ed, while

Mercy in the
When he had left her, Prudence faid,
Practice of Did I not tell thee, that Mr. Brifk would
Mercy reject- foon forfake thee? yea, he will raise up
Mercy in the an ill Report of thee: For notwitstanding
Name of
his Pretence to Religion, and his feeming
Mercy is liked. Love to Mercy, yet Mercy and he are of
Tempers fo different, that I believe they
will never come together.

Mercy's Re folutions.

Mercy. I might have had Husbands before now, though I spoke not of it to any; but they were fuch as did not like my Conditions, though never did any of them find Fault with my Perfon. So they and I could not agree.

Pru. Mercy in our Days is little fet by, any further than as to it's Name: The Practice, which is fet forth by the Conditions, there are but few that can abide.

Mercy. Well, faid Mercy, if no Body will have me, I will die a Maid, or my Conditions fhall be to me as a Husband. For I cannot change my Nature; and to have One that lies crofs to me in this, that I purpose never to admit of as long as I How Mercy's live. I had a Sifter named Bountiful, marSifter was ried to One of thefe Churls; but he and Served by her the could never agree; but becaufe Hufband.

Sifter was refolved to do as fhe had begun. that is, to fhew Kindness to the Poor, therefore her Hufband firft cried her down at the Cross, and then turned her out of his Doors.

Prud. And yet he was a Profeffor, I warrant you?

Mercy. Yes, fuch a one as he was, and of fuch as the World is now full; but I am for none of them all.

Now

Now Matthew, the eldeft Son of Chri- Matthewfalls

ftiana, fell fick, and his Sickness was fore fick, upon him, for he was much pained in his Bowels, fo that he was with it at Times, pulled as it were both Ends together. There dwelt also not far from thence, one Mr. Skill, an ancient and well-approved Phyfician. So Chriftiana defired it, and they fent for him, and he came : When he was entered the Room, and had a little obferved the Boy, he concluded that he was fick of the Gripes. Then he faid to Gripes of Conhis Mother, What Diet has Matthew of Science. The Phyfi late fed upon? Diet, faid Chriftiana, nothing cian's Judg but what is wholefome. The Phyfician ment. answered, This Boy has been tampering with fomething that lies in his Maw undigested, and that will not away without Means. And I tell you he must be purged, or else he will die.

Sam. Then faid Samuel, Mother, what Samuel puts was that which my Brother did gather his mother in and eat, fo foon as we were come from the mind of the Gate that is at the Head of this Way?ther did eat. fruit bis BroYou know that there was an Orchard on the Left-hand, on the other Side of the Wall, and fome of the Trees hung over the Wall, and my Brother did pluck and did eat.

Chrift. True, my Child, faid Christiana, he did take thereof, and did eat; naughty Boy as he was, I chid him, and yet he would eat thereof.

Skill. I know he had eaten fomething that was not wholesome Food, and that Food, to wit, that Fruit, is even the moft hurtful of all. It is the Fruit of Beelzebub's

Potion prepared.

Beelzebub's Orchard.. I do marvel that none did warn you of it; many have died thereof.

Chrift. Then Chriftiana began to cry, and fhe faid, O naughty Boy, and O careless Mother, what shall I do for my Son?

Skill. Come, do not be too much dejected; the Boy may do well again, but he muft Purge and Vomit.

Chrift. Pray, Sir, try the utmost of your Skill with him, whatever it coffs.

Skill. Nay, hope, I fhall be reasonable Heb. 1o. 1, 2, 3, 4. So he made him a Purge, but it was too weak; it was said, it was made of the Blood of a Goat, the Afhes of a Heifer, and with some of the Juice of Hyffop, &c. When Mr. Skill had feen that that Purge was too weak, he made him one to the Purpose; It was made Ex Carne. Ex Sanguine Chrifti, John 6. 54, 55, 56, 57. Mark. 9 49. Heb. 9. 14 (you know Phyficians give ftrange Medicines to their Patients) and it was made into Pills, with a Promile or two, and a proportionable Quantity of Sale. Now he was to take them three at a Time fafting, in half a Quarter of a Pint of the Tears of Repentance. When this Potion was prepared, and brought to the The Boy loth Boy, he was loth to take it, though torn

The Latin
Le borrowi

to take the Phyfic.

with the Gripes, as if he fhould be pulled in Pieces. Come, come, faid the Phyfician you must take it. It goes against my Sto mach, faid the Boy. must have you take its faid his Mother, Zerb. 12. 10. I fhall vomit: it up again, faid the Boy. Pray,

Sir, faid Chriftiana to Mr. Skill, how does it tafte? It has no ill Tafte, faid the Doctor; and with that he touched one

of the Pills with the Tip of her Tongue. The Mother Oh, Matthew, faid fhe, this Potion is tafies it, and fweeter than Honey. If thou loveft thy perfuades him: Mother, if thou loveft thy Brothers, if thou loveft Mercy, if thou loveft thy Life, take it. So with much ado, after a fhort Prayer for the Bleffing of God upon it, he took it, and it wrought kindly with him. It caufed him to purge, to sleep, and reft quietly; it put him into a fine Heat and breathing Sweat, and rid him of his Gripes.

So in a little Time he got up, and walked about with a Staff, and would go from Room to Room, and talk with Prudence, Piety, and Charity, of his Diftemper, and how he was healed.

So when the Boy was healed, Chriftiana AWord of God afked Mr. Skill, faying, Sir, What will con- in the Hand tent you for your Pains and Care to me, of Faith. and of my Child? And he faid, you must pay the Master of the College of Phyficians, Heb. 13. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, according to Rules made in that Cafe and provided.

Christ. But, Sir, faid fhe, what is this Pill good for else?

Skill. It is an univerfal Pill; it is good This Pill an against all Diseases that Pilgrims are inci- univerfal Re dent to; and when it is well prepared, will medy. keep good, Time out of Mind.

Christ. Pray, Sir, make me up twelve Boxes of them: For if I can get thefe, I will never take other Phyfic.

Skill. Thefe Pills are good to prevent Difeafes, as well as to cure when one is Sick. Yea, I dare fay it, and stand to it, That if a Man will but ufe this Phyfic as he fhould, it will make him live for ever. John 6. 50. But good Chriftiana, thou muft In a Glafs of give these Pills no other Way, but as I have the Tears of prefcribed: For if you do, they will do Repentance. no Good. So he gave unto Chriftiana Phyfic for herfelf, and her Boys, and for Mercy, and bid Matthew take heed how he eat any more Green-Plumbs, and kiffed them, and went his Way.

Of Phyfic.

Of the Efca of Phyfic.

Of Fire, and of the Sun.

It was told you before, that Prudence bid the Boys, that if at any Time they would, they should ask her fome Questions that might be profitable, and fhe would fay fomething to them.

Matt. Then Matthew, who had been fick, afked her, Why for the most Part Phyfic fhould be bitter to our Palates?

Prud. To fhew how unwelcome the Word of God and the Effects thereof, are to a carnal Heart.

Matt. Why does Phyfic, if it does good, purge, and caufe to vomit?

Prud. To fhew that the Word, when it works effectually, cleanfeth the Heart and Mind. For look, what the one doth to the Body, the other doth to the Soul.

Matt. What fhould we learn by feeing the Flame of our Fire go upwards? And by feeing the Beams and fweet Influences of the Sun ftrike downwards?

Prud. By the going up of the Fire, we are taught to afcend to Heaven, by fervent and hot Defires. And by the Sun's

fending