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Chr. Yes, and that with much affection; for you must think that my wife and poor children were very dear

unto me.

Cha. But did you tell them of your own sorrow, and fear of destruction? For I suppose that destruction was visible enough to you?

Chr. Yes, over, and over, and over. They might also see my fears in my countenance, in my tears, and also in my trembling under the apprehension of the judgment that did hang over our heads; but all was not sufficient to prevail with them to come with me.

Cha. But what could they say for themselves why they came not?

Chr. Why, my wife was afraid of losing this world; and my children were given to the foolish delights of youth. So, what by one thing and what by another, they left me to wander in this manner alone.

Cha. But did you not with your vain life damp all that you by words used by way of persuasion to bring them away with you?

Chr. Indeed, I cannot commend my life, for I am conscious to myself of many failings therein. I know also that a man by his conversation may soon overthrow what by argument or persuasion he doth labour to fasten upon others for their good. Yet this I can say, I was very wary of giving them occasion, by any unseemly action, to make them averse to going on pilgrimage. Yea, for this very thing, they would tell me I was too precise, and that I denied myself of things (for their sakes) in which they saw no evil. Nay, I think I may say, that, if what they saw in me did hinder them, it was my great tenderness in sinning against God, or of doing any wrong to my neighbour.

Cha. Indeed, Cain hated his brother, because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous (1 John iii. 12);

and if thy wife and children have been offended with thee for this, they thereby show themselves to be implacable to good; and thou hast delivered thy soul from their blood (Ezek. iii. 19).

Now I saw in my dream, that thus they sat talking together until supper was ready. So when they had made ready, they sat down to meat. Now the table was furnished with fat things, and with wine that was well refined; and all their talk at the table was about the lord of the hill; as, namely, about what he had done, and wherefore he did what he did, and why he had built that house; and by what they said, I perceived that he had been a great warrior, and had fought with, and slain him that had the power of death, but not without great danger to himself, which made me love him the more (Heb. ii. 14, 15).

For, as they said, and as I believe, said Christian, he did it with the loss of much blood; but that which put glory of grace into all he did was, that he did it of pure love to his country. And besides, there were some of them of the household that said they had seen and spoken with him since he did die on the cross; and they have attested, that they had it from his own lips, that he is such a lover of poor pilgrims, that the like is not to be found from the east to the west.

They moreover gave an instance of what they affirmed, and that was, he had stripped himself of his glory, that he might do this for the poor; and that they heard him say and affirm, "That he would not dwell in the mountain of Zion alone." They said, moreover, that he had made many pilgrims princes, though by nature they were beggars born, and their original had been the dunghill (1 Sam. ii. 8; Ps. cxiii. 7).

Thus they discoursed together till late at night; and after they had committed themselves to their lord for protection,

H

they betook themselves to rest. The pilgrim they laid in a large upper chamber, whose window opened towards the sunrising. The name of the chamber was Peace, where he slept till break of day, and then he awoke and sang,

Where am I now? Is this the love and care
Of Jesus-for the men that pilgrims are,
Thus to provide? That I should be forgiven,
And dwell already the next door to heaven!

So, in the morning, they all got up; and, after some more discourse, they told him that he should not depart till they had showed him the rarities of that place. And first they had him into the study, where they showed him records of the greatest antiquity; in which, as I remember my dream, they showed him first the pedigree of the lord of the hill, that he was the son of the Ancient of Days, and came by an eternal generation. Here also was more fully recorded the acts that he had done, and the names of many hundreds that he had taken into his service; and how he had placed them in such habitations, that could neither by length of days, nor decays of nature, be dissolved.

Then they read to him some of the worthy acts that some of his servants had done; as how they had subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, and turned to flight the armies of the aliens (Heb. xi. 33, 34).

Then they read again in another part of the records of the house, where it was showed how willing their lord was to receive into his favour any, even any, though they in time past had offered great affronts to his person and proceedings. Here also were several other histories of many other famous things, of all which Christian had a view; as of things both ancient and modern, together with prophecies

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CHRISTIAN HARNESSED IN THE LORD'S ARMOURY.

The next day they took him, and had him into the armoury, where they showed him all manner of furniture, which their lord had provided for pilgrims, as sword, shield, helmet, breastplate, all-prayer, and shoes that would not wear out. And there was here enough of this to harness out as many men for the service of their lord as there be stars in the heaven for multitude. Now he bethought himself of setting forward, and they were willing he should. But first, said they, let us go again into the armoury; so they did; and when he came there, they harnessed him from head to foot, with what was of proof, lest perhaps he should meet with assaults in the way

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