to Christ. We have a forcible illustration of this in the conduct of Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, which St. Mark here records. He tells us that they had u bought sweet spices" to anoint our Lord, and that " very early in the morning, the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre, at the rising of the sun."
We may well believe that it required no small courage to do this. To visit the grave in the dim twilight of an eastern day-break, would try most women, under any circumstances. But to visit the grave of one who had been put to death as a common malefactor, and to rise early to show honor to one whom their nation had despised, this was a mighty boldness indeed. Yet these are the kind of acts which show the difference between wreak faith and strong faith — between weak feeling and strong feeling towards Christ. These holy women had tasted of our Lord's pardoning mercies. Their hearts were full of gratitude to Him for light, and hope, and comfort, and peace. They were willing to risk all conse- quences in testifying their affection to their Saviour. So true are the words of Canticles : " Love is strong as death — many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it." (Cant. viii. 6, 7.)
Why is it that we see so little of this strong love to Jesus among Christians of the present day ? How is it that we so seldom meet with saints who will face any clanger, and go through fire and water for Christ's sake ? There is only one answer. It is the weak faith, and the low sense of obligation to Christ, which so widely pre- vail. A low and feeble sense of sin will always produce a low and feeble sense of the value of salvation. A slight