of Bethany did. Mary would have fimply set before Him the best she had, with a modeft, "LORD, I am not worthy that "Thou shouldeft come under

my Roof; but fuch as I have,

give I Thee "—and then have fate down at His Feet. We know the Fruits He likes best,

.. the Fruits of the SPIRIT

poor, unripe Clusters, the most of them that we have to offer! But, in Truth, He brings His own Entertainment with Him; like thofe English Travellers who accepted the Hofpitality of the poor Moravian Brethren at the Cape, and left the Table far

better

better spread with the Contents of their Sumptour-Wagon than they found it. He brings His own Wine and Honey; we have no need to leave the LORD that we may ferve Tables: His Ear, His Leifure, His Compaffion, His Sympathy, His Counsel, His Comfort, His Help, are all ours, to be had for the Asking: to that End He has come unto us. Let us then avail ourselves of the dear Privilege, and draw near unto Him with Faith, feeing He looks on us fo kindly; and let us address ourselves unto Him and fay―

BEHOLD

BEHOLD, LORD, thus en

couraged, thus privileged,

I come; trembling, to find myfelf alone with fo auguft a Gueft, yet not hanging back when fo gracious a Meeting is accorded me. Who am I, that my LORD fhould come unto me? Behold, the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain Thee! how much lefs this narrow Tabernacle of a contrite Heart?

O GOD, till one Thing is removed, there can be no Senfe of Union between us . . . That

Thing is unconfeffed, unrepented Sin. Till I have made a full, heartfelt, and fufficient Acknowledgment of it, I can have no Peace. Let there be no Cloud

between us-hear me, O my Father! hear Thy repentant Child. My worft Enemy has Something yet to know against me; my best Friend has many Things to learn that he could not palliate, of me. If I fhould attempt to reckon up, not each particular Tranfgreffion, but even the feveral Claffes of my characteristic Faults, they are more than I could correctly number unto Thee, My worst Foe

might laugh, my best Friend would weep at the List. And yet, Thou, who art of purer Eyes than to behold Iniquity without condign Displeasure, seest them all! And yet Thou bearest with the Sinner, and giveft further Space for Repentance, and sayeft, Live!

LORD, thus encouraged, I come! If Thou art extreme to mark what is done amifs, who fhall abide it? But there is Mercy with Thee, therefore fhalt Thou be feared. For there are none whom we fo fear to offend, to infult, to injure, to betray, as those whom we grate

fully