and children afraid; nor durft they, for a while, knock any more, for fear the mastiff fhould fly upon them. Now therefore they were greatly tumbled up and down in their minds, and knew not what to do: knock they durft not, for fear of the dog; go back they durft not, for fear that the keeper of the gate fhould efpy them as they went, and be offended with them at last they thought of knocking again, and knocking more vehemently than they did at firft. Then faid the keeper of the gate, Who is there? So the dog left off barking, and the porter opened unto them.

Then Chriftiana made a low obeifance, and faid, Let not our Lord be offended with his hand-maidens, that we have knocked at his princely gate.' Then faid the keeper, Whence came ye? And what is it that you would have?

Christiana answered, We are come from whence Christian came, and upon the fame errand; to wit, to be, if it fhall please you, graciously admitted, by this gate, into the way which leads unto the celeftial city. Furthermore, I anfwer, my Lord, that I am Chriftiana, once the wife of Christian, who now is gotten above.

With that the keeper of the gate feemed to marvel, faying, What are you now become a pilgrim, who but a while ago abhorred that life? Then fhe bowed her head, and faid, Yea, and fo are these my fweet babes alfo.

Then he took her by the hand, and let her in,

and

and faid alfo, "Suffer the little children to come unto me;" with that he fhut the gate, and having done this, he called to a trumpeter who was above, over the gate, to entertain Chriftiana with fhouting, and found of trumpet, for joy; who obeyed and immediately founded, filling the air with his melodious

notes.

Now all this while poor Mercy did stand without trembling and crying, for fear fhe fhould be rejected. But when Chriftiana had gotten admittance for herself and her boys, then she began to make interceffion for Mercy: and faid, My Lord, I have a companion who ftands yet without, who is come hither upon the fame account as myself: one much dejected in her mind, becaufe fhe comes, as fhe thinks, without being fent for; whereas I was invited by my husband's King to come.

Now Mercy began to be very impatient, and each minute was as long to her as an hour; wherefore the prevented Chriftiana from interceding for her any more, by knocking at the gate herself: and fhe knocked then fo loud, as to make Christiana ftart. Then faid the keeper of the gate, Who is there? And Chriftiana faid, It is my friend. So he opened the gate and looked out, but Mercy was fallen down in a fwoon, for fhe fainted, being afraid that the gate would not be opened to her. Then he took her by the hand, and faid, Damfel, I bid thee arife. O Sir, faid fhe, I am faint; there is fcarce any life left in me. But he answered, It was

faid

me,

faid by one of old, "When my foul fainted within I remembered the Lord, and my prayer came "unto thee, into thy holy temple." Therefore fear not, but stand upon thy feet, and tell me wherefore thou art come.

I am come, faid Mercy, for that to which I was never invited, as my friend Chriftiana was. Hers was from the King himself, and mine was but from her. Wherefore I prefume. Then, faid he, did fhe defire thee to come with her to this place?

Yes, faid Mercy; and as my Lord fees, I am come. And if there is any grace or forgiveness of fins to fpare, I beseech that thy poor hand-maid may be a partaker of it. Then he took her again by the hand, and led her gently in, and faid, I pray for all them who believe on me, by what means foever they come unto me. Then faid he to thofe who ftood by, Fetch fomething, and give it Mercy to fmell, to stay her faintings. So they fetched her a bundle of myrrh, and fhe was quickly revived.

Now Chriftiana and her boys, and Mercy, were received of the Lord at the head of the way, who fpoke kindly to them. And they faid

yet further

P Our Lord fays, "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them alío which fhall believe on me, through their word." And, in another place, he fays, Whofoever cometh unto me, I will in no wife caft him out:" no matter who you are; nor what your paft life has been; nor by what means you was wrought upon at first; nor how deep your convictions have been; if you come to Jefus, he will not caft you out.

unto

unto him, We are forry for our fins, and beg of our Lord, his pardon, and further information what we must do. I grant pardon, said he, by word and deed; by word, in the promise of forgiveness; by deed, in the way I obtained it. Take the first from my lips with a'kifs, and the other as it fhall be revealed.

Now I faw in my dream, that he spake many good words unto them, whereby they were made exceedingly glad. He also had them up to the top of the gate, and fhewed them by what deed they were faved; and told them withal, That they would have that fight again as they went along in the way, to their comfort.

So he left them awhile in a fummer parlour bełów, where they entered into talk by themselves; and thus Christiana began: O Lord! how glad am I, that we are got in hither!

Mercy. So you well may; but I of all have caufe to leap for joy.

Chrift. I thought at one time as I ftood at the gate (because I had knocked and none did answer)

There are two ways by which a sense of pardon is conveyed. The firft is, by some powerful and sensible impreffion made on the heart, by which there is a sense of nearness to God, and a blessed confidence in him; this may be without any clear and confiftent views of the way of life and falvation (as it refpects doctrines). The fecond is, by opening the myftery of redemption, and giving the foul to discern the meaning of Christ's death, and to feel the power of his refurrection.

that

that all our labour had been loft, especially when that ugly cur made fuch a heavy barking at us.

Mercy. But my worst fear was, after I faw that you was taken into his favour, that I was left behind. Now, thought I, that is fulfilled which is written, "Two women shall be grinding together, the one shall be taken, and the other left." I had much ado to forbear crying out, Undone! And I was afraid to knock any more: but when I looked up, and faw what was written over the gate, I took courage. I alfo thought that I must either knock again, or die. So I knocked, but I cannot tell how; for my fpirit now ftruggled between life and death.

Christ. Can you not tell how you knocked? I am fure your knocks were fo earneft, that the very found made me start. I thought I never heard fuch knocking in all my life; I thought you would come in by a violent hand, and take the kingdom by storm.

Mercy. Alas! to be in my case! who that was fo but must have done fo? You faw that the door was fhut upon me, and you know that there was a moft cruel dog thereabout. Who, I fay, that was fo faint-hearted as I, would not have knocked with all their might? But pray, What faid my Lord unto my rudeness? Was he not angry with me?

Christ. When he heard your lumbering noise, he gave a wonderful innocent fmile. I believe wha you did pleased him well; he fhewed no fign to the

contrary.