Great-heart. We will be content with what thou haft in the houfe; forafmuch as I have proved thee, thou art never deftitute of that which is convenient.

Then he went down and told the cook, whofe name was Tafte that which is Good, to get ready fupper for fo many pilgrims. This done, he came up again, faying, Come, my good friends, you are welcome to me, and I am glad that I have a house to entertain you; and while fupper is making ready, if you pleafe, let us entertain one another with fome good difcourfe. So they all faid, Content.

Then faid Gaius, Whofe wife is this aged matron? and whofe daughter is this

young damfel? Great-heart. The woman is the wife of one Chrif tian, a pilgrim of former times; and thefe are his four children. The maid is one of her acquaintance; one whom he hath perfuaded to come with her on pilgrimage. The boys take all after their father, and covet to tread in his fteps: yea, if they do but fee any place where the old pilgrim hath lain, or any print of his foot, it miniftereth joy to their hearts, and they covet to lie or tread in the fame.

Then faid Gaius, Is this Chriftian's wife, and are thefe Chriftian's children? I knew your husband's father, yea alfo his father's father. Many have been good pilgrims of his ftock; their ancestors dwelt first at Antioch. Chriftian's progenitors (I fuppofe you have heard your husband talk of them) were very worthy men. They have, above any that I know of, fhewed themfelves men of great virtue and

courage

courage for the Lord of the pilgrims, his ways, and them who love him. I have heard of many of your husband's relations who have ftood all trials for the fake of the truth. Stephen, who was one of the first of the family from whence your husband sprang, was knocked on the head with stones, Acts vii. 59, 60, chap. xii. 8. James, another of that generation, was flain with the edge of the sword. To fay nothing of Paul and Peter, men anciently of the family from whence your husband came; there was Ignatius, who was caft to the lions; Romanus, whose flesh was cut by pieces from his bones; and Polycarp, who played the man in the fire. There was one who was hanged up in a basket in the fun, for the wafps to eat; and one whom they put into a fack, and cast him into the fea to be drowned. It would be utterly impoffible to count up all of that family who have fuffered injuries and death, for the love of a pilgrim's life. I cannot but be glad to fee that thy husband has left behind him four fuch boys as these. I hope they will bear up their father's name, tread in their father's fteps, and come to their father's end.

Great-heart. Indeed, Sir, they are likely lads: they seem to choose heartily their father's ways.

Gaius. That is what I faid; wherefore Christian's family is likely ftill to spread abroad upon the face of the ground, and yet to be numerous upon the face of the earth: wherefore, let Chriftiana look out fome damfels for her fons, to whom they may be

betrothed,

betrothed, &c. that the name of their father and the house of his progenitors may never be forgotten in the world.

Hon. It is a pity his family should fall and be extinct.

Gaius. Fall it cannot, however at times the number may be diminished; but let Chriftiana takę my advice, for that's the way to uphold it, Chriftiana, I am glad to fee thee and thy friend Mercy together here, a lovely couple; and I advise you to take Mercy into nearer relationship to thee. If the will, let her be given to Matthew thy eldest fon: it is the way to preserve a posterity in the earth.

This match was concluded, and in process of time they were married: but more of that hereafter.

Gaius also proceeded, and faid, I will now speak on the behalf of women, to take away their reproach. As death and the curfe came into the world by a woman, Gen. iii. fo alfo did life and healtha : "God fent forth his fon, made of a woman," Gal. iv. Yea,

z The decree is this: I will fet my king upon the holy hill of Zion. All the various events and revolutions which take place in time act in fubferviency to God's eternal purpose, and for the accomplishing of his defigns: fo that the church cannot fall, yet there may be a great declenfion and falling off among those who profefs the truths of God.

a St. Paul proves this very particularly in his first Epistle to Timothy, chap. ii. 15. " Adam was not deceived; but the "woman, being deceived, was in the tranfgreffion; notwithstanding, she shall be faved (not in, but) through childbearing." Aa, which is tranflated in, properly means through.

to

to fhew how much those who came after did abhor the act of the mother, this sex in the Old Teftament coveted children, if haply this or that woman might be the mother of the Saviour of the world. I will fay again, that when the Saviour was come, women rejoiced in him more than either men or angels, Luke ii.; viii. 2, 3; vii. 37, 50; John xi. 2; ii. 3; Luke xxiii. 27; Mat. xxvii. 55, 56, 60; Luke xxiv. 22, 23. I read not that ever any man did give unto Christ so much as one groat, but women followed him, and ministered to him of their fubftance: it was a woman who washed his feet with tears, and a woman anointed his body to the burial: they were women who wept when he was going to the crofs; and women followed him from the cross, and fat by his fepulchre when he was buried: they were women who were firft with him at his refurrection morn: women brought tidings first to his disciples that he was risen from the dead: women are highly favoured, and by these things it is plain that they are sharers with us in the grace of life.

Now the cook fent up word to fignify that fupper was almost ready, and fent one to lay the cloth, and the trenchers, and to fet the falt and bread in order.

Then faid Matthew, The fight of this cloth, and this forerunner of the fupper, begetteth in me a greater appetite to my food than I had before.

Gaius. So let the doctrines ministered to thee in this life, be get in thee a greater defire to fit at the fupper

fupper of the Great King in his kingdom: all preaching, books, and ordinances here, are but like laying the trenchers, and setting falt upon the board, as preparatory to the feaft which our Lord will make for us when we come to his house.

Supper came up: firft a heave-fhoulder and a wave-breaft were fet on the table before them, to fhew, that they must begin the meal with prayer and praise to God. With the heave-fhoulder, David lifted his heart up to God, and with the wave-breaft (where his heart lay) he used to lean upon his harp when he played. These two dishes were very fresh and good, and they all eat heartily thereof.

The next thing brought up was a bottle of wine, red as blood. So Gaius faid to them, Drink freely, this is the true juice of the vine, which makes glad the heart of God and man. So they drank and were merry.

The next thing was a difh of milk well crumbled. But Gaius faid, Let the boys have that, that they may grow thereby, 1 Pet. ii. 1, 2.

Then they brought up, in course, a dish of butter and honey. Eat, faid Gaius, freely of this, for this is good to cheer up and strengthen your judgments and understandings: this was our Lord's dish when he was a child: "Butter and honey fhall he eat, "that he may know how to refufe the evil, and "choose the good."

Then they brought up a dish of apples, which

were