The Pilgrim's Progress from this world to that which is to come
HOPE. I am of your mind, for, my house not being above three miles
from him, he would ofttimes come to me, and that with many tears.
Truly I pitied the man, and was not altogether without hope of him;
but one may see, it is not every one that cries, Lord, Lord.
CHR. He told me once that he was resolved to go on pilgrimage, as
we do now; but all of a sudden he grew acquainted with one Save-self,
and then he became a stranger to me.
{375} HOPE. Now, since we are talking about him, let us a little
inquire into the reason of the sudden backsliding of him and such
others.
CHR. It may be very profitable, but do you begin.
HOPE. Well, then, there are in my judgment four reasons for it:--
{376} 1. Though the consciences of such men are awakened, yet their
minds are not changed; therefore, when the power of guilt weareth
away, that which provoked them to be religious ceaseth, wherefore
they naturally turn to their own course again, even as we see the
dog that is sick of what he has eaten, so long as his sickness
prevails he vomits and casts up all; not that he doth this of a
free mind (if we may say a dog has a mind), but because it troubleth
his stomach; but now, when his sickness is over, and so his stomach
eased, his desire being not at all alienate from his vomit, he turns
him about and licks up all, and so it is true which is written,
"The dog is turned to his own vomit again." [2 Pet. 2:22] Thus
I say, being hot for heaven, by virtue only of the sense and fear
of the torments of hell, as their sense of hell and the fears of
damnation chills and cools, so their desires for heaven and salvation
cool also. So then it comes to pass, that when their guilt and
fear is gone, their desires for heaven and happiness die, and they
return to their course again.
{377} 2. Another reason is, they have slavish fears that do
overmaster them; I speak now of the fears that they have of men,
for "the fear of man bringeth a snare". [Prov. 29:25] So then,
though they seem to be hot for heaven, so long as the flames of
hell are about their ears, yet when that terror is a little over,
they betake themselves to second thoughts; namely, that it is good
to be wise, and not to run (for they know not what) the hazard of
losing all, or, at least, of bringing themselves into unavoidable
and unnecessary troubles, and so they fall in with the world again.
{378} 3. The shame that attends religion lies also as a block in
their way; they are proud and haughty; and religion in their eye
is low and contemptible, therefore, when they have lost their sense
of hell and wrath to come, they return again to their former course.
{379} 4. Guilt, and to meditate terror, are grievous to them.
They like not to see their misery before they come into it; though
perhaps the sight of it first, if they loved that sight, might make
them fly whither the righteous fly and are safe. But because they
do, as I hinted before, even shun the thoughts of guilt and terror,
therefore, when once they are rid of their awakenings about the
terrors and wrath of God, they harden their hearts gladly, and
choose such ways as will harden them more and more.
{380} CHR. You are pretty near the business, for the bottom of all
is for want of a change in their mind and will. And therefore they
are but like the felon that standeth before the judge, he quakes
and trembles, and seems to repent most heartily, but the bottom
of all is the fear of the halter; not that he hath any detestation
of the offence, as is evident, because, let but this man have his
liberty, and he will be a thief, and so a rogue still, whereas, if
his mind was changed, he would be otherwise.
{381} HOPE. Now I have showed you the reasons of their going back,
do you show me the manner thereof.
CHR. So I will willingly.
1. They draw off their thoughts, all that they may, from the
remembrance of God, death, and judgment to come.
2. Then they cast off by degrees private duties, as closet prayer,
curbing their lusts, watching, sorrow for sin, and the like.
3. Then they shun the company of lively and warm Christians.
4. After that they grow cold to public duty, as hearing, reading,
godly conference, and the like.
5. Then they begin to pick holes, as we say, in the coats of some
of the godly; and that devilishly, that they may have a seeming
colour to throw religion (for the sake of some infirmity they have
espied in them) behind their backs.
6. Then they begin to adhere to, and associate themselves with,
carnal, loose, and wanton men.
7. Then they give way to carnal and wanton discourses in secret;
and glad are they if they can see such things in any that are
counted honest, that they may the more boldly do it through their
example.
8. After this they begin to play with little sins openly.
9. And then, being hardened, they show themselves as they are. Thus,
being launched again into the gulf of misery, unless a miracle of
grace prevent it, they everlastingly perish in their own deceivings.
{382} Now I saw in my dream, that by this time the Pilgrims were
got over the Enchanted Ground, and entering into the country of
Beulah, whose air was very sweet and pleasant, the way lying directly
through it, they solaced themselves there for a season. Yea, here
they heard continually the singing of birds, and saw every day the
flowers appear on the earth, and heard the voice of the turtle in
the land. [Isa. 62:4, Song of Solomon 2:10-12] In this country
the sun shineth night and day; wherefore this was beyond the Valley
of the Shadow of Death, and also out of the reach of Giant Despair,
neither could they from this place so much as see Doubting Castle.
Here they were within sight of the city they were going to, also
here met them some of the inhabitants thereof; for in this land
the Shining Ones commonly walked, because it was upon the borders
of heaven. In this land also, the contract between the bride and
the bridegroom was renewed; yea, here, "As the bridegroom rejoiceth
over the bride, so did their God rejoice over them." [Isa. 62:5]
Here they had no want of corn and wine; for in this place they met
with abundance of what they had sought for in all their pilgrimage.
[Isa. 62:8] Here they heard voices from out of the city, loud voices,
saying, "'Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation
cometh! Behold, his reward is with him!' Here all the inhabitants
of the country called them, 'The holy people, The redeemed of the
Lord, Sought out'", etc. [Isa. 62:11,12]
{383} Now as they walked in this land, they had more rejoicing than
in parts more remote from the kingdom to which they were bound; and
drawing near to the city, they had yet a more perfect view thereof.
It was builded of pearls and precious stones, also the street thereof
was paved with gold; so that by reason of the natural glory of the
city, and the reflection of the sunbeams upon it, Christian with
desire fell sick; Hopeful also had a fit or two of the same disease.
Wherefore, here they lay by it a while, crying out, because of their
pangs, If ye find my beloved, tell him that I am sick of love.
{384} But, being a little strengthened, and better able to bear
their sickness, they walked on their way, and came yet nearer and
nearer, where were orchards, vineyards, and gardens, and their gates
opened into the highway. Now, as they came up to these places,
behold the gardener stood in the way, to whom the Pilgrims said,
Whose goodly vineyards and gardens are these? He answered, They are
the King's, and are planted here for his own delight, and also for
the solace of pilgrims. So the gardener had them into the vineyards,
and bid them refresh themselves with the dainties. [Deut. 23:24]
He also showed them there the King's walks, and the arbours where
he delighted to be; and here they tarried and slept.
{385} Now I beheld in my dream that they talked more in their sleep
at this time than ever they did in all their journey; and being in
a muse thereabout, the gardener said even to me, Wherefore musest
thou at the matter? It is the nature of the fruit of the grapes
of these vineyards to go down so sweetly as to cause the lips of
them that are asleep to speak.
{386} So I saw that when they awoke, they addressed themselves to
go up to the city; but, as I said, the reflection of the sun upon
the city (for the city was pure gold) was so extremely glorious
that they could not, as yet, with open face behold it, but through
an instrument made for that purpose. So I saw, that as I went
on, there met them two men, in raiment that shone like gold; also
their faces shone as the light. [Rev. 21:18, 2 Cor. 3:18]
{387} These men asked the Pilgrims whence they came; and they told
them. They also asked them where they had lodged, what difficulties
and dangers, what comforts and pleasures they had met in the way;
and they told them. Then said the men that met them, You have but
two difficulties more to meet with, and then you are in the city.
{388} Christian then, and his companion, asked the men to go along
with them; so they told them they would. But, said they, you must
obtain it by your own faith. So I saw in my dream that they went
on together, until they came in sight of the gate.
{389} Now, I further saw, that betwixt them and the gate was a river,
but there was no bridge to go over: the river was very deep. At
the sight, therefore, of this river, the Pilgrims were much stunned;
but the men that went in with them said, You must go through, or
you cannot come at the gate.
{390} The Pilgrims then began to inquire if there was no other
way to the gate; to which they answered, Yes; but there hath not
any, save two, to wit, Enoch and Elijah, been permitted to tread
that path since the foundation of the world, nor shall, until the
last trumpet shall sound. [1 Cor. 15:51,52] The Pilgrims then,
especially Christian, began to despond in their minds, and looked
this way and that, but no way could be found by them by which they
might escape the river. Then they asked the men if the waters were
all of a depth. They said: No; yet they could not help them in
that case; for, said they, you shall find it deeper or shallower
as you believe in the King of the place.
*In the Resurrection of the Righteous. [Rev. 20:4-6]
{391} They then addressed themselves to the water and, entering,
Christian began to sink, and crying out to his good friend Hopeful,
he said, I sink in deep waters; the billows go over my head, all
his waves go over me! Selah.
{392} Christian's conflict at the hour of death
Then said the other, Be of good cheer, my brother, I feel the
bottom, and it is good. Then said Christian, Ah! my friend, the
sorrows of death hath compassed me about; I shall not see the land
that flows with milk and honey; and with that a great darkness and
horror fell upon Christian, so that he could not see before him.
Also here he in great measure lost his senses, so that he could
neither remember nor orderly talk of any of those sweet refreshments
that he had met with in the way of his pilgrimage. But all the
words that he spake still tended to discover that he had horror of
mind, and heart fears that he should die in that river, and never
obtain entrance in at the gate. Here also, as they that stood by
perceived, he was much in the troublesome thoughts of the sins that
he had committed, both since and before he began to be a pilgrim.
It was also observed that he was troubled with apparitions of
hobgoblins and evil spirits, for ever and anon he would intimate
so much by words. Hopeful, therefore, here had much ado to keep
his brother's head above water; yea, sometimes he would be quite
gone down, and then, ere a while, he would rise up again half dead.
Hopeful also would endeavour to comfort him, saying, Brother, I see