He had them then into another room, where was a hen and chickens; and bade them observe a while. So one of the chickens went to the trough to drink: and every time she drank, she lifted up her head and her eyes towards heaven. "See, (said he) what this little chick doeth; and learn of her to acknowledge whence your mercies come, by receiving them with looking up.-Yet again, (said he,) observe and look." So they gave heed, and perceived that the hen did walk in a four-fold method towards her chickens. 1. She had a common call; and that she had all the day long. 2. She had a special call; and that she had but sometimes. 3. She had a brooding note. And, 4. She had an outcry.* Now, (said he,) compare this hen to your King, and these chickens to his obedient ones. For answerable to her, himself as his methods, which he walketh in towards his people: By his common call, he gives nothing; by his special call, he always has something to give: he has also a brooding voice for them that are under his wing: and he has an outcry, to give the alarm when he seeth the enemy come.-I chose, my darlings, to lead you into the room where such things are, because you are wo men, and they are easy for you."

"And, sir, (said Christiana,) pray let us see some more.' So he had them into the slaughter-house, where was a butcher killing a sheep; and behold the sheep was quiet, and took her death patiently. Then said the Interpreter, "You must learn of this sheep to suffer, and to put up with wrongs without murmuring and complaints. Behold, how quietly she takes her death; and without objecting, she suffereth her skin to be pulled over her ears. Your King doth call you his sheep.'

After this, he led them into his garden, where was great variety of flowers: and he said, "Do you see all these?" So Christiana said, "Yes." Then said he again; "Behold, the flowers are divers in stature, in quality and color, and smell and virtue; and some are better than some; also where the gardener hath set them, there they stand, and quarrel not with one another."

Again, he had them into his field, which he had sown with wheat and corn; but when they beheld, the tops of all were cut off, only the straw remained: he said again; "This ground was dunged and ploughed, and sowed; but what shall we do with the crop?" Then said Christiana, "Burn some, and make muck of the rest." Then said the Interpreter again, "Fruit, you see, is that thing you look

* Matt. xxiii. 37.

for, and for want of that you condemn it to the fire, and to be trodden under feet of men: beware that in this you condemn not yourselves."

Then as they were coming in from abroad, they espied a robin with a great spider in its mouth! So the Interpreter said, "Look here." So they looked; and Mercy wondered; but Christiana said, "What a disparagement it is to such a little pretty bird as the robin-red-breast is; he being also a bird above many that loveth to maintain a kind of sociableness with men; I had thought they had lived upon crumbs of bread, or upon other such harmless matter: I like him worse than I did."

The Interpreter then replied, "This robin is an emblem, very apt to set forth some professors by; for to sight they are, as this robin, pretty of note, color, and carriage; they seem also to have a very great love for professors that are sincere; and, above all other, to desire to associate with them, and to be in their company, as if they could live upon the good man's crumbs. They pretend also, that therefore it is that they frequent the house of the godly, and the appointments of the Lord. But when they are by themselves, as the robin, they can catch and gobble up spiders; they can change their diet, drink and swallow down sin like water."

So when they were come again into the house, because supper as yet was not ready, Christiana again desired that the Interpreter would either show or tell of some other things that are profitable.*

Then the Interpreter began and said: 'The fatter the sow is, the more she desires the mire; the fatter the ox is, the more gamesomely he goes to the slaughter; and the more healthy the lusty man is, the more prone he is unto evil.'

There is a desire in women to go neat and fine and it is a comely thing to be adorned with that, that in God's sight is of great price.'

It is easier watching a night or two, than to sit up a whole year together; so it is easier for one to begin to profess well, than to hold out as he should to the end.'

"Every shipmaster, when in a storm, will willingly cast that overboard that is of the smallest value in the vessel: but who will throw the best out first? None but he that feareth not God.'

'One leak will sink a ship: and one sin will destroy a

sinner.'

* Let the Christian pray, and he will get at the knowledge of that which as yet lies unrevealed.

"He that forgets his friend is ungrateful unto him: but he that forgets his Saviour, is unmerciful to himself.'

'He that lives in sin, and looks for happiness hereafter, is like him that soweth cockle, and thinks to fill his barns with wheat or barley.'

'If a man would live well, let him fetch his last day to him, and make it always his company-keeper.'

'Whispering and change of thoughts, prove that sin is in the world."

If the world, which God sets light by, is counted a thing of such worth with men; what is heaven, that God commendeth?"

If the life that is attended with so many troubles, is so loth to be let go by us; what is the life above?'

"Every body will cry up the goodness of men: but who is there that is, as he should be, affected with the goodness of God?'

"We seldom sit down to meat, but we eat and leave: So there is in Jesus Christ, more merit and righteousness, than the whole world has need of.'

When the Interpreter had done, he takes them out into his garden again, and had them to a tree, whose inside was all rotten and gone; and yet it grew and had leaves. Then said Mercy, "What means this?" "This tree, (said he,) whose outside is fair, and whose inside is rotten, it is, to which many may be compared that are in the garden of God: who with their mouths speak high in behalf of God, but indeed will do nothing for him; whose leaves are fair, but their heart good for nothing but to be tinder for the devil's tinder-box."

Now supper was ready, the table spread, and all things set on board: so they sat down and did eat, when one had given thanks. And the Interpreter did usually entertain those that lodged with him with music at meals: so the minstrels played. There was also one that did sing; and a very fine voice he had. His song was this:

The Lord is only my support,
And he that doth me feed;
How can I then want any thing
Whereof I stand in need?

When the song and music was ended, the Interpreter asked Christiana, what it was that at first did move her thus to betake herself to a pilgrim's life? Christiana answered: "First, the loss of my husband came into my mind; at which I was heartily grieved: but all that was natural affection. Then, after that came the troubles and pilgrimage of my husband into my mind, and also how like a churl

I had carried it to him as to that: so guilt took hold of my mind, and would have drawn me into the pond; but that opportunely I had a dream of the well-being of my husband, and a letter sent by the King of that country where my husband dwells, to come to him. The dream and the letter together so wrought upon my mind, that they forced me to this way.

Interpreter. But met you with no opposition before you set out of doors?

Christiana. Yes; a neighbor of mine, one Mrs. Timorous; (she was akin to him that would have persuaded my husband to go back, for fear of the lions;) she also so befooled me, for (as she called it) my intended desperate adventure; she also urged what she could to dishearten me from it, the hardship and troubles that my husband met with in the way: but all this I got over pretty well. But a dream that I had of two ill-looking ones, that I thought did plot how to make me miscarry in my journey; that hath troubled me: yea, it still runs in my mind, and makes me afraid of every one that I meet, lest they should meet me to do me a mischief, and turn me out. of my way. Yea, I may tell my Lord, (though I would not every body knew it), that, between this and the gate, by which we got into the way, we were both so sorely assaulted, that we were made to cry out murder! and the two that made this assault upon us, were like the two that I saw in my dream.

Then said the Interpreter, "Thy beginning is good; thy latter end shall greatly increase." So he addressed himself to Mercy, and said unto her, " And what moved thee to come hither, sweet heart?"

Then Mercy blushed and trembled, and for a while continued silent.

Then said he, "Be not afraid; only believe, and speak thy mind."

Then she began and said; "Truly, sir, my want of experience is that which makes me covet to be in silence, and that also that fills me with fears of coming short at last. I cannot tell of visions and dreams, as my friend Christiana can: nor know I what it is to mourn for my refusing of the counsel of those that were good relations.'

Interpreter. What was it then, dear heart, that hath prevailed with thee to do as thou hast done?

Mercy. Why, when our friend here was packing up to be gone from our town, I and another went accidentally to see her. So we knocked at the door, and went in. When we were within, and seeing what she was doing, we asked her, what was her meaning? She said she was sent for to

go to her husband; and then she up and told us how she had seen him in a dream, dwelling in a curious place, among immortals; wearing a crown, playing upon a harp, eating and drinking at his Prince's table, and singing praises to him for bringing him thither; and so forth. Now methought while she was telling these things unto us, my heart burned within me. And I said in my heart, 'If this be true, I will leave my father and my mother, and the land of my nativity; and will, if I may, go along with Christiana.' So I asked her farther of the truth of these things, and if she would let me go with her: for I saw now, that there was no dwelling, but with the danger of ruin, any longer in our town. But yet I came away with a heavy heart; not for that I was unwilling to come away, but for that so many of my relations were left behind. And I come with all the desire of my heart; and will go, if I may, with Christiana, unto her husband, and his King.

Interpreter. Thy setting out is good, for thou hast given credit to the truth; thou art a Ruth, who did, for the love she bare to Naomi, and to the Lord her God, leave father and mother, and the land of her nativity, to come out and

with a people that she knew not before. (Ruth ii. 11, 12.) The Lord recompense thy work, and full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust."

Now supper was ended, and preparation was made for bed; the women were laid singly alone, and the boys by themselves. Now, when Mercy was in bed, she could not sleep for joy, for that now her doubts, of missing at last, were removed farther from her than ever they were before. So she lay blessing and praising God, who had such favor for her. In the morning, they rose with the sun, and prepared themselves for their departure; but the Interpreter would have them tarry awhile, "for, (said he,) you must orderly go from hence."-Then said he to the damsel that first opened unto them, "Take them and have them in to the garden to the bath; and there wash them, and make them clean from the soil which they have gathered by travelling." Then Innocent, the damsel, took them and led them into the garden, and brought them to the bath: so she told them, "that there they must wash and be clean; for so the Master would have the women to do that called at his house as they were going on pilgrimage." Then they went in and washed; yea, they and the boys and all: and they came out of that bath, not only sweet and clean, but also much enlivened and strengthened in their joints. So when they came in, they looked fairer a deal than when they went out to the washing.