the threatening throes of an approaching shock, that will convulse it to its centre?

And can we see and feel these awful signs of the times, crowding around us, and never hear the whisperings of a yet more awful voice, that seems to break, more and more distinctly every day, on the attentive ear! "Behold the Bridegroom is coming! Watch, therefore, for ye know neither the day, nor the hour, when He will come!"

Let me not, however, be misunderstood, as if, in using these expressions, I had fallen into the very error I have previously deplored, and was presuming, with unwarrantable confidence, to declare-"The Lord is at hand."

I would not attempt with presumptuous hand to pull aside, or with unhallowed eye to pierce through the thick veil of intentional obscurity, which God Himself has flung over the precise period of the second advent of His Beloved Son, and which the event itself will alone lift up! But as, on the one hand, we ought not to attempt to discover what God has determined to conceal from our view, or even desire to know what God has not thought fit to reveal; so neither ought we, on the other hand, to overlook what God intended us to observe, or to be heedless and unreflecting spectators of what God has commanded us to ponder seriously, and solemnly lay to heart.

We should remember that it is equally disrespectful to the Divine Majesty, to pry, with unhallowed curiosity, into the "secret things, which belong to the Lord our God". -or to neglect, with as unhallowed carelessness, the things which He has revealed, as matters of warning and admonition for us, and for our children. That as the one is a sinful encroachment on the Divine prerogative, so is the other a sinful contempt of the Divine condescension-and that the very same lips, which rebuked the former by the grave reproof-" It is not

for you to know the times, and the seasons, which the Father has put in His own power"—have rebuked the latter in those words of yet severer condemnation "Ye hypocrites! ye can discern the face of the sky, and can ye not discern the signs of the times ?"

To neglect the signs of the times is then, in the Saviour's estimation, no proof of superior wisdom; but is branded with His srongly marked displeasure, as a proof of stupidity in divine, which is but rendered. more conspicuous and censurable by sagacity in earthly, things.

Their skill in prognosticating the character of the coming weather, is made the ground of condemning the spiritual ignorance or carelessness of those, who, from signs, more clear in their prediction, and more certain in their fulfilment, neglected to prognosticate the character of coming events-so that to anticipate what from scriptural signs it seems reasonable to expect, and to be prepared, accordingly, for approaching emergencies, which, to the experienced eye of faith, are seen to cast their shadows before them, as they are drawing nigh, seems to be not only matter of permission, but of precept; not only allowed, but enjoined us, by the Lord!

In truth, the state of mind that seems most desirable, in pursuing these deeply interesting subjects, appears to be this-not even to wish to be, in the smallest degree, on any one point, wise above what is written; but, at the same time to desire, with humble and reverential desire, to be wise, with divinely imparted wisdom, up to the very fullest extent of what is written! Not to wish to travel one step into any forbidden region of speculation—or, even within the regions of permitted research, to travel one step beyond the spot, where the Hand of God has set up a barrier, bearing the divine inscription, "So far shalt thou go, but no further"-and, at the same time, through the whole

length and breadth of the field of divine revelation, up to this scriptural limit, to pursue our investigation with the deepest humility, the most patient and persevering energy, and, above all, with unwearied prayer for the divine teaching and guidance of God, the Holy Spirit, in every step we take.

In considering further the testimony, on this subject, supplied by the Redeemer, we are next led to advert to the sacrament of the Lord's Supper.

In the celebration of this sacrament, we apprehend that, in general, the thoughts and feelings of the faithful and devout communicant are almost exclusively retrospective.

The mind, or rather the heart, turns with mingled emotions of the deepest penitence, and the liveliest gratitude, to the remembrance of the time, when, in testimony of the love wherewith He loved us, the Son of God was crucified for us men, and for our salvation. And it is, indeed, utterly impossible that we can, at any time, and more especially at such a time, remember with too intense, and all-absorbing gratitude" the exceeding great love of our Master and only Saviour, Jesus Christ, thus dying for us."

Still, while the remembrance of Christ crucified should thus stir up every generous and grateful feeling of the believer's heart, appealing to us, by the solemn recollections of His agony and bloody sweat-His cross and passion-to hate sin with a perfect hatred, to love Jesus with a perfect love, to trust in His sacrifice with a perfect confidence, and live to His glory with a perfect devotedness, ought not our views and feelings to be prospective, as well as retrospective ?

Ought we not to keep in recollection, more distinctly and delightedly than, perhaps, we are accustomed even in our holiest and happiest celebration of this sacramental memorial of our dear Redeemer's dying love, that we do indeed meet together, to "show forth the

Lord's death, till He come; and that while remembering to sorrow, with a godly sorrow, for the sins which pierced Him with such inconceivable anguish, when, for our sakes, He was nailed to the cross, we do not forget to rejoice, with holy joy, in the prospect of the blessedness He shall bestow upon us, when He, who was once lifted up on that cross of shame, shall be seen, by an assembled universe, seated on His Throne of glory.

-we see

In truth, from the apostolic declaration, “Ye do show forth the Lord's death, till He come"plainly that it was the design of this Sacrament to answer a two-fold purpose; to be at once a memento of the Saviour's first, and a pledge of His second coming -and thus to keep these two glorious events (in being suitably affected by which the very essence of the Christian character, with all its distinguishing peculiarities, consists,) perpetually present to the believer's view; that they may produce, by their united influence, all that humbling, yet elevating train of thought—all that tender, yet triumphant tone of feeling all that lowly, yet lofty cast of character, which the blended contemplation of the sufferings and triumphs of a once crucified and now glorified Redeemer, exhibited by bringing together into view Mount Calvary and Mount Tabor, is so singularly fitted to create and cherish.

And perhaps the frame of mind, in which a Christian should most fervently desire to be kept, while celebrating these holy mysteries, is one, compounded of the opposite feelings, which the scenes displayed on these two mountains are calculated to awaken, harmoniously blended together! Feelings, of as profound penitence, fervent gratitude, and self-abasing humiliation, as if we were standing at the foot of Mount Calvary, and amidst the appalling darkness that shrouded the mountain, like a black funeral pall, beheld the Son of God, hanging between two thieves, convulsed with

excruciating torture, and heard him uttering that fearful cry-"My God! my God! why hast thou forsaken Me?" and remembered while witnessing the awful spectacle, this is the price that Jesus paid for my redemption-this the death that Jesus died, that I might live for ever. And, at the same time, mingled with this penitential sorrow and self-abasement, feelings of as triumphant though awful joy, as if we were suddenly transported from Mount Calvary to Mount Tabor, and there beheld the bright cloud, like a celestial halo, circling the Mount-and saw the Son of God standing in His glory, between His two glorified servants-and heard the voice from Heaven declare, "This is my Beloved Son! hear ye Him!" and, while gazing on that countenance, brighter than the sun shining in his strength, and seeing the glory of the Godhead bursting, with dazzling splendor, through the veil of human flesh, remembered that this is but, as it were, the pledge and precursor of the glory that shall be revealed, in the day when the Son of Man shall appear! and all his redeemed people shall appear with Him, in glory such as this!

Thus will each sacramental commemoration of the Saviour's sacrifice be, at once, to the believer, an eloquent remembrancer of that sad and solemn supper, when, with "a soul exceeding sorrowful even unto death," Jesus appointed this affecting memorial of His dying love, saying, " Do this in remembrance of Me !" and a sweet though shortlived antepast of the full and everlasting blessedness he shall enjoy, when the Bridegroom, who gave Himself for His beloved Bride, the Church, shall come to celebrate the day of his espousals—and the marriage-supper of the Lamb shall be prepared-and a glorified Jesus shall preside, in person, amidst the vast assemblage of his glorified guests a multitude that no man could number-and then will be fully understood and felt, what can only,