As I walked through the wilderness of
this world, I lighted on a certain place where was a Den, and I laid me down in that place
to sleep: and, as I slept, I dreamed a dream. I dreamed, and behold, I saw a man clothed
with rags, standing in a certain place, with his face from his own house, a book in his
hand, and a great burden upon his back. I looked, and saw him open the book, and read
therein; and, as he read, he wept, and trembled; and, not being able longer to contain, he
brake out with a lamentable cry, saying, What shall I do?
In this plight, therefore, he went home and refrained himself as
long as he could, that his wife and children should not perceive his distress; but he
could not be silent long, because that his trouble increased. Wherefore at length he brake
his mind to his wife and children; and thus he began to talk to them: O my dear wife, said
he, and you the children of my bowels, I, your dear friend, am in myself undone by reason
of a burden that lieth hard upon me; moreover, I am for certain informed that this our
city will be burned with fire from heaven; in which fearful overthrow, both myself, with
thee my wife, and you my sweet babes, shall miserably come to ruin, except (the which yet
I see not) some way of escape can be found, whereby we may be delivered. At this his
relations were sore amazed; not for that they believed that what he had said to them was
true, but because they thought that some frenzy distemper had got into his head;
therefore, it drawing towards night, and they hoping that sleep might settle his brains,
with all haste they got him to bed. But the night was as troublesome to him as the day;
wherefore, instead of sleeping, he spent it in sighs and tears. So, when the morning was
come, they would know how he did. He told them, Worse and worse: he also set to talking to
them again; but they began to be hardened. They also thought to drive away his distemper
by harsh and surly carriages to him; sometimes they would deride, sometimes they would
chide, and sometimes they would quite neglect him. Wherefore he began to retire himself to
his chamber, to pray for and pity them, and also to condole his own misery; he would also
walk solitarily in the fields, sometimes reading, and sometimes praying: and thus for some
days he spent his time.
Now, I saw, upon a time, when he was walking in the fields, that
he was, as he was wont, reading in his book, and greatly distressed in his mind; and, as
he read, he burst out, as he had done before, crying, What shall I do to be saved?
I saw also that he looked this way and that way, as if he would
run; yet he stood still, because, as I perceived, he could not tell which way to go. I
looked then, and saw a man named Evangelist coming to him, who asked, Wherefore dost thou
cry? He answered, Sir, I perceive by the book in my hand, that I am condemned to die, and
after that to come to judgment; and I find that I am not willing to do the first, nor able
to do the second.
Christian no sooner leaves the World but meets Evangelist, who
lovingly him greets With tidings of another: and doth shew Him how to mount to that from
this below.
Then said Evangelist, Why not willing to die, since this life is
attended with so many evils? The man answered, Because I fear that this burden that is
upon my back will sink me lower than the grave, and I shall fall into Tophet. And, Sir, if
I be not fit to go to prison, I am not fit, I am sure, to go to judgment, and from thence
to execution; and the thoughts of these things make me cry.
Then said Evangelist, If this be thy condition, why standest thou
still? He answered, Because I know not whither to go. Then he gave him a parchment roll,
and there was written within, Flee from the wrath to come.
The man, therefore, read it, and looking upon Evangelist very
carefully, said, Whither must I fly? Then said Evangelist, pointing with his finger over a
very wide field, Do you see yonder wicket-gate? The man said, No. Then said the other, Do
you see yonder shining light? He said, I think I do. Then said Evangelist, Keep that light
in your eye, and go up directly thereto: so shalt thou see the gate; at which, when thou
knockest, it shall be told thee what thou shalt do.
So I saw in my dream that the man began to run. Now, he had not
run far from his own door, but his wife and children, perceiving it, began to cry after
him to return; but the man put his fingers in his ears, and ran on, crying, Life! life!
eternal life! So he looked not behind him, but fled towards the middle of the plain.
The neighbours also came out to see him run; and, as he ran, some
mocked, others threatened, and some cried after him to return; and, among those that did
so, there were two that resolved to fetch him back by force. The name of the one was
Obstinate and the name of the other Pliable. Now, by this time, the man was got a good
distance from them; but, however, they were resolved to pursue him, which they did, and in
a little time they overtook him. Then said the man, Neighbours, wherefore are ye come?
They said, To persuade you to go back with us. But he said, That can by no means be; you
dwell, said he, in the City of Destruction, the place also where I was born: I see it to
be so; and, dying there, sooner or later, you will sink lower than the grave, into a place
that burns with fire and brimstone: be content, good neighbours, and go along with me.
OBSTINANCE: What! and leave our friends and our comforts behind
us?
CHRISTIAN: Yes, for that was his name, because that ALL which you
shall forsake is not worthy to be compared with a little of that which I am seeking to
enjoy; and, if you will go along with me, and hold it, you shall fare as I myself; for
there, where I go, is enough and to spare. Come away, and prove my words.
OBSTINANCE: What are the things you seek, since you leave all the
world to find them?
CHRISTIAN: I seek an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and
that fadeth not away, and it is laid up in heaven, and safe there, to be bestowed, at the
time appointed, on them that diligently seek it. Read it so, if you will, in my book.
OBSTINANCE: Tush! said Obstinate, away with your book; will you
go back with us or no?
CHRISTIAN: No, not I, said the other, because I have laid my hand
to the plough.
OBSTINANCE: Come, then, neighbour Pliable, let us turn again, and
go home without him; there is a company of these crazy-headed coxcombs, that, when they
take a fancy by the end, are wiser in their own eyes than seven men that can render a
reason.
PLIABLE: Then said Pliable, Don't revile; if what the good
Christian says is true, the things he looks after are better than ours: my heart inclines
to go with my neighbour.
OBSTINANCE: What! more fools still! Be ruled by me, and go back;
who knows whither such a brain-sick fellow will lead you? Go back, go back, and be wise.
CHRISTIAN: Nay, but do thou come with thy neighbour, Pliable;
there are such things to be had which I spoke of, and many more glorious besides. If you
believe not me, read here in this book; and for the truth of what is expressed therein,
behold, all is confirmed by the blood of Him that made it.
PLIABLE: Well, neighbour Obstinate, said Pliable, I begin to come
to a point; I intend to go along with this good man, and to cast in my lot with him: but,
my good companion, do you know the way to this desired place?
CHRISTIAN: I am directed by a man, whose name is Evangelist, to
speed me to a little gate that is before us, where we shall receive instructions about the
way.
PLIABLE: Come, then, good neighbour, let us be going. Then they
went both together.
OBSTINANCE: And I will go back to my place, said Obstinate; I
will be no companion of such misled, fantastical fellows.
Now, I saw in my dream, that when Obstinate was gone back,
Christian and Pliable went talking over the plain; and thus they began their discourse.
CHRISTIAN: Come, neighbour Pliable, how do you do? I am glad you
are persuaded to go along with me. Had even Obstinate himself but felt what I have felt of
the powers and terrors of what is yet unseen, he would not thus lightly have given us the
back.
PLIABLE: Come, neighbour Christian, since there are none but us
two here, tell me now further what the things are, and how to be enjoyed, whither we are
going.
CHRISTIAN: I can better conceive of them with my mind, than speak
of them with my tongue: but yet, since you are desirous to know, I will read of them in my
book.
PLIABLE: And do you think that the words of your book are
certainly true?
CHRISTIAN: Yes, verily; for it was made by Him that cannot lie.
PLIABLE: Well said; what things are they?
CHRISTIAN: There is an endless kingdom to be inhabited, and
everlasting life to be given us, that we may inhabit that kingdom for ever.
PLIABLE: Well said; and what else?
CHRISTIAN: There are crowns and glory to be given us, and
garments that will make us shine like the sun in the firmament of heaven.
PLIABLE: This is very pleasant; and what else?
CHRISTIAN: There shall be no more crying, nor Sorrow: for He that
is owner of the place will wipe all tears from our eyes.
PLIABLE: And what company shall we have there?
CHRISTIAN: There we shall be with seraphims and cherubims,
creatures that will dazzle your eyes to look on them. There also you shall meet with
thousands and ten thousands that have gone before us to that place; none of them are
hurtful, but loving and holy; every one walking in the sight of God, and standing in his
presence with acceptance for ever. In a word, there we shall see the elders with their
golden crowns, there we shall see the holy virgins with their golden harps, there we shall
see men that by the world were cut in pieces, burnt in flames, eaten of beasts, drowned in
the seas, for the love that they bear to the Lord of the place, all well, and clothed with
immortality as with a garment.
PLIABLE: The hearing of this is enough to ravish one's heart. But
are these things to be enjoyed? How shall we get to be sharers thereof?
CHRISTIAN: The Lord, the Governor of the country, hath recorded
that in this book; the substance of which is, If we be truly willing to have it, he will
bestow it upon us freely.
PLIABLE: Well, my good companion, glad am I to hear of these
things: come on, let us mend our pace.
CHRISTIAN: I cannot go so fast as I would, by reason of this
burden that is on my back.
Now I saw in my dream, that just as they had ended this talk they
drew near to a very miry slough, that was in the midst of the plain; and they, being
heedless, did both fall suddenly into the bog. The name of the slough was Despond. Here,
therefore, they wallowed for a being grievously bedaubed with the dirt; and Christian,
because of the burden that was on his back, began to sink in the mire.
PLIABLE: Then said Pliable; Ah! neighbour Christian, where are
you now?
CHRISTIAN: Truly, said Christian, I do not know.
PLIABLE: At this Pliable began to be offended, and angrily said
to his fellow, Is this the happiness you have told me all this while of? If we have such
ill speed at our first setting out, what may we expect betwixt this and our journey's end?
May I get out again with my life, you shall possess the brave country alone for me. And,
with that, he gave a desperate struggle or two, and got out of the mire on that side of
the slough which was next to his own house: so away he went, and Christian saw him no
more.
Wherefore Christian was left to tumble in the Slough of Despond
alone: but still he endeavoured to struggle to that side of the slough that was still
further from his own house, and next to the wicket-gate; the which he did, but could not
get out, because of the burden that was upon his back: but I beheld in my dream, that a
man came to him, whose name was Help, and asked him, What he did there?
CHRISTIAN: Sir, said Christian, I was bid go this way by a man
called Evangelist, who directed me also to yonder gate, that I might escape the wrath to
come; and as I was going thither I fell in here.
Help. But why did not you look for the steps?
CHRISTIAN: Fear followed me so hard, that I fled the next way,
and fell in. Help. Then said he, Give me thy hand: so he gave him his hand, and he drew
him out, and set him upon sound ground, and bid him go on his way.
