{218} Now, as I said, the way to the Celestial City lies just through this town where this lusty fair is kept; and he that will go to the city, and yet not go through this town, must needs go out of the world. [1 Cor. 5:10] The Prince of princes himself, when here, went through this town to his own country, and that upon a fair day too; yea, and as I think, it was Beelzebub, the chief lord of this fair, that invited him to buy of his vanities; yea, would have made him lord of the fair, would he but have done him reverence as he went through the town. [Matt. 4:8, Luke 4:5-7] Yea, because he was such a person of honour, Beelzebub had him from street to street, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a little time, that he might, if possible, allure the Blessed One to cheapen and buy some of his vanities; but he had no mind to the merchandise, and therefore left the town, without laying out so much as one farthing upon these vanities.  This fair, therefore, is an ancient thing, of long standing, and a very great fair.

{219} Now these pilgrims, as I said, must needs go through this fair.  Well, so they did:  but, behold, even as they entered into the fair, all the people in the fair were moved, and the town itself as it were in a hubbub about them; and that for several reasons:  for —­

{220} First, The pilgrims were clothed with such kind of raiment as was diverse from the raiment of any that traded in that fair.  The people, therefore, of the fair, made a great gazing upon them:  some said they were fools, some they were bedlams, and some they are outlandish men. [1 Cor. 2:7-8]

{221} Secondly, And as they wondered at their apparel, so they did likewise at their speech; for few could understand what they said; they naturally spoke the language of Canaan, but they that kept the fair were the men of this world; so that, from one end of the fair to the other, they seemed barbarians each to the other.

{222} Thirdly, But that which did not a little amuse the merchandisers was, that these pilgrims set very light by all their wares; they cared not so much as to look upon them; and if they called upon them to buy, they would put their fingers in their ears, and cry, Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity, and look upwards, signifying that their trade and traffic was in heaven. [Ps. 119:37, Phil. 3:19-20]

{223} One chanced mockingly, beholding the carriage of the men, to say unto them, What will ye buy?  But they, looking gravely upon him, answered, “We buy the truth.” [Prov. 23:23] At that there was an occasion taken to despise the men the more; some mocking, some taunting, some speaking reproachfully, and some calling upon others to smite them.  At last things came to a hubbub and great stir in the fair, insomuch that all order was confounded.  Now was word presently brought to the great one of the fair, who quickly came down, and deputed some of his most trusty friends to take these men into