who through the eternal Spirit offered himself a sacrifice without spot unto God, and by his own blood entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us, and when he had purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; to the blessed Mediator of the new and better covenant, established on better promises; to the Surety of the new testament, and sealed with his own blood.  Oh, I will look unto Jesus, the object, the author, and the finisher of that faith which interests us in himself and the whole of his purchase.  He bids me look unto him, and be saved.  I do look unto him, and I am saved.  Who dares condemn the sinner whom Christ acquits?  Who shall lay any thing to his charge?  ’It is Christ that died; yea, rather, who is risen again; who is even at the right hand of God; who also maketh intercession for us.’”

ISAIAH 44:22.  “RETURN UNTO ME.

A SCRIPTURE PARAPHRASE BY D. B——­

“Return to thee, my God? dost thou
The invitation yet renew? 
Return to thee! my chiefest joy,
Till sin did all my peace destroy.

“And yet, to hear thy pardoning voice
Must make my trembling heart rejoice;
Though sin is there, thou well dost know
It is my burden and my foe.

“O let me hear those gracious words: 
Be still, my soul, they are the Lord’s;
That God, who once on thee did shine,
And filled thee with a hope divine.

“’Thy black transgressions, trembling soul—­
Thy sins so heinous and so foul,
Which like a cloud obscure thy day,
I’ve blotted out, I’ve washed away.

“’Return to me, thou ’rt mine; I own
Thee for my servant, and my son;
I have redeemed thy precious soul,
And none my purchase shall control.’

“I hear, I come, my covenant God: 
Thy love’s my life, my raiment, food;
Thy favor, through my Jesus given,
Is to my soul the bliss of heaven.

“I come, my Jesus; hold me fast,
Till, life and Jordan’s journey past,
My faith to vision yield her place,
And I shall see thy unveiled face.

“Then, with the loudest of the throng,
Of sins forgiven I’ll raise the song—­
Of pardon bought with Jesus’ blood,
Sinners made kings and priests to God.”

PSALM 103.  FIFTY YEARS AGO.

“Oh thou, my soul, bless God the Lord,
And all that in me is
Be stirred up, his holy name
To magnify and bless,” etc.

“’I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you.  Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me:  because I live, ye shall live also.  At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.  Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me?  He that hath seen me, hath seen the Father.  Howbeit, when the Spirit of