thief on the cross, I offer these things briefly to your thoughts.
While Milo Crotoniates was tearing asunder the stock of an oak, his
strength failing him,—the cleft suddenly closing,—was held so fast by
the hands, that he became a prey to the beasts of the field. All the
abusers of mercy will certainly and suddenly become a prey to the
justice of God, who will rend and tear them in pieces, as the Psalmist
speaks: Psalm 50:22, "Woe, woe, to that soul that fights against God
with his own mercies"—who will be bad, because he is good; who will
be sinful, because he is merciful; who will turn all the kindness of
God—which should be as so many silver cords, to tie him to love and
obedience—into arrows, and to shoot them back into the heart of
God. Abused mercy will at last turn into a lion, a fierce lion;
and then woe to the abusers and despisers of it! But,
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. A pardon is
sometimes given to one upon the gallows—but whoever trusts to
that, the hangman's rope may be his end.
(2). Secondly, It is an example without a promise. Here is an
example of late repentance—but where is there a promise of late
repentance? Oh! let not his late and sudden conversion be to you a
temptation, until you have found a promise for late and sudden
conversion. It is not examples—but promises, which are foundations
for faith to rest on. He who walks by an example of mercy, without a
precept to guide him, and a promise to support him, walks but by a
dark lantern, which 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 honor 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 has scarce time enough for another
breath. But,
(4). Fourthly, I 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 until 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 you
have little reason, O young man, to plead this example to keep Christ
and your soul asunder, who are 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 favors 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 coins 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 inauguration into
his heavenly kingdom, scatters some heavenly jewels that this thief
might pick up—which He does not, nor will not do every day. Or, as
in these days it is usual with princes to save some notorious
malefactors at their coronations when they enter upon their
kingdoms in triumph, which they do not 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 your delaying your repentance,
and trifling away the primrose of your 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.
Chapter 9:
Brief answers to the old man's scruples
I shall now give some brief answers to the old man's
scruples, and so close up this discourse.
Is it so commendable, so desirable, and so necessary for young men
to be godly early, 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 people as to win them
who yet have put off this great work to seek and serve the Lord
before their hour-glass be out, their sun set, and their souls lost
forever!
Oh, that that counsel of the prophet might take hold upon your
hearts! "Give glory to the Lord your God before it is too late.
Acknowledge him before he brings darkness upon you, causing you
to stumble and fall on the dark mountains. For then, when you look
for light, you will find only terrible darkness." Jeremiah 13:16
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 favor with the Lord? We who
have lived so long without him! We who have sinned so much against
him! We who to this day are strangers to him, yes, in arms against
him! 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 Spirit—and so many thousand checks of conscience—
and so many thousand offers 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 our
poor souls saved?
I 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 God's mercy and favor, that your souls be not
damned. 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 particulars. Thus,
(1.) First, 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 has 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
along with the rest.
Some of the commentators, by the several hours mentioned in this
parable, do understand the several ages of man, namely, 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 calling 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.
I have read of one Caius Marius Victorius, and had been a pagan all
his days, and in his old age he inquired and hearkened after Christ,
and said he would be a Christian. Simplicianus hearing him say so,
would not believe him—but when the church saw a work of grace
indeed upon him, there was shouting and dancing for gladness, and
songs were sung in every church, Caius Marius Victorius is become a
Christian! And this was written for a wonder, that he in his old age,
and in his grey hairs, should become a gracious Christian.
Aretius also speaks of a certain man in his time. It is no feigned story,
says he, for I saw the man with my own eyes: he was one who had
been a most vile and desperate sinner, a drunkard, a swearer, a
gamester, a lecherous man—and so he continued to his grey hairs;
but at last it pleased God to set his sins in order before him, and the
man was so troubled in conscience that he threw himself down upon
the ground, calling unto Satan to take him away, provoking Satan to
take him away: Devil, take your own; devil, take your own; I am
your own, take your own! Whereupon, says Aretius, prayer was
made for him; Christians prayed, they fasted and prayed, they prayed
night and day; and it pleased God at last that this poor aged sinner
was converted to God, lived a godly life afterwards, and died
comfortably.
Therefore, let not the grey-headed sinner despair, though his spring
be past, his summer overpast, and he arrived at the fall of the leaf.
But,
(3.) Thirdly, Divine promises shall be made good to returning
souls, to repenting souls, to believing souls—be they young or old. 2
Chron. 30:9, "The Lord your God is gracious and merciful, and will
not turn away his face from you, if you return unto him." Joel 2:13,
"Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful. He is
not easily angered. He is filled with kindness and is eager not to
punish you." Isaiah 55:7, "Let the wicked one abandon his way, and
the sinful one his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, so He may
have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will freely forgive"—
or he will multiply to pardon. More of this you may see by reading of
the scriptures in the margin. All sorts of sin shall be pardoned—to all
sorts of believing and repenting sinners.
The New Jerusalem has twelve gates, to show that there is every way
access for all sorts and ranks of sinners to come to Christ. He was
born in an inn, to show that he receives all comers, young and old,
poor and rich, etc. But,
(4.) Fourthly, The Lord has declared by oath a greater delight in
the conversion and salvation of poor sinners, whether they are
young or old, than in the destruction and damnation of such. Ezek.
33:11, "As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no
pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from
their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you
die, O house of Israel?" Two things make a thing more credible.
[1.] The integrity or dignity of the person speaking.
[2.] The manner of the speech. Now here you have the great God, not
only speaking, promising—but solemnly swearing that he had rather
poor sinners should live than die, be happy than miserable!
Therefore, despair not, O aged sinner! but return unto the Lord, and
you shall be happy forever. But,
(5.) Fifthly, There is virtue enough in the precious blood of Jesus
Christ, to wash and cleanse away all sin! Not only virtue to cleanse
away the young man's sins—but also to cleanse away the old man's
sins; not only to cleanse a sinner of twenty years—but to cleanse a
sinner of fifty, sixty, yes, a hundred years old! 1 John 1:7, "The blood
of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin!"—not simply from
sin—but from all sin. There is such a power and efficacy in the blood
of Christ, as is sufficient to cleanse all sorts of sinners from all sorts
of sins. There is a virtue in the blood of the Lamb to wash out all the
spots that are in the oldest sinners' hearts; and therefore let not old
sinners despair, let them not say there is no hope, there is no help, as
long as this fountain—the blood of Jesus Christ—is open for all sorts
of sinners to wash in. But,
(6.) Sixthly, The call and invitation of Christ in the gospel are
general and indefinite, excluding no sort of sinners. Rev. 3:20,
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock, if any man" (mark the
indefiniteness of personal admittance) "hears my voice, and opens
the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with
me." Let the sinner be old or young; a green head, or a grey head—if
he will but open the door, Christ will come in and have communion
and fellowship with him. So in that Mat. 11:28. Turn to these
scriptures, Isaiah 55:1, John 7:37, Rev. 22:17, and dwell upon them;
they all clearly evidence the call and gracious invitations of Christ to
be to all sinners, to every sinner; he excepts not a man, no, though
never so old. Nothing shall hinder the sinner, any sinner, the worst
and most aged sinner, from obtaining mercy, if he is willing to open
to Christ, and to receive him as his Lord and king, John 6:37. But,
(7.) Seventhly, Christ's piteous lamentation over all sorts and
ranks of sinners, declares his willingness to show mercy to them. "O
Jerusalem, Jerusalem," says Christ, weeping over it, "that you had
known in this your day the things that belong to your peace," etc.,
Luke 19:41-42. "Oh that my people had hearkened unto me!" Psalm
81:13. Christ weeps over Jerusalem; so did Titus, and so did
Marcellus over Syracuse, and so did Scipio over Carthage—but they
shed tears for them whose blood they were to shed. But Christ
weeps over the necks of those young and old sinners who
were to shed his blood! As a tender-hearted father weeps over his
rebellious children, when neither smiles nor frowns, neither counsels
nor entreaties, will win them, or turn them from their evil ways—so
does Jesus Christ over these rebellious Jews, upon whom nothing
would work. But,
(8.) Eighthly, and lastly, Though aged sinners have given Christ
many thousand denials, yet he has not yet damned them—but after
all, and in the face of all denials, he still re-enforces his suit, and
continues to beseech them by his Spirit, by his word, by his wounds,
by his blood, by his messengers, and by his rebukes—to turn home
to him, to embrace him, to believe in him—that they may be saved
eternally by him! All which bespeaks grey-headed sinners not to
despair, nor to dispute—but to repent, return, and believe, that it
may go well with them forever. Consider seriously what has been
spoken, and the Lord make you wise for eternity!
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