But yours is the way of all the pilgrims—­so long, at least, as they are in this selfish life.  Let them and their children only be well looked after, and they have not many thoughts or many words left for those who sweat and bleed to death for them and theirs.  They lean on this and that Greatheart all their own way up, and then they leave their widows and children to lean on whatever Greatheart is sent to meet them; but it is not one pilgrim in ten who takes the thought or has the heart to send a message to Mr. Greatheart himself for his own consolation and support.  I read that Mr. Ready-to-halt alone, good soul, had the good feeling to do it.  He thanked Mr. Greatheart for his conduct and for his kindness, and so addressed himself to his journey.  All the same, noble Greatheart! go on in thy magnanimous work.  Take back all their errands.  Seek out at any trouble all their wives and children.  Embark again and again on all thy former battles and hardships for the good of other men.  But be assured that all this thy labour is not in vain in thy Lord.  Be well assured that not one drop of thy blood or thy sweat or thy tears shall fall to the ground on that day when they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.  Go back, then, from thy well-earned rest, O brave Greatheart! go back to thy waiting task.  Put on again thy whole armour.  Receive again, and again fulfil, thy Master’s commission, till He has no more commissions left for thy brave heart and thy bold hand to execute.  And, one glorious day, while thou art still returning to thy task, it shall suddenly sound in thy dutiful ears:—­“Well done! good and faithful servant!” And then thou too

   “Shalt hang thy trumpet in the hall
   And study war no more.”

MR. READY-TO-HALT

   “For I am ready to halt.”—­David.

Mr. Ready-to-halt is the Mephibosheth of the pilgrimage.  While Mephibosheth was still a child in arms, his nurse let the young prince fall, and from that day to the day of his death he was lame in both his feet.  Mephibosheth’s life-long lameness, and then David’s extraordinary grace to the disinherited cripple in commanding him to eat continually at the king’s table; in those two points we have all that we know about Mr. Ready-to-halt also.  We have no proper portrait, as we say, of Mr. Ready-to-halt.  Mr. Ready-to-halt is but a name on John Bunyan’s pages—­a name set upon two crutches; but, then, his simple name is so suggestive and his two crutches are so eloquent, that I feel as if we might venture to take this life-long lameter and his so serviceable crutches for our character-lecture to-night.