being probably already dead) he said to her, looking at John," Woman, behold thy son:" and then addressing himself to John, he added,— "behold thy mother;" and John, who perfectly conceived his meaning, took her from that hour to his own house. And now Jesus, knowing that all things else relating to his life on earth were accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled in this also (David having foretold of him, that in his thirst they should give him vinegar to drink) he said, "I thirst," and one ran and dipped a sponge into some vinegar, put it upon a reed, and offered it to him; and when he had received it, he said, "It is finished," i. e. "The work that I came to do is perfected; Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit:" and he bowed his head and gave up the ghost. Many wonderful occurrences accompanied his death; there was a preternatural darkness over the whole country for three hours, and the veil of the temple, which separated the holy of holies from the other part of it, was torn, shewing that Christ had now opened a way into the former; and the earth did quake, and the rocks were rent, and the graves were opened, and many bodies of saints that slept arose, and went into the holy city, and shewed themselves unto many after his resurrection. So many particulars have offered themselves to our notice, that I have already exceeded the bounds of a common discourse; I shall therefore only add, that nothing can be a greater

persuasive to a virtuous life than the reflection on these cruel sufferings of Christ for our sakes. They shew, in the most alarming light, the heinous nature of sin, and warn us how impossible it is we should escape, if we neglect the great salvation which is offered us. But they work not on our fears alone, but on our hopes and on our gratitude. What great things must God have in store for us if we obey him, who hath not withheld from us his only Son! and if we have any generosity, how much ought it (in return for this vast obligation) to be the endeavour of our lives to know and to serve him, more particularly when we recollect likewise, that in the knowledge of him standeth our eternal life.

SERMON XV.

THE DYING THIEF.

ST. LUKE XXIII. 43.

And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, to-day shalt thou be with me in Paradise.

WHEN our blessed Saviour was suspended to the cross, we are told that his dying moments were interrupted by the mockeries and insults of the surrounding multitude: of the two thieves likewise who were crucified on each side of him, one unmindful of his own melancholy situation, joined in their derisions with our Lord's other adversaries," If thou be the Christ, save thyself and us." But the other rebuked him, saying, "Dost thou not fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? and we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our sins; but this man hath done nothing amiss." And then addressed himself to Jesus, as if claiming a recompence for thus speaking in his vindication,-" Lord, remember me, when thou comest into thy kingdom." And Jesus said unto him, "Verily I say

unto thee, to-day shalt thou be with me in Paradise."

There are many men, who though not very attentive to Scripture in general, nor very apt to lay a stress on particular parts of it, yet dwell much and insist strongly on this story of the dying thief: they console themselves under their own apprehensions by this precedent, and endeavour to persuade themselves from it, that a profligate life and eternal salvation are by no means incompatible, provided the sinner do but cry out to his Redeemer for pardon a short time before his death. If,' say they, 'mercy was thus granted to the murderer and the robber, to one who had carried his iniquity to such an enormous pitch, that they had drawn down on him an ignominious death from the laws of his country; if such a flagitious person, only calling on his Saviour in his last moments, could receive the promise of Paradise, surely we may expect it on better grounds, who though we confess that we do not altogether conform to the precepts of our religion, yet at least steer clear of those atrocious crimes which are the objects of capital punishment from human laws.' Alas! how desirous men are to deceive themselves, and how eager to seize on every circumstance which may contribute to the delusion! In the first place, the case before us is of so particular a nature, that it can never happen again; its singularity alone, in a matter of such unspeakable importance, and where a

mistake is irreparable destruction, ought to prevent us from laying any stress upon it. The redemption of the universe was at this instant accomplishing by the death of the Son of God himself! Surely, when mercy on so extensive and magnificent a plan was working to the whole of mankind, no general conclusion can be drawn from a particular act of grace which was vouchsafed to an individual, a partaker of the same sufferings with the Lord of life, and who in that dreadful extremity, when all others were either insulting or forsaking him, openly acknowledged his faith and reliance upon him :-" Lord, remember me, when thou comest into thy kingdom!” Surely, what happened at such an extraordinary juncture, affords no argument of the efficacy of a dying repentance in general, even though we were certain that this favoured malefactor had never repented of his sins, and acknowledged his Redeemer before. But this is by no means so clear; it is very possible, that of whatever enormities this poor penitent might formerly have been guilty, his repentance might have been begun some time before his punishment, and there are circumstances in the story which render it very probable. It is not unusual, you know, for some considerable portion of time to intervene between the commission of a crime, and the infliction of punishment; even if the culprit be apprehended immediately, it may be some time before he is brought to a trial, and some time