endow hospitals by dozens, and build churches as huge as St. Paul's, or St. Peter's, and not be a whit nearer heaven than before.

"But what a lamentable state of ignorance, of utter blindness of heart, to be in such a case! How different it is when the scales are removed from the eyes of the spiritually blind! the heart is then seen in all its deformity, its deceitfulness, its blackness, and its rebellion. When the word of God is understood, it pierces to the joints and the marrow, laying the bosom bare, and exposing the exceeding sinfulness of the human heart. Now, when you meet with such a case as this, Humphrey, how do you deal with it? Do you go to work with the hatchet and sledge hammer of the law, breaking the already broken bones of the terrified sinner, or do you pour into his wounds the balm and the oil of the gospel of peace? Do you point him to the lightning and thunder of Mount Sinai, to complete his despair, or to the garden of Gethsemane, and the uplifted cross on Calvary, to melt him to contrition? In a word, do you weigh him down by buckling the backbreaking load of his sins on his shoulders, or give him a refreshing draught of the brook of God's promises by the way, that he may lift up his head?

"It seems to me, Humphrey, in such a case as

this, better to avoid extremes, and neither to afflict willingly, nor to heal the wound too soon. Let the affliction bide awhile, haply it may be sanctified; and sanctified affliction is a valuable thing; a precious gift in the hand of Divine love.

"In this season of fear and darkness, however, it will be well to pour in knowledge, and to make known the way of salvation; pointing out the mode in which it pleases God usually to deal with his people. In the first concern for the soul, the sinner usually thinks that he has some great thing to do, whereas the principal thing is for him to see that a great thing has been done for him. What is salvation, but the saving of the lost? The restoring a fallen creature to the love of God, by the Saviour taking away the barrier between him and God's favour, and by imparting to him a new, a holy, and Divine nature, that can find peace and joy only in the love and favour of God?

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It will be well, I say, to enlighten the alarmed conscience, by setting forth the way in which a sinner is brought out of darkness into marvellous light, through a death unto sin, to a new birth unto righteousness. I grant that it is no easy thing to reduce the operations of Divine grace to any given rule or standard, seeing that God, in mercy and infinite compassion, deals differently with his people according to the circumstances of

the case, yet still in most things a certain kind of order is observed. We must feel our need of a Saviour before we seek him; we must believe in him, before we can trust in him. A sense of guilt must, of necessity, precede a sense of pardon, and the assurance of faith go before that peace of God which passes understanding.

"I have been penning down what appears to me the most ordinary course of a Zion-bound pilgrim, from his first alarm in the City of Destruction, to his entering the golden gates of the heavenly Jerusalem. If in aught you can amend my chart, Humphrey, if you can blot out any thing wrong, and add to it any thing that is right, it will be a friendly act. The way of salvation should be a highway to us all, and the finger posts-erected thereon should be plainly inscribed. Pilgrims may be seen in every one of the twelve stages that I have marked down.

"1. A sense of sin comes over the mind, accompanied by a fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation.

"2. A despondency on account of inward transgression.

"3. An earnest desire to flee from the wrath to

come.

"4. An attendance on public worship, reading the Holy Scriptures, and frequent prayer.

"5. An increase of knowledge, a shunning of worldly companions, and a love of holy things.

"6. A looking to Jesus, an abhorrence of sin, a desire after holiness, a hope of salvation.

"7. Firm faith in a crucified Redeemer, delight in holy ordinances and the company of God's people.

"8. An attendance at the Lord's table, an increased love for the Saviour, and a solicitude for the salvation of sinners.

"9. A greater withdrawing from the world, a following hard after God, an ardent love of souls, and a zeal to extend the Redeemer's kingdom.

"10. Resignation to God's will, patience under affliction, a warmer love, a brighter hope, a firmer faith, a glorying in the cross of Christ.

"11. A sanctified influence and a holiness of heart communicated, with a longing to be with Christ.

"12. A departing in peace, with an unreserved dependence on Christ for salvation; an abundant entrance into glory."

In the midst of this course many a dark, doubting, and desponding moment will be passed through. Many a sharp struggle with infirmity will take place, and many a hard-fought battle with sin must be won; yet still believers will come off "more than conquerors through Christ who has loved us, and given himself for us."

THE UNWELCOME PASSENGER.

SOME years ago, in travelling one evening towards London, I happened to be the only passenger inside the mail. There are seasons when

we would not willingly travel without company, but, being at the time in a reflective mood, I hoped that no one would disturb me. For some miles I had my wish, suddenly, however, the mail stopped near the gate of a farm-house, and a man of an unusual size soon clambered up the steps into the coach. From the glance I had of him, assisted by the bright lamp on that side the mail-coach, I concluded, at once, that he was some honest farmer, who would talk of nothing the whole of the way but of turnips, clover-seed, barley, pigs, sheep, and cattle. I speak not of these things disparagingly, they are each and all of them interesting and important, but I was no farmer, and besides, my head was full of other things.

To defend myself as well as I could from so unwelcome a trespass on my reflections, I affected to be sleepy, and leaned back my head in the corner of the mail; but my fellow-traveller was not to be