went over the river. But that which troubleth me moft, is my churlifh carriage to him, when he was under his diftrefs. Befides, I am now as he was then; nothing will ferve me, but going on pilgrimage. I was dreaming laft night that I faw him. O that my foul was with him! He dwelleth in the prefence of the King of the country; he fits and eats with him at his table; he is become a companion of immortals; and has a house now given him to dwell in, to which the best palaces on earth, if compared, feem to me but as a dunghill. The Prince of the palace has also fent for me, with promises of entertainment, if I will come to him; his meffenger was here even now, and brought me a letter, which invites me to come. With that fhe plucked out her letter, and read it, and faid to them, What now will you fay to this?

Tim. Oh! What madness has poffeffed thee and thy husband, to run yourselves upon fuch difficulties! You have heard, I am fure, what your hufband did meet with, even, in a manner, at the first step which he took on his way, as our neighbour Obftinate can yet testify, for he went along with him; yea, and Pliable too, until they, like wife men, were afraid to go any further. We also heard. over and above, that he met with the lions, Apollyon, the fhadow of death, and many other things. Nor is the danger that he met with at Vanity-Fair to be forgotten by thee. For if he, though a man, was fo hard put to it, what canft thou do, being but a

poor woman? Confider alfo, that thefe four sweet babes are thy children, thy flesh, and thy bones. Therefore, though thou shouldest be so rafh as to caft away thyself, yet, for the fake of the fruit of thy body, keep at home.

Christ. Tempt me not, my neighbour. I have now a prize put into my hand, and I should be a fool of the greatest fort, if I fhould have no heart to ftrike in with the opportunity. As for what you tell me of the troubles which I am like to meet with in the way, these are so far from being a discouragement to me, that they fhew I am in the right; for the bitter must come before the fweet, and that also will make the fweet the fweeter. Wherefore, fince you came not to my houfe in God's name, as I faid, I pray you be gone, and do not difquiet me further.

Then Timorous alfo reviled her, and faid to her fellow, Come, neighbour Mercy, let us leave her to herself; fhe fcorns our counfel and company. But Mercy was at a stand, and could not fo readily comply with her neighbour, and that for a two-fold reafon, ift, Her bowels yearned over Chriftiana ; so that she faid within herself, If my neighbour will go, I will go a little way with her, and help her. 2dly, Her bowels yearned over her own foul (for what Chriftiana had faid had taken fome hold upon her mind). Wherefore fhe faid within herself again, I will yet have more talk with this Chriftiana, and if I find truth and life in what fhe fhall fay, I my

felf

felf with all my heart will also go with her. Wherefore Mercy began thus to reply to her neighbour Timorous.

Mercy. Neighbour, I did indeed come with you to fee Chriftiana this morning; and fince fhe is, as you fee, taking her laft farewell of the country, I think to walk this fun-fhiny morning a little with her, to help her on her way. But she told not her second reason, but kept that to herself.

Tim. Well, I fee you have a mind to go a fooling too; but take heed in time, and be wife: while we are out of danger, we are out; but when we are in, we are in.

So Mrs. Timorous returned to her houfe, and Christiana betook herself to her journey. But when Timorous was got home to her house, fhe fends for fome of her neighbours, to wit, Mrs. Bat's-Eyes, Mrs. Inconfiderate, Mrs. Light-mind, and Mrs. Know-nothing. When these were come to her house, fhe falls to, telling the ftory of Chriftiana, and her intended journey; and thus began her tale :

Tim. Neighbours, having but little to do this

i However flow or fecret the drawings of the Spirit may be, they will always be found effectual. Whoever is brought to a knowledge of himself and his misery by nature, and to a knowledge of Chrift and his mercy, has had the end of the law an fwered in his confcience, and has felt the power of the gospel, whereby he is raised from a death of fin unto a life of righteoufnefs.

morning, I went to make Chriftiana a vifit; and when I came to the door, I knocked, as you know it is our custom; and fhe answered, If you come in God's name, come in. So in I went, thinking all was well: but when I came in, I found her preparing to depart the town, she and also her children. I asked her what was her meaning for that? And she told me in short, That she had now a mind to go on pilgrimage, as her husband had done: she told me also a dream that she had, and how the King of the country where her husband was had fent her an inviting letter to come thither.

Then faid Mrs. Know-nothing, and do you think The will go?

Tim. Ay, go fhe will, whatever comes on it; and methinks I know it by this; that my great argument to perfuade her to stay at home (to wit, the troubles fhe was like to meet with in the way) was one great argument with her for fetting forward on her journey. She told me, in fo many words, The bitter goes before the fweet; and, forafmuch as it doth, it makes the fweet the fweeter.

Mrs. Bat's-Eyes. Oh, this blind and foolish woman! And will she not take warning by her husband's afflictions! For my part, I fee, if he was here again, he would reft content in a whole skin, and never run fo many hazards for nothing.

Mrs. Inconfiderate. Away with fuch fantastical fools from the town; for my part, I fay, a good riddance of her. Should she stay where she is, and

retain

retain this mind, who could live quietly by her? for she will either be dumpish or unneighbourly, or elfe fhe will talk of fuch matters as no wife body can abide: wherefore, for my part, I fhall never be forry for her departure; let her go; and let better come in her room. It was never a good world fince these whimfical fools dwelt in it.

Mrs. Light-mind. Come, put this kind of talk away. I was yesterday at Madam Wanton's, where we were as merry as the maids: for who do you think fhould be there, but I and Mrs. Love-theFlesh, and three or four more, with Mrs. Lechery, Mrs. Filth, and fome others: and there we had mufic and dancing, and whatever elfe was meet to fill up the pleasure. I dare fay, my lady herself is an admirable well-bred gentlewoman, and Mr. Lechery is as pretty a fellow.

By this time Chriftiana was got on her way, and Mercy went along with her; and as they went, her children being there also, Chriftiana began to difcourse. Mercy, faid Chriftiana, I take this as an unexpected favour, that thou fhouldeft fet foot out of doors with me, to accompany me a little on my way. Then faid young Mercy (for fhe was but young), If I thought it would be to any purpose to go with you, I would never go back to the town k

Chrift.

* How many discouragements does the coming finner meet with in his way! How often is the foul difcouraged because it