wary. Then they looked well to their steps, and made a shift to get staggeringly over.

Yet Christiana had like to have been in, and that not once or twice. Now they had no sooner got over, but they thought they heard words that said unto them, "Blessed is she that believeth, for there shall be a performance of what has been told her from the Lord.""

Then they went on again; and said Mercy to Christiana, Had I as good ground to hope for a loving reception at the Wicket-gate as you, I think no Slough of Despond would discourage me.

Well, said the other, you know your sore, and I know mine; and, good friend, we shall all have enough evil before we come to our journey's end. For can it be imagined, that the people who design to attain such excellent glories as we do, and that are so envied that happiness as we are, but that we shall meet with what fears and snares, with what troubles and afflictions, they can possibly assault us with that hate us.

PRAYER SHOULD BE MADE WITH CONSIDERATION AND FEAR, AS WELL AS IN FAITH AND HOPE.

And now Mr. Sagacity left me to dream out my dream by myself. Wherefore, methought I saw Christiana, and Mercy, and the boys, go all of them up to the gate: to which when they were come, they betook themselves to a short debate about how they must manage their calling at the gate, and what should be said unto him that did open to them; so it was concluded, since Christiana was the eldest, that she should knock for entrance, and that she should speak to him, that did open, for the rest. So Christiana began to knock, and, as her poor husband did, she knocked and knocked again. But, instead of any that answered, they all thought that they heard as if a dog came barking upon

n Luke i. 45.

THE DOG, THE DEVIL, AN ENEMY TO PRAYER.

them; a dog, and a great one too: and this made the women and children afraid. Nor durst they for a while to knock any more, for fear the mastiff should fly upon them. Now therefore they were greatly tumbled up and down in their minds, and knew not what to do: knock they durst not, for fear of the dog; go back they durst not, for fear the keeper of that gate

CHRISTIANA AND

HER COMPANIONS

PERPLEXED ABOUT
PRAYER.

should espy them as they so went, and should be offended with them: at last they thought of knocking again, and knocked more vehemently than they did at first. Then said the keeper of the gate, Who is there? So the dog left off to bark, and he opened unto them.*

Then Christiana made low obeisance, and said, Let not our Lord be offended with his handmaidens, for that we have knocked at his princely gate. Then said the keeper, Whence come ye? and what is it that you would have?

Christiana answered, We are come from whence Christian did come, and upon the same errand as he; to wit, to be, if it shall please you, graciously admitted, by this gate, into the way that leads unto the Celestial City. And I answer, my Lord, in the next place, that I am Christiana, once the wife of Christian, that now is gotten above.

With that the keeper of the gate did marvel, saying, What, is she now become a pilgrim, that but a while

* No sooner does a poor sinner open his lips in prayer to Jesus, but the devil will bark and roar at him, and by all means try to terrify and discourage him. Do you find this? What is our remedy against this? Resist the devil, and he will flee from you, James iv. 7. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you, James iv. 8. O ever remember our dear Lord's word, Men should pray always, and not faint, Luke xviii. 1.

ago abhorred that life?

Then she bowed her head,

and said, Yea; and so are these my sweet babes also.

Then he took her by the hand, and led her in, and said also, "Suffer little children to

come unto me;" and with that he shut

HOW CHRISTIANA

IS ENTERTAINED AT
THE GATE.

up the gate. This done, he called to a trumpeter that was above, over the gate, to entertain Christiana with shouting and sound of trumpet, for joy. So he obeyed, and sounded, and filled the air with his melodious notes.

Now all this while poor Mercy did stand without, trembling and crying, for fear that she was rejected. But when Christiana had got admittance for herself and her boys, then she began to make intercession for Mercy.

And she said, My Lord, I have a companion of mine that stands yet without, that is come hither

upon the same account as myself; one that

CHRISTIANA'S PRAYER FOR HER FRIEND MERCY.

is much dejected in her mind, for that she comes, as she thinks, without sending for; whereas I was sent for by my husband's King to come.

DELAYS MAKE THE
HUNGERING SOUL

THE FERVENTER.

Now Mercy began to be very impatient, and each minute was as long to her as an hour; wherefore she prevented Christiana from a fuller interceding for her, by knocking at the gate herself. And she knocked then so loud, that she made Christiana to start. Then said the keeper of the gate, Who is there? And Christiana said, It is my friend.

So he opened the gate, and looked out, but Mercy was fallen down without in a swoon, for

MERCY FAINTS.

she fainted, and was afraid that no gate should be opened to her.