76 THE HISTORY OF

He hath no form nor comeliness, and when we
shall see him, there is no beauty that we should
desire him. He is despised and rejected of
men; aman of sorrows, and acquainted with
grief: and we hid as it were our faces from
him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
(Isaiah lili. 2, 3.) He made himself of no re-
putation, and took upon him the form of a ser-
vant, and was made in the likeness of men: and
being found in fashion as a man, he humbled
himself, and became obedient. (Phil. ii. 7, 8.)
All this he did for us. Yet, for his blessed
sake, seldom do we give up any pleasure, or
deny ourselves the smallest enjoyment. Al-
though he humbled himself to the cross for
us, yet we, who are but dust, exalt ourselves,
striving who shall be first, and who shall be
greatest.

Then I could not but think how great the
mercy of God was, in bearing so long with us
sinful and obstinate beings; and I prayed that
{ might not be numbered among the wicked,
but that God would send his Holy Spirit to
strengthen me, and to enable me to resist temp-
tation; that, in the last day, I might be found
fit to inherit eternal happiness, through the
mercy of my blessed Saviour.

Just as I had finished this prayer, I heard a
knock at the door: I immediately hastened to
open it, thinking, foolishly enough, that it could
be no other than my mistress. But how sur-
prised I was, when, instead of Mrs. Bennet, in
came the Captain. Yet, I did not feel so much
frightened as might be supposed, for the Lord