The Pilgrim’s Progress, John Bunyan [most popular novels .txt] 📗

heifer, and with some of the juice of hyssop, etc.751 When Mr. Skill had seen that that purge was too weak, he made him one to the purpose; it was made excarne et sanguine Christi.752 (You know physicians give strange medicines to their patients). And it was made up into pills, with a promise or two, and a proportionable quantity of salt.753 Now he was to take them three at a time fasting, in half a quarter of a pint of the tears of repentance. When this potion was prepared, and brought to the boy, he was loath to take it, though torn with the gripes, as if he should be pulled in pieces. Come, come, said the physician, you must take it. It goes against my stomach, said the boy.754 I must have you take it, said his mother. I shall vomit it up again, said the boy. Pray, Sir, said Christiana to Mr. Skill, how does it taste? It has no ill taste, said the doctor; and with that she touched one of the pills with the tip of her tongue. Oh, Matthew, said she, this potion is sweeter than honey. If thou lovest thy mother, if thou lovest thy brothers, if thou lovest Mercy, if thou lovest thy life, take it. So with much ado, after a short prayer for the blessing of God upon it, he took it, and it wrought kindly with him. It caused him to purge, it caused him to sleep, and rest quietly; it put him into a fine heat and breathing sweat, and did quite rid him of his gripes.755 So in little time he got up, and walked about with a staff, and would go from room to room, and talk with Prudence, Piety, and Charity, of his distemper, and how he was healed.756

So when the boy was healed, Christiana asked Mr. Skill, saying, Sir, what will content you for your pains and care to, and of my child? And he said, You must pay the Master of the College of Physicians, according to rules made in that case and provided.757

Christ. But, Sir, said she, what is this pill good for else?

Skill. It is an universal pill; it is good against all the diseases that Pilgrims are incident to; and when it is well prepared, it will keep good, time out of mind.

Christ. Pray, Sir, make me up twelve boxes of them; for if I can get these, I will never take other physic.758

Skill. These pills are good to prevent diseases, as well as to cure when one is sick. Yea, I dare say it, and stand to it, that if a man will but use this physic as he should, it will make him live forever.759 But, good Christiana, thou must give these pills no other way but as I have prescribed; for, if you do, they will do no good.760 So he gave unto Christiana physic for herself, and her boys, and for Mercy; and bid Matthew take heed how he eat any more green plums, and kissed them, and went his way.

It was told you before, that Prudence bid the boys, that if at any time they would, they should ask her some questions that might be profitable, and she would say something to them.

Matt. Then Matthew, who had been sick, asked her, Why, for the most part, physic should be bitter to our palates.

Prud. To show how unwelcome the Word of God, and the effects thereof, are to a carnal heart.

Matt. Why does physic, if it does good, purge, and cause that we vomit?

Prud. To show that the Word, when it works effectually, cleanseth the heart and mind. For look, what the one doth to the body, the other doth to the soul.761

Matt. What should we learn by seeing the flame of our fire go upwards? and by seeing the beams and sweet influences of the sun strike downwards?

Prud. By the going up of the fire we are taught to ascend to Heaven, by fervent and hot desires. And by the sun’s sending his heat, beams, and sweet influences downwards, we are taught that the Saviour of the world, though high, reacheth down with His grace and love to us below.

Matt. Where have the clouds their water?

Prud. Out of the sea.

Matt. What may we learn from that?

Prud. That ministers should fetch their doctrine from God.

Matt. Why do they empty themselves upon the earth?

Prud. To show that ministers should give out what they know of God to the world.

Matt. Why is the rainbow caused by the sun?

Prud. To show that the covenant of God’s grace is confirmed to us in Christ.

Matt. Why do the springs come from the sea to us, through the earth?

Prud. To show that the grace of God comes to us through the body of Christ.

Matt. Why do some of the springs rise out of the tops of high hills?

Prud. To show that the spirit of grace shall spring up in some that are great and mighty, as well as in many that are poor and low.

Matt. Why doth the fire fasten upon the candlewick?

Prud. To show, that unless grace doth kindle upon the heart there will be no true light of life in us.

Matt. Why is the wick and tallow, and all, spent to maintain the light of the candle?

Prud. To show that body and soul, and all, should be at the service of, and spend themselves to maintain, in good condition, that grace of God that is in us.

Matt. Why doth the pelican pierce her own breast with her bill?

Prud. To nourish her young ones with her blood, and thereby to