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voice and came down; (for the Guide had oft before that come thither as a conductor of pilgrims;) and when he was come down, he opened the gate, and seeing the Guide standing just before it, (for he saw not the women, for they were behind him,) he said unto him, "How now, Mr. Great-Heart; what is your business here so late at night?" "I have brought (said he) some pilgrims hither; where, by my Lord's commandment, they must lodge: I had been here some time ago, had I not been opposed by the Giant that used to back the lions. But I, after a long and tedious combat with him, have cut him off, and have brought the pilgrims hither in safety."

Porter. Will you not go in, and stay till morning?

Great-Heart. No; I will return to my Lord to-night. Christiana. Oh, sir, I know not how to be willing you should leave us in our pilgrimage; you have been so faithful and so loving to us; you have fought so stoutly for us; you have been so hearty in counselling of us; that I shall never forget your favor towards us.

Mercy. O, that we might have thy company to our journey's end! How can such poor women as we hold out in a way so full of troubles as this way is, without a friend and defender?

Then said James, the youngest of the boys, " Pray, sir, be persuaded to go with us, and help us, because we are so weak, and the way so dangerous as it is."

Great-Heart. I am at my Lord's commandment. If he shall allot me to be your guide quite through, I will willingly wait upon you; but here you failed at first; for when he bade me come thus far with you, then you should have begged me of him to have gone quite through with you; and he would have granted your request. However, at present I must withdraw: and so, good Christiana, Mercy, and my brave children, adieu!

Then the Porter, Mr. Watchful, asked Christiana of her country, and of her kindred; and she said, "I come from the city of Destruction; I am a widow woman, and my husband is dead; his name was Christian the Pilgrim.” "How! (said the Porter,) was he your husband?" "Yes (said she,) and these are his children; and this, (pointing to Mercy,) is one of my town's-women.

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Then the Porter rang his bell, as at such times he is wont; and there came to the door one of the damsels, whose name was Humble-mind. And to her the Porter said, "Go, tell it within, that Christiana, the wife of Christian, and her children, are come hither on pilgrimage." She went in, therefore, and told it. But, oh, what noise

for gladness was there, when the damsel did but drop that word out of her mouth!

So they came with haste to the Porter, (for Christiana stood still at the door.) Then some of the most grave said unto her," Come in, Christiana; "come in, thou wife of that good man: come in, thou blessed woman, come in, with all that are with thee." So she went in, and they followed her that were her children and her companions.

Now, when they were gone in, they were had into a very large room, where they were bidden to sit down: so they sat down, and the chief of the house was called to see and welcome the guests. Then they came in, and understanding who they were, did salute each other with a kiss, and said, Welcome, ye vessels of the grace of God; welcome to us your faithful friends!

Now, because it was somewhat late, and because the Pilgrims were weary with their journey, and also made faint with the sight of the fight, and of the terrible lions;* therefore they desired, as soon as might be, to prepare to go to rest. "Nay, (said those of the family,) refresh yourselves with a morsel of meat." For they had prepared for them a lamb, with the accustomed sauce belonging thereto. For the Porter had heard before their coming, and had told it to them within. So when they had supped and ended their prayer with a psalm, they desired they might go to rest. "But let us, (said Christiana,) if we may be so bold as to choose, be in that chamber that was my husband's when he was here." So they had them up thither; and they lay all in a room. While they were at rest, Christiana and Mercy entered into discourse about things that were convenient.

Christiana. Little did I think once, when my husband went on pilgrimage, that I should ever have followed him. Mercy. And you as little thought of lying in his bed and in his chamber, to rest, as you do now.

Christiana. And much less did I ever think of seeing his face, with comfort, and of worshipping the Lord the King with him; and yet now I believe I shall.

Mercy. Hark! do you not hear a noise?

Christiana. Yes; it is, as I believe, a noise of music, for joy that we are here!

Mercy. Wonderful music in the house, music in the heart, and music also in heaven, for joy that we are here! Thus they talked a while, and then betook themselves to

*Exod. chap. xii.
† John i. 29.
Note.-Christ's bosom is for all pilgrims.

Part. I. p. 35.

sleep. So in the morning, when they were awaked, Christiana said to Mercy, "What was the matter that you did laugh in your sleep to-night? I suppose you was in a dream."

Mercy. So I was; and a sweet dream it was: but are you sure I laughed?

Christiana. Yes; you laughed heartily; but pr'ythee, Mercy, tell me thy dream.

Mercy. I was a dreaming that I sat all alone in a solitary place, and was bemoaning of the hardness of my heart. Now I had not sat there long, but methought many were gathered about me to see me, and to hear what it was that I said. So they hearkened; and I went on bemoaning the hardness of my heart. At this, some of them laughed at me, some called me fool, and some began to thrust me about. With that, methought I looked up, and saw one coming with wings towards me. So he came directly to me, and said, 'Mercy, what aileth thee?' Now when he heard me make my complaint, he said, 'Peace be to thee!' He also wiped mine eyes with his handkerchief, and clad me in silver and gold. He put a chain about my neck, and ear-rings in mine ears, and a beautiful crown about my head.* Then he took me by the hand, and said, 'Mercy, come after me.' So he went up, and I followed till he came at a golden gate. Then he knocked; and when they within had opened, the man went in, and I followed him up to a throne, upon which One sat; and he said to me, Welcome, daughter.' The place looked bright and twinkling, like the stars, or rather like the sun: and I thought that I saw your husband there: So I awoke from my dream. -But did I laugh?

Christiana. Laugh! ay, and well you might, to see yourself so well. For you must give me leave to tell you, that it was a good dream; and that as you have begun to find the first part true, so you will find the second at last. God speaks once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not in a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon_men, in slumbering upon the bed;' Job. xxxiii. 14, 15. We need not, when abed, to lie awake to talk with God: he can visit us while we sleep, and cause us then to hear his voice. Our heart oft-times wakes when we sleep; and God can speak to that, either by words, by proverbs, or by signs and similitudes, as well as if one was awake.

Mercy. Well, I am glad of my dream; for I hope, ere long, to see it fulfilled, to the making me laugh again.

* Read chap. xvi. of Ezekiel, ver. 8, &c.

Christiana. I think it is now high time to rise, and to know what we must do.

Mercy. Pray, if they invite us to stay a while, let us willingly accept of the proffer. I am the willinger to stay a while here, to grow better acquainted with these maids; methinks, Prudence, Piety, and Charity, have very comely and sober countenances.

Christiana. We shall see what they will do..

So, when they were up and ready, they came down; and they asked one another of their rest, and if it was comfortable or not?

"Very good, (said Mercy;) it was one of the best night's lodgings that ever I had in my life."

Then said Prudence and Piety, "If you will be persuaded to stay here a while, you shall have what the house will afford." -66 "Ay, and that with a very good will," said

Charity.

So they consented, and staid there about a month or aboye; and became very profitable one to another. And because Prudence would see how Christiana had brought up her children, she asked leave of her to catechise them: so she gave her free consent. Then she began with the youngest, whose name was James.

And she said, "Come, James; canst thou tell me who made thee?"

James. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost.

Prudence. Good boy. And canst thou tell who saved thee?

James. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost.

Prudence. Good boy still. But how doth God the Father save thee?

James. By his grace.

Prudence. How doth God the Son save thee?

James. By his illumination, by his renovation, and by his preservation.

Then said Prudence to Christiana, "You are to be commended for thus bringing up your children. I suppose I need not ask the rest these questions, since the youngest of them can answer them so well. I will therefore now apply myself to the next youngest.

Then she said, "Come Joseph, (for his name was Joseph,) will you let me catechise you?" Joseph. With all my heart. Prudence. What is man?

Joseph. A reasonable creature; made so by God, as my brother said.

Prudence. What is supposed by this word saved?

Joseph. That man, by sin, has brought himself into a state of captivity and misery.

Prudence. What is supposed by his being saved by the Trinity?

Joseph. That sin is so great and mighty a tyrant, that none can pull us out of its clutches but God: and that God is so good and loving to man, as to pull him indeed out of this miserable state.

Prudence. What is God's design in saving poor men? Joseph. The glorifying of his name, of his grace, and justice, (and so forth;) and the everlasting happiness of his

creature.

Prudence. Who are they that must be saved?

Joseph. Those that accept of his salvation.

Prudence. Good boy, Joseph: thy mother hath taught thee well, and thou hast hearkened to what she has said unto thee.

Then said Prudence to Samuel, who was the eldest son but one; "Come, Samuel, are you willing that I should catechise you?"

Samuel. Yes, forsooth, if you please.

Prudence. What is heaven?

Samuel. A place and state most blessed, because God dwelleth there.

Prudence. What is hell?

Samuel. A place and state most woful, because it is the dwelling-place of sin, the devil, and death.

Prudence. Why wouldest thou go to heaven?

Samuel. That I may see God, and serve him without weariness;-that I may see Christ, and love him everlastingly; that I may have that fulness of the Holy Spirit in me, that I can by no means here enjoy.

Prudence. A very good boy also; and one that has learned well.

Then she addressed herself to the eldest, whose name was Matthew; and she said to him, "Come, Matthew, shall I also catechise you?"

Matthew. With a very good will.

Prudence. I ask then, if there was ever any thing that had a being antecedent to or before God?

Matthew. No; for God is eternal; nor is there any thing excepting Himself, that had a being until the beginning of the first day: 'For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is.'

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