Chr. Why, I trow, you did not confent to her defire?

Faith. No, not to defile myself, for I remembered an old writing which I had feen, which faid, Her steps take hold of hell. So I fhut mine eyes, because I would not be bewitched with her. looks; then she railed on me, and I went my way.

Chr. Did you meet with no other affault as you came ?

Faith. When I came to the foot of the hill called Difficulty, I met with a very aged man, who afked me what I was, and whither bound? I told him, that I was a pilgrim, going to the celeftial city. Then faid the old man, thou lookest like an honest fellow; wilt thou be content to dwell with me for the wages that I fhall give thee? Then I asked him his name, and where he dwelt. He faid his name was Adam the First, and that he dwelt in the town of Deceit. I afked him then, What was his work, and what the wages that he would give? He told me, that his work was many delights; and his wages, that I fhould be his heir at laft. I farther asked. him, what house he kept, and what other servants he had? He told me, that his houfe was maintained with all the dainties in the world; and that his fervants were those of his own begetting. Then I asked how many children he had? He faid, that he had but three daughters, the Luft of the Flefh, the Luft of the Eyes, and the Pride of Life; and that I should

marry

marry one of them, if I would. Then I afked, how long time he would have me live with him? and he told me, As long as he lived himself.

Chr. Well, and what conclufion came the old man and you to at last?

Faith. Why, at first I found myself somewhat inclinable to go with him, for I thought he fpake very fairly; but, looking in his forehead as I talked with him, I faw it written there, Put off the Old Man with his deeds.

Chr. And how then?

Faith. Then it came burning hot into my mind, that whatever he might say, and however he might flatter, yet when he got me home to his houfe, he would fell me for a flave. So I bid him forbear to talk, for I would not come near the door of his house. Then he reviled me, and told me, that he would send one after me, who should make my way bitter to my foul. So I turned to go away from him; but just as I turned myself to go away, I felt him take fuch hold of my flesh, and give me fuch a deadly twitch, that I thought he had pulled part of me after himfelf: this made me cry out, O wretched man! So I went on my way up the hill.

Now when I had got above half way up I looked behind me, and faw one coming after me, fwift as

Self is very near. It is a hard leffon to deny felf-to abhor felf. It is the great end of a work of grace fo to work a man out of himself, as to make him grow up into Christ.

the

the wind; who overtook me juft about the place where the fettle ftands.

·

Chr. Juft there did I fet myself down to reft; and, being overcome with fleep, I there loft this roll out of my bofom.

Faith. But, good brother, hear me out. As foon as the man overtook me, it was but a word and a blow, down he knocked me, and laid me for dead". When I was a little come to myself, I asked him, Wherefore he served me fo? He faid, Because of my fecret inclining to Adam the First: and with that he struck me another deadly blow on the breast, which did beat me down backward; so that I lay at his feet as dead. When I came to myself again, I cried for mercy: but he faid, that he knew not how to fhew mercy; and with that knocked me down again. He had doubtless made an end of me, but that one came by, and bid him forbear.

Chr. Who was that that bid him forbear?

Faith. I did not know him at firft; but as he went by I perceived the holes in his hands and in his fide: then I concluded he was our Lord. So I went up the hill.

Chr. That man who overtook you was Mofes.

The law is good, if a man use it lawfully; i. e. if he put it to a right ufe. The right use of the law is this; to give us the knowledge of fin, so that, having the fentence of death in ourselves, we may not traft to ourselves, but, falling under the fentence of the law, may caft ourselves entirely upon the arms of mercy.

He

He fpareth none, neither knoweth he how to fhew mercy to those who tranfgrefs his law.

Faith. I know it very well; it was not the first time that he had met with me. 'Twas he who came to me when I dwelt fecurely at home, and who told me he would burn my house over my head, if I ftaid there.

Chr. But did you not see the house that stood on the top of the hill, on the fide of which Moses met you?

Faith. Yes, and the lions too, before I came to it; but the lions, I think, were asleep, for it was about noon and because I had fo much of the day before me, I paffed by the porter and came down the hill.

Chr. He told me indeed that he faw you go by; but I wish you had called at the house: they would have fhewed you fo many rarities, that you would scarce have forgot them to the day of your death. But pray tell me, did you meet nobody in the valley of Humility?

Faith. Yes, I met with one Discontent, who would willingly have perfuaded me to have gone back again with him. His reason was, because the valley was altogether without honour. He told me moreover, that to go there was to disoblige all my friends, as Pride, Arrogance, Self-Conceit, Worldly-Glory, with others whom he knew, and who, as he faid, would be very much offended, if I made fuch a fool of myself as to wade through this valley.

Chr.

Chr. Well, and how did you anfwer him? Faith. I told him, that although all these whom he named might claim kindred to me, and that rightly (for, indeed, they were my relations according to the flesh), yet fince I had become a pilgrim they had disowned me, and I also had rejected them; therefore they were to me now no more than if they had never been of my lineage. I told him moreover, that as to this valley he had quite mifreprefented it; for "Before honour is humility, and a "haughty fpirit before a fall." Therefore, faid I, I had rather go through this valley to that honour which is fo accounted of by the wifeft, than choose that which by him was efteemed moft worthy our affections.

Chr. Met you with nothing else in that valley? Faith. Yes, I met with Shame : but of all the men that I met with in my pilgrimage, I think he bears a wrong name; for the others, after a little argumentation, and fomewhat elfe, would be faid nay; but this bold-faced Shame would never have done.

Chr. Why, what did he fay to you?

Faith. What! why he objected against religion. itfelf; he said, 'twas a pitiful, low, sneaking bufinefs for a man to mind religion; he said, that a ten

• The conflict, in which Christian was engaged in the Valley of Humiliation, was with a meffenger of Satan; but Faithful was oppofed by Discontent and Shame, the workings of his fallen and corrupt nature.

der