r lives we have
been far enough apart. I have been robbing and murdering, and He has
been feeding the hungry, healing the sick, and raising the dead. Now
these people are railing at us both! I begin to believe He must be
the Son of God; for surely no man could forgive his enemies like
that."

Yes, that prayer of Christ's did what the scourge could not do. This
man had gone through his trial, he had been beaten, he had been
nailed to the cross; but his heart had not been subdued, he had
raised no cry to God, he was not sorry for his sins. Yet, when he
heard the Savior praying for His murderers, that

BROKE HIS HEART.

It flashed into this thief's soul that Jesus was the Son of God, and
that moment he rebuked his companion, saying:

"Dost thou not fear God?"

The fear of God fell upon him. There is not much hope of a man's
being saved until the fear of God comes upon him. Solomon says, "The
fear of God is the beginning of wisdom."

We read in Acts that great fear fell upon the people; that was the
fear of the Lord. That was the first sign that conviction had
entered the soul of the thief. "Dost thou not fear God?" That was
the first sign we have of life springing up.

CONFESSING.

Next, he confessed his sins: "We indeed justly." He took his place
among sinners, not trying to justify himself.

A man may be very sorry for his sins, but if he doesn't confess
them, he has no promise of being forgiven. Cain felt badly enough
over his sins, but he did not confess. Saul was greatly tormented in
mind, but he went to the witch of Endor instead of to the Lord.
Judas felt so bad over the betrayal of his Master that he went out
and hanged himself; but he did not confess to God. True, he went and
confessed to the priests, saying, "I have sinned in that I have
betrayed innocent blood"; but it was of no use to confess to them
--they could not forgive him.

How different is the case of this penitent thief! He confessed his
sins, and Christ had mercy on him there and then.

The great trouble is, people are always trying to make out that they
are not sinners, that they have nothing to confess. Therefore, there
is no chance of reaching them with the Gospel. There is no hope for
a man who folds his arms and says: "I don't think God will punish
sin; I am going to take the risk." There is no hope for a man until
he sees that he is under just condemnation for his sins and
shortcomings. God never forgives a sinner until he co