This enumeration of the thief's merit will, we are perfuaded, be viewed with a jealous eye, by every lover of the apoftolic testimony, that it is not of works; by all who know the grace of God which bringeth falvation. In our judgment, that divine grace which made the one thief to differ from the other, would have opened to Mr. S. a wider field for obfervation, and afforded him a much nobler fubject of panegyric. But we pafs on to that part which has principally occafioned these remarks. After confidering our Lord's anfwer, he proceeds" to fuggeft a caution to guard this fubject against abufe." This he does in the following words. Some may take occafion from this to defer their repentance: but it does not afford any just ground for fuch conduct: the cafe was fingular, as it refpects both Christ and the thief. Chrift was now in the lowest state of humiliation divine wifdom, therefore, judged it neceffary to give the world fome fignal difplay of his dignity and glory; and the thief was chofen to be a monument of his power and grace: but fuch an occafion will never occur again; and therefore no fimilar interpofition is to be expected. So that it is extreme folly to reject the prefent overtures of mercy, in expectation of fuch a miraculous converfion at laft.

We agree with Mr. S. that it is extreme folly to reject the present overtures of mercy; if by these he means the GOSPEL, which represents God as the Saviour of finners, the juftifier of the ungodly; and if by rejecting them, he means difbelieving them. But when he talks of its being extreme folly to reject them in expectation of a miraculous converfion at laft, we confefs ourselves at a lofs to comprehend his meaning: for it appears to us moft abfurd to fuppofe, that any

who

who now reject the gospel as false, do fo in the hope of being hereafter perfuaded of its truth.

For the fame reason, and also because it may have the tendency to lead his readers to fuppofe that repentance is fome work which they can perform when they please; we must disapprove of his caution against deferring repentance. Indeed after the clofeft examination of this tranfaction between the bleffed Saviour and the dying thief, it seems most strange and unaccountable to us, that Mr. S. fhould deem it neceffary to fubjoin any fuch caution. We must fuppofe that Mr. S. annexes to the word repentance, the fame idea which it is employed to exprefs in the Scriptures: there it denotes a change of mind to the acknowledging of the truth. 2 Tim. ii. 25. Now, how can the view of the rich mercy, which was freely extended to the dying thief have the tendency to harden men in the disbelief of the truth? or in other words, how can any "take occafion from it to defer their repentance ?" is it not calculated to produce the very contrary effect? to lead men to the acknowledging of the truth to convince them that he who fuffered upon the cross was the very Son of God, fince he exercised the prerogative of Deity, in difpofing of fupreme happiness in the world to come: and, fince he exercised this prerogative in favour of a dying malefactor, that he did indeed come to feek and to fave that which was lost.

:

But what does he mean by telling us that no ❝fimilar interpofition" is to be expected. We must take our stand on the fide of the Scriptures against Mr. S. and, in the most unqualified language, deny this pofition: for if all mankind be dead in trefpaffes and fins, and if any be faved, it must be only in confequence of a "fimilar intérpofition"

terpofition" of the Lord's: fo that all who are brought to repentance are alike brands plucked from the burning, and no lefs monuments of Chrift's "power and grace" than the thief: and, bleffed be the name of God the Saviour. he is continually displaying his "dignity and his glory," in bestowing his favors on perfons in the, fame wretched, helpless circumstances as this malefactor in giving the dead to hear his voice, and hearing it, to live. Indeed the death of Chrift was intended for a ground of hope to men in the most desperate cases; and the circumftances attending his death were wifely adapted to serve that grand purpose, which fo well becomes divine mercy. If the least fhadow of respect to human worth had been shewn here, then nothing but defpair had remained for the utterly worthlefs, the only perfons for whofe relief this grand remedy was provided.

Had Jefus at his death been numbered with men of equal refpect with NOAH, DANIEL and JOB, he had certainly in all propriety of speech, been numbered with tranfgreffors according to the prophecy. But then what encouragement. had remained for thofe, who are not only felfcondemned, but have alfo forfeited all title to the esteem of their fellow-creatures? What ground of hope had remained for thofe in the most defperate circumftances, where divine mercy delights chiefly to interpofe?

But happy was it for men that the Holy One and the Juft fuffered in the character of the worst of mankind. He was numbered with fuch as all the world agree to call tranfgreffors, with fuch as have always been thought unworthy to live.

When

"When the Just One was then numbered with tranfgreffors and crucified betwixt two of them, who had been led forth with him, fo had access to obferve what paffed on the way, as well as what happened after they were nailed to the crofs, one of the two, being given to understand, by what he heard and faw, what fort of a perfon he was who hung crucified betwixt him and his fellow tranfgreffor, and dreading a far greater punishment in the other world, than he was presently fuffering in this, diffents from and rebukes his fellow for joining with the Jews, and prefents his fupplications to Jefus.

The rebuke runs thus, Doft thou not fear God, feeing thou art in the fame condemnation.? and we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this perfon hath done nothing amifs. He hath fpoken no blafphemy in calling himself the Son of God, and affirming that God delighted in him. And it is no objection to this, that he neither feeks to fave himfelf nor us from this condemnation. He is, in this very fuffering, pleafing his Father, by doing his will; while he fuffers moft unjustly from the hands of men that punishment which is the due reward of our deeds. Dost not thou fear that God whose delight is in him, and whofe wrath is pointed against all who oppofe him? Though all the world do agree with thee in defpifing him, will this fcreen thee from the wrath of the Almighty? He is indeed a king as he said, while yet he hath done nothing amifs against Cæfar. Nor is it any objection to his majefty, that he thus fuffers death; for by this very path he goes to take poffeffion of his kingdom above with his Father,

Thus

Thus we see that no difference filled the mind of the malefactor, or took place in his thoughts, but that immense one betwixt himself, a finner of the vileft clafs, and the perfection of righte oufnefs fhining forth in a person of the highest dignity, under the feverest trials. He faw no difference betwixt himself and his fellow-criminal; nor does he pray for any gracious change to be wrought in him to diftinguish him from his wicked companion, that fo he might be a more meet object for the compaffion of Jefus. His prayer proceeds wholly on the perfuafion that the righteous One was able to befriend in the other world him who had no prospect of retrieving matters in this. And this is the prayer of faith, that never yet failed of an answer in peace.

Thus we have borne our teftimony against what appears to us a very awful error in Mr. Simeon, and, at the fame time, feized the opportunity of giving our own thoughts on this important tranfaction.

S.

INTELLIGENCE.

EXTRACTS from the REPORT of the SCOTCH SOCIETY for PROPAGATING the GOSPEL at HOME.

IN the Society's laft report they informed their friends, that they had the profpect of engaging a very confiderable number of labourers in addition to more than thirty formerly fent out; and it was intended a number of these should go

to