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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Mr. Worldly Wiseman
Now as CHRISTIAN was walking solitarily by himself, he spied 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-- Master 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.
Worldly Wiseman. 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 asked 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.
W. Wise. 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.
"But this I say, brethren, the time is
short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none;"
~ 1 Corinthians 7:29 ~
W. Wise. Wilt thou hearken to me, if I give thee counsel?
Chr. If it be good, I will; for I stand in need of good counsel.
W. Wise. 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.
W. Wise. Who bade you go this way to be rid of your burden?
Chr. A man that appeared to me to be a very great and honourable person; his
name, as I remember, is EVANGELIST.
W. Wise. Avoid 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 upon thee; but that slough is
the only beginning of the sorrows that do attend those that go on in that way. Hear
me--I am older than thou: thou art likely 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 are 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.
W. Wise. How camest thou by thy burden at first?
Chr. By reading this book in my hand.
W. Wise. I thought so. And it has 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 has 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.
W. Wise. 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. Sir, I pray, open this secret to me.
W. Wise. 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 a 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: 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, his son, whose name is CIVILITY, that can do it 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 come 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 there
to be sure, for thou shalt live by honest neighbours, in credit and good fashion.
Now was CHRISTIAN somewhat at a stand; but presently he concluded, "If this
be true what this gentleman hath said, my wisest course is to take his advice;"
and with that he thus further spoke.
Chr. Sir, which is my way to this honest man's house?
W. Wise. Do you see yonder high hill? (Mount Sinai.)
Chr. Yes, very well.
W. Wise. By that hill you must go, and the first house you come to is his.
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 the 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 burned:
"And it came to pass on the third day in
the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the
mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was
in the camp trembled. And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet
with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount. And mount Sinai was altogether
on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended
as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly."
~ Exodus 19:16-18 ~
here, therefore, he sweat and did quake for fear.
"And so terrible was the sight, that
Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake"
~ Hebrews 12:21 ~
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.
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
Back to Pilgrim's Homepage