the old gentleman, My good landlord, while ye are here cracking your nuts, if you please, do you open this riddle.

(A riddle put forth by old Honest.)

A man there was, though some do count him mad,
The more he cast away, the more he had.

Then they all gave good heed, wondering what good Gaius would say; so he sat still awhile, and then thus reply'd:

(Gaius opens it.)

He who thus bestows his goods upon the poor,
Shall have as much again, and ten times more.

Then said Joseph, I dare say, Sir, I did not think you could have found it out.

Oh! said Gaius, I have been trained up in this way a great while; nothing teaches like experience; I have learned of my Lord to be kind, and have found by experience, that I have gained thereby. "There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches (m)."

Then Samuel whispered to Christiana, his mother, and said, Mother, this is a very good man's house, let us stay here a good while, and let my brother Matthew be married here to Mercy, before we go any farther.

The which Gaius, the host, overhearing, said, With a very good will, my child.

So they staid here more than a month, and Mercy y was given to Matthew to wife.

(m) Prov. xi. 24. chap. xiii. 7..

While they staid here, Mercy, as her custom was, would be making coats and garments to give to the poor, by which she brought a very good report upon pilgrims.

EXPLANATORY NOTES.

THE Lord, who calls his people to a pilgrim life, will not leave them without suitable means of refreshment for body and soul. He who fed Israel in the wilderness, and had compassion on his hearers because they had been long without food, will still supply all the need of his saints. Hence, the entertainment at the house of Gaius; alluding to the hospitality of one of that name, whose kindness to the brethren is celebrated, 3 John 5, 6. the author seems to intend that refreshment of spirit, which lively christians derive from the company and conversation of spiritual persons. For "as iron sharpeneth iron, so doth the countenance of a man his friend." Sweet indeed is the entertainment, when the reception of bodily food is improved to spiritual purposes! We often hear persons expressing their approbation of what they eat; how good is this, and the other dish!-but how few admire the goodness of God in their table mercies, or lit up their souls from carnal food, to rejoice in Jesus, "whose flesh is meat indeed, and whose blood is drink indeed." But happy is the company who taste the love of God in their food, 'and who sweetly blend a holy seriousness with a heavenly cheerfulness. To their assembly, mine honour, be thou united.

CHAP. XI.

The Pilgrims continue at the House of Gaius; from whence they sally out, and destroy Giant Slay-good, a Cannibal; and rescue Mr. Feeble-mind.

BUT

After supper,

to return again to our story: the lads desired a bed, for they were weary with travelling; then Gaius called to show them their

chamber; but said Mercy, I will have them to bed. So she had them to bed, and they slept well, but the rest sat up all night for Gaius and they were such suitable company, that they could not tell how to part. Then after much talk of their Lord, themselves, and their journey, old Mr. Honest, he that put forth the riddle to Gaius, began to nod. Then said. Great-heart, What, Sir, you begin to be drowsy! Come, rub up, now here is a riddle for you. Then said Mr. Honest, Let us hear it.

Then said Mr. Great-heart: 4

(A Riddle.)

He that will kill, must first be overcome,
Who live abroad would, first must die at home.

Ha! said Mr. Honest, it is a hard one, hard to expound, and harder to practise. But come, landlord, said he, I will, if you please, leave my part to you; do you expound it, and I will hear what

you say..

No, said Gaius, it was put to you, and it is ex-.pected you should answer it.

Then said the old gentleman: :

(The Riddle opened.). i

He first by grace must conquer'd be,

That sin would mortify:

Who, that he lives, would convince me,
Unto himself must die.

It is right, said Gaius; good doctrine and expeperience teaches this. For, first, until grace displays itself, and overcomes the soul with its glory, it is altogether without heart to oppose-sin: besides, if sin is Satan's cords, by which the soul les bound, how should it make resistance, before it is loosed. from that infirmity?

Secondly, Nor will any, that knows her reason

or grace, believe that such a man can be a living monument of grace, that is a slave to his own corruption.

had

And now it comes in my mind, I will tell you a story worth the hearing. There were two men that went on pilgrimage, the one began when he was young, the other when he was old: the young man strong corruptions to grapple with, the old man's were weak with the decays of nature: the young man trod his steps as even as did the old one, and was every way as light as he: Who now, or which of them, had their graces shining clearest, since both seemed to be alike?

Hon. The young man's, doubtless. For that which heads it against the greatest opposition, gives best demonstration that it is strongest; especially when it also holdeth pace with that that meets not with half so much; as to be sure old age does not.

Besides, I have observed, that old men have blessed themselves with this mistake; namely, taking the decays of nature for a gracious conquest over corruptions, and so have been apt to beguile themselves. Indeed old men that are gracious, are best able to give advice to them that are young, because they have seen most of the emptiness of things: but yet, for an old and a young man to set out both together, the young one has the advantage of the fairest discovery of a work of grace within him, though the old man's corruptions are naturally the weakest.

Thus they sat talking till break of day. Now when the family was up, Christiana bid her son James that he should read a chapter; so he read the 53d of Isaiah: When he had done, Mr. Honest asked why it was said, "That the Saviour is said to come out of a dry ground, and also that he had no form or comeliness in him?”

Great-heart. Then said Mr. Great-heart: To the first I answer; Because the church of the Jews, of

which Christ came, had then almost lost all the sap and spirit of religion. To the second I say; The words are spoken in the person of the unbeliever, who because they want the eye that can see into our Prince's heart, therefore they judge of him by the meanness of his outside.

Just like those, that know not that precious stones are covered over with a homely crust; who, when they have found one, because they know not what they have found, cast it away again, as men do a

common stone.

Well, said Gaius, now you are here, and since, as I know, Mr. Great-heart is good at his weapons, if you please, after we have refreshed ourselves, we will walk into the fields, to see if we can do any good. About a mile from hence, there is one Slaygood, a giant, that doth much annoy the King's highway in these parts: and I know whereabout his haunt is, he is master of a number of thieves; it would be well if we could clear these parts of him.

So they consented and went, Mr. Great-heart with his sword, helmet, and shield; and the rest with spears and staves.

When they came to the place where he was, they found him with one Feeble-mind in his hand, whom his servants had brought unto him, having taken him in the way; now the giant was rifling him, with a purpose, after that, to pick his bones; for he was of the nature of flesh-eaters.

Well, so soon as he saw Mr. Great-heart and his friends, at the mouth of his cave, with their weapons, he demanded what they wanted.

Great-heart. We want thee; for we are come to revenge the quarrels of the many that thou hast slain of the pilgrims, when thou hast dragged them out of the King's highway; wherefore come out of thy cave. So he armed himself and came out, and to battle they went, and fought for above an hour, and then stood still to take wind.