Page:The Pilgrim's Progress, the Holy War, Grace Abounding Chunk1.djvu/137

Rh them at sword's point, do well enough with them, yet if they get Within him, even Faint-heart, Mistrust, or the other, it shall go hard but they will throw up his heels: and when a man is down, you know, what can he do?

Whoso looks well upon Great-graces face will see those scars and cuts there, that shall easily give demonstration of what I say. Yea, once I heard that he should say (and that when he was in the combat), "We despaired even of life." How did these sturdy rogues and their fellows make David groan, mourn, and roar! Yea, Heman and Hezekiah, too, though champions in their days, were forced to bestir them when by these assaulted; and yet, notwithstanding, they had their coats soundly brushed by them. Peter, upon a time, would go try what he could do; but though some do say of him that he is the prince of the apostles, they handled him so that they made him at last afraid of a sorry girl.

Besides, their king is at their whistle; he is never out Of hearing; and if at any time they be put to the worst, he, if possible, comes in to help them: and of him it is said, "The sword of him that layeth at him cannot hold: the Spear, the dart, nor the habergeon. He esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood. The arrow cannot make him flee: sling-stones are turned with him into stubble. Darts are counted as stubble: he laugheth at the shaking of a spear." (Job xii. 26–29.) What can a man do in this case? It is true, if a man could at every turn have Job's horse, and had skill and courage to ride him, he might do notable things: for "his neck is clothed with thunder. He will not be afraid as a grasshopper. The glory of his nostrils is terrible. He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength: he goeth on to meet the armed men. He mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted, neither turneth be back from the sword. The quiver rattleth against him, the glittering spear and the shield. He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage: neither believeth he that it is the sound of the trumpet. He