, and listened to the
angelic announcement, "He is not here, He is risen?" Have we seen in His
death the secret of our life? Have we beheld Him as the Great Precursor
emerging from Hades, and shewing to ransomed millions the purchased path
of life--the luminous highway to glory? Let our hearts be as Bethany
dwellings, to welcome in a dying risen Jesus. Let us not expel Him from
our souls by our sins--crucifying the Lord afresh, and putting Him to
an open shame. Let not God's restoring mercies be, as, alas! often they
are to us, _unsanctified_;--receiving back our Lazarus from the brink of
the tomb, but refusing, on the return of health and prosperity, to share
in bearing our Lord's cross--to "go forth with Him without the
camp--bearing His reproach." If He has delivered our souls from death,
and our eyes from tears, be it ours to follow Him through good and
through bad report. Not alone amid the hosannahs of His people, or amid
the world's bright sunshine, but, if need be, to confront suffering, and
trial, and death for His sake. Like the Bethany family, let us mourn His
absence, and long for His return. It is but for "a little while" we
"shall _not_ see Him"--"again a little while and we _shall_ see Him."
Oh, blessed day! when the words of the old prophet will start once more
into fulfilment, and a voice from Heaven will thus address a waiting
Church--"Rejoice, O daughter of Zion, behold thy King cometh!" He
cometh!--but it is now with no badges of humiliation--with no
anticipations of sorrow and woe to mar that hour of glory. "His head
shall be crowned with many crowns"--all His saints with Him to share
His triumph and enter into His joy. May we be enabled to look forward to
that blessed season when, arrayed in white robes, with golden crowns on
our heads, and palms of victory in our hands, these shall be cast at His
feet, and the feeble Hosannahs of time shall be lost and merged in the
rapturous Hallelujahs of eternity!

XXI.

THE LAST VISIT.

What saddening thoughts are associated with our final interview with a
Beloved Friend! He was in health when we last met; we little dreamt, in
parting, we were to meet no more. Every circumstance of that interview
is stored up in the most hallowed chambers of the soul. His last
words--his last _look_--his last smile--they live there in undying
memorial! Such was now the case with the disciples. They had their last
walk together with their beloved Master. Ere another