which, when he had done, he faid, Chri- Convictions ftiana, knoweft thou wherefore I am come? Seconded with Then the blufhed and trembled, alfo herfresh Tidings of God's ReaHeart began to wax warm with Defires to dinefs to parknow from whence he came, and what his don. Errand was to her. So he faid unto her, My Name is Secret, I dwell with those that are high. It is talked of where I dwell, as if thou hadst a Defire to go thither; also there is a Report that thou art aware of the Evil thou haft formerly done to thy Husband, in hardening of thy Heart against his Way, and in keeping of thefe Babes in their Ignorance. Chriftiana, the Merciful One hath fent me to tell thee, That he is a God ready to forgive, and that he taketh Delight to multiply the Pardon of Offences. He also would have thee to know, That he inviteth thee to come into his Prefence, to his Table, and that he will feed thee with the Fat of his House, and with the Heritage of Jacob thy Father.

There is Chriftian thy Hufband, that was, with Legions more, his Companions, ever beholding that Face that doth minifter Life to Beholders: And they will all be glad when they fhall hear the Sound of thy Feet ftep over thy Father's Threshold.

Chriftiana at this was greatly abashed in herself, and bowed her Head to the Ground. This Vision proceeded, and said, Chriftiana, Here is alfo a Letter for thee, which I have brought from thy Husband's King; fo fhe took it and opened it, but it Song 1. 2. fmelt after the Manner of the beft Perfume. Alfo it was written in Letters of Gold. The Contents

Chriftiana' quite over

Farther In

fractions to Chriftiana.

Contents of the Letter was this; That th King would have ber to do as did Chriftian ber Hufband, for that was the Way to come to bis City, and to dwell in bis Prefence with Joy for ever. At this the good Woman was quite overcome: So fhe cried out to her Vifiter, Sir, will you carry me and my Children with you, that we may also go and worShip the King?

Then, faid the Vifiter, Chriftiana! the Bitter is before the Sweet. Thou muft through Troubles, as he did that went before thee, enter this Coeleftial City, wherefore I advife thee to do as did Chriftian thy Hufband: Go to the WicketGate yonder over the Plain, for that stands in the Head of the Way up which thou muft go, and I wish thee all good Speed. Alfo I advife thee, that thou put this Letter in thy Bolom: That thou read therein to thyfelf, and to thy Children, until they have got it by Heart: For it Ffal. 119.55. is one of the Songs that thou must fing while thou art in this Houfe of thy Pilgrimage: Alfo this thou must deliver in at the farther Gate.

Now I faw in my Dream, that this old Gentleman, as he told me this Story, did himself seem to be greatly affected therewith. He moreover proceeded and said: So Chriftiana called her Sons together, and "Chriftiana began to addrefs herself unto them: * My prays well for Sons, I have, as you may perceive, been ber Journey of late under much Exercife in my Soul,

about the Death of your Father; not for that I doubt at all of his Happiness; for I am fatisfied now that he is well. I

have been also much affected with duc Thoughts of mine own State and yours, which I verily believe is by Nature miferable. My Carriage also to your Father in his Diftrefs, is a great Load to my Conscience: For 1 hardened both my own Heart and yours against him, and refused to go with him on Pilgrimage.

The Thoughts of thefe Things would now kill me outright, but that for a Dream which I had laft Night, and but that for the Encouragement that this Stranger has given me this Morning. Come my Children, let us pack up, and be gone to the Gate that leads to that Coeleftial Country, that we may fee your Father, and be with him and his Companions in Peace, according to the Laws of that Land.

Then did her Children burst out into Tears, for Joy that the Heart of their Mother was fo inclined: So that Vifiter bid them farewel: And they began to prepare to fet out for their Journey.

But while they were thus about to be gone, two of the Women that were Chriftiana's Neighbours, came up to her House, and knocked at the Door. To whom fhe

faid as before. At this the Women were Chriftiana's ftunned; for this kind of Language they new Language ufed not to hear, or to perceive to drop Auns ber ald Neighbours from the Lips of Chriftiana. Yet they came in: But behold, they found the good Woman preparing to be gone from her House.

So they began, and faid, Neighbour, pray what is your Meaning by this?

Chriftiana

Chriftiana anfwered, and said to the eldeft of them, whofe Name was Mrs. Timorous, I am preparing for a Journey. Part I. page (This Timorous was Daughter to him that met Christian upon the Hill of Difficulty, and would have had him gone back for fear of the Lions.)

47.

Timorous

with Mercy,

Tim. For what Journey, I pray you? Christ. Even to go after my old Hufband; and with that he fell a weeping. Tim. I hope not fo, good Neighbour;

comes to vifit pray, for your poor Childrens' Sake, do Chriftiana not fo unwomanly caft away yourself. with Christ. Nay, my Children fhall go Neighbours. me, not one of them is willing to ftay behind.

one of her

Death.

Tim. I wonder in my Heart, what or who has brought you into this Mind.

Chrift. Oh, Neighbour, knew you but as much as I do, I doubt not but that you would go along with me.

thou got, that foa

Tim. Prithee, what new Knowledge haft off thy Mind from thy Friends, and that tempteth thee to go no body knows where?

Christ. Then Chriftiana replied, I have been forely afflicted fince my Husband's Departure from me; but efpecially fince he went over the River. But that which troubleth me moft, is my churlish Carriage to him, when he was under his Diftrefs. Befides, I am now as he was then; nothing will ferve me, but going on Pilgrimage. I was dreaming laft Night, that I faw him. O that my Soul was with him! He dwelleth in the Prefence of the King of the Country; he fits and eats

with

with him at his Table; he is become a Companion of Immortals, and has a Houfe 1 Cor. 5. now given him to dwell in, to which the 1, 2, 3, 4. beft Palaces on Earth, if compared, feem to me but as a Dunghill. The Prince of the Palace has also fent for me, with Promifes of Entertainment, if I fhall come to him; his Meffenger was here even now, and brought me a Letter, which invites me to come. And with that the plucked out her Letter, and read it, and faid to them, What now will you fay to this?

Tim. Oh! the Madness that has poffeffed thee and thy Hufband! to run yourselves upon fuch Difficulties You have heard, I am fure, what your Husband did meet with, even in a Manner, at the firft Step that he Part I. page took on his Way, as our Neighbour Obfti- 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.. nate can yet testify, for he went along with him; yea, and Pliable too, until they, like Wife Men, were afraid to go any farther. We also heard over and above, how he met with the Lions, Apollyon, the Shadow of Death, and many other Things. The ReasonNor is the Danger that he met with at ings of the Vanity-Fair to be forgotten by thee. For Fle. if he, though a Man, was fo hard put to it, what canft thou, being but a poor Woman, do? Confider alfo, that these four fweet Babes are thy Children, thy Flesh, and thy Bones. Therefore, though thou fhouldest be fo rash as to caft away thyself; yet for the fake of the Fruit of thy Body, keep thou at home.

But Chriftiana faid unto her, Tempt me not, my Neighbour: I have now a Prize put into my Hand to get again, and I

fhould