His Reward exceeds ourRequefs. the good Theefe. Ser.4o. Prophet,&Gods fauourite.Salamondefired wifedome togouerne hiskingdome the better, hehad that andmuch more,befides infinite (loreofwealth beftowed vpon him. Ezechiaa feed vnto God forlife,and whereashe would hauebin con- tented with two yearsholdingofit,God granted hima leak offifteenyeares to come.The feruant that owed loop() Talents,defired tobebut forborn for atime, andthe *hole debt was forgiuenhim But Godneuerdealt fo frankeand freely. with any man,as with this thee fe, for hebut only intreatinghim to bemindful of him,he gaue him heauen,Qui meritafupplicum exceeks vota, flogs the Church: Theephylaafaith,That yourKings,Princes,and great Captains,when theyob-. taineanynotable vi&orie,they referue theprincipal cqtiues for their Triumph :, So Saidfeared King 'gag, and thebelt things:fo the EmperorsofRome,zenobia andothers : Titme andvej afasri,moftoftheyoungmen of Iudæa. But that our Sa- uiour Chrift fhouldenterintriumphintoheauenwithatheefe,itfeemcthathing offmallglory to the Triumpher,andlittle honor for heauen.But AbdotGimp-kin anfwershereunto, That it was a newandmoltnoble kindofviétorie, Nouum pakherrimumgenmevicloria. Thekings of the earth pet victories ouer their ene- mies,by treading them vnder,by kicking andfpnràingofthem,by contemning . and tormenting them,as appearethby Hiftoriesbothhumaneanddiuine: This is a tyrannous kind ofreuenge,and reuengefull cruelty.But that of the Kingof hea- uen is a noble reuvnge,anda fweet vietorie.Theenemies ofakingofthis world will kiffe theearth for feare ; but thofé ofthe Kingofheauen,forloue.And ther- fore it is faid, elms, terrain lingent. Againe, S. Auguri. faith,That Chrift did iurichand ïllùflrate heauenwith the perfonofthis theefe; fo far was he from doing him anythe leaft difhonor. For itis agreat honour toheauento haue fuch a LordandMailer, as (hall make of great Theeues, great Saints. S. Chryfl. bath thefame;and further addeth, That byfeeingoneraignein heauen,whowanted eafthtohue on; eueryman mayhue in hopetoinioy the like happineffe: For it is not likely that hewill be miferable toany, that was fo liberali to atheefe. TheDoítorsdo doubt whetherthis Theefewere aMartyr orno? For hethat is aMartyr,it is not thegreatneffeofthe paine,but the goodneffeofthe caufe that makes him aMartyr../khanwas (toned to.death, and Saint Stephen was Honedto death : But Aclranwas no Martyr, becaufe he dyed deferuedly forhis fins; The like reafon youwill faymay be rend redofthe theefe.But S.Ierome, Eufehius 1Vif- feneas, and S. Cyprian ftilehimMartyr; notbecaufe he fufferedfor Chriff,though hefirfferednot without Chrift ;but becaufefufferingwith Chrift, fo great was theforrow which he conceiued forhis finnes,that Chrift taking this his torment tohis account,as ifhe had fufferedfor his loue, madeofthe Croffe a Martyr- dome. S.Augug.faith, Thaton the Croffe he acknowledgedChrift,as ifhehad beene crucified for Chrift. Eufebius nasn, That albeit he began with the pu- nifliment ofa Delinquent,yethe endedwith theglory ofaMartyr. AndS.Cypri- an, That Chrift did conuert the blood which hefliedvpon the Croffe,into the waterof baptifme, and that prefentlyhe placed him in Paradife. 7uflin martyrand !rename vnderftandhere by Paradife,fomeother placeofioy; burrather earthly than heauenly. lreneua prooues itby the Priefts ofAfia.But it is moltcertain, That by Paradifeis tobe vnderftood,thebleffedprefence ofour Sauiour Íefus Chrift.And that he went from theSuperficiesofthe earth, vp to that heavenlyPallace,&c. TowhichGodof hisgreatgoodneffe bring vsall, Amen. Ggg 3 THE óz9
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