The Pilgrim's Progress from this world to that which is to come
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.
{32} 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.
HELP. Then said he, Give me thy hand: so he gave him his hand, and
he drew him out, and set him upon sound ground, and bid him go on
his way. [Ps. 40:2]
{33} 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 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.
{34} It is not the pleasure of the King that this place should remain
so bad. [Isa. 35:3,4] 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.
{35} True, there are, by the direction of the Law-giver, 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 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. 12:23]
{36} 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 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.
{37} 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 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.
{38} WORLD. How now, good fellow, whither away after this burdened
manner?
CHR. A burdened manner, indeed, as ever, I think, poor creature
had! And whereas you 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 7:29]
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.
{39} WORLD. I would advise thee, then, that thou with all speed get
thyself rid of thy burden; for thou wilt never be settled in thy
mind till then; nor canst thou enjoy the benefits of the blessing
which God hath bestowed upon thee till then.
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.
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.
{40} 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 wilt 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?
CHR. 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.
{41} WORLD. How camest thou by the burden at first?
CHR. By reading this book in my hand.
WORLD. I thought so; and it is happened unto thee as to other weak
men, who, meddling with things too high for them, do suddenly fall
into thy distractions; which distractions do not only unman men, as
thine, I perceive, have done thee, but they run them upon desperate
ventures to obtain they know not what.
CHR. I know what I would obtain; it is ease for my heavy burden.
{42} 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 obtaining 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.
CHR. Pray, Sir, open this secret to me.
{43} WORLD. Why, in yonder village--the village is named Morality--
there dwells a gentleman whose name is Legality, a very judicious
man, and a man of very good name, that has skill to help men
off with such burdens as thine are from their shoulders: yea, to
my knowledge, he hath done a great deal of good this way; ay, 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 to 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 to this village,
where there are houses now stand empty, one of which thou mayest
have at reasonable rates; 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 neighbours, in credit and good
fashion.
{44} 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 spoke.
{45} CHR. Sir, which is my way to this honest man's house?
WORLD. Do you see yonder hill?
CHR. Yes, very well.
WORLD. By that hill you must go, and the first house you come at
is his.
{46} 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
further, lest the hill should fall on his head; wherefore there he
stood still and wotted 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 burned. [Ex. 19:16, 18] Here, therefore, he sweat
and did quake for fear. [Heb. 12:21]
When Christians unto carnal men give ear, Out of their way they
go, and pay for 't dear; For Master Worldly Wiseman can but shew
A saint the way to bondage and to woe.
{47} 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.
{48} 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 not
thou the man that I found crying without the walls of the City of
Destruction?
CHR. Yes, dear Sir, I am the man.
EVAN. Did not I direct thee the way to the little wicket-gate?
CHR. 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.
{49} 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 would 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 cannot
take pleasure in them as formerly.
EVAN. And what said he then?
{50} CHR. He bid me with speed get rid of my burden; and I told him
that 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 shew 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