THE
PILGRIM'S PROGRESS
JOHN
BUNYAN
Section
9
Christian
and Hopeful meet Ignorance - Turn-away - Little-Faith
- the
Flatterer - the net - chastised by a Shining One - Atheist
- Enchanted
Ground - Hopeful's account of his conversion - discourse
of Christian and Ignorance
IGNORANCE
FROM CONCEIT
And
I slept, and dreamed again; and saw the same two pilgrims going
down the mountains, along the high way towards the City. Now, a little below
these mountains, on the left hand, lies 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 part he came? and whither he was going?"
Ignorance.
Sir, I was born in the country that lies off there, a little on the left
hand; and I am going to the
Celestial
City
.
Chr.
But how do you think to get in at the gate; for you may find some difficulty
there?
Ign.
"As other good people do," said he.
Chr.
But what have you to show at that gate that may cause that the gate should
be opened to you?
Ign.
I know my Lord's will, and I have led a good life: 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 mayest think of thyself, when the reckoning day shall come,
thou wilt have laid to thy charge, that thou art a thief and a robber,
instead of getting admittance into the City.
Ign.
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 of our country. I cannot think that any man in
all our parts doth so much as know the way to it; nor need they matter
whether they do or not, 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 hope of a fool than of him".
"Seest
thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than
of him." Proverbs 26:12
And
said, moreover, "When he that is a fool walks by the way, his wisdom
fails him; and he saith to everyone that he is a fool.
"Yea
also, 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."
Ecclesiastes 10:3
What!
shall we talk further with him? or outgo 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 by 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 'Those that no understanding have
(Although he made them) them he will not save.'"
Hope.
He further added, "It is not good, I think, to say all to him 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 both went 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 a man whom
seven devils had bound with seven strong cords, and were carrying of him
back to the door that they saw in the side of the hill.
"Then
goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than
himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of
that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked
generation." Matthew 12:45
"His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be
holden with the cords of his sins." Proverbs 5:22
Now
good CHRISTIAN began to tremble, and so did HOPEFUL his companion; yet as
the devils led away the man, CHRISTIAN looked to see if he knew him, and he
thought it might be one TURN-A-WAY, that dwelt in the town of
Apostasy
. But he did not
perfectly see his face, for he did hang his head like a thief that is found;
but being gone past, HOPEFUL looked after him, and espied on his back a
paper with this inscription, "Wanton professor, and damnable
apostate."
The
Pilgrim's Progress - Little-Faith
The
Pilgrim's Progress - Contents
