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SACRAMENTAL THOUGHTS.

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SACRAMENTAL THOUGHTS.

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FOR AS OFTEN AS YE EAT THIS BREAD, AND DRINK THIS CUP, YE DO SHEW THE LORD'S DEATH TILL HE COME."1 Cor. xi. 26.

"TILL he come," "And they shall look on me whom they have pierced; and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his only son." Zech. xii. 10. And if they must, how little does it avail us to refuse, to be unwilling, to be unready, or even to be afraid, to behold him now. When those rocks and hills that we shall invoke to hide us, will only reverberate our long refusal; when He who hath stretched forth his hand and no man regarded, shall laugh at our calamity and mock our fears; when the cry of the bridegroom breaks in upon our unfitness, and finds us and leaves us in eternal darkness; is it then we shall be more

ready, more willing, less afraid? If not, there is but little time to lose. The first watch and

what must be at some "The world passeth

But what is

the second watch are past; time, may be at any time. away, and the fashion thereof." time, or what is earth to me? I have no time but the moment that my present pulsation numbers; no earth but the space I stand upon; the next step may find no footing here, "Every eye shall see him, and they that pierced him," and they that reject him, and they that forget him. Yes, and they that fear him, if, before his coming, fear be not cast out by perfect love. If we are any such, it does not become us to lie down this night in peace; in safety we cannot lie. Unworthy or unwilling to look upon the figurative emblems of the Saviour's death and passion, emblems of patience, lowliness, and sorrow; how shall we bear to look upon Himself;-"when he shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." Blessed Redeemer! I had better meet thee now, unworthy though I am, and fearful and ashamed, and know thee in thy humiliation, before I meet thee in thy glory. There is in thee a remedy

for unworthiness, for fear and shame; but there is none for the refusal of thyself.

"Blessed

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"Shall look on him and mourn;" are they that mourn," mourn now, for they shall be comforted;" weep like the believing women at the grave of the crucified, until they find him in the risen God: or like Mary, when in ignorance and doubt, she went to seek the living among the dead, and wept because she found him not, or knew not it was He. Blessed in ignorance, doubtfulness, and tears, are they that mourn now the crucified Jesus, and seek him sorrowing at the cross and in the tomb. He is not there, but presently he will reveal himself, in all the blessings and benefits of his resurrection unto life eternal. If we be dead with him, we shall also live with him. Stranger though I be to his encouraging and peace-speaking voice, I may go with my sorrow, my ignorance and unbelief, while there is yet. in Him a pardon and a comforter provided. But who will comfort them that never weep till the time of rejoicing comes, and never look on Him whom they have pierced, till they behold him in the Lord of glory; outcast mourners of a rejoicing universe, destined to lookto look for ever from the bottomless pit of their

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