Chr. No, he took me and had me where he fhewed me a ftately 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 ftood in the Door to keep him out; and how he was bid to come in, and win Eternal Glory: Methought thofe Things did ravifh my Heart! I would have staid at that good Man's Houfe a Twelvemonth, but that I knew I had farther to go.

Piety. And what faw you elfe in the Way?

Chr. Saw! Why, I went but a little farther, and I faw 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, 'Twas a strange Thing to me, for I never faw fuch a Thing before: Yea, and while I ftood looking up, (for then I could not forbear looking) Three Shining Ones came to me: One of them teftified that my Sins were forgiven me; another ftript me of my Rags, and gave me this embroidered Coat which you fee; and the third fet the Mark which you fee in my Forehead, and gave me this fealed Roll; (and with that he plucked it out of his Bofom.)

Piety. But you faw more than this, did you not?

Chr. The Things that I have told you, were the beft; yet fome other Matters I faw, as namely, I faw three Men, Simple, Sloth,

E 4

Prudence dif

Sloth, and Prefumption, lie afleep a little out of the Way as I came, with Irons upon their Heels; but do you think I could awake them! I alfo faw Formality and Hypocrify come tumbling over the Wall, to go (as they pretended) to Zion, but they were quickly loft; even as I myfelf 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 ftands 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 Queftions, and defire his Answers to them.

Prud. Do you not think fometimes of the courfes him. Country from whence you come? ↑ Chriftian's Thoughts of his Native Coun

try.

Chr. Yea, but with much Shame and Deteftation: Truly, if I had been mindful of that Country from whence I came out, Heb. 11. 15. I might have had Opportunity to have returned; but now I defire a better Country; that is, a Heavenly One.

Prud. Do you not yet bear away with you fome of the Things that then you were converfant withal?

Chr. Yes, but greatly against my Will; + Chriftian especially my inward and carnal Cogiaifiafted with tations, with which all my Countrymen, carnal Crgi- as well as myfelf, were delighted; but tations. now all thofe Things are my Grief, and

might I but choose mine own Things, I would choofe never to think of thofe * Chriftian's Things more; but when I would be doing Choice. of that which is beft, that which is worst is with me.

Prud. Do you not find fometimes, as if thofe Things were vanquished, which at other Times are your Perplexity?

Chr. Yes, but that is but feldom; but

Rom. 7.

they are to me+ Golden Hours, in which + Chriftian's fuch Things happen to me.

Prud. Can you remember by what Means you find your Annoyances at Times, as if they were vanquished?

}

Golden Hours.

Chr. Yes, when I think what I faw 1 How Chriat the Crofs, that will do it; and when I ftian gets look upon my embroidered Coat, that will Power against bis Corrup do it; and when I look into the Roil that I carry in my Bofom, that will do it; and when my Thoughts wax warm about whither I am going, that will do it.

Prud. And what is it that makes

defirous to go to Mount Zion?

you fo

tions.

at Mount

Chr. Why, there I hope to fee him | Why Chrialive that did hang dead on the Crofs; itian would be and there I hope to be rid of all those Zion. Things, that to this Day are in me an Annoyance to me: There they say there is

no's Death, and there I fhall dwell with § Ifa. 25.8. fuch Company as I like beft. For, to tell Rev. 21. 4. you Truth, I love him, because I was by him eafed of my Burden; and I am weary of my inward Sicknefs: I would fain be where I fhall die no more, and with the Company that fhall continually cry, Holy, Holy, Holy.

*

Then faid Charity to Chriftian, Have you a Family? Are you a married Man? Chr. I have a Wife and four fmall Children.

Char. And why did you not bring them along with you?

Chr. Then Chriftian + wept, and faid, Oh! how willingly would I have done it! but they were all of them utterly averfe to my going on Pilgrimage.

Char. But you fhould have talked to them, and have endeavoured to have fhewn them the Danger of being behind.

Chr. So I did; and told them alfo what Gen. 19.14. God hath fhewn to me of the Deftruction of our City; but I feemed to them as one that mocked, and they believed me

not.

Char. And did you pray to God that he would bless your Counfel to them?

Chr. Yes, and that with much Affection; for you must think that my Wife and poor Children were very dear unto me.

Char. But did you tell them of your own Sorrow, and fear of Deftruction? For I fuppofe that Destruction was visible enough to you?

Chr. Yes, over, and over, and over. Christian's They might alfo | fee my Fears in my Fear of perifb- Countenance, in my Tears, and alfo in my ing might be Trembling under the Apprehenfion of the Judgment that did hang over our Heads; but all was not fufficient to prevail with them to come with me.

read in his Every Coun

tenance.

Char. But what could they fay for themfelves why they came not?

Chr.

and Children

Chr. Why, my Wife was afraid of The Caufe lofing this World; and my Children were why his Wife given to the foolish Delights of Youth: did not go So what by one Thing and what by ano- with him. ther, they left me to wander in this Manner alone.

Char. But did you not with your vain Life damp all that you by Words used by way of Perfuafion to bring them away with you?

Chr. Indeed I cannot commend my Life, for I am confcious to myself of many Failings therein: I know alfo, that a Man by his Converfation may foon overthrow what by Argument or Perfuafion he doth labour to faften upon others for their Good. Yet this I can fay, I was very wary of giving them Occafion, by any unfeemly Action to make them averse to going on Pilgrimage. Yea, for this very Chriflian's Thing, they would tell me I was too pre- good Conver cife, and that I denied myself of Things fation before (for their Sakes) in which they faw no his Wife and Evil. Nay, I think I may fay, that if what they faw in me did hinder them, it was my great Tenderness in finning against God, or of doing any Wrong to my Neighbour.

Children.

Char. Indeed Cain hated his Brother, † 1 Joh. 3.12. because his own Works were Evil, and Christian his Brother's Righteous; and if thy Wife clear of their and Children have been offended with Blood if they thee for this, they thereby fhew them-perish. felves to be implacable to || Good; and Ezek. 4. 19. thou haft delivered thy Soul from their Blood.

Now