were many that had been great travellers there, but the more they found out, the more they always found there was to be known, so that they came back very much humbled as well as overjoyed by their experience. In the same direction on the Chart of the Ship, was found this description; Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him; but God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit."

Here, then, the Pilgrims felt themselves at liberty, because there was no mistake about the country; and its fruits would have proved where they were, being the things of the Spirit, even if their instructions had not been so plain that there was no danger of erring. Yet the trials they had passed through had made them sober and watchful, so that they received with a chastened mind the affectionate and friendly greetings of the inhabitants. The utmost kindness was shown to them, and they were carried up to the King's gardens, and regaled with fresh fruits, and they had much sweet and loving conversation with those who accompanied them.

Here also the ship's crew could trade with the town's people without danger; and besides this, a great many articles were brought down to them as

1 Cor. ii. 9.

gifts, with a readiness and good will that it would

have done one's heart good to see.

Here a very pre

Spirit was given

cious thing called the Earnest of the to them, and they were instructed to prove all things, and try everything by the truth, and to hold the beginning of their confidence and the rejoicing of their hope firm unto the end. And that they might do this the more surely, they were reminded of a well-known rule of the King, that he that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as He is pure.

Here they had, in constant blessed exercise, the Sweet Spirit of Adoption, whereby we realize that we are the children of God, and draw near to him, crying, Abba, Father, with fervent assurance of hope, and freedom of fervent supplication at the mercyseat; the Spirit helping our infirmities, because we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit making intercession in our hearts pleadeth in us and for us, and the Lord Jesus the Mediator presents our petitions for us. This is the representation of what takes place on our behalf in Heaven.

Here also they had the Spirit helping their infirmities, and they found their hearts drawn out in great prayer, and in such yearnings after the Celestial Country as could not be uttered; so that, although

7 Heb. iii. 6.

1 John iii. 3.

in this place they experienced a joy unspeakable and full of glory, yet they had no mind to stay any longer than was requisite for the refreshment of the ship's crew, and the refitting of their vessel; and besides these inward yearnings of the Spirit, they had the example of a great navigator who had been in this Harbor, to forget the things that are behind, and reach forth to those that are before.' Wherefore they desired to be upon their way, and under the King's laws they laid in a new supply of fresh water, and a quantity of provisions, concerning which they had orders to give diligence, and to have them on board wherever they could find them, adding to their faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, and to temperance patience, and to patience godliness, and to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness charity;" because the success of their voyage, for the honor of the King, and the manner of their entrance in the Celestial kingdom, was said to depend upon the abundant supply of these things.

To supply the place of the mast that had been carried away by the storm, they put in a new mast from the King's forests, out of a timber called the Saint's Perseverance. They also put into the hold a quantity of ballast fetched from a quarry in the

9 Phil. iii. 13.

10 2 Pet. i. 5, 6, 7.

neighborhood, which was under the charge of two men greatly honored by the King, whose names were Humility and Self-Distrust, for they had found before-time a defect in the ship's sailing, and a consequent danger, in case of any sudden squalls, by reason of her great lightness; a thing of much importance to be guarded against; besides, that they could not, without proper ballast of this kind, turn the vessel advantageously to the wind.

Furthermore, by advice of the authorities of the place under charge from the King, because a part of the seas they would have to pass through were infested with pirates, they put on board out of the King's Armory five great guns, called by five inscriptions engraven upon them, as follows:-RESIST THE DEVIL AND HE WILL FLEE FROM YOU.". WHO SHALL LAY ANYTHING TO THE CHARGE OF GOD'S ELECT? 12-WHO SHALL 13 ? -WHO IS HE

SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF CHRIST

THAT CONDEMNETH?"-And, IF GOD BE FOR US, WHO SHALL BE AGAINST US? 15. --They had also a great mortar, called Promise, with bombs and ammunition, and a fire engine called GRACE TO HELP IN TIME OF NEED.16

And besides all this, an epitome, or omnium gatherum of all the promises, in the words of Paul, so wonderful, He that spared not his own Son, but freely

11 James iv. 7.
14 Rom. viii. 34.

12 Rom. viii. 33.
15 Rom. viii. 31.

13 Rom. viii. 35. 16 Heb. iv. 16.

gave him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?17

Two of the best boats ever builded in the Harbor were also presented to them, with oars for sweeps made out of a strong elastic wood called Prevailing Prayer, which grew in great abundance in the King's forests, and was the best stuff that ever could be used for such purposes.

These oars were for use in very long calms, as well as in the neighborhood of dangerous reefs, when they might be compelled to take to the boats; and they could neither be broken nor lost, for they were linked to the very keel of the boats by stanchions of iron, that could not be drawn out, and so the boats themselves were the King's life-boats.

17 Rom. viii. 32.