Christiana and her sons

The Interpreter then called for a man-servant of his, one Great-heart, and

bid him take A sword, and helmet, and shield; and, Take these my daughters,

said he, conduct them to the house called Beautiful, at which place they

will rest next. So he took his weapons, and went before them; and the

Interpreter said, God speed. Those also that belonged to the family, sent

them away with many a good wish. So they went on their way, and sang,

This place hath been our second stage:

Here we have heard, and seen

Those good things, that from age to age

To others hid have been.

The dunghill-raker, spider, hen,

The chicken, too, to me

Have taught a lesson: let me then

Conformed to it be.

The butcher, garden, and the field,

The robin and his bait,

Also the rotten tree, doth yield

Me argument of weight,

To move me for to watch and pray,

To strive to be sincere;

To take my cross up day by day,

And serve the Lord with fear.

Now I saw in my dream, that they went on, and Great-Heart before them. So

they went, and came to the place where Christian’s burden fell off his back

and tumbled into a sepulchre. Here then they made a pause; and here also

they blessed God. Now, said Christiana, it comes to my mind what was said to

us at the gate, to wit, that we should have pardon by word and deed: by

word, that is, by the promise; by deed, to wit, in the way it was obtained.

What the promise is, of that I know something; but what is it to have pardon

by deed, or in the way that it was obtained, Mr. Great-Heart, I suppose you

know; wherefore, if you please, let us hear your discourse thereof.

MR. GREAT-HEART: Pardon by the deed done, is pardon obtained by some one for

another that hath need thereof; not by the person pardoned, but in the way,

saith another, in which I have obtained it. So then, to speak to the

question more at large, the pardon that you, and Mercy, and these boys have

attained, was obtained by another; to wit, by him that let you in at the

gate. And he hath obtained it in this double way; he hath performed

righteousness to cover you, and spilt his blood to wash you in.

CHRISTIANA: But if he parts with his righteousness to us, what will he have

for himself?

MR. GREAT-HEART: He has more righteousness than you have need of, or than he

needeth himself.

CHRISTIANA: Pray make that appear.

MR. GREAT-HEART: With all my heart: but first I must premise, that he of

whom we are now about to speak, is one that has not his fellow: He has two

natures in one person, plain to be distinguished, impossible to be divided.

Unto each of these natures a righteousness belongeth, and each righteousness

is essential to that nature; so that one may as easily cause that nature to

be extinct, as to separate its justice or righteousness from it. Of these

righteousnesses therefore, we are not made partakers, so as that they, or

any of them, should be put upon us, that we might be made just, and live

thereby. Besides these, there is a righteousness which this person has, as

these two natures are joined in one. And this is not the righteousness of

the Godhead, as distinguished from the manhood; nor the righteousness of the

manhood, as distinguished from the Godhead; but a righteousness which

standeth in the union of both natures, and may properly be called the

righteousness that is essential to his being prepared of God to the capacity

of the mediatory office, which he was to be entrusted with. If he parts with

his first righteousness, he parts with his Godhead; if he parts with his

second righteousness, he parts with the purity of his manhood; if he parts

with his third, he parts with that perfection that capacitates him to the

office of mediation. He has therefore another righteousness, which standeth

in performance, or obedience to a revealed will; and that is what he puts

upon sinners, and that by which their sins are covered. Wherefore he saith,

“As by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of

one shall many be made righteous.” Rom. 5:19.

CHRISTIANA: But are the other righteousnesses of no use to us?

MR. GREAT-HEART: Yes; for though they are essential to his natures and

office, and cannot be communicated unto another, yet it is by virtue of them

that the righteousness that justifies is for that purpose efficacious. The

righteousness of his Godhead gives virtue to his obedience; the

righteousness of his manhood giveth capability to his obedience to justify;

and the righteousness that standeth in the union of these two natures to his

office, giveth authority to that righteousness to do the work for which it

was ordained.

So then here is a righteousness that Christ, as God, has no need of; for he

is God without it: Here is a righteousness that Christ, as man, has no need

of to make him so; for he is perfect man without it. Again, here is a

righteousness that Christ, as God-man, has no need of; for he is perfectly

so without it. Here then is a righteousness that Christ, as God, and as

God-man, has no need of, with reference to himself, and therefore he can

spare it; a justifying righteousness, that he for himself wanteth not, and

therefore giveth it away: Hence it is called the gift of righteousness. This

righteousness, since Christ Jesus the Lord has made himself under the law,

must be given away; for the law doth not only bind him that is under it, to

do justly, but to use charity. Rom. 5:17. Wherefore he must, or ought by the

law, if he hath two coats, to give one to him that hath none. Now, our Lord

indeed hath two coats, one for himself, and one to spare; wherefore he

freely bestows one upon those that have none. And thus, Christiana and

Mercy, and the rest of you that are here, doth your pardon come by deed, or

by the work of another man. Your Lord Christ is he that worked, and hath

given away what he wrought for, to the next poor beggar he meets.

But again, in order to pardon by deed, there must something be paid to God

as a price, as well as something prepared to cover us withal. Sin has

delivered us up to the just curse of a righteous law: now from this curse we

must be justified by way of redemption, a price being paid for the harms we

have done; and this is by the blood of your Lord, who came and stood in your

place and stead, and died your death for your transgressions: Thus has he

ransomed you from your transgressions by blood, and covered your polluted

and deformed souls with righteousness, Rom. 8:34; for the sake of which, God

passeth by you and will not hurt you when he comes to judge the world. Gal.

3:13.

CHRISTIANA: This is brave! Now I see that there was something to be learned

by our being pardoned by word and deed. Good Mercy, let us labor to keep

this in mind: and, my children, do you remember it also. But, sir, was not

this it that made my good Christian’s burden fall from off his shoulder, and

that made him give three leaps for joy?

MR. GREAT-HEART: Yes, it was the belief of this that cut those strings that

could not be cut by other means; and it was to give him a proof of the

virtue of this, that he was suffered to carry his burden to the cross.

CHRISTIANA: I thought so; for though my heart was lightsome and joyous

before, yet it is ten times more lightsome and joyous now. And I am

persuaded by what I have felt, though I have felt but little as yet, that if

the most burdened man in the world was here, and did see and believe as I

now do, it would make his heart the more merry and blithe.

MR. GREAT-HEART: There is not only comfort and the ease of a burden brought

to us by the sight and consideration of these, but an endeared affection

begot in us by it: for who can, if he doth but once think that pardon comes

not only by promise but thus, but be affected with the way and means of his

redemption, and so with the man that hath wrought it for him?

CHRISTIANA: True; methinks it makes my heart bleed to think that he should

bleed for me. Oh, thou loving One: Oh, thou blessed One. Thou deservest to

have me; thou hast bought me. Thou deservest to have me all: thou hast paid

for me ten thousand times more than I am worth. No marvel that this made the

tears stand in my husband’s eyes, and that it made him trudge so nimbly on.

I am persuaded he wished me with him: but, vile wretch that I was, I let him

come all alone. Oh, Mercy, that thy father and mother were here; yea, and

Mrs. Timorous also: nay, I wish now with all my heart that here was Madam

Wanton too. Surely, surely, their hearts would be affected; nor could the

fear of the one, nor the powerful lusts of the other, prevail with them to

go home again, and to refuse to become good pilgrims.

MR. GREAT-HEART: You speak now in the warmth of your affections; will it,

think you, be always thus with you? Besides, this is not communicated to

every one, nor to every one that did see your Jesus bleed. There were that

stood by, and that saw the blood run from the heart to the ground, and yet

were so far off this, that instead of lamenting, they laughed at him, and,

instead of becoming his disciples, did harden their hearts against him. So

that all that you have, my daughters, you have by peculiar impression made

by a divine contemplating upon what I have spoken to you. Remember, that

‘twas told you, that the hen, by her common call, gives no meat to her

chickens. This you have therefore by a special grace.

Now I saw in my dream, that they went on until they were come to the place

that Simple, and Sloth, and Presumption, lay and slept in when Christian

went by on pilgrimage: and behold, they were hanged up in irons a little way

off on the other side.

MERCY: Then said Mercy to him that was their guide and conductor, what are

these three men; and for what are they hanged there?

MR. GREAT-HEART: These three men were men of very bad qualities; they had no

mind to be pilgrims themselves, and whomsoever they could, they hindered.

They were sloth and folly themselves, and whomsoever they could persuade

they made so too, and withal taught them to presume that they should do well

at last. They were asleep when Christian went by; and now you go by, they

are hanged.

MERCY: But could they persuade any to be of their opinion?

MR. GREAT-HEART: Yes, they turned several out of the way. There was

Slow-pace that they persuaded to do as they. They also prevailed with one

Short-wind, with one No-heart, with one Linger-after-Lust, and with one

Sleepy-head, and with a young woman, her name was Dull, to turn out of the

way and become as they. Besides, they brought up an ill report of your Lord,

persuading others that he was a hard taskmaster. They also brought up an

evil report of the good Land, saying, it was not half so good as some

pretended it was. They also began to vilify his servants, and to count the

best of them meddlesome, troublesome busybodies. Further, they would call

the bread of God husks; the comforts of his children, fancies; the travel

and labor of pilgrims, things to no purpose.

CHRISTIANA: Nay, said Christiana, if they were such, they shall never be

bewailed by me: they have but what they deserve; and I think it is well that

they stand so near the highway, that others may see and take warning. But

had it not been well if their crimes had been engraven in some plate of iron

or brass, and left here where they did their mischiefs, for a caution to

other bad men?

MR. GREAT-HEART: So it is, as you may well perceive, if you will go a little

to the wall.

MERCY: No, no; let them hang, and their names rot, and their crimes live

forever against them. I think it a high favor that they were hanged before

we came hither: who knows else what they might have done to such poor women

as we are? Then she turned it into a song, saying,

“Now then you three hang there, and be a sign

To all that shall against the truth combine.

And let him that comes after, fear this end,

If unto pilgrims he is not a friend.

And thou, my soul, of all such men beware,

That unto holiness opposers are.”

Thus they went on till they came to the foot of the hill Difficulty, where

again the good Mr. Great-Heart took an occasion to tell them what happened

there when Christian himself went by. So he had them first to the spring.

Lo, saith he, this is the spring that Christian drank of before he went up

this hill: and then it was clear and good; but now it is dirty with the feet

of some that are not desirous that pilgrims here should quench their thirst.

Ezek. 34:18,19. Thereat Mercy said, And why so envious, trow? But, said

their guide, it will do, if taken up and put into a vessel that is sweet and

good; for then the dirt will sink to the bottom, and the water come out by

itself more clear. Thus therefore Christiana and her companions were

compelled to do. They took it up, and put it into an earthen pot, and so let

it stand till the dirt was gone to the bottom, and then they drank thereof.

Next he showed them the two by-ways that were at the foot of the hill, where

Formality and Hypocrisy lost themselves. And, said he, these are dangerous

paths. Two were here cast away when Christian came by; and although, as you

see these ways are since stopped up with chains, posts, and a ditch, yet

there are those that will choose to adventure here rather than take the

pains to go up this hill.

CHRISTIANA: “The way of transgressors is hard.” Prov. 13:15. It is a wonder

that they can get into these ways without danger of breaking their necks.

MR. GREAT-HEART: They will venture: yea, if at any time any of the King’s

servants do happen to see them, and do call upon them, and tell them that

they are in the wrong way, and do bid them beware of the danger, then they

railingly return them answer, and say, “As for the word that thou hast

spoken unto us in the name of the King, we will not hearken unto thee; but

we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth out of our own mouths.” Jer.

44:16,17. Nay, if you look a little further, you shall see that these ways

are made cautionary enough, not only by these posts, and ditch, and chain,

but also by being hedged up: yet they will choose to go there.

CHRISTIANA: They are idle; they love not to take pains; up-hill way is

unpleasant to them. So it is fulfilled unto them as it is written, “The way

of the slothful man is full of thorns.” Prov. 15:19. Yea, they will rather

choose to walk upon a snare than to go up this hill, and the rest of this

way to the city.

Then they set forward, and began to go up the hill, and up the hill they

went. But before they got to the top, Christiana began to pant, and said, I

dare say this is a breathing hill; no marvel if they that love their ease

more than their souls choose to themselves a smoother way.

Then said Mercy, I must sit down: also the least of the children began to

cry. Come, come, said Great-Heart, sit not down here; for a little above is

the Prince’s arbor. Then he took the little boy by the hand, and led him up

thereto.

When they were come to the arbor, they were very willing to sit down, for

they were all in a pelting heat. Then said Mercy, “How sweet is rest to them

that labor.” Matt. 11:28; and how good is the Prince of pilgrims to provide

such resting-places for them! Of this arbor I have heard much; but I never

saw it before. But here let us beware of sleeping; for, as I have heard, it

cost poor Christian dear.

Then said Mr. Great-Heart to the little ones, Come, my pretty boys, how do

you do? What think you now of going on pilgrimage? Sir, said the least, I

was almost beat out of heart; but I thank you for lending me a hand at my

need. And I remember now what my mother hath told me, namely, that the way

to heaven is as a ladder, and the way to hell is as down a hill. But I had

rather go up the ladder to life, than down the hill to death.

Then said Mercy, But the proverb is, “To go down the hill is easy.” But

James said, (for that was his name,) The day is coming when, in my opinion,

when going down the hill will be the hardest of all. ‘Tis a good boy, said

his master; thou hast given her a right answer. Then Mercy smiled, but the

little boy did blush.

CHRISTIANA: Come, said Christiana, will you eat a bit to sweeten your

mouths, while you sit here to rest your legs? for I have here a piece of

pomegranate which Mr. Interpreter put into my hand just when I came out of

his door; he gave me also a piece of an honeycomb, and a little bottle of

spirits. I thought he gave you something, said Mercy, because he called you

aside. Yes, so he did, said the other; but, said Christiana, it shall be

still as I said it should, when at first we came from home; thou shalt be a

sharer in all the good that I have, because thou so willingly didst become

my companion. Then she gave to them, and they did eat, both Mercy and the

boys. And said Christiana to Mr. Great-Heart, Sir, will you do as we? But he

answered, You are going on pilgrimage, and presently I shall return; much

good may what you have do you: at home I eat the same every day.

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