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12 - The Pilgrim's Progress - John Bunyan · Philosophy and Faith

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Speaker 1: First half of part two, the sixth stage. Now I
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Speaker 1: saw that they went on to the ascent that was
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Speaker 1: a little way off, cast up to be a prospect
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Speaker 1: for pilgrims. This was the place from whence Christian had
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Speaker 1: the first sight of Faithful his brother. Wherefore here they
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Speaker 1: sat down and rested. They also here did eat and
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Speaker 1: drink and make merry, for that they had gotten deliverance
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Speaker 1: from this so dangerous an enemy. As they sat thus
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Speaker 1: and did eat, Christiana asked the guide if he had
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Speaker 1: caught no hurt in the battle. Then said mister Greatheart, no,
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Speaker 1: save a little on my flesh. Yet that also shall
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Speaker 1: be so far from being to my detriment, that it
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Speaker 1: is at present a proof of my love to my
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Speaker 1: master and you, and shall be a means by grace
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Speaker 1: to increase my reward at last. Christiana, but were you
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Speaker 1: not afraid, good sir, when you saw him come with
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Speaker 1: his club. Mister Greatheart, it is my duty, said he,
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Speaker 1: to mistrust mine own ability, that I may have reliance
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Speaker 1: on him who is stronger than all. Christiana, But what
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Speaker 1: did you think when he fetched you down to the
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Speaker 1: ground at the first blow, mister Greatheart? Why I thought,
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Speaker 1: quoth he that so my master himself was served, and
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Speaker 1: yet he it was that conquered at last. Second Corinthians
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Speaker 1: four ten and eleven Romans eight thirty seven. Matthew, when
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Speaker 1: you all have thought what you please, I think God
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Speaker 1: has been wonderfully good unto us, both in bringing us
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Speaker 1: out of this valley and in delivering us out of
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Speaker 1: the hand of this enemy. For my part, I see
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Speaker 1: no reason why we should distrust our God any more,
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Speaker 1: since he has, now, and in such a place as this,
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Speaker 1: given such testimony of his love. Then they got up
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Speaker 1: and went forward. Now a little before them stood in
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Speaker 1: oak and under it. When they came to it, they
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Speaker 1: found an old pilgrim, fast asleep. They knew that he
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Speaker 1: was a pilgrim by his clothes and his staff and
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Speaker 1: his girdle. So the guide, mister Greatheart, awaked him, and
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Speaker 1: the old gentleman, as he lifted up his eyes, cried out,
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Speaker 1: what's the matter. Who are you? And what is your
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Speaker 1: business here? Mister Greatheart, Come man, be not so hot,
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Speaker 1: Here are none but friends. Yet the old man gets
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Speaker 1: up and stands upon his guard, and will know of
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Speaker 1: them what they are. Then said the guide, my name
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Speaker 1: is great Heart. I am the guide of these pilgrims
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Speaker 1: that are going to the celestial country. Mister Honest, then said,
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Speaker 1: mister Honest, I cry you mercy. I feared that you
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Speaker 1: had been of the company of those that some time
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Speaker 1: ago did rob little faith of his money. But now
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Speaker 1: I look better about me. I perceive you are honest people.
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Speaker 1: Mister Greatheart. Why what would or could you have done
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Speaker 1: to have helped yourself if indeed we had been of
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Speaker 1: that company mister Honest done, why I would have fought
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Speaker 1: as long as breath had been in me. And had
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Speaker 1: I so done, I am sure you could never have
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Speaker 1: given me the worst aunt. For a Christian can never
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Speaker 1: be overcome unless he shall yield of himself. Mister Greatheart,
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Speaker 1: Well said father honest, quoth the guide. For by this
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Speaker 1: I know thou art a cock of the right kind,
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Speaker 1: For thou hast said the truth, mister Honest. And by
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Speaker 1: this also I know that thou knowest what true pilgrimage is.
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Speaker 1: For all others do think that we are the soonest
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Speaker 1: overcome of any Mister Greatheart, Well, now we are so
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Speaker 1: happily met. Pray let me crave your name and the
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Speaker 1: name of the place you came from. Mister Honest. My
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Speaker 1: name I cannot tell you, but I came from the
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Speaker 1: town of Stupidity. It lieth about four degrees beyond the
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Speaker 1: City of Destruction. Mister Greatheart, Oh are you that countryman? Then,
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Speaker 1: I deem I have half a guess of you. Your
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Speaker 1: name is Old Honesty, is it not, mister Honest? So
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Speaker 1: the old gentleman blushed and said, not honesty in the abstract.
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Speaker 1: But honest is my name, and I wish that my
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Speaker 1: nature may agree to what I am called. But sir,
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Speaker 1: said the old gentleman, how could you guess that I
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Speaker 1: am such a man, since I came from such a place.
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Speaker 1: Mister Greatheart. I had heard of you before by my Master,
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Speaker 1: for he knows all things that are done on the earth.
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Speaker 1: But I have often wondered that any should come from
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Speaker 1: your place, for your town is worse than is the
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Speaker 1: city of Destruction itself. Mister Honest, Yes, we lie more
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Speaker 1: off from the sun, and so are more cold and senseless.
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Speaker 1: But were a man in a mountain of ice, yet
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Speaker 1: if the sun of righteousness will arise upon him, his
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Speaker 1: frozen heart shall feel a thaw. And thus it has
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Speaker 1: been with me, mister Greatheart. I believe it, Father, honest,
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Speaker 1: I believe it, for I know the thing is true.
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Speaker 1: Then the old gentleman saluted all the pilgrims with a
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Speaker 1: holy kiss of charity, and asked them their names and
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Speaker 1: how they had fared since they set out on their pilgrimage.
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Speaker 1: Christiana then said, Christiana my name. I suppose you have
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Speaker 1: heard of good Christian was my husband, and these four
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Speaker 1: are his children. But can you think how the old
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Speaker 1: gentleman was taken when she told him who she was.
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Speaker 1: He skipped, he smiled. He blessed them with a thousand
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Speaker 1: good wishes, saying, mister, honest, I have heard much of
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Speaker 1: your husband, and of his travels and wars which he
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Speaker 1: underwent in his days. Be it spoken to your comfort.
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Speaker 1: The name of your husband rings all over these parts
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Speaker 1: of the world. His faith, his courage, his enduring and
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Speaker 1: his sincerity under all had made his name famous. Then
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Speaker 1: he turned him to the boys and asked them of
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Speaker 1: their names, which they told him. Then said he unto them, Matthew,
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Speaker 1: be thou like Matthew the publican, not in vice, but
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Speaker 1: in virtue. Matthew ten three. Samuel said he be thou
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Speaker 1: like Samuel the prophet, A man of faith and prayer
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Speaker 1: Psalm ninety nine six. Joseph said, he be thou like
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Speaker 1: Joseph in Potiphar's house, and one that flees from temptation
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Speaker 1: Genesis thirty nine. And James be thou like James the Just,
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Speaker 1: and like James the brother of our Lord ax one thirteen.
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Speaker 1: Then they told him of Mercy, and how she had
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Speaker 1: left her town and her kindred to come along with
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Speaker 1: Christiana and with her sons. At that, the old honest
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Speaker 1: man said, Mercy is thy name. By Mercy, shalt thou
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Speaker 1: be sustained and carried through all those difficulties that shall
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Speaker 1: assault thee in thy way, till thou shalt come thither,
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Speaker 1: where thou shalt look the fountain of Mercy in the
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Speaker 1: face with comfort. All this while the guide, mister Greatheart,
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Speaker 1: was very well pleased and smiled upon his companions. Now,
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Speaker 1: as they walked along together, the guide asked the old
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Speaker 1: gentleman if he did not know one mister Fearing that
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Speaker 1: came on pilgrimage out of his parts. Mister Honest, yes,
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Speaker 1: very well, said he. He was a man that had
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Speaker 1: the root of the matter in him, But he was
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Speaker 1: one of the most troublesome pilgrims that ever I met
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Speaker 1: with in all my days, Mister Greatheart, I perceive ye
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Speaker 1: knew him, for ye have given a very right character
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Speaker 1: of him. Mister Honest, knew him. I was a great
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Speaker 1: companion of his. I was with him most an end
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Speaker 1: when he first began to think upon what would come
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Speaker 1: upon us hereafter. I was with him, mister Greatheart. I
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Speaker 1: was his guide from my master's house to the gates
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Speaker 1: of the celestial city. Mister Honest, Then ye knew him
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Speaker 1: to be a troublesome one, Mister Greatheart, I did so,
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Speaker 1: but I could very well bear it, for men of
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Speaker 1: my calling are oftentimes entrusted with the conduct of such
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Speaker 1: as he was. Mister Honest. Well, then pray let us
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Speaker 1: hear little of him, and how he managed himself under
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Speaker 1: your conduct, mister Greatheart. Why he was always afraid that
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Speaker 1: he should come short of whither he had a desire
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Speaker 1: to go. Everything frightened him that he heard anybody speak of,
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Speaker 1: if it had but the least appearance of opposition in it.
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Speaker 1: I heard that he lay roaring at the slur of
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Speaker 1: despond for above a month together. Nor doest he for
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Speaker 1: all he saws, several go over before him venture, though they,
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Speaker 1: many of them, offered to lend him their hands, he
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Speaker 1: would not go back again, neither the celestial city. He
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Speaker 1: said he should die if he came not to it.
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Speaker 1: And yet he was dejected at every difficulty, and stumbled
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Speaker 1: at every straw that anybody cast in his way. Well
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Speaker 1: after he had lain at the slur of despond a
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Speaker 1: great while, as I have told you once unshiny morning.
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Speaker 1: I do not know how he ventured and so got over,
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Speaker 1: but when he was over he would scarce. Believe it,
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Speaker 1: he had I think a slow of despond in his mind,
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Speaker 1: a slow that he carried everywhere with him, or else
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Speaker 1: he could never have been as he was. So he
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Speaker 1: came up to the gate, you know what I mean,
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Speaker 1: that stands at the head of this way. And there
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Speaker 1: also he stood a good while before he would venture
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Speaker 1: to knock. When the gate was opened, he would give
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Speaker 1: back and give place to others, and say that he
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Speaker 1: was not worthy for all. He got before some to
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Speaker 1: the gate, Yet many of them went in before him.
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Speaker 1: There the poor man would stand, shaking and shrinking. I
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Speaker 1: dare say it would have pitied one's heart to have
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Speaker 1: seen him, nor would he go back again. At last,
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Speaker 1: he took the hammer that hanged on the gate in
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Speaker 1: his hand and gave a small rap or two. Then
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Speaker 1: one opened to him, but he shrank back as before.
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Speaker 1: He that opened stepped out after him and said, thou
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Speaker 1: trembling one, what wantest thou? With that he fell down
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Speaker 1: to the ground. He that spoke to him wondered to
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Speaker 1: see him so faint, So he said to him, peace
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Speaker 1: be to thee up, for I have set open the
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Speaker 1: door to thee. Come in, for thou art blessed. With that,
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Speaker 1: he got up and went in, trembling, And when he
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Speaker 1: was in he was ashamed to show his face. Well
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Speaker 1: after he had been entertained there a while, as you
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Speaker 1: know how the manner is, he was bid go on
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Speaker 1: his way, and also told the way he should take.
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Speaker 1: So he went on till he came out to our house.
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Speaker 1: But as he behaved himself at the gate, so he
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Speaker 1: did at my master the Interpreter's door. He lay there
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Speaker 1: about in the cold a good while before he would
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Speaker 1: adventure to call. Yet he would not go back, and
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Speaker 1: the nights were long and cold. Then, nay, he had
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Speaker 1: a note of necessity in his bosom to my Master
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Speaker 1: to receive him and grant him the comfort of his house,
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Speaker 1: and also to allow him a stout and valiant conductor,
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Speaker 1: because he was himself so chicken hearted a man. And
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Speaker 1: yet for all that, he was afraid to call at
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Speaker 1: the door. So he lay up and down thereabouts till
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Speaker 1: poor man, he was almost starved. Yet so great was
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Speaker 1: his dejection that, though he saw several others for knocking
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Speaker 1: it in, yet he was afraid to venture. At last,
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Speaker 1: I think I looked out of the window, and, perceiving
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Speaker 1: a man to be up and down about the door,
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Speaker 1: I went out to him and asked what he was.
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Speaker 1: But poor man, the water stood in his eyes, so
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Speaker 1: I perceived what he wanted. I went therefore in and
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Speaker 1: told it in the house, and we showed the thing
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Speaker 1: to our lord. So he sent me out again to
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Speaker 1: entreat him to come in. But I dare say I
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Speaker 1: had hard work to do it. At last he came in,
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Speaker 1: and I will say that for my Lord. He carried
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Speaker 1: it wonderful lovingly to him. There were but a few
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Speaker 1: good bits at the table, but some of it was
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Speaker 1: laid upon his trencher. Then he presented the note, and
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Speaker 1: my Lord looked thereon and said his desire should be granted.
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Speaker 1: So when he had been there a good while, he
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Speaker 1: seemed to get some heart and to be a little
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Speaker 1: more comfortable. For my master, you must know, is one
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Speaker 1: of very tender bowels, especially to them that are afraid.
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Speaker 1: Wherefore he carried it so towards him as might tend
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Speaker 1: most to his encouragement. Well, when he had had a
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Speaker 1: sight of the things of the place and was ready
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Speaker 1: to take his journey to go to the city, my lord,
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Speaker 1: as he did to Christian before, gave him a bottle
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Speaker 1: of spirits and some comfortable things to eat. Thus we
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Speaker 1: set forward, and I went before him. But the man
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Speaker 1: was but a few words. Only he would sigh aloud.
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Speaker 1: When we were come to where the three fellows were hanged,
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Speaker 1: he said that he doubted that that would be his end. Also,
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Speaker 1: only he seemed glad when he saw the cross and
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Speaker 1: the sepulcher there. I confess he desired to stay a
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Speaker 1: little to look, and he seemed for a while after
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Speaker 1: to be a little cheery. When he came to the
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Speaker 1: hill difficulty, he made no stick at that, nor did
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Speaker 1: he much fear the lions. For you must know that
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Speaker 1: his troubles were not about such things as these. His
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Speaker 1: fear was about his acceptance at last. I got him
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Speaker 1: in at the House Beautiful, I think before he was willing. Also,
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Speaker 1: when he was in, I brought him acquainted with the
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Speaker 1: damsels of the place, But he was ashamed to make
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Speaker 1: himself much in company. He desired much to be alone.
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Speaker 1: Yet he always loved good talk, and often would get
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Speaker 1: behind the screen to hear it. He also loved much
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Speaker 1: to see ancient things and to be pondering them in
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Speaker 1: his mind. He told me afterward that he loved to
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Speaker 1: be in those two houses from which he came last,
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Speaker 1: to wit at the Gate and that of the Interpreter,
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Speaker 1: but that he does not be so bold as to ask.
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Speaker 1: When we went, also from the House Beautiful, down the
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Speaker 1: hill into the valley of Humiliation, he went down as
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Speaker 1: well as ever I saw a man in my life,
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Speaker 1: for he cared not how mean he was, so he
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Speaker 1: might be happy at last. Yeah, I think there was
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Speaker 1: a kind of sympathy betwixt that valley and him, for
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Speaker 1: I never saw him better in all his pilgrimage than
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Speaker 1: he was in that valley. Here he would lie down,
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Speaker 1: embrace the ground and kiss the very flowers that grew
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Speaker 1: in this valley Lamentations three twenty seven to twenty nine.
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Speaker 1: He would, I'll be up every morning by break of day,
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Speaker 1: tracing and walking to and fro in the valley. But
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Speaker 1: when he was come to the entrance of the Valley
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Speaker 1: of the Shadow of Death, I thought I should have
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Speaker 1: lost my man, not for that he had any inclination
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Speaker 1: to go back that he always aboard. But he was
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Speaker 1: ready to die for fear. Oh the hobgoblins will have me.
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Speaker 1: The hobgoblins will have me, he cried he, and I
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Speaker 1: could not beat him out of it. He made such
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Speaker 1: a noise and such an outcry here that had they
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Speaker 1: but heard him, it was enough to encourage them to
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Speaker 1: come and fall upon us. But this I took very
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Speaker 1: great notice of that this valley was as quiet as
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Speaker 1: when we went through it, as ever I knew it before.
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Speaker 1: Since I suppose those enemies here had now a special
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Speaker 1: check from our Lord and a command not to meddle
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Speaker 1: until mister Fearing had passed over it. It would be
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Speaker 1: too tedious to tell you of all. We will therefore
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Speaker 1: only mention a passage or two more. When he was
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Speaker 1: come to Vanity Fair, I thought he would have fought
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Speaker 1: with all the men in the fair. I feared there
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Speaker 1: we should have been both knocked on the head, so
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Speaker 1: hot was he against their fooleries. Upon the enchanted ground,
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Speaker 1: he was very wakeful. But when he was come at
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Speaker 1: the river, where was no bridge, there again he was
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Speaker 1: in a heavy case. Now now he said he should
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Speaker 1: be drowned for ever, and so never see that face
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Speaker 1: with comfort that he had come so many miles to behold.
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Speaker 1: And here also I took notice of what was very remarkable.
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Speaker 1: The water of that river was lower at this time
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Speaker 1: than ever I saw it in all my life. So
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Speaker 1: he went over at last, not much above Wetshod. When
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Speaker 1: he was going up to the gate, I began to
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Speaker 1: take leave of him, and to wish him a good
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Speaker 1: reception above. So he said, I shall, I shall. Then
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Speaker 1: parted me asunder, and I saw him no more, mister honest.
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Speaker 1: Then it seems he was well at last, mister greatheart. Yes, yes,
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Speaker 1: I never had doubt about him. He was a man
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Speaker 1: of a choice spirit. Only he was always kept very low,
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Speaker 1: and that made his life so burdensome to himself and
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Speaker 1: so troublesome to others. Psalm eighty eight. He was above
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Speaker 1: many tender of sin. He was so afraid of doing
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Speaker 1: injuries to others that he often would deny himself of
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Speaker 1: that which was lawful, because he would not offend Romans
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Speaker 1: fourteen twenty one, First Corinthians eight thirteen. Mister honest, But
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Speaker 1: what should be the reason that such a good man
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Speaker 1: should be all his days so much in the dark,
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Speaker 1: mister greatheart. There are two sorts of reasons for it.
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Speaker 1: One is the wise God will have it, so some
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Speaker 1: must pipe and some must weep. Matthew eleven sixteen. Now,
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Speaker 1: mister Fearing was one that played upon the bass. He
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Speaker 1: and his fellows sound the sack, but whose notes are
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Speaker 1: more doleful than the notes of other music are. Though
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Speaker 1: indeed some say the bass is the ground of music,
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Speaker 1: And for my part, I care not at all for
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Speaker 1: that profession, which begins not in heaviness of mind. The
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Speaker 1: first string that the musician usually touches is the bass
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Speaker 1: when he intends to put all in tune. God also
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Speaker 1: plays upon this string first, when he sets the soul
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Speaker 1: in tune. For himself. Only there was the imperfection of
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Speaker 1: mister Fearing. He could play upon no other music but
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Speaker 1: this till towards his latter end. I make bold to
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Speaker 1: talk thus metaphorically for the ripening of the wits of
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Speaker 1: young readers, and because in the Book of Revelation the
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Speaker 1: saved are compared to a company of musicians that play
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Speaker 1: upon their trumpets and harps and sing their songs before
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Speaker 1: the throne Revelations five, eight, fourteen, two and three. Mister honest,
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Speaker 1: he was a very zealous man, as one may see
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Speaker 1: by the relation you have given of him. Difficulties, lions
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Speaker 1: or vanity fair he feared not at all. It was
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Speaker 1: only sin, death and hell that were to him a terror,
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Speaker 1: because he had some doubts about his interest in that
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Speaker 1: celestial country. Mister greatheart, you say right, those were the
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Speaker 1: things that were his troublers, And they, as you have
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Speaker 1: well observed, arose from the weakness of his mind thereabout,
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Speaker 1: not from weakness of spirit. As to the practical part
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Speaker 1: of a pilgrim's life, I dare believe that, as the
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Speaker 1: proverb is, he could have bitter firebrand that stood in
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Speaker 1: his way, But the things with which he was oppressed,
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Speaker 1: no man ever yet could shake off with ease. Christiana
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Speaker 1: then said Christiana, this relation of mister fearing has done
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Speaker 1: me good. I thought nobody had been like me. But
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Speaker 1: I see there were some semblance betwixt this good man
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Speaker 1: and me. Only we differed in two things. His troubles
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Speaker 1: were so great that they broke out, but mine I
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Speaker 1: kept within. His also lay so hard upon him, they
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Speaker 1: made him that he could not knock at the houses
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Speaker 1: provided for entertainment. But my trouble was always such as
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Speaker 1: made me knock the louder mercy. If I might also
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Speaker 1: speak my heart, I must say that something of him
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Speaker 1: has also dwelt in me. For I have ever been
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Speaker 1: more afraid of the lake and the loss of a
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Speaker 1: place in Paradise than I have been of the loss
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Speaker 1: other things. Oh thought, I may I have the happiness
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Speaker 1: to have a habitation. There tis enough, though I part
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Speaker 1: with all the world to win it. Matthew then, said Matthew.
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Speaker 1: Fear was one thing that made me think that I
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Speaker 1: was far from having that within me which accompanies salvation.
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Speaker 1: But if it were so with such a good man
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Speaker 1: as he, why may it not also go well with me? James,
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Speaker 1: No fears, no grace, said James. Though there is not
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Speaker 1: always grace where there is the fear of hell. Yet
22:37
Speaker 1: to be sure, there is no grace where there is
22:39
Speaker 1: no fear of God. Mister Greatheart, Well, said James, thou
22:46
Speaker 1: hast hit the mark, for the fear of God is
22:49
Speaker 1: the beginning of wisdom. And to be sure, they that
22:52
Speaker 1: want the beginning have neither middle nor end. But we
22:56
Speaker 1: will here conclude our discourse of mister Fearing, after we
23:00
Speaker 1: have sent after him. This farewell well, mister Fearing, Thou
23:05
Speaker 1: didst fear thy God and wast afraid of doing anything
23:08
Speaker 1: while here that would have thee betrayed? And didst thou
23:12
Speaker 1: fear the lake and pitt would others do so too?
23:17
Speaker 1: For as for them that want thy wit, they do
23:20
Speaker 1: themselves undo. Now I saw that they still went on
23:25
Speaker 1: in their talk, For after mister Greatheart had made an
23:28
Speaker 1: end with mister Fearing, mister Honest began to tell them
23:32
Speaker 1: of another. But his name was mister Selfwell, he pretended
23:37
Speaker 1: himself to be a pilgrim, said mister Honest. But I
23:40
Speaker 1: persuade myself. He never came in at the gate that
23:43
Speaker 1: stands at the head of the way. Mister Greatheart, had
23:50
Speaker 1: you ever any talk with him about it? Mister Honest, yes,
23:55
Speaker 1: more than once or twice but he would always be
23:59
Speaker 1: like himself, self willed. He neither cared for man, nor argument,
24:03
Speaker 1: nor yet example. What his mind prompted him to that
24:07
Speaker 1: he would do, and nothing else could he be got
24:10
Speaker 1: to do. Mister Greatheart, Pray what principles did he hold?
24:18
Speaker 1: For I suppose you can tell, mister Honest. He held
24:23
Speaker 1: that a man might follow the vices as well as
24:25
Speaker 1: the virtues of pilgrims, and that if he did both,
24:29
Speaker 1: he should be certainly saved. Mister Greatheart, how if he
24:35
Speaker 1: had said, it is possible for the best to be
24:37
Speaker 1: guilty of the vices as well as to partake of
24:40
Speaker 1: the virtues of pilgrims, he could not much have been
24:43
Speaker 1: blamed for indeed, we are exempted from no vice, absolutely,
24:48
Speaker 1: but on condition that we watch and strive. But this,
24:51
Speaker 1: I perceive is not the thing. If I understand you right,
24:55
Speaker 1: Your meaning is that he was of opinion that it
24:58
Speaker 1: was allowable so to be mister Honest, Aye, aye, so
25:04
Speaker 1: I mean, and so he believed and practiced, mister Greatheart.
25:10
Speaker 1: But what grounds had he for his so saying, mister Honest?
25:15
Speaker 1: Why he said he had the scripture for his warrant.
25:19
Speaker 1: Mister Greatheart, prithee, mister honest, present us with a few particulars.
25:26
Speaker 1: Mister honest, so I will. He said, to have to
25:29
Speaker 1: do with other men's wives had been practiced by David,
25:32
Speaker 1: God's beloved, and therefore he could do it. He said,
25:36
Speaker 1: to have more woman than one was a thing that
25:38
Speaker 1: Solomon practiced, and therefore he could do it. He said
25:42
Speaker 1: that Sarah and the godly midwives of Egypt lied, and
25:46
Speaker 1: so did save Raehab, and therefore he could do it.
25:51
Speaker 1: He said that the disciples went at the bidding of
25:53
Speaker 1: their master and took away the owner's ass, and therefore
25:57
Speaker 1: he could do so too. Said that Jacob got the
26:01
Speaker 1: inheritance of his father in a way of gule and dissimulation,
26:04
Speaker 1: and therefore he could do so too, mister great Heart,
26:10
Speaker 1: high base. Indeed, and are you sure he was of
26:13
Speaker 1: this opinion, mister honest, I heard him plead for it,
26:18
Speaker 1: Bring scripture for it, bring arguments for it, etc. Mister
26:24
Speaker 1: great Heart, an opinion that is not fit to be
26:27
Speaker 1: with any allowance in the world. Mister honest, you must
26:33
Speaker 1: understand me rightly. He did not say that any man
26:36
Speaker 1: might do this, but that they who had the virtues
26:39
Speaker 1: of those that did such things might also do the same,
26:46
Speaker 1: mister great heart, But what more false than such a conclusion.
26:51
Speaker 1: For this is as much as to say that because
26:53
Speaker 1: good men heretofore have sinned of infirmity, therefore he had
26:57
Speaker 1: allowance to do it of a presumptuous mind. Or that
27:01
Speaker 1: if because a child, by the blast of the wind,
27:04
Speaker 1: or for that it stumbled at a stone, fell down
27:07
Speaker 1: and defiled itself in the mire, therefore he might wilfully
27:11
Speaker 1: lie down and wallow like a ball therein? Who could
27:15
Speaker 1: have thought that any one could so far have been
27:18
Speaker 1: blinded by the power of lust? But what is written
27:22
Speaker 1: must be true. They stumble at the word, being disobedient,
27:26
Speaker 1: who unto also they were appointed first Peter two eight.
27:32
Speaker 1: His supposing that such may have the godly men's virtues,
27:35
Speaker 1: who addict themselves to their vices, is also a delusion,
27:39
Speaker 1: as strong as the other, to eat up the sin
27:42
Speaker 1: of God's people Hoseiah four eight. As a dog licks
27:46
Speaker 1: up filth, is no sign that one is possessed with
27:49
Speaker 1: their virtues. On all, can I believe that one who
27:53
Speaker 1: is of this opinion can at present have faith or
27:56
Speaker 1: love in him? But I know you have made strong
27:59
Speaker 1: objections against him, prithee, What can he say for himself,
28:06
Speaker 1: mister honest? Why he says to do this by way
28:09
Speaker 1: of opinion seems abundantly more honest than to do it,
28:12
Speaker 1: and yet hold contrary to it in opinion, mister Greatheart,
28:18
Speaker 1: a very wicked answer. For though to let loose the
28:22
Speaker 1: bridle to lusts, while our opinions are against such things
28:26
Speaker 1: is bad. Yet to sin and plead a toleration, so
28:30
Speaker 1: to do is worse. The one stumbles behold us accidentally,
28:35
Speaker 1: the other leads them into the snare. Mister Honest. There
28:41
Speaker 1: are many of this man's mind that have not this
28:43
Speaker 1: man's mouth, and that makes going on pilgrimage of so
28:47
Speaker 1: little esteem. As it is, Mister Greatheart, you have said
28:52
Speaker 1: the truth, and it is to be lamented. But he
28:57
Speaker 1: that fereth the King of Paradise, shall come out of them. Christiana,
29:03
Speaker 1: there are strange opinions in the world. I know one
29:07
Speaker 1: that said it was time enough to repent when we
29:10
Speaker 1: come to die. Mister Greatheart, such are not overwise that
29:17
Speaker 1: man would have been loathe might he have had a
29:19
Speaker 1: week to run twenty miles in his life to defer
29:22
Speaker 1: his journey to the last hour of that week. Mister
29:27
Speaker 1: honest you say right, And yet the generality of them
29:31
Speaker 1: who count themselves pilgrims do indeed do thus. I am,
29:35
Speaker 1: as you see, an old man, and have been a
29:38
Speaker 1: traveler in this road many a day, and I have
29:41
Speaker 1: taken notice of many things. I have seen some that
29:45
Speaker 1: have set out as if they would drive all the
29:46
Speaker 1: world before them, who yet have in a few days
29:50
Speaker 1: died as they in the wilderness, and so never got
29:53
Speaker 1: sight of the promised land. I have seen some that
29:57
Speaker 1: have promised nothing at first setting out to pilgrims, and
30:01
Speaker 1: who one would have thought could not have lived a day,
30:05
Speaker 1: that have yet proved very good pilgrims. I have seen
30:09
Speaker 1: some who have run hastily forward, that again have after
30:13
Speaker 1: a little time, run just as fast back again. I
30:17
Speaker 1: have seen some who have spoken very well of a
30:20
Speaker 1: pilgrim's life at first, that after a while have spoken
30:23
Speaker 1: as much against it. I have heard some, when they
30:28
Speaker 1: first set out for paradise said positively, there is such
30:31
Speaker 1: a place, who, when they have been almost there, have
30:35
Speaker 1: come back again and said there is none. I have
30:38
Speaker 1: heard some vaunt what they would do in case they
30:41
Speaker 1: should be opposed, that have even at a false alarm,
30:44
Speaker 1: fled Faith the pilgrim's way. And all now, as they
30:50
Speaker 1: were thus on their way, there came one running to
30:53
Speaker 1: meet them, and said, gentlemen, and you of the weaker sort,
30:57
Speaker 1: if you love life, shift for yourself elves, for the
31:00
Speaker 1: robbers are before you. Mister Greatheart. Then said mister Greatheart,
31:08
Speaker 1: they be the three that set upon little Faith. Heretofore
31:12
Speaker 1: well said he. We are ready for them. So they
31:16
Speaker 1: went on their way. Now they looked at every turning
31:20
Speaker 1: when they should have met with the villains. But whether
31:23
Speaker 1: they heard of mister Greatheart, or whether they had some
31:26
Speaker 1: other game, they came not up to the pilgrims. Christiana
31:31
Speaker 1: then wished for an inn to refresh herself and her children,
31:34
Speaker 1: because they were weary. Then said, mister honest, there is
31:38
Speaker 1: one a little before us. We are a very honorable disciple,
31:42
Speaker 1: one Gayus Dwells, Romans sixteen twenty three. So they all
31:49
Speaker 1: concluded to turn in thither and the rather because the
31:53
Speaker 1: old gentleman gave him so good a report. When they
31:56
Speaker 1: came to the door, they went in not knocking, for
31:59
Speaker 1: folks used not to knock at the door of an inn.
32:03
Speaker 1: Then they called for the master of the house, and
32:05
Speaker 1: he came to them. So they asked if they might
32:07
Speaker 1: lie there that night. Gaeus, yes, gentlemen, if you be
32:13
Speaker 1: true men, for my house is for none but pilgrims.
32:17
Speaker 1: Then were Christiana, Mercy and the boys. The more glad
32:21
Speaker 1: for that the innkeeper was a lover of pilgrims. So
32:25
Speaker 1: they called for rooms, and he showed them one for
32:27
Speaker 1: Christiana and her children and Mercy, and another for mister
32:30
Speaker 1: Greatheart and the old gentleman. Mister Greatheart then said mister Greatheart,
32:38
Speaker 1: good Gaius, what hast thou for supper? For these pilgrims
32:42
Speaker 1: have come far today and are weary. Gaeus, it is late,
32:49
Speaker 1: said Gaeus, so we cannot conveniently go out to seek food.
32:53
Speaker 1: But such as we have you shall be welcome to.
32:56
Speaker 1: If that will content, Greatheart. We will be content with
33:02
Speaker 1: what thou hast in the house, for as much as
33:05
Speaker 1: I have proved thee thou art never destitute of that
33:08
Speaker 1: which is convenient. Then he went down and spake to
33:12
Speaker 1: the cook, whose name was taste that which is good,
33:16
Speaker 1: to get ready supper for so many pilgrims. This done,
33:20
Speaker 1: he comes up again, saying, come, my good friends. You
33:23
Speaker 1: are welcome to me, and I am glad that I
33:26
Speaker 1: have a house to entertain you in. And while supper
33:29
Speaker 1: is making ready, if you please, let us entertain one
33:32
Speaker 1: another with some good discourse, So they all said content.
33:38
Speaker 1: Gaius then said Gaius, whose wife is this aged matron?
33:44
Speaker 1: And whose daughter is this young damsel? Mister greatheart, This
33:49
Speaker 1: woman is the wife of one Christian, a pilgrim of
33:52
Speaker 1: former times, and these are his four children. The maid
33:57
Speaker 1: is one of her acquaintance, one that she had persuaded
34:00
Speaker 1: to come with her on pilgrimage. The boys take all
34:04
Speaker 1: after their father, and covet to tread in his steps. Yea.
34:08
Speaker 1: If they do, but see any place where the old
34:10
Speaker 1: pilgrim had lain, or any print of his foot, it
34:14
Speaker 1: ministereth joy to their hearts, and they covet to lie
34:17
Speaker 1: or tread in the same. Gaeus then said Gaeus, is
34:23
Speaker 1: this Christian's wife? And are these Christian's children? I knew
34:28
Speaker 1: your husband's father, yea, also his father's father. Many have
34:33
Speaker 1: been good of this stock. Their ancestors dwelt first at
34:37
Speaker 1: Antioch Acts eleven twenty six Christian's progenitors. I suppose you
34:44
Speaker 1: have heard your husband talk of them were very worthy men.
34:48
Speaker 1: They have, above any that I know, showed themselves men
34:52
Speaker 1: of great virtue and courage for the Lord of the
34:54
Speaker 1: pilgrims his ways, and them that loved him. I have
34:58
Speaker 1: heard of many of your husband's relations that have stood
35:02
Speaker 1: all trials for the sake of the truth. Stephen, that
35:06
Speaker 1: was one of the first of the family. From whence
35:08
Speaker 1: your husband Sprang was knocked on the head with stones
35:13
Speaker 1: Acts seven fifty nine and sixty James. Another of this
35:17
Speaker 1: generation was slain with the age of the sword, Acts
35:21
Speaker 1: twelve two. To say nothing of Paul and Peter men
35:26
Speaker 1: anciently of the family, from whence your husband came. There
35:30
Speaker 1: was Ignacious who has cast the lions. Romanus whose flesh
35:34
Speaker 1: was cut by pieces from his bones, and Polycarp that
35:38
Speaker 1: played the man in the fire. There was he that
35:41
Speaker 1: was hanged up in a basket in the sun for
35:43
Speaker 1: the wasps to eat, And he whom they put into
35:46
Speaker 1: a sack and cast him into the sea to be drowned.
35:50
Speaker 1: It would be impossible utterly to count up all of
35:54
Speaker 1: that family who have suffered injuries and death for the
35:57
Speaker 1: love of a pilgrim's life. Nor can I but be
36:01
Speaker 1: glad to see that thy husband has left behind him
36:04
Speaker 1: four such boys as these. I hope they will bear
36:08
Speaker 1: up their father's name and tread in their father's steps,
36:11
Speaker 1: and come to their father's end. Mister Greatheart. Indeed, Sir,
36:18
Speaker 1: they are likely lads. They seem to choose heartily their
36:22
Speaker 1: father's ways. Gaeus, that is it that I said. Wherefore
36:29
Speaker 1: Christian's family is alike, still to spread abroad upon the
36:32
Speaker 1: face of the ground, and yet to be numerous upon
36:35
Speaker 1: the face of the earth. Let Christiana look out some
36:38
Speaker 1: damsels for her sons, to whom they may be betrothed,
36:41
Speaker 1: et cetera, that the name of their father and the
36:45
Speaker 1: house of his progenitors may never be forgotten in the world.
36:51
Speaker 1: Mister honest, tis pity his family should fall and be extinct, Gaeus, fall,
36:59
Speaker 1: it cannot but be diminished. It may, but let Christiana
37:03
Speaker 1: take my advice, and that is the way to uphold it.
37:08
Speaker 1: And Christiana said this Innkeeper, I am glad to see
37:12
Speaker 1: THEE and thy friend Mercy together here a lovely couple.
37:16
Speaker 1: And if I may advise, take Mercy into a nearer
37:20
Speaker 1: relation to THEE, if she will let her be given
37:24
Speaker 1: to Matthew, thy eldest son. It is the way to
37:27
Speaker 1: preserve a posterity in the earth. So this match was concluded,
37:33
Speaker 1: and in process of time they were married. But more
37:36
Speaker 1: of that hereafter. Gaus also proceeded and said, I will
37:43
Speaker 1: now speak on the behalf of women to take away
37:46
Speaker 1: their reproach. For as death and the curse came into
37:50
Speaker 1: the world by a woman Genesis three, so also did
37:55
Speaker 1: life and health God set forth his son made of
37:59
Speaker 1: a woman Galatians four four YEA. To show how much
38:05
Speaker 1: they that came after did abhor the act of the mother.
38:08
Speaker 1: This sex in the Old Testament coveted children if happily
38:12
Speaker 1: this or that woman might be the mother of the
38:15
Speaker 1: Savior of the world. I will say again that when
38:19
Speaker 1: the Savior was come, women rejoiced in him before either
38:23
Speaker 1: men or angel. Luke one forty two to forty six.
38:29
Speaker 1: I read not that ever any man did give unto
38:32
Speaker 1: Christ so much as one groat, But the women followed
38:36
Speaker 1: him and ministered to him of their substance Luke eight
38:40
Speaker 1: two and three twas a woman that washed his feet
38:44
Speaker 1: with tears Luke seven thirty seven to fifty and a
38:49
Speaker 1: woman that anointed his body at the burial John eleven
38:53
Speaker 1: two twelve three. They were women who wept when he
38:57
Speaker 1: was going to the cross Duke three twenty seven. And
39:02
Speaker 1: women that followed him from the cross Matthew twenty seven
39:06
Speaker 1: fifty five and fifty six, Luke twenty three fifty five
39:12
Speaker 1: and sat over against his sepulcher when he was buried
39:16
Speaker 1: Matthew twenty seven sixty one. They were women that were
39:20
Speaker 1: first with him at his resurrection morn Luke twenty four
39:24
Speaker 1: to one. And women that brought tidings first to his
39:28
Speaker 1: disciples that he was risen from the dead Luke twenty four,
39:32
Speaker 1: twenty two and twenty three. Women therefore are highly favored,
39:38
Speaker 1: and show by these things that they are sharers with
39:40
Speaker 1: us in the grace of life. End first half of
39:47
Speaker 1: Part two, The sixth Stage