wings towards me. So he came directly to me, and said, Mercy, what aileth thee? Now, when he had heard me make my complaint, he said, “Peace be to thee;" he also wiped mine eyes with his handkerchief, and clad me in silver and gold. He put a chain about my neck, and ear-rings in mine ears, and a beautiful crown upon my head. Then he took me by the hand, and said, Mercy, come after me. So he went up, and I followed, till we came at a golden Gate. Then he knocked; and when they within had opened, the Man went in, and I followed him up to a throne upon which One sat; and he said to me, Welcome, daughter. The place looked bright and twinkling like the stars, or rather like the sun, and I thought that I saw your husband there: so I awoke from my dream. But did I laugh? Chr. Laugh! ay, and well you might, to see yourself so well. For you must give me leave to tell you that I believe it was a good dream, and that as you have begun to find the first part true, so you shall find the second at last. "God speaks once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not; in a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumbering upon the bed." We need not, when a-bed, lie awake to talk with God; He can visit us while we sleep, and cause us then to hear His voice. Our heart oftentimes wakes while we sleep, and God can speak to that either by words, by proverbs, by signs and similitudes, as well as if one was awake. MERCY GLAD OF Mercy. Well, I am glad of my dream, HER DREAM. for I hope ere long to see it fulfilled, to the making of me laugh again. 8 Ezek. xvi. 8-12. 9 Job, xxxiii. 14, 15. Chr. I think it is now time to rise, and to know what we must do. Mercy. Pray, if they invite us to stay a while, let us willingly accept of the proffer. I am the willinger to stay a while here, to grow better acquainted with these Maids; methinks Prudence, Piety, and Charity, have very comely and sober countenances. Chr. We shall see what they will do. So, when they were up and ready, they came down; and they asked one another of their rest, and if it was comfortable or not. Very good, said Mercy; it was one of the best night's lodging that ever I had in my life. Then said Prudence and Piety, If you will be persuaded to stay here a while, you shall have what the House will afford. Ay, and that with a very good will, said Charity. So they consented, and staid there THEY STAY HERE about a month or above, and became SOME TIME. very profitable one to another. And because Prudence would see how Christiana had brought up her children, she asked leave of her to catechise them; so she gave her free consent. Then she began with the youngest, whose name was James. PRUDENCE DESIRES TO CATECHISE CHRIS- And she said, Come, James, canst JAMES CATECHISED. thou tell me who made thee? James. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. Prud. Good boy. And canst thou tell who saves thee? James. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. Prud. Good boy still. But how doth God the Father save thee? James. By his Grace. Prud. How doth God the Son save thee? James. By his righteousness, death and blood, and life. Prud. And how doth God the Holy Ghost save thee? James. By his illumination, by his renovation, and by his preservation. Then said Prudence to Christiana, You are to be commended for thus bringing up your children. I suppose I need not ask the rest these questions, since the youngest of them can answer them so well. I will therefore now apply myself to the youngest next. Then she said, Come, Joseph, JOSEPH CATECHISED. (for his name was Joseph,) will you let me catechise you? Jos. With all my heart. Prud. What is man? Jos. A reasonable creature, so made by God, as my brother said. Prud. What is supposed by this word saved? Jos. That man by sin has brought himself into a state of captivity and misery. Prud. What is supposed by his being saved by the Trinity? Jos. That sin is so great and mighty a tyrant, that none can pull us out of it's clutches but God; and that God is so good and loving to man, as to pull him indeed out of this miserable state. Prud. What is God's design in saving of poor men? Jos. The glorifying of his name, of his grace and justice, &c. and the everlasting happiness of his crea ture. Prud. Who are they that must be saved? Jos. Those that accept of his salvation. Prud. Good boy, Joseph; thy mother hath taught thee well, and thou hast hearkened unto what she has said unto thee. Then said Prudence to Samuel, who was the eldest but one, Come, Samuel, are you willing that I should catechise you? Sam. Yes, forsooth, if you please. Prud. What is Heaven? SAMUEL CATECHISED. Sam. A place and state most blessed, because God dwelleth there. Prud. What is hell? Sam. A place and state most woeful, because it is the dwelling-place of Sin, the Devil, and Death. Prud. Why wouldest thou go to heaven? Sam. That I may see God, and serve him without weariness; that I may see Christ, and love him everlastingly; that I may have the fulness of the Holy Spirit in me, which I can by no means here enjoy. Prud. A very good boy also, and one that has learned well. Then she addressed herself to the eldest, whose name was Matthew; and she said to him, MATTHEW Come, Matthew, shall I also catechise CATECHISED. you? Matth. With a very good will. Prud. I ask then, if there was ever any thing that had a being antecedent to, or before God? Matth. No; for God is eternal; nor is there any thing, excepting himself, that had a being, until the beginning of the first day: "For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is." Prud. What do you think of the Bible? Matth. It is the Holy Word of God. Prud. Is there nothing written therein but what you understand? Matth. Yes, a great deal. Prud. What do you do when you meet with such places therein that you do not understand? Matth. I think God is wiser than I; I pray also that he will please to let me know all therein that he knows will be for my good. Prud. How believe you as touching the resurrection of the dead? Matth. I believe they shall rise the same that was buried, the same in nature, though not in corruption. And I believe this upon a double account: First, Because God has promised it; secondly, Because he is able to perform it. PRUDENCE'S CON- OF THE BOYS. Then said Prudence to the boys, You must still hearken to your moTHE CATECHISING ther, for she can learn you more. You must also diligently give ear to what good talk you shall hear from others: for, for your sakes do they speak good things. Observe also, and that with carefulness, what the Heavens and the Earth do teach you; but especially be much in the meditation of that book which was the cause of your Father's becoming a Pilgrim. I, for my part, my children, will teach you what I can while you are here, and |