man, ignorant as I am, be assisted to determine who is right, and who is wrong?"

"We would have you to understand," said the servants of the Lord, "that, whereas the humours and fancies of men are various, so there are various sects among Christians. Some there are who differ from us merely in outward forms and ceremonies, modes of government, and other unimportant points: with these, so long as they hold Christ for the head, and acknowledge the Bible as their only rule of conduct, we maintain communion as with brethren; but, with such as either add to or take from the words of Scripture, by their traditions and evil interpretations, we can have no communion, holding their doctrines in abhorrence, according to that which is written-To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. (Isaiah viii. 20.) Now these followers of the Pope, of whom we speak, add many traditions and human inventions to the sacred Scriptures: whereas, we reject every doctrine and every observance, for which no sufficient authority is to be found in our holy book and on this account, we admit only of two sacraments, the other five not being mentioned therein."

:

Goonah Purist professed himself satisfied with this reply of the King's servants, and requested them to explain to him something of the nature of Baptism.

They answered, "Baptism is the outward sign, appointed by the Lord himself, of that inward change of heart, which passes on a man when he becomes a child of God; the outward form of Baptism, is washing by water, wherein the person is baptized, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."

Goonah Purist. I am willing to perform all things according to the appointment of God, al

though I do not yet fully comprehend what this change of heart, of which you speak, meaneth, and I greatly fear that it hath not yet passed upon me.

Servants of the Lord. Did you not say but now, that the time was, when you were dead in sin, but that at present you both knew and hated it; that your eyes were once darkened, so that you could not see the way of escape from the Valley of Destruction; but, that now you have with the eye of faith been enabled to see the Saviour; and not only to see him, but to love him, and to make him your choice? Give, then, glory to God, who has, we trust, already begun the work of grace in your heart. But, inasmuch, as we wish you to have further time for consideration, before this outward sign of the grace of Christ is administered unto you, we will give you a note of recommendation to one of our brethren, who liveth a few days' journey from hence, on the King's highway: he is the interpreter of the Book of God, appointed to that office by God himself; and he will prove you with questions concerning the Christian doctrines and duties; after which, if he judge it expedient, he will administer unto you the sacrament of Baptism.

So they prepared a note for the interpreter, and putting it into the hand of Goonah Purist, they directed him in the way which he should take, and behold, it lay directly before him, so that, as he sat in the porch of the gate, he could discern its uniform tenor for many miles, extending from the Valley of Destruction, even to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills, (Gen. xlix. 26.) having been cast up by God himself; and it was inclosed on both sides by a wall called Salvation. And behold, this way was very narrow, for strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life: (Matt. vii. 14.) and although it sometimes sunk into deep valleys, and again passed

over tremendous rocks and steeps, yet it deviated not to the right or to the left, having no turning or winding in it, as far as the eye could reach. Nevertheless, in certain places, various crooked paths opened into this way, by which, such as were ill disposed, or were become weary of well doing, might turn aside; and by which others who were so inclined, might enter in, as a thief entereth into another man's domains: but, as hath been before remarked, there is but one proper gate of admission into the King's highway by which a man may rightly enter, and this gate is Christ.

Then I saw, in my dream, that the King's servants directed Goonah Purist to enter upon this way without loss of time, and neither to turn to the right nor to the left; nor yet to make any considerable stay on the road, till he came to the house of the interpreter, where he would assuredly be kindly received and entertained, and where he would receive further instructions for his journey. They informed him at the same time, that this narrow way, which he was about to take, had been trodden by all the children of God, from the time of righteous Abel even until that very day. Moreover, they shewed him, by way of encouragement, a record of the names of the chief of those saints who had gone before him; making him to understand how they, by faith, had subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens, had trials of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover, of bonds and imprisonment, were stoned, were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain, had wandered about in sheep-skins and goat-skins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented; of whom the world

was not worthy. (Hebrews xi. 33, 34, 36-38.) Above all, they pointed out to him, how necessary it was for such as would keep the way of salvation, to be separate from the world, ever remembering that the kingdom of Christ is not of this world, (John xviii. 36.) and daily yielding a due obedience to that divine command, Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing: and I will receive you." (2 Cor. vi. 17.)

I heard then, that the pilgrim spake of the plague of his leprosy, and of the heavy burden of his past offences, whereby he was bent as it were to the ground; and he enquired very earnestly when he might hope to be freed from those sore afflictions.

To which they answered, "According to thy faith, so will it be unto thee." (Matt. ix. 29.)

So, having blessed the pilgrim, he departed; after they had given him these words of direction as a token of their love; "Go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, until thou comest to the Shepherd's tent." (Sol. Song i. 8.)

CHAPTER VI.

Shewing how Goonah Purist went on in the Narrow Way, even the Way of Salvation, with little Deviation, until he arrived at the House of the Interpreter.

"In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof there is no death."-Prov. xii. 28.

Now it came to pass in my dream, that I looked anxiously after the pilgrim: and behold, he went along the way of salvation, neither turning to the right hand nor to the left. I perceived also, that from time to time he consulted his book, even the book which the Christian messenger had given him, pondering the words thereof as he walked by the way; and they were made a lamp unto his feet, and a light unto his path. (Psalm cxix. 105.)

It happened then, about mid-day, that the pilgrim, coming upon a wide and bare heath where there was no shade, began to look forward to some place of rest. So presently he espied, not half a coss before him, a serai, built on the wayside, for the convenience of pilgrims; hard by which was a well. A few broad-leaved plantain trees grew by the well-side, in a ditch; but it was not the season for ripe fruit.

Close by the well another road put itself into