where he has left them to wander to this very day, that the saying of the wise man might be fulfilled, "He that wandereth out of the way of understanding, shall remain in the congregation of the dead (d).” Then Christian and Hopeful looked upon one another, with tears gushing out, but yet said nothing to the Shepherds.

Then I saw in my dream, that the Shepherds had them to another place in a bottom, where was a door, on 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 here 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? The Shepherds told them, This is a byway to Hell, a way that Hypocrites go in at ; namely, such as sell their birth-right 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 pilgrimage in their days, since they, notwithstanding, were thus miserably cast away?

Shep. Some farther, and some not so far as these mountains.

Then said the pilgrims one to another, We have need to cry to the Strong for strength.

Shep. Ay, and you will have need to use it, when you have it, too.

By this time the pilgrims had a desire to go forwords, and the Shepherds a desire they should; so

(d) Prov. xxi. 16.

they walked together towards the end of the mountains. Then said the shepherds one to another, Let us here show the pilgrims the gates to the cœlestial city, if they have skill to look through our perspective-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 glass to look.

Then they tried to look, but the remembrance of that last thing, that the shepherds had showed them, made their hands shake; by means of which impediment they 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 sung:

Thus by the Shepherds secrets are reveal'd,
Which from all other men are kept conceal'd:
Come to the Shepherds then, if you would see,
Things deep, things hid, and that mysterious be.

When they were about to depart, one of the Shepherds gave them a note of the way. Another of them bid them beware of the Flatterer. The third bid them take heed that they slept not upon Enchanted Ground. And the fourth bid them God speed. So I awoke from my dream.

EXPLANATORY NOTES,

CHRISTIAN and Hopeful, for the refreshment of their minds after their late imprisonment, are favoured again with a glorious prospect from the Delectable Mountains. Here they have the pleasure of meeting with some Shepherds, whose names, Knowledge, Experience, Watchful, and Sincere, are descriptive of the qualifications of gospel ministers. Their entertainment here, may signify, both the advantage which believers derive from the ministry, example, watch, and corversation of able and faithful pastors; and the delight which

H

Christians enjoy in an advanced state of experience. When they get above the world, they are enabled to behold the things within the veil. Having lost their way before, they now ask, with much solicitude, "Is this the way?" Dearbought experience had taught them caution. The Shepherds also asked them such questions as tended to edification; and they are told (what, alas, is an awful truth!) that few of those who set out on pilgrimage, reach so far as these mountains. Many persons feel religious impressions, but are too slothful to attain to this happy and confirmed state.

Here the pilgrims were shown the mountain of Error, and the sad fate of many who had fallen from it. Many errors abound in our day, some of which are not only hurtful, but destructive of these we have need to be cautioned, especially as a false moderation, and unscriptural charity now prevail, and the grossest heresies are by some held to be harmless sentiments, while all zeal for truth is accounted bigotry.

Another mountain they say was called Caution; and here, by the deplorable condition of some who fell into the hands of Giant Despair, their own mistake is recollected, and the goodness of God affectionately remembered. This is the true temper of Christians, when they see other professors entangled and ruined. The likeness of their sins, and the difference of their state, fill them at once with shame and gratitude.

Here also they beheld the door of a by-way to hell, the way that hypocrites go, who 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. This sight caused our pious travellers to exclaim, "We have need to cry to the Strong for strength." Every christian reader will say so too.

By a perspective glass, put into their hands by the Shepberds, they beheld, though in an imperfect manner, the gate of the cœlestial city; but servile fear made their hands shake, and prevented a more distinct view. O for a strong and lasting faith, so to credit the good promise of God, that from Pisgah's top, we might view with Moses the heavenly land; and with enraptured souls cry out, "Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly."

CHAP. XVII.

The Pilgrims meet with Ignorance-The robbery of Little-Faith related-Christian and Hopeful caught in the net.

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 these mountains, on the left hand, lieth the country of Conceit; 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 country that lieth off there, a little on the left hand, and am going to the cœlestial city.

Chr. But how do you think to get in at the gate? for you may find some difficulty there.

Ignor. As other good people do, said he.

Chr. But what have you to show at that gate, that the gate should be opened to you?

Ignor. I know my Lord's will, and have been a good liver; I pay every man his own; I pray, fast, pay tithes, and give alms, and have left my country for whither I am going.

Chr. 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 mayst think of thyself, when the reckoning-day shall come, thou shalt 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 of your country, and I will follow the religion of mine. I hope all will be well. And as for the gate. that you talk of, all the world knows that that is a great way off our country. I cannot think that any men in all our parts do so much as know the way to it, nor need they matter whether they did or no, since we have, as you see, a fine pleasant green lane, that comes down from our country, the next way into it.

When Christian saw that the man was wise in his own conceit, he said to Hopeful whisperingly, "There is more hopes of a fool than of him (a).' 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 (b)." What, shall we talk farther with him, or out-go him at present, and so leave him to think of what he hath heard already, and then stop again for him afterwards, and see if by degrees we can do any good of him? Then said Hopeful:

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, I hose that no understanding have,
(Altho' he made them) them he will not save.

Hope. He farther added, it is not good, I think, to say to him all at once; let us pass him by, if you will, and talk to him anon, even as he is able to bear it.

So they went both 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