Well said, Samuel, quoth the guide; thou hast now spoke like a man.-Why, if ever I get out here again, said the boy, I think I shall prize light and good way better than ever I did in all my life. Then said the guide, We shall be out by and by.

AND TAKE-HEED

So on they went, and Joseph said, Cannot we see to the end of this valley as yet? Then said the guide, Look to your feet, for we shall presently be among the snares. So they looked to their feet, and went on; but they were troubled much with the snares. Now, when they were come among the snares, they spied a man cast into the ditch on the left hand, with his flesh all rent and torn. Then said the guide, That is one HeedHEEDLESS IS SLAIN, less, that was going this way; he has lain there a great while.* There was one Take-heed with him when he was taken and slain, but he escaped their hands. You cannot imagine how many are killed hereabouts, and yet men are so foolishly venturous, as to set out lightly on pilgrimage, and to come without a guide. Poor Christian, it was a wonder that he here escaped! But he was beloved of his God: also he had a good heart of his own, or else he could never have done it.

PRESERVED.

MAUL, A GIANT,
QUARRELS WITH
GREAT-HEART.

Now they drew towards the end of this way; and just there, where Christian had seen the cave when he went by, out thence came forth Maul, a giant. This Maul did use to spoil young pilgrims with sophistry; and he called Great-heart by his name, and said unto him, How many times have you been forbidden to do these things? Then said Mr. Great

* Heedless professor, be warned. The doctrines of grace were never intended to lull any asleep in carnal security. If they do so by you, it is a sure sign that what should have been for occasion of your falling.

your health,

proves

au

heart, What things?-What things! quoth the giant; you know what things: but I will put an end to your trade.* But pray, said Mr. Great-heart, before we fall to it, let us understand wherefore we must fight. (Now the women and children stood trembling, and knew not what to do.) Quoth the giant, You rob the country, and rob it with the worst of thefts.-These are but generals, said Mr. Great-heart; come to particulars, man.

COUNTED AS KID-
NAPPERS.

Then said the giant, Thou practisest the craft of a kidnapper; thou gatherest up women and GOD'S MINISTERS children, and carriest them into a strange country, to the weakening of my master's kingdom.— But now Great-heart replied, I am a servant of the God of heaven; my business is to persuade sinners to repentance. I am commanded to do my endeavours to turn men, women, and children "from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God;" and if this be indeed the ground of thy quarrel, let us fall to it as soon as thou wilt.†

THE GIANT

AND

MR. GREAT-HEART
MUST FIGHT.

Then the giant came up, and Mr. Great-heart went to meet him and, as he went, he drew his sword; but the giant had a club. So, without more ado, they fell to it, and at the first blow the giant struck Mr. Greatheart down upon one of his knees; with that the women and children cried out: so Mr. Great-heart, recovering himself, laid about him in full lusty manner, and gave

* How many such giants have we in the present day, who deceive and beguile precious souls into a false and fatal security, by their sinooth lectures on morality, and their avowed opposition to the Gospel of Christ, and the way to his kingdom!

To awaken souls, and lead them to Christ for life and salvation, is the blessed work of faithful ministers. In the spirit of love and meekness, they will contend for the faith, however they may be nicknamed and ill treated for their work.

the giant a wound in his arm: thus he fought for the space of an hour to that height of heat, that the breath came out of the giant's nostrils as the heat doth out of a boiling caldron.

Then they sat down to rest

heart betook himself to prayer;

them, but Mr. Great

also the women and

children did nothing but sigh and cry all the time that the battle did last.*

When they had rested them, and taken breath, they both fell to it again; and Mr. Great-heart, with a blow, fetched the giant down to the ground. Nay, hold, let me recover, quoth he: so

THE GIANT STRUCK
DOWN.

*The greatest heart cannot understand without prayer, nor conquer without the almighty power of God. The belief of this will excite prayer.

Mr. Great-heart fairly let him get up. So to it they went again, and the giant missed but little of all-tobreaking Mr. Great-heart's skull with his club.

Mr. Great-heart seeing that, runs to him in the full heat of his spirit, and pierceth him under the fifth rib; with that the giant began to faint, and could hold up his club no longer. Then Mr. Great-heart seconded his blow, and smit the head of the giant from his shoulders. Then the women and children rejoiced, and Mr. Great-heart also praised God for the deliverance he had wrought.*

HE IS SLAIN, AND
HIS HEAD DISPO-
SED OF.

When this was done, they amongst them erected a pillar, and fastened the giant's head thereon, and wrote under it, in letters that passengers might read,

He that did wear this head was one

That pilgrims did misuse;
He stopt their way, he spared none,

But did them all abuse:
Until that I Great-heart arose,

The pilgrims' guide to be;
Until that I did him oppose,
That was their enemy.

Now I saw that they went on to the ascent that was a little way off cast up to be a prospect for pilgrims, (that was the place from whence Christian had the first sight of Faithful, his brother.) Wherefore here they sat down and rested; they also here did eat and drink, and make merry, for that they had gotten deliverance from this so dangerous an enemy. As they sat thus and did

Many such a battle has been fought, and many such a victory has been obtained, since the Reformation, over the enemies of our most holy faith.

eat, Christiana asked the guide if he had caught no hurt in the battle? Then said Mr. Greatheart, No, save a little on my flesh; yet that also shall be so far from being to my detriment, that it is at present a proof of my love to my Master and you; and shall be a means, by grace, to increase my reward at last.

CHR. But was you not afraid, good sir, when you saw him come with his club ?*

It is my duty, said he, to mistrust my own ability, that I may have reliance on Him that is stronger than all."

DISCOURSE OF

THE FIGHT.

CHR. But what did you think, when he fetched you down to the ground at the first blow?

Why, I thought, quoth he, that so my Master himself was served; and yet he it was that conquered at last.

MATTHEW HERE
ADMIRES GOD'S
GOODNESS.

MATT. When you all have thought what you please, I think God has been wonderfully good unto us, both in bringing us out of this valley, and in delivering us out of the hand of this enemy; for my part, I see no reason why we should distrust our God any more, since he has now, and in such a place as this, given us such testimony of his love. Then they got up, and went forward. Now a little before them stood an oak: and under it, when they came to it, they found an old pilgrim fast asleep: they knew that he was a pilgrim by his clothes, and his staff, and his girdle.

OLD HONEST ASLEEP
UNDER AN OAK.

h 2 Cor. iv.

* This club we may suppose to mean human power, under which many godly ministers in the last century suffered greatly. Blessed be God, we have nothing of this to fear in our day: therefore the more shame for those professors who desert Christ when they have nothing to fear but the breath of reproach, a nickname, or a by-word of contempt.