The Potion prescribed by Mr. Skill.

Christ. Then Christiana began to cry; and she said, O naughty boy! and O careless mother! what shall I do for my son!

Skill. Come, do not be too much dejected; the boy may do well again, but he must purge and vomit.

Christ. Pray, Sir, try the utmost of your skill with him, whatever it costs.

Skill. Nay, I hope I shall be reasonable. Heb. x. 1, 2, 3, 4. So he made him a purge, but it was too weak; it was said, it was made of the blood of a goat, the ashes of an heifer, and with some of the juice of hyssop, &c. When Mr. Skill had seen that that purge was too weak, he made him one to the purpose; it was made ex carne & sanguine Christi, (r) John vi. 54, 55, 56, 57. Mark ix. 49. Heb. ix. 14. [you know physicians give strange medicines to their patients]; and it was made into pills, with a promise or two, and a proportionable quantity of salt. Now he was to take them, three at a time fasting, in a half a quarter of a pint of the tears of repentance. When this potion was prepared, and brought to the boy, he was loth to take it, though torn with the gripes, as if he should be pulled in pieces. Come, come, said the physician, you must take it. It goes against my stomach, said the boy. I must have you take it, said his mother. Zech. xii. 10. I shall vomit it up again, said the boy. Pray,

(r) Mr. Bunyan's great modesty and humility are truly admirable: though he quotes Latin, yet, as he did not understand it, he tells 46 us, The Latin 1 borrow:" The English is, "Of the flesh and of the blood of Christ." This is the only portion of sin-sick souls. Feeding upon Christ's flesh and blood by faith, keeps us from sinning; and when sick of sin, these, and nothing but these, can heal and restore us. Yet there is in our nature an unaccountable reluctance to receive these, through the unbelief which works in us. So Matthew found it.

Matthew cured by physician Skel

sir, said Christiana to Mr Skill, how does it taste? It has no ill taste, said the doctor; and with that she touched one of the pills with the tip of her tongue. Oh, Matthew, said she, this potion is sweeter than honey. If thou lovest thy mother, if thou lovest thy brothers, if thou lovest Mercy, if thou lovest thy life, take it: So with much ado, after a short prayer for the blessing of God upon it, he took it, and it wrought kindly with him It caused him to purge, to sleep, and rest quietly; it put him into a fine heat and breathing sweat, and rid him of his gripes. (s)

So in a little time he got up, and walked about with a staff, and would go from room to room, aud talk with Prudence, Piety, and Charity, of his distemper, and how he was healed.

So when the boy was healed, Christiana asked Mr. Skill, saying, Sir, what will content you for your pains and care to me, and of my child? And he said, you must pay the Master of the College of Physicians, Heb. xiii. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, according to the rules made in that case and provided.

Christ. But, Sir, said she, what is this pill good for else?

Skill. It is an universal pill! it is good against all diseases that pilgrims are incident to; and, when it is well prepared, will keep good, time out of mind.

(s) See the blessed effects of receiving Christ, when under the sense of sin, and distress for sin. O what a precious Saviour is Jesus! What efficacy is there in his blessed flesh, and precious blood, to purge the conscience from guilt. Lord, what a mercy is it, that though we sin, yet thou art abundant to pardon, yea, multipliest thy pardon: yea, and also givest poor, pained, brokenhearted sinners to know and feel thy pardoning love. O, it is this sense of Christ's love and pardoning grace, which heals, restores, and makes our hearts happy in Christ, and joyful in God! Who that knows themselves, and their guilt and wretchedness, can rest without this?

Its efficacy when taken aright.

up

Christ. Pray, sir, make me up twelve boxes of them; for, if I can get these, I will never take other physic.

1

: Skill. These pills are good to prevent diseases, as well as to cure when one is sick (t) Yea, I dare say it, and stand to it, that, if a man will but use this physic as he should, it will make him live for ever. John vi. 55. But good Christiana, thou must give these pills no other way, but as I have prescribed; for if you do, they will do no good.

So

he gave unto Christiana physic for herself and her boys, and for Mercy; and bid Matthew take heed how he eat any more green plums; and kissed them, and went his way.

It was told you before, that Prudence bid the boys that, if at any time they would, they should ask her some questions that might be profitable, and she would say something to them.

Matt. Then Matthew, who had been sick, asked her, Why, for the most part, physic should be bitter to our palates?

Prud. To shew how unwelcome the word of God, and the effects thereof, are to a carnal heart. Matt. Why does physic, if it does good, purge, and cause to vomit?

Prud. To shew, that the word, when it works effectually, cleanseth the heart and mind. For look, what the one doth to the body, the other doth to the soul.

Matt. What should we learn by seeing the flame

(1) I repeat it again: feeding by faith on the flesh and blood of Christ, keeps the soul from sinning, as well as heals and restores the soul when sick of the malady of sin. O pilgrims! let net a day pass without having recourse to the life and death of the Son of God, and living by faith upon him, who shed his blood to save us, and gave his flesh to nourish us; and who says, My flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed."

Certain questions put by Matthew.

of our fire go upwards? and by seeing the beems and sweet influences of the sun strike downwards?

Prud. By the going up of the fire, we are taught to ascend to heaven. by fervent and hot desires: and, by the sun's sending his beat, beams, and sweet influences downwards, we are taught that the Saviour of the world, though high, reacheth down with his grace and love to us below.

Matt. Whence have the clouds their water?
Prud. Out of the sea.

Matt What may we learn from that?

Prud. That ministers should fetch their doctrine from God.

Matt. Why do they empty themselves upon the earth.

Prud. To shew that ministers should give out what they know of God to the world.

Matt. Why is the rainbow caused by the sun? Prud. To shew, that the covenant of God's grace is confirmed to us in Christ.

Matt. Why do the springs come from the sea to us through the earth?

Prud. To shew, that the grace fo God comes to us through the body of Christ.

Matt, Why do some of the springs rise out of the top of high hills?

Prud. To shew, that the Spirit of grace shall spring up in some that are great and mighty, as well as in many that are poor and low.

Matt. Why doth the fire fasten upon the candlewick?

Prud. To shew, that unless grace doth kindle upon the heart, there will be no true light of life in

us.

Matt. Why is the wick and tallow and all spent to maintain the light of the candle?

Which are answered by Prudence.

Prud. To shew that the body and soul, and all, should be at the service of, and spend themselves, to maintain in good condition, that grace of God, that is in us.

Matt. Why doth the Pelican pierce her own breast with her bill?

Prud. To nourish her young ones with her blood, and thereby to shew, that Christ the blessed, so loveth his young, his people, as to save them from death by his blood.

Matt. What may one learn by hearing of the cock crow?

Prud. Learn to remember Peter's sin and Peter's repentance. The cock's crowing shews also that day is coming on; let then the crowing of the cock put thee in mind of that last and terrible day of judgment.

Now about this time their month was out: wherefore they signified to those of the house, that it was convenient for them to up and be going. Then said Joseph to his mother, it is convenient that you forget not to send to the house of Mr. Interpreter, to pray him to grant that Mr. Great-heart should be sent unto us, that he may be our conductor the rest of our way. Good boy, said she, I had almost forgot. So she drew up a petition, and prayed Mr. Watchful the Porter, to send it by some fit man to her good friend Mr. Interpreter; who, when it was come, and he had seen the contents of the petition, he said to the messenger, Go, tell them that I will send him.

When the family, where Christiana was, saw that they had a purpose to go forward, they called the whole house together, to give thanks to their King, for sending of them such profitable guests as these. Which done, they said unto Christiana, And shall