ven shew Tokens of Jy. For as the Earth and her Valleys, by standing thick with Corn, are said to laugh and sing; so, on Account of the Resurrection, the Heavens and the Sun may be said to dance for Joy; or as the Psalmist words it, * The Heavens may rejoyce, and the Earth may be glad.

There is then, really speaking, nothing in the Dancing of the Sun upon Easter-day; but yet it is a very ancient and commendable Custom to be up early at this Holy Time: And therefore Damascen, in his Paschal Hymn, sings,+Let us watch very early in the Morning; and instead of Ointment, let us bring an Hymn to our Lord; and let us see our CHRIST, the Sun of Righteousness, who is the Life that riseth to all Men. And indeed it is the most seasonable Time for meditating on our LORD's Resurrection, and its pleasing Circumstances. For as the Place where any notable Thing has been transacted, seldom or never fails to raise the Idea of the Transaction; so the particular Time, when it was

* Psal. xcvi. 11. Cæliquidem digni lætentur, terra autem exultet. Damasc. in Dominicam Pascha, P. 514.

† Vigilemus mane profundo, & pro unguenti hymnum afferamus Domino, & Christum videamus justitiæ solem, omnibus vitam exorientem.

Ibid.

done,

done, does generally produce the same Effect. And as the Truth of the Former, was the Occasion of many holy and religious Men going to visit the Place of the Sepulchre, and hear it, as it were, say, what the Angel did to the Wornen, Come, see the Place where the Lord lay; so the Truth of the Latter was the Reason, why devout and holy Men, did in the best Ages of the Church, rise early in the Morning of the Resurrection. The Primitive Christians spent the Night preceding it, in prayers and praises, till the Time of Cock-crow, the supposed Hour of our Saviour's rising. For as + Durant tells us, it is universally assented to by the Latin Church, that after our Saviour had conquer'd Death, and broken the Gates of Hell, he arose from the Dead, not at Mid-night, but in the Morning, at the Time of Cock-crow; which not the Cocks, but the Angels themselves proclaimed. And when these Pernoctations were laid aside, it was the Custom to rise early, and spend the Morning in such a Manner as was suitable to

* Fulk. Test. Cont. Rhem. Matth. Cap. 28. in Annot.

† Latinorum concors est sententia, Christum non media nocte, verum mane in aurora, canentibus vice Gallorum angelis, devicta morte & confractis portis inferi, surrexisse. Durant. de Rit. Lib. 3. Cap. 7.

the

the Nature of that Time. The Salutation of the Eastern Church Anestese; or, The LORD is risen, and the usual Answer, The LORD is risen indeed; were no doubt the common Salutation of that Morning: And if this present Custom of the Vulgar has had at any Time any laudable Custom for its Original, it was, no doubt, this of rising early to contemplate the more seasonably on the Resurrection of CHRIST.

And now, was this the End of rising early at that Holy Time, it would be very advantageous; but to rise with the View of the Vulgar, is foolish and ridiculous. Would we rise before the Sun, and prevent the Dawn of Day, our Meditations would be strong and vigorous, and almost persuade us that the real Actions of that Morn were presented to our View. For when at that Time all Things are husht in Silence, and wrap'd in Darkness, or but illuminated with the friendly Moon, the * Guide of Mary Magdalene, and the other Women to the Sepulchre; 'tis easy and natu

* Devotæ Christi fœminæ, quæ illum & vivum dilexerant & mortuum desiderabant, per noctem ambulantes, juvante luna, venerunt ad monumentum. Rupert de Divin. Officiis, Lib.7. Cap. 18.

ral

ral to meditate on these Things; to see our Saviour's Tomb; to see the Angels sit as Guardians on it; and the trembling Watch fled into the City. And now the LORD is risen indeed, and they that seek him early shall find him. * Behold then Mary Magdalene, on the first Day of the Week, coming from her own House at Bethary, before the other Women, very early in the Morning, when it was as yet Dark, + to find Ease and Consolation at the Sepulchre: Behold she and the other Women bringing the prepared Spices to embalm their LORD: Behold Peter and John running to the Sepulchre and returning, whilst Mary continues in Sorrow and Tears: And as she weeps, ye may see her look into the Sepulchre; but he is not there, he is risen. Behold then the Guardians of the Tomb, saying, Woman, why weepest thou? Nay behold the Lamb of GOD himself, with the very same Words, wiping away the Tears from her Eyes. And JESUS said unto her, Woman, why weep

*Maria Magdalena cujus domus erat Bethania,prima ante alias una sabbati juxta joannem, valde diluculo venisset, dum adhuc tenebræ essent ad monumentum. Rupert. ibid. † Abit a loco, volens consolationem quandam invenire. Theophlact. in Loc.

John xx. 13. &c.

est

est thou? Whom seekest thou? She supposing him to be the Gardiner, saith unto him, Sir, If thou have born him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. JESUS said unto her, Mary. With what Joy now doth she run to his Feet, willing and desirous, and eager to embrace them. But he bids her not to touch him, but go to his Brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father and your Father, to my GOD and your GOD. Behold a little after this, his Apparition to her and the other Women, and how he suffers them to kiss his Feet. *He ap

peared also about the same Time to Peter.

These and the other Accidents at our LORD'S Resurrection, would afford us a satisfactory and comfortable Meditation; would inflame our Hearts with a burning Love, and melt us into Tears of Joy. In our eager Wishes and warm Desires, we should, with the Holy Women, kiss the Feet of our Saviour, and be almost Partakers of equal Happiness with them; or, sure we are, that we should have our Saviour in our Hearts, and not fail of seeing him in his Kingdom. He whom we have so carefully sought for, will vouchsafe

Taylor's Antiq. Christ. de Resurrect.

to