Wherein are obscruable 1. Christs asseueration Verily 2. Person to whom Thou 3. Promise it selfe Shalt bee with me 4. Place Paradise 5. Time This day And Iesus said vnto him Verily I say vnto thee c. The word Englished here Verily in the originall is Amen and is seldome or neuer translated either in the Greeke Latine English or any other language It is vsed often both in the old and new Testament And the vse thereof is twofold First it is vsed for an earnest wish and desire of the heart and thus when Dauid had appointed Solomon to be Ruler ouer Israel 1. King 1.36 Benaiah the sonne of Iehoida answered Dauid saying Amen therein testifying his vnfained desire that it should bee so And thus in those solemne cursings which the Leuites must pronounce with a loud voice in the hearing of the people The people to signifie that their assent thereunto to euery particular thereof must say Amen And thus it is vsed in our Church at the shuting vp of our prayers wherein wee testifie our desire to be heard and answered in those things we pray for Secondly the same is vsed againe for an earnest affirmation and asseueration as in that speech of our Sauiour vnto Nichodemus wherein the word is twice together repeated Amen Amen Dico tibi Iob. 3.11 c. Verily verily I say vnto thee And is there in that place as also in this in the nature of an oath wherein our Sauiour will assure Nichodemus and also this Penitent here of the vndoubted certaintie of that hee spake and promised binding his promise here for the further confirmation of his faith with a kinde of oath Verily I say vnto thee Doct. 1 The Doctrine that from hence may be concluded for our Instruction It is a won derful hard thing truly to beleeue is How difficult a matter it is truly to beleeue in Christ Christ promising this Penitent forgiuenesse of sinnes the saluation of his soule and that that very day he should be with him in Paradise Hee is faine for the further confirmation of his faith to vse this asseueration Verily and all to perswade him of the truth of his promise To beleeue aright in Christ is not a worke of Nature nor a thing that a naturall man in himselfe is disposed to but it is a supernaturall worke of Gods Spirit Phil. 1. To you it is giuen to beleeue saith Paul yea it is a work of Gods Almighty power Ephe. 1.19 That ye may know the greatnesse of his power to vs ward who beleeue according to the working of his mightie power This made the Prophet Isaiah to complaine and to say Esay 53.1 Lord who hath beleeued our report and to whom hath the arme of the Lord beene reuealed The old world would not beleeue Noahs preaching Gen. 6. Neither was Lot regarded of his sonnes and Sodomites Gen. 18. but hee seemed vnto them as if he had mocked Wee may see this in Gideon he was a man sent of God to be a deliuerer of the people of Israel the Lord had assured him by his Angell that he would deliuer Israel out of the hands of the Midianites by his hand Yet he is so hardly brought to beleeue this as that he asketh a signe Iudg. 6.14.36 If thou wilt saue Israel by my hands as thou hast said behold I will put a fleece of wooll in the threshing place c. The like we haue in Sarah albeit shee had heard the promise that God had made to Abraham her husband Gen. 17.16 that God would giue her a sonne Gen. 18.12 I will blesse thee saith God and giue thee a sonne She laughed at it Which was as much as if she should haue said This is a iest indeed Wee may see this most cleare in the people of Israel though the Lord from time to time had giuen good demonstration of his loue power goodnesse and mercie towards them which might haue caused that people for euer to haue trusted in his helpe and neuer to haue despaired of the same in time of their greatest need Yet still when the outward meanes of their deliuerance failed they beleeued not Gods promises insomuch that the Lord againe and againe complaineth of them Num. 14.11 How long will this people prouoke me How long will it bee ere they beleeue mee for all the signes which I haue shewed among them And How oft did they prouoke him in the wildernesse and grieued him in the desert The like example of mans imbecilitie and weaknesse in beleeuing the promises of God Wee may see this in Zachary the father of the Baptist who bewrayeth his infidelitie in this that could not be induced to beleeue the Angell touching a Sonne which Elizabeth his wife should beare vnto him Luk. 1.13 Which promise the Angell amplified for the further confirmation of his faith First by his Office hee should goe before Christ Secondly from the graces of God which should be bestowed vpon him and the effects of his Ministerie Notwithstanding all this Zachary remaines still incredulous and distrustfull saying vnto the Angell Ver. 18 Whereby shall I know this The Angel had assured Zachary before that the Lord had heard his prayer Ver. 13 Feare not Zachary for thy prayer is heard And yet hee is hardly brought to beleeue the promise The like wee may see in Peter a man full of faith and the holy Ghost in so much that when Christ bade him come vpon the Sea Ma. 1.8 hee left the ship but a waue arising his faith failed him And thus was it with the Virgine Mary when as the Angell came vnto her and told her that she had found fauour in the sight of God Luk. 1.39 How shall this bee saith she seeing I know not a man It seemed to her a strange thing that she should haue a child when shee had not companied with a man So that let the Lord promise immediately by himselfe by his Angels or by men yet are we hardly brought to beleeue So hard and difficult a thing in the heart of a man faith is Neither is this a thing to bee wondered at For first Reas 1 Faith is none of those plants that grow in the garden of our hearts naturally Ephes 2.8 No it is not of our selues saith the Apostle it is the gift of God Nature hath furnished vs with no principle at all concerning Christ concerning eternall life or the saluation of our soules And hence it comes to passe that because the meanes whereby God vsually worketh faith in our hearts and so consequently saluation seeme vnto our carnall reason to be vnlikely wee presently reiect them like Naaman when hee was commanded to wash in Iordane seuen times Are not saith hee Admah and Pharphar 2. King 5. riuers in Damascus better then all the waters in Iordane Euen so that by Christs death we should come to life by his shame that we should come to
that day when he will visit her in wrath and render vengeance vpon her for all her spirituall whoredomes she hath committed and innocent bloud of the Saints she hath shed The resurrection of our bodies what though now they moulder to ashes and taste of corruption they shall not perish in corruption but the Lord Iesus shall raise them vp in the last day and make these vile bodies of ours like vnto his glorious body The comming of Christ to iudgement What though the cursed Atheists of the world say Where is the promise of his coming 2. Pet. 3.4 for since the beginning all things continue alike Yet the day of the Lord will come as a Thiefe in the night And hee that hath promised to come will come and will not tarry Yea for whatsoeuer we haue a promise say I know whom I haue beleeued 2. Tim. 1.12 His word is vnchangeable as himselfe is who is truth it selfe and cannot lye And as this yeelds matter of comfort and consolation vnto the godly in the vndoubted expectation of his promises that are yet to come So serues it also to set out vnto vs the miserie of all wicked and vngodly men euery impenitent and hard-hearted sinner for God will not dally with vs but will in time make good all his threatnings hee hath denounced against sinne and sinners for God is vnchangeable true in the one as in the other he tendereth his Iustice as he regardeth his mercy Oh the miserie of euery impenitent and hard-hearted sinner that lieth in sinne and so vnder the curses of the Law hee is as sure one day to partake of the same as if he were vnder them already And indeed if the question were asked what difference there were betwixt the damned in hell and the impenitent on earth I know none other but this the one is a reaping the reward of sinne the other is a heaping vp of wrath against that day the certaintie of iudgement is to them both alike O that all wicked and vngodly men could but see their happinesse that that day is not yet come vpon them but that the Lord doth yet affoord them a season of grace and time to repent in and that they would remember Solomons Prouerbe A prudent man foreseeth the euill Pro. 22.3 and hideth himselfe It is righteousnesse that deliuereth from death Whereas Riches auaile not in the day of wrath Pro. 11.4 nor no outward thing can profit in the euill day Text. Verily I say vnto thee As Christ was pleased to compassionate this man in this time of his miserie pardoning his sinnes and receiuing him into sauour so he would haue him perswaded of his loue herein and no way to doubt or question the truth of his promise Verily I say vnto thee Gods children as they haue Gods Word to assure them of the pardon of their sinnes vpon their repentance Doct. 3 Godly must labor to be perswaded of Gods loue towards them so it is his pleasure that they should beleeue the same his promises vnto life and saluation and no way to doubt of the truth thereof This is the tenure of that couenant of grace God makes with his Church This shall bee my couenant Ier. 31.33.34 I will make with the House of Israel after those dayes saith the Lord I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and I will be their God and they shall be my people c. And they shall all know me from the greatest of them to the least of them It is the speech of the Spouse that speaketh thus Can. 2.16 My beloued is mine and I am his The Church there was throughly perswaded of Christs loue againe Behold saith Saint Iohn what loue the Father hath shewed vnto vs 1 Ioh. 3.1 Ver. 2. Ver. 14. that we should be called the sons of God Now we are the Sonnes of God c. and hereby wee know c. But this Thiese might know this Obiect because Christ did assure him of the certaintie of his saluation but what is that to vs doth it therefore follow that we may Yes verily this comfort is not intayled and appropriated to this Penitent onely Resp but he would haue all his seruants to make their calling and election sure 2 Cor. 13.5 and to work out their saluation in feare and trembling and for the further clearing of this truth consider First Reas 1 that the promises of God howsoeuer they be made in generall tearmes euery one is bound to make a particular application thereof vnto himselfe As in Princes Lawes and Proclamations all the Subiects stand bound to take notice therâ—of and to make a particular application thereof vnto himselfe as if the same law were made for his owne person Euen so the Gospell and the promises therein made vnto the faithfull runne in generall to all beleeuers Now euery soule that would haue the comfort thereof must make the particular application thereof vnto himselfe Hab. 2.5 according to that of the Prophet The iust shal liue by his owne faith Secondly euery one shall bee saued by a particular faith of his owne no man can bee saued by another mans beleeuing no more then one man can bee nourished by another mans feeding The iust shall liue by his owne faith No faith is of that nature that it is euer exercised about applying of Christ his merits his righteousnesse and obedience to the soule of euery true beleeuer Thirdly the Lord to this end hath giuen vs his Sacraments which are called the Seales of the righteousnesse of faith Rom. 4.11 and these we know are deliuered in particular to euery one thereby to assure him of Christ the pardon of his sinnes and the saluation of his soule in particular The vses follow This serues then in the first place to let vs see what an vncomfortable Tenet that is in the Church of Rome Vse 1 that teach and hold that no man in this life can attaine to any assurance of his saluation other then coniecturall vnlesse it bee made knowne vnto him by speciall reuelation nay more by the Councell of Trent he is in danger of an Anathema that is to be accursed that shall affirme that hee is assured of his saluation He that will be a Papist is bound by the rule of that religion to the end and period of his dayes to liue in suspence a most vncomfortable religion and then the which what more vncomfortable Doctrine it being the break-necke of all true comfort vnto a Christian soule We teach and hold that a Christian may doubt which is not his vertue inasmuch as doubting is opposite vnto saith and therefore if the one bee commanded the other must needs bee forbidden They teach hold that we must doubt and let him be assured saith the Councell if hee either thinke or indeuour any certaintie or assurance Miserable comforters are they as Iob saith of his friends and herein what
doe they else but rob God of his glory and depriue a Christian soule of his chiefest ioy Now I would not be mistaken as though I meant that the comfort and assurance of a Christians saluation were so firme and certaine as that the same were neuer intermixed and ouer-clouded There is no such assurance in this life to bee looked for nay rather Gods people haue felt much feare and doubtings in themselues Hezechias complaines Esa 39. that the Lord had bruised his bones like a Lyon And Dauid is full of complainings Psal 31.22 Psal 77.7 I am cast out of thy sight will the Lord shew no more fauour and hath hee shut vp his louing kindenesse in displeasure And againe Psal 69.3 My eyes faint for wayting so long vpon my God Nay I dare adde this further that hee which neuer doubted of his saluation had neuer true faith to beleeue aright the pardon of his sins and the assurance of his saluation for hadst thou faith thou mightest assure thy selfe that Sathan would winnow thee But what manner of assurance then is this you speake of Quest Not an assurance that is free from doubtings and feares Answ but such an assurance that labours after assurance Assurance that wrestles and combats with doubtings and feares It is the wisedome of God by this meanes to settle and stablish the hearts of his seruants A man that hath newly planted a tree will bee euer and anone shaking of it not purposing to ouerthrow it but to settle it the more and thus the Lord by suffering the faith of his chosen sometimes to be shaken will haue their hearts rooted and grounded in him whilest they learne to deny themselues and to rest in him their strength Secondly seeing it is the pleasure of our good God thus to cheere vp the hearts of his chosen in their Pilgrimage here to fill their hearts with such ioyes and to giue them such secret and sweet raptures in the sence of his fauour in his Sonne whereby with the Spouse they role themselues vpon the beds of roses Can. as she confesseth and that to cause them so much the more cheerefully to serue him This may serue for our instruction to try our hearts and to see whether the worke of grace and of faith be wrought in vs. It is the aduice of the Apostle 2 Cor. 13.5 Proue your selues whether ye be in the faith how shall we doe this but by making particular application vnto our selues of those things wee beleeue In the matters of this life it is cucry mans care to doale vpon certainties for tenures of lands for Conueyances Leases c. Councell is entertained and euery word therein is scanned men will not deale but vpon good grounds But alas for the matter of our chiefe inheritance how simply doe men deale therein they are content to rest vpon a bare hope and thinke that a Lord haue mercy vpon mee will serue the turne What meaneth the Apostle to say Giue all diligence to make your calling and election sure but to shew that a Christians chiefest care must be for this But how may a man come to Quest this assurance of his saluation Wee must get good euidence and assurance of our faith in Christ Answ for so saith the Apostle As many as beleeued in him Ioh. 1.12 to them gaue he this power to be made the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue on his name And againe We are saued by faith No man can haue the spirit of adoption that wants faith to beleeue Now for the obtayning of this grace of sauing faith the ordinary meanes is the preaching of the Word Rom. 10.17 faith commeth by hearing and the Gospell is called the word of faith vpon that then wee are to attend with all care and diligence as we looke to get faith and so consequently the saluation of our owne soules Secondly the Apostle giues this note how to know our adoption and so consequently whether wee be in the state of saluation or not Rom. 8.16 His spirit beareth witnesse to our spirit that we are the sonnes of God Now concerning this testimony of Gods spirit I will not make my selfe so skilfull to define what it is it is better felt then exprest The Prophet cals it The hearing of a voyce behinde vs Esa 38.21 whereby the heart comes to be perswaded of it reconciliation with God But how shall I know that my perswasion is not presumption Quest There be two speciall markes whereby we may distinguish betwixt them Ans First that vndoubtedly is the voyce of Gods spirit when comfort and assurance is felt in the heart after such time as the heart hath first beene humbled and cast downe in the sight and sence of sinne Psal My heart saith Dauid is as waxe it is molten in the middest of my body for in the time of a mans securitie when hee hath little or no apprehension of sinne then for a man to hope well and to conclude of his owne saluation is no strange thing nothing is more vsuall in the world amongst meer naturall men that neuer felt the smart of sinne then to bragge and boast of this assurance of saluation but alas they raise vp this building but vpon a sandy foundation which will neuer stand in the time of try all for it is Gods manner of dealing vsually in this work of mans saluation to lay full low whom hee intendeth to aduance full high by sorrow to bring them vnto ioy by death to bring them vnto life and by their humiliation for sinne to bring them to glory so that when a man hath once truely felt the smart of sinne when a man hath once combated with Gods wrath and the terrors of hell haue possessed his soule here is a good foundation to build the hope of heauen vpon for humiliation is the ground of exaltation and after this to stay a mans selfe vpon the promise of God in Christ is vndoubtedly the voyce of Gods spirit a token of true comfort and a note of true ioy Secondly when comfort ariseth from the comfortable vse of the meanes God himselfe hath appointed such as are the preaching of the Word the reuerent vse of the Sacrament prayer reading of the Scripture meditation c. for the Lord is euer a maintainer of that course which hee himselfe hath sanctified and set apart to the same end so then try thy assurance thus hath it beene layd in godly sorrow for sinne hast thou attended the poasts of the Lords Sanctuary c. This is vndoubtedly the voyce of Gods spirit and not of presumption But if on the contrary part thou neuer yet feltest such griefe of heart for sinne thy conscience did neuer yet torment thee in the sight and sence of sinne neither hast thou euer had any delight in the Lords Sabbaoths nor the duties of holinesse c. O deceiue not thy own soule thy hope of heauen of eternall life and
God and such a one that is full of compassion able and willing to helpe Thus doth this Penitent here yea behold him as a God of mercy and Father of all consolation and comfort Standest thou in need of his power to helpe thee Present him vnto thy minde euen at the first entrance into thy prayers as a powerfull God And so likewise for his wisedome truth iustice c. We euer seeke those things most constantly and comfortably when we know them to bee had at his hands from whom we seek them This being carefully obserued of vs we shall finde it a strong prop vnto our faith and an excellent meanes to kindle affection in vs and so a thing most vsefull and necessary in prayer Lord remember me when thou commest into thy kingdome Text. These two Theeues make two different requests vnto Christ His desire it selfe the one for a corporall and temporall deliuerance If thou bee Christ saue thy selfe and vs. The request of the other is that his soule might bee saued in the day of the Lord Lord remember mee c. according to the inward principle of the heart so goes the desire They that are carnall are carnally minded but the spirituall man is spiritually minded and his desires are principally after spirituall things And herein will teach vs That the saluation of a mans soule is the thing that euery man Doct. The saluation of the soul is principally to be desired next vnto the glory of GOD ought principally to desire This Penitent had taken care of Gods glory before by iustifying Christs innocency and now in the next place he looketh after the saluation of his soule that it might goe well with that in death yea by how much the more excellent the soule is aboue the body by so much the more carefull ought a man to be of the saluation of the one aboue the other Our greatest care must be that it may goe well with our soules at death We may suppose this penitent Thiefe speaking thus at this time O Lord inasmuch as my life hath beene wretched it is iust with thee that I should now at last suffer this shamefull cursed death It is not life that I desire but am willing to imbrace the sentence of death and the rather for that I see it is thy good pleasure it should be so This is the onely thing I now desire that when this life shal haue an end I shal come to appeare before thee in thy kingdome that thou wouldest bee pleased in mercy then to remember me Now if all Gods children bee led by one and the same spirit and so are alike disposed in respect of spirituall good things it must necessarily follow that this longing desire after life and saluation that was in this Penitent is wrought in some measure in the hearts of al those that are vnder the same hope and they are able in the witnesse of a good conscience to say as hee did here Lord remember me c. This affection was in the Prophet Dauid when hee saith O Lord I haue longed for thy saluation And indeed what other thing then the soules future happinesse can the Scriptures intend in these and the like places exhorting vs to seeke for wisedome and knowledge as for siluer Pro. 2.4 Of searching for it as for treasures of striuing to enter in at the straight gate Luk. 13.24 Ioh. 6.17 of labouring for that meate which shall indure to euerlasting life of running to obtaine and the like what is meant I say in all these but the saluation of the soule aboue all other things This was old Simeons desire Luke 2. Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace c. This affection we finde to haue beene in those Iewes conuerted at Peters Sermon Men and Brethren Act. 2.37 say they What shall wee doe to be saued being conuinced in their iudgements of that their hainous sinne of crucifying the Lord of life they came trembling vnto the Apostles fearing what would become of their soules We may see this in that poore perplexed Iaylor who came trembling in to Paul and Sylas Act 16.30 with his Sirs what shall I doe to be saued This truth is further cleared vnto vs by Christs prayer hee hath left vnto vs where wee are taught to pray first of all Thy kingdome come Mat. 6. before Giue vs this day our daily bread And this is obserued to haue beene the commendations of that wise Merchant that sold all that he had to buy the Pearle Mat. 13.44 as knowing that it would make him rich vnto saluation I might giue diuers other instances and examples but these are sufficient to shew what is the disposition and affection of all Gods people Theirs are hungrie soules theirs are longing hearts and the maine thing they so much desire is the saluation of their soules Whereas on the contrary part carnall men like the Impenitent Thiefe Hag. 1.2 preferre a temporall deliuerance before an eternall Like those Iewes who preferred their owne priuate gaine before the building of the Temple Heb. 12.16 Like Esau a messe of pottage Mat. 8.24 before the Birth right Like those Gadarens their hogges before Christ And like that young man in the Gospell who went away sorrowfull Mat. 19. chusing rather to hazard his soule then to part with his wealth Now the grounds are these First Reas 1 the godly do principally desire the saluation of their soules in regard their iudgements are rightly informed to set a due price vpon the same The Apostle Saint Peter speaking of the inheritance of eternall life 1. Pet. 1.4 calleth it Immortall vndefiled and that which withereth not reserued in heauen for vs. Wherein he secretly compareth the things of this world with those that are reserued for the faithfull after this life and sheweth that all things here are corruptible but the things of the life to come are incorruptible And hence it comes to passe that wisdoms children make choice of heauen heauenly things aboue all transitorie things whatsoeuer Secondly our Sauiour sheweth the necessitie hereof Mat. 16.26 saying What shall it profit a man to winne the whole world and to lose his owne soule Were it not better for that man that he had neuer beene borne what then can deserue the chiefest of a mans care if not this Thirdly this is it that distinguisheth betwixt Gods people and the men of this world worldly men desire principally worldly things Corne and wine and oyle Whereas the godly that haue another principle within to direct them desire especially Gods countenance and grace with Dauid But Lord grant me thy countenance Psal 4.6 c. This serues first of all to reproue the great and generall neglect of that Vse 1 for the which there ought to be so great a care Alas the behauiour of the greatest part of the world concerning their soules and the eternall wellfare of
the same after this life sauoureth of an opinion that it is either a thing most easie or a thing indifferent to be saued For the things of this life wee see the excessiue care the wonderfull labour and paines that men take early and late by Sea and by Land putting their bodies many times to that labour they would not willingly put their beast vnto and all for fleeting and transitorie things that will not that cannot profit in the euill day which caused the Prophet to complaine thus Wherefore do ye lay out your siluer Isa 55.2 and not for bread and your strength and not being satisfied Who can sufficiently bewaile this madnes and cry downe this follie The cares of this life like Pharaohs leane kine Gen. 41.10 hath deuoured the care of heauen Such men can neuer lift vp their mindes vnto heauen that account the earth and earthly things their chiefest Treasure giue them enough of this world and let him that will take the world to come None are farther out of the way nor destitute of true wisedome then those men are What are they better then fooles that preferre a peece of rotten wood that shineth in the night before the finest gold of Ophyr Oh let vs take heed lest while wee condemne this as madnesse and folly in other men we proue not our selues the greatest fooles Secondly this may serue to admonish euery one in the feare of God that with this godly Penitent wee make sure worke for a better life There is nothing concerneth a Christian more then this to get good assurance vnto his owne soule that he shall bee saued at last Wee dwell here in houses of clay and our eyes on euery side of vs do behold the vncertaintie of all earthly things Why then should our thoughts be so taken vp for these fraile bodies of ours which are but slaues to death so as in the meane time we neglect our pretious soules which haue an euerlasting being why should we exalt the body so high that must lye so low and moulder to dust and ashes die and rot in the graue and make no reckoning of our soules that liue for euer wherein we may be truly blessed indeed O did wee know the consequence of this one thing and how much it concerneth vs to seeke the eternall wellfare of our soules as Christ said to the Samaritanish woman Ioh. 4.10 If thou knewest the gifts of God we would come vnto the Ministers of God with that question of the trembling Iewes and perplexed Iaylor Sirs Act. 16.30 what must we do to be saued What comfort can a man take in any thing that wants comfort in this This is that one thing that is so necessary this is that good part that shall not be taken from vs. But it will bee said Obiect Wherefore take you so much paines to perswade to bee saued who is there so vile sinfull or wicked that would not be saued Num. 23.10 Did not Balaam desire to die the death of the righteous And doth not our Sauiour tell vs of many that shall say Lord Lord open vnto vs Mat. 7.21 I answer it is most true Resp none so desperately wretched and sinfull but would willingly go to heauen escape Gods wrath and be saued at last But these light wishes and desires may be in the wicked as well as in the godly in those that shall perish euerlastingly as well as in those that shall be saued at last And therefore it will bee requisite to obserue the difference betwixt the wishes of the wicked and the desires of the godly in this weightie point of saluation First The difference betwixt the godly and the wicked in their desiring saluation this proceeds not from the like ground in these two sorts of men In all Gods children that shall be saued in the end this desire of theirs springs from a true sence and feeling of their owne wretchednes and misery through sinne that he is the child of wrath and firebrand of hell by nature lies vnder Gods wrath and is in danger of eternall destruction The thoughts of this his present miserie and fearefull condition by nature sets him on worke to seeke deliuery And in reason it must be so for vnto a condemned person that lookes euery houre to bee executed the Princes pardon must needs bee most acceptable yea he would preferre that aboue all the world besides So is it with a poore sinner once throughly conuicted in his conscience for sinne he can prize the fauour of God in Iesus Christ in the pardon of the same more then all the world besides Whereas the Person that is full despiseth the honey combe Pro. 27.7 And this is the estate of naturall men they are not sensible of their owne spirituall miserie by reason of sinne but are Frozen vpon the dregs Zeph. 1.12 Deut. 29.19 Reu. 3.17 blesse themselues in their owne hearts and know not that they are miserable and poore and blinde and naked And hence is it that the desires of such men are cold and sleight in comparison of the other that are sensible of their misery by reason of sinne Secondly the desire of Gods people of life and saluation as it proceeds from a good ground and therefore earnest So it is euer ioyned with the vse of the means that God hath appointed for the attaining of eternall saluation such as are the Ministery of the Word the reuerend vse of the Sacrament prayer c. Whereas of the wicked that of Solomon is most true Pro 13.4 The sluggard lusteth but his soule hath naught And againe The desire of the slothfull stayeth him for his hands refuse to worke Thirdly howsoeuer a wicked man may desire heauen eternall life and saluation yet there is euer something that he preferreth before this The young man in the Gospell that came to Christ saying Good Master what shall I do to inherite eternall life shewed that hee wished well to heauen and the saluation of his soule But being required by Christ to sell all that hee had and to giue to the poore and to follow Christ Mat. 19. the Text saith He went away sorrowfull Which shewed plainly that hee loued his wealth better Whereas the desire of the godly is such as that they preferre eternall life and the saluation of their soules aboue all things in the world besides So Dauid Many say who shall shew vs any good But Lord grant mee thy countenance thy fauour and grace Where Dauid opposeth his desire against the desire of worldlings and sheweth that howsoeuer worldly men desire chiefely worldly things hee for his part did chiefly desire Gods countenance fauour and grace in the pardon of his sinnes aboue all the world besides And indeed vnto such doth the promise of eternall life belong and appertaine for so saith the Lord Ier. 29.13 Ye shall seeke me and finde me because ye shall seeke me with your whole heart Fourthly
howsoeuer the wicked and the godly desire eternall life alike the childe of God onely is wise to lay hold vpon the opportunity whilest grace is offered seeking that in the first place Mat. 6.33 aboue all earthly and transitory things whereas it is the propertie of wicked and vngodly men to put it off vntill the day of grace be past Luk. 13.25 euen till the Master of the house be risen vp and hath shut to the dore Fiftly there is in the godly and those that shall bee saued in the end a constant seeking of God of eternall life and saluation not by moods and fits but throughout the whole course of their liues All their thoughts words and actions sauor of grace within and tend vnto heauen and the furtherance of their eternall happinesse Whereas with the wicked it is not so with them for if they desire eternall life and saluation it is no constant desire but by fits either when the Word or some affliction or other hath kindled such a good motion for the present within them but by and by like the morning dew it goeth away Hos 6.4 And last of all there is yet this difference betwixt the godly and the wicked in their desires A wicked man desires mercy but not grace the pardon of sinne but not the spirit of corroboration and strength against sinne He rather desireth freedome from misery the effect of sinne then from sinne it selfe the cause of misery wheras the childe of God is as earnest with God for strength against his corruptions for the time to come as the pardon of his sinne past Dauid is as earnest with God to stablish him with his free spirit Psal 51.12 as to wash him from his sinne Well then to conclude this poynt would we haue any comfort in our owne soules that wee are amongst the number of those that hunger and thirst aright after eternall life and saluation that our desires proue not to bee like the vaine wishes of the wicked that shall not profit them in the end O let vs then try our selues and examine our owne hearts by the rule of this doctrine Are we truely sensible of our owne wretchednesse and misery by reason of sin haue we vsed all holy helpes and meanes whereby wee may come to the comfortable assurance therof vnto our ownesoules Haue we learned to prize eternall life and saluation aboue all the world besides haue we made vse of all opportunites that God hath offered vnto vs for the getting of grace into our soules hath this desire of ours beene constant and not by fits onely and haue we as earnestly sought at Gods hand strength against our corruptions as the pardon of our sinnes past These things indeed may minister vnto vs a comfortable assurance that our desire of eternall life and saluation hath beene true hath beene vnfained such as shall not misse of saluation in the end Whereas if on the contrary part we neuer yet truely saw our misery by reason of sinne haue euer sleighted Gods ordinances preferred the world our profit and pleasures before the euerlasting saluation of our soules haue made no account of the season and opportunity of grace offered haue neither constantly desired nor for future times sought strength of God against our corruptions know wee that our desires were neuer true and vnfained but such as may be in wicked men that shall misse of saluation in the end When thou commest into thy kingdome The time when As this Penitent Theefe at this time acknowledgeth Christs Deity that hee was Lord and King and desireth as we haue heard before principally mercy for his soule that it might goe well with it in death or after death So now he comes to the time wherein especially he desired to bee remembred of Christ n. when Christ should come into his kingdome Q.d. O Lord now is the time of thy humiliation wherein thou art pleased to vndergoe the punishment for the sinnes of all the elect and to beare the burthen of thy Fathers wrath and all to free thine from the wrath to come I know this price will be payd and this misery thou now sufferest for sinne will be ouer and thou thy selfe againe restored into thy glorious kingdome there to liue and raigne for euer I beseech thee now heare mee against that time Doct. 1 and remember mee in mercy The happinesse of a Christian not to be looked for here but hereafter when thou commest thither Note we hence That the happinesse of a Christian is not to be looked for here but hereafter The fruit of repentance of righteousnesse and of holinesse is not to bee looked for here but hereafter The Christian hath not his happinesse in present possession but in reuersion In hope and expectation are they kept here liuing by faith as the Heyre being not of ripe yeares is not possest of the inheritance but after death they come then to bee possest of that glorious inheritance layd vp for the Saints This doth this Penitent Theefe acknowledge here in this his request to Christ as if he should say O Lord it is not life for a time which cannot be long that I so much stand vpon since death I haue deserued I am willing to dye but it is this I specially desire aboue al the world besides that when this life shall haue an end I may haue a resting place in thy kingdome If in this life onely wee haue hope in Christ 1 Cor. 15.19 wee are of all men most miserable And this the holy Ghost obserueth as an admirable fruit of the admirable faith of the Primitiue Fathers Heb. 11.13 14. who albeit they receiued not the promises but saw them a farre off were perswaded of them and imbraced them and confessed that they were strangers and Pilgrims on earth declaring plainely that they seeke a Country 1 Ioh. 3.2 Now we are the Sonnes of God saith the Apostle But it doth not appeare what we shall be It is true the Lord giues vs now the first fruits of the spirit the earnest of our inheritance which is peace with God and peace in our owne consciences and ioy in the holy Ghost to comfort the hearts of his seruants and to cheare them vp in their pilgrimage But the full fruition of their happinesse is not to be expected here but in heauen This made the Apostle Paul to say Phil. 3.3.13.14 I forgat that which was behinde and reaching forth vnto those things which are before I presse toâ—ard the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus as knowing that the happy recompence of reward was not to bee looked for here but hereafter And the reason is First Reas 1 we know but in part and therefore can beleeue but in part can be sanctified but in part and so cannot be capable of the perfection of our happinesse 1 Cor. 13.9 till all our imperfections be done away and our sanctification
measure of sanctification to bee kept vnder the continuall feare of death Paradice The Scriptures make mention of a twofold Paradice Place Terrestriall and Celestiall The Terrestriall or earthly Paradice is that Paradice in the which Adam was placed by God himselfe a place of excellent felicitie beauty and glory and out of the which both Adam and his posterity after him Gen. 2 8. euen vnto this day were cast by reason of their sins There is besides this the Celestiall Paradice or the kingdome of heauen into the which the Lord Iesus Christ the second Adam was now to enter and doth promise this Penitent here the fruition therof with himselfe whereby is meant indeed the happie and blessed estate of glorified souls in the kingdome of heauen as it appeareth plainly by that of the Apostle Paul 2 Cor. 12. that when hee was caught vp into Paradice he was caught vpindeed into the third heauen But why doth our Sauiour call heauen by the name of Paradice Quest In regard no place on earth could better resemble the kingdome of heauen Answ and being to speake to men and not to Angels Paradice was the most excellent place a place of pleasure solace and of all delight and therefore did most fitly shadow out the variety and excellency of those delights and pleasures in the kingdome of heauen And herein will teach vs That in heauen there is the perfection of all happinesse Doct. In heauen is the perfection of happinesse of pleasure and delight The great pleasures in the garden of Eden where there were trees of all sorts and Riuers for pleasures and delight doth most excellently shadow out vnto vs those pleasures reserued for the Saints in Gods kingdome which happinesse of euery true beleeuer shall in the last day appeare to the whole world to men and Angels when he shall come as the Apostle saith 2 Thes 1.10 To be glorified in his Saints and to be made maruellous in all them that beleeue There is to bee looked for the perfection of their glory especially when the bodies of true beleeuers shall come to be glorified with their soules for so saith the Apostle Phil. 3.21 He shall change our vile body and make it like his glorious body and then their bodies and soules ioyned together and glorified together must needs inioy the perfection of their happinesse and glory and for the hastening of the consummation thereof the Saints vnder the Altar cry How long Lord Reu. 6.10 as indeed expecting and longing for the full fruition of that glory This happinesse glory what it is if we had the tongues of men and Angels wee are not able to expresse it the Apostle tearmes it A most excellent 2 Cor. 4.17 and an eternall weight of glory when hee shall appeare we shall be like vnto him saith Saint Iohn 1 Ioh. 3.2 The Church is compared to a Bride and the Lord Iesus Christ to the Bridegroome Reu. 19.8 now what can be imagined here that can yeeld more ioy and contentment then a marriage day when the marrled couple enioy the sweet content in the fruition of each other Thus are true beleeuers decked and trimmed with the white robes of Christs righteousnesse as a Bride suteable and fit for so pure and glorious a Bridegroome This lets vs see then in the first place Vse 1 the great aduantage that comes vnto euery true beleeuer by death here they sow in teares there they reape in ioy they liue here in this world as in a tempestuous sea there they lye at anchor and rest as in a Hauen Now is their time of seruitude bondage then is their yeere of iubile Here are they exercised continually with sorrowes feares cares buffetings within and fightings without There they shall rest from their labours and enter into the ioy of their Lord there to inioy him in whose presence is the fulnesse of ioy and at whose right hand there is pleasure for euermore such as the Apostle saith The eye hath not seene 1 Cor. 2.9 the eare hath not heard c. We haue in our times seene many glorious sights our eares haue heard of greater but our hearts are so large that they many times conceiue great things indeed and yet the happinesse of the Saints in heauen surpasseth them all And therefore what wonderfull thing thou seest at any time say that this is not it for the eye hath not seene it what wonderfull thing thou hast heard of say this is not it for the eare hath not heard Yea whatsoeuer thou art able to comprehend in thy heart say that it is not it for the heart is not able to conceiue Now what greater happinesse can betide any of Gods seruants then to be raised vp to such a state of glory as neither eye hath seene eare hath heard c. When the Queene of the South beheld the glory of Salomon his attendants the order of his house dyet seruants and the like she concludeth thus 2 Reg. 10.18 Happy are thy men and happy are these thy seruants that stand before thee alwayes c. Did shee pronounce such to be happy that stood continually before Salomon and heard his wisedome O how great then shall be their happinesse that shall come to behold the blessed Trinitie Father Sonne and holy Ghost what ioy will bee there when we shall see those ten thousands praise the Lord day and night And if Peter Iames and Iohn vpon Mount Tabor were so rauished as that they desired to pitch their Tabernacles there O what raptures and ioyes may the godly expect when they shall see and enioy the Lord Iesus Christ their beloued Bridegroom not vpon Mount Tabor but vpon Mount Sion not to be separated suddenly asunder as the Disciples were there but to enioy the full fruition of Christ for euermore 2 Cor. 12.2 Mat. 25. This is called the third heauen the Bridegroomes Chamber an euerlasting habitation lightened with the glory of the Lambe Reu. 19.5 Reu. 21.23 The company there Saints and Angels the time of their abode for euer and euer The happinesse of the soules of the Saints after this life Furthermore these things doe manifest the happinesse of the soules bodies of the St. there First whereas here in this life we cannot but prouoke the Lord daily by our sinnes the very consideration whereof is a dagger to the hearts of Gods people and makes them to cry out with the Apostle and to say O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of sinne there they shall cease to sinne and shall bee wholly ioyned to the Lord in truth and righteousnesse neuer to displease him any more Secondly all the imperfections of the soule shall bee done away and our knowledge shall be perfect all ignorance shall bee done away infidelity distrust c. Thirdly wee shall not neede there the Word Sacraments prayer c. And for our bodies at that
saluation is meere presumption and no true assurance Thou shalt be with me Text. The next thing wee are to obserue To whom is the person to whom the promise is mad and that is the Penitent that had confessed a good confession and had giuen so good testimony of his faith in Christ acknowledging his deitie at this time when all the world despised him and resting on him alone for life and saluation to him is the promise made Thou shalt be with me Whence we may note first of all Doct. 1 The prayers of the godly very effectuall with God The wonderfull force of the prayers of the godly how powerfull and effectuall the same are with God Such as lay a good foundation in humiliation for sin and haue laboured by true repentance their reconciliation with the Almightie these are they that preuaile most of all with God in prayer See we this in the example of this poore Penitent who hauing giuen good testimonie of his true repentance and conuersion vnto God how powerfull is he in prayer what a gratious answer doth the Lord giue vnto him Verily thou shalt bee with me The best way to haue our wills satisfied and our requests granted is to be godly for to such is the promise made God is neare to all that call vpon him Psal 145.18.19 yea to all that call vpon him in truth Hee will fulfill the desires of those that feare him he also will heare their cry and will helpe them We may see this in the Lords mercifull dealing with the people of Israel who being sore oppressed by the Canaanites who tooke of them prisoners they humbled themselues and besought the Lord and the Text saith Num. 21.3 The Lord heard the voyce of Israel Yea the Lord to testifie that his readie disposition to heare and to grant the prayers of his seruants declareth by his Prophet saying Before they call I will answer Isa 65.24 and whilest they speake I will heare Thus Dauid Psal 120.1 I called vpon the Lord in trouble and he heard me The faithfull being suters vnto God are alwayes sure of good successe yea many times aboue that they aske or thinke as wee shall see hereafter in this Penitent that the Angell telleth Cornelius a godly man Act. 10.4 that his praiers were heard Yea the more Gods people can get their hearts to be broken and humbled in the sence of their sinnes the more powerfull and effectuall are their prayers with God A broken and contrite heart Psal 51.17 O God thou wilt not despise This Dauid found by comfortable experience in himselfe that when in the pride of his heart hee had numbred the people for whose sinne the Lord sent that grieuous plague vpon them When hee humbled himselfe before the Lord confessed his sinne 1. Chron. 21.17.27 It is I that haue sinned But what haue these sheepe done How suddenly vpon this did the Lord command the Angell to put vp his sword When Israel was in great affliction and distresse still They cried vnto the Lord in their troubles and the Text saith Psal 107.10 He deliuered them out of their distresse How powerfull were the prayers of Moses against the Amalekites Exod. 17. that Israel preuailed all the while 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 First Reas 1 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 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 But many of the godly haue praied much and often vnto God Obiect and yet the Lord seemeth not to heare nor to answer God doth not forget his seruants answ 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