Hast thou not heard, 'mid forest glades,
While ancient rivers murmur'd by,

A voice from forth the eternal shades,
That spake a present Deity?

And as, upon the sacred page,
Thine eye in rapt attention turn'd
O'er records of a holier age,

Hath not thy heart within thee burn'd?

It was the voice of God that spake,
In silence to thy silent heart;

And bade each worthier thought awake,
And every dream of earth depart.

Voice of our God, O yet be near!
In low, sweet accents whisper peace:
Direct us on our pathway here,

Then bid in heaven our wand'rings cease.

SECTION XLIX.

CHRIST'S CHARGE TO PETER.

JOHN XXI. 1, and 15.

AFTER these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias. And on this wise showed he himself. There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael

of Cana inGalilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples. Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately, and that night they caught nothing. But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore; but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No. And he said unto them, cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast, therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes. Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved, saith unto Peter, It is the Lord.

So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, when thou wast young, thou girdest thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest;

but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me. Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved, following; (which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?) Peter seeing him, saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou me.

66

REFLECTIONS.

Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?" There was occasion for the question; for Peter, though at first loudest in his professions, had violated them all, by the denial of his Master. But may not we apply to ourselves the interrogation of our Lord? It may be that we, too, have professed to love him; but, alas! our resolutions, like those of the apostle, have failed in the day of temptation. We have denied our Saviour, not once, but often; denied him by turning away, uninterested, from the thoughts of him, denied him by our sins. Let us recall, then, to our memory the question of Jesus, "Lovest thou me?" May it recur to us in adversity; "Lovest thou me enough to bear, as my disciple, without repining, the burthens which Providence ordains for thee? Then shall

thy love for me make those burdens light, and bring thee at length to happiness which shall never end." In prosperity may that question be recalled to mind; "Lovest thou me more than these things?" Can thy religious affections retain their strength amid so many temptations, so many enjoyments? Be watchful, then, and be doubly happy, in the enjoyment of the life that now is, and the anticipated glories of the world to come."

HYMN.

Creator! by thy care and love
A charge is given us from above;
In constant duty must we wait,
As servants at their master's gate;
Rememb❜ring all thy holy law

With zealous love, and fear, and awe,
And ready, when our Lord shall come,
Joyful to bid him welcome home.

Then, in the watches of the night,
If he appear before our sight,
Fearless may we his presence meet,
And as our friend, our Master greet;
His eye our ready love shall see,
And mark our tried fidelity;

And kindness from his lips shall flow,
And large rewards his hands bestow.

Thus, holy Master, in the day
When heaven and earth shall pass away,
When, in the world's astonish'd sight,
Thy throne of judgment stands in light,
May we, from every terror free,
That awful preparation see;

And e'en in Nature's closing hour,
Adore our Maker's love and power.

SECTION L.

THE ASCENSION OF JESUS.

ACTS I.

THE former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which he was taken up, after that he had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen through the Holy Ghost. To whom also he showed himself alive, after his passion, by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. And being assembled together with them, he commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the