The manner of the setting out of Christian's Wife and Children; their dangerous Journey; and safe Arrival at the desired Country.
SENDING FORTH HIS SECOND PART
Go now, my little book, to every place, Where my first Pilgrim has but shown his face: Call at their door: If any say, "Who's there?" Then answer thou, "Christiana is here." If they bid thee "come in;" then enter thou With all thy Boys: and then thou knowest how; Tell who they are, also from whence they came: Perhaps they know them by their looks or name; But if they should not, ask them yet again, If formerly they did not entertain
One Christian, a Pilgrim? If they say They did, and were delighted in his way;
Then let them know, that those related were
Unto him: yea, his Wife and Children are.
Tell them that they have left their house and home, Are turned Pilgrims, seek a world to come;— That they have met with hardships in the way; That they do meet with troubles night and day :That they have trod on serpents, fought with devils; Have also overcome as many evils:Yea, tell them also of the next who have, Of love to Pilgrimage, been stout and brave Defenders of that way; and how they still Refuse this world, to do their father's will.
Go tell them also of those dainty things, That Pilgrimage unto the Pilgrims brings; Let them acquainted be too, how they are Beloved of their King, under his care;
What goodly mansions he for them provides, Tho' they meet with rough winds and swelling tides; How brave a calm they will enjoy at last,
Who to the Lord, and by his ways hold fast.
Perhaps with heart and hand they will embrace Thee, as they did my Firstling; and will grace Thee, and thy fellows, with good cheer and fare, As show well, they of Pilgrims lovers are.
But how, if they will not believe of me That I am truly thine: 'cause some there be That counterfeit the Pilgrim, and his name; Seek, by disguise, to seem the very same; And by that means have brought themselves into The hands and house of I do not know who?
'Tis true, some have of late, to counterfeit My Pilgrim, to their own my title set; Yea, others have my name and title too
Have stitched to their books, to make them do: But yet they by their features do declare Themselves not mine to be, whoe'er they are. If such thou meet'st with, then mine only way Before them all, is to say out thy say,
In thine own native language which no man Now useth, nor with ease dissemble can. If after all they still of you shall doubt, Thinking that you, like gypsies, go about In naughty wise, the country to defile, Or that you seek good people to beguile With things unwarrantable; then send for me, And I will testify you Pilgrims be; Yea, I will testify that only you
My Pilgrims are; and that alone will do.
But yet, perhaps, I may inquire for him, Of those that wish him damned life and limb. What shall I do, when I at such a door
For Pilgrims ask, and they shall rage the more?
Fright not thyself, my book, for such bugbears Are nothing else but ground for groundless fears. My Pilgrim's book has travelled sea and land; Yet could I never come to understand That it was slighted or turn'd out of door By any kingdom, were they rich or poor.
In France and Flanders, where men kill each other, My Pilgrim is esteem'd a friend, a brother.
In Holland too, 'tis said, as I am told,
My Pilgrim is, with some, worth more than gold. Highlanders and Wild-Irish can agree, My Pilgrim should familiar with them be. 'Tis in New-England under such advance, Receives there so much loving countenance, As to be trimm'd, new cloth'd, and deck'd with gems, That it may show its features and its limbs. Yet more; so commonly doth my Pilgrim walk, That of him thousands daily sing and talk. If you draw nearer home, it will appear, My Pilgrim knows no ground of shame or fear; City and country will him entertain
With 'Welcome, Pilgrim;' yea, they can't refrain From smiling, if my Pilgrim be but by,
Or show his head in any company.
Brave gallants do my Pilgrim hug and love, Esteem it much, yea, value it above
Things of a greater bulk; yea, with delight, Say, my lark's leg is better than a kite.
Young ladies, and young gentlewomen too, Do no small kindness to my Pilgrim show; Their cabinets, their bosoms, and their hearts, My Pilgrim has, 'cause he to them imparts His pretty riddles in such wholesome strains, As yield them profit double to their pains Of reading; yea, I think I may be bold To say, some prize him far above their gold. The very children that do walk the street, If they do but my holy Pilgrim meet, Salute him will; will wish him well, and say, He is the only stripling of the day.
They that have not seen him, yet admire What they have heard of him, and much desire To have his company, and hear him tell Those Pilgrim-stories which he knows so well. Yea, some that did not love him at the first, But call'd him fool and noddy, say they must, Now they have seen and heard him, him commend; And to those whom they love, they do him send. Wherefore, my Second Part, thou need'st not be Afraid to show thy head; none can hurt thee, That wish but well to him that went before, 'Cause thou com'st after with a second store M
Of things as good, as rich, as profitable,
For young, for old, for stagg'ring and for stable. THIRD OBJECTION.
But some there are that say,He laughs too loud;' And some do say, 'His head is in a cloud;' Some say, 'His words and stories are so dark,' They know not how by them to find his mark.
One may, (I think) say, both his laughs and cries May well be guess'd at by his wat'ry eyes. Some things are of that nature as to make One's fancy checle, while his heart doth ache: When Jacob saw his Rachel with the sheep, He did at the same time both kiss and weep. Whereas some say, 'A cloud is in his head;' That doth but show his wisdom's covered With his own mantle, and to stir the mind To search well after what it fain would find. Things that seem to be hid in words obscure, Do but the godly mind the more allure, To study what those sayings should contain, That speak to us in such a cloudy strain. I also know, a dark similitude
Will on the curious fancy more intrude, And will stick faster in the heart and head, Than things from similies not borrowed. Wherefore, my book, let no discouragement Hinder thy travels: Behold thou art sent To friends, not foes, to friends that will give pla To thee, thy Pilgrims, and thy words embrace Besides, what my First Pilgrim left conceal' Thou, my brave Second Pilgrim, hast reveal'd: What Christian left lock'd up, and went his way Sweet Christiana opens with her key.
But some love not the method of your first; Romance they count it, and throw 't away as dua If I should meet with such ;-what shall I say? Must I slight them as they slight me, or nay?
My Christiana, if with such thou meet, By all means in all loving wise them greet, Render them not reviling for revile; But if they frown, I pr'ythee on them smile'; Perhaps 'tis nature, or some ill report,
Has made them thus despise, or thus retort.
Some love no fish; some love no cheese; and some Love not their friends, nor their own house or home; Some start at pig, slight chicken, love not fowl More than they love a cuckoo or an owl.. Leave such, my Christiana, to their choice, And seek those who to find thee will rejoice; By no means strive; but, in humble wise, Present thee to them in thy Pilgrim's guise. Go then, my little Book, and show to all That entertain and bid thee welcome shall, What thou shalt keep close, shut up from the rest, And wish what thou shalt show them may be blest To them for good, and make them choose to be Pilgrims by better far than thee and me.
Go then; I say, tell all men who thou art, Say, 'I am Christiana, and my part Is now, my four Sons, to tell you what It is for men to take a Pilgrim's lot.'
Go also, tell them who, and what they be, That now do go on Pilgrimage with thee: Say, Here's my neighbor Mercy; she is one That has long time with me a Pilgrim gone: Come see her in her virgin face, and learn "Twixt idle-ones, and Pilgrims, to discern. Yea, let young damsels learn of her to prize The world which is to come in any wise; When little tripping maidens follow God, And leave old doting sinners to his rod; 'Tis like those days wherein the young ones cried Hosanna! when the old ones did deride.' Next tell them of old Honest, whom you found With his white hairs treading the Pilgrim's ground: Yea, tell them how plain-hearted this man was, How after his good LORD he bare the cross: Perhaps with some grey-head this may prevail With CHRIST to fall in love, and sin bewail. Tell them also, how master Fearing went On Pilgrimage; and how the time he spent In solitariness, with fears and cries; And how, at last, he won the joyful prize. He was a good man, though much down in spirit; He is a good man, and doth life inherit. Tell them of master Feeble-mind also; Who, not before, but still behind would go: Show them also how he'd like t'have been slain, And how one Great-Heart did his life regain.
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