The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan Every Child Can ReadBunyan, John
Religion
The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan Every Child Can Read
Bunyan, John
Christian life -- Juvenile literature; Christian pilgrims and pilgrimages -- Juvenile literature
GREAT. With a good will. I suppose you have heard how Christian of old
did meet with Apollyon in the Valley of Humiliation, and also what hard
work he had to go through the Valley of the Shadow of Death. Also I
think you cannot but have heard how Faithful was put to it by Madam
Wanton, with Adam the first, with one Discontent, and Shame; four as
deceitful villains as a man can meet with upon the road.
HON. Yes, I believe I have heard of all this; but, indeed, good Faithful
was hardest put to it with Shame: he was an unwearied one.
GREAT. Ay; for, as the pilgrim well said, he of all men had the wrong
name.
HON. But pray, sir, where was it that Christian and Faithful met
Talkative? That same was also a notable one.
GREAT. He was a confident fool; yet many follow his ways.
HON. He had liked to have deceived Faithful.
GREAT. Ay, but Christian put him into a way quickly to find him out.
Thus they went on till they came to the place where Evangelist met with
Christian and Faithful, and foretold them what should befall them at
Vanity Fair. Then said their guide, "Hereabouts did Christian and
Faithful meet with Evangelist, who foretold them of their troubles which
they should meet with at Vanity Fair."
HON. Say you so? I dare say it was a hard chapter, then, that he did
read unto them!
GREAT. It was; but he gave them encouragement withal. But what do we
talk of them? they were a couple of lion-like men: they had set their
faces like flint. Do not you remember how undaunted they were when they
stood before the judge?
HON. Well. Faithful bravely suffered.
GREAT. So he did, and as brave things came on't; for Hopeful and some
others, as the story relates it, were converted by his death.
HON. Well, but pray go on, for you are well acquainted with things.
GREAT. Above all that Christian met with after he had passed through
Vanity Fair, one By-ends was the arch one.
HON. By-ends! what was he?
GREAT. A very arch fellow--a downright deceiver; one that would be
religious, which way soever the world went; but so cunning that he would
be sure never to lose or suffer for it. He had his mode of religion for
every fresh occasion, and his wife was as good at it as he. And he would
turn and change from opinion to opinion; yea, and plead for so doing,
too. But, as far as I could learn, he came to an ill end with his
by-ends; nor did I ever hear that any of his children were ever of any
esteem with any that truly feared God.
[Sidenote: THEY ARRIVE AT VANITY FAIR]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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