[3D SUNDAY.

"Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him."-REV. i. 7.

WHO is it that will come one day, and whom every eye shall see? The Lord Jesus, the Saviour of sinners, the Judge of all men. Every eye shall see Him! My eye shall see Him too. Will it be with fear and terror, that I shall behold the King of kings coming to judgment; or will my gaze be that of admiration and love? In order to answer this question, let me ask myself another, "Am I now preparing for his coming-preparing to see Jesus Christ? Do I do everything in reference to the day of his appearing? Have I looked to Him now with the eye of faith? Am I continually looking unto Him as I run the race set before me? Is it my greatest joy now to realize the Saviour's presence and favour?" Then may I also rejoice in the expectation

of his second coming when faith shall be turned to sight. How can I fear the realization of my fondest hopes, the accomplishment of my best desires? The more we look to Jesus now, by faith, the less shall we fear death and judgment. For how, indeed, can we fear to meet our best and dearest Friend?

Let us often consider, also, how any feeling or pursuit will bear this touchstone-will it be remembered with joy at the coming of Christ? As one who expects the Saviour's appearing, can I indulge in this pursuit; as one who loves that appearing, can I indulge in this feeling? St. Paul assures us that there is a crown which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give at his coming to all who love his appearing. Let us not shrink, then, from meditation on the coming of Christ, whether by death or judgment, but rather look for and expect it as the end of all our probation, and

the beginning of our perfect and eternal happiness.

Let us ask ourselves, "Are we willing this very night to leave all on earth and go to Jesus?" The question is a startling one, and on first hearing it, we would fain say, Oh, spare me a little that I may recover strength, before I hence and be no more seen." go

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But if we are true Christians, this arises from the weakness of our faith; for could we really see Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and saying to us this very night, "Come, ye blessed of my Father," I am quite sure that nothing on earth could detain us. "Our souls would leave this heavy clay At that transporting word; Run up with joy the shining way,

To see and praise the Lord.

"Fearless of hell and ghastly death,

We'd break through every foe;

The wings of love and arms of faith
Should bear us safely through."

[4TH SUNDAY.

"I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty."-REV. I. 8.

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"I AM Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending," saith the Lord, the first and the last, the Creator of all things; for whom all things were made, and by whom all things consist, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty I am. Can this be the meek and lowly Jesus, the Son of man, the rejected and disregarded Saviour, the Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief? Yes, for although for our sakes once He was the suffering Son of man, now He says, “I AM Alpha and Omega." Oh, meditate on what your Saviour is now; look away for a little moment from the suffering Jesus (though sweet indeed it is to realise his sympathy and his dying love), still look away from that to his present exaltation. Forget for a little while what he was on earth,

of

for

you,

and think of what He is now,-the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, the Author and Finisher your faith. The work He has begun He will finish; it shall not be left undone, for He is the Almighty. What is there He cannot accomplish for you? what is there He cannot do for his people? Oh, that you could in heart and mind, with that Almighty One continually dwell! then would you realise the great and mighty things He would do for you even now, and the still more wonderful things He will do for you through all eternity. For will it not require an Almighty arm to bring you through all the trials and temptations of this life to heaven? Will it not require an Almighty arm to enable you to overcome sin, and to gain the victory over Satan, death, and the grave? There is help laid on One that is mighty, and you may hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto

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