His lips like lilies, drop sweet-smelling myrrh, Scenting as do those of the comforter.

His hands are as gold rings set with the beryls; By them we are delivered out of perils;

His legs like marble, stand in boots of gold, His countenance is ex'lent to behold.

His mouth, it is of all a mouth most sweeet," O kiss me then, Lord, every time we meet !? Thy sugar'd lips, Lord, let them sweeten mine, With the most blessed scent of things divine.

2. This is one Governor; and next in place,
One call'd the Ghost, in Honour and in Grace
No whit inferior to him; and HE
Will also in this house our helper be,

He 'twas who did at first brood the creation;"
And he's the cause of man's regeneration.
"Tis he by whom the heavens were garnished,
With all their host they then abroad did spread
(Like spangles, pearls, diamonds or richest gems)
Far richer than the fairest diadems.

"Twas he who with his cloven tongues of fire
Made all those wise ones of the world admire,
Who heard his breathing in unlearned men.*
O blessed ruler! now the same as then!
His work our mind is to illuminate
With things divine, and to accommodate
Us with those graces, which will us adorn,
And make us look like men indeed new-born.
For our inheritance he makes us meet;
He makes us also in this world discreet.
Prudent and wise in what we take in hand,
To do and suffer at our Lord's command."

"Tis he that leads us to the tomb and cross,
Where Jesus crucified and buried was;
He shews us also, that he did revive,
And doth assure us that he is alive;
And doth improve the merit of his blood,
At grace's throne for our eternal good.
Dark riddles he doth here to us unfold,
Yea, makes us things invisible behold."

14

He sheds abroad God's love in every heart,
Where he doth dwell, yea to them doth impart,
Such tokens of a future happiness,
That's past the tongue of angels to express. *

'Tis he which helpeth us, that to perform,
Whether becalm'd, or whether in a storm,
Which God commands:" without him we do nought
That's good, either in deed, or word, or thought.

a Eze. xvi. 10-14.

b Ro. xv. 13.

c 1 Co. vi 11

d Is. iv. 4.

*

Our stinking breath he sweetens, so that we To God and all good men sweet-scented be; • He sets God's mark upon us, and doth seal Us unto life, and life to us reveal.

VIII.

UNDER OFFICERS.

3. Another sort of officers here are,
But such as must not with these first compare;
They're under-officers, but serviceable,
Not only here to rule, but wait at table.
Those clothed are with linen, fine and white,
They glitter as the stars of darksome night.
They have Saint Peter's keys, and Aaron's rod;
They ope and shut, they bind and loose for God.

9

The chief of these are watchmen, they have power To mount on high and to ascend the tower Of this brave fabric, and from thence to see Who keeps their ground, and who the stragglers be. These have their trumpet, when they do it sound The mountains echo, yea it shakes the ground. With it they also sound out an aların," When they perceive the least mischief or harm Is coming, so they do this house secure There from, or else prepare it to endure Most manfully the cross, and so attain The crown which for the victor doth remain.

This officer is call'd a steward too,'
'Cause with his master's cash he has to do,
And has authority it to disburse

To those that want, or for that treasure thirst.
The distributor of the word of grace
He is, and at his mouth, when he's in place,
They seek the law, he also bids them do it;
He shews them sin, and learns them to eschew it."
By this example too he shews them how
To keep their garments clean, their knees to bow
Before the king, when he comes into place;
And when they do him supplicate for grace.

Another badge this officer doth wear,
Is that of overseer; because the care
Of the whole house is with him, he's to see
They nothing want, nor yet abused be
By false intruders, doctrines, or (perchance)
By the misplacing of an ordinance.*
These also are to see they wander not
From place or duty, lest they get a blot
To their profession, or bring some disease
Upon the whole, or get a trick to lease,
Or lie unto their God," by doing what
By sacred statutes he commanded not.

Bunyan considered that baptism is to follow belief, and that christening a child was a misplacing the ordinance. So also with the Lord's Supper-that it was to be a public showing forth the death of the Saviour, and if administered in private, or with any other view, it was misplaced. -ED.

They are your sub-physicians, and know
What sickness you are incident unto;"

Let them but feel your pulse, and they will tell
You quickly whether you are sick or well.

Have you the staggers? They can help you there;
Or if the falling-sickness, or do fear

A lethargy, a fever, or the gout,

God blessing of their skill, you need not doubt
A cure, for long experience has made
These officers the masters of their trade.†
Their physic works by purge and vomit too,"
Fear not, nor full nor fasting but 'twill do,
Have but a care, and see you catch no cold,
And with their physic then you may be bold.

You may them Prophets call, for they can tell
Of things to come, yea, here they do excel.
They prophesy of man's future event,
Whether to weal or woe his mind is bent,
Yea, so expert are they in their predictions,
Their arguments so full are of convictions,
That none who hear them, but are forced to say,
Woe unto them who wander from the way."
Art bound for hell against all wind and weather?
Or art thou one a going backward thither?

Or dost thou wink, because thou would'st not see?
Or dost thou sideling go, and would'st not be
Suspected? Yet these prophets can thee tell,
Which way thou art a going down to hell. "
For him that would eternal life attain,
Yet will not part with all, that life to gain,
But keepeth some thing close, he should forsake,
Or slips the time, in which he should awake;
Or saith he lets go all, yet keepeth some

Of what will make him lose the world to come.
These prophets can tell such a man his state,
And what at last will surely be his fate.

If thou art one who tradeth in both ways,
God's now, the devil's then; or if delays
Thou mak'st of coming to thy God for life;
Or if thy light, and lusts are at a strife

*It is a rare thing for Bunyan to use a foreign word; but all pious persons in his time were familiar with, and generally used, the Puritan or Genevan Bible, vulgarly called the Breeches Bible, an extremely valuable book; in the marginal notes of which, on this passage, is the following explanation, ""wilde gourdes," which the apoticaries call colloquintida, and is most vehement and dangerous in purging.'-ED.

+ The university or college in which Bunyan so highly graduated, is the only one where ministers can be instructed in this spiritual physic. It is Christ's college or school, neither at Oxford or Cambridge, but in the Bible. There, and there only, under the teaching of the Holy Spirit, can the Christian bishop or under shepherd receive instruction in the precious remedies against Satan's devices, or in specifics to cure spiri

tual maladies.-ED.

n Luke xii, 42.

o 2 Ki. iv. 38-40.

» Mat. x. 8.

About who should be master of thy soul,

And lovest one, the other dost control;"
These prophets tell thee can, which way thou bendest,
On which thou frown'st, to which a hand thou lendest.
Art one of those whose fears do go beyond
Their faith? when thou should'st hope, dost thou despond

Dost keep thine eye upon what thou hast done,
And yet hast licence to look on the sun ?*
Dost thou so covet more, as not to be
Affected with the grace bestowed on thee?
Art like to him, that needs must step a mile
At every stride," or think it not worth while
To follow Christ? These prophets they can tell
To cure this thy disease, and make thee well.

This officer is also call'd a guide,

Nor should the people but keep by his side;
Or tread his steps in all the paths they walk,
By his example they should do and talk.

He is to be to them instead of eyes,
He must before them go in any wise;

And he must lead them by the water side,
This is the work of this our Faithful Guide.

Since snares, and traps, and gins are for us set,
Since here's a hole, and there is spread a net,
O let no body at my muse deride,

No man can travel here without a guide.

Here's tempting apples, here are baited hooks,
With turning, twisting, cramping, tangling crooks
Close by the way; woe then to them betide,
That dare to venture here without a guide."

Here haunt the fairies with their chanting voices;
Fiends like to angels, to bewitch our choices;
Baits for the flesh lie here on every side:
Who dares set here one foot without a guide?
Master delusion dwelleth by our walks,
Who with confusion, sings and prays and talks;
He says the straight path's his, and ours the wide: "
What then can we do here without a guide?

Let God then give our leaders always eyes;
Yea, let him make them holy, bold, and wise;
And help us fast by them for to abide,
And suffer not the blind to be our guide.‡

He had in his pocket A MAP of all ways leading to or from the his tinder box, and took a view of his book or map; which bid him be celestial city; wherefore he struck a light, for he never went without careful, in that place, to turn to the right hand way. And had he not smothered in the mud; for just before them, and that in the cleanest here been careful to look in his map, they had, in all probability, been way, was a pit, and none knows how deep, full of nothing but mud, there made on purpose to destroy pilgrims in. Then thought I with myself, who that goeth on pilgrimage, but would have one of these maps about him, that he may look when he is at a stand which is the way he must take.'-Pilgrim's Progress, Part Second.

Which of their bus'ness is indeed the chief."
These must be grave, not of a double tongue,
Not given to wine, not apt to do a wrong
Unto the poor, through love to lucre. (Just
In this their office, faithful to their trust)
The wife must answer here as face doth face;
The husband's fitness to his work and place,
That ground of scandal or of jealousy
Obstructs not proof that he most zealously
Performs his office well, for then shall he
Be bold in faith, and get a good degree
Of credit with the church; yea what is more,
He shall possess the blessings of the poor.
His wisdom teach him will, to find out who

Is poor of idleness, and who comes to
A low estate by sickness, age, or 'cause
The want of limbs, or sight, or work it was
That brought them to it; or such destiny
As sometimes maketh low, who once were high.
They must remember too, that some there are
Who halt before they're lame, while others care
Not to make known their wants, they'll rather die,
Than charge the churches with their poverty.
This done, they must bestow as they see cause;
Making the word the rule, and want the laws
By which they act, and then they need not pause.
The table of the Lord, he also must
Provide for, 'tis his duty and his trust.*
The teacher too should have his table spread
By him; thus should his house be clad and fed;
Thus he serves tables with the church's stock,
And so becomes a blessing to the flock.*

I read of widows also that should be Employed here for further decency; I dare not say they are in office, though A service here they are appointed to:

*These hints to deacons are invaluable. They must have been the result of long intimacy and enlightened watchfulness over the conduct of the poor. To distinguish between the noisy beggar and the unobtrusive sufferer-to administer relief in just proportions, 'the word the rule, and want the law,' in spite of all that influence which is constantly brought to bear upon those who distribute any common charity fund. It requires much of the fear of God in the heart, and a solemn sense of responsibility at the great day. The terms, crumbs of charity,' are beautifully expressive of the general poverty of Christian churches.-ED. 1 Th. v. 12-14.

J 1 Co. vị.

1 Ti. v. 17.

Ac. vi. 1-6. 41 Ti. iii. 8.

¿Ac. vi. 1. * Ac. vi. 2.

They must be very aged,' trusty, meek,

Such who have done much good, that do not seek
Themselves; they must be humble, pitiful,

Or they will make their service void and null.
These are to teach the younger women what

Is proper to their sex and state, what not:
To be discreet, keepers at home, and chaste;
To love their husbands, to be good; shamefac'd: "
Children to bear, to love them, and to fly
What to the gospel would be infamy.

I think these to the sick should look also,

A work unfit for younger ones to do.
Wherefore he saith, The younger ones refuse;
Perhaps because their weakness would abuse
Them, and subject them unto great disgrace,
When such a one as Amnon is in place."
And since the good old woman this must do
"Tis fit she should be fed and clothed too,
Out of the deacon's purse, let it so be;
And let this be her service constantly.P†

IX.

n

THE ORDER AND MANNER OF THE GOVERNMENT HERE.

As I have shew'd you who in office are,
So I will tell you how, and with what care
Those here intrusted with the government,
Keep to the statutes made to that intent.
By rules divine this house is governed;
Not sanguinary ones, nor taught nor fed
By human precepts:" for the scripture saith,
The word's our ghostly food; food for our faith.
Nor are all forced to the same degree
In things divine, tho' all exhorted be
To the most absolute proficiency

That law or duty can to them descry. t

Alas! here's children, here are great with young;
Here are the sick and weak, as well as strong.
Here are the cedar, shrub, and bruised reed;
Yea, here are such who wounded are, and bleed.
As here are some who in their grammar be,
So here are others in their A, B, C.
Some apt to teach, and others hard to learn;
Some see far off, others can scarce discern
That which is set before them in the glass;
Others forgetful are, and so let pass,

Or slip out of their mind what they did heart
But now; so great our differences appear

+ Bunyan's idea of this scriptural order of female deacons is very striking, and worthy the solemn consideration of all Christian churches. They are to be chosen from such as are 'widows indeed, who trust in God, and continue in supplications and prayers night and day,' 1 Ti. v. 5. They are to devote themselves to the sick-to be patterns of good works-and, if needful, to be fed and clothed at the expense of the church, ver. 16. If to this were added to examine and educate the children, they might be most eminently useful.-ED.

Wherefore our Jacob's must have special care

They drive their flocks, but as their flocks can bear;*
For if they be o'erdriven, presently

They will be sick, or cast their young, or die."
The laws therefore are more and less of force,
According as they bring us to the source,
Or head, or fountain, or are more remote
To what at first we should ourselves devote.
Be we then wise in handling of the laws,
Not making a confused noise like daws
In chambers, yea let us seek to excel,"
To each man's profit; this is ruling well."
With fundamentals then let us begin,
For they strike at the very root of sin.
So the foundation being strongly laid,
Let us go on, as the wise builder said, 8
For I don't mean, we should at all disdain
Those that are less, we always should maintain
That due respect to either which is meet;
This is the way to sit at Jesus' feet.

Repent I must, or I am cast away; 4
Believe I must, or nothing I obey: "
Love God I must, or nothing I can do,
That's worth so much as loosing of my shoe.
If I do not, bear after Christ, my cross;
If love to holiness is at a loss;
If I my lusts seek not to mortify;"
If to myself, my flesh, I do not die;

What law, should I observe't, can do me good?
In little duties life hath never stood.

I have that right, which is divine, to all
That is enjoined; be they great or small.
Only I must as cautionary speak,

In one word more, a little to the weak;
Thou must not suffer men so to enclose
Thee in their judgments, as to discompose
Thee in that faith and peace thou hast with him;
This would be like the losing of a limb;

Or like to him who thinks he doth not well,
Unless he lose the kernel for the shell.

Thou art no captive, but a child and free;
Thou wast not made for laws, but laws for thee;
And thou must use them as thy light will bear it;
They that say otherwise, do rend and tear it,
More like to wicked tyrants, who are cruel,

And add unto a little fire, more fuel.

But those who are true shepherds of the sheep,
To quench such burnings would most gladly weep.
But I am yet but upon generals;
Particulars our legislator calls

For at our hands, and that in order to
Consummate what we have begun to do.

1. My brother I must love, in very deed.
I'm taught of God to do it: let me heed
This divine duty, and perform it well,
Who loves his brother, God in him doth dwell;
The argument which on me this imposes,
Smells like to ointment, or the sweetest roses.
Shall God love, shall he keep his faith to me?
And shall not I? shall I unfaithful be?
Shall God love me a sinner? and shall I
Not love a saint ?$ Yea, shall my Jesus die
To reconcile me to my God? and shall

I hate his child, nor hear his wants that call
For my little assisting of him ? fie
On such a spirit, on such cruelty;"
Fie on the thought that would me alienate,
Or tempt me my worst enemy to hate."

2. He that dwells here, must also be a sharer
In others' griefs; " must be a burden-bearer
Among his brethren, or he cannot do
That which the blessed gospel calls him to.
In order hereunto, humility

Must be put on, it is our livery,

We must be clothed with it, if we will

The law obey, our master's mind fulfil.”
If this be so, then what should they do here,
Who in their antic pranks of pride appear?
Let lofty men among you bear no sway,
The Lord beholds the proud man far away.
It is not fit that he inhabit there

Where humbleness of mind should have the chair.
Can pride be where a soul for mercy craves?
Shall pride be found among redeemed slaves?

* These instructions are like 'apples of gold in pictures of silver.' Thrice happy are those churches whose members act in conformity with these scriptural rules. But is there a member who dares to violate them? Poor wretched creature, the Lord have mercy on thee.-ED.

d Lu. xiii. 1-3.

Mat. vi. 5.

• Mar. xvi. 16.

* Ac. viii. 13, 23

• Jn. xv. 17.

Shall he who mercy from the gallows brought,
Look high, or strut, or entertain a thought
That tends to tempt him to forget that fate,
To which for sin he destin'd was of late,
And could not then at all delivered be,
But by another's death and misery?
Pride is the unbecoming'st thing of all:
Besides, 'tis the forerunner of a fall.

He that is proud, soon in the dirt will lie,"
But honour followeth humility.

Let each then count his brother as his better,
Let each esteem himself another's debtor.
Christ bids us learn of him, humble to be,
Profession's beauty is humility.

3. Forgive, is here another statute law;
To be revenged is not worth a straw,
He that forgives shall also be forgiven,

Who doth not so, must lose his part in heaven ;a Nor must thou weary of this duty be 'Cause God's not weary of forgiving thee."

Thou livest by forgiveness; should a stop
Be put thereto one moment, thou wouldst drop
Into the mouth of hell. Then let this move
Thee thy dear brother to forgive in love.

And we are bid in our forgivenesses
To do as God doth in forgiving his.*

If any have a quarrel against any,
(As quarrels we have oft against a many)

Why then, as God, for Christ's sake, pardons you,
For Christ's sake, pardon thou thy brother too.'
We say, What freely comes, doth freely go;.

Then let all our forgivenesses be so.
I'm sure God heartily forgiveth thee,TM
My loving brother, prithee forgive me;

But then in thy forgiveness be upright;
Do't with thine heart, or thou'rt an hypocrite."

4. As we forgive, so we must watch and pray;
For enemies we have, that night and day,
Should we not watch, would soon our graces spoil,
Should we not pray, would our poor souls defile.
Without a watch, resist a foe who can ?
Who prays not, is not like to play the man?P
Complain that he is overcome, he may;

But who would win the field, must watch and pray.
Who watches, should know who and who's together:
Know we not friends from foes, how know we whether
Of them to fight, or which to entertain ??
Some have instead of foes," familiars slain.
Sometimes a lust will get into the place,
Or work, or office, of some worthy grace;
Till it has brought our souls to great decay.'
Unless we diligently watch and pray,
Our pride will our humility precede:

By th' nose, our unbelief our faith will lead.

Self-love will be where self-denial should;

And passion heat, what patience sometime cool'd. And thus it will be with us night and day," Unless we diligently watch and pray.'

Besides what these domestics do, there are
Abroad such foes as wait us ensnare;
Yea, they against us stand in battle-'ray,
And will us spoil, unless we watch and pray.
There is the world with all its vanities,
There is the devil with a thousand lies;*
There are false brethren with their fair collusions,"
Also false doctrines with their strong delusions;
These will us take, yea carry us away
From what is good, unless we watch and pray.
Long life to many, is a fearful snare;

Of sudden death we also need beware;
The smiles and frowns of men, temptations be;
And there's a bait in all we hear and see.
Let them who can, to any shew a way,

How they should live, that cannot watch and pray.

Nor is't enough to keep all well within,
Nor yet to keep all out that would be sin,
If entertained; I must myself concern
With my dear brother, as I do discern
Ilim tempted, or a wand'ring from the way;*
Else as I should, I do not watch and pray.
Pray then, and watch, be thou no drowsy sleeper,
Grudge, nor refuse, to be thy brother's keeper,"
Seest thou thy brother's graces at an ebb?
Is his heel taken in the spider's web ?
Pray for thy brother; if that will not do,
To him, and warn him of the present woe
That is upon him; if he shall thee hear
Thou wilt a saviour unto him appear.

d

5. Sincerity, to that we are enjoined, For I do in our blessed law-book find, a That duties, how well done soe'er they seem, With our great God, are but of small esteem If not sincerely done; then have a care For hypocrites are hateful everywhere." Things we may do, yea, and may let men see Us do them too, design but honestly; Vain gloriously let us not seek for praise, Vain-glory's nothing worth in gospel days. Sincerity seeks not an open place, To do, tho' it does all with open face; It loves no guises, nor disfigurations, "Tis plain, 'tis simple, hates equivocations. Sincerity's that grace by which we poise, And keep our duties even: nor but toys Are all we do, if no sincerity"

Attend our works, lift it up ne'er so high.