the Sevenfold Spirit? Will they refrain, and keep aloof, and not come, that He may impart HIMSelf to them in Holy Eucharist? How, then, shall they touch HIM? What other way hath He shown us?

Through earthen vessels, indeed, these things are done, whom He has vouchsafed to dignify by calling them the stewards of His mysteries, and fellow workers with HIM. Glorious privilege, that mortal men should be advanced to such a dignity! But surely none are ever so profane, as to forget that we are but instruments. Who is sufficient to preside in the solemn assembly, and to superintend the wonder-workings therein of Divine grace, save only HE Who said, "Lo! I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world ?"

SERMON XIV.

THE MISSION OF LAYMEN IN THE CHURCH.

S. JOHN XX. 17.

GO TO MY BRETHREN, AND SAY UNTO THEM, I ASCEND UNTO MY FATHER, AND YOUR FATHER; AND TO MY GOD AND YOUR GOD.

STRANGE it is that our LORD CHRIST should not have communicated these tidings of great joy to the twelve, rather than to Mary Magdalene. They were Apostles, men chosen by HIMSELF to witness to the truth. He had HIMSELF, but a little while before, given them their commission to preach the Gospel, and administer the blessed Sacrament of His body and blood. Who so fitting, then, as they to be the first at once to hear and to communicate the tidings of such an important gospel truth, a matter of so great interest to the whole Church, as that of CHRIST'S Ascension into Heaven? They were Apostles not only chosen by our LORD, but sent, with mission from the HOLY GHOST, for the work and office of Ambassadors of CHRIST to the sons of men: they were dispensers of grace and stewards of the manifold gifts of GOD, advantages fitting them peculiarly

for their high office of proclaiming and teaching, both in word and deed, the sublime doctrines of the Christian religion. And what was Mary Magdalene that she should take precedence of men so amply endowed, at once with authority and power, for the work of Evangelists? She was only a pious, peni

tent woman.

We see, then, that our Blessed LORD, for some wise purpose, chooses not an Apostle, but one without commission-not an ordained, but an unordained person for this first communication of Gospel truth. This, it must be confessed, is very remarkable; and doubtless it will be found, on a due inquiry, to have been so ordained "for our learning, upon whom the ends of the world are come:" for in Holy Scripture nothing is accidental, but all has its meaning and its object. Not only as it serves to express the immediate purpose for which it was written, but also as it serves to instruct the ages that come after, the Word of God is "a lantern to our feet, and a light to our paths."

Why, then, were the Apostles not chosen for the first communication of this good news? Let us consider, that such was the state of despondency into which they had fallen in consequence of our LORD's death, so much did they think on the event of CHRIST's death and burial, that there was an end to all their great hopes of His reigning on earth, that no longer had they any heart or spirit in them. They sat disconsolate, downcast, hopeless.

To such depression of feeling did they give way, notwithstanding our LORD had so often warned them that He must needs die the miserable and degrading death to which He finally submitted, and given them at the same time encouraging hopes of His resurrection. As then they had lost heart, and lost faith, how could they be fitting persons for such high honour as that which our SAVIOUR reserved for the Magdalene, who in many remarkable instances had shown that some thought, at least, of His words concerning His future resurrection was haunting her memory, and that she entertained such faith in them as to make her unwilling to give up the hope of His return from the grave?

So that we no longer wonder that Magdalene was chosen to be our SAVIOUR's messenger to His disciples, in preference to the Apostles, even on personal considerations.

We now come to see the reasons of this choice in the teaching intended to be conveyed by it. Here we have a gospel message of the highest importance intrusted to a woman. While the ordained servants of GOD were passed by, a person extraordinary was delegated to convey tidings of HIM even to them. In effect, a kind of prophet's power was being exercised, while those who had received the HOLY GHOST for the work and office of the ministry, were suffered to remain in silence. To what important line of truth, then, does so remarkable a fact direct our attention?

It will be found, I think, to point to that momentous subject for the consideration of a congregation of believers, the vital interest which the lay people, no less than the clergy, have in the welfare and progress of the Church and kingdom of our Blessed REDEEMER.

In all times of the Church of GOD, whether in the first ages under the Jewish Ruler, or in "the last days " under Christian princes, it has pleased Almighty God to employ a kind of double agency for her welfare, in the creation of an influence, corrective of her discipline,—an element of a laical as well as of an ecclesiastical character. And this has been so ordained, not more as a check on the rise of a too unlimited power in the sacerdotal brotherhood, than by way of assistance to its efforts for the advancement and extension of true religion; and also that the people might be taught, that not only are they to look to be instructed by the Church of GOD in all ages, but also that they have a lively and deep interest in all which concerns her; and responsibilities of the utmost importance, each man according to his talent, to fulfil towards her.

It is not the object of this discourse to adjust the relations existing between ecclesiastical and lay rule in the Church, but simply to declare that such a relation does exist, and to insist upon the consequent duties which devolve upon the laymen of the Church from their connection with it. We are, therefore, willing to remind ourselves, how, from Moses to