A Feast and a Farewell
Now about this time MATTHEW and MERCY were married; also GAIUS gave his daughter PHOEBE to JAMES, MATTHEW'S brother, to wife: after which time, they yet stayed above ten days at GAIUS's house, spending their time and the seasons like as pilgrims used to do.
When they were to depart, GAIUS made them a feast; and they did eat and drink, and were merry. Now the hour was come that they must be gone; wherefore Mr. GREAT-HEART called for a reckoning. But GAIUS told him that at his house it was not the custom for pilgrims to pay for their entertainment. He boarded them by the year; but looked for his pay from the good Samaritan, who had promised him, at his return, whatsoever charge he was at with them faithfully to repay him.
"But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee." Luke 10:33-35
Then said Mr. GREAT-HEART to him:
Great-heart. Beloved, "thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren and to strangers; which have borne witness of thy charity before the Church: whom if thou (yet) bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well".
"Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers; Which have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well:" 3 John 1:5, 6
Then GAIUS took his leave of them all: and of his children; and particularly of Mr. FEEBLE-MIND. He also gave him something to drink by the way.
Now Mr. FEEBLE-MIND, when they were going out of the door, made as if he intended to linger. The which, when Mr. GREAT-HEART espied, he said, "Come, Mr. FEEBLE-MIND, pray do you go along with us; I will be your conductor, and you shall fare as the rest."
Feeble-mind. Alas! I want a suitable companion; you are all lusty and strong, but I, as you see, am weak. I choose therefore, rather to come behind; lest, by reason of my many infirmities, I should be both a burden to myself and to you. I am, as I said, a man of a weak and feeble mind; and shall be offended and made weak at that which others can bear. I shall like no laughing. I shall like no gay attire; I shall like no unprofitable questions. Nay, I am so weak a man, as to be offended with that which others have a liberty to do. I do not yet know all the truth; I am a very ignorant Christian man; sometimes, if I hear some rejoice in the Lord, it troubles me because I cannot do so too. It is with me, as it is with a weak man among the strong; or as with a sick man among the healthy; or as a lamp despised. (" He that is ready to slip with his feet, is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease."
"He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease." Job 12:5
So that I know not what to do.
Great-heart. "But, brother," said Mr. GREAT-HEART, "I have it in commission to comfort the feeble-minded and to support the weak. You must needs go along with us: we will wait for you; we will lend you our help; we will deny ourselves of some things, opinionative and practical, for your sake; we will not enter into doubtful disputations before you; we will be made all things to you rather than you shall be left behind".
"Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.
For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother's way. I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died. Let not then your good be evil spoken of: For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. For he that in these things serveth Christ isacceptable to God, and approved of men. Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence. It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin." Romans 14:1-23
"Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. But if any man love God, the same is known of him. As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one. For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,)
But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled. But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse." 1 Corinthians 8:1-8
Now all this while they were at GAIUS's door; and behold, as they were thus in the heat of their discourse, Mr. READY-TO- HALT came by with his crutches in his hand, and he also was going on pilgrimage.
"For I am ready to halt, and my sorrow is continually before me." Psalms 38:17
Feeble-mind. Then said Mr. FEEBLE-MIND to him, "Man, how camest thou hither? I was but just now complaining that I had not a suitable companion; but thou art according to my wish. Welcome, welcome, good Mr. READY-TO-HALT; I hope thee and I may be some help."
Ready-to-halt. "I shall be glad of thy company," said the other; "and good Mr. FEEBLE-MIND, rather than we will part, since we are thus happily met, I will lend thee one of my crutches."
Feeble-mind. "Nay," said he, "though I thank thee for thy good-will, I am not inclined to halt before I am lame. Howbeit, I think, when occasion is, it may help me against a dog."
Ready-to-halt. If either myself or my crutches can do thee a pleasure, we are both at thy command, good Mr. FEEBLE-MIND.