ley was longer than the other, and a place most ftrangely haunted with evil things, as many are able to teftify. But these women and children went the better through it, because they had day-light, and because Mr. Great-heart was their conductor.

When they entered upon this valley, they thought that they heard a groaning, as of dying men; a very great groaning, They thought alfo that they did hear words of lamentation, as spoken by fome in extreme torment. These things made the boys quake; the women alfo looked pale and wan; but, their guide bad them be of good comfort.

As they went on a little farther they thought that they felt the ground begin to shake under them, as if it was hollow underneath; they heard alfo a kind of hiffing, as of ferpents; but nothing as yet appeared. Then faid the boys, Are we not yet at the end of this doleful place? But the guide bad them be of good courage, and look well to their feet, left haply they fhould be taken in some snare,

James began to be fick; the cause thereof I think was fear; but his mother gave him a glass of those fpirits which had been given her at the Interpreter's houfe, and three of the pills which Mr. Skill had prepared; and upon this the boy began to revive. Thus they went on, till they came to about the middle of the valley; and then Chriftiana faid, Me

wrestle not only against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world.

thinks

thinks I fee fomething yonder upon the road before us, a thing of fuch a fhape as I have never feen. Then faid Jofeph, Mother, what is it? An ugly thing, child; an ugly thing, faid the; But mother, faid he, what is it like? It is like I cannot tell what, faid fhe; and now it is but a little way off: oh! it is very nigh.

Well, faid Mr. Great-heart, let them who are most afraid keep close to me. The fiend came on, and the conductor met it; but when it was just come up to him it vanifhed out of all their fights: then remembered they what had been faid fome time ago, "Refift the devil, and he will flee from you.

They now went on, and feemed a little refreshed; but they had not gone far, before Mercy, looking behind her, faw, as she thought, fomething almost like a lion, and it came a great padding pace after: it had a hollow voice in roaring; and, at every roar it gave, it made the valley echo, and all their hearts ache, fave the heart of their guide. As it came up, Mr. Great-heart went behind, and put all the pilgrims before him. The lion came on apace, and Mr. Great-heart addressed himself to give him battle, 1 Pet. v. 8. But when he faw that it was determined to make refiftance to him, he also drew back and came no further.

They went on again, and their conductor went before them: at laft they came to a place where a pit was caft up the whole breadth of the way, and, before they could be prepared to go over it, a great

3

mist

mist and darkness fell upon them, fo that they could not fee. Then faid the pilgrims, Alas! now what fhall we do? But their guide made answer, Fear not, ftand ftill, and fee what an end will be put to this also so they staid there, because their path was marred. They thought now that they heard more apparently the noife and rufhing of the enemies: the fire alfo, and the fmoke of the pit, were much eafier to be difcerned. Then faid Chriftiana. to Mercy, Now I fee what my poor husband went through; I have heard much of this place, but I never was here before. He, poor man, went through, all alone, in the night; for he had night almoft quite through the way: these fiends alfo were fo bufy about him, as if they would have torn him in pieces. Many have spoken of it, but none can tell what the valley of the Shadow of Death means until they come into it themselves. "The heart knows "its own bitterness, a stranger intermeddleth not "with its joy." To be here is a fearful thing'.

Great

Is it fuch a fearful thing to pafs through the valley of the Shadow of Death, then what must the pure and holy Jesus have fuffered, when he tafted death in all its bitternefs? His foul was in an agony. Hell, as it were, was let loofe upon him. This is your hour (fays he) and the power of darkness-when he cried out, 66 My God, my God, why haft thou forfaken "me?" It seemed as if the pains of hell had got hold on him. Oh! what justice and judgment! what love and mercy! what power and might were here difplayed! And all this for us, and for our falvation. What fhall we render to the Lord for all his

benefits?

Great-beart. This is like doing business in great waters, or like going down into the deep; this is like being in the heart of the fea, and like going down to the bottoms of the mountains: now it feems as if the earth, with its bars, were about us for ever. "But let them that walk in darkness, and have no

light, truft in the name of the Lord, and stay "themselves upon their God." For my part, as I have told you already, I have gone often through this valley, and have been much harder put to it than I am now, yet you fee I am alive. I would not boast, for I am not my own faviour; but I trust we shall have a good deliverance. Come, pray for light to him who can lighten our darkness, and who can rebuke not only thefe, but all the Satans in hell.

So they cried and prayed, and God fent light and deliverance. There was now no let in their way: no, not even there where but now they were ftopt with a pit. Yet, as they were not got through the valley, they still went on, but they were annoyed with great ftinks and loathfome fmells. Then faid Mercy to Chriftiana, It is not fo pleasant to be here

benefits? What does the Lord require? To give him the honour due unto his name, by believing that the work of falvation is entirely of him from firft to laft; by loving that mercy which is extended to fuch ruined, wretched, and fallen creatures; and by walking humbly with him, trufting in him, and depending upon him.

as

as at the gate, or at the Interpreter's, or at the houfe where we lay last.

Ay, but, faid one of the boys, it is not fo bad to go through, as it is to abide here always m for ought I know, one reason why we must go this way to the house prepared for us is, that our home might be made the fweeter to us.

Well faid, Samuel, quoth the guide, thou haft now spoken like a man. Why, faid the boy, if ever I get out here again, I think I fhall prize the light and a good way better than ever I did in all my life. Then faid the guide, We fhall be out by and by.

So they went on, and Jofeph faid, Cannot we fee to the end of this valley yet? Then faid the guide, Look to your feet, we fhall presently be among

m O, the miferable end of them that know not God, and obey not the gospel! punished with everlasting deftruction from the prefence of the Lord, and the glory of his power.-This is the fecond death. Bleffed and happy are thofe fouls who are paffing through this horrid gloom, in order to enjoy the everlasting funshine of a Saviour's love. Sinner, this is thy fituation; either thou art in the way to heaven, or in the broad way to hell. Doft thou feel thy felf a condemned finner? Art thou crying for mercy? The days of thy mourning fhall be ended. Art thou justifying thyfelf? Doft thou defpife others? Art thou thanking God that thou art not as bad as others? One word of warning to thee. They fhall all be damned who truft in unrighteousness; that is, in their own righteousness, which, when brought to that ftandard of perfect purity and holiness, the law, will be proved unrighteoufnefs.

fnares