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very mean clothes, but of a fresh and well-favoured countenance; and as he sat by himself, he sung. Hark, said Mr. Great-heart, to what the shepherd's boy saith: so they hearkened, and he said,

He that is down, needs fear no fall;

He that is low, no pride:
He that is humble, ever shall
Have God to be his guide.

I am content with what I have,
Little be it or much;

And, Lord, contentment still I crave,
Because thou savest such.

Fulness to such a burden is,
That go on pilgrimage;
Here little, and hereafter bliss,
Is best from age to age.d

Then said the guide, Do you hear him? I will dare to say, this boy lives a merrier life, and wears more of that herb called heart's-ease in his bosom, than he that is clad in silk and velvet. But we will proceed in our discourse.

CHRIST WHEN IN THE FLESH HAD HIS

In this valley our Lord formerly had his countryhouse; he loved much to be here: he loved also to walk these meadows, for found the air was pleasant. Besides,

he COUNTRY - HOUSE IN

THE VALLEY OF HU-
MILIATION.

here a man shall be free from the noise, and from the

d Heb. xiii. 5.

ciled and contented; for here they find the visits of their Lord; and, in the depths of their humility, they behold the heights of his love, and the depths of his mercy, and cry out in joy, Where sin abounds, grace superabounds. Though sin abounds in me, the grace of Jesus superabounds towards me. Though I am emptied of all, yet I have an inexhaustible fulness in Jesus, to supply me with all I want and all I hope.

hurryings of this life: all states are full of noise and confusion, only the Valley of Humiliation is that empty and solitary place. Here a man shall not be so let and hindered in his contemplation, as in other places he is apt to be. This is a valley that nobody walks in, but those that love a pilgrim's life. And though Christian had the hard hap to meet here with Apollyon, and to enter with him in a brisk encounter: yet I must tell you, that in former times men have met with angels here, have found pearls here, and have in this place found the words of life.**

Did I say our Lord had here in former days his country-house, and that he loved here to walk? I will add, in this place, and to the people that live and trace these grounds, he has left a yearly revenue to be faithfully paid them at certain seasons for their maintenance by the way, and for their further encouragement to go on in their pilgrimage.

Now, as they went on, Samuel said to Mr. Greatheart, Sir, I perceive that in this valley my father and Apollyon had their battle; but whereabout was the fight? for I perceive this valley is large.

e Hos. xii. 4, 5.

Ever remember the word of our dear Lord, "It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master." If your Lord made it his chief delight to be in this Valley of Humiliation, learn from his example to prize this valley. Though you may meet with an Apollyon or a destroyer here; yet you are safe in the arms, and under the power, of your all-conquering Lord: for though the Lord is high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly. Therefore you may add, with David, "Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me. Thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me. The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands," Psalm cxxxviii. 6, 7, 8. Such are the confidence, the reasoning, and the pleading of humble souls in the power of faith, which leads them quite out of themselves, to their Lord.

GREEN.

GREAT. Your father had the battle with Apollyon at a place yonder before us, in a narrow pas- FORGETFUL sage, just beyond Forgetful Green. And, indeed, that place is the most dangerous place in all these parts; for if at any time pilgrims meet with any brunt, it is when they forget what favours they have received, and how unworthy they are of them.* This is the place also where others have been hard put to it.-But more of the place when we are come to it; for I persuade myself, that to this day there remains either some sign of the battle, or some monument to testify that such a battle there was fought.

HUMILITY A SWEET

GRACE.

Then said Mercy, I think I am as well in this valley as I have been any where else in all our journey: the place, methinks, suits with my spirit. I love to be in such places where there is no rattling with coaches, nor rumbling with wheels: methinks, here one may, without much molestation, be thinking what he is, whence he came, what he has done, and to what the King has called him: here one may

* O pilgrims, attend to this! Pride and ingratitude go hand in hand. Study, ever study the favours of your Lord: how freely they are bestowed upon you; and how utterly unworthy you are of the least of them. Beware of Forgetful Green. Many, after going some way on pilgrimage, get into this green, and continue here; and talk of their own faithfulness to grace received, the merit of their works, and a second justification by their works, &c. Hence it is plain, that they are fallen asleep on this forgetful green, and talk incoherently as men do in their sleep : for they forget that they are still sinners, poor, needy, wretched sinners, and that they want the blood of Christ to cleanse them, the righteousness of Christ to justify them, and the Spirit of Christ to keep them humble, and to enable them to live by faith upon the fulness of Christ to sanctify them, as much as they did when they first set out as pilgrims. Oh, 'tis a most blessed thing to be kept mindful of what we are, and of the Lord's free grace and unmerited goodness to us!

think, and break at heart, and melt in one's spirit, until one's eyes become "as the fish-pools of Heshbon." They that go rightly through this "valley of Baca, make it a well; the rain," that God sends down from heaven upon them that are here," also filleth the pools." This valley is that from whence also the King will give to his their vineyards; and they that go through it shall sing as Christian did, for all he met with Apollyon.

'Tis true, said their guide; I have gone through this valley many a time, and never was better

AN EXPERIMENT

UPON IT.

than when here. I have also been a conductor to several pilgrims, and they have confessed the same. "To this man will I look, (saith the King,) even to him that is poor, and of a contrite spirit, and that trembleth at my word."*

THE PLACE WHERE CHRISTIAN AND THE FIEND DID FIGHT.

Now they were come to the place where the aforementioned battle was fought. Then said the guide to Christiana, her children, and Mercy, This is the place on this ground Christian stood, and up there came Apollyon against him: and, look, did I not tell you, here is some of your husband's blood upon these stones to this day! Behold, also, how

f Song vii. 4. Psalm lxxxiv. 5-7. Hos. ii. 15.

* Trembles at God's word, so as not to dare to pick and chuse which doctrines he will receive, and which reject. I believe, says one, the doctrine of the atonement and salvation of Christ; but I set my face against the doctrine of his imputed righteousness, God's electing love, and the final perseverance of his saints. Do you so? No wonder, then, that we find an extract from the Pilgrim's Progress, with these precious truths left out. Would you dare act thus by God's holy commandments? Would you choose one of these, and reject another? Are they not all of equal authority? and are not all his holy doctrines also stamped with the same divine sanction? Where there is true faith in them, it will make a man tremble to act thus by God's word! The contrary conduct is no less than daring licentiousness.

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