Transcription downloaded from https://sermons.heritagesermons.org/sermons/64859/mary-at-the-sepulchre-ii-quality-good/.

Disclaimer: this is an automatically generated machine transcription - there may be small errors or mistranscriptions.
Please refer to the original audio if you are in any doubt.


[0:00] If the Lord will enable me, I would draw your attention to the same text that we had this morning. You'll find it in the 20th chapter in the Gospel according to John, the 11th verse.

[0:17] But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping, and as she wept, she stooped down and looked into the sepulchre.

[0:32] The 11th verse in the 20th of John, that Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping, and as she wept, she stooped down and looked into the sepulchre.

[0:45] And this morning we dwelt more upon salvation's matters and the things of Christ coming into this world, and of his sufferings, his death, and his resurrection.

[1:05] We want, if possible, this evening, if the Lord will enable us to look, if we can, at the feelings of Mary, as this was written of her.

[1:20] As we said this morning, the disciples went home again, and they had heard that Mary had told them that the sepulchre was now empty.

[1:35] But they came and looked in, but went back home again. Would almost seem as though they had, well, they certainly had not the feelings that Mary had.

[1:51] Mary could not leave this sepulchre. Now, what was it that not only moved Mary to stay there, it was, we realised and know, it was her love to this blessed Saviour, but now her sorrow was that caused her to weep, that he had gone, as it were.

[2:18] It was not here. Now, if the Holy Ghost has ever made Christ precious to you and me, if he has ever blessed us with any revelation of his beautiful, glorious, lovely person in our hearts, drawn out our affections toward him, if he has ever been to us the chiefest among ten thousand, and the altogether lovely one, ah, if he has ever blessed you with a sweet assurance of an interest in his love, blood and righteousness, and then he withdraws himself, which he will do, in the cases of all his people, they are not to be dandled upon the knee all their days, and, ah, after he has, ah, often, in many cases, when he has mercifully revealed himself in some measure, according to the sovereignty of the Holy Ghost, ah, he withdraws himself from them.

[3:32] That is, in the felt sense of his presence. He never leaves them, nor forsakes them. No, he never will. But, he will withdraw from them the felt sense of his presence and blessing.

[3:50] They are to walk through a wilderness in this world. They have to be taught many things. But, if you have known anything, as the blessing of Christ in your heart, if he has ever brought you down as a poor, lost, wretched, hell-deserving sinner before him, broken your heart with a felt sense of the, the demands upon you in his law of perfection and holiness, and brought you to an end of all righteousness in yourself, brought you just down to be nothing but sin before him, ah, and made you cry for mercy, and he has maybe revealed that mercy to you.

[4:46] I don't want to go over your heads. I know that there are many of his people who long for this. They have been taught they're sinners.

[4:57] They have been blessed with the new birth. And they hanker and long after Christ. But, he keeps them waiting, waiting, waiting.

[5:10] He tries their patience. But, in some cases, they don't have to wait so long. Some I know, in his sovereignty, have to wait until almost the end of their lives.

[5:26] More or less, the language of their heart is all their days. Tis a point I long to know. Oft it causes anxious thoughts.

[5:38] Do I love the Lord or no? Am I his or am I not? And this is the real feeling of their heart at times. And, as I've said, in the sovereignty of the Holy Ghost, he deals as he will with them.

[5:56] With whom he favors them in their younger days. And, in his wonderful mercy, he brought me out of the world. Its pleasures and vanities.

[6:08] The theatre, the music hall, the sport of this sinful world. Confused me of my sins. And, in about four years, favored me with, after I had tried and tried to bring in some kind of righteousness of my own to appease that awful wrath that was against me.

[6:33] But, failed absolutely. And, was brought into despair. and I remember being brought to such a crisis in my feelings that I felt I couldn't go another step.

[6:48] But the Lord in his infinite mercy appeared. Never shall I forget it. Oh, Christ revealed himself to me in the glory of his person, in the vision of faith and he spoke to me and brought into my heart all that peace of God, it flowed in like a river.

[7:12] All my sins and my trouble were gone. And maybe it's not out of place to tell you these things. It's my first visit here and you want to know what sort of a man you have in the pulpit?

[7:28] Well, I will tell you. In his love and mercy revealed himself to me in my twenties. And blessed me with such peace that lasted months and months in my heart.

[7:45] A separation from all that I'd been in before. All this world was as nothing to me. Christ was everything. I worshipped that blessed Redeemer and peace flowed into my heart.

[8:02] I looked many times to feel the conviction and to feel the trouble I'd been in. But no, no.

[8:13] Not in those days. And at my work I could sing the day through those beautiful hymns in our book with full assurance language in them sweetly.

[8:26] Oh, I can remember how sweet those lines were. Oh, grace, thou bottomless abyss. My sins are swallowed up in thee.

[8:39] Covered is my unrighteousness. From condemnation I am free. For Jesus' blood through earth and skies.

[8:50] Mercy, eternal mercy cries. And oh, how sweet were the things of God. Oh, how I ran to his house and into his ways.

[9:03] But oh, the time came when there was an empty sepulcher. When he withdrew.

[9:14] And he brought me into the wilderness. He made this world a wilderness to me. And my own heart, nothing but a barren heath that produced nothing but noxious weeds.

[9:28] And I couldn't understand it. But what a mercy to be exercised about it, not left. And I would repeat, if you have ever known anything of his blessed presence in your heart, like Mary had, he had cast out seven devils out of her.

[9:53] He had forgiven her much, and much she loved. She was a 500-pence debtor. And here she comes to the sepulcher.

[10:06] She had viewed him on the cross. She had seen him taken by wicked hands and crucified. Oh, how it must have torn their hearts as they viewed this at that time when they were ignorant and didn't understand why it should be.

[10:25] It was only afterward that the Lord enlightened them. But she comes to the sepulcher and finds it empty, empty.

[10:37] The Lord is gone, gone. They've taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. Oh, what a trouble it was to her.

[10:51] Do you know anything of these troubles? Do you know them? Have you got a religion that's no feeling in it? And you can go on from day to day in a kind of a profession and no changes in it, and you never miss the presence of your Lord?

[11:12] Well, perhaps some of you are saying, we never had his presence. But do you want it? Are you after it? Do you settle down in your pew every Sunday?

[11:26] And do you feel, well, now, in a kind of antinomian way, you sit and fold your arms, and you think, it'll be all well at last.

[11:37] Will it? Will it? It won't. If you'll never have anything more, let me tell you. And there is such a tendency in this day to fall into that spirit, especially among our young people.

[11:54] They have observed all our doctrines. They know them in their head. And they can even split airs in arguing concerning them.

[12:05] They stand up for them. But what about the love of Christ? What about the new birth? What about conviction of sin?

[12:17] They sort of have settled down in the doctrines and things that they know. And they say within, if they don't say it outwardly, they say within, well, according to our doctrine, if we are to be born again, we shall be.

[12:34] And if we are belonging to the elect, it will be made known to us sometime, and we can do nothing about it. And thus, that's that, is it?

[12:49] Oh, what a solemn place to be in. I tell you, this is the devil's work, not the work of the Holy Ghost. if the Holy Ghost begins this work in your heart, he'll trouble you, and he'll make you want salvation, he'll convince you of your sins, and your need of it, and you won't be able to settle down, comfortably, and say, in your heart, if not outwardly, what is to be, will be, no.

[13:23] Oh, how the devil, I believe, uses these things in this day to quiet the conscience of people, and to make them contented, as it were, with a mere head knowledge of the truth.

[13:38] It's solemn, you know. Oh, if there are any here, who are in this case, may the Lord stir you up, and bring you out of it. May he shake you over a veritable hell, to bring you out of it.

[13:52] Will do you good in the end. Will really. But oh, to look at the case of Mary, she had been blessed, with salvation in her soul, peace that passes all understanding.

[14:09] She had been filled with love, to this glorious person. Oh, she had seen in him, I've no doubt, a beauty and a loveliness. He was to her, the cheapest among ten thousand, the altogether lovely one.

[14:26] But now, she comes to this sepulchre. She had seen him, hanging on cowlish trees. she had seen him, she had seen him bleed and die.

[14:38] She had seen him, her bow his head, in human death. She had heard that dolorous cry, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

[14:53] no doubt, it had wrung her very hard. For the love that she had to him. But now, she comes this early morning, ere the sun had risen, and she can't find him, he's gone, he's gone.

[15:13] She knows not where he is, can't see him, his presence is missed, it's gone. Well, I repeat, the question, do you know anything of this, in your heart?

[15:26] Or, do you live a kind of a, religious life, and, er, you manage alright, without him? I mean, his felt presence, in your heart.

[15:39] Oh, I can't understand it, so many do. They tell us about, what, their Lord has done, for them, perhaps, twenty, thirty, fifty years, ago, talk to them, about his presence, now, they, they seem dumbfounded, they have nothing to say.

[15:59] What a solemn thing. What a solemn thing. Oh, if we have been blessed, with the, with the love, to this person, in any measure, can you do without him?

[16:12] Can you all, together, manage all your affairs, and, er, your household, your business, and everything, can you manage, your own heart, and everything, without him?

[16:27] Solemn, if you can. Solemn, I tell you, if you can. If you are one of his, he'll deal with you, before you leave, this time state. He will indeed.

[16:38] But oh, what a mercy it is, to be favoured, with this spirit, that she had. She wept, at this tapestry. She said, they've taken away, my Lord, I want him.

[16:53] I love him. I can't do without him. Oh, they've taken him away, and it is as though, desperate feelings, were in her heart.

[17:04] What shall I do, without him? Have you ever felt, this in your heart? Well, sometimes he brings, his people, into these exercises, sometimes using, trials, and afflictions, afflictive, dispensations, in their life.

[17:22] Sometimes, the rough handling, of Satan, in hurling, his filthy, poisonous shaft, into their poor hearts. Sometimes, working on, their unbelief, that is natural, to them.

[17:37] And sometimes, bringing, infidelity, into their hearts. What a trouble, these things are, to God's real people. And they know them.

[17:49] They dread them. And they know, and learn, that they're no match, for Satan. They have no power. They're stripped, altogether. And the Lord, uses these things, to bring them, to an end, of all their own, strength, wisdom.

[18:07] And all their own, managing of things, themselves. I mean, in their own heart, in a way of, spiritual things. Not in your business, and that.

[18:17] But sometimes, they bring you, to a stand evening, that. Why? Why? To make you, look up to him. You know, those cases, in the 107th Psalm, in all those, solemn cases, troubles, trials, distresses, that they were, brought into.

[18:40] The end, of all those things, was this. Then they cried, unto the Lord. When? Then, when they were, in these troubles. And the Lord, uses these things.

[18:54] Oh, in the case of Mary, would be, wrung out of her, heart. Where is my Lord? Where is he? You know, the enemy, can use this too.

[19:08] David, in his, in his, 40 seconds, 140 seconds Psalm, I think it is, where he speaks to us, and says, why art thou, cast down all my soul?

[19:24] Why art thou, disquieted within me? He tells us, that there is a voice, within him, that says, where is thy God? Where is thy God?

[19:37] Ah, where? Where? Well, let me repeat, is it a trouble to you, when he's absent? Do you know, what it is, to mourn over his absence?

[19:50] Or can you go on, all right, without him? Ah, well, it's a wonderful mercy, to be exercised, in these matters, and to feel in your heart, in some little measure, as Mary felt here.

[20:06] Oh, they've taken him away, I can't find him, he's gone. She didn't know, that he was, stood not far from her, no, and, er, she didn't know, what had become of him, and she was in the dark.

[20:25] Do you know these feelings? Do you know them, appalling, the exercises of your heart? And has it ever brought out, these trials, ever brought out, cries out of your heart?

[20:40] Oh, Lord, do mercifully appear again. Oh, do return unto me. Thou said in thy word, I will not leave you, comfortless.

[20:51] I will see you again. But, you know, these things, these troubles and trials, how necessary they are. If we look back in the words, to his dealings with literal Israel, he could have quickly brought them into the promised land, couldn't he, had he seen six, that their sin, the sin of the unbelief, of the spies, ah, the Lord looked upon that, and he made them wonder, forty years in the wilderness, the wilderness.

[21:28] What's a wilderness? A wilderness. It's a wild place. There's nothing in it to sustain life. Oftentimes, no water in it even.

[21:42] And that's what they found. But why was all this? To humble them, to prove them, to know what was in their heart. Whether they would keep his commandments or no.

[21:57] And that's not the end of it, is it? No, to bring them to this, that man shall not live, by thread only, but, by every word that proceedeth, out of the mouth of God, shall man live.

[22:15] Do you know anything about living upon the word of God? Ah, it's only living. It is the only living, really, in this world, is when he blesses you in your soul, either with a word, or the substance of a word, which is present in some measure.

[22:36] that's living, living, living, living, all other so-called living, compared to that is good death, really. if you know this in your experience, how sweet it is, when he speaks, or when he gives you a touch of his lungs, softening your hard heart, bringing you into repentance.

[23:01] And, you know, Christ said, didn't he, in the 15th of Luke, that presence, that joy, in the presence of the angels, of God, over one sinner, that repented.

[23:16] Oh, it's a wonderful, wonderful, astonishing thing, that the repentance, of a poor sinner, should bring joy, in heaven, that it goes, those angels, see and know, that it is the work, of the Holy Ghost, and, they see, that it is all, through, the suffering, death, blood, and righteousness, of people.

[23:44] A trophy, of his, redeeming work, in the hearts, of his people. Well now, it's a wonderful mercy, if we've ever been, means, the means, of bringing joy, in heaven, among the angels, of heaven.

[24:04] If the Lord, has ever softened, your heart, down in repentance, before him, you hated, and loathed yourself, in your sins. Well he brought them, into the wilderness, to humble them, to prove them, to know, what was in their heart.

[24:23] He knew, what was in their heart, that he would, make them know it. And he does so, with his people today. Oh yes he does, he deals with them, even yet, will do, to the end of time.

[24:37] And he'll make them, know what's in their heart. whether they would, whether they would, keep his commandments, or no. Oh, the answer is no, no.

[24:48] They've no capacity, to keep his commandments. commandments. But the commandments, of Christ, in the gospel, they have no power, to keep those.

[25:01] He has said, a new commandment, I give unto you, that ye love, one another. But only he, can bring that, into exercise. And, in the ordinances, of his house, ah, what a mercy it is, if he gives you, enough love in your heart, to follow him, in those ordinances.

[25:26] To give you, to feel that salvation, is such a great, wonderful thing. A wonderful, astonishing mercy, in your heart, that to walk, in a footstep, a few footsteps, of his, is nothing, compared, to what he has done, for you.

[25:46] And if you think, under the, under the, water, in immersion, in baptism, what is it, to that baptism, that he walked in, when he was, overwhelmed, in the, in the wrath of God.

[26:04] When he was, immersed in it, when he said, I have a baptism, to be baptized with. Not a sprinkling, no, a deep, down, immersion, under the wrath, of an offended God, against the sins, of his people, as he stood, in their place, and bore all, that indignant, justice, had against them.

[26:31] Ah, what a baptism, was that. Have you ever felt, anything of it, in your heart? And have you ever felt, well, to put a small thing, for me, to follow him, to be immersed, to show forth, my love to him.

[26:51] If there are any, here at all, exercised, in this way, may the Lord, bless you, and may he, give you no rest, and may you, give him no rest, until it has been, brought to pass.

[27:08] But all, remember this, that he brings, all his people, into a wilderness, more or less, in their measure, according, to his sovereignty.

[27:19] And he will, bring about, within you, why, I believe, at the very first, beginnings, of things, in your heart, he'll bring you, to be separate, from this evil, sinful world, in spirit, in your heart.

[27:38] I don't believe, I've often said it, and I still believe it, that the person, who feels, the deepest, in his heart, concerning his, sins, and his iniquities, that person, will most, will walk, mostly upright.

[27:58] Where the work, is not so deep, very shallow, and there is not, that deep, deep conviction, of yourself, to escape, thereby being, brought constantly, to see your own, heart, to the depth, of iniquity, that's in it.

[28:17] if you, if you, shall I say, if you know, nothing hardly, of these things, these depths, you'll very easily, be led aside.

[28:30] is the person, who is constantly, in touch, with his own, evil heart, and what it, contains. He, will live, most uprightly, in this world, because, he sees sin, he fears it, he dreads it, he hates it, and, this is the person, that the Lord, will keep, he will uphold, him.

[28:57] But oh, what a mercy, it is, to be, again I repeat, where Mary was, that she could not, do without, this blessed pride. We don't know, what fears, entered her heart, really, they're not, expressed here, but I don't think, we should be, going against, scripture, if we, were to say, that, desperation, would be, very near, her feelings.

[29:29] Despair, they've taken away, my Lord, what shall I do, without him, it's gone, seems as if, all that is past, all that I hoped in, it's all gone, it's all gone, ever been there, ever been brought there, oh, and it would seem, almost sure, to be at the end, of everything, the end, of everything.

[30:00] I hoped in his mercy, he blessed me, with his love, but he's gone, he's gone, I don't know, where to find him, he's gone, ah, did the Lord, leave her there, no, no, he'll not leave, he wouldn't leave her, no, if you're the real character, you're exercised, by these things, you'll many a time, come to an end, of your religion, you'll be emptied, from vessel to vessel, painfully emptied out, till you've got nothing left, and your sins, will abound, sometimes, pain, will be very busy, within you, unbelief, will be there, and infidelity, perhaps, and, he withholds, his presence, and you'll wonder, where the scene, will end, you'll wonder, whether he'll ever, smile upon you again, you'll wonder, whether he'll ever, look upon you again, so vile, and black, will you see, your nature to be, that you'll say, oh, can ever come, dwell here,

[31:20] I don't wonder, at him, withholding his presence, from me, but are you satisfied, that he does, no, no, no, no, he read, he read the heart, of Mary, he knew all, that was in her heart, he knew the love, that was there, he knew the faith, that was there, and, he would reveal, himself to her, and so he did, he got the reward, of being first, to the sepulcher, love drew her there, but all the despairing, feelings, when he had gone, and she didn't know, where he was, and couldn't find him, that, she may well, weep at the sepulcher, but, he knew all about her, he knew her heart, and he spoke, to her, didn't he, and she, look at the strength, that she seemed to have, strength of faith, when she thought, it was the gardener, speaking, she said, sir, if thou have drawn him, hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away,

[32:36] I'll carry him away, and then he said, Mary, ah, there must have been, a sweet note in that, ah, there must have been, a wonderful note in that, ah, she turned herself, and said unto him, what all night, her which is the best master, what a blessed revelation, it would be to her, oh, what a sweet, time it would be, what a relief, it would be, in her poor heart, when, he said, Mary, and she turned, and saw him, and realised then, who he was, in the half, the morning light, when, he revealed, in fact, to her, all the love, that would rise, in her heart, to him, oh, it, it, it appears, from the word, that she drew, near to him, and she would have, took him, but he said, took me now,

[33:44] I'm not yet offended, to my father, but go to my brethren, I know they've, gone back home, but they're still mine, my love is, toward them yet, and in the, in another account, it says, tell Peter, this poor Peter, who has, who has, who has, who has, who has, altogether, denied me, Christ, quailed, before a maid, and said, with odds and curses, I know not the man, go and tell him, that I'm risen, from the dead, and that you have seen me, don't leave him out, oh, what wonderful love, and condescension, there is here, what wonderful mercy, he has, in the judgment hall, turned, and looked upon Peter, and he has broken his heart, all to pieces, he went out, and wept bitterly, all the repentance, that would be in his heart, and yet, these disciples, they have been commanded, you know, to remain in Jerusalem, until they were, and viewed with power, from on high, that Peter again, the foremost, says,

[35:07] I go fishing, I'm going back, to my old occupation, and the other said, go away, we go with you, and they went, but all that night, they thought nothing, but all the wonderful, condescension, and mercy, cried, when he appeared, stood on the, stood as it were, on the shore, and said, cast the left, on the right side, and you shall find, ah, and they did, and when Peter, was given to know, it was Christ, he cast, is there, caught about him, and dashed into the sea, to meet this, blessed Christ, father, father, and still love, in his heart, for him, yes, and, but how the Lord, tried him, didn't he, well, he had denied him,

[36:09] Christ, why, didn't he ask him, this question, Christ, lovest thou me, lovest thou me, ah, Peter was green, the third time, wasn't he, thou knowest all things, thou knowest the side, lone dream, he must be, well, oh, does it not so, as the condescension, the mercy of Christ, he will never leave, nor forsake his people, he will deal with them, in this life, but it is just like, a parent who loves their children, when they frown upon their children, or when they correct them, even with the love, it springs out of love to them, they can't dare to see them, going in wrong ways, and doing wrong things, and saying wrong things, and that love, molds them to correct them, if that is showing this poor, sinful, world, ah, will it not be infinitely more so, with the Lord, and his children, ah, we're told out in Hebrews, if we have no faith, then are we bastards, and not them, whom the Father, loveth each faith, purge it, every son only receives, what a mercy it is, if the Lord brings troubles, and trials, into your fucking mind, and it gives you, to mourn over your evil heart, and over the temptations, and trials, of Satan within, what a mercy, if it separates you, from this evil world, and brings you down, in repentance, before this blessed Christ, and, and, and, you brought to this,

[38:13] Lord, help me, Lord, undertake for me, oh, fear for me, do not leave me, no, no, we will never leave, nor for faith is people, I will not leave you, comfortless, I will see you again, in your heart, to rejoice, and your joy, no man shall take, from you, and you know, there are such times, oh, yes, there are, I remember, I think it was last year, I got on a bus, after I'd been doing, some business, in, Keith Field, to come up to, Mayfield, where we live, and I wasn't thinking, of anything, I'd be spiritual, to my shame, but as I sat, in the corner, of that bus, on my own, all at once, my heart, was made so soft, and Christ, was made so precious, the few tears, rolled down my cheeks, in that bus,

[39:15] I don't know, whether anybody, noticed it or not, but I'm little, but oh, how precious, was this blessed time, and I felt, with the same, blessed Jesus, the same, blessed Christ, his love, is still the same, and though I, wander from him, and though I, often rebel, against his way, and I, kick against the, Christ, as many a time, yes, yes, he will come again, poor soul, and if you're, walking a path, like this, and you wonder, if he'll ever, look on you again, I tell you, he will, he will, he will smile again, upon you, and he will soften your heart, and he will bring, repentance, into your heart, and he will give you, that to say, that he loves you, freely, that your sins, style as they are, will never separate, in from you, because, he has borne, all the rock, due to those sins, so that you, shall go free, and he, was forsaken, of his father, that you, might never, be forsaken, and he'll prove it, to you, oh yes, he'll come again, oh, but the time is gone, and I must leave it,

[40:45]  I must visit, may the Lord, bless his word, for, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, God, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen,