as Mediator between God and man, he is continually offering up a fimilar petition in heaven. There may be thole, who thew the most decided and contemptuous oppofition both to him and his people, for whom he pleads the merit of his blood as an adequate atonement, and may still be confidered as speaking to the fame effect, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do."

The foldiers, who nailed him to the cross, having ftripped him of his garments, divided them among themselves; and even in that divifion their minds were fo overruled by a divine influence, that they fulfilled an exprefs prophecy, and gave further evidence, that Jefus was indeed the Chrift. For thus had Meffiah spoken by David his progenitor, They part my garments among them, and caft lots upon my vefture t." Then they continued to watch him, that none might attempt a rescue.

Probably with the view of expofing him to ridicule, an infcription, in the three languages generally used and understood, was fixed over his head, deriding his claims of majesty: "This is Jefus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." The chief priefts, indeed, were difgufted, that they should be reprefented as the fubjects of fo contemptible a king, and petitioned that the writing might be altered. But Pilate refused to comply with their wifhes; and that very title, intended to reproach the Saviour, was fo ordered under the divine direction, as to express the honourable character and office, which he sustains for the benefit of the true Ifrael.

Was not the rage of the people at length fatiated? Were no tokens of compaffion fhewn to the holy fufferer? No: quite the contrary. All ranks feemed to unite and vie with each other, while they in

Matt. xxvii. 35-44. Mar. xv. 24-32. Lu. xxiii. 34-43. John xix. 19-2 16 † Pfal. xxii. 18.

fulted

fulted him by the moft fcornful and opprobrious fpeeches. The mob furrounded and reviled him. Even thofe, who were paffing on the road, topped to amuse themselves with his mifery, ridiculed the abfurdity of his pretending to be the Son of God and to rebuild the temple, and with virulent abuse called upon him to make good his claims by efcaping out of the hands of uftice. But fhall we wonder at the foolish fneers of a thoughtless multitude, when their fuperiors fet the example? In this cafe, perfons of authority and of the facred function led the way, and "were

were chief in the trefpafs." They laid afide their dignity, and mixed in the tumultuous crowd, that they might promote the general outcry against the Saviour, and deride his helpless fituation. As it had been alleged that he had faved fo many others by miracles, now they required him, in a difdainful manner, to fave himself, and promifed that they would believe him to be the Chrift of God, if he would prove his divine power by coming down from the crofs.

All this was weak as well as wicked. To have rescued himself, would have been inconfiftent with the great defign of his incarnation. We rejoice, that, in order to accomplish falvation for others, he would not accept deliverance. It would have been eafy for him by one fingle exertion to have obtained his releafe; nor would this have exceeded, in ftrength of evidence, many of those works which he had performed in their prefence. Had their prefumptuous demands been granted, fuch were the pride and obftinacy of their hearts, it is utterly improbable that they would have acknowledged him in his proper character. Men are deceived, when they fuppofe, that fome ftriking appearance or interpofition, as an additional proof of revelation, would remove their unbelief. They, who arrogantly reject what is offered, would not be convinced by any demonftration whatever.

The

The foldiers, alfo, joined in the fame blafphemous reproaches, calling on the Redeemer to affert his pretended royalty by escaping out of their hands; which they foolishly thought impoffible. Thus that prophetic declaration was remarkably accomplished; "All they that fee me laugh me to fcorn: they fhoot out the lip, they fhake the head, faying, He trufted on the Lord, that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, feeing he delighted in him." How aftonishing, that, in their profane fneers, they applied the very words, and in the exact fenfe, which had been predicted!

Two atrocious malefactors were crucified with Jefus: he was placed between them, that he might lie under the greater odium, being exhibited to the public view as a perfon of the fame defcription. But this circumftance fulfilled the fcripture, which said, "He was numbered with the tranfgreffors +." No reproaches, it should feem, were caft upon them; fo that he was accounted the vileft of the three. One, at least, of the thieves themselves joined in the general ridicule, and, while dying in his fins, ftrove to forget his own mifery, that he might infult and deride the Saviour. A ftate of more confirmed and obdurate wickedness is fcarcely to be conceived.

But, though in this criminal we lament the extreme degeneracy of our nature, we are called to admire the fovereignty, freenefs, and efficacy of divine grace in the pardon and converfion of his fellow fufferer, who appeared equally on the brink of deftruction. An astonishing, perh ps a fudden, change was produced in the man: at the latest moment he obtained an affurance of his acceptance and falvation. Poffibly, he had never felt real impreffions of religion before that awful feafon, or offered a fincere prayer to God. It is certain, at leaft, that he was expiring.

* Pfal xxii. 7, 8. + Ifa. liii. 12.

by

by the hand of juftice for his iniquities, and could not plead any previous goodness of his own. But then his heart was foftened and renewed: he repented, believed, and received the full forgivenefs of his fins. Thus one was taken, and another left. Who shall presume to find fault? For who has any claim upon God; or who fhall dare to fay, that He may not extend his pardoning mercy to what objects, and in what circumftances He pleases?

Many attempts have been made to obfcure the glory of divine grace in the conversion of the dying thicf; as if the example were of a dangerous tendency. But, if we attend to it with godly fimplicity, we fhall find it replete with inftruction. It is a ftriking exhibition of the character of the Saviour, and of the triumph of his crofs. It confirms and illuftrates the peculiar doctrine of the Gofpel, that men are justified in the fight of God, not by their own obedience, but freely through the redemption. that is in Chrift Jefus. The cafe is recorded for the encouragement of those, "who are ready to perish,' and stands as an incontestable proof, that none need defpair of acceptance, who look unto Jefus, even though life itself be drawing to a clofe. If any will abufe it, this must be to themselves; and doubtlefs, by fuch a conduct, they will aggravate their guilt and condemnation.

The penitence and faith of this malefactor were confpicuous. The grace of God changed and fanctified his heart, while the blood of Chrift, then ftreaming from the crofs, expiated all his guilt. He reproved his fellow criminal for his daring contempt of the Saviour, and warned him to confider his danger: he frankly confeffed his own iniquity, and the juftice of that fentence by which he fuffered: he vindicated the character of Jefus, when there was none to plead his caufe: he believed on him for pardon and falvation, in that lowest degree of abafeVOL. IV.

G

ment: he prayed to him as the Lord of life, who was about to take his feat on the throne of glory, and who had heaven itself at his difpofal: he faid, "Lord, remember me, when thou comeft into thy kingdom.' Good evidence, then, was given of this dying convert's fincerity; and, though his religion were of a fudden growth, it was folid and vigorous; and, had he been fpared, doubtlefs the most excellent fruits would have been seen in his future obedience. Our gracious Lord liftened to his cry, immediately tel tified an approbation, and affured him, that he thould be with him, that very day, in an exalted state of purity and happiness.

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How rich and extenfive is the mercy of our Gad in Chrift! The cafe before us will furnish us with a ftrong argument against despair; but let it not be abused, for the purposes of vain confidence and prefumption. Though one of thefe malefactors was, indeed, "a brand plucked out of the fire," yet it fhould be remembered, that the other, who appeared equally within reach offalvation, perifhed for ever. O fear, left, while Jefus comes nigh to you in the miniftry of his word, and many experience its ineftimable benefit, you yourselves fhould be destroyed in unbelief.