the summit of the hill just at sun-rise, when the sages were stepping forth from their houses to meet, as their custom was, at their morning devotions.

CHAPTER VIII.

Shewing how the Pilgrims, after sojourning with the Sages, descended into the Valley of Humiliation; and how the Lord for a while hid his Face from them, as a Trial of their Faith.

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"And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you."John xvi. 22.

Now I saw, in my dream, that, when the sages perceived the pilgrims at a little distance, they sent one of their number to receive them, and conduct them to a place where they might bathe their bodies and change their raiment. So the sage came forth to meet them, giving them his hand, and welcoming them to those unfrequented heights. After which he led them to a bath, clear as crystal, and shaded by trees; where, having sanctified and cleansed themselves with the washing of water by the word, he presented them with fragrant oil, wherewith to anoint themselves: whereupon they were sweetly refreshed, and came forth rejoicing. Then I saw that the sage led them to his brethren, who all graciously saluted the pilgrims, saying, "Glorify God, from whom ye have received strength to reach this favoured place."

Here the pilgrims were wondrously delighted with all they saw and heard; and more especially with the amiable inhabitants of the place-for the sages were beautiful as well as holy, without spot or blemish, dwelling together in divine harmony, every one having talents and perfections different in kind and degree from his brethren; yet forming together a society, so orderly, so complete, and blessed, that nothing was wanting to its perfection, since all that is true, all that is honest, all that is just, all that is pure, all that is lovely, all that is of good report, is to be found in the dwellings of the Virtues. The place of their abode was airy, beautiful, and quiet, being far removed from all the stir and bustle of the world; where they were nourished with the bread of heaven, and secretly initiated into all the mysteries of the kingdom.

Man, as hath been often before remarked, is utterly vile, and incapable of accomplishing any good work. His natural depravity mingles with and discovers itself in all he does; so that his very best attempts, unassisted by the Spirit of God, to acquire a holy state of mind, or to perform virtuous deeds, must be altogether ineffectual; according to that which is written, Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? (Matt. vii. 16.) Hence appears the vanity of all those pretensions to perfection, which are held out by yogees, sunyasses, and fakeers; by hermits and dervises; by monks and saints: and hence, all their penances, ceremonies, and observances, must needs be wholly ineffectual to their purification, or the acquirement of virtuous inclinations. But the Engel opens to us the true way of purification. We learn from Scripture, that those who by faith have received Christ, and who abide in him, obtain daily assistance and strength to do well. I am the true vine, saith our Lord, and

Abide in me,

my Father is the husbandman. and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. (John xv. 1, 4.) When Christ is received into the heart by faith, man becomes a new creature: a new nature then begins to be formed within him, which continually opposes itself to his old corrupt nature. This new and glorious nature, being spiritual, requires spiritual nourishment; and this nourishment is Christ, the bread of life, which must be daily administered unto it by the Holy Spirit, and without which it can no more subsist, than the body without food. Jesus saith unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. (John vi. 35.) It was by this kind of nourishment that the Virtues grew and flourished, and attained unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. (Eph. iv. 13.)

The pilgrims abode many days with these sacred instructors, partaking of their food, and imbibing their spirit, daily growing in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. And during this season the sages frequently entered into conversation with them, that they might prove, by their answers, whether they had a right understanding of what they had endeavoured to teach them. Now as I have a clear recollection of one of these conversations which passed between the sages and the pilgrims, I shall relate it here for the benefit of those who may be curious to know its purport.

And first, the sages took great pains to impress upon the minds of the pilgrims the difference of the righteousness which is of man, and that which is of God: "For man," they said, "looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. (1 Sam. xvi. 7.) By the outward law,”

continued they, "we are forbidden to take that which belongs to another; but by the Gospel of Christ we are enjoined not even to look with eyes of desire upon that which is not our own. By the law we are forbidden to commit murder or violence upon our fellow-creatures; but, by the Gospel we are commanded to love our enemies, to bless them that curse us, to do good to them that hate us, and to pray for them that despitefully use us and persecute us; that we may be the children of our Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” (Matt. v. 44, 45.)

Then spake the sage Charity to the pilgrims, "I would know of you, my sons, if ye are able from the Book of God, to describe my character."

The pilgrim Bartholomew answered, “That can I do in some humble degree, having dwelt enough on the description of your character in my book, to excite in me a longing desire to dwell with you for ever: of which description, this is a part— Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. (1 Cor. xiii. 4-7.) There were several persons in the City of Destruction," added the pilgrim, "who pretended to be well acquainted with you, and to have studied a long time at your feet, merely because they gave of their abundance to feed the poor: but it was easy to discover that they did every thing of this sort with much ostentation, as men-pleasers, while every other part of their character was inconsistent with charity."

"Christian virtues," replied the sage, "may be