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 Doct. 1 his infinite mercy doth call home of the most desperate and wretched offenders 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 Ionas 1. how fouly and fearefully fell he And so Dauid likewise in the matter of Vriah 2. Sam. 11. 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 Gods gifts depend not Reas 1 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 Reas 2 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 Reas 3 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 Vse 1 This serues first of all to magnifie the wonderfull wisedome and goodnesse of God 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 Vse 2 Secondly we are taught here to esteeme of men as they are and 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 Vse 3 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 Vse 4 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 cursed 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 as 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
the threshing place c. The like we haue in Sarah albeit shee had heard the promise that God had made to Abraham her husband Gen. 17.16 that God would giue her a sonne Gen. 18.12 I will blesse thee saith God and giue thee a sonne She laughed at it Which was as much as if she should haue said This is a iest indeed Wee may see this most cleare in the people of Israel though the Lord from time to time had giuen good demonstration of his loue power goodnesse and mercie towards them which might haue caused that people for euer to haue trusted in his helpe and neuer to haue despaired of the same in time of their greatest need Yet still when the outward meanes of their deliuerance failed they beleeued not Gods promises insomuch that the Lord againe and againe complaineth of them Num. 14.11 How long will this people prouoke me How long will it bee ere they beleeue mee for all the signes which I haue shewed among them And How oft did they prouoke him in the wildernesse and grieued him in the desert The like example of mans imbecillitie and weaknesse in beleeuing the promises of God Wee may see this in Zachary the father of the Baptist who bewrayeth his infidelitie in this that could not be induced to beleeue the Angell touching a Sonne which Elizabeth his wife should beare vnto him Luk. 1.13 Which promise the Angell amplified for the further confirmation of his faith First by his Office hee should goe before Christ Secondly from the graces of God which should be bestowed vpon him and the effects of his Ministerie Notwithstanding all this Zachary remaines still incredulous and distrustfull saying vnto the Angell Ver. 18. Whereby shall I know this The Angel had assured Zachary before that the Lord had heard his prayer Ver. 13. Feare not Zachary for thy prayer is heard And yet hee is hardly brought to beleeue the promise The like wee may see in Peter a man full of faith and the holy Ghost in so much that when Christ bade him come vpon the Sea Ma. â— 8 hee left the ship but a waue arising his faith failed him And thus was it with the Virgine Mary when as the Angell came vnto her and told her that she had found fauour in the sight of God Luk. 1.39 How shall this bee saith she seeing I know not a man It seemed to her a strange thing that she should haue a child when shee had not companied with a man So that let the Lord promise immediately by himselfe by his Angels or by men yet are we hardly brought to beleeue So hard and difficult a thing in the heart of a man faith is Neither is this a thing to bee wondered at For first Faith is none of those Reas 1 plants that grow in the garden of our hearts naturally Ephes 2.8 No it is not of our selues saith the Apostle it is the gift of God Nature hath furnished vs with no principle at all concerning Christ concerning eternall life or the saluation of our soules And hence it comes to passe that because the meanes whereby God vsually worketh faith in our hearts and so consequently saluation seeme vnto our carnall reason to be vnlikely wee presently reiect them like Naaman when hee was commanded to wash in Iordane seuen times Are not saith hee Admah and Pharphar 2. King 5. riuers in Damascus better then all the waters in Iordane Euen so that by Christs death we should come to life by his shame that we should come to glory by his stripes that wee should bee healed Isa 53.5 and that the Gospell should bee the word of reconciliation that hath no estimation for wisedome or authority in the world O how hard a thing is this to bring our corrupt hearts to beleeue this Secondly there are many Reas 2 things in the doctrine of saluation that are scandalous to the wicked In which respect the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 1.33 That the preaching of Christ crucified was to the Iewes a stumbling blocke and to the Greekes foolishnesse yea Christ himselfe is to some a very Rocke of offence 1 Pet. 2.8 How then is it possible that such should euer attaine this sauing grace truely to beleeue And last of all this is that treasure Reas 3 that God hath reserued for his children for none but those that are heyres of life Phil. 1. To you it is giuen to beleeue And when the Apostles preached the Word the Text saith Acts 22. As many as were ordained to eternall life beleeued and is therefore called the faith of Gods elect As for wicked and vngodly men the Apostle concludeth of such 1 Thes 3.2 All men haue not faith Vse 1 Seing then it is so hard and difficult a matter truely to beleeue this shewes that the faith of the greatest part of the world is no better then presumption who albeit they neuer sought this grace at wisedomes house nor at the word of faith which is the Gospell Rom. 10 For how can they beleeue on him on whom they haue not heard yet perswade themselues that they haue faith as well as the best as if it were so easie a matter truely to beleeue which indeed no lesse power must effect in vs then the mighty power of God Eph. 1.19 Such men doe wonderfully deceiue themselues How many haue wee amongst vs that liue in grosse and palpable ignorance and turne their backes vpon the ordinance of God hauing no delight therin liuing in all manner of open prophanenesse these men must needs be strangers from the couenant of promise and howsoeuer they may brag of their hope of eternall life yet as the Apostle saith They are without hope Eph 2.2 without God in the world Yea but they beleeue say they all the Articles of the Christian faith and repeate them daily But this may be a dead and vaine faith when it doth not worke by loue of piety towards God and charitie towards men And notwithstanding all this the Lord will professe against such in the last day Mat. 7.22 Depart from me ye workers of iniquity Yea but they come to Church heare the Word receiue the Sacrament pray to God and meane well though they be not so precise and forward as others are O but consider that of the Apostle Without faith it is impossible to please God And againe The word which they heard Heb. 4. profited them not because it was not mixed with faith in them that heard it It is faith that is all in all that giues acceptation to all our seruice wee doe vnto God Heb. 11.6 and without faith it is impossible to please him Quest But how may I know that my faith is true and such a faith as is proper and peculiar onely to the elect and not that common faith which may be in a common Protestant Answ First by those proper fruits that
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 Vse 3 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 Peniâ—ent Doct. 2 cannot hinder their saluation 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 he 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 profit me he will deliuer his soule from going into the pit and his life shall see the light Yea this is the thing that Salomon prayeth for in that excellent prayer of his at the dedication of the Temple If they turne vnto thee with all their hearts 1 Reg. 8 47 in the land to the which they be carried captiues and returne and pray vnto thee saying We haue sinned wee haue transgressed and done wickedly then heare thou their prayer in heauen c. Consider the example of Manasses 2 Chro. 33 12.13 how desperately wretched and sinfull soeuer hee had beene yet in his captiuity returning vnto the Lord with all his heart found mercy with him Of Peter that denyed his Master Luk. 17 48 Act. 16.26 of Paul that persecuted the Church of Dauid that committed Adultery and Murther of Salomon that fell to idolatry of Mary Magdalene out of whom were cast seuen deuils of the Iewes that crucified the Lord of life Act. 2.37 of the Iaylour c. All which repenting of their sinnes and returning from their iniquities had their sinnes pardoned and were themselues receiued into fauour neither is this a thing to be wondred at for Reas 1 First consider that it is a thing agreeable to Gods iustice that he should be gratious and mercifull to those that truely repent for so saith the Apostle If wee confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse Vpon this ground the holy Apostle tearmes that which God will bestow at the day of account vpon the elect a Crowne of righteousnesse and that which shall be conferred vpon them by that righteous Iudge not because the workes of the faithfull are meritorious as the glosse of the Papists is vpon that place but because of the Lords mercifull promise made vnto euery true beleeuer in Christ and hauing made himself a debtor by promise saith an Antient it is agreeable to iustice that he should performe the same Secondly to haue sinne pardoned Reas 2 is a speciall priuiledge of the Church and the members of it onely Esa 33.24 Thy people that dwell there shall haue their iniquities forgiuen Yea it is part of that promise God hath made to those that are within the couenant The dayes come saith the Lord that I will make a new couenant for I will forgiue their iniquitie and remember their sinnes no more Reas 3 A third reason may bee taken from the nature of true repentance which doth as fully blot out sinne out of Gods account as if the same had neuer beene committed for whereas sinne is a debt forigue vs our debts Repentance is a cancelling of that band and a discharging of that debt Vse 1 Seing then that the sinnes of the penitent cannot hinder their saluation this Doctrine may bee a Noahs Doue a messenger of glad tydings vnto the godly and that which may yeeld singular comfort to euery penitent sinner Is thy heart truely humbled in the sence of thy sinnes is it thy chiefest griefe and sorrow that thou hast offended so good and so gratious a God and Father in Iesus Christ doth thy spirit droope and groane vnder the burthen of thy transgressions so as
THE ADMIRABLE CONVERT OR THE MIRACVLOVS Conuersion of the Thiefe on the Crosse With the finall Impenitency of the other By SAMVEL SMITH Minister of the Word of God LONDON Printed by Thomas Harper for Thomas Alchorne and are to be sold at his Shop in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Greene Dragon 1632. TO The Right Worshipâ—ull Sir Richard Greeues Knight one of his Maiesties â—ustices of the Peace Quorum for the Countie of Worcester and to the vertuous and religious Lady the Lady Anne Greeues his wife increase of grace in this life and eternall glory in the life to come Right Worshipfull IT may bee wondred at of many especially in these daies wherin there is such a satietie if not a surfet of bookes and that vpon this subiect of Repentance that I should thus carry timber to the Wood or water to the Sea And the rather for that my late publication of my exercises of the same subiect The Eunuchs Conuersion my reasons are these First the good content my hearers had at the publike preaching of the same was no small motiue vnto mee to present the same things to their eares which were so acceptable to their hearts And oh that the Lord would be pleased to co-operate to make them partakers of that sauing grace Secondly for that there hath bin none in our Church for ought I know that hath fully handled the History And lastly for that no one place of Scripture or example of Gods mercy is more abused then this of the Penitent for alas how many desperate sinners haue beene imboldened to sinne by his example for what say they Did not the Thiefe on the Crosse at last repent and was hee not saued Not considering that repentance is Gods gift and that as an Antient doth well obserue Though God giue forgiuenesse of sins to al that repent Qui promisit poenitenti veniam non promisit peccanti poenitentiam Aug. he giues not repentance to all that sinne Neither consider they that the conuersion of this man was not ordinary besides it was particular and that particular examples are not to be vrged for a generall practice especially in so weighty a matter as the saluation of the soule is nor how Christ now vpon a speciall occasion to shew the effect of his bloud the power of his sufferings and to manifest to the sinfull world the truth of his God-head euen at the lowest ebbe of his humiliation would conuert a sinner These things they remaine willingly ignorant of whereas indeed it is a thousand fold more probable that such shall dye as they haue liued impenitently wickedly and desperately with the Impenitent and so be damned rather then to haue such a singular grace giuen them and mercy shewed at last hour to repent with the Penitent and so be saued This being the condition of so many in the world oh how doâ—â— it concerne euery faithfull Minister of Christ to strike oft vpon this string to presse hard vpon this duty and to bring them to see if it be possible the miserable condition of an impenitent life These are the motiues that haue so preuailed to bring these collections to light And now Right Worshipfull I beseech you that the world may receiue them at your hands and vnder your name which why should I doubt of since your zeale for Gods house loue of the truth with that incouragement you daily giue to such as bring the tidings of peace may assure mee that a Present of this nature cannot but bee acceptable vnto you Now if this poore worke may adde to the benefit and good of Gods Church and further the worke of Repentance which these times call for as my hope is through Gods mercy it may And that you and yours who deserue so large a measure of honor respect froÌ„ Gods Church may hereby bee further incouraged in your godly course who I confesse deserue a greater gift and better Present then I am able to giue it is all I desire and therein shall much reioyce and glorifie God in that behalfe And thus I commend you both to God and to the word of his grace who is able to build you vp further and to giue you at last an Inheritance amongst all those that are truely sanctified So prayeth hee who desireth to bee and remaine Your Worships Petitioner to the Throne of grace SAMVEL SMITH THE ADMIRABLE CONVERT Luk. 23. vers 39.40 c. ANd one of the euill doers which were hanged railed on him saying If thou bee Christ saue thy self vs. But the other answering rebuked him saying Doest thou not feare God seeing thou art in the same condemnation We indeed are iustly here for we receiue the due reward of our deeds but this man hath done nothing amisse And he said vnto Iesus Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdome And Iesus said vnto him Verily I say vnto thee to day shalt thou be with me in Paradise OF all Doctrines to be preached none more necessarie then the Doctrine of true Repentance which as it is most necessarie to life and saluation as our Sauiour witnesseth saying Except ye repent Luk. 13.5 ye shall all perish So neuer more neglected then in these times wherein too many of Israels Watchmen bend themselues not to serue to the edification of the faith of the Church as to disturbe the peace thereof wherein the malice and policie of Sathan in the purest Churches to corrupt the purity of doctrine hath beene euer seene But to leaue such as wearie themselues and Hearers with knotty questions tending rather to strife then edification therein many times to get a name of profunditie they leade their people rather into a labyrinth then work them to true piety It is the Doctrine of true repentance we haue now in hand and herein of that Admirable Conuert or that Mirror of Gods mercy the Thiefe on the Crosse whose example as it is full of consolation vnto the godly so no one example of Gods mercy in the whole Scripture more abused by wicked and licentious men Before we come to these particulars it will not be amisse that we first cast our eyes vpon the Lord Iesus Christ himselfe who as the Prophet Isaiah saith Isa 53.12 was numbred with transgressours And as Saint Luke obserueth in this Chapter Vers 32. There were also two other malefactours led with him to be put to death Verse 33. And when they were come to the place which is called Caluary there they crucified him and the Malefactours c. The foure kindes of death in vse among the Iewes There were foure kindes of death in vse amongst the Iewes as capitall punishments for capitall offences 1 Stoning Leuit. 24.14 Deut. 17.7 First stoning a kinde of death commonly inflicted vpon Blasphemers and Idolaters where the hand of the witnesse was first to be vpon him Secondly Beheading 2 Beheading Thirdly Burning Fourthly Strangling 3 Burning Deu. 21.22 which punishment
was afterwards changed by the Romans into crucifying 4 Crucifying Deu. 21.23 which kinde of death was aboue the rest full of paine ignominie and reproach and therefore reserued for grand Malefactours The manner whereof was this The body was to hang on the tree till night and before the Sunne was set the same was to be taken downe and buried This kinde of death was branded with a curse by God himselfe He that is hanged is accursed of God And for the nature of this kind of death without all question it was performed with much torture and paine the Armes being stretched out and fastened vnto the tree with nayles which pierced both hands and feet in which miserable torture and paine the crucified was to remain and abide till death And if it should be inquired why the Iewes did so earnestly vrge Pilate that Christ might be crucified no question it was done in respect of them because this kind of death was the most ignominious bitter and reproachfull such was their malice against Christ And herein something would be obserued concerning 1. The Iewes inflicting 2. Christ suffering 3. The nature of the death Doct. 1 crucifying The malice of the wicked great against Christ and his members First of all in these Iewes we may take notice of the implacable rage and malice that is in wicked and vngodly men against Christ and his members No wilde beast is more sauage and cruell then wicked men are yea and that against the most innocent Here is Christ Iesus himselfe the Obiect Abiect and Subiect of the malice of mercilesse men who thought they could neuer shew cruelty enough vpon Christ Of them it may truly be said Destruction and calamitie are in their wayes and the way of peace they haue not knowne And hence is it that in the Scripture wicked men are resembled vnto Lions Beares Wolues Foxes and Beasts yea such kind of beasts as are of a cruell and deuouring nature yea as Solomon saith Mat. 7.15 Cant. 2. 2. The. 3.2 Pro. 12.10 2. King 8.11 The very mercies of the wicked are cruell What a greeting was there betwixt Elisha and Hazael the very sight of Hazael caused the man of God to weepe foreseeing the cruelty that he would exercise vpon the people of Israel Their young men saith he wilt thou slay with the sword and rippe vp the mothers with childe and dash their children against the stones We may see this in Pharaoh Exod. 2. Mat. 2. in Herod in Haman who regarded none neither age nor sexe besides the wofull experience of the truth hereof the godly daily finde in the world Reas 1 Neither is this a thing to be wondred at for consider by what spirit such are led not by the Spirit of God which is the spirit of peace and of loue But by the spirit of Sathan who is full of malice 1. Pet. 5.8 and hunteth still after bloud going about continually seeking whom he may deuoure who is compared in the Scripture to a Lion Reu. 12. Dragon and old Serpent and a Murtherer from the beginning Now it is Sathan himselfe that worketh in the wicked he bloweth the coles and wicked men are but his Instruments to serue his turne As also in respect of the Godly Reas 2 themselues because they run not with the wicked into the same excesse of riot Esay 59.15 Whosoeuer refraineth from euill maketh himselfe a prey The very piety and holinesse of life that is to be seene in the Godly is matter for the malice of wicked men to worke vpon this bred the quarrel betwixt Cain and his Brother 1 Ioh. 3.12 Abel was more righteous then himself this stirred vp Cain agaist him Seing then that there is such Vse 1 an implacable hatred in the wicked against the Righteous Never let vs wonder then at the Churches misery nor the godlys afflictions for haue they not many and mighty enimies that plot and conspire against them Was not this foretold in the first age of the world Gen. 3.15 I will put emnitie betweene thee and the woman and betweene thy seede and her seede And was not this againe confirmed by Christ himselfe now in the last age of the world Mat. 10.34 I came not to send peace but the Sword I am come to set a man at variance against hiâ— Father and the Daughter against the Mother c. Neuer then let vs wonder at it but rather magnifie the goodnesse of our God that is pleased thus to limit and bound the malice of the wicked without whose speciall prouidence we could not liue amongst them Vse 2 And indeed it should teach vs to be wise as Serpents considering that wee liue amongst and haue to doe with such subtil and malitious enemies Vpon this very ground our Sauiour warneth thus Behold I send you foorth as Lambs amongst Wolues Mat. 10.16 bee ye therefore wise as Serpents and innocent as Doues Wisdom and Simplicitie is required of all Gods people We are to walke warily euery where and looke well vnto our selues that we be not made a prey vnto them And because our enemies are Vse 3 deepe in Councell prudent in their enterprises wary in their proceedings politique in preuenting and suddaine in the execution of their designes It shall be our wisdom to fly still vnto God and by earnest prayer desire him to deliuer vs from wicked and vnreasonable men 2 Thes 3.2 All our hope and confidence must be in him 2 Sam. 24 13.1â— and let vs pray with David that the Lord would rather take vs into his owne hand to correct vs and not suffer vs to fall into the hands of men for with him there is mercy Hee remembreth whereof we be made Ps 103.14 he considereth that wee are but dust And indeed in this hath the Lord heard and answered his people that howsoeuer for our sins we haue tasted of the Lords Rod by Famine Pestilence strange diseases vnseasonable weather c. Yet the Lord hath not made vs a prey to malitious and wicked men whose very mercies are cruel and whose insatiable thirst is for the blood of the Saints which if the Lord should doe at any time which wee may iustly feare by reason of our sins wee shall then be brought to see a manifest difference betwixt the chastisments of a mercifull God and louing Father and the bloody cruelties of mercilesse men Hitherto of the malice of the Iewes For the second Christ an innocent suffereth here as a Nocent and dyeth with two grand Malefactors and that a shamefull ignominious and reprochfull Death Note we hence That it may be the portion of Doct. 2 faithfull men Godly men many times suffer as malefactors yea the best Christians to suffer as Malefactors heere is Christ Numbred with Transgressors crucified with two Theeues 1 Reg. 22.27 Ier. 32.2 Gen. 39. 2 Tim. 1.16 So is Micha sent to the prison Ieremy to the Dungeon Daniel to
them hereafter Text. And one of the euill doers that were hanged 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 Doct. 2 and go not farre asunder 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 We may see this in Cain Gen. 4.7 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 fierie 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 1. 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 from that holinesse Reas 1 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 Reas 2 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 Reas 3 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 Nihil est infoelicius fâ—â—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 Seeing then that shame doth Vse 1 thus accompany sin as an inseparable companion howsoeuer 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 stands 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 Vse 2 call vnto vs all vnto repentance for those former sinnes we haue commmitted 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 For our God is a consuming fire Rom. 12.29 Vse 3 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 iealous 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
But God hath said That at Obiect 4 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 desperation 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 promisit 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 gift 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 fight 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 betime 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 wellfare 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 hud winkt 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 Vse 2 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 and shall rest in their beds Who Isa 57.2 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 But we see sometimes euen of Obiect 5 those holy Brethren that haue liued so purely and so godly in death they haue raged and blasphemed yea and
not feare and expect it Now who would not be comforted in time of sorrow Surely it is Gods mercy to his people in times of affliction that they suffer not alone but haue others sympathizing with them who are ready to put vnder their hands by their godly counsels comforts prayers and supplications are ready to help to beare vp the burthen that they sinke not And indeed wee often finde this rule of our Sauiour verified amongst men with what measure we mete to others Mat. 7.3 the very same shall be measured to vs againe If we shew that godly and Christian charity to comfort others in their distresse wee shall not our selues want comfort in our greatest need as wee shall see in the penitent Thiefe hereafter If then in times of our afflictions Vse 1 the Lord hath giuen vs the comforts of our Christian brethren who haue laboured to support vs in loue and haue comforted vs ouer al our sorrowes it may teach vs to magnifie the name of our good God and to esteeme of our afflictions the more light and burden so much the more easie learne to beare them the more patiently seeing the Lord hath layd his hand farre more heauy vpon others as Christ here and most iustly might haue layd his hand as heauy vpon vs. Vse 2 Secondly it may admonish vs that wee labour more and more with our selues with our owne hearts that we get this Christian affection towards our brethren in time of misery that wee may mourne with them that mourne and be like affected one towards another and the rather for that it declares a man to bee a liuely member of that mysticall body whereof the Lord Iesus Christ is the head who is affectionate towards all his members Whereas the want of this affection argueth that wee are dead members and were neuer truely ingrafted into that body And last of all in Christ thus railed vpon and reproached by this wicked man we may see vnto what a neere ebbe the Lord brings his people many times here Doct. 3 in this life God brings his childreÌ„ often to a low ebbe in this life namely to be left destitute of all worldly helpe and comfort yet notwithstanding remaine still highly in Gods favour wee may see this in Iob Iob. 2.8 whom the Lord brought full low euen to the dunghill a man notwithstanding highly in Gods favour We may see this in Dauid in the Prophets Apostles Ps 3. yea the Lord â—esus Christ himselfe is made here the obiect of wicked mens malice And this the Lord doth Resp To magnifie his owne mercy and to endeare his helpe and releefe to his people when there is none else to deliuer I create comfort saith the Lord by his Prophet As all things were created of nothing so when there is no seeing ground of comfort God createth it out of nothing that his grace may bee the better wellcome to his afflicted children Vse 1 Which should teach vs to make the Lord our friend who is our strong helpe who will not break the brused reede nor quench the smoking flax Whose nature is to pitty men in misery hath promised to bee with his seruants in six troubles and in seauen Heb. 13. and never to leaue them nor forsake theÌ„ Vse 2 Secondly this may be a ground of patience vnto vs when miseries are vpon vs. Though our miseries are vpon vs as the Aramites yet as Elisha said there are more with vs then against vs. Vpon him therefore let vs labour to fasten all our hope and then notwithstanding our miseries wee shall finde comfort and let vs know that it were ill for vs that we had no iudgements except it were so well with vs to deserue none VERSE 39. If thou bee Christ saue thy selfe and vs Text. THIS Theefe was not acquainted with the nature of Christs Kingdome 4. In what manner which was not earthly as hee thought but spirituall he thought that Christ had spoken blasphemy because he had called himselfe the Son of God yea and as he conceiued all those miracles that Christ had wrought were not wrought by his owne power but by that power of the deuill And because he did not deliuer himselfe from the Crosse hee concluded that he could not bee the Son of God But that could Christ haue done at this time but hee would not because his time was now come to suffer So that if Christ had now come downe from the Crosse it would not haue proued him so much to bee the Son of God as being dead and buried to raise himselfe from the dead For he was declared mighitly to bee the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead it was a more glorious worke to raise vp Lazarus from the dead then if Christ had restored him to health being but sick on his bed So in Christ it was a more glorious work to raise vp himself from the graue then if hee had saued himself aliue being on the Crosse But yet notwithstanding all his diuine preaching and glorious miracles that Christ wrought by the which hee declared himselfe mightily to bee the Son of God this impeniteÌ„t wretch ouerlooks them all and calleth the truth of God into question 1 Calling the truth into question If thou be Christ where wee haue first of all to obserue How great and how dangerous Doct. 1 the sin of infidelity is Infidelity a dangerous sin it ouerlooks all the grounds of a mans comfort such as are Gods power wisdom goodnesse mercy c. and calls them all into question No doubt this man had heard of the fame of Christ of those glorious miracles that he had wrought the fame of Christ went far and neere he could not be ignorant that he was reputed the Sonne of God for so saith he to Christ If thou be the Sonne of God And yet notwithstanding all these his heart is shut vp in vnbeleefe by which meanes the way that leadeth vnto life and saluation through faith in Christ through his infidelitie is barred vp against him This was the sinne of our first parents albeit God had said Gen. 3.3 Ye shall not eate thereof neither shall ye touch it lest yee dye As the woman confessed to Sathan yet for want of faith to beleeue the truth of Gods word they eate the forbidden fruite and so brought Gods wrath vpon them and their posteritie This was the sinne of the Israelites who albeit they had experience of Gods power and might in bringing them out of Egypt and that miraculous deliuerance shewed them from the crueltie of Pharaoh and that through the Red-sea yet vpon euery light occasion called they still Gods loue power goodnesse and mercy into question as if they had no experience at any time of the same Thus then they murmure in the wildernesse when they wanted meate Numb 11.18 19. Psal 78.19.20 Can God prepare a table in the wildernesse Can
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 Doct. 2 hence then is this All men are alike by nature vntill God make a diâ—ference 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 Canibal 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 conceiued of vncleane seed Iob 14.4 yea all the faculties of our soules how are they depraued through this originall corruption Eph. 4.18 The vnderstanding is blinde 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 this miserable estate and condition doth the Lord finde vs when he is pleased to call vs as we may see in Saul Zacheus Acts 9. Luke 19. Ioh. 7. Mary Magdalene this penitent Thiefe and of all the faithfull it is God Who worketh both the will and the deed Phil. 2.13 and that of his owne good pleasure 1. Cor. 4.7 Who separateth thee saith the Apostle or who causeth thee to differ It is the Lord that makes this difference betwixt vs and wicked men Yea wee shall finde the whole worke of grace of Conuersion and saluation to be wholly attributed vnto him he is the Alpha and Omega the first and the last the beginning and the end that is all in all in the worke of our saluation First Election which is the ground foundation of al grace Election this comes from him Hee hath predestinated vs to bee adopted through Iesus Christ in himselfe Epees 1.5 according to the good pleasure of his will Secondly vocation and a Christian mans effectuall calling Vocation outwardly by the word and inwardly by the Spirit this proceeds likewise from him and his free and vndeserued grace and fauour alone 2. Tim. 1.9 He hath saued vs and called vs with an holy calling Gal. 1.6 Not according to our workes but according to his owne purpose and grace Thirdly Faith is the instrument or the hand Faith by the which we come to lay hold vpon and apply Christ and his righteousnesse vnto our owne soules in particular Heb. 11.6 and without which we cannot please God Now from whence haue we this grace truly to beleeue Ephes 2.8 for By grace ye are saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God Fourthly Obedience from him alone proceedeth what will what power or abilitie soeuer we haue for any holy duty Ezek. 36.27 28. A new heart saith the Lord will I giue you and a new spirit will I put into you I will take away the stony heart out of your body and I will giue you a heart of flesh I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes Fifthly to haue the Word and Sacrament effectuall vnto vs this comes from him otherwise Paul may plant 1. Cor. 3.6 and Apollo water but all in vaine I haue planted and Apollo watered but God gaue the increase 6 Perseuerance Finally the gift and grace of perseuerance to hold out in our Christian race vnto the end this is likewise from him I will giue them one heart and one way Ie. 32.4.41 that they may feare me for euer I will put my feare in their hearts and they shal not depart from me And That God who hath begun that good worke Phil. 1.6.29 will performe it vntill the day of Iesus Christ So that it is he that is the Alpha and Omega the first and the last that is all in all in the matter of grace and saluation So as we must say with the Church Isa 26.12 O Lord thou hast wrought all our works for vs. And it must needs be thus For Reas 1 First God will haue the whole glory of this worke of our conuersion and saluation and none other That all matter of glorying in our selues might bee taken away and that we might say with the Psalmist Not vnto vs Lord not vnto vs but vnto thy Name giue the praise He will haue the glory of his owne worke and the praise of his owne mercy and will teach vs to go out of our selues and to say with Paul By the grace of God I am that I am Secondly we haue nothing of Reas 2 our owne or within vs that should moue the Lord to elect vs vnto life or to adopt vs as sonnes wee are miserable orphans and haue naught else to plead vnto God to commiserate our misery we are beggers and destitute of all good things Our penury is such as that we are faine to begge at his hands Our daily bread he oweth vs naught and they are but his owne gifts and graces giuen vnto vs that he crowneth with glory Vse 1 This serues first of all to humble vs
in the sense of our owne spirituall pouerty and misery that we are by nature so poore and blinde and naked No one thing can bee more effectuall to abate our pride and to pricke that windie bladder of our selfe-love and selfe-conceitednesse wherewith too many in the world are growne bigge withall puffed vp with a vaine conceit of their own worth and merits then the which what higher degree of sacriledge can there be then to ascribe the least particular in this worke of conuersion to our deserts No no let vs come vnto God and say O Lord righteousnesse belongeth vnto thee but vnto vs shame Let Popery stand aloft and presume to diuide with God in regard of their owne Free-will works Merits and disposition that is in their owne hearts to receiue grace Far be it from vs so to doe who are not able of our selues to thinke a good thought Secondly this consideration Vse 2 that God is all in all in the matter of grace and saluation and that there is no difference by nature in any vntill God make a difference by grace This teacheth vs what to thinke and how to carry our selues towards those that are yet vncalled and are yet in their sins Surely we ought to waite with patience Prouing if at any time God will giue such repentance vnto life 2. Tim. 2.25 For seeing that our calling and conuersion yea euery good gift is from God what are wee that haue receiued grace our selues truly to repent and to beleeue that we should iudge our Brethren As they are such are we God hath shewed vs mercy why may not he that is rich in mercy shew the like mercy vnto them Let vs not then despaire of any but pitie them in their spirituall miseries And if they bee fallen downe let vs put vnder our hands and helpe to raise them vp againe The Lord would haue this mercy shewed vnto the very Oxe and Asse in the time of the Law being fallen vnder it burthen how much more to our Brother And we must pray for the conuersion of such a one Prouing if at any time God will giue them repentance vnto life Vse 3 Thirdly seeing that God is all in all in the matter of grace and saluation It shall be our wisedome to attend vpon the meanes whereby grace comes to bee wrought such as is the preaching of the Word especially by the which ordinarily the Lord worketh repentance for sinne faith in Gods promises and all other graces And last of all that wee giue vnto God the praise of his owne grace since that whatsoeuer good thing wee haue it comes from him But the other rebuked him We haue here in this Penitent a patterne of a man that maketh the right vse of his afflictions and troubles they bring him nearer and nearer vnto God The Impenitent Thiefe as we heard before now falleth to the blaspheming of Christ hauing his heart hardened and his conscience seared within him hee becomes by his afflictions more and more desperately sinfull But in this Penitent behold we the happie fruite of sanctified afflictions they humble him bring him to see the errours of his life past set him on worke to confesse and bewaile his sinnes and to be an earnest suter vnto Christ for mercy Note hence Doct. 3 That afflictions when the Lord doth sanctifie the same vnto any Afflictions of excellēt vse to bring men to God they make them better and bring them nearer vnto God I grant that afflictions in their own nature are euill being the fruits of sinne neither do they of themselues produce such happie effects in any but then onely when the Lord worketh together with affliction by his Spirit Non paena sed remedi ū delinquentis Ambros altering and changing the nature thereof they become through Gods mercy not a punishment but a remedy against sinne This is confessed by Dauid Psal 119.67 Before I was afflicted I went astray But now haue I kept thy Word Meaning indeed that his afflictions had humbled him and made him walke more awfully towards God We may see this in Hezekiah Isa 38. it was his affliction that humbled him and caused him to recount with himselfe the errours of his life past Manasses in prison and captiuity is brought home that was like an vntamed heyfer in time of prosperitie walked stubbornly and rebelliously against God This truth is confessed by Ephraim Thou hast chastised me Ier. 31.18.19 and I was chastised as a Bullocke vnaccustomed to the yoke c. After I was afflicted I smote vpon my thigh I was ashamed and euen confounded because I did beare the reproach of my youth How often did the Lord cause the Israelites to be afflicted and in the time of their affliction still they sought vnto God Psal 107.10.13 and cried vnto him And this is it the Lord further threatened against his people I will be vnto Ephraim as a Lion Hos 5.15 and as a young Lion vnto the house of Iudah I euen I will teare and go away and none shall rescue I will go and returne to my place till they acknowledge their offences and seeke my face for in their afflictions they will seeke me early I might instance this truth by diuers the like examples as that of the Prodigal Luk. 15. who ranne riot a long time till his patrimony was nigh spent and then happie famine that caused him to looke home Act. 16.27 And that hard-hearted Iayler that neuer thought hee could shew cruelty enough against those innocent Lambs of Christ it was the earth-quake that caused his soule-quake and happy affliction that brought him home Neither is this a thing to bee wondred at that sanctified afflictions should produce such excellent effects in Gods people for First in times of affliction we Reas 1 see how hopelesse and helpelesse all earthly and transitory things are They doe not then profit in the euill day they then proue but as the Reeds of Egypt dangerous props to lean vpon then are we forced to goe out of our selues and to seeke vnto God for such is the vanity of our hearts in times of misery and distresse that wee seldome thinke on God or his helpe vntill all other humane helpe doe faile So Dauid Psal 142. ◠5 I looked on my right hand and behold there was none that would know me al refuge failed me and none cared for my soule then cried I vnto the Lord c. Reas 2 Secondly the Lord to this end and purpose doth send affliction vnto his children like a wise and skilfull Physitian knowing what will worke best and effect the soules cure these cause the peaceable fruits of righteousnesse to all them that are exercised thereby Vse 1 Seeing then that afflictions are of such excellent vse to bring men to the sight of their sins and so to repentance for the same what shall wee say then to those that haue beene afflicted but no
this title of Lord doth most truely and properly belong vnto him Christ Lord in himselfe in foure respects because he is Lord indeed and that in foure respects First by right of creation in that he made vs of nothing when we had no being Ioh. 1.3 Col. 1.15 For all things were made by him and without him was made nothing that was made Secondly by right of inheritance Heb. 1.2 for he is made Heyre of all things Thirdly by right of dominion or Lordship in regard of that power rule and dominion hee hath ouer all things of whom we hold all things wee haue and inioy bodies soules goods and all and that but in Capite and onely durante beneplacito so long as he shall please And lastly in regard hee hath no partners with him in his dominion 1 Cor. 12.5 Though there be differences of administrations yet there is but one Lord and it is hee that is sole Monarch and onely Potentate ouer the whole earth and is therefore called King of Kings 1 Tim. 6.15 and Lord of Lords 2 In his relation to vs foure wayes Secondly as he is Lord in himselfe so is hee also in his relation to vs and that foure wayes First by right of redemption for it is he that hath ransomed vs out of the hands of Sathan and power of hell to whom wee were once in bondage Now hee redeemes vs with his bloud and payes that matchlesse price for vs and thereby makes vs his owne We were not redeemed saith the Apostle with corruptible things 1 Pet. 1.18 19. as Siluer and Gold but with the pretious bloud of Christ Secondly in respect of that spirituall marriage that is betwixt Christ and euery faithfull soule For the Lord hath coupled vs vnto himselfe in holy wedlocke I will marry thee vnto me for euer Hos 2.19 yea I will marry thee vnto mee in righteousnesse in iudgement and in mercy and in compassion And againe As the Husband is the Wiues head Eph. 5.23 so Christ is the head of the Church Thirdly in the right of conseruation by whom we are kept and maintained Heb. 1.3 Sustaining all things by his mighty power For as he hath redeemed vs out of the power of Sathan he leaues vs not without any further care but still watcheth ouer vs for good for if the wings of his speciall prouidence were not spred ouer vs and mercy compassed vs about wee had not liued to this present hour but our bodies long ere this had beene in the graue and our soules in hell And last of all because all the elect of God are a chosen generation giuen him of God the Father ouer whom hee should rule and therefore called his peculiar people cast vpon him onely to bee cared for So then consider we Christ as a Redeemer as a Husband as hee that hath vndertaken for vs and his Church likewise as his peculiar people cast vpon him by good right must Christ needs be Lord. But how can Christ be such a Lord Obiect seeing he is so often called in the Scriptures by the name of a Seruant Phil. 2.7 He tooke vpon him the forme of a Seruant Christ is to be considered as a Mediator Answ and so is he in a speciall manner Esa 37.35 a Seruant vnto his Father because he faithfully serued him therein being first sent of God and therein became obedient vnto his Father in all things Yet this doth no whit derogate from Christs dignitie who still remained a Lord in himselfe and Lord ouer vs his redeemed ones The vses arising hence are these First if Christ be such a Lord in Vse 1 himselfe and such a Lord ouer vs we are taught to esteeme of him accordingly and to yeeld vp all holy obedience vnto him Doth not the Lord require it vpon this very ground Mal. 1.6 If I be a Lord where is my feare Luke 6.46 And againe Why call ye me Lord and doe not the things I command you And because an hypocrite may yeeld Christ this homage in words to cry Lord Lord Mat. 7 21. we must by our deeds yeeld vp our selues as seruants to obey him in all righteousnesse Vse 2 Secondly wee must labour to be acquainted with the will of our Lord for otherwise we can neuer performe any acceptable obedience vnto him Our good meanings will not goe for payment with him such seruice can neuer please him Pro. 19.2 for without knowledge the minde is not good Vse 3 Thirdly the consideration of this that Christ is our Lord should worke our hearts to contentation in all estates and conditions of life whatsoeuer whether weale or woe prosperity or aduersitie It was a godly resolution of old Eli when he heard of that strange iudgement the Lord would bring vpon his house It is the Lord 1 Sam. 2.18 let him doe as it pleaseth him He kisseth the rod like a good natured childe and submitteth himselfe to the Lords sharpest corrections without repining And this was Dauids case when the Lords hand lay heauy vpon him I became dumbe Psal 39. and opened not my mouth because it was thy doing And so the Church in great affliction and distresse It is the Lords mercy that wee are not consumed Lam. 3.40 Iob 1. vlt. because his compassions faile not And last of all we are taught to Vse 4 depend vpon him for food rayment and all things necessary that is our Lord and hath vndertaken for vs. Children can doe this hauing earthly fathers and seruants can doe this that haue earthly Masters and Lords ouer them Why then should not Gods people doe this with hope and boldnesse especially seeing he hath commanded vs to cast all our care vpon him being God alsufficient Gen. 17.1 Text. Thy Kingdome Secondly as he acknowledgeth Christ to be a Lord yea the Soueraigne Lord of all so doth he likewise acknowledge him to be a King yet so as that his kingdome is not of this world Lord remember me when c. 2 Christ is a King This regall and Kingly office of Christ is clearely manifested throughout the whole Scripture Psal 2.6 I haue set my King vpon my holy mountaine Christ taketh this honour vnto himselfe Mat. 28.18 Esay 9 7. All power saith he iâ— giuen me in heauen and earth And againe he hath vpon his garment and vpon his thigh a name written The King of Kings Reu. 19.16 Luk. 1.33 Dan. 2.44 Dan. 7.14 1 Cor. 15.24 and Lord of Lords Thus the Euangelist Saint Luke Hee shall raigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer and of his kingdome shall bee no end Againe that this kingdome of Christ is not of this world otherwise then in the hearts of men but it is a spirituall and celestiall kingdome so Christ Ioh. 18.36 Rom. 3. Ioh. 6.15 My kingdome is not of this world though he were Heyre apparent vnto the Crowne and kingdome of
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 Reas And the reason is Because the â—aith of euery true beleeuer restâ—th it selfe vpon two immoueable â—rops Gods power and Gods â—ruth 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 he cannot denie himselfe Mat. 5.18 Heauen and earth shall passe away yet shall no one iot or tittle of his word passe away Seeing then the nature of faith Vse 1 is such 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 sorts of meÌ„ want true faith this serues to shew theâ— 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 apprehend 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 faith indeed hee knoweth that there is an vnchangeable certaintie in Gods threatnings and seeing the sword comming hideth himselfe Secondly let this serue to admonish Vse 2 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 Text. Lord remember me when thou commest c. This Penitent being now to leaue the world and to go to giue vp his last account vnto God 2. Cor. 5.10 for all the things he had done in his bodie 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 feele 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 Doct. In prayer wee must see God alsufficient in those things wee aske of him That wee must so consider of God in prayer 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 Iehouah 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 O Lord God to whom
vengeance belongeth Psal 94.1 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 exhor ing 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 Reas 1 First 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 Reas 2 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 Reas 3 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 Vse 1 This serues first of all to condemne that horrible practice of the Church of Rome 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 Vse 2 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 al-sufficiency 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 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 haâ— 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 Text. Lord remember me when thou commest into thy kingdome 2 His desire it selfe These two Theeues make two different requests vnto Christ 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 â—esires are principally after spiriâ—uall 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 had 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 â—ope 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. 6.27 of labouring for that meate which shall indure to euerlasting life of running to
3 The time when As this Penitent Theefe at this time acknowledgeth Christs Deity that hee was Lord and King and desireth as we haue heard before principally mercy for his soule that it might goe well with it in death or after death So now he comes to the time wherein especially he desired to bee remembred of Christ â— when Christ should come into his kingdome Q.d. O Lord now is the time of thy humiliation wherein thou art pleased to vndergoe the punishment for the sinnes of all the elect and to beare the burthen of thy Fathers wrath and all to free thine from the wrath to come I know this price will be payd and this misery thou now sufferest for sinne will be ouer and thou thy selfe againe restored into thy glorious kingdome there to liue and raigne for euer I beseech thee now heare mee against that time Doct. 1 and remember mee in mercy The happinesse of a Christian not to be looked for here but hereafter when thou commest thither Note we hence That the happinesse of a Christian is not to be looked for here but hereafter The fruit of repentance of righteousnesse and of holinesse is not to bee looked for here but hereafter The Christian hath not his happinesse in present possession but in reuersion In hope and expectation are they kept here liuing by faith as the Heyre being not of ripe yeares is not possest of the inheritance but after death they come then to bee possest of that glorious inheritance layd vp for the Saints This doth this Penitent Theefe acknowledge here in this his request to Christ as if he should say O Lord it is not life for a time which cannot be long that I so much stand vpon since death I haue deserued I am willing to dye but it is this I specially desire aboue al the world besides that when this life shall haue an end I may haue a resting place in thy kingdome If in this life onely wee haue hope in Christ 1 Cor. 15.19 wee are of all men most miserable And this the holy Ghost obserueth as an admirable fruit of the admirable faith of the Primitiue Fathers Heb. 11.13 14. who albeit they receiued not the promises but saw them a farre off were perswaded of them and imbraced them and confessed that they were strangers and Pilgrims on earth declaring plainely that they seeke a Country 1 Ioh. 3.2 Now we are the Sonnes of God saith the Apostle But it doth not appeare what we shall be It is true the Lord giues vs now the first fruits of the spirit the earnest of our inheritance which is peace with God and peace in our owne consciences and ioy in the holy Ghost to comfort the hearts of his seruants and to cheare them vp in their pilgrimage But the full fruition of their happinesse is not to be expected here but in heauen This made the Apostle Paul to say â—hil 3.3 â—3 14 I forgat that which was behinde and reaching forth vnto those things which are before I presse toward the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus as knowing that the happy recompence of reward was not to bee looked for here but hereafter And the reason is Reas 1 First we know but in part and therefore can beleeue but in part can be sanctified but in part and so cannot be capable of the perfection of our happinesse till all our imperfections be done away â— Cor. 13.9 and our sanctification shall bee perfected Reas 2 Secondly this is the time in this life of a Christians warfare where wee are to combate with sinne Sathan and the world Now as it was said Let not him that putteth on his Armour reioyce but him that putteth it off for this battell endeth not vntill death come when then we shal be out of the Gun-shot of Sathans temptations and set free from all the enemies of our peace Besides the Lord will haue Reas 3 the graces in the hearts of his seruants first exercised and made manifest to the praise of his owne Name and that in this life before he crowne them with glory hereafter Seeing then that the happinesse Vse 1 of a Christian is not to be looked for here but hereafter in the kingdome of heauen This may teach vs in the first place to vse the world as if we vsed it not and not to pitch our Tabernacle here but rather to resolue that heauen is our portion and our inheritance Heb. 11.13 and therefore as Strangers and Pilgrims we should seek and prouide for an abiding City Vse 2 Secondly seeing our chiefest happinesse and comfort is not to be looked for here nor in any sublunary thing vnder the Sunne but reserued for vs in Gods kingdome This should teach vs to lift vp our hearts thither Col. 3.2 and to set our affections on heauenly things and not on things below nothing can more dishonour a Christian then this to make the world his chiefest study and care whereas the Lord hath reserued vs for a more durable and lasting inheritance Text. When thou commest into thy kingdome This Penitent Thiefe albeit truely humbled for his sinnes and obtayning mercy at Christs hands in the pardon of them as we shall see hereafter yet is not freed from his temporall punishment but suffereth with Christ And herein will teach vs That release from temporall Doct. 2 afflictions doth not alwayes follow true repentance Release from temporall afflictions doth not alwayes follow true repentaÌ„ce but many are punished temporally that are not condemned eternally Wee may see this in that manner of the Lords dealing with Adam and Eue after they had sinned God made with them a couenant that The Seed of the woman should bruse the Serpents head Gen. 3.15 which was a cleare promise and prophecie of Christ by whom he was againe to bee restored into fauour Yet notwithstanding Cursed bee the earth for thy sake And In sorrow shalt thou bring forth c. This we may see in Moses Deu 34.5.10 an excellent seruant of God and so often stiled in Scripture a man highly in Gods fauour to whom God spake face to face a Ruler and Sauiour vnto his people Israel Yet for his sinne the Lord would not suffer him to go into the land of Canaan I do not doubt of the saluation of Miriam the sister of Moses that repined against Moses because she was no Prophetesse or at least in that authoritie as Moses himselfe was yet God stroke her with the Leprosie Though the Lord pardoned the sinne of Dauid vpon his true repentance 2. Sam. 12.10.11 yet the sword is sent against his house and his owne wiues are defiled We may see this in the Israelites in their iourneying towards the Land of Canaan for whose sinne of murmuring against Moses and Aaron Psal 90. the Lord brought heauie iudgements vpon them vntill they were almost wasted and consumed
follow a true iustifying faith not onely a ciuill life iust dealing outward performance of holy duties and the like which may bee in a naturall man and an vnbeleeuer But by those proper fruits of faith which are peculiar onely to the elect Such as are an inward loue of God of his Word and Children a willing subiection of the heart and life to Gods will reuealed a constant communion with his Maiestie in prayer c. which are the proper fruits of a true beleeuer and euermore flow from a iustifying faith Secondly by our daily increase in the worke of mortification to the old man and workes of viuification to the new wherein the faith of a true beleeuer is daily exercised purging the heart Acts 15.9 and purifying the conscience daily from dead workes and inclining the same daily to the performance of the duties of holinesse readily and chearefully Vse 2 Secondly this may serue to admonish euery one to labour for the truth of this grace as for saluation it selfe without all which all those excellent and pretious promises profit not at all faith is all in all in the matter of saluation yea saluation it selfe is attributed thereunto Beleeue and thou shalt be saued Acts 16. where that is attributed to the instrument which belongeth indeed to the principall efficient to shew the excellency of this grace in it selfe as also the necessity therof in those that look for life and saluation This is that will stid vs in the euill day this giues vs to participate of the new couenant and will assure our hearts of the full fruition of euerlasting life at last Ioh. 3.16 Verily verily I say vnto you hee that beleeueth on me hath euerlasting life where Christ bindes his promise of euerlasting saluation onely vnto the beleeuer with the like asseueration he doth vnto this Penitent here Verily this day thou shalt bee with me c. And last of all this may serue for ground of comfort vnto all Vse 3 Gods people that they bee not discouraged though they finde infidelity in them wee haue no grace in this life in perfection and they that haue had the greatest measure of faith as wee haue heard yet haue had the same mixed with doubtings and feares And therefore it is recorded of the people of Israel that when they were deliuered out of captiuity they were like men in a dreame Psal 126. Onely wee are to take heed that wee doe not please our selues or rest in any such doubtings for that will bee maruellous vncomfortable but to labour to come out thereof and to get assurance which is done by frequenting the publike ministery of the Word whereby faith is begotten and increased in vs by the reuerent vse of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Rom 4.11 for that is the Seale of the righteousnesse of faith by renewing of our repentance daily and by keeping a more strict watch ouer our liues whereby wee shall come daily more and more to bee settled and stablished in our holy and pretious faith Text. Verily I say vnto thee c. The next thing wee are to obserue in Christs asseueration is the certainty of his promise the which to perswade this Penitent vnto Christ is pleased to binde with a kinde of oath verily q. d. Thou shalt not neede to doubt or any way call into question that I now promise vnto thee that thou shalt be this day with me in Paradice for I assure thee thou mayest rest vpon it that I will make good my word therein though thou seest mee now without forme or beauty forsaken of all and accountest thy selfe vnworthy of such a mercy Verily I say vnto thee this day c. That wee may obserue in the next place is that There is an vnchangeable certaintie Doct. 2 in all Gods promises There is an vnchangeable certainty in al Gods promises Mat. 24. his Word shall surely bee accomplished Heauen and earth shall passe away but my Word shall not passe away He is not as man that hee should lye or the sonne of man that he should change Hath hee said it and shall hee not doe it who hath resisted his will Hee is most iust in all his promises hee maketh with his seruants and will in his due time accomplish all his iudgements threatned against the wicked hee is yea and Amen Reu. 2. The faithfull and true witnesse I will not falsifie my truth saith the Lord My couenant will I not breake Psal 89.33 nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips Wee may see this in the Lords manner of dealing with his seruants as to Abraham Dauid and the rest Thou wilt saith the Prophet performe thy truth to Iacob Mic. 7.20 and mercy to Abraham as thou hast sworne to our forefathers in old time Mal. 3.6 I am the Lord change not and therefore he is called Iehouah one that as hee hath his being of himselfe and from himselfe so giueth he the being to all creatures that haue their being so likewise giueth he being to all his promises This is that Iosuah obserueth concerning the Lords promises made vnto the people of Israel Ios 21.44 There fayled nothing of all the good things which the Lord had sayd vnto the house of Israel but all came to passe We may see this in that first couenant and promise God made with Adam hauing sinned Gen. 3 15. The seede of the woman shall bruise the Serpents head what though the same promise seemes to be forgotten it being almost 4000. yeeres after wherein God made the same good Gal. 4.4 Yet when the fulnesse of time was come God sent his Sonne Wee must not tye the Lord to any time when to helpe hee knoweth the fittest and the best time to relieue his distressed seruants Neither are we to be discouraged though we be no by and by deliuered out of miserie The people of Israel were promised deliuerance out of captiuitie yet it was a long time first Dauid was delayed so long before deliuerance came as that hee crieth out Psal 13. How long wilt thou forget me God dealeth with men herein as a Physitian dealeth with his Patient when he requireth wine in the fit of a burning Feauer I will not giue it saith hee not because he will neuer giue him wine but because hee knoweth when it is best to giue it thus dealeth hee with his seruant making choice of the most seasonable time to send comfort And as the Lord will in his due time make good his promises vnto his children so will he also make good those his denuntiations of iudgements against the wicked What became of his denuntiation against the old world in the dayes of Noah Gen. 7. As God had a time to threaten hee had a time also to punish What became of that iudgement the Lord threatned against Iericho Ios 6.26 that the man should bee accursed of God that should
the hands of Moses were held vp and he besought the Lord in the behalfe of the people Yea Ioash doth acknowledge that the prayers of Elisha 2. King 13.14 an holy Prophet of God stood his kingdome in more stead then all the chariots and horsemen of Israel could do Neither is this to be wondred at that the prayers of the faithfull are of this force with God to preuaile with him For Reas 1 First God giueth vnto his chosen ones the Spirit of supplication and prayer Zach. 12. Which doth so enable the faithfull vnto this duty that they will haue no nay or receiue no repulse at Gods hand according to that of the Apostle 1. Ioh. 5.14.15 This is the assurance we haue in God that if we aske any thing according to his will he heareth vs. And if we know that he heareth vs whatsoeuer we aske we know that we shall haue the petitions we desire of him Secondly to comfort the Reas 2 hearts of his seruants and to minister vnto them a comfortable expectation to be heard in praier he is pleased to passe his promise out of his owne mouth and to assure vs by his owne word that we shall obtaine our desires saying Aske and ye shall haue seeke Mat. 7.7 and ye shall finde knocke and it shall be opened vnto you For euery one that asketh receiueth c. This is indeed the very ground-worke and foundation of the Christian prayer namely Gods promise which is as true and vnchangeable as himselfe is without which wee could neuer so confidently come vnto him Obiect But many of the godly haue praied much and often vnto God and yet the Lord seemeth not to heare nor to answer Answ God doth not forget his seruants though for a time he defer to answer God made Abraham a promise of a sonne by Sarah this Abraham expected ten twentie yea almost thirtie yeares who would haue thought all this while that God had forgot his promise but yet we know at last in a seasonable time God remembred the couenant and promise that he made with Abraham and Sarah had a sonne The Lord promised the posteritie of Abraham the Land of Canaan yet in what a miserable bondage were they in in Egypt vnder Pharaoh and that for the space of foure hundred and thirtie yeares who would not haue thought that surely God had not remembred his promise to Abraham yet at last the Lord brought them out with a mightie hand and stretched out arme But what might be the reason of the Lords dealing with his people after this manner Quest Doubtlesse God delayeth to answer the requests of his seruants till a more seasonable time Ans like a skilfull Physitian whom when his Patient being sicke of a burning Feauer shall aske wine will not giue it him knowing indeed that that is no time to drink wine The Lord in whose hands are times and seasons chuseth euer a fit time to answer the requests of his seruants Secondly the Lord will haue many times the case of his seruants desperate and they themselues past all hope of deliuerie in respect of any humane helpe to the end his owne power loue goodnesse and mercy should bee acknowledged in sending vnto them vnexpected deliuerance How could the Iews but acknowledge Gods goodnesse towards them in the time of Hester when they were all appointed vnto death when besides all hope the Lord sent them deliuerance How could Israel but acknowledge his mightie power and stretched out arme when they came out of the land of Egypt when the Sea was before them the Egyptians behinde them the mountaines on each hand of them and they left voide of all humane helpe and meanes 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 fierie 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 Vse 1 If the prayers of Gods seruants be thus powerfull and effectuall with him 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 My grace is sufficient for thee 2 Cor. 12.7.8.9 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 that cry day and night vnto him Luk. 18. 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 Vse 2 priuiledge of Gods Church and people that no man should say Mal. 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
the Apostle writing to the Ephesians saith that he is rich in grace Eph. 1.7 Psal 23. a most bountifull master making the cup of his seruants to ouerflow and is therefore called the Father of mercy 2 Cor. 1. and God of all consolation Vse 1 Seeing then that God is so liberal a master giuing many times vnto his seruants more then they aske or seeke this may be an excellent motiue with vs to bring christianitie into request inasmuch as we serue such a bountifull master Seruants commonly inquire after such masters and will desire to liue in such places where they shall bee bountifully rewarded This we are sure of that the Lords seruants shall bee bountifully rewarded with him he is euer better then his word vnto his people Why are we then so backward in our suits vnto him Are we in misery and distresse As a father pittieth his children so hath the Lord compassion on them that feare him O but I am vnworthy of mercy God giues mercy not for our merit but it is his free gift O but I am a great sinner and prouoke him daily Hee remembreth whereof wee are made hee considereth that wee are but dust He hath said it and he will doe it He will fulfill the desires of them that feare him Psal 145.18 hee also will heare their cry and will helpe them Vse 2 Secondly seeing we are to deale with so liberall a Lord that giues vnto his seruants more then they desire hence ariseth our comfort and incouragement in prayer to flye vnto him in al times of misery and distresse for so hath the Lord said Psal 50.15 Call vpon me in the time of thy trouble and I will heare thee and deliuer thee Doe wicked men persecute vs doth Sathan continually solicite vs doe our corruptions preuaile with vs doe the thoughts of death and of thâ— graue affright vs yet still we haue the bosome of a louing Father to flye vnto Behold this Penitent now at this time astonished no doubt at the sight of death and thoughts of his account hee is to make before the great tribunall O happy he that could now flye into the bosome of his Sauiour as the 〈◊〉 to the Arke that elsewhere could finde no rest Now may hee sing â—â—at sweet Requiem vnto his soule Returne vnto thy rest O my soule for the Lord hath rewarded thee We shall not need to feare any â—xcesse in faith as if wee could beleeue more then the Lord would or could do vnto vs for his grace is euer more plentifull then our petitions hee giueth more then we aske hauing his hand ready to giue before we can get our mouthes open to desire This day As Christ is pleased to answer his seruant and to grant him the thing hee prayeth for So it is a thing remarkable to consider in the circumstance of time the speedie performance of the Lords promise This day q.d. thou shalt not onely be remembred of mee which is the thing thou desirest but thou shalt euen this present day haue an end put vnto thy miserie and thy soule receiued into glory Note hence Doct. 2 That a man may be in miserie and ioy in an houre A man may be in miserie ioy in an houre Though the afflictions of Gods seruants are many times sharpe and grieuous yet the Lord makes them many times but short and of small continuance Psal 94. Heauinesse may endure for a night but ioy commeth in the morning The miseries of the righteous are neither durable nor incurable In the multitude of the sorrows of my heart saith Dauid Thy comforts haue refreshed my soule The Lord doth aswell foresee their arriuall as their launcing forth and the end of their troubles as the beginning of the same Many are the troubles of the righteous Psal 34.19 but the Lord deliuereth them out of all And indeed If the Lord should not deale Reas 1 thus with his seruants 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 smocking flaxe Secondly the end of all afflictions Reas 2 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 Reas 3 but short and of small continuance Now miseries cannot bee long where life is so short Vse This serues then to teach vs in all our miseries still to waite on God 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 〈◊〉 that they shall not want a seâ—sonable 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 poâ—â— 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 Doct. 3 obserue hence is 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. â— 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 I will deliuer thee in that day Ier. 39.17 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 laâ—â— day with wicked men Mat. 25. I was hâ—â—gry c. And the reason hereof is Because Reas 1 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 Reas 2 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 Vse This teacheth all Gods people to lay hold vpon all opportunities that shall bee offered vnto them 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 Page 59 Doctrines A sinfull life hath commonly attending it a cursed and miserable death Page 71 Doctrines None more subiect vnto disgrace then the godly are Page 93 Doctrines It is a great sinne to adde affliction to the afflicted Page 103 Doctrines God brings his children often to a low ebbe in this life Page 111 Doctrines Infidelitie a dangerous sinne Page 115 Doctrines Euill examples dangerous Page 124 Doctrines Properties of a wicked man to be giuen to mocking Page 132 Doctrines God can make of great sinners great Saints Page 143 Doctrines All men are alike by Nature vntill God make a difference by grace Page 153 Doctrines Afflictions of excellent vse to bring men to God Page 164 Doctrines To cease from euill is not sufficient we must do good Page 172 Doctrines He that rebuketh another must not be guilty of the same fault himselfe Page 183 Doctrines A true note of a true Conuert to stop others in a course of sin Page 191 Doctrines A true Conuert desires that others may partake of the same grace Page 216 Doctrines The afflictions of the godly reach vnto Christ Page 233 Doctrines The want of the feare of God the cause of all sinne Page 237 Doctrines Afflictions that summon to death should cause a man to looke home Page 250 Doctrines Vnto true repentance confession of sinne necessary Page 257 Doctrines Godly submit themselues to Gods seuerest corrections without repining Page 285 Doctrines A true Christian must at all times stand for Christ Page 298 Doctrines In all ages God hath had some witnesses of his truth Page 310 Doctrines True grace is known by the daily growth in grace Page 322 Doctrines None can pray effectually but the Penitent Page 334 Doctrines Christ a Lord. Page 349 Doctrines Christ a King Page 356 Doctrines True faith raiseth vp a man aboue this life Page 365 Doctrines In prayer wee must see God all-sufficient in those things wee seeke of him Page 372 Doctrines The saluation of the soule is principally to be desired Page 381 Doctrines The happinesse of a Christian not to be looked for here but hereafter Page 401 Doctrines Release from temporall afflictions doth nâ—â— alwayes follow true repentance Page 407 Doctrines It is a wonderfull hard thing â—ruly to beleeue Page 416 Doctrines There is an vnchangeable cerâ—ainty in all Gods promises Page 431 Doctrines Godly must labour to be perswaâ—ed of Gods loue Page 443 Doctrines Prayers of the godly very effectuall Page 457 Doctrines The sinnes of the Penitent cannot hinder their saluation Page 471 Doctrines They that in misery waite vpon God shall not misse of comfort in the end Page 482 Doctrines The souls of the faithfull in death are gathered vnto Christ Page 489 Doctrines In heauen is the perfection of all â—appinesse Page 498 Doctrines God many times giues more then â—is seruants aske Page 506 Doctrines A man may be in miserie and â—oy in an houre Page 512 Doctrines Such as shew mercy in an euill day shall not misse of mercy in the euill day Page 515