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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 can not 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 gen

tleman's house that hath skill to take off these burdens: so 1 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.

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 away 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.

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."† 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.

1 John xx. 27.

Mark viji. 38.

Luke xiii. 24.
John xii. 25. Matth. x. 39.

§ Matth. vii. 14.
** 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:

Christian inquires

Chr. Sir, what think you? is there any hope? 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. for men; only, said he, take heed that thou turn

⚫ Gal. iv. 21, 27. + Gal. iii. 10.

Evangelist

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 mne, though I have been

• Psalm ii. 12 t Matth. vil. 8.

An undeserving rebel? Then shall I

Not fail to sing his lasting praise on high.

At last there came a grave person to the Gate, named Good-will, who asked, Who was there? and whence he came ? and what he would have?

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Chr Here is a poor burdened sinnei 1 come from the city of Destruction, but am going to mount Zion, that I may be delivered from the wrath to come: I would therefore, sir, since I am informed that by this gate is the way thither, know if you are willing' to let me in.

I am willing with all my heart, said he with that he opened the Gate.

and

The gate will be

opened to broken hearted sinners.

So when Christian was stepping in, the other gave him a pull: then said Christian, What means that? The other told him, a little distance from this Gate there is erected a strong Castle, of which Beelzebub is the captain: Satau envies those from thence both he and them that are with him that enter the strait shoot arrows at those that come up to this Gate, if haply they may die before they can enter in.

gate.

Christian entered

Then said Christian, I rejoice and tremble. So, when he was got in, the Man at the Gate asked the gate with joy him, Who directed him thither ?

Chr. Evangelist bid me come hither and knock (as I did :) and he said that you, sir, would tell me what I must do.

and trembling.

Talk between
Good-will

Christian.

and

Good. An open Door is set before thee, and no man can shut 1,
Chr. Now I begin to reap the benefit of my hazards.
Good. But how is it that you came alone?

Chr. Because none of my neighbours saw their danger, as I saw mine.

Good. Did any of them know of your coming?

Chr. Yes, my wife and children saw me at the first, and called after me to turn again; also some of my neighbours stood crying and calling after me to return; but I put my fingers in my ears, and so came on my way.

Good. But did none of them follow you to persuade you to go back.

Chr. Yes; botn Obstinate and Pliable. But when they saw that they could not prevail, Obstinate went railing back, but Pliable came with me a little way.

Good. But why did he not come through?

Chr. We indeed came both together until we came to the slough

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