CHAP. XVI.

The Pilgrims arrive at the Delectable Mountains, and are entertained by the Shepherds.

TH

HEY then went till they came to the Delectable Mountains, which mountains belong to the Lord of that hill of which we have spoken before: so they went up to the mountains, to behold the gardens and orchards, the vineyards and fountains of water; where also they drank and washed themselves, and did freely eat of the vineyards. Now there were on the tops of these mountains shepherds feeding their flocks, and they stood by the highway-side. The pilgrims therefore went to them, and leaning upon their staves, (as is common with weary pilgrims when they stand to talk with any by the way), they asked, Whose delectable mountains are these? and whose be the sheep that feed upon them ?'

Shep. The mountains are Emmanuel's land,'and they are within sight of his city; and the sheep also are his, and he laid down his life for them.

Chr. Is this the way to the celestial city?

Shep. You are just in the way.

Chr. How far is it thither?

Shep. Too far for any but those who shall go thither indeed.

Chr. Is the way safe or dangerous?

Shep. Safe for those for whom it is to be safe; "but transgressors shall fall therein."

Chr. Is there in this place any relief for pilgrims that are weary and faint in the way ?

Shep. The lord of these mountains hath given us a charge "not to be forgetful to entertain strangers ;" therefore the good of the place is before you.

I also saw in my dream, that, when the shepherds perceived that they were wayfaring men, they also put questions to them, (to which they made answer, as in other places,) as, Whence came you? and how got you into the way? and by what means have you so persevered therein? for but a few of them that begin to come hither, do show their faces on this mountain. But when 1 Hos. xiv. 9. 2. Heb. xiii. 1, 2.

the shepherds heard their answers, being pleased therewith, they looked very lovingly upon them, and said, Welcome to the Delectable Mountains.

The shepherds, I say, whose names were Knowledge, Experience, Watchful, and Sincere, took them by the hand, and had them to their tents, and made them partake of that which was ready at present. They said, moreover, We would that you should stay here awhile, to be acquainted with us, and yet more to solace yourselves with the good of these Delectable Mountains.They then told them that they were content to stay: so they went to their rest that night, because it was very late.

Then I saw in my dream, that in the morning the shepherds called up Christian and Hopeful to walk with them upon the mountains: so they went forth with them, and walked awhile, having a pleasant prospect on every side. Then said the shepherds one to another, Shall we show these pilgrims some wonders? So, when they had concluded to do it, they had them first to the top of an hill, called Error, which was very steep on the furthest side, and bid them look down to the bottom. So Christian and Hopeful looked down, and saw at the bottom several men dashed all to pieces by a fall that they had from the top. Then said Christian, What meaneth this? The shepherds answered, Have you not heard of them that were made to err, by hearkening to Hymeneus and Philetus, as concerning the faith of the resurrection of the body? They answered, Yea. Then said the shepherds, Those that you see lie dashed in pieces at the bottom of this mountain are they; and they have continued to this day unburied, as you see, for example to others to take heed how they clamber too high, or how they come too near the brink of this mountain.

Then I saw they had them to the top of another moun tain, and the name of that is Caution, and bid them look afar off, which when they did, they perceived, as they thought, several men walking up and down among the tombs that were there: and they perceived that the men were blind, because they stumbled sometimes upon the 1 2d Tim. i. 17, 18.

tombs, and because they could not get out from among them. Then said Christian, What means this?

The shepherds then answered, Did you not see a little below these mountains, a stile that leads into a meadow on the left-hand of this way? They answered, Yes.Then said the shepherds, From that stile there goes a path that leads directly to Doubting Castle, which is kept by giant Despair, and these men (pointing to them among the tombs) came once on pilgrimage as you do now, even till they came to that same stile. And, because the right way was rough in that place, they chose to go out of it into that meadow, and there were taken by giant Despair, and cast into Doubting Castle; where, after they had awhile been kept in the dungeon, he at last did put out their eyes, and led them among those tombs, where he had 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." 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 in the side of an 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 there 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 by-way to hell, a way that hypocrites go in at; namely, such as sell their birthright, 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. Yea, and held it a long time too.

Hope. How far might they go on in pilgrimage in their days, since they, notwithstanding, were thus miserably cast away?

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

Then said the pilgrims one to another, We had 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 forwards, and the shepherds a desire they should; so they walked together towards the end of the mountains.

Then said

the shepherds one to another, Let us here show the pilgrims the gates of the Celestial City, if they have skill to look through our prospective glass. The pilgrims then lovingly accepted the motion: so they had them to the top of an high hill, called Clear, and gave them the glass to look.

Then they essayed 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 thought they saw something like the gate, and also some of the glory of the place. Then they went away, and sang this song:

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 sleep not upon the enchanted ground. And the fourth bid them good speed. So I awoke from my dream.

CHAP. XVII.

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

A ND 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 Celestial City.

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

As other good people do, said he.

Chr. But what have you got to show at that gate that may cause it to 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 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.

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 it is a great way off from 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 do or no; since we have, as you see, a fine pleasant green lane that comes down from our country the nearest way.

* His name was Ignorance] Ignorance and presumption are inseparable companions. A man who knows nothing, thinks he knows every thing, and is more wise in his own conceit than seven men who can render a reason. Thus Ignorance, without knowing the only method of salvation by Christ, talks with great self-confidence and conceit, of being acquainted with the path to heaven.