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It is not sufficient that the gospel is preached, nor that the most important questions are put to a sinner's heart, by the ministry of the divine word; nor even, as it were, by the Lord Himself, unless there be a peculiar and individual manifestation of him to the heart, in demonstration of the Spirit and of power. The master is come, and calleth for thee" must be brought home upon gospel hearers, if they are to profit by its preaching. The angels ask, "Woman, why weepest thou?" As though they had said, 'Why are thine eyes filled with tears, while we are glad and rejoicing? Thou mournest at the removal of the Lord, and we are glorying in it?' There must be much conformity between these blessed spirits and their Head. In their visible presence they seem to have been always made to assume resemblances to their Lord's invisible pleasure; having those forms given to them, according to the nature of his intentions. When God was incensed, we find them brandishing flaming

swords-when He was appeased, they sheathed them:-when He would defend, they surrounded the objects of his protection, as the armies of heaven :-when He would terrify, they assumed aspects which struck dread into the hearts of his enemies : -when He would comfort, they were clad in mildness, peace, and love. Their question however, failed to make Mary know the inspiriting and reviving fact of a risen Lord; and consequently her own share, by union with Him, in all the glories of his resurrection. A minister may have much converse with heaven in prayer ;-much acquaintance with the mind of God, from the study of his word, and the spirit of revelation, in Jesus Christ ;-and much conformity to the image of the gracious head of the family in heaven and yet when he comes to question hearts concerning the great object of his preaching, Jesus Christ, and his full salvation, and when he comes to preach Him unto men, as crucified, that they might die in Him to the

law, to sin, and to eternal death; as risen, that they might rise in Him to newness of spiritual state and spiritual life; as reigning, that they might reign over corruption and sin in Him-that minister shall be utterly unable to commend, in his own power and strength, one of these precious truths, even to one heart, of all that may be around him. If that heart be dead in trespasses and sins, he is absolutely powerless to communicate the slightest pulse of spiritual being to it, because he cannot bring it himself to the knowledge of Christ, and into union with Him. If it be already awakened, eager, and anxious to find and know the Lord, yet can he not of his own sufficiency, open the eyes of its spiritual understanding to see the Lord, nor the fountain of its spiritual affections to know and enjoy Him. Neither do those outward and ordinary calls of the Lord Himself, whereby He addresses men, in the ministry of the word, enable them to know Him savingly, until the power of his Spirit

attend the announcement of his grace. He said unto Mary, "Woman, why weepest thou?" but his form, when she turned from the angels to behold Him, was like the sound of his voice-the one the form, the other the tongue of a stranger. Most fervently and urgently then, should any of you, the desire of whose souls hath begun to be to his name, and to the remembrance of Him, pray for "the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, in the knowledge of Him;

that the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints; and what the exceeding greatness of his power, to you-ward who believe."

But the scene is instantly, and amazingly altered, when Jesus Christ, putting away his voice of strangeness, and assuming the tone of tenderness, to which his disciple's heart had been before accustomed, addressed her by her name, and said, Mary! His power went with the call:

the voice of love, with which He spake entered into her very soul; the veil fell from her eyes; and with open face, she beheld the glory of her risen Lord. What almightiness is there in a call from the Lord of life, when He addresses those to whom He is dear, in accents of intelligible love when He no longer speaks to them in any disguise, like that of his appearance to Mary, under the form of the gardener; but manifests Himself to them as objects of his infinite affection; and with a peculiar appropriation of it, made by faith, his gift, to their souls! Darkness and doubt are removed from the minds of his disciples, when He not only speaks to their case and circumstances, as He did at first to Mary; but makes them know, that He speaks personally, as well as suitably. And thus will He eventually deal with those whom his rich mercy hath graciously united to Himself, whatever may have been the previous character of his mediatorial intercourse with them,