not have spoken thus to Christ, but by power from Him, communicated, according to the riches of His grace.

How

could this man think of the kingdom of Jesus, except by the Spirit of Jesus? That gracious Spirit breathed upon him, and probably breathed not upon his fellow. Their trade was alike, their sin alike, their state alike, their cross alike; yet, while one is taken, does not not the other appear to be left in his blasphemy? We are called to wonder alike at the mercy that took the one, and at the justice that seems to have passed by the other. Who need despair of that mercy, among all the sinners of a sentenced world? Who should not tremble at that justice among all the neglecters or despisers of Christ crucified ?1

un

How full then of rich, free, merited, unexpected, undeserved love was our Lord's answer to this lost trans

1 Bp. Hall.

gressor, even in the moment of his death. The self-righteous justiciary may well behold this amazing example of redeeming goodness, and be confounded. The Son of God, while offering His soul upon the cross, a sacrifice for sin, snatched this man from the very brink of everlasting destruction, and led him in triumph to His own glory:-thereby most effectually, and most practically assuring every sinner, in whose heart He has put the cry for mercy, that He hath not put it there in vain. It is His work, and He will fully perform it.

Should I then adduce this amazingly tender interference of the Saviour's love, to encourage any of you in spiritual sloth, or to bid you,-hoping for salvation in a dying hour, say to the Spirit of God, when He would bring convictions of sin home to your hearts, and with them your need of the sprinkling of the Redeemer's blood for pardon and God's favour, "Go thy way for this time, when I

have a convenient season, I will send for thee?" God forbid! I bring it forward simply to encourage those who are made sensible of their sins; and to shew them, that no previous unworthiness can close up the riches of his grace from flowing in upon hearts, which that grace must first open, to receive them. O, why should it not be with every transgressor, as with the blessed experience of those to whom St. Paul said, while he spake to them of other great and God-dishoning offenders. "Such were some of you; but ye are washed; but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God."

(2.) "Verily, I say unto thee, to-day shalt thou be with me in Paradise." This gracious answer to the prayer of the penitent malefactor displays the Sovereignty of our Lord's Mediatorial character. He acted like one, to whom all power in heaven and in earth was given, in virtue of His mediatorial dignity. He acts with the same

mediatorial sovereignty with which He had before addressed the Most High, on behalf of his disciples, "Father, I will that they also whom Thou hast given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory." In the liberal and gracious exercise of that fulness, wherewith, as the God-man, He was immeasurably endowed, He gave to this trembling petitioner exceeding abundantly, above all that he could ask or think. He craved a remembrance; the Saviour spake of a present possession. He sued for a portion of enjoyment and glory with Jesus, when He should obtain his kingdom; and the Saviour assures him that he shall be with Himself, in Paradise. This man was, as it may be said, the first fruits of that blood of the Lamb of God, which was then poured forth, for the sins of the world, under the New Testament church and our Lord confirms him, with an absolute promise of salvation, to which He pledges Himself and his truthfulness-" Verily, I say unto thee, to-day shalt thou be with

H

:

me in Paradise." As a Priest, He was now dearly purchasing the happiness which the believing malefactor sought so earnestly: and as a King, in the undoubted exercise of his royalty, does He here bestow, and freely bestow, and bestow for ever, one gift of that life to sinners, for which He was at this moment paying a price so inestimably precious. "Thou shalt be with me in Paradise; "-in the state and place of happiness to the saints during the soul's separation from its bodily tenement. The garden of Eden was planted by God Himself: and this glory, to which the Lord brought the companion of his death is provided and prepared by the same most High God, as a place of delight, in which there are pleasures for evermore; and in which his saints and servants will be hidden from all access of sorrow, like the souls of those, seen in vision, under the altar, until the time shall come, when soul and body shall be glorified, in the resurrection of the just. There is the river of God's paternal love in Christ,