Christ. We understand that this is a privileged place for those who are become pilgrims, and we who are now at this door are fuch. We therefore pray that we may be partakers of that for which we, at this time, are come. The day, as thou feeft, is very far spent, and we are loth to go any farther to night.

Damfel. Pray, what may I call your name, that I may tell it to my Lord within?

Christ. My name is Chriftiana. I was the wife of that pilgrim who fome years ago did travel this way; and these are his four children. This maiden is alfo my companion, and is going on pilgrimage

too.

Then ran Innocent in (for that was her name), and said to those within, Can you think who is at the door? There is Chriftiana and her children, and her companion, all waiting for entertainment here. Then they leaped for joy, and went and told their master, who came to the door, and looking upon her, faid, Art thou that Chriftiana whom Chriftian the good man left behind him when he betook himself to a pilgrim's life?

Christ. I am that woman who was fo hardhearted as to flight my husband's troubles, and who left him to go his journey alone; and these are his four children: but now I alfo am come, for I am convinced that no way is right but this.

Inter. Then is fulfilled in thee that which is

written

written of the man who faid to his fon, Go work to-day in my vineyard; and he faid to his father, I will not; but afterwards repented, and

went.

Chrift. Amen, fo be it. God make it a true faying in me, and grant that, I may be found at last of him in peace, without fpot, and blameless.

Inter. But why standeft thou at the door? Come in, thou daughter of Abraham: we were talking of thee but now, for tidings had come to us before, that thou waft become a pilgrim. Come, children, come in; come, maiden, come in: fo he had them all into the house.

When they were within, they were bidden to fit down and reft them: which, when they had done, those who attended upon the pilgrims in the house, came into the room to see them. One fmiled, and another fmiled, and another fmiled, and they all fmiled, for joy that Christiana was become a pilgrim. They also looked upon the boys, and ftroked them over their faces, with their hand, in token of their kind reception of them. They also carried it lovingly to Mercy, and fo they bid them all welcome to their master's house.

After a while, because fupper was not ready, the Interpreter took them into his Significant Rooms, and fhewed them what Chriftian, Chriftiana's hufband, had feen fome time before. Here therefore they saw the man in the cage; the man and his

dream;

dream; the man that cut his way through his enemies; and the picture of the biggest of all; together with the rest of those things which were then fo profitable to Chriftian.

After these things had been fomewhat digested by Christiana and her company, the Interpreter took them apart again, and had them first into a room, where was a man who could look no way but downwards, with a muck-rake in his hand; there stood alfo one over his head with a celeftial crown in his hand, and profered him that crown for his muckrake; but the man would neither look up, nor regard, but raked to himself the ftraws, the small fticks, and the duft of the floor.

Then faid Chriftiana, I perfuade myself, that I know fomewhat the meaning of this. This is the figure of a man of this world; Is it not, good Sir?

Inter. Thou haft said right, and his muck-rake doth fhew his carnal mind. And whereas thou didst fee him rather give heed to rake up ftraws and sticks, and the duft of the floor, than to do what he faid who called to him from above, with the celeftial crown in his hand: this is to fhew, that heaven is but as a fable to fome, and that things here are counted the only substantial things. Whereas, it was also fhewed thee, that the man could look no way but downwards; that was to let thee know that earthly things, when they have power over the

1

minds of men, quite carry their hearts away from Godz.

Chrift. Oh! deliver me from this muck-rake.

Inter. That prayer, Give me not riches, has lain by till it is almost rufty. This is fcarce the prayer of one in ten thousand. Straws and fticks, and duft, are the great things now looked after by most. With that Mercy and Chriftiana wept, and faid, It is, alas! too true.

When the Interpreter had fhewed them this, he had them into the very best room in the house (a very brave room it was); fo he bad them look round about, and fee if they could find any thing profitable there. Then they looked round and round for there was nothing to be seen but a very great spider on the wall; and they overlooked that. Then faid Mercy, Sir, I fee nothing. But Chriftiana held her peace. But, faid the Interpreter, look again: fhe therefore looked again, and said, Here is nothing but an ugly fpider, which hangs by his hands upon the wall. Then, faid he, is there but one spider in all this fpacious room? Then the water stood in Chriftiana's eyes, for fhe was a woman quick of apprehension: and she said, Yea,

2 Our Lord has faid, "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." To be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. If our treasure is in heaven, we need not envy those griping muckworms, who are curfed in their basket, and curfed in their store.

Lord,