{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.
