With that the keeper of the gate did mar How Chriftiana vel, faying, What is the now become a pilis entertained at grim, that but a while ago abhorred that the gate. life? Then the bowed her head, and faid, Yea, and fo are thefe my fweet babes alfo Then he took her by the hand, and led her in, and faid alfo, Suffer the little children to come unto me; and with that he fhut the gate. This done, he called to a trumpeter that was above, over the gate, to entertain Chriftiana with fhouting, and found of trumpet for joy; fo he obeyed and founded, and filled the air with his melodious notes. Now all this while poor Mercy did ftand without; trembling and crying for fear that he was rejected: But when Chriftiana gotten admittance for herself and her boys, the began to make interceffion for Mercy. Chriftiana's prayer for her friend Mercy. Chrift. And the faid, my Lord, I have a companion of mine that yet ftands without, that is come hither upon the fame account as myself; one that is much dejected in bet mind, for that the comes, as the thinks, without fending for, whereas I was fent by my husband's King to come. Now Mercy began to be very impatient, The delays make and each minute was as long to her as an hour; wherefore the prevented Chriftiana from a fuller interceding for her, by knock ing at the gate herself; and the knocked then fo loud that the made Chriftiana to fart. Then faid the keeper of the gate, Who is there And Chriftiana faid, „It is my friend. the hungering foul the ferven ter. Mercy faints. So he opened the gate and looked out, but Mercy was fallen down without in a fwoon, for fhe fainted, and afraid that no gate would be opened to her. Then he took her by the hand, and faid, Damfel, I bid thee arife. Jonab 2. 7. O! Sir, faid fhe, I am faint! There is fcarce life left in me. But he answered, that one faid, When my foul fainted within me, I remembered the Lord, and my prayer came unto thee, into thy holy temple. Fear not, but ftand upon thy feet, and tell me wherefore thou art come. Mercy. I am come for that unto which I › never invited, as my friend Christiana The cause of her ; her's was from the King, and mine fainting. s but from her; wherefore I prefume. Did the defire thee to come with her to this place? Mercy. Yes; and, as my Lord fees, I am come; and if re is any grace or forgiveness of fins to fpare, I befeech t thy poor hand-maid may be partaker thereof. Then he took her again by the hand, and led her gently and faid, I pray for all them that believe on me, by at means foever they come unto me. Then faid he unthofe that flood by, Fetch fomething and give it Mercy fmell on, thereby to ftay her faintings; fo they fetched a bundle of myrrh; a while after fhe was revived. And now was Chriftiana and her boys and Mercy receid of the Lord at the head of the way, and spoke kindly to by him. Then faid they yet farther unto him, We ⚫ forry for our fins, and beg of our Lord his pardon, and rther information what we must do. I grant pardon, faid he, by word and John 20. 20. ed; by word, in the promise of forgive- Song 1. 2. fs; by deed, in the way I obtained it. ake the first from my lips with a kiss, and the other as it all be revealed. Now I faw in my dream, that he fpake many good words to them, whereby they were greatly gladded. He also ad them up to the top of the gate, and ewed them by what deed they were faved; Chrift crucified nd told them withal, That that fight they feon afar off. ould have again, as they want along in e way, to their comfort. So he left them a while in a fummer par- Talk between ur below, where they entered into talk the Cbriftians. y themselves; and thus Chriftiana began : Lord! how glad am I that we are got in hither! Mercy. So you well may, but I, of all, have caufe to leap or joy. Chrift. I thought one time, as I ftood at the gate, be ufe I had knocked and none did anfwer) that all our laur had been loft, especially when that ugly cur made ch a heavy barking at us. Mercy. But my worst fear was, after that I saw that you Was was taken into his favour, and that I was left behind, no thought I, it is fulfilled which is writte Matth. 24. 41. Two women shall be grinding together, one fall be taken, and the ather left; I h much ade to forbear crying out, Undone ! And afraid I was to knock any more; but when I loo ed up to what was written over the gate, I took courg I also thought that I must knock again die; fo I knocked, but cannot tell how for my fpirit now ftruggled between and death. Chriftiana thinks her companion prays better than be. Chrift. Can you not tell how you knoc ed? I am fure your knocks were fo earne that the very found made me start; I thought I never hear fuch knocking in all my life; I thoug Matth. 11. 12. you would come in by a violent hand, tak the kingdom by ftorm. Mercy. Alas! to be in my cafe, who was that could ha but done fo: You faw the door was fhut upon me, a that there was a most cruel dog thereabout: Who, I a that was fo faint-hearted as I, would not have knocked wi all their might? But, pray, What faid my lord unto rudeness? Was he not angry with me? Chrift pleafed Chrift. When he heard your lumberin with loud and noise he gave a wonderful innocent fmile reftless prayer. I believe what you did pleafed him well for he fhewed no fign to the contrary. B I marvel in my heart why he keeps fuch a dog; had I know that before, I fhould not have had heart enough to hav ventured myfelf in this manner; But now we are in, w are in, and I am glad with all my heart. Mercy. I will afk, if you please, next time he comes down why he keeps such a filthy cur in his yard; I hope he wil not take it amifs. The children are afraid of the dog. Do fo, faid the children, and perfuad him to hang him, for we are afraid he wil bite us when we go hence. So at laft he came down to them again and Mercy fell to the ground on her face before him, and worshipped, and faid, Let my Lord accept the facrifice o praife which I now offer unto him with the calves of my ling. So he faid unto her, Peace be to thee; ftand up. But continued upon her Face, and faid, ghteous art thou, O Lord, when I plead Jer. 12. 1, 2. th thee; let me talk with thee of thy igments: Wherefore doft thou keep fo Mercy expoftuel a dog in thy yard, at the fight of lares about the ich fuch women and children, as we, are dog. idy to fly from the gate for fear. He answered and faid, That dog has Devil. other owner; he alfo is kept close in other man's ground, only my pilgrims hear his barking; belongs to the cafle which you fee there at a distance, I can come up to the walls of this place; he has frighted ny an honeft pilgrim from worse to better, by the great ice of his roaring. Indeed, he that owneth him, doth t keep him out of any good-will to me or mine, but with tent to keep the pilgrims from coming to me, and that ey may be afraid to come and knock at this gate of enance. Sometimes also he has broken out, and has worried me that I loved; but I take all at prefent patiently. I fo give my pilgrims timely help, fo that they are not deup to his power, to do to them what his doggifh ature will promp kim to. For what, my purchased one! ight not it be expected thou would have known to much fore hand, as not to have been afraid of a deg? fered The beggars that go from door to door will, rather than ey will lofe a fuppofed alms, run the hazard of the bawl. g, barking, and biting too of a dog; and shall a dog in nother man's yard, a dog whofe barking I turn to the rofit of pilgrims, keep any from coming to me? I deliver em from the lions, and my darling from the power of me dog. Mercy. Then faid Mercy, I confefs my Christians, when norance; Ifpeak what I understand not; wife enough, acknowledge that thou doft all things acquiefce in the avifdem of the Chrift. Then Chriftiana began to talk of Lord. eir journey, and to enquire after their way. ell. he fed them and washed their feet, and fet them in the ay of his fteps, according as he had dealt with her husand before. So I faw in my dream that they went on their way, and the weather was comfortable to them. Then Chriftia began to fing, Blefs'd be the day that I began A pilgrim for to be; And bleffed alfo be the man, That thereto moved me. 'Tis better late than ever, Our tears to joy, our fears to faith, That our beginning (as one faith) The devil's garden. Shews what our end will be. Now there was on the other fide of the wall that fenc in the way up which Chriftiana and her com panions were to go, a garden, and th belonged to him whofe was that barki dog, of whom mention was made befor And fome of the fruit-trees that grew in the garden f their branches upon the wall; and being mellow, they th found them did gather them up and eat The children eat them to their hurt. So Chrifliana's boy of the enemy's as boys are apt to do, being pleafed wi fruit. the trees, and with the fruit that did hat thereon, did pluck them, and began eat. Their mother did also chide them for fo doing, b ftill the boys went on. Well, faid the, my fons, you tranfgrefs, for that fruit none of ours; but he did not know that they did belong the enemy: I'll warrant you, if he had, the would ha been ready to die for fear; but that paffed, and they we on their way. Now, by that they were gone about to bow-fhot from the place that led them into the way, the efpied two very ill-favoured ones coming down apace meet them. With that Christiana and Mercy, her frien covered them felves with their veils, and kept on their jou ney; the children alfo went on before; fo that at last the met together. Then they that came down to meet the came up to the women as if they would embrace them but Chriftiana faid, Stand back, or go peaceably as yo fhou! |