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went with much Content; but that Plain was but narrow, fo they were quickly got over it. Now at the farther Side of

Hill.

that Plain was a little Hill called Lucre, * Lucre Hill and in that Hilla Silver Mine, which fome a dangerous of them that had formerly gone that Way, because of the Rarity of it, had turned afide to fee; but going too near the Brink of the Pit, the Ground, being deceitful under them, broke, and they were flain: Some also had been maimed there, and could not, to their Dying day, be their own Men again.

Then I faw in my Dream, that a little off the Road, over-against the Silver-Mine, food + Demas (Gentleman-like) to call + Demas at Paffengers to come and fee; who faid to the Hill Lucre. Chriftian and his Fellow, ‡ Ho! turn afide † He calls to hither, and I will fhew you a Thing.

Chr. What Thing is fo deferving, as to turn us out of the Way?

Demas. Here is a Silver Mine, and fome digging in it for Treasure; if you will come, with a little Pains, you may richly provide for yourselves.

Chriftian and
Hopeful to

come to him.

Hope. Then faid Hopeful, Let us go || Hopeful fee.

tempted to go,

bolds him

Chr. Not I, faid Chriftian, I have heard but Chriftian of this Place before now, and how many back. have there been flain; and befides, that Treasure is a Snare to thofe that feek it; for it hindereth them in their Pilgrimage."

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Then Chriftian called to Demas, faying, Hof. 4. 18. Is not the Place dangerous? Hath it not hindered many in their Pilgrimage?

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*Chriftian

Demas.

2 Tim.

4. 10.

Demas. Not very dangerous, except to thofe that are carelefs; but withal, he blushed as he spake.

Chr. Then faid Chriftian to Hopeful, Let us not ftir a Step, but ftill keep on our Way.

Hope. I will warrant you, when By-ends comes up, if he hath the fame Invitation as we, he will turn in thither to fee.

Chr. No doubt thereof, for his Principles lead him that Way, and a hundred to one but he dies there.

Demas. Then Demas called again, faying; But will you not come over and fee?

Chr. Then Chriftian roundly answerroundeth up ing, faying, Demas, Thou art an Enemy to the right Ways of the Lord of this Way, and haft been already condemned for thine own turning afide, by one of his Majefty's Judges: And why feekeft thou to bring us into the like Condemnation? Befides, if we at all turn afide, our Lord the King will certainly hear thereof, and will there put us to Shame, where we would ftand with Boldnefs before him.

Demas cried again, That he alfo was one of their Fraternity; and that if they would tarry a little, he alfo himself would .walk with them.

Chr. Then faid Chriftian, What is thy Name? Is it not the fame by the which I have called thee?

Demas. Yes, my Name is Demas, I am the Son of Abraham.

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1, 2, 3, 5, 6.

Chr. I know you; Gehazi was your 2 Kings 5.20. Great Grandfather, and Judas your Fa- Matt. 26. 14, 15. ch. 27. ther, and you have trod in their Steps; it is but a Devilish Prank that thou useft: Thy Father was hanged for a Traitor, and thou deferveft no better Reward. Affure thyfelf, that when we come to the King, we will tell him of this thy Behaviour. Thus they went their Way.

Demas.

By this Time By-ends and his Companions were come again within Sight, and they at the first Beck went over to De- By-ends mas. Now, whether they fell into the goes over to Pit by looking over the Brink thereof, or whether they went down to dig, or whether they were fmothered in the Bottom by the Damps that commonly arife, of thefe Things I am not certain; but this I obferved, that they never were feen again in the Way, Then fang Chriftian:

agree;

may

be

By-ends and Silver Demas both
One calls, the other runs, that he
A Sharer in bis Lucre; fo thefe do
Take up in this World, and no farther go.

Now I faw, that just on the other Side of this Plain, the Pilgrims came to a Place where stood an old Monument, hard

by the Highway Side, at the + Sight of + They fee a which they were both concerned, becaufe ftrange Monu of the Strangeness of the Form thereof, ment. for it feemed to them as if it had been a Woman transformed into the Shape of a Pillar; here therefore they ftood looking, and looking upon it, but could not

for

for a Time tell what they should make thereof: At laft Hopeful efpied written upon the Head thereof, a Writing in an unusual Hand; but he being no Scholar, called to Chriftian (for he was learned) to fee if he could pick out the Meaning: fo he came, and after a little laying of the Letters together, he found the fame to be this, Remember Lot's Wife. it to his Fellow; after which *Gen. 19.26. concluded that that was the

*

So he read they both. Pillar of Salt into which Lot's Wife was turned, for looking back with a covetous Heart, when fhe was going from Sodom for Safety. Which fudden and amazing Sight gave them Occafion of this Difcourfe.

Chr. Ah, my Brother! this is a seasonable Sight, it came opportunely to us after the Invitation which Demas gave us to come over to view the Hill Lucre; and had we gone over, as he defired us, and as thou waft inclined to do (my Brother) we had, for ought I know, been made like this Woman, a Spectacle for those that fhall come after, to behold.

Hope. I am forry that I was fo foolish, and am made to wonder that I am not now as Lot's Wife; for wherein was the Difference between her Sin and mine? She only looked back, and I had a Defire to go fee: Let Grace be adored, and let me be ashamed, that ever such a Thing fhould be in mine Heart.

Chr. Let us take Notice of what we fee here, for our Help for Time to come: This Woman escaped one Judgment, for the fell not by the Deftruction of Sodom; yet

fhe

fae was destroyed by another; as we fee, the is turned into a Pillar of Salt.

*

Hope. True, and the may be to us both Caution, and Example; Caution, that we Should thun her Sin; or a Sign of what Judgment will overtake fuch as fhall not be prevented by this Caution; So Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, with the Two, Hundred and Fifty Men that perifhed in their Sin, did alfo become a Sign or Example Num. 26. to beware. But above all, I mufe at one 9, 10. Thing, to wit, how Demas and his Fellows can stand fo confidently yonder to look for that Treafure, which this Woman, but for looking behind her after, (for we read not that the ftept one Foot out of the Way) was turned into a Pillar of Salt; especially fince the Judgment which overtook her did make her an Example, within Sight of where they are: For they cannot choose but fee her did they but lift up their Eyes.

Chr. It is a Thing to be wondered at, and it argueth that their Hearts are grown defperate in the Cafe; and I cannot tell who to compare them to fo fitly, as to them that pick Pockets in the Prefence of the Judge, or that will cut Purses under the Gallows. It is faid of the Men of Sodom, + that they were Sinners exceedingly, te- †Gen.13.13. cause they were Sinners before the Lord, that is, in his Eye-fight, and notwithftanding the Kindneffes that he had fhewed them; for the land of Sodom was now like the Garden of Eden beretofore. This t Ver. 10. therefore provoked him the more to Jealoufy, and made their Plague as hot as

the

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