but therein we have also forgotten to read, and have not kept ourselves from the paths of the destroyer. Here David was wiser than we; for saith he, “Concerning the works of men, by the word of Thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.” Thus they lay bewailing themselves in the net. At last they espied a Shining One coming towards them, with a whip of small cords in his hand. When he was come to the place where they were, he asked them whence they came, and what they did there. They told him that they were poor pilgrims going to Zion, but were led out of their way by a black man clothed in white, who bid us, said they, follow him, for he was going thither, too. Then said lie with the whip, it is Flatterer, a false apostle, that hath transformed himself into an angel of light. So he rent the net, and let the men out. Then said he to them, Follow me, that I may set you in your way again. So he led them back to the way which they had left to follow the Flatterer. Then he asked them, saying, Where did you lie the last night? They said, With the shepherds upon the Delectable Mountains. He asked them then if they had not of the shepherds a note of direction for the way. They answered, Yes. But did you not, said he, when you were at a stand, pluck out and read your note? They answered, No. He asked them, Why? They said they forgot. He asked, moreover, if the shepherds did not bid them beware of the Flatterer. They answered, Yes; but we did not imagine, said they, that this fine-spoken man was he.
Then I saw in my dream, that he commanded them to lie down; which, when they did, he chastised them sore, to teach them the good way wherein they should walk; and as he chastised them, he said, “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; be zealous, therefore, and repent.” This done, he bids them to go on their way, and take good heed to the other directions of the shepherds.
Now, after awhile, they perceived afar off, one coming softly and alone, all along the highway, to meet them. Then said Christian to his fellow, Yonder is a man with his back toward Zion, and he is coming to meet us.
Hope. I see him; let us take heed to ourselves now, lest he should prove a Flatterer, also. So he drew nearer and nearer, and at last came up to them. His name was Atheist, and he asked them whither they were going.
Chr. We are going to Mount Zion.
Then Atheist fell into a very great laughter.
Chr. What’s the meaning of your laughter?
Atheist. I laugh to see what ignorant persons you are to take upon you so tedious a journey, and yet are like to have nothing but your travel for your pains.
Chr. Why, man, do you think we shall not be received?
Atheist. Received! There is not such a place as you dream of in all this world.
Chr. But there is in the world to come.
Atheist. When I was at home in my own country I heard as you now affirm; and from that hearing, went out to see, and have been seeking this city these twenty years, but find no more of it than I did the first day I set out.
Chr. We have both heard, and believe, that there is such a place to be found.
Atheist. Had not I, when at home, believed, I had not come thus far to seek; but finding none (and yet I should, had there been such a place to be found, for I have gone to seek it farther than you), I am going back again, and will seek to refresh myself with the things that I then cast away for hopes of that which I now see is not.
Chr. Then said Christian to Hopeful, his companion, Is it true which this man hath said?
Hope. Take heed, he is one of the Flatterers. Remember what it cost us once already for our hearkening to such kind of fellows. What! No Mount Zion! Did we not see from the Delectable Mountains the gate of the city? Also, are we not now to walk by faith? Let us go on, lest the man with the whip overtake us again. You should have taught me that lesson, which I will sound you in the ears withal: “Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge.” I say, my brother, cease to hear him, and let us “believe to the saving of the soul.”
Chr. My brother, I did not put the question to thee, for that I doubted of the truth of our belief myself, but to prove thee, and to fetch from thee a fruit of the honesty of thy heart. As for this man, I know that he is blinded by the god of this world. Let us both go on; knowing that we have belief of the truth; and “no lie is of the truth.”
Hope. Now do I rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
So they turned away from the man; and he, laughing at them, went his way.
I then saw in my dream, that they went on until they came into a certain country whose air naturally tended to make one drowsy, if he came a stranger into it. And here Hopeful began to be very dull and heavy to sleep; wherefore he said unto Christian, I do now begin to grow so drowsy that I can scarcely hold open mine eyes; let us lie down here, and take one nap.
Chr. By no means, said the other; lest, sleeping, we never awake more.
Hope. Why, my brother, sleep is sweet to the laboring man: we may be refreshed, if we take a nap.
Chr. Do you not remember that one of the shepherds bid us beware of the Enchanted Ground? He meant by that, that we should beware of sleeping; “therefore, let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch, and be sober.”
Hope. I acknowledge myself in a fault; and had I been here alone, I had, by sleeping, run the danger of death. I see it is true that the wise man saith, “Two are better than one.” Hitherto hath thy company been my mercy; and thou shalt have a good reward for thy labor.
I saw then, in my dream, that Hopeful looked back, and saw Ignorance, whom they had left behind, coming after. Look, said he to Christian, how far yonder youngster loitereth behind.
Chr. Aye, aye, I see him: he careth not for our company.
Hope. But I think it would not have hurt him, had he kept pace with us hitherto.
Chr. That is true; but I warrant you he thinketh otherwise.
Hope. That I think he doth; but, however, let us tarry for him.
So they did.
Then Christian said to him, Come away, man; why do you stay so behind?
Ignor. You go so fast I cannot keep pace with you. Do you go on before; I must stay awhile behind.
The Tenth Stage
Then Christian addressed himself thus to his fellow:—
Chr. Well, come, my good Hopeful, I perceive that thou and I must walk by ourselves again.
So I saw in my dream, that they went on apace before, and Ignorance he came hobbling after. Then said Christian to his companion, I much pity this poor man; it will certainly go ill with him at last.
Hope. Alas! there are abundance in our town in his condition, whole families, yea, whole streets, and that of pilgrims, too; and if there be so many in our parts, how many, think you, must there be in the place where he was born?
Now I saw in my dream, that by this time the pilgrims were got over the Enchanted Ground, and entering into the country of Beulah, whose air was very sweet and pleasant, the way lying directly through it, they solaced themselves
