Books: The Pilgrim\'s Progress
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{302} Then I saw in my dream, that the Shepherds had them to another
place, in a bottom, where was a door in the side of a hill, and they
opened the door, and bid them look in. They looked in, therefore,
and saw that within it was very dark and smoky; they also thought
that they heard there a rumbling noise as of fire, and a cry of
some tormented, and that they smelt the scent of brimstone. Then
said Christian, What means this? The Shepherds told them, This is
a by-way to hell, a way that hypocrites go in at; namely, such as
sell their birthright, with Esau; such as sell their master, with
Judas; such as blaspheme the gospel, with Alexander; and that
lie and dissemble, with Ananias and Sapphira his wife. Then said
Hopeful to the Shepherds, I perceive that these had on them, even
every one, a show of pilgrimage, as we have now; had they not?
{303} SHEP. Yes, and held it a long time too.
HOPE. How far might they go on in pilgrimage in their day, since
they notwithstanding were thus miserably cast away?
SHEP. Some further, and some not so far, as these mountains.
Then said the Pilgrims one to another, We have need to cry to the
Strong for strength.
SHEP. Ay, and you will have need to use it, when you have it, too.
{304} By this time the Pilgrims had a desire to go forward, and
the Shepherds a desire they should; so they walked together towards
the end of the mountains. Then said the Shepherds one to another,
Let us here show to the Pilgrims the gates of the Celestial City,
if they have skill to look through our perspective glass. The
Pilgrims then lovingly accepted the motion; so they had them to
the top of a high hill, called Clear, and gave them their glass to
look.
{305} Then they essayed to look, but the remembrance of that last
thing that the Shepherds had shown them, made their hands shake;
by means of which impediment, they could not look steadily through
the glass; yet they thought they saw something like the gate, and
also some of the glory of the place. Then they went away, and sang
this song --
Thus, by the Shepherds, secrets are reveal'd,
Which from all other men are kept conceal'd.
Come to the Shepherds, then, if you would see
Things deep, things hid, and that mysterious be.
{306} When they were about to depart, one of the Shepherds gave
them a note of the way. Another of them bid them beware of the
Flatterer. The third bid them take heed that they sleep not upon
the Enchanted Ground. And the fourth bid them God-speed. So I
awoke from my dream.
{307} And I slept, and dreamed again, and saw the same two Pilgrims
going down the mountains along the highway towards the city. Now,
a little below these mountains, on the left hand, lieth the country
of Conceit; from which country there comes into the way in which
the Pilgrims walked, a little crooked lane. Here, therefore, they
met with a very brisk lad, that came out of that country; and his
name was Ignorance. So Christian asked him from what parts he
came, and whither he was going.
{308} IGNOR. Sir, I was born in the country that lieth off there
a little on the left hand, and I am going to the Celestial City.
CHR. But how do you think to get in at the gate? for you may find
some difficulty there.
IGNOR. As other people do, said he.
CHR. But what have you to show at that gate, that may cause that
the gate should be opened to you?
IGNOR. I know my Lord's will, and I have been a good liver; I pay
every man his own; I pray, fast, pay tithes, and give alms, and
have left my country for whither I am going.
{309} CHR. But thou camest not in at the wicket-gate that is at the
head of this way; thou camest in hither through that same crooked
lane, and therefore, I fear, however thou mayest think of thyself,
when the reckoning day shall come, thou wilt have laid to thy charge
that thou art a thief and a robber, instead of getting admittance
into the city.
IGNOR. Gentlemen, ye be utter strangers to me, I know you not; be
content and follow the religion of your country, and I will follow
the religion of mine. I hope all will be well. And as for the
gate that you talk of, all the world knows that that is a great way
off of our country. I cannot think that any man in all our parts
doth so much as know the way to it, nor need they matter whether
they do or no, since we have, as you see, a fine, pleasant green
lane, that comes down from our country, the next way into the way.
{310} When Christian saw that the man was "wise in his own conceit",
he said to Hopeful, whisperingly, "There is more hope of a fool
than of him." [Prov. 26:12] And said, moreover, "When he that is
a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to
every one that he is a fool." [Eccl. 10:3] What, shall we talk
further with him, or out-go him at present, and so leave him to
think of what he hath heard already, and then stop again for him
afterwards, and see if by degrees we can do any good to him? Then
said Hopeful --
Let Ignorance a little while now muse
On what is said, and let him not refuse
Good counsel to embrace, lest he remain
Still ignorant of what's the chiefest gain.
God saith, those that no understanding have,
Although he made them, them he will not save.
HOPE. He further added, It is not good, I think, to say all to him
at once; let us pass him by, if you will, and talk to him anon,
even as he is able to bear it.
{311} So they both went on, and Ignorance he came after. Now when
they had passed him a little way, they entered into a very dark
lane, where they met a man whom seven devils had bound with seven
strong cords, and were carrying of him back to the door that they
saw on the side of the hill. [Matt. 12:45, Prov. 5:22] Now good
Christian began to tremble, and so did Hopeful his companion; yet
as the devils led away the man, Christian looked to see if he knew
him; and he thought it might be one Turn-away, that dwelt in the
town of Apostasy. But he did not perfectly see his face, for he
did hang his head like a thief that is found. But being once past,
Hopeful looked after him, and espied on his back a paper with this
inscription, "Wanton professor and damnable apostate".
Then said Christian to his fellow, Now I call to remembrance, that
which was told me of a thing that happened to a good man hereabout.
The name of the man was Little-faith, but a good man, and he dwelt
in the town of Sincere. The thing was this: -- At the entering
in at this passage, there comes down from Broad-way Gate, a lane
called Dead Man's Lane; so called because of the murders that are
commonly done there; and this Little-faith going on pilgrimage,
as we do now, chanced to sit down there, and slept. Now there
happened, at that time, to come down the lane, from Broad-way Gate,
three sturdy rogues, and their names were Faint-heart, Mistrust,
and Guilt, (three brothers), and they espying Little-faith, where
he was, came galloping up with speed. Now the good man was just
awake from his sleep, and was getting up to go on his journey.
So they came up all to him, and with threatening language bid him
stand. At this Little-faith looked as white as a clout, and had
neither power to fight nor fly. Then said Faint-heart, Deliver thy
purse. But he making no haste to do it (for he was loath to lose
his money), Mistrust ran up to him, and thrusting his hand into
his pocket, pulled out thence a bag of silver. Then he cried out,
Thieves! Thieves! With that Guilt, with a great club that was
in his hand, struck Little-faith on the head, and with that blow
felled him flat to the ground, where he lay bleeding as one that
would bleed to death. All this while the thieves stood by. But,
at last, they hearing that some were upon the road, and fearing
lest it should be one Great-grace, that dwells in the city of
Good-confidence, they betook themselves to their heels, and left
this good man to shift for himself. Now, after a while, Little-faith
came to himself, and getting up, made shift to scrabble on his way.
This was the story.
{312} HOPE. But did they take from him all that ever he had?
Chr. No; the place where his jewels were they never ransacked, so
those he kept still. But, as I was told, the good man was much afflicted
for his loss, for the thieves got most of his spending-money. That
which they got not (as I said) were jewels, also he had a little
odd money left, but scarce enough to bring him to his journey's
end [1 Peter 4:18]; nay, if I was not misinformed, he was forced
to beg as he went, to keep himself alive; for his jewels he might
not sell. But beg, and do what he could, he went (as we say) with
many a hungry belly the most part of the rest of the way.
{313} HOPE. But is it not a wonder they got not from him his certificate,
by which he was to receive his admittance at the Celestial Gate?
CHR. It is a wonder; but they got not that, though they missed it
not through any good cunning of his; for he, being dismayed with
their coming upon him, had neither power nor skill to hide anything;
so it was more by good Providence than by his endeavour, that they
missed of that good thing.
{314} HOPE. But it must needs be a comfort to him, that they got
not his jewels from him.
CHR. It might have been great comfort to him, had he used it as
he should; but they that told me the story said, that he made but
little use of it all the rest of the way, and that because of the
dismay that he had in the taking away his money; indeed, he forgot
it a great part of the rest of his journey; and besides, when at any
time it came into his mind, and he began to be comforted therewith,
then would fresh thoughts of his loss come again upon him, and
those thoughts would swallow up all. [1 Peter 1:9]
{315} HOPE. Alas! poor man! This could not but be a great grief
to him.
CHR. Grief! ay, a grief indeed. Would it not have been so to any
of us, had we been used as he, to be robbed, and wounded too, and
that in a strange place, as he was? It is a wonder he did not die
with grief, poor heart! I was told that he scattered almost all
the rest of the way with nothing but doleful and bitter complaints;
telling also to all that overtook him, or that he overtook in the
way as he went, where he was robbed, and how; who they were that
did it, and what he lost; how he was wounded, and that he hardly
escaped with his life.
{316} HOPE. But it is a wonder that his necessity did not put him
upon selling or pawning some of his jewels, that he might have
wherewith to relieve himself in his journey.
CHR. Thou talkest like one upon whose head is the shell to this
very day; for what should he pawn them, or to whom should he sell
them? In all that country where he was robbed, his jewels were not
accounted of; nor did he want that relief which could from thence
be administered to him. Besides, had his jewels been missing at the
gate of the Celestial City, he had (and that he knew well enough)
been excluded from an inheritance there; and that would have been
worse to him than the appearance and villainy of ten thousand
thieves.
{317} HOPE. Why art thou so tart, my brother? Esau sold his
birthright, and that for a mess of pottage, and that birthright
was his greatest jewel; and if he, why might not Little-faith do
so too? [Heb. 12:16]
CHR. Esau did sell his birthright indeed, and so do many besides,
and by so doing exclude themselves from the chief blessing, as
also that caitiff did; but you must put a difference betwixt Esau
and Little-faith, and also betwixt their estates. Esau's birthright
was typical, but Little-faith's jewels were not so; Esau's belly
was his god, but Little-faith's belly was not so; Esau's want lay
in his fleshly appetite, Little-faith's did not so. Besides, Esau
could see no further than to the fulfilling of his lusts; "Behold,
I am at the point to die, (said he), and what profit shall this
birthright do me?" [Gen. 25:32] But Little-faith, though it was
his lot to have but a little faith, was by his little faith kept
from such extravagances, and made to see and prize his jewels
more than to sell them, as Esau did his birthright. You read not
anywhere that Esau had faith, no, not so much as a little; therefore,
no marvel if, where the flesh only bears sway, (as it will in that
man where no faith is to resist), if he sells his birthright, and
his soul and all, and that to the devil of hell; for it is with
such, as it is with the ass, who in her occasions cannot be turned
away. [Jer. 2:24] When their minds are set upon their lusts,
they will have them whatever they cost. But Little-faith was of
another temper, his mind was on things divine; his livelihood was
upon things that were spiritual, and from above; therefore, to what
end should he that is of such a temper sell his jewels (had there
been any that would have bought them) to fill his mind with empty
things? Will a man give a penny to fill his belly with hay; or can
you persuade the turtle-dove to live upon carrion like the crow?
Though faithless ones can, for carnal lusts, pawn, or mortgage,
or sell what they have, and themselves outright to boot; yet they
that have faith, saving faith, though but a little of it, cannot
do so. Here, therefore, my brother, is thy mistake.
{318} HOPE. I acknowledge it; but yet your severe reflection had
almost made me angry.
CHR. Why, I did but compare thee to some of the birds that are of
the brisker sort, who will run to and fro in untrodden paths, with
the shell upon their heads; but pass by that, and consider the
matter under debate, and all shall be well betwixt thee and me.
HOPE. But, Christian, these three fellows, I am persuaded in
my heart, are but a company of cowards; would they have run else,
think you, as they did, at the noise of one that was coming on
the road? Why did not Little-faith pluck up a greater heart? He
might, methinks, have stood one brush with them, and have yielded
when there had been no remedy.
CHR. That they are cowards, many have said, but few have found it
so in the time of trial. As for a great heart, Little-faith had
none; and I perceive by thee, my brother, hadst thou been the man
concerned, thou art but for a brush, and then to yield.
And, verily, since this is the height of thy stomach, now they are
at a distance from us, should they appear to thee as they did to
him they might put thee to second thoughts.
{319} But, consider again, they are but journeymen thieves, they
serve under the king of the bottomless pit, who, if need be, will
come into their aid himself, and his voice is as the roaring of a
lion. [1 Pet. 5:8] I myself have been engaged as this Little-faith
was, and I found it a terrible thing. These three villains set
upon me, and I beginning, like a Christian, to resist, they gave
but a call, and in came their master. I would, as the saying is,
have given my life for a penny, but that, as God would have it,
I was clothed with armour of proof. Ay, and yet, though I was so
harnessed, I found it hard work to quit myself like a man. No man
can tell what in that combat attends us, but he that hath been in
the battle himself.
{320} HOPE. Well, but they ran, you see, when they did but suppose
that one Great-grace was in the way.
CHR. True, they have often fled, both they and their master, when
Great-grace hath but appeared; and no marvel; for he is the King's
champion. But, I trow, you will put some difference betwixt
Little-faith and the King's champion. All the King's subjects
are not his champions, nor can they, when tried, do such feats of
war as he. Is it meet to think that a little child should handle
Goliath as David did? Or that there should be the strength of
an ox in a wren? Some are strong, some are weak; some have great
faith, some have little. This man was one of the weak, and therefore
he went to the wall.
{321} HOPE. I would it had been Great-grace for their sakes.
CHR. If it had been, he might have had his hands full; for I must
tell you, that though Great-grace is excellent good at his weapons,
and has, and can, so long as he keeps them at sword's point, do well
enough with them; yet, if they get within him, even Faint-heart,
Mistrust, or the other, it shall go hard but they will throw up
his heels. And when a man is down, you know, what can he do?
{322} Whoso looks well upon Great-grace's face, shall see those
scars and cuts there, that shall easily give demonstration of what
I say. Yea, once I heard that he should say, (and that when he was
in the combat), "We despaired even of life." How did these sturdy
rogues and their fellows make David groan, mourn, and roar? Yea,
Heman, and Hezekiah, too, though champions in their day, were forced
to bestir them, when by these assaulted; and yet, notwithstanding,
they had their coats soundly brushed by them. Peter, upon a time,
would go try what he could do; but though some do say of him that
he is the prince of the apostles, they handled him so, that they
made him at last afraid of a sorry girl.
{323} Leviathan's sturdiness
Besides, their king is at their whistle. He is never out of hearing;
and if at any time they be put to the worst, he, if possible, comes in
to help them; and of him it is said, The sword of him that layeth
at him cannot hold the spear, the dart, nor the habergeon; he
esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood. The arrow cannot
make him flee; sling stones are turned with him into stubble. Darts
are counted as stubble: he laugheth at the shaking of a spear.
[Job 41:26-29] What can a man do in this case? It is true, if a man
could, at every turn, have Job's horse, and had skill and courage
to ride him, he might do notable things; for his neck is clothed
with thunder, he will not be afraid of the grasshopper; the glory
of his nostrils is terrible: he paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth
in his strength, he goeth on to meet the armed men. He mocketh
at fear, and is not affrighted, neither turneth he back from the
sword. The quiver rattleth against him, the glittering spear, and
the shield. He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage,
neither believeth he that it is the sound of the trumpet. He saith
among the trumpets, Ha, ha! and he smelleth the battle afar off,
the thunder of the captains, and the shouting. [Job 39:19-25]
{324} But for such footmen as thee and I are, let us never desire
to meet with an enemy, nor vaunt as if we could do better, when we
hear of others that they have been foiled, Nor be tickled at the
thoughts of our own manhood; for such commonly come by the worst
when tried. Witness Peter, of whom I made mention before. He would
swagger, ay, he would; he would, as his vain mind prompted him to
say, do better, and stand more for his Master than all men; but
who so foiled, and run down by these villains, as he?
When, therefore, we hear that such robberies are done on the King's
highway, two things become us to do:
{325} 1. To go out harnessed, and to be sure to take a shield with
us; for it was for want of that, that he that laid so lustily at
Leviathan could not make him yield; for, indeed, if that be wanting,
he fears us not at all. Therefore, he that had skill hath said,
"Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able
to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked." [Eph. 6:16]
{326} 2. It is good, also, that we desire of the King a convoy,
yea, that he will go with us himself. This made David rejoice
when in the Valley of the Shadow of Death; and Moses was rather for
dying where he stood, than to go one step without his God. [Exo.
33:15] Oh, my brother, if he will but go along with us, what need
we be afraid of ten thousands that shall set themselves against
us? [Ps. 3:5-8, 27:1-3] But, without him, the proud helpers "fall
under the slain". [Isa. 10:4]
{327} I, for my part, have been in the fray before now; and though,
through the goodness of him that is best, I am, as you see, alive,
yet I cannot boast of my manhood. Glad shall I be, if I meet
with no more such brunts; though I fear we are not got beyond all
danger. However, since the lion and the bear have not as yet devoured
me, I hope God will also deliver us from the next uncircumcised
Philistine. Then sang Christian --
Poor Little-faith! Hast been among the thieves?
Wast robb'd? Remember this, whoso believes,
And gets more faith, shall then a victor be
Over ten thousand, else scarce over three.
{328} So they went on and Ignorance followed. They went then till
they came at a place where they saw a way put itself into their way,
and seemed withal to lie as straight as the way which they should
go: and here they knew not which of the two to take, for both
seemed straight before them; therefore, here they stood still to
consider. And as they were thinking about the way, behold a man,
black of flesh, but covered with a very light robe, came to them,
and asked them why they stood there. They answered they were going
to the Celestial City, but knew not which of these ways to take.
Follow me, said the man, it is thither that I am going. So they
followed him in the way that but now came into the road, which by
degrees turned, and turned them so from the city that they desired
to go to, that, in little time, their faces were turned away from
it; yet they followed him. But by and by, before they were aware,
he led them both within the compass of a net, in which they were
both so entangled that they knew not what to do; and with that the
white robe fell off the black man's back. Then they saw where they
were. Wherefore, there they lay crying some time, for they could
not get themselves out.
{329} CHR. Then said Christian to his fellow, Now do I see myself
in error. Did not the Shepherds bid us beware of the flatterers?
As is the saying of the wise man, so we have found it this day. A
man that flattereth his neighbour, spreadeth a net for his feet.
[Prov. 29:5]
HOPE. They also gave us a note of directions about the way, for
our more sure finding thereof; but therein we have also forgotten
to read, and have not kept ourselves from the paths of the destroyer.
Here David was wiser than we; for, saith he, "Concerning the works
of men, by the word of thy lips, I have kept me from the paths of
the destroyer." [Ps. 17:4] Thus they lay bewailing themselves
in the net. At last they espied a Shining One coming towards them
with a whip of small cord in his hand. When he was come to the
place where they were, he asked them whence they came, and what
they did there. They told him that they were poor pilgrims going
to Zion, but were led out of their way by a black man, clothed in
white, who bid us, said they, follow him, for he was going thither
too. Then said he with the whip, It is Flatterer, a false apostle,
that hath transformed himself into an angel of light. [Prov. 29:5,
Dan. 11:32, 2 Cor. 11:13,14] So he rent the net, and let the men
out. Then said he to them, Follow me, that I may set you in your
way again. So he led them back to the way which they had left to
follow the Flatterer. Then he asked them, saying, Where did you lie
the last night? They said, With the Shepherds upon the Delectable
Mountains. He asked them then if they had not of those Shepherds
a note of direction for the way. They answered, Yes. But did you,
said he, when you were at a stand, pluck out and read your note?
They answered, No. He asked them, Why? They said, they forgot.
He asked, moreover, if the Shepherds did not bid them beware of
the Flatterer? They answered, Yes, but we did not imagine, said
they, that this fine-spoken man had been he. [Rom. 16:18]
{330} Then I saw in my dream that he commanded them to lie down;
which, when they did, he chastised them sore, to teach them the
good way wherein they should walk [Deut. 25:2]; and as he chastised
them he said, "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; be zealous,
therefore, and repent." [2 Chron. 6:26,27, Rev. 3:19] This
done, he bid them go on their way, and take good heed to the other
directions of the shepherds. So they thanked him for all his
kindness, and went softly along the right way, singing --
Come hither, you that walk along the way;
See how the pilgrims fare that go astray.
They catched are in an entangling net,
'Cause they good counsel lightly did forget:
'Tis true they rescued were, but yet you see,
They're scourged to boot. Let this your caution be.
{331} Now, after a while, they perceived, afar off, one coming
softly and alone, all along the highway to meet them. Then said
Christian to his fellow, Yonder is a man with his back towards
Zion, and he is coming to meet us.
HOPE. I see him; let us take heed to ourselves now, lest he should
prove a flatterer also. So he drew nearer and nearer, and at last
came up unto them. His name was Atheist, and he asked them whither
they were going.
CHR. We are going to Mount Zion.
Then Atheist fell into a very great laughter.
CHR. What is the meaning of your laughter?
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