therefore, they saw the man in the cage, the man and his dream, the man that cut his way through his enemies, and the picture of the biggest of them all; together with the rest of those things that were then so profitable to Christian.

This done, and after those things had been somewhat digested by Christiana and her company, the Interpreter takes them apart again, and has them first into a room where was a man that could look no way

THE MAN WITH THE MUCK RAKE

EXPOUNDED.

but downwards, with a muck-rake in his hand. There stood also one over his head with a celestial crown in his hand, and proffered him that crown for his muck-rake; but the man did neither look up nor regard, but raked to himself the straws, the small sticks, and dust of the floor.

Then said Christiana, I persuade myself, that I know somewhat the meaning of this; for this is a figure of a man of this world: is it not, good sir?

INTER. Thou hast said right, said he, and his muckrake doth show his carnal mind. And, whereas thou seest him rather give heed to rake up straws and sticks, and the dust of the floor, than to do what He says that calls to him from above, with the celestial crown in his hand; it is to show, that heaven is but as a fable to some, and that things here are counted the only things substantial. Now, whereas it was also showed thee, that the man could look no way but downwards, it is to let thee know, that earthly things, when they are with power upon men's minds, quite carry their hearts away from God.

CHR. Then said Christiana, O deliver me from this muck-rake!

CHRISTIANA'S

PRAYER AGAINST
THE MUCK-RAKE.

INTER. That prayer, said the Interpreter, has lain by till it is almost rusty: "Give me not riches," is scarce

the prayer of one in ten thousand. Straws, and sticks, and dust, with most, are the great things now looked after. With that Christiana and Mercy wept, and said, It is, alas! too true.*

When the Interpreter had showed them this, he had them into the very best room in the house, (a very brave room it was:) so he bid them look round about, and see if they could find any thing profitable there. Then they looked round and round, for there was nothing to be seen but a very great spider on

OF THE SPIDER.

the wall; and that they overlooked.

MER. Then said Mercy, Sir, I see nothing; but Christiana held her peace.

TALK ABOUT
THE SPIDER.

INTER. But, said the Interpreter, look again: she therefore looked again, and said, Here is not any thing but an ugly spider, who hangs by her hands upon the wall. Then, said he, Is there but one spider in all this spacious room? Then the water stood in Christiana's eyes, for she was a woman quick of apprehension: and she said, Yea, Lord, there is more here than one; yea, and spiders whose venom is far more destructive than that which is in her. The Interpreter then looked pleasantly on her, and said, Thou hast said the truth. This made Mercy to blush, and the boys to cover their faces; for they all began now to understand the riddle.†

y Prov. xxx. 8.

* Reader, didst thou, like these pious pilgrims, never shed a generous tear for thy base and disingenuous conduct towards thy Lord, in preferring the sticks and straws of this world, to the unsearchable riches of Christ, and the salvation of thy immortal soul? Oh, this is natural to us all! and though made wise unto salvation, yet this folly cleaves to our old nature still. Let the thought humble us, and make us weep before the Lord.

+ There was not one dreaming perfectionist among them. No, they all knew the venom of sin which was in their fallen nature. This made

Then said the Interpreter again, "The spider taketh hold with her hands, (as you see,) and is in kings' palaces." And wherefore is this recorded, but to show you, that, how full of the venom of sin soever you be, yet you may, by the hand of faith, lay hold of, and dwell in, the best room that belongs to the King's house above.

CHR. I thought, said Christiana, of something of this; but I could not imagine it at all. I thought that we were like spiders, and that we looked like ugly creatures, in what fine rooms soever we were; but that by this spider, that venomous and ill-favoured creature, we were to learn how to act faith, that came not into my thoughts; and yet she had taken hold with her hands, and, as I see, dwelleth in the best room in the house.-God has made nothing in vain.

Then they seemed all to be glad; but the water stood in their eyes; yet they looked one upon another, and also bowed before the Interpreter.

them cover their faces with shame, and sink into deep humility of heart. Every true interpreter of God's word, yea, the blessed Interpreter of God's heart, Jesus, will look pleasantly upon those who confess the truth; while he beholds the proud self-righteous sinner afar off.

* Here is the mystery of God's grace, the mystery of precious faith; that, however hateful sin is in the sight of a holy God, however full of sin the sinner is, yet he can love the sinner, as much as he loaths his sin. Why? because he views his elect sinners in Christ the Son of his love, by whom a perfect atonement is made for sin, his precious blood cleanses their souls from all sin, and presents them without spot of sin before God. This, faith apprehends; and then the soul dwells in the best room indeed, even in the very heart of God in Christ. The Lord increase our faith in this precious truth, that we may the more love and glorify the God of grace and truth! O let not our venom of sin deject us, while there is the blood of Christ to cleanse us! O for stronger love to Christ, and greater hatred of sin! Both spring from believing.

OF THE HEN AND
CHICKENS.

He had them into another room, where was a hen and chickens, and bid them observe a while. So one of the chickens went to the trough to drink, and every time she drank she lifted up her head and her eyes towards heaven. See, said he, what this little chick doth, and learn of her to acknowledge whence your mercies come, by receiving them with looking up. Yet again, said he, observe and look; so they gave heed, and perceived that the hen did walk in a fourfold method towards her chickens. 1. She had a common call, and that she hath all the day long. 2. She had a special call, and that she had but sometimes. 3. She had a brooding note. And, 4. she had an outcry."

Now, said he, compare this hen to your King, and these chickens to his obedient ones. For, answerable to her, himself has his methods, which he walketh in towards his people. By his common call he gives nothing; by his special call he always has something to give; he has also a brooding voice for them that are under his wing; and he has an outcry, to give the alarm when he seeth the enemy come. I choose, my darlings, to lead you into the room where such things are, because you are women, and they are easy for

* Observation and experience justify this excellent simile. God's common call is, to all his creatures, who live within the sound of his gospel. His special call is, when he bestows the grace, peace, and pardon of the gospel of Christ upon his people. The brooding note is, when he gathers them under his wings, warms their hearts with the comforts of his love, nourishes their souls with close fellowship with himself, and refreshes their spirits with the overflowings of joy in the Holy Ghost. "In the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice," says David, Psa. lxiii. 7. "I sat under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet unto my taste," Song ii. 3. O for more of these

more.

OF THE
AND THE SHEEP.

BUTCHER

CHR. And, sir, said Christiana, pray let us see some So he had them into the slaughter-house, where was a butcher killing a sheep: and, behold, the sheep was quiet, and took her death patiently. Then said the Interpreter, You must learn of this sheep to suffer, and to put up with wrongs without murmurings and complaints. Behold how quietly she takes her death, and, without objecting, she suffereth her skin to be pulled over her ears. Your King doth

call you his sheep.*

OF THE GARDEN.

Then said stature, in

After this, he led them into his garden, where was great variety of flowers; and he said, Do you see all these? So Christiana said, Yes. he again, Behold, the flowers are diverse in quality, and colour, and smell, and virtue and some are better than others; also, where the gardener hath set them, there they stand, and quarrel not one with another.†

Again, he had them into his field, which he had sown with wheat and corn: but when they beheld,

OF THE FIELD.

precious brooding notes, to be gathered under the wing of our Immanuel! But, be our frames and experience what they may, still we are ever in danger; for enemies surround us on every side, and our worst are within us. Therefore our Lord has an outery: he gives the alarm, calls upon us, and warns us of danger. Why? that we should flee to him, and run into him: for "the name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runneth into it, and is safe," Prov. xviii. 10.

* Were we as sheep going astray? Are we now returned to thee, O Christ, the great Shepherd and bishop of our souls? Lord, give us more and more of thy meek and lowly spirit!

+ Christ's church is his garden; his people are planted in it by the power of his grace, and they shall soon be transplanted into his kingdom of glory. Though there may be little non-essential differences of judgment, yet why should they fall out? O for more love and peace from Jesus, and then there will be more among each other.