The Pilgrim's Progress

As I walked through the wilderness of this world, I lighted on a certain place where was a den, and I laid me down in that place to sleep. And as I slept, I dreamed a dream. I dreamed, and behold, I saw a man clothed with rags, standing in a certain place, with his face from his own house, a book in his hand, and a great burden upon his back. I looked, and saw him open the book, and read therein. And as he read, he wept, and trembled. Not being able longer to contain, he break out with a lamentable cry, What shall I do? In this plight, therefore, he went home, and refrained himself as long as he could, that his wife and children should not perceive his distress. But he could not be silent long, because that his trouble increased. Wherefore, at length, he break his mind to his wife and children, and thus he began to talk to them. O my dear wife, and you, the children of my bowels, I, your dear friend, am in myself undone by reason of a burden that lieth hard upon me. Moreover, I am for certain informed that this, our city, will be burned with fire from heaven, in which fearful overthrow both myself with thee, my wife, and you, my sweet babes, shall miserably come to ruin. Except the which yet I see not, some way of escape can be found, whereby we may be delivered. At this his relations were sore amazed, not for that they believed that what he said to them was true, but because they thought that some frenzied distemper had got into his head. Therefore it drawn towards night, and they, hoping that sleep might settle his brains, with all haste they got him to bed. But the night was as troublesome to him as the day. Wherefore, instead of sleeping, he sped in sighs and tears. So when the morning was come, they would know how he did. He told them, worse and worse. He also set to talking to them again. But they began to be hardened. They also thought to drive away his distemper by harsh and surly carriages to him. Sometimes they would deride, sometimes they would chide, and sometimes they would quite neglect him. Wherefore he began to retire himself to his chamber, to pray for and pity them, and also to condole his own misery. He would also walk solitarily in the fields, sometimes reading, sometimes praying, and thus for some days he spent his time. Now I saw upon a time, when he was walking in the fields, that he was, as he was wont, reading in his book, and greatly distressed in his mind. And as he read, he burst out, as he had done before, crying, What shall I do to be saved? I saw also that he looked this way and that way, as if he would run. Yet he stood still, because as I perceived, he could not tell which way to go. I looked then, and saw a man named Evangelist coming to him, and asked, Wherefore dost thou cry? Sir, I perceive by the book in my hand that I am condemned to die, and after that to come to judgment. And I find that I am not willing to do the first, nor able to do the second. Why not willing to die, since this life is attempted with so many evils? Because I fear that this burden which is upon my back will sink me lower than the grave, and I shall fall into tofit. And sir, if I be not fit to go to prison, I am not fit, I am sure, to go to judgment, and from fence to execution. And the thoughts of these things make me cry. If this be thy condition, why standest thou still? Because I know not whither to go. Then he gave him a parchment roll, and there was written within, Flee from the wrath to come. The man therefore read it, and looking upon Evangelist very carefully, said, Whither must I fly? Then said Evangelist, pointing with his finger over a very wide field, Do you see yonder wicket gate? No. Do you see yonder shining light? I think I do. Keep that light in your eye, and go up directly thereto. So shalt thou see the gate, at which, when thou knockest, it shall be told thee what thou shalt do.