dear unto me.

CHAR. But did you tell them of your own sorrow, and fear of
destruction? for I suppose that destruction was visible enough to
you.

Christian's fears of perishing might be read in his very countenance

CHR. Yes, over, and over, and over. They might also see my fears
in my countenance, in my tears, and also in my trembling under the
apprehension of the judgement that did hang over our heads; but
all was not sufficient to prevail with them to come with me.

CHAR. But what could they say for themselves, why they came not?

{126} CHR. Why, my wife was afraid of losing this world, and
my children were given to the foolish delights of youth: so what
by one thing, and what by another, they left me to wander in this
manner alone.

CHAR. But did you not, with your vain life, damp all that you by
words used by way of persuasion to bring them away with you?

{127} Christian's good conversation before his wife and children

CHR. Indeed, I cannot commend my life; for I am conscious to myself
of many failings therein; I know also that a man by his conversation
may soon overthrow what by argument or persuasion he doth labour to
fasten upon others for their good. Yet this I can say, I was very
wary of giving them occasion, by any unseemly action, to make them
averse to going on pilgrimage. Yea, for this very thing they would
tell me I was too precise, and that I denied myself of things,
for their sakes, in which they saw no evil. Nay, I think I may
say, that if what they saw in me did hinder them, it was my great
tenderness in sinning against God, or of doing any wrong to my
neighbour.

CHAR. Indeed Cain hated his brother, "because his own works were
evil, and his brother's righteous" [1 John 3:12]; and if thy wife
and children have been offended with thee for this, they thereby
show themselves to be implacable to good, and "thou hast delivered
thy soul from their blood". [Ezek. 3:19]

{128} Now I saw in my dream, that thus they sat talking together
until supper was ready. So when they had made ready, they sat down
to meat. Now the table was furnished "with fat things, and with
wine that was well refined": and all their talk at the table was
about the Lord of the hill; as, namely, about what he had done, and
wherefore he did what he did, and why he had builded that house.
And by what they said, I perceived that he had been a great warrior,
and had fought with and slain "him that had the Power of d