as did her husband. She told me also of a dream that she had, and how the King of the country where her husband was, had sent an inviting letter to come thither.

MRS. KNOW-NOTHING.

Then said Mrs. Know-Nothing, And

what, do you think she will go?

TIM. Ay, go she will, whatever comes on't; and methinks I know it by this; for that which was my great argument to persuade her to stay at home, (to wit, the troubles she was like to meet with in the way,) is one great argument with her to put her forward on her journey. For she told me in so many words, "The bitter goes before the sweet; yea, and forasmuch as it so doth, it makes the sweet the sweeter."

MRS. BAT'S-EYES.

Mrs. BAT'S-EYES. O this blind and foolish woman! said she, and will she not take warning by her husband's afflictions? For my part, I see, if he were here again, he would rest himself content in a whole skin, and never run so many hazards for nothing.

MRS. INCONSIDERATE.

Mrs. Inconsiderate also replied, saying, Away with such fantastical fools from the town: a good riddance, for my part, I say, of her; should she stay where she dwells, and retain this her mind, who could live quietly by her? for she will either be dumpish or unneighbourly, or talk of such matters as no wise body can abide: wherefore, for my part, I shall never be sorry for her departure; let her go, and let better come in her room: it was never a good world since these whimsical fools dwelt in it.*

* O how do such carnal wretches sport with their own damnation, while they despise the precious truths of God, and ridicule his beloved, chosen, and called people! But, as it was in the beginning, he who was born after the flesh persecuted him who was born after the Spirit, so it is now, and will be for ever-as long as the seed of the woman, and the seed of the serpent, are upon the earth.

MRS. LIGHT-MIND.

MADAM WANTON, SHE THAT HAD LIKE TO HAVE BEEN TOO HARD FOR FAITH

FUL, IN TIME PAST.

Then Mrs. Light-Mind added as followeth: Come, put this kind of talk away. I was yesterday at Madam Wanton's, where we were as merry as the maids. For who do you think should be there, but I and Mrs. Love-the-Flesh, and three or four more, with Mrs. Lechery, Mrs. Filth, and some others: so there we had music and dancing, and what else was meet to fill up the pleasure. And, I dare say, my lady herself is an admirable well-bred gentlewoman, and Mr. Lechery is as pretty a fellow.

By this time Christiana was got on her way, and Mercy went along with her: so as they went, her children being there also, Christiana began to discourse. And, Mercy, said Chris

DISCOURSE BETWIXT
MERCY AND GOOD

CHRISTIANA.

tiana, I take this as an unexpected favour, that thou shouldest set forth out of doors with me to accompany me a little in the way.

MERCY INCLINES

TO GO.

MER. Then said young Mercy, (for she was but young,) If I thought it would be to purpose to go with you, I would never go near the town any more.

CHR. Well, Mercy, said Christiana, cast in thy lot with me. I well know what will be the end of our pilgrimage my husband is where he would not but be for all the gold in the Spanish mines. Nor shalt thou be rejected, though thou goest but upon my invitation. The King, who hath sent for me and my children, is one that delighteth in mercy. Besides, if thou wilt, I will hire thee, and thou shalt go along with me as my servant. Yet we will have all things in common betwixt thee and me only go along with me.*

* Such is the true spirit of real pilgrims, they do not love to eat their precious morsel alone. They wish others to know precious

MERCY DOUBTS OF ACCEPTANCE.

MER. But how shall I be ascertained that I also shall be entertained? Had I this hope but from one that can tell, I would make no stick at all, but would go, being helped by Him that can help, though the way was never so tedious.* CHR. Well, loving Mercy, I will tell thee what thou shalt do go with me to the Wicket-gate, and there I will further inquire for thee; INQUIRE FOR HER. and if there thou shalt not meet with encouragement, I will be content that thou return to thy place. I also will pay thee for the kindness which thou showest to me and my children, in the accompanying of us in our way as thou dost.

CHRISTIANA ALLURES HER TO THE

GATE, WHICH IS

CHRIST, AND PRO-
MISES THERE ΤΟ

MERCY
PRAYS.

MER. Then will I go thither, and will take what shall follow; and the Lord grant that my lot may there fall, even as the King of heaven shall have his heart upon me.†

Christ, and to become followers of him with themselves. O how happy are they, when the Lord is pleased to draw the hearts of any of their fellow-sinners to himself!

* Though Christiana clearly saw and knew her calling of God, yet Mercy did not therefore she is in doubt about it. Just so it is with many at their first setting out. Hence they are ready to say (and I have met with many who have said,) that they could even wish to have had the most violent convictions of sin, and to have been as it were shook over the mouth of hell, that they might have had a greater certainty of their being called of God. But this is speaking unadvisedly. Better to take the apostle's advice, "Give all diligence to make your calling sure."

Here is a precious discovery of a heart divinely instructed. Mind, here is no looking to any thing Mercy was in herself, nor to any thing she could do for herself, for hope; but all is resolved into this, all is cast upon this, even the love of the heart of the King of heaven. Reader, can you be content with this lot? Can you cast all, and rest all, upon the love of Christ? Then bless his loving name for

giving you a pilgrim's heart.

Christiana then was glad at heart; not only that she had a companion; but also for that she

CHRISTIANA GLAD OF MERCY'S COM

had prevailed with this poor maid to fall PANY.

in love with her own salvation. So they went on together, and Mercy began to weep. Then said Christiana, Wherefore weepeth my sister so?

MERCY GRIEVES FOR HER CARNAL RELATIONS.

MER. Alas! said she, who can but lament, that shall but rightly consider what a state and condition my poor relations are in, that yet remain in our sinful town? And that which makes my grief the more heavy is, because they have no instructor, nor any to tell them what is to come.*

me when he

CHRISTIAN'S PRAYERS WERE ANSWERED FOR HIS RELA TIONS AFTER HE WAS DEAD.

CHR. Bowels become pilgrims and thou dost for thy friends, as my good Christian did for left me; he mourned for that I would not heed nor regard him: but his Lord and ours did gather up his tears, and put them into his bottle; and now both I and thou, and these my sweet babes, are reaping the fruit and benefit of them. I hope, Mercy, that these tears of thine will not be lost; for the Truth hath said, that "they that sow in tears shall reap in joy;" and "he that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him."m

Then said Mercy,

Let the most Blessed be my guide,

If't be his blessed will,

Unto his gate, into his fold,
Up to his holy hill:

m Psalm cxxvi. 5, 6.

This is natural; when we know the worth of our souls, and the preciousness of Christ's salvation, and weep over ourselves and for our sins, to mourn and weep for our dear carnal relatives, lest they should be lost, and to wish for their salvation also.

And let him never suffer me

To swerve, or turn aside
From his free-grace and holy ways,
What'er shall me betide.

And let him gather them of mine,

That I have left behind:

Lord, make them pray they may be thine,
With all their heart and mind.

Now my old friend proceeded, and said, But, when Christiana came to the Slough of Despond, she began to be at a stand; For, said she, this is the place in which my dear husband had like to have been smothered with mud. She perceived also, that, nothwithstanding the command of the King to make this place for pilgrims good, yet it was rather worse than formerly. So I asked if that was true ? Yes, said the old gentleman, too true for many there be that pretend to be the King's labourers, and that say they are for mending the King's highways, and that bring dirt and dung instead of stones, and so mar, instead of mending.* Here Christiana, therefore, and her boys, did make a stand : but, said Mercy,

THEIR OWN CARNAL CONCLUSIONS INSTEAD OF THE WORD OF LIFE.

MERCY THE BOLDEST AT THE SLOUGH OF DESPOND.

Come, let us venture; only let us be

* But instead of being what they profess, the King's labourers, Paul calls them gospel-perverters, and soul-troublers, Gal. v. 10. For, instead of preaching a free, full, and finished salvation, graciously bestowed as of free gift and by rich grace, upon poor sinners who can do nothing to entitle themselves to it, or to gain an interest in it; behold, these wretched daubers set forth salvation to sale upon certain terms and conditions which sinners are to perform and fulfil. Thus they distress the upright and sincere, and deceive the self-righteous and unwary into pride and delusion. Thus they mar, instead of mend, the way; and bring dirt and dung, instead of stones, to make the way sound and safe for pilgrims. Beware of the sophistry of free-will, selfrighteous preachers: for they only perplex the mind, and puzzle the conscience, but never make good the ground of hope, in the sinner's heart, upon the Saviour of the lost.