Zion-ward, and are going thither, as I perceive you are at this time: but I spy a young man in your company who, I doubt, will not be able to go through this tedious journey, but will either faint by the way, or turn aside with the Flatterer, or take up his abode at Vanity-fair. Then turning himself to Yielding, said unto him, Young man, you are the person I mean; do you think you shall be able to hold out to the Heavenly Jerusalem?”

Yielding. I make no doubt of it, Sir; for I find myself in good health, and as able to foot it as any of the company.

Then they went on together, till they came to a great wilderness, where were several paths leading divers ways: so that had it not been for Spiritual-man, (who alone knew the right way,) they had wandered, no doubt into some dangerous path or other, and either been devoured by wild beasts, or taken prisoners by some cruel giants, whose castles stood in the remote corners of this wilderness. This made them all shew a great deal of respect and obedience to Spiritual-man, and esteem him as their guide and patron. So they went along together, till they came to a place where was an altar built, and there was incense burning thereon, and the smell of the incense was very fragrant, refreshing the spirits of the pilgrims. Then Spiritual-man spake to this effect:

My brethren, you must know that this wilderness is much haunted with wild beasts, as also by thieves and murderers, spirits, and hobgoblins, which oftentimes assault poor pilgrims, in the night time, and sometimes by day; now, had we taken any other path, we had been in danger of falling into their clutches; but now, I hope, there will be no such danger, if you will follow my counsel.

Tender-con. We will readily obey thee in all things; for we see that thou art a man of God, and hast the mind of Christ. Tell us therefore, what we shall do to be safe from the dangers that threaten us in this place.

Spiritual-man. You see this altar of incense here per, petually smoking, and sending up clouds of a sweet smelling savour to heaven. Now the smoke of this incense keeps off all spirits and hobgoblins, and the fire

upon the altar keeps off all wild beasts. If then you would be free from the danger of wild beast, let every man take a coal from the altar, and carry along with him and if he would be free from the spirits and hobgoblins, let him take of the incense that is in the treasury of the altar, and carry'it along with him and as he travels through the wilderness, let him often kindle a fire with a coal from the altar, and burn incense therein, so shall he be protected from all evil. Let him awaken the spirit of prayer, and kindle true devotion in himself, by making good use of the grace of God; for the heart of a devout man, and one that fears God, is an altar of incense, always sending up holy ejaculations, which are sweet favour, or perfume before God. Such a man attracts the divine blessing and protection.

Tender-con. But how shall a man pray? in form, or without with words, or in silence?

Spiritual-man. That you may be the better satisfied in this point, you ought to consider, that prayer is the soul's discourse or conversation with God. Now, seeing that God knoweth all things, and discerneth the secret thoughts of our hearts, it is a thing indifferent in private prayer, whether we use words or not; for the soul may discourse and converse with God as well in silence as with words: nay, better sometimes, because silence preserves our attention, and prevents wandering thoughts; whereas, when the soul is occupied in verbal prayer, it often proves little better than lip service; as God complained of old, "This people serve me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me." But however this silent or mental prayer is a gift which all men are not capable of. Some have not that recollection of spirit, that composedness of mind, as to pray in this manner: and it is convenient that such men should use words. But whether they use a set form or uo, in private, is not material; only let me give this seasonable caution; that those who use extemporary prayer be careful not to commit any indecency, but uttering improper expressions, vain repetitions, or using too many words; which must needs be offensive to the Divine Majesty, who knows our necessities before we declare them, and only requires an

humble and fervent application of our hearts to him for what we stand in need of. All the fine words in the world, without this, all the rhetorical flourishes, the elegant cadences, the softest periods, without this, are but as sounding brass, and a tinkling cymbal, in the ears of God. And, therefore, good was the advice of Solomon: "When thou comest into the house of God, let thy words be few; and be more ready to hear than to offer the sacrifice of fools;" intimating hereby, that multiplicity of words in prayer are but the sacrifice of fools. And a greater man than Solomon has said, "When ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathens do; for they think they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be ye not therefore, like unto them, for your Father knoweth what things you have need of before you ask him." And therefore the form of prayer, which Christ hath prescribed them as a pattern, was very short, but comprehensive, including, in less than an hundred words, all the several parts of prayer, as adoration, thanksgiving, petition, oblation, intercession, &c. And this, no doubt, he prescribed for a pattern to others, that all who call upon God may do it in reverence and godly modesty, using but few words, and those pithy and significant, comprehensive and full, proper and becoming the Majesty we address ourselves unto.

Tend. You have given me great satisfaction as to this matter, which has often disturbed my mind, and kept me at too remote a distance from God, not knowing certainly how to pray acceptably: but now I am convinced that God requires chiefly the heart; for it is but reason, that he who is a spirit, and the purest of all spirits, should be served in spirit and in truth, which cannot be done, where the heart goes not along with the lips; and if it does, then it matters not whether it be in a set form of words or not; the fervency and attention of the mind, the regularity of the affections, and the lawfulness of our petitions, being the chief thing regarded by the Sovereign Majesty of Heaven.

Seek-truth. How happy am I that light into such good company! I have been long a-searching and inquiring 1 Matt. vi. 7, 8.

into the nature and obligation of Christian duties, and particularly this of prayer, which puzzles a great many good well-meaning people; but I have never met with so much comfort and satisfaction as now I have found in your discourse.

Weary-o'-the-world. I approve of what has been said concerning prayer; for I find so many defects in the best of my devotions, that I have no heart to venture on vocal prayer at some times; for, if I should, my heart would afterwards check me with putting an affront on God, while, in the midst of passionate words, and devout expressions, my thoughts were employed quite another way; while my tongue chattered like a magpie to God, my heart was upon the devil's ramble, starting a thousand vain and foolish thoughts amidst the most serious and religious, the most fervent and pious words in the world. I know not how it fares with other people, or what advantages they may find; but, for my own part, so long as I carry flesh and blood about me, I cannot presume to be free from distractions, alienations of mind, coldness, indifference, impertinent suggestions, even in the calmest minutes, the most recollected seasons, and the severest applications of my mind to the duty I am engaged in. Much less can I hope for an immunity from such failings, when I give the reins to my tongue, and suffer my lips to prate over a multitude of formal words; for then I find it falls out to me, as I have heard say it does to musicians, who, by long accustoming themselves to play on any instrument, at length get such a habit, that they can run over their familiar tunes, without minding or giving attention to what they are doing. Not that I hereby condemn the use of vocal. prayer; for, without doubt, it is expedient for some people, and in a manner necessary in the public worship of God, where many people are to join together in offering up the same petitions, thanksgivings, intercessions, &c. which cannot be performed without a form of words, which are the only proper means of conveying our conceptions and thoughts one to another, and consequently making each other sensible what we all pray for. In short, my judgment is, that it is all one in respect to

God's hearing us, whether we use words or not, in public or in private; but, for the sake of human necessities, words are necessary in public, and a fervent attention of mind is absolutely required both in public and private, as the only efficatious means to render our prayers acceptable to the divine Majesty.

CHAP. VII.

The pilgrims arrive at the town of Vanity, where they are ill treated,-Yielding suffering himself to be drawn aside, dies suddenly,-Having left the town, they pass by the River of God, and arrive at the Delectable Mountains.

THE

HEN I heard in my dream, that as they walked along the wilderness, the wild beasts roared and sent forth hideous noises, which put some of them into no small disorder and consternation; but the rest, who had more courage, heartened them on. So at last, they got out of the wilderness, and came in sight of the town of Vanity, where Faithful was put to death for his testimony to the truth. Now the town was very magnificent and stately to. the eye, full of temples, and other public structures, whose lofty towers, being adorned with gold and other costly embellishments, made a glittering shew in the sunshine. Likewise it was exceeding large and populous, so that there was a perpetual noise to be heard at a distance, like the roaring of the sea, because of the multitude of the people that were in it, the chariots and the horses that were always running up and down the streets: which made poor Yielding think it was the city, where they were all going. He was so much taken with the glorious figure this town made, that he could hardly contain himself from running thither before the rest of his company; which when Spiritual-man perceived, he said,

Young man, mistake not this place; for it is not the heavenly city, as you imagine, but a mere counterfeit ; it is Babylon, the town of confusion and Vanity; though our way lies through it, yet we are not to take up our rest there; we may abide a while, but we must not think of settling there for ever.

Yielding. Sir I thought by the description that bad been given me of the heavenly Jerusalem, that this had