The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan Every Child Can Read
CHAPTER II.
THE WICKET-GATE.
By this time Christiana was got on her way, and Mercy went along with
her. So as they went, her children being there also, Christiana began to
discourse. "And, Mercy," said Christiana, "I take this as an unexpected
favor, that thou shouldest set forth out of doors with me, to accompany
me a little in my way."
MER. Then said young Mercy (for she was but young), "If I thought it
would be a good purpose to go with you, I would never go near the town
any more."
CHR. "Well, Mercy," said Christiana, "cast in thy lot with me: I well
know what will be the end of our pilgrimage: my husband is where he
would not but be for all the gold in the Spanish mines. Nor shalt thou
be turned away, though thou goest but upon my invitation. The King who
hath sent for me and my children is One that delighteth in mercy.
Besides, if thou wilt, I will hire thee, and thou shalt go along with me
as my servant; yet we will have all things in common betwixt thee and
me, only go along with me."
MER. But how shall I be sure that I also shall be welcomed? Had I this
hope but from one that can tell, I would have no hesitation at all, but
would go, being helped by Him that can help, though the way be never so
tedious.
CHR. Well, loving Mercy, I will tell thee what thou shalt do: go with me
to the wicket-gate, and there I will further inquire for thee; and if
there thou dost not meet with encouragement, I will be content that thou
shalt return to thy place: I also will pay thee for thy kindness which
thou showest to me and my children, in the accompanying of us in our way
as thou dost.
[Sidenote: MERCY GOES WITH CHRISTIANA]
MER. Then will I go thither, and will take what shall follow; and the
Lord grant that my lot may there fall, even as the King of heaven shall
have His heart upon me!
Christiana was then glad at her heart, not only that she had a
companion, but also for that she had prevailed with this poor maid to
fall in love with her own salvation. So they went on together and Mercy
began to weep.
Then said Christiana, "Wherefore weepeth my sister so?"
MER. "Alas!" said she, "who can but lament, that shall but rightly
consider what a state and condition my poor relations are in, that yet
remain in our sinful town? And that which makes my grief the more heavy
is, because they have no one to teach them nor to tell them what is to
come."
CHR. Tenderness becometh pilgrims; and thou dost for thy friends as my
good Christian did for me when he left me: he mourned for that I would
not heed nor regard him; but his Lord and ours did gather up his tears,
and put them into His bottle; and now both I and thou, and these my
sweet babes, are reaping the fruit and benefit of them I hope, Mercy,
that these tears of thine will not be lost; for the Truth hath said that
"they that sow in tears shall reap in joy," in singing; and "he that
goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come
again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him."
Then said Mercy:
"Let the Most Blessed be my guide,
If 't be His blessed will,
Unto His gate, into His fold,
Up to His holy hill.
"And never let Him suffer me
To swerve or turn aside
From His free grace and holy ways,
Whate'er shall me betide.
"And let Him gather them of mine
That I have left behind:
Lord, make them pray they may be Thine,
With all their heart and mind."
Now my old friend proceeded, and said, "But when Christiana came to the
Slough of Despond, she began to be at a stand; 'For,' said she, 'this is
the place in which my dear husband had like to have been smothered with
mud.' She perceived also that, notwithstanding the command of the King
to make this place for pilgrims good, yet it was rather worse than
formerly." So I asked if that was true.
"Yes," said the old gentleman, "too true, for many there be that pretend
to be the King's laborers, and say they are for mending the King's
highway, that bring dirt and dung instead of stones, and so mar instead
of mending. Here Christiana, therefore, with her boys, did make a stand.
But said Mercy, 'Come, let us venture, only let us be wary.' Then they
looked well to their steps, and made shift to get staggeringly over. Yet
Christiana had to have been in, and that not once nor twice.
"Now, they had no sooner got over, but they thought they heard words
that said unto them, 'Blessed is she that believeth, for there shall be
a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.'
"Then they went on again; and said Mercy to Christiana, 'Had I as good
ground to hope for a loving reception at the wicket-gate as you, I think
no Slough of Despond would discourage me.'
"'Well,' said the other, 'You know your trouble, and I know mine; and,
good friend, we shall have enough evil before we come at our journey's
end. For can it be imagined that the people that design to attain such
excellent glories as we do, and that are so envied that happiness as we
are, but that we shall meet with what fears, with what troubles and
afflictions they can possibly assault us with, that hate us?'"
[Sidenote: AT THE WICKET GATE]
And now Mr. Sagacity left me to dream out my dream by myself. Wherefore,
methought I saw Christiana, and Mercy, and the boys, go all of them up
to the gate; to which when they were come they betook themselves to a
short debate about how they must manage their calling at the gate, and
what should be said unto him that did open unto them: so it was
concluded, since Christiana was the eldest, that she should knock for
entrance, and that she should speak to him that did open, for the rest.
So Christiana began to knock, and, as her poor husband did, she knocked
and knocked again. But instead of any that answered, they all thought
that they heard as if a dog came barking upon them; a dog, and a great
one too: and this made the women and children afraid, nor durst they for
a while to knock any more, for fear the mastiff should fly upon them.
Now, therefore, they were greatly tumbled up and down in their minds,
and knew not what to do. Knock they durst not, for fear of the dog; go
back they durst not, for fear the keeper of the gate should espy them as
they so went, and should be offended with them. At last they thought of
knocking again, and knocked more loudly than they did at first. Then
said the Keeper of the gate, "Who is there?" So the dog left off to
bark, and He opened unto them.
Then Christiana made low obeisance, and said, "Let not our Lord be
offended with His handmaidens, for that we have knocked at His princely
gate."
Then said the Keeper, "Whence come ye? and what is it that you would
have?"
Christiana answered, "We are come from whence Christian did come, and
upon the same errand as he; to wit, to be, if it shall please you,
graciously admitted by this gate into the way that leads to the
Celestial City. And I answer, my Lord, in the next place, that I am
Christiana, once the wife of Christian, that now is gotten above."
With that the Keeper of the gate did marvel, saying, "What! is she now
become a pilgrim, that, but a while ago hated that life?"
Then she bowed her head, and said, "Yes; and so are these my sweet babes
also."
Then He took her by the hand, and let her in, and said also, "Suffer the
little children to come unto me;" and with that He shut up the gate.
This done, He called to a trumpeter that was above, over the gate, to
entertain Christiana with shouting and sound of trumpet for joy. So he
obeyed, and sounded, and filled the air with his melodious notes.
Now, all this while poor Mercy did stand without trembling and crying,
for fear that she was rejected. But when Christiana had got admittance
for herself and her boys, then she began to make intercession for Mercy.
[Sidenote: MERCY FALLS IN A SWOON]
CHR. And she said, "My Lord, I have a companion of mine that stands yet
without, that is come hither upon the same account as myself, one that
is much troubled in her mind, for that she comes, as she thinks, without
sending for; whereas I was sent to by my husband's King to come."
Now Mercy began to be very impatient, for each minute was as long to her
as an hour; wherefore she prevented Christiana from asking for her more
fully by knocking at the gate herself. And she knocked then so loud that
she made Christiana to start. Then said the Keeper of the gate, "Who is
there?" And said Christiana, "It is my friend."
So He opened the gate and looked out; but Mercy was fallen down without
in a swoon, for she fainted, and was afraid that no gate would be opened
to her.
Then he took her by the hand, and said, "Maiden, I bid thee arise."
"Oh, sir," said she, "I am faint: there is scarce life left in me."
But He answered that "One once said, 'When my soul fainted within me, I
remembered the Lord; and my prayer came in unto Thee, into Thy holy
temple.' Fear not, but stand upon thy feet, and tell me wherefore thou
art come."
MER. I am come for that unto which I was never invited, as my friend
Christiana was. Hers was from the King, and mine was but from her.
Wherefore I fear I presume.
KEEP. Did she desire thee to come with her to this place?
MER. Yes; and, as my Lord sees, I am come. And if there is any grace and
forgiveness of sins to spare, I beseech that I, Thy poor handmaiden, may
be partaker thereof.
[Sidenote: MERCY PERMITTED TO ENTER]
Then He took her again by the hand, and led her gently in, and said, "I
pray for all them that believe on me, by what means soever they come
unto me." Then said He to those that stood by, "Fetch something, and
give it to Mercy to smell on, thereby to stay her fainting." So they
fetched her a bundle of myrrh, and a while after she was revived.
And now was Christiana and her boys and Mercy received of the Lord at
the head of the way, and spoke kindly unto by Him. Then said they yet
further unto Him, "We are sorry for our sins, and beg of our Lord His
pardon and further information what we must do."
"I grant pardon," said He, "by word and deed: by word, in the promise of
forgiveness; by deed, in the way I obtained it. Take the first from my
lips with a kiss, and the other as it shall be revealed."
Now, I saw in my dream, that He spake many good words unto them, whereby
they were greatly gladded. He also had them up to the top of the gate,
and showed them by what deed they were saved; and told them withal that
that sight they would have again as they went along the way, to their
comfort.
So He left them a while in a summer parlor below, where they entered
into a talk by themselves; and thus Christiana began:
"O Lord, how glad am I that we are got in hither!"
MER. So you well may; but I of all have cause to leap for joy.
CHR. I thought one time as I stood at the gate, because I knocked, and
none did answer, that all our labor had been lost, specially when that
ugly cur made such a heavy barking against us.
MER. But my worst fear was after I saw that you were taken into His
favor, and that I was left behind. Now, thought I, it is fulfilled which
is written, "Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be
taken, and the other left." I had much ado to forbear crying out,
"Undone! undone!" And afraid I was to knock any more: but when I looked
up to what was written over the gate, I took courage. I also thought
that I must either knock again or die; so I knocked, but I cannot tell
how, for my spirit now struggled betwixt life and death.
_Chr._ Can you not tell how you knocked? I am sure your knocks were so
earnest, that the very sound of them made me start. I thought I never
heard such knocking in all my life; I thought you would come in by
violent hands, or take the kingdom by storm.