dining-room, where ftood a pair of excellent virginals; upon which the played, turning what she had fhewed them into this excellent fong:

Eve's apple has been fhewn to you;

Therefore of fin beware:

You have feen Jacob's ladder too,
On which the angels are.

A golden anchor now you have,
But let not this fuffice,

Until you give what Abra'm gave,

Your beft for facrifice.

Now, about this time, one knocked at the door: to whom the porter opened, and behold it was Mr. Great-heart. When he was come in, what joy was there! For it came now afresh into their minds, how, but a while ago, he had flain old Grim Bloody-man, the giant; and had delivered them from the lions.

Then faid Mr. Great-heart to Christiana, and to Mercy; My Lord has fent each of you a bottle of wine, and also some parched corn, together with a couple of pomegranates; he has also fent the boys fome figs and raifins; to refresh you all in your

way.

Then they addreffed themselves to their journey; and Prudence and Piety went along with them. When they came to the gate, Chriftiana afked the porter, if of late had gone by. any He said, No, only one fome time fince, who told me, that of late there had been a great robbery committed on the

King's

King's highway: but, faid he, the thieves are taken, and will fhortly be tried for their lives. Then Chriftiana and Mercy were afraid; but Matthew faid, Mother, fear nothing, as long as Mr. Greatheart is to go with us, and be our conductor.

Then faid Chriftiana to the porter, Sir, I am much obliged to you for all the kindneffes which you have fhewed me fince I came hither; and also that you have been fo loving and kind to my children; I know not how to requite your kindness: only, pray, accept of this small mite, as a token of my respect to you: fo fhe put a gold angel in his hand, and he made her a low obeifance, and faid, Let thy garments be always white, and let thy head want no ointment. Let Mercy live and not die, and let not her works be few. And to the boys he said, Do you fly youthful lufts, and follow after godliness with them that are grave and wife; so shall you put gladnefs into your mother's heart, and obtain praise of all who are fober-minded: fo they thanked the porter, and departed.

Now I faw, in my dream, that they went forward until they were come to the brow of the hill: where Piety, bethinking herfelf, cried out, Alas! I have forgot what I intended to beftow upon Chriftiana and her companions; I will go back and fetch it: fo fhe ran and fetched it. When he was gone, Christiana thought fhe heard, in a grove a little way off on the right hand, a moft curious melodious note, with words much like thefe:

Through all my life thy favour is
So frankly fhewn to me,

That in thy house for evermore
My dwelling-place shall be.

And liftening ftill, fhe thought fhe heard another

anfwer, faying,

For why? The Lord our God is good;

His mercy is for ever fure:

His truth at all times firmly ftood,

And fhall from age to age endure.

So Chriftiana asked Prudence what it was that made those curious notes, Song ii. 11, 12. They are, faid fhe, our country birds: they fing these notes but feldom; except it be at the fpring, when the flowers appear, and the fun fhines warm; then you may hear them all the day long. I often, faid fhe, go out to hear them; and we alfo oft-times keep them tame in our houfe. They are very fine company for us when we are melancholy; they also make the woods and groves, and folitary places, to be places defired by us h.

By the time that Piety was come again, fhe faid to Chriftiana, Look here, I have brought thee a

h A fenfe of the Lord's love will fill our mouth with laughter and our tongue with finging; it is fweet melody when we can fing with grace in the heart. The joy arising from a sense of God's free grace and pardoning love, is greater than the joy of harveft, or of one who rejoices when he divides the spoil. What is religion? It is obedience to the truth; it is faith in Jefus, and keeping his commandments, which are not griev

ous.

scheme

fcheme of all those things which thou haft feen at our house; upon this thou mayeft look when thou findest thyself forgetful, and call those things again to remembrance for thy edification and comfort.

Now they began to go down the hill into the valley of Humiliation. It was a steep hill, and the way was flippery; but they were very careful, and got down pretty well. well. When they were down in the valley, Piety said to Christiana, This is the place where your husband met with that foul fiend Apollyon, and where they had that great fight: I know you cannot but have heard thereof. But be of good courage; as long as you have here Mr. Great-heart to be your guide and conductor, we hope you will fare the better. So when these two had committed the pilgrims unto the conduct of their guide, he went forward, and they went after.

Then faid Mr. Great-heart, We need not be afraid of this valley, for here is nothing to hurt us, unless we procure it ourselves. It is true, Chriftian did here meet with Apollyon, with whom he had also a fore combat; but that fray was the fruit of thofe flips which he got in going down the hill: for they who get flips there must look for combats here. Hence it is that this valley has got so hard a name. The common people, when they hear that fome frightful thing has befallen fuch an one in fuch a place, are of opinion that that place is haunted with fome foul fiend, or evil spirit; when, alas! it is for Y 3

the

the fruit of their doings that fuch things do befall them there.

This valley of Humiliation is, of itself, as fruitful a place as any the crow flies over; and I am perfuaded, if we could hit upon it, we might find fomething hereabout which would give us an account why Christian was fo hardly befet in this place.

Then James faid to his mother, Lo, yonder ftands a pillar, and it looks as if fomewhat was written thereon; let us go and fee what it is. So they went and found there thefe words written: Let Christian's flips before he came hither, and the burden which he met with in this place, be a warning to thofe who come after. Lo, faid their guide, did I not tell you that there was fomething hereabouts which would give intimation of the reason why Christian was fo hard befet in this place: then, turning to Christiana, he faid, No difparagement to Christian more than to many others whose hap and lot were the fame: for it is eafier going up than down this hill; and that can be faid of but few hills in all these parts of the world. But we will leave the

True humility is to fee and feel that in and of myself I am nothing, can do nothing that is good, and that I have nothing to recommend me to divine favour; but that I am entirely indebted to rich, free, and fovereign grace and mercy for all I have and am. This is to walk humbly with God, this is to walk uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, which utterly excludes boafting, ftains the pride of man, and lays the finner low.

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