Spirit that ever existed, and penned by the holiest men that ever lived: therefore those who traduce the wholesome words of the divine records, as improper or impure, cast their slurs upon the Author of the style, and upon the sanctified family which are the heirs of promise; and must be influenced by a different spirit from them, which can be no other than what is called a foul, or an unclean spirit.

Shepherd. If Peter was not allowed to call the Gentiles, whom the King had sanctified, either common or unclean, what liberties must they take who use such language against the words of the King's mouth; "Shall a man be more pure than his Maker?" The words of the King are pure words, Psalm xii. 6; yea, very pure, Psalm cxix. 140. "Every word is pure," Prov. xxx. 5; and they are pleasant words, Prov. xv. 26.

Steward. Those that say, "Stand by thyself, come not near to me, for I am holier than thou," are a smoke in the King's nose,

burneth all the day, Isa. lxv. 5.

and a fire that

Which fire can

and the smoke

be no other than the fire of sin; is the flame and stench of pride and ignorance, which these holiest mortals are filled with. However, we have a nation that are pure in their own eyes: but the worst of it is, that they never were washed from their filthiness, Prov. xxx. 12. But we will go on with our good conversation in the King, and make use of the words which his Holy Spirit teacheth; and leave these pure ones to the

mercy or vengeance of him who hath said, "Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed." And in the great day, when the mystery of iniquity shall be revealed, their purity will be brought to light; and then we shall be perfect in knowledge, and have the satisfaction of seeing what it really is, and of judging accordingly.

Shepherd. When we parted yesterday, you was speaking of the bad nursing that Little Faith has had; and of his being permitted, at times, to go to Hagar, and to be carried about by the bondchildren. If this is the case, I do not wonder at Little Faith's weakness. I think the free woman, the seed royal, and the established and warranted servants of the household, ought to have the sole and whole management of the King's children.

Steward. If Sarah, or the heirs of promise, or any of Sarah's daughters that do well, had the whole management of them, it would not be as it is. As soon as Isaac was born, Sarah turned Hagar out, and her son too. She would never let the bondwoman put the heir of promise to her breasts, lest the dregs of the servant's body should injure the favoured heir; nor permit her to stay in the house, lest the child should learn her ill manners: nor her bondchild neither. Isaac must pass through his whole state of childhood without a playmate, rather than whip tops with, or learn the archer's dexterity of, that mocking child of the flesh.

Shepherd. Hagar must undoubtedly have an eternal hatred to Sarah, and the bondchild to the free. The house of Saul was never one with the house of David, nor the bondwoman with the married wife. Sinai and Zion can never agree; nor can the desolate approve of Hephzibah: and those who attempt to make reconciliation here stand in a gap that can never be closed; and are proclaiming friendship where the King hath put enmity, and making peace where he hath sent both a sword and a fire. If any of the bondchildren come to the court of Zion, they come as spies, to count the towers, mark the bulwarks, or dive into the management of the household, into the rules of it, the ways of it, and to get a smattering of the pure language of the court; only that they may be capable of ensnaring some of the sons or daughters of Zion. Egyptians will be Egyptians.

Steward. True; and we know that Egypt was the most abandoned to idolatry and witchcraft of any place under heaven: and the apostle declared, in his day, that all the children of grace in Galatia who went to allegorical Hagar were bewitched; "O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you!" But we have some in the court who speak highly of Hagar, and weep over her family; yea, and are so full of fleshly savour as to throw out their invectives against those who are faithful in the King's household; and to judge some to be of the seed royal who have died by

suicide, when the laws of Zion declare that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him; and self-murder is the worst of murder.

Shepherd. If this be the case, it must undoubtedly go hard with these three poor children. Pardon my digression, sir, as I ask for information, who is her majesty's midwife? or, rather, who are her midwives? for I suppose she has more than

one.

Steward. There are two, and no more. The most famous is one Mrs. Charity. Her town house is in Jerusalem; but her country house is at En-rogel, 1 Kings i. 9; which is the King's gardens, and lies between Bethlehem and the valley of Hinnom. The other is Lady Verity: she is safe, but the other is the most famous. Both these have persons that act under them, but themselves have always the superintendance.

Shepherd. And was the queen delivered of Weak Heart, Silly Dove, and Little Faith, by Mrs. Charity, or by the other?

Steward. Mrs. Charity was at her country house, and gave orders, and had a hand in it, in a secret way, but did not appear in person: if she had, matters would have been better managed; which was needful, for the queen bred these three children very badly. She was much troubled with sickness, and seldom eat at quiet during the whole time of her pregnancy; and, after she quickened, she had several frights and sudden surprises; which brought a heavy gloom upon her mind,

and subjected her much to bondage and fear; and whatever affects the mother, affects the infant also, for that is nourished at her fountain. When these three children were born, various symptoms of the mother's disorders and frights appeared visible on them; which Mrs. Charity generally purges off and expels by a little of the oil of joy, Isa. lxi. 3; mingled with hidden manna, Rev. ii. 17. "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casteth out fear, because fear hath torment: he that feareth is not made perfect in love." Children made perfect in love are wise indeed; for they know their Father! "Love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.” And he is a wise child indeed that knows his own father! say they who speak in proverbs; and I believe he is. However, family likeness is more to be depended upon; and is more satisfactory to some husbands than the positive assertions of the mother, because it has been known that death-bed confessions have given all such preceding assertions the lie.

Shepherd. Then I suppose it was Lady Verity that laid the queen of these three; and you say she is a safe midwife, though the other be the most famous: therefore these children may be perfect or complete in the truth, though not perfect

in love.

Steward. Lady Verity laid the queen of all these, and the impressions of her hands are visible upon them; and the King owns them: for he