Latest / Philosophy and Faith / 04 - The Pilgrim's Progress - John Bunyan

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

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Speaker 1: Part two, the second stage. So I saw in my
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Speaker 1: dream that they walked on their way, and had the
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Speaker 1: weather very comfortable to them. Then Christiana began to sing, saying,
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Speaker 1: blessed be the day that I began a pilgrim for
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Speaker 1: to be, And blessed also be the man that thereto
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Speaker 1: moved me. Tis true twas long ere I began to
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Speaker 1: seek to live forever, But now I run fast as
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Speaker 1: I can. Tis better late than never. Our tears to joy,
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Speaker 1: our fears to faith, are turned as we see. Thus
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Speaker 1: our beginning, as one saith, shows what our end will be.
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Speaker 1: Now there was on the other side of the wall
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Speaker 1: that fenced in the way up which Christiana and her
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Speaker 1: companions were to go, a garden, And that garden belonged
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Speaker 1: to him whose was that barking dog of whom mention
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Speaker 1: was made before. And some of the fruit trees that
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Speaker 1: grew in that garden shot their branches over the wall,
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Speaker 1: and being mellow, they that found them, did gather them
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Speaker 1: up and eat of them to their hurt. So Christiana's boys,
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Speaker 1: as boys are apt to do, being pleased with the
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Speaker 1: trees and with the fruit that hung thereon, did pluck
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Speaker 1: them and began to eat. Their mother did also chide
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Speaker 1: them for so doing, But still the boys went on. Well,
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Speaker 1: said she, my sons, you transgress, for that fruit is
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Speaker 1: none of ours. But she did not know that it
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Speaker 1: belonged to the enemy. I'll warrant you if she had,
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Speaker 1: she would have been ready to die for fear. But
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Speaker 1: that passed, and they went on their way. Now by
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Speaker 1: that they were gone about two bow shots from the
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Speaker 1: place that led them into the way, they espied two
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Speaker 1: very ill favored ones coming down a pace to meet them.
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Speaker 1: With that, Christiana and Mercy, her friend, covered themselves with
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Speaker 1: their veils, and so kept on their journey. The children
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Speaker 1: also went on before, so that at last they met together.
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Speaker 1: Then they that came down to meet them came just
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Speaker 1: up to the women, as if they would embrace them.
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Speaker 1: But Christiana said, stand back, or go peaceably as you should.
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Speaker 1: Yet these two, as men that are deaf, regarded not
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Speaker 1: Christiana's words, but began to lay hands upon them. At
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Speaker 1: that Christiana, waxing very wrath, spurned at them with her feet.
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Speaker 1: Mercy also, as well as she could, did what she
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Speaker 1: could to shift them. Christiana again said to them stand
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Speaker 1: back and be gone, for we have no money to lose,
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Speaker 1: being pilgrims as you see, and such two as live
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Speaker 1: upon the charity of our friends. Ill favored ones then
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Speaker 1: said one of the two men, we may make no
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Speaker 1: assault upon you for money, But I come out to
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Speaker 1: tell you that if you will but grant one small
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Speaker 1: request which we shall ask, we will make women of
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Speaker 1: you forever. Christiana. Now Christiana, imagining what they should mean,
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Speaker 1: made answer again, we will neither hear, nor regard, nor
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Speaker 1: yield to what you shall ask. We are in haste
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Speaker 1: and cannot stay. Our business is a business of life
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Speaker 1: and death. So again she and her companion made a
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Speaker 1: fresh essay to go past them, but they lettered them
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Speaker 1: in their way, ill favored once, and they said, we
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Speaker 1: intend no hurt to your lives. It is another thing
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Speaker 1: we would have Christiana. I quoth Christiana, you would have
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Speaker 1: us body and soul, for I know it is for
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Speaker 1: that you are come. But we will die rather upon
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Speaker 1: the spot than to suffer ourselves to be brought into
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Speaker 1: such snares as shall hazard our well being hereafter. And
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Speaker 1: with that they both shrieked out and cried murder, murder,
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Speaker 1: and so put themselves under those laws that are provided
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Speaker 1: for the protection of women Deuteronomy twenty two, twenty five
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Speaker 1: to twenty seven. But the men still made their approach
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Speaker 1: upon them, with design to prevail against them. They therefore
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Speaker 1: cried out again. Now they being as I said, not
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Speaker 1: far from the gate in at which they came, their
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Speaker 1: voice was heard from whence they were thither. Wherefore some
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Speaker 1: of the house came out, and, knowing that it was
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Speaker 1: Christiana's tongue, they made haste to her relief. But by
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Speaker 1: that they were got within sight of them. The women
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Speaker 1: were in a very great scuffle. The children also stood crying.
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Speaker 1: Guy then did he that came in for their relief
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Speaker 1: call out to the Ruffians, saying, what is that thing
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Speaker 1: you do? Would you make my lord's people to transgress?
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Speaker 1: He also attempted to take them, but they did make
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Speaker 1: their escape over the wall into the garden of the man,
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Speaker 1: to whom the great dog belonged, So the dog became
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Speaker 1: their protector. This reliever then came up to the women
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Speaker 1: and asked them how they did so. They answered, we
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Speaker 1: thank thy Prince pretty well. Only we have been somewhat affrighted.
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Speaker 1: We thank thee also for that thou camest end to
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Speaker 1: our help. Otherwise we had been overcome, reliever. So after
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Speaker 1: a few more words, this reliever said, as followeth, I
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Speaker 1: marveled much when you were entertained at the gate above,
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Speaker 1: seeing ye knew that ye were but weak women, that
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Speaker 1: you position not the Lord for a conductor? Then might
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Speaker 1: you have avoided these troubles and dangers, for he would
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Speaker 1: have granted you one. Christiana, Alas said Grist, we were
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Speaker 1: so taken with our present blessing that dangers to come
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Speaker 1: were forgotten by us. Besides, who could have thought that,
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Speaker 1: so near the King's palace they could have lurked such
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Speaker 1: naughty ones. Indeed, it had been well for us had
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Speaker 1: we asked our Lord for one. But since our Lord
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Speaker 1: knew it would be for our profit, I wonder if
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Speaker 1: he said not one along with us, reliever. It is
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Speaker 1: not always necessary to grant things not asked for, lest
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Speaker 1: by so doing they become of little esteem. But when
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Speaker 1: the want of a thing is felt, it then comes
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Speaker 1: under in the eyes of him that feels it that
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Speaker 1: estimate that properly is its due, and so consequently will
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Speaker 1: be thereafter used. Had my Lord granted you a conductor,
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Speaker 1: you would not either, So have bewailled that oversight of yours.
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Speaker 1: In not asking for one as now you have occasion
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Speaker 1: to do so, all things work for good and tend
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Speaker 1: to make you more wary. Christiana, Shall we go back
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Speaker 1: again to my Lord and confess our folly? And ask
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Speaker 1: one reliever your confession of your folly? I will present
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Speaker 1: him with to go back again. You need not, for
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Speaker 1: in all places where ye shall come, you will find
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Speaker 1: no want at all. For in every one of my
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Speaker 1: Lord's lodgings, which he has prepared for the reception of
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Speaker 1: his pilgrims, there is sufficient to furnish them against all
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Speaker 1: attempts whatsoever. But as I said, he will be inquired
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Speaker 1: of by them to do it for them Ezekiel thirty
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Speaker 1: six thirty seven. And tis a poor thing that is
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Speaker 1: not worth asking for. When he had thus said, he
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Speaker 1: went back to his place, and the pilgrims went on
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Speaker 1: their way. Mercy then said, Mercy, what a sudden blank
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Speaker 1: is here? I made a count that we had been
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Speaker 1: past all danger, and that we should never see sorrow
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Speaker 1: or more. Christiana, thy innocency, my sister, said, Christiana to
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Speaker 1: Mercy may excuse thee much, but as for me, my
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Speaker 1: fault is so much. The greater for that I saw
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Speaker 1: this danger before I came out of the doors, and
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Speaker 1: yet did not provide for it when provision might have
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Speaker 1: been had. I am much to be blamed. Mercy then
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Speaker 1: said Mercy, how knew you this before you came from home?
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Speaker 1: Pray open to me this riddle, Christiana, Why I tell
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Speaker 1: you before I set foot out of doors, one night,
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Speaker 1: as I lay in my bed, I had a dream
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Speaker 1: about this. For methought, I saw two men as like
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Speaker 1: these as ever any in the world could look, stand
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Speaker 1: at my bed's feet, plotting how they might prevent my salvation.
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Speaker 1: I will tell you their very words, they said. It
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Speaker 1: was when I was in my troubles. What shall we
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Speaker 1: do with this woman? For she cries out, waking and
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Speaker 1: sleeping for forgiveness. If she be suffered to go on
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Speaker 1: as she begins, we shall lose her as we have
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Speaker 1: lost her husband. This, you know, might have made me
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Speaker 1: take heed and have provided when provision might have been had. Mercy,
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Speaker 1: well said Mercy, as by this neglect we have an
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Speaker 1: occasion ministered unto us to behold our own imperfections. So
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Speaker 1: our Lord has taken occasion thereby to make manifest the
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Speaker 1: riches of his grace, for he, as we see, has
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Speaker 1: followed us with unasked kindness, and has delivered us from
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Speaker 1: the hands that were stronger than we of his mere
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Speaker 1: good pleasure. Thus, now, when they had talked away a
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Speaker 1: little more time, they drew near to a house which
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Speaker 1: stood in the way. Which house was built for the
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Speaker 1: relief of pilgrims, as you will find more fully related
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Speaker 1: in the first part of these records of the Pilgrim's progress.
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Speaker 1: So they drew on towards the house, the house of
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Speaker 1: the interpreter. When they came to the door, they heard
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Speaker 1: a great talk in the house. Then they gave ear
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Speaker 1: and heard, as they thought Christiana mentioned by name. For
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Speaker 1: you must know that they went along even before her
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Speaker 1: a talk of her and her children's going on pilgrimage.
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Speaker 1: And this was the most pleasing to them, because they
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Speaker 1: had heard that she was Christian's wife, that woman who
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Speaker 1: was some time ago so unwilling to hear of going
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Speaker 1: on pilgrimage. Thus, therefore they stood still and heard the
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Speaker 1: good people within commending her, who they little thoughts stood
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Speaker 1: at the door. At last Christiana knocked, as she had
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Speaker 1: done at the gate before. Now, when she had knocked
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Speaker 1: they came to the door a young damsel and opened
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Speaker 1: the door and looked, and behold two women were there.
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Speaker 1: The damsel then said the damsel to them, with whom
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Speaker 1: would you speak in this place? Christiana? Christiana answered, we
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Speaker 1: understood that this is a privileged place for those that
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Speaker 1: are become pilgrims, and we now at this door are such.
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Speaker 1: Wherefore we pray that we may be partakers of that
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Speaker 1: for which we, at this time are come. For the day,
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Speaker 1: as thou seest is very spent, and we are loathed
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Speaker 1: tonight to go any further. The damsel pray, what may
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Speaker 1: I call your name? That I may tell it to
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Speaker 1: my lord within? Christiana? My name is Christiana. I was
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Speaker 1: the wife of that pilgrim that some years ago did
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Speaker 1: travel this way, and these be his four children. This
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Speaker 1: maiden also is my companion, and is going on pilgrimage too.
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Speaker 1: Innocent then, Innocent ran in, for that was her name,
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Speaker 1: and said to those within, can you think who is
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Speaker 1: at the door? There is Christiana and her children and
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Speaker 1: her companion, all waiting for entertainment here. Then they leapt
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Speaker 1: for joy and went and told their master. So he
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Speaker 1: came to the door, and looking upon her. He said,
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Speaker 1: art thou the Christiana, whom Christian the good Man left
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Speaker 1: behind him when he betook himself to a pilgrim's life. Christiana,
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Speaker 1: I am that woman that was so hard hearted as
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Speaker 1: to slight my husband's trouble, and that left him to
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Speaker 1: go on his journey alone. And these are his four children.
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Speaker 1: But now I also am come, for I am convinced
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Speaker 1: that no way is right. But this interpreter then is
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Speaker 1: fulfilled that which is written of the man that said
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Speaker 1: to his son, go work to day in my vineyard.
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Speaker 1: And he said to his father, I will not, but
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Speaker 1: afterwards repented and went Matthew twenty one twenty nine. Christiana
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Speaker 1: then said, Christiana, so be it, amen, God made it
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Speaker 1: a true saying upon me, and grant that I may
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Speaker 1: be found at the last of Him in peace, without
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Speaker 1: spot and blameless interpreter. But why standest thou thus at
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Speaker 1: the door? Come in, thou, daughter of Abraham. We were
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Speaker 1: talking of thee. But now for tidings have come to
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Speaker 1: us before, how thou art become a pilgrim? Come? Children,
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Speaker 1: come in, Come, maiden, come in. So he had them
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Speaker 1: all into the house, so when they were within, they
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Speaker 1: were bidden to sit down and rest them the witch.
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Speaker 1: When they had done, those that attended upon the pilgrims
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Speaker 1: in the house came into the room to see them,
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Speaker 1: and one smiled and another smiled, and they all smiled
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Speaker 1: for joy that Christiana was become a pilgrim. They also
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Speaker 1: looked upon the boys. They stroked them over their faces
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Speaker 1: with the hand in token of their kind reception of them.
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Speaker 1: They also carried it lovingly to mercy and bid them
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Speaker 1: all welcome into their master's house. After a while, because
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Speaker 1: supper was not ready, the interpreter took them into his
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Speaker 1: significant rooms and showed them what Christian, Christiana's husband had
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Speaker 1: seen some time before. Here therefore they saw the man
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Speaker 1: in the cage, the man and his dream, the man
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Speaker 1: that cut his way through his enemies, and the picture
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Speaker 1: of the biggest of them, all together with the rest
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Speaker 1: of those things that were then so profitable to Christian.
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Speaker 1: This done, and after those things had been somewhat digested
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Speaker 1: by Christiana and her company, the interpreter takes them apart
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Speaker 1: again and has them first into a room where was
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Speaker 1: a man that could look no way but downwards, the
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Speaker 1: muckrake in his hand. There stood also one over his
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Speaker 1: head with a celestial crown in his hand, and proffered
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Speaker 1: him that crown for his muckrake. But the man did
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Speaker 1: neither look up nor regard, but wrecked to himself the straws,
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Speaker 1: the small sticks, and the dust of the floor. Then
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Speaker 1: said Christiana, I persuade myself that I know somewhat the
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Speaker 1: meaning of this, For this is a figure of a
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Speaker 1: man of this world? Is it not good? Sir, interpreter
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Speaker 1: thou hast said right, said he and his muckrek doth
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Speaker 1: show his carnal mind. And whereas thou seest him rather
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Speaker 1: give heed to rake up straws and sticks and the
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Speaker 1: dust of the floor, than to do what he says
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Speaker 1: that calls to him from above, with the celestial crown
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Speaker 1: in his hand, it is to show that heaven is
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Speaker 1: but as a fable to some, and that things here
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Speaker 1: are counted the only thing substantial. Now, whereas it was
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Speaker 1: also showed THEE that the man could look no way
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Speaker 1: but downwards, it is to let THEE know that earthly things,
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Speaker 1: when they are with power upon men's minds, quite carry
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Speaker 1: their hearts away from God. Christiana then said Christiana, O
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Speaker 1: deliver me from this mock brake, Proverbs thirty eight. Interpreter
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Speaker 1: that prayer, said, the interpreter has lain by till it
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Speaker 1: is almost rusty. Give me not riches is scarce the
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Speaker 1: prayer of one in ten thousand straws and sticks and dust,
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Speaker 1: with most are the great things now looked after. With that,
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Speaker 1: Christiana and Mercy wept and said, it is alas too true.
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Speaker 1: When the interpreter had shown them this, he had them
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Speaker 1: into the very best room in the house, a very
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Speaker 1: brave room, it was. So he bid them look round
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Speaker 1: about and see if they could find anything profitable there.
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Speaker 1: Then they looked round and round, for there was nothing
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Speaker 1: to be seen but a very great spider on the wall,
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Speaker 1: and that they overlooked. Mercy then said, Mercy, Sir, I
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Speaker 1: see nothing. But Christiana held her peace interpreter, but said
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Speaker 1: the interpreter look again. She therefore looked again, and said,
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Speaker 1: here is not anything but an ugly spider who hangs
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Speaker 1: by her hands upon the wall. Then said he is
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Speaker 1: there but one spider in all this spacious room. Then
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Speaker 1: the water stood in Christiana's eyes, for she was a
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Speaker 1: woman quick of apprehension, and she said, yea, Lord, there
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Speaker 1: are more here than one. Yea, And spiders, whose venom
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Speaker 1: is far more destructive than that which is in her,
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Speaker 1: then looked pleasantly on her, and said thou hast said
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Speaker 1: the truth. This made Mercy to blush, and the boys
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Speaker 1: to cover their faces, for they all began now to
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Speaker 1: understand the riddle. Then said the interpreter again. The spider
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Speaker 1: taketh hold with her hands, as you see, and is
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Speaker 1: in king's palaces Proverbs thirty twenty eight. And wherefore is
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Speaker 1: this recorded but to show you that how full of
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Speaker 1: the venom of sin soever you be, yet you may
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Speaker 1: by the hand of faith, lay hold of and dwell
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Speaker 1: in the best room that belongs to the king's house.
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Speaker 1: Above Christiana, I thought, said Christiana, of something of this,
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Speaker 1: but I could not imagine it at all. I thought
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Speaker 1: that we were like spiders, and that we looked like
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Speaker 1: ugly creatures in what fine roomsoever we were, But that
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Speaker 1: by this spider, that venomous and ill favored creature, we
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Speaker 1: were to learn how to act faith. That came not
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Speaker 1: into my thoughts. And yet she had taken hold with
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Speaker 1: her hands, And as I see, dwelleth in the best
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Speaker 1: room in the house. God has made nothing in vain.
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Speaker 1: Then they seemed all to be glad, but the water
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Speaker 1: stood in their eyes. Yet they looked one upon another,
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Speaker 1: and also bowed before the interpreter. He had them into
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Speaker 1: another room, where were a hen and chickens, and bid
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Speaker 1: them observe. Awhile, so one of the chickens went to
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Speaker 1: the trough to drink, And every time she drank, she
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Speaker 1: lifted up her head and her eyes towards heaven. See,
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Speaker 1: said he, what this little chick doth, and learn of
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Speaker 1: her to acknowledge whence your mercies come by receiving them
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Speaker 1: with looking up. Yet again said he, observe and look.
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Speaker 1: So they gave heed and perceived that the hen did
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Speaker 1: walk in a fourfold method towards her chickens. One she
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Speaker 1: had a common call, and that she hath all the
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Speaker 1: day long. Two she had a special call, and that
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Speaker 1: she had but sometimes, Three she had a brooding note
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Speaker 1: Matthew twenty three thirty seven, And four she had an outcry.
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Speaker 1: Now said he compare this hen to your king, and
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Speaker 1: these chickens to his obedient ones. For answerable to her,
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Speaker 1: he himself hath made his methods which he walketh in
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Speaker 1: towards his people. By his common call. He gives nothing
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Speaker 1: by his special call. He always has something to give.
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Speaker 1: He has also a brooding voice for them that are
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Speaker 1: under his wing, and he has an outcry to give
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Speaker 1: the alarm when he seeth the enemy come. I choose
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Speaker 1: my darlings to lead you into the room where such
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Speaker 1: things are, because you are women, and they are easy
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Speaker 1: for you. Christiana, and Sir, said Christiana, pray, let us
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Speaker 1: see some more. So he had them into the slaughterhouse,
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Speaker 1: where was a butcher killing a sheep. And behold, the
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Speaker 1: sheep was quiet and took her death patiently. Then said
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Speaker 1: the interpreter, you must learn of this sheep to suffer
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Speaker 1: and to put up with wrongs without murmurings and complaints.
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Speaker 1: Behold how quietly she takes her death, and without objecting,
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Speaker 1: she suffereth her skin to be pulled over her ears.
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Speaker 1: Your king doth call you his sheep. After this, he
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Speaker 1: led them into his garden, where was great variety of flowers.
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Speaker 1: And he said, do you see all these? So Christiana
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Speaker 1: said yes. Then said he again, Behold the flowers are
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Speaker 1: diverse in stature, in quality and color, and smell and virtue,
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Speaker 1: and some are better than others. Also, where the gardener
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Speaker 1: has set them. There they stand and quarrel, not one
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Speaker 1: with another. Again, he had them into his field, which
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Speaker 1: he had sown with wheat and corn. But when they
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Speaker 1: beheld the tops of all were cut off, and only
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Speaker 1: the straw remained. He said again, this ground was dunged
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Speaker 1: and plowed and sewed. But what shall we do with
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Speaker 1: the crop, then said Christiana, Burn some and make muck
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Speaker 1: of the rest. Then said the interpreter again, fruit you see,
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Speaker 1: is that thing you look for and for want of
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Speaker 1: that you condemn it to the fire and to be
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Speaker 1: trodden under foot of men. Beware that in this you
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Speaker 1: condemn not yourselves. Then, as they were coming in from abroad,
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Speaker 1: they espied a little robin with a great spider in
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Speaker 1: his mouth. So the interpreter said, look here. So they looked,
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Speaker 1: and Mercy wondered. But Christiana said, what a disparagement is
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Speaker 1: it to such a pretty little bird as the robin
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Speaker 1: red breast? He being also a bird above many that
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Speaker 1: loveth to maintain a kind of sociableness with men. I
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Speaker 1: had thought they had lived upon crumbs of bread, or
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Speaker 1: upon other such harmless matter. I like him worse than
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Speaker 1: I did. The interpreter then replied, the robin is an
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Speaker 1: emblem very apt to set forth some professors by for
23:35
Speaker 1: to sight they are as this robin, pretty of note,
23:39
Speaker 1: color and carriage. They seem also to have a very
23:42
Speaker 1: great love for professors that are sincere, and above all
23:46
Speaker 1: to desire to associate with them and to be in
23:49
Speaker 1: their company, as if they could live upon the good
23:52
Speaker 1: man's crumbs. They pretend also that therefore it is that
23:56
Speaker 1: they frequent the house of the godly and the appointments
23:59
Speaker 1: of the Lord. But when they are by themselves, as
24:03
Speaker 1: the robin, they can catch and gobble up spiders, they
24:07
Speaker 1: can change their diet, drink iniquity, and swallow down sin
24:11
Speaker 1: like water. So when they were come again into the house,
24:15
Speaker 1: because supper, as yet was not ready, Christiana again desired
24:19
Speaker 1: that the interpreter would either show or tell some other
24:22
Speaker 1: things that are profitable. Then the interpreter began and said,
24:29
Speaker 1: the fatter the sours, the more she desires the mayre,
24:33
Speaker 1: the fatter the ox is, the more gamesomely he goes
24:37
Speaker 1: to the slaughter. And the more healthy the lustful man is,
24:41
Speaker 1: the more prone he is unto evil. There is a
24:44
Speaker 1: desire in women to go neat and find and it
24:48
Speaker 1: is a comely thing to be adorned with that which,
24:50
Speaker 1: in God's sight is of great price. Tis easier watching
24:54
Speaker 1: a night or two than to sit up a whole
24:57
Speaker 1: year together. So tis easy for one to begin to
25:01
Speaker 1: profess well than to hold out as he should to
25:04
Speaker 1: the end. Every shipmaster, when in a storm, will willingly
25:09
Speaker 1: cast that overboard which is of the smallest value in
25:12
Speaker 1: the vessel. But who will throw the best out first?
25:16
Speaker 1: None but he that feareth not God. One leak will
25:21
Speaker 1: sink a ship, and one sin will destroy a sinner.
25:24
Speaker 1: He that forgets his friend is ungrateful unto him, But
25:28
Speaker 1: he that forgets his savior is unmerciful to himself. He
25:33
Speaker 1: that lives in sin and looks for happiness hereafter is
25:37
Speaker 1: like him that seth cockle and thinks to fill his
25:40
Speaker 1: barn with wheat or barley. If a man would live well,
25:44
Speaker 1: let him fetch his last day to him, and make
25:47
Speaker 1: it always his company keeper. Whispering and change of thoughts
25:52
Speaker 1: prove that sin is in the world. If the world
25:56
Speaker 1: which God sets light by is counted a thing of
25:59
Speaker 1: that worth which men, what is heaven that God commendeth.
26:03
Speaker 1: If the life that is attended with so many troubles,
26:07
Speaker 1: is so loath to be let go by us? What
26:09
Speaker 1: is the life above? Everybody will cry up the goodness
26:14
Speaker 1: of men, But who is there that is as he
26:17
Speaker 1: should be affected with the goodness of God. We seldom
26:22
Speaker 1: sit down to meet, but we eat and leave. So
26:26
Speaker 1: there is in Jesus Christ more merit and righteousness than
26:29
Speaker 1: the whole world has need of. When the interpreter had done,
26:36
Speaker 1: he takes them out into his garden again, and had
26:39
Speaker 1: them to a tree whose inside was all rotten and gone,
26:42
Speaker 1: and yet it grew and had leaves. Then said, mercy,
26:47
Speaker 1: what means this? This tree? Said? Here, whose outside is
26:52
Speaker 1: fair and whose inside is rotten? Is that to which
26:55
Speaker 1: many may be compared that are in the garden of God,
26:59
Speaker 1: who with them their mouths speak high in behalf of God,
27:02
Speaker 1: but indeed will do nothing for him whose leaves are fair,
27:07
Speaker 1: but their heart good for nothing but to be tinder
27:09
Speaker 1: for the devil's tinder box. Now supper was ready, the
27:14
Speaker 1: table spread, and all things set on the board. So
27:17
Speaker 1: they sat down and did eat when one had given thanks.
27:22
Speaker 1: And the interpreter did usually entertain those that lodged with
27:25
Speaker 1: him with music at meals, So the minstrels played. There
27:30
Speaker 1: was also one that did sing, and a very fine
27:33
Speaker 1: voice he had. His song was this, The Lord is
27:38
Speaker 1: only my support, and he that doth me feed. How
27:42
Speaker 1: can I then want anything whereof I stand in need?
27:47
Speaker 1: When the song and music were ended, the interpreter asked
27:51
Speaker 1: Christiana what it was that at first did move her
27:53
Speaker 1: thus to betake herself to a pilgrim's life. Christiana answered, first,
28:00
Speaker 1: the loss of my husband came into my mind, at
28:03
Speaker 1: which I was heartily grieved, But all that was but
28:07
Speaker 1: natural affection. Then after that came the troubles and pilgrimage
28:11
Speaker 1: of my husband into my mind. And also how like
28:14
Speaker 1: a churl I had carried it to him. As to that,
28:18
Speaker 1: so guilt took hold of my mind and would have
28:20
Speaker 1: drawn me into the pond. But that opportunely I had
28:24
Speaker 1: a dream of the well being of my husband, and
28:26
Speaker 1: a letter sent me by the king of that country
28:29
Speaker 1: where my husband dwells, to come to him. The dream
28:33
Speaker 1: and the letter together so wrought upon my mind that
28:36
Speaker 1: they forced me to this way, interpreter, but met you
28:42
Speaker 1: with no opposition before you set out of doors. Christiana, Yes,
28:49
Speaker 1: a neighbor of mine, one missus Timmerius, she was akin
28:53
Speaker 1: to him that would have persuaded my husband to go
28:55
Speaker 1: back for fear of the lions. She also befooled me,
29:00
Speaker 1: as she called it my intended desperate adventure. She also
29:05
Speaker 1: urged what she could to dishearten me from it, the
29:08
Speaker 1: hardships and troubles that my husband met with in the way.
29:12
Speaker 1: But all this I got over pretty well. But a
29:15
Speaker 1: dream that I had of two ill looking ones that
29:18
Speaker 1: I thought did plot how to make me miscarry in
29:20
Speaker 1: my journey, that had troubled me much. Yea, it still
29:24
Speaker 1: runs in my mind and makes me afraid of every
29:27
Speaker 1: one that I meet, lest they should meet me to
29:30
Speaker 1: do me a mischief and to turn me out of
29:33
Speaker 1: my way. Yea, I may tell, my Lord, though I
29:37
Speaker 1: would not have everybody know of it, that between this
29:41
Speaker 1: and the gate by which we got into the way,
29:44
Speaker 1: we were both so sorely assaulted that we were made
29:47
Speaker 1: to cry out murder. And the two that made this
29:49
Speaker 1: assault upon us were like the two that I saw
29:52
Speaker 1: in my dream. Then said the interpreter, thy beginning is good,
29:59
Speaker 1: Thy latter end shall greatly increase. So he dressed himself
30:03
Speaker 1: to mercy and said unto her, and what moved THEE
30:06
Speaker 1: to come hither? Sweetheart? Mercy. Then Mercy blushed and trembled,
30:12
Speaker 1: and for a while continued silent. Interpreter then said he
30:18
Speaker 1: be not afraid, only believe and speak thy mind, Mercy.
30:24
Speaker 1: So she began and said, truly, sir, my want of
30:28
Speaker 1: experience is that which makes me covet to be in silence,
30:31
Speaker 1: and that also that fills me with fears of coming
30:34
Speaker 1: short at last. I cannot tell of visions and dreams,
30:38
Speaker 1: as my friend Christiana can, nor know I what it
30:43
Speaker 1: is to mourn for my refusing the counsel of those
30:45
Speaker 1: that with good relations. Interpreter, what was it, then, dear heart,
30:51
Speaker 1: that hath prevailed with THEE to do as thou hast done, Mercy? Why,
30:58
Speaker 1: when our friend here was up to be gone from
31:01
Speaker 1: our town, I and another went accidentally to see her.
31:05
Speaker 1: So we knocked at the door and went in. When
31:08
Speaker 1: we were within, and seeing what she was doing, we
31:11
Speaker 1: asked her what was her meaning. She said she was
31:15
Speaker 1: sent for to go to her husband, And then she
31:19
Speaker 1: up and told us how she had seen him in
31:21
Speaker 1: a dream, dwelling in a curious place among immortals, wearing
31:25
Speaker 1: a crown, playing upon a harp, eating and drinking at
31:29
Speaker 1: his prince's table, and singing praises to him for bringing
31:33
Speaker 1: him thither, et cetera. Now, methought, while she was telling
31:37
Speaker 1: these things unto us, my heart burned within me, and
31:41
Speaker 1: I said in my heart, if this be true, I
31:44
Speaker 1: will leave my father and my mother and the land
31:47
Speaker 1: of my nativity, and will if I may go along
31:50
Speaker 1: with Christiana. So I asked her further of the truth
31:54
Speaker 1: of these things, and if she would let me go
31:57
Speaker 1: with her. For I saw now that there was no dwelling,
32:01
Speaker 1: but with the danger of ruin any longer in our town.
32:05
Speaker 1: But yet I came away with a heavy heart. Not
32:08
Speaker 1: for that I was unwilling to come away, but for
32:11
Speaker 1: that so many of my relations were left behind. And
32:14
Speaker 1: I am come with all the desire of my heart,
32:17
Speaker 1: and will go if I may with Christiana. Unto her
32:20
Speaker 1: husband and his king interpreter, thy setting out is good,
32:28
Speaker 1: for thou hast given credit to the truth. Thou art
32:31
Speaker 1: a ruth who did for the love she bear to
32:34
Speaker 1: Naomi and to the Lord her God, lee father and mother,
32:38
Speaker 1: and the land of her nativity, to come out and
32:41
Speaker 1: go with a people. She knew not Heretofore the Lord
32:45
Speaker 1: recompensed thy work, and a full reward be given thee
32:48
Speaker 1: of the Lord, God of Israel, under whose wings thou
32:51
Speaker 1: art come to trust Ruth. Two eleven and twelve. Now
32:57
Speaker 1: supper was ended, and preparation was made for bed. The
33:01
Speaker 1: women were laid singly alone, and the boys by themselves. Now,
33:06
Speaker 1: when Mercy was in bed, she could not sleep for joy,
33:10
Speaker 1: for that now her doubts of missing at last were
33:12
Speaker 1: removed further from her than ever they were before. So
33:17
Speaker 1: she lay blessing and praising God, who had such favor
33:20
Speaker 1: for her. In the morning, they arose with the sun
33:25
Speaker 1: and prepared themselves for their departure. But the interpreter would
33:29
Speaker 1: have them tarry awhile, for said he, you must orderly
33:34
Speaker 1: go from Hence, then said he to the damsel that
33:37
Speaker 1: first opened unto them, take them and have them into
33:41
Speaker 1: the garden to the bath, and there washed them and
33:44
Speaker 1: make them clean from the soil which they had gathered
33:46
Speaker 1: by traveling. Then innocent the damsel took them and led
33:50
Speaker 1: them into the garden and brought them to the bath.
33:54
Speaker 1: So she told them that there they must wash and
33:57
Speaker 1: be clean. For so her master would have the women
34:00
Speaker 1: to do that called at his house as they were
34:02
Speaker 1: going on pilgrimage. Then they went in and washed. Yea,
34:07
Speaker 1: they and the boys and all. And they came out
34:10
Speaker 1: of that bath not only sweet and clean, but also
34:13
Speaker 1: much enlivened and strengthened in their joints. So when they
34:17
Speaker 1: came in they looked fairer a deal than when they
34:20
Speaker 1: went out to the washing. When they were returned out
34:24
Speaker 1: of the garden from the bath, the interpreter took them
34:27
Speaker 1: and looked upon them, and said, unto them, fair as
34:30
Speaker 1: the moon. Then he called for the seal wherewith they
34:34
Speaker 1: used to be sealed, that were washed in his bath.
34:37
Speaker 1: So the seal was brought, and he set his mark
34:40
Speaker 1: upon them, that they might be known in the places
34:43
Speaker 1: whither they were yet to go. Now the seal was
34:46
Speaker 1: the contents and some of the passover which the children
34:49
Speaker 1: of Israel did eat Exodus thirteen eight to ten. When
34:55
Speaker 1: they came out of the land of Egypt, and the
34:57
Speaker 1: mark was set between their eyes. This seal greatly added
35:01
Speaker 1: to their beauty, for it was an ornament to their faces.
35:06
Speaker 1: It also added to their gravity, and made their countenance
35:09
Speaker 1: more like those of angels. Then said the interpreter again
35:13
Speaker 1: to the damsel that waited upon these women, go into
35:17
Speaker 1: the vestry and fetch out garments for these people. So
35:21
Speaker 1: she went and fetched out white raiment and laid it
35:25
Speaker 1: down before him. So he commanded them to put it on.
35:29
Speaker 1: It was fine, linen, white and clean. When the women
35:33
Speaker 1: were thus adorned, they seemed to be a terror one
35:36
Speaker 1: to the other, for that they could not see that
35:39
Speaker 1: glory each one had in herself, which they could see
35:42
Speaker 1: in each other. Now, therefore they began to esteem each
35:46
Speaker 1: other better than themselves. For you are fairer than I am,
35:51
Speaker 1: said one, and you are more comely than I am,
35:55
Speaker 1: said another. The children also stood amazed to see into
36:00
Speaker 1: what fashion they were brought. End Part two, The second stage.