his love, that it should endeavour still to draw nigh Him, and enjoy more of that blessed communion with Him, in which its new affections delight? Can we wonder, that it should thus desire to hold the king in the galleries? Can we wonder, that it should echo the voice of the bride in the ancient Church-" I found him whom my soul loveth, I held Him and would not let Him go?" Is it surprizing that when He hath taught a heart his preciousness, that heart should prize the invaluable mercydesire to sit at his feet, in forgetfulness of other things, and hear his word of life and goodness? It is not surprizing. They who have learned to prize his grace by its communications, in pardon, justification, and victory over reigning sin, which defiles and disquiets them, well know that it is delightful to commune with Him: and, they can say of his presence as Peter, on the mount of transfiguration, " It is good to be here."

But this endearing fellowship, however

delightful, and indeed, however necessary to a Christian, for spiritual strength, and advancement in the divine life, is not the all of that experimental religion which the Lord brings into the heart, when He Himself comes into it. It was not enough, that Mary should be with her Lord; not his will that she should remain by Him, forgetful of other things. He had duties for her to perform; and she must find her joy in obeying Him, by discharging them. Therefore did He say unto her, "Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father; but go unto my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father, to my God and your God." He permitted other women to fall at his feet, and hold Him by them. He asked the disciples to touch Him, and see that he was a living man. He said to Thomas, "Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and

thrust it into my

but believing."

side; and be not faithless, Whence then arose the

difference of his conduct? In these latter cases, his purpose was to convince the disciples of his absolute identity with the Master whom they had mourned over, as dead; and so to be assured, by the evidence of their senses, that He was a risen and a victorious Lord;-risen from the grave, and victorious over death and Satan. Mary was already convinced of this truth, by his own address, and the power whereby it was accompanied she therefore needed not the proof: and it was not meet, that the time which might be beneficially employed in a message of mercy, should be spent in her own private delight, as she held the feet of her dear and glorified Lord. Bear this fact in mind, my brethren, ye who have reason to hope, that He regards you with tenderness; and who each desire to say with Peter, "Lord, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee." Communion with Him will be the joy of your hearts; but it must not be indulged in that extent of privacy-in

that tendency to quietism and abstraction, which would give all the hours of spiritual life, to closet communion, and leave none, or few at most, for active employment in the Lord's service. Expect communion with Him; and seek that communion, not only in more private exercises, and means of approach, but also while you are engaged in doing his will: lest otherwise your very love of Him be turned by Satan into a temptation, to make you inattentive to the spiritual necessities of others; forgetting them in converse with Him; overlooking the membership of the body, in communion with the glorious Head.

And then again, dear brethren, Mary, with many others, who have had like precious faith and love with herself, was in much danger of indulging an affection of feeling, rather than an affection of duty. There is much hazard of thus knowing Christ, after the flesh; and so, of being unfitted, to the extent with which a believer's loins should always be girded, for

doing Him active service, in a spirit of self-denial; and for expecting his presence, and the manifestations of his presence, in the performance of those duties which He binds upon us. "Touch me not; I am

'There

not yet ascended to my Father." will be time enough for this expression of

thy love hereafter.'

She probably needed

also to be thus put in mind of the great end of his resurrection,-even that He might ascend to God, and do the remainder of his priestly office with Him in heaven, as the Intercessor of the Church. She seemed to wish to retain Him upon earth; and so to be contented, as it were, with the present joy-with half a resurrection. And alas! how sadly do our dim and imperfect views of Jesus Christ, of his offices, of the work of his love, of the nature of a believer's union with Him, make us contented with a fellowship much less spiritual than we are invited to maintain; and with privileges much lower than we should enjoy, if our faith were strengthened, our