The Pilgrime take leave of Gaius.

them by the year, but looked for his pay from the good Samaritan, who had promised him, at his return, whatsoever charge he was at with them, faithfully to repay him. (Luke x. 34, 35.) Then said Mr. Great-heart to him:

GREAT. Beloved, thou doest faithfully, whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers, who have borne witness of thy charity before the church, whom if thou (yet) bring forward on their journey, after a godly sort, thou shalt do well. (3 John. v. 6.)' Then Gaius took his leave of them all, and his children, and particularly of Mr. Feeble-mind. He also gave him something to drink by the way.

Now Mr. Feeble-mind, when they were going out of the door, made as if he intended to linger. The which when Mr. Great-heart espied, he said, "Come, Mr. Feeble-mind, pray do you go along with us; I will be your conductor, and you shall fare as the rest.”

FEEBLE. Alas! I want a suitable companion. You are all lusty and strong, but I, as you see, am weak; I choose therefore rather to come behind, lest, by reason of my many infirmities, I should be both a burden

Christian benevolence expects no reward from men, or in the present life. Produced by a grateful sense of the unspeakable love of Christ, it is manifested "unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith," from the constraining influence of the love of Christ upon the heart, and from an assurance that such actions will obtain the divine approbation, and be graciously noticed at the resurrection of the just.-Benevolent persons, whose houses are opened for the reception and entertainment of christians, will draw forth the commendations of the wise and good, and stand high in the estimation of those whose praise is worthy of being regarded. To mark the approbation of all parties concerned, when young christians marry in the fear of God, it is proper, where the circumstances of persons will justify it, that a feast should be prepared, at which christian friends may express their pleasure at the happiness and prosperity of their acquaintance.

Parents may take leave of their children without distress when they are married in the fear of God, and according to the rules of his word. The weakest and most distressed believers will secure from benevolent christians the most marked attention and respect.

While Feeble-mind is hesitating about accompanying the Pilgrims,

to myself and to you. I am, as I said, a man of a weak and feeble mind, and shall be offended and made weak at that which others can bear. I shall like no laughing; I shall like no gay attire; I shall like no unprofitable questions. Nay, I am so weak a man as to be offended with that which others have a liberty to do. I do not know all the truth: I am a very ignorant christian man. Sometimes, if I hear any rejoice in the Lord, it troubles me, because I cannot do so too. It is with me, as it is with a weak man among the strong, or as a lamp despised; so that I know not what to do. (Job xii. 5.)

GREAT. But, brother, said Mr. Great-heart, I have it in commission to comfort the feeble minded, and to support the weak. You must needs go along with us; we will wait for you; we will lend you our help; we will deny ourselves of some things, both of opinion and practice, for your sake: we will not enter into doubtful disputations before you; we will be made all things to you, rather than you shall be left behind.m (1 Thess. v. 14. Rom. xiv. 1 Cor. viii. 9-13. ix. 22.)

A Christian spirit.

m The features of a weak-minded, ill-instructed christian are drawn by our author's accurate pencil, and the duties of a christian pastor, and of believers who are strong and well informed, towards such persons, are described, in his best manner. "We then that are strong," says the apostle, "ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves," Rom. xv. 1. Those things which are merely matters of "opinion" in religion, such as were the distinction of days, and the difference of meats and drinks, mentioned in the 14th of Romans, ought never to be made terms of communion, and ought not to be the matter of controversy among christians on such subjects they should become all things to all men. It is probable that Mr. Bunyan, who was an advocate for open communion, intended to class the ordinance of believer's baptism among the "practical things," of which Mr. Great-heart and his companions would "deny themselves" for the sake of those whom they deemed weak brethren The advocates for strict communion do not approve of this. They think that there is an important distinction between a positive institution enjoined by divine authority on all christians, and which having never been repealed, continues to be the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning

they are joined by Mr. Ready-to-halt.

Now all this while they were at Gaius's door; and behold, as they were thus in the heat of their discourse, Mr. Ready-to-halt came by, with his crutches in his hand, and he also was going on pilgrimage.

FEEBLE. Then said Mr. Feeble-mind to him, How camest thou hither? I was but now complaining that I had not a suitable companion, but thou art according to my wish. Welcome, welcome, good Mr. Ready-tohalt, I hope thou and I may be some help.

READY. I shall be glad of thy company, said the other; and, good Mr. Feeble-mind, rather than we will part, since we are thus happily met, I will lend thee one of my crutches.

FEEBLE. Nay, answered he, though I thank thee for thy good will, I am not inclined to halt before I am lame. Howbeit, I think, when occasion is, it may help me against a dog.

READY. If either myself, or my crutches, can do thee a pleasure, we are both at thy command, good Mr. Feeble-mind.

Thus therefore they went on. Mr. Great-heart and Mr. Honest went before, Christiana and her children went next, and Mr. Feeble-mind came behind, and Mr. Ready-to-halt with his crutches." Then said

Mr. Honest;

his people, and those indifferent customs which form no part of the institutions of the kingdom of God. Whichever of these sentiments our readers may embrace, we exhort them to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, remembering that each sentiment numbers amongst its adherents men of the most eminent piety.

"Mr. Bunyan has very ingeniously found an associate for his feeble-minded christian, in one equally weak and imperfect; on who was lame and limping in his religious sentiments, apt to hesitate and be very dubious on every subject, and who, instead of forming his own sentiments from the word of truth, leant upon the sentiments and opinions of others. The refusal of Feeble-mind to accept one of his crutches, is humourously conceived. He would, weak as he was, think for himself, and not let others think for him; though he would have no objection to quote the opinion of other christians against an adversary.-Their meeting at the doo c 15

3 E

The Pilgrims proceed on their Journey,

HON. Pray, Sir, now we are upon the road, tell us some profitable things of some that have gone on pilgrimage before us.

GREAT. With a good will. I suppose you have heard how Christian of old did meet with Apollyon in the Valley of Humiliation, and also what hard work he had to go through the Valley of the Shadow of Death. Also I think you cannot but have heard how Faithful was put to it by Madam Wanton, with Adam the First, and Discontent, and Shame; four as deceitful villains as a man can meet with upon the road.

HON. Yes, I believe I have heard of all this; but good Faithful was hardest put to it with Shame: he was an unwearied one

GREAT. Ay; for, as the pilgrim well said, he of all men had the wrong name.

HON. But pray, Sir, where was it that Christian and Faithful met Talkative? That same was also a notable one.

GREAT. He was a confident fool; yet many follow his ways.

HON. He had like to have beguiled Faithful. GREAT. Ay, but Christian put him into a way quickly to find him out.

Thus they went on till they came to the place where Evangelist met with Christian and Faithful, and prophesied to them what should befall them at Vanity Fair. Then said their guide, " Hereabouts did Christian and Faithful meet with Evangelist, who prophesied to them of the troubles which they should meet with at Vanity Fair."

HON. Say you so? I dare say it was a hard chapter that then he read unto them.

GREAT. It was so, but he gave them encourage.

of Gaius is intended to intimate, that christian charity will draw persons of dissimilar dispositions and sentiments together, and induce them to seek the good of each other to edification. "Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in nity," Psa. cxxxiii. 1.

and arrive at the Town of Vanity.

inent withal. But what do we talk of them? They were a couple of lion-like men; they had set their faces like flints. Do not you remember how undaunted they were when they stood before the judge? HON. Well, Faithful bravely suffered.

GREAT. So he did, and as brave things came of it; for Hopeful, and some others, as the story relates it, were converted by his death.

HON. Well, but pray go on; for you are well acquainted with things.

GREAT. Above all that Christian met with after he had passed through Vanity Fair, one By-Ends was the arch one.

HON. By-Ends; what was he?

GREAT. A very arch fellow, a downright hypocrite; one that would be religious, which way soever the world went; but so cunning, that he would be sure never to lose or suffer for it. He had his mode of religion for every fresh occasion, and his wife was as good at it as he. He would turn from opinion to opinion; yea, and plead for so doing too. But as far as I could learn, he came to an ill end with his byends; nor did I ever hear that any of his children were ever of any esteem with any that truly feared 'God."

Now by this time they were come within sight of the town of Vanity, where Vanity Fair is kept. So when they saw that they were so near the town, they consulted with one another how they should pass through it; and some said one thing, and some another. At last Mr. Great-heart said, "I have, as you may understand, often been a conductor of pilgrims through this town. Now I am acquainted with one Mr. Mnason, (Acts xxi. 16.) a Cyprusian by nation,

This recapitulation of the first part of the Pilgrim serves to elucidate the design of the author, and, so far as the writer of the notes can judge, confirms the exposition that has been given of the subjects to which it relates.