The Pilgrim's Progress

Come, good Christian, since we have been so loving to you to receive you in our house this night, let us, if perhaps we may better ourselves thereby, talk with you of all things that have happened to you in your pilgrimage. With a very good will, and I am glad that you are so well disposed. What moved you at first to betake yourself to a pilgrim's life? I was driven out of my native country by a dreadful sound that was in mine ears. To wit, that unavoidable destruction did attend me if I abode in that place where I was. But how did it happen that you came out of your country this way? It was as God would have it, for when I was under the fears of destruction, I did not know whither to go. But by chance there came a man, even to me, as I was trembling and weeping, whose name is Evangelist. 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. And he directed me to the wicked gate, which else I should never have found, and so set me into the way that hath led me directly to this house. But did you not come by the house of the Interpreter? Yes, and to see such things there, the remembrance of which will stick by me as long as I live. Especially three things. To wit, how Christ, in the spite of Satan, maintains his work of grace in the heart. How the man had sent himself quite out of hope of God's mercy. And also the dream of him that thought in his sleep the day of judgment was come. This night, as I was in my sleep, I dreamed. And behold, the heavens grew exceeding black. Also it thundered, enlightened and most fearful-wise. Why, did you hear him tell his dream? Yes, and what a dreadful one it was. I thought it made my heart ache as he was telling of it. But yet I am glad I heard it. Was that all that you saw at the house of the Interpreter? No, he took me and had me where he showed me a stately palace, and how the people were clad in gold that were in it, and how there came a venturous man and cut his way through the armed men that stood at the door to keep him out, and how he was bid to come in and win eternal glory. Me thought those things did ravish my heart. I would have stayed there at that good man's house a twelve month, but then I knew I had further to go. And what saw you else in the way? Saw. Why, I went but a little further, and I saw one as I thought in my mind, hang, bleeding upon the tree. And the very sight of him made my burden fall off my back, for I groaned under a very heavy burden. But then it fell down from off me. It was a very strange thing to me, for I never saw such a thing before. Yea, and while I stood looking up, for then I could not forbear looking, three shining ones came to me. Peace be unto thee. One of them testified that my sins were forgiven me. Thy sins be forgiven thee. Another stripped me of my rags, and gave me this broidered coat which you see. And the third set the mark which you see in my forehead, and gave me this sealed roll. And with that he plucked it out of his bosom. But you saw more than this, did you not? The things that I have told you were the best. Yet some other matters I saw as namely, I saw three men, simple, sloth, and presumption, lie asleep a little out of the way as I came with irons upon their heels. But do you think I could awake them? You had a little more sleep. I also saw formality and hypocrisy come tumbling over the wall, to go as they pretended to Zion. We were born in the land of vain glory, and are going for praise to Mount Zion. But they were quickly lost, even as I myself did tell them, but they would not believe. But above all, I found it hard work to get up this hill, and it is hard to come by the lions' mouths. And truly, if it had not been for the good man, the porter that stands at the gate, I do not know but that after all, I might have gone back again. But now I thank God I am here, and I thank you for receiving of me.