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stand to talk with any by the way,) they asked, "Whose Delectable Mountains are these? And whose be the sheep that feed upon them?"

Shepherds. These Mountains are Emanuel's Land: and they are within sight of His city; and the sheep also are his, and "He laid down his life for them."

Christian. Is this the way to the Celestial City?

Shepherds. You are just in the way.

Christian. How far is it thither?

Shepherds. Too far for any, but those that shall get thither indeed.

Christian. Is the way safe or dangerous?

Shepherds. Safe for those for whom it is to be safe; "but transgressors shall fall therein."*

Christian. Is there in this place any relief for Pilgrims, that are weary and faint in the way?

Shepherds. The Lord of these Mountains hath given us a charge' not to be forgetful to entertain strangers; † therefore the good of the place is before you.

I also saw in my dream, that'when the Shepherds perceived they were wayfaring men, they also put questions to them, (to which they made answer as in other places;) as, "Whence came you?" And, "How got you into the way?" And "By what means have you so persevered therein? for, but few of them that begin to come hither, do show their faces at these Mountains.' But when the Shepherds heard their answers; being pleased therewith, they looked very lovingly upon them, and said, "Welcome to the Delectable Mountains."

The Shepherds, (I say,) whose names were Knowledge, Experience, Watchful, and Sincere; took them by the hand, and had them to their tents, and made them partake of that which was ready at present. They said, moreover, "We would that you should stay here awhile, to be acquainted with us; and yet more to solace yourselves with the good of the Delectable Mountains. Then they told them, that they were content to stay; so they went to their rest that night, because it was very late.

Then I saw in my dream, that in the morning the Shepherds called up Christian and Hopeful to walk with them upon the Mountains: So they went forth with them, and walked awhile, having a pleasant prospect on every side. Then said the Shepherds one to another," Shall we show these Pilgrims some wonders?" So, when they had concluded to do it, they had them first to the top of a hill,

*Hos. xiv. 9.

† Heb. xiii. 2.

-called Error; which was very steep on the farthest side; and bade them look down to the bottom. So Christian and Hopeful looked down, and saw at the bottom several men dashed all to pieces by a fall that they had from the top. Then said Christian, "What meaneth this?" The Shepherds answered, "Have you not heard of them that were made to err, by hearkening to Hymeneus and Philetus;* as concerning the faith of the resurrection of the body?" They answered, "Yes." Then said the Shepherds, "Those that you see dashed in pieces at the bottom of this Mountain, are they and they have continued to this day unburied, (as you see,) for an example for others to take heed how they clamber too high, or how they come too near to the brink of this mountain."

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Then I saw, that they had them to the top of another mountain; and the name of this is Caution; and bade them look afar off: which when they did, they perceived, as they thought, several men, walking up and down among the tombs that were there: and they perceived that the men were blind; because they stumbled sometimes upon the tombs, and because they could not get out from among them. Then said Christian, "What means this?"

The Shepherds then answered: "Did you not see a little below these mountains a stile that led into a meadow, on the left-hand of this way?" They answered, "Yes." Then said the Shepherds, "From the stile there goes a path that leads directly to Doubting Castle, which is kept by Giant Despair; and these men (pointing to them among the tombs) came once on pilgrimage, as you do now, even till they came to that same stile. And because the right way was rough in that place, they chose to go out of it into that meadow; and there were taken by Giant Despair, and cast into Doubting Castle; where, after they had been a while kept in a dungeon, he at last did put out their eyes, and led them among those tombs, where he has left them to wander to this very day, that the saying of the wise mant might be fulfilled; "He that wandereth out of the way of understanding, shall remain in the congregation of the dead." Then Christian and Hopeful looked upon one another, with tears gushing out; but yet said nothing to the Shepherds.

Then I saw in my dream, that the Shepherds had them to another place in a bottom, where was a door in the side of a hill: and they opened the door, and bade them look in.

* 2 Tim. ii. 17, 18.

i. e. unregenerate or damned sinners.
I

† Prov. xxi. 26.

They looked in therefore, and saw that within, it was very dark and smoky; they also thought that they heard there a rumbling noise, as of fire; and a cry of some tormented; and that they smelt the scent of brimstone. Then said Christian, "What means this?" The Shepherds told him, "This is a by-way to hell; a way that hypocrites go in at; namely, such as sell their birth-right, with Esau; such as sell their master, with Judas; such as blaspheme the gospel, with Alexander; and that lie and dissemble, with Ananias and Sapphira his wife."

Then said Hopeful to the Shepherds, "I perceive that these had on them, even every one, a show of Pilgrimage, as we have now; had they not?"

Shepherds. Yes; and held it a long time too.

Hopeful. How far might they go on Pilgrimage in their days; since they, notwithstanding, were thus miserably cast away?

Shepherds. Some farther, and some not so far as these Mountains.

Then said the Pilgrims one to another, "We have need to cry to the strong for strength.”

Shepherds. Ay, and you will have need to use it, when you have it too.

By this time the Pilgrims had a desire to go forwards, and the Shepherds a desire they should: so they walked together towards the end of the Mountains. Then said the Shepherds one to another, "Let us here show the Pilgrims the Gates to the Celestial City, if they have skill to look through our perspective-glass." The Pilgrims then lovingly accepted the motion: So they had them to the top of a high hill, called Clear; and gave them the glass to look through. Then they tried to look; but the remembrance of the last things that the Shepherds had showed them, made their hands shake; by means of which impediment, they could not look steadily through the glass: yet they thought they saw something like the gate, and also some of the glory of the place. Then they went away, and sang:

Thus by the Shepherds, secrets are revealed,
Which from all other men are kept concealed :-
Come to the Shepherds then, if you would see
Things deep, things hid, and that mysterious be.

When they were about to depart, one of the Shepherds gave them a note of the way. Another of them bade them beware of the Flatterer. The third bade them take heed that they stepped not upon the enchanted ground. And

the fourth bade them God-speed!-So I awoke from my dream.

And I slept, and dreamed again: and saw the same two Pilgrims going down the mountains along the highway towards the City. Now, a little below these mountains, on the left hand, lieth the country of Conceit; from which country there comes into the way in which the Pilgrims walked, a little crooked lane. Here, therefore, they met with a very brisk lad, that came out of that country; and his name was Ignorance. So Christian asked him, From what parts he came, and whither he was going?

Ignorance. Sir, I was born in the country that lieth off there on the left hand: and am going to the Celestial City. Christian. But how do you think to get in at the gate? for you may find some difficulty there.

Ignorance. As other people do.

Christian. But what have you to show at that gate, that the gate should be opened to you?

Ignorance. I know my Lord's will; and have been a good liver; I pay every man his own; I pray, fast, pay tithes, and give alms; and have left my country, for whither I am going.

Christian. But thou camest not in at the Wicket-gate that is at the head of this way; thou camest in hither through that same crooked lane; and therefore I fear, however thou mayest think of thyself; when the reckoning-day shall come, thou shalt have laid to thy charge, that thou art a thief and a robber,' instead of getting admittance into the City.

Ignorance. Gentlemen, ye be utter strangers to me; I know you not; be content to follow the religion of your country, and I will follow the religion of mine. I hope all will be well. And as for the gate that you talk of, all the world knows that this is a great way off our country. I cannot think that any men in all our parts do so much as know the way to it; nor need they matter whether they did or no, since we have, as ye see, a fine pleasant green lane, that comes down from our country, the next way into it.

When Christian saw that the man was wise in his own conceit, he said to Hopeful whisperingly, "There is more hopes of a fool than of him."* And said moreover, "When he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one, that he is a fool.† What, shall we talk further with him, or outgo him at present; and

* Prov. xxvi. 12.

† Eccles. x. 3.

so leave him to think of what he hath heard already, and then stop again for him afterwards, and see if, by degrees, we can do any good of him?"

Then said Hopeful:

Let IGNORANCE a little while now muse
On what is said; and let him not refuse
Good counsel to embrace, lest he remain
Still ignorant of what's the chiefest gain.
God saith, Those that no understanding have,

(Although he made them) them he will not save.'

He farther added, "It is not good, I think, to say to him all at once; let us pass him by, if you will, and talk to him anon, even as he is able to bear it."

So they both went on, and Ignorance he came after. Now, when they had passed him a little way, they entered into a very dark lane, where they met a man whom seven devils* had bound with seven strong cords, and were carrying of him back to the door that they saw on the side of the hill. Now good Christian began to tremble, and so did Hopeful, his companion; yet, as the devils led away the man, Christian looked to see if he knew him; and he thought it might be one Turnaway, that dwelt in the town of Apostacy. But he did not perfectly see his face; for he did hang his head like a thief that is found. But being gone past, Hopeful looked after him, and espied on his back a paper, with this inscription, Wanton professor, and damnable apostate.'

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Then said Christian to his fellow, "Now I call to remembrance that which was told me of a thing that happened to a good man hereabout. The name of the man was Littlefaith; but a good man, and he dwelt in the town of Sincere. The thing was this: at the entering in at this passage, there comes down from Broadway Gate a lane called Dead Man's lane; so called, because of the murders that are commonly done there. And this Little-faith, going on pilgrimage, as we do now, chanced to sit down there, and slept. Now there happened at that time to come down the lane from Broadway Gate, three sturdy rogues, and their names were Faint-heart, Mistrust, and Guilt (three brothers); and they espying Little-faith, where he was, came galloping up with speed. Now the good man was just awakened from his sleep, and was getting up to go on his journey. So they came up all to him, and with threatening language bade him stand. At this Little-faith looked as white as a clout, and had neither power to fight nor fly. Then said Faint-heart, 'Deliver thy purse;' but, he making no haste to do it (for he

Matt. xii. 46.

† Prov. v. 22.

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