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Talkative is offended.

TALK. Nay, my part is not now to object, but to ear: let me therefore have your second question.

FAITH. It is this: Do you experience this first part of the description of it? And do your life and conversation testify the same? Or standeth your religion in word or tongue, and not in deed and truth? Pray, if you incline to answer me in this, say no more than you know that God above will say amen to; and also nothing but what your conscience can justify you in: for not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth. Besides, to say, I am thus and thus, when my conversation, and all my neighbours, tell me I lie, is great wickedness.

TALK. Then Talkative at first began to blush; but, recovering himself, he thus replied: You come now to experience, to conscience, and God; and to appeal to him for justification of what is spoken. This kind of discourse I did not expect; nor am I disposed to give an answer to such questions, because I count not myself bound thereto, unless you take upon you to be a catechiser; and though you should so do, yet I may refuse to make you my judge. But I pray, will you tell me why you ask me such questions?

FAITH. Because I saw you forward to talk, and because I knew not that you had aught else but notion. Besides, to tell you all the truth, I have heard of you, that you are a man whose religion lies in talk, and that your conversation gives this your profession the lie. They say you are a spot among christians; and that religion fareth the worse for your ungodly conversation; that some have already stumbled at your

nabas " saw the grace of God in the christians at Antioch," Acts xi. 23. Their confession of faith in Christ was proved to be experimental, by holiness of heart and life. The genuine christian is zealous of good works, and adorneth the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.

Talkative leaves Christian and Faithful.

wicked ways, and that more are in danger of being destroyed thereby; your religion, and an ale-house, and covetousness, and uncleanness, and swearing, and lying, and vain company-keeping, &c. will stand together. The proverb is true of you, which is said of a whore, to wit, "that she is a shame to all women." So you are a shame to all professors.

TALK. Since you are ready to take up reports, and o judge so rashly as you do, I cannot but conclude you are some peevish or melancholy man, not fit to be discoursed with; and so, adieu.

CHR. Then came up Christian, and said to his brother, I told you how it would happen; your words and his lusts could not agree. He had rather leave your company than reform his life. But he is gone, as I said: let him go; the loss is no man's but his own; he has saved us the trouble of going from him; for he continuing (as I suppose he will do) as he is, he would have been but a blot in our company. Besides, the apostle says, "From such withdraw thyself."

FAITH. But I am glad we had this little discourse with him; it may happen that he will think of it again however, I have dealt plainly with him, and so am clear of his blood, if he perish.

CHR. You did well to talk so plainly to him as you did. There is but little of this faithful dealing with men now-a-days, and that makes religion to stink so in the nostrils of many as it doth: for they are these talkative fools, whose religion is only in word, and who are debauched and vain in their conversation, that (being so much admitted into the fellowship of the godly) do puzzle the world, blemish christianity, and grieve the sincere. I wish that all men would deal with such as you have done; then would they either be made more conformable to religion, or the company of saints would be too hot for them. Then did Faithful sav

Christian and Faithful meet Evangelist.

How Talkative at first lifts up his plumes!
How bravely doth he speak! How he presumes
To drive down all before him! But so soon
As Faithful talks of heart-work, like the moon
That's past the full, into the wane he goes;

And so will all but he that heart-work knows. *

Thus they went on, talking of what they had seen by the way, and so made that way easy, which would otherwise no doubt have been tedious to them; for they went through a wilderness.

Now when they were got almost quite out of this wilderness, Faithful chanced to cast his eye back, and espied one coming after them, and he knew him. "Oh!" said Faithful to his brother, "who comes yonder?" Then Christian looked, and said, "It is my good friend Evangelist." Ay, and my good friend too," said Faithful; "for it was he that set me in the way to the gate." Now was Evangelist come up unto them, and he thus saluted them.

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EVAN. Peace be with you, dearly beloved: and peace be to your helpers."

There are hypocrital professors, whom it may be necessary, by plain appeals to their consciences, and a faithful statement of their ungodly conduct, to expose both to themselves and others. Instead of receiving these admonitions as kindness, and reforming their wicked lives, they will generally manifest anger, reproach their reprovers as over-strict, peevish, and melancholy, and leave their company in anger, and with contempt. Nor should christians, after having discovered that the lives of any are a disgrace to religion, continue to associate with them, but withdraw themselves from their company and fellowship, and thus prove to the men of the world, their own regard to practical holiness. Though it may be painful and unpleasant to reprove and expose hypocrites, yet faithfulness to the souls of men will be followed by exquisite plea sure, from the possibility of its being attended with good to the parties reproved, and from the satisfaction of having performed our duty. It is greatly to be wished, that all christians were so experimental and spiritual in their conversation, that those who know nothing of the power of godliness were to find the company of saints (according to Mr. Bunyan's expression)" too hot for them."

y This interview with Evangelist is connected with a new era in

Christian and Faithful welcome Evangelist.

CHR. Welcome, welcome, my good Evangelist, the sight of thy countenance brings to my remembrance thy ancient kindness and unwearied labours for my eternal good.

FAITH. And a thousand times welcome, said good Faithful, thy company, O sweet Evangelist; how desirable is it to us poor pilgrims!

EVAN. Then said Evangelist, How hath it fared with you, my friends, since the time of our last parting? What have you met with, and how have you behaved yourselves?

Then Christian and Faithful told him of all things that had happened to them in the way; and how, and with what difficulty, they had arrived to that place.'

EVAN. Right glad am I, said Evangelist, not that you have met with trials, but that you have been vic

the progress of the pilgrims. They are now about to leave the "wilderness," and to enter upon the confusions and temptations of a populous "town." I conjecture it was the design of the author, (making his own history the basis of the allegory,) to represent that period of his life, when he was called from the duties and trials of a private christian, to those of public life, by being set apart to the work of the ministry. The scene is that religious service among protestant dissenters, which is called "a designation to the work of the ministry," and by which, in late years, many missionaries have been set apart to their office. The salutation of Evangelist, in which "peace" is implored for them and their "helpers," resembles those petitions which are usually presented on such occasions by pastors of reputation and experience, on behalf of their younger brethren, and of those who may enjoy their labours. Mr. Bunyan has given an account of his introduction to the ministry in the year 1656. He says, "After some prayer to the Lord with fasting, I was more particularly called forth, and appointed to a more ordinary and public preaching of the word, not only to and amongst them that believe, but also to offer the gospel to those who had not yet received the faith thereof." LIFE, p. 101-104.

z It is common for persons who are thus publicly designated, to give an account of their experience as christians, and of the motives by which they are influenced in devoting themselves to the work of the ministry.

Evangelist encourages Christian and Faithful.

tors, and for that you have, notwithstanding many weaknesses, continued in the way to this very day.

I say, right glad am I of this thing, and that for my own sake and yours; I have sowed, and you have reaped; and the day is coming, when "both he that soweth, and he that reapeth, shall rejoice together;" (John iv. 36.) that is, if you hold out; "for in due season ye shall reap, if you faint not." (Gal. vi. 9.) The crown is before you, and it is an incorruptible one; "so run that ye may obtain." (1 Cor. ix. 24-27.) Some there are that set out for this crown, after they have gone far for it, another comes in and takes it from them: "hold that fast therefore which you have, that no man take your crown.' (Rev. iii. 11.) You are not yet out of the gun-shot of the devil; " you have not resisted unto blood, striving against sin." Let the kingdom be always before you, and believe stedfastly concerning things that are invisible. Let nothing that is on this side the other world get within you. And above all, look well to your own hearts and to the lusts thereof; for they are "deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked." Set your faces like a flint; you have all power in heaven and earth on your side.

CHR. Then Christian thanked him for his exhortation; but told him withal, that they would have him speak farther to them for their help the rest of the way; and the rather, for that they well knew that

a The reader will perceive that this address abounds with exhortations and warnings, which relate to the public ministry. Entering into the labours of their predecessors, they are encouraged to sow the good seed of the gospel, being assured that they shall reap in due season, and share in the joy of harvest.-Self-denial is especially necessary for ministers, lest when they have preached to others, they themselves should be "castaways." While in the present life, they are continually exposed to sin and danger: but the greatest danger is from their own hearts. Thev, however may be of good courage, that are commissioned by him, who has "all power in heaven and earth;" Matt. xxviii. 18.

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