IO 20 did come, and upon the same Errand as he; to wit, to be, With that the Keeper of the Gate did marvel, saying, What is she become now a Pilgrim, that but a while ago abhorred that Life? Then she bowed her Head, and said, Yes; and so are these my sweet Babes also. Then he took her by the hand, and let her in and said also, Suffer the little Children to come unto me, and with that he shut up the Gate. This done, he called to a Trumpeter that was How above over the Gate, to entertain Christiana with shouting and sound of Trumpet for joy. So he obeyed and sounded, and tained at filled the Air with his Melodious Notes. Now all this while, poor Mercy did stand without, trembling and crying for fear that she was rejected. But when Christiana had gotten admittance for herself and her Boys, then she began to make intercession for Mercy. Christiana is enter the Gate. Luke 15.7 Prayer for CHRIS. And she said, my Lord, I have a Companion of mine Christiana's that stands yet without, that is come hither upon the same account her friend as myself. One that is much dejected in her mind, for that she Mercy. comes, as she thinks, without sending for, whereas I was sent to by my Husband's King to come. make the ferventer. Now Mercy began to be very impatient, for each Minute was The delays as long to her as an hour, Wherefore she prevented Christiana hungring from a fuller interceding for her, by knocking at the Gate Soul the herself. And she knocked then so loud, that she made Christiana to start. Then said the Keeper of the Gate who is 30 there? And said Christiana, it is my Friend. faints. So he opened the Gate, and looked out; but Mercy was Mercy fallen down without in a Swoon, for she fainted and was afraid that no Gate would be opened to her. Then he took her by the hand, and said, Damsel, I bid thee arise. O Sir, said she, I am faint, there is scarce Life left in me. But he answered, That one once said, When my soul fainted Jonah 2. 7. within me, I remembered the Lord, and my prayer came in unto The cause of her fainting. thee, into thy Holy Temple. Fear not, but stand upon thy Feet, and tell me wherefore thou art come. MERCY. I am come, for that, unto which I was never invited, as my Friend Christiana was. Hers was from the King, and mine was but from her: Wherefore I fear I pre sume. Did she desire thee to come with her to this Place? MERCY. Yes. And as my Lord sees, I am come. And if there is any Grace or forgiveness of Sins to spare, I beseech that I thy poor Handmaid may be partaker thereof. Then he took her again by the Hand, and led her gently in, mark this. and said, I pray for all them that believe on me, by what means soever they come unto me. Then said he to those that stood by, Fetch something, and give it Mercy to smell on, thereby to stay her fainting. So they fetcht her a Bundle of Myrrh, and awhile after she was revived. Cant. 1. 2. And now was Christiana and her Boys and Mercy received of the Lord at the head of the way, and spɔke kindly unto by him. ΤΟ Then said they yet further unto him, We are sorry for our 20 Sins, and beg of our Lord his Pardon, and further information what we must do. I grant Pardon, said he, by word, and deed; by word in John 20. 20. the promise of forgiveness: by deed in the way I obtained it. Take the first from my Lips with a Kiss, and the other, as it shall be revealed. Now I saw in my Dream that he spake many good words unto them, whereby they were greatly gladded. He also had them up to the top of the Gate and shewed them by what deed they were saved, and told them withal, that that sight 30 Christ Cru- they would have again as they went along in the way, to their cified seen afar off. Talk between the Christians. comfort. So he left them awhile in a Summer Parlor below, where they entred into talk by themselves. And thus Christiana began, O Lord! How glad am I, that we are got in hither! MERCY. So you well may; but 1, of all, have cause to leap for joy. CHRIS. I thought, one time, as I stood at the Gate (because I had knocked and none did answer) that all our Labour had been lost. Specially when that ugly Cur made such a heavy barking against us. MERCY. But my worst Fears was after I saw that you was taken in to his favour, and that I was left behind. Now thought I, 'tis fulfilled which is written. Two women shall be Matt. 24. 4z. Grinding together, the one shall be taken, and the other left. I had much ado to forbear crying out, Undone, Undone. And afraid I was to knock any more; but when I looked 10 up to what was written over the Gate, I took Courage. 30. I also thought that I must either knock again or die. So I 1 part, page knocked; but I cannot tell how, for my spirit now struggled 3 betwixt life and death. thinks her Companion I prays better CHRIS. Can you not tell how you knocked? I am sure your Christiana knocks were so earnest, that the very sound of them made me start, I thought I never heard such knocking in all my Life. thought you would a come in by violent hands, or a took Kingdom by storm. than she. the Matt. 11. 12. MERCY. Alas, to be in my Case, who that so was, could but 20 a done so? You saw that the Door was shut upon me, and that there was a most cruel Dog thereabout. Who, I say, that was so faint hearted as I, that would not a knocked with all their might? But pray what said my Lord to my rudeness, was he not angry with me? loud and praises. CHRIS. When be heard your lumbring noise, he gave a won- Christ derful innocent smile. I believe what you did pleas'd him well pleased with enough. For he shewed no sign to the contrary. But I marvel in restless my heart why he keeps such a Dog; had I known that afore, If the Soul fear I should not have had heart enough to have ventured myself at first did 30 in this manner. But now we are in, we are in, and I am glad should meet with all my heart. know all it with in its Fourney to Heaven it would MERCY. I will ask if you please next time he comes down, why he keeps such a filthy Cur in his Yard. I hope he will hardly ever not take it amiss. set out. Ay do, said the Children, and persuade him to hang him, for The Chil we are afraid he will bite us when we go bence. dren are afraid of So at last he came down to them again, and Mercy fell to the dog. the Ground on her Face before him and worshipped, and N Jer. 12. 1, 2. Mercy expostulates about the dog. Devil. A Check to the carnal fear of the Pilgrims. Christians said, Let my Lord accept of the Sacrifice of praise which I now offer unto him, with the calves of my lips. So he said unto her, Peace be to thee, stand up. But she continued upon her Face and said, Righteous art thou O Lord when I plead with thee, yet let me talk with thee of thy Judgments, Wherefore dost thou keep so cruel a Dog in thy Yard, at the sight of which, such Women and Children as we, are ready to fly from thy Gate for fear? He answered, and said; That Dog has another Owner, he also is kept close in another man's ground; only my Pilgrims 10 hear his barking. He belongs to the Castle which you see there at a distance, but can come up to the walls of this place. He has frighted many an honest Pilgrim from worse to better, by the great voice of his roaring. Indeed he that owneth him, doth not keep him of any good will to me or mine; but with intent to keep the Pilgrims from coming to me, and that they may be afraid to knock at this Gate for entrance. Sometimes also he has broken out, and has worried some that I love; but I take all at present patiently. I also give my Pilgrims timely help; so they are not delivered up to 20 his power to do to them what his Doggish nature would prompt him to. But what! My purchased one, I tro, hadst thou known never so much before hand, thou wouldst not a been afraid of a Dog. The Beggars that go from Door to Door, will, rather than they will lose a supposed Alms, run the hazard of the bawling, barking, and biting too of a Dog: and shall a Dog, a Dog in another Mans Yard, a Dog whose barking I turn to the profit of Pilgrims, keep any from coming to me? I deliver them from the Lions, their Darling from the power of 30 the Dog. MERCY. Then said Mercy, I confess my Ignorance: I spake enough ac what I understood not: I acknowledge that thou doest all things when wise quiesce in the wisdom of their Lord. well. CHRIS. Then Christiana began to talk of their Journey, and to enquire after the way. So he fed them, and washed their 1 part, page feet, and set them in the way of his Steps, according as he had dealt with her Husband before. 10 So I saw in my Dream, that they walkt on in their way, and had the weather very comfortable to them. Then Christiana began to sing, saying. Bless't be the Day that I began, A Pilgrim for to be. And blessed also be that man, That thereto moved me. 'Tis true, 'twas long ere I began To seek to live for ever: But now I run fast as I can, 'Tis better late, than never. Our Tears to joy, our fears to Faith Are turned, as we see: Thus our beginning (as one saith) Shews, what our end will be. Garden. Now there was, on the other side of the Wall that fenced in the way up which Christiana and her Companions was to go, a Garden; and that Garden belonged to him whose was that The Devil's Barking Dog of whom mention was made before. And some of 20 the Fruit-Trees that grew in that Garden shot their branches over the Wall, and being mellow, they that found them did gather them up and oft eat of them to their hurt. So Christiana's Boys, as Boys are apt to do, being pleas'd with the Trees, and with the fruit that did hang thereon, did plash them The Chil and began to eat. Their Mother did also chide them for so the Enemy's doing; but still the Boys went on. dren eat of Fruit. Well, said she, my Sons, you Transgress, for that fruit is none of ours: but she did not know that they did belong to the Enemy. I'll warrant you if she had, she would a been 30 ready to die for fear. But that passed, and they went on their way. Now by that they were gone about two Bow's-shot from the place that let them into the way, they espyed two very ill-favoured ones coming down apace to meet them. Two illWith that Christiana, and Mercy her Friend covered them-favoured selves with their Vails, and so kept on their Journey: the Children also went on before, so that at last they met together. Then they that came down to meet them, came just up to the Women, as if they would embrace them: but Christiana said, ones. |