conuerted at Peters Sermon Men and Brethren Act. 2.37 say they What shall wee doe to be saued being conuinced in their iudgements of that their hainous sinne of crucifying the Lord of life they came trembling vnto the Apostles fearing what would become of their soules We may see this in that poore perplexed Iaylor who came trembling in to Paul and Sylas Act 16.30 with his Sirs what shall I doe to be saued This truth is further cleared vnto vs by Christs prayer hee hath left vnto vs where wee are taught to pray first of all Thy kingdome come Mat. 6. before Giue vs this day our daily bread And this is obserued to haue beene the commendations of that wise Merchant that sold all that he had to buy the Pearle Mat. 13.44 as knowing that it would make him rich vnto saluation I might giue diuers other instances and examples but these are sufficient to shew what is the disposition and affection of all Gods people Theirs are hungrie soules theirs are longing hearts and the maine thing they so much desire is the saluation of their soules Whereas on the contrary part carnall men like the Impenitent Thiefe Hag. 1.2 preferre a temporall deliuerance before an eternall Like those Iewes who preferred their owne priuate gaine before the building of the Temple Heb. 12.16 Like Esau a messe of pottage Mat. 8.24 before the Birth right Like those Gadarens their hogges before Christ And like that young man in the Gospell who went away sorrowfull Mat. 19. chusing rather to hazard his soule then to part with his wealth Now the grounds are these First Reas 1 the godly do principally desire the saluation of their soules in regard their iudgements are rightly informed to set a due price vpon the same The Apostle Saint Peter speaking of the inheritance of eternall life 1. Pet. 1.4 calleth it Immortall vndefiled and that which withereth not reserued in heauen for vs. Wherein he secretly compareth the things of this world with those that are reserued for the faithfull after this life and sheweth that all things here are corruptible but the things of the life to come are incorruptible And hence it comes to passe that wisdoms children make choice of heauen heauenly things aboue all transitorie things whatsoeuer Secondly our Sauiour sheweth the necessitie hereof Mat. 16.26 saying What shall it profit a man to winne the whole world and to lose his owne soule Were it not better for that man that he had neuer beene borne what then can deserue the chiefest of a mans care if not this Thirdly this is it that distinguisheth betwixt Gods people and the men of this world worldly men desire principally worldly things Corne and wine and oyle Whereas the godly that haue another principle within to direct them desire especially Gods countenance and grace with Dauid But Lord grant me thy countenance Psal 4.6 c. This serues first of all to reproue the great and generall neglect of that Vse 1 for the which there ought to be so great a care Alas the behauiour of the greatest part of the world concerning their soules and the eternall wellfare of
Wherein are obscruable 1. Christs asseueration Verily 2. Person to whom Thou 3. Promise it selfe Shalt bee with me 4. Place Paradise 5. Time This day And Iesus said vnto him Verily I say vnto thee c. The word Englished here Verily in the originall is Amen and is seldome or neuer translated either in the Greeke Latine English or any other language It is vsed often both in the old and new Testament And the vse thereof is twofold First it is vsed for an earnest wish and desire of the heart and thus when Dauid had appointed Solomon to be Ruler ouer Israel 1. King 1.36 Benaiah the sonne of Iehoida answered Dauid saying Amen therein testifying his vnfained desire that it should bee so And thus in those solemne cursings which the Leuites must pronounce with a loud voice in the hearing of the people The people to signifie that their assent thereunto to euery particular thereof must say Amen And thus it is vsed in our Church at the shuting vp of our prayers wherein wee testifie our desire to be heard and answered in those things we pray for Secondly the same is vsed againe for an earnest affirmation and asseueration as in that speech of our Sauiour vnto Nichodemus wherein the word is twice together repeated Amen Amen Dico tibi Iob. 3.11 c. Verily verily I say vnto thee And is there in that place as also in this in the nature of an oath wherein our Sauiour will assure Nichodemus and also this Penitent here of the vndoubted certaintie of that hee spake and promised binding his promise here for the further confirmation of his faith with a kinde of oath Verily I say vnto thee Doct. 1 The Doctrine that from hence may be concluded for our Instruction It is a won derful hard thing truly to beleeue is How difficult a matter it is truly to beleeue in Christ Christ promising this Penitent forgiuenesse of sinnes the saluation of his soule and that that very day he should be with him in Paradise Hee is faine for the further confirmation of his faith to vse this asseueration Verily and all to perswade him of the truth of his promise To beleeue aright in Christ is not a worke of Nature nor a thing that a naturall man in himselfe is disposed to but it is a supernaturall worke of Gods Spirit Phil. 1. To you it is giuen to beleeue saith Paul yea it is a work of Gods Almighty power Ephe. 1.19 That ye may know the greatnesse of his power to vs ward who beleeue according to the working of his mightie power This made the Prophet Isaiah to complaine and to say Esay 53.1 Lord who hath beleeued our report and to whom hath the arme of the Lord beene reuealed The old world would not beleeue Noahs preaching Gen. 6. Neither was Lot regarded of his sonnes and Sodomites Gen. 18. but hee seemed vnto them as if he had mocked Wee may see this in Gideon he was a man sent of God to be a deliuerer of the people of Israel the Lord had assured him by his Angell that he would deliuer Israel out of the hands of the Midianites by his hand Yet he is so hardly brought to beleeue this as that he asketh a signe Iudg. 6.14.36 If thou wilt saue Israel by my hands as thou hast said behold I will put a fleece of wooll in the threshing place c. The like we haue in Sarah albeit shee had heard the promise that God had made to Abraham her husband Gen. 17.16 that God would giue her a sonne Gen. 18.12 I will blesse thee saith God and giue thee a sonne She laughed at it Which was as much as if she should haue said This is a iest indeed Wee may see this most cleare in the people of Israel though the Lord from time to time had giuen good demonstration of his loue power goodnesse and mercie towards them which might haue caused that people for euer to haue trusted in his helpe and neuer to haue despaired of the same in time of their greatest need Yet still when the outward meanes of their deliuerance failed they beleeued not Gods promises insomuch that the Lord againe and againe complaineth of them Num. 14.11 How long will this people prouoke me How long will it bee ere they beleeue mee for all the signes which I haue shewed among them And How oft did they prouoke him in the wildernesse and grieued him in the desert The like example of mans imbecilitie and weaknesse in beleeuing the promises of God Wee may see this in Zachary the father of the Baptist who bewrayeth his infidelitie in this that could not be induced to beleeue the Angell touching a Sonne which Elizabeth his wife should beare vnto him Luk. 1.13 Which promise the Angell amplified for the further confirmation of his faith First by his Office hee should goe before Christ Secondly from the graces of God which should be bestowed vpon him and the effects of his Ministerie Notwithstanding all this Zachary remaines still incredulous and distrustfull saying vnto the Angell Ver. 18 Whereby shall I know this The Angel had assured Zachary before that the Lord had heard his prayer Ver. 13 Feare not Zachary for thy prayer is heard And yet hee is hardly brought to beleeue the promise The like wee may see in Peter a man full of faith and the holy Ghost in so much that when Christ bade him come vpon the Sea Ma. 1.8 hee left the ship but a waue arising his faith failed him And thus was it with the Virgine Mary when as the Angell came vnto her and told her that she had found fauour in the sight of God Luk. 1.39 How shall this bee saith she seeing I know not a man It seemed to her a strange thing that she should haue a child when shee had not companied with a man So that let the Lord promise immediately by himselfe by his Angels or by men yet are we hardly brought to beleeue So hard and difficult a thing in the heart of a man faith is Neither is this a thing to bee wondered at For first Reas 1 Faith is none of those plants that grow in the garden of our hearts naturally Ephes 2.8 No it is not of our selues saith the Apostle it is the gift of God Nature hath furnished vs with no principle at all concerning Christ concerning eternall life or the saluation of our soules And hence it comes to passe that because the meanes whereby God vsually worketh faith in our hearts and so consequently saluation seeme vnto our carnall reason to be vnlikely wee presently reiect them like Naaman when hee was commanded to wash in Iordane seuen times Are not saith hee Admah and Pharphar 2. King 5. riuers in Damascus better then all the waters in Iordane Euen so that by Christs death we should come to life by his shame that we should come to
doe they else but rob God of his glory and depriue a Christian soule of his chiefest ioy Now I would not be mistaken as though I meant that the comfort and assurance of a Christians saluation were so firme and certaine as that the same were neuer intermixed and ouer-clouded There is no such assurance in this life to bee looked for nay rather Gods people haue felt much feare and doubtings in themselues Hezechias complaines Esa 39. that the Lord had bruised his bones like a Lyon And Dauid is full of complainings Psal 31.22 Psal 77.7 I am cast out of thy sight will the Lord shew no more fauour and hath hee shut vp his louing kindenesse in displeasure And againe Psal 69.3 My eyes faint for wayting so long vpon my God Nay I dare adde this further that hee which neuer doubted of his saluation had neuer true faith to beleeue aright the pardon of his sins and the assurance of his saluation for hadst thou faith thou mightest assure thy selfe that Sathan would winnow thee But what manner of assurance then is this you speake of Quest Not an assurance that is free from doubtings and feares Answ but such an assurance that labours after assurance Assurance that wrestles and combats with doubtings and feares It is the wisedome of God by this meanes to settle and stablish the hearts of his seruants A man that hath newly planted a tree will bee euer and anone shaking of it not purposing to ouerthrow it but to settle it the more and thus the Lord by suffering the faith of his chosen sometimes to be shaken will haue their hearts rooted and grounded in him whilest they learne to deny themselues and to rest in him their strength Secondly seeing it is the pleasure of our good God thus to cheere vp the hearts of his chosen in their Pilgrimage here to fill their hearts with such ioyes and to giue them such secret and sweet raptures in the sence of his fauour in his Sonne whereby with the Spouse they role themselues vpon the beds of roses Can. as she confesseth and that to cause them so much the more cheerefully to serue him This may serue for our instruction to try our hearts and to see whether the worke of grace and of faith be wrought in vs. It is the aduice of the Apostle 2 Cor. 13.5 Proue your selues whether ye be in the faith how shall we doe this but by making particular application vnto our selues of those things wee beleeue In the matters of this life it is cucry mans care to doale vpon certainties for tenures of lands for Conueyances Leases c. Councell is entertained and euery word therein is scanned men will not deale but vpon good grounds But alas for the matter of our chiefe inheritance how simply doe men deale therein they are content to rest vpon a bare hope and thinke that a Lord haue mercy vpon mee will serue the turne What meaneth the Apostle to say Giue all diligence to make your calling and election sure but to shew that a Christians chiefest care must be for this But how may a man come to Quest this assurance of his saluation Wee must get good euidence and assurance of our faith in Christ Answ for so saith the Apostle As many as beleeued in him Ioh. 1.12 to them gaue he this power to be made the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue on his name And againe We are saued by faith No man can haue the spirit of adoption that wants faith to beleeue Now for the obtayning of this grace of sauing faith the ordinary meanes is the preaching of the Word Rom. 10.17 faith commeth by hearing and the Gospell is called the word of faith vpon that then wee are to attend with all care and diligence as we looke to get faith and so consequently the saluation of our owne soules Secondly the Apostle giues this note how to know our adoption and so consequently whether wee be in the state of saluation or not Rom. 8.16 His spirit beareth witnesse to our spirit that we are the sonnes of God Now concerning this testimony of Gods spirit I will not make my selfe so skilfull to define what it is it is better felt then exprest The Prophet cals it The hearing of a voyce behinde vs Esa 38.21 whereby the heart comes to be perswaded of it reconciliation with God But how shall I know that my perswasion is not presumption Quest There be two speciall markes whereby we may distinguish betwixt them Ans First that vndoubtedly is the voyce of Gods spirit when comfort and assurance is felt in the heart after such time as the heart hath first beene humbled and cast downe in the sight and sence of sinne Psal My heart saith Dauid is as waxe it is molten in the middest of my body for in the time of a mans securitie when hee hath little or no apprehension of sinne then for a man to hope well and to conclude of his owne saluation is no strange thing nothing is more vsuall in the world amongst meer naturall men that neuer felt the smart of sinne then to bragge and boast of this assurance of saluation but alas they raise vp this building but vpon a sandy foundation which will neuer stand in the time of try all for it is Gods manner of dealing vsually in this work of mans saluation to lay full low whom hee intendeth to aduance full high by sorrow to bring them vnto ioy by death to bring them vnto life and by their humiliation for sinne to bring them to glory so that when a man hath once truely felt the smart of sinne when a man hath once combated with Gods wrath and the terrors of hell haue possessed his soule here is a good foundation to build the hope of heauen vpon for humiliation is the ground of exaltation and after this to stay a mans selfe vpon the promise of God in Christ is vndoubtedly the voyce of Gods spirit a token of true comfort and a note of true ioy Secondly when comfort ariseth from the comfortable vse of the meanes God himselfe hath appointed such as are the preaching of the Word the reuerent vse of the Sacrament prayer reading of the Scripture meditation c. for the Lord is euer a maintainer of that course which hee himselfe hath sanctified and set apart to the same end so then try thy assurance thus hath it beene layd in godly sorrow for sinne hast thou attended the poasts of the Lords Sanctuary c. This is vndoubtedly the voyce of Gods spirit and not of presumption But if on the contrary part thou neuer yet feltest such griefe of heart for sinne thy conscience did neuer yet torment thee in the sight and sence of sinne neither hast thou euer had any delight in the Lords Sabbaoths nor the duties of holinesse c. O deceiue not thy own soule thy hope of heauen of eternall life and
of them This is indeed to rob God of that honour that is due vnto him in waiting for his helpe and our selues of that comfort wee might otherwise haue of a seasonable deliuerance if we had sought and waited vpon him Thou shalt be with me That is with the soul of Christ for his body went from the crosse to the graue q. d. Since thou hast confessed my name and desirest principally the fruition of mee thou shalt be satisfied in the thing thou desirest Thou shalt be with me Note hence That the soules of the faithfull after this life haue the fruition of Christ Doct. 2 The souls of the faithfull in death are gathered to Christ and are gathered vnto him So soone as the soule goeth out of the body it goeth immediately to heauen or hell The Scripture maketh mention but of two wayes the broad and the narrow and these leade but vnto two places either to endlesse blisse or into Euerlasting torment there is a Paradise you see here for the Penitent Luk. 23.43 or an Abrahams bosome for a Lazarus And there is again a Gulfe of hell for the Glutton Luk. 16. or Euerlasting torment for the Impenitent No third place can bee found in all the Scripture So Paul I desire to be dissolued Phil. 1.23 and to be with Christ The faithfull can bee no sooner dissolued or their soules set at libertie but they are gathered vnto Christ As for the wicked with Iudas they go to their owne place Act. 1. that is to Hell out of which there is no redemption And it must needs be so Reas in regard that Christ is the head of beleeuers and they are his body yea euery true beleeuer is a member of this body Now it is impossible that the head should be glorified but the members must needs participate with the same glory together with the head This Christ prayeth for of his Father Ioh. 17.24 Father I will that those thou hast giuen me be with mee where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast giuen me This meeteth with the doctrine of Purgatory so much vrged Vse 1 and pressed by the Church of Rome as the most gainfullest doctrine of their Church It is wonderfull to see how the great Rabbies of that Church are troubled about this fire of Purgatory both what it is where it is how long it shall burne the conditions of those persons that shall haue that fauour to come into it and the like some holding one thing some another Some hold it to be Saint Patrickes hole in Ireland some Etna that Mountaine in Sicily that burneth continually or in the Popes Kitchin they should say where there is indeed a true fire maintained daily by the Fees that come in by that imaginarie fire But what shall I say it is a doctrine that as it hath no footing at all out of the word of God so were the Primitiue Fathers themselues either strangers vnto it Aug. de Ciuit Dei lib. 21. Ch. 26. or doubtfull of it Augustine who liued foure hundred yeares after Christ plainly sheweth that in his time it was not receiued Tertiumlo cumpenitus ignoramus nor beleeued for any Article of faith and in some places of his writings he absolutely denieth it Fisher sometimes Bishop of Rochester ingeniously confesseth That there is no Scripture to proue Purgatory Ross contra assert Luth. and may we not iustly deny that for the which there is no Scripture to proue it Nay more he confesseth that seldome or neuer any mention is made of Purgatory either among the Greeke or Latine writers Nay rather the Scriptures teach the contrary Legat qui volet Graecorum commentarioset nullū quātum opinor de Purgatorio sermonē inuenies c. Isa 57.2 as that of Isaiah They shall enter vpon peace and they shall rest vpon their beds euery one that walketh before the Lord in righteousnesse And amongst all those sacrifices that were appointed in the time of the law for the Prince for the Priest and for the Congregation Leu. 5.6 all were appointed for the liuing and none that euer wee reade of were appointed for the dead Doubtlesse either God was very forgetfull of them or else this Doctrine of Purgatory was not hatched When Paul directs the Church how they should carry themfelues towards the dead Phil. 3. he giues no direction at any time to pray for the dead Saint Iohn saith Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord. And the holy Ghost addeth further Reu. 14.13 From henceforth they rest from their labours Now to enter vpon peace and to rest from their labours and yet to suffer hellish torrments for many yeares are things incompatible and cannot stand together Besides Christ hath promised rest and refreshing to those that are heauy laden and come vnto him saying Come vnto me all ye that trauaile Mat. 11.28 and are heauie laden and I will refresh you Now what refreshing and rest is this to frie in the flames of Purgatory Surely the Scriptures know no such third place but that the souls of the righteous so soone as euer they depart out of the body they go with the soule of this Penitent here into Paradise or into heauen the place of euerlasting ioy and felicity And the soules of the wicked go immediatly to Hell a place of euerlasting torment there is no middle place betwixt these But as there are but two sorts of persons so there are but two sorts of places Besides it stands not with the rule of Iustice that the soule should be punished without the body since the body and the soule were copartners together in sinne But the Church of Rome knew well enough what it did to broach this doctrine and what they do in maintaining the same at this day But we wil leaue them and come vnto our selues This may serue for matter of singular comfort and consolation vnto the godly that inasmuch as the soules of the faithfull in death are gathered vnto Christ they may comfort themselues that this worke of repentance for sinne of mortification of sanctification howsoeuer it may seeme painfull for a time yet it will bee gainfull in the end Let such then comfort their hearts and say O my soule returne thou vnto thy rest for the Lord hath beene beneficiall vnto thee And say with Dauid Psal 23. Though I walke through the valley of the shadow of death I will feare none ill for thou art with me This this is it that makes the true beleeuer looke death in the face and supports him against the feares of the graue an assured perswasion in death to be gathered vnto Christ yea it is a true note of an honest heart so to walke with God in life as willingly and cheerfully to imbrace the sentence of death at last Wheras on the contrary it is a note of a soule soyled with corruption or else indued but with a small
the Lord deliuereth them out of all And indeed If the Lord should not deale thus with his seruants Reas 1 they would haue their hearts ouerwhelmed with sorrow and themselues faint and sinke vnder the burthen of their sufferings Now it is his gracious will not to breake the brused reed nor quench the smoaking flaxe Secondly the end of all afflictions and miseries that betide the godly here is but to humble them and bring them nearer vnto God Now when any affliction sent hath wrought this effect God presently remoues the affliction as a wound when it is whole the plaster falls off Thirdly life it selfe is not long but short and of small continuance Now miseries cannot bee long where life is so short This serues then to teach vs in all our miseries still to waite on God Vse with this Penitent here for as Mordecai said to Hester Deliuerance will come There is nothing more sure and certaine then the deliuerance of Gods people out of miserie As God makes prouision for his children of correction as of food and not at sometime to taste of correction is a signe rather of a Bastard then of a Sonne So will the Lord see to them that they shall not want a seasonable deliuerance Let no man then say in time of prosperitie Psal 30.6 I shall neuer be moued Neither let any say in times of aduersitie I shall neuer be restored For God can turne thy night into day thy heauinesse into ioy and thy mourning into gladnesse and all in a moment of time Oh but thou hast laine long among the pots and thou hast often sought the Lord. What then By so much the more precious will deliuerance bee and thou fitted to praise his name when the Lord shall deliuer thee This day The last Instruction we are to obserue hence is Doct. 3 Such as haue shewed mercy in an euill day shall find mercy in the euill day That they that shew mercy in an euill day shall themselues find mercy in the euill day Christ being now to suffer and lying vnder many reproaches This poore Penitent pitieth Christ in his miserie pleades his cause and cleareth his innocency This man saith he hath done nothing amisse And now Christ shewes mercy to him in time of his greatest need The Penitent pitied Christ and commiserates his misery being an innocent Christ pitieth the Penitent in time of his misery and receiueth him to mercy That which our Sauiour had formerly taught his disciples Mat. 3.7 Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercy hee maketh good to this poore Penitent His mercy to Christ is recompensed with mercy from Christ Onesiphorus that good man shewed mercy to Paul 2. Tim. 1.16 Hee often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chaine but when he was in Rome he sought me diligently and found me What then The Lord grant vnto him that he may finde mercy of the Lord in that day Verse 18. An excellent example whereof we haue in Ebedmelech who vnderstanding that Ieremy was in prison Ier. 38.9 and there ready to perish for hunger He pleades his cause vnto the King and procures his deliuerie The Lord remembred this kindnes of Ebedmelech Ier. 39.17 I will deliuer thee in that day saith the Lord. Ios 6.17 Rahab shewed mercy to the Lords seruants when they searched the land of Canaan hid the spies and preserued their liues This kindnesse of hers is requited with the safetie of her owne life The Shunamite that was so kinde vnto Elisha 1 King 17.10 making such prouision for him in his trauaile loseth nothing by it in the end her mercy to him is recompensed with mercy to her and hers And Christ shewes how hee will proceed in iudgement at the last day with wicked men Mat. 25. I was hungry c. And the reason hereof is Reas 1 Because mercy to such as are in miserie is an excellent fruit of faith and such as God hath promised to crowne and to reward at last Secondly it kindleth the affections of those that haue beene relieued to pray vnto God for such as haue beene such instruments of their comfort and to praise God for them by which means the Lord is moued to shew mercy This teacheth all Gods people to lay hold vpon all opportunities that shall bee offered vnto them Vse of doing good vnto others especially to such as are in misery It was Iobs comfort that The bowels of the hungry did blesse him Pitie the distressed in their need and the Lord will pitie thee in thy greatest need Do wee not desire mercy in the houre of death and in the day of iudgement The way to finde mercie then is to shew mercy now otherwise There shall be Iudgement mercilesse to him that will shew no mercy Iam. 2.13 FINIS A Short view of such Doctrines as are enlarged with their Reasons and Vses in this Booke Doctrines THe malice of the wicked great against Christ and his members Page 6 Doctrines Good men many times suffer as malefactours Page 13 Doctrines Christ died an accursed death Page 18 Doctrines Not the punishment but the cause maketh a Martyr Page 32 Doctrines Sinne and shame go together Page 41 Doctrines Afflictions make the wicked worse Page 51. Doctrines When the wicked begin once to fall from God they haue no stay of themselues Pag. 59 Doctrines A sinfull life hath commonly attending it a cursed and miserable death Pag. 71 Doctrines None more subiect vnto disgrace then the godly are Pag. 93 Doctrines It is a great sinne to adde affliction to the afflicted Pag. 103 Doctrines God brings his children often to a low ebbe in this life Pag. 111 Doctrines Infidelitie a dangerous sinne Pag. 115 Doctrines Euill examples dangerous Pag. 124 Doctrines Properties of a wicked man to be giuen to mocking Pag. 132 Doctrines God can make of great sinners great Saints Pag. 143 Doctrines All men are alike by Nature vntill God make a difference by grace Pag. 153 Doctrines Afflictions of excellent vse to bring men to God Pag. 164 Doctrines To cease from euill is not sufficient we must do good Pag. 172 Doctrines He that rebuketh another must not be guilty of the same fault himselfe Pag. 183 Doctrines A true note of a true Conuert to stop others in a course of sin Pag. 191 Doctrines A true Conuert desires that others may partake of the same grace Pag. 216 Doctrines The afflictions of the godly reach vnto Christ Pag. 233 Doctrines The want of the feare of God the cause of all sinne Pag. 237 Doctrines Afflictions that summon to death should cause a man to looke home Pag. 250 Doctrines Vnto true repentance confession of sinne necessary Pag. 257 Doctrines Godly submit themselues to Gods seuerest corrections without repining Pag. 285 Doctrines A true Christian must at all times stand for Christ Pag. 298 Doctrines In all ages God hath had some witnesses of his truth Pag. 310 Doctrines True grace is known by the daily growth in grace Pag. 322 Doctrines None can pray effectually but the Penitent Pag. 334 Doctrines Christ a Lord. Pag. 349 Doctrines Christ a King Pag. 356 Doctrines True faith raiseth vp a man aboue this life Pag. 365 Doctrines In prayer wee must see God all-sufficient in those things wee seeke of him Pag. 372 Doctrines The saluation of the soule is principally to be desired Pag. 381 Doctrines The happinesse of a Christian not to be looked for here but hereafter Pag. 401 Doctrines Release from temporall afflictions doth not alwayes follow true repentance Pag. 407 Doctrines It is a wonderfull hard thing truly to beleeue Pag. 416 Doctrines There is an vnchangeable certainty in all Gods promises Pag. 431 Doctrines Godly must labour to be perswaded of Gods loue Pag. 443 Doctrines Prayers of the godly very effectuall Pag. 457 Doctrines The sinnes of the Penitent cannot hinder their saluation Pag. 471 Doctrines They that in misery waite vpon God shall not misse of comfort in the end Pag. 482 Doctrines The souls of the faithfull in death are gathered vnto Christ Pag. 489 Doctrines In heauen is the perfection of all happinesse Pag. 498 Doctrines God many times giues more then his seruants aske Pag. 506 Doctrines A man may be in miserie and ioy in an houre Pag. 512 Doctrines Such as shew mercy in an euill day shall not misse of mercy in the euill day Pag. 515