A commendation of godly-fear.

brake out but mine I kept within. His also lay so hard upon him, they made him that he could not knock at the house provided for entertainment; but my troubles were always such as made me knock the louder.

MER. If I might also speak my mind, I must say, that something of him has also dwelt in me; for I have ever been more afraid of the Lake, and the loss of a place in Paradise, than I have been at the loss of other things. O! thought I, may I have the happiness to have a habitation there, it is enough, though I part with all the world to win it.

Then said MATTHEW, Fear was one thing that ' made me think that I was far from having that within me that accompanies salvation: but if it was so 'with such a good man as he, why may it not also go well with me?'

'No fears no grace,' said JAMES. Though there ' is not always grace where there is fear of hell; yet 'to be sure there is no grace where there is no fear ' of God.'

GR.-H. Well said JAMES; thou hast hit the mark: for " the fear of GOD is the beginning of wisdom;" and, to be sure, they that want the beginning have neither middle nor end. But we will here conclude our discourse of Mr. FEARING, after we have sent after him his farewel.

'Whilst, Master FEARING, thou didst tear.

Thy GoD, and wast afraid

Of doing any thing, while here,

That would bave thee betrayed:

Character of SELF-WILL.

And didst thou fear the lake and pit?
Would others did so too!

For as for them they want thy wit,
They do themselves undo.'

Now I saw that they all went on in their talk: for, after Mr. GREAT-HEART had made an end with Mr. FEARING, Mr. HONEST began to tell them of another, but his name was Mr. SELF-WILL. 'He 'pretended himself to be a Pilgrim.' said Mr. HoNEST; but I persuade myself he never came in at 'the Gate that stands at the head of the way.'

GR.-H. Had you ever any talk with him about it?

HON. Yes, more than once or twice: but he would always be like himself, self-willed. He neither cared for man nor argument, nor example: what his mind prompted him to, that would he do: and nothing else could he be got to.

GR.-H. Pray what principles did he hold, for I suppose you can tell?

HON. He held, that a man might follow the vices as well as the virtues of the Pilgrim; and that if he did both he should certainly be saved.

GR.-H. How! if he had said it is possible for the best to be guilty of the vices, as well as partake of the virtues, of the Pilgrims, he could not much have been blamed. For indeed we are exempted from no vice absolutely, but on condition that we watch and strive. But this, I perceive, is not the thing: but, if I understand you right, your meaning is, that he was of that opinion, that it was allowable so to be.

His principles confuted by GREAT-HEART.

HON. Ay, ay, so I mean; and so he believed and practised.

GR.-H. But what ground had he for so saying?
HON. Why, he said he had the Scripture for his

warrant.

GR.-H. Pr'ythee, Mr. HONEST, present us with a few particulars.

HON. So I will. He said to have to do with other men's wives, had been practised by DAVID, GOD's beloved; and therefore he could do it. He said, to have more women than one, was a thing that SOLOMON practised; and therefore he could do it. He said, that SARAH and the godly midwives of EGYPT lied, and so did RAHAB; and therefore he could do it. He said, that the disciples went at the bidding of their Master, and took away the owner's ass; and therefore he could do so too. He said,

that JACOB got the inheritance of his father in a way of guile and dissimulation; and therefore he could do so too.

GR.-H. Highly base, indeed; and are you sure he was of this opinion?

HON. I have heard him plead for it, bring Scripture for it, bring arguments for it, &c.

GR.-H. An opinion that is not fit to be with any allowance in the world!

HON. You must understand me rightly: he did not say that any man might do this; but that those that had the virtues of those that did such things, might also do the same.

GR.-H. But what more false than such a con

SELF-WILL'S plea for his principles.

clusion? for this is as much as to say, that because good men have sinned heretofore of infirmity, therefore he had allowance to do it of a presumptuous mind or if, because a child, by the blast of wind, or for that it stumbled 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 so far have been blinded by the power of lust? But what is written must be true: "They stumbled at the word, being "disobedient; whereunto also they were appointed." Peter. ii. 8. His supposing that such may have the godly man's virtues, who addict themselves to his vices, is also a delusion as strong as the other. It is just as if the dog should say, 'I have, or may have, the qualities of a child, because I lick up its stinking excrements.' "To eat up the sin of God's

people," Hos. iv. 8, is no sign of one that is possessed with their virtues. Nor can I believe, that one that is of this opinion, can at present have faith or love in him.-But I know you have made strong objections against him; pr'ythee what can say for himself?

he

HON. Why, he says to do this by way of opinion, seems abundantly more honest than to do it, and yet hold contrary to it in opinion.

GR.-H. A very wicked answer; for though to let loose the bridle to lust, while our opinions are against such things, is bad; yet to sin and plead a toleration so to do, is worse: the one stumbles beholders accidentally, the other leads them into the snare.

Other strange opinions.

HON. There are many of this man's mind, that have not this man's mouth; and that make going on pilgrimage of so little esteem as it is.

GR.-H. You have said the truth, and it is to be lamented but he that feareth the KING of PARADISE shall come out of them all.

CHR. There are strange opinions in the world : I know one that said it was time enough to repent when he came to die.

GR.-H. Such are not over-wise; that man would have been loth, might he have had a week to run twenty miles for his life, to have deferred that journey to the last hour of that week.

HON. You say right; and yet the generality of them that count themselves Pilgrims do indeed do thus. I am, as you see, an old man, and have been a traveller on this road many a day and I have taken notice of many things.

I have seen some, that set out as if they would drive all the world afore them, who yet have, in few days, died as they, in the wilderness, and so never got sight of the promised land. I have seen some that have promised nothing, at first setting 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 seen some who have run hastily forward, that again have, after a little time, run as fast just back again.-I have seen some who have spoken very well of a Pilgrim's life at first, that after awhile, have spoken as much against it.-I have heard some, when they first set out for PARA