THE ENCHANTED GROUND. THE ARBOUR.

257 sleeps, it is a question, some say, whether ever he shall rise or wake again in this world. Over this forest therefore they went, both one and another, and Mr Great-heart went before, for that he was the guide; and Mr Valiant-for-truth caine behind, being rear-guard, for fear lest peradventure some fiend, or dragon, or giant, or thief, should fall upon their rear, and so do mischief. They went on here, each man with his sword drawn in his hand; for they knew it was a dangerous place. Also they cheered up one another as well as they could. Feeble-mind, Mr Great-heart commanded should come up after him; and Mr Despondency was under the eye of Mr Valiant.

Now they had not gone far, but a great mist and darkness fell upon them all; so that they could scarce, for a great while the one see the other. Wherefore they were forced for some time, to feel for one another by words; for they walked not by sight. But any one must think, that here was but sorry going for the best of them all; but how much worse for the woman and children, who both of feet and heart were but tender! Yet so it was, that through the encouraging words of him that led in the front, and of him that brought them up behind, they made a pretty good shift to wag along.

The way was also here very wearisome, through dirt and slabbiness. Nor was there, on all this ground, so much as one inn or victualling-house, wherein to refresh the feebler sort. Here, therefore, was nothing but grunting, and puffing, and sighing, while one tumbleth over a bush, another sticks fast in the dirt, and the children, some of them, lost their shoes in the mire;-while one cries out, I am down; and another, Ho, where are you? and a third, The bushes have got such fast hold on me, I think I cannot get away from them.

An arbour on the

Then they came at an arbour, warm, and promising much refreshing to the pilgrims; for it was finely enchanting ground. wrought above head, beautified with greens, furnished with benches and settles. It also had in it a soft couch, whereon 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 or dangers, and of the nature of the 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 The name of the purpose to allure, if it might be, some of the pilgrims arbour." there to take up their rest when weary.

I saw then in my dream, that they went on in this their solitary ground, till they came to a place at which a man is apt The way difficult to lose his way. Now, though when it was light their to find. guide could well enough tell how to miss those ways that led wrong, yet in the dark he was put to a stand. But he had in his pocket a map of all ways leading to or from the

The guide has a from the city.

map leading to or

R

258 celestial city (o); wherefore he struck a light, (for he never goes without his tinder box,) and takes a view of his book or map, which bids him to be careful in that place to turn to their right hand. And had he not been careful here to look in his map, they had all in 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.

HEEDLESS AND TOO-BOLD ASLEEP.

Then thought I with myself, Who that goeth on pilgrimage but God's book. 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 An arbour and two where there was another arbour, and it was built by the highway-side. And in that arbour there lay two men, whose names were Heedless and Too-bold (p). These two went (0) Great-Heart's Map.

"What is the world? A wildering maze, Where sin hath tracked ten thousand ways,

Her victims to ensnare;

All broad, and winding, and aslope,
All tempting with perfidious hope,
All ending in despair.

Millions of pilgrims throng these roads,
Bearing their baubles, or their loads,
Down to eternal night;

One only path that never bends,
Narrow, and rough, and steep, ascends
From darkness into light.

Is there no guide to show that path?
The Bible. He alone who hath

The Bible, need not stray;
But he who hath, and will not give
That light of life to all that live,
Himself shall lose the way.

(p) Heedless and Too-bold asleep.-"Just as in winter," says Caird, "the cold may become so intense as to freeze the thermometer, and thereby to leave you without the means of marking the subsequent increase of cold, so there is a point in the lowered temperature of the inward consciousness, when the growing coldness, hardness, selfishness, of a man's nature, can no longer be noted- the mechanism by which moral variations are determined becoming itself insensible and motionless."

ONE OF THE LAST REFUGES OF THE ENEMY.

259 thus far on pilgrimage; but here, being wearied with their journey, they 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 to 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 by his name, for the guide it seems did know them; but there was

The pilgrims try

no voice nor answer. Then the guide did shake them, to awake them. and do 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.

Their endeavour is

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 fruitless, 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, Prov. xxiii. 34, 35, "When shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.' You know when men talk in their sleep, they say any thing; and 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 down as when they are weary? and when so like 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.

The light of the

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 darkness was very great, 2 Pet. word. i. 19. But the children began to be sorely weary, and they cried out unto Him that loveth pilgrims, to make their way The children cry more comfortable. So by that they had gone a little for weariness. further, 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; only now they could see one another, and the way wherein they should walk.

TALK BETWEEN STANDFAST AND HONEST.

Stand-fast upon his

fast.

260 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 knees in the En- hands and eyes lifted up, and speaking, as they thought, chanted Ground. earnestly to 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 as soon as Mr Honest saw him he said, I know this man. Then said Mr Valiant-for-truth, Prithee, who is it? It is one, said he, that The story of Stand- comes from whereabout I dwelt. His name is Standfast; he is certainly a right good pilgrim. So they came up one to another. And presently Standfast said to Talk betwixt him old Honest, Ho, father Honest, are you there? Ay, and Mr Honest. said he, that I am, as sure as you are there. Right glad am I, said Mr Standfast, that I have found you on this road. And as glad am I, said the other, that I espied you on your knees. Then Mr Standfast blushed, and said, But why, did you see me? Yes, that I did, quoth the other, and with my heart was glad at the sight. Why, what did you think? said Standfast. Think! said old Honest; what should I think? I thought we had an honest man upon the road, and therefore should have his company by and by. If you thought not amiss, said Standfast, how happy am I! But if I be not as I should, 'tis I alone must bear it. That is true, said the other; but your fear doth further confirm me that things are right betwixt the Prince of pilgrims and your soul. For He saith, "Blessed is the man that feareth always," Prov. xxviii. 14.

prayer.

They found him at VALIANT. 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 mercy laid obligations upon thee, or how?

What it was that

knees.

STAND. Why, we are, as you see, upon the Enchanted Ground; and as I was coming along I was musing with myself of fetched him upon his 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 the death with which this place destroyeth 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.

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

STAND. Ay, ay, I saw Heedless and Too-bold there; and for aught I know, there they will lie till they rot, Prov. x. 7. But let me go on with my tale. As I was thus musing, as I said, there was one in very

MADAM BUBBLE'S TEMPTATIONS.

261 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 Madam Bubble, or me great and happy; for, said she, I am the mistress this vain world. 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 that had said he would help. So just as you came up the gentlewoman went her way. Then I continued to give thanks for this my great deliverance; for I verily believe she intended no good, but rather sought to make stop of me in my journey.

HON. Without doubt her designs were bad. But, stay, now you talk of her, methinks I either have seen her, or have read some story of her.

STAND. Perhaps you have done both.

HON. Madam Bubble (q)! Is she not a tall, comely dame, somewhat of a swarthy complexion?

STAND. Right, you hit it: she is just such a one.

HON. Doth she not speak very smoothly, and give you a smile at the end of a sentence?

STAND. You fall right upon it again, for these are her very actions. HON. Doth she not wear a great purse by her side, and is not her hand often in it, fingering her money, as if that was her heart's delight?

STAND. 'Tis just so; had she stood by all this while you could not more amply have set her forth before me, nor have better described her features.

HON. Then he that drew her picture was a good limner, and he that wrote of her said true.

(q) Madame Bubble.-Her character, in which the world is described, may be illustrated by a parable of Krummacher:-"There was a rich man at the Court of King Herod; he was his high chamberlain, and was clothed in costly apparel, and lived in the greatest state and magnificence. And there came to him from distant lands a friend of his youth, whom he had not seen for many years. Anxious to do him honour, the high chamberlain made a great feast, and invited all his friends. The tables were laden with the most delicate viands on dishes of gold and silver, and many costly vessels filled with wines of all kinds. The rich man sat at the head of his table; on his right hand sat the friend who had come from distant lands; and they ate and drank, and were satisfied. Then said the stranger to the King's high chamberlain, 'I have never seen such magnificence as this in my native land.' And he praised all he saw, and esteemed his friend the happiest of men. But the rich man took an apple from off a golden dish; the apple was large and smooth, and rosy as the cheek of a sleeping infant; and as he handed it to his friend, he said, 'Behold this apple, it lay upon a golden dish, and it is lovely to look upon.' And the stranger took the apple and cut it through; but alas, at its core was a worm. Then the stranger gave a glance towartd his host, But the high chamberlain looked down, and sighed."