will overtake such as shall not be prevented by this caution. So Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, with the two hundred and fifty men that perished in their sin,* did also become a sign or example to others to beware. But, above all, I muse at one thing, to wit, how Demas and his fellows can stand so confidently yonder to look for that treasure, which this woman, but for looking behind her after, (for we read not that she stepped one foot out of the way,) was turned into a pillar of salt; especially since the judgment which overtook her did make her an example, within sight of where they are; for they cannot choose but see her, did they but lift up their eyes.

Chr. It is a thing to be wondered at, and it argueth that their hearts are grown desperate in the case; and I cannot tell who to compare them to so fitly as to them that pick pockets in the presence of the Judge, or that will cut purses under the gallows. It is said of the men of Sodom, "That they were sinners exceedingly,"† because they were sinners before the Lord, that is, in his eyesight, and notwithstanding the kindnesses that he had shown them; for the Land of Sodom was now like the garden of Eden heretofore.‡ This therefore provoked him the more to jealousy, and made their plague as hot as the fire of the Lord out of heaven could make it. And it is most rationally to be concluded, that such, even such as these are, that shall sin in the sight, yea, and that too in despite of such examples that are set continually before them, to caution them to the contrary, must be partakers of severest judgments.

Hope. Doubtless thou hast said the truth: but what a mercy is it that neither thou, but especially I am not made myself this example! This ministereth occasion to us to thank God, to fear before him, and always to remember Lot's wife,

A river.

I saw then that they went on their way to a pleasant river, which David the king called "the River of God;"§ but John, "the River of the Water of Life."|| Now, their way lay just upon the bank of this river; here, therefore, Christian and his companion walked with great delight; they drank also of the water of the river, which was pleasant and enlivening to their weary spirits: besides, on the banks of this river, on either side, were green trees, with all manner of fruit: and the leaves they ate to pre- leaves of the trees. vent surfeits, and other diseases that are incident

Trees by the river.

The fruit and

to those that heat their blood by travel. On either side of the river was also a meadow, curiously beautified with lilies, and it was

† Gen. xiii. 13.

Ibid. ver. 10. § Psalm lxv. 9.

• Numb. xvi. 31, 32.
I Rev. xxii. 1. 2. Ezek. xlvij,

A meadow, in which, they lie down to sleep.

green all the year long. In this meadow they lay down and slept: for here they might lie down safely.* When they awoke, they gathered again of the fruit of the trees, and drank again of the water of the river, and then lay down again to sleep. Thus they did several days and nights. Then they sang:

Behold ye how these crystal streams do glide,

To comfort pilgrims, by the highway side!

The meadows green, besides their fragrant smell,
Yield dainties for them! and he who can tell

What pleasant fruit, yea, leaves, these trees do yield,

Will soon sell all, that he may buy this field.

So, when they were disposed to go on, (for they were not as yet at their journey's end,) they ate and drank, and departed.

Now I beheld in my dream, that they had not journeyed far, but the river and the way for a time parted; at which they were not a little sorry, yet they durst not go out of the way. Now, the way from the river was rough, and their feet tender by reason of their travel: so the souls of the pilgrims were much discouraged because of the way ; wherefore, still as they went on they wished for a better way. Now, a little before them, there was, on the left hand of the road, a meadow, and a stile to go over into it, and that meadow is called By-path Meadow. Then said Christian to his fellow, If this meadow lieth along by our way-side, let's go over into it. Then he went to the stile to see, and behold a path lay along by the way on the other side of the fence. 'Tis according to my wish, said Christian; here is the easiest going. Come, good Hopeful, and let us go over.

By path meadow.

One temptation makes way for another.

Strong Christians may lead

ones

way.

Hope. But how if this path should lead us out of the way v? That's not likely, said the other. Look, doth it weak not go along by the way-side? So Hopeful, being out of the persuaded by his fellow, went after him over the stile. When they were gone over, and were got into the path, they found it very easy for their feet; and withal they, looking before them, espied a man walking as they did, and his name was Vain-confidence; so they called after him, and asked him, Whither that way led? He said, To the suddenly to fall in Celestial Gate. Look, said Christian, did not I tell you so? By this you may see we are right. So they followed, and he went before them. But, behold, the night came on, and it grew very dark; so they that were behind last sight of him that went before.

See what it is too

with strangers.

• Psalm xxiii. Isa. xxxv. 8. + Numb. xxi. 4.

He, therefore, that went before, (Vain-confidence

vain-glorious in.

by name,) not seeing the way before him, fell into A pit to catch the a deep pit, which was on purpose there made, by the Prince of those grounds, to catch vain-glorious fools withal, and was dashed in pieces with his fall.

Now Christian and his fellow heard him fall. So they called to know the matter, but there was none to answer; only they heard a groaning. Then said Hopeful, Where are we now? Then was his fellow silent, as mistrusting that he had led him out of the way. And now it began to rain, and thunder, and lighten in a most dreadful manner, and the water rose amain.

Then Hopeful groaned within himself, saying, O! that I had kept on my way.

Reasoning between Christian and Hopeful.

Chr. Who could have thought that this path should have led us out of the way ?

Hope. I was afraid on't at the very first, and therefore gave you that gentle caution. I would have spoke plainer, but that you are older than I.

Chr. Good brother, be not offended: I am sorry Christian's repenI have brought thee out of the way, and that I have tance for leading put thee into such imminent danger. Pray, my his brother out of the way. brother, forgive me; I did not do it of an evil in

tent.

Hope. Be comforted, my brother, for I forgive thee; and believe too that this shall be for our good.

Chr. I am glad I have with me a merciful brother; but we must not stand here; let us try to go back again.

Hope. But, good brother, let me go before.

Chr. No, if you please, let me go first, that if there be any danger, I may be first therein; because by my means we are both gone out of the way.

No, said Hopeful, you shall not go first; for your mind being troubled may lead you out of the way again.

Then, for their encouragement, they heard the voice of one saying, "Let thine heart be towards the highway; even the way that thou wentest, turn again."* But by this time the They are in danwaters were greatly risen; by reason of which the ger of drowning as way of going back was very dangerous. Then I they go back. thought that it is easier going out of the way when we are in, than going in when we are out. Yet they adventured to go back; but it was so dark, and the flood was so high, that, in their going back, they had like to have been drowned nine or ten times.

*Jer. xxxi. 21.

Despair.

their

Neither could they, with all the skill they had, get again to the stile that night. Wherefore, at last, lighting under a little shelter. They sleep in the they sat down there till the day brake; but, being grounds of Giant weary, they fell asleep. Now there was, not far from the place where they lay, a castle, called Doubting Castle, the owner whereof was Giant Despair, and it was in his grounds they now were sleeping; wherefore he getting up in the morning early, and walking up and down in his fields, caught Christian and Hopeful asleep in his grounds. Then, with a grim and a surly voice, he bid them awake, and asked them whence they were, and what they did in his grounds? They told him they were Pilgrims, and that they had lost way. Then said the Giant, You have this night trespassed on me, by trampling in and lying on my grounds, and therefore you must go along with me. So they were forced to go, because he was stronger than they. They also had but little to say, for they knew themselves in a fault. The Giant therefore drove them before him, and put ! them into his Castle, in a very dark dungeon, nasty and stinking to the spirits of these two men. Here then they lay, from WedThe grievousness nesday morning till Saturday night, without one of their imprison- bit of bread, or drop of drink, or light, or any to ask how they did. They were therefore here in evil case, and were far from friends and acquaintance. Now, in this place, Christian had double sorrow, because 'twas through his unadvised counsel that they were brought into this distress..

He finds them in his ground, and carries them to Doubting Castle.

ment.

Now Giant Despair had a wife, and her name was Diffidence. So, when he was gone to bed, he told his wife what he had done, to wit, that he had taken a couple of prisoners, and cast them into his dungeon, for trespassing on his grounds. Then he asked her also, What he had best to do further with them? So she asked him, What they were, whence they came, and whither they were bound? and he told her. Then she counselled him, that, when he arose in the morning, he should beat them without mercy. So, when he arose, he getteth him a grievous crab-tree cudgel, and goes down into the dungeon to them, and there first falls to rating of them, as if they were dogs, although they never gave him a On Thursday, Gi- Word of distaste; then he fell upon them, and beat ant Despair beats them fearfully, in such sort that they were not able his prisoners. to help themselves, or to turn them upon the floor. This done, he withdraws, and leaves them there to condole their misery, and to mourn under their distress; so all that day they spent their time in nothing but sighs and bitter lamentations. The

On Friday, Giant

Despair counsels them to kill them

next she talked with her husband further about them, and, understanding that they were yet alive, did advise him to counsel them to make way with themselves; so, when morning was come, he goes to them in a surly manner as before, and perceiving them to be very sore with the stripes that he had given them the day before, he told them, that since they were never like to come out of that place, their only way would be forthwith to make an end of themselves, either with knife, halter, or poison: for why, said he, should you choose to live, seeing it is attended with so much bitterness? But they desired him to let them go. With that he looked ugly upon them, and, rushing to them, had doubtless made an end of them himself, but that he fell in one of his fits (for The Giant somehe sometimes, in sunshiny weather, fell into fits) times has fits. and lost for a time the use of his hands; wherefore he withdrew, and left them, as before, to consider what to do. Then did the prisoners consult between themselves, whether it was best to take his counsel or no; and thus they began to discourse:—

selves.

Brother, said Christian, what shall we do? The Christian crushed. life that we now live is miserable! For my part I

know not whether is best, to live thus, or to die out of hand. "My soul chooseth strangling rather than life ;"* and the Grave is more easy for me than this dungeon! Shall we be ruled by the Giant?

Hope. Indeed our present condition is dreadful, and death would be far more welcome to me, than thus for ever to abide. But yet let us consider, the Lord of the country to which we are going hath said, "Thou shalt do no murder ;" no, not to another man's person: much more, then, are we forbidden to take his counsel to kill ourselves. Besides, he that kills another can but commit murder upon his body; but for one to kill himself, is to kill Hopeful comforts body and soul at once. And, moreover, my broth- him.

er, thou talkest of ease in the Grave; but has thou forgotten the Hell whither for certain the murderers go? for no murderer hath eternal life," &c. And let us consider again, that all the law is not in the hand of Giant Despair; others, so far as I can understand, have been taken by him as well as we, and yet have escaped out of his hands. Who knows but that God, who made the world, may cause that Giant Despair may die; or that, at some time or other, he may forget to lock us in; or but he may, in a short time, have another of his fits before us, and may lose the use of his limbs ? and if ever that should come to pass again, for my part, I am resolved to pluck up the heart of a man, and to try my utmost to get

• Job vii. 15.