Pr. xxi. 16.1 Then Christian and Hopeful looked upon one another, with tears gushing out, but yet said nothing to the Shepherds.2

Then I saw in my dream, that the Shepherds had them to another place, in a bottom, where was a door in the side of a hill, and they opened the door, and bid them look in. They looked in, therefore, and saw that within it was very dark and smoky; they also thought that they heard there a rumbling noise as of fire, and a cry of some tormented, and that they smelt the scent of brimstone. Then said Christian, What means this? A by-way to The Shepherds told them, This is a byHell. way to hell, a way that hypocrites go in at; namely, such as sell their birthright, with Esau; such as sell their master, with Judas; such as blaspheme the gospel, with Alexander; and that lie and dissemble, with Ananias and Sapphira his wife. Then said Hopeful to the Shepherds, I perceive that these had on them, even every one, a show of pilgrimage, as we have now; had they not?

SHEP. Yes, and held it a long time too. HOPE. How far might they go on in pilgrimage in their day, since they notwithstanding were thus miserably cast away?

By this time the Pilgrims had a desire to go forward, and the Shepherds a desire they should; so they walked together towards the end of the mountains. Then said the Shepherds one to another, Let us here show to the Pilgrims the gates of the Celestial City, if they have The Shepherds skill to look through our perspective perspective glass. glass. The Pilgrims then lovingly accepted the motion; so they had them to the top of a high hill, called Clear, and gave them The Hill Clear. their glass to look.

5

Then they essayed to look, but the remembrance of that last thing that the Shepherds had showed them, made their hands shake; by The fruits of means of which impediment, they servile fear. could not look steadily through the glass; yet they thought they saw something like the gate, and also some of the glory of the place. Then they went away, and sang this song

SHEP. Aye, and you will have need to use it, when you have it, too.

1 Some retain the name of Christ, and the notion of him as a Saviour; but cast him off in the very things wherein the essential parts of his sacrifice, merits, and priesthood consist. In this lies the mystery of their iniquity. They dare not altogether deny that Christ doth save his people, as a Priest; but then their art is to confound his offices, until they jostle out of doors the merit of his blood and the perfection of his justifying righteousness. Such draw away the people from the cross (put out their eyes), and lead them among the infidels. -(Bunyan's Israel's Hope, vol. i. p. 615.)

Probably to guard pilgrims against the Popish doctrine of auricular confession.--(ED.)

3 Those seem to shun the common broad road; but having only the mask of religion, while their hearts are not right with God, are as effectually ruined as the most profligate and open offenders.-(Burder.)

Thus we read of some who were once enlightened, and bad tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the world to come. He. vi. 6. It is hard to say how far or how long a person may carry on a profession, and yet fall away, and come short of the kingdom at last. This should excite to diligence, humility, and circumspection, ever looking to Jesus to keep us from falling.-(Mason.)

It reflects the highest credit on the diffidence of Bunyan's genius-a genius as rich in its inventions, and as aspiring in its imaginative flights, as ever poet could possess or lay claim to that, after such an exordium, he should have made no effort minutely to describe what was in its own splendour of glory indescribable. How beautifully, without exciting any disappointment in a reader of taste, feeling, and judgment, does he, by a few artless words, render most impressive and sublime, what more elaborate description could only have made confused and unsatisfactory. Nothing can be more admirable

VOL. III.

caution.

than this brief and indistinct report of the perspective glass; it cannot offend the most fastidious taste, yet leaves scope for the exercise of the most ardent and aspiring imagination.(Bernard Barton.)

Such mountains round about this house do stand
As one from thence may see the Holy Land.

-(Bunyan's House of God, vol. ii. p. 579.) After going through the conflict with Apollyon, the Valley of the Shadow of Death, the scenes in Vanity Fair, and the dread experience of the pilgrims in Giant Despair's Castle, it is well to note what a gallery of solemn REALITIES is here, what a system of Divine truth, commending itself to all men's consciences. It is not so much the richness of imagination, nor the tenderness of feeling here exhibited, nor the sweetness and beauty of the imagery, with which this book is filled, as it is the presence of these REALITIES that constitutes the secret of its unbounded power over the soul. Walk up and down in this rich and solemn gallery. How simple are its ornaments! How grave, yet beautiful, its architecture! Amidst all this deep, serene beauty to the imagination, by how much deeper a tone do these pictures speak to the inner spiritual being of the soul! When you have admired the visible beauty of the paintings, turn agaiu to seek their meaning in that light from eternity by which the artist painted them, and by which he would have all men examine their lessons, and receive and feel the full power of their colouring. In this light, the walls of this gallery seem moving with celestial figures speaking to the soul. They are acting the drama of a life which, by most men, is only dreamed of; but the drama is the reality, and it is the spectators only who are walking in a vain show. (Cheever.)

This is the first break in the dream, and, doubtless, had an important meaning. Perhaps the pilgrimage may be divided into four parts: 1. The convert flying from the wrath to come; instructed at the Interpreter's house; relieved of his

T-U

which came

Ignorance.

And I slept, and dreamed again, and saw the same two Pilgrims going down the mountains along the highway towards the city. Now, a little below The Country of these mountains, on the left hand, Conceit, out of lieth the country of Conceit;1 from which country there comes into the way in which the Pilgrims walked, a little crooked lane. Here, therefore, they met with a very brisk lad, that came out of that country; and his name was Ignorance. So Christian asked him from what parts he came, and whither he was going. IGNOR. Sir, I was born in the counIgnorance have try that lieth off there, a little on the left hand, and I am going to the

Christian and

some talk.

Celestial City.

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

IGNOR. Gentlemen, ye be utter strangers to me, I know you not; be content to follow the religion burden at the cross; ascends the Hill Difficulty; overcomes his timidity; and, 2. Enters a church at the House Beautiful; and, as a private member, continues his journey, until, 3. He meets Evangelist, near Vanity Fair, and is found fit to become an itinerant preacher; in which calling he suffers persecution, and obtains that fitness which enables him, 4. Ou the Delectable Mountains, to enter upon the responsible duties of a ministering elder or pastor of a church, and is ordained by Knowledge, Experience, Watchful, and Sincere. Is this commencement of his public labours the important point when the author' awoke from his dream?'-(ED.)

This country we are all born in; all are ignoramuses by nature. Some live long in the country of Conceit, and many end their days in it. Are you come out of it? So was Ignorance; but he breathed his native air. So long as a sinner thinks he can do anything towards making himself righteous before God, his name is Ignorance; he is full of self-conceit, and destitute of the faith of Christ.-(Mason.)

2 Now, is it not very common to hear professors talk at this rate? Yes, and many who make a very high profession too; their hopes are plainly grounded upon what they are in themselves, and how they differ from their former selves and other sinners, instead of what Christ is to us and what we are in Christ. But the profession of such is begun with an ignorant, whole, self-righteous heart; it is continued in pride, selfsceking, and self-exalting, and ends in awful disappointment. For such are called by our Lord thieves and robbers; they rob him of the glory of his grace and the gift of his imputed righteousness. (Mason.)

to

every one that he is a fool.

of your country, and I will follow the religion of mine. I hope all will be well. And He saith as for the gate that you talk of, all the world knows that that is a great way off of our country. I cannot think that any man in all our parts doth so much as know the way to it, nor need they matter whether they do or no, since we have, as you see, a fine pleasant green lane, that comes down from our country, the next way into the way.

When Christian saw that the man was wise in his own conceit,' he said to Hopeful, whisperingly, There is more hope of a fool than of him.' Pr. xxvi. 12. And said, moreover, 'When he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool.' Ec. x. 3. What, shall we talk further with him, or out-go How to carry it him at present, and so leave him to think of what he hath heard already, and then stop again for him afterwards, and sce if by degrees we can do any good to him? Then said Hopeful—

to a fool.

Let Ignorance a little while now muse On what is said, and let him not refuse Good counsel to embrace, lest he remain Still ignorant of what's the chiefest gain. God saith, those that no understanding have, Although he made them, them he will not save. HOPE. He further added, It is not good, I think, to say all to him at once; let us pass him by, if you will, and talk to him anon, even as he is able to bear it.3

So they both went on, and Ignorance he came after. Now when they had passed him a little way, they entered into a very dark lane, where they met a man whom seven devils had bound with seven strong cords, and were carrying of him back to the door that they saw on the side of the hill.* Mat. xii. 45. Pr. v. 22. Now good Christian began to tremble, and so did Hopeful his companion; yet as the devils led away the man, Christian looked to see if he knew him; and he thought The destruction it might be one Turn-away, that dwelt of one Turnin the town of Apostasy. But he did away. not perfectly see his face, for he did hang his head like a thief that is found. But being once past,

3 It is best not to converse much at once with persons of this character, but, after a few warnings, to leave them to their reflections; for their self-conceit is often cherished by altercations, in which they deem themselves very expert, however disgusting their discourse may prove to others.-(Scott.)

An awful scene was beheld by the pilgrims. A professor, named Turn away, bound with seven cords, was led by devils to the by-way to hell. Let every one inquire, Who is this wanton professor ?-He who discovers a trifling, worldly, wanton spirit, dreads not the appearance of evil, complies with the fashions of the carnal world, and associates with the enemies of our Lord; and, in time, becomes a damnable apostate. Lord, keep us from such a beginning and such an end! -(Burder.)

The very dark lane' in which Turn-away' was met by the pilgrims, represents the total darkness of the minds of

a story Little-faith.

of

Hopeful looked after him, and espied on his back a paper with this inscription, Wanton professor, 1 Then said Christian to and damnable apostate. his fellow, Now I call to remembrance, that which was told me of a thing that happened to a good Christian telleth man hereabout. The name of the man his companion was Little-faith, but a good man, and he dwelt in the town of Sincere. The thing was this: At the entering in at this passage, there comes down from Broad-way Broad-way gate. Gate, a lane called Dead Man's Lane;2 Dead Man's lane. so called because of the murders that are commonly done there; and this Little-faith going on pilgrimage, as we do now, chanced to sit down there, and slept. Now there happened, at that time, to come down the lane from Broad-way Gate, three sturdy rogues, and their names were Faint-heart, Mistrust, and Guilt (three brothers), and they espying Little-faith, where he was, came galloping up Now the good man was with speed. just awake from his sleep, and was getting up to go on his journey. So they came up all to him, and with threatening language bid him stand. At this, Little-faith looked as white as a clout, and had neither power to fight nor fly. Then said Faint-heart, Deliver thy purse. But he making no haste to do it (for he was loath to lose his money), Mistrust ran up to him, and thrusting his hand into his pocket, pulled out thence a bag of silver. They got away Then he cried out, Thieves! Thieves! his silver, and With that, Guilt, with a great club that was in his hand, struck Littlefaith on the head, and with that blow felled him flat to the ground; where he lay bleeding as one

Little-faith robbed by Faint-heart, Mistrust, and Guit.

knocked him down.

147

Little-faith lost not his best things.

That

6

forced to beg to his journey's end.

HOPE. But is it not a wonder they got not from him his certificate, by which he was to receive his admittance at the Celestial Gate?

best things by

He kept not his his own cunning. 2 Ti.i.14.

CHR. It is a wonder; but they got not that, though they missed it not through any good cunning of his; for he, being dismayed with their coming upon him, had neither power nor skill to hide anything; so it was more by good Providence than by his endeav our, that they missed of that good thing.7

4 When Bunyan was imprisoned, his sentence was-To be transported, if he did not conform in three months; and then, if found as a Nonconformist, in this country, he should be hung. Determined at all hazards not to be a traitor to his God, he anticipated being hung; and was anxious, in such a cause, to meet death with firmness. When his fears prevailed, he dreaded lest he should make but a scrabbling shift to clamber up the ladder.-(See Grace Abounding, No. 334.)

Where there is a faint heart in God's cause, and mistrust of God's truths, there will be guilt in the conscience, and but little faith. These rogues will prevail over, and rob such souls of the comforts of God's love and of Christ's salvation. By his jewels, we may understand those radical graces of the Spirit

faith, hope, and love. By his spending-money, the sealing and earnest of the Spirit in his heart. 2 Co. i. 22. Of this Divine assurance, and the sense of the peace and joy in the Holy Ghost, he was robbed; so that, though he still went on in the ways of the Lord, yet he dragged on but heavily and uncomfortably.-(Mason.)

7 What was this good thing? His precious faith, whose