(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 get more faith; then shall you victors be
Over ten thousand, else scarce over three.

So they went on, and Ignorance followed. They went, then, till they came at a place where they saw a way A way and a way. put itself into their way, and seemed withal to lie

The Flatterer finds

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, 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 Christian and his to, that in little time their faces were turned away fellow deluded. 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 some time, for they could not get themselves out.

They are taken in

a net.

They bewail their condition.

Then said Christian to his fellow, Now do I see myself in an error. Did not the Shepherds bid us beware of the Flatterer? 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."*

Hope. They also gave us a Note of Directions about the way, for our more certain 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, "Con

* Prov. xxix. 5.

A Shining One comes to them with a whip in his

hand.

cerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips, I have kept me from the paths of the Destroyer."* Thus they lay bewailing themselves in the net. At last they espied a Shining One coming towards them, with a whip of small cords 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:† 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 they had left to follow the Flatterer. They are examin- Then he asked them, saying, Where did you lie ed, and convicted the last night? They said, with the Shepherds of forgetfulness. upon the Delectable Mountains. He asked them then, if they had not a Note of Directions for the way? They answered, Yes. But did you not, 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, Psalm xvii. 4. †2 Cor. xi. 13, 14.

4

spoken.

They are whipped and sent on their

way.

If the Shepherds did not bid them beware of the Flatterer? They
answered, Yes; but we did not imagine, said they, Deceivers fine
that this fine-spoken man had been he.
Then I saw in my dream, that he commanded
them to lie down; which when they did, he chas-
tised them sore, to teach them the good way
wherein they should walk.* And as he chastised them, he said,
"As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; be zealous, therefore,
and repent." This done, he bids them go on their way, and take
good heed to the other directions of the Shepherds. So they
thanked him for 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 entangled 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.

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.

The Atheist meets them.

Hope. I see him: let us take heed to ourselves now, lest he should prove a Flatterer also. So he drew nearer, and at last came up to 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's the meaning of your laughter?

He laughs at them.

Ath. I laugh to see what ignorant persons you are, to take upon you so tedious a journey, and yet are like to have nothing but your travel for your pains.

Chr. Why, man! do you think we shall not be They reason toreceived?

1

gether.

Ath. Received! There is not such a place as you dream of in all this World.

Chr. But there is in the World to come.

Ath. When I was at home in mine own country, I heard as you now affirm; and, from that hearing, went out to see, and have been seeking this City these twenty years, but find no more of it than I did the first day I set out.‡

* Deut. xxv. 2. 2 Cor. iv. 17.

† Rev. iii. 19.

Eccl. x. 15.

Chr. We have both heard, and believe that there is such a place to be found.

The Atheist takes

this world.

Ath. Had not I, when at home, believed, I had up his content in not come thus far to seek; but finding none, (and yet I should, had there been such a place to be found, for I have gone to seek it farther than you,) I am going back again, and will seek to refresh myself with the things that I then cast away, for hopes of that which I now see is not.

Christian proveth his brother.

Hopeful's gracious

answer.

no mount Zion! the Gate of the

Then said Christian to Hopeful, his companion, Is it true which this man hath said?

Hope. Take heed, he is one of the Flatterers; remember what it hath cost us once already for our hearkening to such kind of fellows. What! Did we not see from the Delectable Mountains City? Also, are we not now to walk by faith? Let us go on, lest the man with the whip overtake us again. You should have taught me that lesson, ments is a help which I will round you in the ears withal: "Cease, against present my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to temptations. err from the words of knowledge."* I say, my brother, cease to hear him, and let us "believe to the saving of the soul."†

Remembrance of former chastise

Chr. My brother, I did not put the question to thee for that I doubted of the truth of our belief myself, but to prove thee, and to A fruit of an hon- fetch from thee a proof of the honesty of thy heart. As for this man, I know that he is blinded by the god of this world. Let thee and I go on, knowing that we have belief of the truth, and "no lie is of the truth."‡

est heart.

Hope. Now do I rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

So they turned away from the man, and he, laughing at them, went his way.

They come to the I then saw in my dream, that they went on until enchanted ground. they came into a certain country, whose air naturally tended to make one drowsy, if he came a stranger into it. And here Hopeful began to be very dull and heavy to sleep; Hopeful begins to wherefore he said unto Christian, I do now begin to grow so drowsy, that I can scarcely hold open mine eyes; let us lie down here, and take one nap. Christian keeps him awake.

be drowsy.

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

Hope. Why, my brother? Sleep is sweet to the labouring man ; we may be refreshed, if we take a nap.

Chr. Do you not remember that one of the Shepherds bid us beware of the Enchanted Ground? He meant by that, that we should beware of sleeping: "Wherefore, let us not sleep as others do, but let us watch and be sober."*

He is thankful.

Hope. I acknowledge myself in a fault; and had I been here alone, I had, by sleeping, run the danger of death. I see it is true that the wise man saith, "Two are better than one."† Hitherto hath thy company been my mercy; and thou shalt have a good reward for thy labour.

Now then, said Christian, to prevent drowsi

Good discourse

ness in this place, let us fall into good dis- preventeth drowsi

course.

With all my heart, said the other.

Chr. Where shall we begin?

ness.

Hope. Where God began with us. But do you begin, if you please. Chr. I will sing you first this song:

The dream er's note.

When saints do sleepy grow, let them come hither,
And hear how these two Pilgrims talk together;
Yea, let them learn of them in any wise

Thus to keep ope their drowsy slumb'ring eyes.
Saints' fellowship, if it be managed well,
Keeps them awake, and that in spite of hell.

Then Christian began and said, I will ask you a question: How came you to think at first of doing as you do now?

They begin at the beginning of their

conversion.

Hope. Do you mean how I came at first to look after the good of my soul?

Chr. Yes, that is my meaning.

Hope. I continued a great while in the delight of those things which were seen and sold at our Fair; things which I believe now would have, had I continued in them still, drowned me in perdition and destruction.

Chr. What things were they?

Hope. All the treasures and riches of the world. Hopeful's life beAlso I delighted much in rioting, revelling, drinking, fore conversion. swearing, lying, uncleanness, Sabbath-breaking, and what not, that tended to destroy the soul. But I found at last, by hearing and considering of things that are divine, which indeed I heard of you, as also of beloved Faithful that was put to death, for his faith and good living, in Vanity-fair, "that the end of these things is death; and that, "for these things' sake, the wrath of God cometh upon the children of disobedience."§

1 Thess. v. 6.

† Eccl. iv. 9.

Rom. vi. 21-23.

§ Eph. v. 6.