none of the benefit.  But the thing that made all these burdens seem so very heavy was, that in every one, without exception, there was a certain inner packet, which most of the travellers took pains to conceal, and carefully wrap up; and while they were forward enough to complain of the other part of their burdens, few said a word about this, though in truth it was the pressing weight of this secret packet which served to render the general burden so intolerable.

In spite of all their caution, I contrived to get a peep at it.  I found, in each, that this packet had the same label:  the word sin was written on all as a general title, and in ink so black that they could not wash it out.  I observed that most of them took no small pains to hide the writing; but I was surprised to see that they did not try to get rid of their load, but the label.  If any kind friend who assisted these people in bearing their burdens, did but so much as hint at the secret packet, or advise them to get rid of it, they took fire at once, and commonly denied that they had any such article in their portmanteau; and it was those whose secret packet swelled to the most enormous size, who most stoutly denied they had any such packet at all.

I saw with pleasure, however, that some who had long labored heartily to get rid of this inward packet, at length, by prayers, and tears, and efforts, not made in their own strength, found it much diminished, and the more this packet shrunk in size, the lighter was the other part of their burdens also.

Then, methought, all at once, I heard a voice as it had been the voice of an angel, crying out, and saying, “Ye unhappy pilgrims, why are ye troubled about the burden which ye are doomed to bear through this Valley of Tears?  Know ye not, that as soon as ye shall have escaped out of this valley, the whole burden shall drop off, provided ye neglect not to remove that inward weight of sin which principally oppresses you?  Study, then, the whole will of the Lord of this valley.  Learn from him how the heavy part of your burdens may now be lessened, and how at last it shall be removed for ever.  Be comforted.  Faith and hope may cheer you even in this valley.  The passage, though it seems long to weary travellers, is comparatively short; for beyond it there is a land of everlasting rest, ’where ye shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; where ye shall be led by living fountains of waters, and all tears shall be wiped away from your eyes.’”

THE STRAIT GATE AND THE BROAD WAY: 

BEING THE SECOND PART OF THE VALLEY OF TEARS.

BY HANNAH MORE.

Now I had a second vision of what was passing in the Valley of Tears.  Methought I saw again the same kind of travellers whom I had seen in the former part, and they were wandering at large through the same vast wilderness.  At first setting out on his journey, each traveller had a small lamp so fixed in his bosom, that it seemed to make a part of himself; but as this natural light did not prove to be sufficient to direct them in the right way, the King of the country, in pity to their wanderings and their blindness, out of his gracious condescension, promised to give these poor wayfaring people an additional supply of light from his own royal treasury.