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
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
the same after this life sauoureth of an opinion that it is either a thing most easie or a thing indifferent to be saued For the things of this life wee see the excessiue care the wonderfull labour and paines that men take early and late by Sea and by Land putting their bodies many times to that labour they would not willingly put their beast vnto and all for fleeting and transitorie things that will not that cannot profit in the euill day which caused the Prophet to complaine thus Wherefore do ye lay out your siluer Isa 55.2 and not for bread and your strength and not being satisfied Who can sufficiently bewaile this madnes and cry downe this follie The cares of this life like Pharaohs leane kine Gen. 41.10 hath deuoured the care of heauen Such men can neuer lift vp their mindes vnto heauen that account the earth and earthly things their chiefest Treasure giue them enough of this world and let him that will take the world to come None are farther out of the way nor destitute of true wisedome then those men are What are they better then fooles that preferre a peece of rotten wood that shineth in the night before the finest gold of Ophyr Oh let vs take heed lest while wee condemne this as madnesse and folly in other men we proue not our selues the greatest fooles Secondly this may serue to admonish euery one in the feare of God that with this godly Penitent wee make sure worke for a better life There is nothing concerneth a Christian more then this to get good assurance vnto his owne soule that he shall bee saued at last Wee dwell here in houses of clay and our eyes on euery side of vs do behold the vncertaintie of all earthly things Why then should our thoughts be so taken vp for these fraile bodies of ours which are but slaues to death so as in the meane time we neglect our pretious soules which haue an euerlasting being why should we exalt the body so high that must lye so low and moulder to dust and ashes die and rot in the graue and make no reckoning of our soules that liue for euer wherein we may be truly blessed indeed O did wee know the consequence of this one thing and how much it concerneth vs to seeke the eternall wellfare of our soules as Christ said to the Samaritanish woman Ioh. 4.10 If thou knewest the gifts of God we would come vnto the Ministers of God with that question of the trembling Iewes and perplexed Iaylor Sirs Act. 16.30 what must we do to be saued What comfort can a man take in any thing that wants comfort in this This is that one thing that is so necessary this is that good part that shall not be taken from vs. But it will bee said Obiect Wherefore take you so much paines to perswade to bee saued who is there so vile sinfull or wicked that would not be saued Num. 23.10 Did not Balaam desire to die the death of the righteous And doth not our Sauiour tell vs of many that shall say Lord Lord open vnto vs Mat. 7.21 I answer it is most true Resp none so desperately wretched and sinfull but would willingly go to heauen escape Gods wrath and be saued at last But these light wishes and desires may be in the wicked as well as in the godly in those that shall perish euerlastingly as well as in those that shall be saued at last And therefore it will bee requisite to obserue the difference betwixt the wishes of the wicked and the desires of the godly in this weightie point of saluation First The difference betwixt the godly and the wicked in their desiring saluation this proceeds not from the like ground in these two sorts of men In all Gods children that shall be saued in the end this desire of theirs springs from a true sence and feeling of their owne wretchednes and misery through sinne that he is the child of wrath and firebrand of hell by nature lies vnder Gods wrath and is in danger of eternall destruction The thoughts of this his present miserie and fearefull condition by nature sets him on worke to seeke deliuery And in reason it must be so for vnto a condemned person that lookes euery houre to bee executed the Princes pardon must needs bee most acceptable yea he would preferre that aboue all the world besides So is it with a poore sinner once throughly conuicted in his conscience for sinne he can prize the fauour of God in Iesus Christ in the pardon of the same more then all the world besides Whereas the Person that is full despiseth the honey combe Pro. 27.7 And this is the estate of naturall men they are not sensible of their owne spirituall miserie by reason of sinne but are Frozen vpon the dregs Zeph. 1.12 Deut. 29.19 Reu. 3.17 blesse themselues in their owne hearts and know not that they are miserable and poore and blinde and naked And hence is it that the desires of such men are cold and sleight in comparison of the other that are sensible of their misery by reason of sinne Secondly the desire of Gods people of life and saluation as it proceeds from a good ground and therefore earnest So it is euer ioyned with the vse of the means that God hath appointed for the attaining of eternall saluation such as are the Ministery of the Word the reuerend vse of the Sacrament prayer c. Whereas of the wicked that of Solomon is most true Pro 13.4 The sluggard lusteth but his soule hath naught And againe The desire of the slothfull stayeth him for his hands refuse to worke Thirdly howsoeuer a wicked man may desire heauen eternall life and saluation yet there is euer something that he preferreth before this The young man in the Gospell that came to Christ saying Good Master what shall I do to inherite eternall life shewed that hee wished well to heauen and the saluation of his soule But being required by Christ to sell all that hee had and to giue to the poore and to follow Christ Mat. 19. the Text saith He went away sorrowfull Which shewed plainly that hee loued his wealth better Whereas the desire of the godly is such as that they preferre eternall life and the saluation of their soules aboue all things in the world besides So Dauid Many say who shall shew vs any good But Lord grant mee thy countenance thy fauour and grace Where Dauid opposeth his desire against the desire of worldlings and sheweth that howsoeuer worldly men desire chiefely worldly things hee for his part did chiefly desire Gods countenance fauour and grace in the pardon of his sinnes aboue all the world besides And indeed vnto such doth the promise of eternall life belong and appertaine for so saith the Lord Ier. 29.13 Ye shall seeke me and finde me because ye shall seeke me with your whole heart Fourthly
A PATERN OF FREE GRACE OR The exceeding Riches of the Free Grace and Mercy of God in Christ to Believing and Repenting Sinners By the example of that admirable Convert or rather miraculous mirror of Gods wonderful Love and Mercy in saving the Repenting Thief on the Cross Wherein is excellently handled the Doctrine of true Repentance the exceeding Sinfulness of Sin with the desperate danger of final Impenitency with the certainty of Salvation to repenting Sinners by Christ By that Godly and Faithfull Servant of Christ and his Church Samuel Smith Minister of the Gospel and Author of The Great Assize and Davids Repentance Rom. 9.18 He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardneth London Printed for John Andrews at the White Lion near Pye-Corner 1658. Courteous Reader BE pleased to take notice that there are five other godly Treatises extant of this pious Authors viz. The Great Assize Davids Repentance Davids blessed Man Moses Prayers And The Practice of Godliness The Christian duty An excellent Book likewise called The Silver Watch-bell Also a most pious and comfortable Treatise entituled The Everlasting Joyes of Heaven or The blessed Life of a Christian in Grace here and in Glory hereafter very seasonable for these times Also an excellent Sermon called Christs first Sermon or the Necessity Duty and Practice of Repentance opened and applied a very godly Book and is but three pence price There are likewise seven other small Books all of them very godly and very comfortable for thy soul One is entituled The Charitable Christian. Another The Plain Mans Path way to Heaven directing ever one how they may be The third The Devils disease or the sin of Pride arraigned and condemned The fourth The dreadful Character of a Drunkard The fifth The Black Book of Conscience or Gods High Court of Justice in the Soul The sixth The Fathers last Blessing The seventh Doomesday at hand All very necessary for these licentious times Each of them being but of two pence price and are to be sold by John Andrews at the White Lion near Pye-Corner THE ADMIRABLE CONVERT Luk. 23. vers 39.40 c. ANd one of the euill doers which were hanged railed on him saying If thou bee Christ saue thy self vs. But the other answering rebuked him saying Doest thou not feare God seeing thou art in the same condemnation We indeed are iustly here for we receiue the due reward of our deeds but this man hath done nothing amisse And he said vnto Iesus Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdome And Iesus said vnto him Verily I say vnto thee to day shalt thou be with me in Paradise OF all Doctrines to be preached none more necessarie then the Doctrine of true Repentance which as it is most necessarie to life and saluation as our Sauiour witnesseth saying Luk. 13.5 Except ye repent ye shall all perish So neuer more neglected then in these times wherein too many of Israels Watchmen bend themselues not to serue to the edification of the faith of the Church as to disturbe the peace thereof wherein the malice and policie of Sathan in the purest Churches to corrupt the purity of doctrine hath beene euer seene But to leaue such as wearie themselues and Hearers with knotty questions tending rather to strife then edification therein many times to get a name of profunditie they leade their people rather into a labyrinth then work them to true piety It is the Doctrine of true repentance we haue now in hand and herein of that Admirable Conuert or that Mirror of Gods mercy the Thiefe on the Crosse whose example as it is full of consolation vnto the godly so no one example of Gods mercy in the whole Scripture more abused by wicked and licentious men Before we come to these particulars it will not be amisse that we first cast our eyes vpon the Lord Iesus Christ himselfe who as the Prophet Isaiah saith Isâ— 53.12 was numbred with transgressours And as Saint Luke obserueth in this Chapter Vers 32. There were also two other malefactours led with him to be put to death Verse 33. And when they were come to the place which is called Caluary there they crucified him and the Malefactours c. There were foure kindes of death in vse amongst the Iewes The foure kindes of death in vse among the Iewes as capitall punishments for capitall offences First stoning a kinde of death commonly inflicted vpon Blasphemers Stoning Leuit. 24.14 Deut. 17.7 and Idolaters where the hand of the witnesse was first to be vpon him Secondly Beheading Beheading Thirdly Burning Fourthly Strangling Burning Deu. 21.22 which punishment was afterwards changed by the Romans into crucifying Crucifying Deu. 21.23 which kinde of death was aboue the rest full of paine ignominie and reproach and therefore reserued for grand Malefactours The manner whereof was this The body was to hang on the tree till night and before the Sunne was set the same was to be taken downe and buried This kinde of death was branded with a curse by God himselfe He that is hanged is accursed of God And for the nature of this kind of death without all question it was performed with much torture and paine the Armes being stretched out and fastened vnto the tree with nayles which pierced both hands and feet in which miserable torture and paine the crucified was to remain and abide till death And if it should be inquired why the Iewes did so earnestly vrge Pilate that Christ might be crucified no question it was done in respect of them because this kind of death was the most ignominious bitter and reproachfull such was their malice against Christ And herein something would be obserued concerning 1. The Iewes inflicting 2. Christ suffering 3. The nature of the death crucifying Doct. 1 First of all The malice of the wicked great against Christ and his members in these Iewes we may take notice of the implacable rage and malice that is in wicked and vngodly men against Christ and his members No wilde beast is more sauage and cruell then wicked men are yea and that against the most innocent Here is Christ Iesus himselfe the Obiect Abiect and Subiect of the malice of mercilesse men who thought they could neuer shew cruelty enough vpon Christ Of them it may truly be said Destruction and calamitie are in their wayes and the way of peace they haue not knowne And hence is it that in the Scripture wicked men are resembled vnto Lions Beares Wolues Foxes and Beasts Mat. 7.15 Cant. 2.2 The. 3.2 Pro. 12.10 2. King 8.11 yea such kind of beasts as are of a cruell and deuouring nature yea as Solomon saith The very mercies of the wicked are cruell What a greeting was there betwixt Elisha and Hazael the very sight of Hazael caused the man of God to weepe foreseeing the cruelty that he would exercise vpon the people of Israel Their young men saith
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
fruit He must be a good man that maketh a good prayer a bad man cannot make a good prayer For such as the root is such is the fruit Secondly Gods fauour and countenance is onely and alwaies manifested there where his Image appeareth Now it is onely in his children who haue dedicated themselues onely to him and his seruice Thirdly it is the godly man that can speake the language of heauen hee hath the spirit of adoption giuen vnto him enabling him to cry Abba Father Now they must bee the breathings of Gods Spirit Rom. 8.15 which God will acknowledge That is the language the which God doth vnderstand Now wicked men wanting this spirit what reckoning account can God make of the prayers of such a one Fourthly Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne And againe Heb. 11.6 Without faith it is impossible to please God Faith is the salt of the Sanctuarie that must season all our sacrifices and giues vs a comfortable assurance that they shall finde acceptation with God That ye may beleene in the name of the Sonne of God 1. Ioh. 5.13.14 And this is the assurance that if we aske any thing according to his will he heareth vs. Faith is all in all to make our prayers accepted How many came to our Sauiour in the dayes of his flesh to bee cured some of one disease and some of another And what is Christs answer but this According to thy faith 2 Thes 3.2 so be it vnto thee Now All men haue not faith saith the Apostle It is called the Faith of the elect because none are betrusted therewith but the elect of God and so it must needs bee they and they alone that can pray effectually And last of all they cannot be the prayers of wicked men that God can heare and accept of because they haue refused to heare God God will therefore refuse to heare them Pro. 1.24 Because I haue called saith the Lord and ye haue refused ye shall cry and call and I will not answer And this stands with the distributiue Iustice of Almightie God that God should deale with them as they haue dealt with him This serues then to set out vnto vs the misery of euery wicked and vngodly man Vse 1 of euery impenitent sinner that liues and lyes in finne without repentance God is prouoked by him daily his verie prayers themselues are turned into sinne Pro. 28.9 He that turneth away his eare from hearing the law euen his very prayers are abhominable The Lord doth ranke this mans prayers amongst the bed roll of his sinnes Thou that art a drunkard a swearer a beastly liuer thou that liuest and lyest in thy sinne without repentance thou diddest neuer all the dayes of thy life make an effectuall prayer vnto God the Lord neuer heard thee in mercy in any petition thou diddest euer put vp vnto him But thy very praiers were euer turned into sin and became abominable vnto him thou wantest the Spirit of God to enable thee to this duty For it is the breathing of that Spirit that God will acknowledge O the misery of an impenitent sinner that whether hee do those things that are forbidden or those things that are commanded is still posting to hell and hastening his owne destruction If an impenitent sinner sinne thus euen in praying vnto God Obiect it seemes then that it were better for a wicked man not to pray at all I say not so Answ albeit a wicked man sinne praying because his person is not accepted with God in Christ hath not repentance for sinne nor faith in Christ which must make his prayers auailable Yet he must pray The Lord declared by his Prophet how detestable the sacrifices of the people were vnto him Isa 1.14 My soule hateth your new Moones and your appointed feasts c. What then must they obserue these solemne feasts no more because the Lord hated them No. What then Take away the euill of your doings from before my eyes Vers 16. Repentance will remoue the cloud and that partition wall that is betwixt God and vs and giue our prayers accesse before him Secondly this shewes the misery of those who trust onely to their prayers and other good deeds as they say to pacifie Gods wrath to escape the vengeance to corne and to make amends for all their euill wayes Though in the meane time their consciences are defiled their conuersations are sinfull and which is worst of all their hearts are no way humbled for the same Poore soules doe they thinke the Lord will be beguiled thus Thinke they that the Lord is driuen to such a necessitie that either he must take their feruice or not to bee serued at all No no the Lord hath Angels and Saints to doe him seruice though thou serue but for his iustice vpon whom he may glorifie himselfe in thy euerlasting confusion and so will the Lord be glorified by the wicked at last Thirdly this may serue to admonish vs all in the feare of God that as we desire to bee heard in prayer and to auoid this fearefull curse to haue our prayers turned into sinne that wee lay a good foundation with this Penitent here By confessing our sinnes vnto God by giuing good testimonie of our vnfained sorrow and repentance for them with a godly resolution of newnesse of life That wee first wash our hands and so come to his Altar For if wee regard wickednesse in our hearts the Lord will not heare vs. Sinne stoppeth Gods eares that he cannot heare and is that cloud that hindereth the accesse of them into his presence Now what can be more vncomfortable vnto the soule of man then this Not to be heard in misery when Sathan shall tempt vs sinne disquiet vs troubles oppresse vs death affright vs what is now the last refuge of a poore soule but to flie vnto God by prayer Now alas when our prayers shall become abhominable and turned into sinne who is then able to put to silence the voice of desperation And on the contrary part what can bee more comfortable then when troubles and miseries shall corne sicknesse and death it selfe shall approach that we may haue free accesse vnto the throne of grace there to powre out our soules into his bosome The very thoughts hereof comforted Dauid ouer all his sorrowes I shall saith he finde trouble and heauinesse but I will call vpon the Name of the Lord O Lord I beseech thee deliuer my soule And last of all this may teach vs how to esteeme of godly and righteous men howsoeuer the world esteemeth of such doubtlesse they are in high esteeme with God they are the Lords Fauourites they are seldome or neuer denyed in their suites vnto God they haue euer accesse into the presence chamber of the Almightie they preuaile for themselues and others being in grace and fauour Surely howsoeuer the world doth iudge and esteeme of Gods people there is not a wicked man liuing
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
day they shall likewise bee freed from sinne from corruption and from all the miseries and infirmities that cleaue vnto them here And bee made like vnto his glorious body Phil. 3.21 O how may this affect our hearts with a longing desire of that time Vse 2 when we shall thus see the face of God in glory it should moue vs to long for that time Rom. 8. when this glory shall be reuealed Surely if wee looke for a part in this kingdome of heauen wherin is all perfection of happinesse wee cannot but desire the comming of the same and to cry and say with the Church Come Lord Iesus Reu. 22.20 come quickly This day Text. Here wee haue the fift and last circumstance in this Text at first propounded Time when and that is the time when this promise shall bee fulfilled This day Verily this day thou c. q.d. what though thy misery be great and torment grieuous that thou sufferest yet thy time is but short thy deliuerance is at hand verily this day c. Where wee may note first of all the Lords bountifull liberality towards his seruants that seeke vnto him in time of misery This Penitent desireth onely to be remembred of Christ when hee should come into his kingdome but Christ promiseth more This day shalt thou be with me God giues more many times vnto his children Doct. 1 God many times giues more then his seruants aske then they either aske or thinke hee is many times larger in giuing then they in desiring It was but to be remembred when Christ came into his kingdome that the Penitent requireth Christ promiseth him not onely to be remembred but also to bee with him to bee with him this day to bee with him this day in Paradice God is vsually more liberall in giuing Gen. 33.9.10 then his seruants in desiring Iacob desires onely food and rayment at Gods hands but God giues him more as Iacob himself confesseth God gaue him two bands and abundance of goods and cattell besides 1 Reg. 3.9.13 Salomon desires onely an vnderstanding heart at Gods hand to gouerne his people God giues him not onely wisedome according to his desire but abundance of wealth besides 1 Sam. 2.8 Hannah intreates the Lord to take from her the curse of barrennesse and to giue her a sonne the Lord granted her more then she desired he gaue her many sonnes afterwards How many came to our Sauiour in the dayes of his flesh some sicke of one disease and some of another desiring help whom our Sauiour did not only make whole of their infirmities but also pronounced that their sinnes were forgiuen them Luke 19. Zacheus came onely but to see Christ and hee obtaines not onely the thing hee desired in getting a full sight of Christ but he hath this honour to talke with Christ to inuite him to his house yea more then all this to haue his soule euerlastingly saued by Christ Neither is this a thing to bee wondred at Reas for such is the Lords bounty and goodnesse towards his seruants taking pleasure in their prosperity And hence it is that the Apostle writing to the Ephesians Eph. 1.7 Psal 23. saith that he is rich in grace a most bountifull master making the cup of his seruants to ouerflow and is therefore called the Father of mercy 2 Cor. 1. and God of all consolation Seeing then that God is so liberal a master Vse 1 giuing many times vnto his seruants more then they aske or seeke this may be an excellent motiue with vs to bring christianitie into request inasmuch as we serue such a bountifull master Seruants commonly inquire after such masters and will desire to liue in such places where they shall bee bountifully rewarded This we are sure of that the Lords seruants shall bee bountifully rewarded with him he is euer better then his word vnto his people Why are we then so backward in our suits vnto him Are we in misery and distresse As a father pittieth his children so hath the Lord compassion on them that feare him O but I am vnworthy of mercy God giues mercy not for our merit but it is his free gift O but I am a great sinner and prouoke him daily Hee remembreth whereof wee are made hee considereth that wee are but dust He hath said it and he will doe it He will fulfill the desires of them that feare him Psal 145.18 hee also will heare their cry and will helpe them Secondly seeing we are to deale with so liberall a Lord that giues vnto his seruants more then they desire hence ariseth our comfort and incouragement in prayer to flye vnto him in al times of misery and distresse for so hath the Lord said Psal 50.15 Call vpon me in the time of thy trouble and I will heare thee and deliuer thee Doe wicked men persecute vs doth Sathan continually solicite vs doe our corruptions preuaile with vs doe the thoughts of death and of the graue affright vs yet still we haue the bosome of a louing Father to flye vnto Behold this Penitent now at this time astonished no doubt at the sight of death and thoughts of his account hee is to make before the great tribunall O happy he that could now flye into the bosome of his Sauiour as the Doue to the Arke that elsewhere could finde no rest Now may hee sing that sweet Requiens vnto his soule Returne vnto thy rest O my soule for the Lord hath rewarded thee We shall not need to feare any excesse in faith as if wee could beleeue more then the Lord would or could do vnto vs for his grace is euer more plentifull then our petitions hee giueth more then we aske hauing his hand ready to giue before we can get our mouthes open to desire This day As Christ is pleased to answer his seruant and to grant him the thing hee prayeth for So it is a thing remarkable to consider in the circumstance of time the speedie performance of the Lords promise This day q.d. thou shalt not onely be remembred of mee which is the thing thou desirest but thou shalt euen this present day haue an end put vnto thy miserie and thy soule receiued into glory Note hence That a man may be in miserie and ioy in an houre Doct. 2 A man may be in miserie ioy in an houre Though the afflictions of Gods seruants are many times sharpe and grieuous yet the Lord makes them many times but short and of small continuance Psal 94. Heauinesse may endure for a night but ioy commeth in the morning The miseries of the righteous are neither durable nor incurable In the multitude of the sorrows of my heart saith Dauid Thy comforts haue refreshed my soule The Lord doth aswell foresee their arriuall as their launcing forth and the end of their troubles as the beginning of the same Many are the troubles of the righteous Psal 34.19 but