Hears's-Eafe in his Bofom, than he that is clad in Silk and Velvet; but we will proceed in our Difcourfe. In this Valley our Lord formerly had his Country-Houfe, he loved much to be Chrift, when here He loved alfo to walk in these Mea- in the Flefb, bad his Coun dows, and he found the Air was pleasant : try House in Befides, here a Man fhall be free from the valley of the Noife, and from the Hurryings of this Humiliation. Life All States are full of Noife and Confufion, only the Valley of Humiliation is that empty 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 that no body walks in, but thofe that love a Pilgrim's Life. And though Chriftian had the hard Hap to meet with Apollyon, and to enter with him in a brisk Encounter, yat I must tell you, that in former Times Men have met with Angels here, have found Pearls here, and have in this Place found the Words of Life. Hof. 12. 4, 5. Did I fay our Lord had here in former Days his Country Houfe, and that he loved here to walk? I will add, in this Place, and to the People that live and trace thefe Grounds, he has left a yearly Revenue to be faithfully paid them at certain Seafons for their Maintenance by the Way and for their farther Encouragement to go on their Pilgrimage, 11. 29. Samuel. Now as they went on, Samuel faid to Mr. Great-beart: Sir, 1 perceive that in this Valley, my Father and pol lyon had their Battle; but whereabout was the Forgetful Humility a faveet Grace. the Fight, for I perceive this Valley is large? Great-beart. Your Father had the Battle with Apollyon, at a Place yonder before us, in a narrow Paffage, juft beyond Forgetful Green. And indeed that Place 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 alfo where others have been hard put to it: But more of the Place when we are come it; for I perfuade myself, that to this Day there remains either fome Sign of the Battle, or fome Monument to teftify that fuch a Battle there was fought. Mercy. Then faid Mercy, I think I am as well in this Valley as I have been any where else in all my Journey: The Place methinks, fuits with my Spirit. I love to be in fuch Places where there is no ratling with Coaches, nor Rumbling with Wheels: Methinks, here one may, without much 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 and break at Heart, and melt in one's Spirit, until one's Eyes become as the Fi-Pools of Hefbbon, Song 7. 5. Pfal. 84. 5, 6, 7. Hof. 2. 15 they that go rightly through this Valley of Bacha, make it a Well, the Rain that God fends down from Heaven upon them that are here, alfo filleth the Pools. This Valley is that from whence alfo the King will give to their Vineyards, and they that go through through it, fhall fing, as Chriftian did, for all he met Apollyon. Great-heart. It is true, faid their Guide, Experiment I have gone through this Valley many a of it. Time, and never was better than when here. I have also been a Conductor to feveral Pilgrims, and they have confeffed the fame. To this Man will I look, faith the King, even to him that is Poor, and of a Contrite Spirit, and that trembles at my Word. Now they were come to the Place where the afore-mentioned Battle was fought. Then faid the Guide to Chriftiana, her Children and Mercy, This is the Place, on this Ground Chriftian ftood, and up there came Apollyon against him: And look, did The Place not I tell you, Here is fome of your Huf- where Chriftiband's Blood upon thefe Stones to this an and the Day: Behold, alfo, how here and there Fiend did are yet to be seen upon the Place fome fight. Some Signs of the of the Shivers of Apollyon's broken Darts. Battle remain. See alfo, how they did beat the Ground with their Feet as they fought, to make good their Places against each other; how alfo with their By-blows, they did split the very Stones in Pieces: Verily Chriftian did here play the Man, and fhewed himfelf as ftout as Hercules could, had he been there, even he himself. When Apollyon was beat, he made his Retreat to the next Valley, that is called, The Valley of the Shadow of Death, unto which we shall come anon. Lo, yonder alfo ftands a Monument on which is engraven this Battle, and Monument of Chriftian's Victory, to his Fame, through- the Battle. out 1 Groanings The Ground fbakes. out all Ages: So because it food juft on the Way-fide before them, they stepped to it, and read the Writing, which Word for Word was this; Hard-by here was a Battle fought, 'The Man fo bravely play'd the Man, Of which a Monument 1 ftand, When they had paffed by this Place, they came upon the Borders of the Shadow of Death, and this Valley was longer than the other, a Place alfo most strangely haunted with Evil Things, as many are able to teftify: But thefe Women and Children went the better through it because they had Day-light, and because Mr. Great-beart was their Conductor. When they were entered upon this Valley, they thought that they heard a Groaning, as of dead Men; a very great Groaning. They thought alfo they did hear Words of Lamentation, fpoken as of fome in extreme Torment. These Things made the Boys to quake, the Women allo looked pale and wan; but their Guide bid them be of good Comfort. So they went on a little farther, and they thought that they felt the Ground begin begin to fhake under them, as if fome The Ground taken in fome Snare. Now James began to be fick, but I think James fick the Caufe thereof was Fear; fo his Mo- with Fear. ther gave him fome of that Glafs of Spirits that he had given her at the Interpreter's House, and three of the Pills that Mr. Skill had prepared, and the Boy began to revive. Thus they went on, till they came to about the Middle of the Valley; and then Chriftiana faid, Methinks I fee fome- A Fiend ap thing yonder upon the Road before us, pears. a Thing, of fuch a Shape as I have not feen. Then faid Jofeph, Mother, What is it? An ugly Thing, Child; an ugly Thing, faid fhe: But Mother, What is The Pilgrims it like? faid he. It is like I cannot tell are afraid. what, faid fhe. And now it is but a little Way off: Then faid fhe, it is nigh. Well, faid Mr. Great-heart, Let them that are most afraid, keep close to me: So the Fiend came on, and the Conductor met it; but when it was just come to him it vanished to all their Sights: Then remembered they what had been faid fome Time ago; Refift the Devil, and he will flee from you. They went therefore on, as being a Great-heart little refreshed; but they had not gone encourages far, before Mercy looking behind her, Y faw them. |