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?[72]

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.[73] 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).

Now I saw in my dream, that thus they sat talking together until
supper was ready.[74] 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.