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at the table, "Nuts spoil tender teeth, especially the teeth of children:" which when Gaius heard, he said:

Hard texts are nuts, [I will not call them cheaters,]
Whose shells do keep the kernels from the eaters:
Ope then the shells, and you shall have the meat:
They here are brought, for you to crack and eat.

Then were they very merry, and sat at the table a long time, talking of many things. Then said the old gentleman, "My good landlord, while ye are here cracking your nuts, if you please, do you open this riddle.

[A riddle put forth by old Honest.]

A man there was, [though some do count him mad,]
The more he cast away, the more he had.

Then they all gave good heed, wondering what good Gaius would say: so he sat still a while, and then thus replied:

[Gaius opens it.]

He who bestows his goods upon the poor,

Shall have as much again, and ten times more.

Then said Joseph, "I dare say, sir, I did not think you could have found it out."

"O! (said Gaius,) I have been trained up in this way a great while: nothing teaches like experience: I have found by experience that I have gained thereby.-There is that scattereth, yet increaseth; and there is that which withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches."**

Then Samuel whispered to Christiana, his mother, and said, Mother, this is a very good man's house; let us stay here a good while, and let my brother Matthew be married here to Mercy, before we go any farther."

The which, Gaius the host overhearing, said, "With a very good will, my child."

So they stayed here more than a month; and Mercy was given to Matthew to wife.

While they stayed here, Mercy, as her custom was, would be making coats and garments to give to the poor; by which she brought a very good report upon pilgrims.

But to return again to our story. After supper the lads desired a bed, for they were weary with travelling. Then Gaius called to show them their chamber; but said Mercy, "I will have them to bed." So she had them to bed; and

* Prov. xi. 21.-xiii. 7.

they slept well; but the rest sat up all night: for Gaius and they were such suitable company, that they could not tell how to part. Then, after much talk of their Lord, themselves, and their journey, old Mr. Honest, (he that put forth the riddle to Gaius,) began to nod. Then said Great-Heart, "What, sir! you begin to be drowsy: Come, rub up now; here is a riddle for you." Then said Mr. Honest, "Let us hear it."

Then said Mr. Great-Heart:

[A riddle.]

He that will kill, must first overcome:

Who live abroad would, first must die at home.

"Ha! (said Mr. Honest,) it is a hard one; hard to expound, and harder to practise. But come, landlord, (said he,) I will, if you please, leave my part to you; do you expound it, and I will hear what you say."

"No, (said Gaius,) it was put to you, and it is expected you should answer it."

Then said the old gentleman

[The riddle opened.]

He first by grace must conquer'd be
That sin would mortify:

Who, that he lives, would convince me,
Unto himself must die.

“It is right, (said Gaius;) good doctrine and experience teaches this. For, First, until grace displays itself, and overcomes the soul with its glory, it is altogether without heart to oppose sin; besides, if sin is Satan's cord, by which the soul lies bound; how should it make resistance, before it is loosed from that infirmity? Nor, secondly, will any, that knows either reason or grace, believe that such a man can be a living monument of grace, that is a slave to his own corruption.--And now it comes in my mind, I will tell you a story worth the hearing. There were two men that went on a pilgrimage; the one began when he was young, the other when he was old: the young man had strong corruptions to grapple with; the old man's were weak with the decays of nature: the young man trod his steps as even as did the old one, and was every way as light as he: who now, or which of them, had their graces shining clearest, since both seemed to be alike?"

Honest. The young man's, doubtless: for that which heads it against the greatest opposition, gives best demonstration that it is strongest; especially when it also holdeth pace with that which meets not with half so much: as to be sure, old age does not. Besides, I have observed, that old men

have blessed themselves with this mistake; namely, taking the decays of nature for a gracious conquest over corruptions, and so have been apt to beguile themselves. Indeed old men that are gracious, are best able to give advice to them that are young; because they have seen most of the emptiness of things: but yet, for an old and a young man to set out both together; the young one has the advantage of the fairest discovery of a work of grace within him; though the old man's. corruptions are naturally weakest.

Thus they sat talking till break of day. Now, when the family was up, Christiana bade her son James read a chapter: so he read the 53d of Isaiah. When he had done, Mr. Honest asked, why it was said, "That the Saviour is said to come out of a dry ground; and also that he had no form or comeliness in him?"

Then said Mr. Great-Heart: "To the first I answer; because the church of the Jews, of which Christ came, had then almost lost all the sap, and spirit of religion. To the second I say, the words are spoken in the person of unbelievers, who because they want the eye that can see into our Prince's heart, therefore they judge of him by the meanness of his outside. Just like those, that know not that precious stones are covered over with a homely crust; who, when they have found one, (because they know not what they have found,) cast it again away, as men do a common stone."

"Well, (said Gaius,) now you are here, and since, as I know, Mr. Great-Heart is good at his weapons; if you please, after we have refreshed ourselves, we will walk into the fields, to see if we can do any good. About a mile from hence, there is one Slay-good, a giant, that does much annoy the King's highway in these parts: and I know whereabout his haunt is: he is master of a number of thieves; it would be well if we could clear these parts of him."

So they consented and went; Mr. Great-Heart with his sword, helmet, and shield; and the rest with spears and staves.

When they came to the place where he was, they found him with one Feeble-Mind in his hand, whom his servants had brought unto him, having taken him in the way; now the Giant was rifling him, with a purpose, after that, to pick his bones; for he was of the nature of flesh-eaters.

Well, as soon as he saw Mr. Great-Heart, and his friends, at the mouth of the cave, with their weapons, he demanded what they wanted?

Great-Heart. We want thee; for we are come to re

venge the quarrels of the many that thou hast slain of the pilgrims, when thou hadst dragged them out of the King's high-way: wherefore come out of thy cave.

So he armed himself, and came out; and to battle they went, and fought for above an hour, and then stood still to take wind.

Then said the Giant, "Why are you here on my ground?" Great-Heart. To revenge the blood of pilgrims, as I told thee before.

So they went to it again; and the Giant made Mr. GreatHeart give back; but he came up again, and, in the greatness of his mind, he let fly with such stoutness at the Giant's head and sides, that he made him let his weapon fall out of his hand so he smote him, and slew him, and cut off his head, and brought it away to the inn. He also took Feeble-Mind, the pilgrim, and brought him with him to his lodgings.

When they were come home, they showed his head to the family, and set it up as they had done others before, for a terror to those that shall attempt to do as he, hereafter. Then they asked Mr. Feeble-mind, how he fell into his hands?

Then said the poor man; 66 I am a sickly man, as you see; and because death did usually once a day knock at the door, I thought I should never be well at home: so 1 betook myself to a pilgrim's life; and have travelled hither from the town of Uncertain, where I and my father were born. I am a man of no strength at all of body, nor yet of mind; but would, if I could, though I can but crawl, spend my life in the pilgrim's way. When I came at the Gate that is at the head of the way, the Lord of that place did entertain me freely; neither objected he against my weakly looks nor against my feeble mind; but he gave me such things that were necessary for my journey, and bade me hope to the end. When I came to the house of the Interpreter, I received much kindness there; and, because the Hill of Difficulty was judged too hard for me, I was carried up that by one of his servants. Indeed I have found much relief from pilgrims, though none was willing to go so softly as I am forced to do: yet still they came on, they bade me be of good cheer, and said, that it was the will of their Lord, that comfort should be given to the feebleminded and so went on their own pace. When I was come to Assault-Lane, then this Giant met with me, and bade me prepare for an encounter: but alas! feeble one

*Thess. v. 14.

that I was, I had more need of a cordial: so he came up and took me: though I conceived he should not kill me. Also when he had got me into his den; since I went not with him willingly, I believed I should come out alive again: for I have heard, That not any pilgrim that is taken captive by violent hands, if he keeps heart-whole towards his Master, is, by the laws of Providence, to die by the hand of the enemy. Robbed I looked to be; and robbed to be sure I am: but I am, as you see, escaped with life; for the which I thank my king as author, and you as the means. Other brunts I also look for: but this I have resolved on, to wit, to run when I can, to go when I cannot run, and to creep when I cannot go. As to the main, I thank him that loved me, I am fixed; my way is before me, my mind is beyond the river that has no bridge, though I am, as you see, but of a feeble mind."** Then said old Mr. Honest, "Have not you, some time ago, been acquainted with one Mr. Fearing, a pilgrim?" Feeble-Mind. Acquainted with him! Yes; he came from the town of Stupidity, which lieth four degrees northward of the city of Destruction, and as many off of where I was born; yet we were well acquainted, for indeed he was my uncle, my father's brother: he and I have been much of a temper; he was a little shorter than I, but yet we were much of a complexion.

*

Honest. I perceive you know him, and I am apt to believe also, that you were related to one another; for you have his whitely look, a cast like his with your eye, and your speech is much alike.

Feeble-Mind. Most have said so, that have known us both; and besides, what I have read in him, I have for the most part found in myself.

"Come, sir, (said good Gaius,) be of good cheer; you are welcome to me, and to my house; and what thou hast a mind to, call for freely; and what thou wouldest have my servants do for thee, they will do it with a ready mind."

Then said Mr. Feeble-Mind; "This is an unexpected favor, and as the sun shining out of a very dark cloud. Did Giant Slay-good intend me this favor when he stopped me, and resolved to let me go no farther? Did he intend, that after he had rifled my pocket I should go to Gaius mine host? Yet so it is."

Now, just as Mr. Feeble-Mind and Gaius were thus in talk, there comes one running, and called at the door, and told, That about a mile and a half off, there was one Mr.

Mark this.

Take notice of the ways of Providence.

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