carnal men give ear, Out of their way they
go, and pay for 't dear; For Master Worldly Wiseman can but shew
A saint the way to bondage and to woe.
{47} And now he began to be sorry that he had taken Mr. Worldly
Wiseman's counsel. And with that he saw Evangelist coming to meet
him; at the sight also of whom he began to blush for shame. So
Evangelist drew nearer and nearer; and coming up to him, he looked
upon him with a severe and dreadful countenance, and thus began to
reason with Christian.
{48} EVAN. What dost thou here, Christian? said he: at which
words Christian knew not what to answer; wherefore at present he
stood speechless before him. Then said Evangelist further, Art not
thou the man that I found crying without the walls of the City of
Destruction?
CHR. Yes, dear Sir, I am the man.
EVAN. Did not I direct thee the way to the little wicket-gate?
CHR. Yes, dear Sir, said Christian.
EVAN. How is it, then, that thou art so quickly turned aside? for
thou art now out of the way.
{49} CHR. I met with a gentleman so soon as I had got over the
Slough of Despond, who persuaded me that I might, in the village
before me, find a man that would take off my burden.
EVAN. What was he?
CHR. He looked like a gentleman, and talked much to me, and got me
at last to yield; so I came hither; but when I beheld this hill, and
how it hangs over the way, I suddenly made a stand lest it should
fall on my head.
EVAN. What said that gentleman to you?
CHR. Why, he asked me whither I was going, and I told him.
EVAN. And what said he then?
CHR. He asked me if I had a family? And I told him. But, said I,
I am so loaden with the burden that is on my back, that I cannot
take pleasure in them as formerly.
EVAN. And what said he then?
{50} CHR. He bid me with speed get rid of my burden; and I told him
that it was ease that I sought. And said I, I am therefore going
to yonder gate, to receive further direction how I may get to the
place of deliverance. So he said that he would shew me a better
way, and short, not so attended with difficulties as the way,
Sir, that you set me in; which way, said he, will direct you to
a gentleman's house that hath skill to take off these burdens, so
I believed him, and turned out of that way into this, if haply I
might be soon eased of my burden. But when I came to this place,
and beheld things as they are, I stopped for fear (as I said) of
danger: but I now know not
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