It is not for us, as we do, to put the remembrance of this far from us, or to shift it lightly by turning over to a Psalm of mercy, but to terrify our own souls with it, and to cast our selves down with the trembling consideration of his judgements. Of one example without a precept nothing is to be concluded, and therefore in great wisdom that men at the last gasp should not utterly despair, the Lord hath left us but one example of exceeding & extraordinary mercy by saving the thief on the cross1 by faith only: yet the perverseness of all our nature may be seen by this, in that this one serveth us to looseness of life in hope of the like, whereas we might better reason, that is but one and that extraordinary, and that besides this one there is not one moe in all the Bible; and that for this one that sped, a thousand thousands have missed: & what folly is it to put our selves in a way, where so many have miscarried? To put our selves in the hand of that Physician, that hath murdered so many, going clean against our own sense and reason, whereas in other cases we always lean to that which is most ordinary, and conclude not the spring of one swallow. It is as if a man should spur his ass till he speak, because Balaam's ass did once speak: so grossly hath the devil bewitched us. And yet, if we mark in that example which the devil so oft tempteth us with, we shall see even in that little time2 he lived, sundry good works, as many as in that time & case would be required: first, prayer, secondly, confession: thirdly, glorifying of Christ: fourthly, humility, remember me▪ fifthly,3 reproving of his fellow: sixthly, acknowledging of his own deserts: seventhly, patience. And it is to be thought by these few, that if he had lived, he would not have been behind any of the Saints. The root being holy, the branches must needs be like unto it. My sentence is, that a man lying now at the point of death, having the snares of death upon him; in that strait of fear and pain may have a sorrow for his life past, but because the weakness of flesh, and the bitterness of death doth most commonly procure it, we ought to suspect our selves if we never sorrow till then. And therefore let us store our selves with good things against the evil day come upon us, for our life past:
It is not for vs, as we do, to put the remembrance of this farre from vs, or to shift it lightly by turning ouer to a Psalme of mercy, but to terrifie our owne soules with it, and to cast our selues downe with the trembling consideration of his iudgements. Of one example without a precept nothing is to be concluded, and therefore in great wisedome that men at the last gaspe should not vtterly despaire, the Lord hath left vs but one example of exceeding & extraordinary mercy by sauing the theefe on the crosse1 by faith onely: yet the peruersnes of all our nature may be seene by this, in that this one serueth vs to loosnes of life in hope of the like, whereas we might better reason, that is but one and that extraordinary, and that besides this one there is not one moe in all the Bible; and that for this one that sped, a thousand thousands haue missed: & what folly is it to put our selues in a way, where so many haue miscarried? To put our selues in the hand of that Physition, that hath murthered so many, going cleane against our owne sense and reason, whereas in other cases we alwaies leane to that which is most ordinary, and conclude not the spring of one swallow. It is as if a man should spur his asse till he speake, because Balaams asse did once speake: so grossely hath the diuell bewitched vs. And yet, if we mark in that example which the diuell so oft tempteth vs with, we shall see euen in that little time2 he liued, sundry good works, as many as in that time & case would be required: first, prayer, secondly, confession: thirdly, glorifying of Christ: fourthly, humilitie, remēber me▪ fifthly,3 reprouing of his fellow: sixtly, acknowledging of his own deserts: seuenthly, patience. And it is to be thought by these few, that if he had liued, he would not haue been behind any of the Saints. The root being holy, the brāches must needs be like vnto it. My sentēce is, that a man lying now at the point of death, hauing the snares of death vpō him; in that streight of feare and paine may haue a sorrow for his life past, but because the weaknes of flesh, and the bitternes of death doth most commonly procure it, we ought to suspect our selues if we neuer sorrow till then. And therfore let vs store our selues with good things against the euill day come vpon vs, for our life past:
- 1Th• thief on the CrossTh• theefe on the Crosse
- 2Simile.
- 3Notes and marks of faith in the thief on the cross.Notes and markes of faith in the theefe on the crosse.
