JESU

ESUS faid, It is not meet to take the Children's Bread, and to caft it to Dogs.---And the faid, Truth, Lord: yet the Dogs eat of the Crumbs which fall from their Master's Table. Ma.xv.26,27. Favours are for Children, and Love only renders us fuch. It is through Mercy, that God makes the Sinner fenfible from whence he is fallen, what he is become, and to what he should aspire.———— Jesus inftructs by humbling; his Repulfes fpeak to those who can understand their Language. -- It is Thou thyfelf, O Jefus, who art the Children's Bread; and who turneft even Dogs into Children of God, that thou mayeft feed them with thyself. I know indeed my own Mifery and Unworthiness; but I know alfo thy Mercy and the Power of thy Grace.-True Faith consents to all the Denials and Severities which come from God, but at the same Time makes Use of them to raife, unite, and fasten itself more strongly to him. — When a Man fincerely defires to be faved, he is difcouraged by no Difficulties, but on the contrary, changes even Obftacles into Means. God defers fometimes to fhew Mercy, on Purpofe, by Delay, to increase Defire by Defire, Hope by Hope, the Fervency of Prayer; and by Prayer, Humility. God loves the Earneftnefs and Importunity of Prayer; and at length grants every Thing to a perfevering Hope, which grows the ftronger by being humbled and refused.

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THEN Jefus anfwered and faid unto her, O Woman, great is thy Faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her Daughter was made whole from that very Hour, Mat. xv. 28.

Faith remains victorious at the laft, triumphs, as it were, over God himfelf, and by an holy Violence wrefts out of his Hands, what he feemed determined not to bestow.. - JESUS admires this Faith, to the End that we may admire and imitate it; and may reap the fame Fruits and Advantages from it. O Woman, great indeed is thy Faith! But, O my God, much Faith greater is thy Mercy; because this great Faith is the Gift thereof. is the Foundation of the whole Chriftian Building, but the Foundation, as well as the Building, is the Work of God. Faith, and the Defire to belong entirely to God, increafe together in a Sinner's Heart, and his Cure is anfwerable to them both. This is 'wrought in a Moment, but the Sinner is not fo fuddenly prepared for it.

That mighty Faith on me beftow,

Which cannot ask in vain,

'Till Thou into my Soul inspire,

Thy perfect Love unknown,

Which holds, and will not let Thee go, And tell my infinite Defire,

(h) What e'er thou wilt, be done."

THEN anfwered Peter, and faid unto Jefus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: If thou wilt, let us make here three Tabernacles, one for Thee, and one for Mofes, and one for Elias. Mat. xvii. 4.

Let us not fet our Hearts upon our outward Comforts: The Sweetness of them is apt to make Men forget the Neceffity of paffing through Sufferings in their Way to Heaven. We are difpofed to lay hold of the firft Object which prefents it felf, when it flatters our Inclination towards Eafe and Pleasure. But we ought ftill to mistrust it, and give our felves Time to reflect; that we may fee, whether it agree with the Rule of our Duty, and with the Will and Designs of God concerning us. --- If this fmall Drop of Vision put St. Peter into an Extafy, my God, what Effect will that Torrent of Delights have, with which Thou wilt fill thy Children, when they fhall fee Thee Face to Face to all Eternity! Good for us thy Joy to share, And Tabor's Glory fee, Better ftill thy Crofs to bear.

And bleed on Calvary ;

Beft of all when Nature dies

Echoing back thy final Groan; Then to Zion's Heights we rife, And hail Thee on thy Throne.

WHILE he yet spake, behold a bright Cloud overshadowed them and behold a Voice out of the Cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. Mat. xvii. 5.

Let us receive with a particular Respect, that which the Father himself declares to us concerning his Son. According to this Gospel of the eternal Father we must believe in Jefus Chrift as the Son of God, and be perfuaded, that the Father loves no Perfon, nor is pleased with any Thing but in His Son and we must attentively hear Him as our Mafter. See here That which God does continually in the Hearts of Men, to enlighten them, to make them fruitful in good Works, to extinguish or allay the Heat of Concupifcence; these are fo many Effects of the Grace of Chrift, denoted by the bright Cloud, and which neither the Law, nor the Shadows of Sacrifices, nor the Preaching of the Prophets, were able to produce. Jefus Chrift alone does it by speaking to the Heart, of which he only is the Mafter. He alone therefore can make it hear effectually, fo as to obey, love, follow, and imitate him. Speak, Lord, to my Heart; but fpeak with Authority, as the only Son of God, as the perfonal Truth, and the Principle of that Love which exifted from all Eternity.

St. Mark. ONLY Luke is with me, Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the Miniftry, 2 Tim. iv. II.

Let us adore and fear the Judgments of God; Demas forfakes both St. Paul and his Calling, after having been faithful to them a long Time: On the contrary, Grace brings back Mark to St. Paul, whom he had formerly forfaken, and makes him a faithful and very useful Minifter. Who would not fear! who would not hope!

Left to myself, in Paths of Vice
I scarce began to run,
When JESUS did his Stray furprise,

And claim'd me for his own.
To fave my Soul he came unfought,

True Liberty to give,
And in the Arms of Mercy caught
His thoughtless Fugitive.

Saviour, with thankful Awe I fee

Thy Mercy's ftrange Defign,
Which let me (werve a while from Thee
To make me always Thine.
A Servant and a Son reftor'd,
Thou kindly doft receive,
And happy, with my heav'nly Lord,
I fhall for ever live.