over; but at last Day broke, and the Sun arofe, and I went thro' that which was behind with far more Eafe and Quiet.

Moreover, I faw in my Dream, that as they went on, Faithful, as he chanced to look on one Side, faw a Man whofe Name Talkative, was walking at a a Distance befidès them (for in this Place there was Room enough for them all to walk) * He was a tall TalkaMan, and fomething more comely at a Ditive de ftance than at Hand: To this Man Faithful fcribed addreffed himself in this manner, a

Faith. Friend, Whither away? are you going to to the Heavenly Country?

Talk. I am going to the fame Place.

Faith. That is well; then I hope we fhall

have your good Company.

Talk. With a very good Will, will I be your Companion.

Faith. Come on then, and let us go toge- + Faithful ther and let us fpend our Time in difcour- and Talkfing of Things that are profitable.

ative enter Talk. To talk of Things that are good, to into Dif me is very acceptable, with you, or with courfe. any other, and I am glad that I have met

*

with thofe that incline to fo good a Work: For to fpeak the Truth, there are but few* Talkathat care thus to spend their Time (as they are on their Travels) but chufe much rather

tive's dif

like of his

to be fpeaking of Things to no Profit, and Difcourfe

this hath been a Trouble to me.

Faith. That is indeed a Thing to be lamented; for what Thing fo worthy of the Ufe of the Tongue and Mouth of Men on Earth, as are the Things of the God of Heaven? Talk. I like you wonderfully well, for your Sayings are full of Conviction; and I E 3

will

tive's fine Difcourfe.

I will add, What Thing is fo pleafant, and what fo profitable, as to talk of the Things of God?

What Things fo pleasant? (that is, if a Man hath any Delight in Things that are wonderful) For Inftance: If a Man doth delight to talk of the Hiftory, or the Myftery of Things, or if a Man doth love to talk of Miracles, Wonders, or Signs; where fhall he find Things recorded fo delightfully and fo fweetly penn'd, as in the Holy Scriptures ?

Faith. That's true, but to be profited by fuch Talka-things in our Talk, fhould be our chief Defign. Talk. That is it that I faid; for to talk of fuch Things is moft profitable, for by fo doing a Man may get Knowledge of many Things, as of the Vanity of earthly Things, and the Benefit of Things above, (thus in general) but more particularly, By this a Man may learn the Neceffity of the NewBirth, the Infufficiency of our Works, the Need of Chrift's Righteoufnefs, &c.

Befides, by this a Man may learn what it is to repent, to believe, to pray, to fuffer, or the like. By this alfo a Man may learn what are the great Promifes and Confolations of the Gofpel to his own Comfort. Further, by this, a Man may learn to refute false Opinions, to vindicate the Truth, and alfo to inftruct the Ignorant.

Faith. All this is true, and glad am I to hear thefe Things from you.

Talk. Alas! the Want of this is the Caufe that fo few understand the Need of Faith, and the Neceffity of a Work of Grace in their Soul, in order to eternal Life; but ignorantly

ignorantly, live in the Works of the Law, by the which a Man can by no means ob tain the Kingdom of Heaven.

Faith. But by your leave, Heavenly Knowledge of these is the Gift of God; no Man attaineth to them by Human Industry, or only by the Talk of them.

Talk. All that I know very well. For a* O brave Man can receive nothing except it be given Talkabim from Heaven, all is of Grace not of Works; tive. I could give you an Hundred Scriptures for the Confirmation of this.

Faith. Well then, faid Faithful, What is that one thing, that we fhall at this Time found our Difcourfe upon?

Talk. What you will: I will talk of Things Heavenly, or Things Earthly; Things Moral, or Things Evangelical; Things Sacred, or Things Prophane; Things paft, or Things to Come; Things Foreign, or Things at Home; Things more Effential, or Things Circumftantial; provided that all be done to our profit.

*

Faith. Now did Faithful begin to wonder Faithful and stepping to Chriftian (for he walked all beguiled by this while by himfelf) he said to him, Talka But foftly, What a brave Companion bave tive. we got? Surely this Man will make a very excellent Pilgrim.

Chr. At this Chriftian modeftly fmiled,

and faid This Man with whom you are * Chriftifo taken, will beguile with this Tongue of his an makes a Twenty of them that know him not.

Discovery of TalkaChr. Know him? Yes, better than he tive, tel knows himself.

Faith. Do you know him then?

Faith, Pray what is he?

Chr. His Name is Talkative, he dwelleth

ling Faith

ful who he

was

in our Town. I wonder that you should be a Stranger to him, only I confider that our Town is large.

Faith- Whole Son is he? and whereabouts doth he dwell?

Chr. He is the Son of one Say-well, he dwells in Prating Row, and is known of all that are acquainted with him by the Name of Talkative in Prating Row, and notwithftanding his fine Tongue, he is but a forry Fellow.

Faith. Well, he feems to be a very pretty Fellow.

Chr. That is to them that have not a tho Tow Acquaintance with him, for he is bet abroad, near home he is ugly enough: Your faying that he is a pretty Man, brings to my Mind, what I have obferv'd in the Work of the Painter, whofe Pictures fhew beft at a Diftance, but very near unpleafing..

Faith. I am ready to think you do but jest because you frail'd.

Chr. God forbid, that I fhould jeft, (tho I fmil'd) in this Matter, or that I fhould accufe any falfly; I will give you a farther Discovery of him, This Man is for any Company, and for any Talk; as he talketh now with you, fo will he talk when he is on the Ale Bench; and the more Drink he hath in his Crown, the more of thofe Things he hath in his Mouth; Religion hath no Place in his Heart, or Houfe, or Converfation; and all he hath lies in this Tongue, and his Religion is to make a Noife therewith.

Faith. Say you fo! then I am in this Man greatly deceived.

Chr.

Chr. Deceived! you may be fure of it, Mar: 23. Remember the Proverb, They Jay and do 1 Cor. 4. not; but the Kingdom of God is not in Talkative Word, but in Power. He talketh of Prayer talks but · of Repentance, of Death and of the new Birth; does not. but he knows but only to talk of them. I have been in his Family, and have obferv'd him both at home and abroad, and I know what I fay of him is the truth. * His Houfe His Houfe is as empty of Religion as the White of an is empty of Egg is of Savour. There is neither Prayer Religion, nor Sign of Repentance for Sin: Yea, the

Brute in his kind ferves God far better than

he. He is the very Stain, Reproach and He is a Shame of Religion to all that know him; Stain to it can hardly have a good Word in all that Religion, End of the Town where he dwells, thro' Rom. 2. him. Thus fay the common People that 24, 25. know him A Saint abroad, and a Devil at The Prohome. His poor Family finds it fo: he is verb that fach a Churl, fuch a Railer at, and fo unre goes of men. fonable with his Servants, that they neither know how to do for, or to fpeak to him. Men that have any Dealings with him say, I'd better to deal with a Turk than with him, for fairer Dealings 1 ball have at bis Hands, This Talkative, if it be poffible, will go beyond them, defraud, beguile, and over-reach them; befides he brings up his Sons to follow his Steps, and if he finds in any of them, a foolish Timo roufnefs, (for fo he calls the first Appearance of a tender Confcience) he calls them Fools and Blockheads, and by no means w will employ them in much, or fpeak to their Commendations before others. For my part, I am of Opinion, that he has by his ES

wicked