Great-heart. Prithee, Mr. Honeft, prefent us with a few Particulars.

Hon. So I will. He faid, To have to do with other Mens' Wives had been practifed by David, God's Beloved, and therefore he could do it. He faid, To have more Women than one, was a Thing that Solomon practifed, and therefore he could do it. He faid, That Sarah and the godly Widwives of Egypt lied, and fo did Rahab, and therefore he could do it.' He said, That the Disciples went at the Bidding of their Mafter, and took away the Owner's As, and therefore he could do fo too. He faid, That Jacob got the Inheritance of his Father, in a Way of Guile and Diffimulation, and therefore he could do fo too.

Great-heart. High Bafe! Indeed. And are you fure he was of this Opinion?

Hon. I have heard him plead for it, bring Scripture for it, bring Arguments for it, &c.

Great-heart. An Opinion that is not fit to be with any Allowance in the World.

Hon. You must understand me rightly: He did not fay that any Man might do this; but that those that had the Virtues of those that did fuch Things, might also do the fame.

Great-heart. But what more false than fuch a Conclufion? For this is as much as to fay, That becaufe good Men heretofore have finned of Infirmity, therefore he had Allowance to do it of a prefumptuous Mind: Or if because a Child, by the Blast of the Wind, or for that it ftumbled

at

at a Stone, fell down and defiled itself in Mire, therefore he might wilfully lie down and wallow like a Boar therein. Who could have thought that any one could fo far have been blinded by the Power of Luft: But what is written must be true: They tumbled at the Word, being disobedient, whereunto alfo they were appointed, 1 Peter

2. 8.

His fuppofing that fuch may have the godly Mens' Virtues, who addict themfelves to their Vices, is alfo a Delufion as strong as the other. It is just as if the Dogs fhould fay, I have, or may have, the Qualities of the Child, because I lick up it's ftinking Excrements. To eat up the Sin of God's People, Hof. 4. 8. is no Sign of one that is poffeffed with their Virtues. Nor can I believe, that one that is of this Opinion, can at prefent have Faith or Love in me. But I know you have made some strong Objections against him, Prithee what can he fay for himself ?

Hon. Why, he fays, To do this by Way of Opinion, seems abundant more honeft than to do it, and yet hold contrary to it in Opinion.

Great-beart. A very wicked Answer; for though to let loofe the Bridle to Lufts, whilft our Opinions are against fuch Things is bad; yet, to fin, and plead a Toleration fo to do, is worfe; the one stumbles Beholders accidentally, the other pleads them into the Snare.

Hon. There are many of this Man's Mind, that have not this Man's Mouth,

and that makes going on Pilgrimage of fo little Efteem as it is.

Great-heart. You have faid the Truth, and it is to be lamented: But he that feareth the King of Paradife, fhall come out of them all.

Christ. There are strange Opinions in the World, I know one that faid, it was Time enough to repent when we come to die.

Great-heart. Such are not otherwise: That Man would have been loth, might he have had a Week to run twenty Miles in his Life, to have deferred that Journey to the laft Hour of that Week.

Hon. You fay right, and yet the Generality of them that count themselves Pilgrims, do indeed do thus. I am, as you fee, an old Man, and have been a Traveller in this Road many a Day; and I have taken Notice of many Things.

I have seen fome that have fet out as if they would drive all the World afore them, who yet have in few Days died as they in the Wilderness, and fo never got Sight of the Promifed Land.

I have feen fome that have promised nothing at first fetting out to be Pilgrims, and that one would have thought could not have lived a Day, that have yet proved very good Pilgrims.

I have feen fome who have run haftily forward, that again have, after a little Time, run as faft juft back again.

I have feen fome who have spoke very well of a Pilgrim's Life at first, that after a while have spoken as much against it.

I have heard fome, when they first set out for Paradife, fay pofitively, There is fuch a Place, who when they have been almost there, have come back again, and faid there is none.

I have heard fome vaunt what they would do in case they should be opposed that have even at a false Alarm fled Faith, the Pilgrim's Way, and all.

Now as they were thus in their Way, Fresh News there came one running to meet them, and of trouble. faid, Gentlemen, and you of the weaker Sort,

if you love Life; shift for yourselves, for the Robbers are before you.

Great-heart. Then faid Mr. Great-heart,

they be the Three that fet upon Little- Part I. p. 161. -Faith heretofore. Well, faid he, we are Great-heart's ready for them; fo they went on their Refolution.) Way: Now they looked at every Turning when they fhould have met with the Villains But whether they heard of Mr. Great-heart, or whether they had fome other Game, they came not up to the Pilgrims.

Christ. Chriftiana then wifhed for an Chriftiana Inn for herself and her Children, because wifheth for an they were weary. Then faid Mr. Honeft, Inn. There is one a little before us, where a very honourable Disciple, one Gaius, dwells. So they all concluded to turn in thither, Rom. 16. 23. and the rather, because the old Gentleman gave him so good a Report. So when they came to the Gaius, the Door, they went in, not knocking, for enter into his Folks ufe not to knock at the Door of an Houfe. Inn. Then they called for the Mafter of

Gaius entertains them,

and how.

Gaius's Cook.

Talk between

the House, and he came to them: So they afked if they might lie there that Night?

Gaius. Yes, Gentlemen, if you be true Men, for my Houfe is for none but Pilgrims. Then was Chriftiana, Mercy, and the Boys, the more glad, for that the Innkeeper was a Lover of Pilgrims. So they called for Rooms, and he fhewed them one for Chriftiana and her Children, and Mercy, and another for Mr. Great-beart and the old Gentleman.

Great-heart. Then faid Mr. Great-heart, good Gaius, What haft thou for Supper? for these Pilgrims have come far To-day, and are weary.

Gaius. It.is late, faid Gaius, fo we cannot conveniently go out to feek Food; but fuch as we have you fhall be welcome to, if that will content you.

Great-heart. We will be content with what thou haft in the House; forafmuch as I have proved thee, thou art never deftitute of that which is covenient.

Then he went down and fpake to the Cook, whofe Name was, Tafte that which is good, to get ready Supper for so many Pilgrims. This done, he comes up again, faying, Come, my good Friends, you are welcome to me, and I am glad that I have a House to entertain you; and while Supper is making ready, if you please, let us entertain one another with fome good Difcourfe: So they all faid, Content.

Gaius. Then faid Gaius, whofe Wife is Gaius and his this aged Matron; and whofe Daughter is this young Dainfel ?

Guests.

Great