weapon, called All-prayer (Eph. 4:18). So he cried in my hearing,
"O Lord, I beseech Thee, deliver my soul!" (Psa. 116:4). Thus
he went on a great while, yet still the flames would be reaching
towards him.[98] Also be heard doleful voices, and rushings to and
fro, so that sometimes he thought he should be torn in pieces, or
trodden down like mire in the streets. This frightful sight was
seen, and these dreadful noises were heard by him for several miles
together. And, coming to a place, where be thought he heard a
company of fiends coming forward to meet him, he stopped and began
to muse what he had best to do. Sometimes he had half a thought
to go back; then again he thought he might be half way through
the valley; he remembered also how be had already vanquished many
a danger, and that the danger of going back might be much more
than for to go forward; so he resolved to go on. Yet the fiends
seemed to come nearer and nearer; but when they were come even
almost at him, he cried out with a most vehement voice, "I will
walk in the strength of the Lord God"; so they gave back, and came
no further.

One thing I would not let slip; I took notice that now poor
Christian was so confounded, that he did not know his own voice;
and thus I perceived it. Just when he was come over against the
mouth of the burning pit, one of the wicked ones got behind him,
and stept up softly to him, and, whisperingly, suggested many
grievous blasphemies to him, which he verily thought had proceeded
from his own mind. This put Christian more to it than anything
that he met with before; even to think that he should now blaspheme
Him that he loved so much before; yet, if he could have helped it,
he would not have done it; but he had not the discretion either
to stop his ears, or to know from whence these blasphemies came.[99]