Christiana and her sons
Now when they had eaten and drank, and had
chatted a little longer, their
guide said to them, The day wears away; if
you think good, let us prepare to
be going. So they got up to go, and the
little boys went before; But
Christiana forgot to take her bottle of
spirits with her, so she sent her
little boy back to fetch it. Then said
Mercy, I think this is a losing
place: here Christian lost his roll, and
here Christiana left her bottle
behind her. Sir, what is the cause of this?
So their guide made answer, and
said, The cause is sleep, or forgetfulness:
some sleep when they should keep
awake, and some forget when they should
remember; and this is the very cause
why often, at the resting-places, some
pilgrims in some things come off
losers. Pilgrims should watch, and remember
what they have already received,
under their greatest enjoyments; but for
want of doing so, oftentimes their
rejoicing ends in tears, and their sunshine
in a cloud: witness the story of
Christian at this place.
When they were come to the place where
Mistrust and Timorous met Christian,
to persuade him to go back for fear of the
lions, they perceived as it were
a stage, and before it, towards the road, a
broad plate with a copy of
verses written thereon, and underneath the
reason of raising up that stage
in that place rendered. The verses were,
“Let him that sees this stage, take heed
Unto his heart and tongue;
Lest, if he do not, here he speed
As some have long agone.”
The words underneath the verses were, “This
stage was built to punish those
upon, who, through timorousness or
mistrust, shall be afraid to go further
on pilgrimage. Also, on this stage both
Mistrust and Timorous were burned
through the tongue with a hot iron, for
endeavoring to hinder Christian on
his journey.”
Then said Mercy, This is much like to the
saying of the Beloved: “What shall
be given unto thee, or what shall be done
unto thee, thou false tongue?
Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of
juniper. Psa. 120:3,4.
So they went on till they came within sight
of the lions. Now Mr.
Great-Heart was a strong man, so he was not
afraid of a lion: But yet when
they were come up to the place where the
lions were, the boys, that went
before, were now glad to cringe behind, for
they were afraid of the lions;
so they stepped back, and went behind. At
this their guide smiled, and said,
How now, my boys; do you love to go before
when no danger doth approach, and
love to come behind so soon as the lions
appear?
Now, as they went on, Mr. Great-heart drew
his sword, with intent to make a
way for the pilgrims in spite of the lions.
Then there appeared one that, it
seems, had taken upon him to back the
lions; and he said to the pilgrims’
guide, What is the cause of your coming
hither? Now the name of that man was
Grim, or Bloody-man because of his slaying
of pilgrims; and he was of the
race of the giants.
MR. GREAT-HEART: Then said the pilgrims’
guide, These women and children are
going on pilgrimage, and this is the way
they must go; and go it they shall,
in spite of thee and the lions.
GRIM: This is not their way, neither shall
they go therein. I am come forth
to withstand them, and to that end will
back the lions.
Now, to say the truth, by reason of the
fierceness of the lions, and of the
grim carriage of him that did back them,
this way had of late lain much
unoccupied, and was almost grown over with
grass.
CHRISTIANA: Then said Christiana, Though
the highways have been unoccupied
heretofore, and though the travellers have
been made in times past to walk
through by-paths, it must not be so now I
am risen, now I am risen a mother
in Israel. Judges 5:6,7.
GRIM: Then he swore by the lions that it
should; and therefore bid them turn
aside, for they should not have passage
there.
But Great-Heart their guide made first his
approach unto Grim, and laid so
heavily on him with his sword that he
forced him to retreat.
GRIM: Then said he that attempted to back
the lions, Will you slay me upon
mine own ground?
MR. GREAT-HEART: It is the King’s highway
that we are in, and in this way it
is that thou hast placed the lions; but
these women, and these children,
though weak, shall hold on their way in
spite of thy lions. And with that he
gave him again a downright blow, and
brought him upon his knees. With this
blow also he broke his helmet, and with the
next he cut off an arm. Then did
the giant roar so hideously that his voice
frightened the women, and yet
they were glad to see him lie sprawling
upon the ground. Now the lions were
chained, and so of themselves could do
nothing. Wherefore, when old Grim,
that intended to back them, was dead, Mr.
Great-Heart said to the pilgrims,
Come now, and follow me, and no hurt shall
happen to you from the lions.
They therefore went on, but the women
trembled as they passed by them; the
boys also looked as if they would die; but
they all got by without further
hurt.
Now, when they were within sight of the
Porter’s lodge, they soon came up
unto it; but they made the more haste after
this to go thither, because it
is dangerous traveling there in the night.
So when they were come to the
gate, the guide knocked, and the Porter
cried, Who is there? But as soon as
the guide had said, It is I, he knew his
voice, and came down, for the guide
had oft before that come thither as a
conductor of pilgrims. When he was
come down, he opened the gate; and seeing
the guide standing just before it,
(for he saw not the women, for they were
behind him,) he said unto him, How
now, Mr. Great-Heart, what is your business
here so late at night? I have
brought, said he, some pilgrims hither,
where, by my Lord’s commandment,
they must lodge: I had been here some time
ago, had I not been opposed by
the giant that did use to back the lions.
But I, after a long and tedious
combat with him, have cut him off, and have
brought the pilgrims hither in
safety.
THE PORTER: Will you not go in, and stay
till morning?
MR. GREAT-HEART: No, I will return to my
Lord to-night.
CHRISTIANA: O, sir, I know not how to be
willing you should leave us in our
pilgrimage: you have been so faithful and
loving to us, you have fought so
stoutly for us, you have been so hearty in counselling
of us, that I shall
never forget your favor towards us.
MERCY: Then said Mercy, O that we might
have thy company to our journey’s
end! How can such poor women as we hold out
in a way so full of troubles as
this way is, without a friend and defender?
JAMES: Then said James, the youngest of the
boys, Pray, sir, be persuaded to
go with us, and help us, because we are so
weak, and the way so dangerous as
it is.
MR. GREAT-HEART: I am at my Lord’s
commandment; if he shall allot me to be
your guide quite through, I will willingly
wait upon you. But here you
failed at first; for when he bid me come
thus far with you, then you should
have begged me of him to have gone quite
through with you, and he would have
granted your request. However, at present I
must withdraw; and so, good
Christiana, Mercy, and my brave children,
adieu.
Then the Porter, Mr. Watchful, asked
Christiana of her country, and of her
kindred. And she said, I came from the city
of Destruction. I am a widow
woman, and my husband is dead, his name was
Christian, the pilgrim. How!
said the Porter, was he your husband? Yes,
said she, and these are his
children and this, pointing to Mercy, is
one of my town’s-women. Then the
Porter rang his bell, as at such times he
is wont, and there come to the
door one of the damsels, whose name was
Humble-Mind; and to her the Porter
said, Go tell it within, that Christiana,
the wife of Christian, and her
children, are come hither on pilgrimage.
She went in, therefore, and told
it. But oh, what noise for gladness was
there within when the damsel did but
drop that out of her mouth!
So they came with haste to the Porter, for
Christana stood still at the
door. Then some of the most grave said unto
her, Come in, Christiana, come
in, thou wife of that good man; come in,
thou blessed woman, come in, with
all that are with thee. So she went in, and
they followed her that were her
children and companions. Now when they were
gone in, they were had into a
large room, where they were bidden to sit
down: so they sat down, and the
chief of the house were called to see and
welcome the guests. Then they came
in, and understanding who they were, did
salute each other with a kiss, and
said, Welcome, ye vessels of the grace of
God; welcome to us, your friends.
Now, because it was somewhat late, and
because the pilgrims were weary with
their journey, and also made faint with the
sight of the fight, and of the
terrible lions, they desired, as soon as
might be, to prepare to go to rest.
Nay, said those of the family, refresh
yourselves first with a morsel of
meat; for they had prepared for them a
lamb, with the accustomed sauce
belonging thereto, Exod. 12:21; John 1:29;
for the Porter had heard before
of their coming, and had told it to them
within. So when they had supped,
and ended their prayer with a psalm, they
desired they might go to rest.
But let us, said Christiana, if we may be
so bold as to choose, be in that
chamber that was my husband’s when he was
here; so they had them up thither,
and they all lay in a room. When they were
at rest, Christiana and Mercy
entered into discourse about things that
were convenient.
CHRISTIANA: Little did I think once, when
my husband went on pilgrimage,
that I should ever have followed him.
MERCY: And you as little thought of lying
in his bed, and in his chamber to
rest, as you do now.
CHRISTIANA: And much less did I ever think
of seeing his face with comfort,
and of worshiping the Lord the King with
him; and yet now I believe I shall.
MERCY: Hark, don’t you hear a noise?
CHRISTIANA: Yes, it is, as I believe, a
noise of music, for joy that we are
here.
MERCY: Wonderful! Music in the house, music
in the heart, and music also in
heaven, for joy that we are here! Thus they
talked a while, and then betook
themselves to sleep.
So in the morning when they were awake,
Christiana said to Mercy, What was
the matter that you did laugh in your sleep
to-night? I suppose you were in
a dream.
MERCY: So I was, and a sweet dream it was;
but are you sure I laughed?
CHRISTIANA: Yes, you laughed heartily; but
prithee, Mercy, tell me thy
dream.
MERCY: I was a dreaming that I sat all
alone in a solitary place, and was
bemoaning of the hardness of my heart. Now
I had not sat there long but
methought many were gathered about me to
see me, and to hear what it was
that I said. So they hearkened, and I went
on bemoaning the hardness of my
heart. At this, some of them laughed at me,
some called me fool, and some
began to thrust me about. With that,
methought I looked up and saw one
coming with wings towards me. So he came
directly to me, and said, Mercy,
what aileth thee? Now when he had heard me
make my complaint, he said, Peace
be to thee; he also wiped my eyes with his
handkerchief, and clad me in
silver and gold. Ezek. 16:8-11. He put a
chain about my neck, and ear-rings
in mine ears, and a beautiful crown upon my
head. Then he took me by the
hand, and said, Mercy, come after me. So he
went up, and I followed till we
came at a golden gate. Then he knocked; and
when they within had opened, the
man went in, and I followed him up to a
throne, upon which one sat; and he
said to me, Welcome, daughter. The place
looked bright and twinkling, like
the stars, or rather like the sun, and I
thought that I saw your husband
there; so I awoke from my dream. But did I
laugh?
CHRISTIANA: Laugh! aye, and well you might
to see yourself so well. For you
must give me leave to tell you that it was
a good dream; and that, as you
have begun to find the first part true, so
you shall find the second at
last. “God speaks once, yea, twice, yet man
perceiveth it not; in a dream,
in a vision of the night, when deep sleep
falleth upon men, in slumberings
upon the bed.” Job 33:14,15. We need not,
when abed, to lie awake to talk
with God; he can visit us while we sleep,
and cause us then to hear his
voice. Our heart oftentimes wakes when we
sleep, and God can speak to that,
either by words, by proverbs, by signs and
similitudes, as well as if one
was awake.
MERCY: Well, I am glad of my dream; for I
hope ere long to see it fulfilled,
to the making me laugh again.
CHRISTIANA: I think it is now high time to
rise, and to know what we must
do.
MERCY: Pray, if they invite us to stay a
while, let us willingly accept of
the proffer. I am the more willing to stay
a while here, to grow better
acquainted with these maids: methinks
Prudence, Piety, and Charity, have
very comely and sober countenances.
CHRISTIANA: We shall see what they will do.
So when they were up and ready, they came
down, and they asked one another
of their rest, and if it was comfortable or
not.
MERCY: Very good, said Mercy: it was one of
the best night’s lodgings that
ever I had in my life.
Then said Prudence and Piety, If you will
be persuaded to stay here a while,
you shall have what the house will afford.
CHARITY: Aye, and that with a very good
will, said Charity. So they
consented, and stayed there about a month
or above, and became very
profitable one to another. And because
Prudence would see how Christiana had
brought up her children, she asked leave of
her to catechise them. So she
gave her free consent. Then she began with
her youngest, whose name was
James.
PRUDENCE: And she said, Come, James, canst
thou tell me who made thee?
JAMES: God the Father, God the Son, and God
the Holy Ghost.
PRUDENCE: Good boy. And canst thou tell who
saved thee?
JAMES: God the Father, God the Son, and God
the Holy Ghost.
PRUDENCE: Good boy still. But how doth God
the Father save thee?
JAMES: By his grace.
PRUDENCE: How doth God the Son save thee?
JAMES: By his righteousness, death and
blood, and life.
PRUDENCE: And how doth God the Holy Ghost
save thee?
JAMES: By his illumination, by his
renovation, and by his preservation.
Then said Prudence to Christiana, You are
to be commended for thus bringing
up your children. I suppose I need not ask
the rest these questions, since
the youngest of them can answer them so
well. I will therefore now apply
myself to the next youngest.
PRUDENCE: Then she said, Come, Joseph, (for
his name was Joseph,) will you
let
me catechise you?
JOSEPH: With all my heart.
PRUDENCE: What is man?
JOSEPH: A reasonable creature, so made by
God, as my brother said.
PRUDENCE: What is supposed by this word,
saved?
JOSEPH: That man, by sin, has brought
himself into a state of captivity and
misery.
PRUDENCE: What is supposed by his being
saved by the Trinity?
JOSEPH: That sin is so great and mighty a
tyrant that none can pull us out
of its clutches but God; and that God is so
good and loving to man, as to
pull him indeed out of this miserable
state.
PRUDENCE: What is God’s design in saving
poor men?
JOSEPH: The glorifying of his name, of his
grace, and justice, etc., and the
everlasting happiness of his creature.
PRUDENCE: Who are they that will be saved?
JOSEPH: They that accept of his salvation.
PRUDENCE: Good boy, Joseph; thy mother hath
taught thee well, and thou hast
hearkened unto what she has said unto thee.
Then said Prudence to Samuel, who was the
eldest but one,
PRUDENCE: Come, Samuel, are you willing
that I should catechise you?
SAMUEL: Yes, forsooth, if you please.
PRUDENCE: What is heaven?
SAMUEL: A place and state most blessed,
because God dwelleth there.
PRUDENCE: What is hell?
SAMUEL: A place and state most woful,
because it is the dwelling-place of
sin, the devil, and death.
PRUDENCE: Why wouldst thou go to heaven?
SAMUEL: That I may see God, and serve him
without weariness; that I may see
Christ, and love him everlastingly; that I
may have that fullness of the
Holy Spirit in me which I can by no means
here enjoy.
PRUDENCE: A very good boy, and one that has
learned well.
Then she addressed herself to the eldest,
whose name was Matthew; and she
said to him, Come, Matthew, shall I also
catechise you?
MATTHEW: With a very good will.
PRUDENCE: I ask then, if there was ever any
thing that had a being
antecedent to or before God?
MATTHEW: No, for God is eternal; nor is
there any thing, excepting himself,
that had a being until the beginning of the
first day. For in six days the
Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and
all that in them is.
PRUDENCE: What do you think of the Bible?
MATTHEW: It is the holy word of God.
PRUDENCE: Is there nothing written therein
but what you understand?
MATTHEW: Yes, a great deal.
PRUDENCE: What do you do when you meet with
places therein that you do not
understand?
MATTHEW: I think God is wiser than I. I
pray also that he will please to let
me know all therein that he knows will be
for my good.
PRUDENCE: How believe you as touching the
resurrection of the dead?
MATTHEW: I believe they shall rise the same
that was buried; the same in
nature, though not in corruption. And I
believe this upon a double account:
first, because God has promised it;
secondly, because he is able to perform
it.
Then said Prudence to the boys, You must
still hearken to your mother; for
she can teach you more. You must also
diligently give ear to what good talk
you shall hear from others: for your sakes
do they speak good things.
Observe also, and that with carefulness,
what the heavens and the earth do
teach you; but especially be much in the
meditation of that book which was
the cause of your father’s becoming a
pilgrim. I, for my part, my children,
will teach you what I can while you are
here, and shall be glad if you will
ask me questions that tend to godly
edifying.
Now by that these pilgrim’s had been at
this place a week, Mercy had a
visitor that pretended some good-will unto
her, and his name was Mr. Brisk;
a man of some breeding, and that pretended
to religion, but a man that stuck
very close to the world. So he came once or
twice, or more, to Mercy, and
offered love unto her. Now Mercy was of a
fair countenance, and therefore
the more alluring.
Her mind also was to be always busying of
herself in doing; for when she had
nothing to do for herself, she would be
making hose and garments for others,
and would bestow them upon those that had
need. And Mr. Brisk not knowing
where or how she disposed of what she made,
seemed to be greatly taken, for
that he found her never idle. I will
warrant her a good housewife, quoth he
to himself.
Mercy then revealed the business to the
maidens that were of the house, and
inquired of them concerning him, for they did
know him better than she. So
they told her that he was a very busy young
man, and one who pretended to
religion, but was, as they feared, a
stranger to the power of that which is
good.
Nay then, said Mercy, I will look no more
on him; for I purpose never to
have a clog to my soul.
Prudence then replied, that there needed no
matter of great discouragement
to be given to him; her continuing so as
she had begun to do for the poor,
would quickly cool his courage.
So the next time he comes he finds her at
her old work, making things for
the poor. Then said he, What, always at it?
Yes, said she, either for myself
or for others. And what canst thou earn a
day? said he. I do these things,
said she, that I may be rich in good works,
laying up in store for myself a
good foundation against the time to come,
that I may lay hold on eternal
life. 1 Tim. 6:17-19. Why, prithee, what
doest thou with them? said he.
Clothe the naked, said she. With that his
countenance fell. So he forbore to
come at her again. And when he was asked
the reason why, he said, that Mercy
was a pretty lass, but troubled with ill
conditions.
When he had left her, Prudence said, Did I
not tell thee that Mr. Brisk
would soon forsake thee? yea, he will rise
up an ill report of thee; for,
notwithstanding his pretence to religion,
and his seeming love to Mercy, yet
Mercy and he are of tempers so different
that I believe they will never come
together.
MERCY: I might have had husbands before
now, though I spoke not of it to
any; but they were such as did not like my
conditions, though never did any
of them find fault with my person. So they
and I could not agree.
PRUDENCE: Mercy in our days is but little
set by any further than as to its
name: the practice which is set forth by
thy conditions, there are but few
that can abide.
MERCY: Well, said Mercy, if nobody will
have me, I will die unmarried, or my
conditions shall be to me as a husband: for
I cannot change my nature; and
to have one who lies cross to me in this,
that I purpose never to admit of
as long as I live. I had a sister named
Bountiful, that was married to one
of these churls, but he and she could never
agree; but because my sister was
resolved to do as she had begun, that is,
to show kindness to the poor,
therefore her husband first cried her down
at the cross, and then turned her
out of his doors.
PRUDENCE: And yet he was a professor, I
warrant you?
MERCY: Yes, such a one as he was, and of
such as he the world is now full:
but I am for none of them all.
Now Matthew, the eldest son of Christiana,
fell sick, and his sickness was
sore upon him, for he was much pained in
his bowels, so that he was with it
at times pulled, as it were, both ends
together. There dwelt also not far
from thence one Mr. Skill, an ancient and
well-approved physician. So
Christiana desired it, and entered the
room, and had a little observed the
boy, he concluded that he was sick of the
gripes. Then he said to his
mother, What diet has Matthew of late fed
upon? Diet! said Christiana,
nothing but what is wholesome. The
physician answered, This boy has been
tampering with something that lies in his
stomach undigested, and that will
not away without means. And I tell you he
must be purged, or else he will
die.
SAMUEL: Then said Samuel, Mother, what was
that which my brother did gather
up and eat as soon as we were come from the
gate that is at the head of this
way? You know that there was an orchard on
the left hand, on the other side
of the wall, and some of the trees hung
over the wall, and my brother did
pluck and eat.
CHRISTIANA: True, my child, said
Christiana, he did take thereof, and did
eat: naughty boy as he was, I chid him, and
yet he would eat thereof.
MR. SKILL: I knew he had eaten something
that was not wholesome food; and
that food, to wit, that fruit, is even the
most hurtful of all. It is the
fruit of Beelzebub’s orchard. I do marvel
that none did warn you of it; many
have died thereof.
CHRISTIANA: Then Christiana began to cry;
and she said, Oh, naughty boy! and
Oh, careless mother! what shall I do for my
son?
MR. SKILL: Come, do not be too much
dejected; the boy may do well again, but
he must purge and vomit.
CHRISTIANA: Pray, sir, try the utmost of
your skill with him, whatever it
costs.
MR. SKILL: Nay, I hope I shall be
reasonable. So he made him a purge, but it
was too weak; it was said it was made of
the blood of a goat, the ashes of a
heifer, and some of the juice of hyssop.
Heb. 9:13, 19; 10: 1-4. When Mr.
Skill had seen that that purge was too
weak, he made one to the purpose. It
was made ex carne et sanguine Christi, [7]
John 6:54-57; Heb. 9:14; (you
know physicians give strange medicines to
their patients:) and it was made
into pills, with a promise or two, and a
proportionable quantity of salt.
Mark 9:49. Now, he was to take them three
at a time, fasting, in half a
quarter of a pint of the tears of
repentance. Zech. 12:10.
When this potion was prepared, and brought
to the boy, he was loth to take
it, though torn with the gripes as if he
should be pulled in pieces. Come,
come, said the physician, you must take it.
It goes against my stomach, said
the boy. I must have you take it, said his
mother. I shall vomit it up
again, said the boy. Pray, sir, said
Christiana to Mr. Skill, how does it
taste? It has no ill taste, said the
doctor; and with that she touched one
of the pills with the tip of her tongue.
Oh, Matthew, said she, this potion
is sweeter than honey. If thou lovest thy
mother, if thou lovest thy
brothers, if thou lovest Mercy, if thou
lovest thy life, take it. So, with
much ado, after a short prayer for the
blessing of God upon it, he took it,
and it wrought kindly with him. It caused
him to purge; it caused him to
sleep, and to rest quietly; it put him into
a fine heat and breathing sweat,
and did quite rid him of his gripes. So in
a little time he got up, and
walked about with a staff, and would go
from room to room, and talk with
Prudence, Piety, and Charity, of his
distemper, and how he was healed.
So when the boy was healed, Christiana
asked Mr. Skill, saying, Sir, what
will content you for your pains and care to
and of my child? And he said,
You must pay the master of the College of
Physicians, Heb. 13:11-15,
according to rules made in that case and
provided.
CHRISTIANA: But, sir, said she, what is
this pill good for else?
MR. SKILL: It is a universal pill; it is
good against all the diseases that
pilgrims are incident to; and when it is
well prepared, it will keep good,
time out of mind.
CHRISTIANA: Pray, sir, make me up twelve
boxes of them; for if I can get
these, I will never take other physic.
MR. SKILL: These pills are good to prevent
diseases, as well as to cure when
one is sick. Yea, I dare say it, and stand
to it, that if a man will but use
this physic as he should, it will make him
live for ever. John 6:51. But,
good Christiana, thou must give these pills
no other way but as I have
prescribed; for if you do, they will do no
good. So he gave unto Christiana
physic for herself, and her boys, and for
Mercy; and bid Matthew take heed
how he ate any more green plums; and kissed
them, and went his way.
It was told you before, that Prudence bid
the boys, that if at any time they
would, they should ask her some questions
that might be profitable and she
would say something to them.
MATTHEW: Then Matthew, who had been sick,
asked her, why for the most part
physic should be bitter to our palates.
PRUDENCE: To show how unwelcome the word of
God and the effects thereof are
to a carnal heart.
MATTHEW: Why does physic, if it does good,
purge, and cause to vomit?
PRUDENCE: To show that the word, when it
works effectually, cleanseth the
heart and mind. For look, what the one doth to the body, the other doth
to
the soul.
MATTHEW: What should we learn by seeing the
flame of our fire go upwards,
and by seeing the beams and sweet
influences of the sun strike downwards?
PRUDENCE: By the going up of the fire, we
are taught to ascend to heaven by
fervent and hot desires. And by the sun
sending his heat, beams, and sweet
influences downwards, we are taught the
Saviour of the world, though high,
reaches down with his grace and love to us
below.
MATTHEW: Whence have the clouds their
water?
PRUDENCE: Out of the sea.
MATTHEW: What may we learn from that?
PRUDENCE: That ministers should fetch their
doctrine from God.
MATTHEW: Why do they empty themselves upon
the earth?
PRUDENCE: To show that ministers should
give out what they know of God to
the world.
MATTHEW: Why is the rainbow caused by the
sun?
PRUDENCE: To show that the covenant of
God’s grace is confirmed to us in
Christ.
MATTHEW: Why do the springs come from the
sea to us through the earth?
PRUDENCE: To show that the grace of God
comes to us through the body of
Christ.
MATTHEW: Why do some of the springs rise
out of the tops of high hills?
PRUDENCE: To show that the Spirit of grace
shall spring up in some that are
great and mighty, as well as in many that
are poor and low.
MATTHEW: Why doth the fire fasten upon the
candle-wick?
PRUDENCE: To show that unless grace doth
kindle upon the heart, there will
be no true light of life in us.
MATTHEW: Why are the wick, and tallow and
all, spent to maintain the light
of the candle?
PRUDENCE: To show that body and soul, and
all, should be at the service of,
and spend themselves to maintain in good
condition that grace of God that is
in us.
MATTHEW: Why doth the pelican pierce her
own breast with her bill?
PRUDENCE: To nourish her young ones with
her blood, and thereby to show that
Christ the blessed so loved his young, (his
people,) as to save them from
death by his blood.
MATTHEW: What may one learn by hearing the
cock to crow?
PRUDENCE: Learn to remember Peter’s sin,
and Peter’s repentance. The cock’s
crowing shows also, that day is coming on:
let, then, the crowing of the
cock put thee in mind of that last and
terrible day of judgment.
Now about this time their month was out;
wherefore they signified to those
of the house, that it was convenient for
them to up and be going. Then said
Joseph to his mother, It is proper that you
forget not to send to the house
of Mr. Interpreter, to pray him to grant
that Mr. Great-Heart should be sent
unto us, that he may be our conductor for
the rest of the way. Good boy,
said she, I had almost forgot. So she drew
up a petition, and prayed Mr.
Watchful the porter to send it by some fit
man to her good friend Mr.
Interpreter; who, when it was come, and he
had seen the contents of the
petition, said to the messenger, Go, tell
them that I will send him.
When the family where Christiana was, saw
that they had a purpose to go
forward, they called the whole house
together, to give thanks to their King
for sending of them such profitable guests
as these. Which done, they said
unto Christiana, And shall we not show thee
something, as our custom is to
do to pilgrims, on which thou mayest
meditate when thou art upon the way? So
they took Christiana, her children, and
Mercy, into the closet, and showed
them one of the apples that Eve ate of, and
that she also did give to her
husband, and that for the eating of which
they were both turned out of
paradise, and asked her what she thought
that was. Then Christiana said, It
is food or poison, I know not which. So
they opened the matter to her, and
she held up her hands and wondered. Gen.
3:6; Rom. 7:24.
Then they had her to a place, and showed
her Jacob’s ladder. Gen. 28:12. Now
at that time there were some angels
ascending upon it. So Christiana looked
and looked to see the angels go up: so did
the rest of the company. Then
they were going into another place, to show
them something else; but James
said to his mother, Pray, bid them stay
here a little longer, for this is a
curious sight. So they turned again, and
stood feeding their eyes with this
so pleasant a prospect.
After this, they had them into a place
where did hang up a golden anchor. So
they bid Christiana take it down; for said
they, You shall have it with you,
for it is of absolute necessity that you
should, that you may lay hold of
that within the veil, Heb. 6:19, and stand
stedfast in case you should meet
with turbulent weather, Joel 3:16: so they
were glad thereof.
Then they took them, and had them to the
mount upon which Abraham our father
offered up Isaac his son, and showed them
the altar, the wood, the fire, and
the knife, for they remain to be seen to
this very day. Gen. 22:9. When they
had seen it, they held up their hands, and
blessed themselves, and said, Oh,
what a man for love to his Master, and for
denial to himself, was Abraham!
After they had showed them all these
things, Prudence took them into a
dining room, where stood a pair of
excellent virginals; [8] so she played
upon them, and turned what she had showed
them into this excellent song,
saying,
“Eve’s apple we have showed you;
Of that be you aware:
You have seen Jacob’s ladder too,
Upon which angels are.
An anchor you received have;
But let not these suffice,
Until with Abra’m you have gave
Your best, a sacrifice.”
Now, about this time, one knocked at the
door; so the Porter opened, and
behold, Mr. Great-Heart was there. But when
he was come in, what joy was
there! for it came now afresh again into
their minds, how but a while ago he
had slain old Grim Bloody-man the giant,
and had delivered them from the
lions.
Then said Mr. Great-Heart to Christiana and
to Mercy, My Lord has sent each
of you a bottle of wine, and also some
parched corn, together with a couple
of pomegranates; he has also sent the boys
some figs and raisins; to refresh
you in your way.
Then they addressed themselves to their
journey, and Prudence and Piety went
along with them. When they came to the
gate, Christiana asked the Porter if
any of late went by. He said, No; only one,
some time since, who also told
me, that of late there had been a great
robbery committed on the King’s
highway as you go. But, said he, the thieves are taken, and will
shortly be
tried for their lives. Then Christiana and
Mercy were afraid; but Matthew
said, Mother, fear nothing, as long as Mr.
Great-Heart is to go with us, and
to be our conductor.
Then said Christiana to the Porter, Sir, I
am much obliged to you for all
the kindnesses that you have showed to me
since I came hither; and also for
that you have been so loving and kind to my
children. I know not how to
gratify your kindness; wherefore, pray, as
a token of my respect to you,
accept of this small mite. So she put a
gold angel [9] in his hand; and he
made her a low obeisance, and said, “Let
thy garments be always white; and
let thy head want no ointment.” Eccles.
9:8. Let Mercy live and not die, and
let not her works be few. Deut. 33:6. And
to the boys he said, Do you fly
youthful lusts, and follow after godliness
with them that are grave and
wise, 2 Tim. 2:22: so shall you put
gladness into your mother’s heart, and
obtain praise of all that are sober-minded.
So they thanked the Porter, and
departed.
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[7] Of the flesh and blood of Christ.
[8] A musical instrument.
[9]
A gold angel was a coin of the value of ten shillings sterling and
according to the comparative value of money
in Bunyan’s time, equal at least
to a guinea at the present time.
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