shall be confined entirely to a thought or two suggested by this passage. We have here two things worthy of noticeA great sinner signally redeemed by Jesus, and, A great sinner signally honored by Jesus.

I. A GREAT SINNER SIGNALLY REDEEMED BY JESUS. We are disposed to hold to the old and popular idea, that this Mary Magdalene was a notorious sinner. We are not ignorant of the reasoning by which some endeavor to free her from this charge, and to represent her as almost an unexceptionable character. It is said, for example, that there is no proof that the Mary who entered into Simon's house, and who was charged by the Pharisee himself, and admitted by Christ to be a great sinner, was this Mary Magdalene (Luke vii. 36-50). It is also stated that in the account of the expulsion of the seven devils from her, which we have in Luke viii. 2, she is classed with "Joanna the wife of Herod's steward, Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto Christ of their substance." In relation to the first statement, we observe, that whilst there may be no positive proof that Mary Magdalene was the notorious sinner by the same name in Simon's house, there is no proof that she was not the same Mary :-it is as fair to assume the one as the other. And in relation to the second-her being one of the class "who ministered unto Christ their substance,”—we suggest that there is often great generosity of nature where there has been signal depravity of heart and wickedness of conduct. Who has not known most notorious sinners who have been occasionally subjects of generous moods and tender sympathies? Even the apostle Paul supposes it possible for a man to dispose of all his goods to feed the poor, and yet be destitute of that true love which is the real essence of virtue. The fact, however, that she was possessed of "seven devils," does undoubtedly indicate that she was a sinner of no ordinary enormity.

It may be objected to this, that demoniacal possession was nothing but a physical disease, which the ancients

ascribed to evil spirits; and that the greatness of a physical disease in the case of any individual, is no proof of the greatness of that individual's sin. Grant this, and our reply is, that the high probability is that all the possessed ones whom Christ delivered were persons of notorious wickedness. They seemed to be examples of the tremendous power which moral evil obtains over men;-over

their brain and body, their nerves and muscles. But we are not disposed to grant that all the demoniacal "possessions were natural diseases :-there is far more reason to believe that they were literally the indwelling of evil spirits. (1) There is no antecedent objection to the doctrine that evil spirits may possess men. Not unfrequently, amongst men, do we find one man so thoroughly influencing another as to destroy the balance of his intellect. Most infatuating is the influence which one being can exert upon another. How often, for example, do lovers grow frantic and commit suicide, through the influence of one spirit acting upon another? (2) Christ Himself spoke of these cases as the possession of evil spirits; He never once gave an intimation to the contrary. If it were nothing but a mere popular superstition, would not the Great Teacher have sought to correct it? Examples: Matt. viii. 28-32, xvii. 19—21; Luke x. 17-21. (3) Christ's disciples and apostles invariably regarded them as true demoniacs. Matt. viii.

28. Assuming, then, that the possession of the seven devils by Mary indicated her great sinfulness, we have her standing before us as redeemed by Christ; "He had cast out the seven devils." This is Christ's work; He can destroy the power of the devil, free men from all devils ;the devil of avarice, jealousy, lust, prejudice, unbelief, &c.

II. A GREAT SINNER SIGNALLY HONORED BY JESUS. The first person He appeared to after His resurrection was this Mary. Supposing that she was the sinner in Simon's house, she seems ever after to have acted upon the doctrine which our Saviour there laid down,—that he who has had the most

forgiveness will develop the most love; Matt. vii. 42. Hence with a heart overflowing with tender gratitude, she probably stood at His cross and witnessed His crucifixion; she followed Him to the grave, and "beheld where He was laid;" Mark xv. 47. She, with the rest of the women, returned and prepared spices and ointments. During the hours He slept in the grave, her soul was restless with the anxieties of love. Hence, on the first day of the week, early, while it was yet dark, she was at the sepulchre. woman He honored by granting her the first manifestation after His resurrection. "He appeared first to Mary Magdalene." Had there been amongst all His disciples a greater sinner? yet He appears first to her. There is significance in this. It shows two things :—

This

First How thoroughly Heaven seems to forget the past after forgiveness. All her past sins were nothing now ;they had been a thick cloud obstructing the rays of Divine love, but the cloud had been blotted out, and she is in loving contact with her God. When sins are forgiven, they are separated from the sinner as far as the "east is from the west;" they are "cast into the sea;" they are thrown behind the back of God. "I will remember them no more,' saith the Lord. If we are forgiven, we are treated according to what we are, not according to what we have been. Mary had been a great sinner, but the past is buried. She had now a loving, virtuous, soul; and for that she has now the first interview with Christ. Brother disciple, do not trouble about the past; it may have been very terrible, but it is gone like a meteor from the sky of thy being, never more to return. "Act, act in the living present,

Heart within, and God o'er head."

Secondly: How exalted a corrupt world may yet become. Man was made in the image of God, only a little lower than the angels; but, through sin, he is thrown from heaven. He is far away from God; but through Christ he can be raised, and brought into close contact with his Redeemer and his Lord, as Mary was now.

SUBJECT:-Babel, or Human Labor.

"And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar," &c.— Gen. xi. 1-9.

Analysis of Homily the Five Hundred and Fortieth.

WONDERFUL as is the incident here recorded, its reality is attested by other records than that of Moses before us. Versions more or less substantially correct are found among other nations. The Chaldeans themselves relate how the first men, relying on their size and strength, raised a tower reaching towards heaven, in the place where Babylon afterwards stood; but that the winds, assisting the gods, brought the building down on the heads of the builders ;-out of the ruins of which Babylon itself was built. Before this event men had spoken the same tongue, but afterwards, by the act of the gods, they were made to differ in their speech. Cato also reports a tradition, that in the golden age, men and animals made use of one common language, but too ambitiously aspiring to immortality, were as a punishment confounded in their speech by Jupiter. In the details of the story of the war of the Titans against the gods, may also be traced some traditionary resemblance to the narrative of the Bible. The Sibyl, says Josephus, also makes mention of this town, and of the confusion of language. "Some of them built a high tower, as if they would thereby ascend up to heaven, but the gods sent storms of wind and overthrew the tower, and gave every one his peculiar language; and for this reason it was that the city was called Babylon." We shall use this old fragment of a wonderful history in order to notice certain lessons relative to human labor :-and from it we infer :

I. THAT HUMAN LABOR ALWAYS DEVELOPS THE NATURE Four elements of human nature are brought out

OF MAN.

now in the erection of the tower of Babel, on the land of Shinar."

First Here is the constructive element. They constructed the "brick and mortar;"-constructed the plan of the edifice. They arranged the material in architectural order, and finished the huge building. Man's constructive power is wonderful, and judging from its progress during this century, admits of endless expansion. It is seen not only in the countless productions of art, but in the endless systems of thought. The power is seen as well in bringing ideas together into a complete whole, as in the construction of an engine, or the erection of a house. Man is pre-eminently a constructing creature.

Secondly Here is the ambitious element. One of their chief impulses in their undertaking was ambition; they wanted to rear a grand thing that should emblazon their memory. They did not merely want a city to live in, but

a tower whose top might reach unto heaven." We of course are not to suppose that they were so foolish as literally to mean to scale the heavens; the language was hyperbolical and denotes the highest possible altitude. They wanted a grand thing; and all this for the sake of a "name"-"let us make us a name." Here is ambition! and how much ambition there is in all human labor! In truth most men labor with the idea of getting a name that shall distinguish them in some way or other. Ambition fires the breast of the poor rustic laborer at the plough, as well as the dauntless warrior in the campaign. In everything wrought by man there is ambition. In every edifice erected, in every garden laid out, in every piece of machinery constructed, in every picture painted, in every book written, and in every poem sung, there is ambition. "Let us make us a name:"-that is the watchword.

Thirdly Here is the social element. :

"Lest we be scat

tered abroad upon the face of the whole earth." They