The necessity of private prayer inforced.

said concerning prayer; for I find so many defects in the best of my devotions, that I have no heart to venture on vocal prayer at sometimes; for if I should, my heart would afterwards check me with putting an affront on God, while, in the midst of passionate words and devout expressions, my thoughts were employed quite another way; while my tongue chattered like a magpie to God, my heart was upon the devil's ramble, starting a thousand vain and foolish thoughts, amidst the most serious and religious, the most fervent and pious words in the world. I know not how it fares with other people, or what advantages they may find; but for my own part, so long as I carry flesh and blood about me, I cannot presume to be free from distractions, alienation of mind, coldness, indifference, and impertinent suggestions, even in the calmest minutes, the most recollected seasons, and the severest application of my mind to the duty 1 am engaged in: much less can I hope for an immunity from such failings, when I give the reins of my tongue, and suffer my lips to prate over a multitude of formal words: for then I find it fall out to me, as I have heard say it does to musicians, who, by long ascustoming themselves to play on any instrument, at length get such an habit, that they can run over their familiar tunes without minding or giving attention to what they are doing. Not that I hereby condemn the use of vocal prayer, for without doubt it is expedient for some people, and in a manner necessary in the public worship of God, where many people are to join together in offering up the same petitions, thanksgivings, intercessions, &c. which cannot be performed without a form of words, which are the only proper means of conveying our conceptions and thoughts one to another, and consequently making each other sensible of

They arrive at the Town of Vanity.

what we all pray for. In short, my judgment is, that it is all one, in respect of God's hearing us, whether we use words or not, in public or in private; but for the sake of human necessities, words are necessary in public, and a fervent attention of mind is absolutely required, both in public and private, as the only efficacious means to render our prayers acceptable to the Divine Majesty.

Then I heard in my dream that as they walked along the wilderness, the wild beasts roared, and sent forth hideous noises, which put some of them into no small disorder and consternation; but the rest who had more courage heartened them on. So at last they got out of the wilderness and came in the sight of the town of Vanity, where Faithful was put to death for his testimony to the truth. Now the town was very magnificent and stately to the eye, full of temples and other public structures, whose lofty towers being adorned with gold and other costly embellishments, made a glittering show in the sunshine; likewise it was exceeding large and populous, so that there was a perpetual noise to be heard at a distance like the roaring of the sea, because of the multitude of people that were in it, and the chariots and the horses that were always running up and down the streets; which made poor Yielding think it was the City whither they were all going. He was so taken with the glorious figure this town made, that he could hardly contain himself from running thither before the rest of the company; which, when Spiritual-man perceived, he said.

Spiritual-man. Young man, mistake not this place, for it is not the heavenly City, as you imagine, but a mere counterfeit: it is Babylon, the town of Confusion and Vanity: though our way lies through it, yet we are not to take up our rest

Yielding deserts the company of the Pilgrims.

there we may abide awhile, but we must not think of settling there for ever.

Yielding. Sir, I thought by the description that had been given me of the Heavenly Jerusalem, that this had been the very place indeed; but now you have satisfied me to the contrary.

So the pilgrims went forward, and entered into the town; but they met with a great many affronts and injuries by the way, by reason of the strange dress that they were in, and because they had not the mark of the beast in their foreheads, nor in their hands, as all the inhabitants of the town had: therefore the boys hooted and hallooed at them, and gathered a rabble about them; nay, some of the graver sort threw dirt upon them as they went by their doors; they mocked and derided them, they fastened all manner of slanders and reproaches upon them, and very few there were in all that place that shewed any compassion or common civility to them. But this did not dishearten any of them, saving the young man to whom Spiritual-man spoke last, whose name was Yielding: he indeed, being discouraged by the inhospitable humour and carriage of the townsmen towards his companions, and being strongly invited by a very courteous-spoken man to leave that giddy-brained company of fools (for so he termed the pilgrims) and come and dwell with him, and he should find all things to his content.

He accordingly complied; and forsaking his company, followed the man, who conducted him to a tavern in the market-place, and sending for some of his boon companions, they fell to carousing and making merry; also they drank confusion to the pilgrims that were going to the Heavenly City: but Yielding got little by the bargain, for, being surfeited with excess of wine, he died suddenly in the night-time.

The Address of Zealous-mind to the people.

In the mean while the rest of the pilgrims passed through the streets of the town, molested on all hands by the ruder sort of people, and unpitied of them that, according to their age and stations, ought to have shown more wit and humanity. Thus they went on till they came to a place called the Exchange, where the merchants use to meet and traffie : there were men of all nations and families, men of all tribes and languages, each one busy in his particular occupation or commerce; but when the pilgrims came amongst them, they all with one accord left off their business and talk, and stood gazing on these strangers, saying among themselves, What countrymen are these that appear in so strange a dress, so different from all that use to frequent this place.

Then I saw in my dream, that Zealous-mind, one of the pilgrims, stood up and spoke to the multitude, saying, Men and brethren, partakers of the same flesh and blood with us, why stand ye gazing on us, as though some new thing had happened unto you, which you had never seen or known before? Have you forgot the days wherein Christian and Faithful passed through your town, whereof the one was burned for the testimony which he bore to the truth; and the other, though imprisoned, yet by the mighty power and providence of God, escaped your rage and malice? Are these things out of your memory already? or are your records silent in the matter? We are come upon the same account as they, and are going to the same country whither they bent their course: therefore wonder not at our unusual dress, for it is necessary that all those who travel Sion-ward should be apparelled after the fashion of that city, that so their entrance therein may be easy and without blame. This is the reason why we are not clothed after the same manner

The pilgrims's arrive at the plain of Ease.

of this town, or of this world; for we have no abiding city here, but we seek one to come, whose builder and maker is God.

After Zealous-mind had made an end of speaking, some of the merchants left their affairs, and joined themselves unto the pilgrims; others mocked and derided them: but they shook the dust off their feet, and departed from that place, and the merchants that had left their merchandise went along with them and the people followed them out of the town hallooing and hooting at them; but they remembering the saying of Christ, "Cursed is he that hath set his hand to the plough of the kingdom and looketh back," regarged not the ridiculous noise they made; but kept on their course in the King's highway, neither turning to the right hand nor to the left, but walked directly in the way of the Lord, till they came to the plain of Ease: where the merchants hearkened to the enticing words of Demas, and were persuaded to go down into the silver mine to dig for treasure that corrupteth; but the rest of the pilgrims would not turn aside out of the way, to follow after filthy lucre: yet they had not gone far before one of them, whose name was Weary-o'-the-world, was turning about to look back towards the silver mine, when Spiritualman espying him, catched hold of his arms as he was facing about and stopped him, saying, Brother, here is a sight just before thee, which will convince thee of the danger of looking back in this place. So he shewed him the pillar of salt into which Lot's wife was turned, which stood directly before them on the way side. Then Weary-o-'the-world thanked him for his friendly admonition and assistance, confessing that he was glad he so timely prevented both his crime and his punishment, by shewing him the