Departure of Mr. Ready-to-Halt for the Celestial city.

In process of time, there came a post to the town again, and his business was with Mr. Ready-to-halt. So he inquired him out, and said, "I am come to thee in the name of him whom thou hast loved and followed, though upon crutches; and my message is to tell thee, that he expects thee at his table to sup with him in his kingdom, the next day after Easter; wherefore prepare thyself for thy journey." Then he also gave him a token that he was a true messenger, say ing, "I have broken the golden bowl, and loosed the silver cord." Eccles. xii. 6.

After this Mr. Ready-to-halt called for his fellowpilgrims, and told them, saying, "I am sent for, and God shall surely visit you also.' So he desired Mr. Valiant to make his will. And because he had nothing to bequeath to them that should survive him but his crutches, and his good wishes, therefore thus, he said, "These crutches I bequeath to my son, that shall tread in my steps, with a hundred warm wishes that he may prove better than I have been." Then he thanked Mr. Great-heart for his conduct and kindness, and so addressed himself to his journey. When he came to the brink of the river, he said, "Now I shall have no more need of these crutches, since yonder are chariots and horses for me to ride on." The last words

been offensive to the Lord Jesus. And in the assurance of hope, she thus breaks out, "Come wet, come dry, I long to be gone.' Many surround her bed, and witness the triumphs of her faith; and while they are looking on she is heard to say, "I come, Lord, to be with thee, and bless thee." This is the faith and patience of this dying christian heroine, who began her pilgrimage with trembling steps, maintained her journey with holy zeal, and thus finished her course with joy. Her children wept : and surely it would have been to their disgrace, had they not felt the loss of such a mother and friend. Bat Mr. Great-heart,

to prove that christians should not sorrow as those without hope for them who sleep in Jesus, gives thanks to God for the deliverance and mercy which he had displayed towards their sister and friend.

Departure of Mr. Feeble-Mind for the Celestial City.

he was heard to say, were, "Welcome life." So he went his way."

After this, Mr. Feeble-mind had tidings brought him that the post sounded his horn at his chamberdoor. Then he came in, and told him, saying, "I am come to tell thee that thy Master hath need of thee, and that in a very little time thou must behold his face in brightness. And take this as a token of the truth of my message: Those that look out of the windows shall be darkened.' Eccles xii. 3. Then Mr. Feeble-mind called for bis friends, and told them what errand had been brought unto him, and what token he had received of the truth of the message. Then he said, "Since I have nothing to bequeath to any, to what purpose should I make a will? As for my feeble mind, that I will leave behind, for that I have no need of it in the place whither I am going, nor is it worth bestowing upon the poorest pilgrims: wherefore, when I am gone, I desire that you, Mr. Valiant, would bury it in a dunghill." This done, and the day being come in which he was to depart, he entered the river as the rest. His last words were,

P The loosing of the silver cord, the breaking of the golden bowl, the breaking of the pitcher at the fountain, and the breaking of the well at the cistern, are so many different ways of describing the breaking up of nature, the dissolution of the union between the soul and body, or that summons to the bar of our Judge which we shall all experience.-It is pleasing to witness the happy state of mind which some christians manifest in the immediate prospect of death, who had been dubious and hesitating about their state during the whole of their progress, although they had loved, and sincerely and consistently followed the Redeemer.-The sentinients which a person has conscientiously embraced, and which have supported him, though but uncomfortably, he may wish son to adopt, praying that he may prove more strong and respectable as a christian than he himself has been.--In heaven there will be no need of human means of support, as the happy soul will find its complete felicity in spiritual employments.-It is no wonder that a long-afflicted believer should say in the prospect of such glory, "Welcome life."

Departure of Mr. Despondency for the Celestial City.

"Hold out, faith and patience." So he went over to the other side.

When days had many of them passed away, Mr. Despondency was sent for; for a post was come, which brought this message to him: "Trembling man, these are to summon thee to be ready with the King by the next Lord's day, to shout for joy for thy deliverance from all thy doubtings." And, said the messenger, that my message is true, take this for a proof: so he gave him a grasshopper to be a burden unto bim, Eccles. xii. 5.

Now Mr. Despondency's daughter, whose name was Much-afraid, said, when she heard what was done, that she would go with her father. Then Mr. Despondency said to his friends, " As to myself and my daughter, you know what we have been, and how troublesomely we have behaved ourselves in every company. My will and my daughter's is, that our desponds and slavish fears be by no man ever received, from the day of our departure, for ever; for I know that after my death they will offer themselves to others. For to be plain with you, they are guests which we entertained when we first began to be pilgrims, and could never shake them off after; and they will walk about, and seek entertainment of the pilgrims but for our sakes, shut the doors upon them." When the time was come for them to depart,

When a christian who has been constantly distressed by the workings of a "feeble-mind," anticipates his speedy departure from a world of sin and sorrow, and the loss of sight, or any other of the attendants of old age, warns him of his approaching entrance of "the house appointed for all living,"-it is pleasing to hear him condemn those feelings which, though he could never remove them, yet he knew were unreasonable and sinful.-Even in the hour of dissolution, the same character will be expressed; and they who have been trembling through lifc, may be expected to express symptoms of weakness in death. But the feeling is suited to the solemnity of the scene, when a trembling believer ends his prayers and his life by saying, "Hold out, faith and patience."

Departure of Mr. Honest for the Celestial City.

they went up to the brink of the river. The last words of Mr. Despondency were, "Farewell night, welcome day." His daughter went through the river singing, but none could understand what she said.'

Then it came to pass a while after, that there was a post in town that inquired for Mr. Honest. So he came to his house, where he was, and delivered to his hands these lines; Thou art commanded to be ready against this day sennight, to present thyself be fore thy Lord, at his Father's house." And for a token that my message is true, "All the daughters of music shall be brought low," Eccles. xii. 4. Then Mr. Honest called for his friends, and said unto them, "I die, but shall make no will. As for my honesty, it shall go with me; let him that comes after be told of this." When the day that he was to be gone was come, he addressed himself to go over the river. Now the river at that time overflowed its banks in some places; but Mr. Honest in his life-time had spoken to one Good-conscience to meet him there, the which he also did, and lent him his hand, and so helped him The last words of Mr. Honest were, "Grace reigns." So he left the world."

over.

That is a state of 'great weakness of body and mind, when even a grasshopper proves burdensome and afflictive. But neither desponding feelings nor tormenting fears will attend believers into the world of spirits. It has been the dying advice of many, that surviving christians would avoid those dispositions which have proved so distressing to them in the house of their pilgrimage.It is by no means uncommon for christians who have been most desponding in life, to die without fear, and even with delight, if not with rapture.-For a christian to die, is to bid an eternal "farewell to night and sorrow," and an everlasting "welcome to day and felicity."

Consciousness of integrity of character and uprightness of conduct, or the supports of a "good conscience," will be of inestimable value, when all human enjoyments lose their influence They who expect to die happily, must live honestly; deperding

Departure of Mr. Standfast for the Celestial City.

After-this, it was noised abroad, that Mr. Valiantfor-truth was sent for by a summons by the same post as the other, and had this for a token that the summons was true, "that his pitcher was broken at the fountain," Eccles. xii. 6. When he understood it, he called for his friends, and told them of it. Then he said, "I am going to my Father's; and though with great difficulty I have got hither, yet now I do not repent of all the trouble I have been at to arrive where I am. My sword I give to him that shall succeed me in my pilgrimage, and my courage and skill to him that can get them. My marks and scars I carry with me, to be a witness for me, that I have fought his battles who now will be my rewarder." When the day that he must go hence was come, many accom. panied him to the river side, into which as he went, he said, "Death, where is thy sting?" And as he went down deeper, he said, "Grave, where is thy victory?" 1 Cor. xv. 55. So he passed over, and all the trumpets sounded for him on the other side.'

Then there came forth a summons for Mr. Standfast," and the post brought it him open in his hands

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both in life and death, upon grace, which reigns through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord," Rom. v. 21. Happy those ministers, especially when called away from their work in early life, who leave a dying testimony, after having given a living one, to the excellency of religion. When it is recollected how soon a brittle earthen " pitcher," which is constantly employed in drawing water from a cistern," may be "broken" and rendered useless, it is a reason why ministers should be "valiant for the truth upon the earth, whatever "marks and scars" they may receive in its defence. To "bear in the body the marks of the Lord Jesus," Gal. xi. 17. is the most honourable badge a servant of Christ can wear; and they who can reflect on having "fought a good fight," 2 Tim. iv. 7. will "finish their course with joy," Acts xx. 24. triumphing over death and the grave, and having an entrance ministered unto them abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of their Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ," 2 Pet. i. 11.

This Mr. Standfast was he whom the pilgrims found upon his kner» nchanted Ground,

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