Flavel, Fountain of Life, File 32.
( ...continued from File 31)
Sermon 32. The third of Christ's last Words upon the Cross,
illustrated.
Luke 23:43
And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be
with me in paradise.
In this scripture you have the third excellent saying of Christ upon
the cross, expressing the riches of free grace to the penitent
thief; a man that had spent his life in wickedness, and for his
wickedness was now to lose his life. His practice had been vile and
profane, but now his heart was broken for it; he proves a convert,
yea, the first fruits of the blood of the cross. In the former verse
he manifests his faith, "Lord, remember me, when thou comest into
thy kingdom. In this Christ manifests his pardon and gracious
acceptance of him; "Verily I say unto thee, to-day shalt thou be
with me in paradise." In which promise are considerable, the matter
of it, the person to whom it is made, the time set for its
performance, and the confirmation of it for his full satisfaction.
First, The matter or substance of the promise made by Christ,
viz. That he shall be with him in paradise. By paradise he means
heaven itself, which is here shadowed to us by a place of delight
and pleasure. This is the receptacle of gracious souls, when
separated from their bodies. And that paradise signifies heaven
itself, and not a third place, as some of the fathers fondly
imagine, is evident from 2 Cor. 12: 2, 4. where the apostle calls
the same place by the names of the third heaven, and the paradise.
This is the place of blessedness designed for the people of God. So
you find, Rev. 2: 7. "To him that overcometh will I give to eat of
the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God;"
i.e. to have the fullest and most intimate communion with Jesus
Christ in heaven. And this is the substance of Christ's promise to
the thief: Thou, i.e. thou in spirit, or thou in the noblest part,
thy soul which here bears the image of the whole person; "Thou shalt
be with me in paradise."
Secondly, The person to whom Christ makes this excellent and
glorious promise: it was to one that had lived lewdly and profanely;
a very vile and wretched man, in all the former part of his time,
and, for his wickedness, now justly under condemnation; yea, to one
that had reviled Christ, after that sentence was executed on him.
However, now at last the Lord gave him a penitent believing heart.
Now, almost at the last gasp, he is soundly, in an extraordinary way
converted; and, being converted, he owns and professes Christ amidst
all the shame and reproach of his death; vindicates his innocence,
and humbly supplicates for mercy; "Lord, remember me when thou
comest into thy kingdom."
Thirdly, The set time for the performance of this gracious
promise: Today, this very day, shalt thou be with me in glory: Not
after the resurrection, but immediately from the time of thy
dissolution, thou shalt enjoy blessedness. And here I cannot but
detect the cheat of those that deny an immediate state of glory to
believers after death; who, (to the end this scripture might not
stand in full opposition to their, as uncomfortable, as unsound
opinion), loose the whole frame of it, by drawing one pin, yea, by
transposing but a comma, putting it at the word day, which should be
at the word thee; and so reading it thus, "Verily I say unto thee
to-day," referring the word "day" to the time that Christ made the
promise, and not to the time of its performance. But if such a
liberty as this be yielded, what may not men make the scriptures
speak? There can be no doubt, but Christ, in this expression, fixes
the time for his happiness; "To-day thou shalt be with me.
Fourthly, and lastly, You have here the confirmation and seal
of this most comfortable promise to him, with Christ's solemn
asseveration; "Verily I say unto thee." Higher security cannot be
given. I that am able to perform what I promise, and have not out
promised myself; for heaven and the glory thereof, are mine: I that
am faithful and true to my promises, and have never forfeited my
credit with any; I say it, I solemnly confirm it; "Verily I say unto
thee, to-day thou shalt be with me in paradise." Hence we have three
plain obvious truths, for our instruction and consolation.
Doct. 1. That there is a future eternal state, into which souls
pass at death.
Doct. 2. That all believers are, at their death, immediately
received into a state of glory and eternal happiness.
Doct. 3. That God may, though he seldom does, prepare men for
this glory, immediately before their dissolution by death.
These are the useful truths resulting from this remarkable word
of Christ to the penitent thief. We will consider and improve them
in the order proposed.
Doct. 1. That there is a future eternal state, into which souls
pass at death.
This is a principal foundation-stone to the hopes and happiness
of souls. And seeing our hopes must needs be as their foundation and
ground work is, I shall briefly establish this truth by these five
arguments. The being of a God evinces it. The scriptures of truth
plainly reveal it. The consciences of all men have presentiments of
it. The incarnation and death of Christ is but a vanity without it;
and the immortality of human souls plainly discovers it.
Arg. 1. The being of a God undeniably evinces a future state
for human souls after this life. For, if there be a God who rules
the world which he has made, he must rule it by rewards and
punishments, equally and righteously distributed to good and bad;
putting a difference betwixt the obedient and disobedient. the
righteous and the wicked. To make a species of creatures capable of
a moral government, and not to rule them at all, is to make them in
vain, and is inconsistent with his glory, which is the last end of
all things. To rule them, but not suitably to their natures,
consists not with that infinite wisdom from which their beings
proceeded, and by which their workings are ruled and ordered. To
rule them, in a way suitably to their natures, viz. by rewards and
punishments, mid not to perform, or execute them at all, is utterly
incongruous with the veracity and truth of him that cannot lie: this
were to impose the greatest cheat in the world upon men, and can
never proceed from the holy and true God. So then, as he has made a
rational sort of creatures, capable of moral government by rewards
and punishments; so he rules them in that way which is suitable to
their natures, promising "it shall be well with the righteous, and
ill with the wicked." These promises and threatening can be no
cheat, merely intended to scare and fright, where there is no
danger, or encourage where there is no real benefit; but what he
promises, or threatens, must be accomplished, and every word of God
take place and be fulfilled. But it is evident that no such
distinction is made by the providence of God (at least ordinarily
and generally) in this life; but all things coins alike to all; and
as with the righteous, so with the wicked. Yea, here it goes ill
with them that fear God; they are oppressed; they receive their evil
things, and wicked men their good; therefore we conclude, the
righteous Judge of the whole earth, will, in another world,
recompense to every one according as his work shall be.
Arg. 2. Secondly, And as the very being of God evinces it, so
the scriptures of truth plainly reveal it. These scriptures are the
pandect, or system of the laws, for the government of man; which the
wise and holy Ruler of the world has enacted and ordained for that
purpose. And in them we find promises made to the righteous, of a
full reward for all their obedience, patience, and sufferings in the
next life or world to come; and threatening, made against the
wicked, of eternal wrath and anguish, as the just recommence of
their sin in hell for ever, Rom. 2: 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. "Thou
treasures up to thyself wrath against the day of wrath, and
revelation of the righteous judgement of God; who will render to
every man according to his deeds: to them who, by patient
continuance in well doing, seek for glory, and honour, and
immortality, eternal life: but unto them that are contentious, and
obey not the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that does evil, &c."
So 2 Thess. 1: 4, 5, 6, 7. "So that we ourselves glory in you, in
the churches of God, for your patience and faith in all your
persecutions and tribulations that ye endure: which is (a manifest
token) of the righteous judgement of God, that ye may be counted
worthy of the kingdom of God for which ye also suffer; seeing it is
a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that
trouble you: and to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord
Jesus shall be revealed from heaven in flaming fire, &c." To these
plain testimonies, multitudes might be added, if it were needful.
Heaven and earth shall pass away, but these words shall never pass
away.
Arg. 3. Thirdly, As the scriptures reveal it, so the
consciences of all men have borne presentiments of it. Where is the
man whose conscience never felt any impressions of hope, or fear,
from a future world? If it is said, these may be but the effects and
force of discourse, or education; we have read such things in the
scriptures, or have heard it by preachers; and so raise up to
ourselves hopes and fears about it. I demand, how the consciences of
the Heathens, who have neither scriptures nor preachers, came to be
impressed with these things? Does not the apostle tell us, Rom. 2:
15. "That their consciences in the mean while work upon these
things?" their thoughts, with reference to a future state, accuse,
or else excuse, i.e. their hearts are cheered and encouraged by the
good they do, and terrified with fears about the evils they commit.
Whereas, if there were no such things, conscience would neither
accuse nor excuse for good or evil done in this world.
Arg. 4. Fourthly, The incarnation and death of Christ, are but
vanity without it. What did he propose to himself, or what benefit
have we by his coming, if there be no such future state? Did he take
our nature, and suffer such terrible things in it for nothing! If
you say, Christians have much comfort from it in this life: I
answer, the comforts they have are raised by faith and expectation
of the happiness to be enjoyed, as the purchase of his blood, in
heaven. And if there be no such heaven to which they are appointed,
no hell from which they are redeemed, they do but comfort themselves
with a fable, and bless themselves with a thing of nought: their
comfort is no greater than the comfort of a beggar, that dreams he
is a king, and when he awakes, finds himself a beggar still. Surely
the ends of Christ's death were to deliver us from the wrath to
come, 1 Thess. 1: 10. not from an imaginary, but a real hell, to
bring us to God, 1 Pet. 3: 18. to be the author of eternal salvation
to them that obey him, Heb. 5: 9.
Arg. 5. Fifthly and lastly, The immortality of human souls,
puts it beyond all doubt. The soul of man, vastly differs from that
of a beast, which is but a material form, and so wholly depending
on, that it must need perish with matter. But it is not so with
ours: Ours are reasonable spirits, that can live and act in a
separated state from the body, Eccles. 3: 21. "Who knoweth the
spirit of man, that goes upward; and the spirit of a beast, that
goes downward to the earth?" For if a man dispute whether man be
rational, this his very disputing it proves him to be so: so our
disputes, hopes, fears, and apprehensions of eternity, prove our
souls immortal, and capable of that state.
Inference 1. Is there an eternal state, into which souls pass
after this life? How precious then is present time, upon the
improvement whereof that state depends. O what a huge weight has God
hanged upon a small wire! God has set us here in a state of trial:
"According as we improve these few hours, so will it fare with us to
all eternity." Every day, every hour, nay, every moment of your
present time has an influence into your eternity. Do you believe
this? What! and yet squander away precious time so carelessly, so
vainly! How do these things consist? When Seneca heard one promise
to spend a week with a friend that invited him, to recreate himself
with him; he told him, he admired he should make such a rash
promise! What (said he) cast away so considerable a part of your
life? How can you do it? Surely, our prodigality in the expense of
time, argues we have but little sense of great eternity.
Inference 2. How rational are all the difficulties, and
severities of religion, which serve to promote and secure a future
eternal happiness? So vast is the disproportion betwixt time and
eternity, things seen, and not seen as yet, the present vanishing,
and future permanent state, that he can never be justly reputed a
wise man, that will not let go the best enjoyment he has on earth,
if it stand in the way of his eternal happiness. Nor can that man
ever escape the just censure of notorious folly, who, for the
gratifying of his appetite and present accommodation of his flesh,
lets go an eternal glory in heaven. Darius repented heartily that he
lost a kingdom for a draught of water; O, said he, "for how short a
pleasure have I sold a kingdom!" It was Moses' choice, and his
choice argued his wisdom, he chose rather "to suffer afflictions
with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin, which
are but for a season," Heb. 11: 25. Men do not account him a fool,
that will adventure a penny, upon a probability to gain ten thousand
pounds. But sure the disproportion betwixt time and eternity is much
greater.
Inf. 3. If there certainly be such an eternal state into which
souls pass immediately after death; How great a change then does
death make upon every man and upon every man and woman? O what a
serious thing is it to die! It is your passage out of the swift
river of time, into the boundless and bottomless ocean of eternity.
You that now converse with sensible objects, with men and women like
yourselves, enter then into the world of spirits. You that now see
the continual revolutions of days and nights, passing away one after
another, will then be fixed in a perpetual NOW. O what a serious
thing is death! You throw a cast for eternity when you die. If you
were to cast a die for your natural life, O! how would your hand
shake with fear, how it would fall! But what is that to this?
The souls of men are, as it were, asleep now in their bodies;
at death they awake, and find themselves in the world of realities.
Let this teach you, both how to carry yourselves towards dying
persons when you visit them; and to make every day some provision
for that hour yourselves. Be serious, be plain, be faithful with
others that are stepping into eternity; be so with your own souls
every day. O remember what a long word, what an amazing thing
eternity is! especially considering,
Doct. 2. That all believers are, at their death, immediately
received into a state of glory and eternal happiness.
This day shalt thou be with me.
This the Atheist denies: He thinks he shall die, and therefore
resolves to live as the beasts that perish. Beryllus, and some
others after him, taught, that there was indeed a future state of
happiness and misery for souls, but that they pass not into it
immediately upon death and separation from the body, but shall sleep
till the resurrection, and then awake and enter into it. But is not
that soul asleep, or worse, that dreams of a sleeping soul till the
resurrection? Are souls so wounded and prejudiced by their
separation from the body, that they cannot subsist or act separate
from it? Or have they found any such conceit in the scriptures? Not
at all. The scriptures take notice of no such interval; but plainly
enough denies it, 2 Cor. 5: 8. "We are confident, I say, and willing
rather to be absent from the body, and present with the Lord." Mark
it, no sooner parted from the body, but present with the Lord. So
Phil. 1: 23. "I desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ, which
is far better." If his soul was to sleep till the resurrection, how
was it far better to be dissolved, than to live? Sure Paul's state
in the body had been far better than his state after deaths if this
were so; for here he enjoyed much sweet communion with God by faith,
but then he should enjoy nothing.
To confirm this dream, they urge, John 14: 3. "If I go away, I
will come attain, and receive you to myself". As if the time of
Christ's receiving his people to himself, should not come, until his
second coming at the end of the world. But though he will then
collect all believers into one body, and present them solemnly to
his Father; yet that hinders not, but he may, as indeed he does,
receive every particular believing soul to himself at death, by the
ministry of angels. And if not, how is it that when Christ comes to
judgement, he is attended with ten thousand of his saints, that
shall follow him when he comes from heaven? Jude 14. You see then
the scripture puts no interval betwixt the dissolution of a saint,
and his glorification: It speaks of the saints that are dead, as
already with the Lord: And the wicked that are dead, as already in
hell, calling them spirits in prison, 1 Pet. 3: 19, 20. assuring us,
that Judas went presently to his own place, Acts 1: 25. And to that
sense, is the parable of Dives and Lazarus, Luke 16: 22.
But let us weigh these four things more particularly, for our
full satisfaction in this point.
Arg. 1. First, Why should the happiness of believers be
deferred, since they are immediately capable of enjoying it, as soon
as separated from the body? Alas, the soul is so far from being
assisted by the body (as it is now) for the enjoyment of God; that
it is either clogged or hindered by it: So speaks the apostle, 2
Cor. 5: 6, 8. "Whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from
the Lord;" i.e. our bodies prejudice our souls, obstruct and hinder
the fulness and freedom of their communion: When we part from the
body, we go home to the Lord! then the soul is escaped as a bird out
of a cage or snare. Here I am prevented by an excellent pen, which
has judiciously opened this point: To whose excellent observations I
only add this; That if the entanglements, snares, and prejudices of
the soul are so great and many in its embodied estate, that it
cannot so freely dilate itself and take in the comforts of God by
communion with him, then surely the laying aside of that clog, or
the freeing of the soul from that burden, can be no bar to its
greater happiness, which it enjoys in its separated state.
Arg. 2. Secondly, Why should the happiness and glory of the
soul be deferred, unless God had some farther preparative work to do
upon it, before it be fit to be admitted into glory? But surely,
here is no such work wrought upon it after its separation by death:
all that is done of that kind, is done here. When the compositum is
dissolved, all means, duties, and ordinances are ceased. The working
day is then ended, and night comes, when no man can work, John 9: 3.
To that purpose are those words of Solomon, Eccles. 9: 10.
"Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might; for
there is no wisdom, nor knowledge, nor device in the grave whither
thou goest." So that our glorification is not deferred, in order to
our fuller preparation for glory. If we are not fit when we die, we
can never be fit: all is done upon us that ever was intended to be
done; for they are called, Heb. 12: 23. the spirits of the just made
perfect.
Arg. 3. Thirdly, Again, Why should our salvation slumber, when
the damnation of the wicked does not slumber? God defers not their
misery; and surely he will not defer our glory. If he be quick with
his enemies, he will not be slow and dilatory with his friends. It
cannot be imagined, but he is as much inclined to acts of favour to
his children, as to acts of justice to his enemies; these are
presently damned, Jude, ver. 7. Acts 1: 25. 1 Pet. 3: 19, 20. And
what reason why believers, yea, every believer, as well as this in
the text, should not be, that very day in which they die, with
Christ in glory?
Arg. 4. Fourthly, and lastly, How do such delays consist with
Christ's ardent desires to have his people with him where he is, and
with the vehement longings of their souls to be with Christ? You may
see those reflected flames of love and desire of mutual enjoyment
betwixt the bridegroom and his spouse in Rev. 22: 17, 20. Delays
make their hearts sick: the expectation and faith in which the
saints die, is to be satisfied then; and surely God will not deceive
them. I deny not but their glory will be more complete when the
body, their absent friend, is reunited, and made to share with them
in their happiness; yet that hinders not, but meanwhile the soul may
enjoy its glory, whilst the body takes its rest, and sleeps in the
dust.
Inference 1. Are believers immediately with God after their
dissolution? Then how surprisingly glorious will heaven be to
believers! Not that they are in it before they think of it, or are
fitted for it; no, they have spent many thoughts upon it before, and
been long preparing for it; but the suddenness and greatness of the
change is amazing to our thoughts. For a soul to be now here in the
body, conversing with men, living among sensible objects, and within
a few moments to be with the Lord; this hour on earth, the next in
the third heaven; now viewing this world, and anon standing among an
innumerable company of angels, and the spirits of the just made
perfect: O what a change is this! What! but wink, and see God!
Commend thy soul to Christ, and be transferred in the arms of angels
into the invisible world, the world of spirits! To live as angels of
God? To live without eating, drinking. sleeping! To be lifted up
from a bed of sickness to a throne of glory! To leave a sinful,
troublesome world, a sick and pained body, and be in a moment
perfectly cured, and feel thyself perfectly well, and free from all
troubles and distempers! You cannot think what this will be! Who can
tell what sights, what apprehensions, what thoughts, what frames
believing souls have, before the bodies they left are removed from
the eyes of their dear surviving friends!
Inf. 2. Are believers immediately with God after their
dissolution? Where then shall the unbelievers be, and in what state
will they find themselves immediately after death has closed their
eyes? Ah! what will the case of them be that go the other way?
To be plucked out of house and body, from among friends and
comforts, and thrust into endless miseries, into the dark vault of
hell, never to see the light of this world any more; never to see a
comfortable sight; never to hear a joyful sound; never to know the
meaning of rest, peace, or delight any more. O what a change is
here! To exchange the smiles and honours of men, for the frowns and
fury of God; to be clothed with flames, and drink the pure unmixed
wrath of God, who were but a few days since clothed in silks, and
filled with the sweet of the creature! How is the state of things
altered with them! It was the lamentable cry of poor Adrian, when he
felt death approaching: "O my poor wandering soul! alas! whither art
thou going! Where must thou lodge this night! Thou shalt never jest
more, never be merry more!"
Your term in your houses and bodies is out, and there is
another habitation provided for you; but it is a dismal one! When a
saint dies, heaven above is as it were moved to receive and
entertain him; at his coming, he is received into everlasting
habitations, into the inheritance of the saints in light. When an
unbeliever dies, we may say of him alluding to Isa. 14: 9. "Hell
from beneath is moved for him, to meet him at his coming; ii
stirreth up the dead for him." No more sports, nor plays, nor cups
of wine, nor beds of pleasure: the more of these you enjoyed here,
the more intolerable will this change be to you. If saints are
immediately with God, others must be immediately with Satan.
Inf. 3. How little cause have they to fear death, who shall be
with God so soon after their death? Some there are that tremble at
the thoughts of death; that cannot endure to hear its name
mentioned; they would rather stoop to any misery here, yea, to any
sin, than die, because they are afraid of the exchange. But you that
are interested in Christ, need not do so; you can lose nothing by
the exchange: the words Death, Grave, and Eternity, should have
another kind of sound in your ears, and make contrary impressions
upon your hearts. If your earthly tabernacles cast you out, you
shall not be found naked; you have "a building of God, a house not
made with hands, eternal in the heavens;" and it is but a step out
of this into that. O what fair, sweet, and lovely thoughts should
you have of that great and last change! But what speak I of your
fearlessness of death? Your duty lies much higher than that far.
Inf. 3. If believers are immediately with God, after their
dissolution, then it is their duty to long for that dissolution, and
cast many a longing look towards their graves. So did Paul, I desire
to be dissolved, and to be with Christ, which is far better. The
advantages of this exchange are unspeakable: You have gold for
brass; wine for water; substance for shadow: solid glory for very
vanity. Oh! if the dust of this earth were but once blown out of
your eyes, that you might see the divine glory, how weary would you
be to live? How willing to die; But then be sure your title be sound
and good: leave not so great a concernment to the last; for, though
it is confessed, God may do that in an hour, that never was done all
your days, yet it is not common; which brings to our third and last
observation.
Doct. 3. That God may, though he seldom does, prepare men for
glory immediately before their dissolution by death.
There is one parable, and no more, that speaks of some that
were called at the last hour, Matt. 20: 9, 10. And there is this one
instance in the text, and no more, that gives us an account of a
person so called. We acknowledge God may do it, his grace is his
own, he may dispense it how and where he pleaseth: we must always
salve divine prerogative. Who shall fix bounds, or put limits to
free grace, but God himself, whose it is? If he do not ordinarily
show such mercies to dying sinners (as indeed he does not); yet it
is not because he cannot, but because he will not; not because their
hearts are so hardened by long custom in sin, that his grace cannot
break them, but because he most justly withholds that grace from
them. When blessed Mr. Bilney, the martyr, heard a minister
preaching thus: O thou old sinner, thou hast lain these fifty years
rotting in thy sin, dost thou think now to be saved? That the blood
of Christ shall save thee? O, said Mr. Bilney, what preaching of
Christ is this? If I had heard no other preaching than this, what
had become of me? No, no, old sinners, or young sinners, great or
small sinners, are not to be beaten off from Christ, but encouraged
to repentance and faith; for who knows but the bowels of mercy may
yearn at last upon one that has all along rejected it? This thief
was as unlikely ever to receive mercy, but a few hours before he
died, as any person in the world could be.
But surely this is no encouragement to neglect the present
seasons of mercy, because God may show mercy hereafter; or to
neglect the ordinary, because God sometimes manifests his grace in
ways extraordinary. Many, I know, have hardened themselves in ways
of sin, by this example of mercy. But what God did at this time, for
this man, cannot be expected to be done ordinarily for us, and the
reasons thereof are:
Reason 1. First, Because God has vouchsafed us the ordinary and
standing means of grace, which this sinner had not; and therefore we
cannot expect such extraordinary and unusual conversion as he had.
This poor creature never heard in all likelihood, one sermon
preached by Christ, or any of his apostles: He lived the life of a
highwayman, and concerned not himself about religion. But we have
Christ preached freely, and constantly in our assemblies: We have
line upon line, precept upon precept: and when God affords the
ordinary preaching of the gospel, he does not use to work wonders.
When Israel was in the wilderness, then God gave them bread from
heaven, and clave the rocks to give them drink; but when they came
to Canaan, where they had the ordinary means of subsistence, the
manna ceased.
Reason 2. Secondly, Such a conversion as this, may not be
ordinarily expected by any man, because such a time as that will
never come again: it is possible, if Christ where to die again, and
thou to be crucified with him, thou mightest receive thy conversion
in such a miraculous and extraordinary way; but Christ dies no more;
such a day as that will never come again.
Mr. Fenner, in his excellent discourse upon this point, tells
us, That as this was an extraordinary time, Christ being now to be
installed in his kingdom, and crowned with glory and honour; so
extraordinary things were now done; as when kings are crowned, the
streets are richly hanged, the conduits run with wine, great
malefactors are then pardoned, for then they show their munificence
and bounty; it is the day of the gladness of their hearts. But let a
man come at another time to the conduits, he shall find no wine, but
ordinary water there. Let a man be in the jail at another time, and
he may be hanged; veer, and have no reason but to expect and prepare
for it. What Christ did now for this man, was at an extraordinary
time.
Reason 3. Thirdly, Such a conversion as this may not ordinarily
be expected; for as such a time will never come again, so there will
never be the like reason for such a conversion any more: Christ
converted him upon the cross, to give an instance of his divine
power at that time, when it was almost wholly clouded: Look, as in
that day the divinity of Christ brake forth in several miracles, as
the preternatural eclipse of the sun, the great earthquake, the
rending of the rocks and vail of the temple; so in the conversion of
this man in such an extraordinary way, and all, to give evidence of
the divinity of Christ, and prove him to be the Son of God whom they
crucified; but that is now sufficiently confirmed, and there will be
no more occasion for miracles to evidence it.
Reason 4. Fourthly. None has reason to expect the like
conversion, that enjoys the ordinary means; because, though in this
convert we have a pattern of what free grace can do, yet, as divines
pertinently observe, it is a pattern without a promise; God has not
added any promise to it, that ever he will do it for any other; and
where we have not a promise to encourage our hope, our hope can
signify but little to us.
Inference 1. Let those that have found mercy in the evening of
their life, admire the extraordinary race that therein has appeared
to them. O that ever God should accept the bran, when Satan has had
the flour of thy days! The fore-mentioned reverend author tells us
of one Marcus Caius Victorius, a very aged man in the primitive
times, who was converted from Heathenism to Christianity in his old
age. This man came to Simplicianus, a minister, and told him, he
heartily owned and embraced the Christian faith. But neither he nor
the church would trust him for a long time; and the reason was, the
unusualness of a conversion at such an age. But after he had given
them good evidence of the reality thereof, there were acclamations
and singing of Psalms, the people every where crying, Marcus Caius
Victorius is become a Christian. This was written for a wonder! Oh!
if God have wrought such wondrous salvation for any of you, what
cause have you to do more for him than others! What! to pluck you
out of hell when one foot was in! To appear to you at last, when so
hardened by long custom in sin, that one might say, "Can the
Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Oh! what riches
of mercy halve appeared to you!
Inf. 2. Let this convince and startle such, as even to their
gray hairs, remain in an unconverted state, who are where they were
when they first came into the world, yea, rather further off by
much.
Bethink yourselves, ye that are full of days, and full of sin,
whose time is almost done, and your great work not begun: who have
but a few sands more in the upper part of the glass to run down, and
then your conversion will be impossible; your sun is setting; your
night is coming; the shadows of the evening, are stretched out upon
you; you have one foot in the grave, and the other in hell. O think,
if all sense and tenderness be not withered up as well as natural
verdure; think with yourselves how sad a case you are in: God may do
wonders, but they are not seen every day, then they would cease to
be wondered at. O strive, strive, while you have a little time, and
a few helps and means more; strive to get that work accomplished now
that was never done yet; defer it no longer, you have done so too
much already.
It may be (to use Seneca's expression) you have been these
sixty, seventy, or eighty years, beginning to live, about to change
your tactics; but hitherto you still continue the same. Do not you
see how Satan has gulled, and cheated you with vain purposes, till
he has brought you to the very brink of the grave and hell? O it is
time now to make a stand, and pause a little where you are, and to
what he has brought you. The Lord at last give you an eye to see,
and an heart to consider.
Inf. 3. Lastly, Let this be a call and caution to al young ones
to begin with God betime, and take heed of delays till the last, so
as many thousands have done before them to their eternal ruin. Now
is your time, if you desire to be in Christ; if you have any sense
of the weight and worth of eternal things upon your hearts: I know
your age is voluptuous, and delights not the serious thoughts of
death and eternity: you are more inclined to mind your pleasures,
and leave these grave and serious matters to old age: but let me
persuade you against that, by these considerations.
First, O set to the business of religion now, because this is
the moulding age. Now your hearts are tender, and your affections
flowing: now is the time when you are most likely to be wrought
upon.
Secondly, Now, because this is the freest part of your time. It
is in the morning of your life, as in the morning of the day: if a
man have any business to be done, let him take the morning for it;
for in the after part of the day a hurry of business comes on, so
that you either forget it, or want opportunity for it.
Thirdly, Now, because your life is immediately uncertain; you
are not certain that ever you shall attain the years of your
fathers: there are graves in the church-yard just of your length;
and souls of all sorts and sizes in Golgotha, as the Jews proverb
is.
Fourthly, Now, because God wil1 not spare you because you are
but young sinners, little sinners, if you die Christless. If you are
not; as you think, old enough to mind Christ, surely, if you die
Christless, you are old enough to be damned: there is the small
spray, as well as great logs in the fire of hell.
Fifthly, Now, because your life will be the more eminently
useful, and serviceable to God, when you know him betimes, and begin
with him early. Austin repented, and so have many thousands since,
that he began so late, and knew God no sooner.
Sixthly, Now, because your life will be the sweeter to you,
when the morning of it is dedicated to the Lord. The first fruits
sanctify the whole harvest: this will have a sweet influence into
all your days, whatever changes, straits, or troubles you may
afterwards meet with.
(continued in file 33...)
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