said, "Surely they are my people, children that will not lie; so he was their Saviour." And certain it is, that truth makes free, John viii. 32: free from death, though not always from the fear of it; for some shall be delivered, from eternal death, who, through the fear of it, were all their lifetime subject to bondage, Heb. ii. 15. Thus truth makes free; but perfect love casteth out fear the child of truth is safe; but the child made perfect by love is the most happy.

Shepherd. Then it appears that the King may own some for his who never could as yet lay a claim upon him?

Steward. Doubtless he knows his own, whether all that are his know him or not; and certain it is, that all his seed shall know him, from the least to the greatest, ere they go hence. He that loves the truth, and loves the saints, loves in deed and in truth: and thereby may know that he is of the truth, and may assure his heart before him, 1 John iii. 18, 19. But, though the King knows and owns him, yet he knows not the King in the highest sense, nor can he boldly claim him as his Father; and, therefore, has not the comfort of it, because, though he loves the truth and the saints, he is not made perfect in love: and he that loves not, knoweth not God, 1 John iv. 8; though God knows him.

Shepherd. I thank you for your satisfactory resolve. But pray, sir, were all these three children nursed in the palace that you are at, or in

any other? for I know the King has several palaces or lodges in the nation.

Steward. They were not all brought up at the royal palace in the great metropolis, though they were there for a little time. Weak Heart, through the counsel of some rulers, was sent into the north, to what is called the high-priest's palace; where he wore iron bows for his neck, to make him carry his head upright; and irons upon his legs and ancles, to bring his limbs in form, in order to set off his gait, and enable him to make a decent appearance; and to submit to the endless human rules, forms, and orders, of the house: but, for the want of a good breast and proper nursing in his youth, he remained unsightly, disproportionable, and rickety, till within a few days of his death; but, at his departure, he appeared a perfect

man.

Shepherd. And, pray, what became of Silly Dove? was he sent to the same place? If he was, I dare say that he fared as bad as the other.

Steward. No, he did not go with his brother; he was sent to the lodge at Bethel, which is in the south country, near the famous city that was once the residence of Melchisedec; where the air is fine, and the country open; plenty of sun and heat, and yet noted at certain seasons for cool breezes. Here he was under the tuition of one Fidelity, an excellent tutor and governor, who so brought him on, under God, that his behaviour, pleasant countenance, and the King's tender af

fection for him, stand upon record in the eternal annals; “Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still; therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him." So that the old name, Silly Dove, died away in every body's mouth, and in time became totally extinct.

Shepherd. Just so it fares with some flocks which fall into the hands of careful shepherds; who, under superior direction, suffer them not to want, but make them lie down in green pastures, and lead them beside the still waters, Psalm xxiii. 2; while others are suffered to be scattered by the wolf, and drove into numberless corners and thickets in the cloudy and dark days. The lost are not sought after, the strayed are not gathered, the broken are not bound up, and the sick are not strengthened, Ezek. xxxiv. 12, 16. A man of no spiritual understanding is a foolish shepherd; and, if he is one that hath no regard for the flock, they had better be without him than with him; for, when they are scattered abroad as sheep having no shepherd, the Owner himself will seek after them; as it is written, "Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out." Others spend half their time in what is called trimming them; which is done by driving a large crutch stake into the ground, in the shape of a capital Y, while the poor creature stands hanging back with its neck in the crutch; a pin

running through the ends of the crutch at the top; and the shepherd clips off the loose, dangling, and torn wool, just to make the creature look plump and round to the eye; when, if you were to handle the carcase of it, it is as light as an owl, and its ribs are like a paper of pins: and, if it could but speak, it would cry, My leanness! my leanness!' all the day long, Isa. xxiv. 16. "Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool; but ye feed not the flock." And again, "Neither did my shepherds search for my flock; but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not the flock," Ezek. xxxiv. 8. But, pray, sir, where is Little Faith?

Steward. Little Faith is at the town palace.

Shepherd. Does he grow at all? Is there any likelihood of his name being buried in oblivion, like that of his brother, Silly Dove? or is he Little Faith, and of little stature, still?

Steward. He is Little Faith still; and that name, by the bye, is applicable to some who talk of very great faith, who have no more trophies to shew of their prevailing strength and heroic deeds than he has.

Shepherd. If a man has faith, he must have it to the King; and, if he has enough to live by, fight by, work by, and walk by, it is enough: it is seldom given to boast of; his Majesty does nothing in vain. But my reason for asking is, because sometimes children that are stunted for want of good nursing, and others that are not

very proper or sightly in their infancy or childhood, do in their riper years outgrow it, as Silly Dove did.

Steward. If once a weakly infant falls into the hands of Hagar, and in time gets dotingly fond of her, and sucks her breast till it be esteemed preferable to all others, and becomes both a playfellow and a schoolfellow with her children, the effects are not easily got rid of: some have felt the dregs of it even after a pining sickness, and a wasting comparable to salivation, which has been so deep, that their flesh has consumed away, that it could not be seen; and their bones, that were not seen, stuck out, Job xxxiii. 21. And Little Faith himself, who is not a babe in understanding, though little in faith, sees the hypocrisy of the old woman, and the dangerous state of her family, and often groans under the bondage that he contracted among them to this day: but he cannot get rid of it; nor will he, until he is permitted to have a conspicuous view of the King's face. And, though many of the servants were greatly to blame for encouraging the bondchildren about the palace, and permiting those to nurse him who were so regardless as not to care whose arms embraced him, so as they did but get their salary; yet Little Faith himself was greatly to blame, also, in former times for he has had much wholesome counsel and caution since he has been capable of receiving it; and yet he would be hankering after Hagar's