Gambar halaman
PDF
ePub

INTER. Thou hast said the right, said he, and his Muckrake, doth shew 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 what he says that calls to him from above with the Cœlestial 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 shewed thee, that the man could look no way but downwards, it is to let thee know that earthly things when 10 they are with Power upon Men's minds, quite carry their hearts away from God.

20

CHRIS. Then said Christiana, O! deliver me from this Muck- Christiana's rake.

prayer against the

INTER. That Prayer, said the Interpreter, has lain by till 'tis Muck-rake. almost rusty: Give me not Riches, is scarce the Prayer of one Prov. 30. 8. of ten thousand. Straws, and Sticks, and Dust, with most, are the great things now looked after.

With that Mercy, and Christiana wept, and said, It is alas!

too true.

When the Interpreter had shewed them this, he has 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 there to be seen but a very

great Spider on the Wall, and that they overlookt.

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

Spider.

INTER. But said the Interpreter, look again: she therefore of the lookt again and said, Here is not any thing, but an ugly 30 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, Yes, Lord, there is here more than one. Yea, and Spiders whose Venom is far more Talk about destructive then that which is in her. The Interpreter then looked pleasantly upon her, and said, Thou hast said the Truth. This made Mercy blush, and the Boys to cover their Faces: For they all began now to understand the Riddle.

the Spider.

Prov. 30. 28.

The Interpretation,

and Chick

ens.

Then said the Interpreter again, The Spider taketh hold with her hands as you see, and is in King's Palaces. And wherefore is this recorded, but to shew 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?

CHRIS. I thought, said Christiana, of something of this; but I could not imagine it all. I thought that we were like Spiders, and that we looked like ugly Creatures, in what fine Room soever we were. But that by this Spider, this venomous IO and ill-favoured Creature, we were to learn how to act Faith, that came not into my mind. And yet she has taken hold with her hands, as I see, and dwells 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.

He had them then into another Room where was a Hen and Of the Hen Chickens, and bid them observe a while. So one of the Chickens went to the Trough to drink, and every time she 20 drank she lift 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. call, and that she hath all day long. call, and that she had but sometimes.

Matth. 23.37. note, and 4. she had an out-cry.

1. She had a common 2. She had a special 3. She had a brooding

Now, said he, compare this Hen to your King, and these 30 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 out-cry, to give the Alarm when he seeth the Enemy come. I chose, my Darlings, to lead you into the Room where such things are because you are Women and they are easy for you.

[ocr errors]

Butcher and

CHRIS. And Sir, said Christiana, pray let us see some more : So he had them into the Slaughter-house, where was a Butcher of the a killing of a Sheep: and behold the Sheep was quiet, and the Sheep. took her Death patiently. Then said the Interpreter: you must learn of this Sheep, to suffer, and to put up 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.

Garden.

After this, he led them into his Garden, where was great of the variety of Flowers; and he said, do you see all these? So Christiana said, yes. Then said he again, Behold the Flowers are divers in Stature, in Quality, and Colour, and Smell, and Virtue, and some are better than some: also where the Gardener has set them, there they stand, and quarrel not one with another.

Again, he had them into his Field, which he had sowed with of the Field. Wheat, and Corn: but when they beheld, the tops of all

was cut off, only the Straw remained. He said again, This 20 Ground was Dunged, and Plowed, and Sowed; but what shall we do with the Crop? Then said Christiana, burn some and make muck of the rest. Then said the Interpreter again, Fruit you see is that thing you look for, and for want of that you condemn it to the Fire, and to be trodden under foot of men. Beware that in this you condemn not yourselves.

Robin and

the Spider.

Then, as they were coming in from abroad, they espied a of the little Robin with a great Spider in his mouth. So the Interpreter said, look here. So they looked, and Mercy wondred; but Christiana said, what a disparagement is it to such a little 30 pretty Bird as the Robin-red-breast is, he being also a Bird above many, that loveth to maintain a kind of Sociableness with Man? I had thought they had lived upon crumbs of Bread, or upon other such harmless matter. I like him worse than I did.

The Interpreter then replied, This Robin is an Emblem very apt to set forth some Professors by; for to sight they are as this Robin, pretty of Note, Colour and Carriage, they seem also to have a very great Love for Professors that are

Pray and

at that

sincere; and above all other to desire to associate with, and to be in their Company, as if they could live upon the good Man's Crumbs. They pretend also that therefore it is, that they frequent the House of the Godly, and the appointments of the Lord: but when they are by themselves, as the Robin, they can catch and gobble up Spiders, they can change their Diet, drink Iniquity, and swallow down Sin like Water.

So when they were come again into the House, because you will get Supper as yet was not ready, Christiana again desired that the Interpreter would either shew or tell of some other things to that are Profitable.

which yet

lies unrevealed.

Then the Interpreter began and said, The fatter the Sow is, the more she desires the Mire; the fatter the Ox is, the more gamesomly he goes to the Slaughter; and the more healthy the lusty man is, the more prone he is unto Evil.

There is a desire in Women to go neat and fine, and it is a comely thing to be adorned with that, that in God's sight is of great price.

'Tis easier watching a night or two, than to sit up a whole year together: So 'tis easier for one to begin to profess well, than 20 to hold out as he should to the end.

Every Ship-Master, when in a Storm, will willingly cast that overboard that is of the smallest value in the Vessel; but who will throw the best out first? none but he that feareth not God.

One leak will sink a Ship, and one Sin will destroy a Sinner. He that forgets his Friend is ungrateful unto him: but he that forgets his Saviour is unmerciful to himself.

He that lives in Sin, and looks for Happiness hereafter, is like him that soweth Cockle, and thinks to fill his Barn with Wheat or Barley.

30 If a man would live well, let him fetch his last day to him, and make it always his company-Keeper.

Whispering and change of thoughts, proves that Sin is in the World.

If the World, which God sets light by, is counted a thing of that worth with men: what is Heaven which God commendeth?

If the life that is attended with so many troubles, is so loth to be let go by us, What is the life above?

Every Body will cry up the goodness of Men; but who is there that is, as he should, affected with the Goodness of God?

We seldom sit down to Meat, but we eat, and leave: So there is in Jesus Christ more Merit and Righteousness than the whole World bas need of.

was of the Tree Then at heart.

whose

When the Interpreter had done, he takes them out into his Garden again, and had them to a Tree whose inside Rotten, and gone, and yet it grew and had Leaves. said Mercy, what means this? This Tree, said he, 10 outside is fair, and whose inside is rotten; it is to which many may be compared that are in the Garden of God: who with their mouths speak high in behalf of God, but indeed will do nothing for him: whose Leaves are fair, but their heart Good for nothing but to be Tinder for the Devil's Tinder-Box.

that is rotten

Now supper was ready, the Table spread, and all things set They are at Supper. on the Board; so they sate down and did eat when one had given thanks. And the Interpreter did usually entertain those that lodged with him with Musick at Meals, so the Minstrels 20 played. There was also one that did Sing. And a very fine voice he had.

30

His song was this.

The Lord is only my Support,

And he that doth me feed:

How can I then want anything,

Whereof I stand in need?

When the Song and Musick was ended, the Interpreter asked Christiana, What it was that at first did move her to betake herself to a Pilgrim's Life?

Talk at
Supper.
A Repetition

iana's Expe

Christiana answered. First, the loss of my Husband came into my mind, at which I was heartily grieved: but all that of Christwas but natural Affection. Then after that, came the rience. Troubles, and Pilgrimage of my Husband's into my mind, and also how like a Churl I had carried it to him as to that. So guilt took hold of my mind, and would have drawn me into the Pond; but that opportunely I had a Dream of the well-being of my Husband, and a Letter sent me by the King of that Country where my Husband dwells, to come to him.

« SebelumnyaLanjutkan »