They had taken off Jesus’ clothes; and when he was on the cross four soldiers tore the clothes in four pieces, and each took a piece: but when they looked at his coat they said, We will not tear it, because there is no seam in it; then one of the soldiers took it for his own. So the wicked people took everything away from Jesus. Was Jesus very angry with them? No, he was meek as a lamb. He prayed to his Father while he was upon the cross; he could not lift up his hands, but he could speak to God. He prayed for these wicked people, and said, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. “Father, forgive,” the sufferer cries, “Because they know not what they do.” To Heaven he lifts his dying eyes: Was such a prayer e’er heard below? Tell me for whom the Saviour prays? For those who bear him deadly hate, Who spat upon his lovely face, And pierced his blessed hands and feet, And does the Saviour pray for these? Ah! then I see that I should pray For all who hurt me, vex, or tease, By spiteful things they do or say. Alas! I feel my heart’s inclin’d To do to them as they to me, And by my words and deeds unkind To let all such my anger see. Yet _I_ have sinn’d against my God, And disobey’d ten thousand times: Am I prepar’d to feel his rod Avenging my ten thousand crimes? And thus he says he’ll deal with me If I’m unwilling to forgive; For only those _like_ Christ shall see The glorious place where angels live. LESSON XL. THE CROSS—PART II. LUKE, xxiii. 35-43. PONTIUS PILATE wrote these words on the top of Jesus’ cross: This is the King of the Jews. Who were the Jews? The people who lived in Jerusalem were called Jews. All the wicked people laughed when they read these words; they shook their heads, and pouted their lips at Jesus, and said, If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross. Could Jesus have come down? He could do everything; but he chose to stay to die for sinners. The wicked people said, If God loved him, he would not leave him to die on the cross. But his Father let him die to save us. There was a cross on each side of Jesus, and a thief nailed upon each cross. One of these thieves laughed at Jesus; he said, Why do you not save us, if you are the son of God? The other thief was sorry for his sins, and he loved Jesus. The thief who was sorry said to the other thief, We have been naughty, we deserve to be crucified; but Jesus is quite good. Then he spoke to Jesus, and said, Remember me when you come to be king. And Jesus said, You shall be with me in heaven to-day. So Christ heard the poor thief’s prayer; for Jesus died that he might save all who believed that he was the Son of God. If you go to heaven you will see that poor thief.