o brought us? God, our Maker; God, that loved
the world. `He brought us out'--who be we? Poor, vile, wicked sinners,
worms of the earth, things that He could have crushed easier than I can
crush a moth. From whence? From Egypt, the house of bondage; from sin,
self, Satan--the only three evil things there be: whereby I mean,
necessarily inwardly, utterly evil. Thence He brought us out. Friends,
we must come out of Egypt; out from bondage; out of these three ill
things, sin, and self, and Satan: God will have us out. He will not
suffer us to tarry in that land. And if we slack [Hesitate, feel
reluctant] to come out, He will drive us sharp thence. Let us come out
quick, and willingly. There is nothing we need sorrow to leave behind;
only the task-master, Satan; and the great monster, sin; and the slime
of the river wherein he lieth hid, self. He will have at us with his
ugly jaws, and bite our souls in twain, if we have not a care. Let us
run fast from this land where we leave behind such evil things.

"But see, there is more than this. God had an intent in thus driving us
forth. He did not bring us out, and leave us there. Nay, `He brought
us out that He might bring us in.' In where? Into the Holy Land, that
floweth with milk and honey; the fair land where nothing shall enter
that defileth; the safe land where in all the holy mountain nothing
shall hurt nor destroy; His own land, where He hath His Throne and His
Temple, and is King and Father of them that dwell therein. Look you, is
not this a good land? Are you not ready to go and dwell therein? Do
not the clusters of its grapes--the hearing of its glories--make your
mouths water? See what you shall exchange: for a cruel task-master, a
loving Father; for a dread monster, an holy City; for the base and ugly
slime of the river, the fair paving of the golden streets, and the soft
waving of the leaves of the tree of life, and the sweet melody of angel
harps. Truly, I think this good barter. If a man were to exchange a
dead rat for a new-struck royal, [see Note 1] men would say he had well
traded, he had bettered himself, he was a successful merchant. Lo, here
is worse than a dead rat, and better than all the royals in the King's
mint. Will ye not come and trade?

"Now, friends, ye must not misconceive me, as though I did mean that men
could buy Heaven by their own works. Nay, Heaven and salvation be free
gifts--the glorious gifts of a glorious God,