"that been the case a poor man would "never have had money to buy, nor a "working man time to read the Bible; "and so Christianity could only have "been a religion for the rich, for those "who had money and leisure; which, "blessed be God! is so far from being the "truth, that in all that fine discourse of our "Saviour to John's disciples, it is enough ¿ to reconcile any poor man in the world "to his low condition to observe, when "Christ reckons up the things for which " he came on earth, to observe, I say, what " he keeps for last. Go tell John, says he, "those things which ye do hear and see; "the blind receive their sight, and the lame "walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the "deaf hear, and the dead are raised up. "Now, Sir, all these are wonders to be "sure, but they are nothing to what fol"lows. They are but like the lower rounds "of a ladder, as I may say, by which you "mount to the top-And the poor have "the gospel preached to them! I dare say, "John had had any doubts before, this last

if

"part of the message must have cleared "them up at once. For it must have "made him certain sure at once, that a

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religion which placed preaching salva❝tion to the poor above healing the sick, "which ranked the soul above the body, "and set heaven above health, must have " come from God."

But," said Mr. Johnson, " you say you can generally pick out your particu"lar duty from the Bible, though that "immediate duty be not fully explained.” Indeed, Sir," replied the Shepherd, "I think I can find out the principle at

least, if I bring but a willing mind. The "want of that is the great hindrance. "Whoso doeth my will he shall know of the "doctrine. You know that text, Sir. I "believe a stubborn will makes the Bible "harder to be understood, than any want "of learning. 'Tis corrupt affections "which blind the understanding, Sir, The "more a man hates sin, the clearer he will "see his way, and the more he loves holi"ness, the better he will understand

"his Bible. The more practical con"viction will he get of that pleasant

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truth, that the secret of the Lord is "with them that fear him. Now, Sir,

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suppose I had time and learning, and

possessed all the books I saw at the Bishop's, where could I find out a "surer way to lay the axe to the root of "all covetousness, selfishness, and in"justice, than the plain and ready rule, "to do unto all men as I would they "should do unto me. If my neighbour "does me an injury can I be at any loss "how to proceed with him, when I re"collect the parable of the unforgiving "steward, who refused to pardon a debt "of an hundred pence, when his own "ten thousand talents had been remitted "to him? I defy any man to retain "habitual selfishness, hardness of heart, "or any other allowed sin, who daily " and conscientiously tries his own heart " by this touchstone. The straight rule will show the crooked practice to every

"one who honestly tries the one by the "other."

"Why, you seem to make Scripture a "thing of general application," said Mr. Johnson, in cases to which many, I "fear, do not apply it."

"It applies to every thing, Sir," replied the Shepherd. "When those "men who are now disturbing the peace "of the world, and trying to destroy "the confidence of God's children in "their Maker and their Saviour; when "those men, I say, came to my poor "hovel with their new doctrines and "their new books, I would never look "into one of them; for I remembered "it was the first sin of the first pair to "lose their innocence for the sake of a "little wicked knowledge; besides, my "own Book told me To fear God and "honour the king - To meddle not with "them who are given to change Not to

speak evil of dignities To render "honour to whom honour is due. So "that I was furnished with a little coat

"of mail, as I may say, which preserved "me, while those who had no such "armour fell into the snare."

While they were thus talking, the children who had stood very quietly behind, and had not stirred a foot, now began to scamper about all at once, and in a moment ran to the window-seat to pick up their little old hats. Mr. Johnson looked surprised at this disturbance; the Shepherd asked his pardon, telling him it was the sound of the church bell which had been the cause of their rudeness; for their mother had brought them up with such a fear of being too late for church, that it was but who could catch the first stroke of the bell, and be first ready. He had always taught them to think that nothing was more indecent than to get into church after it was begun; for as the service opened with an exhortation to repentance, and a confession of sin, it looked very presumptuous not to be ready to join in it; it looked as if people did not feel themselves to be sinners. And