At this they trembled greatly, and I think that Christian fell into a swoon; but coming a little to himself again, they renewed their discourse about the giant's counsel, and whether yet they had best take it or no. Now Christian again seemed to be for doing it, but Hopeful made his second reply as followeth:

My brother, said he, rememberest thou not how valiant thou hast been heretofore? Apollyon could not crush thee, nor could all that thou couldst hear, or see, or feel, in the Valley of the Shadow of Death; what hardship, terror, and amazement, hast thou already gone through, and art thou now nothing but fears? Thou seest that I am in the dungeon with thee, a far weaker man by nature than thou art; also the giant has wounded me as well as thee, and hath also cut off the bread and water from my mouth, and with that I mourn without the light. But let us exercise a little more patience: remember how thou playedst the man at Vanity Fair, and was neither afraid of the chain or cage, nor yet of bloody death; wherefore, let us, at least, to avoid the shame that becomes not a Christian to be found in, bear up with patience as well as we can.*

Now night being come again, and the giant and his wife being in bed, she asked him concerning the prisoners, and if they had taken his counsel: to which he replied, They are sturdy rogues; they choose rather to bear all hardship than to make away with themselves. Then said she, Take them into the castle-yard to-morrow, and show them the bones and skulls of those thou hast already despatched, and make them believe, ere a week comes to an end, thou also wilt tear them in pieces, as thou hast done their fellows before them.

Here is the blessing of a hopeful companion. Here is excellent counsel. Let vain professors say what they may against experience, and looking back to past experiences: It is most certainly good and right so to do; not to encourage present sloth and presumption, but to excite fresh confidence of hope in the Lord. We have David's example, and Paul's word to encourage us to this: says David, "The Lord who delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of the uncircumcised Philistine." 1 Sam. xvii. 37. And says Paul, "We have the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raiseth the dead." There, mind the alone object of faith and hope, and see the reasoning on past experience of God's mercy; for it is he "who delivers us from so great a death, and doth deliver; in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us." 2 Cor. i. 10.

So when the morning was come, the giant goes to them again, and takes them into the castle-yard, and shows them as his wife had bidden him: These, said he, were pilgrims, as you, once; and they trespassed in my grounds as you have done; and when I thought fit I tore them in pieces, and so within ten days 1 will do you; get you down into your de again: and with that he beat them all the way thither. They lay therefore all day on Saturday in a lamentable case, as before. Now, when night was come, and when Mrs. Diffidence and her husband the giant were got to bed, they began to renew their discourse of their prisoners; and, withal, the old giant wondered that he could neither by his blows nor counsel bring them to an end. And with that his wife replied, I fear, said she, that they live in hopes that some will come to relieve them, or that they have picklocks about them, by the means of which they hope to escape. And sayest thou so, my dear? said the giant; I will therefore search them in the morning.

Well, on Saturday about midnight, they began to pray, and continued in prayer till almost break of day.†

Now a little before it was day, good Christian, as one half amazed, did break out in this passionate speech: What a fool, quoth he, am I, thus to lie in a stinking dungeon, when I may as well walk at liberty! I have a key in my bosom called Promise, that will I am persuaded, open any lock in Doubting Castle. Then, said Hopeful, that's good news good brother, pluck it out of thy bosom an try.‡

Then Christian pulled it out of his bosom

What! Pray in custody of Giant Despair, in midst of Doubting Castle, and when their own to brought them there too! Yes, mind this, ye pilgrim ye are exhorted, "I will that men pray every wher without doubting." 1 Tim. ii. 8. We can be in place but God can hear, nor in any circumstance, God is able to deliver from. And be assured whe the spirit of prayer comes, deliverance is nigh hand. So it was here.

Precious promise! The promises of God Christ, are the life of faith, and the quickeners prayer. Oh how oft do we neglect God's great a precious promises in Christ Jesus, while doubts despair keep us prisoners! So it was with these grims; they were kept under hard bondage ef for four days. Hence see what it is to grievel Spirit of God, and dread it. For he only is the forter. And if we cause him to withdraw kis 'n ence, who or what can comfort us? Though pred