Muft here the Burden fall from off my Back? I faw then in my Dream, that he went on thus, even until he came at the Bottom, where he faw, a little out of the Way, three Men faft afleep, with Fetters upon their Heels. The Name of the one was *Simple, another Sloth, and the third PreSumption. Simple, Sloth, and Chriftian then feeing them lie in this Prefumption. Cafe, went to them, if peradventure he might awake them; and cried, You are like them that fleep on the Top of a Maft, for the Dead Sea is under you, Prov. 23.24. a Gulph that hath no Bottom: Awake, therefore, and come away; be willing alfo, and, I will help you off with your Irons. He also told them, if he that goeth about like || a roaring Lion, comes by, || 1 Pet. 5. 8. you will certainly become a Prey to his Teeth. With that they looked upon him, and began to reply in this Sort: § Simple § There is faid, I fee no Danger: Sloth faid, Yet a little no Perfuafion will do, if more Sleep: And Prefumption faid, Every God openeth Tub must stand upon his own Bottom. And not the Eyes. fo they lay down to fleep again, and Chri fiian went on his Way. Yet Who's this? The Pilgrim. How! 'Tis very true. ↑ Chriftian Yet was he troubled to think, that Men in that Danger should fo little esteem the Kindness of him that fo freely offered to help them, both by the awakening of them, counselling of them, and proffering to help them off with their Irons. And as he was troubled thereabout, he efpied two Men come tumbling over the Wall, on the left Hand of the narrow Way; and they made up apace to him. The Name of the one was Formalift, and the Name of the other Hypocrify. So, as I faid, they drew up unto him, who thus entered with them into Difcourfe. Chr. Gentlemen, Whence came you, talketh with and whither go you? them. Form. and Hyp. We were born in the Land of Vain-Glory, and are going for Praife to Mount Zion. Chr. Why came you not in at the Gate which ftandeth at the Beginning of the Way? Know you not that it is written, John 10. 1. § That be that cometh not in by the Door, but climbeth up fome other Way, the fame is a Thief and a Robber. Form. and Hyp. They faid, That to go to the Gate for Entrance, was by all their Countrymen counted too far about; and therefore their ufual Way was to make a fhort cut of it, and to climb over the Wall, as they had done. Chr. But will it not be counted a Trefpass against the Lord of the City, whither we are bound, thus to violate his revealed Will? Form. Wa ay, but not Form. and Hyp. They told him, || That || They that as for that, he needed not to trouble his came into the Head thereabout; for what they did, they by the Door, had Custom for, and could produce, if need think that they were, Teftimony that would witnefs it, for can fay fomemore than a thousand Years. Chr. But, faid Chriftian, will tice ftand a Trial at Law? your Prac Form. and Hyp. They told him, That Cuftem, it being of fo long ftanding as above a thousand Years, would doubtless now be admitted as a Thing legal by an impartial Judge: And befides, Jay they, if we get into the Way, what's Matter which Way we get in? If we are in, we are in : Thou art but in the Way, who, as we perceive, came in at the Gate; and we are alfo in the Way, that come tumbling over the Wall: Wherein now is thy Condition better than ours? Chr. I walk by the Rule of my Master, you walk by the rude working of your Fancies. You are counted Thieves already by the Lord of the Way, therefore I doubt you will not be found true Men at the End of the Way. You come in by yourfelves without his Direction; and fhall out by yourselves, without his Mercy. go To this they made him but little Anfwer; only they bid him look to himself. Then I faw that they went on every Man in his Way, without much Conference one with another; fave that these two Men told Chriftian, That as to Laws and Ordinances, they doubted not but they fhould as confcientiously do them as he. Therefore, faid they, we fee not wherein thou thing in Vindication of their own Practice. Gal. 1. 16.' thou differeft from us, but by the Coat that is on thy Back, which was, as we trow, given thee by fome of thy Neighbours to hide the Shame of thy Nakednefs. Chr. By Laws and Ordinances you will not be faved, fince you came not in by the Door. And as for this Coat that is on my Back, it was given me by the Lord of the Place whither I go; and that, as you fay, to cover my Nakedness with. And I take it as a Token of Kindnefs to me; for I had nothing but Rags before; and befides, thus I comfort myfelf as I go: || Christian has got his Surely, think 1, when I come to the Gate Lord's Coat on of the City, the Lord thereof will know bis Back, and me for good, fince I have his Coat on my is comforted Back! a Coat that he gave me freely in the He is comfort- Day that he ftript me of my Rags. I' ed alfo with have moreover a Mark in my Forehead, bis Mark and of which perhaps you have taken no No. therewith: bis Roll. tice, which one of my Lord's most intimate Affociates fixed there in the Day that my Burden fell off my Shoulders. I will tell you, moreover, that I had then given me a Roll fealed, to comfort me by reading, as I go on the Way; I was alfo bid to give it in at the Coeleftial Gate, in Token of my certain going in after it; all which Things I doubt you want, and want them, becaufe you came not in at the Gate. To thefe Things they gave him ho Answer, only they looked upon each other, and laughed. Then I faw that they went on all, fave that Chriftian kept before, $ Chriftian bas Talk with who had no more Talk but § with himself, kimjelf. and that fometimes fighingly, and some |