For mine iniquities are gone over mine head; as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me. My wounds stink, and are corrupt, because of my foolishness. I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long. For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease; and there is no soundness in my flesh.' (Psalm xxxviii. 1—7.) And finally, it was this Inbred-Sin which rendered it necessary to our salvation, that God himself should take our nature upon him, and bleed and die upon the accursed tree.'

Now I saw, in my dream, that, when the Interpreter had ended his discourse, and supper was finished, he prayed and sang with his family; after which he charged one of the damsels of the house to see that the children were lodged in a comfortable chamber. Moreover, I heard him give commandment to the servants of the family, to take good heed to the children, and provide them with all such things as might be needful for them while they remained in that place; taking special care that their white garments should contract no stain. And I observed that the servants received their master's orders gladly; for they loved young children.

CHAPTER IX.

Now I saw, in my dream, that the children were up betimes in the morning; the Interpreter having promised to take them into his garden at an early hour. Inbred-Sin, as usual, rose with them; and while they waited the coming of the Interpreter, he began prating after a prodigious rate, and with as much pertness as ever. "And so," said he, “you are very comfortably situated! You are not here treated like babies, as you were at the shepherd's, and fed with milk; but you are fed with meat, which is certainly more suitable to your present state. For you are not now mere babes in Christ, as some would have you think; you have had a great deal of teaching, and have acquired much experience; so that you know more than many grown persons. There are many grown people," continued he, "who, though they seem wise, are very foolish, still seeking after trifles, and taking no care of their souls: but it is otherwise with you. What incessant thought and care do you take about everlasting things!"

In this manner Inbred-Sin went on chattering; while the children, one and all, seemed to listen to his flattering words with great satisfaction. Humble Mind smiled, and looked self-sufficient; and Playful assumed an air of much complacency. When the Interpreter, however, appeared, InbredSin drew behind, and the children began to recol

lect themselves a little. So the Interpreter took them into his garden.

Now the Interpreter's garden, which was inclosed with a high wall, was watered with fountains of living water and streams from the hills. A south wind generally blew through this garden, and made the spices thereof to flow. The flowers now appeared every where in the green turf; the little birds were singing among the trees, and the voice of the turtle was heard all around. (Sol. Song ii. 12.)

The children wondered at the beauty of this garden, and enquired of the Interpreter, by what means he had rendered it so exceedingly lovely?

"This garden," replied the Interpreter, "was once a wilderness; but after being planted with care, and watered with streams from the hills, the blessing of God came upon it. Man can cultivate the ground, and sow the seed, but God alone giveth the increase. For he maketh the wilderness and the solitary place to be glad; he causeth the desert to rejoice, and blossom as the rose." (Isaiah xxxv. 1.)

I saw then that one of the gardeners came to the Interpreter, bringing him a sprig of myrtle, to which rosebuds were fastened with thorns.*

She

When Playful saw it she was pleased: so the Interpreter bade the gardener to give it her. had not however admired it long, before the buds began to fade, and their withering leaves to fall off. Then said the Interpreter, "Wherefore do those rosebuds fade so soon, my child?”

"I suppose," answered she, "because they have been parted from the branch to which they belonged, and fastened to another."

* The Hindoostaunee mode of making nosegays, by fixing the blossoms of one flower upon the stalk of another with thorns.

"True, my child," replied the Interpreter: "had those rosebuds remained on their parent stem, they would not thus have withered and fallen away, but would have unfolded their fragrant blossoms, and flourished as the rose of Sharon. Can you discover the meaning of this emblem? How do you apply this to yourselves?"

"I think," said Humble Mind, "I can answer this question."

"Do so, my son," said the Interpreter.

Then spake Humble Mind, "Our Saviour is the rose tree, and we, his children, are the rosebuds. While we remain with him, we flourish; but, parted from him, we fall away, wither, and die."

"Well spoken, my boy," said the Interpreter. "The Lord saith, I am the true vine. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned." (John xv. 1, 6.)

1 perceived then that the Interpreter shewed the children a lily growing among thorns. (Sol. Song ii. 2.) And the children requested him to explain the meaning of that exhibition.

"The lily," replied the Interpreter," represents a Christian in this present evil world: for as his Lord and Master was not of this world, so neither is he; and if the world hated the Master, will it not also hate the servant?" (John xv. 19, 20.) After this the Interpreter conducted the children back to the house; where, after prayers, they all sat down to breakfast.

Now about noon the Interpreter again led the children abroad. Inbred-Sin also went with them; but being awed by the presence of the Interpreter, he cautiously kept himself for awhile in the back ground. So as they walked through his fields and orchards, the Interpreter bade them look towards the east, where he shewed them a milk-white lamb, lovely and fair, feeding on the side of a green hill.

Around this lamb were many flocks of goats and sheep; but they were all spotted and speckled, and not one of them so lovely as this white lamb.

Little Peace appeared to be quite ravished with the beauty of this spotless creature; and she said, "O that he were mine!"

With that the old Interpreter smiled, and said, "He shall be thine, my little one, and thou shalt be his; and he shall take thee, and lead thee unto living fountains of water." (Rev. vii. 17.)

"When, Sir?" said Peace.

"When God pleaseth, my child,” replied the Interpreter.

Humble Mind then said, "Wherefore, Sir, do I see that lamb white as milk, while all the rest of the flock have some spot or blemish?"

The Interpreter answered, "That lamb, my son, is an emblem of Christ, the Lamb of God, without spot or blemish, who by the sacrifice of himself once made, hath taken away the sins of the world. He, you observe, is without stainbut in that you see the rest of the flock to be spotted and speckled; this is to signify, that, although we are baptized and born again in Christ, yet we offend in many things; and if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." (See 15th Article of the Church.)

Now it came to pass, that, while Humble Mind and Peace were talking to the Interpreter about this fair lamb which was without spot or blemish, Inbred-Sin drew himself close up to Playful's side, and began whispering foolish conceits into her ear: at which, when she had listened awhile, she began to smile; till from smiling, she broke out into a downright loud laugh.

Her brother and sister looked hard at her; while the Interpreter said, "Methinks, my little maid, that you are very much diverted. Will you dis