that leads into the castle-yard, and, with his key, opened that door also. After, he went to the iron gate, for that must be opened too; but that lock went damnable hard." yet the key did open it. Then they thrust open the gate to make their escape with speed, but that gate, as it opened, made such a creaking, that it waked Giant Despair, who, hastily rising to pursue his prisoners, felt his limbs to fail, for his fits took him again, so that he could by no means go after them. Then they went on, and came to the King's highway, and so were safe, because they were out of his jurisdiction. A pillar erected Now, when they were gone over the stile, they began to contrive with themselves what they should do at that stile, to prevent those that should come after, from falling into the hands of Giant Despair. So they consented to erect there a pillar, and to engrave upon the side thereof this senby Christian and tence" Over this stile is the way to Doubting Castle, which is kept by Giant Despair, who despiseth the King of the Celestial Country, and seeks to destroy his holy pilgrims." Many, therefore, that followed after, read what was written, and escaped the danger. This done, they sang as follows: his fellow. Out of the way we went, and then we found Lest heedlessness makes them, as we, to fare. Whose castle's Doubting, and whose name's Despair. 8, They went then till they came to the Delectable Mountai The Delectable which mountains belong to the Lord of that hill of which we have spoken before; so they went up to the mountains, to behold the gardens and orchards, Mountains. m Bunyan was a plain spoken man, and feared not to offend delicate ear when the truth required plain dealing. He says, " And, therefore, my seeing God, our Father, hath sent us, damnable traitors, » even all the promises of the gospel, and truth also, sel with the heart-blood of his dear Son, let us not texts are looked over, or laid by, as those whose 12+, 261-8.] * See the Holy War. "An army of terribl the vineyards and fountains of water; where also they drank and washed themselves, and did freely eat of the They are refreshed vineyards. Now there were on the tops of these in the mountains. mountains shepherds feeding their flocks, and they stood by the highway side. The Pilgrims therefore went to them, and leaning upon their staves (as is common with weary pilgrims, when they stand to talk with any by the way), they asked, Whose Delectable Mountains are these? And whose be the sheep that feed upon them? Mountains delectable they now ascend, Talk with the Where Shepherds be, which to them do commend SHEP. These mountains are Immanuel's Land, and they are within sight of his city; and the sheep also are his, and he laid down his life for them. John x. 11. CHR. Is this the way to the Celestial City ? CHR. How far is it thither ? SHEP. Too far for any but those that shall get thither indeed. CHR. Is the way safe or dangerous? SHEP. Safe for those for whom it is to be safe; "but the transgressors shall fall therein." Hos. xiv. 9. CHR. Is there, in this place, any relief for pilgrims that are weary and faint in the way? SHEP. The Lord of these mountains hath given us a charge not to be "forgetful to entertain strangers," Heb. xiii. 2; therefore the good of the place is before you. I saw also in my dream, that when the Shepherds perceived that they were wayfaring men, they also put questions to them, to which they made answer as in other places; as, Whence came you? and, How got you into the way? and, By what means have you so persevered therein ? For but few of them "The weary pilgrim oft doth ask to know How far he's come, how far he has to go; His way is tedious, and his way opprest, All his desire is to be at rest."-Quarles' Emblems. L |