When faithlefs ones, with all their vain delights, Chriftian has another companion. Now I faw in my dream that Chriftian went not forth alone; for there was one whofe name was Hopeful (being fo made by the beholding of Chriftian and Faithful in their words and behaviour in their fufferings at the fair) who joined himfelf unto him, and entering into a brotherly covenant, told him that he would be his companion. Thus one died to bear teflimony to the truth, and another rifes out of his afhes to be a companion with Chriftian in his pilgrimage. This Hopeful alfo told Chriftian, that there were many more of the men in the fair that would take their time, and follow after. So I faw that, quickly after they were got out of the fair, they overtook one that was going before them, whose name was By-ends; fo they faid to him, What countryman, Sir? and how far go you this way? He told them that he came from the town of Fair-fpeech, and he was going to the celeftial city, but told them not his name. From Fair-fpeech, said Chriftian; Is there any good that lives there? By ends. Yes, faid By-ends, I hope. Chr. Pray, Sir, what may I call you? By-ends. I am a ftranger to you, and you to me: If you be going this way, I fhall be glad of your company: if not, I must be content. Chr. This town of Fair-fpeech, faid Chriftian, I have heard of, and, as I remember, they fay it is a wealthy place. By-ends. Yes, I ill affure you that it is, and I have very many rich kindred there. Chr. Pray, who are your kindred there, if a man may be fo bold? By-ends. Almoft the whole town; and in particular my Lord Turn-about, my Lord Time-ferver, my Lord Fair) fpeech (from whofe ancestors that town first took its name; alfo Mr. Smoothman, Mr. Facing-both-ways, Mr Anything, and the parfon of our parifh, Mr. Two-tongues, was was my mother's own brother by father's-fide: And, to tell you the truth, I am become a gentleman of good quality; yet my great grandfather was but a waterman, looking one way and rowing another; and I got most of my ellate by the fame occupation.. Chr. Are you a married man?? By-ends Yes, and my wife is a very virtuous woman, the daughter of a virtuous woman, he was my Lady Feigning's daughter; therefore the came of a very honourable family, and is arrived to fuch a pitch of breeding, that fhe knows how to carry it to all, even to prince and peasant. "Tis true, we fomewhat differ in religion from thofe of the frider fort, yet but in two fmall points, First, we never ftrive against wind and tide, Secondly, We are always moft zealous when.. Religion goes in her filver flippers; we love much to walk wh her in the street, if the fun fhines hot, and the people applaud her. Where By-ende differs from others in rek-gion. Then Chriftian stept a little afide to his fellow Hopeful,', faying, It runs in my mind that this is one By-ends of Fair-fpeech; and if it be he, we have as very a knave in our company as dwelleth in all thefe parts. Then, said Hopeful, ask him ; methinks he should not be afhamed of his name. So Chriftian came up with him again, and said,. Sir, you talk as if you knew fomething more than all the world doth; and, if I take not my mark amifs, I deem I have half a guefs of you: Is not your name Mr. By-ends of Fair-Speech? By-ends. This is not my name; but indeed it is a nickname that is given me by fome that cannot abide me, and I must be content to bear it as a reproach, as many other s good men have born theirs before me. Chr. But did you never give an occafion to men to call i you by that name? How By-ends. get his name. By ends. Never, never! The worft that ever I did to give them occafion to call me by this name was that I had always, the t fuck to jump in my judgment with the prefent way of the times, and my chance was to get thereby; but if things are thus caft upon me, let me count them a bleffing; but let not the malicious load me therefore with reproach, Chr. I thought indeed that you were the man that I heard of; and, to tell you what I think, I fear this name belongs to you more properly than you are willing we Should think it doth. By-ends. Well, if you will thus imagine, I cannot help it: You will find me a company-keeper, if you will still admit me your affociate. Chr. If you will go with us, you must go against wind and tide, the which I perceive is against your opinion; you muft also own religion in her rags, as well as when in her lver flippers; and ftand by her too when bound in irons, as well as when the walketh the ftreets with applaufe, Bg-enas. You must not impofe, nor lord it over my faith; leave me to my liberty, and let me go with you, Chr. Not a step farther, unless you will do in what I propound as we. Then, faid By-ends, I fhall never defert my old principles, fince they are harmless and profitable. If I may not go with you, I muft do as I did before you overtook me, even go by myself, until some overtake me that will be glad of my company. He has new companions. Then I faw in my dream, that Chriftian and Hopeful? forfook him, and kept their distance before him ; but one of them looking back, faw three men following Mr. By ends; and behold as they came up with him, he made them a very low congee, and they also gave him a compliment. The men's names were Mr. Hold-the-World, Mr. Money-love, and Mr. Save-all, men that Mr. By-ends had formerly been acquainted with; for in their minority they were school-fellows, and taught by one Mr. Gripe-man, a school-master in Love-gain, which is a market-town in the County of Coveting, in the north. This fchool- master taught them the art of getting, either by violence, cozen. age, flattery, lying, or by putting on a guife of religion; and thefe four gentlemen had attained much of the art of their matter, fo that they could each of them have kept such fchool themfelves. Well, when they had, as I faid, thus faluted each other, Mr. Money-love faid to Mr. By-ends, Who are they upon the Road before us? (For Christian and Hopeful were yet1 within view.) By ends. They are a couple of far countryman, that; after their mode, are going on pilgrimage. By-end's chas rader of the pilgrims. Money-love. Alas! why did not they stay, that we might have had their good company; for they and we, and you, Sir, I hope, are going on pilgrimage. By-ends We are fo indeed; but the men before us are fo rigid, and love fo much their own notions, and do alfo fo lightly esteem the opinion of others, that let a man be never fo godly, yet if he jumps not with them in all things, they thrust him quite out of their company. Mr. Save-all. That's bad; but we read of fome that are righteous over much; and fuch men's rigidness prevails with them to condemn and judge all but themselves: But I pray what, and how many were the things wherein you differed ?? By ends Why they, after their headstrong manner, conclude that it is their duty to rufh on their journey all weathers, and I am for waiting for wind and tide. They are for hazarding all for God at a clap, and I am for taking all advantages to fecure my life and reftate. They are for holding their notions, tho' all other men be against them s but I am for religion, in what and fo far as the times and my fafety will bear it. They are for religion when in raga and c contempt, but I'am for her when the walks in her golden flippers in the funshine, and with applause... Mr. Hold the world. Ay, and hold you there ftill, good Mr. By-ends; for, for my part, I can count him but a fool, that having the liberty to keep what he has fhall be fo unwife as to lofe it? Let us be wife as ferpents: 'tis best to make hay when the fun fhines. You fee how the bee lieth ftill all winter, and bestirs her only when she can have profit with pleasure. God fends fometimes rain, and fome times funthine: if they be fuch fools as to go through the firit, yet let us be content to take fair weather along with us. For my part, I like that religion beft, that will stand with the fecurity of God's good bleflings unto as: For who can imagine, that is ruled by his reafon, fince God has bellowed-upon us the good things of this life, but that he would have us keep them for his fake. Abraham and Solomon grew rich in religion. And Job fays, that a good man fhall lay up his gold as duft. But he must not be fuch tation, Mr. Hold-the-World propounded the question to Christian and his fellow, and bid them to answer it if they could. Chr. Then, faid Chritian, even a babe in religion may anfwer ten thousand fuch questions. John 6. For, if it be unlawful to follow Christ for loes, as it is, how much more abominable is it to make of him and religion a ftalking-horfe to get and enjoy the world? Nor do we find any other than heathens, hypocrites, devils, and witches, that are of this opinion. 1. Heathens; for when Hamor and Sechem had a mind to the daughter and cattle of Jacob, and faw that there was no way for them to come at them, but by becoming circumcifed, they faid to their companions, If every male of us be circumcifed, as they are circumcifed, shall not their cattle and their fubftance, and every beast of theirs, be ours? Their daughters and their cattle were that which they fought to obtain, and their religion the talking horfe they made ufe of to come at them. Read the whole story in Genefis, Chap. xxxiv. 20, 21, 22, 23. 2. The hypocritical Pharifees were alfo of this religion: Long prayers were their pretence; but to get widows houfes was their intent, and greater damnation was from was from God their judgment. Luke 20, 46, 47. 3. Judas the devil was alfo of this religion: he was religious for the bag, that he might be poffeffed of what was therein; but he was loft, caft away, and the very fon of perdition. Acts 8. 19, &c. 4. Simon the witch was of this religion too; for he would have had the Holy Ghoft that he might have got money therewith, and his fentence from Peter's mouth was according 5. Neither will it go out of my mind, but that that man that takes up religion for the world, will throw away religion for the world; for fo farely as Judas defigned the world in becoming religious, fo furely did he alo fell relié gion and his master for the fame. To answer the question therefore affirmatively, as I perceive you have done, and to accept of as authentic, fuch anfwer, is both heathenifh, bypocritical, and devilish and your reward will be according to your works. Then they flood ftaring one upon another, but had not wherewith anfwer Christiane Hopeful alfo approved |
