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Then said the Interpreter again, " The spider taketh hold with her hands," as you see," and is in Kings' 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?

I thought, said Christiana, of something of this; but I could not imagine it at all. I thought that we were like Spiders, and that we looked like ugly creatures, in what fine rooms soever we were; but that by this Spider, that venomous and ill-favoured creature, we were to learn how to act faith, that came not into my thoughts. And yet she had taken hold with her hands, and, as I see, dwelleth 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.

OF THE HEN
AND CHICKENS.

He had them then into another room, where was a Hen and Chickens, and bid them observe a while. So one of the chickens went to the trough to drink, and, every time she drank, she lifted 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: 1. She had a "common call," and that she hath all day long. 2. She had a "special call,” and that she had but sometimes. 3. She had a "brooding note." And, 4. She had an "outcry."

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Now, said he, compare this hen to your King, and these 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 Outcry, 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.

And, Sir, said Christiana, pray let us see some more; So he had them into the slaughter- OF THE BUTCHER house, where was a Butcher killing a AND THE SHEEP. Sheep; and behold the Sheep was quiet, and took her death patiently. Then said the Interpreter, you must learn of this Sheep to suffer, and to put up with

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.

OF THE GARDEN.

After this, he led them into his Garden, where was great variety of flowers, and he said, Do you see all these? So Christiana said, Yes. Then said he again, Behold the flowers are diverse in stature, in quality, and colour, and smell, and virtue; and some are better than others; also, where the gardener had set them, there they stand, and quarrel not with one another.

OF THE FIELD.

Again, he had them into his Field, which he had sown with wheat and corn; but when they beheld, the tops of all were cut off, only the straw remained. He said again, This ground was dunged, and ploughed, 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!

OF THE ROBIN

Then, as they were coming in from AND THE SPIDER. abroad, they espied a little Robin with a great Spider in his mouth: So the Interpreter said, Look here; so they looked, and Mercy wondered; but Christiana said, What a disparagement it is to such a pretty little bird as the Robin Red-breast is, he being also a bird above many, that loveth to maintain a kind of sociableness with men! 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 sincere; and, above all others, to desire to sociate with them, 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.

PRAY, AND YOU WILL
GET AT THAT WHICH
YET LIES UNRevealed.

So, when they were come again into the House, because supper as yet was not ready, Christiana again desired that the Interpreter would either shew or tell of some other things that are profitable.

Then the Interpreter began, and said, The fatter the sow is, the more she desires the mire; the fatter the ox is, the more gamesomely he goes to the slaughter; and the more healthy the lustful 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 which 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 to hold out as he should to the end.

Every shipmaster, when in a storm, will willingly

cast that overboard which 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.

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 prove 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, that God commendeth?

If the life that is attended with so many troubles is so loath 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 be, 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 has need of.

When the Interpreter had done, he takes them out into his garden again, and had them to

OF THE TREE

THAT IS ROT-
TEN AT HEART.

a Tree whose inside was all rotten and gone, and yet it grew, and had leaves. Then said Mercy, What means this? This Tree, said he, whose outside is fair, and whose inside is rotten, is it, to which many may be compared that are in the

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