Casuistical morning-exercises the fourth volume /

II. Pardoning grace, This appears in our Lords answer and carriage to him, vers. 43. He doth not upbraid him with the abominations of his forepast life, his Theft, or Rapine, or Violence, his hardness of Heart, or long Impenitence; but easily, readily, gently receives him, and is so far from denying him a pardon, that he assures him of a present Salvation. To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise.

The case of these two thieves doth in a good measure parallel the case of other dying sinners, though dying upon their beds. They were in the extremity of their lives, drawing their last breath, both full of pain and anguish in their Bodies, and very likely full of shame and confusion in their Minds, considering their death was not only cruel and grievous, but reproachful in the eyes of Men, and accursed by the sentence of God. So that here was much to interrupt, disturb and distract them in so great, so close and serious a work as Repentance is. And is it not so with others who live in sin all their days and pretend to Repent at last? They are taking their leave of the World, groaning under their Diseases, racked with pains, and have many things (tho not the same the thieves had) to discompose, disquiet, and divert them from or hinder them in the like work. But if we look to the issue, the parallel will not reach so far. Here is Man for Man, one of the thieves humble, believing, repenting, and accordingly accepted; the other unbroken, unbelieving, impenitent, and dying like a reprobate. This equality is not to be found among other dying sinners, (as hereafter we shall see.) However from the example of these two thieves we may safely infer this Proposition, Doctrine. That tho a very late, even a death-bed repentance may be sincere, yet it is not safe to run the hazard of it.

The case of these two thieves doth in a good measure parallel the case of other dying sinners, though dying upon their beds. They were in the extremity of their lives, drawing their last breath, both full of pain and anguish in their Bodies, and very likely full of shame and confusion in their Minds, considering their death was not only cruel and grievous, but reproachful in the eyes of Men, and accursed by the sentence of God. So that here was much to interrupt, disturb and distract them in so great, so close and serious a work as Repentance is. And is it not so with others who live in sin all their days and pretend to Repent at last? They are taking their leave of the World, groaning under their Diseases, racked with pains, and have many things (tho not the same the thieves had) to discompose, disquiet, and divert them from or hinder them in the like work. But if we look to the issue, the parallel will not reach so far. Here is Man for Man, one of the thieves humble, believing, repenting, and accordingly accepted; the other unbroken, unbelieving, impenitent, and dying like a reprobate. This equality is not to be found among other dying sinners, (as hereafter we shall see.) However from the example of these two thieves we may safely infer this Proposition, Doctrin. That tho a very late, even a death-bed repentance may be sincere, yet it is not safe to run the hazard of it.