The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan Every Child Can Read — John Shaqi
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
CHRIS. The things that I have told you were the best; yet some other
matters I saw; as namely I saw three men, Simple, Sloth, and
Presumption, lie asleep, a little out of the way as I came, with irons
upon their heels; but do you think I could wake them? I also saw
Formalist and Hypocrisy come tumbling over the wall, to go, as they
pretended, to Zion; but they were quickly lost, even as I myself did
tell them, but they would not believe. But, above all, I found it hard
work to get up this hill, and as hard to come by the lions' mouths; and
truly, if it had not been for the good man the Porter, that stands at
the gate, I do not know but that, after all, I might have gone back
again; but now I thank God I am here, and I thank you for receiving of
me.
Then Prudence thought good to ask him a few questions, and desired his
answer to them.
PRU. Do you think sometimes of the country from whence you came?
CHRIS. Yes, but with much shame and detestation. Truly, if I had been
mindful of that country from whence I came out, I might have had an
opportunity to have returned; but now I desire a better country, that
is, a heavenly one.
PRU. Do you not yet bear away with you in your thoughts some of the
things that you did in the former time?
CHRIS. Yes, but greatly against my will; especially my inward and sinful
thoughts, with which all my countrymen, as well as myself, were
delighted. But now all those things are my grief; and, might I but
choose mine own things, I would choose never to think of those things
more; but when I would be doing that which is best, that which is worst
is with me.
PRU. Do you not find sometimes as if those things were overcome, which
at other times are your trouble?
CHRIS. Yes, but that is but seldom; but they are to me golden hours in
which such things happen to me.
PRU. Can you remember by what means you find your annoyances, at times,
as if they were overcome?
CHRIS. Yes; when I think what I saw at the cross, that will do it; and
when I look upon my broidered coat, that will do it; also when I look
into the roll that I carry in my bosom, that will do it; and when my
thoughts wax warm about whither I am going, that will do it.
PRU. And what makes you so desirous to go to Mount Zion?
CHRIS. Why, there I hope to see Him alive that did hang dead on the
cross; and there I hope to be rid of all these things that to this day
are in me an annoyance to me. There, they say, there is no death; and
there I shall dwell with such company as I like best. For, to tell you
the truth, I love Him because I was by Him eased of my burden; and I am
weary of my inward sickness. I would fain be where I shall die no more,
and with the company that shall continually cry, "Holy, holy, holy!"
[Sidenote: CHARITY TALKS WITH CHRISTIAN]
CHAR. Then said Charity to Christian, "Have you a family? are you a
married man?"
CHRIS. I have a wife and four small children.
CHAR. And why did you not bring them along with you?
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