The Hill Clear

their days, since they, notwithstanding, were thus

miserably cast away.

Shep. Some farther and some not so far as these mountains. (s)

Then said the Pilgrims one to another," We have need to cry the strong for strength."

Shep. Ay, and you will have need to use it, when you have it, too.

By this time the Pilgrims had a desire to go forwards, and the Shepherd a desire they should; so they walked together towards the end of the mountains. Then said the Shepherds one to another, Let us here shew the pilgrims the Gate to the Celestial City, if they have skill to look through our perspective glass. The pilgrims then lovingly accepted the motion: so they had them to the top of a hill, called Clear, and gave them the glass to look.

Then they tried to look, but the remembrance of that last thing that the Shepherds had shewed them, made their hands shake; by means of which impediment, they could not look steadily through the glass (t); yet they thought they saw something like the gate, and also some of the glory of the place. Then they went away and sang:

"Thus by the shepherds secrets are reveal'd,
"Which from all other men are kept conceal'd;
"Come to the shepherds, then, if you would see

"Things deep, things hid, and that mysterious be."

(s) Thus we read of some one being once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the world to come, Heb. vi. It is hard to say how far, or how long, a person may carry on a profession, and yet fall away, and come short of the kingdom at last. This should excite to diligence, humility, and circumspection, ever looking to Jesus to keep us from falling.

66

(t) The glass of God's word of grace and truth held up by the hand of faith to the eye of the soul. So Paul speaks: Beholding as in a glass (the gospel) the glory of the Lord," &c. 2 Cor. iii. 18. But unbelieving doubts and fears will make the hand tremble, and the sight dim.

They meet Ignorance.-Christian discourses with him.

When they were about to depart, one of the Shepherds gave them " a note of the way." Another of them bid them " beware of the flatterer." The third bid them "take heed that they slept not upon the enchanted ground." And the fourth bid them, "God speed." So I awoke from my dream.

And I slept and dreamed again, and saw the same two pilgrims going down the mountains along the highway towards the city. Now a little below these mountains, on the left hand, lieth the country of Conceit, (u) from which country there comes into the way in which the pilgrims walked, a little crooked lane. Here, therefore, they met with a very brisk lad, that came out of that country; and his name was Ignorance. So Christian asked him, from what part he came, and whither he was going?

Ignor. Sir, I was born in the country that lieth off there, a little on the left hand, and am going to the Celestial City.

Chr. But how do you think to get in at the gate? for you may find some difficulty there.

Ignor. As other good people do, said he.

Chr. But what have you to shew at the gate, that the gate should be opened to you?

Ignor. I know my Lord's will, and have been a good liver: I pay every man his own; I pray, fast, pay tithes, and give alms, and have left my country for whither I am going. (x)

(u) This country we are all born in; and are all ignoramuses by nature. Some live long in the country of Conceit, and many end their days in it. Are you come out of it? so was Ignorance; but he breathed his native air. So long as any sinner thinks he can do any thing towards making himself righteous before God, his name is Ignorance, he is full of self-conceit, and destitute of the faith of Christ.

(x) Now is it not very common to hear professors talk at this rate? Yes, and many who make a very high profession too; their

They leave Ignorance.

Chr. But thou camest not in at the wicket-gate that is at the head of this way: thou camest in hither through that same crooked lane, and therefore I fear, however thou mayest think of thyself, when the reckoning day shall come, thou shalt have laid to thy charge, that thou art a thief and a robber, instead of getting admittance into the city.

I

Ignor. Gentlemen, ye be utter strangers to me; know you not; be content to follow the religion of your country, and I will follow the religion of mine. I hope all will be well. And as for the gate that you talk of, all the world knows that that is a great way off our country. I cannot think that any men in all our parts do so much as know the way to it, nor need they matter whether they do or no, since we have, as you see, a fine pleasant green lane, that comes down from our country, the next way into it.

When Christian saw that the man was wise in his own conceit, he said to Hopeful, whisperingly, "There is more hope of a fool than of him." And said, moreover, "When he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one, that he is a fool." What, shall we talk farther with him, or out-go him at present, and so leave him to think of what he hath heard already, and then stop for him afterwards, and see if by degrees we can do any good to him? Then said Hopeful, "Let Ignorance a little while now muse "On what is said, and let him not refuse

* Prov. xxvi. 12.

† Eccles. x. 3. hopes are plainly grounded upon what they are in themselves, and how they differ from their former selves and other sinners, instead of what Christ is to us, and what we are in Christ. But the profession of such is begun with an ignorant, whole, self-righteous heart; it is continued in pride, self-seeking, and self-exalting, and in awful disappointment. For such are called by our Lord thieves and robbers; they rob him of the glory of his grace, and the gift of his imputed righteousness.

Turn-away carried away by Devils.

"Good counsel to embrace, lest he remain
"Still ignorant of what's the chiefest gain.
"God saith, those that no understanding have,
"(Altho' he made them) he will not save.'

Hope. He farther added, it is not good, I think, to say to him all at once; let us pass him by, if you will, and talk to him anon, even as he is able to bear it.

So they went both on, and Ignorance he came after. Now when they passed him a little way, they entered into a very dark lane, where they met a man whom seven devils had bound with seven strong cords, and were carrying him back to the door that they saw on the side of the hill. Now good Christian began to tremble, and so did Hopeful, his companion; yet as the devils led away the man, Christian looked to see if he knew him; and he thought it might be one Turn-away, that dwelt in the town of Apostacy. But he did not perfectly see his face, for he did hang his head like a thief that is found. But being gone past, Hopeful looked after him, and espied on his back a paper with this inscription, "Wanton professor, and damnable, apostate." (y) Then said Christian to his fellow, Now I call to remembrance that which was told me, of a thing that happened to a good man hereabout. The name of the man was Little-faith, but a good man, and he dwelt in the town of Sincere. The thing was this: At the entering in of this passage, there comes down from Broad-way Gate a lane called Dead-Man's Lane;

(y) O beware of a light trifling spirit, and a wanton behaviour. It is often the forerunner of apostacy from God. It makes one tremble to hear those who profess to follow Christ in the regeneration, crying, What harm is there in this game and the other diversion? They plainly discover what spirit they are got into. The warmth of love is gone, and they are become cold, dead, and carnal. How many instances of these abound?

Christian relates how Little-faith was robbed and almost murdered.

so called because of the murders that are commonly done there; and this Little-faith, going on a pilgrimage, as we do now, chanced to sit down there and slept: now there happened at that time to come down the lane from Broad-way Gate, three sturdy rogues, and their names were Faintheart, Mistrust, and Guilt, (three brothers) and they espying Little-faith, where he was, came gallopping up with speed. Now the good man was just awaked from his sleep, and was getting up to go on his journey. So they came all up to him, and with threatening language bid him stand. At this Little-faith looked as white as a clout, and had neither power to fight nor flee. Then said Faintheart, Deliver thy purse: but he making no haste to do it, (for he was loth to lose his money) Mistrust ran up to him, and thrusting his hand into his pocket, pulled out thence a bag of silver. Then he cried out Thieves, Thieves! With that, Guilt, with a great club that was in his hand, struck Little-faith on the head, and with that blow felled him flat to the ground: where he lay bleeding as one that would bleed to death. All this while the thieves stood by. But at last they hearing that some were upon the road, and fearing lest it should be one Great-Grace, that dwells in the City of Good Confidence, they betook themselves to their heels, and left this good man to shift for himself. Now after a while Little-faith came to himself, and getting up, made a shift to scramble on his way. This was the story. (z)

(z) Where there is a faint heart in God's cause, and mistrust of God's truths, there will be guilt in the conscience, and but little faith in the heart; and these rogues will prevail over and rob such souls of the comforts of God's love, and of Christ's salvation. O how many are overtaken by these, in sleepy fits and careless frames, and plundered! Learn to be wise from others' harms.