ever may be taken from me, the desire of my eyes, the delight of my soul-still all is not a blank to me. I have something left to live for; "to me to live is Christ." Then, as to those who fall asleep in Jesus, let me not ignorantly sorrow, even as others that have no hope. For if I believe that Jesus died and rose again, let me believe also that them which sleep in Jesus God will bring with him. Long time I may have to tarry after my best and dearest ones are gone. He whom they have followed through painful deaths, and whom I still seek to follow in my weary life, may will that I tarry till he come. Be it so. For he himself says, Surely I come quickly; Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

XVI.

MARY MAGDALENE-WITH PETER AND JOHN

AT THE SEPULCHRE.

Joun xx. 1-18.

As a sequel to the sketch we have been giving of the friendship between Peter and John-a friendship growing all throughout their attendance on the Lord's ministry, and especially hallowed by its closing scenes,—— we may find it interesting to notice what passed at the sacred sepulchre on the morning of the resurrection. And all the rather may this interest us, because it introduces another character, and places in a most affecting light the tenderness of a true penitent's heart. Mary-surnamed Magdalene from the place of her birth or residence-pre-eminent in sin and suffering, and in her debt of obligation for sin forgiven and suffering relieved, has the high honour conferred upon her of being among the first to hear of the risen Saviour, and the first to see himself. In this honour she has associated with her Peter and John; and thus these three together become the first witnesses of the fact of the resurrection.

In tracing the incidents of that memorable morning, we follow chiefly the narrative of the last of the four evangelists. His narrative is here, as usual, supplementary to those of the other three; and is, besides, more definitely directed to a special end. The object of John, in all his history, and especially in this portion of it, is not merely in general to record miscellaneously certain circumstances connected with the Lord's resurrection; but in particular to establish this precise truth-that "Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God," and that they who "believe have life through his name." With this view, he dwells chiefly on those features in this event, and on those sayings of his beloved Master, which tended to bring prominently forward the high dignity of his person, and the purpose of love for which he died, and rose, and revived.

The first particular which the evangelist notices, is the arrival of Mary Magdalene at the tomb. "The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre" (Ver. 1).

Although John mentions Mary Magdalene, and none else by name, and gives no hint of any others being with her, he says nothing inconsistent with that supposition. He singles out Mary, because it is exclusively with what happened to her that he is concerned. But he does not assert, nor do his words at all imply, that she was alone. And we gather from the other narratives that she was not alone.

It must be confessed, indeed, that the harmony of the several evangelical accounts of the resurrection, is by no means very clearly ascertained with any general

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consent, or unanimity of interpreters; and it would be unsafe and unwise to pronounce very positively on any point that depends on an exact adjustment of independent testimonies, all consistent with one another, but evidently not intended to be reduced into one full and formal history. It is not difficult to prove that they need not be understood as contradicting one another that where their statements seem to conflict, a very little attention will suggest a sufficiently probable explanation, and show how they may be reconciled. But, on the other hand, it is to be remembered that the sacred narratives-being all of them of a fragmentary character, and consisting chiefly of incidental notices or reminiscences-may not, even when taken together, afford all the materials of a complete history. We would probably require to know more of what passed than all the four evangelists have told us, before we could assign to each circumstance exactly its proper place, and explain its relation to other matters. This consideration might be useful to all who attempt formally to harmonize the gospels; and it may satisfy us in declining to make the attempt at all. It is enough to observe, as in the present case, that there is really no contradiction.

Mary Magdalene, then, came early in the morning, on the first day of the week;-along with the other women who had been making preparations for anointing the body of Jesus. They had been saying to themselves, as they drew near the tomb, Who shall roll us away the stone? They found the stone already removed. On perceiving this, it would seem that Mary, without waiting to make any further examination, abruptly left her companions at the grave, and hastened to carry

this intelligence to the disciples. "Then 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" (Ver. 2). This is her inference from what she had seen. She is greatly agitated. The mere sight of the stone rolled away throws her into confusion; and the idea at once rushes into her mind, that the grave must have been rifled, and the Saviour's body taken away. Full of this impression, she runs into the city.

The other women, meanwhile, remain at the tomb. There they see, first one angel, and then two. One angel had descended previous to the arrival of the women ;"And, behold, there had been a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it" (Matt. xxviii. 2, Marg. reading). This angel had taken his station at first on the outside of the sepulchre; and thereafter, along with another heavenly visitor, he seems to have appeared to the women and conversed with them, within. The two angels sat or stood within the sepulchre, on either side of the place where Jesus lay, varying their posture as they welcomed and addressed the women. With what passed between the angels and the company of women we are not now particularly concerned. The women received a gracious message to the disciples, and to Peter by name ;-such tenderness was shown to the erring apostle. They were informed that the Lord had risen; they were reminded of his having himself told them that he would rise, and that he would meet them in Galilee. And now, for the first time understanding the import of