sun from shining. O these spiders' webs, or houses of cards which fond children have, as they think, skilfully framed, which the least breath breaks and ruins! Who are we, sorry worms, that we should look in any business to prevail against our Creator? What creature is so base, that he cannot arm against us, to our confusion? The lice and frogs shall be too strong for Pharaoh, the worms for Herod. There is no wisdom nor counsel against the Lord.

O the marvellous pomp and magnificence of our Saviour's Resurrection! The earth quakes; the angel appears that it may be plainly seen, that this Divine Person now rising had the command both of earth and heaven. At the dissolution of thy human nature, O Saviour, was an earthquake; at the reuniting of it, is an earthquake: to tell the world, that the God of Nature then suffered, and had now conquered. While thou layest still in the earth, the earth was still; when thou camest to fetch thine own, The earth trembled at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob. When thou, our true Sampson, awakedst, and foundest thyself tied with these Philistine cords, and rousedst up, and brakest those hard and strong twists with a sudden power, no marvel if the room shook under thee.

Good cause had the earth to quake, when the God, that made it, powerfully calls for his own flesh, from the usurpation of her bowels. Good cause had she to open her graves, and yield up her dead in attendance to the Lord of Life, whom she had presumed to detain in that cell of her darkness.

What a seeming impotency was here, that thou, who art the true Rock of thy Church, shouldest lie obscurely shrouded in Joseph's rock! Thou, that art the true Corner-stone of thy Church, shouldest be shut up with a double stone, the one of thy grave, the other of thy vault! Thou, by whom we are sealed to the day of our redemption, shouldest be sealed up in a blind cavern of earth! But now, what a demonstration of power doth both the world and I see in thy glorious Resurrection! The rocks tear; the graves open; the stones roll away; the dead rise and appear; the soldiers flee and tremble; saints and angels attend thy rising. O Saviour, thou layest down in weakness; thou risest in power and glory thou layest down like a man; thou risest like a God.

What a lively image hast thou herein given me, of the dreadful majesty of the general resurrection, and thy second appearance! Then, not the earth only, but the powers of heaven shall be shaken not some few graves shall be open, and some saints appear; but all the bars of death shall be broken, and all that sleep in their graves shall awake, and stand up from the dead before thee not some one angel shall descend; but thou, the great An gel of the Covenant, attended with thousand thousands of those mighty spirits. And if these stout soldiers were so filled with terror at the feeling of an earthquake and the sight of an angel, that they had scarce breath left in them for the time to witness them alive; where shall thine enemies appear, O Lord, in the day of thy terrible appearance, when the earth shall reel and vanish, and

the elements shall be on a flame about their ears, and the heavens shall wrap up as a scroll?

O God, thou mightest have removed this stone by the force of thine earthquake, as well as rive other rocks; yet thou wouldest rather use the ministry of an angel: or, thou, that gavest thyself life, and gavest being both to the stone and to the earth, couldest more easily have removed the stone, than moved the earth; but it was thy pleasure to make use of an angel's hand. And now, he, that would ask why thou wouldest do it rather by an angel than by thyself, may as well ask why thou didst not rather give thy Law by thine own immediate hand, than by the ministration of angels; why by an angel thou struckest the Israelites with plagues, the Assyrians with the sword; why an angel appeared to comfort thee after thy Temptation and Agony, when thou wert able to comfort thyself; why thou usest the influences of heaven to fruiten the earth; why thou employest second causes in all events, when thou couldest do all things alone. It is good reason, thou shouldst serve thyself of thine own; neither is there any ground to be required, whether of their motion or rest, besides thy will.

Thou didst raise thyself; the angels removed the stone. They that could have no hand in thy Resurrection, yet shall have a hand in removing outward impediments; not because thou needest, but because thou wouldest: like as thou alone didst raise Lazarus ; thou badest others let him loose. Works of Omnipotency, thou reservest to thine own immediate performance: ordinary actions, thou doest by subordinate means.

Although this act of the angels was not merely with respect to thee; but partly to those devout women, to ease them of their care, to manifest unto them thy Resurrection: so officious are those glorious spirits, not only to thee their Maker, but even to the meanest of thy servants, especially in the furtherance of all their spiritual designs. Let us bring our odours; they will be sure to roll away the stone. Why do not we imitate them, in our forwardness to promote each others' salvation? We pray to do thy will here, as they do in heaven: if we do not act our wishes, we do but mock thee in our devotions.

How glorious did this angel of thine appear! The terrified soldiers saw his face like lightning; both they and the women saw his garments shining, bright, and white as snow: such a presence became his errand. It was fit, that, as in thy Passion the sun was darkened and all creatures were clad with heaviness, so in thy Resurrection the best of thy creatures should testify their joy and exultation in the brightness of their habit; that, as we on festival days put on our best clothes, so thine angels should celebrate this blessed festivity with a meet representation of glory.

They could not but enjoy our joy, to see the work of man's Redemption thus fully finished; and, if there be mirth in heaven at the conversion of one sinner, how much more, when a world of sinners is perfectly ransomed from death and restored to salva

tion! Certainly, if but one or two appeared, all rejoiced, all triumphed.

Neither could they but be herein sensible of their own happy advantage, who, by thy mediation, are confirmed in their glorious estate; since thou, by the blood of thy Cross and power of thy Resurrection, hast reconciled things, not in earth only, but in heaven.

But, above all other, the love of thee their God and Saviour must needs heighten their joy; and make thy glory theirs. It is their perpetual work, to praise thee: how much more now, when such an occasion was offered, as never had been, since the world began; never could be, after? When thou, the God of Spirits, hadst vanquished all the spiritual powers of darkness; when thou, the Lord of Life, hadst conquered death for thee and all thine, so as they may now boldly insult over their last enemy, O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

Certainly, if Heaven can be capable of an increase of joy and felicity, never had those blessed spirits so great a cause of triumph and gratulation, as in this day of thy glorious Resurrection. How much more, O Dear Jesu, should we men, whose flesh thou didst assume, unite, revive, for whose sake and in whose stead thou didst vouchsafe to suffer and die, whose arrearages thou payedst in death and acquittedst in thy Resurrection, whose souls are discharged, whose bodies shall be raised by the power of thy rising; how much more should we think we have cause to be overjoyed, with the happy memory of this great work of thy Divine Power and unconceivable Mercy!

Lo now, how weak soever I am in myself, yet, in the confidence of this victorious Resurrection of my Saviour, I dare boldly challenge and defy you, O all ye adverse powers. Do the worst ye can to my soul in despite of you, it shall be safe.

Is it Sin, that threats me? Behold, this Resurrection of my Redeemer publishes my discharge. My Surety was arrested, and cast into the prison of his grave. Had not the utmost farthing of mine arrearages been paid, he could not have come forth. He is come forth the sum is fully satisfied. What danger can there be of a discharged debt?

Is it the Wrath of God? Wherefore is that, but for sin? If my sin be defrayed, that quarrel is at an end; and if my Saviour suffered it for me, how can I fear to suffer it in myself? That infinite Justice hates to be twice paid. He is risen; therefore he hath satisfied. Who is he, that condemneth? It is Christ, that died; yea rather, that is risen.

Is it Death itself? Lo, my Saviour, that overcame death by dying, hath triumphed over him in his Resurrection. How can I now fear a conquered enemy? What harm is there in the Serpent, but for his sting? The sting of death is sin that is pulled out by my powerful Redeemer; it cannot now hurt me; it may refresh me, to carry this cool snake in my bosom.

O then, my Dear Saviour, I bless thee for thy Death; but I

bless thee more for thy Resurrection. That was a work of wone derful humility, of infinite mercy; this was a work of infinite power in that, was human weakness, in this, Divine Omnipotence: in that, thou didst die for our sins; in this, thou didst rise again for our justification.

And now, how am I conformable to thee; if, when thou art risen, I lie still in the grave of my corruptions? How am I a limb of thy body; if, while thou hast that perfect dominion over death, death hath dominion over me; if, while thou art alive and glorious, I lie rotting in the dust of death? I know the locomotive faculty is in the head: by the power of the Resurrection of thee our Head, all we thy members cannot but be raised. As the earth cannot hold my body from thee in the day of the Second Resurrection, so cannot sin withhold my soul from thee in the first. How am I thine, if I be not risen? and if I be risen with thee, why do I not seek the things above, where thou sittest at the right hand of God?

The vault or cave, which Joseph had hewn out of the rock, was large; capable of no less than ten persons. Upon the mouth of it, eastward, was that great stone rolled. Within it, at the right hand, in the north part of the cave, was hewn out a receptacle for the body, three handfuls high from the pavement; and a stone was accordingly fitted for the cover of that grave.

Into this cave, the good Women, finding the stone rolled away, descended, to seek the body of Christ; and in it saw the angels. This was the goal to which Peter and John ran, finding the spoils of death, the grave clothes wrapped up, and the napkin that was about the head folded up together and laid in a place by itself; and as they came in haste, so they returned with wonder.

I marvel not at your speed, O ye blessed disciples; if, upon the report of the women, ye ran, yea flew upon the wings of zeal, to see what was become of your Master. Ye had wont to walk familiarly together in the attendance of your Lord: now, society is forgotten; and, as for a wager, each tries the speed of his legs, and, with neglect of other, vies who shall be first at the Tomb.

Who would not but have tried masteries with you, in this case; and have made light touches of the earth, to have held paces with you? Your desire was equal: but John is the younger; his limbs are more nimble; his breath more free. He first looks into the sepulchre; but Peter goes down first. O happy competition, who shall be more zealous in the inquiry after Christ!

Ye saw enough to amaze you; not enough to settle your faith. How well might you have thought, " Our Master is not subduced but risen. Had he been taken away by others' hands, this fine linen had not been left behind: had he not himself risen from this bed of earth, he had not thus wrapped up his night clothes, and laid them sorted by themselves. What can we doubt, when he foretold us he would rise?" O Blessed Jesu, how wilt thou pardon our errors; how should we pardon and pity the errors of

each other, in lesser occasions; when as yet thy prime and dearest disciples, after so much Divine instruction, Knew not the Scriptures, that thou must rise again from the dead! They went away more astonished than confident; more full of wonder, as yet, than of belief.

There is more strength of zeal, where it takes, in the weaker Those holy women, as they came first, so they stayed last: especially devout Mary Magdalen stands still at the mouth of the cave, weeping. Well might those tears have been spared, if her knowledge had been answerable to her affection; her faith, to her fervour. Withal, as our eye will be where we love, she stoops, and looks down into that dear Sepulchre.

Holy desires never but speed well. There she sees two glorious angels, the one sitting at the head, the other at the feet where the body of Jesus had lain. Their shining brightness shewed them to be no mortal creatures: besides that Peter and John had but newly come out of the Sepulchre, and both found and left it empty in her sight, which was now suddenly filled with those celestial guests. That white linen, wherewith Joseph had shrowded the Sacred Body of Jesus, was now shamed with a brighter whiteness.

Yet do I not find the good woman ought appalled, with that unexpected glory. So was her heart taken up with the thought for her Saviour, that she seemed not sensible of whatsoever other objects. Those tears, which she did let drop into the Sepulchre, send up back to her the voice of those angels; Woman, why weepest thou? God and his angels take notice of every tear of our devotion. The sudden wonder hath not dried her eyes, nor charmed her tongue: she freely confesseth the cause of her grief to be, the missing of her Saviour; They have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. Alas, good Mary, how dost thou lose thy tears! Of whom dost thou complain, but of thy best friend? Who hath removed thy Lord, but himself? Who, but his own Deity, hath taken away that human body out of that region of death? Neither is he now laid any more; he stands by thee, whose removal thou complainest of. Thus, many a tender and humbled soul afflicts itself, with the want of that Saviour, whom it hath, and feeleth not.

Sense may be no judge of the bewailed absence of Christ. Do but turn back thine eye, O thou Religious Soul, and see Jesus standing by thee, though thou knewest not that it was Jesus. His habit was not his own. Sometimes, it pleases our Saviour to appear unto his, not like himself: his holy disguises are our trials. Sometimes, he will seem a stranger; sometimes, an enemy. Sometimes, he offers himself to us in the shape of a poor man; sometimes, of a distressed captive. Happy is he, that can discern his

Saviour in all forms.

Mary took him for a gardener. Devout Magdalen, thou art not so much mistaken. As it was the trade of the First Adam, to dress the garden of Eden; so was it the trade of the Second, to