“I have often inquired, What is there within us, or without us, on which a sinner can rest in peace in a dying hour?  If it be a holy life, there can be no peace for me—­taking the law of God for my standard; backslider is my name; yet I think in this sacred volume I find a hope even for me, the chief of sinners.

“’As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life.  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life.  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.’  ’He that cometh from heaven is above all, and what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth.’  ’He that receiveth his testimony has set to his seal that God is true.’  ’The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand; he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life.’  John 3:14-36.  Here is a hope for me; the world is made up of sinners, I am one of them, and though the chief, am not excluded.  The Son of man came to save that which was lost, Matt. 18:11; I am of that description.  ’The Pharisees said, Why eateth your master with publicans and sinners?  Jesus said, The whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.’  Matt. 9:11.  I am a sinner, and sick.  ’I will have mercy, and not sacrifice; for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.’  I am a sinner, and need repentance.  ’Him hath God exalted with his right hand, to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.’  Acts 5:31.  ’The Lord is long-suffering, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.’ 2 Pet. 3:9.

“Christ said to the woman of Samaria, a notorious sinner, ’If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink, thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.  Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again; but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him, shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.’  John 4:10, 14.  Yes, my Redeemer, a draught of this water, received in faith from the hand of the Spirit, will give life in death.  O pour it into my thirsty soul in that searching hour.

“Jesus said to a mixed multitude of sinners like me, ’Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you; for him hath God the Father sealed,’ John 6:27.  These sinners said unto him, ‘What shall we do that we might work the works of God?’ ’That ye believe on Him whom he hath sent.  My Father giveth you the true bread from heaven, for the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth