deluded. that I am going. So they followed him in the Way that but now came into the Road, which by Degrees turned, and turned them fo from the City, that they Chriflian and defired to go to, that in a little Time his Fellow their Faces were turned away from it; yet they followed him. But, by and by, before they were aware, he led them both within the Compass of a Net, in which They are taken they were both fo entangled, that they knew not what to do; and with that the White Robe fell off the black Man's Back; Then they faw where they were. Where fore there they lay crying fome Time, for they could not get themfelves out. in a Net. Chr. Then faid Chriftian to his Fellow, They bewail Now do I fee myself in an Error. Did not their Condi the Shepherds bid us beware of the Flat- tion. terers? As is the Saying of the Wife Man fo we have found it this Day: A Man Prov. 29. 5. that flattereth his Neighbour, fpreadeth a Net for bis Feet. Hope, They alfo gave us a Note of Directions about the Way, for our more certain finding thereof; but therein we have alfo forgotten to read, and have not kept ourselves from the Paths of the Destroyer. Here David was wifer than we; for, faith he, Concerning the Works of Pfal. 17. 4. Men, by the Word of thy Lips, I have kept me from the Paths of the Deftroyer. Thus they lay bewailing themfelves in the Net, At laft they efpied a Shining One coming towards them with a Whip of fmail 4 fhining One Cord in his Hand. When he was come to the Place where they were, he asked them comes to them with a Whip in his Hand. them whence they came, and what they did there? They told him, that they were poor Pilgrims going to Zion, but were led out of their Way by a black Man cloathed in White, who bid us, faid they, follow him, for he was going thi Prov. 29. 5. ther too. Then faid he with the Whip, Dan. 11. 3. It is the Flatterer, a falfe Apostle, that hath transformed himfelf into an Angel of 2 Cor. 11. 13, 14. Light. So he rent the Net, and let the which they had left to follow the Flatterer, They are exa- Then he afked them, faying, Where did mined, and you lie the laft Night? They faid, with convicted of the Shepherds upon the Delectable MounForgetfulness. tains. He afked them then, If they had not a Note of Directions for the Way? they answered, Yes, But, did you, faid he, when you were at a Stand, pluck out and read your Note? They andswered, No. He asked them, Why? They faid, They forgot. He asked moreover, If the Deceivers fine Shepherds did not bid them beware of the jpoken. Rom. 6. 18. Flatterer? They anfwered, Yes. But we Deut. 25. 2. did not imagine, faid they, that this fine2 Chron. 6. fpoken Man had been he. 26, 27. Lev. 3. 19. Then I faw in my Dream, That he commanded them to lie down; which when they did, he chaftized them fore, to teach them the good Way wherein they Whipt and fent fhould walk: And as he chaftized them, on their Way. he faid, As many as I love I rebuke and chaften be zealous, therefore, and repent. They are This done, he bid them go their Way, and and take good Heed to the other Direc- Come bitber, you that walk along the Way, 'Cause they good Counsel lightly did forget: tion be. Now, after a while, they perceived afar off, one coming foftly, and alone, all along the Highway to meet them. Then faid Christian to his Fellow, Yonder is a Man with his Back toward Zion, and he is coming to meet us. Hope. I fee him, let us take Heed to ourfelves now, left he should prove a Flatterer alfo. So he drew nearer and nearer, and at laft came up to them. His Name was The Atheist Atheist, and he asked them whither they meets them. were going? Chr. We are going to Mount Zion. Then Atheist fell into a very great Laughter. Chr. What is the Meaning of your Laughter? Atbeift. I laugh to fee what ignorant Perfons you are, to take upon you fo tedious a Journey, and yet are like to have nothing but your Travel for your Pains. Chr. He laughs at them. They reafon together. Jer. 22. 13. The Atheist Chriftian Chr. Why, Man? Do you think we fhall not be received?: Atbeift. Received! There is no fuch Place as you dream of in all this World. Chr. But there is in the World to come. Atheist. When I was at Home in mine Own Country, I heard as you now affirm, and from that Hearing went out to fee, and have been fecking this City thefe Twenty Years, but find no more of it than I did the first Day I fet out. Chr. We have both heard, and believe that there is fuch Place to be found. Atheist. Had not I, when at Home, believed, I had not come thus far to seek; but finding none, (and yet I fhould, had there been fuch a Place to be found, for I have gone to feek it farther than you) I am going back again, and will feek to refresh myself with the Things that I then paft away, for Hopes of that which I now fee is not. Chr. Then faid Chriftian to Hopeful, his proveth bis Companion, Is it true which this Man has faid? Brother. Hopeful's gracious AnJwer: 2 Cor. 5. 7. Hope. Take heed, he is one of the Flatterers remember what it has cost us once already for our hearkening to fuch kind of Fellows. What! No Mount Zion? Did we not fee from the Delectable Mountains, the Gate of the City? Alfo, are we not now to walk by Faith? Let us go on, brance of for- faid Hopeful, left the Man, with the Whip mer Chaftife- overtake us again.. • Remem ments, is a Help again prefent Temp tations. You should have taught me that Leffon, which I will round you in the Ears withal: Ceafe, my Son, to hear the Instruction that caufith ceufeth to err from the Words of Knowledge: I Prov. 19.27. fay, my Brother, cease to hear him, and let us believe to the Saving of the Soul. Heb. 10. 39. Chr. My Brother, I did not put the Question to thee, for that I doubted of the Truth of your Belief myself, but to prove thee, and to fetch from thee a Fruit of the The Fruit of an honeft Honefty of thy Heart. As for this Man, Heart I know that he is blinded by the God of this World. Let thee and I go on, know- 1 John 2. 2 ing that we have Belief of the Truth, and no Lye is of the Truth. Hope. Now I do rejoice in hope of the Glory of God; So they turned away from the Man, and, he laughing at them, went his Way. I saw then in my Dream, that they They are_come went until they came into a certain Coun to the Enchant ed Ground. try, whofe Air naturally tended to make one drowzy, if he came a Stranger into it. And here Hopeful began to be very begins to be Hopeful dull and heavy to fleep; wherefore he drowsy, faid unto Chriftian, I do now begin to grow Chriftian fo drowzy, that I can scarcely hold open keeps him a my Eyes: Let us lie down here, and take one Nap. Chr. By no Means, (faid the other) left fleeping we never awake more. wake. Hope. Why, my Brother? Sleep is fweets 24,9 to the labouring Man; we may be refresh ed, if we take a Nap. Chr. Do you not remember, that one of the Shepherds bid us beware of the Enchanted Ground? He meant by that, that we should beware of Sleepings wherefore let us not fleep as others do, but let us 1 Thef. 5. 6. watch and be fober. Hope. |