Finally, when the king passes an act of grace in favour of a condemned malefactor, it is enough for the latter to admit the truth of the fact. He is under no obligation to examine the circumstances under which it was passed, or to receive it with any feeling of admiration, contrition, and gratitude, or even of joy. At least, if he experiences these emotions at the moment, there is no occasion for their becoming the principles of his future conduct, or for his cherishing them to that end, by frequently reviewing the circumstances before referred to. If he reforms his conduct, he is not obliged to the king on that account, though to the royal grace he owed both the opportunity and the motive for such reformation: on the contrary, he converts the act of grace itself into the payment of a debt, and even leaves the king in arrears to him; insomuch that were the king to take him into his very palace, and load him with riches and honours, he would only be satisfying a just claim.

*

Such were the extracts read by the king's secretary. When these recitals were finished, accompanied as they were, like the former, with the circumstances of time,

Those whom the Holy Spirit sanctifies are still more indebted to the King of heaven.

place, person, and associates, the confusion and terror of the individuals concerned may be more easily imagined than described. They had often said within themselves,* if not to one another, The king neither sees, nor regards us; he will neither do good, nor do evil; he has forsaken the part of his dominions where we live.' To find, then, their great mistake, at such a time, and in such a situation, how horrible! The sovereign, looking sternly at them, in a voice like thunder, demanded what they had to urge in their defence. They remained speechlessexcept so far as related to lamentations and supplications. But these availed them nothing. They were sent away into a region desolate and dark, where they were continually exposed to every kind of evil and injury, as long as they continued in existence.

It may perhaps appear mysterious, that the king should have obtained such correct and extensive information concerning the words and actions of both these classes of subjects. The happy loyalists, however, were informed, to their inexpressible admiration and delight, that while

* Ezek. 8. 12.-Zeph. 1. 12.

+ No wonder of this kind can justly exist, where the Sovereign is known to be omniscient.

I

they held their meetings in private, not from the consciousness of proposing to say or to do any thing which tended to cause fear or shame, but merely to avoid interruption and the appearance of ostentation, their sovereign had overheard all that passed.

It was his singular custom, it seems, to go about in disguise among the people, for this purpose. By similar means he became acquainted with what was spoken or transacted in the societies of the disloyal, whether great or small. By his order, the particulars, whatsoever their nature might be, were all inserted in a book, with a view to their being read and acted upon in due season. Little did these opposite parties of subjects, when they held their meetings, think of the cause they had for hope or fear, and the momentous consequences that would one day ensue!

171

ALLEGORY VIII.

THE UNWILLING OFFENDER.

ROM. vii. 20.

A CERTAIN PERSON, who, by his own acknowledgment, was free from the ordinary sources of complaint, seemed notwithstanding habitually unhappy. Many attempts were made to discover the cause of his uneasiness; but they all proved fruitless. At length, one of his particular friends, with much difficulty, prevailed upon him to disclose the secret. His affliction, it appeared, arose from the consciousness of his having done wrong, though unwillingly; and still more, from his having no prospect of not repeating the wrong.

The friend, on hearing this, was much struck with the singularity of the case; and having noticed it, remarked, that disagreeable as the affair was in itself, he had reason to be comforted by the consideration, that he deserved pity rather than censure, from himself as well as from others.

The afflicted man replied, that though he ad

mitted the truth of the observation in part, yet he could

not justly affirm, that blame did not in some measure attach to his own conduct. But,' added he, 'I cannot explain myself further, unless I was at home. The next time you do me the favour to visit me, I will endeavour to satisfy your curiosity.'

The friend was not long, before he gave him an opportunity of performing his promise. Having called upon him, and partaken of some refreshment, he was desired by the master of the house to walk up with him into the study. Being seated, the latter requested him to amuse himself with a book for a few minutes, while he looked over a letter which he had just received from a person of high rank, a particular benefactor of his, which might ossibly be of considerable importance. The friend attempted to do so; but he was almost immediately disturbed by an uncommon noise. Upon looking toward his host, in order to discover the cause, to his unspeakable surprise, he observed him bearing all the marks of a person scuffling with a party of assailants-so far, at least, as could be judged by looks, gestures, and actions. His astonishment, however, was still greater, when he heard expressions drop from him at intervals to the following