To these things they gave him no answer; only they looked upon each other and laughed. Then I saw that they went on all, save that Christian kept before, who had no more talk but with himself, and that sometimes sighingly and sometimes comfortably also he would be often reading in the roll that one of the shining ones gave him, by which he was refreshed.*

I beheld then that they all went on till they came to the foot of the hill Difficulty; at the bottom of which was a spring. There were also in the same place two other ways, besides that which came straight from the gate; one turned to the left hand and the other to the right, at the bottom of the hill; but the narrow way lay right up the hill, and the name of the going up the side of the hill is called Difficulty. Christian now went

by their most zealous profession and most specious actions; while the credit thus acquired subserves also their temporal interests but repentance, conversion, and the life of faith, would not only cost them too much labour, but destroy the very principle by which they are actuated. By a much shorter cut,' they become a part of the visible church, are satisfied with a form of godliness, and kept in countenance by the example of great numbers of professed Christians, in every age and place. Their confidence, however, will not bear the light of scripture; they therefore, shrink from investigation, and treat with derision and reproaches all who would convince them of their fatal mistake, or shew them the real nature of evangelical religion.

*

True Christians even when most assured of their acceptance, and competent to perceive the awful delusion of false professors, find cause for sighs amidst their comforts, while employed in serious retired self-reflection. Nothing can exclude the uneasiness which arises from in-dwelling sin, and from the crimes and miseries they witness around them.

to the spring, and drank thereof to refresh himself,1 and then began to go up the hill, saying,

The hill, though high, I covet to ascend,
The difficulty will not me offend;

For I perceive the way to life lies here:

Come, pluck up heart, let's neither faint nor fear;

Better, tho' difficult, the right way to go,

Than wrong, though easy, where the end is woe.

The other two also came to the foot of the hill; but, when they saw that the hill was steep and high, and that there were two other ways to go; and, supposing also that these two ways might meet again with that up which Christian went, on the other side of the hill; therefore, they were resolved to go in those ways. Now the name of one of those ways was Danger, and the name of the other Destruction. So the one took the way which is called Danger, which led him into a great wood; and the other took directly up the way to Destruction, which led into a wide field full of dark mountains, where he stumbled and fell, and

rose no more.

1 Isa. xlix. 10.

• The hill Difficulty represents those seasons and situations which require peculiar self-denial and exertion; and are suited to prove the believer's sincerity, after he has obtained "a good "hope through grace."-The frowns of the world, the sacrifice of temporal interests, outward circumstances of sharp affliction and distress, together with the painful task of overcoming inveterate evil habits or constitutional propensities, (which during his first anxious earnestness seemed perhaps to be destroyed, though in fact they were only suspended;) prove a severe test of his integrity: but there can be no hope, except in pressing forward; and the encouragements of the gospel prepare the soul

I looked then after Christian to see him go up the hill, where I perceived he fell from running to going, and from going to clambering upon his hands and his knees, because of the steepness of the place. Now about the mid-way to the top of the hill was a pleasant arbour, made by the Lord of the hill, for the refreshing of weary travellers. Thither therefore Christian got, where also he sat down to rest him. Then he pulled his roll out of his bosom, and read therein to his comfort. He also now began afresh to take a review of the coat, or garment, that was given him as he stood by the cross. Thus pleasing himself a while, he at last fell into a slumber, and thence into a fast sleep, which detained him in that place until it was almost night; and in his sleep his roll fell out of his hand. Now, as he was sleeping, there came

for every conflict and effort. But there are also by-ways; and the difficulty may often be avoided without a man's renouncing his profession. He may decline the self-denying duty, or refuse the demanded sacrifice, and find some plausible excuse to his own conscience, or among his neighbours. The true believer however is suspicious of these easier ways, on the right hand or ou the left his path lies straight forward, and cannot be travelled without ascending the hill; which he desires to do, because his grand concern is to be found right at last. But they who chiefly desire at a cheap rate to keep up their credit and confidence venture into perilous or ruinous paths, till they either openly apostatize, or get entangled in some fatal delusion, and are heard of no more among the people of God.

These lines are here inserted:

'Shall they who wrong begin yet rightly end?
Shall they at all have safety for their friend?
No, no; in headstrong manner they set out,
And headlong they will fall at last, no doubt.'

one to him and awaked him, saying, "Go to the "ant, thou sluggard: consider her ways and be "wise."1 And with that Christian suddenly started up, and sped him on his way, and went apace till he came to the top of the hill.*

Now when he was got up to the top of the hill there came two men running against him amain; the name of the one was Timorous, and of the other Mistrust: to whom Christian said, Sirs, what is the matter you run the wrong way? Timorous answered, that they were going to the city of Zion, and had got up that difficult place: but, said he, the further we go the more danger

Prov. vi. 6.

The difficulties of believers often seem to increase as they proceed this damps their spirits, and they find more painful exertion requisite than they once expected, especially when rejoicing in the Lord: yet he helps them, and provides for their refreshment that they may not faint. But, whether their trials be moderated, or remarkable divine consolations be vouchsafed, it is, alas, very common for them to presume too much on their perseverance hitherto, or on the privileges to which they have been admitted; and thus their ardour abates, their diligence and vigilance are relaxed, and they venture to allow themselves some respite. Then drowsiness steals upon them, darkness envelopes their souls, the evidences of their acceptance are obscured or lost, and the event would be fatal, did not the Lord excite them to renewed earnestness by salutary warnings and alarms. Nor are they at any time more exposed to this temptation, than when outward ease has succeeded to great hardships, patiently and conscientiously endured: for at such a crisis they are least disposed to question their own sincerity; and Satan is sure to employ all his subtlety to lull them into security, and so in fact tempt them to abuse the Lord's special goodness vouchsafed to them.

we meet with; wherefore we turned, and are going back again.

Yes, said Mistrust, for just before us lie a couple of lions in the way, (whether sleeping or waking we know not;) and we could not think, if we came within reach, but they would presently pull us in pieces.

Then said Christian, you make me afraid: but whither shall I flee to be safe? If I go back to mine own country, that is prepared for fire and brimstone, and I shall certainly perish there: if I can get to the celestial city, I am sure to be in safety there. I must venture: to go back is nothing but death; to go forward is fear of death, and life everlasting beyond it. I will yet go forward. So Mistrust and Timorous ran down the hill, and Christian went on his way. But, thinking again of what he heard from the men, he felt in his bosom for his roll, that he might read therein and be comforted: but he felt and found it not. Then was Christian in great distress, and knew not what to do; for he wanted that which used to relieve him, and that which should have been his pass into the celestial city. Here therefore he began to be much perplexed, and knew not what to do. At last he bethought himself that he had slept in the arbour that is on the side of the hill; and falling down upon his knees he asked God forgiveness for that his foolish act, and then went back to look for his roll. But all the But all the way he went back, who can sufficiently set forth the sorrow of Christian's heart? Sometimes he sighed, sometimes he wept, and oftentimes he chid himself for being so foolish to fall asleep in that place,