more entirely cut off from the world and its manifold attractions, seeking in poverty, chastity, and obedience to be wholly given to Thee?

Give thyself to Me, My son, with a persevering love. So shall all be well.

O my Jesu, I desire to be wholly Thine, to be dead to all but Thee, and live in the power of Thy resurrection, absorbed in the contemplation of the glory that is beyond the grave, while I act in submission to Thy will as being already alive from the dead by sharing in Thy life. He that is dead is freed from sin, and the freedom which Thou givest is the freedom of the grave, the freedom of the Spirit, the freedom of a life abiding evermore in God, the freedom of Thine own Almighty sovereignty, whereby Thou carriest out Thy work in all Thy members, and glorifiest Thy members for evermore in Thine own self.

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MEDITATION IV.

The Earthquake,

And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled away the stone, and sat upon it. His appearance was as lightning, and his raiment white as snow: and for fear of him the watchers did quake, and became as dead men.-St. Matt. xxviii. 2-5.

1. THE ANGEL DESCENDING.

THE earthquake did not take place until the resurrection was complete. It seems to have had a double purpose, viz., to alarm and disperse the guards, and to roll away the stone so that the women might enter in.

The quaking of the earth was not occasioned by any convulsion from below, but was produced by the descent of the angel. He came as the Messenger of God to roll away the stone. The descent was not as the rushing of a whirlwind, sweeping with devastation far and near. It was directed to a particular object, the great sealed stone. We may well think of the event as if a flash of lightning struck the place, only that instead of smiting the vegetation with fire, the touch of the angel acted with mechanical violence on the huge mass which had required several men to roll it into its place. In an instant the stone rolled away. The bright form which touched it sat upon it. The two terror-stricken guards felt themselves as dead men in this awful presence.

We must consider the appearance of the angel.

D

It was as lightning.

His movement was as the

lightning flash in its speed. His countenance like the lightning in its glance.

Strange that the first noticeable event of the resurrection should seem to tell of Divine wrath! Yet it was not strange, for it was needful that the resurrection should be made known to foes before being announced to friends. It would thus be manifest that the occurrence was no invention of Christ's disciples. The moon had set, and it was dark. The countenance of the angel blazed. The guards trembled with dismay. The angel had come to do an errand of terror, but it was with a purpose of love. The guards must be scared away, otherwise it would be impossible for the women to come near.

We may observe that although God willed thus to excite alarm in the guards, there was in what happened no exercise of Divine vengeance. Men were affrighted but not smitten. Other angels will have charge of the vengeance in the day of wrath. That day was not come, but come it will. A countenance greater than that of the angel shall smite a sinful world in its impenitence.

His raiment was white as snow. The dazzling snow is the great emblem of renewed purity. As it covers the defiled earth with the whiteness of heaven it loses not its own brightness. The heavenly origin gives special fitness to the symbol. The dazzling lustre of the angel's robe told of a righteousness which must ever be fearful for the sinner to contemplate. Holiness is the joy of saints, but it is a terror to the unbelieving world.

O Jesu, how near to us are Thy holy angels ministering in attendance upon Thy Body, and yet we see them not. O that my heart were more constantly mindful of those awful presences which my outward eye is unable to behold!

I would scare those guards away, in order that the women might draw near, but I desire not to drive thee from Me. I would have thee come near in loving confidence. Therefore do I veil the glory which should be seen in all that belongs to Me.

O Lord, Thou dost veil Thy glory in condescension to our infirmity. Yet surely Thou requirest of us to be none the less watchful in our reverence.

My son, thou must contemplate with the epe of faith the glory which belongs to My kingdom. If thou knowest the truth of thy calling, it is not needful for thee to be roused to reverence by outward display of My power. Better it is that thou shouldst acknowledge the sanctity of all heavenly things by inward movements of grace within thy heart. Correspond with these suggestions of My Holy Spirit, and thou shalt live in continual homage to Wyself. The soldiers saw the angel and trembled. Thou knowest Me to be near and thou must reverence Myself.

O Jesu, the angel's descent made the earth to shake. Would that my heart could be shaken by the movements of Thy grace. Alas! if at times my heart is shaken, yet the stone is not rolled away from the dloor of my heart.

My son, thou oughtest to be as My angel testifying of My resurrection to the world of the ungodly and to my loving people. Let not thine heart be closed as though I were a mere thing of death to be loved in the sleepy stillness of earth's dark night. Thou must experience the fellowship of heavenly energy. So shalt thou be able to testify truly of Me, seated upon the rock of My Divine promise.

O Jesu, how unworthy am I to testify of Thy resurrection when my heart is so absorbed in worldly thoughts and cares.

Have I not called thee info Religion? What hast thou to do with worldly thoughts and cares? The world may plead such things, but thou surely art set free from such things.

Alas! O Lord, Thou knowest how slow I am to rise to my calling. Love should be stronger than fear, but alas! the world in its fear puts me to shame when I find my sloth in corresponding with Thy love.

Rouse thyself, My son; let the violence of the angelic presence make thee realise the violence which must be done to nature if thou wouldst be true to the glory of My resurrection. I sit in calmness, but thou dost need to feel the earthquake and see the blinding light in order to become dislodged from earth and lose the fascination of its pleasures.

O Lord Jesu, in Thy mercy rouse me. Send whatever angel Thou wilt to make known the glory of Thy resurrection. Let me be roused by fear if I fail