fuch as languish upon a fick-bed. More may be demanded of the one than of the other, because of his ability to do more; but it will be hard to fhew, that whoever defires to be faved, is not indifpenfably required to (b) efchew evil, and do good: (c) to keep the Commandments: (d) to do righteousness; (e) to put off, concerning the former converfation, the old man, which is corrupt, according to the deceitful lufts, and to be renewed in the fpirit of the mind, and put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness, and true holiness; and in a word, (f) to cleanfe bimfelf from all filthiness of flesh and fpirit, and perfect bolinefs in the fear of God. And this is fomething more than barely refolving to do well hereafter, if it be in our power. A true repentance is not only μrávo, a change of mind, or a forrow for the having done amifs; but μeraμÉλELO too, a care to walk more holily for the future. And where this latter part of it is wanting, there is too much reason to fear, that the other will not be fufficient without it. At least it is not fo certain that it will, as that any who call themselves Chriftians, fhould venture their everlafting falvation upon it; left at the laft they meet with a dreadful disappointment, and when they have been pleafing themselves with the hopes of Heaven, and all its unconceivable felicities, fhould awake, to their eternal forrow, in the neverending flames of Hell. I do not pretend to fet bounds to the divine goodness, and pardoning mercy, or to determine juft how far the Almighty will extend his favour to a relenting finner, who repents in the very agonies of death. It is enough for my purpose, and a great deal more than our modern Clinicks can anfwer, that I know of no exprefs pofitive declaration in Scripture, that fuch fhall be faved.

Timoth. But hold, Theophilus, you seem to run a little too faft. For pray what do you think of our Saviour's parable of the labourers hired into the vine(b) Ifa. i. 16, 17. and 1 Pet. iii. 11. (c) Matth. xix. 17.

(d) John iii. 7. (e) Ephef. iv. 22, 23, 24. (ƒ) 2 Cor. vii. 1.

6

yard,

yard, Matt. xx. 1. &c. according to which, those who came in at the laft hour, met with the fame welcome and reward with them that had borne the beat and burden of the day? Is it not natural to infer from hence, that if a man turns from his fins, though ever so late, he may reasonably expect to be accepted, as a true penitent?

Theoph. By no means; as might eafily be fhewn upon divers accounts. For this parable was spoken upon another occafion, and without any relation to the death-bed penitent, no more being intended by it, than the calling of the Gentiles into the church of God and the feveral hours mentioned in it were defigned not to fignify the feveral parts or stages of our lives, but the different ages of the world; and that the Gentiles, who were taken into the Lord's vineyard, and made members of his church, in those later days, fhould nevertheless enjoy equal privileges, and be put in the fame ftate of falvation with the Jews, who had been God's ancient people, his fegullab, his chofen inheritance, and were called earlier by many generations: which being the genuine and proper interpretation of the parable, as defigned only to filence the clamours of the Jews against the admiffion of the rest of the world to the fame benefits with themselves, every one muft perceive at firft fight, that the death-bed penitent can hope for no manner of advantage by it. For, if rightly understood, it is perfectly foreign to his cafe, and leaves him juft in the fame condition, as if not one word of it had ever been spoken. And yet if we fhould allow him to apply it to himself, to gather what encouragement he can from it, as one that is finking is apt to lay hold upon every twig, it will stand him however in no ftead. For, first, what thefe men could plead for themselves was, that no man had hired them. They were not called before, and fo had this excufe for themselves, for their not coming in fooner: which makes a vast difference betwixt their cafe, and his

who

who has been called, invited, encouraged, threatened, and had all means used to reclaim him from his fins; had (g) line upon line, and precept upon precept, as the prophet fpeaks, and yet obftinately perfifted in his difobedience to the laft, and then hopes to make his peace, and obtain the pardon of his fins, by a few dying groans, and faint wifhes, and purposes of amendment. Such an one cannot plead for himself, that none had offer'd to hire him; but, on the contrary, his own confcience will fly in his face, and feverely condemn him, for having fo long with ftood fuch effectual means of grace and falvation, as had been afforded him, if he could but have been prevailed with to make a good ufe of them. Befides, fecondly, thefe men were labourers; and though they had wrought but one hour, and fo but a little while in comparison of those who enter'd in firft, yet fome pains they had taken. They had faithfully anfwer'd their obligation, by working from the time they were taken into the vineyard; which was all their Lord expected from them. They came in, it is true, but at the eleventh hour, because they were not hired fooner; but then they did the work of that hour, according to their covenant. Whereas he that comes not in till the twelfth hour, has no time to work; and were he ever fo willing to do it, has yet no reafon to promife himself any wages for doing nothing. He may be concerned, that he was not employed amongst the reft; but this gives him no title to the reward, which was intended for, and promifed only to, fuch as did the work. Again, laftly, They claimed no more than was due to them by compact. For fo fays the housholder, ver. 7. Go ye alfo into the vineyard, and whatfoever is right, that fhall ye receive; as much as to fay, they fhould be fure to have their wages amongst the reft. But has the death-bed penitent any fuch promife made to him? If he has, let him produce it. For my part, I have already told you, I (g) Ifa. xxviii. 12.

can

can find none made to any, but fuch who turn from their evil ways time enough to do fome works meet for repentance. Nor could St. Auguftin long ago, who tells us, (b) If he that lies at the point of death, prays to be admitted to repentance, I cannot refuse to comply with bim therein. But yet I must confefs, if he die with fuch a reconciliation, I dare not be over-confident of his dying in a good condition: tho' he may think himself fecure, and die with this perfuafion, I dare not be fecure that he is fo. I can receive him to penance, but cannot tell him what the effect of it will be. And a little after, Do I fay be fhall be damned? I do not fay it. Do I fay then that he shall be faved? Not that neither. What anfever then can I give? Only this, that I do not know. I prefume nothing; I promise nothing; and the reason is, because I know nothing. Whereupon he fubjoins this seasonable advice; Would you free yourself from all doubt? Be fure to repent whilst you are in health. For if you do thus, and, when death appears, if you moreover obtain abfolution, you have just ground of fecurity. For you repented at a time when you had it in your power to fin. Whereas if you delay your repentance till you can fin no longer, it is not you that leave your fins, but your fins leave you. Thus dubious was this eminent father, concerning the future ftate of fuch as had deferr'd their repentance to their laft hour, even though they fhould then fet themfelves to make the best amends in their power. And before him St. Cyprian delivered it as his opinion, (i) That fuch should not be admitted to the hope of communion, and the peace of the church, who did not heartily repent and bewail their offences, till they were fick, and in danger of death; because it was to be prefumed, it was not a real forrow for their fins, but the terror of their approaching end, that produced this fubmiffion; and it is not fit that he should receive comfort when he comes to die, who would not be perfuaded to think of death, before it came to feize him. These were two great men in their generations; and who have been had in univerfal honour and efteem ever

(b) B. Aug. Hom. 41. (i) B. Cypr. Ep. 35. Edit. Oxon.

fince. Yet I do not quote their words purely for their fakes, but because of the reafon and ftrength of argument that is in them; it being impoffible for him to prove the validity and efficacy of his repentance, how hearty foever, who does not fet about it in his health and itrength, and while it is in his power to gratify his worldly and carnal inclinations, if he will.

Timoth. What you have faid feems to argue a greater danger, as to the invalidity of a late repentance, than I had really apprehended. For tho' I was fenfible how little reason there is to expect, that such should heartily repent upon their fick bed, who had refus'd to do it in their health and ftrength, I made no queftion buc those who did then all they could, that is to fay, who were truly forry for their fins, and fully refolved to reform and amend, and to lead a new life, if it should please God to restore them to their health; I made no queftion, I fay, but these had been in a fafe condition. But you have very much fhaken my confidence in this point; and I begin now to think, that tho' I had always a very ill opinion of deferring repentance to the laft, there is yet far more danger in fuch a delay than I was aware of.

Theoph. The more seriously and impartially you confider with yourself, the more diffident I am apt to think you will be, as to the efficacy of fuch a repentance.

Timoth. I do not know but I may. But pray, Theophilus, what do you fay to the other inftance, of the thief upon the cross, to whom our Saviour promis'd at his last hour, that he should be that day in Paradife? Luke xxiii. 43. This was a very late repentance, as late as could be, and yet it proved very fuccefsful, and our Saviour declares himself fatisfied with it.

Anchith. I have been liftening carefully to you all this while, Theophilus; and do readily concur with you in all you have faid upon this important fubject; and am clearly of your judgment, that no wife man will dare to defer his repentance, tho' it be but for one day. But yet this inftance feems to lie in your way; and

the