for his dear Son's sake, create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that he would sanctify us wholly, that he would take from us the heart of stone, and give us a heart of flesh; and that he would lead and guide us to his dwellingplace, where,

"The soul, from sin for ever free,

Shall mourn its power no more."

SERMON XXI.

THE PENITENT MALEFACTOR.

LUKE xxiii. 42, 43.

"And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily, I say unto thee, To-day shalt thou be with me in Paradise."

THE omnipotence of Jehovah is as clearly and brightly manifested in his works of grace, as in those of creation and providence, and the translation of one sinner from the kingdom of Satan into that of God's dear Son, proclaims that omnipotence as loudly as when the divine voice shook the wilderness of Cades, or as when the children of Israel passed in safety through the waters of the Red Sea. In the passage before us, we have a striking instance of the power of divine grace. The punishment inflicted upon

the malefactor, whose petition is contained in the text, fully proves that he was a transgressor of no ordinary magnitude, and had not the Spirit of God awakened his conscience, touched his heart, and opened the eyes of his understanding, the petition would never have been offered. With the view of invalidating the doctrine of pardoning grace, attempts have been made to represent this individual as by no means of the decidedly abandoned character under which he is generally regarded, and that he was simply chargeable with practices which excited the jealousy of the Roman government. The whole tenor of the history, however, would lead us to suppose this view of the case to be incorrect; for that, in fact, he was an offender in no ordinary degree, and that it was the free mercy of the Saviour alone, which extended to him a full pardon for all his transgressions.

The scene brought before us is one of the most intense interest to the Christian believer. The moment of its occurrence-the most memorable in the annals of the world. Heaven and earth were preparing to bear testimony to the momentous truth, that Jesus of Nazareth, who was "numbered with the transgressors," was the brightness of Jehovah's glory," the express image of his person." The day had arrived, when the "hand-writing of ordinances" was to be blotted

out; when a fountain was to be opened for sin and for uncleanness; when the blood of the immaculate Saviour was to be shed for the propitiation of sin; when the wall of separation between Jew and Gentile was to be broken down, and free access to the mercy-seat of the Eternal to be opened to the children of Adam. Every circumstance connected with an event so mentous in its bearings to the happiness of man, affords a subject for grateful meditation. That recorded in the text is full of interest and instruction. It furnishes an additional proof of the power and loving-kindness of our Lord. It teaches the importance of faith, and the blessings attached to repentance.

Let us consider,

I. The import of the petition.

II. The gracious answer of our Lord. May that Saviour, whose mercy was on this, as on other occasions, so strikingly manifested by his Spirit, bring home to our hearts and consciences the truths which shall be advanced.

I. 1. The petition, we may remark, implied, first, a belief that Jesus was the Son of God, and that he had power to grant the request. It was offered at the very moment when Jesus, like the malefactor, was hanging in agony upon the cross, when the eye of the infatuated and

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unbelieving multitude could discover in him no other spectacle, than that of an impostor and blasphemer suffering merited punishment; when his claim to unlimited power and authority appeared utterly fallacious. Had the request been

made, when the streets of the holy city resounded with the loud hosannahs, "Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord;" or when, by the performance of some miracle, Jesus had proved that he was endowed with power from on high; or even after the heavens, enshrouded in darkness, and the earth with its "rocks rent," had borne testimony to the Saviour's divinity, the faith of the malefactor would have assumed a very different character; but when the petition was proffered, all hope of the Saviour's claiming the throne of David was at an end. A few hours would not elapse before his body would be consigned to the grave, and yet, at such a moment as this, the dying malefactor exclaimed, "Lord, remember me." It must not be unnoticed that St. Matthew and St. Mark speak of the malefactors who were crucified with our Lord, as having both reviled him. This is, however, by no means inconsistent with the narrative of St. Luke. It is quite possible that both may have done so in the first instance, and that the heart of the one was aroused to a consciousness of guilt, and that he was led to