SERMON XIV.

THE RESURRECTION.-MARY MAGDALENE.

They have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid Him.-JOHN XX. 13.

How exquisitely, how touchingly beautiful is the story of the resurrection! But in it all, no part is so striking as the part taken in it by Mary Magdalene; her conduct and her character are so deeply interesting to every one who, like her, has been a great and grievous sinner against their crucified Redeemer. I would ask them to follow her, with me, on this happy morning, to find a risen Saviour, who may bid their sorrows flee away, and may speak peace and pardon to their troubled spirit. Surely I must speak to many who are mourning over sins which are daily making them grieve, and casting doubts over their minds, whether or not they shall be safe at last. To them I would say, Jesus Christ is risen to-day; He has burst the bonds and fetters of the grave,

and you who are looking to Him for salvation. may rise from your sins, and bid Satan harass you no more, since to-day your Saviour conquered him; to-day He rose triumphant over Satan, sin, and the world; to-day He made you more than conquerors; to-day, happy Easterday, all should speak peace to your spirit, "for you are Christ's and Christ is God's."

'Let us, then, study particularly the story of Mary, for Mary had been a great sinner, and loved Jesus much.

I. He had died at three in the afternoon of Friday; the preparation for the Passover, which was to be offered soon, compelled His burial to be very hurried, and therefore prevented His Body being properly embalmed, which was always the custom among the Jews, although we find Nicodemus had brought some spices with which he wrapt up the Body; with these it was laid in the sepulchre in the garden. But the women and disciples of our Lord who had followed Him from Galilee were unwilling that this should be all the attention given to the Body of so loved a Master. Thus we find in the story that they lingered in the garden until quite late on Saturday evening, to see exactly how the Body was laid, and then returned to

get ready the spices and ointments to anoint Him on the Sunday morning. It would be unlawful to do this on the Saturday, their Sabbath, and it was probably for this reason that God appointed Friday as the day of our Lord's death, in order that He might lie three days in the grave undisturbed.

It appears, then, that having got their spices ready, these women-who certainly in this shewed more respect for their Master than the more desponding men-arose early on the Sunday morning to go to the garden. Now, from the Gospel accounts, there were two parties who met at the tomb, the one containing Salome, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James; the other a larger party, which we may call the party of Joanna. Doubtless the first party had lodged through that night with the eleven apostles themselves, as being of some consequence in our Lord's ministry.

Before day-dawn, then, these devoted and attached servants of Jesus, only wishing the hours away that they might be with the Body of Him. they loved, started with their small parcels of spice and myrrh to embalm the Body.

First and chief, Mary of Magdala and the other two set out for the tomb. How deeply

would they converse by the way of all that had so lately happened; and how eagerly would they brush away the morning dew with their footsteps, to be as soon as possible at the sepulchre ! They probably knew nothing of the guard that was stationed there; and even had they, nothing perhaps would have terrified them in coming at the Body of their beloved Master. Honoured be their memory! A timid woman forgot her fear and weakness, and assumed an unusual courage for the sake of Christ. St. Mark tells us that as they walked along they wondered who should move away the stone from the sepulchre. How anxiously they conversed together! but above all, how eagerly did Mary-Mary, who had loved so much, Mary, who had had so much forgiven-how did she long again to bathe that blessed Body with her tears of sorrow, and wipe it with the hairs of her head. Poor Mary! none had ever spoken so kindly to her as Jesus Christ, none had ever bade her drooping spirit cheer when oppressed with its many sins. The proud Pharisee had bid her stand off with scorn, and shut her out from mercy. She had been a sinner, and the world had looked harshly on her; but Jesus had spoken kindly to her, had known her sorrows, had spoken of peace and pardon,

had been to her a loving Saviour, and never would she find such a friend again. Unused to words of pity, the Magdalene had wept away many an hour of deep unnoticed sorrow; but the Son of God had sought her out, had seen her penitence, and spoken such comfort to her aching heart as she should never forget. How anxious, then, was Mary to reach the Body of her only Friend! how bitterly had she felt His cruel death! At length they arrive, at the rising of the sun, as St. Mark tells us, at the sepulchre. All the city slept, but these women were already in the garden. But behold, the tomb stands open, the stone is rolled away, the Body of Jesus. is gone, and an angel sits in its place!

How bitter a disappointment! the corpse is gone, they are stopped in their pious purpose of gratitude towards their Master. At the first sight of this unexpected disappearance, Mary, who was the youngest and most active of the three, runs with haste to the city to tell Peter and the rest that He was gone. Peter and John, shut up in retirement for fear of the Jews, the one overwhelmed with sorrow for his denial, the other for the Master he had loved, instantly run to the tomb. The Body was indeed gone, the linen clothes were- there, the pressure where