Meditations touchingDeath. 665 gathered to the foule ofAbraham the Father of the faithful', there to inioy the famequiet which heenioyed. The late ofheauen iscompared toa Banquet * : and that, ofbeing in A- r Manh.e.rr. Anthems bofome, is an allufionthereto, confidering the Iewes manner of lea- ningalongat meate : according towhich wasthat of lobesleaning, orlying in the lapor bofomeofourSauionrt. Certaineit is, thatLemern. was ina corn- r,loiri;.e ;. Portableelate: Heircomforted (faid Abrahamto theRich man) endtbonerttar- Luker mewed%. To the penitent Theefe,Paradifewas promifed, yea to bee enioyed auLuke ;, ;.43. that very Daywherein it waspromifed '; what reafonto thinke otherwife of anyfaithful' Chaim ? Why fhould thisremorfefullmalefaforbetranflated immediatlyintoParadife, and notalto eucry one that fo repenteth, andfobe- leeueth as hedid. 'fit íhá11bepretended, thatthe torments which he fuffered, beingcrucified, flood him in leadoffosseotherfulerings, which hadit not beenfor that he thould hauepafl'rdbefore his entrance into Paradife; It may be anfwered, thatby their ownedotrine( meaningthe Papifts, who it is Pup.. poled thusobe&)it cannot í}and:becauf that fufbringsinthisworld,which muff preuent after fufferings in their deuifed Purgatory, muff be voluntary, and undertakenwith an intent ofmaking fatisfaftion unto God. Now this Thiefe came tohispunishment again' hiswill, and had no thought of fatisfy. ing: and therefore that pretext cannot auoide theforceof the reafondrawne from that example. But aboue all, howpregnantis thatfpeech, Bledmeths dead that drere the Lei d,the7refifremtbeir labors=, Here isaReif prefently upon death toall the fáithfull; and albeitthere is anendeauour todude thisworthy teftimony, by refraining it to Martyrs;yet . to any, readingthe Chapter, it will boneappeare, thatthere is no (hewnor fhadowofreafonfotolimitir Martyrs beingnotfomuchasonce made men- tionofinthat place : but itis fpokenofall, whokeepe.the Commandements ofGod, and hr faithofIefas r, and thenthe Phrafe is of DynggintbeLord :pled-cm which tearmeif re bemade peculiar toMartyrs,inwhom fhalwe fay thatother Chrifdans die?But not tofay fo muchherein asmightbeheapedvp,thisiscer- tain, that it cannotbe found in Scripture, that there is any manner of fuffe- ring, after thislifeended, refereed forthofe, wholefinnesin Chrift God hath pardoned,andupon whom he will below the Ioyesofheauen. Godbathpromifedto thofethat repent, that he will forgiue their iniqui- ties,and remember their finnesno more=, and that in:Chrift he'remitteh free- Zler.31.4. iy'. Nowwhata ftrange imputationofmocking (hall itbe toGod, that hee eCol.a.t ;. fhouldbefaidtopunilh after he bathpardonedtheoffence; thathefhouldäë- quitofthe debt , but notofthe paiment? Wee arecommandedto forgiue s Goddothv. Ifnow it (hall not beefuppofeed, that Godwhenhe forgiuesthe bEphete.;.a fault, he forgiues the punilhmenttoo; what a window, or wide gaterather, is openedfor reuenge? A man maypretend tohaue forgiuen theoffenceofhis neighbour, but hewill fill(forfooth)runne acoed, whereby to punifhhim for the fame; what kund offorgiwng,,.all this be called ? This thenIsacertainety,that Godneuer requireth any fatisfa&ory fufferings of tbofe,whonl he hack once forgiuen inChriflefus.Hecorreð fometimes as a Father,but neuer infliftethany thing asa Iudge.God hathfofully cleared his inChrif; that there is noreckoning behind, tohinder theirimmediat ioy üingvnto Chriit,wlren they areonceremooued from the World, Chap,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=