The experience of his people is represented by coming to him. "TO WHOM COMING.'

It is not one act, but the business of life. All they need is in Jesus, and to him they must come for a supply, as they are taught their wants. By nature, we are all at a distance from Christ; and the carnal mind has a rooted dislike to Christ. By grace we are taught our need of him, a desire is produced in our minds to come to him, and then by faith and prayer we approach him. Coming to Christ and believing on him are one and the same. I must believe that he is, that he is suited to me, and that I cannot do without him, or I shall never come to him. Hav ing come to him once, and found peace, and enjoyed rest, I shall continue to come. who are taught by the Holy Spirit come to Jesus to build their hope of salvation on him-to find rest in him-to be quickened by him-or to receive a life from him, and be united to him. Yes, all true Christians come to Jesus, become one with Jesus, and are conformed to Jesus. As he is the living stone, they become lively stones, and are built up a spiritual house. What an honour it is to Jesus, that all our supplies are entrusted to him; and what a comfort it is to us, that we have only to come to Jesus and freely receive all we need.

All

Reader, do you know the character, use, and design of this stone? It is a living stone. It forms a firm foundation for us to

build on for eternity. It is intended for poor sinners, that they may enjoy peace with God, find rest unto their souls, and be safe amidst all the storms of life, in the article of death, and throughout eternity. Are you coming to this stone, building on it, and becoming like it? If you have come once, you will come again, and the more you come, the more you will wish to come. Instead therefore of asking, Have I come to Christ ? let us ask, Am I coming to Christ to-day, and every day of my life? For this is the only certain proof that Christ dwells in us. If you have come to Christ, you are building on Christ, he is the only foundation on which you build for eternity. You rest on his glorious person, and finished work alone, for acceptance with God, and everlasting life. And if you are building on Christ, by a living faith, you do his word, keep his sayings, and become conformed to his image. No one truly believes on Christ, who does not become growingly like Christ. Is Christ chosen by you? He is God's choice, is he yours? God chose him to be his salvation unto the ends of the earth, and if you are like-minded with God, you will chose him to be your Saviour, and he will become the grand object of your desire. Is Christ precious to you? He is precious to God, being his only begotten Son, his beloved One; and if you are taught and sanctified by the Spirit of God he will be precious, most precious to you.

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You will esteem him highly, enjoy his presence and his favour, and value him above all besides. To you that believe he is precious." Oh, how precious! Do you recommend him to others? If you have proved the truth of his word for yourself-if you have found joy and peace in believing on his name—if you are united to him, and daily draw all your supplies from him-how can you refrain from recommending him to others? If you know that souls all around you are living in sin, dying in sin, and are perishing for ever as the consequence of their sin-and if you know that there is salvation for them only in Jesus -will you not recommend him to them? And, knowing, that it is only by coming to Jesus, and building on Jesus, that they can enjoy salvation, will you not, must you not, urge them to come to him, that they might have life ?

Chosen of God, and precious too
Is Christ in each believer's view;
Built upon him, and stablished here,
They all as living stones appear.

No other trust shall intervene,
To him I'll look, on him I'll lean;
And all foundations I'll disown,
But him who is the living stone.

Here my salvation stands secure,
This rock of ages must endure;
Nor shall my hope be overthrown,
Built upon Christ, the living stone.

MARY.

"Mary sat at Jesus' feet and heard his words."LUKE X. 39.

WE have three views of Mary in the New Testament. Mary working, washing the feet of Jesus, and anointing them with precious ointment. Mary weeping at the sickness and death of her brother Lazarus, and Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus, listening to his words. The family was a peculiarly favoured one, each member of it was a believer, an object of the Saviour's love. God did not here take one of a family, as he sometimes does, but he took the whole. Let us notice Mary's

CHARACTER. She was a quiet contemplative Christian. We differ very much in our natural dispositions, and temperament. Some are lively, others dull. Some are full of talk, and some very reserved. We carry our natural peculiarities with us into a state of grace. Grace refines, ennobles, and regulates our natural powers, but does not essentially alter them. They are christianised, sanctified, and consecrated to God, but remain the same. Mary had faith in Jesus, she believed

him to be the Messiah, and received him as sent of God. She loved Jesus, and therefore valued his company, and prized his word. She enjoyed the company of Jesus, and therefore sought him out, and continued with him. She expected to get good from Jesus, and therefore took and kept her seat at his feet. She quietly left her concerns with Jesus, therefore if Martha upbraid her, she leaves Jesus to answer for her. Here, beloved, is an example for us, we should believe in Jesus, as the Son of God; love Jesus, as the Saviour of sinners; prize the company of Jesus, and therefore follow him, and cleave to him with full purpose of heart; quietly leave our concerns with Jesus, and so live without anxiety, foreboding, or grief. But let us look at Mary's

PRIVILEGE. Jesus loved her, for if he had not she never would have loved him. His love is always the cause of ours. We love

him because he first loved us. He made himself known to her, manifesting himself unto her as he did not unto the world. He visited her, as the friend of the family, and the lover of her soul. He held fellowship and communion with her, treating her as a friend.

He

vindicated her, when Martha was angry, and wished him to reprove her. Just so with every believer, for we all have the same great and precious privilege. Jesus loves us, and loves us with an everlasting love, therefore with loving-kindness he teaches us our need of him and draws us to him. He makes him