DISCOURSE X. MATTHEW XXVii. 38. Then were there two Thieves crucified with him; one on the right Hand, and another on the left. HAT different Effects the Judgments of God have upon the Minds of Men, may be learned from thefe Examples now before us. Here are two Thieves crucified with our bleffed Saviour two, who were probably guilty of the fame Crimes, and now under the fame Condemnation; both brought by the Providence of God to fuffer in the Company of his own Son, whofe Blood was fhed for the Sins of the whole World. But mark the End of thefe VOL. II. P these Men: One died reproaching and blaspheming Chrift, and breathed out his Soul in the Agonies of Guilt and Defpair; the other faw, acknowledged, and openly confeffed his Redeemer, and expired with the Sound of those bleffed Words in his Ears, To-day fhalt thou be with me in Paradife. How adorable is the Wisdom of God, who has thus inftructed us; and, by setting the Examples of his Juftice and Mercy fo near together, has taught us to fear without Despair, and to hope without Presumption! Who would not tremble for himself, when he fees. the Man perish in his Sins who died by his Saviour's Side; within reach of that Blood which was poured out for his Redemption, but wanting Faith to ftretch out his Hand, and be faved? What would the dying Sinner give to have, his Saviour fo near him in his laft Moments, that he might pour out his Soul before him, and feize by Violence the Hand which alone. is able to fave?. Yet he who had all these Advantages enjoyed none of them; but died in his Sins, void of Hope and of Comfort. Muft the Sinner then despair, and has God forgot to be merciful? No. Caft your Eyes on the other Side of the Cross, and there you you may see the Mercy of God displayed in the brightest Colours. There hangs the Penitent, furrounded with all the Terrors of approaching Death; yet in the midst of all calm and ferene, confeffing his Sins, glorifying the Juftice of God in his own Punishment, rebuking the Blafphemy of his Companion, justifying the Innocence of his Saviour, and adoring him even in the lowest State of Mifery; and at laft receiving the certain Promife of a bleffed Immortality. Thus the Cafe ftands with all the Allowances made to it which feem most to favour a Death-bed Repentance: And yet, as if the Scripture had said nothing of the Wretch who died blafpheming and reproaching Christ, nor given us any Caufe to fear that a wicked Life may end in an hardened and obdurate Death; the Cafe of the Penitent only is drawn into Example, and fuch Hopes are built on it, as are neither consistent with the Laws of God, nor the Terms of Man's Salvation; for even of this Example the most prepofterous and abfurd Use is made. This Penitent, as foon as he came to the Knowledge of Chrift, repented of his Sins: If you are fond of the Example, Go and do likewife: If you delay, and purfue the Pleafures of Sin, upon the Encouragement which this Inftance affords you, it is plain, that you like nothing in the Repentance, but only the Lateness of it; and that your Inclinations are to imitate the Thief, rather than the penitent Christian. Once he lived by Violence, in defiance of the Laws of God and Man: When he was penitent, he abhorred and detefted his Iniquities: Which Part would you imitate? If both, if like him you propofe to enjoy the Pleafures of Sin, and like him to repent and enjoy the Pleafures of Heaven, you mightily impofe on yourself; his Cafe can never be yours, and therefore his Example cannot be your Security. Besides, were the Cafe indeed pa rallel to that of the dying 'Chriftian, yet still it can afford no certain Hope; fince the Proof is as strong from the Cafe of the impenitent Thief, that you fhall die in your Sins as it can be from the other Cafe, that you hall repent of them. It would take up too much of your Time to confider this Cafe diftinctly in all its Views: I fhall therefore only briefly hint to you the Circumstances which diftinguish it from that of the dying Chriftian; and then proceed to fhew, what little. Hope this Example affords, allowing the Cafe to be what it is generally fuppofed to be. |