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good man; he is now at reft, and he alfo won a brave victory over his enemy: let him who dwelleth above grant it to us, that we, when we come to be tried, may be found even as he.

But as to this valley of Humiliation. It is the best and most useful piece of ground in all these parts. It is a fat ground, and, as you fee, confifteth much in meadows: if a man were to come here in the fummer time, as we do now, though he knew not any thing before thereof, yet he might delight himself in the fight of his eyes, for he might fee that which would be delightful to him. Behold, how green this valley is! How beautified with lilies! Song ii. 1 Jam. iv. 6; 1 Pet. v. 5. I have known many labouring men who have got good eftates in this valley of Humiliation; (for God refifteth the proud, but gives grace to the humble :) indeed it is a very fruitful foil, and doth bring forth by handfuls. Some alfo have wifhed, that the next way to their Father's houfe was here, that they might be troubled no more with either hills or mountains to go over but the way is the way, and there is an end.

Now as they were going along and talking, they espied a boy feeding his father's fheep. The boy was in very mean clothes, but of a fresh and wellfavoured countenance: as he fat by himself he fung. Hearken, faid Mr. Great-heart, to what the fhepherd's boy faith; fo they hearkened, and he said,

He that is down, needs fear no fall;

But falls will humble pride:
He that is humble, ever fhall
Have God to be his guide.

I am content with what I have,
Little be it, or much :

And, Lord, contentment ftill I crave,
O keep me ever fuch.

Fulnefs to them a burden is

Who go on pilgrimage:
Here little, and hereafter blifs,

Holds good from age to age.

Then faid the guide, Do you hear him? I will dare to fay this boy lives a merrier life, and wears more of the herb called Heart's-eafe in his bofom, than he who is clad in filk and velvet; but we will proceed in our difcourfe.

In this valley our Lord formerly had his countryhoufe; he loved much to be here; he loved to walk in these meadows; and found the air pleasant: befides, here a man fhall be free from the noife, and from the hurry of this life: all states are full of noise and confufion, only the valley of Humiliation is a retired and folitary place: here a man fhall not be let and hindered in his contemplation, as in other places he is apt to be; this is a valley in which no body walks but thofe who love a pilgrim's life. And, though Christian had the hard hap to meet with Apollyon and to engage with him in a brifk encounter, yet I must tell you, that in former times

men

men have met with angels here; have found pearls here; and have, in this place, found the words of life, Hof. xii. 4, 5.

Did I fay that our Lord in former days had his country-house here, and that he loved to walk here? I will add, that fuch was his regard to this place, and to the people who live here and trace these grounds, that he has left a yearly revenue to be faithfully paid them at certain feafons, for their maintenance by the way, and for their farther encouragement to go on their pilgrimage, Hof. xi. 29.

Now as they went on, Samuel faid to Mr. Greatheart, Sir, I perceive that in this valley my father and Apollyon had their battle; but whereabouts was the fight? I perceive this valley is large.

Great-heart. Your father had the battle with Apollyon at a place yonder before us, in a narrow paffage juft beyond Forgetful Green. And indeed that is the most dangerous place in all these parts. For, if at any time pilgrims meet with any brunt, it is when they forget what favours they have received, and how unworthy they are of them: this is the place where others have been hard put to it as well as he; but more of the place when we come to it: I perfuade myself that to this day there remains either fome fign of the battle, or else fome monument to testify that fuch a battle was fought there.

Mercy. I think I am as well in this valley as I have been in any part of my journey: this place, methinks, fuits my fpirit. I love to be in places

where

where there is no rattling with coaches, nor rumbling with wheels: here, methinks, any one may, without moleftation, be thinking what he is, whence he came, what he has done, and to what the King has called him: here one may think till one's heart breaks, one's fpirit melts, and one's eyes become as the "fifh-pools of Hefhbon," Song vii. 5; Pfalms Ixxxviii. 5, 6, 7; Hof. ii. 15: thofe who go rightly through this valley of Bacha make it a well, and the rain which God fends down from heaven upon those who are here filleth the pools. from whence alfo the King will yards, and they that go through it fhall fing as Christian did, notwithstanding his meeting with Apollyon.

This valley is that

give to their vine

Great-heart. It is true I have gone through this valley many a time, and never was better than when here. I have alfo been a conductor to feveral pilgrims, and they have all confeffed the fame. "To "this man will I look, faith the King, even to him " that is poor, and of a contrite fpirit, and that trem❝bles at my word."

When they were come to the place where the afore-mentioned battle was fought, the guide faid to Christiana, her children, and Mercy, This is the place on this ground Chriftian ftood; there Apollyon came against him: look, did not I tell you that there would be some sign of the battle; and here is fome of your husband's blood upon these ftones to this day behold, alfo, how here and there fome of

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the fhivers of Apollyon's broken darts are yet to be feen upon the place. See how they did beat the ground with their feet as they fought, to make good their standing against each other; fee, alfo, how they did fplit the very ftones in pieces with their byblows. Verily Christian did here play the man, and fhewed himself as ftout as Hercules. When Apollyon was beat, he made his retreat to the next valley, which is called the Valley of the Shadow of Death, unto which we shall come anon.*

Lo, yonder also stands a monument, on which is engraven this battle, and Christian's victory, to his fame, throughout all ages. Because it stood just on the way-fide before them, they stepped up and read the writing, which, word for word, was this:

Hard by here was a battle fought,

Moft ftrange, and yet most true;
Chriftian and Apollyon fought

Each other to fubdue.

The man fo bravely play'd the man,

He made the fiend to fly;

Of this a monument I stand,

The fame to teftify.

When they had paffed by this place, they came to the borders of the Shadow of Death: this val

ley

In the valley of Humiliation we become acquainted with ourfelves, and learn there to fay with Job, " I abhor myself:" but, in the valley of the Shadow of Death, we become acquainted with the power and malice of the devil and his angels; and prove the truth of that fcripture which faith, that we

wrestle

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