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A false alarm.

DISE, say positively, 'There is such a place ;' who when they had been almost there, have come back again, and said, There is none.'-I have heard some 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, there came one running to meet them, and said, Gentlemen, ' and you of the weaker sort, if you love life, shift 'for yourselves, for the robbers are before you.'

Then said Mr. GREAT-HEART, They be the 'three that set upon LITTLE-FAITH heretofore.' 'Well,' said he,' we are ready for them,' So they went on their way. Now they looked at every turning, when they should have met with these villains ; but, whether they heard of Mr. GREAT-HEART, or whether they had some other game, they came not up to the Pilgrims.

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CHRISTIANA then wished for an Inn for herself and her children, because they were weary. Then said Mr. HONEST, There is one a little before us, where a very honourable disciple, one GAIUS, 'dwells.' So they all concluded to turn in thither; and the rather because the old gentleman gave him so good a report.-So when they came to the door, they went in, not knocking; for folks use not to knock at the door of an Inn. Then they called for the Master of the house, and he came to them. So they asked if they might lie there that night.

GAI. Yes, Gentlemen, if you be true men, for

They enter an inn kept by GAIUS.

Then was

my house is for none but Pilgrims. CHRISTIANA, MERCY, and the boys, more glad, for that the Inn-keeper was a lover of Pilgrims. So they called for rooms, and he shewed them one for CHRISTIANA and her children, and MERCY, and another for Mr. GREAT-HEART and the old gentleman.

Then said Mr. GREAT-HEART, Good GAIUS, 'what hast thou for supper? for these Pilgrims have ' come far to-day and are weary.'

'It is late,' said GAIUS,' so we cannot conveniently go out to seek food, but such as I have you 'shall be welcome to, if that will content you.'

GR.-H. We will be content with what thou hast in the house; forasmuch as I have proved thee, thou art never destitute of that which is convenient.

Then he went down and spake to the cook, whose name was TASTE-THAT-WHICH-IS-GOOD, to get ready supper for so many Pilgrims.-This done he comes up again, saying, 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 some good discourse.' So they all said, content.

Then said GAIUS, Whose wife is this aged ma 'tron? and whose daughter is this young damsel ?'

GR.-H. The woman is the wife of one CHRISTIAN a Pilgrim in former times; and these are his four children. The maid is one of her acquaintance; (12.)

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GAIUS celebrates CHRISTIANN ancestors.

one that she hath persuaded to come with her on pilgrimage. The boys take all after their father, and covet to tread in his steps: yea, if they do but see any place where the old Pilgrim hath lain, or any print of his foot, it ministereth joy to their hearts, and they covet to lie or tread in the same.

Then said GAIUS,Is this CHRISTIAN's wife, ' and are these CHRISTIAN'S children? I knew your husband's father, yea, also his father's father. Many have been good of this stock; their ances'tors first dwelt at ANTIOCH.* CHRISTIAN'S progenitors (I suppose you have heard your husband ' talk of them,) were very worthy men. They have, ' above any that I know, shewed themselves men of

great virtue and courage, for the LORD of the 'Pilgrims, his ways, and them that loved him. I 'have heard of many of your husband's relations, ' that have stood all trials for the sake of the truth. STEPHEN, that was one of the first of the family 'from whence your husband sprang, was knocked ' on the head with stones.† JAMES, another of this generation, was slain with the edge of the sword.‡

• And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch, And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch. Acts xi. 26.

+ And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this he fell asleep. Acts. vii. 59, 60.

↑ And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. Acts vii. 8

A further commendation.

To say nothing of PAUL and PETER, men antiently of the family from whence your husband came, 'there was IGNATIUS, who was cast to the lions; ROMANUS, whose flesh was cut by pieces from his 'bones; and PLOLYCARP, that played the man in the fire. There was he that was hanged up in a 'basket in the sun, for the wasps to eat; and he 'whom they put into a sack, and cast him into the sea to be drowned. It would be impossible utterly 'to count up all that family, that have suffered in'juries and death for the love of a Pilgrim's life. Nor can I but be glad, to see that thy husband 'has left behind us four such boys as these.

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I hope they will bear up their father's name, and 'tread in their father's steps, and come to their 'father's end.'

GR.-H. Indeed, Sir, they are likely lads: they seem to choose heartily their father's ways.

GAI. That is what I said; wherefore CHRISTIAN's family is like still to spread abroad upon the face of the ground, and yet to be numerous upon the face of the earth: wherefore let CHRISTIANA look out some damsels for her sons, to whom they may be betrothed, that the name of their father and the house of his progenitors may never be forgotten in the world.

HON. It is pity his family should fall and be extinct.

GAI. Fall it cannot, but be diminished it may : but let CHRISTIANA take my advice, and that in the way to uphold it.

A commendation of women.

'And CHRISTIANA,' said this Inn-keeper, ' I am glad to see thee and thy friend MERCY together here, a lovely couple. And may I advise, Take MERCY into a nearer relation to thee if she will, 'let her be given to MATTHEW, thy eldest son; it is the way to preserve a posterity in the earth.'So this match was concluded, and in process of time they were married: but more of that hereafter.

GAIUS also proceeded, and said, 'I will now speak on behalf of the women, to take away their reproach. For as death and the curse came into 'the world by a woman, so also did life and health "GOD sent forth his SoN made of a woman." Gal. IV. 4. Yea, to shew how much those that came ' after did abhor the act of the mother, this sex in the 'Old Testament coveted chiidren, if happily this or ' that woman might be the mother of the SAVIOUR of 'the world. I will say again, that when the SAVIOUR

was come, women rejoiced in him, before either man or Angel. I read not, every man did give 'unto CHRIST so much as one groat: but the women" followed him, and ministered to him of their "substance." It was a woman that washed his feet ' with tears, and a woman that anointed his body to 'the burial. They were women that wept when he "was going to the Cross; and women that followed him from the Cross, and that sat by his Sepulchre 'when he was buried. They were women that were 'first with him at his resurrection morn; and women

'that brought tidings first to his disciples, that he