The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan Every Child Can Read
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 proved by the words of many
people. And why should a man so carelessly cast away himself, by giving
heed to a stranger?
CHRIS. Why, sir, this burden upon my back is more terrible to me than
all these things which you have mentioned; nay, methinks I care not what
I meet with in the way, if so be I can also meet with deliverance from
my burden.
WORLD. How camest thou by the burden at first?
CHRIS. By reading this book in my hand.
WORLD. I thought so. And it has happened unto thee as unto other weak
men, who, meddling with things too high for them, do suddenly fall into
thy crazy thoughts, which thoughts do not only unman men, as thine I
perceive have done thee, but they run them upon desperate efforts to
obtain they know not what.
CHRIS. I know what I would obtain; it is ease for my heavy burden.
WORLD. But why wilt thou seek for ease this way, seeing so many dangers
attend it? Especially since (hadst thou but patience to hear me,) I
could direct thee to the getting of what thou desirest, without the
dangers that thou in this way wilt run thyself into. Yea, and the remedy
is at hand. Besides, I will add that, instead of those dangers, thou
shalt meet with much safety, friendship, and content.
CHRIS. Sir, I pray, open this secret to me.
WORLD. Why, in yonder village (the village is named Morality), there
dwells a gentleman whose name is Legality, a very wise man, and a man of
very good name, that has skill to help men off with such burdens as
thine is from their shoulders; yea, to my knowledge he hath done a great
deal of good this way; aye, and besides, he hath skill to cure those
that are somewhat crazed in their wits with their burdens. To him, as I
said, thou mayest go, and be helped presently. His house is not quite a
mile from this place; and if he should not be at home himself, he hath a
pretty young man as his son, whose name is Civility, that can do it (to
speak on) as well as the old gentleman himself. There, I say, thou
mayest 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 mayest
send for thy wife and children to thee in this village, where there are
houses now standing empty, one of which thou mayest 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
neighbors, in credit and good fashion.
Now was Christian somewhat at a stand; but presently he concluded, "If
this be true which this gentleman hath said, my wisest course is to take
his advice;" and with that, he thus further spake:
CHRIS. Sir, which is my way to this honest man's house?
WORLD. Do you see yonder high hill?
CHRIS. Yes, very well.
WORLD. By that hill you must go, and the first house you come at is his.
[Sidenote: EVANGELIST AND CHRISTIAN.]
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 Christian was afraid to venture farther, lest the hill
should fall on his head; wherefore there he stood still, and knew 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 sweat and
did 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 up to him, he looked upon
him with a severe and dreadful countenance, and thus began to reason
with Christian:
EVAN. "What dost thou here, Christian?" said he; at which words
Christian knew not what to answer; wherefore at present he stood
speechless before him. Then said Evangelist further, "Art thou not the
man that I found crying, without the walls of the City of Destruction?"
CHRIS. Yes, dear sir, I am the man.
EVAN. Did not I direct thee the way to the little wicket-gate?
CHRIS. "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.
CHRIS. I met with a gentleman as 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?
CHRIS. 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?
CHRIS. Why, he asked me whither I was going, and I told him.
EVAN. And what said he then?
CHRIS. He asked me if I had a family, and I told him. But, said I, I am
so laden with the burden that is on my back, that I cannot take pleasure
in them as formerly.
EVAN. And what said he then?
CHRIS. 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 further 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 hard as
the way, sir, that you sent 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
soon be 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.
EVAN. Then said Evangelist, "Stand still a little, that I may show thee
the words of God." So he stood trembling. Then said Evangelist, "God
says in his book, 'See that ye refuse not him that speaketh; for if they
escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we
escape, if we turn away from Him that speaketh from heaven.' He said,
moreover, 'Now, the righteous man shall live by faith in God, 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 danger of thy everlasting
ruin."
Then Christian fell down at his feet as dead, crying, "Woe is me, for I
am undone!" At the sight of which Evangelist caught him by the right
hand, saying, "All manner of sin and evil words 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 led thee
astray, 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
seeks only for the things of this world (therefore he always goes to the
town of Morality to church), and partly because he loveth that way best,
for it saveth him from the Cross; and because he is of this evil
temper, therefore he seeketh to turn you from my way though it is the
right way.
"He to whom thou wast sent for ease, being by name Legality, 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 set right by any
such plan. Therefore, Mr. Worldly Wiseman is an enemy, and Mr. Legality
is a cheat; and, for his son Civility, notwithstanding his simpering
looks, he is but a fraud and cannot help thee. Believe me, there is
nothing in all this noise that thou hast heard of these wicked men, but
a design to rob 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 proof 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 spoken: "As
many as are of the works of the law are under the curse."
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 listening to his
counsel. He also was greatly ashamed to think that this gentleman's
arguments should have the power with him so far as to cause him to
forsake the right way. This done, he spoke again to Evangelist, in words
and sense as follows:
CHRIS. Sir, what think you? Is there any hope? May I now go back, and go
up to the wicket-gate? Shall I not be abandoned for this, and sent back
from thence ashamed? I am sorry I have hearkened to this man's counsel;
but may my sins be forgiven?
EVAN. 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 for men; only," said he, "take heed that thou turn
not aside again, lest thou perish from the way, when his anger is
kindled but a little."
CHAPTER II.
Then did Christian begin to go back to the right road; 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 give 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 in the way which he had left to
follow Mr. Worldly Wiseman's counsel: so after a 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
An undeserving rebel? Then shall I
Not fail to sing His lasting praise on high."
[Sidenote: GOODWILL OPENS THE GATE]
At last there came a grave person to the gate named Goodwill, who asked
who was there, and whence he came, and what he would have?
CHRIS. Here is a poor burdened sinner. I come from the City of
Destruction, but am going to Mount Zion, that I may be set free from the
wrath to come; I would therefore, sir, since I am told that by this
gate is the way thither, know, if you are willing to let me in.
GOOD. "I am willing with all my heart," said he; and, with that, he
opened the gate.
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, the
Evil One, is the captain; from whence both he and they that are with him
shoot arrows at those that come up to this gate, if haply they may die
before they can enter in." Then said Christian, "I rejoice and tremble."
So when he was got in, the man of the gate asked him who directed him
thither.
CHRIS. Evangelist bid me come hither and knock, as I did; and he said