their eyes, lest they should see," &c. But now we are by ourselves, what do you think of such men ? Have they at no time, think you, conviction of sin, and so, consequently, fears that their state is dangerous ?

Hope. Nay, do you answer that question yourself,. for you are the elder man.

Chr. Then I say; sometimes (as I think) they may; but they being naturally ignorant, understand not that such convictions tend to their good; and. therefore they do desperately seek to stifle them ; and presumptuously continue to flatter themselves. in the way of their own hearts.

Hope. I do believe, as you say, that fear tends. much to men's good, and to make them right at their begining to go on pilgrimage.

Chr. Without all doubt it doth, if it be right; for so says the word, "The fear of the Lord is the begining of wisdom (g)."

Hope. How will you describe right fear;

Chr. True, or right fear, is discovered by three: things:

1. By its rise. It is caused by saving convictions: for sin.

2. It driveth the soul to lay fast hold of Christ for salvation.

3. At begetteth and continueth in the soul a great reverence of God, his word and ways, keep-. ing it tender, and making it afraid to turn from: them to the right-hand, or to the left; to any thing. that may dishonour God, break its peace, grieve the Spirit, or cause the enemy to speak reproachfully.

Hope. Well said; I believe you have said the truth. Are we now almost got past the Enchanted. Ground?

Chr. Why, art thou weary of this discourse?

(g) Job, xxviii, 28. Psalm çxi. 10. Prov. i. 7. chap. ix, 10..

Hope. No, verily, but that I would know where

we are.

Chr. We have not now above two miles farther to go thereon. But let us return to our matter. Now the ignorant know not that such convictions as tend to put them in fear, are for their good, and therefore they seek to stifle them.

Hope. How do they seek to stifle them?

Chr. 1. They think that those fears are wrought by the devil (though indeed they are wrought of God); and thinking so, they resist them, as things that directly tend to their overthrow. 2. They also think that these fears tend to the spoiling of their faith (when, alas, for them, poor men that they are! they have none at all) and therefore they harden their hearts against them. 3. They presume they ought not to fear, and therefore in despite of them wax presumptuously confident. 4. They see that those fears tend to take away from them their pitiful old self-holiness, and therefore they resist them with all their might.

Hope. I know something of this myself; before: I knew myself it was so with me.

Chr. Well, we will leave at this time our neighbour Ignorance by himself, and fall upon another profitable question.

Hope. With all my heart, but you shall still begin. Chr. Well then, did you know, about ten years ago, one Temporary in our parts, who was a forward man in religion then?

Hope. Know him! yes, he dwelt in Graceless, a town about two miles off of Honesty, and he dwelt next door to one Turnback.

Chr. Right, he dwelt under the same roof with him. Well, that man was much awakened once; I believe that then he had some sight of his sins, and of the wages that were due thereto..

Hope. Fam of your mind, for (my house not being above three miles from him) he would oftentimes come to me, and that with many tears. Truly

I pitied the man, and was not altogether without hope of him: but one may see, it is not every one that cries, Lord, Lord.

Chr. He told me once, that he was resolved to go on pilgrimage, as we go now; but all on a sudden he grew acquainted with one Saveself, and then he became a stranger to me.

Hope. Now since we are talking about him, let us a little inquire into the reason of the sudden backsliding of him and such others.

Chr. It may be very profitable, but do you begin. Hope. Well then, there are, in my judgment, four reasons for it.

are

1. Though the consciences of such men awakened, yet their minds are not changed; therefore, when the power of guilt weareth away, that which provoketh them to be religious ceaseth : wherefore they naturally return to their own course again; even as we see the dog that is sick of what he hath eaten, so long as his sickness prevails, he vomits and casts up all: Not that he doeth this of a free mind, if we may say a dog has a mind, but because it troubleth his stomach: but now when his sickness is over, and his stomach eased, his desires being not at all alienated from his vomit, he turns him about, and licks up all; and so it is true which is written, "The dog is turned to his own vonit again (h)." Thus, I say, being hot for heaven by virtue only of the sense of and fear of torments of hell as that sense of hell, and fear of damnation chills and cools, so their desires for heaven and salvation cool also. So then it comes to pass that when their guilt and fear is gone, their desires for heaven and happiness die, and they return to their course again.

2. Another reason is, they have slavish fears that do over-master them; I speak now of the fears that they have of men : "For the fear of men bringeth

(i) 2 Peter ii. 22.

1

a snare (i). So then, though they seem to be hot for heaven so long as the flames of hell are about their ears, yet when that terror is a little over, they betake themselves to second thoughts; namely, that 'tis good to be wise, and not to run, for they know not what, the hazard of losing all, or at least of bringing themselves into unavoidable and unnecessary troubles, and so they fall in with the world again.

3. The shame that attends religion lies also as a block in their way; they are proud and haughty, and religion in their eye is low and contemptible: Therefore, when they have lost their sense of hell, and wrath to come, they return again to their former

course.

4. Guilt, and to meditate terror, are grievous to: them; they like not to see their misery before they come into it, though perhaps the sight of it at first, if they loved that sight, might make them fly whither the righteous fly and are safe; but because they do as I hinted before, even shut the thoughts of guilt and terror, therefore when once they are rid of their awakenings about the terrors and wrath of God,. they harden their hearts gladly, and choose such ways as will harden them more and more.

Chr. You are pretty near the business; for the bottom of all is, for want of a change in their mind and will. And therefore they are but like the felon that standeth before the judge; he quakes and trembles, and seems to repent most heartily; but the bottom of all is, the fear of the halter; not that he hath any detestation of the offence, as is evident; because, let but this man have his liberty, and he will be a thief, and so a rogue still; whereas, if his mind was changed, he would be otherwise.

Hope. Now I have showed you the reasons of their going back, do you show me the manner thereof.

Chr. So I will willingly.

(i) Prov. xxix, 25.

1. They draw off their thoughts, all that they may, from the remembrance of God, death and judgment

to come.

2. Then they cast off by degrees private duties, as closet prayer, curbing their lust, watching, sorrow for sin, &c.

3. Then they shun the company of lively and warm christians.

4. After that they grow cold to public duty, as hearing, reading, godly conference, and the like.

5. Then they begin to pick holes, as we say, in the coats of some of the godly, and that devilishly, that they may have a seeming colour to throw religion (for the sake of some infirmities they have 'spied in them) behind their backs.

6. Then they begin to adhere to, and associate themselves with carnal, loose, and wanton men.

7. Then they give way to carnal and wanton discourses in secret; and glad are they, if they can see such things in any that are counted honest, that they may the more boldly do it through their example.

8. After this, they begin to play with little sins openly.

9. And then, being hardened, they show themselves as they are. Thus being launched again into the gulf of misery, unless a miracle of grace prevent it, they everlastingly perish in their own deceivings.

EXPLANATORY NOTES.

IT is somewhat surprising that the Pilgrim's Progress should be universally esteemed, seeing that it condemns the far greater part of those who read it. To instance in this chapter only;-Does not Ignorance speak the language of most nominal christians? Do we not hear them say with him, "They hope well, for their hearts are always full of good motions:-they have very good hearts, and they