DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LITTLE-FAITH AND ESAU.

157

of; nor did he want that relief which could from thence be administered to him. Besides, had his jewels been missing at the gate of the celestial city, he had (and that he knew well enough) been excluded from an inheritance there, and that would have been worse to him than the appearance and villainy of ten thousand thieves.

HOPE. Why art thou so tart, my brother? ESAU sold his birthright, and that for a mess of pottage'; and that birthright was his greatest jewel: and, if he, why might not LITTLE-FAITH do so too?

CHR. ESAU did sell his birthright indeed, and so do many besides, and by so doing exclude themselves from the chief blessing; as also that caitiff did: but you must put a difference betwixt ESAU and LITTLEFAITH, and also betwixt their estates. ESAU's birthright was typical, but LITTLE-FAITH's jewels were not $0. ESAU's belly was his god, but LITTLE-FAITH'S belly was not so.. ESAU's want lay in his fleshly appetite, LITTLE-FAITH's did not so. Besides, ESAU could see no further than to the fulfilling of his lust: "For I am at the point to die" (said he) " and what

good will this birthright do me?" But LITTLEFAITH, though it was his lot to have but a little faith, was by his little faith kept from such extravagances, and made to see and prize his jewels more than to sell them as ESAU did his birthright. You read not any where that ESAU had faith, no not so much as a little; therefore no marvel, if where the flesh only bears sway, (as it will in that man where no faith is, to

158

HOPEFUL BLAMES LITTLE-FAITH.

resist) if he sells his birthright, and his soul and all, and that to the devil of hell: for it is with such as it is with the ass," who in her occasion cannot be turned

away':" when their minds are set upon their lusts, they will have them, whatever they cost. But LITTLEFAITH was of another temper, his mind was on things divine; his livelihood was upon things that were spiritual and above; therefore, to what end should he that is of such a temper sell his jewels, (had there been any that would have bought them) to fill his mind with empty things? Will a man give a penny to fill his belly with hay? or can you persuade the turtle dove to live upon carrion like the crow? Though faithless ones can, for carnal lusts, pawn, or mortgage, or sell what they have, and themselves outright to boot, yet they that have faith, saving faith, though but little of it, cannot do so. Here, therefore, my brother, is thy mistake.

HOPE. I acknowledge it; but yet your severe reflection had almost made me angry.

CHR. Why! I did but compare thee to some of the birds that are of the brisker sort, who will run to and fro in untrodden paths with the shell upon their heads:but pass by that, and consider the matter under debate, and all shall be well betwixt thee and me.

HOPE. But, CHRISTIAN, these three fellows, I am persuaded in my heart, are but a company of cowards: would they have run else, think you, as they did, at the noise of one that was coming on the road? Why did not LITTLE-FAITH pluck up a greater heart? he

Jer. ii. 24

CHRISTIAN ANSWERS HIM.

159

might, methinks, have stood one brush with them, and have yielded, when there had been no remedy.

CHR. That they are cowards, many have said, but few have found it so in the time of trial. As for a great heart, LITTLE-FAITH had none; and I perceive by thee, my brother, hadst thou been the man concerned, thou art but for a brush, and then to yield. And verily, since this is the height of thy stomach now they are at a distance from us, should they appear to thee, as they did to him, they might put thee to second thoughts.

But consider again, they are but journeymen thieves, they serve under the king of the bottomless pit; who, if need be, will come to their aid himself, and his voice is as the roaring of a lion'. I myself have been engaged as this LITTLE-FAITH was; and I found it a terrible thing. These three villains set upon me, and I beginning like a christian to resist, they gave out a call, and in came their master: I would, as the saying is, have given my life for a penny; but that, as God would have it, I was clothed with armour of proof. Ay, and yet, though I was so harnessed, I found it hard work to quit myself like a man: no man can tell what in that combat attends us, but he that hath been in the battle himself.

HOPE. Well, but they ran, you see, when they did but suppose that one GREAT-GRACE was in the way. CHR. True, they have often fled, both they and their master, when GREAT-GRACE hath appeared; and no marvel, for he is the King's champion: but, I

I 1 Pet. v. 8.

GREAT-GRACE, THE KING'S CHAMPION.

trow, you will put some difference between LITTLEFAITH and the King's champion. All the King's subjects are not his champions; nor can they, when tried, do such feats of war as he. Is it meet to think that a little child should handle GOLIAH as DAVID did? or that there should be the strength of an ox in a wren? Some are strong, some are weak; some have great faith, some have little; this man was one of the weak, and therefore he went to the wall.

HOPE. I would it had been GREAT-GRACE for his sake.

CHR. If it had been he, he might have had his hands full: for I must tell you that, though GREATGRACE is excellent good at his weapon, and has, and can, so long as he keeps them at sword's point, do well enough with them, yet if they get within him, even FAINT-HEART, MISTRUST, or the other, it will go hard but that they will throw up his heels: and when a man is down, you know, what can he do?

Whoso looks well upon GREAT-GRACE's face, shall see those scars and cuts there that shall easily give demonstration of what I say, Yea, once I heard that ́ he should say, (and that when he was in the combat) "We despaired even of life." How did these sturdy rogues and their fellows make DAVID groan, mourn, and roar? Yea, HEMAN and HEZEKIAH too, though champions in their days, were forced to bestir them when by these assaulted; and yet, notwithstanding, they had their coats soundly brushed by them, PETER, upon a time, would go try what he could do; but, though some do say of him that he is the prince of the apostles,

THEIR KING WITHIN CALL. HIS TERRIBLE POWER. 161

they handled him so that they made him at last afraid of a sorry girl.

Besides, their king is at their whistle; he is never out of hearing; and if at any time they be put to the worst, he, if possible, comes in to help them: and of him it is said," the sword of him that layeth at him "cannot hold; the spear, the dart, nor the habergeon; "he esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood: "the arrow cannot make him flee, sling-stones are

turned, with him, into stubble; darts are counted as "stubble; he laugheth at the shaking of a spear'. What can a man do in this case? it is true, if a man could at every turn have JoB's horse, and had skill and courage to ride him, he might do notable things; for his neck is clothed with thunder; he "will not be afraid as a grasshopper; the glory of his "nostrils is terrible; he paweth in the valley, and

rejoiceth in his strength; he goeth on to meet the "armed men: he mocketh at fear, and is not

afrighted, neither turneth he back from the sword: "the quiver rattleth against him, the glittering spear "and the shield: he swalloweth the ground with "fierceness and rage, neither believeth he that it is "the sound of the trumpet. He saith among the "trumpets, Ha, ha; and he smelleth the battle afar "off, the thunder of the captains and the shoutings.

But for such footmen as thee and I are, let us never desire to meet with an enemy, nor vaunt as if we could do better, when we hear of others that they have been foiled; nor be tickled at the thought of our own manhood,