upon thee; but that flough is the beginning of the forrows that do attend those that go on in that way! Hear me, I am older than thou: thou art like to meet with, on the way which thou goeft, wearisomness, painfulness, hunger, perils, nakedness, sword, lions, dragons, darkness, and in a word, death, and what not These things are certainly true, having been confirmed by many teftimonies. And why should a man fo carelefly caft away himself, by giving heed to a stranger? Chr. Why, Sir, this burden upon my back is more terrible to me, than are all these things which have mentioned: *Nay, methinks I * The Frame of the Heart Care not what I meet with in my way, if of a Young fo be I can alfo meet with deliverance you Chriftian. from my burden. World. How cameft thou by the burden at firft? Chr. By reading this book in my hand. World. I thought fo; and it has happened unto thee as to other weak men, who, meddling with things too high for them, do fuddenly fall into thy diftractions; which distractions do not only unman men (as thine I perceive have done thee) but they run wanted an omnipotent arm to protect him from the manifold dangers to which he was perpetually expofed-And whofe fo fuitable as the arm of Jefus? He was polluted with guilt, and wanted an all-perfect righteousness to justify him before God-And whofe fo divinely proper as the everlasting righteoufnefs of Jesus ? He was diftreffed in his mind. And what fo proper to chear his heart, and rejoice his foul before God, as the love, the joy, the peace, which flows from Jefus ? But Mr. Worldly Wifeman was an utter ftranger to all this: he directs him to means totally infufficient to relieve him : it was fuited, indeed, to increase his distress, and subject him to fresh difficulties. His foul was liable to be more embarraffed by a legal frame, which always leads the finner from Chrift; and it unhappily proved a fnare to Chriftian. The addrefs might please the flesh, and lull the foul into fecurity; but it would never lead it to Chrift. run them upon defperate ventures, to obtain they know not what. Chr. I know what I would obtain; it is ease from my heavy burden. World. But why wilt thou feek for ease this way, feeing fo many dangers attend it? especially, fince (hadst thou but patience to hear me) I could direct thee to the obtaining of what thou defireft, without the dangers that thou in this way wilt run thyfelf into: Yea, and the remedy is at hand. Befides, I will add, that instead of these dangers, thou shalt meet with much fafety, friendship, and content. Chr. Pray, Sir, open this fecret to me. Wor. Why, in yonder village (the village is named Morality) there dwells a gentleman whofe name is Legality, a very judicious man, and a man of very good name, that has skill to help men off with fuch burdens as thine is from their fhoulders; yea, to my knowledge, he hath done a great deal of good this way; and befides, he hath fkill to cure thofe that are fomewhat crazed in their wits with their burdens. To him, as I faid, thou mayeft go and be helped prefently. His houfe is not quite a mile from this place; and if he should not be at home himself, he hath a pretty young man to his fon, whofe name is Civility, that can do it (to speak on) as well as the old gentleman himself. There, I fay, thou mayeft be eased of thy burden, and if thou art not minded to go back to thy former habitation, as indeed I would not wish thee, thou mayeft fend for thy wife and children to thee to this village, where there are houfes now ftanding empty, one of which thou mayeft have at a reafonable rate; provifion is there alfo cheap and good; and that which will make thy life the more happy, is, to be fure there thou fhalt live by honeft neighbours in credit and good fashion. D 2 Now Now was Chriftian somewhat at a ftand; but prefently he concluded, if this be true which this gentleman hath faid, my wifeft courfe is to take his advice; and with that he thus farther spake. Chr. Sir, which is my way to this honeft man's house? § Mount Sinai. Wor. Do you fee yonder high hill§? Chr. Yes, very well. Wor. By that hill you muft go, you come at is his. 1 and the first house 1 So Chriftian turned out of his way, to go to Mr. Legality's houfe for help: but behold, when he was got now hard by the hill, it seemed fo high, and alfo that fide of it that was next the way-fide, did hang fo much over, that Chriftian was afraid to venture farther, left the hill should fall on his head; wherefore there he stood ftill, and knew not what to do. Alfa his burden now feemed heavier to him than while he was in his way. There came alfo flashes of fire out of 1 The chriftian never fteps out of the way, but he is alarmed with fresh difficulties. If he is once forgetful of the commands of his God-if he be inattentive to the divinely feasonable directions that are given him, he will be made to fmart for it. And this is but too often the cafe. The chriftian is too apt to be pleased with new propofed fchemes of fafety, whereby his foul is fubjected to peculiar embarraff ments. This appears evidently to be the cafe with Chriftian. Evangelift had given him advice fuitable to his ftate and condition; and had he adhered to it, all might have been well. But Evangelift's counfel is neglected, the divine declarations of the gospel are flighted, and the Chriftian involved in additional diftrefs. He turns out of his way to feek for help, from a refuge of fin, and where he could leaft expect to find it; the confequence was natural, and what is peculiar to the children of God, who act in like manner. Whenever the believer depends, though in the leaft degree, on any thing fhort of the all-fufficiency of Chrift, his foul is fure to be brought into bondage. If he expects life, or even the leaft confolation from the law, he will find it to speak death unto his foul; its awful terrors will pierce him through, and gaufe |