habitation, and every now and then he would steal away to have a game with the Hagarenes round the mount; and sometimes he would get disputing with them, or spouting rather, about the proclamations of Zion, which is taking a dog by the ears, Prov. xxvi. 17; for they had too much of the wisdom of the serpent for Little Faith, who was only equipped with the harmlessness of the dove; so that they poisoned him in the head, and sent him home broken in judgment. And how could it be otherwise, when a bird fought with a viper, and his head has been formerly much confused? Their sophistry, and Zion's proclamations, maintained a long pro and con in his mind; so that he was long tossed to and fro with every wind, Eph. iv. 14; neither strengthened, established, nor settled, any how.

Shepherd. Well, sir, but Little Faith is not without the King's promise: those "that erred in spirit shall come to understanding;" and, if he has been poisoned, it is said, that if they eat any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; for, you know, there is balm in Gilead, and a great Physician there.

Steward. Very true: but if a heedless child provokes the King to send a fiery serpent, you may depend upon it that he will let him feel the bite, and venom too, before he orders a brazen one to be exhibited, or issues out a command to live by looking thereon.

Shepherd. Pray, sir, what are the complaints of Little Faith?

Steward. His complaints are numerous; for he is always complaining. But the chief are, he is weak in the knees, and loose in the loins, and has something of a palsy in his hands, which makes them always hang down; and he is timorous in his mind, fearful in his heart, and weak in his ancles, so that he cannot get his shoes up at the heels it is a rare thing to see his feet shod, Eph. vi. 15. And, having been perpetually at play with Hagar's boys, he had learnt their base, low, and mean ways and manners, for which he has been long kept out of the drawing

room.

Shepherd. But he is not without his promises, nor without the fixed love and affection of his royal Father; who orders his servants to "strengthen the weak hands, to confirm the feeble knees, to lift up the hands that hang down, and to say to the fearful-hearted, Be strong; fear not!"

Steward. True: but, while his knees are so weak, he staggers at the promise, through unbelief; and, while the palsy is in his hands, he cannot maintain a comfortable hold: for, you know, it requires some strength to lay hold on eternal life; and it requires abiding strength to hold fast the faithful word, as he hath been taught. For the wicked one often steals away the good seed sown in the heart; and, if any of the royal family get into perils among robbers, Little Faith is sure never to escape; for he has been plundered, ere

now, at the palace gate, and even robbed in the very courts of the King. His timorous mind impairs his memory, which is like a spider's web: it can hold a fly; but, if any weighty or important matter of use to him falls upon it, it is lost and gone in a minute.

Shepherd. If Little Faith cannot hold the King, the King will hold him; nor shall any pluck him out of his hands, for it is not the will of the great and all-wise Disposer of events that one of these little ones should perish; and, you know, Little Faith is a little one. He will strengthen the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees too, though he may not permit his stewards to do it. If he say to the sick of the palsy, 'Stretch forth thine hand,' it shall be restored whole; and if he say to unbelief, as he did of Lazarus's graveclothes, "Loose him, and let him go," the feeblest of the house shall be as David. The King himself calls him Little Faith, implying that he has faith, though not much; and faith is a seed of God, and a fruit of his Spirit: "Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world; and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." And, if he does not permit a steward to gird up the loins of his mind, it is to try the faith and patience of the steward, as well as to exercise the weakling; and he is well pleased with the servant's endeavours, if prayer and importunity be added, though he may not succeed. It is rehearsed, as an encomium upon one, that

he had instructed many, and strengthened the weak hands; and that his words had upholden him that was falling, and that he had strengthened the feeble knees. But he was blamed for fainting when the same fits came upon him, and for being troubled when he was touched with the same afflictions, Job iv. 3-5. Nevertheless, the Lord approves of the tender care, special regard, and earnest endeavours, of his servants, knowing that the success depends wholly upon himself. Paul may plant, and Apollos water, but none but the King can give the increase; yet it is accepted, if there be a willing mind: his work is with the King; and, if his Majesty does not prosper him, he is nevertheless glorious in his eyes. I have sometimes had a twin lamb which has baffled all my skill and experience: the dam has been tender, milk plenty, the weather fine, the pastures good; and I have endeavoured to let it have the first bite of the fold, and have pitched it upon an eminence, where it was both dry and warm; according to divine direction, "I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains," Ezek. xxxiv. 14. But all would not do. You read of sheep coming up from the washing, each one bearing twins, and not one barren among them, Song vi. 6. But, though the ewes were not barren, it does not say that the lambs were not feeble, which is often

the case with twin lambs; and some of these I have been obliged to carry up the hill: they have ventured upon my feet when they could not trust their own; like Elisha's suppliant widow, who might as well have gone to the fountain head as have come to the prophet; but, when she took shelter behind a human petitioner, she thought she was safe.

Steward. As it is with your flock, so it is with the household that I am servant to. It is a rare thing to furnish a table so as for Little Faith to come in for his part: if there is an apple, Song ii. 5; a cluster of grapes, Isa. lxv. 8; a little moonshine, Cant. vi. 10; or any legal scrap belonging to the new-moon feasts; a trifle, which is but a light thing in the sight of the King, 2 Kings iii. 18; a little honey, Prov. xxiv. 13; or milk, 1 Cor. iii. 2; he may then, perhaps, eat a morsel; but, if it consists of strong meat, fit for persons of full age, Heb. v. 14; he trembles at it, sees others eat it, and longs for a part, but cannot feed himself for the want of strength in his hands. And, therefore, when we have only these dishes at table, there is nothing for him; and he cries out, "Woe is me! there is no cluster to eat;" and by living upon such weak things, and chiefly upon milk, he gets potbellied and heavy, which keeps him back for every one that useth milk is unskilful in the rules and privileges of his Majesty's house; for he is a babe, Heb. v. 13. For the time, Little Faith ought to have had his hands on the reins of government,