What one would think, doth feek to flay outright, " Now, about this time Matthew and Mercy were married; alfo Gaius gave his daughter Phoebe to James, Matthew's brother, to wife; after which time they yet flaid about ten days at Gaius's houfe, fpending their time, and the feafons like as pilgrims ufed to do. When they were to depart, Gaius made them a feaft, and they did eat and drink, The pilgrims and were merry. Now the hour was come prepare to ga that they must be gone, wherefore Mr. forward. Great-heart called for a reckoning: but Gaius told him, That at his house it was not the cuftom of pilgrims to pay for their entertainment, Ile boarded them by the year, but looked for his pay from the good Sansaritan, who had promifed him at his return, whatfoever charge be was at with them, faithfully to repay him. Then faid Mr. Great-heart to him. Great-heart. Beloved, thou doft faithfully How they greet whatfoever thou doft to the brethren and to one another at ftrangers, which have born witnefs of thy parting. charity before the church, whom if thou 4 John 5.6. yet bring forward on their journey after a godly fort, thou shalt do well. Then Gaius took his leave of them all, Gaius's laft and his children, and particularly of Mr. kindness to Feeble-mind. He alfo gave him fome- Feeble-mind. thing to drink by the way. Now Mr. Feeble-mind, when they were going out of the door, made as if he intended to linger; the which when Mr. Great-heart efpied, he faid, Mr. Feeble-mind, pray do you go along with us, I will be your conductor, and you fhall fare as the reft. Feeble. Alas! I want a fuitable companion; you are all lufty and strong, but I, as you fee, am weak: I choose therefore rather to come behind, left, by reason of my many infirmities, I should be both a burden to myself, and to M 2 you you. I am, as I faid, a man of weak and feeble mind and fhall be offended and made weak at that which other can bear, I shall like no laughing; I fhall like no gay at tire; I fhall like no unprofitable queftion His eccufe for it. Nay, I am fo weak a man as to be offended with that which others have a liberty do. I do not know all the truth; I am a very ignoran chriftian man: Sometimes if I hear them rejoice in the Lord, it troubles me because I cannot do fo too. It is will me as it is with a weak man among ftrong, or as a lamp defpifed (he that ready to flip with his feet, is a lamp despi fed in the thought of him that is at cafe); so that I know not what to do. Great-heart. Job'12.5+ But, brother, faid M Great-heart, I have it in commiffion comfort the feeble-minded, and to fuppo the weak. You must needs go along with us; we will wa for you, we will lend you our help; we will deny ourfelver of fome things both opinionate and practical, for your fake we will not enter into doubtful difputations before you We will be made all things to you, rather than you fou be left behind. Great-beart' commifion. Now all this while they were at Gaius's door; and be hold as they were thus in the heat of their difcourfe, M Ready-to halt came by, with his crutches in his hand, and he alfo was going on pilgrimage. Feeble. Then faid Mr. Feeble-mind to him, How camel thou thither? I was but now complaining that I had no a fuitable companion, but thou art accord Feeble-mind ing to my wish. Welcome, welcome, good glad to fee Rea- Mr. Ready-to-halt, I hope thou and I may dy-to-halt come. be fome help. Ready to balt. I fhall be glad of thy com pany, faid the other; and good Mr. Feeble-mind, rathe than we will part, fince we are thus happily met, I will lend thee one of my crutches. Feeble, Nay, faid he, though I thank thee for thy good will, I am not inclined to halt before I am lame: How beit, I think, when occafion is, it may help me again dog. Ready-to-halt. If either myfelf or my crutches can d the hee a pleafure, we are both at thy command, good Mr. eeble Mind. Thus therefore they went on, M. Great-heart and Mr. Joneft went before, Chriftiana and her children went next, d Mr. Feeble-mind and Mr. Ready-to-hale came behind ith his crutches: Then faid Mr. Honeft. Hon. Pray, Sir, now we are upon the New talk. ad, tell us fome profitable things of fome at have gone on pilgrimage before us. Great beart. With a good-will: I fuppofe you have ard how Chriftian of old did meet with Apollyon in the ley of Humiliation, and alfo what hard work he had to thro' the Valley of the Shadow of death. Alfo I think u cannot but have heard how Faithful was put to it by adam Wanton, with Adam the first, with one Difcontent d Shame; four as deceitful villains as a man can meet on the road. Hon. Yes; I believe I heard of all this; but indeed good ithful was hardeft put to it with fhame; he was an un earied one. Great-heart. Aye, for as the pilgrim well faid, He, of men had the wrong name. Hon. But, pray, Sir, where was it that Christian and ithful met Talkative? That fame was alfo a notable one. Great-heart. He was a confident fool, yet many followit is ways. Hon. He had like to have beguiled Faithful. Great-keart. Aye, but Chriftian put him in a way quickto find him out. Thus they went on till they came af e place where Evangelift met with Chrißian and Faithful, ad prophefied to them of what fhould befall them at Vaity-fair. Then faid their guide, Hereabouts did Chriflian and aithful meet with Evangelift, who prophefied to them of that troubles they fhould meet with at Vanity-fair. Hon. Say you fo! 1 dare fay it was a hard chapter that hen he did read unto them. Great heart. It was fo, but he gave them encouragement Vithal. But what do we talk of them, they were a couple f lion-like men; they had fet their faces like flints. Do ot you remember how undaunted they were when they lood before the judge? Hon. M 3 Hon. Well, Faithful bravely fuffered. Great heart. So he did, and as brave things came on't, for Hopeful and fome others, as the ory relates it, were converted by his death. Hen Well, but pay go on, for you are well acquainted with things. Great-heart. Above all that Chriftian met with after he and pafled thro' Vanity-fair, one By-ends was the arch one, Hon. By ends! What was he? Great-heart. A very arch fellow, a downright hypocrite; one that would be religious which way ever the world went; but fo cunning, that he would be fure never to lofe or fuffut for it. He had his mode of religion for every fresh occafion, and his wife was as good at it as he. He would turn from opinion to opinion; yea, and plead for fo doing too: But, as far as I could learn he came to an ill end with his Byends; nor did I ever hear that any of his children were ever of any efteem with any that truly feared God. They come Now by this time they were come withing fight of the town of Vanity, where Vanity within fight of fair is kept: So when they faw that they Vanity-fair. Pjal. 21. 16. were fo near the town, they confulted with one another how they should pass through the town, and fome faid one thing and fome another: At laft, Mr. Great-heart faid, I have, as you may understand, often been a conductor of pilgrims through this town; now I am acquainted with one Mr. Mnafon, a Cyprufian by nation, an old difciple, at whofe houfe we may lodge. If you think good, faid he, we will turn in there. Content, faid old Honeft; content, faid Chriftiana; content faid Mr. Feeble-mind; and so they faid all.-Now you may think it was even-tide by that they got to the outfice of the town; but Mr. Great-heart knew the way to the old man's houfe; fo thither they came; and he called at the door, and the old man within knew his tongue fo focn as ever he heard it; fo he opened and they all came in. Then faid Mnafon, their het. how far have ye come to-day? So they fid from the house of Gaius your friend; ! promise you, said he, you have gone a good Stitch, They enter into Mr. Minafon's lodge. h, you may well be weary; fit down: So they fat 10. reat-beart. Then faid their guide, Come, what chear, i firs, I dare fay you are welcome to my friend. Inafen. I alfo, faid Mr. Mnafon do bid' welcome, and whatever you want, do They are glad of fay, and we will do what we can to get entertainment. or you. loneft. Our great want, a while fince was harbour and 1 company, and now I hope we have both. Inafon. For harbour you fee what it is; but for good pany that will appear in the trial." reat-beart. Well, faid Mr. Great-heart, will you have pilgrims into their lodgings. Inafon. I will, faid Mr. Mnafon: So he had them to r refpe&tive places; and alfo fhewed them a very fair ing room, where they may be and fup together untit e was come to go to reft. Now when they were fet in their places, and were a le cheary after their journey, Mr. Honeft afked his land if there were any ftere of good people in the town? Mnafon. We have a few, for indeed they are but a few, en compared with them on the other fide. Hon. But how fhall we do to fee fome of the town. m? for the fight of good men to them They defire to at are going on pilgrimage, is like to the fee fome of the pearing of the moon and ftars to them good people in at are going a journey. Mnafox. Then Mr. Mnafon ftamped with is foot, and his daughter Grace came up; Some fent for. he faid unto her, Grace, go tell my iends, Mr. Contrite, Mr. Holy-man, Mr. Love-faints, I. Dare-not-lie, and Mr. Penitent, that I have a friend r two at my houfe that have a mind to fee them. 4 So Grace went to call them, and they came: and, after alutation made, they fat down together. at the table.. Then faid Mr. Maafon, their landlord, My neighbours, I have, as you fee, a company of ftrangers come to my houfe; they are pilgrims; they come from afar, and are going to mount Sion: Bus who, quoth he, do you think This is pointing his finger to Chriftiana: 'Tis Chriftiana, the wife of Chriftian, that famous pilgrim, who, with Faithful |
