While they were thus talking, they were presented with another Song. of Sol. 6. 11. dish, and it was a dish of nuts. Then said some at the table, Nuts spoil tender teeth, especially the teeth of children. Which when Gaius heard, he said— Hard texts are nuts (I will not call them cheaters) Then were they very merry, and sat at the table a long time, talking of many things. Then said the old gentleman, My good landlord, while we are cracking your nuts, if you please, do you open this riddle: A man there was (though some did count him mad), The more he cast away the more he had. Then they all gave good heed, wondering what good Gaius would So he sat still a while, and then thus replied say. He who bestows his goods upon the poor, Shall have as much again, and ten times more. Then said Joseph, I dare say, sir, I did not think you could have found it out. Oh, said Gaius, I have been trained up in this way a great while : nothing teaches like experience. I have learned of my Lord to be kind; and I have found by experience that I have gained thereby. There is that scattereth and yet increaseth; and there is that withProv. 11. 24; 13. 7. holdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty." "There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches." Then Samuel whispered to Christiana, his mother, and said, Mother this is a very good man's house; let us stay here a good while, and let my brother Matthew be married here to Mercy before we go any farther. The which Gaius the host overhearing, said, With a very good will, my child. So they stayed here more than a month, and Mercy was given to Matthew to wife. While they stayed here, Mercy, as her custom was, would be making Amid all our preparations and preliminaries, let us not forget that Jesus is "the bread of heaven," and from his Spirit alone can proceed "the water of life" to the strengthening and refreshing of our souls. And, after we have been fed, as pilgrims, with heavenly food, we shall enjoy a richer banquet and a nobler feast, when, our pilgrimage ended and our journey done, we shall eat of the corn of the better country, and of the milk and honey of the Promised Land, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in our Father's kingdom. Holy Conversation. coats and garments to give to the poor, by which she brought a very good report upon pilgrims. But to return again to our story. After supper, the lads desired a bed, for they were weary with travelling. Then Gaius called, to show them to their chamber: but said Mercy, I will have them to bed. So she had them to bed, and they slept well: but the rest sat up all night; for Gaius and they were such suitable company that they could not tell how to part. After much talk of their Lord, themselves, and their journey, old Mr. Honest (he that put forth the riddle to Gaius) began to nod. Then said Great-heart, What, sir, you begin to be drowsy! Come, rub up, here is a riddle for you. Then said Mr. Honest, Let us hear it. Then replied Mr. Great-heart He that will kill must first be overcome : Who live abroad would, first must die at home. Ha! said Mr. Honest, it is a hard one; hard to expound, and harder to practise. But come, landlord, said he, I will, if you please, leave my part to you; do you expound it, and I will hear what you say. No, said Gaius, it was put to you, and it is expected you should answer it. Then said the old gentleman He first by grace must conquered be, That sin would mortify: Who that he lives would convince me, Unto himself must die. It is right, said Gaius; good doctrine and experience teach this. For, until grace displays itself, and overcomes the soul with its glory, it is altogether without heart to oppose sin. Besides, if sin is Satan's cords by which the soul lies bound, how should it make resistance before it is loosed from that infirmity? Nor will any one that knows either reason or grace, believe that such a man can be a living monument of grace, that is a slave to his own corruptions. And now it comes into my mind, I will tell you a story worth the hearing. There Mr. Honest began to nod.-The weak and feeble members of the flock seem to be allowed the rest and refreshment of sleep during the period of Christian intercourse; but they are under protection and in a safe place while they sleep. The strong men, however, are not permitted this indulgence; and, therefore, when MR. HONEST shows signs of drowsiness, he is kept awake by the conversation of GAIUS. It is here, as it was with CHRISTIAN and HOPEFUL on the Enchanted Ground-if they would keep themselves awake, it must be by the same "saints' fellowship," and communing on the things of God. Accordingly, GAIUS continues the conversation. A story worth the hearing. This is a pa-. rable, with a moral attached. The trial of our faith depends very much upon the circum were two men that went on pilgrimage; the one began when he was young, the other when he was old. The young man had strong corruptions to grapple with, the old man's were weak with the decays of nature: the young man trod his steps as even as did the old one, and was every way as light as he who now, or which of them, had their graces shining clearest, since both seemed to be alike? HON The young man's, doubtless. For that which makes head against the greatest opposition gives best demonstration that it is strongest; especially when it also holdeth pace with that which meets not with half so much; as to be sure old age does not. Besides, I have observed that old men have blessed themselves with this mistake; namely, taking the decays of nature for a gracious conquest over corruptions, and so have been apt to beguile themselves. Indeed, old men, that are gracious, are best able to give advice to them that are young, because they have seen most of the emptiness of things: but yet, for an old man and a young to set out both together, the young one has the advantage of the fairest discovery of a work of grace within him, though the old man's corruptions are naturally the weakest. Thus they sat talking till break of day. Now, when the family were up, Christiana bid her son James read a chapter; so he read the fifty-third of Isaiah. When he had done, Mr. Honest asked, Why it was said that the Saviour was to come "out of a dry ground;” and also that he had “no form or comeliness in him?” Then said Mr. Great-heart: To the first I answer, because the church of the Jews, of which Christ came, had then lost almost all the sap and spirit of religion. To the second, I say, the words are spoken in the person of unbelievers, who, because they want the eye that can see into our Prince's heart, therefore they judge of him by the meanness of his outside. Just like those who, not knowing that precious stones are covered over with a homely crust, when they have found one, because they know not what they have found, cast it away again, as men do a common stone. Well, said Gaius, now you are here, and since, as I know, Mr. Great-heart is good at his weapons, if you please, after we have refreshed ourselves, we will walk into the fields, to see if we can do any stances of our lot; and the faith that is most approved before God is that which resists the carnal nature, and fights the good fight, and overcomes at the last. True faith is that vital influence that conquers living temptations, not dead ones; subduing the legion of warring desires, and destroying the living seeds of sin in the heart. If we can do any good.-Here is the familycircle, enlarged to a congregation of believers, |