are set one against the other: let him consider in the former, and be joyful in the latter. I believe he has had more nursing than a thousand that are now in the realms of bliss: but, notwithstanding that, he still thinks, and often says, that he is the last that shall ever behold the brilliant mansions of the celestial palace, yet we know that there are last that shall be first, and the first last; "for many be called, but few chosen."

Shepherd. He is one of our spiritual Jacob's tender ones, and must not be overdriven, but be followed gently, as he be able to endure. We were saying, on a former visit, that proverbial ladies avouched that a second lying-in, or an afterrelapse, is worse than the first. I know there are no voices without signification; and I take it for granted that the above proverb hath its meaning, if I were acquainted with any of those honourable matrons who could give me the sense thereof. But, whatever interpretation it may bear in the dialect and judgment of women, or however true in the travail of nature, is it any way applicable to the labours of Zion?

Steward. Doubtless; for the proverbs of women are so pregnant with truth, sense, and meaning, that it is but to ask counsel at Abel, and the matter is ended, 2 Sam. xx. 18. As to labours, they are various. Some are very quick: "As soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth children: yea, before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child,"

Isa. lxvi. 7. Others, again, are long and lingering, intermingled with respites of carnal ease; at which times prayer is without fervour, and the afflicted appear as if they were without the sense of an opposite principle to oppose the motions of corruption, till fresh trouble send them with another importunity to the King: "Lord, in trouble have they visited thee: they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them. Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight, O Lord. We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind, we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth. Thy dead men shall live." Others, again, are entangled in the birth, like Little Faith: "The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; his sin is hid. The sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him. He is an unwise son, for he should not stay long in the place of the breaking forth of children. I will ransom them from the power of the grave, I will redeem them from death." If you take notice here, both the lingering travail of Zion, and the entangling birth of Ephraim, are backed with an absolute and unconditional promise. To lingering Zion it is said, "Thy dead men shall live;" and to Ephraim, who was entangled in the birth, "I will redeem them from death, and ransom them from the power of the grave." The promise, therefore, being set so close to the labour, is to shew

that the travail and toil of the mind is to secure the gift of life, the redemption of the soul, and the ransom of the body from the grave; which being secured, the sonship appears clear; and, having obtained the promised blessings, they are expressly stiled the heirs of promise. Zion is never without her promise. It is allowed by all that have severely felt it, and by most who have been eye and ear-witnesses of it, that spiritual labour is the most perilous of all labour. Notwithstanding Zion shall be saved in childbearing; because she is sure to continue in faith, and charity, and holiness, with sobriety, 1 Tim. ii. 15.

Shepherd. These things appear clear to me. Your account of the quick, and of the lingering, labour of Zion, and of the entanglement of Ephraim, have, doubtless, a footing on divine veracity. But neither of these things are an interpretation sufficient to prove the authenticity, or settle the validity, of the gossipping ladies' proverb; namely, that a second lying-in is worse than the first.' All come into the world by the throes of nature's sorrow, and into the spiritual world by a birth that is purely spiritual; but, is there such a thing as re-labour, or a re-birth, in the latter? Not that I doubt the veracity of these honourable ladies, in the sense that they mean it; for I am informed that their proverbs at groaning assemblies are generally delivered with an emphasis peculiar to themselves; and mostly dropped with a singular weight, and enforced with an eye

and an air of consequence, when they intend to besiege the ears of a quiet, harmless, inoffensive husband.

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Steward. Something of this hath been observed in the birth of some of the sons of Zion. Zion herself hath often re-laboured with one and the same child. Individuals have a second time fallen into spiritual travail; and even Zion's watchmen have felt the pangs, and borne their part of the throes: "My little children, of whom I travail in birth again, until Christ be formed in you,' Gal. iv. 19. That great man in the land of Uz was early begotten by the word of truth, and quickened in his early days by the Spirit. Divine impressions were felt, and labour succeeded; and he came so far forth at times, as for the features of the new creature to be perceptible: yea, he came far enough into the new world to have a glimpse of him who is invisible; but it was a view of terrible majesty; at which he drew back, saying, "Destruction from God was a terror to me; and, by reason of his highness, I could not endure," Job xxxi. 23. The most perilous part of the labour he hoped to have escaped, but it overtook him a second time: "The thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me. I was not in safety, neither had I rest, neither was I quiet, yet trouble came." Hence it appears, that his early begetting, quickening, and labour, were sufficient to leave visible traces and features of

Divinity upon his mind, which is confirmed by the testimony of Heaven, that he was perfect in the Everlasting Father, and upright by virtue of union with him, and divine aid from him; and one that feared his Sovereign, and hated evil. Nevertheless, it pleased the Most High, who is a free agent, to bring him the second time to put his hands on his loins; and his friends, for seven days at least, bore a part of the labour. But, after that, they acted as some did at the birth of Little Faith some cried one thing, and some another, and the greater part used violent means, and some despaired of deliverance: but, at the appointed time, the new creature came forth with all its beauty and comeliness: God turned the captivity of Job; perfect love cast out fear, and set him free; and "he that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God." Now, he compared the produce of the first labour to only the hearing of the ear; but the latter as productive of the seeing eye; "But now mine eye seeth thee: wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes," Job xlii. 5, 6. Now his eyes saw, his ears heard, and his hands handled, the word of life. Thus some, who have felt a little spiritual labour, greatly fear the bearing pains; which, as Job acknowledged, came upon him; while others go lingering on in expectation of terrible things, and at last come forth before they know where they are: their deliverance seems like a dream; and their long, imaginary terrors, under