Mercy.  “Why, when our friend here was packing up to be gone from our town, [the city of Destruction,] I and another went accidentally to see her.  So we knocked at the door and went in.  When we were within, and seeing what she was doing, we asked her what she meant.  She said she was sent for to go to her husband; and then she up and told us how she had seen him in a dream, dwelling in a curious place, among immortals, wearing a crown, playing upon a harp, eating and drinking at his Prince’s table, and singing praises to him for the bringing him thither.  Now methought, while she was telling these things unto us, my heart burned withm ran.  And I said in my heart, ’If this be true, I will leave my father and my mother, and the land of my nativity, and will, if I may, go along with Christiana.’

“So I asked her further of the truth of these things, and if she would let me go with her; for I saw how that there was no dwelling, but with the danger of ruin, any longer in our town.  But yet I came away with a heavy heart; not for that I was unwilling to come away, hut for thai so many of my relations were left behind.  And I am come with all my heart, and will, if I may, go with Christiana to her husband and his King.”

Interpreter.  “Thy setting out is good, for thou hast given credit to the truth; thou art a Ruth, who did, for the love she hare to Naomi and to the Lord her God, leave father and mother, and the land of her nativity, to come out and go with a people that she knew not before.  ’The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.’”

Fears and encouragements of the awakened.

Some men are blood-red sinners, crimson sinners, sinners of a double dye:  dipped and dipped again before they come to Jesus Christ.  Art thou that readest these lines such a one?  Speak out, man.  Art thou such a one? and art thou now coming to Jesus Christ for the mercy of justification, that thou mightest be made white in his blood and be covered with his righteousness?  Fear not; forasmuch as this thy coming betokeneth that thou art of the number of them that the Father hath given to Christ; for he will in no wise cast thee out.  “Come now,” saith Christ, “and let us reason together:  though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”

I might tell you of the contests and battles that great sinners at their conversion are engaged in, wherein they find the besettings of Satan above any other of the saints.  At which time Satan assaults the soul with darkness, fears, frightful thoughts of apparitions; now they sweat, pant, cry out, and struggle for life.

The angels now come down to behold the sight, and rejoice to see a bit of dust and ashes overcome principalities, and powers, and mights, and dominions.