Ho, where are you? and a third, The bushes have got such a fast hold on me, I think I cannot get away from them.

Then they came to an arbour, warm and promising, much refreshing to the pilgrims for it was finely wrought above-head, beautified with greens, furnished with benches and settles. It also had in it a soft couch, where the weary might lean. This, you must think, all things considered, was tempting; for the pilgrims already began to be foiled with the badness of the way: but there was not one of them that made so much as a motion to stop there. Yea, for aught I could perceive, they continually gave so good heed to the advice of their guide, and he did so faithfully tell them of dangers, and of the nature of dangers, when they were at them, that usually, when they were nearest to them, they did most pluck up their spirits, and hearten one another to deny the flesh. This arbour was called the Slothful's Friend, and was made on purpose to allure, if it might be, some of the pilgrims there to take up their rest when weary.

I saw then in my dream that they went on in this solitary ground, till they came to a place at which a man is apt to lose his way. Now, though when it was light their guide could well enough tell how to miss those ways that led wrong, yet in the dark he was put to à stand: but he had in his pocket a map of all ways leading to or from the Celestial City: wherefore he strikes a light (for he never goes also without his tinder-box), and takes a view of his book or map, which bids him be careful in that place to turn to the right hand. And had he not been careful here to look in his map, they had in all probability been smothered in the mud; for just a little before them, and that at the end of the cleanest way, too, was a pit, none knows how deep, full of nothing but mud, there made on purpose to destroy the pilgrims in.

Then thought I with myself, Who that goeth on pilgrimage but would have one of these maps about him, that he may look, when he is at a stand, which is the way he must take.

Then they went on in this Enchanted Ground, till they came to where there was another arbour, and it was built by the highway side.

consistent with the spirit of the enchanted scene. Worldly pleasure waves her magic wand, and bids a cloud of misty incense to arise, and mysterious darkness to descend; and under these influences the soul is induced to slumber and to sleep the deep slumber, it may be, the deadly sleep of oblivion and forgetfulness. The soul needs light in such a place, and by that light the Pilgrims do well

to read the directions of the way, lest they too should be entangled in "the net of the flatterer," or in some other yoke of bondage.

There is also great danger here lest we mistake the true nature of the right way. In days of case and worldly peace we are liable to choose "the cleanest way," and to avoid the narrow path because it may, for the time, seem to be less pleasant to the tread. Here it

Heedless and Too-bold asleep in the Arbour.

And in that arbour there lay two men, whose names were Heedless and Too-bold. These two went thus far on pilgrimage; but here, being wearied with their journey, sat down to rest themselves, and so fell fast asleep. When the pilgrims saw them, they stood still, and shook their heads; for they knew that the sleepers were in a pitiful case. Then they consulted what to do, whether to go on and leave them in their sleep, or step to them and try to awake them so they concluded to go to them and awake them; that is, if they could; but with this caution, namely, to take heed that they themselves did not sit down, nor embrace the offered benefit of that arbour.

So they went in, and spake to the men, and called each one by his name (for the guide, it seems, did know them), but there was no voice nor answer. Then the guide did shake them, and did what he could to disturb them. Then said one of them, I will pay you when I take my money. At which the guide shook his head. I will fight so long as I can hold my sword in my hand, said the other. At that one of the children laughed.

Then said Christiana, What is the meaning of this? The Guide said, They talk in their sleep; if you strike them, beat them, or whatever else you do to them, they will answer you after this fashion; or as one of them said in old time, when the waves of the sea did beat upon him, and he slept as one upon the mast of a ship, "When I awake, I will seek it yet again." You know, when men Prov. xxiii. 34, 35. talk in their sleep, they say anything, but their words are not governed either by faith or reason. There is an incoherency in their words now, as there was before betwixt their going on pilgrimage and sitting down here. This, then, is the mischief of it: when heedless ones go on pilgrimage, 'tis twenty to one but they are served thus. For this Enchanted Ground is one of the last refuges that the enemy to pilgrims has; wherefore it is, as you see, placed almost at the end of the way, and so it standeth against us with the more advantage. For when, thinks the enemy, will these fools be so desirous to sit

is important, yea, essential, that we consult a map, seeing that by this only can we tell whither each way leads, and what is the end to which each path conducts. This is the place wherein to walk with wary steps and wakeful eye-" by faith, and not by sight."

Heedless and Too-bold. These men are described as having thus far advanced upon their journey; but now, at one of the later stages, they are overpowered, not by any direct assault of Satan, but by the soft and in

dulgent spirit of slumber. Here Satan's power is strong, and all the more insidious because it is unseen. It steals softly over the soul, and sheds the soporific dew upon the eyelids of the understanding, making us heavy with sleep and weary of the way. It is Satan's last hour and the power of darkness. So near the Land of Beulah and yet asleep! but a single stage removed from the end of the journey-" almost," but not "altogether" saved!-Acts xxvi. 28, 29. As Bunyan elsewhere speaks of

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down as when they are weary? and when so like for to be weary, as when almost at their journey's end? Therefore it is, I say, that the Enchanted Ground is placed so nigh to the land Beulah, and so near the end of their race. Wherefore let pilgrims look to themselves, lest it happen to them as it has done to these, that, as you see, are fallen asleep and none can awake them.

Then the pilgrims desired, with trembling, to go forward; only they prayed their guide to strike a light, that they might go the rest of their way by the help of the light of a lantern. So he struck a light, and they went by the help of that through the rest of this way, though the 2 Peter i. 19. darkness was very great.

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But the children began to be sorely weary; and they cried out unto him that loveth pilgrims, to make their way more comfortable. So, by that they had gone a little farther, a wind arose that drove away the fog; so the air became more clear. Yet they were not off by much of the Enchanted Ground, but only now they could see one another better, and the way wherein they should walk.

Now, when they were almost at the end of this ground, they perceived that a little before them was a solemn noise as of one that was much concerned. So they went on, and looked before them; and behold they saw, as they thought, a man upon his knees, with his hands and eyes lifted up, and speaking, as they thought, earnestly to some one that was above. They drew nigh, but could not tell what he said; so they went softly till he had done. When he had done, he got up, and began to run towards the Celestial City. Then Mr. Great-heart called after him, saying, Soho, friend, let us have your company, if you go, as I suppose you do, to the Celestial City. So the man stopped, and they came up to him; but so soon as Mr. Honest saw him, he said, I know this man? Then said Mr. Valiant-for-truth, Pr'ythee, who is it? It is one, said he, that comes from whereabout I dwelt his name is Stand-fast; he is certainly a right good pilgrim.

prosperity, we have as much need of the weapon of All-prayer as in the dark days of adversity. Darkness gathers around the soul amid the enchantments of the Enchanted Ground, as well as amid the spirits of the vast deep in the Valley of the Shadow of Death.

One that was much concerned. The intensity of the danger, and the extreme necessity of the Pilgrims at this stage, are well described by this scene of the praying Pilgrim, STAND-FAST. "Behold, he prayeth!" What darkness hath befallen him; what danger

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VAL. Well, but brother, I pray thee tell us, what was it that was the cause of thy being upon thy knees even now? Was it for that some special mercies laid obligations upon thee, or how?

STAND. Why, we are, as you see, upon the Enchanted Ground; and as I was coming along, I was musing with myself of what a dangerous nature the road in this place was; and how many, that had come even thus far on pilgrimage, had here been stopped and been destroyed. I thought also of the manner of death with which this place destroyed men. Those that die here die of no violent distemper: the death which such die is not grievous to them; for he that goeth away in a sleep begins that journey with desire and pleasure; yea, such acquiesce in the will of that disease.

Then Mr. Honest, interrupting him, said, Did you see the two men asleep in the arbour?

Prov. 10. 7.

STAND. Ay, ay; I saw Heedless and Too-bold there; and, for aught I know, there they will lie till they rot; but let me go on with my tale. As I was thus musing, as I said, there was one in very pleasant attire, but old, who presented herself to me, and offered me three things: to wit, her body, her purse, and her bed. Now the truth is, I was both weary and sleepy; I am also as poor as an owlet, and that perhaps the witch knew. Well, I repulsed her once and again; but she put by my repulses and smiled. Then I began to be angry; but she mattered that nothing at all. Then she made offers again, and said, If I would be ruled by her, she would make me great and happy; for, said she, I am the mistress of the world, and men are made happy by me. Then I asked her name, and she told me it was Madam Bubble. This set me further from her; but she still followed me with enticements. Then I betook me, as you saw, to my knees, and with hands lifted up, and cries, I prayed to Him

Delilah of the pilgrimage-the enchantress of the Enchanted Ground. If thou wilt but lay thy head upon her lap, and rest thee, while she lulls thee into sleep, all thy days are henceforth days of weakness, blindness, and captivity. Had the strong Samson knelt in prayer in the day of the Philistines, he had been STAND-FAST to the end. But he slept as many sleep; on the Enchanted Ground, and all was lost!

Then I took me to my knees.-This was his safety. In any other strength than this he could but fail. Hence prayer is always needed; for this temptation ever assails us. So long as we are in the world, the spirit of the world would woo and win us, to the loss

This phantom world, this painted particoloured bubble, that men covet, and chase, and cherish, and for which most men sell their very souls-this earthly element now strives to tempt the Pilgrim. This is the