The Pilgrim's Progress from this world to that which is to come: Delivered under the similitude of a dream, by John Bunyan — John Shaqi
The Pilgrim's Progress from this world to that which is to come: Delivered under the similitude of a dream, by John BunyanBunyan, John
ReligionComparative
The Pilgrim's Progress from this world to that which is to come: Delivered under the similitude of a dream, by John Bunyan
Bunyan, John
Christian fiction; Christian pilgrims and pilgrimages -- Fiction
{106} Now, when he was got up to the top of the hill, there came
two men running to meet him amain; the name of the one was Timorous,
and of the other, Mistrust; to whom Christian said, Sirs, what's
the matter? You run the wrong way. Timorous answered, that they
were going to the City of Zion, and had got up that difficult
place; but, said he, the further we go, the more danger we meet
with; wherefore we turned, and are going back again.
Yes, said Mistrust, for just before us lie a couple of lions in
the way, whether sleeping or waking we know not, and we could not
think, if we came within reach, but they would presently pull us
in pieces.
{107} CHR. Then said Christian, You make me afraid, but whither
shall I fly to be safe? If I go back to mine own country, that
is prepared for fire and brimstone, and I shall certainly perish
there. If I can get to the Celestial City, I am sure to be in
safety there. I must venture. To go back is nothing but death;
to go forward is fear of death, and life-everlasting beyond it. I
will yet go forward. So Mistrust and Timorous ran down the hill,
and Christian went on his way. But, thinking again of what he had
heard from the men, he felt in his bosom for his roll, that he
might read therein, and be comforted; but he felt, and found it
not. Then was Christian in great distress, and knew not what to
do; for he wanted that which used to relieve him, and that which
should have been his pass into the Celestial City. Here, therefore,
he begun to be much perplexed, and knew not what to do. At last
he bethought himself that he had slept in the arbour that is on
the side of the hill; and, falling down upon his knees, he asked
God's forgiveness for that his foolish act, and then went back to
look for his roll. But all the way he went back, who can sufficiently
set forth the sorrow of Christian's heart? Sometimes he sighed,
sometimes he wept, and oftentimes he chid himself for being so
foolish to fall asleep in that place, which was erected only for
a little refreshment for his weariness. Thus, therefore, he went
back, carefully looking on this side and on that, all the way as he
went, if happily he might find his roll, that had been his comfort
so many times in his journey. He went thus, till he came again
within sight of the arbour where he sat and slept; but that sight
renewed his sorrow the more, by bringing again, even afresh, his
evil of sleeping into his mind. [Rev. 2:5; 1 Thes. 5:7,8] Thus,
therefore, he now went on bewailing his sinful sleep, saying, O
wretched man that I am that I should sleep in the day-time! that I
should sleep in the midst of difficulty! that I should so indulge
the flesh, as to use that rest for ease to my flesh, which the
Lord of the hill hath erected only for the relief of the spirits
of pilgrims!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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