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, He comes to the and the name of the going up the side of the hill is called Hill Difficulty. Difficulty. Christian now went to the spring, and drank thereof, to refresh himself (Isa. xlix. 10), 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, though 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 him into a wide field, full of dark

The danger of turning out of the way.

mountains, where he stumbled and fell, and rose no more.11

A ward of grace.

[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 will they fall at last no doubt.]

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 midway 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 awhile, he at last fell into a slumber, and

a loser.

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 one to him, and awaked He that sleeps is him, saying, "Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise." (Prov. vi. 6.) And with that Christian started up, and sped him on his way, and went apace, till he came to the top of the hill.

Christian meets

Timorous.

Now, when he was got up to the top of the hill, there came two men running to meet him amain; the name of the one was with Mistrust and Timorous, and of the other, Mistrust; to whom Christian said, Sirs, what's 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 we meet with; wherefore we turned, and are going back again.42

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.

Christian shakes

CHR. Then said Christian, You make me afraid, but whither shall I fly 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 off fear. 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.43 So Mistrust 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 Christian missed his bosom for his roll, that he might read therein, and be he used to take 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, He is perplexed and knew not what to do. At last he bethought himself

his roll wherein

comfort.

for his roll. that he had slept in the arbour that is on the side of the hill; and, falling down upon his knees, he asked God's forgiveness for that his foolish act, and then went back to look for his roll. 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, which wails his foolish was erected only for a little refreshment for his weariness. sleeping. Thus, therefore, he went back, carefully looking on this side and on that, all the way as he went, if happily he might find

Christian be

his roll, that had been his comfort so many times in his journey. He went thus, till he came again within sight of the arbour where he sat and slept; but that sight renewed his sorrow the more, by bringing again, even afresh, his evil of sleeping into his mind. (Rev. ii. 5. 1 Thes. v. 7, 8.) Thus, therefore, he now went on bewailing his sinful sleep,

saying, "O wretched man that I am!" that I should sleep in the daytime that I should sleep in the midst of difficulty! that I should so indulge the flesh, as to use that rest for ease to my flesh, which the Lord of the hill hath erected only for the relief of the spirits of pilgrims !44

How many steps have I took in vain! Thus it happened to Israel, for their sin; they were sent back again by the way of the Red Sea; and I