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Mercy, inclines to go.

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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. !! 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 invita tion. 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. Mercy. 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,

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Mercy doubts of acceptance.

but would go, being helped by Him that can help, though the way was never so tedious.

Christiana allures

her to the Gate, which is Christ, and promises there to inquire for her.

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; and if there thou shalt not meet with encouragement, I will be content that thou return to thy place; I will also pay thee for thy kindness which thou showest to me and my children in the accompanying of us in our way as thou dost. Mercy. Then will: I go thither, and will take Mercy prays. 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.

Christiana glad of

Christiana then was glad at her heart, not only that she had a companion, but also for that she had Mercy's company. prevailed with this poor Maid to fall in love with

her own salvation. So they went on together, and Mercy began to weep. Then said Christiana, Wherefore weepeth my sister so? Alas! said she, who can but lament that shall Mercy grieves for but rightly consider what a state and condition my her carnal relapoor relations are in, that yet remain in our sinful tions. Town? And that which makes my grief the more heavy is, because they have no instructer, nor any to tell them what is to come. Chr. Bowels become Pilgrims: and thou dost weep for thy friends, as my good Christian did for me when he 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.”*

Then said Mercy :

Let the most Blessed be my guide,

If it be His blessed will,

Unto his gate, into his fold,

Up to his Holy Hill.

And let Him never suffer me

To swerve or turn aside

From his Free Grace and holy Ways,

Whate'er shall me betide.

• Psalm cxxvi. 5, 6.

Christian's pray. ers were answered

for his relations after he was dead.

Their own carnal

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 a been smothered with mud. She perceived also that notwithstanding 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 that many there be that pretend to be the King's Labourers, and that say they are for mending the King's high-ways, that bring dirt and dung instead of stones, and so marr instead of mending. Here Christiana therefore with her boys did make a stand; but, said Mercy, Come, let us venture; only let us be wary. Then they looked well to their steps, and made a shift to get staggeringly over.

conclusions, in stead of the word

of life.

Mercy boldest at the slough of Des

pond.

Yet Christiana had like to a been in, and that not once nor 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."

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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. 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

Prayer should be

made with consid. eration and fear, as well as in faith and hope.

Luke i. 45.

an enemy to prayer.

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 them; a dog, and a great one too; and this made the women and children afraid; nor durst they for a while The dog, the devil, 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: Christiana and her knock they durst not for fear of the dog; go back companions perthey durst not, for fear the Keeper of the Gate plexed concerning should espy them as they 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.

prayer.

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 to 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 ago, abhorred that life? Then she bowed her head, and said, Yes; and so are these my sweet babes also. Then he took her by the How Christiana is hand, and led her in, and said also, "Suffer little entertained at the children to come unto me," and with that he shut 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 Christiana's prayer mine that stands yet without, that is come hither is for her friend upon the same account as myself; one that is much Mercy.

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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

more fervent.

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 And she knocked then

Then said the Keeper

for her, by knocking at the Gate herself. so loud, that she made Christiana to start. of the Gate, Who is there? and Christiana said, It is my friend. Mercy faints.

So he opened the Gate, and looked out; but Mercy was fallen down without in a swoon; for she fainted, and was afraid that no Gate should be opened to her. Then he took her by the hand, and said, Damsel, I bid thee arise.

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