the right, though it might expose him to the displeasure of the crowd. This shows that he was no longer the unprincipled thief that he once had been; but that he was thoroughly imbued with the spirit of righteousness.

2. The humility of his spirit. This is evident from his prayer, "Lord, remember me when thou comest in thy kingdom." He was by no means presumptuous; he did not ask great things; he did not resemble those disciples, who desired to sit, the one on the right hand of our Lord, and the other on the left, in his kingdom. No; he merely said, “REMEMBER me." With this he would be satisfied. Like the returning prodigal, who wished only to be made as one of the hired servants of his father, so he simply sought the kind remembrance of his Saviour. Truly he received the kingdom of God as a little child; with meekness, humility, and simplicity of heart.

In this penitent thief then there was a real change; he had not only obtained a title to the heavenly inheritance, but what is equally important, a fitness to enjoy it.

III. THE INHERITANCE BESTOWED.

Here we touch upon a subject too vast for our comprehension; our conception of God's paradise must necessarily be imperfect; our vision of the

land that is afar off must be dim, vague, and limited indeed. This however we know, that the thief's prayer was answered, and more than answered, for he was promised greater things than he asked for. He prayed to be remembered only; but he was promised an entrance into paradise. He prayed to be remembered at a future period, which might, for aught he knew, be yet very distant-" when thou comest in thy kingdom;" but he was promised an entrance into paradise that very day, "To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise."

"In paradise."

Where? In what part of God's dominions is it situated? Ah! we cannot tell, for it has not been revealed to us. But of one thing we are certain—and this ought to be sufficient for us-that it is a place of perfect bliss, into which the saints enter at their death. The Romish idea of an intermediate state, or purgatory, is a delusion; it is a fiction which has no foundation whatever in God's word. To-day shalt thou be with me." What a glorious announcement to his weary soul, now yearning for repose! Before the sun, which then shone in the heavens, should set in the western horizon, his life's sun would set in death; true, it would set amidst clouds of suffering, and ignominy, and shame; but then it would set only to rise again the next moment in immortal splendour before the throne of God.

"Thou shalt be with me." This is the very essence of heaven, to be with Christ. This is what the believer desires most of all. Paul longed to depart and be with Christ, though he should suffer death in order to obtain his wish; for to be with Christ was to his mind the perfection of happiness. Beloved," saith John, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is."

Ye who are struggling with doubts, and fears, and misgivings, contemplate for your encouragement the mighty power of Christ's salvation, as set forth in the story of the dying thief. Know that, whatever may be your circumstances, Christ can save you ; that however depraved you may be in heart, Christ can change you; that however well you may have deserved everlasting woe, Christ can bestow upon you the joys of heaven. Why then not go to Him, and lay your case before Him, this very day? Were you to do so, be assured of it, that should your eyes this day be closed in death, you would this day be with Him in paradise!

V.

THE BURNING BUSH;

OR,

THE CHURCH IN THE WORLD.

"And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush; and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed."

EXODUS iii. 2.

If

THE ways of God are inscrutable. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." proofs of this were necessary, they are not far to seek; the pages of sacred history are full of them; as we turn over page after page, and endeavour to master their wonderful contents, we become increasingly conscious of the infinite wisdom, the infinite power, the infinite resources, of Him whose ways are here recorded. We can understand that overwhelming sense of wonder which led the great apostle to

exclaim; "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!"

Mark the ways of God towards His chosen people. He has chosen them for Himself, He has set them apart from the rest of mankind, He has given them exceeding great and precious promises, He has destined them to be a glorious, great, and prosperous nation; still, strange to say, He allows the Egyptians to oppress them, to exercise all manner of cruelty towards them, to hold them ir a bondage of unparalleled severity;. when, by the word of His mouth, He might shatter their fetters, deliver them from suffering, and lead them to honour. It is a strange spectacle-one of those spectacles which have made short-sighted men doubt the wisdom of Providence, and even go the length of denying the existence of Providence altogether.

But it is the darkest hour which generally precedes the dawn. Man's extremity is God's opportunity. When despair becomes intolerable, hope is near at hand. Besides, there is a point beyond which God will not suffer His people to be trampled upon. He witnesses their sufferings, compassionates their sorrows, and hears their cries for deliverance. Rather than let their enemies triumph over them without cause, He would summon the lightnings of heaven,