3. Thirdly, In answer to that part of the objection concerning the thief on the cross, I offer these things briefly to your thoughts.
(1.) First, That as one was saved to teach sinners not to despair, so another was damned to teach them not to presume.3
A pardon is sometimes given to one upon the gallows, but whoso trusts to that, the rope may be his hire. It is not good, saith one, to put it upon the psalm of miserere, and the neck-verse,4 for sometimes he proves no clerk, and so hangs for it.
(2.) Secondly, It is an example tvithout a promise. Here is an example of late repentance, but where is there a promise of late repent- ance ?
Oh ! let not his late and sudden conversion be to thee a temptation, till thou hast found a promise for late and sudden conversion. It is not examples, but promises, that are foundations for faith to rest on, He that walks by an example of mercy without a precept to guide him, and a promise to support him, walks but by a dark lanthora, that will deceive him. Well ! young man, remember this, examples of mercy increase wrath, when the heart is not bettered by them. But,
(3). Thirdly, This was a rare miracle of mercy, with the glory whereof Christ did honour the ignominy of his cross, and therefore we may as well look for another crucifying of Christ as look for a sinner's conversion, when he hath scarce time enough to reckon up all those particular duties which make up the integrity of its constitution. But,
1 A lover of iniquity is a liver in iniquity upon choice.
2 For above incident see Diod. xii. 9 ; Paus. vi. 14, § 5-8, &c, &c. — G. 8 Exemplum latronis servati est admirandum, 7ion imitandum.
* On the ' neck-verse ' see our Noto iu Sibbes's Works, vol. v. page 408. — G.
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(4). Fourthly, T answer, This thief knew not Christ before; he had not refused, neglected, nor slighted Christ before. The sermon on the cross was the first sermon that ever he heard Christ preach, and Christ's prayer on the cross was the first prayer that ever he heard Christ make. He knew not Christ till he met him on the cross, which proved to him a happy meeting. His case was as if a Turk or a heathen should now be converted to the faith ; and therefore thou hast little reason, O young- man, to plead this example to keep Christ and thy soul asunder, who art every day under the call, the entreaties, and wooings of Christ. But,
(5). Fifthly, and lastly, I answer, The circumstances of time and 'place are rightly to be considered. Now when Christ was triumphing on the cross over sin, Satan, and the world ; when he had made the devils a public spectacle of scorn and derision ; when he was taking his leave of the world and entering into his glory ; now he puts a pardon into the thief's hand, and crowds other favours and kindnesses upon him.
As in the Roman triumphs, the victor being ascended up to the capitol in a chariot of state, used to cast certain pieces of coin among the people for them to pick up, which he used not to do at other times ; so our Lord Jesus Christ, in the day of his triumph and solemn in- auguration into his heavenly kingdom, scatters some heavenly jewels that this thief might pick up, which he doth not, nor will not do every day. Or, as in these days it is usual with princes to save some notori- ous malefactors at their coronations when they enter upon their king- doms in triumph, which they do not use to do afterwards, so did Jesus Christ carry it toward this thief. But this is not his ordinary way of saving and bringing souls to glory ; and therefore do not, O young man ! let not the thief's late conversion prove a temptation or an occasion of thy delaying thy repentance, and trifling away the primrose of thy days in vanity and folly. And this much may suffice to have spoken by way of answer to the young man's objections. I shall now speak a few words to old men, and so close up. Now,
Is it so commendable, so desirable, and so necessary for young men to be good betimes, to seek and serve the Lord in ••the spring and morning of their youth, as has been sufficiently demonstrated in this treatise ? Oh, then, that I could so woo aged persons as to win them who yet have put off this great work to seek and serve the Lord before their glass be out, their sun set, and their souls lost for ever !
Oh, that that counsel of the prophet might take hold upon your hearts ! ' Give glory to the Lord your God before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble,' Jer. xiii. 16, through age 'upon the dark mountains, and while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness.'
Ay, but aged sinners may reply, Is there any hope, any help for us ? Is there any probability, is there any possibility, that ever such as we are should return and find mercy and favour with the Lord ? We who have lived so long without him ! we that have sinned so much against him ! we that to this day are strangers to him, yea, in arms against him !
276 APPLES OF GOLD. [1 KlNGS XIV. 13.
Is there any hope that we white-headed sinners, who have withstood so many thousand offers of grace, and so many thousand motions of the the Spirit, and so many thousand checks of conscience, and so many thousand tenders 1 of Christ and heaven, that ever we should obtain mercy, that ever we should have our old hearts turned, our millions of sins pardoned, our vile natures changed, and poor souls saved, &c.
1 answer, That there is hope even for such as you are. All the angels in heaven and all the men on earth cannot tell, but that you, even you, may obtain mercy and favour, that your souls die not. With the Lord nothing is impossible, and for the grace of the gospel nothing is too hard. Now this I shall make evident by an induction of parti- culars. Thus,
(1.) Eirst, All were not called nor sent to work in the vineyard at the first hour ; some were called at the third hour, others at the sixth, others at the ninth, and some at the eleventh. God hath his several times of calling souls to himself. The eleventh hour was about five in the afternoon, an hour before sunset ; when it was even time to leave work ; and yet at this hour some were called, employed, and rewarded with the rest.2
Some of the fathers, by the several hours mentioned in this parable, do understand the several ages of man, viz., childhood, youth, middle age, and old age, wherein poor souls are called and converted to Christ. The scope of the parable is to signify the free grace of God in the call- ing of some in the spring and morning of their days, and in the calling of others in their old age, in the evening of their days. But,
(2.) Secondly, Abraham in the Old Testament, and Nicodemus in the New, were called and converted in their old age, when there were but a few steps between them and the grave, between them and eternity.3