morable conversation with his disciples, recorded in John vi., the Lord Jesus confirmed this assurance of life everlasting to every one that should believe on him, NINE TIMES-at verses 39, 40, 44, 47, 50, 51, 54, 57, 58; as if he said, I will make it impossible for you hereafter to doubt or to be afraid; "I am the resurrection and the life; and because I live, ye shall live also." Peter well understood Him, when he said, (verse 68) "Lord, to whom should we go? thou hast the words of eternal life." And after the resurrection of the Lord, when the angel came and opened the prison doors, Acts v. 20, and brought the apostles forth, he said to them "Go stand in the temple, and speak to the people, all the words of this life." Accordingly, Peter preached to them, Jesus and the resurrection :-" The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged upon a tree; him hath God exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance unto Israel and forgiveness of sins." Is any Invalid, who reads this, oppressed under a sense of unworthiness and sin? Let but this glorious Gospel, with all its freeness and fulness, be received, and peace, and consolation, and joy, light and salvation, will be poured into his soul, and cause every desponding fear to give way-and, with Peter, he will be able to say, 1 Peter i. 3, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which, according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again (John iii. 7) to a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God, through faith, unto salvation, which is ready to be revealed in the last time: wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season (if need be) ye are in heaviness, through manifold temptations; that the trial of your faith being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise, and honour, and glory, at the appearing of Jesus Christ; whom, having not seen, ye love; in whom though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice, with joy unspeakable, and full of glory receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls." In these verses, the experience of every true believer (more or less) is described; and the hymns are selected to exhibit the samethe love, joy, peace, confidence, assurancethe self-loathing and resignation to the divine will—the desire that Christ may be glorified by him, whether by life or by death-all springing from the same blessed source and almighty agency set forth in the 2nd verse of the same chapter-1 Peter i. 2. "Elect, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience, and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ." May the glorious truth of the everlasting Gospel be thus felt, understood, and acknowledged, by every Invalid who reads these lines. May the love of God, the Father, who sent his Son to die "for the ungodly," be shed abroad in their hearts, by the power of the Holy Ghost! May the grace of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, "who loved us, and gave himself for us"-with "mercy and peace," be multiplied to them! May they be encouraged by His gracious invitation, to go boldly to the throne of grace, where he is our advocate with the Father, and "is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing that he ever liveth to make intercession for us!" And may the animating, comforting, directing, strengthening, and refreshing influences of the Eternal Spirit-God the Holy Ghost -be poured forth abundantly upon them! Amen. H. K. INTRODUCTORY LINES. "In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men, fear came upon me, and trembling."— Job iv. 13, 14. SOMETIMES amid the hurry, toil and strife, In terrible reality stand out; These lucid moments suddenly present A glance of truth, as tho' the heavens were rent; And thro' the chasm of pure celestial light, The future breaks upon the startled sight: Life's vain pursuits, and Time's advancing расе, Appear with death-bed clearness face to face; And immortality's expanse sublime, |