builds human knowledge and science, when he comes to enlist under the LORD's banner, produces all his requirement, all his human wisdom in that blessed service, and meets the worldly man in his argument, in his learning, in his knowledge of history, languages, chronology, art and science; and lays all his possessions at the feet of his LORD.

CHAPTER XII.

The fine docks in Living Works Town-The King and His Ambassadors Magdalena embarks from this Port in the Boanerges-The crew and the passengers-Cape Mistrust doubled-The Pilot's plaintive song-Mrs. Feeling (the Stewardess's) account of a naval Engagement, and the Enemy's arrows-The doleful cries of the wounded; some get to land and run to Dead Works Town-Dr. Patchwork-Emigration of some to another Kingdom—Mr. Hyssop and Mr. Oil of Grace-Mrs. Feeling's desperate cancer of her breast-The Ship gets into the Ocean of Corrup tion-Alarm on board of "A Fleet a-head."—Preparation for a fearful

battle.

THERE were two Cathedrals in this great city, many churches, chapels, meeting houses, noble streets, gardens, terraces, fountains. But the chief wonder in Living Works were the grand dock yards. Here vessels of the largest size were repaired, fitted out, manned, and victualled for residence in distant parts. The docks, wet and dry, were ten miles in length. Every requisite was found in them for the largest vessels. The Universities had in them several chairs for the teaching of navigation; and the heads of the Colleges had the appointment of the missionaries or ambassadors, for the various parts of the World. These envoys all held their commission under the King of Zion, but they were ordained to them by venerable and grave men, who examined rigidly into their qualifications, ere they issued the commission.

But now the time approached for me to set sail. I was desired to procure a dress suitable to my station in the world. I enquired the reason of this, and was desired to read the fourth of Isaiah, last line of the fifth verse: "For upon all the glory shall be a defence:" or, as it is in the margin, "a covering." "But why

is this?" asked I, of Michal. To which she replied, " Why ; in the world, they cannot behold your glorious dress, consequently you will have to put on some morta! garments visible to sense. There is a shop here where they are to be had." So we went to it, and I was soon fitted with a neat wash-leather dress of "ram's skin, dyed red;" and a cloak of "badger's skins above that." (@) Such was the covering that the tent of the tabernacle had, so that over all the glory and beauty, was "a defence of" perishable material. But the morning arrived at length, and the two girls and Mr. Pith and his sister, accompanied me on board the vessel, a noble ship of one hundred and twenty guns, called "The Boanerges." There were many passengers going to different parts, and a dozen ambassadors. The anchor was weighed, and the sails hoisted, the broad standard of Zion floated on the breeze, when every human being fell down on board to implore, of the Giver of all good, a prosperous voyage, and then two harpers struck up to the beautiful 104th Psalm, in which the crew joined in chorus, without any exception, for all here were Christians, all children of grace, all heirs of glory. This was almost the greatest wonder of this kingdom of wonders, to behold sailors and seamen all joining to praise their Maker. I recollected the seamen of Drownthought River; their fearful, dreadful oaths, their wild phrenzy of acclamation when they were under weigh, the intoxication of many of them; and, alas! of their Captain, with his fearful end. O how different was the scene I now beheld! Every seaman was at his post unfurling the sails, running up the rigging, at the mizen-top mast, or on deck at the watch. The Captain gave his orders with the utmost calmness, firmness and precision, and the crew obeyed with the greatest cheerfulness and alacrity. We took in a pilot just before we doubled the point, called CAPE SORROWFUL, or MISTRUST, at the extremity of the Bay of Living Works, and he took the helmsman's place, steering the vessel and singing 'Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in GoD, for I shall yet praise Him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God." (b) These sweet words were very cheering to my soul, for I felt more depressed than I can describe; indeed, I sat a long time and wept, but the steward's wife came to comfort me, and brought a glass of " balm (b) Psalm xlii. 11,

66

(a) Exodus xxxvi, 19.

of Gilead, "() and some drops distilled from the ever blooming flowers of the Palace Garden Balsams, which I have described. She also offered me the smelling-bottle of "camphire" and "spikenard," from Solomon's distillery, and I found the scent revive me. She then offered me her arm, and we walked slowly up and down the quarter-deck. She spoke of many interesting things concerning the vessel, the voyages she had made, and the persons the ship had transported to and fro; of the battles they had waged with the enemy, the prince of the power of the air, and king of all the kingdoms of the world, and of the victories they had gained.

"And did your navy ever lose a ship to the enemy?" asked I. "Never," said Mrs. FEELING, the steward's wife. "The arrows of the enemy have often assaulted and wounded our company on board, but never was a King's vessel known to be lost to us, and taken possession of by the enemy."

"What arrows are they?" asked I.

66

'O,” replied she, with a shudder, "they are deadly offensive; not that they are permitted, by our Divine Master, to kill his people, but they are abominable, and loathsome, and gangrenous, being dipped in gall. See, here is the scar which one left in my throat," added she, turning her head to shew me a very ugly mark. “A black arrow, of doubt and mistrust, stuck there, and I had a dreadful wound for six months."

"And how was it cured?" asked I.

She smiled, and said, "Were you never wounded? How was your wound healed?"

This question brought the arrows, my wounds, and the whole transaction connected with it, to my astonished mind. "Why truly," answered I," you now bring back to my recollection that I was severely wounded before I dropped into the Crimson Fountain; but, since that day I have neither felt or thought of an ache or a pain."

"Ah," replied Mrs. Feeling," that was the way I was healed, I sought the LORD and He healed me,'() after having tried a hundred miserable poultices and plaisters of my own poor paltry invention."

"But how," asked I, "how came you to be so very sure that I must have been wounded?"

She again smiled, and answered, "Because every person who enters the Kingdom of Grace is wounded, more or less, by the LORD's arrows, according to this His Word, I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal; neither is there any that can deliver out of My hand: for I lift up My hand to heaven, and say, I live for ever.' 'I will make Mine arrows drunk with blood.'(a) But these last are the arrows of the LORD's vengeance," continued she; 66 now the arrows which bring souls to the LORD are called 'Arrows of the LORD's deliverance." "()

"They are blessed instruments of love and mercy indeed," said I. "But how do you manage with the wounded?"

"Our ambassadors take the LORD's message," answered my companion," and deliver it, in all its tenderness and beauty. While they are delivering the message, and inviting all men to come to the Kingdom of Grace, they, of course, cannot tell who will come and who will not. But the LORD sends forth His power with His own word, agreeably to this Scripture, 'My word shall not return unto Me void.' And with His power, His arrows, and in the day of His power, He makes 'His people willing.'"

"But the LORD has different kinds of arrows," remarked I.

“Yes,” answered my companion, " He has, but all His varied arrows of deliverance are dipped in the fountain of love and mercy, even in the Blood of the Lamb; but His arrows of vengeance are dipped with lead."

"But what are the arrows of conviction ?" asked I.

66

"Ah, they are not real arrows," replied she; "they are flashes from the Light of Conscience, or from the exceeding resplendant light of the Word of GOD. These flashes of lightning look like arrows; they make wounds in the flesh, and are hard to be healed; nevertheless, they are not real arrows either of mercy or of vengeance. They sometimes are felt before a true arrow of deliverance reaches the soul, but often they pass for true arrows, and are treated as light wounds which require little attention."

"Alas!" remarked I, " that is but too true."

Mrs. Feeling observing my sadness, as some painful recollections flashed upon my memory, continued, " Holy Job thus speaks of his wounds: For the arrows of the ALMIGHTY are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me.' (a) David says, 'Thine arrows stick fast in me, and Thy hand presseth me sore. There is no soundness in my flesh, because of Thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones, because of my sin.'" (b) "Because of his sin !" interrupted I.

"Yes," answered Mrs. Feeling. "If there were no sin amongst men, there would be no arrows from the LORD unto men. The LORD's arrows are sent out first to the soul dead in trespasses and sins; he is thereby converted. The LORD's arrows of displeasure and chastisement are sent forth to His children as the rod of an angry Father, after men are converted to Him, when they sin and offend, and of this latter kind were the arrows of which Job and David complain. "O," said Mrs. Feeling," these are the arrows which send a hell into the bosom of the children of GoD, though they can never, by virtue of being of the incorruptible seed of GOD, be sent into hell. O the agony of offending a gracious, tender, and compassionate GOD of mercy and love!"

I felt my flesh quake and tremble lest such agony should ever be mine. "But what," said I, in order to smother the dreadful apprehension, "what did holy Job do amiss? David I know awfully sinned, but Job did nothing."

"Job required the LORD's chastisement," answered my friend. "First, and this is always first in every case, first, that GOD might be glorified thereby; secondly, that Job might be humbled therein. Did not Job say, 'My righteousness is more than GOD's?' (c) And does not Elihu, in the same chapter, ask him, 'If it was right to say so?' (a) Did he not unadvisedly say, that his wounds were multiplied without cause?' (e) Therefore, Job required humbling, and the LORD, knowing the corruptions of his nature, amidst his general holy and upright walk, as a child of GOD, shot an arrow into his soul, which was like the hand of

(a) Job vi. 4.

(b) Psa. xxxviii. 2, 3. (d) Job xxxv. 2.

(e) Job ix. 17.

(c) Job xxxv. 2.