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
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
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
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
him the other Thiefe reproacheth him yet in the middest of them all here is one that will take his death on it that Christ dyed an Innocent Note we hence That in all ages and from time to time In all ages God hath had some witnesses of his truth God hath had some that haue giuen testimonie vnto his truth At all times hee hath had some to defend him and cleare his innocency in times of the horest persecution some that sticke fast to the truth when others denie him No doubt this could not but be a corrafiue at the very heart of the high Priest and Elders and people that pursued Christ to this death to haue this man thus to acknowledge Christ For it is commonly a matter of great weight whereon one taketh his death So in rebuking exhorting admonishing or any other dutie when one vrgeth it dying it leaues the greater impression behinde it The brethren of Ioseph can pleade this to their brother Gen. 50.16 Thy father say they commanded a little before his death that thou shouldest forgiue the trespasse of thy brethren Here wee haue the last words of a dying man now leauing the world and going to giue vp his last account and behold this is the testimonie he giues of Christ This man hath done nothing amisse When Gods truth hath beene most of all oppugned and resisted God hath had at all times some witnesses of his truth When Antichrist should most of all flourish I will giue power saith the Lord vnto my two witnesses c. Reu. 11.3 Let Ieremy be cast into the dungeoÌ„ Ie. 38.8 the Lord hath a Ebedmelech to plead his cause to the King and to be a meanes of his deliuery If the Scribes and Pharisees go about to condemne Christ Nichodemus will pleade his cause whatsoeuer come of it Let Christ be mocked and derided of all yet this poore Penitent confesseth him to be the Lord of life Luk. 23.50 and will take his death vpon it that Christ dyeth an Innocent Yea when they sat in councell to condemne Christ there is in the company one Ioseph a good man and a iust That consented not vnto his death When Christ was risen againe from the dead he appeares to the two Disciples that went from Ierusalem to Emaus that they might giue testimonie of the truth of the same So are Mary Magdalene Luk. 24. and Mary the mother of Ioses made witnesses likewise of the truth thereof And for the further clearing of this truth the Apostle Paul saith 1. Cor. 15.6 Hee was seene of moe then fiue hundred brethren at once The Reasons are First Reas 1 the Lord will haue wisedome to bee iustified of her children though others regard it not and his truth to flourish and to remaine to posterities 1 Pet. 1.24 All flesh saith the Apostle is grasse and the glory of man as the flowre of the field The grasse withereth the flower fadeth away but the Word of the Lord endureth for euer Secondly he it is that hath the hearts of all men in his hand to turne them at his pleasure and can when it pleaseth him make of a persecuting Saul Acts 9.15 a preaching Paul and appoint him to bee a witnesse of his truth to beare his Name vnto the Gentiles that had beene a persecuter of the same yea as Christ saith Luk. 19.40 If these should hold their peace the stones would crie But why should Christ make choice of such meane witnesses to giue testimonie to him and his truth Quest For two respects Answ First Why Christ chuseth such weake witnesses to giue testimony to him and his truth that he might haue the glory of the worke who commonly chuseth the weake and foolish things of the world to confound the wise and the mightie putting this treasure in earthen vessels that the power might be in God and not in men Secondly that there might appeare a cleare difference betwixt the kingdome of Christ and the kingdome of Antichrist The kingdome of Christ doth not stand in need of humane power of earthly and carnall props to leane vpon but is supported with Gods almighty power which watcheth ouer it continually Whereas the kingdome of Antichrist must haue all the wit and policie of man to support it Equiuocation deuilish plots and practices such as are Gun powder Treasons murthering of kings c. or else it could neuer sland This lets vs see the wonderfull care God hath of his Church and truth Vse 1 that albeit they are both opposed by many and mightle enemies yet hee is euer mindfull of his couenant and oath that he made to a thousand generationâ— Yea when Popery most of all preuailed what Instruments hath God stiried vp in all places in Spaine Germany Grance Bohâ—mia England c. to oppose that Antichristian pride As also to teach vs that when we shall see the Church of God in her wane and the beautie glory thereof eclipsed and ouershadowed to rest vpon this that God can neuer want instruments of the Churches deliuerie he can make their enemies their friends as here hee opened the mouth of this Thiefe to giue testimonie vnto Christ As in the time of the Prophet Elias the Lord had seuen thousand that neuer bowed the knee vnto Baal Hee can neuer want mouthes to confesse him that out of the mouthes of very babes sucklings ordaineth such strength to perfect his owne praise Hitherto of his speech to his Fellow and therein of the three first testimonies of the truth of his Repentance and conuersion vnto God VERSE 42. And he said vnto Iesus Text. Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdome FRom his speech to his fellow rebuking him and iustifying the Lord Iesus he comes now to direct his suite to Christ Lord remember me c. It was a temporall deliuerance and corporall life the blasphemous Thiefe desired Saue thy self and vs and because hee iudged Christ to be Man onely and not God and so not able to giue this therefore he blasphemed him But the Penitent Thiefe that liues by faith and not by sence beholds Christs glorious power euen in this low degree of his humiliation and through faith raiseth vp himselfe to the hope of a better life Not regarding so much a temporall life or corporall deliuerance so that it might go well with his soule in death and therefore prayeth Lord remember me c. And herein as before he manifesteth likewise the admirable fruite of his faith and repentance whether wee consider the condition of the person of this Supplicant or petitioner or of Christ himselfe to whom hee sues for mercy First if we consider the Supplicant or petitioner himselfe a man not trained vp in the Schoole of Christ but rather in a denne of Theeues a man giuen vnto all manner of Rapine like a rauenous beast vpon the prey liuing by cutting of throats theft and the bloud of men for such a
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
it selfe had its originall from the euill of sinne and are indeed in themselues euidences of Gods wrath conceiued for sinne And therefore if we suffer as sinners our sufferings can bring vs no comfort sith they are tokens not of the affection but of the indignation of God towards vs. And surely this may serue to stop the mouthes of our aduersaries of Rome Vse 1 that brag and boast of the sufferings of many of their Popish crew as if they had dyed Martyrs at least and some of them haue they canonized for Saints who suffered indeed as Traytors against their Prince and countrey and deserued rather to be marked out with the blacke coale of Infamy and shame to posterity then once to haue their names mentioned with the least respect of honour And what shall we say to the order of the Franciscans that is amongst them an order that makes profession of voluntary miserie as if herein they did approue themselues to be the true disciples of Christ Alas herein euen Baals Priests and Mahomets Deruices out-bid them they do something like Disciples but yet they come short He that will be my disciple saith Christ let him take vp his crosse and follow me Cyprian obserues that the first Martyrs of the new Testament were children so the cause of our martyrdome and sufferings should carry in it the innocency of children O but Obiect say some of our Romish Catholickes we haue amongst vs that suffer daily for Religion and their conscience euen to the spoyling of their goods losse of their liberties c. and what will you make of these men but holy men and blessed Martyrs O but stay a while Answ for Religion and for conscience doe they suffer If for pure Religion and good conscience this were praise-worthy indeed and such sufferings shall neuer go vnrewarded with God But we must looke well to our owne consciences that they do not misinforme vs and conspire together with Sathan to worke our ruine for Ier. 18. The heart of man is deceitfull aboue all things who can know it And Sathan himselfe is not more dangerous and deceitfull vnto a mans selfe then his owne heart and therefore we must bring our consciences to the word and see that they bee rightly informed there else wee can haue no comfort in our sufferings But these suffer indeed most iustly and that for their rebellions idolatry disobedience to authoritie c. and so as euill doers to whom no promise of true comfort in such sufferings belongs Secondly Vse 2 this may admonish vs to take heed vnto our selues that whatsoeuer trouble or affliction soeuer wee meete withall here that wee looke still to the cause of our suffering that it bee good and not euill as Saint Peter exhorteth 1. Pet. 4.15 Let none of you suffer as a murtherer or as a thiefe or as an euill doer or as a busie body in other mens matters yet if any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed Many a man is smitten with the tongue and lieth vnder shamefull reproach some for their pride some for their crueltie couctousnesse vncleannesse c. and albeit their owne consciences cannot but pleade guilty to these enormities yet they thinke they haue said enough for themselues when they say that good men haue beene abused and reproached yea Christ himselfe say they This I grant to bee most true in Christ and good men they did indeed suffer disgrace and reproach in the world But did they deserue it Surely no. Had they deserued it they could haue had little comfort in their sufferings And know that thou being guilty of those sinnes the which the world doth iustly brand thee withall it is iust with God thou shouldest beare the shame thereof with men either to bring thee to the sight thereof and repentance for the same or else to thy further obduration and hardening in sinne against the day of vengeance It is then but a foolish speech that is so common in the world that when men suffer any indignitie from the hands of others vndeseruedly to say If I had deserned such things it would neuer haue grieued me Surely haddest thou deserued them thou hadst much cause to grieue But Christians must take vp the contrary note I reioyce in this that I deserued it not And last of all Vse 3 this may iustly reproue those who respecting the present sufferings and afflictions of others say Surely he hath his punishment nay his Purgatory here in this life when as alas they suffering for sinne these present miseries are but an earnest and foretaste of the eternall iudgement which is reserued for them hereafter And one of the euill doers that were hanged Text. This impenitent Thiefe howsoeuer he had escaped long in a course of sinne at last comes to shame and to a miserable end And indeed God hath ioyned these two together Sinne and shame and will in this example teach all men vnto the end of the world That Sinne and shame are companions and go not farre asunder Doct. 2 Sinne and shame go together Howsoeuer a sinner for a time may thriue and prosper in a course of sinning yet this is but for a time the Lord at last will ouertake them with his iudgements Howsoeuer a wicked man may prolong his life in wickednesse Eccl. 7.15 yet destruction at length shall ouertake the sinner Sinne and the punishment of sinne are inseparable companions if the one go before the other will follow after The Lord threatned Adam Gen. 2.17 that if he transgressed the commandement he should dye the death As God had a time to threaten he found a time to execute the punishment Gen. 4.7 We may see this in Cain If thou doest well saith the Lord shalt thou not be rewarded If thou dost euill sinne lyeth at thy doore The old world that lay weltering in all manner of abhominations the Lord at last remembred them with a iudgement from aboue Gen. 19.5 The like of Sodome and Gomorha The people in the wildernesse murmured against Moses and Aaron Numb 21.5.6 the Lord therefore sent fietie Serpents and Scorpions amongst them Yea Gods Church and people themselues when they haue sinned against God the Lord hath visited their iniquities with the rod and their sinnes with scourges Dauid numbred the people in the pride of his heart 1. Sam. 24. God meetes with Dauid in the same in weakening the number of them 2. Sam. 12. So are Dauids sinnes of adultery and murther punished with seuerall punishments from the Almightie But why should I spend time in so cleare a truth God hath sent his Iudgements vpon men Angels kingdomes and commonwealths houses and families persons and places all haue tasted of the Lords rodde when once they haue sinned against him And this proceeds First of all Reas 1 from that holinesse that is in God who is indeed holinesse it selfe and therefore cannot but punish sin that is so
opposite vnto that pure nature of his the more holy iust and righteous God is the more is he displeased with the sinnes of men and his Iustice calls for vengeance vpon transgressours Though the Lord delighteth not in the punishment of men yet he delighteth in his owne Iustice according to which punishment is due It is not euill in God to punish the wicked for the loue of Iustice but euill in the wicked to deserue punishment for the loue of sin Gen. 18.25 for God forbid but that the Iudge of all the world should do right Secondly it is grounded vpon the prouidence of God he suffereth no disorder to be in the whole vniuerse Now sinne is nothing else but a swaruing from order therefore it is brought into order by punishment The inequalitie and disorder that is in sinne being made equall and orderly thus It is equall and orderly that he that will needs taste of the sweetnesse of sinne against the will of God should be constrained to taste of the bitternesse of punishment against his owne will Aquin. Thirdly in regard of the good of Gods Church it is necessarie that God should thus punish sin for otherwise if God did not cut off and restraine offenders in a course of sinning by his iustice men would liue like Beasts Lyons Wolues and Tygers Yea these ravenous Beasts would not make more hauock then wicked men Exo. 14.25 if God had not met with Pharaoh what had become of Israel if God had not met with Haman Hest 7.6 what had become of the Iewes But wee see that wicked men doe not alwayes come to shame for their sins here in this life Obiect It is their greatest punishment not to be punished Nibil est infoelicius foâ—licitate peccantium c. Aug. Secondly wicked men are punished whilest they are spared for what greater punishment then to bee giuen ouer to their owne hearts lusts Thirdly it is a signe that God reserues such for a more fearefull punishment after death Vse 1 Seeing then that shame doth thus accompany sin as an inseparable companion howfoeuer God many times suffereth long This sheweth in the first place the lamentable estate of all wicked and impenitent sinners who lye in sin and wallow in all manner of vngodlinesse their condemnation doth not sleepe Howsoeuer the wicked now are secure and put from them the thoughts of sin the punishment due for the same yet so long as the sinner slands guiltie of sinne before the Lord there is a most certaine expectation of iudgement Indeed such is that euill disposition in the heart of man that as Solomon saith Because sentence against an euill worke is not presently executed Eccl. 8.11 therefore the heart of the Sons of men is fully set in them to doe euill But what followeth ver 12. though a sinner doe euill an hundred times and his dayes be prolonged c. it shall not be well with the wicked And againe Woe to the wicked Esa 3.11 it shall bee ill with him for the reward of his hands shall bee giuen him There is nothing more certaine then punishment to the sinner Secondly this may bee a loud call vnto vs all vnto repentance for those former sinnes we haue committed Sithence sin is so displeasing vnto God and draws after it such a tayle of iudgments And that wee take notice of his patience and long-suffering towards vs who hath spared vs so long a time Indeed if sinne were an indifferent thing with God that he were neither pleased nor displeased with vs for the same then to repent or not to repent were a thing likewise indifferent But sithence sinne brings with it shame and punishment it is time for vs to looke about vs and let vs take heede of securitie and labour to please God with reuerence and feare Rom. 12.29 For our God is a consuming fire Thirdly as this may terrifie all wicked and vngodly men to consider the most vndoubted certaintie of Gods wrath and vengeance against sin so it may minister matter of comfort vnto the godly for their reward is likewise with the Lord and their recompence with their God For can the Lord be more iâ—alous of his iustice then hee is of his mercy will hee pay tribulation and anguish to euery soul that doth euil and shall the labours of his servants in his seruice be in vaine it is farre from the iudge of all the world to doe vniustly Say ye saith the Lord by his Prophet to the righteous Esay 3.10 it shall be well with him for they shall eate the fruit of their doings The consideration of this comforted Paul ouer all his troubles I haue fought a good fight I haue finished the course henceforth there is layd vp for mee a crowne of righteousnesse 2 Tim. 4.7.8 which Christ the righteous Iudge shall giue mee in that day and not to me onely c. Let vs then rest vpon the gratious promises of our God being assured that couenant he hath made with his is surer then the couenant with day and night of the Sun and of the Moone he is Yea and Amen in all his promises as iealous of his Truth with his seruants as of his iustice with the wicked Rayled on him Text. We haue heard before how the sinne of this Malefactor hath brought vpon him shame His behauiour and God in his iustice hath now ouertaken him in a course of sinning and brought vpon him his deserued punishment his sinfull wretched life hath now a miserable and cursed death We are now to come to his behauiour at the time of his death He railed on Christ. First the Euangelist obserueth how this Impenitent at this time of his death fell to raile vpon Christ He is so farre from being humbled in the sense of his sinne or in any penitent maner to make confession of the same consideting that now he was from a temporall to come before an eternall Iudge and from the condemnation of the one to passe vnder the condemnation of the other as that he groweth worse by his punishment and becomes more desperatly sinful He railed on Christ Note hence That when the Lord shall ouertake the wicked with his iudgements Doct. 1 Afflictions make the wicked worse which might bring them to the sense of their sinne and repentance for the same as we shall see heereafter in the Penitent they doe but make the wicked worse Doth this wretched and miserable man now that the Lords hand is vpon him come to see his sinnes and bewaile his former sinfull course confessing and crying downe his owne abominations intreating for mercy at Gods hand in the pardon of the same surely no But his heart is more obstinate Rom. 1.5 and his conscience more hardned and becoms seared as it were with a hot-yron hee hath now a heart that cannot repent but becomes more desperately Gen. 15.16 wretched and sinfull Mat
not as sometimes they were according to their present condition and not as in times past The Apostle reckoning vp many horrible sinnes that were committed amongst the Corinthians saith Such were some of you 1 Cor. 6.11 but now ye are washed now ye are sanctified It is indeed a common fault in the world the fals and infirmities of Gods seruants are still laid in their dish albeit they haue giuen good testimony of their hearty sorrow and true repentance for the same It is not seuen yeares that can weare out of minde such a sinne in such a one the world keepes Registers of such mens faults and as occasion serueth still they shall heare of it This is not the Lords manner of dealing with vs. Thirdly this may warne vs to take heed how we censure others that yet wander and goe astray thou dost not know what is to come a man that should haue seene this penitent Theefe how vile and sinfull hee liued euen to the end that now a shamefull and miserable death doth ouertake him could not but haue thought him in a wretched and miserable case So likewise Paul hee that should haue seene him trotting and trudging vp and down from Office to Office to get his Commissions sealed to commit vnto prison all that made profession of Christ could not but haue thought him with Simon Magus to be in the gall of bitternesse O but stay a while this is one of Gods secrets that belongeth vnto him he in whose hands are times and seasons hath his time to call home those that belong vnto the election of grace in the meane time wee may not passe a finall doome vpon any Indeed when I see a man liue a dissolute life liuing in drunkennesse swearing vsury c. and in all manner of prophane courses I may say this man is in the way to destruction but yet there may bee a time wherein the Lord may call home such a one I may come to a tree and say here is little fruit or no fruit or bad fruit but I cannot say with Christ Neuer fruit grow on thee any more Luke 11. for God may shew mercy at last vpon their vnfained repentance And last of all this may bee a forcible motiue vnto vs to moue vs vnto repentance and to bee a spur in mens sides to make them speedily to returne and to seeke God art thou a Drunkard a Swearer a prophane and beastly liuer that hast spent thy time in vaine prophane and licentious courses O behold here Gods mercifull dealing now at last with this poore penitent vpon his repentance the Lord doth freely receiue him againe to fauour Be not then out of heart albeit thou art compassed about with many infirmities wrong not the Lord neither wrong thy owne soule as to thinke it will bee too late for thee at last to returne vnto him It was a curfed speech of a cursed wretch Gen. 4. My sinne is greater then God can forgiue no no labour for a broken and a contrite heart and the Lord in mercy will couer all thy sins And indeed this is the true vse we are to make of all the fals and infirmities of Gods children aâ— they are recorded in Gods book not to incourage vs in a course of sinning by their examples The true vse of other mens fals but First to put vs in minde of our weakenesse for if Dauid Peter Ionas and the like worthy stars in the Church haue fallen whither shall we fall if the Lord shall but a little leaue vs vnto our selues Secondly to keepe vs from despaire and therefore we can as ill spare the examples of their infirmities for our consolation as the examples of their vertues for our imitation What would become of vs had not the Lord left vs the examples of great land grieuous offenders whom he hath againe receiued into fauour surely wee should euen sinke vnder the burthen of those sins whereof our own hearts cannot but condemne vs. But the other rebuked him Wonderfull are the fruits of this Penitents repentance and faith beleeuing confessing giuing testimony of Christs innocency rebuking his fellow accusing himselfe and hoping aboue hope in this crucified Sauiour whom all the world contemned and despised to finde life the particulars whereof now follow in order But whence was this that he is become such a worthy confessor excusing Christ and pleading his cause who so lately before by his sinfull and wretched life had so dishonoured him No question this proceeded from the Lords free grace and mercy shewed vnto him giuing him to see his sins to be humbled for the same and by a liuely faith to lay hold on Christ It was Christ that had first looked on him with the eye of mercy that had in him no merit before he could behold his godhead now at this time vailed and he himselfe so much abased He was by nature in the same estate and condition with the other malefactor guiltie of the same sinne ouertaken with the same punishment and so had perished euerlastingly had not the Lord Iesus of this stone made a sonne of Abraham and framed his heart anew making a difference through grace where there was none by nature for so was it his good pleasure The instruction we may learne hence then is this Doct. 2 All men are alike by nature vntill God make a difference by grace that by nature there is no difference betwixt Gods children and wicked men vntill the Lord make the difference by grace we are all hewed out of the same rocke that the vildest wretch and cursedst Canihal was that euer breathed vntill the Lord doe frame the heart anew wee are all folded vp in the state of nature and are the children of wrath as well as others Doe but consider what the Scripture speaketh of this particular that we are all by nature the children of wrath Eph. 2.3 Eze. 16. that our father was an Aramite and our mother a Hittite such as wee are indeed without the couenant without God in this world Corrupted with iniquity from the womb Psal 51.7 Iob 14.4 conceiued of vneleane seed yea all the faculties of our-soules how are they depraued through this originall corruption The vnderstanding is blinde Eph. 4.18 Hauing their vnderstandings darkened being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them The will is froward and rebellious Rom. 7.15 what I would that doe I not but what I hate that I doe hauing not so much power to thinke that is good And the same is true of our affections 2. Cor. 3.5 which are likewise disordered being set vpon transitorie things which profit not and altogether auerse from heauenly things inasmuch as the Apostle saith Rom. 3.23 We are depriued of the glory of God Hauing in vs no inclination at all to any thing which is good but rather indeed an inclination to all things that are euill Gen. 6.3 And in
bee iust Hee rewardeth euery man according to his works Psal 62.12 saith the Psalmist God doth not proceed against any in iudgement vpon malice or vpon suspition but vpon iust ground before whom all things are open and naked And hence is it that the Lord pleads this his integritie and iustice against the people of Israel Are not my wayes equall Eze. 18.2 and are not your wayes vnequall Secondly the conscience of their owne sinne causeth them to iustifie the Lord and to accuse themselues Psal 39.9 I was dumbe saith Dauid and opened not my mouth because thou didst it And againe My soule keepeth silence vnto God The godly cannot but know that they are their sinnes that haue prouoked God to anger and prouoked him to displcasure Lam. 3.39 Man suffereth for his sinne And the consideration hereof doth humble them and cause them to beare with patience the Lords corrections Seeing then in this Penitent Thiefe acknowledging that his punishment to be so iust Vse 1 we haue beene taught the propertie of a true Conuert namely to submit to Gods seuerest corrections without grudging or repining Hereby then we may take good triall of the integritie of our owne hearts and of the truth of our owne repentance Hath the hand of God beene vpon vs at any time in any kinde whether on our bodies by long and tedious sicknesse or any other misery on our goods names estates of what kinde soeuer how haue we behaued our selues and beene affected vnder the same Corrupt nature in this case will be ready to stand vpon tearmes of iustification as if wee were hardly dealt withall But a sanctified spirit and gratious heart can willingly stoope vnto God Isa 39.8 and say with Hezekiah The word of the Lord is good which thou hast spoken Neh. 9.33 And with good Nehemiah Lord thou art iust in all that is come vpon vs. If in times of affliction and aduersitie wee haue behaued our selues in this sort This is a good testimonie vnto our owne hearts of the true humiliation and conuersion of the same vnto God But if on the contrary part vpon triall had we finde that we were neuer yet so sensible of our sinnes nor apprehensiue of our misery to know and acknowledge that we haue deserued at Gods hand his sharpest plagues and seuerest corrections so that in the middest of them all wee could say Lam. 3.39 It is the Lords mercy we are not consumed We can haue no sound comfort in our soules that the true worke of grace conuersion is wrought in vs. Secondly this may teach vs in all our afflictions to labour with our selues to see that sinne is the cause thereof and to learne to profit thereby to amendment of life for such men are farre enough from repentance and true conuersion which goe on sleepily in a course of life and are not humbled when the Lord correcteth And last of all wee are taught here euen in our sharpest afflictions still to iustifie God and to acknowledge that he is euer iust in his iudgements before whom the most holy that are cannot be innocent But this man hath done nothing amisse Text. In these words wee haue the third proofe that manifesteth the truth of this Penitents conuersion Iustifieth Christs innocency and that is his iustifying of Christs innocency This man hath done nothing amisse 5 Argument A◠innocer 〈◊〉 tia Christi And this is that fift and last Argument that hee vseth to his fellow to disswade him from reproaching of Christ and so to stop him in his course of sin and this is taken from Christs innocency Q.d. Wretched man that thou art thinkest thou that because this man suffereth the like punishment with thee and me that therefore his cause was alike no Wee are iustly punished The most righteous God hath now iustly ouertaken vs in our sinfull and wretched course of life and now wee reape but the iust reward of our owne workes But this man what euill hath he done he suffereth as an innocent he hath done nothing worthy this cursed death And herein as before we see the admirable fruit of his faith and repentance that now at this time when all mocked Christ Pilate condemneth him Iudas betrayeth him the Disciples forsake him and Peter denyeth him that now at this time he should stick thus to Christ and acknowledge his Deity in the lowest degree of his humiliation this was the fruit of an admirable faith indeed whose example may commend vnto all men a most necessary duty That euery faithfull Christian should bee ready at all times to speake for Christ Doct A true Christian must at all times speake for Christ to stand vp in the defence of the truth and not to suffer his name to bee blasphemed nor his word or truth to be dishonoured And surely the circumstance of time makes much for the commendations of the faith of this man that now that Christ was so vilified contemned despised put to this cruell shamefull ignominious and reproachfull death that in this so low a degree of his humiliation he should acknowledge his God-head and stand vp in the defence thereof This must needs be an admirable fruit of a singular faith This made much for the commendations of the Church of Pergamus that shee held fast Christs Name and denyed not the faith Reu. 2.12.13 Euen where Sathan had his throne So when religion is euery where despised then to loue it with Dauid is a blessing of blessings with Noah to bee vpright and of good conuersation when all flesh had corrupted their wayes Gen. 6. this was praise-worthy with God when idolatry and all manner of superstition and prophanenesse doth abound is maintained graced countenanced then to keepe vp the pure worship of God with Eliah where there could not be found that had not bowed the knee to Baal this must needs shew admirable fortitude Thus must all Gods people doe confesse and professe Christ not onely in prosperous times and in times of prosperity whilest religion is graced and countenanced by authoritie but euen at such times also when it seemeth to be most dangerous It is an easie matter to professe the Gospell in prosperous times whilest wee haue winde and tide with vs but then is the truth of our profession manifested in times of aduersitie The field proueth the Souldier the Marriners skill is best seene in a tempest so is the truth of a Christian profession in the times of the hottest persecution Mat. 24. And hence is it that our Sauiour doth acquaint his Disciples aforehand of those troubles that should happen vnto them to the end they should not giue backe but confesse him to the end And how resolute the Apostles were this way we may see afterwards who being conuented before the Councell and commanded to Preach no more in the name of Iesus answered thus Whether it bee right in the sight of God Acts 4.18.19 to
leaue the world and to go to giue vp his last account vnto God for all the things he had done in his bodie 2. Cor. 5.10 whether they were good or euill he commends his soule vnto God in prayer and therein shewes an excellent fruite of his faith And in praier presenteth Christ vnto him vnder such names and titles as may strengthen his faith and minister vnto him a comfortable expectation to be heard and answered in those things he prayeth for Now the onely thing he desireth at this time is that since he must now leaue the world to go to a place of an euerlasting abode where he must heare that hee neuer heard and must euer heare where he must see that he neuer saw which hee must euer see and feele that hee neuer felt which hee must euer seele that Christ whose power he acknowledgeth to be all-sufficient being Lord and King of heauen and earth would now in mercy remember him Note hence That wee must so consider of God in prayer Doct. In prayer wee must see God alsufficient in those things wee aske of him as that we may see him to bee God all-sufficient in those things we desire of him It was mercy for his soule after death that was the thing this Penitent so much desired And so that it might go well with it hee neuer seeks at Christs hands any corporall or temporall deliuerance as his fellow the Impenitent Thiefe doth But this O this is the thing that hee principally doth desire aboue all things in the world that Christ would in mercy remember him when hee came into his kingdome And to the end hee may haue hope in death and that this his request may be gratiously heard and answered by Christ Gen. 17.1 hee beholdeth Christ at this time to be God all-sufficient euery way able to grant his desire he seeth and acknowledgeth him to haue all the power in heauen and earth able to giue saluation at last And thus whatsoeuer our requests are that wee put vp vnto God it is an excellent thing so to conceiue of God and such his glorious attributes as his power wisedome truth loue mercy iustice c. as that we may still behold him as God all-sufficient in those things wee seeke of him An excellent example whereof we haue in the seruant of Abraham Gen. 34.12 who being sent by his Master to prouide a wife for his sonne Isaac goeth first vnto God in prayer to prosper him therein And in prayer presenteth God vnto him according to his couenant and promise hee had made with his Master Abraham O Ichouah thou God of my Master Abraham I pray thee send me good speede this day and shew kindenesse vnto my master Abraham This we may obserue likewise to haue beene in the Apostle Paul in diuers and sundry prayers of his that he made vnto God as when he exhorted the Romans to patience and consolation Hee prayes that the same gifts and graces may be bestowed vpon them and in prayer sets God before his eyes as God al-sufficient in those particular things Rom. 15.4.5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like minded one towards another Againe the same Apostle in the same Chapter cals him the God of hope Vers 13. The God of hope fill you with all ioy c. We may see this in the Prophet Dauid who when he was to pray against the enemies of the Church beholdeth God to bee al-sufficient to take vengeance vpon them Psal 94.1 O Lord God to whom vengeance belongeth thou God to whom vengeance belongeth shew thy selfe Thus the Church when they heard that Peter was cast into prison goe presently vnto God in prayer and therein strengthen themselues in the consideration of Gods power This being an act wherein the same might be made manifest in Peters deliuery Lord thou art a God who hast made heauen and earth the Sea and all that in them is c. So the Apostle Saint Paul exhorting the Corinthians to mutuall peace liue in peace saith he and the God of peace and loue bee with you We may see this in all the Apostles at such times as they made choyce of one in the rome and place of Iudas They pray that God would direct them therein Acts 1.24 Thou God which knowest the hearts of all men shew which of these two thou hast chosen The reasons are First Reas 1 this is to pray in iudgement which is required of euery one that would make an effectuall prayer vnto God Pro. 15.8 The sacrifices of the wicked are abhomination vnto the Lord but the prayer of the righteous is his delight And this is indeed to glorifie God in his attributes who delighteth in his seruants that can make a right vse of them Secondly this is an excellent prop for the faith of Gods people to leane vpon When men seeke of those that are euery way furnished to supply their wants it is no small incouragement vnto them to bee earnest in their suits vnto them Now all fulnesse and sufficiency is in God What thing doe we stand in need of wherein there is not an al-sufficiency in him How many distinct acts of his wisedome power goodnesse mercy iustice c. hath he left vs examples of in his Word and all to support our weake faith when we pray vnto him Thirdly the due consideration hereof makes a beleeuer more earnest and affectionate in prayer which is a thing wherein the Lord takes much delight This put life in the sute of the poore Cananite Mat. 15. who will not bee sayd nay at Christs hands albeit shee had neuer so many discouragements by Christ himselfe at the first and afterwards by his Disciples Shee saw Christs al-sufficiency that hee was able to helpe Nothing doth better stablish and settle the heart of the childe of God against doubtings and fears and worke feruency integrity and confidence all which are most requisite in prayer then the due consideration of this that God is all in all in the very thing it selfe we seeke vnto him for This serues first of all to condemne that horrible practice of the Church of Rome Vse 1 who nozell vp the people in all manner of ignorance how is it possible that such a one should make an effectuall prayer vnto God Surely where men are ignorant of the nature of God and of his principall attributes such as are his power wisedome truth iustice mercy c. which those must needs bee that are acquainted with his Word such can neuer make an effectuall prayer vnto God Secondly this may also serue for our instruction that as wee desire to pray effectually as wee are to take notice of our owne misery and present necessity so withall to behold in God his alsufficiency and such speciall attributes of his we stand most of all in need of Art thou in misery and distresse conceiue of God in thy prayers as a mercifull
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
to escape Exod. 15. Now was it a seasonable time for the Lord to steppe in that his owne power and stretched-out arme might be seene At what a low ebbe did the Lord bring Daniel Dan. 3. and those three worthies when one in the Lyons den the other in the fieric fornace when all hope of deliuerance was past and humane help failed then was his power most seene and then was deliuerance most seasonable Thirdly in Gods delayes then is there a seasonable time for the exercise of all those graces that hee hath betrusted his seruants withall such as are patience faith hope c. For it is the storme that proues the Mariner and the battell the Souldier whose experience and valour till then cannot be knowne If the prayers of Gods seruants be thus powerfull and effectuall with him Vse 1 This may be a notable incouragement for all Gods people to be frequent in this dutie and to be incessant in their prayers and not to giue him ouer though wee be not answered at first No doubt Hanna and Zachary had often prayed for children yet obtained not Notwithstanding they prayed still and at last the Lord heard them So Daniel he was in heauinesse three weekes of dayes Dan. 10.12 and to his thinking God heard him not yet the Lord heard him indeed from the first day as hee said to Daniel From the first day that he had set his heart to vnderstand Paul when the pricke of the flesh was giuen vnto him the messenger of Sathan was sent to buffet him hee therefore besought the Lord that it might depart from him But he receiued this answer 2. Cor. 12.7.8.9 My grace is sufficient for thee my power is made perfect in thy weaknesse Paul was heard though not at the first and therefore when wee shall pray for some blessing of the Lord which we stand in need of or when we shall craue power of the Lord ouer some vnruly affection of ours though we haue not answer by and by yet wee are not to leaue off This Christ teacheth vs when he saith Shall not God auenge the elect Luk. 18. that cry day and night vnto him Marke there Christs sweet application of that vnrighteous Iudge to teach vs to continue our suites and to hold out and then we shall not misse in the end Secondly this shewes the happie priuiledge of Gods Church and people that no man should say Maâ— 3.14 It is in vaine to serue the Lord and what profit is it that we haue kept the commandements and haue walked humbly before him It is sure to go well with them they are in great credit esteeme in the Court of heauen they are all Fauourites to the great King of heauen and earth and he hath commanded such at all times to haue free accesse vnto him and to inlarge their desires with a promise of a gracious answer Ioh. 16.24 Aske saith our Sauiour and ye shall receiue that your ioy may bee full What though for a time they lie vnder troubles and sorrowes miseries and afflictions Rom. 8.37 Are they not herein more then conquerours through him that hath loued them The present miseries of the faithfull cannot hinder their happinesse but through the Lords goodnesse they shall make way to their euerlasting felicitie Let all Gods people then walk worthy of this calling and take heed that they no way forfeit his fauour and loue There is no comfort like vnto this in this life at all times to haue free accesse into Gods presence and to haue a comfortable returne of our prayers to obtaine health in sicknesse rest in trouble safetie in danger ioy in sorrow comfort in aduersitie yea hope in death and assurance of future happinesse with this Penitent here when wee depart hence then the which what greater royalties and priuiledges can there belong to any Thirdly seeing all the faithfull are thus sure of audience and a comfortable returne of their praiers at all times This may prouoke all Gods people to be frequent in this dutie The righteous cry and the Lord heareth and deliuereth them out of all their troubles And againe Psal 81.10 The Name of the Lord is a strong Tower the righteous flie vnto it and are helped The Lord doth call vpon vs that we should call vpon him Psal 50.15 Call vpon mee in the time of trouble and I will heare thee and deliuer thee This is the onely refuge of a Christian in time of trouble and distresse Onely care must be had that wee be earnest and constant in our sutes For the prayers of the righteous auailes much Iam. 5.16 if it be feruent God deliuereth the poore when hee crieth Psal 72.12 If wee would haue hearing there must bee crying God poureth forth flouds of grace But vpon whom Isa 44.3 On the thirstie ground Indeed many pray and preuaile not because they do it so drowsily and carelesly the Lord defers to keepe them because they are not fit for helpe they striue and wrestle not with God as Iacob did and this is the reason that the godly many times are not answered in prayer Thou shalt be with me Text. Many were the offences of this man and of long continuance yet mercy in a moment taketh them all away very sweet and comfortable may our lesson be That the sinnes of the Penitent cannot hinder their saluation Doct. 2 The sins of the Penitent cannot hinder saluation but the Lord is mercifull to great sinners when once they come to see their sinnes and truely conuert and turne vnto him wee may see the truth hereof in this present example Here we haue an example of humane frailtie of a man led by the sway and swinge of his owne corruptions one that had runne riot a long time liuing by rapine cruelty cutting of throats shedding of bloud and in all manner of excesse without God in this world led by the god of the world yet now at last receiued into fauour It skils not what our sinnes are or how great they haue beene but how true our sorrow and vnfained our repentance is repentance going before mercy euer followeth after This the Prophet teacheth in the name of the Lord Wash you make you cleane put away the euill of your doings from before my eyes cease from euill c. Come now and let vs reason together saith the Lord Though your sinnes be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow and though they be red like crimson c. The same the Lord declareth by his Prophet Ezechiel Eze. 18 21 22.23 where he saith If the wicked will turne from the sinnes he hath committed and keepe my statutes and doe the thing that is lawfull and right he shall surely liue and not dye This truth is further cleared by that of Iob God saith hee looked vpon men Iob 33.27.28 and if one say I haue sinned and peruerted righteousnesse and it doth not
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