The Admirable Convert, Part 1
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 & vsus.
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 vntounto Ieſus, Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdome.
And Ieſus ſaid vntounto him, Verily I ſay vntounto 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 hauehave 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 vntounto 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 vponupon 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 vponupon Blaſphemers, and Idolaters, where the hand of the witneſſe was firſt to be vponupon him.
Secondly, Beheading.2 Beheading
Thirdly, Burning.
Fourthly, Strangling, 3 Burning. Deu. 21.22which puniſhment was afterwards changed by the Romans into crucifying; 4 Crucifying Deu. 21.23which 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 vntounto 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 vponupon Chriſt.
Of them it may truly be ſaid, Deſtruction and calamitie are in their wayes, and the way of peace they hauehave not knowne.
And hence is it that in the Scripture, wicked men are reſembled vntounto 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 vponupon 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 louelove: 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 vponupon, 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 vsus wonder then at the Churches miſery, nor the godlys afflictions, for hauehave 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 hi… Father, and the Daughter against the Mother, &c. Neuer then let vsus 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 vsus to be wiſe as Serpents, conſidering that wee liue amongſt, and hauehave to doe with ſuch ſubtil and malitious enemies. VponUpon this very ground our Sauiour warneth thus, Behold, I ſend you foorth as Lambs amongst Wolues, Mat. 10.16bee ye therefore wiſe as Serpents, and innocent as Doues. Wiſdom and Simplicitie is required of all Gods people. We are to walke warily eueryevery where, and looke well vntounto our ſelues that we be not made a prey vntounto 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 vntounto God, and by earneſt prayer deſire him to deliuer vsus from wicked and vnreaſonable men. 2 Theſ. 3.2All our hope and confidence muſt be in him,2 Sam. 24.13.1…. and let vsus pray with David, that the Lord would rather take vsus into his owne hand to correct vsus, and not ſuffer vsus to fall into the hands of men, for with him there is mercy. Hee remembreth whereof we be made, Pſ. 103.14he conſidereth that wee are but dust. And indeed in this hath the Lord heard and anſwered his people, that howſoeuer for our ſins we hauehave taſted of the Lords Rod, by Famine, Peſtilence, ſtrange diſeaſes, vnſeaſonable weather, &c. Yet the Lord hath not made vsus 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 the den, Ioſeph puniſhed as an Adulterer, Paul impriſoned for preaching the Goſpel, and the Baptist beheaded,Mar. 6.27. yea the better the Chriſtian, the more obnoxious and liable to wrongs, & it muſt needs be ſo;
Firſt, in regard of that implacable Reaſ. 1 rage and malice that the wicked beare againſt the Godly. For it was through the enuie of the people that Chriſt was put to death,Mat. 27.18 for they had no iuſt accuſation againſt Chriſt; How often doth Chriſt cleare his innocency, what euill hauehave I done? and which of you can reproue me of ſin?
Reaſ. 2 Secondly, in the Iudgement of the men of the world the godly are eſteemed naught, meaſuring others by themſelues. Thus dealt they with Chriſt. We hauehave found this man a peſtilent Fellow, Luk 23.2.and an enemy to Caeſar.
Reaſ. 3 But the maine ground hereof is this, becauſe the life and converſation of the Godly is not after the manner of the world; and their wiſe, their ſober, and holy life ſeemes to vpbraid, and condemne the euill practiſes of the world.
Vſe 1 Which ſerues firſt to condemne that Tenet of the Church of Rome, who wil allow no Church but ſuch a Church as is floriſhing and viſible, and meaſure the truth of it, by the floriſhing light and reputation of Eccleſiaſticall order, as if Chriſt hath changed his cogniſance, the Croſſe and the taking vp of the Croſſe, to the Imperious lifting vp of the Scepter, …or the Croſiar, now more dreadfull then the Scepter.
Secondly, let this admoniſh vsus Vſe 2 …o bee wary how wee cenſure o…hers, ſeeing the moſt innocent hauehave ſuffered, neither by mens …nds heere are wee to iudge of mens eſtates heereafter. Many ſay of the Godly in time of afflictiō, as the Iewes did of Chriſt, He truſted in God let him deliuer him. Let vsus ſee what his religion and forwardneſſe will now auaile him; But thus dealeth the Lord many times with the beſt Chriſtian, whileſt a wicked man is ſuffered to run on to deſtruction.
Thirdly, if thou be a Chriſtian Vſe 3 and beeſt falſly accuſed euen of moſt heinous crimes, or ſpitefully intreated with ſcofs, and reproaches, eſteemed a malefactor▪ yea and ſuffer for the ſame, this may not be grieuous vntounto vsus, in aſmuch as the ſame befell our Lord Ieſus Chriſt himſelfe in a worſe meaſure and manner the… they can befall vsus. But we ough… with much patience to poſſeſſe our Soules, for that our Brethren▪ and Maſter too, hauehave troade th… ſame preſſe before vsus.
And to this end conſider further.
Motiues to ſuffer wrong.Firſt that heerein we ſhall bee but conformable vntounto Chriſt our head, who ſuffered as an euill doer at the hands of the wicked.
Secondly, all the diſgraces, reproches and outward miſeries that can be layd vponupon vsus by the wicked, cannot take away du… innocency, nor make vsus vnhappy, I will not part with my innocency vntill I dye, ſaith Iob.
Thirdly, though wee doe not deſerue ſuch diſgraces or reproches from men, yet the Lord is iuſt in his iudgements; and for ſome ſecret ſin or other, may permit wicked men thus to reuile & abuſe vsus; for howſoeuer wee deſerue them not with men, wee are not innocent before God.
Thirdly, for the manner of his death, of all kinds of deaths, now in vſe amongſt the Iewes, this kind of death was moſt ſhamefull, painefull, and moſt accurſed, to be Crucified. This kind of death was pronounced accurſed by God himſelfe. Hee that is hanged is accurſed of God: Deut. 21.23. Gal. 3.13.and ſo ſaith the Apoſtle, He was made a curſe for vsus.
Doct. 3 Chriſt died an accurſed death.Now Chriſt in the prouidence of God his Father was to dye this accurſed death, this ſhamefull, painefull, and moſt ignominious death.
And heerein it is requiſite that wee ſhould not looke ſo much vponupon the malice of the Iewes, of Herod, or of Pilate, of the high-Prieſt, or of the people, for theſe all were but the Lords Inſtruments, to ſerue his purpoſe and decree, as it is ſayd, Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and people of Iſrael, Act. 4.27.28.were gathered together for to doe whatſoeuer thy hand and thy councell determined before to be done.
Queſt. But why was Chriſt to dye this kind of death aboue al other?
Anſ. There are many reaſons wherfore Chriſt was thus to dye, and to ſuffer this kind of death.
Firſt, it was the Decree and Councell of God that it ſhould be ſo.Act. 2.23.
Secondly, that heerein and heereby it might appeare that Chriſt was the true Meſsiah, and Sauiour that was promiſed of old, vntounto the Fathers, for ſo ſaith Chriſt:Io 8.28. When ye hauehave lift vp the Son of Man then ſhal ye know that I am he.
Thirdly, that herein and hereby Chriſt might anſwere all thoſe Types in the time of the Law,Leuit. 10.15. Leuit. 7.20 concerning Chriſt. As namely the Heaue offering, which was to be lifte vp and ſhaken from the right hand vntounto the left, ſignifiing indeed the ſpreading abroad of Chriſts armes on the tree.
And that of Iſaac layd vponupon the wood,Gen. 22.10 with the brazen Serpent erected vponupon a pole,Num. 21.8 all which were liuely Types and figures of Chriſt.
Fourthly, that all thoſe ſeueral prophecyes made before of the Meſiah to come, might hauehave their period and determination in him. viz.
They pearced my hands and feete. Pſ. 2….17.And againe,
They ſhall deliuer him to the Gentiles, and they ſhall mocke him, and ſcourge him, and crucifie him.
Fiftly, that thoſe conſequents of ſin, ſhame, paine, and the curſe, might through the ſufferings of the Lord Ieſus be taken away: as indeed they are vntounto all true beleeuers through Chriſt.
Who hath borne our ſhame, ſuffering with two Malefactors.
Paine, being racked and diſioynted Pſal. 22.14.
The curſe, being hanged on a tree.
And thus indeed in all theſe reſpects it was expedient that Chriſt ſhould thus bee crucified, and ſuffer this kinde of death, That the Scripture might be fullfilled, Io. 18.32.ſignifying what death hee ſhould dye.
But eſpecially it was moſt expedient that Chriſt ſhould ſuffer this ſhamefull, ignominious, and curſed death, that ſo hee might beare the curſe of the law, and the wrath of God for vsus, that wee might bee made Heyres of the bleſſing: for ſo ſaith the Apoſtle, He was made vnderunder the law, Gal. 4.4. Gal. 3.13.that hee might redeeme them which were vnderunder the law, that we might receiue the adoption of Sons.
Now this curſe and malediction of the law hath Chriſt vndergone for vsus, according to that prophecy of old:Eſay 53.4. He bare our infirmities, and carried our ſins. He was wounded for our Tranſgreſſions, hee was broken for our iniquities, he made his ſoule an offering for ſin, the chaſtiſment of our peace was vponupon him.
And thus was Chriſt made vnderunder the law, the law deeming and reputing Chriſt the Tranſgreſſor, and inflicting vponupon him both in ſoul and body, the whole curſe and malediction of the law. And indeed the wrath of God for the ſins of the world lay ſo heauy vponupon him as that it pierced his very ſoule: For had Chriſt ſuffred onelyonly in body, then had he onelyonly ouercome a bodily death, & then were our eſtate moſt miſerable.
But our ſinnes hauing deſerued not onelyonly a bodily death, but euen the ſecond death, the death of body and ſoule; it was therefore neceſſarie that Chriſt ſhould ſatisfie the wrath and Iuſtice of his Father for both.
And indeed whence was it tha… when that his bitter death approched, he began to be ſo ſorrowfull and heauie? whence was it that he ſaid vntounto his diſciples, My ſoule is heauy, &c. whence was it that he fell ſo often vponupon his face and prayed, Father, if it be poſsible let this cup paſſe from me?
Whence was it that an Angell was faine to come from heauen to comfort him?
Whence was it that he prayed groueling his face to the earth, whē his ſweat was drops of bloud trickling downe to the ground?
Whence, I ſay, was all this, but from thoſe bitter pangs that he felt in his ſoule; his ſoule being made an offering for ſinne?
But how could God be iuſt in Queſt. 1 puniſhing an innocent for the nocent?
We muſt conſider Chriſt in his ſufferings, not as a debtor, Anſw. but as a ſuretie and a pledge betwixt God and vsus, who had vndertaken for vsus: Therefore he ſuffered not as guiltie in himſelfe, but perſonating vsus that were guiltie.
Now it ſtands with the courſe of Iuſtice to lay the debtors action vponupon the Suretie, eſpecially being willing and able to ſatisfie the ſame.
Queſt. 2 But Chriſts death was ſhort, and but for a little time, and the ſinnes of mankinde deſerued an euerlaſting puniſhment, how then could this finite death of Chriſt anſwer for ſuch an infinite debt?
Anſw. This proceeds from the dignitie and worth of the perſon that doth ſuffer, and that is the Lord Ieſus Chriſt himſelfe, in reſpect of his Humanitie, which was more then if all mankinde vntounto the end of the world ſhould hauehave ſuffered the wrath of God in Hell for euer.
Seeing then that Chriſt was Vſe 1 thus to vndergo this accurſed death, to free all the elect from the curſe of the Law and death: This ſhewes firſt of all the miſerie of eueryevery wicked man, and impenitent ſinner, that is not reconciled vntounto God in Ieſus Chriſt, that hath no part nor portion in Chriſts ſufferings, againſt whom the Law is yet in force. To ſuch an impenitent ſinner do I ſpeake, whatſoeuer Chriſt ſuffered here, in ſome ſort reſts for thee to ſuffer; thou that art a ſwearer, drunkard, prophane perſon, that liueſt yet in thy naturall eſtate, and art not transformed into Chriſts death, and by faith made a member of Chriſt: Thou lyeſt yet in thy ſinnes, art vnderunder the curſe and malediction of the Law: Chriſt hath in no wiſe vndertaken for thee, but thou thy ſelfe muſt one day beare the ſhame, curſe, and puniſhment due for thy ſinnes. Oh the miſery of eueryevery impenitent ſinner! were this duely conſidered, it would dampe all the preſent pleaſures of the wicked, and ſet them on worke to make their peace with God.
Vſe 2 Secondly, ſeeing Chriſt muſt needs vndergo ſo ſhamefull, ignominious, and ſo curſed a death, and all for the ſatisfying of Gods Iuſtice for ſinne; we may here behold, as in a glaſſe, the curſed nature of ſinne. If we looke vponupon ſinne in our ſelues, and in thoſe miſeries it brings vponupon vsus here, we can neuer ſufficiently diſcouer the curſed nature thereof. But when we ſhall caſt our eyes vponupon the Lord Ieſus Chriſt himſelfe, and ſee him all to be racked and torne, crucified and tormented, agonizing water and bloud, yea crying out in the perplexitie of his ſoule, My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? This will let vsus ſee ſinne in the vgly face thereof.
And laſt of all, ſeeing that Vſe 3 Chriſt became thus obedient vntounto the Law, and by his ſufferings bare the full curſe and malediction of the ſame, and all to this end, to free vsus from the curſe, who were caſt men by the law, and adiudged to death; this may ſerue for matter of ſingular comfort and conſolation vntounto the godly: for now whenſoeuer Sathan ſhall accuſe them, they may then triumph ouer Sathan, hell, and death, with Saint Paul, Rom. 8.33Who ſhall lay any thing to the charge of Gods choſen: It is God that iuſtifieth, who is he that condemneth? It is Chriſt that dyed, &c. We hauehave therefore cauſe to reioyce in the Croſſe of Chriſt aboue all things, and to ſay with Paul, I deſire not to know any thing, but Chriſt and him crucified.
And thus much for Chriſts ſufferings.
Now we come to thoſe two Malefactours that were crucified together with Chriſt.
Text.(39. And one of the Theeues that were hanged, &c.)
Before we come to handle theſe words, two doubts are to be remoued.
Queſt. 1 In Moſes Law theft was puniſhed with reſtitution, If a man ſhall ſteale an oxe, Exod. 22.1or a ſheepe, and kill it, or ſell it, he ſhall reſtore fiue oxen for an oxe, and foure ſheepe for a ſheepe.
It may then bee demanded, How theft amongſt the Romans, and ſo likewiſe amongſt vsus, comes to be puniſhed with death?
This was a Iudiciall Law for a time, Anſw. and their countrie was more fruitfull then ours; and therefore were not ſo much hurt by ſtealing being rich, as we being poore.
Beſides our people are more cruell then they were, and therefore more ſharper puniſhments are to be prouided.
But ſome conceiue that the word in the originall is to be vnderſtood of ſuch theft as is ioyned with murther,foreign. and ſo to be vnderſtood of day-theeues, or robbers by the way ſide.
But Saint Matthew hath it thus, Queſt. 2 The theeues caſt it in his teeth: Mat. 27.44as if both of them had beene againſt Chriſt.
This is but More Scripturae, Anſw. Numerus pro numero: the Scriptures phraſe, one number put for another, like that of Saint Matthew, When the diſciples ſaw it, Ioh. 12.5.that ſhe poured a box of oyntment vponupon his head, they had indignation. Now Saint Iohn ſaith, that this was but one diſciple, Iudas.
Or elſe it may bee anſwered thus: That both were wicked at the firſt, and at laſt one repented and conuerted, leauing his rayling and mocking, and beleeueth in Chriſt.