contrary. But I marvel in my heart why he keeps fuch a dog; had I known that before, I fhould not have had heart enough to have ventured myself in this manner. But now we are in, we are in, and I am glad with all my heart. Mercy. I will ask him, if you please, next time he comes down, why he keeps fuch a filthy cur in his yard; I hope he will not take it amifs. Do fo, faid the children; and perfuade him to hang him, for we are afraid he will 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 of praife which I now offer unto him with the calves of my lips. He said unto her, Peace be to thee, ftand up. But the continued upon her face, and faid, Righteous art thou, O Lord; when I plead with thee, let me talk with thee of thy judgments: wherefore doft thou keep fuch a cruel dog in thy yard, at the fight of which fuch women and children as we are ready to fly from the gate for fear? He answered and faid, That dog has another owner; he alfo is kept clofe in another man's ground, only my pilgrims hear his barking; he be • We read of many who worshipped our Lord in the days of his flesh. If he had not been god, what blafphemy muft he have been guilty of, in taking that honour to himself, which belongs to God only! longs longs to the caftle which you see there at a distance, but can come up to the walls of this place. He has frightened many an honeft pilgrim from worse to better, by the great voice of his roaring. Indeed, he that owneth him, doth not keep him out of any good-will to me or mine, but with intent to keep the pilgrims from coming to me, and that they may be afraid to come and knock at this gate of entrance. Sometimes he has broken out, and worried fome whom I loved; but I take it all patiently at prefent. I take care to give my pilgrims timely help, so that they are not delivered up to his power, to do to them what his doggish nature would prompt him to. him to. But what! my purchased one, I trow, hadst thou known this before-hand, furely thou wouldest not have been afraid of a dog. The beggars who go from door to door, rather than they will lofe a fuppofed alms, will run the hazard of the bawling, barking, and biting too of a dog: and fhall a dog in another man's yard, a dog whose barking I turn to the profit of pilgrims, keep any from coming to me? I deliver them from the lions, and my darling from the power of the dog. Mercy. Then faid Mercy, I confess my igno All things, we are told, work together for good, to them that love God, and are called according to his purpose: this, no doubt, is true, as it refpects the malice of those who are enemies to God and his people. Thus the dog of hell may be of service, not only in keeping the fheep close together, but in making them keep close to their fhepherd. rance: I fpeak what I understand not; I acknowledge thou doft all things well. Then Christiana began to talk of their journey, and to enquire after the way. And he fed them and washed their feet, and fet them in the way of his steps, according as he had dealt with her husband before. So I faw in my dream, that they went on their way, and the weather was comfortable to them. Then Chriftiana began to fing, faying, Blefs'd be the day that I began A pilgrim for to be; Who thereunto, moved me. 'Tis true, 'twas long ere I began To feek to live for ever: Now there was, on the other fide of the wall, which fenced in the way up which Christiana and her companions were to go, a garden, which belonged to him who had that barking dog, of whom mention has been made. And fome of the fruittrees which grew in the garden fhot their branches upon the wall; and being mellow, they who found them did gather them up and eat them to their hurt. So Chriftiana's boys, as boys are apt to do, being pleafed pleafed with the trees, and with the fruit which did hang thereon, did pluck them, and began to eat. Their mother did chide them for fo doing, but still the boys went on. Well, faid fhe, my fons, you tranfgrefs, for that fruit is none of ours; but she did not know that they did belong to the enemy: I'll warrant you, if she had, she would have been ready to die for fear. But that paffed off, and they went on their way. Now, by the time that they were gone about two bows-fhot from the place which led them into the way, they efpied two very ill-favoured ones coming down apace to meet them. With that Christiana, and Mercy her friend, covered themselves with their veils, and kept alfo on their journey: the children also went on before; and at laft they met together. Then they who came down to meet them came up to the women, just as if they would embrace them; but Chriftiana faid, Stand back, or go on peaceably, as you should. Yet thefe two, as men who are deaf, regarded not Chriftiana's words, but began to lay hands upon them: at that Chriftiana waxed very wroth, and fpurned at them with her feet. Mercy alfo, as well as fhe could, did what fhe could to fhift them. Christiana again said to them, Stand back and begone, for we have no money to lose, being pilgrims as you fee, and such too as live upon the charity of our friends. Then faid one of the two men, we make no af fault upon you for money, but are come out to tell S 2 you, you, if you will but grant one fmall request which we fhall afk, we will make women of you for ever. Now Chriftiana imagining what they meant, made anfwer again, We will neither hear nor regard, nor yield to what you fhall afk. We are in hafte, and cannot ftay; our bufinefs is of life and death. So she and her companions made a fresh essay to pass by them; but they stopped them in their way, and faid, We intend no hurt to your lives; it is another thing we would have. Ay, quoth Christiana, you would have us body and foul, for I know it is for that you are come; but we will rather die upon the spot, than fuffer ourselves to be brought into fuch fnares, as fhall hazard our well-being hereafter. With that they both shrieked out, and cried Murder, Murder! And fo put themselves under those laws which are provided for the protection of women. But the men ftill made their approach upon them, with defign to prevail against them; and they again cried out, and being, as I said, not far from the gate at which they came in, their voices were heard there; wherefore fome of the house came out, and knowing that it was Chriftiana's tongue, made hafte to her relief. But by the time that they were got within fight of them, the women were in a very great fcuffle, and the children ftood crying by. Then he who came in for their relief called out to the ruffians, faying, What are you doing there? Would you make my Lord's people to tranfgrefs? He also attempted to take them, but 8 they |