knew, and felt, when he said, "We preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling-block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God." 1 Cor. ii. 23, 24. That is, we

preach the whole priestly and kingly work of Christ. Every fatal error is an error of the heart.

́not have this man to reign over us."

66

We will

Let us this day approach the table of the Lord, praying that every imagination may be cast down which opposes itself to the rule of Christ in our hearts, and every thought be brought into obedience to his death; receiving the doctrine of the cross with the simplicity of faith, and looking to Christ as the precious Cornerstone, on which we may safely build for eternity. That this may be your happy case, and mine, God of his infinite mercy grant, for Christ's sake!

MARY AT THE SEPULCHRE.

But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down and looked into the sepulchre.-JOHN XX. 11. [1807.]

GOD has not only given us doctrines and precepts in his Word, but, in condescension to our weakness, has illustrated these doctrines, and exemplified these precepts, by facts. For instance, we read of "faith which worketh by love," but in the history before us we may see the thing exemplified. I need no picture of Mary Magdalene, or any other saint; I wont no aid to my conceptions from any thing studied by an artist; the life is before me: I see the principle itself, actually and visibly in exercise. We have hear a sol

itary character well worthy our consideration. She had much forgiven, and our Lord declares she loved much; we find her keeping close to Jesus, seeming to say with Ruth-"Where thou goest, I will go." Let us look further into this subject, and endeavor to draw instruction from it.

I shall from this passage, discourse only on one proposition; and, afterwards, make two remarks on that proposition. The proposition is, that GoD WILL PUT

SINGULAR HONOR UPON SOLITARY FAITH.

Mary Magdalene not only attended constantly on our Lord's teaching, but she also ministered to him of her substance. She followed him to the cross: she watched him there; and, as St. Luke informs us, returned after his crucifixion and burial, and prepared spices and ointments, intending to embalm the body of Jesus. She waited through the Sabbath, no doubt with her heart full; and, early, while it was yet dark, on the first day of the week, she rose and directed her steps to his grave: proving the truth of those words, "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Men need not tell us what it is to love; their conduct will demonstrate it. Such was the strength of Mary's affection, that it bore her above all fear. The sepulchres of the Jews were generally situated at some distance from the city. Regardless, however, of the danger to which she exposed herself, she went determinedly forth, before it was light-to a place particularly gloomy, to a sepulchre guarded by Roman soldiers that she might find, in the place of the dead, the body of her Lord. Finding the stone taken away from the sepulchre, and the body of Jesus not there, she ran to tell his disciples; "and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him." The

disciples come, and examine the sepulchre, and one of them is convinced of the fact of our Lord's resurrection; ver. 8. Peter seems at first to have doubted: "for as yet they knew not the Scripture, that he must rise again from the dead. Then the disciples went away again unto their own home." Moved by stronger affection, Mary remains behind-fixed, as it were, to the spot where He whom her soul loved had lain. "Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre." As though she had said, He whom my soul loveth is crucified; I cannot go from the place where they laid him. The disciples may go home, and seek comfort and relief from their sorrow; but, as for me, the very grave of my Lord is dear to me: and since I know not where they have laid him, here would I stand weeping, regardless of all besides. Little indeed did she think how near her beloved Master was! So near, that Jesus saith unto her," Woman, why weepest thou? Whom seekest 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."

This is a fine and exquisitely drawn picture of the feelings and frame of Mary's mind. And I am now to show that SINGULAR HONOR IS RESERVED FOR SOLITARY FAITH.

Observe, when Mary came to the sepulchre, the stone that had closed the mouth of it was "taken away." Thus, there was one impediment removed, in order to her entering. My dear hearers, learn hence, not to hesitate because of difficulties: when God sets before you the way of life, let nothing discourage or daunt you.

Go on; depend upon it, he will go before you, and make your way plain. The stone you see standing in the way, shall be removed. God is equally powerful to overthrow or to remove obstacles. "He openeth and no man shutteth: and shutteth and no man openeth." I can do nothing, said Balaam, to the King of the Moabites; you sent for me to curse this people, but God hath blessed them. He has opened the way, and I cannot close it up. "The shout of a king is among them" they must prosper, and "I cannot reverse it."

The first impediment being removed, "she runneth and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him." Thus was Mary honored in being the first to convey to the disciples the fact of our Lord's resurrection. The gracious heart may mistake the appearance of things; for so did Mary. Forgetting the prophecy which said that Jesus should rise on the third day, and missing him from the place where he had been laid, she runs and says, "They have taken away the Lord!" But, though "weeping may endure for a night, joy cometh in the morning."

Honor was again put upon Mary by the salutation of the angelic messengers. While remaining alone, weeping, (after the disciples were gone away,) "she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, and seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet where the body of Jesus had lain." For "are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation ?" Afterwards, as we learn from the 14th verse, she was further honored by having the first sight of, and inter

view with, our Lord himself, after his resurrection. Saint Mark also informs us that, "when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene." What his ear, and his eye, alone had seen and heard, he would have recorded to the end of the world. Thus she is exhibited to us as a memorial of the peculiar loving-kindness of God: and happy are they who, possessing her simple faith, and fervent love, are enjoying special manifestations, and conspicuous marks, of the Divine favor! For, what are all the splendid exhibitions which the world presents to our attention? What are its monuments compared with this? What are all the grand sights, either of ingenuity or beauty, after which people so eagerly run?

me such a sight as Mary standing, weeping, at the sepulchre! Such a monument as this of humility, patience, love, and faith, set up in the Christian Church, infinitely surpasses, in real grandeur, and worth, all the most splendid monuments of worldly greatness and distinction.

You see then, my dear hearers, that God will put singular honor upon solitary faith-upon retiring humility-upon sincere and simple manifestations of love to the Saviour, flowing from a penitent and believing heart. Therefore let man put his trust in God, however deserted and desolate he may be; yea, though he be left alone" as a sparrow upon the house-top," yet let him not give way to dejection; let him cast his burden upon the Lord. Let him leave God to open his way: let him make his difficulties his arguments for casting his care upon him; and he may depend upon it, that he who has promised to be with his people when passing through the waters, and through the fire, will perform what he has promised, although for a time he may seem to turn his face away. If he delay his appearing,