The Pilgrim's Progress - Part One
The Author's Apology for His Book | Introduction
| 3 | 4 | 5 | 6
| 7 | 8 | 9 | 10
| 11 | 12 | 13
| 14 | 15 | 16
| 17 | 18 | 19
| 20 | 21 | 22 | 23
| 24 | 25 | 26
| 27 | 28 | 29
| 30 | 31 | 32
| 33 | 34 | 35
| Conclusion
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Talkative
Moreover I saw in my dream, that as they went on, FAITHFUL, as he chanced to look
on one side, saw a man whose name is TALKATIVE, walking at a distance beside them--for
in this place there was room for them all to walk. He was a tall man, and somewhat
more comely at a distance than at hand. To this man FAITHFUL addressed himself in
this manner:
Faith. Friend, whither away? Are you going to the heavenly country?
Talkative. I am going to that same place.
Faith. That is well; then I hope we may have your good company?
Talk. With a very good will I will be your companion.
Faith. Come on then, and let us go together; and let us spend our time in
discoursing of things that are profitable.
Talk. To talk of things that are good with you or with any other, to me is
very acceptable; and I am glad that I have met with those that incline to so good
a work. For, to speak the truth, there are but few that care thus to spend their
time (as they are in their travels), but choose much rather to be speaking of things
to no profit; and this hath been a trouble to me.
Faith. That is indeed a thing to be lamented; for what things so worthy of
the use of the tongue and mouth of men on earth, as are the things of the God of
heaven?
Talk. I like you wonderful well, for your saying is full of conviction; and
I will add, What thing is so pleasant, and what so profitable, as to talk of the
things of God?
What things so pleasant?--that is, if a man hath any delight in things that are wonderful:
for instance, if a man doth delight to talk of the history or the mystery of things;
or if a man doth love to talk of miracles, wonders, or signs--where shall he find
things recorded so delightful, and so sweetly penned as in the Holy Scripture?
Faith. That's true; but to be profited by such things in our talk should be
that which we design.
Talk. That is it that I said: for to talk of such things is most profitable;
for by so doing, a man may get knowledge of many things--as of the vanity of earthly
things, and the benefit of things above (thus in general): but more particularly,
by this a man may learn the necessity of the new birth; the insufficiency of our
works; the need of Christ's righteousness, and so forth. Besides, by this a man may
learn what it is to repent, to believe, to pray, to suffer, or the like; by this
also a man may learn what are the great promises and consolations of the Gospel,
to his own comfort. Further, by this a man may learn to refute false opinions; to
vindicate the truth; and also to instruct the ignorant.
Faith. All this is true; and glad am I to hear these things from you.
Talk. Alas! the want of this is the cause that so few understand the need
of faith, and the necessity of a work of grace in their soul, in order to gain eternal
life; but ignorantly live in the works of the law, by which a man can by no means
obtain the Kingdom of Heaven.
Faith. But, by your leave, heavenly knowledge of these is the gift of God;
no man attains to them by human industry, or only by the talk of them.
Talk. All this I know very well; for a man can receive nothing except it be
given him from heaven,--all is of grace, not of works: I could give you a hundred
scriptures for the confirmation of this.
Faith. "Well then," said FAITHFUL, "what is that one thing
that we shall at this time found our discourse upon?"
Talk. What you will: I will talk of things heavenly, or things earthly; things
moral, or things evangelical; things sacred, or things profane; things past, or things
to come; things foreign, or things at home; things more essential, or things circumstantial--provided
that all be done to our profit.
Faith. Now did FAITHFUL begin to wonder; and stepping to CHRISTIAN (for he
walked all this while by himself) he said to him (but softly), "What a brave
companion have we got! Surely this man will make a very excellent pilgrim."
Chr. At this CHRISTIAN modestly smiled, and said, "This man with whom
you are so taken will beguile with this tongue of his twenty of them that know him
not."
Faith. Do you know him, then?
Chr. Know him! yes, better than he knows himself.
Faith. Pray, what is he?
Chr. His name is TALKATIVE; he dwells in our town: wonder that you should
be a stranger to him, only I consider that our town is large.
Faith. Whose son is he? And whereabout doth he dwell?
Chr. He is the son of one SAY-WELL; he dwelt in Prating-row, and he is known
of all that are acquainted with him by the name of TALKATIVE in Prating-row; and
notwithstanding his fine tongue, he is but a sorry fellow.
Faith. Well, he seems to be a very pretty man.
Chr. That is to them that have not thorough acquaintance with him: for he
is best abroad; near home he is ugly enough. Your saying that he is a pretty man,
brings to my mind what I have observed in the work of the painter, whose pictures
show best at a distance; but very near, more unpleasing.
Faith. But I am ready to think you do but jest, because you smiled.
Chr. God forbid that I should jest--though I smiled--in this matter, or that
I should accuse any falsely; I will give you a further discovery of him. This man
is for any company, and for any talk; as he talks now with you, so will he talk when
he is on the ale bench; and the more drink he hath in his crown, the more of these
things he hath in his mouth; religion hath, no place in his heart, or house, or conversation;
all he hath lieth in his tongue, and his religion is to make a noise therewith.
Faith. Say you so! Then am I in this man greatly deceived.
Chr. Deceived ! you may be sure of it. Remember the proverb, "They say,
and do not; but the Kingdom of God is not in word, but in power".
"All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe,
that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do
not."
~ Matthew 23:3 ~
"For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power."
~ 1 Corinthians 4:20 ~
He talks of prayer, of repentance, of faith, and of the new birth; but he knows but
only to talk of them. I have been in his family, and have observed him both at home
and abroad; and I know that what I say of him is the truth. His house is as empty
of religion as the white of an egg is of savour. There is there neither prayer nor
sign of repentance for sin; yea, the brute in his kind serves God far better than
he. He is the very stain, reproach, and shame of religion to all that know him;
"Thou that makest thy boast of the law,
through breaking the law dishonourest thou God? For the name of God is blasphemed
among the Gentiles through you, as it is written."
~ Romans 2:23, 24 ~
it can hardly have a good word in all that end of the town where he dwells, through
him. Thus say the common people that know him: "A saint abroad, and a devil
at home;" his poor family finds it so; he is such a churl, such a railer at,
and so unreasonable with his servants, that they neither know how to do for or speak
to him. Men that have any dealings with him, say 'tis better to deal with a Turk
than with him: for fairer dealing they shall have at their hands. This TALKATIVE,
if it be possible, will go beyond them--defraud, beguile, and overreach them. Besides,
he brings up his sons to follow his steps; and if he findeth in any of them a foolish
timorousness (for so he calls the first appearance of a tender conscience), he calls
them fools and blockheads, and by no means will employ them in much, or speak to
their commendation before others. For my part, I am of opinion, that he has by his
wicked life caused many to stumble and fall; and will be, if God prevent not, the
ruin of many more.
Faith. Well, my brother, I am bound to believe you; not only because you say
you know him, but also because, like a Christian you make your reports of men. For
I cannot think that you speak these things of ill will; but because it is even so
as you say.
Chr. Had I known him no more than you, I might perhaps have thought of him
as at the first you did; yea, had he received this report at their hands only that
are enemies to religion, I should have thought it had been a slander (a lot that
often falls from bad men's mouths upon good men's names and professions): but all
these things, yea, and a great many more as bad, of my own knowledge I can prove
him guilty of. Besides, good men are ashamed of him; they can neither call him brother
nor friend; the very naming of him among them makes them blush, if they know him!
Faith. Well, I see that saying and doing are two things; and hereafter I shall
better observe this distinction.
Chr. They are two things indeed, and are as diverse as are the soul and the
body; for as the body without the soul is but a dead carcase, so, "saying,"
if it be alone, is but a dead carcase also. The soul of religion is the practical
part; "pure religion and undefiled, before God and the Father, is this: to visit
the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from
the world".
"But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers
only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer,
he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself,
and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso
looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being
not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his
deed. If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but
deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled
before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction,
and to keep himself unspotted from the world."
~ James 1:22-27 ~
This, TALKATIVE is not aware of; he thinks that hearing and saying will make a good
Christian, and thus he deceives his own soul. Hearing is but as the sowing of the
seed; talking is not sufficient to prove that fruit is indeed in the heart and life:
and let us assure ourselves, that at the day of doom men shall be judged according
to their fruits.
"And he spake many things unto them in parables,
saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; And when he sowed, some seeds fell
by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: Some fell upon stony places,
where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no
deepness of earth: And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they
had no root, they withered away. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung
up, and choked them: But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some
an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear."
~ Matthew 13:3-9 ~
"Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. When any one
heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the
wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he
which received seed by the way side. But he that received the seed into stony places,
the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he
not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution
ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. He also that received seed
among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the
deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. But he that
received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth
it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some
sixty, some thirty. Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of
heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept,
his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade
was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants
of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy
field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this.
The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he
said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to
the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn
them: but gather the wheat into my barn."
~ Matthew 13:18-30 ~
"Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house:
and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares
of the field. He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the
Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom;
but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them
is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the
end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather
out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall
cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then
shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath
ears to hear, let him hear."
~ Matthew 13:36-43 ~
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was
cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: Which, when it was full, they drew
to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.
So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the
wicked from among the just, And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall
be wailing and gnashing of teeth."
~ Matthew 13:47-50 ~
"When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the
holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before
him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as
a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on
his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his
right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from
the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty,
and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed
me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall
the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee?
or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee
in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and
came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you,
Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye
have done it unto me. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart
from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and
in prison, and ye visited me not."
~ Matthew 25:31-43 ~
It will not be said then, "Did you believe?" but, "Were you doers,
or talkers only?" and accordingly shall they be judged. The end of the world
is compared to our harvest; and you know men at harvest regard nothing but fruit.
Not that anything can be accepted that is not of faith; but I speak this to show
you how insignificant the profession of TALKATIVE will be at that day.
Faith. This brings to my mind that of Moses, by which he describes the beast
that is clean.
"And the LORD spake unto Moses and to Aaron,
saying unto them, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These are the
beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth. Whatsoever
parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts,
that shall ye eat. Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud,
or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud,
but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. And the coney, because
he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.
And the hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is
unclean unto you. And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted,
yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you. Of their flesh shall ye
not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you. These
shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales
in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat. And all that have
not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters,
and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination
unto you: They shall be even an abomination unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh,
but ye shall have their carcases in abomination. Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales
in the waters, that shall be an abomination unto you. And these are they
which ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten,
they are an abomination: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray, And
the vulture, and the kite after his kind; Every raven after his kind; And the owl,
and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind, And the little owl,
and the cormorant, and the great owl, And the swan, and the pelican, and the gier
eagle, And the stork, the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat. All
fowls that creep, going upon all four, shall be an abomination unto
you.
Yet these may ye eat of every flying creeping thing that goeth upon all four,
which have legs above their feet, to leap withal upon the earth; Even these
of them ye may eat; the locust after his kind, and the bald locust after his kind,
and the beetle after his kind, and the grasshopper after his kind. But all other
flying creeping things, which have four feet, shall be an abomination unto
you. And for these ye shall be unclean: whosoever toucheth the carcase of them shall
be unclean until the even. And whosoever beareth ought of the carcase of them
shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even. The carcases of every
beast which divideth the hoof, and is not clovenfooted, nor cheweth the cud,
are unclean unto you: every one that toucheth them shall be unclean. And whatsoever
goeth upon his paws, among all manner of beasts that go on all four, those
are unclean unto you: whoso toucheth their carcase shall be unclean until
the even. And he that beareth the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be
unclean until the even: they are unclean unto you. These also shall be
unclean unto you among the creeping things that creep upon the earth; the weasel,
and the mouse, and the tortoise after his kind, And the ferret, and the chameleon,
and the lizard, and the snail, and the mole. These are unclean to you among
all that creep: whosoever doth touch them, when they be dead, shall be unclean until
the even.
And upon whatsoever any of them, when they are dead, doth fall, it shall be
unclean; whether it be any vessel of wood, or raiment, or skin, or sack, whatsoever
vessel it be, wherein any work is done, it must be put into water,
and it shall be unclean until the even; so it shall be cleansed. And every earthen
vessel, whereinto any of them falleth, whatsoever is in it shall be
unclean; and ye shall break it. Of all meat which may be eaten, that on which
such water cometh shall be unclean: and all drink that may be drunk in every
such vessel shall be unclean. And every thing whereupon any part
of their carcase falleth shall be unclean; whether it be oven, or ranges for
pots, they shall be broken down: for they are unclean, and shall be
unclean unto you. Nevertheless a fountain or pit, wherein there is plenty
of water, shall be clean: but that which toucheth their carcase shall be unclean.
And if any part of their carcase fall upon any sowing seed which is to be
sown, it shall be clean. But if any water be put upon the seed, and
any part of their carcase fall thereon, it shall be unclean unto you.
And if any beast, of which ye may eat, die; he that toucheth the carcase thereof
shall be unclean until the even.
And he that eateth of the carcase of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until
the even: he also that beareth the carcase of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean
until the even. And every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth shall be
an abomination; it shall not be eaten. Whatsoever goeth upon the belly, and whatsoever
goeth upon all four, or whatsoever hath more feet among all creeping things
that creep upon the earth, them ye shall not eat; for they are an abomination.
Ye shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creepeth, neither
shall ye make yourselves unclean with them, that ye should be defiled thereby. For
I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall
be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner
of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. For I am the LORD that bringeth
you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for
I am holy.
This is the law of the beasts, and of the fowl, and of every living creature
that moveth in the waters, and of every creature that creepeth upon the earth:
To make a difference between the unclean and the clean, and between the beast that
may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten."
~ Leveticus 11:1-47 ~
He is such a one that parts the hoof and chews the cud; not that parts the hoof only,
or that chews the cud only. The hare chews the cud; but yet is unclean, because he
parts not the hoof. And this truly resembles TALKATIVE: he chews the cud, he seeks
knowledge, he chews upon the word; but he divides not the hoof, he parts not with
the way of sinners--but, as the hare, he retains the foot of a dog, or bear, and
therefore is unclean.
Chr. You have spoken, for aught I know, the true Gospel sense of those texts;
and I will add another thing. Paul calls some men, yea--and those great talkers too--"
sounding brass and tinkling cymbals;" that is, as he expounds them in another
place, "things without life, giving sound".
"Though I speak with the tongues of men
and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling
cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries,
and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains,
and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the
poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth
me nothing."
~ 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 ~
"And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they
give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped?"
~ 1 Corinthians 14:7 ~
"Things without life,"--that is, without the true faith and grace of the
Gospel; and consequently, things that shall never be placed in the kingdom of heaven
among those that are the children of life: though their sound, by their talk, be
as it were the tongue or voice of an angel.
Faith. Well, I was not so fond of his company at first; but I am as sick of
it now. What shall we do to be rid of him?
Chr. Take my advice, and do as I bid you; and you shall find that he will
soon be sick of your company too--except God shall touch his heart and turn it.
Faith. What would you have me to do?
Chr. Why, go to him, and enter into some serious discourse about the power
of religion; and ask him plainly (when he has approved of it, for that he will) whether
this thing be set up in his heart, house or conversation.
Faith. Then FAITHFUL stepped forward again, and said to TALKATIVE: "Come,
what cheer? how is it now?"
Talk. Thank you, well. I thought we should have had a great deal of talk by
this time.
Faith. Well, if you will, we will fall to it now; and since you left it with
me to state the question, let it be this: How doth the saving grace of God discover
itself, when it is in the heart of man?
Talk. I perceive, then, that our talk must be about the power of things; well,
'tis a very good question, and I shall be willing to answer you. And take my answer
in brief, thus: First, Where the grace of God is in the heart, it causes there a
great outcry against sin. Secondly--
Faith. Nay, hold; let us consider of one at once: I think you should rather
say, it shows itself by inclining the soul to abhor its sin.
Talk. Why, what difference is there between crying out against, and abhorring
of, sin?
Faith. Oh, a great deal! a man may cry out against sin of policy; but he cannot
abhor it, but by virtue of a godly antipathy against it. I have heard many cry out
against sin in the pulpit; who yet can abide it well enough in the heart, and house,
and conversation. Joseph's mistress cried out with a loud voice, as if she had been
very holy; but she would willingly, notwithstanding that, have committed uncleanness
with him.
"And it came to pass, when he heard that
I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled, and got
him out."
~ Genesis 39:15 ~
Some cry out against sin, even as the mother cries out against her child in her lap;
when she calls it "slut" and "naughty girl," and then falls to
hugging and kissing it.
Talk. You lie at the catch, I perceive.
Faith. No, not I; I am only for setting things right. But what is the second
thing whereby you would prove a discovery of a work of grace in the heart?
Talk. Great knowledge of Gospel mysteries.
Faith. This sign should have been first; but first or last, it is also false:
for knowledge, great knowledge, may be obtained in the mysteries of the Gospel, and
yet no work of grace in the soul.
"And though I have the gift of prophecy,
and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so
that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing."
~ 1 Corinthians 13:2 ~
Yea, if a man have all knowledge, he may yet be nothing; and so consequently be no
child of God. When Christ said, Do you know all these things? and the disciples had
answered, Yes: he added, Blessed are ye if ye do them! He doth not lay the blessing
in the knowing of them; but in the doing of them. For there is a knowledge that is
not attended with doing: "he that knows his Master's will, and does it not."
A man may know like an angel, and yet be no Christian; therefore your sign of it
is not true. Indeed, to know is a thing that pleases talkers and boasters; but to
do is that which pleases God. Not that the heart can be good without knowledge; for
without that the heart is naught: there is, therefore, knowledge and knowledge. Knowledge
that rests in the bare speculation of things; and knowledge that is accompanied with
the grace of faith and love, which puts a man upon doing even the will of God from
the heart: the first of these will serve the talker; but without the other the true
Christian is not content. "Give me understanding, and I shall keep Thy law;
yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart".
"Give me understanding, and I shall keep
thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart."
~ Psalm 119:34 ~
Talk. You fie at the catch again; this is not for edification.
The Pilgrim's Progress - Part One
The Author's Apology for His Book | Introduction
| 3 | 4 | 5 | 6
| 7 | 8 | 9 | 10
| 11 | 12 | 13
| 14 | 15 | 16
| 17 | 18 | 19
| 20 | 21 | 22 | 23
| 24 | 25 | 26
| 27 | 28 | 29
| 30 | 31 | 32
| 33 | 34 | 35
| Conclusion
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