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.

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 stile thereof this sentence: "Over this stile is the way to Doubting-Castle, which is kept by Giant Despair, who despiseth the King of the cœlestial country, and seeks to destroy his holy pilgrims." Many therefore that followed after, read what was written, and escaped the da nger. This done, they sang as follows:

Out of the way we went, and then we found
What 'twas to tread upon forbidden ground:
And let them that come after have a care,
Lest heedlessness makes them as we to fare:
Lest they, for trespassing, his prisoners are,
Whose Castle's Doubting, and whose name's Despair.

EXPLANATORY NOTES.

CHRISTIAN and his companion having escaped the snares which lay in their way, and borne an honest testimony against the wisdom and spirit of the world, are now favoured with the sweet cujoyment of gospel privileges. They walk by the side of that "river, which maketh glad the city of God," Psal. xlvi. 4. The pardon of all sin-justification of our persons-acceptance of our services-with "joy and peace in the Holy Ghost," are the refreshing streams of that river. Happy is the soul that is in such a case! Blessed state indeed, but of short duration! Too often these desirable consolations of the Spirit, render the christian careless and unwatchful. The way of duty is sometimes rough and un

pleasant to the flesh, and the pilgrim is tempted to forsake it, for a smoother path. But let us beware of avoiding the cross for the sake of ease. Compliance with the smallest sins, to avoid trouble, is forsaking the King's high way of holiness, for a by-path, which will certainly mislead and injure the soul. Declensions from the right way are often small at first, and nature will plead, as Christian did, that the deviation is of little moment; but sad experience proves, that sin is of a hardening nature, and that he who despiseth little things, shall fall by little and little."

Christian and Hopeful soon perceived their mistake. Vain-Confidence was dashed in pieces, but his fall was properly improved. They were awakened from their security, and the terrors of God effectually roused them. Happy is it, for the Lord's people, that if they err, God will not utterly forsake, or leave them to final hardness of heart. The remark of the Author on this occasion, can never be too much observed: "It is easier going out of the way when in, than getting into it when we are out." The behaviour of our pilgrims shows, that if real christians backslide, they will take pains to recover themselves. But the Lord, to chastise them for their sin, may suffer them to fall into the hands of Giant Despair; or in other words, he may permit doubts and fearsso much to prevail, that there may be a very hell in the conscience, and even strong temptatious to self-murder. In this melancholy state, the pilgrims lay, "without a bit of bread;"-the word of God afforded them no food. "They had not a ray of light;"no comfortable sense of mercies: "Nor had they any to ask how they did;"-they had no enjoyment of Christian fellowship. O professor! let this dismal · condition make thee watchful night and day.

Giant Despair, it

:

But God made a way for their escape. seems, had fits in sun-shiny weather; that is, a gleam of hope, from Christ the Son of Righteousness, sometimes darted into their minds. The fear of God restrained them from self-murder, and the seassonable recollection of past experiences, rendered Christian hopeful again. At length the pilgrims began to pray. This was a token for good for as Mr. Dodd says, "No man is in a sad case, but he that hath an hard heart, and cannot pray." Deliverance is not far distant, when an afflicted and deserted soul can cry to God. The means appointed for help was-A KEY-a beautiful emblem of a gospel promise; for as a key enters all the intricate, wards of a lock, and throws back its bolts, so the precious promises of God in his word, if turned by the strong hand of faith, will open all the doors which unbelief and despair have shut upon us,

Thus were they delivered; filled with thankfulness for their own escape: and anxious to prevent the like mischiefto others, Such will be the love of restored backsliders; like Peter of old, "When they are converted, they will strengthen the brethren."

Reader, let us learn from this chapter, to beware of the smallest declension-to be watchful against temptation after a fall-and to remember and use the precious promises for our restoration.

CHAP. XVI.

The Pilgrims entertained by the Shepherds on the Delectable Mountains.

THEY went then till they came to the Delectable

Mountains; 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, the vine-yards, and fountains of water, where also they drank and washed themselves, and did freely eat of the vine-yards. Now there were on the tops of those mountains, shepherds feeding their flocks, and they stood by the highway side. The pilgrims therefore went to them, and leaning upon their staves, as it 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?

Shep. These mountains are Emanuel's Land, and they are within sight of his city; and the sheep also are his, and he laid down his life for them.

Chr. Is this the way to the coelestial city?
Shep. You are just in the way.

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 trangressors shall fall therein (a)."

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," therefore the good of the place is before you (b).

I saw also in my dream, that when the Shepherds perceived they were way-faring 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 that begin to come hither, do show their face on these mountains. But when the Shepherds heard their answers, being pleased therewith, they looked very lovingly upon them, and said, Welcome to the Delectable Mountains.

The Shepherds, I say,, whose names were Knowledge, Experience, Watchful, and Sincere, took them by the hand, and had them to their tents, and made them partake of that which was ready at present. They said, moreover, We would that you should stay here awhile, to be acquainted with us, and yet more to solace yourselves with the good of the Delectable Mountains. They then told them, that they were content to stay; so they went to their rest that night, because it was very late.

Then I saw in my dream, that in the morning the Shepherds called up Christian and Hopeful, to walk with them upon the mountains: so they went forth with them, and walked awhile, having a pleasant prospect on every side. Then said the Shepherds one to another, shall we show these pilgrims some wonders? So when they had concluded to do it, they had them first to the top of a hill, called Error, which was very steep on the farthest side, and bid

(a) Hosea xiv. 9. (b) Heb. xiii. 1, 2.

then look down to the bottom. So Christian and Hopeful looked down, and saw at the bottom several men dashed all to pieces by a fall that they had from the top. Then said Christian, What meaneth this? The Shepherds answered, have you not heard of! them that were made to err, by hearkening to Hymeneus and Philetus, as concerning the faith of the resurrection of the body (c)? They answered, Yes. Then said the Shepherds: Those that you see dashed in pieces at the bottom of this mountain are they; and they have continued to this day unburied (as you see) for an example for others to take heed how they clamber too high, or how they come too near to the brink of this mountain.

Then I saw that they had them to the top of another mountain, and the name of this is Caution, and bid them look afar off: which, when they did, they perceived as they thought, several men, walking up and dewn among the tombs that were there: and they perceived that the men were blind, because they stumbled sometimes upon the tombs, and because they could not get out from among them. Then said Christiau, What means this?

The Shepherds then answered, Did you not see a little below these mountains, a stile that led into a meadow, on the left hand of this way? They answered, Yes. Then said the Shepherds, from that stile there goes a path, that leads directly to DoubtingCastle, which is kept by Giant Despair; and these men (pointing to them among the tombs) came once on pilgrimage, as you do now, even till they came to that same stile. And because the right way was rough in that place, they chose to go out of it into that meadow, and there were taken by Giant Despair, and cast into Doubting. Castle; where, after they had been awhile kept in the dungeon, he at last did put out their eyes, and led them among those tombs,

(c) 2 Tim. ii. 17, 13.