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hath a pretty young can do it (to speak There, I say, thou

should not happen to be at home himself, he man to his son, whose name is Civility, that on) as well as the old gentleman himself. mayst be eased of thy burden; and if thou art not minded to go back to thy former habitation, as indeed I would not wish thee, thou mayst send for thy wife and children to thee to this village, where there are houses now stand empty, one of which thou mayst have at a reasonable rate: provision is there also cheap and good; and that which will make thy life the more happy is, to be sure, there thou shalt live by honest neighbours, in credit and good fashion. Now was Christian somewhat at a stand; but

Christian snared

by Mr. Worldly presently he concluded, if this be true which this Wiseman's words. gentleman hath said, my wisest course is to take his advice; and with that he thus farther spake.

Chr. Sir, which is my way to this honest man's house?

Wor. Do you see yonder high hill?

Chr. Yes, very well.

Mount Sinai.

Christian afraid that Mount Sinai

head.

Wor. By that hill you must go; and the first house you come at is his.

So Christian turned out of his way to go to Mr. Legality's house for help; but behold, when he was got now hard by the hill, it seemed so high, and also that side of it that was next the wayside did hang so much over, that would fall on his Christian was afraid to venture further, lest the hill should fall on his head: wherefore there he stood still, and wotted not what to do. Also his burden now seemed heavier to him than while he was in his way. There came also flashes of fire out of the hill, that made Christian afraid that he should be burnt;* here, therefore, he did sweat and quake for fear. And now he began to be sorry that he had taken Mr. Worldly Wiseman's counsel; and with that he saw Evangelist coming to meet him; at the sight also of whom he began to blush for shame. So Evangelist drew nearer and nearer, and, coming Evangelist findeth up to him, he looked upon him with a severe and Christian under dreadful countenance; and thus began to reason with Christian.

Mount Sinai.

What dost thou here, Christian? said he at which words, Christian knew not what to answer. Wherefore Evangelist reasons afresh with Chris- at present he stood speechless-before him. Then said Evangelist farther, Art not thou the man that I found crying without the walls of the city of Destruction? Chr. Yes, dear sir, I am the man.

tian.

* Exod. xix. 16, 18. Heb. xil. 21.

Evan. Did not I direct thee the way to the little wicket-gate? Yes, dear sir, said Christian.

Evan. How is it, then, that thou art so quickly turned aside, for thou art now out of the way?

Chr. I met with a gentleman so soon as I had got over the slough of Despond, who persuaded me that I might, in the village before me, find a man that could take off my burden.

Evan. What was he?

Chr. He looked like a gentleman, and talked much to me, and got me at last to yield; so I came hither: but when I beheld this hill, and how it hangs over the way, I suddenly made a stand, lest it should fall on my head.

Evan. What said that gentleman to you?

Chr. Why he asked me whither I was going? and I told him. Evan. And what said he then ?

Chr. He asked me if I had a family? and I told him: but said I, I am so loaden with the burden that is on my back, that I cannot take pleasure in them as formerly.

Evan. And what said he then ?

Chr. He bid me with speed get rid of my burden; and I told him, it was ease that I sought; and, said I, I am therefore going to yonder gate to receive farther direction how I may get to the place of deliverance. So he said that he would show me a better way, and short, not so attended with difficulties as the way, sir, that you set me in; which way, said he, will direct you to a gentleman's house that hath skill to take off these burdens: so I believed him, and turned out of that way into this, if haply I might be soon eased of my burden. But when I came to this place, and beheld things as they are, I stopped for fear (as I said) of danger; but I now know not what to do.

away

escape, if we turn He said, moreover,

Then said Evangelist, stand still a little, that I may show thee the words of God. So he stood trembling. Then Evangelist convinsaid Evangelist, "See that ye refuse not him that ces him of his speaketh; for if they escaped not who refused him error. that spake on earth, much more shall not we from him that speaketh from heaven."* "Now, the just shall live by faith; but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him." He also did thus apply them: Thou art the man that art running into misery thou hast begun to reject the counsel of the Most High, and to draw back thy foot from the way of peace, even almost to the hazarding of thy perdition. Then Christian fell down at his feet as dead, crying, Wo is me,

Heb. xii. 25. † Heb. x. 38.

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for I am undone! At the sight of which Evangelist caught him by the right hand, saying, “All manner of sin and blasphemies shall be forgiven unto men.' "Be not faithless, but believing."t Then did Christian again a little revive, and stood up trembling, as at first, before Evangelist.

Then Evangelist proceeded, saying, Give more earnest heed to the things that I shall tell thee of. I will now show thee who it was that deluded thee, and who it was also to whom he sent thee. That man that met thee is one Worldly Wiseman, and rightly is he so called; partly because he savoureth only of the doctrine of this world, (therefore he always goes to the town of Morality to church,) and partly because he loveth that doctrine best, for it saveth him best from the Cross; and because he is of this carnal temper, therefore he seeketh to pervert my ways, though right. Now, there are three things in this man's counsel that thou must utterly abhor:

Mr. Worldly Wiscman described by Evangelist.

1. His turning thee out of the way.

2. His labouring to render the Cross odious to thee.

3. And his setting thy feet in that way that leadeth unto the administration of death.

First, Thou must abhor his turning thee out of the way, yea, and thine own consenting thereto; because this is to reject the counsel of God, for the sake of the counsel of a Worldly Wiseman. The Lord says, "Strive to enter in at the Strait Gate," the Gate to which I send thee; "For strait is the Gate that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."§ From this little Wicket-Gate, and from the way thereto, hath this wicked man turned thee, to the bringing of thee almost to destruction; hate, therefore, his turning thee out of the way, and abhor thyself for hearkening to him.

Secondly, Thou must abhor his labouring to render the Cross odious unto thee; for thou art to "prefer it before the treasures of Egypt." Besides, the King of Glory hath told thee, that "he that will save his life shall lose it."¶ And he that comes after him, "and hates not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple."** I say, therefore, for man to labour to persuade thee, that that shall be thy death, without which, the Truth hath said, thou canst not have eternal life, this doctrine thou must abhor. Thirdly, Thou must hate his setting of thy feet in the way that leadeth to the ministration of death. And for this thou must con

Matth. xii. 31. Heb. xi. 25, 26.

↑ John xx. 27.
T Mark viii. 38.

Luke xiii. 24.
John xii. 25.

§ Matth. vii. 14.
Matth. x. 39. ** Luke xiv. 26.

sider to whom he sent thee, and also how unable that person was to deliver thee from thy burden.

He to whom thou wast sent for ease, being by name Legality,* is the son of that Bondwoman, which now is, and is in bondage with her children, and is in a mystery this mount Sinai, which thou hast feared, will fall on thy head. Now, if she with her children are in bondage, how canst thou expect by them to be made free? This Legality, therefore, is not able to set thee free from thy burden. No man was as yet ever rid of his burden by him; no, nor ever is like to be: ye cannot "be justified by the works of the law;" for by the deeds of the law no man living can be rid of his burden therefore Mr. Worldly Wiseman is an alien, and Mr. Legality is a cheat: and for his son Civility, nothwithstanding his simpering looks, he is but a hypocrite, and cannot help thee. Believe me, there is nothing in all this noise that thou hast heard of these sottish men, but a design to beguile thee of thy salvation, by turning thee from the way in which I had set thee. After this, Evangelist called aloud to the Heavens for confirmation of what he had said; and with that there came words and fire out of the mountain under which poor Christian stood, which made the hair of his flesh stand up. The words were thus pronounced: "As many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them."†

Now Christian looked for nothing but death, and began to cry out lamentably, even cursing the time in which he met with Mr. Worldly Wiseman, still calling himself a thousand fools for hearkening to his counsel: he also was greatly ashamed to think that this gentleman's arguments, flowing only from the flesh, should have the prevalency with him so far as to cause him to forsake the right way. This done, he applied himself again to Evangelist in words and sense as follows:

Chr. Sir, what think you? is there any hope? Christian inquires May I now go back, and go up to the Wicket- if he may yet be Gate? Shall I not be abandoned for this, and sent happy. back from thence ashamed? I am sorry I have hearkened to this man's counsel: but may my sin be forgiven?

Then said Evangelist to him, Thy sin is very great, for by it thou hast committed two evils: thou hast forsaken the way that is good, to tread in forbidden paths; yet will the Man at the Gate receive thee, for he has good-will forts him. Evangelist

for men; only, said he, take heed that thou turn

com.

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[Christian at the Wicket-gate.]

not aside again, "lest thou perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little."* Then did Christian address himself to go back; and Evangelist, after he had kissed him, gave him one smile, and bid him God speed. So he went on with haste, neither spake he to any man by the way; nor, if any asked him, would he Vouchsafe them an answer. He went like one that was all the while treading on forbidden ground; and could by no means think himself safe, till again he was got into the way which he had left to follow Mr. Worldly Wiseman's counsel. So, in process of time, Christian got up to the Gate. Now, over the Gate there was written, "Knock, and it shall be opened unto you." He knocked, therefore, more than once or twice, saying,

May I now enter here? Will he within
Open to sorry me, though I have been

• Psalm ii. 12 † Matth. vii. 8.

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