Profession of Christ, without affection to him, leaves the heart in dead formality. What is religion without the affections? What the highest pretensions, the greatest depth of knowledge, without love to our dear Saviour! Here poor Mary discovers her affection to her Lord, by weeping for him, and seeking after his crucified body. The fire of love in the heart carries out the soul beyond itself. Tell me, sir, said she to Jesus, (supposing him to be the gardener,) where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. Poor weak being, her affections went beyond her strength; but, to her inexpressible joy and comfort, Jesus manifested himself to her. This was written for our instruction. Come, ye weeping, disconsolate souls, learn a lesson of encouragement from your sister's conduct and your Lord's dealings with her.
Observe, Christ's beloved disciples have their seasons of weeping and seeking him. They weep because they love Christ: they seek him because they cannot be happy without him. So the church, "I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him but I found him not." Song 3:1. Seeking Christ is an evidence of love to him; seeking him sorrowing and weeping, shows the ardency of affection. Poor distressed sinner, who seest thy want of Christ, knowest that thy all is in him, and canst not be happy without him, be assured that this sorrow of thine heart is an evidence of his love: there is a mutual affection between Christ's heart and thine. Jesus was near to Mary, though she knew him not; so is he near to every weeping, longing soul, though they have not the comfort of it.
Christ discovers his affection by his questions: "Why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou!" Our fears are seen; our sorrows are felt by our sympathizing Lord; our most silent sighs enter his ears and pierce his heart: but he will know the cause of our sorrows from our own lips. Pour out then your hearts before him; tell him your complaints. Do this in the assurance of faith that he will manifest himself to you. He did so to Mary: he called her by her name, Many, which signifies exalted: she was exalted to know Christ's voice, to taste his love, to be his sister and spouse, and to live in sweet union to him and communion with him. O soul, see whence your seeking, sorrowing spirit springs! See the blessed end in which it terminates. O, bless Jesus for a heart to seek him; bless him, though you seek him "sorrowing." Thy Lord has assured thee, "Every one that asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh findeth." Luke 11:10.