Theconue,fiondamTheck the good Theefe. Ser.il.o 62.I curry way miraculous. qui indulgeat : Gods mereieknower no bounds , nor limits. Let min cell, andGodwill Beare : let man repent, andGodwill forgive. We indeedreceive thingsworthyofthat wehauedone, but thisman bath done nothing amiffé. This whole Hiflorie dothdepend vpon rhefefo are points. The fill} poìnt,are thole motiues, whichmoved this Theefe tobe conuerted. The fecond , Thegreat good hap that he had. The third, Thediligence that hevied onbispart , that Godmight.pardonand fauour him. The fourth and laft, The fauour that he did him,andthe great reward heebe- flowed vponhim. Amongft ocher Motiues, the firfl (hall be theTitle of the Croffe, relies Naze- renru Rex ludaorum,Ieftrsof Nazareth Kingofthelevees. It wasprophcfied, That Matinesivan- his Kingdome fhould take it's beginning from the Croffe, .Domino regnabit à cingthe tucc. ii no. The Iewcs did fecretly honour the wordá ligno; The Saintsdid openlyre- r h sconucr- uerenceit. Chriflhad giuen great pledges inhisbirth, that hee was a King , by n. Angels, Shepheards, and Kings ; In his life, by the obedience of all forts of creatures, Who is thiswhen; the winds andfasobey r By the voicesof the Diuells themfelues, by thewhips ofthe Temple, andby his laft Supper. Herebeefosse Handing here which(hall not tafe ofdeathvntill,&c. In his pafïion. My kingdomis not of this world; andye [hall fee the Son ofman ramming in power. But in his death hee gaue farre greater pledges. All the creatures gage tefrimonie of their Creator; The diuels cried out (fo (ayes Eufe6w Cefrienfs) Panmag- nno interijc. And howbeit, on Pilati andthe peoplespart,the Title of theCroft was placed there in fcoffe and fcorneof him; yet the diuineprouidence made vfe of rhefe liuing inüruments. Andas in thecreationhe walked on the waters,fo in the reparationofmankind,he paffedthrough punifhmentsand paines; ofour Sa- uiour Chrift,making their iefts turne toearnefl : The fame confideration being likewife tobe had,concerning the Crowne,theScepter,and the Robeofpurple, which in derifion theyput vpon him, &c. Hilarie and 8onauentureboth fay, That our SauiourChriflsPatience,was one great Motiue; Inheaven, the Father, theSonne,andtheHolyGbofl6earewitneJ ; In lob's` earth,theHoly Gbofl,Water,andBlood: All thefe teftimoniesproue the Diuinitieof Chrift. Butto let paffe thofe ofheauen; TheHoly Ghofl clothprooue that hee was aDivine perfon, whofe voyce was fo powerfull when the Spirittooke his leaue of hisbody, that it forced theCenturion to fay; Perefifins hei Brat ifie, Ma,.IS. Trudy this man wasthe SonofGod. The Water(whichwas miraculous) prooues, that hewas a Diuine perfon; for it is-not poflìble , that water (Mould naturally flowe from adeadbody. The Blood,that prooues it, not onely in regard ofit's ntuchneffe, but that it was fliedwith fomuch patience. Por though his wounds were many, and his torments great, yet likea fheepe before the Shearer, he ne- uer once opened his mouth, or fhew'd the leaf} refìftance. And Euthynires, and Theophylacl adde, That the prayer which heheard himmake to his Father, Fa- therforgiae them ; (whichwas ti,e flat that hevtteredon the Croffe) did worke that amafenienr in this thcefe, That he faidwith himfelfe, Sure this is no man : And thereupon began to haue an alluredhope ofthe forgiueneffe ofhisfines. For (thought he) he that is fodefirousto pardon thofethat had vfed him fo cru- elly, not finely tormenting him inhis body, but allo fcoifing and flouting at him, to vexe (if it were poflible) his foule, will furely farre more willingly pardon me, who being heartily forty for my fines, defire tobecome his feruant. Ihave heardthat theKings ofgratl aremerciful! : but noneofthem all had fo generous and
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