64 Motiucs inducing the Theefq tobeoonuerted. The -Mäkeaccount.that theynowcrowaeme anew, and thatit is:fit that Ifhould Phew my feltè frank andgenerous, not conferring fauours according to themeritof him that askes them, but accordingto the liberall difpofrtion of him that doth thcni. This good fortune nomanmay expefb,muchleffe depend vpon: and therfore Repentance Eufebius Emifenus faith, .Periculofsm efi in vltimum diem promifrafieuritas ; And mat delayed. be that the example ofthe Theefe,dothnot fauour deferredamendment till a mans death : And thoughwe are not to ftreightenGods franke-heartednes; and how- kit it may be prefumed,that in that houre many theeues are in Gods fecret will faued;yet didheonely leaue this one publike examplevnto vs, Onely this one, (faith S. Bernard)that thoumayeft not prefume;and only this one,thatthou mai- eft not defpairc.And weighing thofewords,verely, Ifay vntothee,to day(halt thou be with mein Paradrfe;he faith,That he did bind it withan oath,as he vied to doe in matters ofgreareft moment and difficultie : To thee onely, notto anyother, fhall befall the like extraordinarie good hap ; forthee onely,was this Hodi2.or- daincd. Here then maycft thou fee the rareftaccident that euer hapned,earth and heauen reconciled, whileftriuers ofDiuine blood, run ftreaming from our Saui- ours fide for ourfaluation. Butforce one will askeme, How comes it topaffe,that this Theefe infofhort a fpaceknew the let timeand feafonofthis his happy chance,when as Ierufalem in fo many yeares could not lightvpon the like encounter t S. Augufline, S. Chry- f flume, and Leo,anAver hereunto ; That he had Chrift for his Mafter,who reuea- led the fame vntohim, complyingwiththat deliuered by leremie, De calomift ignem,& eruaiuit me. Gregorie7' len faith, Repleuit exist erudition Spiritus Sandi. Cromatius;In i`focrucis candelabrafol refplendutt,TheSundia/hwe vnto himvpon the candieflickeoftheGraffe. Theophilati doth here apply that parable of Saint (A,tat. ,Ns mandoth light a candle, andfeti:vnder abufhell. In aword, this light was fo powerful', that it awakened this drowfieand fleepie theefe, fnorting in the fecu- rity offin, leaninghim fo well inftruded,that S.Augufline faith,He remained as a Matter in the Church. Firft ofall,hevfed extraordinarie diligence in taking holdofthis treafure, leaning all,that he might not loofe this, Hegame Godallthat was in hisfree power to giuehim. He had his hands and his feetnayled vnto the Croffè ; onely hee had left free vnto him his tongue, and his heart : imploying inChrifts feruice,whar- foeuer was in his freedometoperforme; as his tongue in defending him, and his heart in louinghint.., Secondly,He did not (land waiting for the lait plucks of Hope. Emifintss frith, That it was not his lait honre, but the firft,wherein hee knewhis Sauiour Chrift tobeGod. It isnow fixtie yeares fence (dearelTbeloued) that Tome of youhaueknowne him, and yet yeedeferre your repentancetill the honre of your death. Thirdly, heconfeffed his finnes, and how deferuediyhe did fuller, Weein- deedreceiuethings worthy afthat toe haledone. For he that will goe about to crane pardon for his Goners, the fill} step to forgiueneffe,is toaccufe himfelfe ofthem. Daeid entred in this way, and theProdigall,when theycryed Peccaui; fo did the Publican,PropYtiUt lomilii Peccatori. And theWife man teachcth vsro get in this way, Dic toprioosrntquitates tuns, vt iufifreeris. Iuflus inprincipio/erroniraeeu- fasereflfui. Saint Bernardaddeth, Sui non alterino, He to hisowneaccafer, net another mans. Saint Chryfoilome, That if the Theefehad notconfefI the faultsofhis life,hewould neuer haue prefumed to defire Chrift to remember him in his death.
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