Pilgrim's Progress, The The. John Bunyan

Besides the King of glory hath told thee, that he that “will save his life shall lose it.”⁴⁵ And, “He that cometh after me, and hateth not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.”⁴⁶ I say, therefore, for man to labour to persuade thee, that that shall be thy death, without which, THE TRUTH hath said, thou canst not have eternal life; this doctrine thou must abhor.

      Thirdly, Thou must hate his setting of thy feet in the way that leadeth to the ministration of death. And for this thou must consider to whom he sent thee, and also how unable that person was to deliver thee from thy burden.

He to whom thou wast sent for ease, being by name Legality, is the son of the bond-woman which now is, and is in bondage with her children⁴⁷; and is, in a mystery, this Mount Sinai, which thou hast feared will fall on thy head. Now, if she, with her children, are in bondage, how canst thou expect by them to be made free? This Legality, therefore, is not able to set thee free from thy burden. No man was as yet ever rid of his burden by him; no, nor ever is like to be: ye cannot be justified by the works of the law; for by the deeds of the law no man living can be rid of his burden: therefore, Mr. Worldly Wiseman is an alien, and Mr. Legality is a cheat; and for his son Civility, notwithstanding his simpering looks, he is but a hypocrite and cannot help thee. Believe me, there is nothing in all this noise, that thou hast heard of these sottish men, but a design to beguile thee of thy salvation, by turning thee from the way in which I had set thee. After this, Evangelist called aloud to the heavens for confirmation of what he had said: and with that there came words and fire out of the mountain under which poor Christian stood, that made the hair of his flesh stand up. The words were thus pronounced: ‘As many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.’⁴⁸

      Now Christian looked for nothing but death, and began to cry out lamentably; even cursing the time in which he met with Mr. Worldly Wiseman; still calling himself a thousand fools for hearkening to his counsel; he also was greatly ashamed to think that this gentleman’s arguments, flowing only from the flesh, should have the prevalency with him as to cause him to forsake the right way. This done, he applied himself again to Evangelist in words and sense as follow:

      CHRISTIAN: Sir, what think you? Is there hope? May I now go back and go up to the wicket-gate? Shall I not be abandoned for this, and sent back from thence ashamed? I am sorry I have hearkened to this man’s counsel. But may my sin be forgiven?

EVANGELIST: Then said Evangelist to him, Thy sin is very great, for by it thou hast committed two evils: thou hast forsaken the way that is good, to tread in forbidden paths; yet will the man at the gate receive thee, for he has goodwill for men; only, said he, take heed that thou turn not aside again, ‘lest thou perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little.’⁴⁹

      Then did Christian address himself to go back; and Evangelist, after he had kissed him, gave him one smile, and bid him God-speed. So he went on with haste, neither spake he to any man by the way; nor, if any asked him, would he vouchsafe them an answer. He went like one that was all the while treading on forbidden ground, and could by no means think himself safe, till again he was got into the way which he left, to follow Mr. Worldly Wiseman’s counsel.

      References

³⁴ Ex. 19:16, 18

³⁵ Heb. 12:21

³⁶ Heb. 12:25

³⁷ Heb. 10:38

³⁸ Matt. 12:31, Mark 3:28

³⁹ John 20:27

⁴⁰ 1 John 4:5

⁴¹ Gal 6:12

⁴² Luke 13:24

⁴³ Matt. 7:14

⁴⁴ Heb. 11:25,26

⁴⁵ Mark 8:35; John 12:25; Matt. 10:39

⁴⁶ Luke 14:26

⁴⁷ Gal 4:21-27

⁴⁸ Gal. 3:10

⁴⁹ Ps. 2:12

7 CHRISTIAN ARRIVES AT THE WICKET-GATE

SO after a while Christian arrived at the Wicket-gate. Now, over the gate there was written, ‘Knock, and it shall be opened unto you.’⁵⁰

      “He that will enter in must first without

      Stand knocking at the Gate, nor need he doubt

      That is A KNOCKER but to enter in;

      For God can love him, and forgive his sin.”

      He knocked, therefore, more than once or twice, saying—

      “May I now enter here? Will he within

      Open to sorry me, though I have been

      An undeserving rebel? Then shall I

      Not fail to sing his lasting praise on high.”

      At last there came a grave person to the gate, named Good-will, who asked who was there? and whence he came? and what he would have?

      CHRISTIAN: Here is a poor burdened sinner. I come from the City of Destruction, but am going to Mount Zion, that I may be delivered from the wrath to come. I would therefore, Sir, since I am informed that by this gate is the way thither, know if you are willing to let me in?

      GOOD-WILL. I am willing with all my heart, said he; and with that he opened the gate.

      So when Christian was stepping in, the other gave him a pull. Then said Christian, What means that? The other told him. A little distance from this gate, there is erected a strong castle, of which Beelzebub is the captain; from thence, both he and them that are with him shoot arrows at those that come up to this gate, if haply they may die before they can enter in.

      Then said Christian, I rejoice and tremble. So when he was got in, the man of the gate asked him who directed him thither?

      CHRISTIAN: Evangelist bid me come hither, and knock, (as I did); and he said that you, Sir, would tell me what I must do.

      GOOD-WILL.