Pilgrims progress Pt1c by John Bunyan

CHR. Did you meet with no other assault as you came?

FAITH.  When  I  came  to  the  foot  of  the

hill called Difficulty, I met with a very aged

man, who asked me what I was, and

whither bound. I told him that I am a pilgrim, going to the Celestial City. Then said

the old man, Thou lookest like an honest

fellow; wilt thou be content to dwell with

me for the wages that I shall give thee?

Then I asked him his name, and where he

dwelt. He said his name was Adam the

First, and that he dwelt in the town of Deceit (Eph. 4:22). I asked him then, what was

his work, and what the wages that he

would give. He told me, that his work was

many delights; and his wages, that I should

be his heir at last. I further asked him, what

house he kept, and what other servants he

had. So he told me, that his house was

maintained with all  the dainties in the

world; and that his servants were those of

his own begetting. Then I asked if he had

any children. He said that he had but three

daughters; the Lust of the Flesh, the Lust of

the Eyes, and the Pride of Life, and that I

should marry them all[112] if I would (1

John 2:16). Then I asked how long time he

would have me live with him? And he told

me, As long as he lived himself.

CHR. Well, and what conclusion came

the old man and you to, at last?

FAITH. Why, at first, I found myself

somewhat inclinable to go with the man,

for I thought he spake very fair; but looking

in his forehead, as I talked with him, I saw

there written, “Put off the old man with his

deeds.”

CHR. And how then?

FAITH. Then it came burning hot into

my mind, whatever he said, and however

he flattered, when he got me home to his

house, he would sell me for a slave.[113] So

I bid him forbear to talk, for I would not

come near the door of his house. Then he

reviled me, and told me, that he would

send such a one after me, that should make

my way bitter to my soul. So I turned to go

away from him; but just as I turned myself

to go thence, I felt him take hold of my

flesh, and give me such a deadly twitch

back, that I thought he had pulled part of

me after himself. This made me cry, “O

wretched man!” (Rom. 7:24). So I went on

my way up the hill.

Now when I had got about half way up,

I looked behind, and saw one coming after

me, swift as the wind; so he overtook me

just about the place where the settle stands.

CHR. Just there, said Christian, did I sit

down to rest me; but being overcome with

sleep, I there lost this roll out of my bosom

FAITH. But, good brother, hear me out.

So soon as the man overtook me, he was

but a word and a blow, for down he

knocked me, and laid me for dead.[114] But

when I was a little come to myself again, I

asked him wherefore he served me so. He

said, because of my secret inclining to

Adam the First: and with that he struck me

another deadly blow on the breast, and

beat me down backward; so I lay at his foot

as dead as before. So, when I came to myself again, I cried him mercy; but he said, I

know not how to show mercy; and with

that knocked me down again.[115] He had

doubtless made an end of me, but that One

came by, and bid him forbear.

CHR. Who was that that bid him forbear. 32

FAITH. I did not know Him at first, but

as He went by, I perceived the holes in His

hands, and in His side; then I concluded

that He was our Lord. So I went up the hill.

CHR. That man that overtook you was

Moses. He spareth none, neither knoweth

he how to show mercy to those that transgress his law.

FAITH. I know it very well; it was not

the first time that he has met with me. It

was he that came to me when I dwelt securely at home, and that told me he would

burn my house over my head, if I stayed

there.

CHR. But did you not see the house that

stood there on the top of the hill, on the

side of which Moses met you?

FAITH. Yes, and the lions too, before I

came at it; but for the lions, I think they

were asleep; for it was about noon; and because I had so much of the day before me, I

passed by the porter, and came down the

hill.

CHR. He told me indeed, that he saw

you go by, but I wish you had called at the

house, for they would have showed you so

many rarities, that you would scarce have

forgot them to the day of your death. But

pray tell me, Did you meet nobody in the

Valley of Humility?

FAITH. Yes, I met with one Discontent,

who would willingly have persuaded me to

go back again with him; his reason was, for

that the valley was altogether without honour. He told me, moreover, that there to go

was the way to disobey all my friends, as

Pride, Arrogancy, Self-conceit, Worldlyglory, with others, who, he knew, as he

said, would be very much offended, if I

made  such  a  fool  of  myself  as  to  wade

through this valley.

CHR. Well, and how did you answer

him?

FAITH. I told him that although all

these that he named might claim kindred of

me, and that rightly, for indeed they were

my relations according to the flesh, yet

since I became a pilgrim, they have disowned me, as I also have rejected them;

and therefore they were to me now no

more than if they had never been of my

lineage.

I told him, moreover, that as to this valley he had quite misrepresented the thing;

“for before honour is humility; and a

haughty spirit before a fall.” Therefore, said

I, I had rather go through this valley to the

honour that was so accounted by the wisest, than choose that which he esteemed

most worthy our affections.

CHR. Met you with nothing else in that

valley?

FAITH. Yes, I met with Shame; but of

all the men that I met with in my pilgrimage, he, I think, bears the wrong name. The

others  would  be  said  nay, after a little argumentation, and somewhat else; but this

bold-faced Shame would never have

done.[116]

CHR. Why, what did he say to you?

FAITH. What! why, he objected against

religion itself; he  said it was a pitiful, low,

sneaking business for a man to mind religion; he said that a tender conscience was an

unmanly thing; and that for a man to watch

over his words and ways, so as to tie up

himself from that hectoring liberty, that the

brave spirits of the times accustom themselves unto, would make him the ridicule

of the times. He objected also, that but few

of the mighty, rich, or wise, were ever of

my opinion (1 Cor. 1:26; 3:18; Phil. 3:7, 8);

nor any of them neither (John 7:48), before

they were persuaded to be fools, and to be

of a voluntary fondness, to venture the loss

of all, for nobody knows what. He moreover objected the base and low estate and

condition of those that were chiefly the pilgrims, of the times in which they lived; also

their ignorance, and want of understanding

in all natural science. Yea, he did hold me

to it at that rate also, about a great many

more things than here I relate; as, that it

was a shame to sit whining and mourning

under a sermon, and a shame to come sighing and groaning home; that it was a shame 33

to ask my neighbour forgiveness for petty

faults, or to make restitution where I have

taken from any. He said also, that religion

made a man grow strange to the great, because of a few vices, which he called by

finer names; and made him own and respect the base, because of the same religious fraternity. And is not this, said he, a

shame?[117]

CHR. And what did you say to him?

FAITH. Say! I could not tell what to say

at the first. Yea, he put me so to it, that my

blood came up in my face; even this Shame

fetched it up, and had almost beat me quite

off. But, at last, I began to consider, that

“that which is highly esteemed among

men, is had in abomination with God”

(Luke 16:15). And I thought again, this

Shame tells me what men are; but it tells

me nothing what God, or the Word of God

is. And I thought, moreover, that at the day

of doom, we shall not be doomed to death

or life, according to the hectoring spirits of

the world, but according to the wisdom

and law of the Highest. Therefore, thought

I, what God says is best, indeed is best,

though all the men in the world are against

it. Seeing, then, that God prefers His religion; seeing God prefers a tender conscience;

seeing they that make themselves fools for

the kingdom of Heaven are wisest; and that

the poor man that loveth Christ is richer

than the greatest man in the world that

hates Him; Shame, depart, thou art an enemy to my salvation. Shall I entertain thee

against my sovereign Lord? How then shall

I look Him in the face at His coming?

Should I now be ashamed of His ways and

servants, how can I expect the blessing?

(Mark 8:38). But, indeed, this Shame was a

bold villain; I could scarce shake him out of

my company; yea, he would be haunting of

me, and continually whispering me in the

ear, with some one or other of the infirmities that attend religion; but at last I told

him it was but in vain to attempt further in

this business; for those things that he disdained, in those did I see most glory; and

so at last I got past this importunate one.

And when I had shaken him off, then I began to sing—

The trials that those men do meet

withal, That are obedient to the heavenly

call, Are manifold, and suited to the flesh,

And come, and come, and come again

afresh; That now, or sometime else, we by

them may Be taken, overcome, and cast

away. O let the pilgrims, let the pilgrims,

then, Be vigilant, and quit themselves like

men.

CHR. I am glad, my brother, that thou

didst withstand this villain so bravely; for

of all, as thou sayest, I think he has the

wrong name; for he is so bold as to follow

us in the streets, and to attempt to put us to

shame before all men; that is, to make us

ashamed of that which is good; but if he

were not himself audacious, he would

never attempt to do as he does. But let us

still resist him; for notwithstanding all his

bravadoes, he promoteth the fool, and none

else. “The wise shall inherit glory,” said

Solomon, “but shame shall be the promotion of fools” (Prov. 3:35).

 FAITH. I think we must cry to Him for

help against Shame, who would have us to

be valiant for the truth upon the earth.

CHR. You say true; but did you meet

nobody else in that valley?

 FAITH. No, not I, for I had sunshine all

the rest of the way through that, and also

through the Valley  of the Shadow of

Death.[118]

CHR. It was well for you. I am sure it

fared far otherwise with me; I had for a

long season, as soon almost as I entered

into that valley, a dreadful combat with

that foul fiend Apollyon; yea, I thought

verily he would have killed me, especially

when he got me down and crushed me under him, as if he would have crushed me to

pieces; for as he threw me, my sword flew

out of my hand; nay, he told me he was

sure of me; but I cried to God, and He

heard me, and delivered me out of all my

troubles. Then I entered into the Valley of 34

the Shadow of Death, and had no light for

almost half the way through it.[119] I

thought I should have been killed there,

over and over; but at last day broke, and

the sun rose, and I went through that which

was behind with far more ease and quiet.

Moreover, I saw in my dream, that as

they went on, Faithful, as he chanced to

look on one side, saw a man whose name is

Talkative,[120] walking at a distance besides them; for in this place, there was

room enough for them all to walk. He was

a tall man, and something more comely at a

distance than at hand. To this man Faithful

addressed himself in this manner.

FAITH. Friend, whither away? Are you

going to the heavenly country?

TALK. I am going to the same place.

FAITH. That is well; then I hope we

may have your good company.

TALK. With a very good will, will I be

your companion.

FAITH. Come on, then, and let us go

together, and let us spend our time in discoursing of things that are profitable.

TALK. To talk of things that are good,

to me is very acceptable, with you, or with

any other; and I am glad that I have met

with those that incline to so good a work;

for, to speak the truth, there are but few

that care thus to spend their time (as they

are in their travels), but choose much rather

to be speaking of things to no profit; and

this hath been a trouble to me.

FAITH. That is indeed a thing to be lamented; for what things so worthy of the

use of the tongue and mouth of men on

earth, as are the things of the God of

Heaven?

TALK. I like you wonderful well, for

your sayings are full of conviction; and I

will add, what thing is so pleasant, and

what so profitable, as to talk of the things of

God? What things so pleasant (that is, if a

man hath any delight  in things that are

wonderful)? For instance, if a man doth delight to talk of the history or the mystery of

things; or if a man doth love to talk of

miracles, wonders, or signs, where shall he

find things recorded so delightful, and so

sweetly penned, as in the Holy Scripture?

FAITH. That is true;  but to be profited

by such things in our talk should be that

which we design.

TALK. That is it that I said; for to talk of

such things is most profitable; for by so doing, a man may get knowledge of many

things; as of the vanity of earthly things,

and the benefit of things above. Thus, in

general, but more particularly, by this, a

man may learn the necessity of the new

birth; the insufficiency of our works; the

need of Christ’s righteousness, &c. Besides,

by this a man may learn, by talk, what it is

to repent, to believe, to pray, to suffer, or

the like; by this also a man may learn what

are the great promises and consolations of

the Gospel, to his own comfort. Further, by

this a man may learn to refute false opinions, to vindicate the truth, and also to instruct the ignorant.[121]

FAITH. All this is true, and glad am I to

hear these things from you.

TALK. Alas! the want of this is the

cause why so few understand the need of

faith, and the necessity of a work of grace

in their soul, in order to eternal life; but ignorantly live in the works of the law, by

which a man can by no means obtain the

kingdom of Heaven.

FAITH. But, by your leave, heavenly

knowledge of these is the gift of God; no

man attaineth to them by human industry,

or only by the talk of them.

TALK. All this I know very well. For a

man can receive nothing, except it be given

him from Heaven; all is of grace, not of

works. I could give you a hundred scriptures for the confirmation of this.

FAITH. Well, then, said Faithful, what

is that one thing that we shall at this time

found our discourse upon?

TALK. What you will. I will talk of

things heavenly, or things earthly; things

moral, or things evangelical; things sacred,

or things profane; things past, or things to 35

come; things foreign, or things at home;

things more essential, or things circumstantial; provided that all be done to our profit.

FAITH. Now did Faithful begin to

wonder; and stepping to Christian (for he

walked all this while by himself), he said to

him (but softly), What a brave companion

have we got! Surely this man will make a

very excellent pilgrim.

CHR. At this Christian modestly smiled,

and said, This man, with whom you are so

taken, will beguile, with that tongue of his,

20 of them that know him not.

 FAITH. Do you know him, then?

CHR. Know him! Yes, better than he

knows himself.

FAITH. Pray, what is he?

CHR. His name is Talkative; he dwelleth in our town; I wonder that you should

be a stranger to him, only I consider that

our town is large.

FAITH. Whose son is he? And whereabout does he dwell?

CHR. He is the son of one Say-well; he

dwelt in Prating Row; and he is known of

all that are acquainted with him, by the

name of Talkative in Prating Row; and

notwithstanding his fine tongue, he is but a

sorry fellow.[122]

FAITH. Well, he seems to be a very

pretty man.

CHR. That is, to them who have not

thorough acquaintance with him; for he is

best abroad; near home, he is ugly enough.

Your saying that he is a pretty man, brings

to  my  mind  what  I  have  observed  in  the

work of the painter, whose pictures show

best at a distance, but, very near, more unpleasing.

FAITH. But I am ready to think you do

but jest, because you smiled.

CHR. God forbid that I should jest (although I smiled) in this matter, or that I

should accuse any falsely! I will give you a

further discovery of him. This man is for

any company, and for any talk; as he

talketh now with you, so  will he talk when

he is on the ale-bench; and the more drink

he hath in his crown, the more of these

things he hath in his mouth; religion hath

no place in his heart, or house, or conversation; all he hath, lieth in his tongue, and his

religion is to make a noise therewith.

FAITH. Say you so! then am I in this man

greatly deceived.[123]

CHR. Deceived! you may be sure of it;

remember the proverb, “They say, and do

not” (Matt. 23:3). But the “kingdom of God

is not in word, but in power” (1 Cor. 4:20).

He talketh of prayer, of repentance, of faith,

and of the new birth; but he knows but

only to talk of them. I have been in his family, and have observed him both at home

and abroad; and I know what I say of him

is the truth. His house is as empty of religion, as the white of an egg is of savour.

There is there, neither prayer, nor sign of

repentance for sin; yea, the brute in his

kind serves God far better than he. He is

the very stain, reproach, and shame of religion, to all that know him; it can hardly

have a good word in all that end of the

town where he dwells, through him (Rom.

2:24, 25). Thus say the common people that

know him, A saint abroad, and a devil at

home. His poor family finds it so, he is such

a churl, such a railer at, and so unreasonable with his servants, that they neither

know how to do for, or speak to him. Men

that have any dealings with him, say, it is

better to deal with a Turk than with him;

for fairer dealing they shall have at their

hands. This Talkative (if it be possible) will

go beyond them, defraud, beguile, and

over-reach them. Besides, he brings up his

sons to follow his steps; and if he findeth in

any of them a foolish timorousness (for so

he calls the first appearance of a tender

conscience), he calls them fools, and blockheads, and by no means will employ them

in much, or speak to their commendations

before others. For my part, I am of opinion,

that he has, by his wicked life, caused many

to stumble and fall; and will be, if God prevent not, the ruin of many more.[124] 36

FAITH. Well, my brother, I am bound to

believe you; not only because you say you

know him, but also because, like a Christian, you make your reports of men. For I

cannot think that you speak these things of

ill-will, but because it is even so as you say.

CHR. Had I known him no more than

you, I might perhaps have thought of him

as, at the first, you did; yea, had he received this report at their hands only that

are enemies to religion, I should have

thought it had been  a slander—a lot that

often falls from bad men’s mouths upon

good men’s names and professions; but all

these things, yea, and a great many more as 

bad, of my own knowledge, I can prove

him guilty of. Besides, good men are

ashamed of him; they can neither call him

brother, nor friend; the very naming of him

among them makes them blush, if they

know him.

FAITH. Well, I see that saying and doing are two things, and hereafter I shall better observe this distinction.

CHR. They are two things indeed, and

are as diverse as are the soul and the body;

for as the body without the soul is but a

dead carcass, so saying, if it be alone, is but

a dead carcass also. The soul of religion is

the practical part: “Pure religion and undefiled, before God and the Father, is this, to

visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted

from the world” (James 1:27; see ver. 22-

26). This Talkative is not aware of; he

thinks that hearing and saying will make a

good Christian, and thus he deceiveth his

own soul. Hearing is but as the sowing of

the seed; talking is not sufficient to prove

that fruit is indeed in the heart and life; and

let us assure ourselves, that at the day of

doom men shall be judged according to

their fruits (Matt. 13:25). It will not be said

then, Did you believe? but, Were you doers, or talkers only? and accordingly shall

they be judged. The end of the world is

compared to our harvest; and you know

men at harvest regard nothing but fruit.

Not that anything can be accepted that is

not of faith, but I speak this to show you

how insignificant the profession of Talkative will be at that day.

FAITH. This brings to my mind that of

Moses, by which he describeth the beast

that is clean (Lev. 11; Deut. 14). He is such a

one that parteth the hoof and cheweth the

cud; not that parteth the hoof only, or that

cheweth the cud only. The hare cheweth

the cud, but yet is unclean, because be parteth not the hoof. And this truly resembleth

Talkative, he cheweth the cud, he seeketh

knowledge, he cheweth upon the word; but

he divideth not the hoof, he parteth not

with the way of sinners; but, as the hare, he

retaineth the foot of a dog or bear, and

therefore he is unclean.[125]

CHR. You have spoken, for aught I

know, the true Gospel sense of those texts.

And I will add another thing: Paul calleth

some men, yea, and those great talkers too,

“sounding brass, and tinkling cymbals,”

that is, as he expounds them in another

place, “things without life, giving sound”

(1 Cor. 13:1-3; 14:7). Things without life,

that is, without the true faith and grace of

the Gospel; and consequently, things that

shall never be placed in the kingdom of

Heaven among those that are the children

of life; though their sound, by their talk, be

as if it were the tongue or voice of an angel.

FAITH. Well, I was not so fond of his

company at first, but I am as sick of it now.

What shall we do to be rid of him?

CHR. Take my advice, and do as I bid

you, and you shall find that he will soon be

sick of your company too, except God shall

touch his heart, and turn it.

FAITH. What would you have me to

do?

CHR. Why, go to him, and enter into

some serious discourse about the power of

religion; and ask him plainly (when he has

approved of it, for that he will) whether

this thing be set up in his heart, house, or

conversation?[126] 37

FAITH. Then Faithful stepped forward

again, and said to Talkative, Come, what

cheer? How is it now?

TALK. Thank you, well. I thought we

should have had a great deal of talk by this

time.

FAITH. Well, if you will, we will fall to

it now; and since you left it with me to state

the question, let it be this: How doth the

saving grace of God discover itself, when it

is in the heart of man?

TALK. I perceive then, that our talk

must be about the power of things. Well, it

is a very good question, and I shall be willing to answer you. And take my answer in

brief, thus: First, Where the grace of work

of God is in the heart, it causeth there a

great outcry against sin. Secondly—

FAITH. Nay, hold, let us consider of

one at once. I think you should rather say,

It shows itself by inclining the soul to abhor

its sin.

TALK. Why, what difference is there between crying out against, and abhorring of

sin?

FAITH. O! a great deal. A man may cry

out against sin of policy, but he cannot abhor it, but by virtue of a godly antipathy

against it. I have heard many cry out

against sin in the pulpit, who yet can abide

it well enough in the heart, house, and conversation. Joseph’s mistress cried out with a

loud voice, as if she had been very holy; but

she would willingly, notwithstanding that,

have committed uncleanness with him

(Gen. 39:15). Some cry out against sin, even

as the mother cries out against her child in

her lap, when she calleth it slut and

naughty girl, and then falls to hugging and

kissing it.[127]

TALK. You lie at the catch, I perceive.[128]

FAITH. No, not I; I am only for setting

things right. But what is the second thing

whereby you would prove a discovery of a

work of grace in the heart?

TALK. Great knowledge of Gospel mysteries.

FAITH.  This  sign  should  have  been

first; but first or last, it is also false; for

knowledge, great knowledge, may be obtained in the mysteries of the Gospel, and

yet no work of grace in the soul (1 Cor. 13).

Yea, if a man have all knowledge, he may

yet be nothing, and so consequently be no

child of God. When Christ said, “Do you

know all these things?” and the disciples

had answered, Yes; He addeth, “Blessed

are ye if ye do them.” He doth not lay the

blessing in the knowing of them, but in the

doing of them. For there is a knowledge

that is not attended with doing: “He that

knoweth his master’s will, and doeth it

not.” A man may know like an angel, and

yet be no Christian, therefore your sign of it

is not true. Indeed, to know is a thing that

pleaseth talkers and boasters; but to do is

that which pleaseth God. Not that the heart

can be good without knowledge; for without that the heart is naught. There is, therefore, knowledge and knowledge. Knowledge that resteth in the bare speculation of

things; and knowledge that is accompanied

with the grace of faith and love; which puts

a man upon doing even the will of God

from the heart: the first of these will serve

the talker; but without the other the true

Christian is not content. “Give me understanding, and I shall keep Thy law; yea, I

shall observe it with my whole heart” (Psa.

119:34).

TALK. You lie at the catch again; this is

not for edification.[129]

FAITH. Well, if you please, propound

another sign how this work of grace discovereth itself where it is.

TALK. Not I, for I see we shall not

agree.

FAITH. Well, if you will not, will you

give me leave to do it?

TALK. You may use your liberty.

FAITH. A work of grace in the soul discovereth itself, either to him that hath it, or

to standers-by.

To him that hath it thus: It gives him

conviction of sin, especially of the defile-38

ment of his nature and the sin of unbelief

(for the sake of which he is sure to be

damned, if he findeth not mercy at God’s

hand, by faith in Jesus Christ) (John 16:8;

Rom. 7:24; John 16:9; Mark 16:16). This

sight and sense of things worketh in him

sorrow and shame for sin; he findeth,

moreover, revealed in Him the Saviour of

the world, and the absolute necessity of

closing with Him for life, at the which he

findeth hungerings and thirstings after

Him; to which hungerings, &c., the promise

is made (Psa. 38:18; Jer. 31:19; Gal. 2:16;

Acts 4:12; Matt. 5:6; Rev. 21:60). Now, according to the strength or weakness of his

faith in his Saviour, so is his joy and peace,

so is his love to holiness, so are his desires

to know Him more, and also to serve Him

in this world. But though I say it discovereth itself thus unto him, yet it is but seldom

that he is able to conclude that this is a

work of grace; because his corruptions

now, and his abused reason, make his mind

to misjudge in this matter; therefore, in him

that hath this work, there is required a very

sound judgment before he can, with

steadiness, conclude that this is a work of

grace.

To others, it is thus discovered:

1. By an experimental confession of his

faith in Christ (Rom. 10:10; Phil. 1:27; Matt.

5:19).

 2. By a life answerable to that confession; to wit, a life of holiness; heartholiness, family-holiness (if he hath a family), and by conversation-holiness in the

world; which, in the general, teacheth him,

inwardly, to abhor his sin, and himself for

that, in secret; to suppress it in his family,

and to promote holiness in the world; not

by talk only, as a hypocrite or talkative person may do, but by a practical subjection, in

faith and love, to the power of the Word

(John 14:15; Psa. 1:23; Job 42:5, 6; Ezek.

20:43). And now, Sir, as to this brief description of the work of grace, and also the

discovery of it, if you have aught to object,

object; if not, then give me leave to propound to you a second question.

TALK.  Nay,  my  part  is  not  now  to  object, but to hear; let me, therefore, have

your second question.

FAITH. It is this: Do you experience this

first part of this description of it? and doth

your life and conversation testify the same?

or standeth your religion in word or in

tongue, and not in deed and truth? Pray, if

you incline to answer me in this, say no

more than you know the God above will

say Amen to; and, also, nothing but what

your conscience can justify you in; “for, not

he that commendeth himself is approved,

but whom the Lord commendeth.” Besides,

to say, I am thus, and thus, when my conversation, and all my neighbours, tell me I

lie, is great wickedness.[130]

TALK. Then Talkative at first began to

blush; but, recovering himself, thus he replied: You come now to experience, to conscience, and God; and to appeal to Him for

justification of what is spoken. This kind of

discourse I did not expect; nor am I disposed to give an answer to such questions,

because I count not myself bound thereto,

unless you take upon you to be a catechiser, and, though you should so do, yet I

may refuse to make you my judge. But, I

pray, will you tell me why you ask me such

questions?[131]

FAITH. Because I saw you forward to

talk, and because I knew not that you had

aught else but notion. Besides, to tell you

all the truth, I have heard of you, that you

are a man whose religion lies in talk, and

that your conversation gives this your

mouth—profession the lie. They say, you

are a spot among Christians; and that religion fareth the worse for your ungodly conversation; that some already have stumbled

at your wicked ways, and that more are in

danger of being destroyed thereby; your

religion, and an ale-house, and covetousness, and uncleanness, and swearing, and

lying, and vain company keeping, &c., will

stand together. The proverb is true of you 39

which is said of a whore, to wit, that she is

a shame to all women; so are you a shame

to all professors.[132]

TALK. Since you are ready to take up

reports, and to judge so rashly as you do, I

cannot but conclude you are some peevish

or melancholy man, not fit to be discoursed

with; and so adieu.[133]

CHR. Then came up Christian, and said

to his brother, I told you how it would

happen; your words and his lusts could not

agree; he had rather leave your company

than reform his life. But he is gone, as I

said; let him go, the loss is no man’s but his

own; he has saved us the trouble of going

from him; for he continuing (as I suppose

he will do) as he is, he would have been but

a blot in our company; besides, the apostle

says, “From such withdraw thyself.”

FAITH. But I am glad we had this little

discourse with him; it may happen that he

will think of it again; however, I have dealt

plainly with him, and so am clear of his

blood, if he perisheth.

CHR. You did well to talk so plainly to

him as you did; there is but little of this

faithful dealing with men now-a-days, and

that makes religion to stink so in the nostrils of many, as it doth; for they are these

talkative fools whose religion is only in

word, and are debauched and vain in their

conversation, that (being so much admitted

into the fellowship of the godly) do puzzle

the world, blemish Christianity, and grieve

the sincere. I wish that all men would deal

with such as you have done; then should

they either be made more conformable to

religion, or the company of saints would be

too hot for them. Then did Faithful say,

 How Talkative at first lifts up his

plumes! How bravely doth he speak! How

he presumes To drive down all before him!

But so soon As Faithful talks of heart-work,

like the moon That’s past the full, into the

wane he goes. And so will all, but he that

HEART-WORK knows.

Thus they went on talking of what they

had seen by the way, and so made that way

easy which would, otherwise, no doubt,

have been tedious to them; for now they

went through a wilderness.

Now, when they were got almost quite

out of this wilderness, Faithful chanced to

cast his eye back, and espied one coming

after them, and he knew him. Oh ! said

Faithful to his brother, Who comes yonder?

Then Christian looked, and said, It is my

good friend Evangelist. Aye, and my good

friend too, said Faithful, for it was he that

set me the way to the gate. Now was Evangelist come up unto them, and thus saluted

them:

 EVAN. Peace be with you, dearly beloved; and peace be to your helpers. CHR.

Welcome, welcome, my good Evangelist;

the sight of thy countenance brings to my

remembrance thy ancient kindness and

unwearied labouring for my eternal good.

FAITH. And a thousand times welcome,

said good Faithful. Thy company, O sweet

Evangelist, how desirable it is to us poor

pilgrims![134]

EVAN. Then said Evangelist, How hath

it fared with you, my friends, since the time

of our last parting? What have you met

with, and how have you behaved yourselves?

Then Christian and Faithful told him of

all things that had happened to them in the

way; and how and with what difficulty,

they had arrived to that place.[135]

EVAN. Right glad am I, said Evangelist,

not that you have met with trials, but that

you have been victors; and for that you

have, notwithstanding many weaknesses,

continued in the way to this very day.

I say, right glad am I of this thing, and

that for mine own sake and yours. I have

sowed, and you have reaped; and the day

is coming, when both he that sowed and

they that reaped shall rejoice together; that

is, if you hold out; “for in due season ye

shall reap, if ye faint not” (John 4:36; Gal.

6:9). The crown is before you, and it is an

incorruptible one; “so run, that you may

obtain” it (1 Cor. 9:24-27). Some there be 40

that set out for this crown, and, after they

have gone far for it, another comes in, and

takes it from them; hold fast, therefore, that

you have, let no man take your crown (Rev.

3:11).[136] You are not yet out of the gunshot of the devil; you have not resisted unto

blood, striving against sin; let the kingdom

be always before you, and believe steadfastly concerning things that are invisible.

Let nothing that is on this side the other

world get within you; and, above all, look

well to your own hearts, and to the lusts

thereof, “for they are deceitful above all

things, and desperately wicked”; set your

faces like a flint; you have all power in

Heaven and earth on your side.

CHR. Then Christian thanked him for

his exhortation; but told him, withal, that

they would have him speak further to them

for their help the rest of the way, and the

rather, for that they well knew that he was

a prophet, and could tell them of things

that might happen unto them, and also

how they might resist and overcome them.

To which request Faithful also consented.

So Evangelist began as followeth:

EVAN. My sons, you have heard in the

words of the truth of the Gospel that you

must, through many tribulations, enter into

the kingdom of Heaven. And again, that in

every city bonds and afflictions abide in

you; and therefore you cannot expect that

you should go long on your pilgrimage

without them, in some sort or other. You

have found something of the truth of these

testimonies upon you already, and more

will immediately follow; for now, as you

see, you are almost out of this wilderness,

and therefore you will soon come into a

town that you will by and by see before

you; and in that town you will be hardly

beset with enemies, who will strain hard

but they will kill you; and be you sure that

one or both of you must seal the testimony

which you hold, with blood; but be you

faithful unto death, and the King will give

you a crown of life. He that shall die there,

although his death will be unnatural, and

his pain perhaps great, he will yet have the

better of his fellow; not only because he

will be arrived at the Celestial City soonest,

but because he will escape many miseries

that the other will meet with in the rest of

his journey. But when you are come to the

town, and shall find fulfilled what I have

here related, then remember your friend

and quit yourselves like men, and commit

the keeping of your souls to your God in

well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator.[137]

Then I saw in my dream, that when

they were got out of the wilderness, they

presently saw a town before them, and the

name of that town is Vanity; and at the

town there is a fair kept, called Vanity Fair:

it is kept all the year long; it beareth the

name of Vanity Fair, because the town

where it is kept is lighter than vanity; and

also because all that is there sold, or that

cometh thither, is vanity. As is the saying of

the wise, “All that cometh is vanity” (Eccl.

1; 2:11, 17; 11:8; Isa. 40:17).

This fair is no new-erected business, but

a thing of ancient standing; I will show you

the original of it.

Almost 5,000 years agone, there were

pilgrims walking to the Celestial City as

these two honest persons are: and Beelzebub, Apollyon, and  Legion, with their

companions, perceiving by the path that

the pilgrims made, that their way to the

city lay through this town of Vanity, they

contrived here to set up a fair; a fair

wherein should be sold all sorts of vanity,

and that it should last all the year long:

therefore at this fair are all such merchandise sold, as houses, lands, trades, places,

honours, preferments, titles, countries,

kingdoms, lusts, pleasures, and delights of

all sorts, as whores, bawds, wives, husbands, children, masters, servants, lives,

blood, bodies, souls, silver, gold, pearls,

precious stones, and what not.[138] And,

moreover, at this fair there is at all times, to

be seen juggling, cheats, games, plays,

fools, apes, knaves, and rogues, and that of

every kind. 41

Here are to be seen too, and that for

nothing, thefts, murders, adulteries, false

swearers, and that of a blood-red colour.[139]

And as in other fairs of less moment,

there are the several rows and streets, under their proper names, where such and

such wares are vended; so here likewise

you have the proper places, rows, streets

(viz. countries and kingdoms), where the

wares of this fair are soonest to be found.

Here is the Britain Row, the French Row,

the Italian Row, the Spanish Row, the German Row, where several sorts of vanities

are to be sold. But, as in other fairs, some

one commodity is as the chief of all the fair,

so the ware of Rome and her merchandise

is greatly promoted in this fair; only our

English nation, with some others, have

taken a dislike thereat.[140]

Now, as I said, the way to the Celestial

City lies just through this town where this

lusty fair is kept; and he that will go to the

City, and yet not go through this town,

must needs “go out of the world” (1 Cor.

5:10). The Prince of princes Himself, when

here, went through this town to His own

country, and that upon a fair day too; yea,

and as I think, it was Beelzebub, the chief

lord of this fair, that invited Him to buy of

his vanities; yea, would have made Him

lord of the fair, would He but have done

him reverence as He went through the

town (Matt. 4:8; Luke 4:5-7). Yea, because

He was such a person of honour, Beelzebub

had Him from street to street, and showed

Him all the kingdoms of the world in a little time, that he might, if possible, allure

the Blessed One to cheapen and buy some

of his vanities; but He had no mind to the

merchandise, and therefore left the town,

without laying out so much as one farthing

upon these vanities. This fair, therefore, is

an ancient thing, of  long standing, and a

very great fair. Now these Pilgrims, as I

said, must needs go through this fair.[141]

Well, so they did; but, behold, even as they

entered into the fair, all the people in the

fair were moved, and the town itself as it

were in a hubbub about them; and that for

several reasons; for—

First, The pilgrims were clothed with

such kind of raiment as was diverse from

the raiment of any that traded in that fair.

The people, therefore, of the fair, made a

great gazing upon them: some said they

were fools, some they were bedlams, and

some they are outlandish men[142] (1 Cor.

2:7, 8).

 Secondly, And as they wondered at

their apparel, so they did likewise at their

speech; for few could understand what

they said; they naturally spoke the language of Canaan, but they that kept the fair

were the men of this world; so that, from

one end of the fair to the other, they

seemed barbarians each to the other.

Thirdly, But that which did not a little

amuse the merchandisers was, that these

pilgrims set very light by all their wares;

they cared not so much as to look upon

them; and if they called upon them to buy,

they would put their fingers in their ears,

and cry, “Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity,”[143] and look upwards,

signifying that their trade and traffic was in

Heaven (Psa. 119:37; Phil. 3:19, 20).

 One chanced mockingly, beholding the

carriage of the men, to say unto them, What

will ye buy? But they, looking gravely

upon him, answered, “We buy the truth”

(Psa. 23:23).[144] At that there was an occasion taken to despise the men the more:

some mocking, some taunting, some speaking reproachfully, and some calling upon

others to smite them. At last things came to

a hubbub, and great stir in the fair, insomuch that all order was confounded. Now

was word presently brought to the great

one of the fair, who quickly came down,

and deputed some of his most trusty

friends to take these men into examination,

about whom the fair was almost overturned. So the men were brought to examination; and they that sat upon them, asked

them whence they came, whither they 42

went, and what they did there in such an

unusual garb? The men told them, that they

were pilgrims and strangers in the world,

and that they were going to their own

country, which was the heavenly Jerusalem

(Heb. 9:13-16); and that they had given no

occasion to the men of the town, nor yet to

the merchandisers, thus to abuse them, and

to let them in their journey, except it was,

for that, when one asked them what they

would buy, they said they would buy the

truth. But they that were appointed to examine them did not believe them to be any

other than bedlams and mad, or else such

as came to put all things into a confusion in

the fair. Therefore they took them and beat

them, and besmeared them with dirt, and

then put them into the cage, that they

might be made a spectacle to all the men of

the fair. There, therefore, they lay for some

time, and were made the objects of any

man’s sport, or malice, or revenge, the

great one of the fair laughing still at all that

befell them. But the men being patient, and

not rendering railing for railing, but

contrariwise, blessing, and giving good

words for bad, and kindness for injuries

done, some men in the fair that were more

observing, and less prejudiced than the

rest, began to check and blame the baser

sort for their continual abuses done by

them to the men; they, therefore, in angry

manner, let fly at them again, counting

them as bad as the men in the cage, and

telling them that they seemed confederates,

and should be made partakers of their

misfortunes.[145] The other replied, that for

aught they could see, the men were quiet,

and sober, and intended nobody any harm;

and that there were many that traded in

their fair, that were more worthy to be put

into the cage, yea, and pillory too, than

were the men that they had abused. Thus,

after divers words had passed on both

sides, the men behaving themselves all the

while very wisely and soberly before them,

they fell to some blows among themselves,

and did harm one to another. Then were

these two poor men brought before their

men brought before their examiners again,

and there charged as being guilty of the late

hubbub that had been in the fair. So they

beat them pitifully, and hanged irons upon

them, and led them in chains up and down

the fair, for an example and a terror to others, lest any should speak in their behalf, or

join themselves unto them.[146] But Christian and Faithful behaved themselves yet

more wisely, and received the ignominy

and shame that was cast upon them, with

so much meekness and patience, that it

won to their side, though but few in comparison of the rest, several of the men in the

fair. This put the other party yet into

greater rage, insomuch that they concluded

the death of these two men. Wherefore they

threatened, that the cage nor irons should

serve their turn, but that they should die,

for the abuse they had done, and for deluding the men of the fair.

Then were they remanded to the cage

again, until further order should be taken

with them. So they put them in, and made

their feet fast in the stocks.

Here, therefore, they called again to

mind what they had heard from their faithful friend Evangelist, and were the more

confirmed in their way and sufferings, by

what he told them would happen to

them.[147] They also now comforted each

other, that whose lot it was to suffer, even

he should have the best of it; therefore each

man secretly wished that he might have

that preferment: but committing themselves to the all-wise disposal of Him that

ruleth all things, with much content they

abode in the condition in which they were,

until they should be otherwise disposed

of.[148]

Then a convenient time being appointed, they brought them  forth to their

trial, in order to their condemnation. When

the time was come, they were brought before their enemies and arraigned. The

Judge’s name was Lord Hate-good. Their

indictment was one and the same in sub-43

stance, though somewhat varying in form,

the contents whereof were this—

“That they were enemies to, and disturbers of their trade; that they had made

commotions and divisions in the town, and

had won a party to their own most dangerous opinions, in contempt of the law of

their prince.”[149]

Then Faithful began to answer, that he

had only set himself against that which had

set itself against Him that is higher than the

highest. And, said he, as for disturbance, I

make none, being myself a man of peace;

the parties that were won to us, were won

by beholding our truth and innocence, and

they are only turned from the worse to the

better. And as to the king you talk of, since

be is Beelzebub, the enemy of our Lord, I

defy him and all his angels.

Then proclamation was made, that they

that had aught to say for their lord the king

against the prisoner at the bar, should

forthwith appear and give in their evidence. So there came in three witnesses, to

wit, Envy, Superstition, and Pickthank.

They were then asked if they knew the

prisoner at the bar; and what they had to

say for their lord the king against him.

Then stood forth Envy, and said to this

effect, My Lord, I have known this man a

long time, and will attest upon my oath before this honourable bench, that he is—

JUDGE. Hold. Give him his oath. (So

they sware him). Then he said—

ENVY. My Lord, this man, notwithstanding his plausible name, is one of the

vilest men in our country. He neither regardeth prince nor people, law nor custom;

but doth all that he can to possess all men

with certain of his disloyal notions,[150]

which he in the general calls principles of

faith and holiness. And, in particular, I

heard him once myself affirm, that Christianity and the customs of our town of Vanity, were diametrically opposite, and could

not be reconciled. By which saying, my

Lord, he doth at once not only condemn all

our laudable doings, but us in the doing of

them.

JUDGE. Then did the Judge say to him,

Hast thou any more to say?

ENVY. My Lord, I could say much

more, only I would not be tedious to the

court. Yet, if need be, when the other gentlemen have given in their evidence, rather

than anything shall be wanting that will

despatch him, I will enlarge my testimony

against him. So he was bid stand by.

Then they called Superstition, and bid

him look upon the prisoner. They also

asked, what he could say for their lord the

king against him. Then they sware him; so

he began.

SUPER. My Lord, I have no great acquaintance with this man, nor do I desire to

have further knowledge of him; however,

this I know, that he is a very pestilent fellow, from some discourse that, the other

day, I had with him in this town; for then

talking with him, I heard him say, that our

religion was naught, and such by which a

man could by no means please God. Which

sayings of his, my Lord, your Lordship

very well knows, what necessarily thence

will follow, to wit, that we do still worship

in vain, are yet in our sins, and finally shall

be damned; and this is that which I have to

say.[151]

Then was Pickthank sworn, and bid say

what  he  knew,  in  behalf  of  their  lord  the

king, against the prisoner at the bar.

PICK. My Lord, and you gentlemen all,

This fellow I have known of a long time,

and have heard him speak things that

ought not to be spoke; for he hath railed on

our noble prince Beelzebub, and hath spoken contemptibly of his honourable friends,

whose names are the Lord Old Man, the

Lord Carnal Delight, the Lord Luxurious,

the Lord Desire of Vain Glory, my old Lord

Lechery, Sir Having Greedy, with all the

rest of our nobility; and he hath said, moreover, That if all men were of his mind, if

possible, there is not one of these noblemen

should have any longer a being in this 44

town. Besides, he hath not been afraid to

rail on you, my Lord, who are now appointed to be his judge, calling you an ungodly villain, with many other such like

vilifying terms, with which he hath bespattered most of the gentry of our town.[152]

When this Pickthank had told his tale,

the Judge directed his speech to the prisoner at the bar, saying, Thou runagate,

heretic, and traitor,  hast thou heard what

these honest gentlemen have witnessed

against thee?

FAITH. May I speak a few words in my

own defence?

JUDGE. Sirrah ! Sirrah! thou deservest

to live no longer, but to be slain immediately upon the place; yet, that all men may

see our gentleness towards thee, let us hear

what thou, vile runagate, hast to say.

FAITH. 1. I say, then, in answer to what

Mr. Envy hath spoken, I never said aught

but this, That what rule, or laws, or custom,

or people, were flat against the Word of

God, are diametrically opposite to Christianity. If I have said amiss in this, convince

me of my error, and I am ready here before

you to make my recantation.

2. As to the second, to wit, Mr. Superstition, and his charge against me, I said only

this, That in the worship of God there is required a Divine faith; but there can be no

Divine faith without a Divine revelation of

the will of God. Therefore, whatever is

thrust into the worship of God that is not

agreeable to Divine revelation, cannot be

done but by a human faith, which faith will

not be profitable to eternal life.

3. As to what Mr. Pickthank hath said, I

say (avoiding terms, as that I am said to

rail, and the like), that the prince of this

town, with all the rabblement, his attendants, by this gentleman named, are more

fit for a being in hell, than in this town and

country: and so, the Lord have mercy upon

me![153]

Then the Judge called to the jury (who

all this while stood by, to hear and observe);[154] Gentlemen of the jury, you see

this man about whom so great an uproar

hath been made in this town. You have also

heard what these worthy gentlemen have

witnessed against him. Also you have

heard his reply and confession. It lieth now

in your breasts to hang him, or save his life;

but yet I think meet to instruct you into our

law.

There was an Act made in the days of

Pharaoh the Great, servant to our prince,

that lest those of a contrary religion should

multiply, and grow too strong for him,

their males should be thrown into the river

(Exo. 1). There was also an Act made in the

days of Nebuchadnezzar the Great, another

of his servants, that whosoever would not

fall down and worship his golden image,

should be thrown into a fiery furnace (Dan.

3). There was also an Act made in the days

of Darius, that whoso, for some time, called

upon any God but him, should be cast into

the lions’ den (Dan. 6). Now the substance

of these laws this rebel has broken, not only

in thought (which is  not to be borne) but

also in word and deed; which must therefore needs be intolerable.

For that of Pharaoh, his law was made

upon a supposition, to prevent mischief, no

crime being yet apparent; but here is a

crime apparent. For the second and third,

you see he disputeth against our religion;

and for the treason he hath confessed, he

deserveth to die the death.

Then went the jury out, whose names

were, Mr. Blind-man, Mr. No-good, Mr.

Malice, Mr. Love-lust, Mr. Live-loose, Mr.

Heady, Mr. High-mind, Mr. Enmity, Mr.

Liar, Mr. Cruelty, Mr. Hate-light, and Mr.

Implacable; who every one gave in his private verdict against him among themselves, and afterwards unanimously concluded to bring him  in guilty before the

Judge. And first, among themselves, Mr.

Blind-man, the foreman, said, I see clearly

that this man is a heretic.[155] Then said

Mr. No-good, Away with such a fellow

from the earth. Ay, said Mr. Malice, for I

hate  the  very  looks  of  him.  Then  said  Mr. 45

Love-lust, I could never endure him. Nor I,

said Mr. Live-loose, for he would always be

condemning my way. Hang him, hang him,

said Mr. Heady. A sorry scrub, said Mr.

High-mind. My heart riseth against him,

said Mr. Enmity. He is a rogue, said Mr.

Liar. Hanging is too good for him, said Mr.

Cruelty. Let us despatch him out of the

way, said Mr. Hate-light. Then said Mr.

Implacable, Might I have all the world

given me, I could not be reconciled to him;

therefore, let us forthwith bring him in

guilty of death.[156] And so they did;

therefore he was presently condemned, to

be had from the place where he was, to the

place from whence he came, and there to be

put to the most cruel death that could be

invented.[157]

They, therefore, brought him out, to do

with him according to their law; and, first,

they scourged him, then they buffeted him,

then they lanced his flesh with knives; after

that, they stoned him with stones, then

pricked him with their swords; and, last of

all, they burned him to ashes at the stake.

Thus came Faithful to his end.[158]

Now I saw that there stood behind the

multitude, a chariot and a couple of horses,

waiting for Faithful, who (so soon as his

adversaries had despatched him) was taken

up into it, and straightway was carried up

through the clouds, with sound of trumpet,

the nearest way to the Celestial Gate.[159]

But as for Christian, he had some respite,

and was remanded back to prison. So he

there remained for a space; but He that

overrules all things, having the power of

their rage in His own hand, so wrought it

about, that Christian for that time escaped

them, and went his way;[160] and as he

went, he sang, saying—

Well, Faithful, thou hast faithfully

profest Unto thy Lord; with whom thou

shalt be blest, When faithless ones, with all

their vain delights, Are crying out under

their hellish plights, Sing, Faithful, sing,

and let thy name survive; For, though they

kill’d thee, thou art yet alive.

Now I saw in my dream, that Christian

went not forth alone, for there was one

whose name was Hopeful (being made so

by the beholding of Christian and Faithful

in their words and behaviour, in their sufferings at the Fair), who joined himself unto

him, and, entering into a brotherly covenant, told him that he would be his companion. Thus, one died to bear testimony to

the truth, and another rises out of his ashes,

to be a companion with Christian in his

pilgrimage.[161] This Hopeful also told

Christian, that there were many more of the

men in the Fair, that would take their time

and follow after.

So I saw that quickly after they were got

out of the Fair, they overtook one that was

going before them, whose name was Byends; so they said to him, What countryman, Sir? and how far go you this way? He

told them, that he came from the town of

Fair-speech, and he was going to the Celestial City, but told them not his name.

From Fair-speech! said Christian. Is

there any good that lives there? (Prov.

26:25).

BY-ENDS. Yes, said By-ends, I hope.

CHR. Pray, Sir, What may I call you?

Said Christian.

BY-ENDS. I am a stranger to you, and

you to me: if you be going this way, I shall

be glad of your company; if not, I must be

content.

CHR. This town of Fair-speech, said

Christian, I have heard of; and, as I remember, they say it is a wealthy place.

BY-ENDS. Yes, I will assure you that it

is; and I have very many rich kindred there.

CHR. Pray, who are your kindred

there? if a man may be so bold.

BY-ENDS. Almost the whole town; and

in particular, my Lord Turn-about, my

Lord Time-server, my Lord Fair-speech

(from whose ancestors that town first took

its name), also Mr. Smooth-man, Mr. Facing-both-ways, Mr. Any-thing; and the parson of our parish, Mr. Two-tongues, was

my mother’s own brother, by father’s side; 46

and to tell you the truth, I am become a

gentleman of good quality, yet my greatgrandfather was but a waterman, looking

one way and rowing another, and I got

most of my estate by the same occupation.

CHR. Are you a married man?

BY-ENDS. Yes, and my wife is a very

virtuous woman, the daughter of a virtuous woman; she was my Lady Feigning’s

daughter, therefore she came of a very

honourable family, and is arrived to such a

pitch of breeding, that she knows how to

carry it to all, even to prince and peasant. It

is true we somewhat differ in religion from

those of the stricter sort, yet but in two

small points; first, we never strive against

wind and tide; secondly, we are always

most zealous when religion goes in his silver slippers; we love much to walk with

him in the street, if the sun shines, and the

people applaud him.[162]

Then Christian stepped a little aside to

his fellow Hopeful, saying, It runs in my

mind that this is one By-ends of Fairspeech; and if it be he, we have as very a

knave in our company, as dwelleth in all

these parts. Then said Hopeful, Ask him;

methinks he should not be ashamed of his

name. So Christian came up with him

again, and said, Sir, you talk as if you knew

something more than all the world

doth;[163] and if I take not my mark amiss,

I deem I have half a guess of you: Is not

your name Mr. By-ends, of Fair-speech?

BY-ENDS. This is not my name, but indeed  it  is  a  nickname  that  is  given  me  by

some that cannot abide me; and I must be

content to bear it as a reproach, as other

good men have borne theirs before me.

CHR. But did you never give an occasion to men to call you by this name?

BY-ENDS. Never, never! The worst that

ever  I  did  to  give  them  an  occasion  to  give

me this name was, that I had always the

luck  to  jump  in  my  judgment  with  the  present way of the times, whatever it was, and

my chance was to get thereby; but if things

are thus cast upon me, let me count them a

blessing; but let not the malicious load me

therefore with reproach.

CHR. I thought, indeed, that you were

the man that I heard of; and to tell you

what I think, I fear this name belongs to

you more properly than you are willing we

should think it doth.

BY-ENDS. Well, if you will thus imagine, I cannot help it; you shall find me a fair

company-keeper, if you will still admit me

your associate.

CHR. If you will go with us, you must

go against wind and tide;[164] the which, I

perceive, is against your opinion; you must

also own religion in his rags, as well as

when in his silver slippers; and stand by

him, too, when bound in irons, as well as

when he walketh the streets with applause.

BY-ENDS. You must not impose, nor

lord it over my faith; leave me to my liberty, and let me go with you.

CHR. Not a step further, unless you will

do in what I propound, as we.

Then said By-ends, I shall never desert

my old principles, since they are harmless

and profitable. If I may not go with you, I

must do as I did before you overtook me,

even go by myself, until some overtake me

that will be glad of my company.[165]

Now I saw in my dream, that Christian

and Hopeful forsook him, and kept their

distance before him; but one of them looking back, saw three men following Mr. Byends, and behold, as they came up with

him, he made them a very low conge; and

they also gave him a compliment. The

men’s names were Mr. Hold-the-world, Mr.

Money-love, and Mr. Save-all;[166] men

that Mr. By-ends had formerly been acquainted with; for in their minority they

were schoolfellows, and were taught by

one Mr. Gripeman, a schoolmaster in Lovegain, which is a market town in the county

of Coveting, in the north. This schoolmaster

taught them the art of getting, either by

violence, cozenage, flattery, lying, or by

putting on a guise of religion; and these

four gentlemen had attained much of the 47

art of their master, so that they could each

of them have kept such a school themselves.

Well, when they had, as I said, thus saluted each other, Mr. Money-love said to

Mr. By-ends, Who are they upon the road

before us? (for Christian and Hopeful were

yet within view). BY-ENDS. They are a

couple of far countrymen, that,  after their

mode, are going on pilgrimage.

 MONEY-LOVE. Alas! Why did they

not stay, that we might have had their good

company? for they, and we, and you, Sir, I

hope, are all going on a pilgrimage.

BY-ENDS. We are so, indeed; but the

men  before  us  are  so  rigid,  and  love  so

much their own notions,[167] and do also

so lightly esteem the opinions of others,

that let a man be never so godly, yet if he

jumps not with them in all things, they

thrust him quite out of their company.

SAVE-ALL. That is had, but we read of

some that are righteous overmuch;[168]

and such men’s rigidness prevails with

them to judge and condemn all but themselves. But, I pray, what, and how many,

were the things wherein you differed?[169]

BY-ENDS. Why, they, after their headstrong manner, conclude that it is duty to

rush on their journey all weathers; and I am

for waiting for wind and tide. They are for

hazarding all for God at a clap; and I am for

taking all advantages to secure my life and

estate. They are for holding their notions,

though all other men are against them; but

I am for religion in what, and so far as the

times, and my safety, will bear it. They are

for religion when in rags and contempt; but

I am for him when he walks in his golden

slippers, in the sunshine, and with applause.[170]

MR. HOLD-THE-WORLD. Aye, and

hold you there still, good Mr. By-ends; for,

for my part, I can count him but a fool, that,

having the liberty to keep what he has,

shall be so unwise as to lose it. Let us be

wise as serpents; it is best to make hay

when the sun shines; you see how the bee

lieth still all winter, and bestirs her only

when she can have profit with pleasure.

God sends sometimes rain, and sometimes

sunshine; if they be such fools to go

through the first, yet let us be content to

take fair weather along with us. For my

part, I like that religion best, that will stand

with the security of God’s good blessings

unto us; for who can imagine, that is ruled

by his reason, since God has bestowed

upon us the good things of this life, but that

He would have us keep them for His sake?

Abraham and Solomon grew rich in religion. And Job says, that a good man shall lay

up gold as dust. But he must not be such as

the men before us, if they be as you have

described them.

MR. SAVE-ALL. I think that we are all

agreed in this matter, and therefore there

needs no more words about it.[171]

MR. MONEY-LOVE. No, there needs no

more words about this matter indeed; for

he that believes neither Scripture nor reason (and you see we have both on our

side), neither knows his own liberty, nor

seeks his own safety.[172]

MR. BY-ENDS. My brethren, we are, as

you see, going all on pilgrimage; and for

our better diversion from things that are

bad, give me leave to propound unto you

this question: Suppose a man, a minister, or

a tradesman, &c., should have an advantage lie before him, to get the good blessings of this life, yet so as that he can by no

means come by them except, in appearance

at least, he becomes extraordinary zealous

in some points of religion that he meddled

not with before; may he not use this means

to attain his end, and yet be a right honest

man?

MR. MONEY-LOVE. I see the bottom of

your question; and, with these gentlemen’s

good leave, I will endeavour to shape you

an answer. And first to speak to your question as it concerns a minister himself: Suppose a minister, a worthy man, possessed

but of a very small benefice, and has in his

eye a greater, more fat, and plump by far; 48

he has also now an opportunity of getting

of it, yet so as by being more studious, by

preaching more frequently, and zealously,

and, because the temper of the people requires it, by altering of some of his principles; for my part, I see no reason but a man

may do this (provided he has a call), aye,

and more a great deal besides, and yet be

an honest man. For why—

1. His desire of a greater benefice is lawful (this cannot be contradicted), since it is

set before him by Providence; so then, he

may get it, if he can, making no question

for conscience sake.

2. Besides, his desire after that benefice

makes him more studious, a more zealous

preacher, &c., and so makes him a better

man; yea, makes him better improve his

parts, which is according to the mind of

God.

3. Now, as for his complying with the

temper of his people, by dissenting, to

serve them, some of his principles, this argueth—(l). That he is of a self-denying

temper. (2). Of a sweet and winning deportment. And so (3). More fit for the ministerial function.

4. I conclude then, that a minister that

changes a small for a great, should not, for

so doing, be judged as covetous; but rather,

since he is improved in his parts and industry thereby, be counted as one that pursues

his call, and the opportunity put into his

hand to do good.[173]

And now to the second part of the question, which concerns the tradesman you

mentioned. Suppose such an one to have

but a poor employ in the world, but by becoming religious, he may mend his market,

perhaps get a rich wife, or more, and far

better customers to his shop; for my part, I

see no reason but that this may be lawfully

done. For why—1. To become religious is a

virtue, by what means soever a man becomes so.

2. Nor is it unlawful to get a rich wife,

or more custom to my shop.

3. Besides, the man that gets these by

becoming religious, gets that which is

good, of them that are good, by becoming

good  himself;  so  then  here  is  a  good  wife,

and good customers, and good gain, and all

these by becoming religious, which is good;

therefore, to become religious to get all

these, is a good and profitable design.[174]

This answer, thus made by this Mr.

Money-love to Mr. By-end’s question, was

highly applauded by them all; wherefore

they concluded, upon the whole, that it was

most wholesome and advantageous. And

because, as they thought, no man was able

to contradict it, and because Christian and

Hopeful were yet within call, they jointly

agreed to assault them with the question as

soon as they overtook them; and the rather

because they had opposed Mr. By-ends before. So they called after them, and they

stopped, and stood still till they came up to

them; but they concluded, as they went,

that not Mr. By-ends, but old Mr. Hold-theworld, should propound the question to

them, because, as they supposed, their answer to him would be without the remainder of that heat that was kindled betwixt

Mr. By-ends and them, at their parting a

little before.

So they came up to each other, and after

a short salutation, Mr. Hold-the-world propounded the question to Christian and his

fellow, and bid them to answer it if they

could.

CHR. then said Christian, Even a babe

in religion may answer 10,000 such questions. For if it be unlawful to follow Christ

for loaves (as it is in the sixth of John), how

much more abominable is it to make of him

and religion a stalking-horse, to get and enjoy the world![175] Nor do we find any

other than heathens, hypocrites, devils, and

witches, that are of this opinion.[176]

1. Heathens; for when Hamor and Shechem had a mind to the daughter and cattle

of Jacob, and saw that there was no ways

for them to come at them, but by becoming

circumcised; they say to their companions, 49

if  every  male  of  us  be  circumcised,  as  they

are circumcised, shall not their cattle, and

their substance, and every beast of theirs,

be ours? Their daughter and their cattle

were that which they sought to obtain, and

their religion the stalking-horse they made

use of to come at them. Read the whole

story (Gen. 34:20-23).

2. The hypocritical Pharisees were also

of this religion; long prayers were their pretence; but to get widows’ houses was their

intent; and greater damnation was from

God their judgment (Luke 20:46, 47).

3. Judas the devil was also of this religion; he was religious for the bag, that he

might be possessed of what was therein;

but he was lost, cast away, and the very son

of perdition.

4. Simon the witch was of this religion

too; for he would have had the Holy Ghost,

that he might have got money therewith;

and his sentence from Peter’s mouth was

according (Acts 8:19-20).

5. Neither will it out of my mind, but

that that man that takes up religion for the

world, will throw away religion for the

world; for so surely as Judas designed the

world in becoming religious, so surely did

he also sell religion and his Master for the

same. To answer the question therefore affirmatively, as I perceive you have done;

and to accept of, as authentic, such answer,

is both heathenish, hypocritical, and devilish; and your reward will be according to

your works.[177] Then they stood staring

one upon another, but had not wherewith

to answer  Christian. Hopeful also approved of the soundness of Christian’s answer; so there was a great silence among

them. Mr. By-ends and his company also

staggered and kept behind, that Christian

and Hopeful might outgo them. Then said

Christian to his fellow, If these men cannot

stand before the sentence of men, what will

they do with the sentence of God? And if

they are mute when dealt with by vessels of

clay, what will they do when they shall be

rebuked by the flames of a devouring

fire?[178]

Then Christian and Hopeful outwent

them again, and went till they came at a

delicate plain, called Ease, where they went

with much content; but that plain was but

narrow, so they were quickly got over it.

Now at the further side of that plain, was a

little Hill called Lucre, and in that hill a silver mine, which some of them that had

formerly gone that way, because of the rarity of it, had turned aside to see; but going

too near the brink of the pit, the ground being deceitful under them, broke, and they

were slain; some also had been maimed

there, and could not, to their dying day, be

their own men again.

Then I saw in my dream, that a little off

the road, over against the silver mine, stood

Demas (gentleman-like) to call to passengers to come and see; who said to Christian

and his fellow, Ho! turn aside hither, and I

will show you a thing.[179]

CHR. What thing so deserving as to

turn us out of the way to see it?

DEMAS. Here is a silver mine, and

some digging in it for treasure. If you will

come, with a little pains you may richly

provide for yourselves.

HOPE. Then said Hopeful, Let us go

see.[180]

CHR. Not I, said Christian, I have heard

of this place before now; and how many

have there been slain; and besides that,

treasure is a snare to those that seek it; for it

hindereth them in their pilgrimage. Then

Christian called to Demas, saying, Is not

the place dangerous? Hath it not hindered

many in their pilgrimage? (Hosea 14:8).

 DEMAS. Not very dangerous, except to

those that are careless (but withal, he

blushed as he spake).

CHR. Then said Christian to Hopeful,

Let us not stir a step, but still keep on our

way.

HOPE. I will warrant you, when Byends comes up, if he hath the same invitation as we, he will turn in thither to see. 50

CHR. No doubt thereof, for his principles lead him that way, and a hundred to

one but he dies there.

DEMAS. Then Demas called again, saying, But will you not come over and see?

CHR. Then Christian roundly answered, saying, Demas, thou art an enemy

to the right ways of the Lord of this way,

and hast been already condemned for thine

own turning aside, by one of his Majesty’s

judges (2 Tim. 4:10); and why seekest thou

to bring us into the like condemnation? Besides, if we at all turn aside, our Lord the

King will certainly hear thereof, and will

there put us to shame, where we would

stand with boldness before Him. Demas

cried again, That he also was one of their

fraternity; and that if they would tarry a

little, he also himself would walk with

them.

CHR. Then said Christian, What is thy

name? Is it not the same by the which I

have called thee?

DEMAS.  Yes,  my  name  is  Demas;  I  am

the son of Abraham.

CHR. I know you; Gehazi was your

great-grandfather, and Judas your father;

and you have trod in their steps (2 Kings

5:20; Matt. 26:14, 15; 27:1-5). It is but a devilish prank that thou usest; thy father was

hanged for a traitor, and thou deservest no

better reward. Assure thyself, that when we

come to the King, we will do Him word of

this thy behaviour. Thus they went their

way.

By this time By-ends and his companions were come again within sight, and

they, at the first beck, went over to Demas.

Now, whether they fell into the pit by looking over the brink thereof, or whether they

went down to dig, or whether they were

smothered in the bottom by the damps that

commonly arise, of these things I am not

certain; but this I observed, that they never

were seen again in the way.[181] Then sang

Christian—By-ends and silver Demas both

agree; One calls, the other runs, that he

may be A sharer in his lucre; so these do

Take up in this world, and no further go.

Now I saw that, just on the other side of

this plain, the Pilgrims came to a place

where stood an old monument, hard by the

highway strange side; at the sight of which

they were both concerned, because of the

strangeness of the form thereof; for it

seemed to them as if it had been a woman

transformed into the shape of a pillar; here

therefore they stood looking, and looking

upon it, but could not for a time tell what

they should make thereof. At last Hopeful

espied written above the head thereof, a

writing in an unusual hand; but he being

no scholar, called to Christian (for he was

learned) to see if he could pick out the

meaning; so he came, and after a little laying of letters together, he found the same to

be this, “Remember Lot’s wife.” So he read

it to his fellow; after which they both concluded that that was the pillar of salt into

which Lot’s wife was turned, for her looking back with a covetous heart, when she

was going from Sodom for safety[182]

(Gen. 19:260); which sudden and amazing

sight gave them occasion of this discourse.

CHR. Ah, my brother! this is a seasonable sight; it came opportunely to us after

the invitation which Demas gave us to

come over to view the Hill Lucre; and had

we gone over, as he desired us, and as thou

wast inclining to do, my brother, we had,

for aught I know, been made ourselves like

this woman, a spectacle for those that shall

come after to behold.

HOPE. I am sorry that I was so foolish,

and am made to wonder that I am not now

as Lot’s wife; for wherein was the difference betwixt her sin and mine? She only

looked back; and I had  a desire to go see.

Let grace be adored, and let me be

ashamed, that ever such a thing should be

in mine heart.

CHR. Let us take notice of what we see

here, for our help for time to come. This

woman escaped one judgment, for she fell

not by the destruction of Sodom; yet she 51

was destroyed by another, as we see she is

turned into a pillar of salt.

HOPE. True, and she may be to us both

caution and example; caution, that we

should shun her sin; or a sign of what

judgment will overtake such as shall not be

prevented by this caution; so Korah,

Dathan, and Abiram, with the 250 men that

perished in their sin, did also become a sign

or example to others to beware (Num. 26:9,

10). But above all, I muse at one thing, to

wit, how Demas and his fellows can stand

so confidently yonder to look for that

treasure, which this woman, but for looking behind her, after (for we read not that

she stepped one foot out of the way) was

turned into a pillar of salt; especially since

the judgment which overtook her did make

her an example, within sight of where they

are; for they cannot choose but see her, did

they but lift up their eyes.

CHR. It is a thing to be wondered at,

and it argueth that their hearts are grown

desperate in the case; and I cannot tell who

to compare them to so fitly, as to them that

pick pockets in the presence of the judge, or

that will out purses under the gallows.[183]

It  is  said  of  the  men  of  Sodom,  that  they

were sinners exceedingly, because they

were sinners before the Lord, that is, in His

eyesight, and notwithstanding the kindnesses that He had showed them (Gen.

13:13), for the land of Sodom was now like

the garden of Eden heretofore (Gen. 13:10).

This, therefore, provoked Him the more to

jealousy, and made their plague as hot as

the fire of the Lord out of Heaven could

make it. And it is most rationally to be concluded, that such, even such as these are,

that shall sin in the sight, yea, and that too

in despite of such examples that are set

continually before them, to caution them to

the contrary, must be partakers of severest

judgments.

HOPE. Doubtless thou hast said the

truth; but what a mercy is it, that neither

thou, but especially I, am not made myself

this example! This ministereth occasion to

us to thank God, to fear before Him, and

always to remember Lot’s wife.[184]

I saw, then, that they went on their way

to a pleasant river; which David the king

called “the river of God,” but John “the

river of the water of life”[185] (Psa. 65:9;

Rev. 22; Ezek. 47). Now their way lay just

upon the bank of the river; here, therefore,

Christian and his companion walked with

great delight; they drank also of the water

of the river, which was pleasant, and enlivening to their weary  spirits:[186] besides,

on the banks of this river, on either side,

were green trees, that bore all manner of

fruit; and the leaves of the trees were good

for medicine; with the fruit of these trees

they were also much delighted; and the

leaves they eat to prevent surfeits, and

other diseases that are incident to those that

heat their blood by travels. On either side

of the river was also a meadow, curiously

beautified with lilies, and it was green all

the year long. In this meadow they lay

down, and slept; for here they might lie

down safely. When they awoke, they gathered again of the fruit of the trees, and

drank again of the water of the river, and

then lay down again to sleep (Psa. 23:2; Isa.

14:30). Thus they did several days and

nights.[187] Then they sang—Behold ye

how these crystal streams do glide, To comfort pilgrims by the highway side; The

meadows green, besides their fragrant

smell, Yield dainties for them: and he that

can tell What pleasant fruit, yea, leaves,

these trees do yield, Will soon sell all, that

he may buy this field.

So when they were disposed to go on

(for they were not, as yet, at their journey’s

end), they ate and drank, and departed.[188]

Now,  I  beheld  in  my  dream,  that  they

had not journeyed far, but the river and the

way for a time parted; at which they were

not a little sorry; yet they durst not go out

of the way. Now the way from the river

was rough, and their feet tender, by reason

of their travels; “so the souls of the pilgrims 52

were much discouraged because of the

way” (Num. 21:4). Wherefore, still as they

went on, they wished for better way.[189]

Now, a little before them, there was on the

left hand of the road a meadow, and a stile

to go over into it; and that meadow is

called By-path Meadow. Then said Christian to his fellow, If this meadow lieth

along by our way-side, let us go over into

it.[190] Then he went to the stile to see, and

behold, a path lay along by the way, on the

other side of the fence. It is according to my

wish, said Christian. Here is the easiest going; come, good Hopeful, and let us go

over.

 HOPE. But how if this path should lead

us out of the way?[191]

CHR. That is not like, said the other.

Look, doth it not go along by the way-side?

So Hopeful, being persuaded by his fellow,

went after him over the stile. When they

were gone over, and were got into the path,

they found it very easy for their feet; and

withal, they, looking before them, espied a

man walking as they did (and his name

was Vain-confidence); so they called after

him, and asked him whither that way led.

He said, to the Celestial Gate.[192] Look,

said Christian, did not I tell you so? By this

you may see we are right. So they followed,

and he went before them. But, behold, the

night came on, and it grew very dark; so

that they that were behind, lost the sight of

him that went before.

He, therefore, that went before[193]

(Vain-confidence by name), not seeing the

way before him, fell into a deep pit (Isa.

9:16), which was on purpose there made,

by the Prince of those grounds, to catch

vain-glorious fools withal, and was dashed

in pieces with his fall.[194]

Now Christian and his fellow heard him

fall. So they called to know the matter, but

there was none to answer; only they heard

a groaning. Then said Hopeful, Where are

we now? Then was his fellow silent, as mistrusting that he had led him out of the way;

and now it began to rain, and thunder, and

lighten[195] in a very dreadful manner; and

the water rose amain.[196]

Then Hopeful groaned in himself, saying, O that I had kept on my way!

CHR. Who could have thought that this

path should have led us out of the way?

HOPE. I was afraid on it at the very

first, and therefore gave you that gentle

caution. I would have spoke plainer, but

that you are older than I.[197]

CHR. Good brother, be not offended; I

am sorry I have brought thee out of the

way, and that I have put thee into such

imminent danger; pray, my brother, forgive

me; I did not do it of an evil intent.[198]

HOPE. Be comforted, my brother, for I

forgive thee; and believe too that this shall

be for our good.

CHR. I am glad I have with me a merciful brother; but we must not stand thus: let

us try to go back again.

HOPE. But, good brother, let me go before.

CHR. No, if you please, let me go first,

that if there be any danger, I may be first

therein, because by my means we are both

gone out of the way.

HOPE. No, said Hopeful, you shall not

go first; for your mind being troubled may

lead you out of the way again. Then, for

their encouragement, they heard the voice

of one saying, “Set thine heart toward the

highway, even the way which thou wentest; turn again” (Jer. 31:21). But by this time

the waters were greatly risen, by reason of

which the way of going back was very dangerous. (Then I thought that it is easier

going out of the way when we are in, than

going in when we are out). Yet they adventured to go back, but it was so dark, and

the flood was so high,  that in their going

back they had like to have been drowned

nine or 10 times.[199]

Neither could they, with all the skill

they had, get again to the stile that night.

Wherefore, at last, lighting under a little

shelter, they sat down there until the daybreak; but, being weary, they fell asleep. 53

Now there was, not far from the place

where they lay, a castle, called Doubting

Castle, the owner whereof was Giant Despair;[200] and it was in his grounds they

now were sleeping: wherefore he, getting

up in the morning early, and walking up

and down in his fields, caught Christian

and Hopeful asleep in his grounds. Then,

with a grim and surly voice, he bid them

awake; and asked them whence they were,

and what they did in his grounds. They

told him they were pilgrims, and that they

had lost their way. Then said the Giant,

You have this night trespassed on me, by

trampling in, and lying on my grounds,

and therefore you must go along with me.

So they were forced to go, because he was

stronger than they.[201] They also had but

little to say, for they knew themselves in a

fault. The Giant therefore drove them before him, and put them into his castle, into

a very dark dungeon, nasty and stinking to

the spirits of these two men (Psa. 88:18).

Here then they lay from Wednesday morning till Saturday night, without one bit of

bread, or drop of drink, or light, or any to

ask how they did; they were therefore here

in evil case, and were far from friends and

acquaintance. Now in this place Christian

had double sorrow,[202] because it was

through his unadvised counsel that they

were brought into this distress.[203]

Now, Giant Despair had a wife, and her

name was Diffidence.[204] So, when he was

gone to bed, he told his wife what he had

done; to wit, that he had taken a couple of

prisoners, and cast them into his dungeon,

for trespassing on his grounds. Then he

asked her also what he had best to do further to them. So she asked him what they

were, whence they came, and whither they

were bound; and he told her. Then she

counselled him, that when he arose in the

morning he should beat them without any

mercy. So, when he arose, he getteth him a

grievous crab-tree cudgel, and goes down

into the dungeon to them, and there first

falls to rating of them as if they were dogs,

although they never gave him a word of

distaste. Then he falls upon them, and beats

them fearfully, in such sort, that they were

not able to help themselves, or to turn them

upon the floor. This done, he withdraws

and leaves them, there to condole their

misery, and to mourn under their distress.

So all that day they spent the time in nothing but sighs and bitter lamentations. The

next night, she, talking with her husband

about them further, and understanding that

they were yet alive, did advise him to

counsel them to make away themselves. So

when morning was come, he goes to them

in a surly manner as before, and perceiving

them to be very sore with the stripes that

he had given them the day before, he told

them, that since they were never like to

come out of that place, their only way

would be forthwith to make an end of

themselves, either with knife, halter, or poison, for why, said he, should you choose

life, seeing it is attended with so much bitterness?[205] But they desired him to let

them go. With that he looked ugly upon

them, and, rushing to them, had doubtless

made  an  end  of  them  himself,  but  that  he

fell into one of his fits (for he sometimes, in

sunshiny weather, fell into fits),[206] and

lost for a time the use of his hand; wherefore he withdrew, and left them as before,

to consider what to do. Then did the prisoners consult between themselves, whether

it was best to take his counsel or no; and

thus they began to discourse:

CHR. Brother, said Christian, what shall

we do? The life that we now live is miserable. For my part, I know not whether is

best, to live thus, or to die out of hand. “My

soul chooseth strangling rather than life,”

and the grave is more easy for me than this

dungeon (Job 7:15). Shall we be ruled by

the Giant?[207]

HOPE. Indeed, our present condition is

dreadful, and death would be far more welcome  to me  than  thus  for  ever  to abide; but

yet, let us consider, the Lord of the country

to which we are going hath said, Thou shalt 54

Thou shalt do no murder: no, not to another man’s person; much more, then, are

we forbidden to take his counsel to kill ourselves. Besides, he that kills another, can

but commit murder upon his body; but for

one to kill himself, is to kill body and soul

at once. And, moreover, my brother, thou

talkest of ease in the grave; but hast thou

forgotten the hell, whither for certain the

murderers go? For “no murderer hath eternal life,” &c.[208] And let us consider,

again, that all the law is not in the hand of

Giant Despair. Others, so far as I can understand, have been taken by him, as well

as we; and yet have escaped out of his

hand. Who knows, but that God that made

the world may cause that Giant Despair

may die? or that, at some time or other, he

may forget to lock us in? or that he may, in

a short time, have another of his fits before

us, and may lose the use of his limbs? and

if  ever  that  should  come  to  pass  again,  for

my part, I am resolved to pluck up the

heart of a man, and to try my utmost to get

from under his hand. I was a fool that I did

not try to do it before; but, however, my

brother, let us be patient, and endure a

while. The time may come that may give us

a happy release; but let us not be our own

murderers. With these words, Hopeful at

present did moderate the mind of his

brother; so they continued together (in the

dark) that day, in their sad and doleful

condition.[209]

Well, towards evening, the Giant goes

down into the dungeon again, to see if his

prisoners had taken his counsel; but when

he came there, he found them alive; and

truly, alive was all; for now, what for want

of bread and water, and by reason of the

wounds they received when he beat them,

they could do little but breathe. But, I say,

he found them alive; at which he fell into a

grievous rage, and told them, that seeing

they had disobeyed his counsel, it should

be worse with them than if they had never

been born.

At this they trembled greatly,[210] and I

think that Christian fell into a swoon;[211]

but, coming a little to himself again, they

renewed their discourse about the Giant’s

counsel, and whether yet they had best to

take it or no. Now Christian again seemed

to be for doing it,[212] but Hopeful made

his second reply as followeth—HOPE. My

brother, said he, rememberest thou not

how valiant thou hast been heretofore?

Apollyon could not crush thee, nor could

all that thou didst 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 fear! Thou seest that I am in the

dungeon with thee, a far weaker man by

nature than thou art; also, this Giant has

wounded me as well as thee, and hath also

cut off the bread and water from my

mouth; and with thee I mourn without the

light. But let us exercise a little more patience; remember how  thou playedst the

man at Vanity Fair, and wast neither afraid

of the chain, nor 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.[213]

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

themselves. Then said  she, Take them into

the castle-yard tomorrow, and show them

the bones and skulls of those that 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.[214]

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 are, once, and they trespassed in my grounds, as you have done; 55

and when I thought fit, I tore them in

pieces, and so, within 10 days, I will do

you. Go, get you down to your den again;

and with that, he beat them all the way

thither. They lay, therefore, all day on Saturday in a lamentable case, as before.[215]

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 his counsel

bring them to an end. And with that his

wife replied, I fear, Said she, that they live

in hope 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.[216]

Now, a little before it was day, good

Christian, as one half-amazed, brake 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 is good

news, good brother; pluck it out of thy

bosom, and try.[217]

Then Christian pulled it out of his

bosom, and began to try at the dungeon

door, whose bolt (as he turned the key)

gave back, and the door flew open with

ease, and Christian and Hopeful both came

out. Then he went to the outward door that

leads into the castle-yard, and, with his

key, opened that door also. After, he went

to the iron gate, for that must be opened

too; but that lock went damnable hard,[218]

yet the key did open it. Then they thrust

open the gate to make their escape with

speed, but that gate, as it opened, made

such a creaking, that it waked Giant Despair, who, hastily rising to pursue his

prisoners, felt his limbs to fail, for his fits

took him again, so that he could by no

means go after them.[219] Then they went

on, and came to the King’s highway, and so

were safe, because they were out of his jurisdiction.[220]

Now, when they were gone over the

stile, they began to contrive with themselves what they should do at that stile, to

prevent those that should come after, from

falling into the hands of Giant Despair.[221]

So they consented to erect there a pillar,

and to engrave upon the side thereof this

sentence-”Over this stile is the way to

Doubting Castle, which is kept by Giant

Despair, who despiseth the King of the Celestial Country, and seeks to destroy His

holy pilgrims.” Many, therefore, that followed after, read what was written, and

escaped the danger. This done, they sang as

follows—Out of the way we went, and then

we found What ‘twas to tread upon forbidden ground; And let them that come after

have a care, Lest heedlessness makes them,

as we, to fare. Lest they for trespassing his

prisoners are, Whose castle’s Doubting, and

whose name’s Despair.

They went then till they came to the Delectable Mountains, which mountains belong to the Lord of that hill of which we

have spoken before; so they went up to the

mountains, to behold the gardens and orchards, the vineyards and fountains of water; where also they drank and washed

themselves, and did freely eat of the vineyards.[222] Now there were on the tops of

these mountains, shepherds feeding their

flocks, and they stood by the highway side.

The Pilgrims therefore went to them, and

leaning upon their staves (as is common

with weary pilgrims,  when they stand to

talk with any by the way), they asked,

Whose Delectable Mountains are these?

And whose be the sheep that feed upon

them?

SHEP. These mountains are Immanuel’s

Land, and they are within sight of His city; 56

and the sheep also are His, and He laid

down His life for them (John 10:11).

CHR. Is this the way to the Celestial

City?

SHEP. You are just in your way.

CHR. How far is it thither? SHEP. Too

far for any but those that shall get thither

indeed.

CHR. Is the way safe or dangerous?

SHEP. Safe for those for whom it is to be

safe; but the transgressors shall fall

therein[223] (Hosea 14:9).

CHR. Is there, in this place, any relief

for pilgrims that are weary and faint in the

way?

SHEP. The Lord of these mountains

hath given us a charge not to be “forgetful

to entertain strangers” (Heb. 13:2); therefore the good of the place is before you.

I saw also in my dream, that when the

Shepherds perceived that they were wayfaring men, they also put questions to

them, to which they made answer as in

other places; as, Whence came you? And,

How got you into the way? And, By what

means have you so persevered therein? For

but few of them that begin to come hither,

do show their face on these mountains. But

when the Shepherds heard their answers,

being pleased therewith, they looked very

lovingly upon them, and said, Welcome to

the Delectable Mountains.[224]

The Shepherds, I say, whose names

were Knowledge, Experience, Watchful,

and Sincere, took them by the hand, and

had them to their tents, and made them

partake of that which was ready at present.[225] They said, moreover, We would

that ye should stay here a while, to be acquainted with us; and yet more to solace

yourselves with the good of these Delectable Mountains. They then told them that

they were content to stay; so they went to

their rest that night, because it was very

late.

Then I saw in my dream, that in the

morning the Shepherds called up Christian

and  Hopeful  to  walk  with  them  upon  the

mountains: so they went forth with them,

and walked a while, having a pleasant

prospect on every side. Then said the

Shepherds one to another, Shall we show

these Pilgrims some wonders? So when

they had concluded to do it, they had them

first to the top of a hill Error, which was

very steep on the furthest side, and bid

them look down to the bottom. So Christian

and Hopeful looked down, and saw at the

bottom several men dashed all to pieces by

a fall that they had from the top. Then said

Christian, What meaneth this? The Shepherds answered, Have you not heard of

them that were made to err, by hearkening

to Hymeneus and Philetus, as concerning

the faith of the resurrection of the body? (2

Tim. 2:17, 18). They answered, Yes. Then

said the Shepherds, Those that you see lie

dashed in pieces at the bottom of this

mountain are they; and they have continued to this day unburied, as you see, for an

example to others to take heed how they

clamber too high, or how they come too

near the brink of this mountain.[226]

Then I saw that they had them to the

top of another mountain, and the name of

that is Caution, and bid them look afar

off;[227] which, when they did, they perceived, as they thought, several men walking up and down among the tombs that

were there; and they perceived that the

men were blind, because they stumbled

sometimes upon the tombs, and because

they could not get out from among

them.[228] Then said Christian, What

means this?

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 57

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” (Prov. 21:16).[229] Then Christian

and Hopeful looked upon one another,

with tears gushing out, but yet said nothing

to the Shepherds.[230]