that peace either in living or dying is from any source but the free gift of God’s grace; but as one that has witnessed hundreds of Christian death-beds, I bear my testimony that, as a general rule, inconsistent Christians very frequently have anxious death-beds: while, on the other hand, those who have walked nearest to the Lord in their life are the people who have found Him nearest to them in their death; and those who, like our dear friend, have set the Lord always before them, find, as he did, the Psalmist’s words invariably true “Because he is on my right hand I shall never be moved.” Are we to suppose, then, that our dear and honoured friend saved his soul by his consistency in following the Lord? God forbid! I venture to say that there is nothing from which his whole soul would have recoiled more than from any such a thought, for he knew well enough that he could never save his soul by following Christ nor by any other act of his own. He never had the slightest hope of doing so, for he knew too much of the deep corruption of his own sinful heart. But to redemption and redemption alone he owed his life, as he said himself in his last illness “Even if I _could_ say I have walked in my integrity nothing but _free redemption_ saved me.” “I’m a poor sinner, and nothing at all But Jesus Christ is my all in all.” The salvation came first, and faithful following was the fruit of it. No one will ever really follow Christ, till he is first saved through His free grace. Thus in the text all is traced to Redeeming love, for observe the next clause:— III. “These were redeemed from among men, being the first-fruits unto God and the Lamb.”