He is thankful

Hope. I acknowledge myself in a Fault: and had I been here alone, I had by fleeping run the Danger of Death. I fee it is Ecclef. 4. 9. true that the wife Man faith, Two are better than one. Hitherto hath thy Company been my Mercy; and thou shalt bave a good Reward for thy Labour.

To prevent Drowzine they fall to good Difcourfe. Good Difcourfe pre-venteth Drowziness.

Chr. Now then, faid Chriftian, to prevent Drowzinefs in this Place, let us fall into good Difcourse.

Hope. With all my Heart, said the

other.

Chr. Where we shall begin?

Hope. Where God began with us: But do you begin if you please.

Chr. I will fing you first a Song.

The Dreamers When Saints do fleepy grow, let them come

And bear bow these two Pilgrims talk to-
gether:

Yea, let them learn of them in any wife
Thus to keep ope' their drowzy flumb'ring Eyes.
Saints Fellowship, if it be manag'd well,
Keeps them awake, and that in spite of Hell.

They begin at Chr. Then Chriftian began, and said, I the Beginning will ask you a Question. How came you of their Con- to think at first of fo doing as you do verfion. now ?

Hope. Do you mean, how came I at first to look after the Good of my Soul? Chr. Yes, that is my Meaning.

Hope.

Hope. I continued a great while in the Delight of thofe Things which were seen and fold at our Fair; Things which I believe now would have, had I continued in them ftill, drowned me in Perdition and Deftruction.

Chr. What Things were they?

Hope. All the Treafures and Riches of

the World. Alfo I delighted much in Hopeful's Rioting, Revelling, Drinking, Swearing, Life before Lying, Uncleannefs, Sabbath-breaking, Converfion. and what not, that tended to destroy the Soul. But I found at laft, by hearing and confidering of Things that are Divine, which indeed I heard of you, as also of beloved Faithful, that was put to Death for his Faith and good living in Vanity Rom. 6. Fair, That the End of thefe Things is Death. 21, 22, 23. And that for thefe Things Sake, the Wrath Eph. 5. 6. of God cometh upon the Children of Dif

obedience.

Chr. And did you presently fall under the Power of this Conviction?

Hope. No, I was not willing presently to know the Evils of Sin, nor the Damnation that follows upon the Commiffion of it; but endeavoured when my Mind at Hopeful at first began to be fhaken with the Word, firft fhuts his to fhut mine Eyes against the Light Eyes against the Light.

thereof.

Chr. But what was the Caufe of your carrying of it thus to the firft Workings of God's Spirit upon you?

Hope. The Caufes were, 1. I was igno- Reasons of rant that this was the Work of God upon his refifting me. I never thought that by Awaken- the Light." ings for Sin, God at first begins the

N

Con

* When be

had loft his Senfe of Sin, what brought

it again.

Converfion of a Sinner. 2. Sin was yet very fweet to my Flefh, and I was loth to leave it. 3. I could not tell how to part with mine own Companions, their Prefence and Actions were fo defirable unto me. 4. The Hours in which Convictions were upon me, were fuch Troublesome and fuch Heart-affrighting Hours, that I could not bear, no not. fo much as the Remembrance of them upon my Heart.

Chr. Then, as it feems, fometimes you got rid of your Trouble.

Hope. Yes, verily, but it would come into my Mind again, and then I should be as bad, nay worse than I was before.

Chr. Why, what was it that brought your Sins to Mind again?

Hope. Many Things; as

1. * If I did but meet a good Man in the Streets; or,

2. If I have heard any read in the Bible; or,

or,

3. If mine Head did begin to ach;

4. If I were told that fome of my Neighbours were fick; or,

5.

If I heard the Bell toll for fome that were dead; or,

6. If I thought of Dying myself; or, 7. If I heard that fudden Death happened to others.

8. But especially when I thought of myself, that I muft quickly come to Judg

ment.

Chr.

1

Chr. And could you at any Time, with Eafe, get off the Guilt of Sin, when by any of these Ways it came upon you? Hope. No, not I; for then they got fafter Hold of my Confcience; and then, if I did but think of going back to Sin, (though my Mind was turned against it) it would be double Torment to me, Chr. And how did you then? Hope. I thought I must endeavour to mend my Life; for else, thought I, I am fure to be damned.

When he could no longer fbake off his Guilt by finful Courfes, then

be endeavours

Chr. And did you endeavour to mend? Hope. Yes; and fled from, not only my Sins, but finful Company too, and betook to mend. me to Religious Duties; as Praying, Reading, weeping for Sin, fpeaking Truth to my Neighbours, &c. Thefe Things did I, with many others, too much here to relate.

Chr, And did you think yourself well then?

Hope. Yes for a while; but at the laft Then he

my Trouble came tumbling upon me thought him

again, and that over the Neck of all my

Reformation.

Chr. How came that about, fince you was now reformed?

jelf well.

Hope. There were feveral Things brought Reformation it upon me, efpecially fuch Sayings as at laft could thefe: All our Righteoufnelles are as filthy by. not help, and Rags. By the Works of the Law, no Man Ifa. 64. 6. Spall be justified. When ye bave done all Gal. 2. 16. thefe Things, fay, We are unprofitable: Luke 17. 10. With many more fuch like. From whence I began to reafon with myself thus: If All my Righteoufneffes are filthy Rags; if

Law troubled bim.

by the Deeds of the Law No Man can be juftified; and if when we have done All we are unprofitable, then it is but Folly

to think of Heaven by the Law. I farHis being a ther thought thus: If a Man runs a Debtor by the hundred Pounds into the Shop-keeper's Debt, and after that fhall pay for all that he fhall fetch; yet if this old Debt ftands ftill in the Book uncroffed, the Shop-keeper may fue him for it, and caft him into Prifon, till he shall pay the Debt.

troubled him.

Chr. Well, and how did you apply this to yourself?

Hope. Why I thought thus with myself; I have by my Sins run a great Way into GOD's Book, and that my now Reforming will not pay off that Score; therefore I fhould think ftill, under all my present Amendments. But how fhall I be freed from that Damnation that I brought myfelf in Danger of by my former Tranfgreffions?

Chr. A very good Application; but pray go on.

Hope. Another Thing that hath troubled me ever fince my late Amendments His efpying is, that if I look narrowly into the best bad Things in of what I do now, I ftill fee Sin, new bis beft Duties Sin, mixing itself with the best of what I do; fo that now I am forced to conclude, that notwithstanding my former fond Conceits of myself and Duties, I have committed Sin enough in one Day to fend me.. to Hell, though my former Life had been faultlefs.

Chr. And what did you then?

Hope