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Slay-good. Then said the giant, Why are you here on my ground?

Great-heart. To revenge the blood of pilgrims, as I also told thee before; so they went to it again, and the giant made Mr. Great-heart give back; but he came up again, and in the greatness of his mind he let fly with such stoutness at the giant's head and sides, that he made him let his weapon fall out of his hand; so he smote him and slew him, and cut off his head, and brought it away to the inn. He also took Feeble-mind the pilgrim, and brought him with him to his lodgings. When they were come home, they showed his head to the family, and set it up as they had done others before, for a terror to those that shall attempt to do as he hereafter.

Then they asked Mr. Feeble-mind, how he fell into his hands.

Feeble-mind. Then, said the poor man, I am a sickly man, as you see, and because death did usually once a day knock at my door, I thought I should never be well at home: so I betook myself to a pilgrim's life; and have travelled hither from the town of Uncertain, where I and my father were born. I ain a man of no strength at all of body, nor yet of mind, but would, if I could, though I can : but crawl, spend my life in the pilgrim's way. When I came at the gate, that is at the head of the way, the Lord of that place did entertain me freely; neither objected he against my 'weakly looks, nor against my feeble mind: but gave me such things as were necessary for my journey, and bid me hope to the end. When I came to the house of the In terpreter, I received much kindness there; and because the hill of Difficulty was judged too hard for me, I was carried up that by one of his servants. Indeed I bave found much relief from pilgrims, though none was willing to go so softly as I am forced to do; yet stili as they came on, they bid me be of good cheer, and said, That it was the will of their Lord, that comfort should be given to the

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feeble-minded (a), and so went on their own pace. When I came to Assault-lane, then this giant met me, and bid me prepare for encounter; but, alas ! feeble one that I was, I had more need of a cordial: so he came up and took me: I conceived he should not kill me; also when he had got me into his den, since I went not with him willingly, I believed I should come out alive again: for I have heard, That not any pilgrim, that is taken captive by vio-' lent hands, if he keeps heart whole towards his Master, is by the laws of Providence, to die by the hand of the enemy. Robbed I looked to be, and robbed to be sure I am, but I am, as you see, escaped with life, for the which I thank my King as the author, and you as the means. Other brunts I also look for, but this I was resolved on, to wit, to run when I can, to go when I cannot run, and to creep when I cannot go. As to the main, I thank him that loved me, I am fixed; my way is before me, my mind is beyond the river that has no bridge, though I am, as you see, but of a feeble mind,

Hon. Then said old Mr. Honest, Have not you some time ago been acquainted with one Mr. Fearing, a pilgrim?

Feeble. Acquainted with him! yes; he came from the town of Stupidity, which lieth four degrees northward of the city of Destruction, and as many off of where I was born; yet we were well acquainted, for indeed he was my uncle, my father's brother; he and I have been much of a temper, he was a little shorter than I, but yet we were much of a complexion.

Hon. I perceive you know him; and I am apt to believe also, that you were related one to another, for you have his whitely look, a cast like his with your eye, and your speech is much alike.

Feeble. Most have said so, that have known us

(a) 1 Thes. v. 14.

both; and besides, what I have read in him, I have for the most part found in myself.

Gaius. Come, Sir, said good Gaius, be of good cheer, you are welcome to me and my house, and what thou hast a mind to, call for freely; and what thou wouldst have my servants do for thee, they will do it with a ready mind.

Feeble. Then said Mr. Feeble-mind, This is an unexpected favour, and as the sun shining out of a very dark cloud: Did giant Slay-good intend me this favour when he stopped me, and resolved to let me go no farther? Did he intend, that after he had rifled my pocket, I should go to Gaius mine host? Yet so it is.

Now, just as Mr. Feeble-mind and Gaius were thus in talk, there comes one running, and called at the door, and told, That about a mile and a half off, there was one Mr. Not-right, a pilgrim, struck dead upon the place where he was, with a thunderbolt.

Feeble. Alas! said Mr. Feeble-mind, is he slain ? He overtook me some days before I came so far as hither, and would be my company-keeper; he also was with me when Slay-good the giant took me, but he was nimble of bis heels, and escaped; but it seems he escaped to die, and I was took to live.

What, one would think, doth seek to slay outright,
Oft-times delivers from the saddest plight.
That very Providence, whose faith is death,
Doth oft-times to the lowly life bequeath:
I taken was, he did escape and flee;

Hands cross'd gave death to him, and life to me.

Now, about this time, Matthew and Mercy were married; also Gaius gave his daughter Phoebe to James, Matthew's brother, to wife; after which time, they yet staid about ten days at Gaius's house, spending their time, and the seasons, like as pilgrims used to do.

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When they were to depart, Gaius made them a feast, and they did eat and drink, and were merry. Now the hour was come that they must be gone, wherefore Mr. Great-heart called for a reckoning: but Gaius told him, That at his house it was not the custom of pilgrims to pay for their entertainment. He boarded them by the year, but he looked for his pay from the good Samaritan, who had promised him, at his return, whatsoever charge he was at with them, faithfully to repay him. Then said Mr. Great-heart to him:

Great-heart. "Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers; which have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou (yet) bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well (b)."

Then Gaius took his leave of them all, and his children, and particularly of Mr. Feeble-mind. He also gave him something to drink by the way.

EXPLANATORY NOTES.

MUCH useful instruction is contained in this chapter. The mistake of many elder persons should be carefully noted. They think that they have left their sins, and are therefore very religious, when the fact is their sins have left them: so that their seeming holiness, is owing to the decay of nature, and not to the power of grace. Hence it is that young professors, who are enabled to overcome the world and the flesh, have a great advantage over others, in this blessed proof of their sincerity. Let christians imitate Mr. Great-heart, who observing Mr. Honest begin to nod, immediately amused him. This is an important advantage of christian fellowship. "Exhort one another daily.”

(b) 3 John 5, 6.

When the pilgrims were refreshed, they were called forth to combat. Our life is a warfare. We have many gigantic enemies, whose proper name is Slay-good. Let our strength, derived from Christ in the use of means, be daily employed in destroying them. The giant's death gave deliverance to a pilgrim prisoner, Mr. Feeble-mind, a relation of Mr. Fearing. His charcter is sweetly painted. He had began his pilgrimage, as many others do, by means of sanctified afHictions. His infirmities of body, announcing the approach of death, excited him to look for life beyond the grave. Yet he had a feeble mind. He could not keep pace with others, but his heart was fixed on God, and his affections placed on heavenly things. Let such be comforted, and know that

A feeble saint shall win the day,

Tho' death and hell obstruct the way.

Mr. Feeble-mind, though he could not make much speed, was yet a Nathaniel," an Israelite, in whom was no guile.' But we read of another, who, though nimble enough to escape the giant's hands, had a heart not right with God, and who was suddenly cut off by lightning. O let us look to the heart! this is the main concern; if the heart be not right, all is wrong..

The reader may remember that Mercy had some time before refused the addresses of Mr. Brisk, alleging that she was determined not to have a clog to her soul: but now the Lord provides an help-mate for her, in Matthew, a sincere young pilgrim. Happy is the match which is made in the Lord, and the partners who are united in eternal bonds!

CHAP. XII.

The Pilgrims are joined by Mr. Ready-to-halt, and proceed to the Town of Vanity, where they are agreeably lodged by Mr. Mnason, and meet with agreeable Company-They encounter a formidable Monster

Now Mr. Feeble-mind, when they were going out of the door, made as if he intended to linger. The which, when Mr. Great-heart espied, he said,

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