CHR. Yes, but greatly against my will; especially my inward and
carnal cogitations, with which all my countrymen, as well as myself,
were delighted; but now all those things are my grief; and might
I but choose mine own things,

Christian's choice

I would choose never to think of those things more; but when I
would be doing of that which is best, that which is worst is with
me. [Rom 7:16-19]

{123} PRUD. Do you not find sometimes, as if those things were
vanquished, which at other times are your perplexity?

Christian's golden hours

CHR. Yes, but that is seldom; but they are to me golden hours in
which such things happen to me.

PRUD. Can you remember by what means you find your annoyances, at
times, as if they were vanquished?

CHR. Yes, when I think what I saw at the cross, that will do it;
and when I look upon my broidered coat, that will do it; also when
I look into the roll that I carry in my bosom, that will do it;
and when my thoughts wax warm about whither I am going, that will
do it.

{124} PRUD. And what is it that makes you so desirous to go to
Mount Zion?

CHR. Why, there I hope to see him alive that did hang dead on the
cross; and there I hope to be rid of all those things that to this
day are in me an annoyance to me; there, they say, there is no
death; and there I shall dwell with such company as I like best.
[Isa. 25:8; Rev. 21:4] For, to tell you truth, I love him,
because I was by him eased of my burden; and I am weary of my inward
sickness. I would fain be where I shall die no more, and with the
company that shall continually cry, "Holy, Holy, Holy!"

{125} Then said Charity to Christian, Have you a family? Are you
a married man?

CHR. I have a wife and four small children.

CHAR. And why did you not bring them along with you?

Christian's love to his wife and children

CHR. Then Christian wept, and said, Oh, how willingly would I have
done it! but they were all of them utterly averse to my going on
pilgrimage.

CHAR. But you should have talked to them, and have endeavoured to
have shown them the danger of being behind.

CHR. So I did; and told them also of what God had shown to me
of the destruction of our city; "but I seemed to them as one that
mocked", and they believed me not. [Gen. 19:14]

CHAR. And did you pray to God that he would bless your counsel to
them?

CHR. Yes, and that with much affection: for you must think that
my wife and poor children were very