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dence, and came without it to the brow of the hill and then feeling for it and finding it not, I was forced, with sorrow of heart, to go back to the place where I slept my sleep; where I found it, and now I am come.

POR. Well, I will call out one of the virgins of this place, who will, if she like your talk, bring you in to the rest of the family, according to the rules of the house. So WATCHFUL the PORTER rang a bell, at the sound of which came out at the door of the house a grave and beautiful damsel, named DISCRETION, and asked why she was called?

The PORTER answered, This man is in a journey from the city of DESTRUCTION to mount ZION; but being weary and benighted, he asked me if he might lodge here to-night: so I told him I would call for thee, who, after discourse had with him, mayest do as seemeth thee good, even according to the law of the house.

Then she asked him whence he was? and whither he was going? and he told her. She asked him also how he got in the way? and he told her. Then she asked him what he had seen and met with in the way? and he told her. And at last she asked his name? So he said, It is CHRISTIAN: and I have so much the more a desire to lodge here to-night, because, by what I perceive, this place was built by the Lord of the hill for the relief and security of pilgrims. So she smiled, but the water stood in her eyes; and after a little pause she said, I will call forth two or three more of the family. So she ran to the door and called out PRUDENCE, PIETY, and CHARITY, who, after a little more dis

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course with him, had him into the family; and many of them meeting him at the threshold of the house said, 'Come in, thou blessed of the Lord; this house was

built by the Lord of the hill, on purpose to entertain ⚫ such pilgrims in.' Then he bowed his head, and followed them into the house. So when he was come in and sat down, they gave him something to drink, and consented together that, until supper was ready, some of them should have some particular discourse with CHRISTIAN, for the best improvement of time; and they appointed PIETY, and PRUDENCE, and CHARITY, to discourse with him; and thus they began.

PI. Come, good CHRISTIAN, since we have been so loving to you, to receive you into our house this night, let us, if perhaps we may better ourselves thereby, talk with you of all things that have happened to you in your pilgrimage.

CHR. With a very good will; and I am glad that you are so well disposed.

P1. What moved you at first to betake yourself to a pilgrim's life?

CHR. I was driven out of my native country by a dreadful sound that was in mine ears; to wit, that unavoidable destruction did attend me if I abode in that place where I was.

PI. But how did it happen that you came out of your country this way?

CHR. It was as God would have it; for when I was under the fears of destruction, I did not know whither to go; but by chance there came a man, even to me as I was trembling and weeping, whose name is EVAN

GELIST, and he directed me to the WICKET-GATE, which else I should never have found, and so set me into the way that hath led me directly to this house.

P1. But did you not come by the house of the INTERPRETER?

CHR. Yes, and did see such things there, the remembrance of which will stick by me as long as I live; especially three things; to wit, how CHRIST, in despite of SATAN, maintains his work of grace in the heart; how the man had sinned himself quite out of hopes of God's mercy; and also the dream of him that thought in his sleep the day of judgement was come.

P1. Why, did you hear him tell his dream?

CHR. Yes, and a dreadful one it was, I thought; it made my heart ache as he was telling of it; but yet I am glad I heard it.

PI. Was this all you saw at the house of the INTERPRETER?

CHR. No; he took me and had me where he shewed me a stately palace, and how the people were clad in gold that were in it; and how there came a venturous man and cut his way through the armed men that stood in the door to keep him out; and how he was bid to come in and win eternal glory: methought those things did ravish my heart. I would have staid at that good man's house a twelvemonth, but that I knew I had further to go.

PI. And what saw you else in the way?

CHR. Saw! Why, I went but a little further, and I saw One, as I thought in my mind, hang bleeding upon a tree; and the very sight of him made my burden fall

off my back (for I groaned under a very heavy burden, but then it fell down from off me). It was a strange thing to me, for I never saw such a thing before: yea, and while I stood looking up, (for then I could not forbear looking) three shining ones came to me: one of them testified that my sins were forgiven me; another stripped me of my rags, and gave me this embroidered coat which you see; and the third set the mark which you see in my forehead, and gave me this sealed roll (and with that he plucked it out of his bosom).

P1. But you saw more than this, did you not?

CHR. The things that I have told you were the best; yet some other matters I saw; as namely, I saw three men, SIMPLE, SLOTH, and PRESUMPTION, lie asleep, a little out of the way as I came, with irons upon their heels; but do you think I could awake them! I also saw FORMALITY and HYPOCRISY come tumbling over the wall, to go, as they pretended, to ZION, but they were quickly lost; even as I myself did tell them, but they would not believe. But, above all, I found it hard work to get up this hill, and as hard to come by the lions' mouths; and truly, if it had not been for the good man, the PORTER, that stands at the gate, I do not know but that, after all, I might have gone back again; but now, I thank God, I am here; and I thank you for receiving of me.

Then PRUDENCE thought good to ask him a few questions, and desired his answer to them.

PR. Do you not think sometimes of the country from whence you came?

CHR. Yes, but with much shame and detestation:

truly, if I had been mindful of that country from whence I came out, I might have had opportunity to have returned; but now I desire a better country, that is, an heavenly one'.

PR. Do you not yet bear away with you some of the things that then you were conversant withal?

CHR. Yes, but greatly against my will; especially my inward and carnal cogitations, with which all my countrymen, as well as myself, were delighted: but now all those things are my grief; and might I but choose mine own things, I would choose never to think of those things more; but when I would be a doing of that which is best, that which is worst is with me2.

PR. Do you not find sometimes as if those things were vanquished, which at other times are your perplexity?

CHR. Yes, but that is but seldom; but they are to me golden hours in which such things happen to me. PR. Can you remember by what means you find your annoyances at times as if they were vanquished?

CHR. Yes: when I think what I saw at the cross, that will do it; and when I look upon my embroidered coat, that will do it; and when I look into the roll that I carry in my bosom, that will do it; and when my thoughts wax warm about whither I am going, that will do it.

PR. And what is it that makes you so desirous to go to mount ZION?

CHR. Why, there I hope to see him alive that did hang dead on the cross: and there I hope to be rid of

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