(Bunyan, Pilgrim's Progress. part 9)
for God at a clap; and I am for taking all advantages to secure
my life and estate. They are for holding their notions,
though all other men are against them; but I am for religion in what,
and so far as the times, and my safety, will bear it. They are for
religion when in rags and contempt; but I am for him when he walks
in his golden slippers, in the sunshine, and with applause.
{252}
HOLD-THE-WORLD. Ay, and hold you there still, good Mr. By-ends;
for, for my part, I can count him but a fool, that, having the liberty
to keep what he has, shall be so unwise as to lose it.
Let us be wise as serpents; it is best to make hay when the sun shines;
you see how the bee lieth still all winter, and bestirs her only
when she can have profit with pleasure. God sends sometimes rain,
and sometimes sunshine; if they be such fools to go through the first,
yet let us be content to take fair weather along with us. For my part,
I like that religion best that will stand with the security
of God's good blessings unto us; for who can imagine,
that is ruled by his reason, since God has bestowed upon us
the good things of this life, but that he would have us keep them
for his sake? Abraham and Solomon grew rich in religion.
And Job says, that a good man shall lay up gold as dust.
But he must not be such as the men before us, if they be
as you have described them.
SAVE-ALL. I think that we are all agreed in this matter,
and therefore there needs no more words about it.
MONEY-LOVE. No, there needs no more words about this matter,
indeed; for he that believes neither Scripture nor reason
(and you see we have both on our side) neither knows his own liberty,
nor seeks his own safety.
{253}
BY-ENDS. My brethren, we are, as you see, going all on pilgrimage;
and, for our better diversion from things that are bad,
give me leave to propound unto you this question:--
Suppose a man, a minister, or a tradesman, &c., should have
an advantage lie before him, to get the good blessings of this life,
yet so as that he can by no means come by them except,
in appearance at least, he becomes extraordinarily zealous
in some points of religion that he meddled not with before,
may he not use these means to attain his end, and yet be
a right honest man?
{254}
MONEY-LOVE. I see the bottom of your question; and,
with these gentlemen's good leave, I will endeavour to shape you
an answer. And first, to speak to your question as it concerns
a minister himself: Suppose a minister, a worthy man,
possessed but of a very small benefice, and has in his eye a greater,
more fat, and plump by far; he has also now an opportunity
of getting of it, yet so as by being more studious, by preaching
more frequently and zealously, and, because the temper of the people
requires it, by altering of some of his principles; for my part,
I see no reason but a man may do this, (provided he has a call), ay,
and more a great deal besides, and yet be an honest man. For why--
{255}
1. His desire of a greater benefice is lawful, (this cannot
be contradicted), since it is set before him by Providence; so then,
he may get it, if he can, making no question for conscience' sake.
{256}
2. Besides, his desire after that benefice makes him more studious,
a more zealous preacher, &c., and so makes him a better man;
yea, makes him better improve his parts, which is according to
the mind of God.
{257}
3. Now, as for his complying with the temper of his people,
by dissenting, to serve them, some of his principles,
this argueth, (1) That he is of a self-denying, temper;
(2) Of a sweet and winning deportment; and so (3) more fit
for the ministerial function.
{258}
4. I conclude, then, that a minister that changes a small for a great,
should not, for so doing, be judged as covetous; but rather,
since he has improved in his parts and industry thereby,
be counted as one that pursues his call, and the opportunity
put into his hands to do good.
{259}
And now to the second part of the question, which concerns
the tradesman you mentioned. Suppose such a one to have
but a poor employ in the world, but by becoming religious,
he may mend his market, perhaps get a rich wife, or more and far better
customers to his shop; for my part, I see no reason but that this
may be lawfully done. For why--
1. To become religious is a virtue, by what means soever
a man becomes so.
2. Nor is it unlawful to get a rich wife, or more custom to my shop.
3. Besides, the man that gets these by becoming religious, gets that
which is good, of them that are good, by becoming good himself;
so then here is a good wife, and good customers, and good gain,
and all these by becoming religious, which is good; therefore,
to become religious, to get all these, is a good and profitable design.
{260}
This answer, thus made by this Mr. Money-love to Mr. By-ends's question,
was highly applauded by them all; wherefore they concluded
upon the whole, that it was most wholesome and advantageous.
And because, as they thought, no man was able to contradict it,
and because Christian and Hopeful were yet within call,
they jointly agreed to assault them with the question as soon
as they overtook them; and the rather because they had opposed
Mr. By-ends before. So they called after them, and they stopped,
and stood still till they came up to them; but they concluded,
as they went, that not Mr. By-ends, but old Mr. Hold-the-world,
should propound the question to them, because, as they supposed,
their answer to him would be without the remainder of that heat
that was kindled betwixt Mr. By-ends and them, at their parting
a little before.
{260}
So they came up to each other, and after a short salutation,
Mr. Hold-the-world propounded the question to Christian and his fellow,
and bid them to answer it if they could.
CHR. Then said Christian, Even a babe in religion may answer
ten thousand such questions. For if it be unlawful to follow Christ
for loaves, (as it is in the sixth of John), how much more
abominable is it to make of him and religion a stalking-horse
to get and enjoy the world! Nor do we find any other than heathens,
hypocrites, devils, and witches, that are of this opinion.
{261}
1. Heathens; for when Hamor and Shechem had a mind to the daughter
and cattle of Jacob, and saw that there was no way for them
to come at them, but by becoming circumcised, they say
to their companions, If every male of us be circumcised,
as they are circumcised, shall not their cattle, and their substance,
and every beast of theirs, be ours? Their daughter and their cattle
were that which they sought to obtain, and their religion
the stalking-horse they made use of to come at them.
Read the whole story. [Gen. 34:20-23]
{262}
2. The hypocritical Pharisees were also of this religion;
long prayers were their pretence, but to get widows' houses
was their intent; and greater damnation was from God their judgment.
[Luke 20:46-47]
{263}
3. Judas the devil was also of this religion; he was religious
for the bag, that he might be possessed of what was therein;
but he was lost, cast away, and the very son of perdition.
{264}
4. Simon the witch was of this religion too; for he would have had
the Holy Ghost, that he might have got money therewith;
and his sentence from Peter's mouth was according. [Acts 8:19-22]
{265}
5. Neither will it out of my mind, but that that man that
takes up religion for the world, will throw away religion for the world;
for so surely as Judas resigned the world in becoming religious,
so surely did he also sell religion and his Master for the same.
To answer the question, therefore, affirmatively, as I perceive
you have done, and to accept of, as authentic, such answer,
is both heathenish, hypocritical, and devilish; and your reward will be
according to your works. Then they stood staring one upon another,
but had not wherewith to answer Christian. Hopeful also approved of
the soundness of Christian's answer; so there was a great silence
among them. Mr. By-ends and his company also staggered and kept behind,
that Christian and Hopeful might outgo them. Then said Christian
to his fellow, If these men cannot stand before the sentence of men,
what will they do with the sentence of God? And if they are mute
when dealt with by vessels of clay, what will they do when they shall be
rebuked by the flames of a devouring fire?
{266}
Then Christian and Hopeful outwent them again, and went till they came
to a delicate plain called Ease, where they went with much content;
but that plain was but narrow, so they were quickly got over it.
Now at the further side of that plain
was a little hill called Lucre, and in that hill a silver mine,
which some of them that had formerly gone that way,
because of the rarity of it, had turned aside to see; but going too near
the brink of the pit, the ground being deceitful under them, broke,
and they were slain; some also had been maimed there, and could not,
to their dying day, be their own men again.
{267}
Then I saw in my dream, that a little off the road,
over against the silver mine, stood Demas (gentlemanlike)
to call to passengers to come and see; who said to Christian
and his fellow, Ho! turn aside hither, and I will show you a thing.
CHR. What thing so deserving as to turn us out of the way to see it?
DEMAS. Here is a silver mine, and some digging in it for treasure.
If you will come, with a little pains you may richly provide
for yourselves.
{268}
Hope. Then said Hopeful, Let us go see.
CHR. Not I, said Christian, I have heard of this place before now;
and how many have there been slain; and besides that,
treasure is a snare to those that seek it; for it hindereth them
in their pilgrimage. Then Christian called to Demas, saying,
Is not the place dangerous? Hath it not hindered many
in their pilgrimage? [Hos. 14:8]
DEMAS. Not very dangerous, except to those that are careless,
(but withal, he blushed as he spake).
CHR. Then said Christian to Hopeful, Let us not stir a step,
but still keep on our way.
HOPE. I will warrant you, when By-ends comes up, if he hath
the same invitation as we, he will turn in thither to see.
CHR. No doubt thereof, for his principles lead him that way,
and a hundred to one but he dies there.
DEMAS. Then Demas called again, saying, But will you not
come over and see?
{269}
CHR. Then Christian roundly answered, saying, Demas,
thou art an enemy to the right ways of the Lord of this way,
and hast been already condemned for thine own turning aside,
by one of His Majesty's judges [2 Tim. 4:10]; and why seekest thou
to bring us into the like condemnation? Besides, if we at all
turn aside, our Lord and King will certainly hear thereof,
and will there put us to shame, where we would stand with boldness
before him.
Demas cried again, that he also was one of their fraternity;
and that if they would tarry a little, he also himself
would walk with them.
{270}
CHR. Then said Christian, What is thy name? Is it not the same
by the which I have called thee?
DEMAS. Yes, my name is Demas; I am the son of Abraham.
CHR. I know you; Gehazi was your great-grandfather,
and Judas your father; and you have trod in their steps.
[2 Kings 5:20, Matt. 26:14,15, 27:1-5] It is but a devilish prank
that thou usest; thy father was hanged for a traitor,
and thou deservest no better reward. Assure thyself,
that when we come to the King, we will do him word of this
thy behaviour. Thus they went their way.
{271}
By this time By-ends and his companions were come again within sight,
and they, at the first beck, went over to Demas. Now,
whether they fell into the pit by looking over the brink thereof,
or whether they went down to dig, or whether they were smothered
in the bottom by the damps that commonly arise, of these things
I am not certain; but this I observed, that they never were seen again
in the way. Then sang Christian--
By-ends and silver Demas both agree;
One calls, the other runs, that he may be
A sharer in his lucre; so these do
Take up in this world, and no further go.
{272}
Now I saw that, just on the other side of this plain,
the pilgrims came to a place where stood an old monument,
hard by the highway side, at the sight of which they were
both concerned, because of the strangeness of the form thereof;
for it seemed to them as if it had been a woman transformed
into the shape of a pillar; here, therefore they stood looking,
and looking upon it, but could not for a time tell what
they should make thereof. At last Hopeful espied written above
the head thereof, a writing in an unusual hand; but he being no scholar,
called to Christian (for he was learned) to see if he could pick out
the meaning; so he came, and after a little laying of letters together,
he found the same to be this, "Remember Lot's Wife". So he read it
to his fellow; after which they both concluded that that was
the pillar of salt into which Lot's wife was turned,
for her looking back with a covetous heart, when she was going
from Sodom for safety. [Gen. 19:26] Which sudden and amazing sight
gave them occasion of this discourse.
{273}
CHR. Ah, my brother! this is a seasonable sight;
it came opportunely to us after the invitation which Demas gave us
to come over to view the Hill Lucre; and had we gone over,
as he desired us, and as thou wast inclining to do, my brother,
we had, for aught I know, been made ourselves like this woman,
a spectacle for those that shall come after to behold.
HOPE. I am sorry that I was so foolish, and am made to wonder
that I am not now as Lot's wife; for wherein was the difference betwixt
her sin and mine? She only looked back; and I had a desire to go see.
Let grace be adored, and let me be ashamed that ever such a thing
should be in mine heart.
{274}
CHR. Let us take notice of what we see here, for our help
for time to come. This woman escaped one judgment,
for she fell not by the destruction of Sodom; yet she was destroyed
by another, as we see she is turned into a pillar of salt.
HOPE. True; and she may be to us both caution and example;
caution, that we should shun her sin; or a sign of what judgment
will overtake such as shall not be prevented by this caution;
so Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, with the two hundred and fifty men
that perished in their sin, did also become a sign or example to others
to beware. [Num. 26:9,10] But above all, I muse at one thing, to wit,
how Demas and his fellows can stand so confidently yonder to look for
that treasure, which this woman, but for looking behind her after,
(for we read not that she stepped one foot out of the way) was turned
into a pillar of salt; especially since the judgment which overtook her
did make her an example, within sight of where they are;
for they cannot choose but see her, did they but lift up their eyes.
{275}
CHR. It is a thing to be wondered at, and it argueth that
their hearts are grown desperate in the case; and I cannot tell who
to compare them to so fitly, as to them that pick pockets
in the presence of the judge, or that will cut purses under the gallows.
It is said of the men of Sodom, that they were sinners exceedingly,
because they were sinners before the Lord, that is, in his eyesight,
and notwithstanding the kindnesses that he had showed them [Gen. 13:13];
for the land of Sodom was now like the garden of Eden heretofore.
[Gen. 13:10] This, therefore, provoked him the more to jealousy,
and made their plague as hot as the fire of the Lord out of heaven
could make it. And it is most rationally to be concluded, that such,
even such as these are, that shall sin in the sight, yea,
and that too in despite of such examples that are set continually
before them, to caution them to the contrary, must be partakers
of severest judgments.
HOPE. Doubtless thou hast said the truth; but what a mercy is it,
that neither thou, but especially I, am not made myself this example!
This ministereth occasion to us to thank God, to fear before him,
and always to remember Lot's wife.
{276}
I saw, then, that they went on their way to a pleasant river;
which David the king called "the river of God", but John,
"the river of the water of life". [Ps. 65:9, Rev. 22, Ezek. 47]
Now their way lay just upon the bank of the river; here, therefore,
Christian and his companion walked with great delight;
they drank also of the water of the river, which was pleasant,
and enlivening to their weary spirits: besides, on the banks of this river,
on either side, were green trees, that bore all manner of fruit;
and the leaves of the trees were good for medicine;
with the fruit of these trees they were also much delighted;
and the leaves they eat to prevent surfeits, and other diseases
that are incident to those that heat their blood by travels.
On either side of the river
was also a meadow, curiously beautified with lilies, and it was green
all the year long. In this meadow they lay down, and slept;
for here they might lie down safely. When they awoke,
they gathered again of the fruit of the trees, and drank again
of the water of the river, and then lay down again to sleep.
[Ps. 23:2, Isa. 14:30] Thus they did several days and nights.
Then they sang--
Behold ye how these crystal streams do glide,
To comfort pilgrims by the highway side;
The meadows green, beside their fragrant smell,
Yield dainties for them; and he that can tell
What pleasant fruit, yea, leaves, these trees do yield,
Will soon sell all, that he may buy this field.
So when they were disposed to go on, (for they were not, as yet,
at their journey's end,) they ate and drank, and departed.
{277}
Now, I beheld in my dream, that they had not journeyed far,
but the river and the way for a time parted; at which they were not
a little sorry; yet they durst not go out of the way.
Now the way from the river was rough, and their feet tender,
by reason of their travels; so the souls of the pilgrims
were much discouraged because of the way. [Num. 21:4] Wherefore,
still as they went on, they wished for better way. Now,
a little before them, there was on the left hand of the road a meadow,
and a stile to go over into it; and that meadow is called
By-path Meadow. Then said
Christian to his fellow, If this meadow lieth along by our wayside,
let us go over into it. Then he went to the stile to see, and behold,
a path lay along by the way, on the other side of the fence.
It is according to my wish, said Christian. Here is the easiest going;
come, good Hopeful, and let us go over.
{278}
HOPE. But how if this path should lead us out of the way?
CHR. That is not like, said the other. Look, doth it not go along
by the wayside? So Hopeful, being persuaded by his fellow,
went after him over the stile. When they were gone over,
and were got into the path, they found it very easy for their feet;
and withal, they, looking before them, espied a man walking as they did,
(and his name was Vain-confidence); so they called after him,
and asked him whither that way led. He said, To the Celestial Gate.
Look, said Christian, did not I tell you so? By this you may see
we are right. So they followed, and he went before them.
But, behold, the night came on, and it grew very dark;
so that they that were behind lost the sight of him that went before.
{279}
He, therefore, that went before, (Vain-confidence by name),
not seeing the way before him, fell into a deep pit [Isa. 9:16],
which was on purpose there made, by the Prince of those grounds,
to catch vain-glorious fools withal, and was dashed in pieces
with his fall.
{280}
Now Christian and his fellow heard him fall. So they called to know
the matter, but there was none to answer, only they heard a groaning.
Then said Hopeful, Where are we now? Then was his fellow silent,
as mistrusting that he had led him out of the way; and now it began
to rain, and thunder, and lighten in a very dreadful manner;
and the water rose amain.
Then Hopeful groaned in himself, saying, Oh, that I had kept on my way!
{281}
CHR. Who could have thought that this path should have led us
out of the way?
HOPE. I was afraid on it at the very first, and therefore gave you
that gentle caution. I would have spoken plainer, but that you
are older than I.
CHR. Good brother, be not offended; I am sorry I have brought thee
out of the way, and that I have put thee into such imminent danger;
pray, my brother, forgive me; I did not do it of an evil intent.
HOPE. Be comforted, my brother, for I forgive thee; and believe, too,
that this shall be for our good.
CHR. I am glad I have with me a merciful brother; but we must not
stand thus: let us try to go back again.
HOPE. But, good brother, let me go before.
CHR. No, if you please, let me go first, that if there be any danger,
I may be first therein, because by my means we are both gone out
of the way.
{282}
HOPE. No, said Hopeful, you shall not go first; for your mind
being troubled may lead you out of the way again. Then,
for their encouragement, they heard the voice of one saying,
"Set thine heart toward the highway, even the way which thou wentest;
turn again." [Jer. 31:21] But by this time the waters
were greatly risen, by reason of which the way of going back
was very dangerous. (Then I thought that it is easier going out
of the way, when we are in, than going in when we are out.)
Yet they adventured to go back, but it was so dark,
and the flood was so high, that in their going back they had like
to have been drowned nine or ten times.
{283}
Neither could they, with all the skill they had, get again to the stile
that night. Wherefore, at last, lighting under a little shelter,
they sat down there until the daybreak; but, being weary,
they fell asleep. Now there was, not far from the place
where they lay, a castle called Doubting Castle, the owner whereof
was Giant Despair; and it was in his grounds they now were sleeping:
wherefore he, getting up in the morning early, and walking up and down
in his fields, caught Christian and Hopeful asleep in his grounds.
Then, with a grim and surly voice, he bid them awake; and asked them
whence they were, and what they did in his grounds. They told him
they were pilgrims, and that they had lost their way.
Then said the Giant, You have this night trespassed on me,
by trampling in and lying on my grounds, and therefore you must go along
with me. So they were forced to go, because he was stronger than they.
They also had but little to say, for they knew themselves in a fault.
The Giant, therefore,
drove them before him, and put them into his castle,
into a very dark dungeon, nasty and stinking to the spirits of these
two men. [Ps. 88:18] Here, then, they lay from Wednesday morning
till Saturday night, without one bit of bread, or drop of drink,
or light, or any to ask how they did; they were, therefore,
here in evil case, and were far from friends and acquaintance.
Now in this place Christian had double sorrow, because it was through
his unadvised counsel that they were brought into this distress.
The pilgrims now, to gratify the flesh,
Will seek its ease; but oh! how they afresh
Do thereby plunge themselves new griefs into!
Who seek to please the flesh, themselves undo.
{284}
Now, Giant Despair had a wife, and her name was Diffidence.
So when he was gone to bed, he told his wife what he had done; to wit,
that he had taken a couple of prisoners and cast them into his dungeon,
for trespassing on his grounds. Then he asked her also what he
had best to do further to them. So she asked him what they were,
whence they came, and whither they were bound; and he told her.
Then she counselled him that when he arose in the morning
he should beat them without any mercy. So, when he arose,
he getteth him a grievous crab-tree cudgel, and goes down into
the dungeon to them, and there first falls to rating of them
as if they were dogs, although they never gave him a word of distaste.
Then he falls upon them, and beats them fearfully, in such sort that
they were not able to help themselves, or to turn them upon the floor.
This done, he withdraws and leaves them there to condole their misery
and to mourn under their distress. So all that day they spent the time
in nothing but sighs and bitter lamentations. The next night, she,
talking with her husband about them further, and understanding they were
yet alive, did advise him to counsel them to make away themselves.
So when morning was come, he goes to them in a surly manner as before,
and perceiving them to be very sore with the stripes that he had
given them the day before, he told them, that since they were
never like to come out of that place, their only way would be forthwith
to make an end of themselves, either with knife, halter, or poison,
for why, said he, should you choose life, seeing it is attended
with so much bitterness? But they desired him to let them go.
With that he looked ugly upon them,
and, rushing to them, had doubtless made an end of them himself,
but that he fell into one of his fits, (for he sometimes,
in sunshiny weather, fell into fits), and lost for a time the use
(continued in part 10...)
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