-----·-- •Cor. 2. 1 S· Luke:,. ro. ttttt~tl~ttltO;fttt8t;·t8$! Heavens Happinefs. LUKE ::3. 43· To dayJhalt thou be with me in Partrdifr; ~~~~~~}~~E that p~trged o/fr fins is here difpoling of Parad,fe; at the fame ~ tunc_ when he hung on the Crolfc,cvcngi'Ving "P 1he .~hofl,hc is dcalmg Crowns and Kmgdoms to a poor penitent foul: thus like a -glorious Sun that breaks through the watry clouds ere it ~ appear unto us, our Saviou( (1hc Sun of rij!,htecufmf;) lhoots ~ forth Ius rayes of Majell:y through all his ft:ffcrings on a dejc(t. ,:@ ed !inner. Two malefaClors fu fftr W1th hun the one radson ~ · him, faying, If tholt be Clmft, [t<'ve th)' ftlf a~d"': but the other _prayes to him, Lord, Remcwbn me tvhtll thou come/f to thy Kingdome: in the midfl: ofh1s thraldom he proclaims his Kingdom arid whO,j11 he fees a Captive, he believes a Lord: Lor~, remember me: is it not llrange, that th.rough fo many,fuch thick clouds of m•fcry,:h•s dymg th1cf fhould behold his glory? but where grace aboundeth, what marvel IS 1t? The Nawral m.w k_no1vcth not 1he things of God, but he that isfpiriwal, difcemeth all thmgs. No fooner was this penitent thief conver– ted a Chrifl:ian, but on a fudden, even Oil the very rack of torture he confdfcth himfelf a !inner, and Chrifl: his Saviour; and therefore defircs to be rcmembredof him when he comes to heaven: Thus pouring out his foul in prayer, the Bridegroom tl"t bteame an harp, faith Bernard, (his Crojfe being the wood ; himfelfflretcht on it, theft;·ings i gndhis words, thefound) heark how he wrables the moll heavenly mufick that was ever chanted to a departing foul, To day jhalt thou be with me in Pt<radife. The words arc a Gofpel, fuch as the Angels brought to the Shepherds, Luke 2. 1 o. Behold,] bring'y011good tydings ofgreat joy,here istydings,good tydings; joy, andgreat joy, the grcatefl: happineff~ that ever could befall a mortal, now. waits on a malefac'lor; at that time when the executiOn was a domg, death approachmg, a;;d 1he horrors of ht!l laying hold upon him; when a word ofcomfort would have been mofl: feafonablc, lik§ applu ofgold in pictures ofji/ver : then comes our Savwur (as a melfen$er w1th a par– don) and he bids him be ofgood chear, there was happinclfc towards h1m: when ? to day] what? thou jhalt be with me] where? in Par,,difc.] Not a word but fpeaks com– fort to the afflicted foul; be he howfoever afflicted for the prefcnt, yet there fhall be a change · and the more to fweeten it, ' JrCelcrity, to day] Certainty, thou }halt be] Here is the< Society, with me] I Vbi, or place, where all JOY is enjoyed, in Paradife.] Thefc arc thofe four heads that iffue out ofEdw, may God give a blefling to thowa– tcring, thnt you may bear good fruit till you are planted in th~t garden, whereoftt IS fpoken, To dt~y ]halt thou be wsth me m Paradife.] We begm With the ccrtamty of th1s promife, Thou ]halt be] &r. · ThouJhalt be] TO this purpofc was that affevcration, Ve.rifJ.: ve; ily 1fayumo th;eJ Nor is it e– nough that he af!irmcs it, but he affurcs ~t, '""thou jlwt: be.] n r/1 and f/;a/1 1s for the King and what is he !effc that bell:ows Kmgdomes on h1s fcrvapts? here was a poor ma~ defircs only to be remembred r.f him, and in fl:cad of remrmbring him,_ he rells him hejha/1 be JVith him: how? bur as a coheir of his Kingdomc. Blclfcd th1ef, t~:J
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