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fallen, in their education, and the improper indulgences and amusements, in which, through a vain fondness to be fashionable, or through the example of worldly families and friends, she may have allowed her children. There are pleasures, amusements, and gratifications, which are so thoroughly and solely worldly, so entirely on the other side of the wall of salvation, that they must be considered as belonging to Beelzebub's orchard, and therefore the Pilgrims and their families should have nothing to do with them. Nevertheless, the fruit hangs over so temptingly into the Pilgrim's way, and so many are in the habit of considering Beelzebub's mellow apples as innocent amusements, that many Pilgrim families do partake of them, to the injury of the cause of Christ, and to their own great spiritual harm. There is decision as well as affectionate kindness needed in every Christian parent, to keep his children from the fruit of those trees that grow on Beelzebub's side of the wall.

It is very instructive to see how long after the fruit was taken, the evil broke out in Matthew's system. Sin may be carelessly or wilfully committed, and yet at the time the conscience may be blinded or quiet in regard to it, even with those who are true believers; but such sin may be the cause of great darkness, discouragement and distress, when the conscience, though late, is made to feel it; and it may be the cause of the withdrawal of the consolations of God's Spirit, and the cause of great gloom in the soul, even while the sin is not remembered, and the believer does not know why God is contending with him. In such a case the

Pilgrims must say with Jeremiah, Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord.

The skilful Physician in this allegory proposed such questions to Matthew and his mother, that they soon discovered the cause of his illness, and when the cause was known, then by the medicines of Christ, by the blood of Christ, with the tears of faith and repentance, the cure was easy. But concealed sin must sooner or later work distress in the conscience, and so must every sinful habit, and every wrong worldly indulgence, however it may have been pleaded for and allowed under the guise of an innocent gratification. Forbidden fruit is dangerous fruit, and works ruin, whether children take it, or grown people. The heart of persons who live upon it becomes, in Bunyan's expressive phrase, good for nothing but to be tinder for the devil's tinder-box. Just so combustible are the passions even of children, where sin is not restrained.

There are two characteristics that reign both in the First and Second Parts of the Pilgrim's Progress; the most important, and the one which is diffused through the whole work, constituting its spirit, and pervading it like a warm, clear, sunny atmosphere, is the love of Christ and the Cross. This was the grand trait in Bunyan's Christian character, and all his writings are deeply penetrated with it. The blood of the slain Lamb is every where present; this is the precious hue that suffuses the work, and gives to all its colors such depth, such power and richness. The heart of the work is Christ; Christ's love, Christ's atoning sacrifice, Christ's righteousness, Christ's precious intercession, Christ's meek

ness and gentleness, Christ's ever-present grace, Christ's prevailing merits, Christ the victory over sin, Christ our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption. This secures to the book the ever-present influences of the Holy Spirit ; this makes it a stream of the Water of Life, clear as crystal, flowing through the world; this makes it a book beloved by the heart of the Pilgrim, just in proportion as every thought and feeling are brought into captivity to the love of Christ.

The second reigning trait of the whole work is its sober, practical and affectionate wisdom. It is the wisdom that cometh from above, pure and peaccable, gentle and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and of good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. The views of the christian life here inculcated are judicious; its trials and its dangers not at all concealed, yet never overrated; its enjoyments tinged with a sober colouring, though rich; the King's highway often rough and beset with difficulties, yet passing through scenes of inexpressible loveliness, and provided here and there with deep-springing wells of comfort. The practical spirit of this book is of indescribable value and importance. An allegory like this, one might suppose, would make rather an imaginative than a working Pilgrim; and in some hands it would have tended to produce a dreaming mystic, instead of a sober, experienced Christian. But there is hardly a book of greater practical wisdom in the world, and certainly, with all its imagination, no more correct map of the Christian Pilgrimage. Its wisdom is that of dearly bought

experience, heaven-taught and heaven-descended. Along with this wisdom there mingles at the same time, a vein of the purest most genuine cheerfulness and humor. It is as a part of that wisdom, that Bunyan has introduced the domestic constitution so beautifully, so happily, so sacredly, in the course of the Pilgrimage. It has made his Pilgrims marry and give in marriage, in accordance with the inspired declaration that marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled, and in opposition to that asceticism and fanaticism of celibacy, which would proclaim a single state as the holiest, and which in the Romish Church has wrought such a frightful career of abominations. But Bunyan also makes his Pilgrims marry according to the Apostolic injunction, only in the Lord.

In the course of this delineation in the Second Part there occurs a passage, which for exquisite humor, quiet satire and naturalness in the development of character, is scarcely surpassed in the language. It is the account of the courtship between Mercy and Mr. Brisk, which took place at the House Beautiful.

"Now by that these Pilgrims had been in this place a week, Mercy had a visiter that pretended some good will unto her, and his name was Mr. Brisk, a man of some breeding, and that pretended to religion; but a man that stuck very close to the world. So he came once or twice or more to Mercy, and offered love unto her. Now Mercy was of a fair countenance, and therefore the more alluring. Her mind also was to be always busying of herself in doing; for when she had nothing to

do for herself, she would be making of hose and garments for others, and would bestow them upon them that had need. And Mr. Brisk, not knowing how or where she disposed of what she made, seemed to be greatly taken, for that he found her never idle. I will warrant her a good housewife, quoth he to himself."

Mercy then revealed the business to the maidens that were of the house, and inquired of them concerning him, for they did know him better than she. So they told her that he was a very busy young man, and one that pretended to religion; but was, as they feared, a stranger to the power of that which is good.

"Nay, then, said Mercy, I will look no more on him; for I purpose never to have a clog to my soul,

"Prudence then replied that there needed no great matter of discouragement to be given to him; for continuing so, as she had begun, to do for the poor, would quickly cool his courage.

"So the next time he comes, he finds her at her old work, a making of things for the poor. Then said he, What, always at it? Yes, said she, either for myself or for others. And what canst thou earn a day? quoth he. I do these things, said she, that I may be rich in good works, laying a good foundation against the time to come, that I may lay hold of eternal life. Why, prithee, what dost thou do with them? said he. Clothe the - naked, said she. With that his countenance fell. So he forbore to come at her again. And when he was asked the reason why, he said that Mercy was a pretty lass, but troubled with ill conditions."

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