Strings that

those Strings that could not be cut by other means, and How the 'twas to give him a proof of the Virtue of this, that he bound Chris. was suffered to carry his Burden to the Cross.

Chris. I thought so, for tho' my heart was lightful and joyous before, yet it is ten times more lightsome and joyous now. And I am perswaded by what I have felt, tho' I have felt but little as yet, that if the most burdened Man in the World was here, and did see and believe, as I now do, 'twould make his heart the more merry and blithe.

tian's burden to him

were cut.

to Christ is

soul.

Great-heart. There is not only comfort, and the ease How affection of a Burden, brought to us, by the sight and Considera- begot in the tion of these; but an endeared Affection begot in us by it: For who can, if he doth but once think that Pardon comes, not only by promise, but thus, but be affected with the way and means of his Redemption, and so with the man that hath wrought it for him?

41.

miration.

Chris. True, methinks it makes my Heart bleed to 1 Part, page think that he should bleed for me. Oh! thou loving one, Oh! thou Blessed one. Thou deservest to have me, Cause of adthou hast bought me: Thou deservest to have me all, thou hast paid for me ten thousand times more than I am worth. No marvel that this made the Water stand in my Husband's Eyes, and that it made him trudge so nimbly on. I am persuaded he wished me with him; but vile Wretch, that I was, I let him come all alone. 0 Mercy, that thy Father and Mother were here, yea, and Mrs. Timorous also. Nay I wish now with all my Heart, that here was Madam Wanton too. Surely, surely, their Hearts would be affected, nor could the fear of the one, nor the powerful Lusts of the other, prevail with them to go home again, and to refuse to become good Pilgrims. Great-heart. You speak now in the warmth of your Affections, will it, think you, be always thus with you?

with Christ and with what he has

done is a

Besides, this is not communicated to every one, nor to every one that did see your Jesus bleed. There was that To be affected stood by, and that saw the Blood run from his Heart to the Ground, and yet was so far off this, that instead of lamenting, they laughed at him, and instead of becoming thing special. his Disciples, did harden their Hearts against him. So that all that you have my Daughters, you have by a peculiar impression made by a Divine contemplating upon what I have spoken to you. Remember that 'twas told you, that the Hen by her common call, gives no meat to her Chickens. This you have therefore by a special Grace. Now I saw still in my Dream, that they went on until Simple, and they were come to the place, that Simple, and Sloth, and Presumption, lay and slept in, when Christian went by on Pilgrimage. And behold they were hanged up in Irons a little way off on the other side.

Sloth and
Presump-

tion hanged,
and why.

Mercy. Then said Mercy to him that was their Guide, and Conductor, What are those three men? and for what are they hanged there?

Great-heart. These three men, were Men of very bad Qualities, they had no mind to be Pilgrims themselves, and whosoever they could they hindered; they were for Sloth and Folly themselves, and whoever they could perswade with, they made so too, and withal taught them to persume that they should do well at last. They were asleep when Christian went by, and now you go by they are hanged.1

Mercy. But could they perswade any to be of their Opinion?

1 Behold here how the slothful are a sign
Hung up, 'cause holy ways they did decline.
See here too how the Child did play the man,

And weak grow strong, when Great-heart leads the Van.

way.

Crimes.

prevailed

out of the

way.

Great-heart. Yes, they turned several out of the Their There was Slow-pace that they perswaded to do as they. They also prevailed with one Short-wind, with one No- Who they heart, with one Linger-after-lust, and with one Sleepy- upon to turn head, and with a young Woman her name was Dull, to turn out of the way and become as they. Besides, they brought up an ill-report of your Lord, perswading others that he was a Task-master. They also brought up an evil report of the good Land, saying, 'twas not half so good as some pretend it was: They also began to vilify his Servants, and to count the very best of them meddlesome, troublesome busy-bodies: Further, they would call the Bread of God, Husks; the Comforts of his Children, Fancies, the Travel and Labour of Pilgrims, things to no purpose.

Chris. Nay, said Christiana, if they were such, they shall never be bewailed by me, they have but what they deserve, and I think it is well that they hang so near the Highway that others may see and take warning. But had it not been well if their Crimes had been engraven in some Plate of Iron or Brass, and left here, even where they did their Mischiefs, for a caution to other bad Men?

Great-heart. So it is, as you well may perceive if you will go a little to the Wall.

Mercy. No, no, let them hang and their Names Rot, and their Crimes live for ever against them; I think it a high favour that they were hanged afore we came hither, who knows else what they might a done to such poor Women as we are? Then she turned it into a Song, saying,

Now then you three, hang there and be a Sign
To all that shall against the Truth combine;

R

1 Part, page

45.

in erroneous

Times.

And let him that comes after, fear this end,
If unto Pilgrims he is not a Friend.

And thou my Soul of all such men beware,
That unto Holiness Opposers are.

Thus they went on till they came at the foot of the Hill Difficulty. Where again their good Friend, Mr. Great-heart, took an occasion to tell them of what happened there when Christian himself went by. So he 'Tis difficult had them first to the Spring. Lo, saith he, This is the getting of good Doctrine Spring that Christian drank of, before he went up this Hill, and then 'twas clear, and good; but now 'tis Dirty Ezek. 34. 18. with the feet of some that are not desirous that Pilgrims here should quench their Thirst: Thereat Mercy said, And why so envious tro? But said their Guide, It will do, if taken up, and put into a Vessel that is sweet and good; for then the Dirt will sink to the bottom, and the Water come out by itself more clear. Thus therefore Christiana and her Companions were compelled to do. They took it up, and put it into an Earthen-pot and so let it stand till the Dirt was gone to the bottom, and then they drank thereof.

By-paths tho'
barred up
will not keep
all from
going in
them.

Next he shewed them the two by-ways that were at the foot of the Hill, where Formality and Hypocrisy, lost themselves. And, said he, these are dangerous Paths Two were here cast away when Christian came by. And although, as you see, these ways are since stopt 1 Part, page up with Chains, Posts and a Ditch: Yet there are that will chuse to adventure here, rather than take the pains to go up this Hill.

46.

Pro. 13. 15.

Christiana. The Way of Transgressors is hard. 'Tis a wonder that they can get into those ways, without danger of breaking their Necks.

Great-heart. They will venture, yea, if at any time any

17.

of the King's Servants doth happen to see them, and doth call unto them, and tell them that they are in the wrong ways, and do bid them beware the danger; then they will railingly return them answer and say, As for the Jer. 44. 16, Word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the King, we will not hearken unto thee; but we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth out of our own Mouths, &c. Nay if you look a little farther, you shall see that these ways, are made cautionary enough, not only by these Posts and Ditch and Chain; but also by being hedged up. Yet they will choose to go there.

why some do

by-ways.

Christiana. They are Idle, they love not to take Pains, The reason up-hill-way is unpleasant to them. So it is fulfilled unto chuse to go in them as it is written, The way of the slothful man is a Prov. 15. 19. Hedge of Thorns. Yea, they will rather chuse to walk upon a Snare, than to go up this Hill, and the rest of this way to the City.

Then they set forward and began to go up the Hill, and up the Hill they went; but before they got to the

the Pilgrims

top, Christiana began to pant, and said, I daresay this The Hill puts is a breathing Hill, no marvel if they that love their ease to it. more than their Souls, chuse to themselves a smoother way. Then said Mercy, I must sit down, also the least of the Children began to cry. Come, come, said Greatheart, sit not down here, for a little above is the Prince's Arbour. Then took he the little Boy by the Hand, and They sit in led him up thereto.

the Arbour.

46.

Matt. 11. 28.

When they were come to the Arbour they were very willing to sit down, for they were all in a pelting heat. 1 Part, page Then said Mercy, How sweet is rest to them that Labour And how good is the Prince of Pilgrims, to provide such resting places for them! Of this Arbour I have heard much; but I never saw it before. But here let us be