Chr. A man that appeared unto me to be a very great and honourable person: his name, as I remember, is Evangelist.

World. 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: 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, on the way which thou goest, wearisomeness, painfulness, hunger,perils,nakedness, sword, lions, darkness, dragons; 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 my way, if so be I can also meet with deliverance from my burden.

World. How camest thou by the burden at first? Chr. By reading this book in my hand.

World. 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 hath 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 from my heavy burden.

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 desires, without the dangers that thou in this way wilt run thyself into:

yea, and the remedy is at band. Besides, I will add, that instead of these dangers, thou shalt meet with much safety, friendship, and content.

Chr. Pray, Sir, open this secret to me.

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 is from their shoulders: yea, to my knowledge, he hath done a great deal of good this way. And besides, he hath skill to cure those that are somewhat crazed in their wits with their burdens To him, as I said, thou mayst go and be helped presently. His nouse 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 mayst 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 mayst send for thy wife and children to thee to this village, where there are houses now standing empty, one of which thou mayst have at a reasonable rate; 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.

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 farther spake :

Chr. Sir, which is my way to this honest man's house? Vorld. 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..

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 way-side, 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 (6): here therefore he sweats, and did quake for fear. 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.

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 farther, 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.

Evan. How is it then that thou art so quickly turned aside, for thou art now out of the way?

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 could 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 bebeld this hill, and how it hangs

(b) Exod. xix. 16, 18. Heb. xii. 21.

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 loaded with the burden that is on my back, that I cannot take pleasure in them as formerly.

Eran. And what said he then?

Chr. He bid me with speed get rid of my burden; and I told him, it was ease that I sought and, said I, I am therefore going to yonder gate, to receive farther direction how I may get to the place of deliverance. So he said, that he would show me a better way, and shorter; not so attended with difficulties as the way, Sir, that you set me in; which way, said he, will direct you to a gentleman's house that has skill to take off these burdens. So I believed him, and turned out of that way into this, if haply I'might be soon eased of my burden. But when I came to this place, and beheld things as they are, I stopped for fear, as I said, of danger; but I now know not what to do.

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Evan. Then said Evangelist, stand still a little, that I may show thee the words of God. So he stood trembling. Then said Evangelist: "See that ye refuse not him that speaketh: for if they escape not who refused him that spake on earth, "much more shall not we escape, if we turn away "from him that speaketh from heaven (c):" he said moreover: Now the just shall live by faith; but if "any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure "in him (d)." He also did thus apply them: Thou art the man that art running into this misery; thou hast begun to reject the counsel of the Most High,

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and to draw back thy foot from the way of peace, even almost to be hazarding of thy perdition."

Then Christian fell down at his feet as dead, crying, Who is me, for I am undone! At the sight of which Evangelist caught him by the right-hand, saying, "All manner of sins and blasphemies shall

be forgiven unto men (e). Be not faithless, but "believing (f)." Then did Christian again a little revive, and stood up trembling, as at first, before Evangelist.

Then Evangelist proceeded, saying, Give more earnest heed to the things that I shall tell thec of. 1 will now show thee who it was that deluded thee, and who it was also to whom he sent thee. The man that met thee, is one Worldly Wiseman; and rightly he is so called: partly, because he savoureth only of the doctrine of this world (g); (therefore he always goes to the town of Morality to church;) and partly, because he loveth that doctrine best, for it saveth him from the cross; and because he is of this carnal temper, therefore he seeketh to pervert my ways, though right.-Now there are three things in this man's counsel that thou must utterly abhor.

1. His turning thee out of the way.

2. His labouring to render the cross odious to thee.

3. And his setting thy feet in that way that leadeth unto the administration of death.

First, thou must abhor his turning thee out of the way; yea, and thine own consenting thereto; because this is to reject the counsel of God, for the sake of the counsel of a Worldly Wiseman. The Lord says, "Strive to enter in at the strait

(e) Matt. xii. 31. (ƒ) John xx. 27. (g) 1 John iv. 5.