plore for light enough to fee where his mifery lay; he threw down one of his bundles, then another, but all to little purpofe; ftill he could not ftir. At laft ftriving as if in agony, (which is the true way of entering,) he threw down the heaviest article in his pack; this was felfifbnefs: the poor fellow felt relieved at once, his light burnt brightly, and the reft of his pack was as nothing.

Then I heard a great noife as of carpenters at work. I looked what this might be, and faw many sturdy travellers, who finding they were too bulky to get through, took it into their heads not to reduce themselves, but to widen the gate; they' hacked on this fide, and hewed on that; but all their hacking, and hewing, and hammering, was to no purpofe, they got only their labour for their pains. It would have been poffible for them to have reduced themfelves, had they attempted it,' but to widen the narrow way was impof,' fible.

What grieved me moft was, to obferve that many who had got on fuccessfully a good way, now ftopped to reft and to admire their own progrefs. While they were thus valuing themselves on their attainments, their light diminished. While these were boasting how far they had left others behind who had fet out much earlier, fome flower travellers, whose beginning had not been fo promifing, but who had walked meekly and circumfpectly, now outstripped them. These last walked "not as though they had already "attained; but this one thing they did,

forgetting the things which were behind, they pushed forward toward the mark "for the prize of their high calling." Thefe, though naturally weak, yet by laying afide every weight, finished the race that was before them. Those who had kept their "light burning," who were not "wife in their own conceit," who "laid "their help on one that is mighty," who had "chofen to fuffer affliction rather

"than

than. to enjoy the pleasure of fin for a ૬૮ feafon," came at length to the Happy Land. They had indeed the Dark and Shadowy Valley to crofs, but even there they found a rod and a staff to comfort them. Their light, inftead of being put out by the damps of the Valley and of the Shadow of Death, often burnt with added brightness. Some indeed fuffered the terrors of a fhort eclipfe; but even then their light, like that of a dark lanthorn, was not put out; it was only turned for a while from him who carried it, and even these often finished their courfe with joy. But be that as it might, the inftant they reached the Happy Land, all tears were wiped from their eyes, and the King himself came forth and welcomed them into his prefence, and put a crown upon their heads, with these words, "Well done, good and "faithful fervant, enter thou into the joy "of thy Lord."

PARLEY THE PORTER.

AN ALLEGORY.

Shewing how Robbers without can never get into an House, unless there are Traitors. within.

THERE was once a certain nobleman who had a houfe or caftle fituated in the midst of a great wildernefs, but inclosed in a garden. Now there was a band of robbers in the wilderness who had a great mind to plunder and destroy the caftle, but they had not fucceeded in their endeavours, because the mafter had given strict orders to "watch without ceafing." To quicken their vigilance, he used to tell them that their care would foon have an end; that though

;

though the nights they had to watch were dark and stormy, yet they were but few the period of refiftance was fhort, that of reft would be eternal.

The robbers, however, attacked the castle in various ways. They tried at every avenue; watched to take advantage of every careleless moment; looked for an open door or a neglected window. But though they often made the bolts shake and the windows rattle, they could never greatly hurt the house, much less get into it. Do you know the reafon? it was, because the fervants were never off their guard. They heard the noifes plain enough, and ufed to be not a little frightened, for they were aware both of the strength and perfeverance of the enemies. But what feemed rather odd to fome of these fervants, the Lord used to tell them, that while they continued to be afraid they would be fafe; and it paffed, into a fort of proverb in that family

Hapis he that feareth always." Some of