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{301}

The Shepherds then answered, Did you not see a little below

these mountains a stile, that led into a meadow, on the left hand

of this way? They answered, Yes. Then said the Shepherds,

From that stile there goes a path that leads directly

to Doubting Castle, which is kept by Giant Despair, and these,

pointing to them among the tombs, came once on pilgrimage,

as you do now, even till they came to that same stile;

and because the right way was rough in that place, they chose to go

out of it into that meadow, and there were taken by Giant Despair,

and cast into Doubting Castle; where, after they had been a while

kept in the dungeon, he at last did put out their eyes,

and led them among those tombs, where he has left them to wander

to this very day, that the saying of the wise man might be fulfilled,

"He that wandereth out of the way of understanding, shall remain in

the congregation of the dead." [Pro. 21:16] Then Christian and Hopeful

looked upon one another, with tears gushing out, but yet said nothing

to the Shepherds.

{302}

Then I saw in my dream, that the Shepherds had them to another place,

in a bottom, where was a door in the side of a hill,

and they opened the door, and bid them look in. They looked in,

therefore, and saw that within it was very dark and smoky;

they also thought that they heard there a rumbling noise as of fire,

and a cry of some tormented, and that they smelt the scent of brimstone.

Then said Christian, What means this? The Shepherds told them,

This is a by-way to hell, a way that hypocrites go in at; namely,

such as sell their birthright, with Esau; such as sell their master,

with Judas; such as blaspheme the gospel, with Alexander;

and that lie and dissemble, with Ananias and Sapphira his wife.

Then said Hopeful to the Shepherds, I perceive that these had on them,

even every one, a show of pilgrimage, as we have now; had they not?

{303}

SHEP. Yes, and held it a long time too.

HOPE. How far might they go on in pilgrimage in their day,

since they notwithstanding were thus miserably cast away?

SHEP. Some further, and some not so far, as these mountains.

Then said the Pilgrims one to another, We have need to cry to the Strong

for strength.

SHEP. Ay, and you will have need to use it, when you have it, too.

{304}

By this time the Pilgrims had a desire to go forward,

and the Shepherds a desire they should; so they walked together

towards the end of the mountains. Then said the Shepherds

one to another, Let us here show to the Pilgrims the gates

of the Celestial City, if they have skill to look through

our perspective glass. <The Hill Clear> The Pilgrims then

lovingly accepted the motion; so they had them to the top

of a high hill, called Clear, and gave them their glass to look.

{305}

Then they essayed to look, but the remembrance of that last thing

that the Shepherds had shown them, made their hands shake;

by means of which impediment, they could not look steadily

through the glass; yet they thought they saw something like the gate,

and also some of the glory of the place. Then they went away,

and sang this song--

Thus, by the Shepherds, secrets are reveal'd,

Which from all other men are kept conceal'd.

Come to the Shepherds, then, if you would see

Things deep, things hid, and that mysterious be.

{306}

When they were about to depart, one of the Shepherds gave them a note

of the way. Another of them bid them beware of the Flatterer.

The third bid them take heed that they sleep not upon

the Enchanted Ground. And the fourth bid them God-speed.

So I awoke from my dream.

{307}

And I slept, and dreamed again, and saw the same two Pilgrims

going down the mountains along the highway towards the city.

Now, a little below these mountains, on the left hand,

lieth the country of Conceit; from which country there comes

into the way in which the Pilgrims walked, a little crooked lane.

Here, therefore, they met with a very brisk lad, that came out

of that country; and his name was Ignorance. So Christian asked him

from what parts he came, and whither he was going.

{308}

IGNOR. Sir, I was born in the country that lieth off there

a little on the left hand, and I am going to the Celestial City.

CHR. But how do you think to get in at the gate? for you may find

some difficulty there.

IGNOR. As other people do, said he.

CHR. But what have you to show at that gate, that may cause

that the gate should be opened to you?

IGNOR. I know my Lord's will, and I have been a good liver;

I pay every man his own; I pray, fast, pay tithes, and give alms,

and have left my country for whither I am going.

{309}

CHR. But thou camest not in at the wicket-gate that is at the head

of this way; thou camest in hither through that same crooked lane,

and therefore, I fear, however thou mayest think of thyself,

when the reckoning day shall come, thou wilt have laid to thy charge

that thou art a thief and a robber, instead of getting admittance

into the city.

IGNOR. Gentlemen, ye be utter strangers to me, I know you not;

be content and follow the religion of your country, and I will follow

the religion of mine. I hope all will be well. And as for the gate

that you talk of, all the world knows that that is a great way off

of our country. I cannot think that any man in all our parts

doth so much as know the way to it, nor need they matter

whether they do or no, since we have, as you see, a fine,

pleasant green lane, that comes down from our country,

the next way into the way.

{310}

When Christian saw that the man was "wise in his own conceit",

he said to Hopeful, whisperingly, "There is more hope of a fool than

of him." [Prov. 26:12] And said, moreover, "When he that is a fool

walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one

that he is a fool." [Eccl. 10:3] What, shall we talk further with him,

or out-go him at present, and so leave him to think of what

he hath heard already, and then stop again for him afterwards,

and see if by degrees we can do any good to him? Then said Hopeful--

Let Ignorance a little while now muse

On what is said, and let him not refuse

Good counsel to embrace, lest he remain

Still ignorant of what's the chiefest gain.

God saith, those that no understanding have,

Although he made them, them he will not save.

HOPE. He further added, It is not good, I think, to say all to him

at once; let us pass him by, if you will, and talk to him anon,

even as he is able to bear it.

{311}

So they both went on, and Ignorance he came after. Now when they had

passed him a little way, they entered into a very dark lane,

where they met a man whom seven devils had bound with

seven strong cords, and were carrying of him back to the door

that they saw on the side of the hill. [Matt. 12:45, Prov. 5:22]

Now good Christian began to tremble, and so did Hopeful his companion;

yet as the devils led away the man, Christian looked to see

if he knew him; and he thought it might be one Turn-away,

that dwelt in the town of Apostasy. But he did not perfectly see

his face, for he did hang his head like a thief that is found.

But being once past, Hopeful looked after him, and espied on his back

a paper with this inscription, "Wanton professor and damnable apostate".

Then said Christian to his fellow, Now I call to remembrance,

that which was told me of a thing that happened to a good man hereabout.

The name of the man was Little-faith, but a good man, and he dwelt

in the town of Sincere. The thing was this:-- At the entering in

at this passage, <Broad-way Gate> there comes down from Broad-way Gate,

<Dead Man's Lane> a lane called Dead Man's Lane; so called because of

the murders that are commonly done there; and this Little-faith

going on pilgrimage, as we do now, chanced to sit down there, and slept.

Now there happened, at that time, to come down the lane,

from Broad-way Gate, three sturdy rogues, and their names

were Faint-heart, Mistrust, and Guilt, (three brothers),

and they espying Little-faith, where he was, came galloping up

with speed. Now the good man was just awake from his sleep,

and was getting up to go on his journey. So they came up all to him,

and with threatening language bid him stand. At this

Little-faith looked as white as a clout, and had neither power to fight

nor fly. <Little-faith robbed by Faint-heart, Mistrust and Guilt>

Then said Faint-heart, Deliver thy purse. <They got away his silver,

and knocked him down> But he making no haste to do it

(for he was loath to lose his money), Mistrust ran up to him,

and thrusting his hand into his pocket, pulled out thence

a bag of silver. Then he cried out, Thieves! Thieves! With that Guilt,

with a great club that was in his hand, struck Little-faith on the head,

and with that blow felled him flat to the ground, where he lay bleeding

as one that would bleed to death. All this while the thieves stood by.

But, at last, they hearing that some were upon the road,

and fearing lest it should be one Great-grace, that dwells in the city

of Good-confidence, they betook themselves to their heels,

and left this good man to shift for himself. Now, after a while,

Little-faith came to himself, and getting up, made shift

to scrabble on his way. This was the story.

{312}

HOPE. But did they take from him all that ever he had?

<Little-faith lost not his best things>

Chr. No; the place where his jewels were they never ransacked,

so those he kept still. But, as I was told, the good man

was much afflicted for his loss, for the thieves got most of

his spending-money. <Little-faith forced to beg to his journey's end>

That which they got not (as I said) were jewels, also he had

a little odd money left, but scarce enough to bring him to

his journey's end [1 Peter 4:18]; nay, if I was not misinformed,

he was forced to beg as he went, to keep himself alive;

for his jewels he might not sell. But beg, and do what he could,

he went (as we say) with many a hungry belly the most part

of the rest of the way.

{313}

HOPE. But is it not a wonder they got not from him his certificate,

by which he was to receive his admittance at the Celestial Gate?

CHR. It is a wonder; but they got not that, though they missed it

not through any good cunning of his; for he, being dismayed with

their coming upon him, had neither power nor skill to hide anything;

so it was more by good Providence than by his endeavour,

that they missed of that good thing.

{314}

HOPE. But it must needs be a comfort to him, that they got not

his jewels from him.

CHR. It might have been great comfort to him, had he used it

as he should; but they that told me the story said, that he made

but little use of it all the rest of the way, and that because

of the dismay that he had in the taking away his money; indeed,

he forgot it a great part of the rest of his journey; and besides,

when at any time it came into his mind, and he began to be

comforted therewith, then would fresh thoughts of his loss come again

upon him, and those thoughts would swallow up all. [1 Peter 1:9]

{315}

HOPE. Alas! poor man! This could not but be a great grief to him.

CHR. Grief! ay, a grief indeed. Would it not have been so to any of us,

had we been used as he, to be robbed, and wounded too,

and that in a strange place, as he was? It is a wonder he did not

die with grief, poor heart! I was told that he scattered almost

all the rest of the way with nothing but doleful and bitter complaints;

telling also to all that overtook him, or that he overtook in the way

as he went, where he was robbed, and how; who they were that did it,

and what he lost; how he was wounded, and that he hardly escaped

with his life.

{316}

HOPE. But it is a wonder that his necessity did not put him upon

selling or pawning some of his jewels, that he might have wherewith

to relieve himself in his journey.

CHR. Thou talkest like one upon whose head is the shell

to this very day; for what should he pawn them, or to whom

should he sell them? In all that country where he was robbed,

his jewels were not accounted of; nor did he want that relief

which could from thence be administered to him. Besides,

had his jewels been missing at the gate of the Celestial City,

he had (and that he knew well enough) been excluded from

an inheritance there; and that would have been worse to him

than the appearance and villainy of ten thousand thieves.

{317}

HOPE. Why art thou so tart, my brother? Esau sold his birthright,

and that for a mess of pottage, and that birthright was

his greatest jewel; and if he, why might not Little-faith do so too?

[Heb. 12:16]

CHR. Esau did sell his birthright indeed, and so do many besides,

and by so doing exclude themselves from the chief blessing,

as also that caitiff did; but you must put a difference betwixt

Esau and Little-faith, and also betwixt their estates.

<Esau was ruled by his lusts> Esau's birthright was typical,

but Little-faith's jewels were not so; Esau's belly was his god,

but Little-faith's belly was not so; Esau's want lay

in his fleshly appetite, Little-faith's did not so. Besides,

Esau could see no further than to the fulfilling of his lusts;

"Behold, I am at the point to die, (said he), and what profit

shall this birthright do me?" [Gen. 25:32] But Little-faith,

though it was his lot to have but a little faith, was by his

little faith kept from such extravagances, and made to see and prize

his jewels more than to sell them, as Esau did his birthright.

<Esau never had faith> You read not anywhere that Esau had faith, no,

not so much as a little; therefore, no marvel if, where the flesh only

bears sway, (as it will in that man where no faith is to resist),

if he sells his birthright, and his soul and all, and that to

the devil of hell; for it is with such, as it is with the ass,

who in her occasions cannot be turned away. [Jer. 2:24]

When their minds are set upon their lusts, they will have them

whatever they cost. <Little-faith could not live upon Esau's pottage>

But Little-faith was of another temper, his mind was on things divine;

his livelihood was upon things that were spiritual, and from above;

therefore, to what end should he that is of such a temper

sell his jewels (had there been any that would have bought them)

to fill his mind with empty things? <A comparison between

the turtle-dove and the crow> Will a man give a penny to fill his belly

with hay; or can you persuade the turtle-dove to live upon carrion

like the crow? Though faithless ones can, for carnal lusts, pawn,

or mortgage, or sell what they have, and themselves outright to boot;

yet they that have faith, saving faith, though but a little of it,

cannot do so. Here, therefore, my brother, is thy mistake.

{318}

HOPE. I acknowledge it; but yet your severe reflection

had almost made me angry.

CHR. Why, I did but compare thee to some of the birds that are

of the brisker sort, who will run to and fro in untrodden paths,

with the shell upon their heads; but pass by that, and consider

the matter under debate, and all shall be well betwixt thee and me.

HOPE. But, Christian, these three fellows, I am persuaded in my heart,

are but a company of cowards; would they have run else, think you,

as they did, at the noise of one that was coming on the road?

Why did not Little-faith pluck up a greater heart? He might, methinks,

have stood one brush with them, and have yielded when

there had been no remedy.

CHR. That they are cowards, many have said, but few have found it so

in the time of trial. As for a great heart, Little-faith had none;

and I perceive by thee, my brother, hadst thou been the man concerned,

thou art but for a brush, and then to yield.

And, verily, since this is the height of thy stomach,

now they are at a distance from us, should they appear to thee

as they did to him they might put thee to second thoughts.

{319}

But, consider again, they are but journeymen thieves,

they serve under the king of the bottomless pit, who, if need be,

will come into their aid himself, and his voice is as

the roaring of a lion. [1 Pet. 5:8] I myself have been engaged

as this Little-faith was, and I found it a terrible thing.

These three villains set upon me, and I beginning, like a Christian,

to resist, they gave but a call, and in came their master. I would,

as the saying is, have given my life for a penny, but that,

as God would have it, I was clothed with armour of proof.

Ay, and yet, though I was so harnessed, I found it hard work

to quit myself like a man. No man can tell what in that combat

attends us, but he that hath been in the battle himself.

{320}

HOPE. Well, but they ran, you see, when they did but suppose

that one Great-grace was in the way.

CHR. True, they have often fled, both they and their master,

when Great-grace hath but appeared; and no marvel; for he is

the King's champion. But, I trow, you will put some difference betwixt

Little-faith and the King's champion. All the King's subjects are not

his champions, nor can they, when tried, do such feats of war as he.

Is it meet to think that a little child should handle Goliath

as David did? Or that there should be the strength of an ox in a wren?

Some are strong, some are weak; some have great faith, some have little.

This man was one of the weak, and therefore he went to the wall.

{321}

HOPE. I would it had been Great-grace for their sakes.

CHR. If it had been, he might have had his hands full;

for I must tell you, that though Great-grace is excellent good

at his weapons, and has, and can, so long as he keeps 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?

{322}

Whoso looks well upon Great-grace's face, shall 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 day,

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.

{323}

<Leviathan's sturdiness>

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 41:26-29] What can a man do in this case? <The excellent mettle

that is in Job's horse> 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 of the 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 he 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 saith among the trumpets,

Ha, ha! and he smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder of

the captains, and the shouting. [Job 39:19-25]

{324}

But for such footmen as thee and I are, let us never desire to meet with

an enemy, nor vaunt as if we could do better, when we hear of others

that they have been foiled, Nor be tickled at the thoughts

of our own manhood; for such commonly come by the worst when tried.

Witness Peter, of whom I made mention before. He would swagger, ay,

he would; he would, as his vain mind prompted him to say, do better,

and stand more for his Master than all men; but who so foiled,

and run down by these villains, as he?

When, therefore, we hear that such robberies are done on

the King's highway, two things become us to do:

{325}

1. To go out harnessed, and to be sure to take a shield with us;

for it was for want of that, that he that laid so lustily at Leviathan

could not make him yield; for, indeed, if that be wanting,

he fears us not at all. Therefore, he that had skill hath said,

"Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able

to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked." [Eph. 6:16]

{326}

2. It is good, also, that we desire of the King a convoy,

yea, that he will go with us himself. This made David rejoice

when in the Valley of the Shadow of Death; and Moses was rather

for dying where he stood, than to go one step without his God.

[Exo. 33:15] Oh, my brother, if he will but go along with us,

what need we be afraid of ten thousands that shall set themselves

against us? [Ps. 3:5-8, 27:1-3] But, without him, the proud helpers

"fall under the slain". [Isa. 10:4]

{327}

I, for my part, have been in the fray before now; and though,

through the goodness of him that is best, I am, as you see, alive,

yet I cannot boast of my manhood. Glad shall I be, if I meet with

no more such brunts; though I fear we are not got beyond all danger.

However, since the lion and the bear have not as yet devoured me,

I hope God will also deliver us from the next uncircumcised Philistine.

Then sang Christian--

Poor Little-faith! Hast been among the thieves?

Wast robb'd? Remember this, whoso believes,

And gets more faith, shall then a victor be

Over ten thousand, else scarce over three.

{328}

So they went on and Ignorance followed. They went then till they came

at a place where they saw a way put itself into their way,

and seemed withal to lie as straight as the way which they should go:

and here they knew not which of the two to take, for both seemed

straight before them; therefore, here they stood still to consider.

<The Flatterer finds them> And as they were thinking about the way,

behold a man, black of flesh, but covered with a very light robe,

came to them, and asked them why they stood there. They answered

they were going to the Celestial City, but knew not which of these ways

to take. Follow me, said the man, it is thither that I am going.

<Christian and his fellow deluded> So they followed him in the way

that but now came into the road, which by degrees turned,

and turned them so from the city that they desired to go to,

that, in little time, their faces were turned away from it;

yet they followed him. But by and by, before they were aware,

he led them both within the compass of a net, in which they were both

so entangled that they knew not what to do; and with that

the white robe fell off the black man's back. <They are taken in a net>

Then they saw where they were. Wherefore, there they lay crying

some time, for they could not get themselves out.

{329}

CHR. Then said Christian to his fellow, Now do I see myself in error.

Did not the Shepherds bid us beware of the flatterers?

As is the saying of the wise man, so we have found it this day.

A man that flattereth his neighbour, spreadeth a net for his feet.

[Prov. 29:5]

HOPE. They also gave us a note of directions about the way,

for our more sure finding thereof; but therein we have also forgotten

to read, and have not kept ourselves from the paths of the destroyer.

Here David was wiser than we; for, saith he, "Concerning the works

of men, by the word of thy lips, I have kept me from the paths

of the destroyer." [Ps. 17:4] Thus they lay bewailing themselves

in the net. At last they espied a Shining One coming towards them

with a whip of small cord in his hand. When he was come

to the place where they were, he asked them whence they came,

and what they did there. They told him that they were poor pilgrims

going to Zion, but were led out of their way by a black man,

clothed in white, who bid us, said they, follow him,

for he was going thither too. Then said he with the whip,

It is Flatterer, a false apostle, that hath transformed himself

into an angel of light. [Prov. 29:5, Dan. 11:32, 2 Cor. 11:13,14]

So he rent the net, and let the men out. Then said he to them,

Follow me, that I may set you in your way again. So he led them back

to the way which they had left to follow the Flatterer.

Then he asked them, saying, Where did you lie the last night?

They said, With the Shepherds upon the Delectable Mountains.

<They are examined, and convicted of forgetfulness> He asked them then

if they had not of those Shepherds a note of direction for the way.

They answered, Yes. But did you, said he, when you were at a stand,

pluck out and read your note? They answered, No. He asked them, Why?

They said, they forgot. He asked, moreover, if the Shepherds did not

bid them beware of the Flatterer? <Deceivers fine spoken>

They answered, Yes, but we did not imagine, said they,

that this fine-spoken man had been he. [Rom. 16:18]

{330}

Then I saw in my dream that he commanded them to lie down; which,

when they did, he chastised them sore, to teach them the good way

wherein they should walk [Deut. 25:2]; and as he chastised them he said,

"As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; be zealous, therefore,

and repent." [2 Chron. 6:26,27, Rev. 3:19] This done, he bid them

go on their way, and take good heed to the other directions

of the shepherds. So they thanked him for all his kindness,

and went softly along the right way, singing--

Come hither, you that walk along the way;

See how the pilgrims fare that go astray.

They catched are in an entangling net,

'Cause they good counsel lightly did forget:

'Tis true they rescued were, but yet you see,

They're scourged to boot. Let this your caution be.

{331}

Now, after a while, they perceived, afar off, one coming softly

and alone, all along the highway to meet them. Then said Christian

to his fellow, Yonder is a man with his back towards Zion,

and he is coming to meet us.

HOPE. I see him; let us take heed to ourselves now,

lest he should prove a flatterer also. So he drew nearer and nearer,

and at last came up unto them. His name was Atheist,

and he asked them whither they were going.

CHR. We are going to Mount Zion.

Then Atheist fell into a very great laughter.

CHR. What is the meaning of your laughter?

{332}

ATHEIST. I laugh to see what ignorant persons you are,

to take upon you so tedious a journey, and you are like to have

nothing but your travel for your pains.

CHR. Why, man, do you think we shall not be received?

ATHEIST. Received! There is no such place as you dream of

in all this world.

CHR. But there is in the world to come.

{333}

ATHEIST. When I was at home in mine own country, I heard as you

now affirm, and from that hearing went out to see, and have been

seeking this city this twenty years; but find no more of it

than I did the first day I set out. [Jer. 22:12, Eccl. 10:15]

CHR. We have both heard and believe that there is such a place

to be found.

ATHEIST. Had not I, when at home, believed, I had not come thus far

to seek; but finding none, (and yet I should, had there been such

a place to be found, for I have gone to seek it further than you),

I am going back again, and will seek to refresh myself with the things

that I then cast away, for hopes of that which, I now see, is not.

{334}

CHR. Then said Christian to Hopeful his fellow, Is it true

which this man hath said?

<Hopeful's gracious answer>

Hope. Take heed, he is one of the flatterers; remember what it hath

cost us once already for our hearkening to such kind of fellows.

What! no Mount Zion? Did we not see, from the Delectable Mountains

the gate of the city? Also, are we not now to walk by faith?

Let us go on, said Hopeful, lest the man with the whip

overtake us again. [2 Cor. 5:7] <A remembrance of former chastisements

is a help against present temptations> You should have taught me

that lesson, which I will round you in the ears withal: "Cease,

my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words

of knowledge." [Prov. 19:27] I say, my brother, cease to hear him,

and let us "believe to the saving of the soul". [Heb. 10:39]

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CHR. My brother, I did not put the question to thee for that

I doubted of the truth of our belief myself, but to prove thee,

and to fetch from thee a fruit of the honesty of thy heart.

As for this man, I know that he is blinded by the god of this world.

Let thee and I go on, knowing that we have belief of the truth,

"and no lie is of the truth". [1 John 2:21]

HOPE. Now do I rejoice in hope of the glory of God. So they turned

away from the man; and he, laughing at them, went his way.

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I saw then in my dream, that they went till they came into

a certain country, whose air naturally tended to make one drowsy,

if he came a stranger into it. <Hopeful begins to be drowsy>

And here Hopeful began to be very dull and heavy of sleep;

wherefore he said unto Christian, I do now begin to grow so drowsy

that I can scarcely hold up mine eyes, let us lie down here

and take one nap.

CHR. By no means, said the other, lest sleeping, we never awake more.

HOPE. Why, my brother? Sleep is sweet to the labouring man;

we may be refreshed if we take a nap.

CHR. Do you not remember that one of the Shepherds bid us beware

of the Enchanted Ground? He meant by that that we should beware

of sleeping; "Therefore let us not sleep, as do others,

but let us watch and be sober." [1 Thess. 5:6]

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HOPE. I acknowledge myself in a fault, and had I been here alone

I had by sleeping run the danger of death. I see it is true

that the wise man saith, Two are better than one. Hitherto hath

thy company been my mercy, and thou shalt have a good reward

for thy labour. [Eccl. 9:9]

CHR. Now then, said Christian, to prevent drowsiness in this place,

let us fall into good discourse.

HOPE. With all my heart, said the other.

CHR. Where shall we begin?

HOPE. Where God began with us. But do you begin, if you please.

CHR. I will sing you first this song:--

When saints do sleepy grow, let them come hither,

And hear how these two pilgrims talk together:

Yea, let them learn of them, in any wise,

Thus to keep ope their drowsy slumb'ring eyes.

Saints' fellowship, if it be managed well,

Keeps them awake, and that in spite of hell.

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CHR. Then Christian began and said, I will ask you a question.

How came you to think at first of so doing as you do now?

HOPE. Do you mean, how came I at first to look after

the good of my soul?

CHR. Yes, that is my meaning.

HOPE. I continued a great while in the delight of those things

which were seen and sold at our fair; things which, I believe now,

would have, had I continued in them, still drowned me

in perdition and destruction.

CHR. What things are they?

<Hopeful's life before conversion>

HOPE. All the treasures and riches of the world. Also,

I delighted much in rioting, revelling, drinking, swearing, lying,

uncleanness, Sabbath-breaking, and what not, that tended to

destroy the soul. But I found at last, by hearing and considering

of things that are divine, which indeed I heard of you,

as also of beloved Faithful that was put to death for his faith

and good living in Vanity Fair, that "the end of these things is death".

[Rom.6:21-23] And that for these things' sake "cometh the wrath of God

upon the children of disobedience". [Eph.5:6]

CHR. And did you presently fall under the power of this conviction?

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HOPE. No, I was not willing presently to know the evil of sin,

nor the damnation that follows upon the commission of it;

but endeavoured, when my mind at first began to be shaken with the Word,

to shut mine eyes against the light thereof.

CHR. But what was the cause of your carrying of it thus

to the first workings of God's blessed Spirit upon you?

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HOPE. The causes were, 1. I was ignorant that this was

the work of God upon me. I never thought that, by awakenings for sin,

God at first begins the conversion of a sinner. 2. Sin was yet

very sweet to my flesh, and I was loath to leave it. 3. I could not

tell how to part with mine old companions, their presence and actions

were so desirable unto me. 4. The hours in which convictions

were upon me were such troublesome and such heart-affrighting hours

that I could not bear, no not so much as the remembrance of them,

upon my heart.

CHR. Then, as it seems, sometimes you got rid of your trouble.

HOPE. Yes, verily, but it would come into my mind again,

and then I should be as bad, nay, worse, than I was before.

CHR. Why, what was it that brought your sins to mind again?

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HOPE. Many things; as,

1. If I did but meet a good man in the streets; or,

2. If I have heard any read in the Bible; or,

3. If mine head did begin to ache; or,

4. If I were told that some of my neighbours were sick; or,

5. If I heard the bell toll for some that were dead; or,

6. If I thought of dying myself; or,

7. If I heard that sudden death happened to others;

8. But especially, when I thought of myself, that I must quickly

come to judgment.

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CHR. And could you at any time, with ease, get off the guilt of sin,

when by any of these ways it came upon you?

HOPE. No, not I, for then they got faster hold of my conscience;

and then, if I did but think of going back to sin, (though my mind

was turned against it), it would be double torment to me.

CHR. And how did you do then?

<When he could no longer shake off his guilt by sinful courses,

then he endeavors to mend>

HOPE. I thought I must endeavour to mend my life; for else, thought I,

I am sure to be damned.

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CHR. And did you endeavour to mend?

HOPE. Yes; and fled from not only my sins, but sinful company too;

and betook me to religious duties, as prayer, reading, weeping for sin,

speaking truth to my neighbours, &c. These things did I,

with many others, too much here to relate.

CHR. And did you think yourself well then?

HOPE. Yes, for a while; but at the last, my trouble came tumbling

upon me again, and that over the neck of all my reformations.

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CHR. How came that about, since you were now reformed?

HOPE. There were several things brought it upon me,

especially such sayings as these: "All our righteousnesses

are as filthy rags." [Isa. 64:6] "By the works of the law

shall no flesh be justified." [Gal. 2:16] "When ye shall have done

all those things, say, We are unprofitable", [Luke 17:10] with many more

such like. From whence I began to reason with myself thus:

If ALL my righteousnesses are filthy rags; if, by the deeds of the law,

NO man can be justified; and if, when we have done ALL,

we are yet unprofitable, then it is but a folly to think of heaven

by the law. <His being a debtor by the law troubled him>

I further thought thus: If a man runs a hundred pounds

into the shopkeeper's debt, and after that shall pay for all that he

shall fetch; yet, if this old debt stands still in the book uncrossed,

for that the shopkeeper may sue him, and cast him into prison

till he shall pay the debt.

CHR. Well, and how did you apply this to yourself?

HOPE. Why; I thought thus with myself. I have, by my sins,

run a great way into God's book, and that my now reforming

will not pay off that score; therefore I should think still,

under all my present amendments, But how shall I be freed from

that damnation that I have brought myself in danger of by

my former transgressions?

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CHR. A very good application: but, pray, go on.

HOPE. Another thing that hath troubled me, even since

my late amendments, is, that if I look narrowly into the best

of what I do now, I still see sin, new sin, mixing itself

with the best of that I do; so that now I am forced to conclude,

that notwithstanding my former fond conceits of myself and duties,

I have committed sin enough in one duty to send me to hell,

though my former life had been faultless.

CHR. And what did you do then?

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<This made him break his mind to Faithful, who told him the way

to be saved>

HOPE. Do! I could not tell what to do, until I brake my mind

to Faithful, for he and I were well acquainted. And he told me,

that unless I could obtain the righteousness of a man that never

had sinned, neither mine own, nor all the righteousness of the world

could save me.

CHR. And did you think he spake true?

HOPE. Had he told me so when I was pleased and satisfied

with mine own amendment, I had called him fool for his pains;

but now, since I see mine own infirmity, and the sin that cleaves

to my best performance, I have been forced to be of his opinion.

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CHR. But did you think, when at first he suggested it to you,

that there was such a man to be found, of whom it might justly be said

that he never committed sin?

HOPE. I must confess the words at first sounded strangely,

but after a little more talk and company with him,

I had full conviction about it.

CHR. And did you ask him what man this was, and how you must

be justified by him?

HOPE. Yes, and he told me it was the Lord Jesus, that dwelleth on

the right hand of the Most High. And thus, said he, you must

be justified by him, even by trusting to what he hath done by himself,

in the days of his flesh, and suffered when he did hang on the tree.

I asked him further, how that man's righteousness could be

of that efficacy to justify another before God? And he told me

he was the mighty God, and did what he did, and died the death also,

not for himself, but for me; to whom his doings, and the worthiness

of them, should be imputed, if I believed on him. [Heb. 10, Rom. 6,

Col. 1, 1 Pet. 1]

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CHR. And what did you do then?

HOPE. I made my objections against my believing, for that I thought

he was not willing to save me.

CHR. And what said Faithful to you then?

HOPE. He bid me go to him and see. Then I said it was presumption;

but he said, No, for I was invited to come. [Matt. 11:28]

Then he gave me a book of Jesus, his inditing, to encourage me

the more freely to come; and he said, concerning that book,

that every jot and tittle thereof stood firmer than heaven and earth.

[Matt. 24:35] Then I asked him, What I must do when I came; and he

told me, I must entreat upon my knees, with all my heart and soul,

the Father to reveal him to me. [Ps. 95:6, Dan. 6:10, Jer. 29:12,13]

Then I asked him further, how I must make my supplication to him?

And he said, Go, and thou shalt find him upon a mercy-seat,

where he sits all the year long, to give pardon and forgiveness

to them that come. I told him that I knew not what to say when I came.

<He is bid to pray> And he bid me say to this effect:

God be merciful to me a sinner, and make me to know and believe

in Jesus Christ; for I see, that if his righteousness had not been,

or I have not faith in that righteousness, I am utterly cast away.

Lord, I have heard that thou art a merciful God, and hast ordained

that thy Son Jesus Christ should be the Saviour of the world;

and moreover, that thou art willing to bestow him upon

such a poor sinner as I am, (and I am a sinner indeed); Lord,

take therefore this opportunity and magnify thy grace

in the salvation of my soul, through thy Son Jesus Christ. Amen.

[Exo. 25:22, Lev. 16:2, Num. 7:89, Heb. 4:16]

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CHR. And did you do as you were bidden?

HOPE. Yes; over, and over, and over.

CHR. And did the Father reveal his Son to you?

HOPE. Not at the first, nor second, nor third, nor fourth, nor fifth;

no, nor at the sixth time neither.

CHR. What did you do then?

HOPE. What! why I could not tell what to do.

CHR. Had you not thoughts of leaving off praying?

HOPE. Yes; an hundred times twice told.

CHR. And what was the reason you did not?

HOPE. I believed that that was true which had been told me,

to wit, that without the righteousness of this Christ,

all the world could not save me; and therefore, thought I with myself,

if I leave off I die, and I can but die at the throne of grace.

And withal, this came into my mind, "Though it tarry, wait for it;

because it will surely come, it will not tarry." [Heb. 2:3]

So I continued praying until the Father showed me his Son.

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CHR. And how was he revealed unto you?

HOPE. I did not see him with my bodily eyes, but with the eyes

of my understanding; [Eph. 1:18,19] and thus it was:

One day I was very sad, I think sadder than at any one time in my life,

and this sadness was through a fresh sight of the greatness and vileness

of my sins. And as I was then looking for nothing but hell,

and the everlasting damnation of my soul, suddenly, as I thought,

I saw the Lord Jesus Christ look down from heaven upon me, and saying,

"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved."

[Acts 16:30,31]