The next time he comes, he finds her at her old

work, making things for the poor.

Then faid he, What always at it? Yes, faid fhe, either for myself or for others. What canft thou earn a day? quoth he. I do these things said she, That I may be rich in good works, laying a good foundation against the time to come, that I may lay hold of eternal life, 1 Tim. vi. 17, 18, 19. Why, prithee, what doft thou do with them? faid he. Clothe the naked, faid fhe. With that his countenance fell; and he forbore to come to her again. When he was afked the reason of his not coming, he faid, That Mercy was a pretty lass, but troubled with ill conditions.

When he had left her, Prudence faid, Did I not tell thee that Mr. Brisk would foon forfake thee? yea, he will raise an ill report of thee: for, notwithstanding his pretence to religion, and his feeming love to Mercy, yet Mercy and he are of tempers fo different, that I believe they will never come together c.

Mercy. I might have had husbands before now, though I spoke not of it to any; but they were fuch as did not like my conditions; though never did any of them find fault with my perfon. So they and I could not agree.

Prud. Mercy in our days is little fet by, any fur

ther

• Many pretend to love mercy; and, if you was to judge of them by what they fay of themfelves, they must be the mast

kind

ther than its name: the practice, which is fet forth by the conditions, is fuch as but few can abide.

Mercy. Well, faid Mercy, if no body will have me, I will die a maid; or, my conditions fhall be to me as a husband; for I cannot change my nature: and to have one who will cross me in this, is what I purpose never to admit of as long as I live. I had a fifter, named Bountiful, married to one of these churls; but he and fhe could never agree, because my fifter was refolved to do as she had begun, that is, to fhew kindness to the poor, therefore her husband first cried her down at the crofs, and then turned her out of doors.

Prud. Yet he was a profeffor, I warrant you.

Mercy. Yes, fuch a one as he was, and such as the world is now full of: but I am for none of them all.

Now Matthew, the eldeft fon of Chriftiana, fell fick, and his fickness was fore upon him, for he was much pained in his bowels, fo that he was, at times, pulled as it were both ends together. There dwelt alfo, not far from thence, one Mr. Skill, an ancient

kind and affectionate creatures living; yet, put them to the teft, and you will find, that though they commended the name of mercy, they were strangers to the grace itfelf.

d Of all people in the world, take care of profeffors: many make a profession from the basest motives; but, though fome pretend to that which they have not got, fhall we conclude from thence that all are the fame? Becaufe Judas was a traitor, must the other apoftles be the fame? Though the conduct of profeffors may not be as becomes the gofpel, nevertheless the foundation ftandeth fure.

and well approved phyfician. As Chriftiana defired it, they fent for him, and he came. When he was entered the room, and had a little obferved the boy, he concluded that he was fick of the gripes. Then he faid to his mother, What diet has Matthew of late fed upon? Diet, faid Chriftiana, nothing but what is wholesome. The phyfician answered, This boy has been tampering with fomething that lies in his maw undigested, and it will not pass off without I tell you he must be purged, or else he

means.

will die.

Then faid Samuel, Mother, what was that which my brother did gather and eat, as foon as we came from the gate which was at the head of this way? You know there was an orchard on the left hand, and on the other fide of the wall, fome of the trees hung over the wall, now my brother did pluck and did eat fome of the fruit.

True, my child, faid Chriftiana, he did take thereof, and eat, naughty boy as he was; I chid him, yet he would eat thereof.

Skill. I knew that he had eaten fomething which was not wholefome food, and that food, I mean that fruit, is the most hurtful of all. It is the fruit of Beelzebub's orchard, I marvel that none did warn you of it; many have died from eating thereof.

Then Chriftiana began to cry, and faid, O naughty boy! O careless mother! What fhall I do for my fon?

Skill. Come, do not be too much dejected; the

boy

boy may do well again, but he must purge and vomit.

Christ. Pray, Sir, try the utmost of your skill with him, whatever it cofts.

Skill, Nay, I hope I shall be reasonable, Heb. x. 1, 2, 3, 4. So he made him a purge, but it was too weak; it was made, as is faid, of the blood of a goat, the afhes of an heifer, and fome of the juice of hyffop, &c. When Mr. Skill had seen that the purge was too weak, he made him one to the purpofe; it was made Ex carne, et fanguine Chrifti, John vi. 54, 55, 56, 57; Mark ix. 49; Heb. ix. 14; (you know phyficians give strange medicines to their patients). This was made into pills, with a promise or two, and a proportionable quantity of falt. Now he was to take these pills three at a time, fasting, in half a quarter of a pint of the tears of repentance. When this portion 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, faid the phyfician, you must take it. It goes against my ftomach, faid the boy. I must have you take it, faid his mother, Zech. xii.

• This medicine was never known to fail, by whomsoever it was taken, let the cafe appear ever fo defperate; for it both purges and heals. Oh, precious balm! this is the balm of Gilead; The flesh and blood of Chrift." Whofo eateth and drinketh of this fhall live for ever. Whoever offers, to pu rify the heart, and heal a wounded confcience, by any other medicine, is a vile impoftor, vending the most poisonous and foul-deftroying noftrums.

8

10.

10. I fhall vomit it up again, said the boy. Pray, Sir, faid Chriftiana to Mr. Skill, how does it taste? It has no ill tafte, faid the Doctor: with that fhe touched one of the pills with the tip of her tongue. Oh, Matthew, faid fhe, this potion is sweeter than honey. If thou loveft 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 bleffing of God upon it, he took it, and it wrought kindly with him. It caufed him to purge, to fleep, and reft quietly; it put him into a fine heat and breathing fweat, and rid him of his gripes. So that, in a little time, he got up, and walked about with a ftaff, and would go from room to room, and talk with Prudence, Piety, and Charity, of his diftemper, and how he was healed.

So when the boy was healed, Christiana asked Mr. Skill, faying, Sir, what will content you for your pains and care to me and my child? And he faid, You must pay the Mafter of the College of Phyficians, Heb. xiii, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, according to the rules in that cafe made and provided.

Chrift. But, Sir, what is this pill good for elfe?

Skill. It is an univerfal pill; it is good against all diseases incident to pilgrims; and, when it is well prepared, it will keep good time out of mind.

Chrift. Pray, Sir, make me up twelve boxes of them: for if I can get thefe, I will never take any other phyfic.

Skill.