Christian and Hopeful in the net of the Destroyer.

But by-and-by, before they were aware, he led them both within the compass of a net, in which they were both so entangled, that they knew not what to do; and with that, the white robe fell off the black man's back: they then saw where they were. Wherefore, there they lay crying some time, for they could not get themselves out. (q)

Chr. Then said Christian to his fellow, Now do I see myself in an error. Did not the shepherds bid us beware of the flatterer? As is the saying of the wise man, so we have found it this day. "A man that flattereth his neighbour, spreadeth a net for his feet."*

Hope. They also gave us a note of directions about the way, for our more certain finding thereof; but therein we have also forgotten to read, and have not kept ourselves from the paths of the destroyer. Here, David was wiser than we: for, saith he, "Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips, I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer." Thus they bewailed themselves in the net. At last they espied a shining one coming towards them with a whip of small cord in his hand. When he was come to the place where they were, he asked them whence they came, and what they did there?

(9) Luther was wont to caution against the white devil, as much as the black one for Satan transforms himself into an angel of light, and his ministers as ministers of righteousness, 2 Cor. xi. 14. 15. And how do they deceive souls? By flattery. Leading poor sinners into a fine notion of some righteous character they have in themselves, what great advances they have made, and what high attainments they have arrived to, even to be perfect in themselves, to be free from sin, and full of nothing but love, &c. Oh! such flatterers and deceivers awfully abound in this day, deceiving the ignorant, and beguiling the unstable. These are black men clothed in white.

They are delivered.

They told him, that they were poor pilgrims going to Zion, but were led out of the way by a black man clothed in white, who bid us, said they, follow him, for he was going thither too. Then said he with the whip, it is the Flatterer, a false apostle, that hath transformed himself into an angel of light. So he rent the net, and let the men out. Then said he to them, Follow me, that I may set you in your way again: so he led them back to the way which they had left to follow the Flatterer. Then he asked them, saying, Where did you lie last night? They said, With the shepherds upon the Delectable Mountains. He asked them then, If they had not a note of directions for the way? They answered, Yes, But did you, said he, when you were at a stand, pluck out and read your note? They answered, No. He asked them, Why? They said they forgot. He asked moreover, If the Shepherds did not bid them beware of the Flatterer? They answered, Yes. But we did not imagine, said they,that this fine spoken man had been he. (r)

Then I saw in my dream that he commanded them to lie down; which, when they did, he chastised them sore, to teach them the good way wherein they should walk: and, as he chastised them, he

* Prov. xxix. 5. Dan. xi. 3. 2 Cor. xi. 13, 14.

(r) By this shining one, understand the loving LORD the Holy Ghost, the leader and guide of Christ's people. When they err and stray from Jesus the way, and are drawn from him as THE TRUTH, the Spirit comes with his rod of conviction and chastisement, to whip souls for their self-righteousness and folly, back to Christ, to trust wholly in him, to rely only on him, and to walk in some fellowship with him. So he acted by the Gallatian church, who was flattered into a notion of self-righteousness and self-justification. So David, when he found himself near lost, cries out" HE restoreth my soul, he leadeth ine in paths of righteousness, for his name sake," Psalm xxiii. 3.

They are chastised.

said, "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; be zealous, therefore, and repent." This done, he bid them go their way, and take good heed to the other directions of the Shepherds. So they thanked him for all his kindness, and went softly along the right way, singing:

"Come hither you that walk along the way,
"See how the pilgrims fare, that go astray :

They catched are in an entangled net,

"'Cause they good counsel lightly did forget:

""Tis true, they rescued were, but yet, you see,

They're scourg'd to boot: let this your caution be."

Now, after a while, they perceived afar off one coming softly and alone, all along the highway to meet them. Then said Christian to his fellow, Yonder is a man with his back turned towards Zion, and he is coming to meet us.

Hope. I see him; let us take heed to ourselves now, lest he should prove a Flatterer also. So he drew nearer and nearer, and at last came up to them. His name was Atheist, and he asked them whither they were going?

Chr. We are going to Mount Zion.

Then Atheist fell into a very great laughter.
Chr. What is the meaning of your laughter?

Atheist. I laugh to see what ignorant persons you are, to take upon you such a tedious journey, and yet are like to have nothing but your travail for your pains.

Chr. Why man! Do you think we shall not be received;

Atheist. Received! There is no such a place as you dream of in all this world.

Chr. But there is in the world to come.

Atheist. When I was at home in mine own country, I heard as you now affirm, and from that hear

The Pilgrims disregard the vain reason of Atheist.

ing went out to see,

and have been seeking this city these twenty years, but find no more of it than I did the first day I set out.

Chr. We have both heard and believe that there is such a place to be found.

Atheist. Had not I, when at home, believed, I had not come thus far to seek; but finding none (and yet I should, had there been such a place to be found, for I have gone to seek it further than you,) I am going back again, and will seek to refresh myself with the things that I then passed away, for the hopes of that which I know is not.

Chr. Then said Christian to Hopeful, his companion, is it true which this man hath said?

Hope. Take heed, he is one of the Flatterers: remember what it hath cost us once already for our hearkening to such kind of fellows. What! No Mount Zion! Did we not see from the Delectable Mountains the gate of the city? Also are we not now to walk by faith? Let us go on, said Hopeful, lest the man with the whip overtake us again. (s)

You should have taught me that lesson, which I will sound in thy ears withal: "Cease my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge:" I say, my brother, cease to hear him, and let us believe to the saving of the soul,

(s) See how we are surrounded with different enemies. No sooner have they escaped the self-righteous flatterer, but they meet with the openly profane and licentious mocker. Ay, and he sat out, and went far too, yea, farther than they; but behold, he has turned his back upon all; and though he had been twenty years a seeker, yet now he proves, he has neither faith nor hope, but ridicules all as delusion. Awful to think of! what a special mercy to be kept believing and persevering, and not regarding the ridicule of apostates!

The Enchanted Ground.

Chr. My brother, I did not put the question to thee for that I doubted of the truth of your belief myself, but to prove thee, and to fetch from thee a fruit of the honesty of thy heart. As for this man, I know that he is blinded by the God of this world.* Let thee and I go on, knowing that we have belief of the truth, and no lie is of the truth.

Hope, Now I do rejoice in the hope of the glory of God; so they turned away from the man, and he laughing at them, went his way.

I saw then in my dream, that they went till they came into a certain country, whose air naturally tended to make one drowsy, if he came a stranger into it. And here, Hopeful began to be very dull, and heavy to sleep; wherefore he said unto Christian, I do now begin to grow so drowsy, that I can scarcely hold open my eyes; let us lie down here, and take one nap,

Chr. By no means said the other, lest sleeping we never wake more.

Hope. Why, my brother? Sleep is refreshing to the labouring man; we may be refreshed if we take

a nap.

Chr. Do you not remember, that one of the Shepherds bid us beware of the Enchanted Ground? He meant by that, that we should beware of sleeping: wherefore let us not sleep as others do, but let us watch and be sober. (t)

(t) O, Christian! beware of sleeping on this enchanted ground. When all things go easy, smooth, and well, we are prone to grow drowsy in soul. How many are the calls in the word, against spiritual slumber! and yet how many professors, through the enchanting air of this world, are fallen into the deep sleep of formality! Be warned by them to cry to thy Lord to keep thee awake to righteousness, and vigorous in the ways of the Lord.