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ber, and thence into a faft fleep, which detained him in that place until it was almoft night; and in

He that fleeps is his fleep his roll fell out of his hand. Now a lofer as he was fleeping, there came one to him, Prov. 6. 5. and awaked him, faying, Go to the ant, thou fluggard; confider her ways, and be wife: and with that Chriftian fuddenly started up, and fped him on his way, and went apace till he came to the top of the hill. Now when he got up to the top of the hill, there came two men running to meet him amain; the name of the one was Timorous, and of the other Mifruft; to whom Chriftian faid, Sirs, what's the matter you run the wrong way? Timorous anfwered, that they were going to the city of Zion, and had got up that difficult place: But, faid he, the farther we go, the more danger we meet with; wherefore we turned, and are going back again.

Chriftian meets with Mistrust and Timorous.

Yes, faid Mifruft, for just before us lies a couple of li ons in the way; (whether fleeping or waking we know not) and we could not but think, if we came within reach, but they would prefently pull us in pieces.

Chr. Then, faid Chriftian, you make me afraid: But whither fhall I flee to be fafet If I go back to my own country, that is prepared for fire and brimRone, and I fhall certainly perish there; If I can get to the Chrißian Shakes celelial city, I am fure to be in fafety there: off fear. 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 Miftruß and Timorous ran down the hill, and Christian went on his way. But thinking again of what he had heard from the men, he felt in his bofom for his Chriftian miffed well, that he might read therein, and be his roll wherein comforted; but he felt and found it not. be used to take Then was Chriftian in great diftrefs, and comfort. knew not what to do; for he wanted that which used to relieve him, and that which fhould have been his pafs into the celeftial city. Here therefore he began to be much perplexed, He is perplexed and knew not what to do; at last he befor his roll, thought himself that he had dept in the

arbour

arbour that is on the fide of the hill; and falling down upon his knees he afked God forgivenefs for that his foolish fact, and then went back to look for his roll. But all the way he went back, who can fufficiently fet forth the forrow of Chriftian's heart; fometimes he figh'd, and oftentimes he chid himself for being se foolish to fall asleep in that place which was erected only for a little refreshment for his weariness. Thus therefore he went back, carefully look. ing on this fide and on that all the way as he went, if haply he might find the roll that had been his comfort fo many times in his journey. He went thus till he

came again in fight of the arbour where he Chriftian befat and flept; but that fight renewed his wails his feolife forrow the more, by bringing again, even fleeping. afresh, his evil of fleeping into his mind.

Thus therefore he now went on bewailing Rev. 2: 2. his finful fleep, faying, O wretched man that 2 Theff. 5, 7. 8. I am! that I fhould fleep in the day-time!

that I should fleep in the midst of difficulty! that I should fo indulge the flesh, as to use that reft for eafe to my flesh, which the Lord of the hill erected only for the relief of the Ipirits of pilgrims! how many steps have I took in vain! (Thus it happened to Ifrael, for their fin, they were sent back again by the way of the Red Sea) and I am made to tread thofe fteps with forrow, which I might have trod with delight, had it not been for this finful fleep! how far might I have been on my way by time! I am made to tread thofe fteps thrice over, which I needed not to have trod but once; yea, now also i am like to be benighted, for the day is almoft fpent! O that I had not flept! Now by this time he was come to the arbour again, where for a while he fat down and wept; but at laft (as providence would have it) looking forrowfully down under the fettle,

there he efpied his roll; the which he with Chriftian findtrembling and hafte catched up and put into eth his roll his bofom. But who can tell how joyful where he lost it. this man was, when he had gotten his roll

again? For this roll was the affurance of his life, and acceptance at the defired heaven. Therefore he laid it up in his bofom, gave God thanks for directing his eye to the place where it lay, and with joy and tears betook himself again to his journey. But, O how nimbly now did he go

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up

up the rest of the hill! yet before he got up, the fun went down upon Chriftian; and this made him again recall the vanity of his fleeping to his remembrance; and thus he again began to condole with himself; O thou finful fleep,

how

how for thy fake am I like to be benighted in my journey! I must walk without the fun, darkness muft cover the path of my feet, and I must hear the noise of doleful creatures, because of my finful fleep! Now alfo he remembered the tory that Mitruft and Timorous told him of, how they were frighted with the fight of the lions. Then faid Chrif tian to himself again, these beats range in the night for their prey, and if they should meet with me in the dark, how fhould I fhift them? How fhall I escape being by them torn in pieces? Thus he went on his way; but while ho was thus bewailing his unhappy mifcarriage, he lift up his eyes, and behold there was a very ftately palace before him, the name of which was Beautiful, and it stood juft by the highway fide.

So I faw in my dream, that he made hafte and went for ward, that if poffible he might get lodging there. ~Now before he had gone far, he entered into a very narrow paffage, which was about a furlong off the porter's lodge, and looking very narrowly before him as he went, he efpied two lions in the way. Now, thought he, I fee the danger that Mistrust and Timorous were driven back by. (The lions were chained, but he saw not the chains) then he was afraid, and thought alfo himself to go back after them, for he thought nothing but death was before him; but the por ter at the lodge, whofe name is Watchful perceiving that Chriftian made a halt, as if he would go back, cried unto him, faying, Is thy ftrength fo fmall? Fear not the lions, for they are chained, and are placed there for a trial of faith, where it is, and for difcovery of those that have none; keep in the midst of the path, and no hurt shall come unto thee.

Mark 13.

Then I faw that he went on, trembling for fear of the lions; but taking good heed to the directions of the porter, he heard them roar, but they did him no harm. Then he clapt his hands, and went on till he came and flood before the gate where the porter was. Then faid Christian to the porter, Sir, What houfe is this? and, may I lodge here to night? The porter anfwered, This houfe was built by the Lord of the hill, and he built it for the relief and fecurity of Pilgrims. The porter alfo afked whence he was, and whither he was going?

Chr. I am come from the city of Destruction, and am, going

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going to Mount Zion; but because the fun is now fet, I defire, if I may, to lodge here to night.

Por. What is your name?

Chr. My name is now Chriftian, but my (Genefis 9. 27. name at the firft was Graceless: I came of the race of Japheth, whom God will per

Tuade to dwell in the tents of Shem.

Per. But how did it happen that you came so late, the fun is fet!

Chr. I had been here fooner, but that, wretched man that I am, I slept in the arbour that stands on the hill fide; may, I had, notwithstanding that, 'been here much fooner, but that, in my fleep, I loft my evidence, and came without it to the brow of the hill, and then feeling for it, and finding it not, I was forced, with forrow of heart, to go back to the place where I slept my sleep, where I found it, and now I am come.

Por. Well, I will call out one of the virgins of this place, who will, (if the likes your talk) bring you in to The rest of the family, according to the rules of the house. So Watchful, the porter, rang a bell, at the found of which came out of the house, a grave and beautiful damfel, named Difcretion, and asked why she called?

The porter answered, this man is in a journey from the city of Destruction to Mount Zion, but, being weary" and benighted, he afked me if he might lodge here to night: So I told him I would call for thee, who, after difcourfe had with him, may'ft do as feemeth thee good, even according to the law of the house.

Then he asked him whence he was, and whither he was going; and he told her. She afked him alfo how he got into the way; and he told her. Then the afked him what he had seen and met with in the way; and he told her. And at last she asked his name; fo he faid, it is Chriftian, and I have fo much the more defire to lodge here to night, because, by what I perceive, this place was built by the Lord of the hill, for the relief and fecurity of Pilgrims; fo fhe fmiled, but the water flood in her eyes; and, after a little paufe, fhe faid I will call forth two or three more of my Family. So fhe ran to the door, and called out Prudence, Piety, and Charity, who, after a little more dif Course with him, had him into the family; and many of

them