own hopes and prospects there? What, your passionate prayer, "The Lord grant that I may find mercy of the Lord in that day?" We, indeed, can utter no predictions of this kind: but are such feelings, such enquiries, such prayers, less needful, because "you know not at what hour the Son of man will come?" Ought they not to be even yet more earnestly adopted, in that you seem, at present, to have only a respite? All is quiet as yet: "all things continue" (so the Infidel speaks, and, for once, speaks truly) "as they were from the beginning of the creation." But, as surely as that creation had its beginning, so surely will it have its ending. The intermediate space is allotted for no other purpose, than that which I have this day so feebly described to you. Christ" gave himself for your sins." He has, by his blood, cleared the way for your return to God. The design upon which his heart is set, you have also heard. He wants to save you out of the world's ruin, by extricating you from its rebellion, by upholding you, so long as you continue here, against its snares, and finally, by removing you to his own presence and kingdom. It remains for you, therefore, to say, whether you will perish with the world, or be delivered from the world. A willing mind is all he asks: he will do for you the whole work— yes, and he will have the entire glory. What says your heart? Do you reply, 'No-I have loved the world, and after it will I go?' God forbid! Deal not so rashly with yourself, so ungratefully with him who desires to be your Saviour. Go and offer up, in true sincerity, at least this one prayer'Lord, I know not what all this love can mean, to a guilty wretch so undeserving of the smallest favour. But take thine own way, and fulfil in me thine own design. Deliver me, if so it may be, from this present evil world. Overcome my reluctance, nay, my aversion to thee and to thy will. Make me blessed, even in spite of myself; and when the day dawns that shall never close, oh, let me be numbered with thy saints in glory everlasting!' T 274 SERMON XVII.* JOHN XX. 14—17. And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. Jesus saith unto her, Mary! She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni! (which is to say, Master!) Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not: for I am not yet ascended to my Father. But go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God. THE Mary here spoken of was Mary Magdalene; so named from the city of Magdala, of which she was either a native, or merely an inhabitant. It seems an injustice to her memory, that she has by some been confounded with the "Woman that • Preached on Easter-day. was a sinner;" who "washed the feet" of Jesus "with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head." The only circumstance in her history, which might seem to countenance the supposition of her having been guilty of immorality before her conversion, is the fact, that she had been possessed with the devil; and that, to so fearful a degree, that " seven devils had entered into her." But it should have been remembered, that possession was a disease, not a vice-nor, for aught that we know, was it the effect of vicious conduct. Mary, then, was one of "certain women who," at an early period of our Lord's compassionate ministry, "had been healed by him of evil spirits and infirmities; " and who afterwards accompanied him wherever he went, "ministering to him of their substance," listening to his word, and standing by him even till the last agony of the Cross, when all his other disciples "forsook him and fled." Death itself could not separate those grateful women from him. After the short interval of the sabbath, they returned to embalm his body; Mary Magdalene coming the first of them all, "early, when it was yet dark." At that visit she made no other discovery, but that the stone had been taken away from the sepulchre, and the body of Jesus removed but whither, or by what hands, she knew not. Her report of this fact brought Peter and John to enquire into its truth; who went away again, however, without obtaining any additional information on the subject. Mary, meanwhile, returns to the sepulchre; and, as St. Mark expressly affirms, is the first to behold her risen Lord. My text describes, with inimitable simplicity and pathos, the circumstances of the interview: and I lay those circumstances before you, on this day of Christ's resurrection, that we may learn what were the feelings and dispositions which He brought with him from the grave-what, the first words and deeds of that new life, upon which he had just entered, and which, we know, will never have an end. I shall endeavour to shew, as I proceed, that what Jesus then was, he still is; for the encouragement of all who, like Mary, have "taken up their cross, and are following Him." The conversation of our risen Redeemer is remarkable for the following particulars. He remonstrates against immoderate grief: he excites her recollection of himself: he represses vain curiosity he announces his own exaltation: and he encourages contrite penitents to look for a share in his own honours. : I. HE REMONSTRATES AGAINST IMMODERATE GRIEF. "Woman, why weepest thou?" It appears, then, that our High-priest" is not one that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities." He returns from the tomb, the same compassionate and sympathizing Friend that he |