CHR. My honoured and well-beloved brother, Faithful, I am glad that I have overtaken you, and that God has so tempered the spirits that we can walk as companions in this so pleasant a path.
FAITH. I had thought, dear friend, to have had your company quite from our town; but you did get the start of me, wherefore I was forced to come thus much of the way alone.
CHR. How long did you stay in the City of Destruction before you set out after me on your pilgrimage
FAITH. Till I could stay no longer, for there was great talk presently after you were gone out, that our city would, in a short time, with fire from Heaven, be burned down to the ground.
CHR. What! Did your neighbours talk so?
FAITH. Yes, it was for a while in everybody's mouth.
CHR. What! and did no more of them but you come out to escape the danger?
FAITH. Though there was, as I said, a great talk thereabout, yet I do not think they firmly believed it. For in the heat of the discourse, I heard some of them deridingly speak of you, and of your desperate journey (for so they called this your pilgrimage), but I did believe, and do still, that the end of our city will be with fire and brimstone from above; and therefore I have made my escape.
CHR. Did you hear no talk of neighbour Pliable?
FAITH. Yes, Christian, I heard that he followed you till he came at the Slough of Despond, where, as some said, he fell in; but he would not be known to have so done; but I am sure he was soundly bedabbled with that kind of dirt.
CHR. And what did the neighbours say to him?
FAITH. He hath, since his going back, been greatly in derision, and that among all sorts of people; some do mock and despise him; and scarcely will any set him on work. He is now seven times worse than if he had never gone out of the City.
CHR. But why should they be so set against him, since they also despise the way that he forsook?
FAITH. O! they say, Hang him, he is a turncoat; he was not true to his profession. I think God has stirred up even his enemies to hiss at him, and make him a proverb, because he hath forsaken the way (Jer. 29:18, 19).
CHR. Had you no talk with him before you came out?
FAITH. I met him once in the streets, but he leered away on the other side, as one ashamed of what he had done; so I spake not to him.
CHR. Well, at my first setting out, I had hopes of that man; but now I fear he will perish in the overthrow of the city; For it is happened to him according to the true proverb, "The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed, to her wallowing in the mire" (2 Peter 2:22).
FAITH. These are my fears of him, too, but who can hinder that which will be?
CHR. Well, neighbour Faithful, said Christian, let us leave him, and talk of things that more immediately concern ourselves. Tell me now, what you have met with on the way as you came; for I know you have met with some things, or else it may be writ for a wonder.
FAITH. I escaped the Slough that I perceived you fell into, and got up to the gate without that danger; only I met with one whose name was Wanton, who had like to have done me a mischief.
CHR. It was well you escaped her net; Joseph was hard put to it by her, and he escaped her as you did; but it had like to have cost him his life (Gen. 39:11-13). But what did she do to you?
FAITH. You cannot think, but that you know something, what a flattering tongue she had; she lay at me hard to turn aside with her, promising me all manner of content.
CHR. Nay, she did not promise you the content of a good conscience.
FAITH. You know what I mean; all carnal and fleshly content.
CHR. Thank God you have escaped her; "the abhorred of the Lord shall fall into her ditch" (Pro. 22:14).
FAITH. Nay, I know not whether I did wholly escape her or no.
CHR. Why, I think you did not consent to her desires?
FAITH. No, not to defile myself; for I remembered an old writing that I had seen, which said, "Her steps take hold on hell" (Prov. 5:5). So I shut mine eyes, because I would not be bewitched with her looks (Job 31:1). Then she railed on me, and I went my way.
CHR. Did you meet with no other assault as you came?
FAITH. When I came to the foot of the hill called Difficulty, I met with a very aged man, who asked me what I was, and whither bound. I told him that I am a pilgrim, going to the Celestial City. Then said the old man, Thou lookest like an honest fellow; wilt thou be content to dwell with me for the wages that I shall give thee? Then I asked him his name and where he dwelt. He said his name was Adam the First, and that he dwelt in the town of Deceit (Eph. 4:22). I asked him then what his work was, and what the wages that he would give. He told me that his work was many delights, and his wages that I should be his heir at last. I further asked him what house he kept, and what other servants he had. So he told me that his house was maintained with all the dainties in the world, and that his servants were those of his own begetting. Then I asked if he had any children. He said that he had but three daughters: the Lust of the Flesh, the Lust of the Eyes, and the Pride of Life, and that I should marry them all if I would (1 John 2:16). Then I asked how long a time he would have me live with him? And he told me, as long as he lived himself.
CHR. Well, and what conclusion did the old man and you come to, at last?
FAITH. Why, at first, I found myself somewhat inclined to go with the man, for I thought he spoke very fair; but looking in his forehead, as I talked with him, I saw there written, "Put off the old man with his deeds."
CHR. And how then?
FAITH. Then it came burning hot into my mind, whatever he said, and however he flattered, when he got me home to his house, he would sell me for a slave. So I bid him forbear to talk, for I would not come near the door of his house. Then he reviled me and told me that he would send such a one after me that should make my way bitter to my soul. So I turned to go away from him, but just as I turned myself to go thence, I felt him take hold of my flesh and give me such a deadly twitch back that I thought he had pulled part of me after himself. This made me cry, "O wretched man!" (Rom. 7:24). So I went on my way up the hill.
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