They arrive at the House of the Interpreter,

thereby to make manifest the riches of his grace; for he, as we see, has followed us with unasked kindness, and has delivered us from their hands that were stronger than we, of his mere good pleasure.

Thus now, when they had talked away a little more time, they drew near to a house that stood in the way, which house was built for the relief of pilgrims as you will find more fully related in the first part of the records of the Pilgrim's Progress". So they drew on towards the house (the house of the Interpreter;) and when they came to the door, they heard a great talk in the house: then they gave ear, and heard, as they thought, Christiana mentioned by name. For you must know, that there went along, even before her, a talk of her and her chil dren going on pilgrimage. And this was the more pleasing to them, because they had heard that she was Christian's wife, that woman who was some time ago so unwilling to hear of going on pilgrimage. Thus, therefore, they stood still, and heard the good people within commending her, who, they little thought, stood at the door. At last Christiana knocked, as she had done at the gate before. Now, when she had knocked, there came to the door a young damsel, named Innocent, and opened the door, and looked, and behold two women were there.

Then said the damsel to them, "With whom would you speak in this place?"

A humble person will thankfully acknowledge every favour received, and adore the riches of divine grace, as the fountain from whence it flowed. The more a Christian knows of this ocean of love, the more will he launch out in holy confidence, in humble praise and thanksgiving to God. Those who think highly of themselves, have low thoughts of God, his grace and mercy. Oh, let us earnestly pray that we may be clothed with humility, and ever feel a grateful sense of God's infinite mercy and love, in the whole plan of our salvation.

A Part I. page 34-49.

and are received by Innocent.

Christiana answered, We understand that this is a privileged place for those that are become pilgrims, and we now at this door are such: wherefore we pray that we may be partakers of that for which we at this time are come; for the day, as thou seest, is very far spent, and we are loath to-night to go any further.

DAM. Pray, what may I call your name, that I may tell it to my Lord within?

CHR. My name is Christiana; I was the wife of that pilgrim that some years ago did travel this way; and these be his four children. This maiden is also my companion, and is going on pilgrimage

too.

INNOCENT. Then ran Innocent in (for that was her name) and said to those within, "Can you think who is at the door? there is Christiana, and her children, and her companion, all waiting for entertainment here!"-Then they leaped for joy, and went and told their master. So he came to the door, and looking upon her, he said, "Art thou that Christiana whom Christian the good man left behind him, when he betook himself to a pilgrim's life ?"

CHR. I am that woman that was so hard-hearted as to slight my husband's troubles, and that left him to go on his journey alone; and these are his four children but now I also am come, for I am convinced that no way is right but this".

7 Here see how the experience of divine grace works in the heart, by keeping the subjects of it low in their own eyes, and cutting off all self-exaltings. "I am that hard-hearted woman," &c. This ever dwelt uppermost in Christiana's heart. O soul! if thou truly knowest thyself, thou wilt ever be sinking into nothing, yea, worse than nothing, because a sinner before the Lord; and confess thy vileness unto him, and acknowledge, that if he had left thee to thyself, destruction must have been thy inevitable doom.

Entertainment of the Pilgrims

INTER. Then is fulfilled that which is written of the man that said to his son, "Go work to-day in my vineyard: and he said to his father, I will not; but afterwards repented and went."

CHR. Then said Christiana, So be it: Amen. God make it a true saying upon me, and grant that I may be found at the last "of him in peace, without spot, and blameless!"

INTER. But why standest thou at the door? Come in, thou daughter of Abraham: we were talking of thee but now, for tidings have come to us before, how thou art become a pilgrim. Come, children, come in: come, maiden, come. So he had them all into the house.

So when they were within, they were bidden to sit down and rest them; the which when they had done, those that attended upon the pilgrims in the house came into the room to see them. And one smiled, and another smiled, and another smiled, and they all smiled, for joy that Christiana was become a pilgrim: they also looked upon the boys; they stroked them over their faces with their hands, in token of their kind reception of them: they also carried it lovingly to Mercy, and bid them all welcome into their Master's house.

And see how confident divine teaching makes us. Under its power and influence, we can say with Christiana, I am convinced that no way is right but this, even to be a pilgrim of the Lord, and a sojourner upon the earth.

Here is joy indeed, which strangers to the love of Christ intermeddle not with. Believer, did you never partake of this pleasing, this delightful sensation, on seeing other poor sinners like thyself called to know Jesus, and follow him? Surely this is the joy of heaven: and if thou hast this joy, thou hast the love that reigns in heaven. Glory be to Jesus, I think I can truly say, I have this blessed evidence in my heart, that I know somewhat of this joy, iMatt. xxi. 28, 29.

at the House of the Interpreter.

After a while, because supper was not ready, the Interpreter took them into his significant rooms, and shewed them what Christian, Christiana's husband, had seen some time before. Here therefore they saw the man in the cage, the man and his dream, the man that cut his way through his enemies, and the picture of the biggest of all; together with the rest of those things that were then so profitable to Christian.

This done, and after those things had been somewhat digested by Christiana and her company, the Interpreter takes them apart again, and has them first into a room where was a man that could look no way but downwards, with a muck-rake in his hand : there stood also one over his head with a celestial crown in his hand, and proffered him that crown for his muck-rake; but the man did neither look up nor regard, but raked to himself the straws, the small sticks, and dust of the floor.

Then said Christiana, I persuade myself that I know somewhat the meaning of this; for this is the figure of a man in this world: is it not, good Sir?

INTER. Thou hast said right, said he, and his muck-rake 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 do what he says that calls to him from above, with the celestial crown in his hand; it is to shew, that hea ven 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

arising from seeing poor lost sinners converted not merely to an opinion, or to a party of Christians, but their hearts converted to Jesus, so as sincerely to love and follow him. Oh, for a spread and increase of this spirit among Christians of all denominations! Amen.

The Spider upon the Wall.

earthly things, when they are with power upon men's minds, quite carry their hearts away from God.

CHR. Then said Christiana, Oh! deliver me from this muck-rake.

INTER. That prayer, said the Interpreter, has lain by till it is almost rusty: "Give me not riches,” is scarce the prayer of one in ten thousand. Straws, and sticks, and dust, with most, are the great things now looked after.

With that Christiana and Mercy wept, and said, "It is, alas! too true"."

When the Interpreter had shewed them this, he had 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 to be seen but a very great spider on the wall; and that they overlooked.

MER. Then said Mercy, Sir, I see nothing: but Christiana held her peace.

INTER. But said the Interpreter, "Look again :" she therefore looked again, and said, "Here is not any thing but an ugly 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 of quick apprehension: and she said, "Yes, Lord, there is more here than one; yea, and spiders whose venom is far more destructive than that which

Reader, didst thou, like these pious pilgrims, never shed a generous tear for thy base and disengenuous conduct towards thy Lord, in preferring the sticks and straws of this world to the unsearchable riches of Christ, and the salvation of thy immortal soul. Oh, this evil was natural to us all! and though made wise unto salvation, yet something of this folly is apt to cleave to us still, Let the thought humble us, and make us weep before the Lord.

k Prov, xxx, 8.