For writing so. Indeed if they abuse Truth, cursed be they, and the craft they use To that intent ; but yet let Truth be free To make her salleys upon Thee and Me, 5 Which way it pleases God. For who knows how, Better then he that taught us first to Plow, To guide our Mind and Pens for his Design ? And he makes base things usher in Divine. 3. I find that Holy Writ in many places 10 Hath semblance with this method, where the cases Doth call for one thing, to set forth another ; Use it I may then, and yet nothing smother Truth's golden Beams : nay, by this method may Make it cast forth its rayes as light as day. 15 And now, before I do put up my Pen, I '11 shew the profit of my Book, and then Commit both thee and it unto that hand That pulls the strong down and makes weak ones stand. This Book it chaulketh out before thine eyes 20 The man that seeks the everlasting Prize ; It shews you whence he comes, whither he goes, What he leaves undone, also what he does ; It also shews you how he runs and runs, Till he unto the Gate of Glory comes. 25 It shews too, who set out for life amain, As if the lasting Crown they would attain ; Here also you may see the reason why They lose their labour, and like Fools do die. This Book will make a Travailer of thee, 30 If by its Counsel thou wilt ruled be ; It will direct thee to the Holy Land, If thou wilt its directions understand : Yea, it will make the sloathful active be ; The blind also delightful things to see.
6. Bunyan has in mind a passage in the twenty-eighth chapter of Isaiah, where God is spoken of as the teacher of the plough-
