Pilgrim's progress - Bunyan - XX

Required reading 
Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Up to the paragraph that begins: 'Now I saw in my dream that they went forward until they were come to the brow of the hill, where Piety bethinking herself cried out, 'Alas!'

My notes and thoughts
Today we stay at the Porter's house for quite a time.

One of the incidents during their stay is Mr Brisk's advances towards Mercy.  But once Mercy discovers that Mr Brisk is not interested in her for her faith and good deeds she willingly says: '...if nobody will have me, I will die a maid, or my conditions shall be to me as a husband.  For I cannot change my nature, and to have one that lies cross to me in this, that I purpose never to admit of, as long as I live.'  So many Christians are unlike Mercy.  They will not choose to remain unmarried if they cannot find a Christian spouse.  They marry the Mr Brisks of the world and bring great calamity upon themselves as Mercy's sister did: 'I had a sister named Bountiful that was married to one of these churls; but he and she could never agree; but because my sister was resolved to do as she had began, that is, to show kindness to the poor, therefore her husband first cried her down at the cross, and then turned her out of his doors.'

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.