The Fountain of Life Opened

There is one parable, and no more, that speaks of some that were called at the last hour. Matth. 20.9, 10. And there is this one instance in the text, and no more; that gives us an account of a person so called. We acknowledge God may do it, his grace is his own. He may dispense it how, and where he pleaseth. We must always salve divine prerogative. Who shall fix bonds, or put limits to free grace, but God himself, whose it is? If he do not ordinarily show such mercies to dying sinners, (as indeed it doth not) yet it is not because he cannot, but because he will not. Not because their hearts are so hardened by long custom in sin, that his grace cannot break them; but because he most justly withholds that grace from them. When blessed Mr. Bilney the martyr, heard a Minister preaching thus. O thou old sinner, that hast lain these fifty years rotting in thy sin, dost thou think now to be saved? That the blood of Christ shall save thee? O said Mr. Bilney, what preaching of Christ is this! If I had heard no other preaching than this, what had become of me? No, no old sinners, or young sinners, great, or small sinners are not to be beaten off from Christ, but encouraged to repentance, and faith. For who knows but the bowels of mercy may yearn at last upon one that hath all along rejected it. This thief was as unlikely ever to have received mercy but a few hours before he died, as any person in the world could be.