when it is convenient. Those who are blessed with spiritual enlightenment, and a right judgment from God, know, to their sorrow, that very few people desire the unceasing presence of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. But I will tell you where I am in respect to Him, I cannot do anything right without Him. I cannot think aright without Him-I cannot look in the right direction without Him. I cannot speak correctly without Him. If He is not in the pulpit with me, I had far rather be out of it.

Christ Himself is the Life, aye, the Very Being of every living child of the Father. Without Him, and destitute of the godly motions of the Spirit, all is death, even where religious activity most is seen. Without His love shed abroad in the heart, enmity against God is sure to assert itself. If the Spirit of Truth reign not in the judgment, error and opposition to Christ and His simplicity are sure to appear.

If Jesus is not precious to me as my Law-fulfilling Righteousness, my restless spirit is sure to seek for fancied good in self, and that is where real good can never be found. But blessed be His Holy Name, He has revealed Himself to me as my Wisdom, Righteousness, Holiness, and All in all. Yet there are times when the heart is faint, and the spirit is languid when faith's light flickers and the lamp of grace shines dimly-when the flesh struggles for the mastery and Satan's buffetings are keenly and cruelly felt-then the heart knoweth its own bitterness and would seek for comfort in its own wormwood and gall. At such times the Lord is pleased to teach His people the salutary lesson that in His gracious hands it is by these things elect, redeemed and regenerate men live, and discover the life of their spirit (Isa. xxxviii. 16).

We will now seek for instruction from the very interesting words of the text

"This Man hath done nothing amiss."

This is an extraordinary statement, made by an extraordinary man, at a very extraordinary time, in fact, the most extraordinary time in the world's history. The Prince of life was then ceasing to live. King Messiah was then suffering for the nation He loved so well, and which ever lay upon His heart. He was born King of the Jews (Matt. ii. 2), and He died with the title proclaimed upon His cross (Mark xv. 26). Though this title appeared there in accusation and scorn, yet all who are not aliens from the holy nation of God's election, rejoice in the experimental possession of it as written upon the fleshy tables of their heart by the Holy Ghost. These are Jews indeed-spiritual Jews: "For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God" (Romans ii. 28, 29). Here we learn that all are Jews in God's estimation who are spiritually circumcised. These experience a cutting off-a cutting all round-a severance from the world.

The children of God thus separated from this world of sin and death, know something of the pungent pains attending this separating work. "For the Word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a Discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Heb. iv. 12). The circumcising knife of divine truth separates between nature and grace between the flesh and spirit-between that which is mine and that which is God's. Those who

are thus spiritually and effectively cut off from the fleshly world and from all fleshly hopes of salvation or favour are fully entitled to say with Paul, "We are the circumcision, which worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh" (Phil. iii. 3). The Lord Jesus Christ is spiritually King of all those who are Jews inwardly, and in His own time He makes His sovereignty and authority to be known, felt and enjoyed by them. There is no want or failure in His way and work. He knows when, and He knows how, to bring His own to bow before the sceptre of His grace.

Let us scan the narrative in which our text appears. We are told that two malefactors were crucified with Jesus, one on His right, and the other on the left. Matthew and Mark inform us that the thieves who were crucified with Him reviled Him. In a remarkably short space of time one of them was brought under the power of sovereign, reigning grace. There are those who in their ignorance would limit the Holy One of Israel to time and means in the spiritual work of regeneration, but our God is not limited to either. When He pleases He will bring one of His children through long dreary seasons and weary wastes before the sweets of gospel liberty are enjoyed. He is also pleased to speak home life, light, love and liberty in the twinkling of an eye. Look at the three thousand upon the day of Pentecost. They assembled in the order of God's providence-Peter preached — they heard the Spirit applied the preaching with quickening power-they cried-God experimentally saved them-that selfsame day they were added to the church-the thing was done suddenly (Acts ii. passim). Also notice the case of the Philippian jailor. In the afternoon he was thrusting Paul and Silas into the inner prison. At night he was crying for mercy--sighing for salvation.

Next morning he was a new creature in Christ Jesus, and he was conscious of the fact (Acts xvi. 23-36).

But it is not wise to make any case recorded in God's Word a standard for Him to work by. The Holy One of Israel will not be limited, and those who attempt to limit Him will know something of it sooner or later. This was the sin of ancient Israel. But God reigned and Israel rued. He will work with His own in His own way. The lambs and the sheep of His flock will be gathered into the fold according to the counsel of His own will, without the interference, help, or meddling of prophet, priest, or pastor. In the accomplishment of His designs of grace He is pleased to pass by the wise and the learned, and use the unlearned and despised among men. Bright unfoldings of divine truth beam forth from the queer and the quaint, and none but fools will ignore the lessons God teaches through the foolish. Many times I have seen the rude and the refined brought together in the order of God's providence, but the rude has shined the brighter of the two. According to the choice of Infinite Wisdom one is just as effectual as another. This is demonstrative proof that God will do His own work in His own way. He will bring the blind by a way that they know not, but which is well known to Him, and thus bless them with the enjoyment of His covenant mercy flowing through the sufferings, sorrows, and blood of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Let us return to the narrative.

One malefactor railed on our Suffering Lord, but the other rebuked him, saying: "Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? " That poor dying thief was well taught, far better taught than many of our present day preachers. Loved with an everlasting love he breathed the language of

love the language of heaven. There was nothing of hell, or fire and brimstone, in his rebuke. The other thief would know all that soon enough. I have shunned the company of those whose language has savoured more of hell than heaven, while those who have been privileged to speak to me of the Surety and Sufferer, Who endured the hell which I deserved, are cherished in my memory. To me hell and damnation

are terrible realities. To me heaven and salvation are covenant verities. But notice the rebuke of the elect thief-" Dost thou not fear God?" He held the truth in righteousness, for, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Ps. cxi. 10). When the fear of the Lord is implanted in the heart of a sinner, sin is hated-guilt is felt-condemnation is dreaded -evil associations are shunned-salvation is sought for-grace is experienced, and glory is desired. The thief acknowledged the justice of his sentence, the sinfulness of his sin, the sinlessness of his Saviour, and then prayed—

"Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy Kingdom." I wish you to pay particular attention to this precious, spiritual, heaven-born prayer. Sovereignty is breathed at both ends. It commences with His title denoting authority and dominion"Lord." This was an acknowledgment that Jesus, though a Sufferer, was a Sovereign. The thief owned Him as Lord of his person-Master of his destinyand King of his heart. His Saviour had sole authority over him. It is a very easy matter for a smooth-tongued professor to say, "Dear Lord," or "Dearest Lord"; but it is different altogether for a broken heart and contrite spirit, weighted with the solemnities of eternity, and the glory of God, to sigh out the gracious title, "Lord." "No man can say that Jesus Christ is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost" (1 Cor. xii. 3). Those whom He claims by the in