teach others; let the first deliver to the second, and the second to the third, and the third to the fourth, and the fourth to the fifth, and so let it ever sound in the world. Woe to that soul that impedes the course of the glorious gospel; for what can there be, where it is not teached, but death? No, this gospel is a stumblingblock to the world. "Tell them," says the angel, "he will meet them in Galilee; for Jewry denied me." "No," would Christ say, "I will not appoint to meet with them in Jerusalem; for Jerusalem is not worthy of me, but I will meet them in Galilee ;" and so they met with him, as ye shall see hereafter, by God's grace. Then I see that all these tidings that tell us of things that are not seen, have every one of them a promise joined with them that we shall see them come to pass. Believe thou that he hath suffered, and thou shalt see that he hath suffered, and believe that he is in glory, and thou shalt see him in glory. We saw him not with our bodily eyes, but we have that blessing which the Lord pronounced to Thomas, John, chapter xx. verse 29, "Blessed are they which never saw me, and yet do believe in me." Now, blessed for ever shall that soul be that never saw the Lord, and yet believes in him, and I speak to thee a sore word; if thou believest not until thou see him, thou shalt never see him; if thou believest not that he died, until thou see that he died, thou shalt never see him but to thy damnation. Hope under hope, and against hope.

Brethren, many are the impediments that will stay us; so that we will say, "I will never see him. I hear much speaking of heaven, but, alas! I fear I shall never see it. I hear much spoken of life, but, alas! I fear I shall never see life."

And these are the temptations of the most godly men and women of this world. Yet, against all these temptations believe God's promises, and hope for life; for Paul says, in the Epistle to the Romans, the fifth chapter and the fifth verse, "Faith brings forth experience, and hope makes not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts abundantly by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." No, let none of these temptations hinder us; that thing that holds back the infidels shall work for the best to

thee that fearest the Lord, and if thou fearest the Lord, I promise thee, in the name of God, all these temptations shall further thee, and thou shalt be partaker of life.

Now, a word and I shall end. He signets and seals up that which he hath told. "I have told you it," says he; as he would say, "It is true that I have told you, and I will seal it to be true, and ye shall find it to be true, and, therefore, doubt not." So our lesson is this. Whensoever thou comest to testify to the people of God, in pain of thy life look thou speak nothing but that which God bids thee speak, and that thou mayest say in conclusion, "This is true that I have said; and that this is true, I will bide by it, and seal it up with my blood." The angel had no blood; but if thou be not of that mind to shed thy blood, thou art but a deceiver. This is a great boldness to seal, to seal it up with thy blood; but if thou have it not sealed up in thine heart, thou shalt never seal it up with thy blood; and when it comes to the sealing, thou shalt steal away. No, it is a great word to say with the prophet David, "I believed, and, therefore, I spake." Look thou speak nothing to the people of God but that which thou strivest to believe. How is this assurance gotten? And will every wanton man get this assurance to stand, and seal it up with his blood? No, except thou strive night and day to get the Lord in thy presence, and not to have any joy but in his presence, thou shalt never have this assurance. Then, how is it kept? The Lord hath appointed reading. "Take heed to thy reading," says Paul to Timothy, in his First Epistle, the fourth chapter and 13 verse, "and give thyself to meditation, and show thy knowledge in that that thou hast read, and get not a knowledge only, but a sense to speak to others." Reading brings knowledge, and meditation brings feeling; and last is prayer. And if it be the duty of all men to pray, then especially the minister is bound to pray, both for himself and for them also to whom he is sent. So, in a word. Read, meditate, and pray, night and day, so far as is possible to thee to do. And

1 Psalm cxvi. 6.

if thou do these things thou shalt seal it up with the effusion of thy blood, and thou shalt have more joy in thy death than ever thou hadst in thy life, so that thy death shall be the beginning of thy life, and of that fulness of joy which thou shalt possess with him in the heavens for ever. To him, therefore, with the Father, and his blessed Spirit, be all praise and honour, for ever. Amen.

THE THIRTY-FIRST LECTURE.

OF THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST.

MATTH. CHAP. XXVIII.

8. So they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.

MARK, CHAP. XVI.

8. And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled, and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid.

LUKE, CHAP. XXIV.

1. Now, the first day of the week, early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, and brought the odours which they had prepared, and certain women with them.

2. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.

3. And went in, but found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

4. And it came to pass, that as they were amazed thereat, behold, two men suddenly stood by them in shining vestures:

5. And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said to them, Why seek ye him that liveth among the dead? 6. He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,

7. Saying, That the Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.

8. And they remembered his words,

9. And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the remnant.

10. Now, it was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women with them, who told these things unto

the apostles.

11. But their words seemed unto them as a feigned thing, neither believed they them.

I SHOWED you from the beginning, well-beloved in the Lord Jesus, that there were two companies of women that came out of Hierusalem to the grave of the Lord. First, one company, in the which was "Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, with some others." Then soon after that, there came out another company of women, whose names we find not registrate. We have heard already of the history of the first women; we heard of their outcoming, we heard what they saw, and what they heard when they came to the grave of the Lord. Now, this day, we have the returning of the first company home to Hierusalem set down in few words. Then we shall go to the history of the second company of women, wherein, first, we have their outcoming; secondly, what they hear and see; and, thirdly, their tidings to the apostles, what they had heard and seen. And this history concerning the second company is written by Luke, chap. xxiv. verse 2; Matthew writes concerning the first company, and Mark also; John speaks only of Mary Magdalene. Luke sets down the whole second company.

But now to return to the homecoming of the first company of women. It is written by Matthew and Mark, that when they had received direction of the angel, "They returned home with fear and great joy, to tell the eleven apostles" (for Judas was fallen away)" what they had heard and seen." I note shortly these three things in these women: First, I see that there was a fear in them. Next, I see that they had an exceeding joy. And, last of all, I see in them obedience to the voice of the angel with all ex