fnares: fo they looked to their feet, and went on; but were troubled much with the fnares. Now, when they were come among the fnares, they efpied a man caft into a ditch on the left hand, with his flesh all rent and torn. Then faid the guide, That is one Heedlefs, who was going this way; he has lain there a great while there was one Take-heed with him when he was taken and flain; but he escaped their hands. You cannot imagine how many are killed hereabouts; yet men are fo foolishly venturous, as to fet out lightly on pilgrimage, and to come without a guide. Poor Christian! it was a wonder that he escaped; but he was beloved of his God: alfo he had a good heart of his own", as being strong in faith, or else he could never have done it.

Now they drew towards the end of the way, juft where Chriftian faw the cave as he went by; and from thence came forth Maul, a giant. This Maul was used to spoil young pilgrims with fophiftry°: he called

n By a good heart is here meant, that Chriftian was endued with boldness and courage from above. The Pfalmift fays, "Wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and he shall "ftrengthen thine heart." God has made of one blood all nations of men that are upon the earth, fo that the heart of every man by nature is the fame; that is, deceitful above all things, and defperately wicked. A new heart and a right fpirit is the gift of God.

• Carnal reasoning, vain and unfcriptural fuppofition and enquiries, into the equity of the divine proceedings, and into

called Great-heart by his name, and faid unto him, How many times have you been forbidden to do thefe things? Then faid Mr. Great-heart, What things? What things? quoth the giant; you know what things; but I will put an end to your trade. But, pray, faid Mr. Great-heart, before we fall to t, let us underftand wherefore we must fight. (Now the women and children stood trembling, and knew not what to do.) Quoth the giant, Thou doft rob the country, and art one of the worst of thieves. Thefe are but generals, faid Mr. Greatheart; but come to particulars. Then faid the giant, Thou practiseft the craft of a kidnapper; thou gathereft up women and children, and carriest them into a strange country, to the weakening of my Mafter's kingdom. To this Great-heart replied, I am a fervant of the God of heaven; my bufinefs is to perfuade finners to repentance; I am

the manner how these things can be, have mauled many a Chriftian, and robbed him of his comforts, and spoiled his fimplicity. The language is this, "These things are fo." I am a finner, Christ is a Saviour. Doft thou know that thefe things are fo for thyfelf? It is enough. As foon as we turn afide to vain jangling and doubtful difputations, we get upon the devil's ground.

As Great-heart was knocked down with this giant's club, fo many a faithful and experienced minifter has been confounded with the crafty and subtle arguments of fome cunning difputer who lies in wait to deceive. The way to overcome this giant Maul, and all fuch, is to keep close to fcripture and experience, and to pray for the teaching of the Holy Spirit.

commanded

tommanded to do my endeavours to turn men, women, and children, from darknefs to light, and from the power of Satan to God; and if this be indeed the ground of thy quarrel, let us fall to it as foon as thou wilt.

Then the giant came up, and Mr. Great-heart went to meet him; and as he went he drew his fword; but the giant had a club. So without more ado they fell to it, and, at the first blow, the giant ftruck Mr. Great-heart down upon one of his knees; with that the women and children cried: but Mr. Great-heart recovering himfelf, laid about him in a lufty manner, and gave the giant a wound in his arm; fo that he fought, for the fpace of an hour, to that height of heat, that the breath came out of the giant's noftrils as the fteam out of a boiling cauldron.

Then they fat down to reft them, but Mr. Greatheart betook himself to prayer; alfo the women and children did nothing but figh and cry all the time the battle lafted. When they had refted them and taken breath, they both fell to it again, and Mr. Great-heart, with a full blow, fetched the giant down to the ground, who cried, Hold, let me recover. And Mr. Great-heart did let him fairly get up, and then they went to it again: the giant miffed but little of breaking Mr. Great-heart's fkull with his club. Mr. Great-heart feeing that, ran at him in the full heat of his fpirit, and pierced him under the fifth rib: with that the giant began to faint, and

could hold

up

his club no longer. Mr. Great-heart then seconded his blow, and fmote the head of the giant from off his shoulders. Then did the women and children rejoice; Mr. Great-heart also praised God for the deliverance he had wrought.

When this was done, they, among themselves, erected a pillar, on which they fastened the giant's head, and wrote under it, in letters which paffengers might read,

He that did wear this head, was one
Who pilgrims did mifufe ;

He ftopt their way, he spared none,
But did them all abuse:
Until that I Great-heart arofe,

The pilgrim's guide to be;

Until that I did him oppose,

Who was their enemy.

Now I faw that they went to the afcent which was a little way off, and had been caft up to be a profpect for pilgrims. (This was the place, from whence Christian had the first fight of Faithful his brother.) Here they fat down and rested; here alfo they did eat and drink, and make merry, for having obtained deliverance from this fo dangerous

an enemy.

As they fat and did eat, Christiana asked the guide, If he had caught no hurt in the battle? Then faid Mr. Great-heart, No, fave a little on my flesh yet that fhall be fo far from being to my detriment, that it is, at prefent, a proof of my

love

love to my Master and you; and shall be a means, by grace, to increase my reward at last. But was you not afraid, good Sir, when you saw him come with his club? It is my duty, faid he, to mistrust my own ability, that I may have reliance on him who is stronger than all. But what did you think, when he fetched you down to the ground at the first blow? Why, I thought, quoth he, that fo my Mafter himself was ferved, and yet he conquered at last.

Matt. When you all have thought what you please, I think that God has been wonderfully good to us, both in bringing us out of this valley, and in delivering us out of the hand of this enemy; for my part, I fee no reason why we should diftruft our God any more, fince he has now, and in fuch a place as this, given us fuch a teftimony of his love.

Then they got up and went forward: now, a little before them, stood an oak, and under it, when they came to it, they found an old pilgrim fast asleep: they knew that he was a pilgrim by his clothes, his staff, and his girdle.

So the guide, Mr. Great-heart, awaked him, and the old gentleman, as he lift up his eyes, cried out, What's the matter? Who are you? And what is your business here?

Great-heart. Come, man, be not fo hot, here are none but friends: yet the old man gets up, and tands upon his guard, and will know of them who