He knocked therefore more than once or twice, faying, May I now enter bere? Will be within At last there came a grave Perfon to the Chr. Here is a poor burdened Sinner. I come from the City of Destruction, but am going to Mount Zion, that I may be delivered from the Wrath to come; I would therefore, Sir, fince I am informed that by this Gate is the Way thither, know if you are willing to let me in. Goodwill. I am willing with all my Heart, faid he; and with that he opened the Gate. there is The Gate will be opened to brokenhearted Sin So when Chriftian was ftepping in, the other gave him a Pull: Then faid Chriftian, what means that? The other told him, A little Distance from his Gate, erected a strong Caftle, of which Belzebub Satan enis the Captain; from thence both he, and vies thofe that them that are with him, fhoot Arrows at enter the those that come up to the Gate, if happily they may die before they can enter in. He that would enter in, must first without, Far God can love bim and forgive bis Sin. C 4 Then Strait Gate, || Christian entered the Gate with Joy and Trembling. § Talk be Then faid Chriftian, I rejoice and tremble. So when he was got in, the Man of the Gate asked him who directed him thither? Chr. Evangelift § bid me come hither and tween Good- knock, as I did, and he faid, that you, Sir, would tell me what I must do. will and Chriftian. Goodwill. An open Door is before thee, and no Man can shut it. of Chr. Now I began to reap the Benefits my Hazards. Goodwill. But how is it that you come alone? Chr. Because none of my Neighbours faw their Danger, as I faw mine. Goodwill. Did any of them know of your coming? Chr. Yes, my Wife and Children faw me at the firft, and called after me to turn again: Alfo fome of my Neighbours stood crying and calling after me to return; but I put my Fingers in my Ears, and fo came on my Way. Goodwill. But did none of them follow you to perfuade you to go back? Chr. Yes, both Obftinate and Pliable: But when they faw that they could not prevail, Obftinate went railing back, but Pliable came with me a little Way. Goodwill. But why did he not come through? Chr. We indeed came both together until we came to the Slough of Defpond, into the which we alfo fuddenly fell. And then was my Neighbour Pliable difcouraged, and would not adventure far ther. * ther. * Wherefore, getting out again on A Man may that Side next to his own Houfe, he told have Company me, I fhould poffefs the brave Country out for Heawhen he fets alone for him: So he went bis Way, and ven, and yet I came mine. He after Obftinate, and I to go thither this Gate. alone. Goodwill. Then faid Goodwill, Alas, poor Man, is the Cœleftial Glory of so small Efteem with him, that he counteth it not worth running the Hazard of a few Difficulties to obtain it? Chr. Truly, faid Chriftian, I have faid the Truth of Pliable, and if I should also fay all the Truth of myfelf, it will appear Man at the there is no Difference betwixt him and + Chriftian myself. 'Tis true, he went back to his accufeth himown House, but I also turned afide to go felf before the in the Way of Death, being perfuaded Gate. thereto by the Carnal Argument of one Mr. Worldly Wifeman. Goodwill. Oh! did he light upon you? What, he would have had you fought for Eafe at the Hands of Mr. Legality; they are both of them very Cheats; but did you take his Counsel ? Chr. Yes, as far as I durft; I went to find out Mr. Legality, until I thought that the Mountain that ftands by his House would have fallen upon my Head; wherefore there I was forced to stop. Goodwill. That Mountain has been the Death of many, and will be the Death of many more: It is well you efcaped being dafhed in Pieces by it. Chr. * Chriftian is comforted again. Chr. Why truly I do not know what had become of me there, had not Evangelif happily met me again as I was mufing in the Midft of my Dumps: But it was God's Mercy, that he came to me again, for elfe I had never come hither. But now I am come, fuch a one as I am, more fit indeed for Death by that Mountain, than thus to ftand talking with my Lord: But, oh! what a Favour is this to me, that yet I am admitted Entrance here! Goodwill. We make no Objections against any, notwithstanding all that they have done before they came hither. + + John 6. 37. They in no wife are caft out; and therefore, good Chriftian, come a little Way with me, and I will teach thee about the + Chriftian Way thou must go. Look before thee directed yet on doft thou fee this narrow Way? THAT bis Way. is the Way thou must go. It was caft up by the Patriarchs, Prophets, Chrift and his Apoftles, and it is as ftrait as a Rule can make it: This is the Way thou must go. § Chriftian afraid of lofing his Way. Chr. But, faid Chriftian, § are there no Turnings nor Windings, by which a Stranger may lofe his Way? Goodwill. Yes, there are many Ways BUTT down upon this; and they are crooked and wide: But thus thou mayeft diftinguifh the right from the wrong, the Mat. 7. 14. right only being | ftrait and narrow. ¶ Chriftian Burden. Then I faw in my Dream, That weary of bis Chriflian afked him farther, If he could not help him off with the Burden that was upon his Back? For as yet he had not not got rid thereof, nor could he by any Means get it off without Help. He told him, as to thy Burden, be content to bear it, until thou comeft to * the Place of Deliverance; for there it will* There is no fall from thy Back of itself. Deliverance Then Chriftian began to girt up his from the Guilt and Burden of Loins, and to addrefs himself to his Jour- Sin, but by ney. So the other told him, That by Death and that he was gone fome Distance from Blood of the Gate, he would come at the Houfe Chrift. of the Interpreter, at whofe Door he should knock, and he would fhew him excellent Things. Then Chriftian took his Leave of his Friend, and he again bid him God speed. Then he went on till he came at the House of the + Interpreter, where he knock- + Christian ed over and over, at last one came to the comes to the Door, and asked, Who was there? Chr. Sir, here is a Traveller, who was bid by an Acquaintance of the good Man of this House, to call here for my Profit; I would therefore fpeak with the Master of the House: So he called for the Mafter of the Houfe; who after a little Time came to Chriftian, and afked him what he would have? Chr. Sir, faid Chriftian, I am a Man that am come from the City of Deftru&ion, and am going to the Mount Zion; and I was told by the Man that ftands at the Gate, at the Head of this Way, that if I called here, you would fhew me excellent Things, fuch as would be a Help to me in my Journey. Houfe of the |