CHR. Yes, and a dreadful one it was, I thought; it made my heart ache as he was telling of it, but yet I am glad I heard it.

PIETY. Was this all you saw at the house of the Interpreter ?

CHR. No; he took me, and had me where he showed me a stately palace, and how the people were clad in gold that were in it; and how there came a venturous man, and cut his way through the armed men that stood in the door to keep him out; and how he was bid to come in, and win eternal glory. Methought those things did ravish my heart. I would have stayed at that good man's house a twelvemonth, but that I knew I had farther to go.

PIETY. And what saw you else in the way?

It

CHR. Saw? Why, I went but a little farther, and I saw one, as I thought in my mind, hang bleeding upon a tree; and the very sight of him made my burden fall off my back; for I groaned under a very heavy burden, but then it fell down from off me. was a strange thing to me, for I never saw such a thing before: yea, and while I stood looking up, (for then I could not forbear looking,) three shining ones came to me. One of them testified that my sins were forgiven me; another stripped me of my rags, and gave me this broidered coat which you see; and the third set the mark which you see in my forehead, and gave me this sealed roll, (and with that he plucked it out of his bosom.)*

make us fear falling away; while he displays the glory of his grace in keeping his saints, to animate our hope on his power, and trust in his grace. Look unto Jesus.

* A blessed scripture-experience of what the Lord had done for his soul quite necessary for every one, before admission into a church of Christ. For want of this, many who are joined, prove of

PIETY. But you saw more than this, did you not? CHR. The things that I have told you were the best; yet some other matters I saw, as, namely, I saw three men, Simple, Sloth, and Presumption, lie asleep, a little out of the way as I came, with irons upon their heels; but do you think I could awake them? I also saw Formality and Hypocrisy come tumbling over the wall, to go, as they pretended, to Zion; but they were quickly lost, even as I myself did tell them, but they would not believe. But, above all, I found it hard work to get up this hill, and as hard to come by the lions' mouths; and truly, if it had not been for the good man the Porter, that stands at the gate, I do not know but that, after all, I might have gone back again: but I thank God I am here, and I thank you for receiving of me.

Then Prudence thought good to ask him a few questions, and desired his answer to them.

PRU. Do you not think sometimes of the country from whence you came?

PRUDENCE DISCOURSES WITH HIM.

CHR. Yes, but with much shame and detestation; truly, if I had been mindful of that coun

CHRISTIAN'S

THOUGHTS OF HIS

NATIVE COUNTRY.

try from whence I came out, I might have had opportunity to have returned; but now I desire a better country, that is an heavenly."

PRU. Do you not yet bear away with you some of the things that then you were conversant withal ?*

v Heb. xi. 15, 16.

A mere pro

no profit to other souls, and get no good to their own. fession of Christ, without an experience of his love, grace, and peace being sealed upon the heart by the Spirit the Comforter, is nothing but empty speculation.

* Prudence must be joined to piety. Christian prudence should be visible in every step of the Christian; for, says Solomon, "I wisdom dwell with prudence," Prov. viii. 12, and "the wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way," xiv. 8. His path is peace, and his end salvation.

K

CHRISTIAN

DISTASTED WITH CARNAL COGITATIONS.

CHR. Yes, but greatly against my will; especially my inward and carnal cogitations, with which all my countrymen, as well as myself, were delighted; but now all those things are my grief; and might I but choose mine own things, I would CHRISTIAN'S CHOICE. choose never to think of those things more; but when I would be a doing of that which is best, that which is worst is with me."

PRU. Do you not find sometimes as if those things were vanquished, which at other times are your perplexity?

CHR. Yes, but that is but seldom; but they are to me golden hours in which such things happen to me.

CHRISTIAN'S GOLDEN
HOURS.

PRU. Can you remember by what means you find your annoyances at times as if they were vanquished? CHR. Yes: when I think what I saw at the cross, that will do it; and when I look upon my broidered coat, that will do it; and when I look into the roll that I carry in my bosom, that will do it; and when my thoughts wax warm about whither I am going, that will do it.*

HOW CHRISTIAN GETS POWER AGAINST HIS CORRUPTIONS.

PRU. And what is it that makes you so desirous to go to Mount Zion?

CHR. Why, there I hope to see him alive that did hang dead on the cross; and there I hope to be rid of all those things that to this day are in me an annoyance to me: there they say

WHY CHRISTIAN WOULD BE AT MOUNT ZION.

w Rom. vii. 21.

Mind this. By believing his pardon by the blood-his justification by the righteousness of Christ-the free, everlasting love of God to him, by the witness of his Spirit-and the glory of heaven to which he is going-are what strengthen the Christian's heart against all his lusts and corruptions.

there is no death, and there I shall dwell with such

company as I like best. For, to tell you truth, I love him, because I was by him eased of my burden; and I am weary of my inward sickness. I would fain be where I shall die no more, and with the company that shall continually cry, Holy, holy, holy.*

Then said Charity to Christian, Have you a family? are you a married man?

CHARITY DISCOURSES WITH HIM.

CHR. I have a wife and four small children? CHA. And why did not you bring them along with you?

CHRISTIAN'S LOVE то HIS WIFE AND

CHR. Then Christian wept, and said, Oh! how willingly would I have done it, but they were all of them utterly averse to my CHILDREN. going on pilgrimage.t

CHA. But you should have talked to them, and have endeavoured to have shown them the danger of staying behind.

CHR. So I did; and told them also what God had shown to me of the destruction of our city; but I seemed to them as one that mocked, and they believed

CHA. And did you pray to God that he would bless your counsel to them?

CHR. Yes, and that with much affection; for you

* A sight of Christ by faith, begets longing of soul to see him in glory. A sense of his pardoning love makes us long to be with him; a desire of being perfectly freed from the very being of sin, ever accompanies a true and lively faith in him, and manifests that we possess a most holy faith, Jude 20.

So the spirit of a pilgrim manifests itself in love to those of his own house, by earnestly wishing, striving, and praying, if by any means he can prevail on them to flee from destruction, and come to Jesus for salvation.

must think that my wife and poor children were very dear to me.

CHA. But did you tell them of your own sorrow, and fear of destruction? for I suppose that destruction was visible enough to you.

CHR. Yes, over, and over, and over. They might also see my fears in my countenance, in

CHRISTIAN'S FEAR

OF PERISHING MIGHT

BE READ IN HISVERY

COUNTENANCE.

my tears, and also in my trembling under the apprehension of the judgment that did hang over our heads; but all was not sufficient to prevail with them to come with me.

CHA. But what could they say for themselves why they came not?

CHR. Why, my wife was afraid of losing this world, and my children were given to the foolish delights of youth: so, what by one thing, and what by another, they left me to

THE CAUSE WHY HIS
WIFE AND CHILDREN
DID NOT GO WITH
HIM.

wander in this manner alone.

CHA. But did you not with your vain life damp all that you by words used by way of persuasion to bring them away with you ?*

CHR. Indeed, I cannot commend my life, for I am conscious to myself of many failings therein. I know also, that a man by his conversation may soon overthrow what, by argument or persuasion, he doth labour to

* O soul, consider this deeply: it is the life of a Christian that carries more conviction and persuasion than his words. Though like an angel you talk of Christ, of the gospel, of the doctrines of grace, and of heaven; yet if you indulge devilish tempers, and live under the power of any sinful lusts and passions, you will hereby harden. others against the things of God, and prevent their setting out in the ways of God. Study and pray to be a consistent walker in the ways of holiness, else all is but windy profession, and airy talking. O how much harm is done to Christ's cause by the unholy walk of many professors!