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and folly themselves, and whomsoever they could persuade, they made so too; and withal taught them to presume that they should do well at last. They were asleep when Christian went by; and now you go by, they are hanged.

Mer. But could they persuade any one to be of their opinion?

Gr.-h. Yes, they turned several out of the way. There was Slow-pace, they persuaded to do as they. They also prevailed with one Short-wind, with one No-heart, with one Linger-after-lust, and with one Sleepy-head, and with a young woman, her name was Dull, to turn out of the way and become as they. Besides, they brought up an ill report of your Lord, persuading others that he was a hard task-master. They also brought up an evil report of the good land, saying it was not half so good as some pretended it was. They also began to vilify his servants, and to count the best of them meddlesome, troublesome busy-bodies: further, they world call the bread of God, husks; the comforts of his children, fancies; the travail and labour of pilgrims, things to no purpose.

Nay, said Christiana, if they were such, they should never be bewailed by me: they have but what they de-serve; and I think it well that they stand so near the highway, that others may see and take warning. But had it not been well if their crimes had been engraven on some pillar of iron or brass, and left here where they did their mischiefs, for a caution to other bad men?

Gr. h. So it is, as you may well perceive, if you will go a little to the wall.

Mer. No, no: let them hang, and their names rot, and their crimes live for ever against them: I think it is a high favour that they are hanged before we came hither; who knows else what they might a done to such poor women as we are?-Then she turned it into a song saying

Now then you three hang there, and be a sign
To all that shall against the truth combine.
And let him that comes after, fear this end,
If unto pilgrims he is not a friend.

And thou, my soul, of all such men beware,
Who unto holiness opposers are,

CHAP. V.

The Pilgrims ascend the Hill Difficulty, pass the Lions, and arrive at the House Beautiful.

HUS they went on, till they came at the foot of the

Great-heart took an occasion to tell them what happened there when Christian himself went by. So he had them first to the spring: Lo, saith he, this is the spring that Christian drank of before he went up this hill; and then it was clear and good, but now it is dirty with the feet of some, that are not desirous that pilgrims here should quench their thirst. Thereat Mercy said, And why so envious trow? But said the guide, It will do, if taken up and put into a vessel that is sweet and good; for then the dirt will sink to the bottom, and the water come out by itself more clear. Thus therefore Christiana and her companions were compelled to do. They took it up, and put it into an earthen pot, and so let it stand till the dirt was gone to the bottom, and then they drank thereof.

Next he showed them the two by-ways that were at the foot of the hill, where Formality and Hypocrisy lost themselves. And, said he, these are dangerous paths: two were here cast away when Christian came by. And although you see these ways are since stopped up with chains, posts, and a ditch, yet there are they that will choose to adventure here, rather than take the pains to go up this hill.

Chr. "The way of transgressors is hard:3" it is a wonder that they can get into those ways without danger of breaking their necks.

Gr-h. They will venture; yea, if at any time any of the king's servants do happen to see them, and do call upon them, and tell them that they are in the wrong ways, and do bid them beware of the danger, then they railingly return them answer, and say, "As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the King, we will not hearken unto thee; but we will certainly do

1 Part i. p. 3034. 2 Ezek. xxxiv. 18. 3 Prov. xiii, 15.

Nay, if

whatsoever thing goeth out of our mouths."' you look a little further, you shall see that these ways are made cautionary enough, not only by these posts, and ditch, and chain, but also by being hedged up; yet they will choose to go there.

Chr. They are idle; they love not to take pains; up-hill way is unpleasant to them. So it is fulfilled unto them as it is written," The way of the slothful man is as an hedge of thorns. " Yea, they will rather choose to walk upon a snare, than to go up this hill, and the rest of this way to the city,

Then they set forward, and began to go up the hill, and up the hill they went; but before they got up to the top, Christiana began to pant, and said, I dare say this is a breathing hill; no marvel if they that love their ease more than their souls, choose to themselves a

smoother way. Then said Mercy, I must sit down; also the least of the children began to cry: Come, come, said Great-heart, sit not down here, for a little above is the Prince's arbour. Then he took the little boy by the hand, and led him thereto.

When they were come to the arbour, they were very willing to sit down, for they were all in a pelting heat. Then said Mercy, How sweet is rest to them that labour !3 And how good is the Prince of pilgrims, to provide such

1 Jer. xliv. 16, 17. 2 Prov. xv. 19. 3 Matt. xi. 28.

They are idle.] There are two species of idleness, both dangerous, and both disgraceful. Idleness, with respect to this world is attended with the most baneful effects. It clothes a man with rags,-not that every man whose clothing is tattered is an idle man, for there are many men of active industry, of great genius and undissembled piety, who are in such a state, owing to causes in no respect disgraceful to themselves, but to the world in which they live. But as a general rule, Idleness reduces a man to extreme poverty. Solomon speaks of such idle men, who even would not take the trouble to "roast that which had been taken in hunting." But what is Temporal Idleness to Spiritual Sloth. Oh! what a miserable condition is that person in, who will sit with his hands folded when on the brink of everlasting ruin,-and cry peace, peace, when there is no peace for him. How many are there like Gallio, who care for none of these things, and like Jonah, who fall asleep even in the midst of a storm. It is divine grace which can alone rouse sinners from this lethargy, and make them sensible of their lost state and condition,

resting places for them! Of this arbour I have heard much; but I never saw it before. But here let us beware of sleeping: for, as I have heard, it cost poor

Christian dear.

Then said Mr. Great-heart to the little ones, Come, my pretty boys, how do you do? What think you now of going on pilgrimage? Sir, said the least, I was almost beat out of heart: but I thank you for lending me a hand at my need. And I remember now what my mother hath told me, namely, that the way to heaven is as a ladder, and the way to hell is as down a hill. But I had rather go up the ladder to life, than down the hill to death.

Then said Mercy, But the proverb is, To go down the hill is easy; but James said (for that was his name), The day is coming when, in my opinion, going down the hill will be the hardest of all. "Tis a good boy said his master; thou hast given her a right answer. Then Mercy smiled, but the little boy did blush.

Come, said Christiana, will you eat a bit, to sweeten your mouths, while you sit here to rest your legs? For I have here a piece of pomegranate, which Mr. Interpreter put into my hand just when I came out of his doors; he gave me also a piece of an honey-comb, and a little bottle of spirits. I thought he gave you some thing,' said Mercy, because he called you aside.' 'Yes, so he did,' said the other. But, said Christiana, ‘it shall be still as I said it should, when at first we came from home; thou shalt be a sharer in all the good that I have, because thou so willingly didst become my companion.' Then she gave to them, and they did eat, both Mercy and the boys. And said Christiana to Mr. Greatheart, Sir, will you do as we?' But he answered,' You are going on pilgrimage, and presently I shall return: much good may what you have do to you. At home I eat the same every day.' Now when they had eaten and drunk, and had chatted a little longer, their guide said to them. The day wears away; if you think good, let us prepare to be going.' So they got up to go, and the little boys went before: but Christiana forgot to take

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her bottle of spirits with her; so she sent her little boy back to fetch it. Then said Mercy, I think this is a losing place. Here Christian lost his roll; and here Christiana left her bottle behind her; Sir, what is the cause of this?' So their guide made answer, and said,

The cause is sleep or forgetfulness: some sleep when they should keep awake: and some forget when they should remember; and this is the very cause, why often at the resting-places some pilgrims in some things come off losers. Pilgrims should watch and remember what they have already received under their greatest enjoyments; but for want of doing so, oftentimes their rejoicing ends in tears, and their sun-shine in a cloud :witness the story of Christian at this place.'

When they were come to the place where Mistrust and Timorous met Christian to persuade him to go back for fear of the lions, they perceived as it were a stage, and before it, towards the road, a broad plate, with a copy of verses written thereon, and underneath, the reason of raising up of that stage in that place rendered. 'The verses were-

Let him that sees that stage take heed
Upon his heart and tongue :
Lest if he do not, here he speed

As some have long agone.'

The words underneath the verses were, 'This stage was built to punish such upon, who, through timorousness or mistrust, shall be afraid to go further on pilgrimage: also on this stage both Mistrust and Timorous were burnt through the tongue with a hot iron, for endeavouring to hinder Christian on his journey.'

Then said Mercy, This is much like the saying of the Beloved, "What shall be given unto thee; or what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue? sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper.'

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So they went on, till they came within sight of the lions. Now Mr. Great-heart was a strong man, so he was not afraid of a lion: but yet when they were come up to the place where the lions were, the boys that went before were glad to cringe behind, for they were afraid 1 P. cxx. 3, 4. 2 Part i. p. 37.

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