Sections 271-280

{271} By this time By-ends and his companions were come again
within sight, and they, at the first beck, went over to Demas.  Now,
whether they fell into the pit by looking over the brink thereof,
or whether they went down to dig, or whether they were smothered in
the bottom by the damps that commonly arise, of these things I am
not certain; but this I observed, that they never were seen again
in the way.  Then sang Christian –

By-ends and silver Demas both agree;
One calls, the other runs, that he may be
A sharer in his lucre; so these do
Take up in this world, and no further go.

{272} Now I saw that, just on the other side of this plain,
the pilgrims came to a place where stood an old monument, hard by
the highway side, at the sight of which they were both concerned,
because of the strangeness of the form thereof; for it seemed
to them as if it had been a woman transformed into the shape of a
pillar; here, therefore they stood looking, and looking upon it,
but could not for a time tell what they should make thereof.  At
last Hopeful espied written above the head thereof, a writing in
an unusual hand; but he being no scholar, called to Christian (for
he was learned) to see if he could pick out the meaning; so he came,
and after a little laying of letters together, he found the same
to be this, “Remember Lot’s Wife”.  So he read it to his fellow;
after which they both concluded that that was the pillar of salt into
which Lot’s wife was turned, for her looking back with a covetous
heart, when she was going from Sodom for safety.  [Gen.  19:26]
Which sudden and amazing sight gave them occasion of this discourse.

{273} CHR. Ah, my brother!  this is a seasonable sight; it came
opportunely to us after the invitation which Demas gave us to come
over to view the Hill Lucre; and had we gone over, as he desired
us, and as thou wast inclining to do, my brother, we had, for aught
I know, been made ourselves like this woman, a spectacle for those
that shall come after to behold.

HOPE. I am sorry that I was so foolish, and am made to wonder that
I am not now as Lot’s wife; for wherein was the difference betwixt
her sin and mine?  She only looked back; and I had a desire to go
see.  Let grace be adored, and let me be ashamed that ever such a
thing should be in mine heart.

{274} CHR. Let us take notice of what we see here, for our help
for time to come.  This woman escaped one judgment, for she fell
not by the destruction of Sodom; yet she was destroyed by another,
as we see she is turned into a pillar of salt.

HOPE. True; and she may be to us both caution and example; caution,
that we should shun her sin; or a sign of what judgment will overtake
such as shall not be prevented by this caution; so Korah, Dathan,
and Abiram, with the two hundred and fifty men that perished in
their sin, did also become a sign or example to others to beware.
[Num.  26:9,10] But above all, I muse at one thing, to wit, how
Demas and his fellows can stand so confidently yonder to look for
that treasure, which this woman, but for looking behind her after,
(for we read not that she stepped one foot out of the way) was
turned into a pillar of salt; especially since the judgment which
overtook her did make her an example, within sight of where they
are; for they cannot choose but see her, did they but lift up their
eyes.

{275} CHR. It is a thing to be wondered at, and it argueth that
their hearts are grown desperate in the case; and I cannot tell who
to compare them to so fitly, as to them that pick pockets in the
presence of the judge, or that will cut purses under the gallows.
It is said of the men of Sodom, that they were sinners exceedingly,
because they were sinners before the Lord, that is, in his eyesight,
and notwithstanding the kindnesses that he had showed them [Gen.
13:13]; for the land of Sodom was now like the garden of Eden
heretofore.  [Gen.  13:10] This, therefore, provoked him the more
to jealousy, and made their plague as hot as the fire of the Lord
out of heaven could make it.  And it is most rationally to be
concluded, that such, even such as these are, that shall sin in
the sight, yea, and that too in despite of such examples that are
set continually before them, to caution them to the contrary, must
be partakers of severest judgments.

HOPE. Doubtless thou hast said the truth; but what a mercy is it,
that neither thou, but especially I, am not made myself this example!
This ministereth occasion to us to thank God, to fear before him,
and always to remember Lot’s wife.

{276} I saw, then, that they went on their way to a pleasant river;
which David the king called “the river of God”, but John, “the
river of the water of life”.  [Ps.  65:9, Rev.  22, Ezek.  47] Now
their way lay just upon the bank of the river; here, therefore,
Christian and his companion walked with great delight; they drank
also of the water of the river, which was pleasant, and enlivening
to their weary spirits:  besides, on the banks of this river, on
either side, were green trees, that bore all manner of fruit; and
the leaves of the trees were good for medicine; with the fruit of
these trees they were also much delighted; and the leaves they eat
to prevent surfeits, and other diseases that are incident to those
that heat their blood by travels.  On either side of the river was
also a meadow, curiously beautified with lilies, and it was green
all the year long.  In this meadow they lay down, and slept; for
here they might lie down safely.  When they awoke, they gathered
again of the fruit of the trees, and drank again of the water
of the river, and then lay down again to sleep.  [Ps.  23:2, Isa.
14:30] Thus they did several days and nights.  Then they sang –

Behold ye how these crystal streams do glide,
To comfort pilgrims by the highway side;
The meadows green, beside their fragrant smell,
Yield dainties for them; and he that can tell
What pleasant fruit, yea, leaves, these trees do yield,
Will soon sell all, that he may buy this field.

So when they were disposed to go on, (for they were not, as yet,
at their journey’s end,) they ate and drank, and departed.

{277} Now, I beheld in my dream, that they had not journeyed far,
but the river and the way for a time parted; at which they were
not a little sorry; yet they durst not go out of the way.  Now the
way from the river was rough, and their feet tender, by reason of
their travels; so the souls of the pilgrims were much discouraged
because of the way.  [Num.  21:4] Wherefore, still as they went
on, they wished for better way.  Now, a little before them, there
was on the left hand of the road a meadow, and a stile to go over
into it; and that meadow is called By-path Meadow.  Then said
Christian to his fellow, If this meadow lieth along by our wayside,
let us go over into it.  Then he went to the stile to see, and
behold, a path lay along by the way, on the other side of the fence.
It is according to my wish, said Christian.  Here is the easiest
going; come, good Hopeful, and let us go over.

{278} HOPE. But how if this path should lead us out of the way?

CHR. That is not like, said the other.  Look, doth it not go along
by the wayside?  So Hopeful, being persuaded by his fellow, went
after him over the stile.  When they were gone over, and were got
into the path, they found it very easy for their feet; and withal,
they, looking before them, espied a man walking as they did, (and
his name was Vain-confidence); so they called after him, and asked
him whither that way led.  He said, To the Celestial Gate.  Look,
said Christian, did not I tell you so?  By this you may see we are
right.  So they followed, and he went before them.  But, behold,
the night came on, and it grew very dark; so that they that were
behind lost the sight of him that went before.

{279} He, therefore, that went before, (Vain-confidence by name),
not seeing the way before him, fell into a deep pit [Isa.  9:16],
which was on purpose there made, by the Prince of those grounds,
to catch vain-glorious fools withal, and was dashed in pieces with
his fall.

{280} Now Christian and his fellow heard him fall.  So they called
to know the matter, but there was none to answer, only they heard
a groaning.  Then said Hopeful, Where are we now?  Then was his
fellow silent, as mistrusting that he had led him out of the way;
and now it began to rain, and thunder, and lighten in a very dreadful
manner; and the water rose amain.

Then Hopeful groaned in himself, saying, Oh, that I had kept on my
way!

Sections 261-270

{261} 1.  Heathens; for when Hamor and Shechem had a mind to the
daughter and cattle of Jacob, and saw that there was no way for them
to come at them, but by becoming circumcised, they say to their
companions, If every male of us be circumcised, as they are circumcised,
shall not their cattle, and their substance, and every beast of
theirs, be ours?  Their daughter and their cattle were that which
they sought to obtain, and their religion the stalking-horse they
made use of to come at them.  Read the whole story.  [Gen.  34:20-23]

{262} 2.  The hypocritical Pharisees were also of this religion;
long prayers were their pretence, but to get widows’ houses was
their intent; and greater damnation was from God their judgment.
[Luke 20:46-47]

{263} 3.  Judas the devil was also of this religion; he was religious
for the bag, that he might be possessed of what was therein; but
he was lost, cast away, and the very son of perdition.

{264} 4.  Simon the witch was of this religion too; for he would
have had the Holy Ghost, that he might have got money therewith;
and his sentence from Peter’s mouth was according.  [Acts 8:19-22]

{265} 5.  Neither will it out of my mind, but that that man that
takes up religion for the world, will throw away religion for
the world; for so surely as Judas resigned the world in becoming
religious, so surely did he also sell religion and his Master for
the same.  To answer the question, therefore, affirmatively, as I
perceive you have done, and to accept of, as authentic, such answer,
is both heathenish, hypocritical, and devilish; and your reward
will be according to your works.  Then they stood staring one upon
another, but had not wherewith to answer Christian.  Hopeful also
approved of the soundness of Christian’s answer; so there was a great
silence among them.  Mr. By-ends and his company also staggered
and kept behind, that Christian and Hopeful might outgo them.  Then
said Christian to his fellow, If these men cannot stand before the
sentence of men, what will they do with the sentence of God?  And
if they are mute when dealt with by vessels of clay, what will they
do when they shall be rebuked by the flames of a devouring fire?

{266} Then Christian and Hopeful outwent them again, and went till
they came to a delicate plain called Ease, where they went with
much content; but that plain was but narrow, so they were quickly
got over it.  Now at the further side of that plain was a little
hill called Lucre, and in that hill a silver mine, which some of
them that had formerly gone that way, because of the rarity of it,
had turned aside to see; but going too near the brink of the pit,
the ground being deceitful under them, broke, and they were slain;
some also had been maimed there, and could not, to their dying day,
be their own men again.

{267} Then I saw in my dream, that a little off the road, over
against the silver mine, stood Demas (gentlemanlike) to call to
passengers to come and see; who said to Christian and his fellow,
Ho!  turn aside hither, and I will show you a thing.

CHR. What thing so deserving as to turn us out of the way to see
it?

DEMAS. Here is a silver mine, and some digging in it for treasure.
If you will come, with a little pains you may richly provide for
yourselves.

{268} HOPE. Then said Hopeful, Let us go see.

CHR. Not I, said Christian, I have heard of this place before now;
and how many have there been slain; and besides that, treasure
is a snare to those that seek it; for it hindereth them in their
pilgrimage.  Then Christian called to Demas, saying, Is not the
place dangerous?  Hath it not hindered many in their pilgrimage?
[Hos.  14:8]

DEMAS. Not very dangerous, except to those that are careless, (but
withal, he blushed as he spake).

CHR. Then said Christian to Hopeful, Let us not stir a step, but
still keep on our way.

HOPE. I will warrant you, when By-ends comes up, if he hath the
same invitation as we, he will turn in thither to see.

CHR. No doubt thereof, for his principles lead him that way, and
a hundred to one but he dies there.

DEMAS. Then Demas called again, saying, But will you not come over
and see?

{269} CHR. Then Christian roundly answered, saying, Demas, thou
art an enemy to the right ways of the Lord of this way, and hast
been already condemned for thine own turning aside, by one of His
Majesty’s judges [2 Tim.  4:10]; and why seekest thou to bring us
into the like condemnation?  Besides, if we at all turn aside, our
Lord and King will certainly hear thereof, and will there put us
to shame, where we would stand with boldness before him.

Demas cried again, that he also was one of their fraternity; and
that if they would tarry a little, he also himself would walk with
them.

{270} CHR. Then said Christian, What is thy name?  Is it not the
same by the which I have called thee?

DEMAS. Yes, my name is Demas; I am the son of Abraham.

CHR. I know you; Gehazi was your great-grandfather, and Judas your
father; and you have trod in their steps.  [2 Kings 5:20, Matt.
26:14,15, 27:1-5] It is but a devilish prank that thou usest;
thy father was hanged for a traitor, and thou deservest no better
reward.  Assure thyself, that when we come to the King, we will do
him word of this thy behaviour.  Thus they went their way.

Sections 251-260

{251} SAVE-ALL. That is bad, but we read of some that are righteous
overmuch; and such men’s rigidness prevails with them to judge and
condemn all but themselves.  But, I pray, what, and how many, were
the things wherein you differed?

BY-ENDS. Why, they, after their headstrong manner, conclude that
it is duty to rush on their journey all weathers; and I am for
waiting for wind and tide.  They are for hazarding all for God at
a clap; and I am for taking all advantages to secure my life and
estate.  They are for holding their notions, though all other men
are against them; but I am for religion in what, and so far as the
times, and my safety, will bear it.  They are for religion when
in rags and contempt; but I am for him when he walks in his golden
slippers, in the sunshine, and with applause.

{252} HOLD-THE-WORLD. Ay, and hold you there still, good Mr.
By-ends; for, for my part, I can count him but a fool, that, having
the liberty to keep what he has, shall be so unwise as to lose it.
Let us be wise as serpents; it is best to make hay when the sun
shines; you see how the bee lieth still all winter, and bestirs her
only when she can have profit with pleasure.  God sends sometimes
rain, and sometimes sunshine; if they be such fools to go through
the first, yet let us be content to take fair weather along with
us.  For my part, I like that religion best that will stand with
the security of God’s good blessings unto us; for who can imagine,
that is ruled by his reason, since God has bestowed upon us the
good things of this life, but that he would have us keep them for
his sake?  Abraham and Solomon grew rich in religion.  And Job
says, that a good man shall lay up gold as dust.  But he must not
be such as the men before us, if they be as you have described
them.

SAVE-ALL. I think that we are all agreed in this matter, and
therefore there needs no more words about it.

MONEY-LOVE. No, there needs no more words about this matter, indeed;
for he that believes neither Scripture nor reason (and you see we
have both on our side) neither knows his own liberty, nor seeks
his own safety.

{253} BY-ENDS. My brethren, we are, as you see, going all on
pilgrimage; and, for our better diversion from things that are bad,
give me leave to propound unto you this question: –

Suppose a man, a minister, or a tradesman, &c., should have an
advantage lie before him, to get the good blessings of this life,
yet so as that he can by no means come by them except, in appearance
at least, he becomes extraordinarily zealous in some points
of religion that he meddled not with before, may he not use these
means to attain his end, and yet be a right honest man?

{254} MONEY-LOVE. I see the bottom of your question; and, with these
gentlemen’s good leave, I will endeavour to shape you an answer.
And first, to speak to your question as it concerns a minister
himself:  Suppose a minister, a worthy man, possessed but of a very
small benefice, and has in his eye a greater, more fat, and plump
by far; he has also now an opportunity of getting of it, yet so as
by being more studious, by preaching more frequently and zealously,
and, because the temper of the people requires it, by altering
of some of his principles; for my part, I see no reason but a man
may do this, (provided he has a call), ay, and more a great deal
besides, and yet be an honest man.  For why –

{255} 1.  His desire of a greater benefice is lawful, (this cannot
be contradicted), since it is set before him by Providence; so then,
he may get it, if he can, making no question for conscience’ sake.

{256} 2.  Besides, his desire after that benefice makes him more
studious, a more zealous preacher, &c., and so makes him a better
man; yea, makes him better improve his parts, which is according
to the mind of God.

{257} 3.  Now, as for his complying with the temper of his people,
by dissenting, to serve them, some of his principles, this argueth,
(1) That he is of a self-denying, temper; (2) Of a sweet and winning
deportment; and so (3) more fit for the ministerial function.

{258} 4.  I conclude, then, that a minister that changes a small
for a great, should not, for so doing, be judged as covetous; but
rather, since he has improved in his parts and industry thereby,
be counted as one that pursues his call, and the opportunity put
into his hands to do good.

{259} And now to the second part of the question, which concerns
the tradesman you mentioned.  Suppose such a one to have but a poor
employ in the world, but by becoming religious, he may mend his
market, perhaps get a rich wife, or more and far better customers
to his shop; for my part, I see no reason but that this may be
lawfully done.  For why –

1.  To become religious is a virtue, by what means soever a man
becomes so.

2.  Nor is it unlawful to get a rich wife, or more custom to my
shop.

3.  Besides, the man that gets these by becoming religious, gets
that which is good, of them that are good, by becoming good himself;
so then here is a good wife, and good customers, and good gain,
and all these by becoming religious, which is good; therefore, to
become religious, to get all these, is a good and profitable design.

{260} This answer, thus made by this Mr. Money-love to Mr. By-ends’s
question, was highly applauded by them all; wherefore they concluded
upon the whole, that it was most wholesome and advantageous.  And
because, as they thought, no man was able to contradict it, and
because Christian and Hopeful were yet within call, they jointly
agreed to assault them with the question as soon as they overtook
them; and the rather because they had opposed Mr. By-ends before.
So they called after them, and they stopped, and stood still till
they came up to them; but they concluded, as they went, that not Mr.
By-ends, but old Mr. Hold-the-world, should propound the question
to them, because, as they supposed, their answer to him would be
without the remainder of that heat that was kindled betwixt Mr.
By-ends and them, at their parting a little before.

{260} So they came up to each other, and after a short salutation,
Mr. Hold-the-world propounded the question to Christian and his
fellow, and bid them to answer it if they could.

CHR. Then said Christian, Even a babe in religion may answer ten
thousand such questions.  For if it be unlawful to follow Christ for
loaves, (as it is in the sixth of John), how much more abominable
is it to make of him and religion a stalking-horse to get and enjoy
the world!  Nor do we find any other than heathens, hypocrites,
devils, and witches, that are of this opinion.

Sections 241-250

{241} They therefore brought him out, to do with him according to
their law; and, first, they scourged him, then they buffeted him,
then they lanced his flesh with knives; after that, they stoned
him with stones, then pricked him with their swords; and, last of
all, they burned him to ashes at the stake.  Thus came Faithful to
his end.

{242} Now I saw that there stood behind the multitude a chariot
and a couple of horses, waiting for Faithful, who (so soon as his
adversaries had despatched him) was taken up into it, and straightway
was carried up through the clouds, with sound of trumpet, the
nearest way to the Celestial Gate.

Brave FAITHFUL, bravely done in word and deed;
Judge, witnesses, and jury have, instead
Of overcoming thee, but shown their rage:
When they are dead, thou’lt live from age to age*.

*In the New Heaven and New Earth.  {footnote from one edition}

{243} But as for Christian, he had some respite, and was remanded
back to prison.  So he there remained for a space; but He that
overrules all things, having the power of their rage in his own
hand, so wrought it about, that Christian for that time escaped
them, and went his way.  And as he went, he sang, saying –

Well, Faithful, thou hast faithfully profest
Unto thy Lord; with whom thou shalt be blest,
When faithless ones, with all their vain delights,
Are crying out under their hellish plights:
Sing, Faithful, sing, and let thy name survive;
For though they kill’d thee, thou art yet alive!

{244} Now I saw in my dream, that Christian went not forth alone,
for there was one whose name was Hopeful (being made so by the
beholding of Christian and Faithful in their words and behaviour,
in their sufferings at the fair), who joined himself unto him, and,
entering into a brotherly covenant, told him that he would be his
companion.  Thus, one died to bear testimony to the truth, and
another rises out of his ashes, to be a companion with Christian
in his pilgrimage.  This Hopeful also told Christian, that there
were many more of the men in the fair, that would take their time
and follow after.

{245} So I saw that quickly after they were got out of the fair,
they overtook one that was going before them, whose name was By-ends:
so they said to him, What countryman, Sir?  and how far go you this
way?  He told them that he came from the town of Fair-speech, and
he was going to the Celestial City (but told them not his name).

From Fair-speech!  said Christian.  Is there any good that lives
there?  [Prov.  26:25]

BY-ENDS. Yes, said By-ends, I hope.

CHR. Pray, Sir, what may I call you?  said Christian.

BY-ENDS. I am a stranger to you, and you to me:  if you be going
this way, I shall be glad of your company; if not, I must be content.

CHR. This town of Fair-speech, said Christian, I have heard of;
and, as I remember, they say it is a wealthy place.

BY-ENDS. Yes, I will assure you that it is; and I have very many
rich kindred there.

{246} CHR. Pray, who are your kindred there?  if a man may be so
bold.

BY-ENDS. Almost the whole town; and in particular, my Lord
Turn-about, my Lord Time-server, my Lord Fair-speech, (from whose
ancestors that town first took its name), also Mr. Smooth-man, Mr.
Facing-both-ways, Mr. Any-thing; and the parson of our parish, Mr.
Two-tongues, was my mother’s own brother by father’s side; and to
tell you the truth, I am become a gentleman of good quality, yet
my great-grandfather was but a waterman, looking one way and rowing
another, and I got most of my estate by the same occupation.

CHR. Are you a married man?

BY-ENDS. Yes, and my wife is a very virtuous woman, the daughter
of a virtuous woman; she was my Lady Feigning’s daughter, therefore
she came of a very honourable family, and is arrived to such a
pitch of breeding, that she knows how to carry it to all, even to
prince and peasant.  It is true we somewhat differ in religion from
those of the stricter sort, yet but in two small points:  first,
we never strive against wind and tide; secondly, we are always most
zealous when religion goes in his silver slippers; we love much
to walk with him in the street, if the sun shines, and the people
applaud him.

{247} Then Christian stepped a little aside to his fellow, Hopeful,
saying, It runs in my mind that this is one By-ends of Fair-speech;
and if it be he, we have as very a knave in our company as dwelleth
in all these parts.  Then said Hopeful, Ask him; methinks he should
not be ashamed of his name.  So Christian came up with him again,
and said, Sir, you talk as if you knew something more than all the
world doth; and if I take not my mark amiss, I deem I have half a
guess of you:  Is not your name Mr. By-ends, of Fair-speech?

BY-ENDS. This is not my name, but indeed it is a nick-name that is
given me by some that cannot abide me:  and I must be content to
bear it as a reproach, as other good men have borne theirs before
me.

{247} CHR. But did you never give an occasion to men to call you
by this name?

BY-ENDS. Never, never!  The worst that ever I did to give them an
occasion to give me this name was, that I had always the luck to
jump in my judgment with the present way of the times, whatever it
was, and my chance was to get thereby; but if things are thus cast
upon me, let me count them, a blessing; but let not the malicious
load me therefore with reproach.

{248} CHR. I thought, indeed, that you were the man that I heard
of; and to tell you what I think, I fear this name belongs to you
more properly than you are willing we should think it doth.

BY-ENDS. Well, if you will thus imagine, I cannot help it; you
shall find me a fair company-keeper, if you will still admit me
your associate.

CHR. If you will go with us, you must go against wind and tide;
the which, I perceive, is against your opinion; you must also own
religion in his rags, as well as when in his silver slippers; and
stand by him, too, when bound in irons, as well as when he walketh
the streets with applause.

BY-ENDS. You must not impose, nor lord it over my faith; leave me
to my liberty, and let me go with you.

CHR. Not a step further, unless you will do in what I propound as
we.

Then said By-ends, I shall never desert my old principles, since
they are harmless and profitable.  If I may not go with you, I must
do as I did before you overtook me, even go by myself, until some
overtake me that will be glad of my company.

{249} Now I saw in my dream that Christian and Hopeful forsook him,
and kept their distance before him; but one of them looking back,
saw three men following Mr. By-ends, and behold, as they came up
with him, he made them a very low conge {conge’}; and they also
gave him a compliment.  The men’s names were Mr. Hold-the-world,
Mr. Money-love, and Mr. Save-all; men that Mr. By-ends had formerly
been acquainted with; for in their minority they were schoolfellows,
and were taught by one Mr. Gripe-man, a schoolmaster in Love-gain,
which is a market town in the county of Coveting, in the north.  This
schoolmaster taught them the art of getting, either by violence,
cozenage, flattery, lying, or by putting on the guise of religion;
and these four gentlemen had attained much of the art of their
master, so that they could each of them have kept such a school
themselves.

{250} Well, when they had, as I said, thus saluted each other, Mr.
Money-love said to Mr. By-ends, Who are they upon the road before
us?  (for Christian and Hopeful were yet within view).

By-ends’ character of the pilgrims

BY-ENDS. They are a couple of far countrymen, that, after their
mode, are going on pilgrimage.

MONEY-LOVE. Alas!  Why did they not stay, that we might have had
their good company?  for they, and we, and you, Sir, I hope, are
all going on pilgrimage.

BY-ENDS. We are so, indeed; but the men before us are so rigid,
and love so much their own notions, and do also so lightly esteem
the opinions of others, that let a man be never so godly, yet if
he jumps not with them in all things, they thrust him quite out of
their company.

Sections 231-240

{231} SUPER. My Lord, I have no great acquaintance with this man,
nor do I desire to have further knowledge of him; however, this I
know, that he is a very pestilent fellow, from some discourse that,
the other day, I had with him in this town; for then, talking with
him, I heard him say, that our religion was naught, and such by
which a man could by no means please God.  Which sayings of his, my
Lord, your Lordship very well knows, what necessarily thence will
follow, to wit, that we do still worship in vain, are yet in our
sins, and finally shall be damned; and this is that which I have
to say.

{232} Then was Pickthank sworn, and bid say what he knew, in behalf
of their lord the king, against the prisoner at the bar.

Pickthank’s testimony Pick.

My Lord, and you gentlemen all, This fellow I have known of a long
time, and have heard him speak things that ought not to be spoke;
for he hath railed on our noble prince Beelzebub, and hath spoken
contemptibly of his honourable friends, whose names are the Lord Old
Man, the Lord Carnal Delight, the Lord Luxurious, the Lord Desire
of Vain Glory, my old Lord Lechery, Sir Having Greedy, with all
the rest of our nobility; and he hath said, moreover, That if all
men were of his mind, if possible, there is not one of these noblemen
should have any longer a being in this town.  Besides, he hath not
been afraid to rail on you, my Lord, who are now appointed to be
his judge, calling you an ungodly villain, with many other such
like vilifying terms, with which he hath bespattered most of the
gentry of our town.

{233} When this Pickthank had told his tale, the Judge directed his
speech to the prisoner at the bar, saying, Thou runagate, heretic,
and traitor, hast thou heard what these honest gentlemen have
witnessed against thee?

FAITH. May I speak a few words in my own defence?

JUDGE. Sirrah!  sirrah!  thou deservest to live no longer, but to
be slain immediately upon the place; yet, that all men may see our
gentleness towards thee, let us hear what thou, vile runagate, hast
to say.

{234} Faithful’s defence of himself

FAITH. 1.  I say, then, in answer to what Mr. Envy hath spoken,
I never said aught but this, That what rule, or laws, or customs,
or people, were flat against the Word of God, are diametrically
opposite to Christianity.  If I have said amiss in this, convince
me of my error, and I am ready here before you to make my recantation.

{235} 2.  As to the second, to wit, Mr. Superstition, and his charge
against me, I said only this, That in the worship of God there is
required a Divine faith; but there can be no Divine faith without
a Divine revelation of the will of God.  Therefore, whatever
is thrust into the worship of God that is not agreeable to Divine
revelation, cannot be done but by a human faith, which faith will
not be profitable to eternal life.

{236} 3.  As to what Mr. Pickthank hath said, I say (avoiding terms,
as that I am said to rail, and the like) that the prince of this
town, with all the rabblement, his attendants, by this gentleman
named, are more fit for a being in hell, than in this town and
country:  and so, the Lord have mercy upon me!

{237} Then the Judge called to the jury (who all this while stood
by, to hear and observe):  Gentlemen of the jury, you see this man
about whom so great an uproar hath been made in this town.  You
have also heard what these worthy gentlemen have witnessed against
him.  Also you have heard his reply and confession.  It lieth now
in your breasts to hang him or save his life; but yet I think meet
to instruct you into our law.

{238} There was an Act made in the days of Pharaoh the Great,
servant to our prince, that lest those of a contrary religion should
multiply and grow too strong for him, their males should be thrown
into the river.  [Exo.  1:22] There was also an Act made in the
days of Nebuchadnezzar the Great, another of his servants, that
whosoever would not fall down and worship his golden image, should
be thrown into a fiery furnace.  [Dan.  3:6] There was also an Act
made in the days of Darius, that whoso, for some time, called upon
any god but him, should be cast into the lions’ den.  [Dan.  6]
Now the substance of these laws this rebel has broken, not only
in thought, (which is not to be borne), but also in word and deed;
which must therefore needs be intolerable.

{239} For that of Pharaoh, his law was made upon a supposition, to
prevent mischief, no crime being yet apparent; but here is a crime
apparent.  For the second and third, you see he disputeth against
our religion; and for the treason he hath confessed, he deserveth
to die the death.

{240} Then went the jury out, whose names were, Mr. Blind-man, Mr.
No-good, Mr. Malice, Mr. Love-lust, Mr. Live-loose, Mr. Heady, Mr.
High-mind, Mr. Enmity, Mr. Liar, Mr. Cruelty, Mr. Hate-light, and
Mr. Implacable; who every one gave in his private verdict against
him among themselves, and afterwards unanimously concluded to bring
him in guilty before the Judge.  And first, among themselves, Mr.
Blind-man, the foreman, said, I see clearly that this man is a
heretic.  Then said Mr. No-good, Away with such a fellow from the
earth.  Ay, said Mr. Malice, for I hate the very looks of him.
Then said Mr. Love-lust, I could never endure him.  Nor I, said Mr.
Live-loose, for he would always be condemning my way.  Hang him,
hang him, said Mr. Heady.  A sorry scrub, said Mr. High-mind.  My
heart riseth against him, said Mr. Enmity.  He is a rogue, said
Mr. Liar.  Hanging is too good for him, said Mr. Cruelty.  Let us
despatch him out of the way, said Mr. Hate-light.  Then said Mr.
Implacable, Might I have all the world given me, I could not be
reconciled to him; therefore, let us forthwith bring him in guilty
of death.  And so they did; therefore he was presently condemned
to be had from the place where he was, to the place from whence
he came, and there to be put to the most cruel death that could be
invented.

Sections 221-230

{221} Secondly, And as they wondered at their apparel, so they did
likewise at their speech; for few could understand what they said;
they naturally spoke the language of Canaan, but they that kept
the fair were the men of this world; so that, from one end of the
fair to the other, they seemed barbarians each to the other.

{222} Thirdly, But that which did not a little amuse the merchandisers
was, that these pilgrims set very light by all their wares; they
cared not so much as to look upon them; and if they called upon them
to buy, they would put their fingers in their ears, and cry, Turn
away mine eyes from beholding vanity, and look upwards, signifying
that their trade and traffic was in heaven.  [Ps.  119:37, Phil.
3:19-20]

{223} One chanced mockingly, beholding the carriage of the men, to
say unto them, What will ye buy?  But they, looking gravely upon
him, answered, “We buy the truth.”  [Prov.  23:23] At that there
was an occasion taken to despise the men the more; some mocking,
some taunting, some speaking reproachfully, and some calling upon
others to smite them.  At last things came to a hubbub and great
stir in the fair, insomuch that all order was confounded.  Now was
word presently brought to the great one of the fair, who quickly
came down, and deputed some of his most trusty friends to take these
men into examination, about whom the fair was almost overturned.  So
the men were brought to examination; and they that sat upon them,
asked them whence they came, whither they went, and what they did
there, in such an unusual garb?  The men told them that they were
pilgrims and strangers in the world, and that they were going to
their own country, which was the heavenly Jerusalem, [Heb.  11:13-16]
and that they had given no occasion to the men of the town, nor
yet to the merchandisers, thus to abuse them, and to let them in
their journey, except it was for that, when one asked them what
they would buy, they said they would buy the truth.  But they that
were appointed to examine them did not believe them to be any other
than bedlams and mad, or else such as came to put all things into
a confusion in the fair.  Therefore they took them and beat them,
and besmeared them with dirt, and then put them into the cage, that
they might be made a spectacle to all the men of the fair.

Behold Vanity Fair!  the Pilgrims there
Are chain’d and stand beside:
Even so it was our Lord pass’d here,
And on Mount Calvary died.

{224} There, therefore, they lay for some time, and were made the
objects of any man’s sport, or malice, or revenge, the great one of
the fair laughing still at all that befell them.  But the men being
patient, and not rendering railing for railing, but contrariwise,
blessing, and good words for bad, and kindness for injuries done,
some men in the fair that were more observing, and less prejudiced
than the rest, began to check and blame the baser sort for their
continual abuses done by them to the men; they, therefore, in
angry manner, let fly at them again, counting them as bad as the
men in the cage, and telling them that they seemed confederates, and
should be made partakers of their misfortunes.  The other replied
that, for aught they could see, the men were quiet, and sober, and
intended nobody any harm; and that there were many that traded in
their fair that were more worthy to be put into the cage, yea, and
pillory too, than were the men they had abused.  Thus, after divers
words had passed on both sides, the men behaving themselves all
the while very wisely and soberly before them, they fell to some
blows among themselves, and did harm one to another.  Then were
these two poor men brought before their examiners again, and there
charged as being guilty of the late hubbub that had been in the
fair.  So they beat them pitifully, and hanged irons upon them,
and led them in chains up and down the fair, for an example and a
terror to others, lest any should speak in their behalf, or join
themselves unto them.  But Christian and Faithful behaved themselves
yet more wisely, and received the ignominy and shame that was
cast upon them, with so much meekness and patience, that it won to
their side, though but few in comparison of the rest, several of
the men in the fair.  This put the other party yet into greater
rage, insomuch that they concluded the death of these two men.
Wherefore they threatened, that the cage nor irons should serve
their turn, but that they should die, for the abuse they had done,
and for deluding the men of the fair.

Then were they remanded to the cage again, until further order
should be taken with them.  So they put them in, and made their
feet fast in the stocks.

{225} Here, therefore, they called again to mind what they had heard
from their faithful friend Evangelist, and were the more confirmed
in their way and sufferings by what he told them would happen to
them.  They also now comforted each other, that whose lot it was
to suffer, even he should have the best of it; therefore each man
secretly wished that he might have that preferment:  but committing
themselves to the all-wise disposal of Him that ruleth all things,
with much content, they abode in the condition in which they were,
until they should be otherwise disposed of.

{226} Then a convenient time being appointed, they brought them
forth to their trial, in order to their condemnation.  When the
time was come, they were brought before their enemies and arraigned.
The judge’s name was Lord Hate-good.  Their indictment was one and
the same in substance, though somewhat varying in form, the contents
whereof were this: –

{227} “That they were enemies to and disturbers of their trade;
that they had made commotions and divisions in the town, and had
won a party to their own most dangerous opinions, in contempt of
the law of their prince.”

Now, FAITHFUL, play the man, speak for thy God:
Fear not the wicked’s malice; nor their rod:
Speak boldly, man, the truth is on thy side:
Die for it, and to life in triumph ride.

{228} Faithful’s answer for himself

Then Faithful began to answer, that he had only set himself against
that which hath set itself against Him that is higher than the
highest.  And, said he, as for disturbance, I make none, being
myself a man of peace; the parties that were won to us, were won
by beholding our truth and innocence, and they are only turned from
the worse to the better.  And as to the king you talk of, since he
is Beelzebub, the enemy of our Lord, I defy him and all his angels.

{229} Then proclamation was made, that they that had aught to say
for their lord the king against the prisoner at the bar, should
forthwith appear and give in their evidence.  So there came in
three witnesses, to wit, Envy, Superstition, and Pickthank.  They
were then asked if they knew the prisoner at the bar; and what they
had to say for their lord the king against him.

{230} Then stood forth Envy, and said to this effect:  My Lord, I
have known this man a long time, and will attest upon my oath before
this honourable bench, that he is –

JUDGE. Hold!  Give him his oath.  (So they sware him.) Then he said
–

ENVY. My Lord, this man, notwithstanding his plausible name, is
one of the vilest men in our country.  He neither regardeth prince
nor people, law nor custom; but doth all that he can to possess all
men with certain of his disloyal notions, which he in the general
calls principles of faith and holiness.  And, in particular, I
heard him once myself affirm that Christianity and the customs of
our town of Vanity were diametrically opposite, and could not be
reconciled.  By which saying, my Lord, he doth at once not only
condemn all our laudable doings, but us in the doing of them.

JUDGE. Then did the Judge say to him, Hast thou any more to say?

ENVY. My Lord, I could say much more, only I would not be tedious
to the court.  Yet, if need be, when the other gentlemen have given
in their evidence, rather than anything shall be wanting that will
despatch him, I will enlarge my testimony against him.  So he was
bid to stand by.  Then they called Superstition, and bid him look
upon the prisoner.  They also asked, what he could say for their
lord the king against him.  Then they sware him; so he began.

Sections 211-220

{211} Then Christian and Faithful told him of all things that had
happened to them in the way; and how, and with what difficulty,
they had arrived at that place.

{212} EVAN. Right glad am I, said Evangelist, not that you have
met with trials, but that you have been victors; and for that you
have, notwithstanding many weaknesses, continued in the way to this
very day.

I say, right glad am I of this thing, and that for mine own sake
and yours. I have sowed, and you have reaped: and the day is
coming, when both he that sowed and they that reaped shall rejoice
together; that is, if you hold out: “for in due season ye shall
reap, if ye faint not.” [John 4:36, Gal. 6:9] The crown is before
you, and it is an incorruptible one; so run, that you may obtain
it. [1 Cor. 9:24-27] Some there be that set out for this crown,
and, after they have gone far for it, another comes in, and takes
it from them: hold fast, therefore, that you have; let no man
take your crown. [Rev. 3:11] You are not yet out of the gun-shot
of the devil; you have not resisted unto blood, striving against
sin; let the kingdom be always before you, and believe steadfastly
concerning things that are invisible. Let nothing that is on this
side the other world get within you; and, above all, look well to
your own hearts, and to the lusts thereof, “for they are deceitful
above all things, and desperately wicked”; set your faces like a
flint; you have all power in heaven and earth on your side.

{213} CHR. Then Christian thanked him for his exhortation; but
told him, withal, that they would have him speak further to them
for their help the rest of the way, and the rather, for that they
well knew that he was a prophet, and could tell them of things that
might happen unto them, and also how they might resist and overcome
them. To which request Faithful also consented. So Evangelist
began as followeth: –

EVAN. My sons, you have heard, in the words of the truth of
the gospel, that you must, through many tribulations, enter into
the kingdom of heaven. And, again, that in every city bonds and
afflictions abide in you; and therefore you cannot expect that you
should go long on your pilgrimage without them, in some sort or
other. You have found something of the truth of these testimonies
upon you already, and more will immediately follow; for now, as
you see, you are almost out of this wilderness, and therefore you
will soon come into a town that you will by and by see before you;
and in that town you will be hardly beset with enemies, who will
strain hard but they will kill you; and be you sure that one or
both of you must seal the testimony which you hold, with blood; but
be you faithful unto death, and the King will give you a crown of
life.

{214} He that shall die there, although his death will be unnatural,
and his pain perhaps great, he will yet have the better of his
fellow; not only because he will be arrived at the Celestial City
soonest, but because he will escape many miseries that the other
will meet with in the rest of his journey. But when you are come
to the town, and shall find fulfilled what I have here related,
then remember your friend, and quit yourselves like men, and commit
the keeping of your souls to your God in well-doing, as unto a
faithful Creator.

{215} Then I saw in my dream, that when they were got out of the
wilderness, they presently saw a town before them, and the name of
that town is Vanity; and at the town there is a fair kept, called
Vanity Fair: it is kept all the year long. It beareth the name
of Vanity Fair because the town where it is kept is lighter than
vanity; and, also because all that is there sold, or that cometh
thither, is vanity. As is the saying of the wise, “all that cometh
is vanity.” [Eccl. 1; 2:11,17; 11:8; Isa. 11:17]

{216} This fair is no new-erected business, but a thing of ancient
standing; I will show you the original of it.

Almost five thousand years agone, there were pilgrims walking to
the Celestial City, as these two honest persons are: and Beelzebub,
Apollyon, and Legion, with their companions, perceiving by the
path that the pilgrims made, that their way to the city lay through
this town of Vanity, they contrived here to set up a fair; a fair
wherein, should be sold all sorts of vanity, and that it should last
all the year long: therefore at this fair are all such merchandise
sold, as houses, lands, trades, places, honours, preferments, titles,
countries, kingdoms, lusts, pleasures, and delights of all sorts,
as whores, bawds, wives, husbands, children, masters, servants,
lives, blood, bodies, souls, silver, gold, pearls, precious stones,
and what not.

And, moreover, at this fair there is at all times to be seen juggling
cheats, games, plays, fools, apes, knaves, and rogues, and that of
every kind.

Here are to be seen, too, and that for nothing, thefts, murders,
adulteries, false swearers, and that of a blood-red colour.

{217} And as in other fairs of less moment, there are the several
rows and streets, under their proper names, where such and such
wares are vended; so here likewise you have the proper places,
rows, streets, (viz. countries and kingdoms), where the wares of
this fair are soonest to be found. Here is the Britain Row, the
French Row, the Italian Row, the Spanish Row, the German Row, where
several sorts of vanities are to be sold. But, as in other fairs,
some one commodity is as the chief of all the fair, so the ware
of Rome and her merchandise is greatly promoted in this fair; only
our English nation, with some others, have taken a dislike thereat.

{218} Now, as I said, the way to the Celestial City lies just
through this town where this lusty fair is kept; and he that will
go to the city, and yet not go through this town, must needs go out
of the world. [1 Cor. 5:10] The Prince of princes himself, when
here, went through this town to his own country, and that upon a
fair day too; yea, and as I think, it was Beelzebub, the chief lord
of this fair, that invited him to buy of his vanities; yea, would
have made him lord of the fair, would he but have done him reverence
as he went through the town. [Matt. 4:8, Luke 4:5-7] Yea, because
he was such a person of honour, Beelzebub had him from street to
street, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a little
time, that he might, if possible, allure the Blessed One to cheapen
and buy some of his vanities; but he had no mind to the merchandise,
and therefore left the town, without laying out so much as one
farthing upon these vanities. This fair, therefore, is an ancient
thing, of long standing, and a very great fair.

{219} Now these pilgrims, as I said, must needs go through this
fair. Well, so they did: but, behold, even as they entered into
the fair, all the people in the fair were moved, and the town
itself as it were in a hubbub about them; and that for several
reasons: for –

{220} First, The pilgrims were clothed with such kind of raiment
as was diverse from the raiment of any that traded in that fair.
The people, therefore, of the fair, made a great gazing upon them:
some said they were fools, some they were bedlams, and some they
are outlandish men. [1 Cor. 2:7-8]

Sections 201-210

{201} FAITH. A work of grace in the soul discovereth itself, either
to him that hath it, or to standers by.

To him that hath it thus: It gives him conviction of sin, especially
of the defilement of his nature and the sin of unbelief, (for the
sake of which he is sure to be damned, if he findeth not mercy at
God’s hand, by faith in Jesus Christ [John 16:8, Rom. 7:24, John
16:9, Mark 16:16]). This sight and sense of things worketh in him
sorrow and shame for sin; he findeth, moreover, revealed in him the
Saviour of the world, and the absolute necessity of closing with
him for life, at the which he findeth hungerings and thirstings
after him; to which hungerings, &c., the promise is made. [Ps.
38:18, Jer. 31:19, Gal. 2:16, Acts 4:12, Matt. 5:6, Rev. 21:6]
Now, according to the strength or weakness of his faith in his
Saviour, so is his joy and peace, so is his love to holiness, so
are his desires to know him more, and also to serve him in this
world. But though I say it discovereth itself thus unto him, yet
it is but seldom that he is able to conclude that this is a work
of grace; because his corruptions now, and his abused reason, make
his mind to misjudge in this matter; therefore, in him that hath
this work, there is required a very sound judgement before he can,
with steadiness, conclude that this is a work of grace.

{202} To others, it is thus discovered:

1. By an experimental confession of his faith in Christ. [Rom.
10:10, Phil. 1:27, Matt. 5:19]

2. By a life answerable to that confession; to wit, a life of
holiness, heart-holiness, family-holiness, (if he hath a family),
and by conversation-holiness in the world which, in the general,
teacheth him, inwardly, to abhor his sin, and himself for that, in
secret; to suppress it in his family and to promote holiness in
the world; not by talk only, as a hypocrite or talkative person may
do, but by a practical subjection, in faith and love, to the power
of the Word. [John 14:15, Ps. 50:23, Job 42:5-6, Eze. 20:43]
And now, Sir, as to this brief description of the work of grace,
and also the discovery of it, if you have aught to object, object;
if not, then give me leave to propound to you a second question.

{203} TALK. Nay, my part is not now to object, but to hear; let
me, therefore, have your second question.

FAITH. It is this: Do you experience this first part of this
description of it? and doth your life and conversation testify the
same? or standeth your religion in word or in tongue, and not in
deed and truth? Pray, if you incline to answer me in this, say
no more than you know the God above will say Amen to; and also
nothing but what your conscience can justify you in; for not he
that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.
Besides, to say I am thus and thus, when my conversation, and all
my neighbours, tell me I lie, is great wickedness.

{204} TALK. Then Talkative at first began to blush; but, recovering
himself, thus he replied: You come now to experience, to conscience,
and God; and to appeal to him for justification of what is spoken.
This kind of discourse I did not expect; nor am I disposed to
give an answer to such questions, because I count not myself bound
thereto, unless you take upon you to be a catechiser, and, though
you should so do, yet I may refuse to make you my judge. But, I
pray, will you tell me why you ask me such questions?

{205} FAITH. Because I saw you forward to talk, and because I knew
not that you had aught else but notion. Besides, to tell you all
the truth, I have heard of you, that you are a man whose religion
lies in talk, and that your conversation gives this your mouth-profession
the lie.

Faithful’s plain dealing with Talkative

They say, you are a spot among Christians; and that religion fareth
the worse for your ungodly conversation; that some have already
stumbled at your wicked ways, and that more are in danger of being
destroyed thereby; your religion, and an ale-house, and covetousness,
and uncleanness, and swearing, and lying, and vain-company keeping,
&c., will stand together. The proverb is true of you which is
said of a whore, to wit, that she is a shame to all women; so are
you a shame to all professors.

TALK. Since you are ready to take up reports and to judge so rashly
as you do, I cannot but conclude you are some peevish or melancholy
man, not fit to be discoursed with; and so adieu.

{206} CHR. Then came up Christian, and said to his brother, I told
you how it would happen: your words and his lusts could not agree;
he had rather leave your company than reform his life. But he is
gone, as I said; let him go, the loss is no man’s but his own; he
has saved us the trouble of going from him; for he continuing (as
I suppose he will do) as he is, he would have been but a blot in our
company: besides, the apostle says, “From such withdraw thyself.”

FAITH. But I am glad we had this little discourse with him; it
may happen that he will think of it again: however, I have dealt
plainly with him, and so am clear of his blood, if he perisheth.

{207} CHR. You did well to talk so plainly to him as you did;
there is but little of this faithful dealing with men now-a-days,
and that makes religion to stink so in the nostrils of many, as it
doth; for they are these talkative fools whose religion is only in
word, and are debauched and vain in their conversation, that (being
so much admitted into the fellowship of the godly) do puzzle the
world, blemish Christianity, and grieve the sincere. I wish that
all men would deal with such as you have done: then should they
either be made more conformable to religion, or the company of
saints would be too hot for them. Then did Faithful say,

How Talkative at first lifts up his plumes!
How bravely doth he speak! How he presumes
To drive down all before him! But so soon
As Faithful talks of heart-work, like the moon
That’s past the full, into the wane he goes.
And so will all, but he that HEART-WORK knows.

{208} Thus they went on talking of what they had seen by the way,
and so made that way easy which would otherwise, no doubt, have
been tedious to them; for now they went through a wilderness.

{209} Now, when they were got almost quite out of this wilderness,
Faithful chanced to cast his eye back, and espied one coming after
them, and he knew him. Oh! said Faithful to his brother, who
comes yonder? Then Christian looked, and said, It is my good friend
Evangelist. Ay, and my good friend too, said Faithful, for it was
he that set me in the way to the gate. Now was Evangelist come up
to them, and thus saluted them:

{210} EVAN. Peace be with you, dearly beloved; and peace be to your
helpers.
CHR. Welcome, welcome, my good Evangelist, the sight of
thy countenance brings to my remembrance thy ancient kindness and
unwearied labouring for my eternal good.

FAITH. And a thousand times welcome, said good Faithful.  Thy
company, O sweet Evangelist, how desirable it is to us poor pilgrims!

EVAN. Then said Evangelist, How hath it fared with you, my friends,
since the time of our last parting?  What have you met with, and
how have you behaved yourselves?

Sections 191-200

{191} FAITH. Well, he seems to be a very pretty man.

CHR. That is, to them who have not thorough acquaintance with him;
for he is best abroad; near home, he is ugly enough.  Your saying
that he is a pretty man, brings to my mind what I have observed in
the work of the painter, whose pictures show best at a distance,
but, very near, more unpleasing.

{192} FAITH. But I am ready to think you do but jest, because you
smiled.

CHR. God forbid that I should jest (although I smiled) in this
matter, or that I should accuse any falsely!  I will give you
a further discovery of him.  This man is for any company, and for
any talk; as he talketh now with you, so will he talk when he is on
the ale-bench; and the more drink he hath in his crown, the more
of these things he hath in his mouth; religion hath no place in his
heart, or house, or conversation; all he hath lieth in his tongue,
and his religion is, to make a noise therewith.

{193} FAITH. Say you so!  then am I in this man greatly deceived.

CHR. Deceived!  you may be sure of it; remember the proverb, “They
say and do not.”  [Matt.  23:3] But the kingdom of God is not in
word, but in Power.  [1 Cor 4:20] He talketh of prayer, of repentance,
of faith, and of the new birth; but he knows but only to talk of
them.  I have been in his family, and have observed him both at
home and abroad; and I know what I say of him is the truth.  His
house is as empty of religion as the white of an egg is of savour.
There is there neither prayer nor sign of repentance for sin; yea,
the brute in his kind serves God far better than he.  He is the
very stain, reproach, and shame of religion, to all that know him;
it can hardly have a good word in all that end of the town where
he dwells, through him.  [Rom.  2:24,25] Thus say the common people
that know him, A saint abroad, and a devil at home.  His poor
family finds it so; he is such a churl, such a railer at and so
unreasonable with his servants, that they neither know how to do
for or speak to him.  Men that have any dealings with him say it is
better to deal with a Turk than with him; for fairer dealing they
shall have at their hands.  This Talkative (if it be possible) will
go beyond them, defraud, beguile, and overreach them.  Besides, he
brings up his sons to follow his steps; and if he findeth in any of
them a foolish timorousness, (for so he calls the first appearance
of a tender conscience,) he calls them fools and blockheads, and by
no means will employ them in much, or speak to their commendations
before others.  For my part, I am of opinion, that he has, by his
wicked life, caused many to stumble and fall; and will be, if God
prevent not, the ruin of many more.

{194} FAITH. Well, my brother, I am bound to believe you; not only
because you say you know him, but also because, like a Christian,
you make your reports of men.  For I cannot think that you speak
these things of ill-will, but because it is even so as you say.

CHR. Had I known him no more than you, I might perhaps have thought
of him, as, at the first, you did; yea, had he received this report
at their hands only that are enemies to religion, I should have
thought it had been a slander, — a lot that often falls from bad
men’s mouths upon good men’s names and professions; but all these
things, yea, and a great many more as bad, of my own knowledge,
I can prove him guilty of.  Besides, good men are ashamed of him;
they can neither call him brother, nor friend; the very naming of
him among them makes them blush, if they know him.

{195} FAITH. Well, I see that saying and doing are two things, and
hereafter I shall better observe this distinction.

CHR. They are two things, indeed, and are as diverse as are the
soul and the body; for as the body without the soul is but a dead
carcass, so saying, if it be alone, is but a dead carcass also.
The soul of religion is the practical part:  “Pure religion
and undefiled, before God and the Father, is this, To visit the
fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself
unspotted from the world.”  [James 1:27; see vv.  22-26] This
Talkative is not aware of; he thinks that hearing and saying will
make a good Christian, and thus he deceiveth his own soul.  Hearing
is but as the sowing of the seed; talking is not sufficient to
prove that fruit is indeed in the heart and life; and let us assure
ourselves, that at the day of doom men shall be judged according
to their fruits.  [Matt.  13, 25] It will not be said then, Did you
believe?  but, Were you doers, or talkers only?  and accordingly
shall they be judged.  The end of the world is compared to our
harvest; and you know men at harvest regard nothing but fruit.
Not that anything can be accepted that is not of faith, but I speak
this to show you how insignificant the profession of Talkative will
be at that day.

{196} FAITH. This brings to my mind that of Moses, by which he
describeth the beast that is clean.  [Lev.  11:3-7; Deut.  14:6-8]
He is such a one that parteth the hoof and cheweth the cud; not
that parteth the hoof only, or that cheweth the cud only.  The
hare cheweth the cud, but yet is unclean, because he parteth not
the hoof.  And this truly resembleth Talkative; he cheweth the cud,
he seeketh knowledge, he cheweth upon the word; but he divideth
not the hoof, he parteth not with the way of sinners; but, as the
hare, he retaineth the foot of a dog or bear, and therefore he is
unclean.

CHR. You have spoken, for aught I know, the true gospel sense
of those texts.  And I will add another thing:  Paul calleth some
men, yea, and those great talkers, too, sounding brass and tinkling
cymbals; that is, as he expounds them in another place, things
without life, giving sound.  [1 Cor.  13:1-3; 14:7] Things without
life, that is, without the true faith and grace of the gospel;
and consequently, things that shall never be placed in the kingdom
of heaven among those that are the children of life; though their
sound, by their talk, be as if it were the tongue or voice of an
angel.

FAITH. Well, I was not so fond of his company at first, but I am
as sick of it now.  What shall we do to be rid of him?

CHR. Take my advice, and do as I bid you, and you shall find that
he will soon be sick of your company too, except God shall touch
his heart, and turn it.

FAITH. What would you have me to do?

CHR. Why, go to him, and enter into some serious discourse about
the power of religion; and ask him plainly (when he has approved
of it, for that he will) whether this thing be set up in his heart,
house, or conversation.

{197} FAITH. Then Faithful stepped forward again, and said to
Talkative, Come, what cheer?  How is it now?

TALK. Thank you, well.  I thought we should have had a great deal
of talk by this time.

{198} FAITH. Well, if you will, we will fall to it now; and since
you left it with me to state the question, let it be this:  How doth
the saving grace of God discover itself when it is in the heart of
man?

Talkative’s false discovery of a work of grace

TALK. I perceive, then, that our talk must be about the power of
things.  Well, it is a very good question, and I shall be willing
to answer you.  And take my answer in brief, thus:  First, Where
the grace of God is in the heart, it causeth there a great outcry
against sin.  Secondly –  –

FAITH. Nay, hold, let us consider of one at once.  I think you
should rather say, It shows itself by inclining the soul to abhor
its sin.

TALK. Why, what difference is there between crying out against,
and abhorring of sin?

{199} FAITH. Oh, a great deal.  A man may cry out against sin of
policy, but he cannot abhor it, but by virtue of a godly antipathy
against it.  I have heard many cry out against sin in the pulpit,
who yet can abide it well enough in the heart, house, and conversation.
Joseph’s mistress cried out with a loud voice, as if she had been
very holy; but she would willingly, notwithstanding that, have
committed uncleanness with him.  Some cry out against sin even as
the mother cries out against her child in her lap, when she calleth
it slut and naughty girl, and then falls to hugging and kissing
it.

TALK. You lie at the catch, I perceive.

{200} FAITH. No, not I; I am only for setting things right.  But
what is the second thing whereby you would prove a discovery of a
work of grace in the heart?

TALK. Great knowledge of gospel mysteries.

FAITH. This sign should have been first; but first or last, it is
also false; for knowledge, great knowledge, may be obtained in the
mysteries of the gospel, and yet no work of grace in the soul.  [1
Cor.  13] Yea, if a man have all knowledge, he may yet be nothing,
and so consequently be no child of God.  When Christ said, “Do you
know all these things?”  and the disciples had answered, Yes; he
addeth, “Blessed are ye if ye do them.”  He doth not lay the blessing
in the knowing of them, but in the doing of them.  For there is
a knowledge that is not attended with doing:  He that knoweth his
masters will, and doeth it not.  A man may know like an angel, and
yet be no Christian, therefore your sign of it is not true.  Indeed,
to know is a thing that pleaseth talkers and boasters, but to do is
that which pleaseth God.  Not that the heart can be good without
knowledge; for without that, the heart is naught.  There is,
therefore, knowledge and knowledge.  Knowledge that resteth in the
bare speculation of things; and knowledge that is accompanied with
the grace of faith and love; which puts a man upon doing even the
will of God from the heart:  the first of these will serve the
talker; but without the other the true Christian is not content.
“Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall
observe it with my whole heart.”  [Ps.  119:34]

TALK. You lie at the catch again; this is not for edification.

FAITH. Well, if you please, propound another sign how this work of
grace discovereth itself where it is.

TALK. Not I, for I see we shall not agree.

FAITH. Well, if you will not, will you give me leave to do it?

TALK. You may use your liberty.

Sections 181-190

{181} FAITH. Yes, I met with Shame; but of all the men that I met
with in my pilgrimage, he, I think, bears the wrong name. The
others would be said nay, after a little argumentation, and somewhat
else; but this bold-faced Shame would never have done.

CHR. Why, what did he say to you?

FAITH. What! why, he objected against religion itself; he said it
was a pitiful, low, sneaking business for a man to mind religion;
he said that a tender conscience was an unmanly thing; and that
for a man to watch over his words and ways, so as to tie up himself
from that hectoring liberty that the brave spirits of the times
accustom themselves unto, would make him the ridicule of the times.
He objected also, that but few of the mighty, rich, or wise, were
ever of my opinion [1 Cor. 1:26; 3:18; Phil. 3:7,8]; nor any of
them neither [John 7:48], before they were persuaded to be fools,
and to be of a voluntary fondness, to venture the loss of all, for
nobody knows what. He, moreover, objected the base and low estate
and condition of those that were chiefly the pilgrims of the times
in which they lived: also their ignorance and want of understanding
in all natural science. Yea, he did hold me to it at that rate
also, about a great many more things than here I relate; as, that
it was a shame to sit whining and mourning under a sermon, and
a shame to come sighing and groaning home: that it was a shame to
ask my neighbour forgiveness for petty faults, or to make restitution
where I have taken from any. He said, also, that religion made
a man grow strange to the great, because of a few vices, which
he called by finer names; and made him own and respect the base,
because of the same religious fraternity. And is not this, said
he, a shame?

{182} CHR. And what did you say to him?

FAITH. Say! I could not tell what to say at the first. Yea, he
put me so to it, that my blood came up in my face; even this Shame
fetched it up, and had almost beat me quite off. But at last I
began to consider, that “that which is highly esteemed among men,
is had in abomination with God.” [Luke 16:15] And I thought again,
this Shame tells me what men are; but it tells me nothing what God
or the Word of God is. And I thought, moreover, that at the day
of doom, we shall not be doomed to death or life according to the
hectoring spirits of the world, but according to the wisdom and
law of the Highest. Therefore, thought I, what God says is best,
indeed is best, though all the men in the world are against it.
Seeing, then, that God prefers his religion; seeing God prefers a
tender conscience; seeing they that make themselves fools for the
kingdom of heaven are wisest; and that the poor man that loveth
Christ is richer than the greatest man in the world that hates
him; Shame, depart, thou art an enemy to my salvation! Shall I
entertain thee against my sovereign Lord? How then shall I look
him in the face at his coming? Should I now be ashamed of his
ways and servants, how can I expect the blessing? [Mark 8:38] But,
indeed, this Shame was a bold villain; I could scarce shake him
out of my company; yea, he would be haunting of me, and continually
whispering me in the ear, with some one or other of the infirmities
that attend religion; but at last I told him it was but in vain to
attempt further in this business; for those things that he disdained,
in those did I see most glory; and so at last I got past this
importunate one. And when I had shaken him off, then I began to
sing –

The trials that those men do meet withal, T
hat are obedient to the heavenly call,
Are manifold, and suited to the flesh,
And come, and come, and come again afresh;
That now, or sometime else, we by them may
Be taken, overcome, and cast away.
Oh, let the pilgrims, let the pilgrims, then
Be vigilant, and quit themselves like men.

{183} CHR. I am glad, my brother, that thou didst withstand this
villain so bravely; for of all, as thou sayest, I think he has the
wrong name; for he is so bold as to follow us in the streets, and
to attempt to put us to shame before all men: that is, to make us
ashamed of that which is good; but if he was not himself audacious,
he would never attempt to do as he does. But let us still resist
him; for notwithstanding all his bravadoes, he promoteth the fool
and none else. “The wise shall inherit glory, said Solomon, but
shame shall be the promotion of fools.” [Prov. 3:35]

FAITH. I think we must cry to Him for help against Shame, who would
have us to be valiant for the truth upon the earth.

CHR. You say true; but did you meet nobody else in that valley?

FAITH. No, not I; for I had sunshine all the rest of the way through
that, and also through the Valley of the Shadow of Death.

{184} CHR. It was well for you. I am sure it fared far otherwise
with me; I had for a long season, as soon almost as I entered into
that valley, a dreadful combat with that foul fiend Apollyon; yea,
I thought verily he would have killed me, especially when he got
me down and crushed me under him, as if he would have crushed me
to pieces; for as he threw me, my sword flew out of my hand; nay,
he told me he was sure of me: but I cried to God, and he heard
me, and delivered me out of all my troubles. Then I entered into
the Valley of the Shadow of Death, and had no light for almost half
the way through it. I thought I should have been killed there,
over and over; but at last day broke, and the sun rose, and I went
through that which was behind with far more ease and quiet.

{185} Moreover, I saw in my dream, that as they went on, Faithful,
as he chanced to look on one side, saw a man whose name is Talkative,
walking at a distance beside them; for in this place there was room
enough for them all to walk. He was a tall man, and something more
comely at a distance than at hand. To this man Faithful addressed
himself in this manner:

FAITH. Friend, whither away? Are you going to the heavenly country?

TALK. I am going to the same place.

FAITH. That is well; then I hope we may have your good company.

TALK. With a very good will will I be your companion.

{186} FAITH. Come on, then, and let us go together, and let us
spend our time in discoursing of things that are profitable.

Talkative’s dislike of bad discourse

TALK. To talk of things that are good, to me is very acceptable,
with you or with any other; and I am glad that I have met with those
that incline to so good a work; for, to speak the truth, there are
but few that care thus to spend their time, (as they are in their
travels), but choose much rather to be speaking of things to no
profit; and this hath been a trouble for me.

FAITH. That is indeed a thing to be lamented; for what things so
worthy of the use of the tongue and mouth of men on earth as are
the things of the God of heaven?

TALK. I like you wonderful well, for your sayings are full of
conviction; and I will add, what thing is so pleasant, and what
so profitable, as to talk of the things of God? What things so
pleasant (that is, if a man hath any delight in things that are
wonderful)? For instance, if a man doth delight to talk of the
history or the mystery of things; or if a man doth love to talk of
miracles, wonders, or signs, where shall he find things recorded
so delightful, and so sweetly penned, as in the Holy Scripture?

{187} FAITH. That is true; but to be profited by such things in
our talk should be that which we design.

Talkative’s fine discourse

TALK. That is it that I said; for to talk of such things is most
profitable; for by so doing, a man may get knowledge of many things;
as of the vanity of earthly things, and the benefit of things above.
Thus, in general, but more particularly by this, a man may learn
the necessity of the new birth, the insufficiency of our works,
the need of Christ’s righteousness, &c. Besides, by this a man
may learn, by talk, what it is to repent, to believe, to pray,
to suffer, or the like; by this also a man may learn what are the
great promises and consolations of the gospel, to his own comfort.
Further, by this a man may learn to refute false opinions, to
vindicate the truth, and also to instruct the ignorant.

FAITH. All this is true, and glad am I to hear these things from
you.

TALK. Alas! the want of this is the cause why so few understand
the need of faith, and the necessity of a work of grace in their
soul, in order to eternal life; but ignorantly live in the works
of the law, by which a man can by no means obtain the kingdom of
heaven.

{188} FAITH. But, by your leave, heavenly knowledge of these is the
gift of God; no man attaineth to them by human industry, or only
by the talk of them.

TALK. All this I know very well; for a man can receive nothing,
except it be given him from Heaven; all is of grace, not of works.
I could give you a hundred scriptures for the confirmation of this.

FAITH. Well, then, said Faithful, what is that one thing that we
shall at this time found our discourse upon?

TALK. What you will. I will talk of things heavenly, or things
earthly; things moral, or things evangelical; things sacred, or
things profane; things past, or things to come; things foreign, or
things at home; things more essential, or things circumstantial;
provided that all be done to our profit.

{189} FAITH. Now did Faithful begin to wonder; and stepping to
Christian, (for he walked all this while by himself), he said to
him, (but softly), What a brave companion have we got! Surely this
man will make a very excellent pilgrim.

CHR. At this Christian modestly smiled, and said, This man, with
whom you are so taken, will beguile, with that tongue of his, twenty
of them that know him not.

FAITH. Do you know him, then?

{190} CHR. Know him! Yes, better than he knows himself.

FAITH. Pray, what is he?

CHR. His name is Talkative; he dwelleth in our town. I wonder that
you should be a stranger to him, only I consider that our town is
large.

FAITH. Whose son is he? And whereabout does he dwell?

CHR. He is the son of one Say-well; he dwelt in Prating Row; and is
known of all that are acquainted with him, by the name of Talkative
in Prating Row; and notwithstanding his fine tongue, he is but a
sorry fellow.