SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 333 him, 'Bring all my subjects with you, if they will come and hold by you; but be sure you fail not to bring my sons.' This is re- solved on'; the prince casteth himself into the water, and swimmeth to the further side. He maketh away through the ice, and offer- eth all of them his safe carriage, if theywill accept him to be their bearer and helper, and will trust themselves on him, and hold fast by him till they come to the further side. Some refuse his help, and think he would deceive them, and lead them into the deep, and there leave them to perish. Some had rather playon the ice, and will not hearken to him. Some dare not venture through the streams, or will not endure the coldness of the water. Some wa- veringly agree to him, and hold faintly by his skirt; and when they feel the cold water, or are near the deep, or are weary of holding, they lose him ;either turning back, or perishing suddenly in the gulf. The children are of the same mind with the rest; but he is resolved to lose none of them, and therefore he chargeth them to come with him, and tells them fully what a welcome they shall have with their father; and ceaseth not his importunity till he per- suade them to consent. Some of them say, ' How shall we ever get over the river? We shall be drowned by the way.' He tells them, ' I will carry' you safe over, so you will but hold fast by me. Never fear, Iwarrant you.' Theyall lay hold on him, and venture in with him. When they are in the midst, some are afraid, and tryout, ' We shall be drowned.'. These he encourageth, and bids them trust him; hold fast, and fear not. Others, when they hear these words, that they need not fear, grow so bold, and utterly se- cure, as to lose their hold. To these he speaketh in other lan- guage, and chargeth them to hold fast by him; for if they lose their hold,they will fall into the bottom, and if they stick not to him, they will be drowned. Some of them, upon this warning, hold fast; others are so boldly confident of his skill, and good will, and promise, that they forget or value not his warning and threat- ening, but lose their hold. Some through laziness and weariness do the like. Whereupon helets them sink till they are almost drowned, and cry out for help, "Save us, or we perish," and think they are all lost.; and then he layeth hold of them, and fetcheth them up again, and chideth them for their bold folly, and biddeth them look better to themselves, and hold faster by him hereafter, if they love themselves.. Some at last, through mere weariness' and weakness, before they can reach the bank, cry out, ' O, I am tired, I faint, I shall never hold fast till I reach the shore, I shall be drowned.' These he comforteth, and givesthem cordials, and holdeth them by the hand, and bids them, Despair not; do your best ; hold fast, and I will help you. And so he brings them all safe to the haven.
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