with a free spirit? for that will effectually cure creature-love, and all love-sickness, at once.

Steward. He continued in the same state as he was when you left the hut, for about a month, in much meekness, contrition, and godly sorrow; and, at intervals, his past folly returned, with some degree of weight, on his mind: at which seasons self-loathing, self-abhorrence, and humble confessions, employed both his mind and his tongue. But, when these clouds were dispersed, unfeigned gratitude, grateful acknowledgments, thanksgivings, expressions of the warmest love, applauding the works and ways, admiring the conduct, and celebrating the high praises of the King, were his momentary employ throughout the noisy hours of the day and the silent watches of the night. Deborah told me, that she never saw such evident tokens of divine contrition, nor ever heard such pathetic language drop from the lips of mortals. She had privately listened to him, till she could not persuade herself but she was on the frontiers of the celestial regions; and transported, either with the mental eloquence of the disembodied spirits, or with the assembled myriads of cherubic worshippers.

Shepherd. It is often seen that, where the King uses much fatherly severity, there he exercises superabounding pity; and, where his displeasure waxes the hottest, there it abates the soonest. "His anger endureth but a moment; in his favour

is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." Pray, does he ever mention any desire to see his wife?

Steward. Never; nor can he endure her name to be mentioned. The stripes which he has felt for his folly will leave a lasting impression upon him; and, when he is effectually humbled by evangelical repentance, and renewed in the spirit of his mind, his whole soul will cleave to the first Cause and last End: nor could Little Faith ever have been so easily ensnared as he was, if he had kept up communion, and walked humbly, with the higher powers.

Shepherd. Pray, how is his bodily health?

Steward. He appears to be in a very weak and low way.

Shepherd. Pray, does his wife visit him?

Steward. Perpetually; and has been as much overwhelmed with a spirit of jealousy, and as much provoked by Deborah, Little Faith's nurse, as ever he was by Doeg, the Edomite. Excuse me, my dear brother, for I promised to be, this afternoon, at the foot of Tabor. The Heavens protect thee! In a few days I will call on thee again.

Shepherd. You know, now, where to find me any day.

Steward. Yea, and I am thankful that I do; for heart-felt union and communion are not known by every one that bears the name of Shepherd and

Steward in the world. May the perfect bond of them ever subsist between us! Farewell. Shepherd. Amen. Fare you well.

DIALOGUE THE EIGHTEENTH.

Shepherd. Good morning to you, my friend! You look a little like a person in high trust now? you have got your keys in your hand, I see.

Steward. They are not always perceptible, either to me or to you; though, I believe, I am never without them: but the virtue and power lie with Him who entrusted me with them. I ran away in a great hurry, for I have good news to tell thee; therefore I hardly took notice of what was in my hand.

Shepherd. Pray, how does Little Faith do? Is he delivered?

Steward. Indeed he is; and such a deliverance I never saw before: he has been led into a strange wilderness of wo and sorrow, and is now returned in the power of the spirit.

Shepherd. Pray, how was his deliverance. wrought?

Steward. He told me that the King had manifested himself to him, as a propitious Father;

that he was pacified toward him, and reconciled to him; and, to assure him of it, he had given him such a sense of his everlasting love as he could scarcely sustain: yea, he made a visible appearance to his renewed mind; the eye of his faith really saw him, and the glory of him; and he told Little Faith, that he never more would be wroth with him, nor rebuke him.

Shepherd. What encouragement is this for the weakest in credence to trust in the unparalleled clemency of the best of Sovereigns! Pray, has Mara been to see him?

Steward. Yes, continually; and she came while I was there: and Deborah told me, that she had frequently insisted upon going into Little Faith's room, but that she had kept the stair-foot door constantly locked, and would not admit her; for which Mara had given her some very abusive language. And, as she happened to come while I was there, I told Little Faith of it, of her frequent visits, and of her abusing Deborah for refusing her admittance; and that I would advise him to see her, if he thought the sight of her would not flurry him. He replied, 'I have no objection to seeing her; for I am sure that neither her presence, nor death itself, will either flurry or move me; the King, in his great goodness, hath made my hill so strong.'

Shepherd. And did you introduce her to him you was there?

while

Steward.

Yes: and, when she came to the

door, she bade me withdraw; which Little Faith heard, and desired me not to leave the room. She ran up to him, fell upon his neck, and kissed him. He looked up at her with a smile, and said, 'Friend, wherefore art thou come! Betrayest thou Little Faith with a kiss?' O, how she did look! She trembled, and would have dropped, if I had not put a chair under her! the most rebellious Israelite never was more abashed at the rays of Moses's face, nor the unrighteous council at the face of Stephen, than she was at the heavenly countenance of Little Faith.

Shepherd. "The wicked shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous." If the work of a gracious God upon a fellow-worm be so terrible to a guilty sinner, what must the wrath of an angry judge be!

Steward. A perfect knowledge of that is not attainable in this life; it must be learnt beyond the grave.

Shepherd. Pray, what conversation had Little Faith with his wife?

Steward. Such a meeting I never saw! After she had recovered herself a little, she begged forgiveness of all that she had done amiss. He told her, that he was not in the least offended with her; nor had he, now, any cause so to be: she had been a terrible weapon in the hand of a just God to mortify and humble him, who will be gracious to his own elect; but he will take vengeance of their inventions: and then arise, disappoint the