PLI. This is very pleasant; and what else?

CHR. There shall be no more crying, nor sorrow: for He that is owner of the place will wipe all tears from our eyes. Isa. xxv. 6-8; Rev. vii. 17; xxi. 4.

PLI. And what company shall we have there?

CHR. There we shall be with seraphims and cherubims, creatures that will dazzle your eyes to look on them. Isa. vi. 2. There also you shall meet with thousands and ten thousands that have gone before us to that place; none of them are hurtful, but loving and holy; every one walking in the sight of God, and standing in his presence with acceptance for ever. 1 Thess. iv. 16, 17; Rev. v. 11. In a word, there we shall see the elders with their golden crowns, Rev. iv. 4; there we shall see the holy virgins with their golden harps, Rev. xiv. 1-5; there we shall see men that by the world were cut in pieces, burnt in flames, eaten of beasts, drowned in the seas, for the love that they bare to the Lord of the place, all well, and clothed with immortality as with a garment, John xii. 25; 2 Cor. v. 4.

PLI. The hearing of this is enough to ravish one's heart.? But are these things to be enjoyed? How shall we get to be sharers thereof ??

CHR. The Lord, the Governor of the country, hath recorded that in this book; the substance of which is, If we be truly willing to have it, he will bestow it upon us freely. Isa. lv. 1, 2; John vi. 37; vii. 37; Rev. xxi. 6; xxii. 17.

PLI. Well, my good companion, glad am I to hear of these things: come on, let us mend our pace."

CHR. I cannot go so fast as I would, by reason of this burden that is on my back.

"O sinner, sinner, there are better things than hell to be had; there is no comparison; there is heaven, there is God, there is Christ, there is communion with an innumerable company of saints and angels." [3]

"O sinner, what sayest thou now, dost thou like being saved? Doth not thy mouth water? Doth not thy heart twitter?" [21]

What a volume of meaning is contained in this touch of the pencil-Pliable is for entering heaven at once, while Christian groans under his burden. "What an intolerable burden is guilt, it breaks the heart. Satan makes the uttermost of every sin; he can make every hair of its head like a cedar. He makes it a heinous, unpardonable offence." [53]

Now, I saw in my dream, that just as they had ended this talk, they drew near to a very miry slough, that was in the midst of the plain; and they, being heedless,

The Slough of
Despond.

did both fall suddenly into the bog. The name of the slough was Despond. Here, therefore, they wallowed for a time, being grievously bedaubed with the dirt; and Christian, because of the burden that was on his back, began to sink in the mire.t

PLI. Then said Pliable, Ah! neighbour Christian, where are you now?

CHR. Truly, said Christian, I do not know.

PLI. At this Pliable began to be offended, and angrily said to his fellow, Is this the happiness you have told me all this while of ? If we have such ill speed at our first setting out, what may we expect betwixt this and our journey's end? May I get out again with my life, you shall possess the brave

It is not enough to be pliable.

country alone for me. And, with that, he gave a desperate struggle or two, and got out of the mire on that side of the slough which was next to his own house: so away he went, and Christian saw him no

more.

Christian

in

trouble seeks still to get further from

his own house.

Wherefore Christian was left to tumble in the Slough of Despond alone: but still he endeavoured to struggle to that side of the slough that was still further from his own house, and next to the wicket gate; the which he did, but could not get out because of the burden that was upon his back: but I beheld in my dream, that a man came to him whose name was Help, and asked him, What he did there?

CHR. Sir, said Christian, I was bid go this way by a man called Evangelist, who directed me also to yonder gate, that I might escape the wrath to come; and as I was going thither I fell in here.

t Oh, how gingerly did I go. I found myself as on a miry bog, that shook if I did but stir; and was there left both of God and Christ, and the Spirit, and all good things." [12+, No. 82.] "Guilt is a burden, the devil and sin, and the curse of the law, are gotten upon the shoulders of this poor man, and are treading of him down, that he may sink into and be swallowed up of his miry place." Job xli. 80. [54]

HELP. But why did not you look for the steps? CHR. Fear followed me so hard, that I fled the next way, and fell in.

The Promises.

HELP. Then said he, Give me thy hand: so he gave him his hand, and he drew him out, and set him upon Help lifts him out. sound ground, and bid him go on his way. Psa.

xl. 2.

What makes the of De

spond.

Then I stepped to him that plucked him out, and said, Sir, wherefore, since over this place is the way from the City of Destruction to yonder gate, is it that this plat is not mended, that poor travellers might go thither with more security? And he said unto me, This miry slough is such a place as cannot be mended; it is the descent Slough whither the scum and filth that attends conviction for sin doth continually run, and therefore it is called the Slough of Despond; for still, as the sinner is awakened about his lost condition, there ariseth in his soul many fears, and doubts, and discouraging apprehensions, which all of them get together, and settle in this place. And this is the reason of the badness of this ground.

It is not the pleasure of the King that this place should remain so bad. Isa. xxxv. 3, 4. His labourers also have, by the direction of His Majesty's surveyors, been for above these sixteen hundred years employed about this patch of ground, if perhaps it might have been mended: yea, and to my knowledge, said he, here have been swallowed up at least twenty thousand cart-loads, yea, millions of wholesome instructions, that have at all seasons been brought from all places of the King's dominions, and they that can tell, say they are the best materials to make good ground of the place; if so be, it might have been mended, but it is the Slough of Despond still, and so will be when they have done what they can.

The promises of forgiveness and

True, there are, by the direction of the Lawgiver, certain good and substantial steps, placed even through the very midst of this slough; but at such time as this place doth much spew out its filth, as it doth against change of weather, these steps are hardly seen; or, if they be, men, through the dizziness of their

acceptance to life

by faith in Christ.

heads, step beside, and then they are bemired to purpose, notwithstanding the steps be there; but the ground is good when they are once got in at the gate. 1 Sam. xii. 23."

his neighbours.

Now, I saw in my dream, that by this time Pliable was got home to his house again, so that his neighbours came to visit him; and some of them called him wise man for Pliable got home, and is visited of coming back, and some called him fool for hazarding himself with Christian: others again did mock at his cowardliness; saying, Surely, since you began to venture, I would not have been so base to have given out for a few difficulties. So Pliable sat sneaking among them. But at last he got more confidence, and then they all turned their tales, and began to deride poor Christian behind his back. And thus much concerning Pliable.

His entertainment by them at his return.

Mr. Worldly Wise

Christian.

Now, as Christian was walking solitarily by himself, he espied one afar off, come crossing over the field to meet him; and their hap was to meet just as they were crossing the way of each other. The gentleman's name that met man meets with him was Mr. Worldly Wiseman: he dwelt in the town of Carnal Policy, a very great town, and also hard-by from whence Christian came. This man, then, meeting with Christian, and having some inkling of him, -for Christian's setting forth from the City of Destruction was much noised abroad, not only in the town where he dwelt, but also it began to be the town talk in some other places,—Mr. Worldly Wiseman, therefore, having some guess of him, by beholding his laborious going, by observing his sighs and groans, and the like, began thus to enter into some talk with Christian. WORLD. How now, good fellow, whither away after this burdened manner ?"

Talk

betwixt Mr. Worldly Wiseman and Christian.

CHR. A burdened manner, indeed, as ever, I think, poor creature had! And whereas you

"That is, Christ; there is no comfortable walking, till we enter into possession of Christ by faith. He alone is the rock of ages.

"A sight of himself (so bemired) being a discovery of the naughtiness of his heart, pride, deadness to gospel obedience, lies like mill-stones upon his shoulders, and sinks him yet further into doubts and fears of damnation." [21]

4

ask me, Whither away? I tell you, Sir, I am going to yonder wicket-gate before me; for there, as I am informed, I shall be put into a way to be rid of my heavy burden. WORLD. Hast thou a wife and children?

CHR. Yes; but I am so laden with this burden, that I cannot take that pleasure in them as formerly; methinks I am as if I had none. 1 Cor. vii. 29.

WORLD. Wilt thou hearken unto me if I give thee counsel? CHR. If it be good, I will; for I stand in need of good counsel.

WORLD. I would advise thee, then, that thou with all speed get thyself rid of thy burden; for thou wilt Mr. Worldlynever be settled in thy mind till then; nor wiseman's counsel canst thou enjoy the benefits of the blessing which God hath bestowed upon thee till then.

to Christian.

CHR. That is that which I seek for, even to be rid of this heavy burden; but get it off myself, I cannot; nor is there any man in our country that can take it off my shoulders; therefore am I going this way, as I told you, that I may be rid of my burden.

wiseman

Mr. Worldly

con

demned Evangelist's counsel.

WORLD. Who bid thee go this way to be rid of thy burden? CHR. A man that appeared to me to be a very great and honourable person; his name, as I remember, is Evangelist. WORLD. I beshrew him for his counsel! there is not a more dangerous and troublesome way in the world than is that unto which he hath directed thee; and that thou shalt find, if thou will be ruled by his counsel. Thou hast met with something, as I perceive already; for I see the dirt of the Slough of Despond is upon thee; but that slough is the beginning of the sorrows that do attend those that go on in that way. Hear me, I am older than thou; thou art like to meet with, in the way which thou goest, wearisomeness, painfulness, hunger, perils, nakedness, sword, lions, dragons, darkness, and, in a word, death, and what not! These things are certainly true, having been confirmed by many testimonies. And why should a man so carelessly cast away himself, by giving heed to a stranger?

D