400 The NEW and COMPLETE LIFE f Our BLESSED LORD MARY MAGDALENE. THrS remarkable convert was a na- tive either of Magdala, a town in Galilee, on the other fide Jordan, or Mag- dalos, atown fituated at the foot ofMount Carmel, and had herfurname from the place of her birth. Some affirm, that íhe was the finner mentioned by St.Luke, ch. vii. 37. &c. but this opinion is built only on conjeblure. Both St. Matthew and St. Mark tell us, that JEsus hadcall out ofher feven devils ; which fome underhand in a literal, and others in a figurative fenfe. Mary became, however, a con{lant at- tendant on the bleffed JESUS, after he had removed her plague. She followed him to Mount Calvary, continued amidft the Ro- man guards at the foot of the crofs, with, the holy virgin, anti faw his precious body laid in the tomb ; after which, fhe returned to Jerufalem, in order, after the Sabbath, to embalm her Lord. She alto carried the welcome tidings to Peter and John, and our bleffed Lord himfelf appeared to her firft after his re- furreétion.. The apoftles, however, did not believe her report, till it was confirmed by others, and they themfelves had feen their Saviour. After this event, fhe is not mentioned in facred. writ. MARY the SISTER of. LAZARUS. ARY the filler of Lazarus, with -1-V-1, her lifter Martha, lived with their brother at Bethany, a village near Jerufa- 1em. Our dear Redeemer had a particular affection for this family, and often retired to their houfe with his difciples. One day (and perhaps the firfl time that JEsus went thither) Martha received him withremark- able affeflion, and took abundance of pains in providing a proper entertainment for him; but Mary her filler continued fitting at her Saviour's feet, liftening to his words with peculiar attention. This Martha con- fidered as an inftance of difrefpea, and therefore faid to JEsus, Lord, dolt thou not care that my lifter hath left me to ferve alone P Bid her, therefore, that fhe help me. But our Lord juftified Mary, by tellingher lifter, that fhe had chofen the better part, which fhe fhould never be deprived of. Lazarus their brother, fome time after this, fell fick, and his lifters fent to ac- quaint Jesus of the misfortune; but he did not arrive . at Bethany till after Lazarus was dead. Martha hearingJEsus was come into the neighbourhood, went to him, and told hin., that if he had not been abfent her brother had been hill alive. JEsus promifed her, that her brother thould rife again : to which Martha anfwered, I know that he fiat rife again at the laft day. JEsus replied, I am the refurreiion and the life ; he that believeth inme, though he were dead, yetflail he live; and whofo- ever liveth and believeth in me, fhall never die; believefl thou this? Martha anfwered, Yea, Lord : Ibelieve that thou art the Chr,. the Son of God, zohichfhould come into the world. Having faid this, the departed, and gave her filler notice privately, that JEsus was come. Mary, as foon as fhe heard the welcome tidings, arofe and went to JEsus; and, as Martha had done before her, laid, Lord, If thou hadit been here, nay brother hied not died. The bleffed Jesus was greatly moved at the pa- thetic complaints of thefe two worthy fillers, and on afldng where they bad buried' him, they conduced him to the fepulchre. On his, arrival at the place where the body of Lazarus was depoliited, the great Redeemer of mankind groaned' deeply in his fpirit ; he wept, he prayed to his Father, and then cried with a loud voice,
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