Part two, the third stage. 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. He'd 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
forward, 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 separcha. 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 pardoned 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 pardoned
by deed or in the way that it was obtained? Mister great I suppose
you know. Wherefore, if you please let us hear your discourse thereof mister
Greatheart, 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 spilled his blood to wash you
in. Christiana. But if he parts with his righteousness to us, what
will he have for himself, mister Greatheart, he has more righteousness than you
have need of, or than he need edith himself, Christiana, pray make
that appear, mister 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 Romans five, nineteen Christiana. But are the other righteousnesses
of no use to us, mister Greatheart, 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 bide him that is under it to do justly, but to use
charity Romans five seventeen. Wherefore he must or aught by the law. If
he hath two coats, 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 be 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 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 instead,
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 Romans eight
thirty four, for the sake of which God passeth by you and will not
hurt you when he comes to judge the world Galatians three thirteen. Christiana,
this is brave. Now I see that there was something to be learned about
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, mister Greatheart.
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. Mister Greatheart. 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 begotten us by 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, thy loving one, O,
thou blessed one, Thou deservest to have me, Thou hast brought 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 thou wretch that I was,
I let him come all alone, O mercy, that thy father and
mother were here, yea, and missus timorous also, Nay, I wished
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
lust of the other prevail with them to go home again and to refuse to
become good pilgrims. Mister greatheart, 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 you have, my
daughters, you have by peculiar impression made by divine contemplating upon what I have
spoken to you. Remember that was 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? Mister Greatheart? 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, mister Greatheart,
Yes, they termed 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 be calm 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 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 caution to other bad men, Mister greatheart, 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 wrought, and
their crimes, and if 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 mister Greatheart 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,
or 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 Ezekiel thirty four, eighteen and nineteen.
Thereat mercy said, and why so envious? True? 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 Proverbs thirteen fifteen. It is a wonder
that they can get into these ways without danger of breaking their necks, Mister
Greatheart, 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 Jeremiah forty four, sixteen and seventeen. 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 uphill. 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 Proverbs fifteen nineteen. 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 of 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 there too. 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 Matthew eleven twenty eight. 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
miss the 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's 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 mister 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 mister greatheart, sir, will you do
as me? 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. And Part two the third stage