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and foretels the Trials they shall encounter.

for they are "deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked:" set your faces like a flint; you have all power in heaven and earth on your side.

CHR. Then Christian thanked him for his exhortation; but told him withal, that they would have him speak further to them for their help the rest of the way; and the rather, for that they well knew that he was a prophet, and could tell them of things that might happen unto them, and how they might resist and overcome them. To which request Faithful also consented. So Evangelist began as followeth :

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EVAN. My sons, you have heard in the words of the truth of the gospel," that you must through many tribulations enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again, that "in every city bonds and afflictions abide on you;" and therefore you cannot expect that you should go long on your pilgrimage without them, in some sort or other. You have found something of the truth of these testimonies upon you already, and more will immediately follow: for now, as you see, you are almost out of this wilderness, and therefore you will soon come into a town that you will by and by see before you: and in that town you will be hardly beset with enemies, who will strain hard but they will kill you: and be you sure that one or both of you must seal the testimony, which you hold, with blood; but "be you faithful unto death, and the King will give you a crown of life." He that shall die there, although his death will be unnatural, and his pains perhaps great, he will yet have the better of his fellow, not only

6 Here is a blessed word of encouragement, of warning, and exhortation to be steadfast in faith, joyful in hope, watchful over our hearts, and to abound in the work of the Lord. All this is constantly necessary for pilgrims. Faithful ministers will give advice, and pilgrims will be thankful for such.

Christian and Faithful arrive at the Town of Vanity.

because he will be arrived at the Celestial City soonest, but because he will escape many miseries that the other will meet with in the rest of his journey. But when you are come to the town, and shall find fulfilled what I have here related, then remember your friend, and quit yourselves like men; and "commit the keeping of your souls to your God in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator"."

Then I saw in my dream, that when they were got out of the wilderness, they presently saw a town before them; the name of that town is Vanity; and at that town there is a fair kept, called Vanity fair: it is kept all the year long: it beareth the name of Vanity fair, because the town where it is kept is "lighter than vanity," and also because all that is there sold, or that cometh thither, is vanity. As is the saying of the wise, "All that cometh is vanity." This fair is no new-erected business, but a thing of ancient standing: I will shew you the original of it.

Almost five thousand years agone, there were pilgrims walking to the Celestial City, as these two honest persons are; and Beelzebub, Apollyon, and Legion, with their companions, perceiving by the path that the pilgrims made, that their way to the city lay through this town of Vanity, they contrived here to set up a fair; a fair, wherein should be sold all sorts of vanity; and that it should last all the year long; therefore at this fair are all such merchandise sold, as houses, lands, trades, places, ho

7 Woe unto them that fold their hands, and fall asleep in vain confidence. You see what hard work yet lay before these pilgrims. Let us ever remember," this is not our rest." We must be pressing forward, fighting the good fight of faith, labouring to enter into that rest which remaineth for the people of God: looking dili, gently, lest we fail of the grace of God, Heb. xii. 5.

Eecles. i. 2-14, ii. 11—17. xi. 8. Isa, xl. 17.

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VANITY FAIR.

At this fair there are at all times to be seen jugglings, cheats, games, plays, fools, apes, knaves, and rogues, and that of every kind.

OXFORD:

Printed and Published by Bartlett and Hinton.

Description of Vanity Fair.

nours, preferments, titles, countries, kingdoms, lusts, pleasures; and delights of all sorts, as whores, bawds, wives, husbands, children, masters, servants, lives, blood, bodies, souls, silver, gold, pearls, precious stones, and what not.

And, moreover, at this fair there is at all times to be seen jugglings, cheats, games, plays, fools, apes, knaves, and rogues, and that of every kind.

Here are to be seen too, and that for nothing, thefts, murders, adulteries, false-swearers, and that of a blood-red colour.

And as in other fairs of less moment there are several rows and streets under their proper names, where such wares are vended, so here likewise you have the proper places, rows, streets (viz. countries and kingdoms) where the wares of this fair are soonest to be found. Here is the Britain row, the French row, the Italian row, the Spanish row, the German row, where several sorts of vanities are to be sold. But as in other fairs some one commodity is as the chief of all the fair, so the ware of Rome and her merchandise is greatly promoted in this fair: only our English nation, with some others, have taken a dislike thereat".

A just description of this wicked world. How many, though they profess to be pilgrims, have never yet set one foot out of this fair, but live in it all the year round! They walk according to the course of this world, Eph. ii. 2, for the god of this world hath blinded their minds, 2 Cor. iv. 4. But all those whom Jesus saves by grace, "he delivers from this present evil world," Gal. i. 4. You cannot be a pilgrim, if you are not delivered from this evil world and its vanities; for if you love the world, if it has your supreme affections, the love of God is not in you, 1 John ii. 15, you have not one grain of faith in Jesus Christ.

9 The doctrine of the church of Rome. It is much to be wished, that the vile Romish ware, of man's bartering with God, and purchasing a title to heaven by his performing of himself conditions of salvation, meriting of heaven by his good works, and procuring justification by his own obedience, to the exalting his pride, and the

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