THE HEN AND CHICKENS.-PATIENCE OF THE SHEEP. 37

every

time she drank she lifted up her head and her eyes towards heaven. See,' said he, what this • little chick doeth, and learn of her to acknowledge ⚫ whence your mercies come, by receiving them with looking up.-Yet again,' said he, observe and look;' so they gave heed, and perceived that the hen did walk in a fourfold method towards her chickens. 1. She had a common call, and that she had all the day long. 2. She had a special call, and that she had but sometimes. 3. She had a brooding note. And, 4. She had an out-cry1.

Now, said he, compare this hen to your King, and these chickens to his obedient ones. For, answerable to her, himself has his methods, which he walketh in towards his people: by his common call he gives nothing; by his special call he always has something to give; he has also a brooding voice for them that are under his wing; and he has an out-cry, to give the alarm when he seeth the enemy come. I choose, my darlings, to lead you into the room where such things are, because you are women, and they are easy

'some more.' So he had them into the slaughterhouse, where was a butcher killing of sheep: and behold the sheep was quiet, and took her death patiently. Then,' said the INTERPRETER, you • must learn of this sheep to suffer, and to put up wrongs without murmurings and complaints. Behold how quietly she takes her death, and, without

■ Matt. xxiii. 37.

A a a

38 THE FLOWERS IN THE GARDEN, AND THE CROP OF STRAW.

objecting, she suffereth her skin to be pulled over ⚫ her ears.-Your King doth call you his sheep.'

After this he led them into his garden, where was great variety of flowers: and he said, Do you see all these?' So CHRISTIANA said, Yes.' Then said he again, Behold the flowers are divers in stature, in quality, and colour, and smell, and virtue; and ⚫ some are better than some; also where the gardener hath set them, there they stand, and quarrel not one with another.'

Again, he had them into his field, which he had sown with wheat and corn: but, when they beheld, the tops of all were cut off, only the straw remained. He said again, This ground was dunged, and sowed;

but what shall we do with the crop?" Then said CHRISTIANA, Burn some, and make muck of the • rest.' Then said the INTERPRETER again, Fruit, you see, is that thing you look for, and for want of • that you condemn it to the fire, and to be trodden ⚫ under foot of men; beware that in this you condemn not yourselves.'

Then, as they were coming in from abroad, they spied a robin with a great spider in his mouth: so the INTERPRETER said, ' Look here.' So they looked, and MERCY wondered, but CHRISTIANA said, 'What

a disparagement is it to such a little pretty bird as the robin-red-breast is! he being also a bird above 6 many, that loveth to maintain a kind of sociableness with men: I had thought they had lived upon crumbs of bread, or upon other such harmless matter; I like him worse than I did.'

A ROBIN EATING A SPIDER. FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS. 39

The INTERPRETER then replied, This robin is an emblem, very apt to set forth some professors by; for to sight they are, as this robin, pretty of note, colour, and carriage; they seem also to have a very great love for professors that are sincere; and above all other to desire to sociate with them, and to be in their company; as if they could live upon the good man's crumbs. They pretend also, that therefore it is that they frequent the house of the godly, and the appointments of the Lord: but when they are by themselves, as the robin, they catch and gobble up spiders, they can change their diet, drink and swallow down sin like water.

So when they were come again into the house, because supper as yet was not ready, CHRISTIANA again desired that the INTERPRETER would either show or tell some other things that are profitable.

Then the INTERPRETER began, and said: The fatter the sow is, the more she desires the mire; the fatter the ox is, the more gamesomely he goes to the slaughter; and the more healthy the lusty man is, the more prone is he unto evil.

There is a desire in women to go neat and fine, and it is a comely thing to be adorned with that, which in GOD's sight is of great price.

'Tis easier watching a night or two, than to sit up a whole year together: so 'tis easier for one to begin to profess well, than to hold out as he should to the end.

Every ship-master, when in a storm, will willingly cast that overboard that is of the smallest value in the

40

THE TREE BEARING LEAVES, BUT ROTTEN WITHIN.

vessel: but who will throw the best out first? None but he that feareth not God.

One leak will sink a ship; and one sin will destroy a sinner.

He, that forgets his friend, is ungrateful unto him: but he, that forgets his Saviour, is unmerciful to himself.

He that lives in sin, and looks for happiness hereafter, is like him that soweth cockle, and thinks to fill his barn with wheat or barley.

If a man would live well, let him fetch his last day to him, and make it always his company-keeper.

Whispering and change of thoughts prove that sin is in the world.

If the world, which God sets light by, is counted a thing of that worth with men; what is heaven, that GOD commendeth?

If the life that is attended with so many troubles, is so loath to be let go by us, what is the life above?

Every body will cry up the goodness of men; but who is there, that is, as he should be, affected with the goodness of GOD?

We seldom sit down to meat, but we eat and leave: so there is in JESUS CHRIST more merit and righteousness than the whole world has need of.

When the INTERPRETER had done, he takes them out into his garden again, and had them to a tree, whose inside was all rotten and gone, and yet it grew and had leaves. Then said MERCY, What means

this?' This tree,' said he, whose outside is fair, • and whose inside is rotten, is it, to which many may

CHRISTIANA DECLARES HOW SHE BECAME A PILGRIM. 41

⚫be compared that are in the garden of GoD: who ⚫ with their mouths speak high in behalf of GOD, but ⚫ indeed will do nothing for him; whose leaves are fair, ⚫ but their heart good for nothing, but to be tinder for the devil's tinder-box.'

Now supper was ready, the table spread, and all things set on board; so they sat down and did eat, when one had given thanks. And the INTERPRETER did usually entertain those that lodged with him, with music at meals; so the minstrels played. There was also one that did sing, and a very fine voice he had. His song was this

The Lord is only my support,

And he that doth me feed;
How can I then want any thing

Whereof I stand in need?'

When the song and music were ended, the INTERPRETER asked CHRISTIANA, what it was that at first did move her thus to betake herself to a pilgrim's life? CHRISTIANA answered: First, the loss of my husband came into my mind, at which I was heartily grieved: but all that was but natural affection Then, after that, came the troubles and pilgrimage of my husband into my mind, and also how like a churl I had carried it to him as to that. So guilt took hold of my mind, and would have drawn me into the pond; but that opportunely I had a dream of the well-being of my husband, and a letter sent me by the King of that country where my husband dwells, to come to him. The dream and the letter together so wrought upon my mind, that they forced me to this way.